Happy New Year

Wishing all of you a happy 2007, may it be the best year yet.

I have been battling a cold for several days but hope to devote more attention to the blog in the coming days.

Christmas 1953

Cathy, Paul and Betsy - Christmas 1953.

Christmas 1952

For those of you who don't have access to Cathy's site, I am posting this picture of Cathy and Betsy on Christmas Day in 1952. This was their first Christmas in Plantersville, I think.

Mrs. Johnson and Cathy

This picture of Mrs. Johnson and Cathy was taken during the holiday at the nursing home in Jackson where Mrs. Johnson resides.

Post Christmas

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas; as usual we ate too much and exchanged too many gifts. All of my granddaughter's immediate family were in Tupelo for the day. Her aunt and uncle from Marion, Arkansas, and her other grandmother and uncle from Kosciusko joined us at my mother-in-law's house.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all.

Christmas Memories

I know this is an extremely busy time of the year, but perhaps some of you might share your Christmas memories with us.

I can’t recall a special Christmas memory nor a gift that stands out. Many of my memories concern food. When you entered Mama”s house, the first thing a visitor saw was the large dining room table which almost always had a cake or pie on it, but during the holiday season it would be laden with sweet potato, chocolate, cocoanut and mince meat pies, all kinds of cakes and various types of fudge; I remember the carmel pecan (the secret recipe one), chocolate fudge, (my favorite), date logs and divinity. When someone brought Mama a gift, that person left with a cake or pie or candy, and Doris took sweets to the other “shut ins” in town.

On Christmas Day, there was, of course, lots and lots of food. Uncle Ernest and Uncle Morris and their families came from Memphis while Aunt Cile and her son drove up from Starkville. The kids ate in the front bedroom on card tables.

After lunch we shared gifts. I usually received money and clothes. There would also be candy and fruit.

On Christmas Eve, I remember the excitement at Mr. Roy’s store as folks loaded boxes with goodies for Christmas.


If others will share their memories, my own memories may become more vivid.

Christmas

This is a busy time for all of us. Hope you have finished or are finishing your shopping and about ready for Christmas. If you are traveling, be safe.

Perhaps during the holdiays some of you will have time to go through your old pictures and send them to be posted on the site.

Idlett Daniel West

Back in September I posted a picture of Idlett and her husband, Ronald. Many of you remember that Idlett taught for several years at Plantersville and roomed with my Aunt Grace.

I received a Christmas card from Idlett and Ronald this week. They both have been sick this past year and are hoping for a better 2007.

The Week Before Christmas

'Twas the week before Christmas, and I'm not ready yet. I know it will be a busy week for all of us. I will try to post during the next week if anyone has the time to send me anything. I might finish my shopping by New Year's Eve.

Carole's Essay

If you would like to read Carole's essay on the secret candy recipe, go to Clintonnews.com within the next week. Look under Life for the essay; secret candy is in the title.

Not So Secret Candy Recipe

Since it was published in today's paper, there's nothing secret about this recipe.

Morning Paper

This picture was in this morning's Clinton News; the bald headed guy is enough to put you off your morning coffee. About this time of year, the living room table at Mama's house would be laden with goodies, pies, cakes and candy. Doris made many different types; among which was a carmel one filled with pecans. One day when our daughter was about ten or so, she brought home some candy her best friend's mother had made. The mother told Carole she couldn't share the recipe since it was a secret family one. When I tasted it, I realized it was the candy Doris used to make. My Aunt Lucille found the recipe in her home economic textbook from high school, and at one time, Aunt Johnnie made it and sold it through an antique shop in Tupelo.

Carole's essay about the secret candy recipe was published in today's paper.

I'll publish the secret family recipe in another post.

George

Donations to Boys and Girls Club

Here's the address for anyone wishing to make a contribution to the future Plantersville Boys and Girls Club. It's tax deductible.

Mike Clayborne
CREATE
P. O. Box 1053
213 West Main Street
Tupelo, MS 38802

Please make sure it is designated as mentioned about so that we can get credit. We have one year to match the $20,000 donation or we don't get it. I would love to have it done before then, and even more.


Gloria Holland

Cathy's Birthday

Most of us recognize Miss Dixie at the head of the table celebrating Cathy Johnson's sixth birthday. On Miss Dixie's left are Jean Jutman, Betsy Johnson, Barbara Caldwell, and on her right Georgia McWhorter, Cathy, and Carole McFarling.

Jean Jutman's birthday is a day after Cathy's.

Grade News

The Kampus Whiz each month included Elementary Grade news. The attached page is from the November, 1944 issue. Although it is not attached, a page from the October, 1944 issue related that Raymon Stovall drove a school bus to take members of the Commercial Club to a field to pick some cotton. A total of 1910 pounds of cotton was picked.

Roger Moore

Note: My mother married Raymon in December of 1948, I think, and that year and the following year, he drove a school bus; he then accepted a job driving a truck for the Pure Oil Company in Tupelo, and Conner Coggins took over his route; I don't know if Conner had been driving a different route before or not.

Who else drove school bus for Plantersville school? Wasn't there a Mr. Willie and a Mr. West or were they the same man?

I think that Raymon drove the bus on senior trips. I seem to recall his talking about a trip to Nashville.

Honor Roll Continued

Honor Roll January 1945

From Kampus whiz January 1945

More Kampus Whiz

Attached are Pages 5 and 7 of the January, 1945 issue of Kampus Whiz, which pages list students and former students at that time in the service during World War II. Also attached is Page 11 of the January, l945 issue of Kampus Whiz, on which was the comment that Pfc Cecil Johnson, recently returned from the South Pacific, was on furlough visiting his parents. Among the other comments is one expressing sympathy to the parents of Joe Harris Towery.

Roger Moore

Miss Lawhon

Sherrilyn Helms was Miss Lawhon of 1963. Picture taken from a history of Lawhon compiled by Gail Rutland Geno.

Reminder

Remember that if you double click on the pictures, you should be able to read Roger's postings. If you have any trouble, e-mail me and I'll send you copies.


George

From the 1944 Kampus Whiz

I am also attaching a page from the November, 1944 issue of Kampus Whiz.  This page mentions that Tack Grant had been wounded near Borneo.  Tack was nose gunner on a bomber.  At the time he was wounded, he had not yet met Niecy.  I think he met her when he was in Foster General Hospital in Jackson, MS.

Roger Moore

George: Charlotte can you help us out on how your parents met.

From Charlotte:
Mama and her sister, Dorthy, were attending business school in Jackson. They traveled by bus from Jackson to visit their home in Houston. Daddy was still recuperating from his injuries at the hospital in Jackson. He and a buddy were traveling to Plantersville for a visit. They flipped a coin over who would sit with Mama or Dorthy, and he ended up with Mama.

Students of PHS in WWII

I am attaching a page from the January 1944, Kampus Whiz, the publication of the Commercial Club at PHS.  The page lists some of the students and former students who were serving in the service at that time during World War II.  I know that two of those listed were killed in action - Joe Harris Towery and "Red" Cathcart."   There may have been others.  Those listed advanced in rank before they got out of the service.

Roger Moore