65 years ago, Sept. 23, 1954
“The annual singing convention sponsored by the Columbia Lion Clubs will be held Sunday, Sept. 26 beginning at 10 a.m. at the Columbia High School auditorium, President Bill Gray announced this week. Ward Hurt, mayor and prominent businessman from Lumberton, will serve as song director for the all-day singing.”
“Larry Jo Cook, son of Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Cook of the Petty community, has been awarded an $1,800 scholarship by Tulane University, Dr. Rufus C. Harris, Tulane president, announced today. Cook, a 1954 honor graduate of Improve-Petty Consolidated High School, is one of 138 outstanding high school graduates who have been awarded scholarships by Tulane.”
“Martha Ann Smith of Columbia has been elected to the position of editor of the Mississippi College student newspaper, the Collegian. A senior English major, Martha Ann has been active in student affairs. … Martha Ann, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. S.F. Smith of Columbia, won many honors as a student at Columbia High School.”
60 years ago, Sept. 24, 1959
“In a simple procedure Saturday afternoon – one that would have pleased in its intimacy the central figure whose memory was honored – a portrait of Mrs. Lester Broome – Mamie Lou to everyone who knew her – was hung in Shelby Memorial Library. The portrait was hung in the committee room of the traditionally Southern building on Oak Avenue facing those who visit, as the memory of the woman who grew with the library and helped the library grow is honored. … Miss Jennie Watts, founder of the local library and Columbia’s first librarian, states that when Mrs. Broome was 4 years of age she learned to read with the help of teachers boarding in the home of her parents, the late Mr. and Mrs. R.J. Baylis. From that day Mamie Lou’s life was dedicated to books. She grew up with the library as a central point in her life. Miss Watts recalls that the first library, housed in an ante room of the superintendent of education’s office in the courthouse, was first a county teacher’s library, then a public library. Open only two hours on Tuesday and Friday afternoons, Miss Watts says that Mamie Lou was always on hand when the door was opened to exchange the one book readers were allowed to check out at a time in those days. … When Mrs. Broome was mature and was graduated from school and college, she became the librarian, a position into which she had grown and for which she was certainly fitted. A dedicated work through the years reflected it as a labor of love. When WPA took charge of the library during the lean years of the Depression, others were official librarians while Mrs. Broome assumed the role of ‘traveling librarian.’ It was during that period that she added extensively to her already voluminous knowledge of the people of this county and contributed much to the reading habits of the people of the various communities. Those years are well remembered by many and with deep affection for Mrs. Broome, who loaded her car with all kinds of books for all age groups and toured the county, community by community, establishing central distribution points for the books. Every community will recall that she would arrive on a dusty road in the summer and on perhaps icy or muddy ones in the winter to bring a load of new books and pick up those already read. … After the WPA days, Mrs. Broome again became librarian and faithfully conducted her work until a short time before her death April 11, 1959.”
50 years ago, Sept. 25, 1969
“A two million dollar ‘chip and saw’ type sawmill to be constructed across the railroad from the old Newsom Watermill site at Goss was announced jointly here Tuesday at a luncheon meeting. Georgia-Pacific, manufacturer of paper and containers, plywood, chemicals, flakeboard, hardboard, lumber, charcoal and minerals in the company’s operations in 46 states and three foreign countries, was host at the luncheon. The announcement was made jointly by Brad Dye, director of the Mississippi Agricultural and Industrial Board, representing Gov. John Bell Williams who could not attend, and Jack E. Meadows, vice president and general manager of Georgia-Pacific Corporation’s Crossett, Ark., division.”
“Cpl. Charles W. McKenzie, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lee D. McKenzie of Route 2, Foxworth, has been awarded two Commendation Medals for meritorious achievements in the Republic of Vietnam. Serving with the 1st Battalion, 40th Artillery Group of the 108th Artillery Group, U.S. Army, he distinguished himself on March 30, 1969, in military operations against a hostile force.”
40 years ago, Sept. 20, 1979
“Thirty years ago when Sidney Buckley was age 13, he conducted his first invitational hymn at the Goss Baptist Church. As he did, his father, Porter Buckley, then a local farmer who also operated the old water-powered cotton gin on Holiday’s Creek, surrendered to the gospel ministry. Immediately Buckley began preaching and pastoring rural churches in Marion County. ... ‘Miss Erma’ as Mrs. Buckley is affectionately called, and the children, Marion, Sidney, Dories, Barbara and Tim, always accompanied Buckley to these churches. The family would sing special music before the sermon, and young Sidney often led the song service. The senior Buckley is still pastor of White Bluff Baptist Church, and ‘Miss Erma’ leads the music. For the past 22 years, Sidney has served as minister of music and college professor. He is now a full time music evangelist. The reunion of father and son will take place Sept. 22-26 at the National Guard Armory in an ‘Ole Time Preachin’ and Singin’ Crusade.’”
30 years ago, Sept. 21, 1989
“Howard W. Wright, president of Citizens Bank of Columbia, died last Friday at Methodist Hospital of Marion County at the age of 65. n
