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Clay County 50 Years Ago Page 6 Each week the Clay County Leader is publishing an exert from the newspaper of 50 years ago. Thanks to the Leader for allowing us to use these tidbits of Clay County's past. Judy Davidson sends the articles each week. Many thanks to Judy! January 6 The City of Henrietta announces it will crack down on dogs running loose in the city, after a rabid dog is found requiring about 10 persons to begin taking shots. Those dogs found running at-large will be impounded, and any showing signs of rabies will be destroyed, regardless of whether they have been vaccinated. Henrietta residents learn they will get new telephone numbers when a new dial system is installed in the spring. Henrietta voters approve the sale of the Ikard Strip in front of the Ward School to the school district by a 79-156 vote. Clyde and Home Brock open Brock's Food Market at Main and Gilbert in Henrietta. January 13 Installers begin placing dialers on Henrietta telephones. About 600 of the 1,000 phones are equipped for dialing. Calls should continue to go through the operator until the new system is tested. Henrietta Cub Scouts take a field trip to Decatur and back aboard a passenger train. Betty Jo Moore, 1954 graduate plans to open a beauty shop in Bellevue. J.D. Anderson of Bellevue is appointed District Deputy Grand Marshal of the 115th Masonic District of Texas. Bath size Dial soap, three for 35 cents at Brock's. January 23 Dr. A.B. Edwards reveals plans to add a reading room to the Edwards Public Library. The library circulated 26,600 items during 1954. The Henrietta City Council puts a stop to the fishing (and other recreational activities) at the city lake in order to help the hospital qualify for $45,000.00 in federal aid to build a new wing. Mrs. Jimmy Settle is nominated new president of the Junior Delphian Club. Esso Extra Motor Oil,$6.60 per case at Harold B. Lowry Humble. January 29 Hales and Moore Construction Co. of Snyder is awarded the contract to lay water mains and fire plugs and other work for the Bellevue water system. A microbarograph to measure changes in the barometric pressure is installed at the Bellevue Post Office. A Clay County jury awards $73,200 in damages to an Olney man in a civil lawsuit against a Graham trucking co. Henrietta ag and home ec classes hold swap-around week, with guys practicing their homemaking skills and the girls leaning shop skills. Pure-As-Snow flour, 25 pound bag, $1.57 at City Food Store. February 3 American Legion Chili Supper to benefit the M.D. Anderson Cancer Research Hospital, 50cents chili, beans, pie and coffee. Wendell Mayo scores 31 points to lead Petrolia to its 36th win over the season, defeating Randlett 8-63. Henrietta Kiwanis Club initiates the WYPAT program-- Will You Plant a Tree? J.H. Tolleson moves his business from the Texaco Station to the Phillips Station in Petrolia. Green beans, 10 cents a can at the A&P. February 12 Clay Co. native Martha Kosanka writes a book on Indian romances. A.V. Slagle is installed as president of the Henrietta Kiwanis Club. Lewis Brown resigns his Henrietta City Council seat, and Councilman Charles Naylor and Mayor Troy Douthiss announce they will not seek reelection. Poll tax receipts of 1, 561 are down about 350 voters for an "off" election year. "Tarzan Escapes" with Johnny Weissmuller at the Dorothy Theater. February 20 The bid of Norton E. White of Houston is approved for $35,488 to build a new Ed Boddy of Henrietta is elected president of the Clay County Hereford White's Auto Store is owned by Joe Rotta, plans a grand opening in Henrietta. Petrolia defeats a Antelope to win the 34-B district championship in three games. Coach is Jimmy Matlock. February 27 B.V. Armstrong, Jr. of Deer Creek earns reserve champion with his angus heifer at the Jaycees Junior Beef and Dairy Show in Wichita Falls, Texas. Some 126 Camp Fire girls host their dads for the annual banquet at the VFW building. Henrietta Garden Club plants shrubs at the Edwards Public Library in observance of Arbor Day. Paul Patterson, Petrolia graduate, seeks his fourth letter in track at North Texas States. Country Fresh Eggs, three dozen for $1 at City Food. March 6 Daniel Henry, who farms south of Henrietta, says this may be the best chance of a bumper wheat crop in the last 52 years. Members of the First Baptist Church in Henrietta plan to dedicate their new parsonage Sunday at South and Harston Streets. Private Vernon Greer returns from a year's stay in Germany with the 17th Armored Engineer Battalion. Leland Gill of Bellevue 4-H wins the boys division of public speaking at the county level. Bama grape jam, 24-ounce jar for 29 cents at Nolen's. March 13 The state bridge across the Wichita River between Charlie and Petrolia is completed. A goal of $400 is set for cash prizes for the annual Clay County 4-H and FFA Project Show. Byers FFA and first grade plan to present the Nat Fleming Show to raise funds for new desks. Clay County Bee is announced for March 26, with Floreine Laughon as the pronouncer. Dog vaccinations, $2 each by Dr. Marvin Burrus at Henrietta City Hall. March 20 The Henrietta city lake is reported at its highest level ever, that to a new pump. Texas Electric announces it will move its Henrietta office to a new location at 111 West Ikard. Raymond Gordon and John Gill purchase lots near the high for a service station in Bellevue. The chamber of commerce plans an appreciation dinner to pay tribute to all telephone operators and employees who have served Henrietta past and present. Reversible 20-inch window fan, $24.95 at Claude B. Gates Store. March 27 Telephone switching is moved from the manual switchboard above Nolen's Grocery (northern corner of Bridge and Gilbert to the new telephone building. Mayor Douthitt places first call on the new dial system, to his brother-in-law in Port Aransas. The Henrietta exchange is Idlewood. The American Legion announces a clothing drive to benefit the patients of the epileptic hospital in Abilene. All meat bologna, three pounds for $1 at City Food. March 31 Sonja Hansard 10, of Thornberry wins the Clay County spelling bee. Public Health Services notifies Congressman Frank Ikard of the preliminaryapproval of $45,300 federal share for the $90,000 needed to complete a12-bed addition to the Clay County Memorial Hospital. Frances Slagle is elected president of the VFW Auxiliary. Lone Star Gas Co.'s New York compressor station employees attain a one-year perfect safety record. Bananas, 10 cents a pound at Brock's grocery. April 11 Just 24 hours after the community was hit with a severe wind storm, a tornado strikes Newport, damaging almost every structure in the community. Damage is also reported at Post Oak, Shannon and Buffalo Springs. W.O.Martin and Dick Moyer win reelection to the Henrietta School Board, andDr. Robert Hurn is names board president. Pierre Stine is elected Henrietta mayor without opposition. Mrs. Comer Tuck wins the prize as the tackiest woman at an old-fashioned box supper and tacky party at the Vashti community center. Dress up dresses, $8.95 to $11.95 at John's Dry Goods. April 13 The new $25,000.00 home of the VFW and auxiliary in Henrietta becomes a reality after 3 years of planning and work. A fire does about $1,000.00 damage to the Kenneth Slagle home at 507 West Omega in Henrietta. Slagle appears before the city council to request that some method be developed to relieve traffic on the single phone line at city hall for the fire and police departments, since there is no longer an operator to break in on conversations when the line is busy. Clay County schools plan to administer polio shots to first and second graders. Deluxe sundaes, two for 25 cents at Henrietta Pharmacy. April 22 A run-off election is scheduled after the Bellevue trustee vote ends in a 63-vote tie between K.E. Webb and Herman Cozart. Leroy Schaffner is accepted to study medicine at the Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas. Black top is being put on the new highway from Vashti to Newport. Clay County quarterly auditor's report shows a bank balance of $170,000. All purpose typing table, with drawer, $12.95 at the Leader. April 28 Three from Clay County are named to district offices in the VFW. Eunice Fletcher is names president of the auxiliary, R.T. Saling is elected junior vice commander and R.H. Roberson of Petrolia is Mike Allen and Frank Collins of Petrolia High School with the regional tennis meet. Contractors near completion of work on the city water main in Bellevue. Okeefe-Merritt gas range, $399 at Gates Store. May 7 The Kiwanis kid baseball program gets under way after hearing from a representative of the Wichita Falls Boys Club leagues. Frank Douthitt serves as master of ceremonies for the Henrietta FFA banquet. Others taking part in the ceremonies are Wilson Sacling, Guinn White, Daniel Schaffner, David Greer and H.C. Zachry. A dedication service is held at the Methodist Church in Deer Creek. Highways patrol report shows six wrecks in April with no injuries and damage totaling $7,500. May 12 Petrolia FFA chapter announces it will hold a countywide rodeo in June, with stock provided by Goat Mayo. Jacquetta Shepherd of Midway wins the Clay County 4-H Dress Revue. K.E. Webb edges Herman Cozart 73-67 to win the Bellevue school board seat in a runoff after the two men tied during the regular election. Schools announce graduations. Valedictorians include Carl Harrison of Petrolia, Joyce Chumley of Byers and Marlene Scott of Midway. Pillsbury flour, 25 pounds for $1.69 at City Food. May 18 A loud speaker system is added at Hope Cemetery in Henrietta. Darlene Gill plans to give the valedictory address at Bellevue commencement. Sandra McAdams is announced as Henrietta's top graduate. Ice cube trays, regularly $2.50, 79 cents at Bob Meeks Station. May 25 A proposed $9 million lake on the Little Wichita River in Clay County is taken under study by the Wichita Falls City Council. Primary site for the dam is northeast of Henrietta near the Red River. Mr and Mrs Dale Reynolds are selected as operators of the new Henrietta swimming pool. Byers and Bellevue schools begin superintendent searches after both school leaders accept positions in other districts. The chamber of commerce begins compiling a list of rental properties in Henrietta. Welsh's grape jelly, 20 ounces for 29 cents at Nolen's. June 1 Free swimming from 2-6 p.m. is announced for the opening of the Henrietta County commissioners advertise for bids for a new 12-room wing for the hospital. The Henrietta City Council authorizes the installation of a police and fire phone at the corner of Bridge and Omega. A second dam site just southwest of Henrietta appears to be favored by Wichita Falls for the new water supply lake. Nickel sale on bedding plants at Henrietta Floral. June 16 Clay Co. send 15 head of cattle as part of its contribution to Friendship for Korea to be used by members of South Kores 4-H. Fire does $2000.00 worth of damage to Midway Grocery Store. Winners in Petrolia's FFA rodeo include Wendell May in bareback riding, J.T. Browning in bull riding and Doc Greer in double mugging. Arrangements are made to show the Clay County chamber of commerce promotional film on television. Help-your-self laundry, 60 cents an hour at Ruthledge Laundry in Petrolia. June 30 Confusion accompanies the awarding of the bid for the hospital expansion. The State Health Dept. says the project will have to be bid again since the money is not available for the $86,600 bid of L.J. Gentry. Members of the First Baptist Church in Newport decide to build a new church. Dr. Don Swick announces the closing of his Henrietta office of optometry. The VFW Post receives several pieces of hospital equipment available to loan at no charge. "Davy Crockett" showing at the Rietta Drive-In. July 6, Henrietta School Board sets the 1955-56 calendar, with classes to begin Sept 6 and holidays for Pioneer Reunion, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. Clay County sets a vote on a 30-cent property tax increase for farm to market roads, including Joy to Windthorst, Shannon to the county line toward Antelope and Standfield to Henrietta-Ringgold. The first swim meet is scheduled at the new Henrietta pool for Boy Scouts from Clay and Montague Counties. The Dodgers take the early lead in the Kiwanis baseball standings with two wins. Fresh beef tongue, 15 cents each at Rogers' Market. July 13 County voters approve the farm-to-market tax and the additional of the position of tax assessor-collector, both by good margins. A sheltered picnic table is added to the roadside park southeast of Petrolia, adjacent to the marker for the first gas well in Texas. A special election is called to fill a vacancy on the Henrietta City Council following the resignation of Charles Naylor. Longhorn cheese, 49 cents a pound at City Food. July 27 A dam site east-northeast of Henrietta is selected for a new $9 million lake, which will back up almost 13 miles to her the city, holding 375,000 acre/feet of water. Leland Gill, who is accompanying the Clay County cattle donation to Korea, writes from aboard ship that he is seeing after six pens of livestock and has so far avoided seasickness. Continental Bus System establishes a bus station at the St. Elmo Hotel Lobby. August 1 County Commissioners learn it will take some time to fill the home demonstration agent vacancy, as no replacement agents are available. The countywide mid-summer 4-H rally draws 107 boys and girls. Commissioners tell the state they do not have the money to buy the right-of-way to widen Hwy. 287 to four lanes between Henrietta and Wichita Falls. Free chest x-rays are offered by the State Dept. of Health in Henrietta. Dresses, two for one at J.F. Alcorn. August 7 "Song Titles" is announced as the theme for the Clay County Reunion and float parades. The Rietta Drive-In adds a merry go round and ferris wheel to its children's Faye Roderick, Henrietta freshman twirler, is chosen to lead the marching The Health Department announces it administered 1,328 free chest x-rays Bulk milo, $1.95 per 100 pounds at Kerr Feed and Grain. August 13 Carl McMurry is the lone candidate to fill a vacancy on the Henrietta City Council. Engineers submit plans both Henrietta lake sites to a joint meeting of the Henrietta chamber of commerce makes plans to produce a new publicity brochure. Homer Roberson of Henrietta, who trained as a Navy frogman, spends part of his summer diving in area lakes recovering sunken items. Ground beef, three pounds for $1 at Brock's.
�2005 The Clay County Leader
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