10 Years Ago – Week of July 16, 2015
Relay Enjoys Success At New Venue
Celebrate. Remember. Fight Back. The mantra of Relay for Life was clearly demonstrated Saturday during Pendleton County’s annual event. Relay is the signature fund-raising event for the American Cancer Society and has taken place in the county seat every year since 1999. The ultimate goal of Relay for Life is fund-raising and Pendleton County has shown unprecedented success. Ten teams and 144 participants hosted spaghetti dinners, yard sales, bake sales and more throughout the year to collect money for Relay. “The county has raised over $830,000 since 1999,” according to Freda Calhoun, event chairperson.
Ninety-Seven Attend Basketball Camp
Ninety-seven youth participated in the 2015 Wildcats Basketball Camp held July 6-10 at Pendleton County High School. The camp was open to youth entering grades one through eight. Instruction focused on basic basketball fundamentals along with individual competitions and games. Boys, in grades three through eight, attended morning sessions. Girls and students in grades one through two attended the afternoon sessions.
20 Years Ago – Week of July 21, 2005
County Relay for Life Will Top $55K Mark
As a great American author once observed that rumors of his demise were greatly exaggerated, so, too, were predictions that fund-raising for cancer research through the Pendleton County Relay for Life might be in steep decline this year. Although last year’s benchmark of $60,000-plus was not eclipsed, initial tallies show that a total of $54,815.36 was raised here this year through the auspices of the local Relay for Life organization. Kim Kline, the captain of Team Tweetie and one of Relay’s longtime leaders, said that, when all the donations come in, the total amount raised here will top the $55,000 mark.
30 Years Ago – Week of July 13, 1995
Sugar Grove – Time and Wear Bring Character To Man and Teapot
It’s just an unusual centerpiece… an odd treasure indeed… an ordinary old aluminum tea kettle with a wooden handle. It’s clearly seen its share of work. The handle is nicked, the sides are scratched. Through many meals long ago, this kettle served its family well. Even vigorous washings couldn’t bring back the polished shine. After plucking this kettle from off the shelf in the wash house, restoration was underway. To create an unusual centerpiece would be thrilling. Scouring and scrubbing, polishing and rubbing brought some of the luster back. Beautiful flowers now overflow its cavity. Just as the pot, the constant use of life can wear on relationships. We get a few nicks and scratches. Sometimes the fire gets too hot, the water too low…and we may find ourselves burned beyond repair…or so we think. It is so tempting to throw out those relationships. But a better solution would be to let things cool off and soak awhile…get busy and scrub… that kettle might still be a kettle. It just might grow beautiful flowers…if given a chance. There’s nothing more powerful than a kettle full of love.
Week of July 20, 1995 – 300 Attend Navy July 4 Celebration
More than 300 Pendleton County neighbors shared a picnic and fireworks show with more than 80 Navy families as Naval Security Group Activity Sugar Grove celebrated our nation’s birthday. The Moorefield country rock band “Common Sense” entertained the picnic-goers, as they participated in games like a sack race, egg toss and dunk tank. Adults, for the most part, preferred to tap their toes in time with the tunes as they feasted on the free food. The Zambelli Fireworks company from southern Pennsylvania provided the evening’s most spectacular event.
60 Years Ago – Week of July 15, 1965
What’s Cooking In Oak Flat
He’s off to see the world. It may take a little time, but he’ll make it. He’s already traveled four miles and it’s only taken him 34 years to do it. That’s not bad for a turtle. Several weeks ago Kitty Ann Harper found him near her home two miles west of Oak Flat. He had the initials S.W.E. and A.E. and the date 1931 carved on his shell. Stanley W. Eye of Franklin tells us that he and his late father, Arthur Eye, carved the initials on the turtle in 1931. Eye said they found the dry land turtle while hoeing corn in a field two miles east of Oak Flat which was owned at the time by Tom Conrad and is now owned by Mrs. Osce Dyer. From two miles east of Oak Flat to two miles west of Oak Flat—that’s four miles in 34 years. That’s about the speed of a terrapin. But who knows what he might have run into while passing through Oak Flat.
C&P to Spend $66,200 to Improve Telephone Service in Pendleton
Funds totaling $66,200 to expand and improve telephone facilities in Pendleton County were authorized by the board of directors of the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company of West Virginia in Charleston. The Pendleton County work will expand telephone service in the Kesner Mountain area where five telephones will be installed and in the Smoke Hole area where 18 telephones will be installed. At the present time there is no telephone service in the Kesner Mountain area, and there is only one telephone in the Smoke Hole area, which is provided by a single pay station in an outside booth.
70 Years Ago – Week of July 14, 1955
It’s in The Blood —
When John Hammer took his 4-H Livestock Judging team to Moorefield last Friday to compete in the regional contest, he had high hopes that his team would make a good showing, and when the final count was totaled up, he was not at all surprised to find that his team was out in front leading the second place team by a whopping 53 points. A glance at the members of his team and the ‘stock’ from which they come will explain Mr. Hammer’s confidence. Dyer Anderson is the grandson of the late Mr. Will Anderson who had the reputation of being one of the best livestock judges in the county, and his uncle McClure Anderson was considered tops in the business, too. David Dyer’s dad, George Dyer, is well qualified to give him some pointers on the tricky business of picking out the good ones, and he doesn’t have to leave his own farm to find some high class stock to practice on. One would naturally expect Jim and Jed Conrad to have sharp eyes for the business as well. Being the sons of Bill and Paul Conrad, who are progressive South Fork farmers, and the grandsons of the late Mr. Jim Conrad, who was a pioneer Pendleton County stockman and a fine gentleman, what else could you expect? Yes, Mr. Hammer, you had good cause to expect your team to be a winner. In fact, if you would check very closely you might even find Hereford blood in their veins.
80 Years Ago – Week of July 13, 1945
Weekly News Analysis
Home Front: House Buyers Revolt
War-boomed realty inflation prices are being punctured on the West coast by a buying public that has become choosey and harder to sell. This buyers’ rebellion of homes has resulted in prices in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Portland falling from 10 to 15 per cent and with little interest being shown except when bargains are offered. So far Seattle is selling at peak war prices, when sales are made. Realtors state that the buyers’ rebellion is not caused by war plant layoffs, but rather by the fact that purchasers of homes want a new postwar model and are not willing to invest much capital in prewar style houses. Publicity given to the “dream house of the future,” has done much to lower buyers’ demand for inflated priced older homes. Dealers are upset because they believe that bright forecasts are premature and the public is being led into false hopes. They cite the announcement of Henry Kaiser for the ideal home for the price of $5,000. They say this same house would have to be sold from $7,500 to $8,000, so buyers are waiting and prices are returning to normal.
Replaces Three “R’s”
When little Johnny sees that school house sign coming down he needn’t look so pleased. Some farmers are planning to use school buildings as granaries for wheat this year, according to the U. S. Department of Agriculture, but they’ll choose old ones that haven’t already been turned to other uses – not Johnny’s! It’s a part of the job of finding some place to store a big part of the expected record wheat crop. Freight and truck transportation to terminal points will not be available to thousands of farmers, it is pointed out, due to the need for these facilities to keep war supplies moving to the Pacific battle zones as rapidly as possible. Growers will have to find storage space close to home, unless they are able to get a definite assurance that box cars will be available. Although schools, theaters and other community structures no longer in regular use will house some of the wheat, more of it will be taken care of on the farms where it grew. Renovated barns, garages, sheds, dwellings, and other means can be used, in addition to the setting up of “bins” made from welded wire mesh lined with tar paper and roofed over against the weather.
No Cutback in Lumber Production
Work in West Virginia’s timber producing areas will flow contrary to the national trend during future months, lumber officials and Army Service Command officers predict. While production lines of U. S. industries centers will cut back or reduce operations as the need for their manufactured items decreases, lumbering operations and sawmills throughout the state will hum with increased activity. Basis of the prediction is the increased need for lumber effected by the shift of the main war effort from Europe to Asia and the Pacific.
Penicillin Will Be Distributed Free to Clinics
Dr. J. E. Offner, state health commissioner, announced today that before the first of August, penicillin for the treatment of gonorrhea, will be distributed free to clinics and private practitioners throughout the state. The drug will be distributed through the local health departments, and the venereal disease clinics. Physicians using this service will be required to report the case to the local health department. Penicillin as a treatment of gonorrhea has increased the complete cure of the disease to 97.4 per cent, whereas, authorities say that less than a 50 per cent complete cure is effected by the use of the sulfonamides alone.
Mouth of Seneca – Fourth of July Celebration At Seneca Park
The morning of July 4th broke bright and fair and remained so throughout the day, just as we had hoped and planned. Right on schedule the “Old Park gates” swung open and here the crowds were. Just like usual happy and anxious to pour in once again and they continued to come until more than a thousand had registered and Stoney Cooper and his associates of Fairmont were right here on time and gave us the best program they have ever given in this area. The big crowd received the program in “A Big Way” and every one had a jolly good time. The Radio Troupe said it was the most enthusiastic crowd they ever played to. As the day advanced the crowd grew larger and the night program proved more peppy than the day program. At the conclusion the dance was on and continued with fancy stepping, whirling and swirling till the wee hours of the morning when the chairman rang the curfew bringing to a close the biggest and happiest Fourth of July celebration we have had here in a decade. It was fascinating to stand on the sidelines and watch old friends greet old friends with a glad hand clasp. Harman, Horton, Green Bank and Durbin sent large delegations and we are always happy to have them.
-Yours Katinka
