65 years ago, June 4, 1953
"A large barn on the farm of Percy Smith of the New Hope Community was completely destroyed by fire shortly after noon Saturday, when the building suddenly burst into flames, it was reported here this week. Trapped inside the building and burned alive were two mules and a beef yearling, according to the report. An almost new tractor, two wagons, a large supply of new, modern farm tools and equipment, several thousand pounds of recently harvested oats and several hundred bushels of corn were destroyed in the fire."
"Following the throw-in of the first ball of Columbia's initial Little League baseball season, hundreds of enthusiastic sports fans of the area picked favorites and cheered wildly for their teams as the Little League season got officially underway at Jaycee Field Tuesday night. The pre-game ceremony, aired over radio station WCJU, featured comments on Little League baseball and the effects of it on the youth of the city by Mayor-elect Roy J. Goss. Mayor Goss was preceded on the program by Ryman Scott, chairman of the Exchange Club's baseball committee, and Lee Harger, president of the Columbia Exchange Club, the organization promoting the event here."
"Cadet Montecue J. Lowry, son of Dr. and Mrs. Mark Lowry of the Cedar Grove community, was one of the First Classmen (seniors) at the United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y., who graduated Tuesday,
June 2."
60 years ago, May 29, 1958
"Mrs. O.C. Ellzey is retiring from the classroom after 42 years of teaching. She was honored with a bronze service award plaque and coffee maker at the Friday, noon, luncheon of the City Teachers' Association. ... She came to Marion County to teach at East Columbia in 1920. Since that time she has missed only one county teachers' meeting and that was when she failed to receive a notice of the meeting. ... She married the late O.C. Ellzey in 1915. He will be remembered by many as a former local automobile dealer. Their daughter, Marjorie, is a teacher at Bunker Hill."
"Mr and Mrs. Maxie Tolar were held up and robbed at gun point in their store on Church Street Friday night. According to police reports, Mr. and Mrs. Tolar were checking up and preparing to close for the night when a man entered the store alone and asked for a pack of cigarettes. When he turned to get the cigarettes, Mr. Tolar was told to keep his hands up by the man who had pulled a gun. The man reached over and picked up the bank bag which contained $153 and disappeared into the darkness outside. The bandit was described as weighing about 140 pounds, 5 feet 10 inches tall, reddish brown hair and wearing light colored pants and sport shirt."
50 years ago, May 30, 1968
"An organizational meeting for what may become the largest water association was held Monday night at the Hopewell School Building. One-hundred-and-thirty people were present and organized the West Marion Water Association and elected a board of directors for the area which includes the communities of Kokomo, New Hope, Jamestown, Cheraw, Pickwick, Bedwell, Hurricane Creek and Hopewell. Board members elected were Clinton Summers, president; Everette Stringer, vice president; Charles Ball, secretary/treasurer; and directors, J.E. Evans, Winford Forbes, Jack Stringer, Jimmy Thomas, Paul Rowell, Lloyd Earl Regan, Mrs. A.M. Slocum, Willie Strickland, Richard Lott, Willard Thomas, Isaiah Hunnicutt, Herman Owens and Celeste Barnes."
"The Columbia Exchange Club will sponsor a local youngster who will take part in a national twirling contest next month. She is Angela Karen Butler, 10, whose parents, Capt. and Mrs. Robert B. Butler, have recently moved back to Columbia after a three-year stay at Ft. Meade, Md. ... She will leave June 22 for Norfolk, Va., where she will compete with girls from 11 states for Queen of the National Majorettes Association. ... Capt. Butler is formerly from Bunker Hill and his wife, the former Virginia Stewart, is from Hub. Angela's grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Lawson Stewart of Hub and Mr. and Mrs. Bennett Butler of Bunker Hill."
40 years ago, June 1, 1978
“Services for W.R. Baird were held from St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Meridian at 1:30 p.m. on May 24. … He joined the firm of New Orleans Furniture Manufacturing Company as a salesman in the early part of 1930 when the company was still located in New Orleans. In 1942 he was elected a vice president of the company, but continued on the road as a salesman. When the factory moved to Columbia as Columbia’s first BAWI industry, he continued as vice president and was made sales manager with a force of 35 salesmen in the territory, which covered the greater part of the United States and several foreign countries. Mr. Baird was named general manager of the company in 1959, continuing with most of his former duties. On Feb. 18, 1966, Mr. Baird was elected President of New Orleans Furniture Mfg. Co. and continued as general manager. He retired from his active duties with the company in 1969.”
“James R. Carney of Kokomo is the new manager of the Columbia Gibson’s Discount Store. He succeeds Rick Shoemaker, who has been transferred to Hattiesburg.”
25 years ago, June 3, 1993
“The ‘Affair of the Heart’ fund-raising party for the 1993 HeartFund will be held from 7-9 p.m. on Saturday, June 5, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Tony Polk at 1420 Broad St. This year’s ‘Affair of the Heart’ is in honor of Jean M. Cavin and Sedgie Griffith and in memory of Dr. Richard Campbell.”
