Greenville%20advocate%20150th%20anniversary

Greenville Advocate l 3

Webb Stanley and Glenn Stanley, sons of The Greenville Advocate founder Gen. James B. Stanley, pose for a photo in front of the Advocate’s office on Commerce Street.

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$300 and a dream

With $300 and the vision to provide Greenville and Butler County with a firstrate newspaper, Gen. J.B. Stanley founded The Greenville Advocate in October of 1865.

Stanley’s investment paid off, as the Advocate remains in operation 150 years later and is the oldest business in the Camellia City.

J.B. Stanley, a Confederate veteran, was a young man in his 20s when he founded the newspaper. It became his life’s work.

He served as editor of the paper for 70 years — a feat that will likely never be matched.

“It is not a game, not a business, it is a profession and an honorable one,” J.B. Stanley told a group of newspaper executives gathered at the Alabama Press Association’s first Press Institute in 1929.

When the Advocate debuted, it did so as a daily paper.

For 18 months, J.B. Stanley published the newspaper each day delivering the news of Greenville and the surrounding area. However, it quickly became apparent that a daily model wasn’t going to last.

In 18 months, the paper had lost $1,800.

J.B. Stanley wisely made the switch to a weekly model. The change saved the Advocate, which quickly became known as one of the best weekly papers in the nation.

In 1883, the Advocate won the first prize of $100 and a gold medal at the Southern Exposition in Louisville, Ky., in 1883, as the best country weekly printed in the southeastern states. In 1931, the Advocate was awarded the Loving Cup as the best all-around weekly in Alabama in 1931.

In 1935, J.G. Stanley followed in his father’s footsteps as editor of the Advocate, while his brother Webb Stanley served as business manager.

J.G. Stanley held the position of editor for 32 years until his death. At that point, his son-in-law Gene Hardin took the reins of the newspaper. He served as editor for 27 years until the Advocate was sold to Boone Newspapers, Inc. in 1994.

All four men served as president of the APA. The Advocate is the only newspaper in the state that has had four of its executives serve as president of the organization. J.B. Stanley, J.G. Stanley and Webb Stanley are all members of the APA’s Hall

of Honor. Candidates for induction into the Hall of Honor are only eligible after their death.

Since its sale to Boone Newspapers, the Advocate has continued its longstanding tradition of serving the community. In 1995, the Advocate made the switch from a weekly newspaper to a twice-a-week newspaper.

In 1999, the Advocate added a website to better serve its readers, all the while continuing to be recognized as one of the state’s top weekly newspapers.

The Advocate has been ranked in the top three of General Excellence, the APA’s highest honor, 11 times since 2005, including five first-place finishes, the last coming in 2014.

It has also received the APA’s Advertising Sweepstakes Award, the organization’s top award for advertising, 14 times since 2001.

In 1997, Greenville Newspapers, LLC purchased The Butler County News, The Lowndes Signal and The Luverne Journal.

All three publications are now managed from the The Greenville Advocate office.

This photo of Gen. J.B. Stanley was taken around 1930 at a reunion of Confederate soldiers.

Gen. James B. Stanley Founder of The Greenville Advocate

J

ames Berney Stanley was one of four sons of Robert H. and Emma Stone Stanley.

The two elder sons, William and John, entered the Confederate Army at the outbreak of the war in 1861.

William was killed in battle.

John, severely wounded in the knee, was crippled for life.

The two younger sons were students at Glenville Collegiate and Military Institute in Barbour County. James B. waited for the youngest, Charles, to become old enough to enter the Army so they could go together. They did when Charles reached 15 and James was 17.

Charles was wounded in the right hand, which was impaired as long as he lived.

The two youngest were members of the famous 17th Alabama regiment, which had been organized by Butler Countian Thomas H. Watts, who was governor of Alabama while serving in the Army.

J.B. remained a private during his war service. His company suffered severe casualties soon after it went into action for the first time in the Army of the Tennessee, but he was still a young “rookie,” not in line for promotion. In the Battle of Franklin the company again was hard hit with causalities, but among them was J.B. Stanley, who received two severe wounds.

The beautiful colonial mansion at Franklin where three Confederate generals dined the night before the battle was converted into a hospital, with those same three generals laid out on the porch, just 24 hours later, having all been killed in the battle. To this hospital J.B. Stanley was taken.

J.B. Stanley as he appeared a short time after he founded The Greenville Advocate in 1865. Stanley served as editor of the newspaper for 70 years.

The physician with no narcotics and no antiseptics, paid little attention to the wound in the lower arm, where the bullet had passed through, but located the Minie ball lodged near the shoulder. He opened a hole in Stanley’s back and took out the bullet.

The young soldier was given furlough since the hospital was at capacity. He walked home from Franklin, Tenn., through

Georgia on a route that took him behind Sherman’s March to the Sea. Along the way, he stopped at a farmhouse where he received care for his wound, which had become infected. He was also forced to swim rivers where Sherman’s Army had destroyed the bridges. After some time, he arrived in Greenville where he regained his health and headed back to rejoin his regiment.

The war had ended as he got back to the scattered remains of the once proud 17th Alabama.

The title “General,” by which he was known for many years, came from a commission as brigadier general of the state militia, the forerunner of the National Guard. He also had that title as an officer in the United Confederate Veterans Association.

Stanley’s total assets when he returned to Greenville following the war consisted of the uniform he was wearing and a $5 gold piece his mother had given him. With that $5 and $95 in borrowed money he invested in a store business with two partners. Within three months he had bought out his partners and sold the store.

He used the $300 from the sale to establish The Greenville Advocate in October of 1865.

Stanley operated the Advocate as a daily newspaper for 18 months and lost $1,800. He switched to a weekly, which the paper remained under his leadership with the exception of short period during WWI when it became a twice-a-week publication.

Stanley edited the newspaper for 70 years. During that time the newspaper won the first prize of $100 and a gold medal at the Southern Exposition in Louisville, Ky., in 1883, as the best country weekly printed in the southeastern states.

It was awarded the Loving Cup as the best all-around weekly in Alabama in 1931.

Stanley also reportedly established a world’s record for continuous service as a newspaper editor.

This bio was taken from an article that published in the Oct. 7, 1954 edition of The Greenville Advocate.

Greenville Advocate l 7

Glenn Stanley follows father into family business J

ohn Glenn Stanley succeeded his father as the editor and publisher of The Greenville Advocate, a position he worked and prepared for most of his life.

Stanley was a homebody who promoted Greenville and Butler County.

Sensitive and appreciative to the natural beauties of his area, Stanley saw that they received deserving attention.

He had an avid interest in local history and delighted in recalling incidence of the past or in pointing out places of historical interest through his several columns and editorials.

“Up and Down Commerce” played up weekly activities of Greenville’s Main Street, and another column pinpointed past events. Both columns are still running. Stanley was selected “Man of the Year” in 1952 by the Greenville Jaycees, and in 1959 was awarded the first silver bowl for outstanding contribution to his community.

He was elected president of the Alabama Press Association for 196263 and in 1965 was featured in the National Publishers Auxiliary.

Stanley was inducted into the Alabama Press Association Hall of Honor in 1974, once again following in the footsteps of his father, Advocate founder J.B. Stanley.

The Stanley family set a record for Alabama newspapers with its father-son editorship adding up to an amazing 102 years.

Published October 10, 1974

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Remembering the way she was

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lthough this biographical sketch fails to justify to the fullest length and breadth of Virginia Webb Plummer’s character, it perhaps will serve as a brief, incomplete delineation or presentation of this outstanding lady’s sterling attributes.

Her absence will leave a void in the local scene that will be with us for generations yet unborn.

May she rest in peace.

Timothy Leary once said “Women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition.”

Don’t really understand what he meant when he said that.

Maybe he was depicting men as the inferior gender of the species.

It suggests that with just the slightest effort the weaker sex would leave all us macho types falling far behind. We know one Camellia City lady who has left her mark on this, her native soil, without half trying and in so doing has left many stragglers of the male persuasion in her wake.

We speak here of our worthy friend

and sometimes consultant, Virginia Webb Stanley (“Viola”) Plummer, who served valiantly for many years as the Emily Post-Heloise-Dear Abby combo of this trade area.

She still does.

Don’t let the above series of names belonging to Dame Plummer confuse you; all of them belong to her monogamous state.

All the names are of family derivation save the one in quotes and the final one that came through the holy estate of matrimony.

The Virginia part was taken from her maternal grandmother, Mrs. Beeland; the Webb part was the maiden name of her paternal Stanley grandmother; and, of course, the Stanley part came from her father’s side of the house.

She later added the Plummer when she became Mrs. McDonald Plummer.

Viola entails the telling of another tale, one that must be told at a later date due to space limitations.

Anyhow, our friend was born (she’s not shy about her age) on Dec. 11, 1920,

in the room that currently serves as her bedroom in one of Greenville’s most beautiful antebellum homes, 218 E. Commerce Street.

She concluded her secondary education in the Greenville public school system and received her higher education at Agnes Scott College, Decatur, Ga., and the University of Alabama.

On Oct. 15, 1946, Virginia Webb said “I do” to the former U.S. Marine drill sergeant McDonald Plummer, and one year later to the day, along came Mac. McDonald Plummer Jr., that is, the only male heir to the throne.

And still later came daughter Virginia Beeland Nearing, and yet later came the final sibling of the triumvirate, Glenn Stanley Cooper, another daughter.

The Plummers have been blessed with a total of nine handsome and beautiful grandchildren, who combine forces to make for a Joyeuse Noel indeed each December at 218 Commerce.

Our main lady pulled a couple of stints with the public school system before answering the beck and call of her

beloved father, the late Glenn Stanley, one of three outstanding editors of The Greenville Advocate.

When papa called, in the early 1950s, daughter Virginia responded positively and for the next 26 years she tended all the social needs of this area in person and in writing.

She authored the “Social and Otherwise” column on a once a week basis over the period.

A rough estimate would place the number of such columns at about 1,400, enough to fill several volumes.

When she speaks of her late father, it is with the great tenderness she still feels for him and the multiplicity of top-grade qualities this gentle man exhibited during his lifetime.

Virginia Webb is a voracious reader, partially out of intellectual curiosity, and also because it’s something you can do sitting down.

Her life to date certainly has not suffered any lack in the ambition department.

Viola! I give you Viola.

Written by former Greenville Advocate columnist Buster MacGuire Published Sept. 20, 1990 Virginia Webb Plummer was an owner and the society editor of The Greenville Advocate from 1960-1994.

Miss Nonnie was one of the greats W

hen talking about Marianne Stanley Hardin, known to most simply as “Miss Nonnie,” there are certain words that are sprinkled throughout the conversation.

They are words like sweet, gentle, kind, lovely and even hilarious.

Miss Nonnie passed away Thursday at the age of 84.

I didn’t know Miss Nonnie personally, but after spending the last several

days talking to those who did I feel like I did too, and I feel like her passing came much too soon.

Mark Twain said, “Really great people make you feel that you too can be great.”

It’s obvious that Miss Nonnie was a really great person.

Time and time again during the last few days I have had people tell me how special she made them feel. How when she asked them how they were doing, she was truly interested in the answer.

To Miss Nonnie it wasn’t a question she asked simply to be polite. She really wanted to know. They told me about how she always asked about their families or what they had going on, and how she always had a smile for them that brightened their day.

More than one person called Miss Nonnie a true Southern lady. Don’t make the mistake of believing that means she was simply a woman from the south. A true Southern lady is gracious, virtuous

and self-sacrificing. By all accounts, Miss Nonnie possessed all of those traits and more.

There’s no doubt that her passing is a tremendous loss for our city.

There’s also no doubt that our community is better because Miss Nonnie called it home and touched the lives of countless folks that crossed her path during her years in Greenville.

Miss Nonnie was one of the great ones.

Written by Greenville Advocate Managing Editor Andy Brown Published May 9, 2012 Marianne Stanley Hardin was an owner of The Greenville Advocate and played an active role in the newspaper’s operations until it was sold in 1994.

Greenville Advocate l 9

This cartoon depicting former Greenville Mayor O.A. Lane was drawn by Advocate Editor Glenn Stanley.

Stanley would, from time to time, lend his artistic talents to the pages of The Greenville Advocate by drawing editorial cartoons and even advertisements.

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Greenville Advocate l 11

ACE Remembering Greenville’s

Written by former Greenville Advocate columnist Buster MacGuire

H

Republished Nov. 22, 2003

e was known to his multitude of friends as “Ace” That, friends, is a sterling term, indicating the bearer thereof stands head and shoulders above the passing throng.

He was of a character so remarkable that his very presence in a group would attract — nay, grasp — everyone’s attention and hold it fast.

We are speaking of Olin George Holley Jr., a native of Greenville, who otherwise was known variously as “Dempse,” the latter name assigned him by his father who thus yclept him after the world-famous heavyweight boxing champion, Jack Dempsey.

The impression that Ace made on his place of nativity cut such a wide swath here, and the works of this man, both curricular and extracurricular, were so noteworthy that endowments in the realms of scholarship and recreation are likely to endure in the historic annals hereabouts for generations yet unborn.

Ace, never a man of great wealth and resources, nonetheless leaves behind him a heritage richer by far than one that could be measured in earthly terms.

It was more than half a century ago that he was shocked into a lifetime of invalidism at age 16; the result of a horrendous automobile accident.

It was a bitter pill, one that put a pall over a life apparently doomed to futility. The realization of his tragic position at first embittered the Ace, but with the passage of time, the bitterness evaporated, and eventually was replaced by a certain serenity and purposefulness.

One of the heftiest contributors to this salvation came along in the person of Mr. Glenn Stanley, the late beloved editor of The Greenville Advocate, who

Along with his work at the newspaper, O.G. Holley (front right) served two terms on the city council in charge of recreation.

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Longtime Greenville Advocate Sports Editor O.G. Holley (right) is pictured with former Fort Dale Academy basketball coach Cleve Hightower.

nicknamed our beautiful community “The Camellia City.”

Approximately four decades ago, Mr. Glenn took O.G. under his wing, taught him and nurtured him in the fine art of newspaper writing, and eventually trained him to the point where he took over as sports editor, a post he held until death overtook him.

During his tenure on this earth, the Ace served two terms on the city council in charge of recreation, attended the Presbyterian Church and took tender loving care of his mother until her death.

Additionally, he devoted untold hours to the youth of our city, training and coaching them in their Little League activities. There was scarcely an athletic event staged here with which he was not associated.

He gave of himself; that was the secret of his success; and, despite the constant, excruciating pain he suffered, he never lost his sense of humor. Not one whit.

A perpetual scholarship fund, being set up jointly by the Greenville Lions Club and The Greenville Advocate, is being formulated. Tentatively the fund will help deserving and eligible boys and girls randomly selected from Greenville’s high schools.

The Ace’s memory likewise will continue to live at the recreation department’s baseball field that bears his name.

As he himself likely would have said, “shed not your tears for me; devote them to someone more needy.”

“Play ball.”

Though in wheelchair

Holley still active sports figure Written by Kenneth Cumbie

O

n Aug. 8, 1935, a tragic automobile accident on the corner of Hickory and Walnut Street ended the hopes and aspirations of an athletic career for O. G. Holley.

The accident left the 16-year-old Greenville High School halfback paralyzed from the waist down, but it did not remove him from the sports arena.

After months in the hospital and many examinations and evaluations and finally years of disappointing rehabilitation programs, he reconciled himself to the fact that he would not walk again, even with braces.

However, with a strong desire to remain as close to athletics as possible, he applied to the late Glenn Stanley in 1947 for a job as sports writer for The Advocate. He was given a test assignment of covering a basketball game that night and, on the strength of the write-up, earned the job.

Later, with a car equipped with special controls and a folding wheel chair he went, as he says, “anywhere he wanted as long as the doors were wide enough.� Setting a goal of excellence for himself in sports reporting, he has for the last 27 years gone wherever the sports stories take place in this area.

Helped in some places by a number of loyal fans,

Published Dec. 12, 1974

this coverage has carried him from the sidelines to the press boxes, dugouts, the dressing rooms and the end-of-the-season luncheons, in order to give his writing the authenticity it needed.

Keeping up with sports on a state and a national level requires reading a number of daily newspapers, plus listening to television and radio commentators. Each Saturday morning finds him at The Advocate office, going through each of the weekly newspapers published in this area. His sports page has received many compliments statewide and it’s regarded by many as the best weekly sports section in the state.

Now, at the age of 54, he is realizing a long time ambition. He is enrolled in a swimming class for handicapped in Montgomery, and is learning to swim. He did not know how to swim at the time of his accident and this has made learning quite a challenge.

Ironically, the excellent condition he keeps himself in has hindered his efforts to learn to swim.

According to one of his instructors, being mostly muscle from his waist up makes it almost impossible for him to float.

However, after only a few hours of instruction,

he is capable of swimming for long periods of time, and is already quite capable of caring for himself in case of an emergency.

Holley has not only actively covered the sports happening in the area, but has also found time to take part in civic clubs, teach a Sunday school class at First Presbyterian Church and run for political office.

At present he is serving his second term on the Greenville City Council and was in charge of the fire department. Through his efforts, many improvements in equipment and personnel training have made this department one of the best in the state.

Playing an active part in the organization of the Little League (now the Dixie Youth League), Holley served as manager of the Giants team for some ten years, winning his share of pennants in the local league and managing all-star teams in the district competition.

Probably one of the highest compliments that could be paid this remarkable man is the fact that through his perseverance, character and personality, few consider him cripple.

NEVER TOO OLD TO LEARN: O.G. Holley (center) with four of the Montgomery Red Cross Water Safety Instructors for the Handicapped, left to right, Carol Brasswell, Robert Orange, Frances Ellis and Faye Baggiano.

Holley is progressing remarkably fast in learning to swim for the first time, according to Faye Baggiano, spokesman for the group.

Greenville Advocate l 13

Passing of an icon

“

We were together in the ’50s and ’60s, when the Advertiser was homeowned and a pretty good newspaper. Other oldtimers call it the ‘good old days.’ We were just a breed of young journalists who looked forward to stirring things up. He was a good newspaperman. He was a good guy and a thoroughly competent newspaperman.

— Bob Ingram

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MacGuire remembered by friends, colleagues Written by former Greenville Advocate Editor Jay Thomas Published Nov. 26, 2003

C.H. “Buster” MacGuire once said everything is a challenge and the biggest challenge is to improve yourself and try to do the job better than the last guy did.

On Tuesday morning, his family, friends and co-workers, past and present, remembered MacGuire and faced the challenge of life without him.

He died at approximately 8:30 a.m. at Crowne Health Nursing Facility where he had resided for the last few weeks following an illness. He was 82.

MacGuire’s life began far from his beloved home in Greenville – he was born in New Brunswick, Canada, in 1921.

According to his only son, Colin, a.k.a.

“Big C,” Buster got his nickname from the nurses at the hospital where his dad was born. Apparently, the newborn was quite hefty, and once they called him Buster, the name stuck.

His family, led by a father who was a doctor, moved to Montgomery when he was a child, and there he found his roots.

Journalism Career Buster began writing for the Montgomery Advertiser in the 1940s, where he worked the police/fire beats. He stayed for two years before leaving to work the journalism craft at the newspaper in Lanett, then moved to Virginia.

MacGuire also tried his hand in business when he opened the Squire Men’s Shop.

However, the call of the newspaper world was too great for him.

In 1963, he returned to Montgomery to begin a 15-year stint with the Advertiser where he rose through the ranks from reporter to city editor and finally the state desk.

It was during this period that he worked on covering the Civil Rights Movement and the rise of Gov. George Wallace.

Tuesday, those who worked with Buster at the Advertiser expressed their sorrow over his passing and remembered him from his younger days. One who worked with Buster was the Advertiser’s state editor, Bob Ingram, who worked as a capitol reporter during that time.

“Buster was a telephone pal, he called me all the time,” Ingram said via phone from his

home in Montgomery. “I talked to him not many weeks ago, but I had no idea he was that sick. He was a good guy.”

He recalled Buster being a special type of journalist, one who never backed down in his pursuit of a story.

“We were together in the ’50s and ’60s, when the Advertiser was home-owned and a pretty good newspaper,” Ingram said. “Other oldtimers call it the ‘good old days.’ We were just a breed of young journalists who looked forward to stirring things up. He was a good newspaperman. He was a good guy and a thoroughly competent newspaperman.”

The biggest story, which almost won Buster’s reporting team the Pulitizer Prize, was the Dale’s Penthouse Restaurant fire that left 26 dead in a downtown Montgomery high rise.

“It was the most horrible night of our lives,” Ingram continued. “It was just awful.

We were told everyone got out, and then they started finding body after body. They finally pulled 26 out. I had just left the Advertiser, but being the newsman that I was I went down and (Buster) was one of the lead men covering the story. He was a veteran by then and the man in charge of the coverage. I don’t remember a story like that in Montgomery in the last 50 years. They just don’t come any bigger than that.”

Civic Leader After leaving the Advertiser, Buster took a position with the Greenville Chamber of Commerce, where his love of the community and his sense of civic duty blossomed like the city’s camellias.

He served as the chamber’s executive vice president from 1982 until 1992 and wrote over 600 personal columns highlighting people and places he held dear for the Greenville Advocate.

In 1992, he finished his career with the Chamber and told his faithful readers, “Ta, ta. The party’s over.” His successor at the chamber, Ralph Stacey, went on to become the president and chief executive officer of Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama, following his stint at the local chamber.

Stacey remembered his friend with fondness on Tuesday.

“He basically got me introduced to chambers,” Stacey said. “He actually got me back to Greenville. He called me when I was in Orlando and asked me if I wanted to come back home. So I put my name in and guess what happened? I got it, and the rest is history.”

Stacey said his writing ability and communication skills in general, he could attribute to former Advocate Editor Gene Hardin and to MacGuire.

“I also learned a lot about the world of communication between him and Gene Hardin,” he said. “Buster was always there. He was always a part of the community. We’ve been tied in with the family for a while.”

Another thing significant about MacGuire, in Stacey’s opinion, was his two nicknames.

“He was only guy I know who was cool enough to have two nicknames,” he said.

“He was known as ‘Buster,’ but many people around town knew him as ‘Squire,’ because he owned the Squire men’s shop in town.”

Stacey, who lived just down the street from MacGuire, said he felt the loss tremendously, and that he would miss him.

“I’ve lost a great friend, a great neighbor and a great mentor,” he said.

Butler County Probate Judge Steve Norman also expressed his sorrow about MacGuire’s deathand gave him credit for his station in life today.

“He got me involved in the chamber, and that was really the beginning for me,” Norman said. “I can say that I would not be in the position I’m in today had I not gotten involved in some civic activities at his urging.”

He said MacGuire used to prod him into taking stands on issues and encouraged the young businessman to “tell it like it is.”

“He was a black-and-white guy,” Norman said. “There was no gray area with him.”

Norman reflected on MacGuire’s family life and said people could draw inspiration from all they did.

“I was fortunate enough as a youngster to be in the same church with him and Nina, and what those people did for each other with the circumstances they faced, it was remarkable,” he said. “And what he did with Colin, getting him to be so positive, outgoing and confident, that’s all Buster right there. I thought that was the most incredible thing about him.”

Greenville Advocate l 15

The Advocate and the APA

T

he Greenville Advocate has played an important role in shaping journalism in the state since its founding.

In 1872, Advocate editor J.B. Stanley was one of the 30 founding members of the Editors and Publishers Association, which would go on to become the Alabama Press Association. The Advocate remains a member of the organization to this day.

The APA, the state trade association of daily and weekly newspapers, is thought to be the oldest business and trade association in the state, and one of the oldest press associations in the United States.

Today, its active membership includes 24 daily newspapers and 99 non-daily newspapers. In addition, its membership includes over 100 associate members, which represent newspaper vendors, colleges and universities and other organizations allied to the newspaper industry.

The APA represents the interests of the newspaper industry by offering two annual conventions and a number of workshops and conferences. It also represents the newspaper industry before the state legislature, focusing on government access laws and on business-related laws that impact the newspaper industry.

The organization has a staff of five full-time employees and is led by a board of directors made up of newspaper executives from across 16 l Greenville Advocate

(Above) The 1926-27 officers of the Alabama Press Association were from left, Dixie Vail, The South Baldwin News, poetress; the Rev. Frank Willis Barnett, The Alabama Baptist, historian; Webb Stanley, The Greenville Advocate, president; J.C. McLendon, The Luverne Journal, vice president; and Robert B. Vail, The Baldwin Times, secretary. (TOP) Former Greenville Advocate Editor Gene Hardin (seated, first from the left) is pictured with past presidents of the APA during the 1994 winter convention in Mobile.

Advocate editors lead APA In 1972, The Greenville Advocate became the first paper in the state to have four of its executives serve as president of the Alabama Press Association board of directors when W.E. (Gene) Hardin was elected during the 101st annual press convention.

Serving before Hardin were Gen. J.B. Stanley and his sons, F.W. Stanley and J.G. Stanley. Hardin is the son-in-law of J.G. Stanley.

At the time of his election, Hardin had been the editor of The Greenville Advocate since 1967. He first joined the newspaper’s staff in 1951.

The Advertiser Gleam in Guntersville, The Selma Times-Journal, The Randolph Leader in Roanoke and The Birmingham News have each had three executives serve as president of the APA.

the state.

The Advocate holds the distinction of being the only newspaper in the state that has had four publishers/editors serve as APA president, beginning with J.B. Stanley, who led the organization for four consecutive terms from 1882-1886.

F.W. (Webb) Stanley served as president from 1926-27 and 193536, J.G. (Glenn) Stanley held the office in 196263 and W.E. (Gene) Hardin was president in 1972-73.

In 1962, with Glenn Stanley heading the organization, the APA made a move to help the state’s newspapers reach potential advertisers outside of their own markets.

A decision was made to secure a salesman, headquartered in Birmingham, to sell advertisers of Alabama and adjoining states on Alabama newspapers.

“It is going to cost money,” Glenn Stanley said at the time.

“But that money is an investment. It is not a donation, not a gamble, but an investment which should pay a big dividend.”

Following in the footsteps of the Stanleys and Hardin, the Advocate continues to be active with the APA with staff members regularly serving on various committees.

The Advocate also take part in the APA’s annual Better Newspaper Contest and Advertising Contest.

The newspaper has consistently ranked among the state’s top weekly newspapers in both the editorial contest and advertising contest.

The Greenville Advocate won 26 individual statewide awards in the 2014 Alabama Press Association’s Better Newspaper Contest. The Advocate was also awarded first place in General Excellence and Advertising Sweepstakes, the top awards given in the competition, for a total of 28 overall awards. The awards were presented at the Alabama Press Association Summer Convention at the Hilton Sandestin in Destin, Fla. Pictured are, from left to right, Tracy Salter, publisher; Andy Brown, managing editor; and April Gregory, marketing consultant.

Advocate wins General Excellence, Sweepstakes The Greenville Advocate has been named Alabama’s best small weekly newspaper.

The Advocate took top honors in the Alabama Press Association’s Better Newspaper Contest, winning the General Excellence Award for Division D. Seventy newspapers submitted 2,606 entries in this year’s contest. Members of the West Virginia Press Association judged the entries.

“Our staff is very excited to have received the General Excellence Award this year,” Greenville Advocate managing editor Andy Brown said. “We take great pride in covering the news in our community and putting a quality product in our newsstands. We certainly don’t do this job for awards, but it’s nice to be recognized by our peers for producing good work.”

In addition to General Excellence, the Advocate also won the APA’s annual advertising contest, claiming its

second consecutive Sweepstakes Award.

Thirty-seven newspapers submitted 968 entries in this year’s contest. The entries were also judged by members of the West Virginia Press Association.

“We strive to produce publications that appeal to all of our readers, advertising partners and community,” Publisher Tracy Salter said. “I am proud of the staff of The Greenville Advocate for being recognized with a total of 28 awards for advertising and editorial excellence by the Alabama Press Association. A lot of hard work and dedication goes into producing award-winning publications and it’s an honor to be named Alabama’s best small weekly newspaper by a panel of our peers.”

The awards were presented Saturday night at the APA’s 143rd summer convention, held at the Hilton Sandestin in Destin, Fla. The Advocate won a total of 28 awards.

Published July 2, 2014 Greenville Advocate l 17

Relax 334.382.9200

334.383.9595

Mrs. Virginia Webb Stanley Plummer was the daughter of Glenn Stanley and served as co-owner and as Society Editor of The Greenville Advocate from 1960-1994.

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334.382.2444

334.382.9631

Greenville Advocate l 19

Kevin Pearcey Former Managing Editor of The Greenville Advocate

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One of my favorite things at The Advocate was to dig out the bound volumes and write a weekly ‘75 Years Ago, 50 Years Ago, 25 Years Ago’ column.

In reviewing old editions of Mr. Stanley’s publication, you really did get a sense of living in Butler County during that time, from the illustrated advertisements, the social and community columnists, the running commentary on the editorial page and O.G. Holley’s packed-with-names-andstatistics Sports page.

t’s so easy to dismiss actual celebratory moments in today’s online news era. If you’re on Facebook, you’ve no doubt seen these stories pop up in your news feed: the movie that turned 10 years old (never mind if it was a stinker or not); the anniversary of that great gadget the noodle-doodle (completely made up, please don’t Google noodle-doodle because there is no telling what might pop up); the TV show that lasted all of 10 episodes 20 years ago but now, upon further reflection, it was actually ahead of its time and you should re-watch it on Netflix (it’s still bad).

The reason for this, of course, is that the Internet is content driven. As more people have become connected to the Internet, either via laptop, personal computer, iPad, or cell phone, the need for content – good, bad, indifferent, opinionated, cynical, ugly, nasty, humorous, relevant, and on and on – has increased.

Stories, images, videos and games that peak your interest bring clicks and clicks bring dollars, either from you or through online advertisers.

So let’s pause. Let’s stop for a moment and recognize a true and worthy achievement. Let’s offer a grand “congratulations” to an institute that has been serving the citizens of Greenville and Butler County for 150 years: The Greenville Advocate.

One-hundred and fifty years, which is 107 years older than myself. I served five years as managing editor, barely a breath considering the newspaper’s age, but it was an active tenure. It’s nice to take this moment to reflect on those stories and people and a few do stand out. The floods in 2009 because I’d never seen downtown Greenville covered in that much water. The shooting at the Comfort Inn that left one transient dead and two police officers wounded. The most fun I had was probably crafting a story about the old “Ghost Road” for our Halloween edition one year (it was pure fabrication and despite a disclaimer as such, it still snagged some people, present Advocate staff included – ha, ha, ha, ha!).

One of my favorite things at the Advocate was to dig out the bound volumes and write a weekly “75 Years Ago, 50 Years Ago, 25 Years Ago” column. In reviewing old editions of Mr. Stanley’s publication, you really did get a sense of living in Butler County during that time, from the illustrated advertisements, the social and community columnists, the running commentary on the editorial page and O.G. Holley’s packed-with-names-and-statistics Sports page.

Perhaps, then, I did my part as well in preserving this same sense of community for future generations. If, by reading my work and the work of my fellow reporters, they can come to a better understanding of life in Greenville during the early part of the 21st Century, then it has been my privilege to play a small part in this publication’s illustrious history.

Congratulations to The Greenville Advocate and its staff on this milestone!

And don’t Google noodle-doodle. Just don’t.

Kevin Pearcey served as managing editor of The Greenville Advocate from 2005 to 2011.

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Angie Long Features Writer for The Greenville Advocate

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... The little moments count so much, too. Taking a child’s photo as she strikes a ferocious pose in her Halloween costume. Snapping the local farmer showing off his jumbo-sized watermelon, or the fisherman proudly posing with his whopper of a catch.

You don’t get those kinds of pictures in the big city papers, and that’s part and parcel of the charm and appeal of a small town publication.

t’s hard whittling down 10 years working on a newspaper into one column.

Sure, it’s a small town bi-weekly paper, not the New York Times. Still, when I think of my tenure at The Greenville Advocate, it’s amazing just how many memories come flooding back of faces, places and events, big and small, but all very important in their own way.

I was there at Greenville High School the morning that the coming of Hyundai suppliers to our town was announced. I covered how our little community reached out in a big way to help those who fell victim to Hurricane Katrina, sharing food, clothing, cots — even homes and jobs with those who fell victim to that terrible storm.

I will always cherish being on hand for “Miss” Bobbie Gamble’s gala birthday celebration at the Ritz Theatre, an event which led to the Greenville Area Arts Council’s annual spring fundraiser, “Putting on the Ritz.” Nor will I forget the opportunity to report on this beloved educator and director receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from the state arts council. It’s been a total delight to be able to cover a number of the Ritz Players and Greenville Community Theater productions for the newspaper.

I can’t forget the excitement of having the film “Honeydripper” shot here in Butler County, featuring faces and places so familiar to us in the film — including my own high school classmate’s son, Absalom Adams, in a very prominent role.

Being able to go behind the scenes on some of the film’s location shoots to get some inside information on how it’s all done; to hear our talented local choir members rehearsing for their moments on camera; to cover the film’s premiere here at The Edge, and to get an exclusive interview with the film’s director, John Sayles, after the premiere — all unforgettable moments for this movie buff.

Of course, I cannot leave out the opportunity to travel via charter jet with local folks including fellow Greenville Advocate staffer Regina Grayson to the Big Apple for one very memorable day as we participated in the game show, “My Kind of Town.” The show proved short-lived, but what a time we had!

Those are some of the big moments. But the little moments count so much, too. Taking a child’s photo as she strikes a ferocious pose in her Halloween costume. Snapping the local farmer showing off his jumbo-sized watermelon, or the fisherman proudly posing with his whopper of a catch.

You don’t get those kinds of pictures in the big city papers, and that’s part and parcel of the charm and appeal of a small town publication.

I am thankful I played a part in the 150 years The Greenville Advocate has been documenting the history of our town and county, including the opportunities to interview Gen. Stanley’s descendant “Miss” Nonnie Stanley Hardin and her husband Gene.

I learned so much from them.

And I am grateful to still be a part of a publication that shares the heartbeat of a community.

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Tracy Salter Publisher of The Greenville Advocate

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Susan Rhodes was the advertising manger at the Advocate at the time and offered me the opportunity to work at the newspaper selling classified ads and designing the classified pages. I was 20 years old, and had very little work experience, let alone experience in sales or designing something that would be in print for an entire community to see. To say I was a bit nervous about the responsibility is an understatement, but decided to give it a try and started right away. The pace was hectic, the staff was a bit high strung and everything was due yesterday. It was awesome. I knew immediately the Advocate was the place I wanted to be.

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lthough most of my life has been spent in the Camellia City, I have to admit that I always envisioned growing up and moving off to a big city. After all, as a brighteyed teenager the lure of big city life can be tempting with the variety of jobs, all of the restaurants and shopping malls, the excitement of rush hour traffic and the possibility you might run into someone famous.

My mindset changed in December of 1999 when I walked into the front door of The Greenville Advocate. Susan Rhodes was the advertising manger at the Advocate at the time and offered me the opportunity to work at the newspaper selling classified ads and designing the classified pages. I was 20 years old, and had very little work experience, let alone experience in sales or designing something that would be in print for an entire community to see.

To say I was a bit nervous about the responsibility is an understatement, but I decided to give it a try and started right away.

The pace was hectic, the staff was a bit high strung and everything was due yesterday. It was awesome. I knew immediately the Advocate was the place I wanted to be.

Since my first day I’ve had the opportunity to work in every department of the Advocate. Being a part of a fairly small staff allows for the chance to play a role in every aspect of the day-today operations.

I’ve had a chance to meet a lot of people because of what I do for a living. I have met a lot of good people that I consider friends, had exceptional mentors along the way [and today] that I am thankful for. I’ve seen longtime businesses close doors as new businesses open theirs, and watched as the tremendous economic growth has positively impacted the Camellia City.

I’ll soon celebrate my 16th anniversary at the Advocate. When I think about my time here I’m reminded of how truly blessed I am. I get to work alongside a talented group of people in the office and around the community, participate in local community events, help share stories through articles and advertisements that keep readers informed, all while getting a paycheck.

Time has a way of changing things. Through the many hours spent looking back at the Advocate’s past, experiencing its present and planning its future, I’ve found that although much has changed, our mission remains the same, untarnished by time.

The Greenville Advocate is dedicated to reporting the news of the community honestly, fairly and with integrity. We treat our readers, advertisers and staff the way that we would like to be treated ourselves; and, above all, we do what’s right, period.

To have a healthy, vibrant community, you need a healthy, vibrant community newspaper. No one else reports on local news, city and county government, local sports, civic organizations and local people like the Advocate does, and has done for the past 150 years.

The community and its people make the Advocate special. I’m happy to get to be a part of it by turning moments in time into memories that will be available for others to enjoy and share for another 150 years.

Andy Brown Managing Editor of The Greenville Advocate

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I never wanted to be an editor, but I’ve certainly enjoyed my time as managing editor of the Advocate, following in the footsteps of giants of the journalism world such as J.B. Stanley, Glenn Stanley, Webb Stanley and Gene Hardin.

Each and every single day I, along with the rest of the staff at the Advocate, strive to uphold the high standards that were set in place in October of 1865 when Gen. Stanley decided to give Greenville and Butler County the very best newspaper he could. That’s been the goal for 150 years.

didn’t always want to be a journalist.

I wanted to be a doctor like Dr. Dunklin. That dream vanished when I learned that I couldn’t stand the sight of blood and it would be unlawful for me to pay my nurse $10 a week.

Later I considered getting a business degree and trying to score a job with a major corporation like Nike or maybe opening my own business.

I eventually punted that idea in favor of majoring in environmental science. That is until I took botany and zoology as a senior at Fort Dale Academy. After collecting 100 species of animals for my zoology project I was a young man in search of a new career path.

That’s when journalism sort of found me.

I had always enjoyed writing, and I loved sports. In a moment of inspiration, I came to the realization that I might be able to combine those two passions and actually get paid for it.

Just like that I was on my way to a career as a sportswriter.

That choice led me on a journey that included stops in Troy, Eufaula, Kazakhstan (in a roundabout way) and eventually right back here in the Camellia City.

Just like I didn’t always want to be a journalist, I didn’t always want to be an editor.

In fact, I told former Eufaula Tribune Managing Editor Patrick Johnston, my friend and mentor, that I would never be a managing editor. I meant it when I said it.

Mark Twain once said, “I am not the editor of a newspaper and shall always try to do right and be good so that God will not make me one.”

I knew he was a pretty smart fellow, so I figured there must be something to his line of thinking.

But time has a way of changing your thinking.

When my wife and I moved back to the States from Kazakhstan, I learned that former Greenville Advocate Managing Editor Kevin Pearcey was leaving the newspaper to take a job with the Greenville-Butler County Public Library.

I quickly sent my résumé, which in no way qualified me to lead a newspaper of the Advocate’s quality, to then-Publisher Ashley Vansant. He took a chance on me and for the last five years I’ve had the opportunity to help guide my hometown newspaper — a paper that I searched through for basketball scores or the mention of my name or a friend’s name in the recaps of the recreation league baseball games. The same newspaper that published my photo when I graduated high school and included my name when I made the Dean’s List at Troy.

My parents have hundreds of Greenville Advocates, most yellowing with age, scattered around their house. Why? Because somewhere in those pages my name or the name of a friend or another family member is mentioned.

They’re not alone. Many of you also hold onto past issues of the newspaper or clip stories from its pages to include in scrapbooks.

It’s been that way for 150 years. It’s humbling to be a part of something that has been such an important part of our community’s story for so long.

I never wanted to be an editor, but I’ve certainly enjoyed my time as managing editor of the Advocate, following in the footsteps of giants of the journalism world such as J.B. Stanley, Glenn Stanley, Webb Stanley and Gene Hardin.

Each and every single day I, along with the rest of the staff at the Advocate, strive to uphold the high standards that were set in place in October of 1865 when Gen. Stanley decided to give Greenville and Butler County the very best newspaper he could. That’s been the goal for 150 years.

Here’s to hoping for another 150 of the Advocate telling the story of our community — your stories.

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Gregg Fuller

Former Managing Editor of The Greenville Advocate

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I quickly learned that small town journalism is about wearing different hats. One minute you write a story that wins an Alabama Press Association award. The next minute you’re up to your elbows in ink pulling the finished product off the press, piling bundles of papers in a van to unload at the local post office. I learned to appreciate the fact that every event you are sent to cover is important to someone, be it the announcement of a multi-million dollar golf course or a meeting of the local garden club.

learned a lot in journalism school at the University of Alabama.

Investigative reporting, how to write catchy leads that would draw the reader to my words, how the business was rapidly transitioning from typewriters to computers, all were aspects drilled into me in Tuscaloosa in the early 1980s. Then I went to work for Gene Hardin (former editor and publisher) at The Greenville Advocate — and I found out I had so much more to learn about my chosen profession.

I quickly learned that small town journalism is about wearing different hats.

One minute you write a story that wins an Alabama Press Association award.

The next minute you’re up to your elbows in ink pulling the finished product off the press, piling bundles of papers in a van to unload at the local post office.

I learned to appreciate the fact that every event you are sent to cover is important to someone, be it the announcement of a multi-million dollar golf course or a meeting of the local garden club.

I learned that I didn’t know everything I thought I did and to keep my mouth shut and listen to people who were a lot smarter and wiser than me.

For nearly 14 years I was part of the “Advocate family” and I certainly don’t use that term loosely. We were a family. We were a family that argued with each other over trivial matters, but pulled together in very difficult times; one that laughed and joked our way through days that all too often turned to night; one that celebrated births together and mourned each other’s losses.

We were a family because the newspaper business, especially in a small town, is tougher than those looking in from the outside can image. Try writing a story that ruffles the feathers of a local politician and has everyone talking from one end of Commerce Street to the other — then go sit across from him in church. Write an article that’s less than flattering about the decision a high school coach made that didn’t work out the way he planned — then come face to face with him in the checkout line at Super Foods the next day. Put your name on the byline of a story about a relative that broke the law — then come back and tell me how that family reunion went.

Pressure? Gus and Nick couldn’t begin to imagine.

The interesting people I met along the way are too numerous to mention here. Same goes for all the ones I worked with, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention two. Mr. Hardin gave me my first real job in 1986 and hired me a second time after I briefly thought I wanted to take my skills to a different place. A couple of months flying around the southeast quickly convinced me otherwise and he graciously allowed me to return. He’ll never know how much I appreciate him and everything he did for me.

Then there was Todd Carpenter. He became publisher in 1994 when Boone Newspapers purchased the Advocate and he promoted me to managing editor.

Together we worked our way through many changes at the newspaper and managed to keep each other awake long enough to get the paper to press on time following hurricanes, police standoffs, elections, devastating fires and high school football games. It was a period that tested us professionally, mentally and physically. The APA awards we won as a team that I glance at on the wall from time to time are reminders that it was well worth the effort.

In 1999 I walked away from the newspaper business completely. Sixteen years later my responsibilities and priorities are a lot different than they were way back then. However, I’ll admit that every now and then I hear a siren in the distance and think back to a time when I lived with a police scanner by my bed and covering the local news at the Advocate was something I lived for 24 hours a day.

And the memories of the sound of those presses running at full speed on a Wednesday afternoon on Hickory Street come rushing back to me …

Gregg Fuller served as managing editor of The Greenville Advocate from 1994 to 1999 and sports editor from 1986 to1994.

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Dennis Palmer Former Publisher of The Greenville Advocate

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The most cherished memory I have, though, is working alongside some of the best, and most committed newspaper people I’ve ever worked with. The newspaper was honored as one of the best in the state during my time in Greenville, and that’s because of the team we had, each person working together to produce one of the state’s best community newspapers.

lthough my time working at The Greenville Advocate was brief when you consider the long and prosperous history of the newspaper, I remember that time of service to the people of Butler County as some of the most rewarding of my newspaper career.

As my wife, Paula, and I were considering moving to Greenville from Mississippi, where we’d lived for seven years, one of the overriding factors in deciding to make the Camellia City our home was the warmth of the people we met, and the overwhelming sense of civic pride Greenvillians displayed in everything they did and to everyone they met.

Whether it was the American flags that lined city streets on patriotic holidays, the many festivals held in and around downtown, or the crowds that gathered to watch Friday night football or youth baseball, the people of Greenville always came out to support the city they loved and the people who were their friends and neighbors. The Greenville Advocate was there to cover it all, of course, and my time working as publisher of the newspaper gave me the opportunity to help document Greenville’s history.

When you work as publisher of a small community newspaper, you get the opportunity to meet, interact and help people understand the good aspects, and the challenges, of the community you serve. News comes in all forms, some bad, some good, and certainly there was some bad we had the obligation to report, but overall my time in Greenville was spent reporting on positive news, including the industrial growth in Greenville that was spawned by Hyundai deciding to locate its first North American auto assembly plant near Greenville. Or the time the city, led by Greenville Mayor Dexter McLendon, turned lemons into lemonade by inviting then Wisconsin Sen. Russ Feingold back to Greenville to show him the real Greenville.

Feingold, who had traveled through Greenville to play golf at Cambrian Ridge, wrote an unflattering op/ed piece about Greenville that did not reflect well on the city, or its people. McLendon, whose heart beats for his family and the city he loves, invited Feingold back to prove to him that Greenville was more than what the senator saw during his brief travel through the city.

McLendon’s invitation to Feingold made national headlines, compelling Feingold to return, where the red carpet was rolled out for him. Just as they always have, the people of Greenville showed Feingold, and others, the civic pride that makes the Camellia City special.

There were other experiences and stories that are etched in my memory, too. Riding out Hurricane Ivan with my family in the house we built in Greenville, later being picked up by Chief of Police Lonzo Ingram after the storm passed to see the devastation left by the category three hurricane. In classic Greenville fashion, residents came out to help each other through that trying time, supporting each other, and making the city stronger than it had been before the storm.

The most cherished memory I have, though, is working alongside some of the best, and most committed newspaper people I’ve ever worked with.

The newspaper was honored as one of the best in the state during my time in Greenville, and that’s because of the team we had, each person working together to produce one of the state’s best community newspapers.

That tradition of excellence continues today, and I know it’s not for the accolades it brings from the Advocate’s peers, but from the service, dedication and love the staff has for the people of Greenville and Butler County.

Dennis Palmer served as publisher of The Greenville Advocate from 2002 to 2006 and is currently publisher of The Selma Times-Journal.

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Todd Carpenter

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What an honor and a blessing it was to join the Advocate, follow Gene Hardin and to be entrusted to succeed the Plummer and Stanley families after 129 years of steady service and leadership. Such transitions can be difficult, but they are made easier when involving an institution that has the confidence of its readers, earned by many years of faithful effort put to serving the community.

Former Publisher of The Greenville Advocate

he wheels vibrated and the rusty Super Foods grocery cart creaked loudly as I guided it down the ramp and up Hickory Street toward Commerce. The sun had set on Dec. 14, 1994, and the air was chilly. My cart was loaded with 100 or more copies of The Greenville Advocate. It was heavy, difficult to steer, but not for long.

Every parking space on the street and around the corner was taken and as I made the bottom of the ramp the car doors began to open. Soon I was surrounded by a large group of people, all of whom wanted a newspaper. For many, gathering late Wednesday to buy a Thursday paper was a tradition. My cart was soon empty, my pockets full of change. I did not make it to the corner.

Not until the third trip did I make it all the way up the street. I turned right past Ronnie Paulk’s office and loaded the faded blue, yellow and red newspaper machine. By the time I was done I had met a couple hundred very nice people who loved The Greenville Advocate.

I was 23 years-old at the time, my wife Emily and I expecting our first child. Mary Kathryn was born the following month, just prior to our moving into our first Greenville home on Stoneroad Drive. Emily and I talked some last week about our time in Greenville, reflecting on all the happy memories. Of all the places our careers could have taken us, what a blessing it was to find ourselves in Greenville. I will always be thankful for the welcome our little family was given by the people of the Camellia City.

As the conversation continued it kept coming back to one word – blessing. So as I write this column I find myself doing one of the most gratifying things a man can do – counting blessings.

What an honor and a blessing it was to join the Advocate, follow Gene Hardin and to be entrusted to succeed the Plummer and Stanley families after 129 years of steady service and leadership. Such transitions can be difficult, but they are made easier when involving an institution that has the confidence of its readers, earned by many years of faithful effort put to serving the community.

What a blessing it was to join a group of excellent and dedicated newspaper people. We worked with so many good people there. Gregg Fuller and Susan Rhodes stand out as people who became both trusted colleagues and good friends. The newspaper changed a good bit during that time. We added a weekend edition, added new sales programs, special coverage and weekly features. And you rewarded us with more readership and a stronger business.

What a blessing to work with a community that has so much civic pride combined with strong leadership. Both are rare. The credit for major accomplishments goes to others but I remain pleased and proud the newspaper was a leader during an era that saw our community start a YMCA, hold its first Relay for Life and build a beautiful new high school at a time few thought it could be done. My personal involvement in those projects was particularly rewarding because of all of the excellent people I was fortunate to get to know, work with and serve.

And what a blessing it was to work with a community that comes together in difficult times and knows how to celebrate the good times. There was no shortage of “news” during my time there.

I remember celebrating the Greenville High School state football championship that happened about the time we arrived, along with numerous Friday nights on the sidelines of GHS, Fort Dale and Greenville Academy.

I remember 24 hours of high anxiety spent in the Winn-Dixie parking lot, camera in hand, behind SWAT barricades, as hostage negotiators brought to a peaceful end a scary hostage situation in the store.

I remember the long night in 1995 when Hurricane Opal tore through our community along with the quick work made of cleaning up the mess and getting back to business.

I remember a day spent taking pictures from a second-story window on Boling Street as a bomb squad diffused what turned out to be a very realistic looking fake bomb placed at the door of the Chamber of Commerce building.

I remember a night spent covering a fire that destroyed the old Priester’s Pecans headquarters, working with dozens of people who came to help get valuable equipment and inventory out of the burning warehouse. What a blessing to see that cornerstone business literally rise from the ashes bigger and better than ever.

But what I remember most were the blessings of a warm welcome, many friends made and a place that is very special to me and my family.

On its 150th anniversary The Greenville Advocate is a strong and decorated print and digital news franchise.

More that 87 percent of consumers in Butler County say they read its products regularly. It has a larger readership audience than ever. And the newspaper has been recognized as the best community non-daily newspaper in the state. That is a tribute to people like former publisher Dennis Palmer, current publisher Tracy Salter and dedicated group of Greenville people who make up the Advocate staff.

On its 150th birthday, I join all of you in saluting the Advocate and all of the people who have made it indispensable to its community.

Todd Carpenter served as publisher of The Greenville Advocate from 1994-1998. He now serves as President and CEO of Boone Newspapers, Inc.

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Dexter McLendon Mayor of the City of Greenville

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As someone who grew up in Greenville and chose to raise a family here the Advocate has been an important part of my life, just as it was for my parents and just as it will be for my grandchildren. From my Dixie Youth Baseball games as a child at Day Park to city council meetings I’ve been a part of in one role or the other since 1988, the Advocate has always been there. No matter how big or small the event, it serves as a written-record of the history of our lives in Greenville. That’s how it has been for decades through the Stanley and Hardin families and that still holds true today.

he role a newspaper plays in a community can be one of two things — good or bad.

I’m happy to say the part The Greenville Advocate has played in the development of Greenville has been on the good side of the ledger. We should consider ourselves fortunate to have it in our community, recording the history of Greenville for 150 years and serving as a key source of news and information for the residents of the Camellia City.

Wanting the best for Greenville has been the mission of those who have served the Advocate so well for a century and a half.

That’s certainly true of the Stanley family and Mr. Gene Hardin, the cornerstones of this award-winning newspaper.

Mr. Hardin is an icon in this community and when most of us think about The Greenville Advocate, he’s the first thing that comes to mind. But his success isn’t limited to the newspaper business. He is a community leader in every sense of the word helping pave the way for many industrial and business projects that helped change Greenville for the better as head of the Industrial Development Board.

When Boone Newspapers purchased the Advocate in 1994 Todd Carpenter came to Greenville as editor and publisher. Todd was a special person, one who helped me better understand the importance of a newspaper in a community and how it can play a key role in its development.

Through the years the Advocate has always been there to cover and record events that I believe were crucial to the progress of Greenville. One of the first that comes to mind is the Cambrian Ridge announcement which helped make our city a destination for travelers, not just a quick stop for them along the way on I-65.

In the mid-90s the newspaper played a big role in construction of a new high school with a series of articles that focused on the need for the new facility. And last but not least were the back-toback announcements of Hwashin and Hysco, both game-changers for Greenville and Butler County. The Advocate did a tremendous job of covering those announcements and making people aware of the impact those industries would have here.

As someone who grew up in Greenville and chose to raise a family here the Advocate has been an important part of my life, just as it was for my parents and just as it will be for my grandchildren. From my Dixie Youth Baseball games as a child at Day Park to city council meetings I’ve been a part of in one role or the other since 1988, the Advocate has always been there. No matter how big or small the event, it serves as a written-record of the history of our lives in Greenville. That’s how it has been for decades through the Stanley and Hardin families and that still holds true today.

Last, but not least, we are blessed that we have two people leading the newspaper today that love Greenville as much as I do and love calling it home. Tracy and Andy make a great team and we are fortunate to have people running the paper that care about this community as much as they do.

So happy birthday, Advocate! Thanks for 15 decades of tremendous service to our corner of the world.

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Having written “Teen News” and “T’ween News” back in junior high and high school, I thought I would try again from a slightly different perspective! This time it will be t’ween middle and old age. Hence, “T’ween News” Revisited. Some might beg to differ that it is already OLD age, but I’m choosing to go by how I think, not how I feel.

I am so happy to say that I won’t be writing from a distance, but right here back in Greenville!

How apropos that it is also the 150th anniversary of The Greenville Advocate having been founded by my great grandfather, “General” James B.Stanley.

WARNING! I may go all sentimental as I write this, as I have been reading some of the “Addenda” columns that Mama (Virginia Webb Stanley Plummer) wrote, and getting choked up. I do wish I had inherited her talent, but I didn’t, and even though she has been gone nearly 20 years, I still wish I could pick up the phone and share life with her again. I am blessed that I can go back and read all about happenings in town and in our family. In a way, she left a journal of remembrance for us, for which I am grateful.

As I unpack boxes that have been moved, literally, 20 plus times, I was lucky to find some letters that my “Pa”, Glenn Stanley, wrote to grandmama, Congratulations to the long list of people who have sunk Mary Beeland, in 1916 when he was in his 20s. She their hearts and souls into the Advocate as it celebrates its My husband and I moved back to Greenville in was attending Woman’s College, now known as 150th anniversary. Many members of my family have con2006 after having lived away since 1977. I went to tributed to the Advocate over the years, and its proud history. Huntingdon College and he was already working work at First Realty of Greenville, Inc. which was, at My grandfather, Glenn Stanley, was the editor when I was for his daddy at The Advocate. A couple of years that time, located directly across the street from the born 68 years ago last week. That allowed me to be the first of later, he wrote to her from Germany where he was original old Greenville Advocate office. As I looked many in our family to be the New Year’s baby on the cover of stationed during the First World War. They spoke out the window at the office I couldn’t help but a different language back then, and it has been a the Advocate. That was in 1949 when I was just old enough reminisce about how the newspaper, its employees treat for me to read these. to wear the top hat and hold the cane. and that building had completely encompassed my Several things have been of interest as I have My earliest memories of the Advocate were when I entire life growing up in Greenville. As I would walk would walk in the front door of the old building on Comread these letters. If you are a senior citizen, as up and down the sidewalk going to the courthouse, merce Street to the cloud of smoke in the newsroom and the I am, you will relate. Our children and grandgoing to closings or even going to the new Greenville smell of ink wafting in from the press room in the back. In children may be surprised to learn that it may Advocate to discuss advertising, I could almost hear the front would be my grandfather, with my mother, Percy have taken several days to get a thought across to the voices of Pa, Mama, Uncle Gene, Aunt Nonnie, another person, since they are used to commuParmer and Polly Fulton. Miss Polly was the only one who Polly Fulton, Mr. Percy Parmer, Mr. Arlin Byrd, Mr. nicating in seconds. They also may think it’s odd didn’t smoke, I think. Mr. Percy would be sorting ad copy Harrison, O.G. Holley, all of the wonderful, dear that people actually looked one another in the eye nearest the front door. My grandfather had a new machine people that worked there. I could feel encouragement next to his desk where he would “scan” for what seemed like or spoke directly over the phone when they had from them, I could smell the smell of the ink and the hours the photos he had developed in the darkroom in the something to say. dust from the typesetting machines and the cigarette back. This machine would copy photos onto a plate that was In one of his letters to Grandmama, Pa indismoke swirling around all of the typewriters as they cated his leanings toward being a future editor of then used to print it on the page. In the press room, Arlyn pounded away.

The Advocate.

He was one of the editors of The Bird, always wearing a green eyeshade, worked the linotype, As I walked I could not help but pray that I could a huge machine that converted bars of lead into type that had Regimental paper which meant he was able to go be as trustworthy, professional and caring as my to be set in the pages of the rack and loaded onto the printing to Coblenz, Germany for two or three days each grandfather, Glenn Stanley, for whom I am named. press, which sounded like a locomotive when it was running. week. He said, “Any man in ‘4’ Company would I pray that God will help me carry his name with give a month’s pay to go there.” He said that he My biggest contribution when I turned 12 or 13 was to honor and never do anything that would make him was doing the kind of work he liked —writing and spend Wednesday nights with my grandmother right down anything but proud. Having such huge standards to drawing pictures. He also made calendars for the the street while Pa worked until early morning getting the live up to has been something that has encouraged Regimental Intelligence officer. His comment was paper out. me and given me strength throughout my life. I will that it was more like playing than working, but My memories of growing up in a newspaper family have forever have the ink of the Greenville Advocate run- never faded. It’s still in my blood and I credit my family for took up a lot of time. ning through my veins.

Wishing I had more information about the instilling that love in me. early years of The Advocate and why my great — Glenn P. Cooper grandfather decided to become a newspaper editor — Mac Plummer in the first place, I just have to say I’m glad he did.

Glenn, Mac and Jennie are the grandchildren of Glenn Stanley and the children of Virginia Webb Stanley Plummer and McDonald Plummer.

28 l Greenville Advocate

— Virginia Beeland Plummer Nearing (Jennie)

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Greenville Advocate l 29

The True Camellia City Editor’s note: Former Greenville Advocate editor/publisher J. Glenn Stanley was an ardent camellia enthusiast who encouraged local citizens, businesses, schools, churches and clubs to plant camellias. He also championed the cause of Greenville taking on the title of “The Camellia City.” In 1953, he penned an article for the American Camellia Yearbook (printed below) detailing why, of all the cities in the nation bearing that title, only Greenville truly deserved to be called “The Camellia City.”

T

here are several cities in the South to which the appellation “Camellia City” has been applied. The citizens of Greenville, Alabama, are convinced that theirs is the only city that should be known by this name.

While they had known of the large number of fine old camellias that were growing within the city, it remained for a visitor, Ben Arthur Davis, Garden Editor of Holland’s magazine, to call particular attention to this condition.

During the course of a visit in 1937, Mr. Davis made a remark to the effect he had never seen so many large camellia plants in any one city.

This remark was overheard by the editor of the local newspaper and from then on he never overlooked an opportunity to refer to Greenville as “The Camellia City.” He adopted as the official “ears” of the paper the slogan “Greenville, The Camellia City.” (The “ears” of a newspaper is the design or slogan that appears on either side of the masthead of the front page).

This slogan was in turn adopted by city officials, members of civic organizations and business men. One dairy features the pictures of three well-known local camellias, Pride of Green30 l Greenville Advocate

ville, Beauty of Greenville and Alba Plena, on cartons in which the milk is distributed.

Citizens selected the camellia as the city flower, and began to set out camellias by the thousands.

Today there are only a few lawns without at least one camellia, and in almost every instance the lawn without a camellia is owned by a non-resident. Even there, many tenants have planted camellias.

There are long streets without a single exception to the rule of camellias on every lawn. They are used as foundation plantings by the builders of new houses.

Along with this upsurge of interest in camellias, the desirability of changing the name of a camellia plant of local fame from “Henderson” to “Pride of Greenville” was suggested.

The story behind the plant that produces this large, bright red, full peony-form flower is an interesting one.

This distinctive plant was purchased by W.J. Beeland, about 1897, from a nurseryman in Springfield, Ohio.

In time the Beeland property was sold to the late C.C. Henderson who lived there many years, and later on it was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Ambrose Reese, the present owners.

The camellia flourished and the flowers proved distinctive, and this beautiful variety was coveted by almost everyone who saw it.

Efforts were made to get plants of the same variety from the nurseryman in Ohio. At that time, camellias were sold by color and not by name, and as the nurseryman was unable to identify the plant from the blooms sent to him, he was unable to fill the orders. Up to the present time, its true identity has never been

established.

In all probability, the original plant was a seedling. It is now being propagated by several nurserymen under the name Pride of Greenville.

At the time the name Pride of Greenville was given to the old Henderson plant, the name Mattie Thagard was given to another distinctive local camellia that was growing on the Mattie Thagard property. These two old plants were by no means the only large ones to be found in Greenville at the time of Mr. Davis’ visit.

Other large camellias growing in Greenville fifteen years ago were in the Ralph Peagler group of four large plants. They were set out by members of the Kingsbury family about ninety years ago. Included in this group is a mammoth camellia with flowers that closley resemble Purity, an Elegans, a Madame de Strekaloff and one plant of an unknown variety.

On College Street there were large camellias of several varieties in the garden at Mrs. C.E. Hamilton’s home; at the Mrs. A.E. Gamble’s home; an old Elegans and an Elizabeth I the adjoining Crenshaw and Upton gardens; a twenty-foot camellia of an unidentified variety at Mrs. Broughton Wilkinson’s home; a large Prince Eugene Napoleon at the home of Judge James T. Beeland; and a hedge of old camellias of different varieties on the G.H. Tatum property.

On Hickory Street large plants of Sarah Frost and Nobilissima were growing in the gardens at the Rolfe Dunklin and Murphy homes, a Prof.

C.S. Sargent at the J.C. Wilson home, and a huge Elegans and a very large Lallarook (Laurel Leaf ) at the home now owned and occupied by the Hill Reids.

On the lawns of the Stabler Infirmary and Clinic were two large camellia plants whose identity is not known. Just east of the city a sixty-seven year old Alba Plena has grown to be what is probably the largest specimen of this variety on record. It dominates the planting at the plantation home of the Rufus Pooles. The Pat Lowes had three large plants on the lawn of their home—an Alba Plena, a Tricolor and a plant of its solid red sport. Since the time of Mr. Davis’ visit, the Lowes have set many camellia plants in a sunken garden on the opposite side of the house.

On West Commerce Street the Joe Richards and John Garners had large Tricolor plants, and further out on the same street Miss Mary Dunn has a collection that includes a large Prof. C.S. Sargent, Alba Plena, Pink Perfection and several other varieties. Near the Dunn home is a Sarah Frost of huge and perfect proportions.

The Percy Langford home was almost hidden by another Sarah Frost of great size. Another mammoth specimen of that variety was to be found on the Park Smith’s lawn on Cedar Street. On this same street there was a hun-

dred-year-old Sarah Frost, and a large Nobilissima on the spacious grounds of the Oaks Hotel, a property now owned by the City of Greenville. At the Stanley home on Cedar Street there was a very large Monarch, and across the street a huge Sarah Frost features the lawn of Mrs. Dan Sherling’s home.

By reason of the presence of these numerous old camellia of tremendous size, the majority of which are still alive, the citizens of Greenville were justified in calling their municipality “The Camellia City.”

However, they were not content to rest upon their laurels-instead, they put into execution a comprehensive planting program which was participated in by citizens and public officials alike. This program became operative during the 1937-38 planting season, and has been followed since that time. Some of the new plants have attained considerable size and are beginning to rival the older ones. This is due to the better care and attention afforded the newcomers.

In January 1938, the first camellias to be set out on church property were planted on the grounds of the First Christian Church on West Commerce Street.

These plants have grown so vigorously that the church yard is almost filled. Every other church in Greenville followed this example.

During the same month, the planting of camellias on public property was started. Funds donated by members of the Lions Club and money appropriated by city officials were used to purchase camellias and plant them on the grounds of the new City Hall.

Since that time camellias have been set out in front of the Community House, in the triangle formed by the intersection of College and Fort Dale streets, where travelers over Alabama Highway 185 could see the camellias as they entered the city, and also in parks and cemeteries. All of these plants have grown to be large ones.

In the same year, Henry Steindorff started to

enlarge his camellia garden to such good effect that today he has one of the largest varietal collections in Alabama. Other residents, including Drs. Aubrey and Vernon Stabler, Dr. Philip Speir, Robert Beeland Jr. and E. Talbert, started to grow camellias and have many different varieties.

The members of the Greenville Garden Club have expended a considerable amount of time, money and effort in helping Greenville live up to its name as “The Camellia City.” In January 1937, a month before Mr. Davis visited Greenville and by his casual remark gave a great impetus to camellia culture, members of the Greenville Garden Club invited Perry McLain of Montgomery, Alabama, to give a talk on camellias. Mr. McLain, a native of Greenville, is one of the first men in Alabama to have taken a serious interest in camellias, and one of the first successful growers of these plants in Montgomery.

A year later, club members made up a list of camellias and authorized Mrs. G.C. Steindorff, Mrs. R.G. Hendrick and Mrs. H.P. Martin to proceed to Baldwin County, Alabama, to supervise the filling of this order.

This was something like carrying coals to Newcastle for many of the nurserymen before the citizens had fully appreciated the value of their presence. It is known that these nurseryGreenville Advocate l 31

men had taken thousands of cuttings from two old Tricolor plants in Greenville’s Magnolia Cemetery. Old plants of Alba Plena, Elegans, Monarch and other old favorites around town, also served these dealer as propagating material.

The second Camellia Day program of the Greenville Garden Club and the second informal Camellia Show were held in February 1939. Since that time, four other garden clubs have been organized in Greenville. All of them have adopted the camellia as the club flower, and selected names that indicate the camellia is the club’s main objective in gardening—the Sasanqua Garden Club, the Pride of Greenville Garden Club, the Camellia City Garden Club and the Azalea Garden Club. A men’s club, the Greenville Men’s Camellia Society, is now in its seventh year of camellia activities.

Greenville’s annual camellia shows are outstanding in the state. The 1950 Show was attended by some five thousand visitors from all but eight of the sixty-seven counties in the state, this in spite of the fact that camellia shows were held in four other cities in Alabama on the same day. The 1952 show was well attended even though the season was an unfavorable one. Last year there were thirtyfive hundred visitors, representing ninetyseven cities, twenty-one states and two foreign countries.

32 l Greenville Advocate

Attending the dedication for the new historic marker on the grounds of City Hall on Thursday are Laurie Alverson, Mollie Utley, Gene Hardin, Nonnie Hardin, Jeannie Nearing and Glenn Cooper, all members of the Stanley family. J. Glenn Stanley, longtime Greenville Advocate editor and camellia enthusiast, helped Greenville earn the nickname The Camellia City. His daughter, Nonnie Hardin, helped Mayor Dexter McLendon unveil the new marker, which provides a brief history of the city on one side, and the story behind “The Camellia City” on the other.

Marker dedication, luncheon kick off city ‘Homecoming’ Written by Angie Long Published Oct. 30, 2010

On November 24, 2008, the Greenville City Council decided the weekend of October 28-30, 2010 would be the official homecoming as part of The Year of Alabama Small Town and Downtowns.

“That seemed like such a long time ago ... and now it’s here,” an excited Francine Wasden, Greenville Area Chamber of Commerce director, said on Thursday morning.

The Great Greenville Homecoming arrived with the unveiling of a double-sided historic marker honoring the heritage of Greenville and its history as the Camellia City.

Preceding the presentation, Mayor Dexter McLendon lauded the passion long-time Greenville Advocate newspaper editor Glenn Stanley had for both his job and his community.

“He had such a love for camellias and wanted to see this town known as The Camellia City, and that came to pass,” said McLendon.

The mayor shared a camellia painting by the late Jennie Vieve Poole that he termed “probably the most famous camellia painting in these parts,” along with historic photographs taken in 1959 when Alabama replaced the goldenrod with the camellia as the state flower. Sue Arnold, city clerk, pointed out then-governor John Patterson was sporting a camellia from Greenville in his lapel in one photo.

Stanley’s daughter, Marianne “Nonnie” Hardin, assisted McLendon in unveiling the marker on the lawn of City Hall. Her husband, former Advocate editor Gene Hardin and the Stanley granddaughters Mollie Utley, Laurie Alverson, Glenn Cooper and Jeannie Nearing all joined “Miss Nonnie” for photos following the unveiling.

After the marker dedication, the celebration continued with a Rotary Luncheon at Beeland Park where McLendon served as guest speaker, discussing the future of the Camellia City with the Rotarians and their many guests.

stab E lish ed 52 19 in

for serving the Camellia City since 1865

Alabama Press Association salutes

The Greenville Advocate

Greenville Advocate l 33

12 l Greenville Advocate

Advocate passes another milestone

W

ith this issue begins the 63rd year since the Advocate first made its debut to the public of Greenville and Butler County.

October 1865, to those who were living then, does not seem so long ago, when looking back. But to the young man or woman to look forward this stretch of years seems almost an eternity. To the writer of this article until he thinks of the great changes that has taken place in everything, it seems to be but a few short years.

There is not a single business house in the city now that was here when this paper first started. Only two residences are standing on Commerce Street that were built before the War Between the States. They are the D.G. Dunklin home, now remodeled and owned by E.H. Smith, and the John K. Henry home, also remodeled and owned by W.J. Beeland. These two houses were standing when the writer first came to Greenville in 1859; how long before they were built he does not know, a number of years presumably. There are a few other buildings, scattered within the corporation that were erected prior to the war, but they are very few.

All of West End has been built within the past 55 years and the old part of the city — the East End — was burned in 1870, hence all the buildings have been erected since the writer established The Advocate.

In the early days Greenville was a small village. It is true we had an Intendent, who functioned as mayor and council. We had a school building just like any other country village has now — not nearly so good as many of the newer country school houses. No street lights, no water works. Candles and lamps were used by the citizens, and lanterns to light the way of those who went abroad at night.

The Advocate was begun just after the War between the States. The paper that was published here before and during the war was moved to Pensacola, Fla., the

owner being a refugee from that city to Greenville during the war; and as soon as hostilities ceased he moved his material back to his old home, leaving no paper or any printing material whatever here.

The present editor of The Advocate having had some little experience in a printing office during the great political year when Bell, Buchanan, Douglass and Lincoln were candidates for the presidency in 1860, and seeing or believing that the people of Butler and surrounding counties should have a paper, he started the Advocate, and has continued to this good day. The young editor took as his motto: “Keeping everlastingly at it brings success,” and he has kept everlastingly at it. Many others have started papers in Greenville at various times, but they saw that the town was not large enough for two and they either sold out or moved away.

The people of the county have been generous and kind to The Advocate and many subscribers have continued their subscriptions from the beginning until death removed them, and their children are still receiving it every week.

That the paper has seen many hard times goes without saying. As the people prospered the paper prospered, but when crops failed and business was bad the paper suffered; but thanks to a kind providence and business management, the Sheriff has never closed its doors or a bankrupt referee pinned a notice on its portal.

Today our paper is as prosperous as it ever was, thanks to our good friends; and we promise to try and make it better and better as the years go by, for we are better equipped in force and material to make it so. As the city grows we are determined to grow with it. The old town is on the upward stretch and will continue to grow until there will be none better in the state.

Written by Greenville Advocate Editor and founder J.B. Stanley Published Oct. 12, 1927

Greenville Advocate l 35

During his tenure as editor of the Greenville Advocate, Gene Hardin met a number of influential people, including President Lyndon Baines Johnson.

This photo was taken on a campaign train between Evergreen and Greenville. Pictured are, from left to right, Rep. Lamont Glass, Mrs. Lyndon Johnson, Lyndon Baines Johnson, Gene Hardin and P.H. McQueen. The photo was taken in October of 1960.

Hardin looks back on newspaper career

L

ongtime Greenville Advocate editor Gene Hardin may have started his career in radio, but to residents of the Camellia City, he will always be the epitome of a newspaperman.

Hardin, who came to Greenville to work for a radio station in 1948, married Nonnie Stanley in 1949. She was the granddaughter of Greenville Advocate founder J.B. Stanley.

For two years the couple resided in Mobile where Hardin worked for a radio station. In 1951, the pair returned to the Camellia City 36 l Greenville Advocate

and Hardin entered the family business eventually becoming the editor of the newspaper, a position he held from 1967 until 1994 when the paper was sold to Boone Newspapers, Inc. “I guess you could say I inherited both the newspaper [from the Stanley family] and the Chamber of Commerce,” said Hardin, a former Chamber of Commerce president, noting that the Chamber offices were then located in the dark, dank basement of the old Greenville Advocate building.

“As we later turned that space into the darkroom for the paper,

well, you can imagine what the place was like. We called it ‘the hole,’” joked Hardin.

While newspaper typesetting is now done on the computer, Hardin well remembers the days when multiple trays of linotype, hand set one line at a time, were the norm.

“You had to put the type in and read it upside down and backwards. The whole thing was like chickens pecking corn,” he said.

“It took years to learn. We had a beautiful press, but that thing must have weighed a ton.”

Later there was a new one that a child could have moved.

Webb Stanley was sent down to New Orleans to purchase a new press and learn all about it.

“If anything broke down on it, they would have had to send somebody from New Orleans to fix it, so we had to know all the insand-outs of the machinery,” said Hardin.

Creating photographs for the publication also proved “an arduous process.”

“Down in the ‘hole’ we’d take the sheet film and the roll film and make negatives and then prints.

The prints were taken to the offset pressman who then made a nega-

tive of the picture and of the page layout. It was all fairly complicated,” Hardin said.

The paper was truly a family affair for the Stanleys and Hardins.

“We used to bring the children up to help out,” said Hardin. “Once, my son Bill was careless and got caught in the press. The pressman got him out and spanked him. Both the pressman and Bill were crying by the time they got to me. Bill was fine but they both got scared.”

A happier memory for young Bill came the day he met Leif Eriksson, star of television’s popular western “The High Chapparal.”

“Leif had this cowboy gear that Bill got dressed up in and we took their picture together,” said Hardin. “That was a great moment.”

Children were always a special part of the Greenville Advocate.

Hardin fondly recalled snapping photos of birthday parties all over the Camellia City and preparing the special back-to-school edition of the Advocate.

“On the day before school went back in session each September, we used to print who the different teachers for the different classes were going to be,” he said.

“We’d have a swarm of kids down by the office. They’d come and buy papers, stretch out on the ground and read them by the light of the street lamp. Now they could have waited a day and found all this out, but they always came,” chuckled Hardin.

This past president of the Alabama Press Association, city councilman and state legislator had many opportunities to meet prominent individuals during his long career.

He once met the president of Guatemala and mightily impressed the gentleman by simply giving him a pen emblazoned with the name of Gov. George Wallace.

“You would have thought I’d given the man half of the State of Alabama,” said Hardin.

Interestingly enough, when Hardin met President Richard Nixon, “He also asked me about Wallace,” said Hardin.

He once met Ronald Reagan (then governor of California) in Cullman and had his photo taken with both Reagan and Wallace.

“Now, no one knows this but that photo actually appeared in People magazine. The reason no one knows about it, is that Nonnie went and bought every single copy in town of that magazine,” Hardin explained with a grin.

Hardin also met President Lyndon Baines Johnson.

“We had a great photo op on a train where Johnson’s actually holding up a copy of the Advocate,” said Hardin.

During his 40-plus years at the newspaper Hardin came to view those who worked there as a part of his extended family.

Former Greenville Advocate Editor Gene Hardin (standing) is pictured with Gov. George Wallace (left) and Ronald Reagan (right), who at the time was the governor of California.

One of those of whom he was the proudest was the late sports writer O.G. Holley.

“O.G. had been an outstanding athlete as a teenager, but he was crippled in a terrible auto accident that left him in a wheelchair from the age of 17,” Hardin said. “We later hired him to write for us and he became one of the bestknown and respected sports writers in this entire state. We had a wonderful group of the dedicated individuals at the paper. It was truly a joy working with them.”

Hardin believes the unique personality

and flavor of the Greenville Advocate—Butler County’s oldest continuing business—came from its founder, Gen. J.B. Stanley, editor from 1865 to 1935.

“At times I think I should have put more of myself into [the paper], but I suppose it was easier to go with the established flow. We did maintain a morality beyond reproach,” Hardin said.

“We felt an obligation to our readers to serve them properly and I think we did that.”

Greenville Advocate l 37

Advocate sold, Carpenter named publisher

T

he Greenville Advocate and all assets used in its publication have been sold to Greenville Newspapers, LLC, a new Alabama company owned by Boone Newspapers, Inc., of Tuscaloosa.

The commercial printing and office supply business were not included in the sale and will continue to operate in an expanded mode as is for the next few weeks and then from the office supply building on Commerce Street.

Todd H. Carpenter has been named publisher and began with the Advocate Monday afternoon. He comes to the Advocate and Greenville from the Andalusia Star-News, also part of the Boone organization, where he has been regional circulation manager.

“We have known Jim Boone and members of his family for many years,” stated Gene Hardin, publisher of the Advocate at the time of the sale, “and we know that he and his staff will continue to work in the best interest of this community. The Glenn Stanley heirs, owners of the paper, felt that the time had come to make operational changes and the Boone organization appeared to offer the better avenues to complete the plans.

“The decision to sell did not come easily, but the final outcome seemed to fulfill the wishes of those involved.

Plans for family members involved in the production of the Advocate are varied. Daughter Mollie Utley is now Public Information Director with the school board; son Bill will continue to operate our commercial printing and office supply business; and I intend to devote more time now to my position as chairman of the Greenville Industrial Development Board and the expansion of local industries and the placement of new industry in this community.”

Todd Carpenter was named publisher of the Greenville Advocate in December of 1994 following its purchase by Boone Newspapers, Inc. Carpenter now serves as CEO of Boone Newspapers, Inc. Carpenter is a graduate of the University of Alabama, School of Commerce and Business Administration and grew up in Tuscaloosa where his father is credit manager at The Tuscaloosa News. His wife, Emily, is a Decatur native and a graduate of the same school at the university. They expect their first child early in January and will move to Greenville as soon as the child is born and they find a home.

“I look forward to the opportunities Greenville and the Advocate offer Emily and me,” Carpenter said. “The Advocate has strong foundations and has long served this community. With the help of others at the Advocate, I will work hard to further develop this community’s Published Dec. 15, 1994

38 l Greenville Advocate

newspaper as we grow and change.”

The Carpenters have lived in Andalusia for the past year. Todd is a member of the Andalusia Lions Club and Emily is employed at SouthTrust Bank. Prior newspaper experience for Todd was at the Tuscaloosa News.

“The Greenville Advocate, its community and the people who have produced it for so many years are important to us and our organization,” James B. Boone, Jr., chairman of Boone Newspapers, said. “We will work hard to measure up to our responsibilities to Greenville, the Advocate and our customers as we seek to fulfill our every obligation and opportunity.”

The Advocate, now in its 130th year of publication, was established by James Berney Stanley, a Confederate veteran, in October of 1865. He published the paper until his death in 1934 when son Glenn Stanley became editor and his brother, Webb Stanley, was named business manager.

Gene Hardin, who joined the paper in 1951, became the editor in 1967 after the death of John Glenn Stanley.

All four of the above-mentioned men have served as president of the Alabama Press Association, a record for newspapers in this state.

Boone Newspapers operates community newspapers and shopping guides in 30 locations in Alabama, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas.

Alabama newspapers are in Alexander City, Andalusia, Atmore, Brewton, Clanton, Columbiana, Dadeville, Demopolis, Russellville, Selma and Troy.

James B. Boone, Jr., of Tuscaloosa, is controlling stockholder and other stockholders are newspaper associates and members of his family.

This cartoon, drawn by Spang, published in the Jan. 26, 1927 edition of The Greenville Advocate featured newspaper executies from across the state, including Webb Stanley. Frank M. Spangler and Frank M. Spangler, whose pseudonym was Spang, were political cartoonists for the Montgomery Advertiser (Ala.). The cartoons, numbering several hundred, make political commentary about Montgomery and Alabama politics, local government, World War II, the economy, education and roads.

Greenville Advocate l 39

There have been many changes both locally and globally in the century and a half that The Greenville Advocate has been reporting the news of the Camellia City and Butler County. Here’s a snapshot of some of the events from the year the Advocate was established as well as it’s 150th year to help put in perspective the span of time the newspaper has been in operation.

Oct. 9, 1865 First U.S. underground pipeline for carrying oil is laid in Pennsylvania

Jan. 31, 1865 Congress passes 13th Amendment, abolishing slavery in America.

Jan. 4, 1865

New York Stock Exchange opens The New York Stock Exchange opened its first permanent headquarters at 10-12 Broad, near Wall Street in New York City.

The building remained the Exchange until 1903, when it moved to a bigger digs at 18 Broad Street. The 18 Broad Street address is still used today.

Aug. 22, 1865 William Sheppard is issued the first U.S. patent for liquid soap April 24, 1865 Fire alarm and police telegraph system put into operation

March 4, 1865 Abraham Lincoln is inaugurated for his second term as U.S. president Oct. 10, 1865

April 14, 1865 U.S. Secret Service created to fight counterfeiting

April 15, 1865

President Lincoln assassinated Abraham Lincoln is shot and killed while attending the play “Our American Cousin” at 40 lFord’s Greenville Theatre.Advocate

Hyatt designs new material for billard ball In the mid-1880s the billiard industry, worried about the decline of the ivory supply, offered $10,000 to the individual who could make a better billiard ball. In 1865, John Wesley Hyatt became involved in devising a method for producing billiard balls from materials other than ivory. Originally using mixtures of cloth, ivory dust and shellac, he patented in 1869 the use of collodion for coating billiard balls.

Aug. 12, 1865 Joseph Lister performs first antiseptic surgery

April 9, 1865

Lee surrenders at Appomattox Courthouse The Battle of Appomattox Court House, fought on the morning of April 9, 1865, was one of the last battles of the American Civil War. It was the final engagement of Confederate Army general Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia before it surrendered to the Union Army under Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant. The signing of the surrender documents occurred in the parlor of the house owned by Wilmer McLean on the afternoon of April 9.

Jan. 1, 2015 July 4, 1865 First edition of “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” is published

Alabama falls in Sugar Bowl

Dec. 26, 1865 James H. Mason (Mass) patents the first U.S. coffee percolator

The 2015 Sugar Bowl was played on Jan. 1 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, and served as a semifinal in the first ever College Football Playoff. In the game, the fourth-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes defeated the top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide by a score of 42–35.

The Buckeyes went on to win the national championship by defeating Oregon.

July 1, 2015 US and Cuba announce agreement to re-open embassies and establish full diplomatic ties.

July 14, 2015

Harper Lee releases second book April 11, 2015

March 6, 2015 NASA’s Dawn spacecraft enters orbit around the dwarf planet Ceres

Fifty-five years after the release of “To Kill A Mockingbird,” Alabama writer Harper Lee released “Go Set A Watchman.” To honor the release of Lee’s newest novel, Gov. Robert Bentley has declared July 14 Go Set a Watchman Day in Alabama.

Obama, Castro meet Barack Obama and Raul Castro meet in Panama for the first meeting of U.S. and Cuban heads of state since the Cuban Revolution.

Sept. 9, 2015 Apple unveils the iPad Pro and new iPhone 6S in San Francisco

Sept. 27, 2015

March 24, 2015 The Opportunity rover becomes the first to complete a Martian marathon

Supermoon coincides with eclipse The night of September 27-28 showcased a lunar eclipse coupled with a “supermoon”: a full moon that appears larger because it’s at perigee, the closest point of its orbit with Earth. The concurrence is relatively rare, having not happened since 1982.

June 14, 2015 “Jurassic World” becomes first film to make $500 million worldwide in its opening weekend

Greenville Advocate l 41

The Greenville Advocate’s office, located at 103 Hickory Street, got a major renovation in 2004.

Advocate office gets new look I n the next few weeks, the home offices of Greenville Newspapers LLC, located in historic downtown Greenville will undergo a complete renovation including the installation of a new prepress color management system that will vastly improve the newspaper’s color reproduction.

Greenville Newspapers owns and operates The Greenville Advocate, The Luverne Journal, The Lowndes Signal, The Butler County News, The Butler Express and the Bonus Express and the website, www.greenvilleadvocate.com.

The Greenville Advocate was founded in 1865

by Gen. J.B. Stanley, whose family owned the paper until December of 1994.

At that time, Boone Newspapers Inc., a community newspaper company that owns more than 35 publications in nine states and is headquartered in Tuscaloosa, purchased the newspaper from the Stanley heirs.

The building underwent a minor renovation at that time including the removal of the printing press. Currently all of Greenville Newspapers’ publications are printed in Andalusia, another affiliate of Boone Newspapers.

Now, nine years later, the building will be virtually gutted and rebuilt inside its old shell.

Included in the plans are the installation of more windows, a full service community conference room, two smaller conference rooms, a photo studio, an expanded newsroom and advertising area and numerous computer hardware and software upgrades.

“Our main goal with this investment in infrastructure and technology is to provide a more efficient and productive environment for our employees, customers and visitors to conduct business in,” said Greenville Newspapers’ president and publisher Dennis Palmer. “Our newspaper should be a reflection of our community and those we serve and we want to make sure we’re representing Greenville and Butler County in the manner our readers, advertisers and the public expect us to.”

Palmer also said the recent industrial announcements and the expected job and retail growth that will result from those, and expected future announcements, played a part in the decision to make the additional investment in the community.

Published Feb. 21, 2004

42 l Greenville Advocate

“This is an exciting time in the history of Greenville and Butler County and I firmly believe we’re in the early stages of a dramatic growth cycle,” he said. “We want to be ahead of that curve so that we can efficiently meet the needs of our current and future customers. We also want to maintain a significant presence in downtown Greenville, which is the heart of this community and we hope this will spur other businesses to make a similar investment.”

In addition to renovations to the interior of the building, the exterior will see some changes with significant work being done on the rear of the building to add an awning and to also pave the back parking area. Several parking spaces will also be added on the Walnut Street side of the building.

“This will create more area for employee parking and will free up parking in front of our building, which is very limited right now,” Palmer said. “An important part of quality customer service is convenience and we want it to be as convenient as possible for people to visit and do business with us.”

The Greenville Advocate has had its office in downtown Greenville since its founding in 1865.

Greenville Advocate l 43

Advocate launches Camellia Magazine G

reenville Newspapers, LLC officially unveiled its newest publication, Camellia Magazine, with a special launch party held on Thursday night at Cambrian Ridge.

The first issue of Camellia Magazine will publish Aug. 31. Readers can expect a high-quality, slick and glossy lifestyles publication packed with beautiful photographs, tips and features about the people and places of Greenville and the surrounding region.

“We’re extremely excited about the upcoming publication of Camellia Magazine,” said Publisher Ashley Vansant.

“We believe this is something area residents have desired for some time now and we’re happy to be able to provide it.”

Camellia Magazine will publish quarterly beginning late this summer. The magazine will be available at select establishments throughout Butler, Crenshaw and Lowndes counties. Camellia Magazine will launch as a complimentary product. Paid subscriptions will also be available for home delivery.

Guests at Thursday’s party received a first-hand look at several of the photographs that will be featured in the debut issue. They were also treated to light hors d’oeuvres and drinks and offered souvenir wine glasses and golf balls (each branded with the Camellia Magazine logo).

Camellia SPECIAL P REMIER ED ITION

www.camelliam

agazine.com •

issue 1 • fall 20

10

ROCKIN’ Rock killou gh on his music & life Your dream k itchen Growing Cam ellias Adventure in a day

+

Published June 19, 2010

Clockwise from top: Local music legend Rock Killough was featured on the cover of the inaugural issue of Camellia Magazine. Charles Haigler is pictured with Tracy Salter, who served as advertising director at the Greenville Advocate when Camellia Magazine was launched. Dr. Jim Krudop and Nonnie Hardin, wife of former Advocate editor Gene Hardin and granddaughter of Advocate founder J.B. Stanley attended the magazine’s launch party.

44 l Greenville Advocate

The Greenville Advocate staff posed for a photo at the Camellia Magazine launch party. Pictured from left to right, Michael Rodgers, Eason Franklin, Dale Bedunah, Tammy Edwards, Susan Braden, Tracy Salter, Ashley Vansant, Candi Davis, Huck Treadwell, Kevin Pearcey and Austin Nelson.

(ABOVE LEFT) Left to right, Charles Newton, longtime Advocate Editor Gene Hardin and then-Advocate Publisher Ashley Vansant visit during the launch party for Camellia Magazine. ( ABOVE RIGHT) Becky and Frank Hickman were among the guests that turned out to get a sneak peek at the first Camellia Magazine. (LEFT) Susan Braden, Dr. Tera Simmons and Nancy Faulkenberry, owner of Nancy’s Heirloom Shoppe, at the launch party of Camellia Magazine.

Wynn Boan Causey, in the photograph on the table, is wearing a dress created by Faulkenberry.

Greenville Advocate l 45

e ow ne rs ili es w er e th m fa er m um er an d in an d Pl th e ne w sp ap ed 88 ; th e H ar d as 19 ch in ur e p at s oc sp ap er m an ag er in vi lle A dv 94 B oo ne N ew b ec am e th e ad ve rt is in g at Th e G re en 19 k or In . w er to p t ee I w en 97 . I e b oo kk un ti l ab ou t 19 an d I w as th st ill re b oo kk ee p er at th at ti m e e th as e th in g I ca n em on . e th 00 h Th 20 it l h. w ti ot d b un . on Wed ne sl fr om p ac it y I co nt in ue ar ou nd 3 p. m d a gr ea t d ea ue d in th at ca ne ng in lli ar nt le ca th e co d d an an an s eg 19 97 op le b ve d to ha ve h gr ou p ki ng fo r b ot ro d uc ti on . Pe e al w ay s st ri p W or t ” w er A t? d ap e. p ye ou nc jo e ay b ie I en ne sd p ap er ex ac t sc is d ay is Wed ti m e w ill th e go it w as n’ t an t to ut ha b es n “W m , ti oo ow m em b er to th rn of an ti ng to kn ne sd ay af te ty a co up le w ni ed n W tu . It oo or on er p rn . ap te m op d ay af h th e p . or 6 p. ha d th e to ar ri ve w it ar ou nd 5 p. m p ap er b ox . I us y by ar on t lit ou ng so ti er le ai p ap e si ng ed up w on ly ha d on w ou ld b e lin g at th e R it z th at ti m e w e an d p eo p le th e p ap er. ox b on y ar ng e p er fo rm in lit ti ar ai so u io r w le yo up ng er si ed th fi ll th at an d fa m ily. Pr s — w he eo p le lin th ei r fr ie nd s yo ne fa m ou ti ng to se e p er ci of ev n ex e y re ul ak ild tr m ch w as en ts . he lp to it h th e io n ab ou t ev ea ne w sp ap er s to ke ep up w co m m un ic at Co m m un it y s is a gr ea t id or y it is a w ay re aj an tu m m ic r ve p Fo d ha . an to on n ir iay io id w un at gr m ly e rm m ou r co n th e on na l in fo or on th lle nt jo b fo r p os t ad d it io th is w as of te ce ia to g ex ia ed on m an ed al o e al m d ci f al ad to so he r st af th at I m e of so ci fr ie nd sh ip s y Sa lt er an d dv oc at e’s us th e lif el on g I th in k th e A ro d uc ts . Tr ac e p lu r ei va th d s an d ex p an le ga cy p ro vi d in g a an d fu rt he r of th is lo ng A dv oc at e fo r to b e a p ar t lle vi ud en ro p re G as e w ty. I es of Th an d em p lo ye er s, ow ne rs th e w ay. d un fo e th de s on s to ye ar s!

— S us an R ho Co ng ra tu la ti ap er fo r 15 0 sp w ne y it un co m m a at e w as su ch at th e A dv oc e er e m w ti y ey M th . d un ti l 20 11 um m er an Pl 81 a 19 ni w as gi om ir fr V . e ly gr an d. It an d M rs A dv oc at e G re en vi lle w as ab so lu te G en e H ar d in e Th r. th e M Sh at of h d l y. it el d ke w la or d sm Iw an d th e e. I w or ke d a So ut he rn nc y un ie ul so tr er e p as th ex d w l or ke em b er w on d er fu rs . Pl um m er er s an d w e w I ca n st ill re m w or k w it h. M e A dv oc at e. ow th e cu st om dv oc at e ar e on es th kn at to b ot h jo ys to ay ce d an le eA a ch e ev er y si ng er d ay. I go t m y ti m e at th an ad ve nt ur e it w as ye st ga in ed fr om I lik s st ip ju sh g, on in ti p re ss es ru nn al l. Th e re la to lo ve th em de n — S us an B ra w it h an d gr ew is h to d ay. er ch ill st I th at er. W it h r th e ne w sp ap k th en , fo s ad te ea to cr . B ac r. A rl in By rd oc at e in 19 75 ar d in an d M H G re en vi lle A dv r. e d ev el op ed e b M Th to of at d ce e ha m fi lm th at th e gu id an d in hi re d h on ar it H w et ve re d es en p ne G ty ar th r.

M d, I le er fo r e ad ng w as e in th at fi el te . Ev er yt hi en p ut to ge th as th p d d an an t ax cu no ex p er ie nc w al ly m el te d te ” w as lit er ac hi ne w it h “c ut an d p as e ne w sp ap er th ro ug h a m n ru t, ar ga ti ve s fo r th ap ne t e cu th Th er e en op th el d an w to d ev ne w sp ap er. d le ar ne d ho nt in g of th e ri an c. to b e p y et 87 kl s, 19 ee l rm ti se m en ts . ti w us in es s fo ss fo r th e b dv oc at e un re A d p e ne g th ig in at es nt d d ri et an d I w or ke s fo r th e p e an d I ty p es ur n th e p la te he r th e A dv oc at at p ag es an d b d te lp in g ea ch ot ca lo to ge th er, he ri nt -s ho p in g d nt ke ri or p w e th ne w as al so a p m ee ti ng ily. Ev er yo as l m el fa w r ei as th er . w sp ap p ri nt ed lt a p ar t of io n of th e ne A d vo ca te , I fe th e p ub lic at r th e m ix . fo in W hi le at th e es es lin m d ti lo t of fu n w ee kl y d ea a e h th it t w ee y, it m to m un n b us in es s co m — P am S ex to ne ed s of th e

46 l Greenville Advocate

e ve rya li tt le b it o f id d I . rs a e y o rke d r a b o u t se ve n o r a n o th e r, w fo e m te ti ca e n vo o d t A a e d p h o to s t wa s th e re h e G re envi ll e p hy, d e ve lo p m a ch in e th a ra I wo rke d at T g ry e to v o e h n p s ra I rt le d a ll o f sp o a p e r. an and hand ra p hy. I d id m g re th in g at th e p to o fo h p p o id sh d was th e om and Th e Ad vo ca te a ll y b e ca m e s. tu b n e jo v in th e d a rk ro g e I n ti . n ss ri ri nti n g p re me out on n d o u ts id e p a n d ra n th e p e sd ays a n d ca e r p ri nti n g a n p a d e sp W w n e o n r d n we fi rs t te n g fo member whe a p e r wa s p ri n re p th e p u rc h a si I e . h e T m . ti re y e e p re ss gm I wa s th y h a n d d u ri n wo rk in g o n th b ck e a n we e k ly w h e n b o d e s th a w in as th e ve ry th in g ir sto ri e s fo r b ig d e a l. I w e a th s a g w in Th u rs d ays. E It tt . se e e a b le to u se ls e wa s ty p rs in th e o ff ic a n d b u t we re d e ve ryo n e e h g o t co m p u te n a y b n t o u o o rn r e e p ft a e s w it h sd ay a st il l la id th e p h a d so m e is su e I W late o n a Tu e t. . n rs te te n u p co ad th in g. I n e w co m we r to e ve ry e sto ri e s a n d o p th f st o p a p e r o n th e lo ll a e e W p r. ke lp ri t. p u te rs to ty t I wa s th e cu y h it th e b re a a ll th ta n ct e e id th e n e w co m sp cc a su ke r sw itch th e y d id n’t a sw itch a n d p e d th e b re a ip r a m in u te so fl th e p re ss, h it fo t a id th h e d n n o a o ri e s. e rk ro o m in g o n th e ir st r th at I wa s th rk te o la w ra n to th e d a rs s a a e w y e r n e G re g g Fu ll w h il e e ve ryo I th in k I to ld owe r o u ta g e p ca te ! e th d se u ca e s at th e Ad vo m ti le b ra o th at ti m e a n d m e t th e o f my m o st m re a ll y g o o d a g n Th at wa s o n e lo a t o g y is o r od e a n d e ve ry b ve ryo n e d o h e m t ti le e e th h t d a n ff a e u st ry ly sm a ll st a lk s in th e in d ito r at th e ti m d fo e r e e ld th o s We h a d a fa ir a e w th in H a rd in g. M o st o f r. G e n e H a rd ic ro -m a n a g in n e rati o n . M r. e m Ad vo ca te . M g r r o e g g n n u ri e o y rf o u ld n’t e u t inte at p o si ti o n w le d g e w it h th th w o in n k h e r jo b w it h o le p ir o e e th p st M r. n g to sh a re in g s th at m o tr y to b e li ke I th . o d rk o to w we re a ll w il li w to o h and la ce to sh ow m e to d o my jo b was a good p e It m . d le e p o w e o to o k th e ti m e p ll a w le I wo rk rk w it h . H e e ti m e to sh o at w it h p e o p p le th at I wo o th e r h ave ta ke n th p e e b th m e h m it it h m e w . I a lways re H a rd in wa s w to b e tre ate d d te n a w e h ke tre ate d m e li it h .

— Terry Hester e in co nta ct w m co w it h a n d se n e rt is in g re p re v d a a s a e m e re wa s a Th e fi rs t ti ircu it C le rk ) th vo ca te tw ice. d (C A d e e ll ct vi le e en t re o m e b a ck g he G owe d m e to co d th e n a fte r I ll n I wo rke d at T a a in rs a rd e a y H r u r. to wo rk tM e o r fo ce s I’ve love d o k o ff ice th a la to p y tati ve fo r th re e ll a th u f ct o a e I on It wa s e b e fo re f th in g s. It ’s d e ri e th e re. o ra ty a e m ri p e ri o d o f ti m a ca v e a th n m e. of e paper o st p re ci o u s to rke d b e ca u se ju o w re e e v w a a n d wo rk at th y h e I h s t o f fu n sa Ta n n e r. T y o th e r p la ce It wa s ju st a lo . a rm e r a n d R o h P m o re th a n a n lp m o a d P u e R k li m p e o p le r a n d Wil li a wo rk in g w it h h Te rr y H e ste it w g in rk o w d I a ls o e n joye son — Allen Stephen e Ad vo ca te . th t a wo rk in g

46 l Greenville Advocate

reet near st Commerce St Ea on rs ca r ei ing th hool year. gather by park e start of the sc ld th ou to t w s es nt os cl de si ay sd s re teacher ld be the Wedne s and early 1960 ts (grades 1-6) ou 50 en w 19 ud y e st da g th e g in in Th ow . ur D ne to cate ting sh t wait for someo e Greenville Advo vocate was a lis no Th d Ad of s ul s k’ co ce ee e w W offi at t. e th her! g nigh n - in th that special teac such an excitin the anticipatio to r as fo w ed It on . gn si ar as re as ye e ol be Th orton scho ng to inda Gafford M r the upcoming d. Always hopi L fo an — ts st en er m ap gn sp si w as the ne door and load come out that wspapers, espe rtant to read ne po e im th s it’ in s k in ad th e r many years. I I also look at th use ville Advocate fo ws around you. en ne re d G an e ts Th rtant to me beca g en po in ev im ad of is re n ed en io rm rs be fo ve in ve int I ha you are unfolding it to opping. The pr l paper, so that newspaper and I want to go sh e se th ca s cially your loca up in g n in w ck to pi d can read new about hat is new in technology an ething special t m to so ss ou paper to see w is ce ith e ac w er s s Th ha . t she know wspaper y’s world bu ne da r, a to , te at in pu th ne m st yo co ju ever onal, it is et, or Advocate is pers ws that day. Not cell phone, tabl e a ne th e ve k th in ha t t th I n’ ou . es ab ox do lb read other or something in ill be in her mai ear-old grandm ns to someone the Advocate w tio ay ec rd online. My 90-y tu nn Sa co s d ha an ednesday at the Advocate a doubt every W yone that works er Ev — Jehle Piggott g. in st re te l. factual, and in ca lo s ay w les are al town so the artic

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48 l Greenville Advocate

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Greenville Advocate l 49

Greenville 128 Interstate Drive

50 l Greenville Advocate

Greenville Advocate l 51

From the ADvocate archives For 150 years, The Greenville Advocate has told the story of the Camellia City.

In the following pages, we will share some of the stories and photos that have filled the pages of the Advocate since Gen. J.B. Stanley printed the first issue in October of 1865.

Staff members spent hours searching the newspaper’s archives for stories that we felt would be of interest to you, the reader. This collection is by no means exhaustive.

There will be stories that were headline news in their day that you won’t find here. You may remember some of them well.

That’s simply because there’s no way to cover 150 years worth of stories in one magazine.

Our goal was simply to provide a glimpse of the sorts of stories that filled the newspaper from years past.

As a staff we selected stories from each decade from the 1920s to present day. Unfortunately, the paper newspapers are printed on wasn’t meant to last 150 years. Many of our oldest bound volumes have become too frail to be handled, which forced us to exclude those issues from our search for interesting stories.

That being said, we feel that these stories will provide you with a snapshot of our community through the years. We certainly hope you enjoy it.

52 l Greenville Advocate

Street signs will be erected here in near future Greenville will soon have street signs working every intersection in the city. The markers will have been purchased by the City Council and are now being manufactured. A portion of them have already been received. On all the main streets the signs on the corners will be set on iron standards, about six to eight feet above the sidewalks and will be on the curb line on one of the corners of the intersection. On outlying streets the markers will be affixed to the fences or buildings on the corners.

The signs purchased by the city are aluminum plates, with lettering in black. They are very handsome and will be decorative as well as useful, and will replace cheap tin signs which were erected some years ago. Very few of them now remain and those that are still in place or for the most part not legible. The new signs have raised letters and in the event the black paint should wear off the name of the street could be easily read, and any painter could repaint the nameplate. Stop signals

for Commerce Street intersections have also been purchased and will be placed on both north and south approaches to the Main Street, holding traffic from intersecting streets and giving right-of-way to vehicles on Commerce over vehicles coming into the street from cross streets.

The erection of the new street signs will be another constructive deed of the present city administration.

— November 30, 1927

Greenville Advocate adds new automatic press A new automatic job press, the latest word in its class, has just been installed in the Job Shop at The Advocate and is proving itself for most valuable addition to the equipment. It will print the sheet 12 x 18 inches at the rate of 2,500 per an hour without human assistance, placing the sheet in the press with the utmost accuracy and also taking them out when

they are printed.

This is a new type of feeder unit of which the one in the office of The Advocate is the only one south of Montgomery.

There are about five in the state, three in Birmingham and one in Montgomery other than the one here.

The placing of the new equipment in the office will enable the more rapid

Largest lumber mill located in Butler County The W. T. Smith lumber company has erected at the highway on either side of Chapman large signs telling of the location, one mile away, of their plant. The signs state what they manufacture there and make a most significant statement that this is the largest lumber firm in Alabama. The Chapman mill itself would almost make this last statement of fact, but it is one of the three large Mills operated by one firm.

Not only is lumber made here at Chapman, such as ordinarily associates with a sawmill, but veneer, boxes, crates, barrel heading and staves and a dozen other related products are turned out. Crates for the lettuce grown in Maine, pineapples grow in Hawaii in Cuba, crates for lemons grow in Greece, for strawberries grown in Butler County, boxes for Florida oranges and a dozen other fruits are made here. Not only do they bring in the logs from the woods, turn the veneer, run it through the draw kilns and saw and nail it into boxes and crates, but they print on the sides the names of the products to be packed there and so that the grower simply has to assemble the knotted down boxes or, if he buys the set up box, insert the bottom, fill it up and ship it.

Chapman is headquarters to which a much larger population that is contained in the city of Greenville looks for their wages and the purchases they make, and this large organization has grown from a very small affair and some 25 years, through the business wizardry of J. G. McGowin, J. C. McGowin and W.M. McGowin and their associates.

Butler County and Alabama have every right to be proud of this enormous enterprise.

— July 31, 1929

delivery of all work and is something that is well worth seeing. Those interested are invited to view it. The Advocate commercial printing department now operates three presses, besides the big newspaper press. Two of the job presses have automatic feeders.

Nineteen

20s

Dr. L.V. Stabler to return to Greenville

The Greenville-Georgiana link of National Highway, No. 31 is now open to traffic, having been paid from Greenville to East Chapman and closed in part for several months, although a detour has been kept in good condition down the side of the pavement.

There’s only one detour in the road. At the former site of Hester’s mill, five miles south of Greenville, the bridge is being constructed over Hawkins Creek. At this place a short detour and temporary bridge is being maintained.

Last Friday the residents of Greenville heard the shots of dynamite destroying the old concrete bridge over the creek. This old structure was the first concrete bridge built in Butler County and one of the first in the state. However it was only wide enough to allow the passage of one vehicle at a time, and was separated from a longer wooden bridge by only a short field. The new bridge will take the place of the concrete bridge and the wooden bridge.

Dr. L.V. Stabler will return here in six weeks or two months to resume his practice, but will specialize in general surgery and special work. Dr. Stabler went to Birmingham. He remained for two years, but came to Greenville twice a month, and kept his infirmary in operation here. Dr. and Mrs. Stabler were missed during their stay in Birmingham and Greenville will welcome them back as permanent residents.

They will live in their home on College Street which has been can’t ready for their return Dr. Stabler is leaving immediately for Boston, Mass., where he will spend six or eight weeks in the Harvard post graduate medical school, taking special courses. He is accompanied by Mrs. Stabler, and on their return to Alabama, will come directly to Greenville.

While in Boston they will be with Mr. Vernon on Stapler, who is a student in the Harvard University graduate school of medicine.

— December 19, 1928

— February 29, 1928

— January 16, 1929

Georgiana highway is opened to traffic

Greenville Advocate l 53

Nineteen

20s

Lions Club organizes Boy Scout troop A Boy Scout troop will be organized in Greenville within a few days. The special committee from the Lions Club, composed of Dr. S. B. Hopkins, W. P. DeJarnette and Prof Reuben Self or making arrangements to get national recognition for the scouts here, and are receiving applications from boys who desire to join the troop.

Mr. DeJarnette will be Scout Master, and local people who have watched his work with the track and field team for the past two years realize that his selection is a fortunate one for he is admirable fitted for work with boys, and already has the love and respect of the youngsters of Greenville. Dr. Hopkins will assist the scoutmaster and he, too, has the confidence and respect for the boys of the city, and as well fitted by nature for this kind of work.

— May 23, 1928

New grammar school will be known as the Walter O. Parmer school; will open Monday The Greenville Grammar School will be known as the Walter O. Parmer School.

The Greenville Board of Education in session Tuesday voted to name the school for this distinguished native of Greenville.

The new building has been completed, and will be occupied by the teachers and pupils beginning Monday morning. Desk and other furniture is being installed this week, and lighting equipment completed and the water connections made. The contractor, Dolph Owens, finished his work last week, and the architect, Mr. Cooper, of the firm of Okel & Cooper, gave final approval of the construction last Thursday, and the building is now ready, except for the installation of furniture and the water connections. A crew of men from the factory is at work in the building putting the desk together and placing them in the rooms.

It is thought that Miss Mittie Wright, principal of the school, will announce to the children Friday that they will go to the new building for lessons Monday

morning. Classes are now being held in the Sunday school rooms of the Baptist and Methodist churches, where crowded conditions exist.

Another teacher will be added to the faculty Monday morning and will have a portion of the second and third grades, both of which are overcrowded at present.

An unusually large enrollment will bring into use every school room in the new building, with the exception of the library, which is large and furnished so that it can be used as a classroom if necessary, and the principals office.

There are nine large airy classrooms, all well ventilated and equipped with the most modern school furniture. The primary department is furnished with a little desk and chairs, and the other classes have the new type school desk.

Every feature of the building is the most modern, the latest thing in school construction.

The Board of Education, in voting to name the new school for Major Parmer,

has conferred an honor on a man whose magnificent gift to education in Greenville and Butler County has won him the praise and admiration of the entire county. Major Parmer has set aside in his will a half million dollars to be used as a perpetual fund to give college education to Butler County boys. His gift to education places him as one of the outstanding friends of education in the country, and as Greenville and Butler County benefit by his munificence it is thought to be extremely fitting that the new school bear his name.

A committee from the school board will confer with the architect and will place on the building a bronze or marble tablet giving the name of the school. This will be done before the Walter O. Parmer School is dedicated, and Major Parmer will be invited to be present at the dedication ceremonies.

— October 19, 1927

Grammar School entertainment a hit The Thanksgiving entertainment presented by the pupils of the Greenville Grammar School on last Wednesday evening proved to be another splendid entertainment, and adds to the brilliant record of Miss Frances Cater, primary teacher, who, assisted by the other members of the faculty, directed the children in the play.

An opening chorus by the little tots from the first grade, was followed by a pretty scene in which a number of little

girls in costumes decorated with Autumn leaves gave “November’s Party.”

The playette, “Little Pilgrims” was excellently rendered in a prologue and five scenes, showing first the King’s court in England; then the travels of the puritans in search of a land in which they could have religious freedom.

The queen, little Miss Helen Elizabeth Lane, plead with the kind, Leroy Thompson, for the Puritans to have the privilege of leaving the country. Jeff

Beeland Jr., as Miles Standish, led the band through Holland, and on the “Mayflower” to America. Arthur Lee, Ross Arnold, William Lane Gant, Helen Evelyn Barnes, Sarah Pierce, Sarah McBride, Lillian Butler, Jean Beeland, Gladys Shanks, Sam Hopkins Jr., Hubert Searcy, Wyatt Arnold, Eleanor Herlong, Edith Beeland and William Butler played prominent parts in the playette, and all gave creditable performances, as did the other members of the cast.

“The Ruggles Family’s Thanksgiving Dinner,” a comedy sketch was an added feature that proved most amusing. Mozelle Thomas, Felix Holladay, Gladys Stewart, James Williams, Katie Albert Autrey, Robert Boutwell, Edna Erle Turner, Comer Thompson, Ada B. Kimmons and Raymond Pippin were the characters in this part of the enjoyable program.

— December 1, 1926

Certain vehicles forbidden on Commerce Street Caterpillar tractors, or any vehicle which has lugs or certain kinds of treads are forbidden on paved streets in Greenville; ac54 l Greenville Advocate

cording to an ordinance passed by the recent session of the city council and published in this paper. Trucks, which with load,

weigh over 5,000 pounds, are also prohibited from the paved streets in the city. As there is but one paved street in Greenville now, the

ordinance applied only to Commerce.

— September 28, 1927

14 escape death in air crash near Montgomery A 14-passenger twin-motored Houston-to-New York airliner burst into flames shortly after taking off from Montgomery municipal airport at 10:44 o’clock Tuesday night. Eleven passengers, pilot, co-pilot and steward were saved, as Pilot Dave Hissong landed the big ship in a cotton field, after one of the motors had dropped burning from the plane.

Jeff Beeland had left the plane at the Montgomery airport a few minutes before the wreck occurred. Mr. Beeland boarded a plane at Corpus Christi,

Texas, at 11:30 Tuesday morning; transferred at Houston, and came into Montgomery on the airliner which met disaster just after leaving the Capital City field.

Mr. Beeland left the airport immediately on landing and was on his way to Greenville when the accident occurred.

Pilot Hissong is acclaimed as a hero throughout the nation for his efforts in saving the lives of the fourteen persons.

He suffered burns, others were uninjured. Among the passengers were J.V. Connolly, general manager of Hearst

newspapers, New York, and E.H. Rivers, Jr., son of the governor of Georgia.

About three minutes after leaving Montgomery, headed toward Atlanta, the rich engine broke into flames, according to a passenger. Attempting to turn back toward the airport the motor fell out. The pilot brought the plane safely to the ground in a cotton patch, and all passengers and crew got out of the machine just before the entire ship burst into flames.

— October 20, 1938

Rush Childs named Chief Deputy Sheriff Rush E. Childs has been named Chief Deputy Sheriff of Butler County, succeeding John T. Sanders, who died last week. Mr. Childs has been a resident

of Butler County for about fifteen years, and for the past eight years has been connected with the county road department. He has been a splendid addition

to the highway department, and various county officials express pleasure that he has been appointed as a member of the sheriff ’s force. Mr. Childs is

New wage, hour law now in effect over U.S.

The wage and hour law went int effect at midnight on Sunday, Oct. 23rd. This act, passed at the last session of Congress, provides for a work week not longer than 44 hours and a minimum of 25 cents per hour for the first year of operation; 42 hours a week and 40 hours a week thereafter. It provides minimum pay of 30 cents from the second year through the seventh operation, and 40 cents thereafter.

Payment for overtime is to be made at time and a half. Officials estimate that records will have to be kept for 11,000,000 workers, the it would raise the pay of 750,000 workers and shorten the hours of 1,500,000.

The new law will affect all those firms doing business in interstate commerce, and in Butler County will mainly concern those engaged in manufacturing lumber, the workers in the cotton mill and other similar plants. It will not include mercantile and service organizations. The first effect of the going into being of the new law was to close down many of the smaller saw mill operations in Greenville and though the county. These included those manufacturing pine and also stave mills, cedar mills and persimmon and dogwood plants. Those proprietors who could be reached stated that their plants would be closed down until they could further study the new law and find out what steps would be necessary for them to resume operations. The larger saw mill operations and the local mill of the Alabama Mills Co., continued under the new law without interruption, and it is thought that the others will shortly resume.

— October 27, 1938

well known in Butler and most popular and will make an outstanding peace officer.

— May 11, 1939

Royal Ambassador Counsellor coming S.B. Bishop, state Counsellor for the Royal Ambassador chapters, will be in Butler County Tuesday and Wednesday, May 2nd and 3rd. Mr. Bishop will be at the First Baptist Church, Greenville at three o’clock Tuesday afternoon, and at 7:30 Tuesday night at the Forest Home Baptist Church.

On Wednesday, the third, he will be at the Garland Baptist Church, for an all-day session, with the McKenzie chapter meeting with Garland chapter.

At 7:30 Wednesday evening Mr. Bishop will meet with the Georgiana and East Chapman chapters at the Georgiana Baptist Church.

Nineteen

30s Governor sends congrats to Advocate editor Governor B.M. Miller wrote the following highly appreciated letter to the editor of The Advocate on the occasion of his ninetieth birthday: Montgomery, Aug 6, 1934.

General J.B. Stanley, Greenville, Ala. Dear General Stanley: I congratulate you on ninety years of rich service to your state and nation.

Your family and friends will gather around you and each will feel that they have been blessed by your life.

You can look backward with satisfaction and forward in security.

I am glad that I can say,

Your friend,

B.M. Miller — August 10, 1934

— April 27, 1939 Greenville Advocate l 55

Nineteen

30s City plants camellias on city hall lawn The city administration is setting an example by planting additional camellias on the city hall lawn.

“Greenville, The Camellia City of Alabama,” the slogan suggested by this newspaper, and adopted by the Greenville Garden Club, has the approval of the city administration, and the planting of additional fine camellia plants around the city hall is a concrete expression of that approval.

Last year a dozen camellias were set out around the new municipal building. Two large plants were donated by the Greenville Lions Club, and others were bought.

During the past few days approximately a dozen were planted under the supervision of Mayor James T. Beeland and City Clerk J. Lane Grant.

Quantities of other shrubs were added to the plantings on the city hall lawn.

The Garden Club last year put two large plants in the park opposite the municipal building. Members have planted a number of camellias on the First Presbyterian lawn. Others have been planted on the lawn of the First Christian Church, St. Thomas Episcopal Church and the First Methodist Church.

— February 9, 1939 56 l Greenville Advocate

Butler County bees go to foreign parts Powell Owen, who operates the E.A. Simmons Apiary, recently shipped a number of queen bees to the Netherlands.

Butler County is one of the leading bee centers in the united States. It has often been stated that RFD No. Two Greenville, Alabama, ships more queens and bees than any rural route in the nation. The queen bees are mailed in small cages, which contain one queen and about a

dozen worker bees for company. The working bees are sold by the pound and are shipped in larger cages. Butler County bees are sent to northern honey producers in great quantities each year. The long, hard winters kill out so many of the bees that it is necessary to replenish the stock in the North each season. The apiarists of this county specialize in queens and bees to supply the honey producers rather than

specializing in honey production.

Butler County bee men have shipped bees to Canada, Cuba and various South American countries, as well as to China, and to European countries, and have imported queens from Italy and Russia.

— October 6, 1933

Col. Bibb Graves to speak here Thursday Alabama’s former governor, and candidate for governor, Col. Bibb Graves, will address the voters of Butler County on Thursday night, April 5th.

The meeting will be held at the court house at 7:30 o’clock. The announcement that Col. Graves is coming to Butler County for an address will be of much interest to many voters of the county.

Col. Graves declared that when he goes back into the governor’s office there will not be any need for re-establishing the old law-enforcement depart-

ment. “I expect to develop a highway patrol sufficient in both size and efficiency to take care of the enforcement of Alabama’s State laws,” he said. “When I call a special election at which the people of Alabama will express their wishes regarding the sale of whiskey and the results show that some of the countries will have the full benefit of the highway patrol and all other protective agencies at my command.”

Colonel Graves also said that there are one hundred million dollars available to Alabama in Washington

for public improvements and that one of his first efforts will be to go to Washington and get the money. He said that about 80 per cent of the money is available for the development of navigation on the Coosa-Alabama and Tombigbee Rivers and the balance will be applied on other public projects throughout the State.

These subjects and other points in his platform will be fully explained when Col. Graves speaks here next Thursday night.

— March 30, 1934

Paved streets in city at low cost are now possible Plans were worked out at a meeting of the City Council Wednesday night whereby Greenville may have paved streets at a very low cost.

The cost of paving will be only $1.10 per running foot under the proposed plan. It is entirely up to the property holders whether or not the streets will be paved. Citizens of any street may petition the council for a mud-proof, dust-proof permanent street surface, and if a

majority of the owners of property on the street sign the petition work will be started.

The council was in open session Wednesday night, with CWA Director Herman W. Simon in attendance. Mr. Simon outlined the plan for furnishing labor for the street paving under the Federal Emergency Relief Administration’s work program.

Calvin Poole has offered to donate the rock for the foundation of the

streets, free of charge.

The expense, which will be covered by the $1.10 charge per running foot is to pay for the hauling of the rock, rent on rock crusher, rent on roller and for the binder material (asphalt).

With donations of rock and free labor, Greenville has a wonderful opportunity to pave the residential sections of the city at a cost which is less than one-fourth of any figures offered before. In fact the

total cost under this plan is not much more than the first payment under a bond issue plan.

Acting Mayor James Dunklin appointed committees on street paving. Councilman James T. Beeland and Jesse A. Cheatham comprise the committee for streets north of Commerce and Henry W. Steindorff and H.C. Seale for streets south of Commerce.

— April 6, 1934

Blackout planned for all cities of 5,000 population The switch will be thrown in a few weeks to plunge Alabama into darkness to mark the first statewide blackout test in anticipation of bombing.

Gov. Dixon has said that bombings are possible in Alabama and “we want our people protected against this horror.” He is leaving nothing undone to perfect blackouts in practice so that the safety of the people will be insured of the bomber fly over.

All cities in Alabama with a population of 5,000 or over will participate jointly in the first scheduled blackout within the next few weeks. Plans were completed by the State Defense Council in Birmingham Wednesday.

At the meeting in Birmingham chairmen of the county defense councils, various state officials and representatives from the regional office in Atlanta made plans incident to the blackout in order that there will be no hitch in the proceedings when the order is given for the turning off of all lights.

“By engaging in this blackout we do not want the people to feel that everything must stop,” declared Houston Cole, chief of the Alabama Defense Council. “What we want to do is to keep things humming, in the home, in the factory, show and store,” he said, adding that “if we refuse to lose our heads we have the very advantage over the enemy we want.”

Home life can easily continue during a blackout. In rooms where lights are burning, the windows should be covered with a dark cloth, quilt or blanket, unless shutters are sufficient.

Automobile drivers must of necessity be more careful. Headlights should be covered with a dark cloth.

Air raid wardens and other defense officials will cooperate with the various agencies in checking the cities where the blackouts are held.

“This is no silly notion,” Gov. Dixon said. “It is serious when the order is issued for the blackouts all of us must be alert to do our job efficiently and effectively.”

— February 4, 1942

Jim Cumbie is first veteran to visit home here Henry Herbert Cumbie, who is better known as “Jim,” left high school last January, when he lacked just half a credit of graduation, and enlisted in the Navy. Within five weeks he was aboard ship in the Pacific, and within the past 6 1/2 months he has been almost 5 months at sea on a cruiser.

Jim is a few setter in an air anti-aircraft gun crew, and has taken part in one of the major engagements with the Navy in the Pacific.

He doesn’t tell which battle, but it was one of the three big ones in which the Navy has taken part. He is the first

Greenville man who has participated in a battle in the present war, to return home for a visit. Mahlon Stead made an Atlantic crossing with a convoy and had some exciting experiences to tell when he was home on furlough, but Jim is the first veteran of a battle to visit his hometown. When asked if he saw a Jap plane at close range during the battle, he answered that he saw one close enough to tell the pilot needed to shave. That Jap, by the way, got his shave, and haircut, too, a few seconds later.

Jim, who is the son of Mrs.

H.H.Cumbie, and the late Mr. Cumbie, was working at the Capps Drugstore when war was declared. He was spending an hour a day at school, completing the work toward a diploma. He enlisted in the Navy as soon as possible. He was 21 years old in May, but was too young to register for the draft when he left.

Jim has a copy of the “dope sheet” issued by the executive officer of the ship on the day following the battle.

The members of the crew were highly commended for outstandingly excellent conduct and performance of

duty displayed.

“By shooting effectively at the enemy and withholding fire from other targets the battery demonstrated gratifyingly excellent fine discipline and the ship may well be proud of her day’s bag. The uniformly smooth and effective functioning of all departments was most commendable and reflects distinct credit upon the whole ship,” the executive said.

Jim will leave Saturday to return to duty with the Pacific fleet.

— July 30, 1942

779 children born in Butler County during 1939 The Butler County Health Unit reports a total of 779 births in the county during the year 1939.

There were 188 white boys, 175 white girls, 206 colored boys and 201 colored girls. Total white children, 363; total colored children, 416.

The report made by the Health Unit for 1938 was most interesting. There were 365 boys and 365 girls born in the county that year-one each for every day of the year. It happened that every

figure making up the report was equal.

There were 155 white boys, 155 white girls, 210 colored boys and 210 colored girls.

The 1939 total of 779 was 49 more than the 1933 total of 730.

During the year just passed, there were 101 white children born in hospitals; 331 delivered by physicians, 32 by mid-wife; two unattended by anyone outside the family.

There were 13 Negro children born

in hospitals; 62 delivered by physician; 351 by mid-wife; one unattended.

The total for the year included 48 still-births.

Four sets of twins were born in Butler in 1939.

The month of August was the busiest for the stork in this county, with 84 births reported that month. Next busiest months were September and October.

— January 18, 1940

Nineteen

40s

Electricity to be made available to all by new plan By a special plan in which houses are wired in groups and where the consumer wants electricity for lights, radio and iron only, a low cost service is offered by the Butler County Electric Membership Corp. to those families who could not afford the current heretofore.

A minimum of ten KW hours, which is enough current for small houses is offered for $1.00 per month, says L.A. Killough, Jr., REA Utilization Specialist.

This plan gives the tenant farmer the advantages of high line power at prices that compare with coal oil lamps.

House wiring prices are sufficiently lowered to enable landowners to wire for their tenants, Mr. Killough says, and adds, “This electricity will increase the value of any farm.”

Persons interested can call by the office or an RE representative will come to their home and explain the plan fully.

— May 16, 1940

Greenville Advocate l 57

Nineteen

40s

Stabler named to city school board Dr. Vernon Stabler was named last week, by the Greenville City Council, as a member of the City Board of Education.

Dr. Stabler takes the place of Almon T. Watson, resigned. He is interested in the educational advancement of Greenville, and will make the Board an enthusiastic and able member. He received his early education in Greenville schools, and has retained his interest in the local schools and their activities.

Mr. Watson served for a number of years as a member of the City Board, and for some time as chairman. He has been most active in all school matters, and the Board will miss his splendid services.

— February 1, 1940

Finnish relief drive will be statewide Thos. W. Martin, president of Alabama Power Company, last week accepted the chairmanship for Alabama of the Finnish Relief Fund, Inc., succeeding Oscar Wells, chairman of the Board of the First National Bank, who was obliged to resign because of illness.

In his acceptance of the chairmanship for the relief of Finnish women and children, made homeless and destitute by the ravages of war, Mr. Martin stated: “The Finnish people have come to be greatly admired by many of the American

people. They have been the only foreign nation to make prompt payment of their obligations to the United States. In addition, our administration for the Finns has become crystallized by their fortitude and bravery in the face of unwarranted military invasion.

“We are told of the hunger and want of hundreds and thousands of women, children and feeble, made homeless by the ravages of war. Thousands of American citizens have opened their hearts as well as their pocketbooks, and have made liberal

contributions to the Finnish Relief Fund, Inc., the entire proceeds of which-100c on the dollar-will be used for the purchase of food and clothing. No part of the fund will be used for the purchase of military supplies.

“In accepting the chairmanship of the Fund for Alabama, I did so feeling confident that many Alabama citizens would want to participate in this humanitarian effort.”

— February 8, 1940

Relief, Public Works slash is requested President Roosevelt urged congress to slash farm, relief and public works spending in his budget message at the opening of congress last Thursday, asking $460,000,000 of special defense taxes and proposing one of the smallest federal

deficits in a decade.

If all his recommendations are followed, Mr. Roosevelt forecast a net deficit for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1940, of 1, 716, 000, 000, compared with an estimated $3,933,00,000 for the current year.

Cutting nearly everything in the budget except defense funds, the president estimated federal expenditures for the next fiscal year at $8,424,000,000, which he said would be $675,000,000 less than a year.

Net receipts from existing taxes, not counting federal social security levies, would increase $382,000,000 to $5,548,000,000 because of better business he estimated.

— January 11, 1940

Suggest that school children collect scrap iron E.O Cates, a practical farmer, makes a suggestion that the school children of Butler County collect scrap iron.

It is a well known fact that metals of all kinds are in demand, and the government is asking the people of the nation to save all scrap metal, even asking for old automobile tags. The State of Alabama, recognizing the scarcity of metal, is calling on merchants who might have stock of sales tokens on hand to put them in circulation.

Mr. Cates suggests that every school in Butler County start a collection of scrap

iron. The idea could be carried on to other counties in Alabama and to other states.

The schools could sell the metal to scrap iron dealers, and use the money derived for school purposes.

Mr. Cates says that he doubts that there is a farm in the county that has no scrap iron lying around. On every farm there are worn-out plow points, bits of metal from old wagons, from plow stocks, harness, pieces of worn-out tools and all manner of metal, mostly in small pieces, which have been overlooked by junk dealers who are

touring the countryside looking for scrap iron.

The children can locate these bits of metal; carry some to school each day to assemble enough at every school in the land to make it attractive for the scrap iron man to go to the schools to buy the metal.

If every school child in Butler County would take just a pocketful of small bits of scrap metal to school on one day, there would be quite a few tons in this county alone.

— December 18, 1941

Breakfast served to president in Greenville President Roosevelt ate breakfast in Greenville last Thursday.

This is written so that if he happens to read The Advocate he will know that he was in the Camellia City when the breakfast tray was carried into his room in the private car. Since the shades were 58 l Greenville Advocate

drawn carefully he probably didn’t realize the train was taking on water in this city at the time that the tray was carried in to him.

Approximately one thousand school children saw the presidential train, as it stood on the tracks here for five or six minutes just

before 9 o’clock: but none of them saw the president. It was stated by secret service men that he had not risen for the day when the train reached Greenville. But he was served breakfast while in this city.

The white-uniformed waiter was seen entering the private room, as

a Marine held open the door.

President Roosevelt was en route for Pensacola to board a ship for deep sea fishing.

The president did not know that the great crowd of children were at the station here.

— February 22, 1940

Items placed in cornerstone at First Baptist The cornerstone at First Baptist church contains items of historical value. Last Sunday morning the ceremony was held in front of the new building, following a brief service in the tent. Dr. J. L. Bryan placed a Bible in the copper box, which was later placed in the cornerstone. Dr. Bryan, the oldest member of the Board of Deacons, donated the Bible. The youngest member of the church, little Eleanor Lee Williams,

placed two sermons in the box. These tape recordings were made by Rev. Otis Williams, having one been delivered recently in the tent; the other, a favorite, has been delivered on several occasions. Mrs. Phillip V. Speir, organist and choir director of the church for many years, placed a copy of a song in the box. Mrs. E. M. Danford put in the box a silver dollar and a gold dollar.

Lee Miller, the church clerk, placed

the names of everyone present at the service, on cards signed by the members and visitors. H. Porter Martin, for many years a deacon, placed clippings from The Greenville Advocate and other newspapers, dealing with the new church, in the metal box, which is now sealed up in the cornerstone, to be opened in the year 2004.

— October 7, 1954

Perry keeps Commerce spic and span A hard worker, and a most efficient worker, is Robert Perry, who keeps Commerce Street spic and span six days a week. He not only brooms Commerce, but works around the corners on the side streets. Robert goes to work at daylight or before, and sweeps first where traffic is normally heaviest later in the day.

He keeps the street clean each day, but on Saturday nights the street crew moves in and does a thorough cleaning, preparing for Sunday’s after busy Saturdays and the mess made by the crowds on those days. Robert goes back on the job on Monday.

People in the city often comment about Robert’s work and take into consideration that he has long since passed a time when he could be called a young man. He is well up in the eighties.

A native of Greenville and proud of the fact that he has Indian blood, he returned to his native city some 13 years ago after spending almost half century as a member of the crew of a merchant ship. Robert has been all over the world, visited ports in Europe, Asia, Africa, in South and Central America.

He is a city employee six days a week, a preacher on Sundays and well equipped with a sonorous voice for his preaching.

When I asked where he preaches, he replied: “Everywhere.”

— December 9, 1954

Violence continues in Chapman over strike A home of a non-striking employee of the W. T. Smith Lumber Company was damaged by a dynamite explosion early Tuesday morning, with the occupants of the house asleep in the building. Last Friday night, I house was fired, with occupants asleep. There have been several other acts of violence in Chapman and in nearby areas where employees of the big Lumber mill reside.

Not a wheel is turning as the strike dragged into the fifth week. There has been a number of cases of violence. Dynamite has been set off several times; windows have been shot out; automobiles and trucks have

been fired all.

On Friday night of last week, there were three heavy dynamite detonations in three separate areas in the saw mill town.

Windows rattle as the heavy explosions awakened inhabitants of intervals during the night. It was on this night that Mrs. C. B. Grant heard the hollow sound of a sudden flame. She saw the blaze just outside her window, called for help. Her son-inlaw, Homer (goat) Fussell, was awakened, rushed out and extinguished the blaze. It was his home that was fired; the arsonist using a quart of gasoline to start the fire.

He found the empty container, reeking

with the gasoline fumes. A dog is credited with awakening Mrs. Grant. The home and all the occupants might have gone up in flames.

The home of Roland Spann was dynamited late Monday night. Although none of the occupants were injured, there was considerable damage to the house.

J. N. White, President of the local 426, International Woodworkers of America (CIO), is quoted as saying that he knew nothing of the violence and felt certain none of it has been done by union members.

Nineteen

50s Civitian Club is organized in city A charter will be presented to the newly-organized city club of Greenville at a Charter Night program at 7:30 o’clock tomorrow night at the Steak House.

District governor Joe Graham, of Maplesville, will present the charter. A large crowd is expected for the program, with members of the Civitian International coming from various clubs in Alabama.

The Greenville club is being sponsored by the Birmingham Civitan Club, the original Civitan Club.

The Birmingham club was organized in 1917. Roy Knox is president, and he will lead a large delegation from that club.

Edward Singleton is president of the Greenville club; Paul Hinson and Bill Salter, vice president; M. C. Rowell, secretary; Wade Morgan, treasurer. Their directors include the officers and D. N. Pate, Woodrow Odom and Thomas Horn.

The new service club for Greenville will meet each Monday night.

Greenville service clubs include Lions, Rotary, Kiwanis, Pilot, and Civitan.

— May 26, 1955

— August 18, 1955 Greenville Advocate l 59

Nineteen

50s Smith plant strike begins Wednesday Members of the CIO International Woodworker Union in Chapman and Greenville failed to go to work yesterday morning, forming picket lines instead.

The strike had been brewing for sometime, but was believed to have been averted when a walk out failed to materialize last week.

The Chapman contract between the union and the W. T. Smith Lumber Company expired on March 3rd and the Greenville contract expired July 11, Monday of last week.

There are more than 650 employees in the two plants, with an annual payroll of more than a million and a half dollars.

A strike in 1949 lasted nine weeks.

There have been numerous meetings between Union and company representatives since the contract with the Chapman mill expired. The last was called on Monday of last week by John L. Andress, of Mobile. Mr. Andress, a native of Butler County, is with the Federal Mediation in Conciliation service.

The check off is apparently the major item of dissension.

— July 21, 1955 60 l Greenville Advocate

Change in law city election is proposed A bill has been drawn up to effect radical changes in the municipal election laws of the city of Greenville. The bill will be introduced in the present session of the Legislature, and if adopted it will become a law, affective before the next city election.

The bill would make it necessary to hold run-off elections if candidates in the first election fail to receive a majority of the votes cast. This would apply to candidates for mayor as well as for all five councilman.

Under the present municipal election law in Greenville, the candidate receiving the largest number of votes for mayor is declared elected. Under the proposed law, the two candidates for mayor receiving the largest number of votes would go into a run-off election, providing neither received an actual majority.

Under the present law, candidates qualify for membership on the City

Council, and the five who receives the greatest number of votes are elected.

Under the proposed law, a candidate must qualify for a certain place on the city Council. There will be five places, numbered from one to five and a candidate must run for a place number one, or any of the other places, but cannot run for more than one place but there are as many as three candidates running for one place on the council and none of them received a clear majority of the votes cast, then the two highest would go into a run-off election.

The second election would be held seven days after the first. The proposed law, as the president election law is used here, calls for “election,” not “primary.”

The municipal election is not a party primary, but is a general election, and is final.

The proposed laws leave it up to the city Council to make the decision in case of a tie in the runoff election.

While the new law would not make it mandatory that candidates for the city Council reside in any given area in the city, it would probably result in some kind of zoning of councilman. For instance, in the first candidate to announce chose to run for number one, and he resides in ward one, then his opponents would probably reside in the same ward. That would be the natural consequences of having designated places on the city Council.

Under the present election laws in Greenville, all five councilman could live on the same street, are even in the same house. Since there are but four wards in Greenville, and the candidates ran for the place is on the council according to wards, then one councilman would have to be from the city at large.

— June 9, 1955

26 crops with same mule G. C. Luckie has been farming for more than 26 years, but he has been plowing the same mule for 26 long years, and hopes to keep her working for some years yet. She is 29 years old. Her mother lived to the ripe old horse age of 33.

Mr. Lucky says that this mule has never been sick or crippled, ready to work every day since he started working her when she was two and a half years old. She was foaled on June 5, 1926. A half hour

Hank’s mother passes Mrs. Lillian S. Stone died suddenly in her home in Montgomery, early Saturday morning. A native of Butler County, who resided in Georgiana, Chapman and Greenville, Mrs. Stone was the mother of the late Hank Williams.

This picture was one of the last made of Hank,

who is shown in the center. Mrs. Stone is occupying the backseat of the car, which took part in the parade on Hank Williams Day in Greenville only a short time before the death of the famous songwriter and singer.

— March 3, 1955

later, Mr. Lucky wrapped her in a sack and carried her into the lot. He said that she was born in the pasture and there were hogs there that might have worried her, so he took her to the lot, with the mother following.

Mr. Lucky is one of the good farmers of Butler County. He’s one of the best syrup makers in Alabama, and one of the few Butler farmers who still make syrup.

— August 11, 1955

Five Greenville men serve in five conflicts Five of the men who will help to celebrate Veterans Day in Greenville have seen action in every conflict that the United States has been involved in from the Mexican border incident through Vietnam.

Rufus Earl Goodwin began his military career as a member of the Fort Deposit company in the old Fourth Alabama regiment, when Greenville had no National Guard. He helped recruit Greenville men when the Guard was called to the Mexican border at the time General John J. Pershing went into Mexico in an attempt to capture Pancho Villa, who led an army of guerrillas. Goodwin continued as a member of the National Guard until his retirement a short time ago.

He saw service on the Mexican border, in World War I and World War II and the Korean conflict. He was with the Greenville National Guard unit from the time it was organized just after World War I until his retirement.

William J. Frazer was one of the men recruited by Goodwin for service on the border.

The National Guard left the Mexican border when the United States declared war on

Nineteen

60s Every conflict since 1916 represented by Greenville veterans. From left to right: Earl Goodwin, Mexican Border duty, World War I, World War II and the Korean Conflict; William J. Frazer, Mexican Border, World War I; Kendrick Newton, World War II, Korean Conflict; Henry Neal Williams, World War II, Korea; Charles Snow, Vietnam. These men will take part in a Veterans Day program today.

Germany. He was transferred into the 167th infantry in the Rainbow Division, and saw action in five battles in France and was awarded the Purple Cross. He was the lieutenant when the Guard was reorganized in Greenville. He is commander of World War I Veterans Barracks.

Kendrick (Pete) Newton, now Veterans Service Officer for Butler and Crenshaw Counties, is a veteran of World War

II and the Korean conflict, and was on duty with the National Guard, and later with the regular Army for a number of years.

He is General Chairman of the Veterans Day program and is American Legion District Commander.

Henry Neal Williams spent six years in the Navy and was in the South Pacific during practically all of World War II days.

Later, he went into the Army and was one of the first Butler

Countians to go to Korea, and was the first to return from Korea after almost a year in that conflict. Warrant Officer Charles Snow was one of the first Butler Countians to go to Vietnam and was the first to return after eleven months service there as a helicopter pilot.

He is at home on leave and will report for duty at Fort Rucker at the end of the leave period.

— November 11, 1965

Gov. Patterson dedicates Greenville Municipal Airport “Alabama has the best and the most far-reaching airport construction program in the nation,” said Governor John Patterson in his dedication address here last Sunday afternoon, as he praised the work of Aeronautics Director Asa Rountree Jr., whom he described as a man “who gets things done.”

He “cuts red tape,” the governor said, and added that Rountree builds things and is entitled to the credit for 15 new airfields in Alabama in the last 12 months with 12 more planned for the next 12 months.

The governor stated that he felt at home in Butler County and pointed out that he has several Butler natives on his staff.

His wife, Mary Jo, is also a native of Butler.

He praised the people of the county for its representation in the legislature, and thanked the people of the county for the splendid support he received here in his campaign for governor.

Governor Patterson, in telling of the splendid work of Director Earl McGowin of the Alabama State Docks, stated that “when we took over in 1959 we were having a loss every quarter. Last year we made a million dollars.”

He explained that Mobile is the 9th largest port in the nation and the 16th in the world. The record reflects great credit on Earl McGowin, he said.

The governor praised John Tyson for

his work with the Department of Pensions and Security. He stated that he enjoyed being in Greenville with Ed Reid, the executive director of the Alabama League of Municipalities.

He stated that Reid is known throughout the nation as an expert in municipal government, and stands high in Washington.

Governor Patterson stated that the building of airports is extremely important in Alabama.

“Unless you can land a twin-engine executive type airplane in your town, you can’t land a new industry or a new business.”

— November 9, 1961

Famed astronaut visted here Lieutenant Col. John H. Glenn Jr. was a visitor here as a young Marine officer in 1949. The astronaut, who is scheduled to take off Saturday for a three times round-theworld space flight from Cape Canaveral, was a close friend of the late Captain Wallace Wood, and he spent a weekend with Captain Wood at the home of the latter’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. T.L. Wood.

Captain Wood was Glenn’s instructor when he was making his final check-out trip, a particular phase of flight training with instruments.

The two flew from Corpus Christi, Texas, to Maxwell Air Force Base and came onto Butler County for the weekend at the Wood home in Liberty.

The two Marine officers went squirrel hunting in Stallings Creek swamp on a Saturday afternoon.

Glenn was impressed with the camellias in bloom on the Wood lawn, and carried a box of the flowers back to his wife.

Wood and Glenn were close personal friends, and the Greenville officer visited the Glenn home in Ohio, and went pheasant hunting with the man who is today the No. 1 figure in the news.

— January 25, 1962 Greenville Advocate l 61

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60s Rescue unit is called to plane crash Two Georgia men were killed Tuesday night when their airplane crashed and burned on The Ridge, approximately 10 miles northwest of Greenville.

The men were on a flight from Mobile to Atlanta and were in radio contact with the Montgomery airport until very shortly before the crash in the Wolf Creek swamp.

The plane fell on the Richard Crenshaw farm and one of the Crenshaw employees, Alonzo Dunklin, reported that he heard the plane circling and saw it fall to the ground. The crash occurred in bad weather at approximately 5:30 p.m.

Greenville’s volunteer firemen and the Butler County Rescue Squad participated in the search for the downed aircraft. These men were highly praised for their work in the search and one of their unites actually discovered the wreckage.

The systematic search by the firemen and the members of the newly formed Rescue Squad was responsible for the location of the plane much sooner than would ordinarily have been possible.

This was the first call on the Butler County Rescue Squad, and proved vividly that such an organization is badly needed in this county.

— November 3, 1966 62 l Greenville Advocate

The World’s Best Hobo finds needed haven here “I was a stranger and ye took me in…”

Police officer E.M. Morris and other members of the city police force took heed of this statement and worked manmade restorative miracles on a fellow man.

Some 50 years ago, John Stanfield left his home in Hinckly, Minnesota, and has been on the road ever since.

At the age of 73, he has walked through every state in the union and has kept walking so far and so long that no woman has trapped him in marriage.

Greenville policemen have seen Stanfield pass through Greenville before on his treks to and from Florida.

He makes a habit of sleeping under bridges and last week finished up a five-day stint under a bridge on Highway 31.

His bedding and clothing caught fire as he curled around his campfire and though he was not burned, he did lose most of his belongings.

He has been living in a room provided

for him by Danny Duke at his service station on Highway 10 East.

Stanfield said that he had worked years ago for the Great Northern Railroad and the Northern Pacific Railroad, but he did

not indicate that employment on either road lasted for any great length of time.

His main objective seems to be to hit the road for some town other than the one he is in.

Back home in the St. Paul, Minn., area, he says that he has three brothers and a sister, none of whom he has seen or heard from in over 50 years.

Domestic troubles within the family brought on the urge to travel and he does not want to go back home and run the risk of troubles brewing anew.

The offer of a bus ticket back home, by the local police, was politely but firmly refused.

He stated a definite like for Gov. George Wallace and he thought he just might walk to Montgomery in time for the parade and inauguration this past Monday.

John has fought pneumonia five times.

— January 19, 1967

Great crowd greets LBJ in Greenville The Lyndon B. Johnson 13-car Victory Special rolled through Alabama last Thursday and made one of its more colorful, noisy and crowded stops in Greenville.

The largest crowd of the day, some 2,000 strong, was on hand to welcome the vice-presidential candidate and his entourage.

Democratic party leaders from Butler and Crenshaw counties met the train in Evergreen and rode back to Greenville on the special. While aboard, they met the Johnson family, Gov. John Patterson, Senators Hill and Sparkman, Cong. George Grant of this district, Cong. Armistead Selden and various members of the Patterson staff.

Mrs. Dorothy Vredenburgh, secretary of the National Democratic Executive Committee, was aboard the train and was quite proud of the camellia corsage that she wore from the Camellia City.

During the ride from Evergreen to Greenville, the Butler delegation met Senator and Mrs. Johnson and had their picture made with the couple.

Souvenir pins and cuff links were given to each member of the party.

These mementos were in the shape of the fabulous 10-gallon Stetson with the initials LBJ in the pin and links.

At the Greenville stop, Miss GHS, Annette McCrory, boarded the train and pinned a camellia boutonniere on the senator. Miss Marion Hinton, a cousin of Mrs. Johnson, also went aboard and was warmly received by the Johnson family.

Newsapper reporters from all the daily papers of the state and representatives from the various wire services and larger dailies over the nation were aboard the train.

They estimated the local crowd at 3,000 people and said it was the largest that had met the train in the state of Alabama.

The crowd was augmented by the GHS Band that was on hand to serenade the crowd and the Senator’s train when it arrived.

Special telegraph lines were installed in the local train station to handle the stories written by the traveling writers. These men of the press got off the train briefly at every stop to talk to the townspeople and then rushed back on the train to hear Sen.

Johnson’s talk as it was piped through the train’s public address system.

Then they wrote their stories and had them wired to their respective papers at the next stop.

The delegation from Greenville included Reps. LaMont Glass and H.B. Taylor, Judge Jas. T. Beeland, Judge Howard Haygood, Curtis Miller, M.F. Bowden, Charles Jones and Gene Hardin.

City officials from Georgiana also boarded the train in Evergreen and rode to Greenville.

Mrs. Johnson was presented a camellia corsage, as was daughter Lucy Baines, and also was given a large box of camellia blooms that were wired for wearing. Judge Beeland made the presentation of the flowers.

Mrs. Johnson was quite appreciative of the blooms and immediately pinned on her corsage.

Gov. Patterson asked for a camellia from the Camellia City to wear in his lapel, and Mrs. Johnson graciously pinned a huge bloom on the governor.

— October 20, 1960

Greenville Advocate l 63

64 l Greenville Advocate

Fort Dale Academy graduates first class Fort Dale Academy will graduate its first class on Thursday night, May 27. There are 16 members in the senior class.

Mrs. William Kelley, class sponsor, has announced the schedule of events for the seniors. The baccalaureate sermon will be delivered at the First Independent Methodist Church by the pastor, Rev. Larry Alsop.

He will be assisted by the

Rev. Gene Hunt, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church.

The program will begin at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 23.

Class night will be held at the school auditorium on Friday, May 21 at 7:30 p.m. Jim Ryan, class president, will be master of ceremonies.

All members of the senior class will participate in the program.

Dr. Max Rafferty, of Troy

State University, will deliver the main address on graduation night Thursday, May 27, at 8 p.m. Valedictorian Annie Crenshaw and salutatorian Kim Taylor will also have a part in the program. Dr. E.A. Childs and Dr. Charles Graham will take part in the graduation exercises.

Members of the graduating class are: Eleanor Jane Carter, Virginia Leah Carter, Deborah

Cheatham, Annie Hadden Crenshaw, Nancy Sue Foster, James Larry Gafford, June Lane Grant, Laurie Stanley Hardin, James Thomas Morris, Merry Lynn Peavy, Stephen Culbert Ryals, James Joseph Ryan Jr., Lee Ryan, Charlotte Kim Taylor, Patricia Ward and Patrick David Yeargan.

— May 27, 1971

Amish family visits; request no pictures It is not often that people working for the newspaper encounter those who do not want their picture made, but I had that experience Tuesday of last week. So no pictures will accompany this article.

The people involved were an Amish family that passed through Greenville that day. I first saw them Tuesday morning after several people had stopped by and told me that a “story” was coming up U. S. 31 from the south that I might be interested in.

I found them between Chapman and Georgiana, watering the three horses that were pulling a well-built and equipped covered wagon. At this encounter, the man politely refused to give a story or have pictures made. He related that he belonged to the Amish faith and this was not part of their faith. He stated that the only story pertained to his “mission” and that was to “spread the true faith in these last few days.”

I honored his request and left.

However, on Wednesday morning, I followed his tracks on the highway (the wagon had iron wheels) and discovered that he had

spent the night just north of Greenville in a roadside park. He had come by the post office and picked up a package of horse shoes.

The wagon had just broke a coupling pole when I arrived and several local people were helping them make repairs. Chief Morris, Captain Heartsill and Grady Rogers had managed to round up the necessary timber, house jacks and what have you that it takes to repair a covered wagon.

I still didn’t get a story, but after about four hours under a wagon with them, the following facts emerged: They were 34-year-old Roland Church and his wife, Connie; two girls, Rolanda, six and Darlynn, who is five. Roland stated that he met his wife while attending Bible College. He was a minister in another faith before joining the Amish five years ago.

The family left Athens, Maine, four years ago, when Rolanda was fifteen months old and having covered 38 states while traveling some 13,000 miles. Their destination now is Hancock, Md., where they will stay for several weeks with friends, then on to Athens,

Maine, again, a total of 15,000 miles.

For those who worry about the comfort of a covered wagon, they say they have all they desire. The wagon contains among other things, two bunks, a well-stocked pantry and a wood burning “sheepherder’s” stove that does an excellent job of baking, according to Mrs. Church.

When repairs were finally accomplished, Mrs. Church asked for the addresses of those who had helped, then they said their good-byes for the second time. Several offers of money were politely refused, Church stating that their few requirements were paid by doing odd jobs as the need for money arose.

An excellent picture presented itself as the wagon drove away, with the two little cherub-faced girls waving good-bye from the back window of the covered wagon but, after all, they had asked that none be made.

I hope you saw them as the passed our way.

— January 23, 1975

Boy Scout World Jamboree The Boy Scout World Jamboree in Tokyo, Japan, is the destination of Star Scout Foster Herbert. Foster is being sent to the jamboree by his grandfather, Jim Herbert. Helping pack the knapsack is Foster’s scoutmaster, W.J. Longmire of Troop 80. Young Herbert will leave on July 25 for the Tokyo Jamboree. He attended the National Jamboree in Idaho in 1969.

— July 22, 1971

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70s

Trophy honors 1942 footballers Members of the 1942 Greenville High School football team, at its reunion last year, voted to present a suitable trophy in memory of two of its outstanding players.

The trophy will be known as the Sasser-Williams Memorial Trophy and will honor Charlie Sasser and Van Williams. These two players best exemplified the qualities of sportsmanship, leadership, and dedication that mark the outstanding football player.

The trophy will rotate between the winner of the Fort Dale and Greenville Academy football game each year. Members of the winning team will select a player based on the above qualities to receive the trophy for their school. This players’ name will be engraved on the trophy and he will also be presented with a plaque to be kept personally.

The 1942 football team was one of the outstanding football teams in the area, scoring 257 in nine games to the opposition’s 18, being defeated only by the Lanier Poets. It is hoped that the trophy will inspire players in both schools to strive for those qualities that mark greatness in athletes in any sport.

—October 31, 1974 Greenville Advocate l 65

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70s

Citizen looks forward to 104 b’day “Keeping my hand in the hand of the lord,” was 103-year-old Mrs. Lizzie Bedgood’s proud answer to when asked for the secret to her long life. Respected and admired by all who know her, she is affectionately know to many friends as “Lizzie” and to her sons and daughters as Mama.

Born in a log cabin just a few miles from where she now lives, her memories center around the things that have always been important to her: church, family and farm.

The farm, located just west of the Crenshaw County line on Alabama Highway No. 10, began as a few acres of land and a mule, a wedding gift from her father-in-law. It now encompasses 1,002 acres, purchased from the earnings from years of toil by the Bedgood family. John, father of the 12 children, died in 1940, and since that time, Lizzie has been the guiding force in the family, and still assumes that role today.

The family consist of 10 children still living. Four sons are still at home, John, Raymond, Dewey and Cecil, and a daughter, Queenie, Esau, Lincoln, Jacob, and a daughter, Zola, live nearby. There are 26 grandchildren and 31 greatgrandchildren.

— July 31, 1975 66 l Greenville Advocate

Steindorff succeeds Beeland as Judge Of Probate Governor George C. Wallace has appointed Butler County Tax Assessor G. Calvin Steindorff to the position of Judge of Probate of Butler County. Steindorff replaces Judge James T. Beeland, who has resigned the position because of ill health.

The appointment was made Monday afternoon and will become effective May 31st. Steindorff will assume office on Monday, June 2nd and meet with the County Commission for the first official meeting on June 9th.

Judge Beeland, a native of this county and a descendent of the pioneer family, served on the Greenville City Council for a period of sixteen years, the last four years as mayor.

The Beeland Park recreation area was constructed while he was on the council and the present day hall was built while he was mayor of the city.

He was elected to the position of Judge of Probate in the general Election of 1940 and took office on January 21, 1941. He succeeded the late Judge John S. Golson, who did not seek re-election to that office.

Judge Beeland ran six successful campaigns for the office of Judge of Probate, serving in that position for 34 years. He was a member of the Alabama Democratic Executive Committee for almost 40 years.

Judge Beeland was never defeated in any race for a public office.

When he assumed the Judge of Probate office and the chairmanship of the Commissioners Court, there were only two paved roads in the county one from McCrory’s Store to Forrest Home and the other from Greenville to Halso Mil. Presently there are more than 470 miles of paved roads in the county and Butler County continues to be debt free.

Judge Beeland stated, “I want to pledge my full support to the new administration and will gladly be of help in any way possible. I am deeply grateful to the people of Butler County for the confidence placed in me in the administration of county affairs.”

Calvin Steindorff is a Greenville Native and a graduate of Greenville High School. He served in the U. S.

Army in World War II and was in the Office of Transportation, European Theatre, from 1944 until his discharge in 1946.

After service with the Army, he returned to this county and assumed the leadership in his father’s business because of his father’s ill health.

Gov. James Folsom appointed Steindorff to the Tax Assessor’s office in March, 1947, after the death of Tax Assessor Frank T. Herlong in February of that year. Since that time, Steindoff has been elected to that office five times, three without opposition.

He is married to the former Maxine Darby and they have one married son, Gilbert Steindorff, now associated with the Miami Beach First National Bank.

Glenn Moody, Butler County Coordinator for Gov. Wallace, sent a letter of recommendation to the governor on behalf of Steindorff and was present for the appointment ceremony.

— May 29, 1975

Three airmen die in aircraft accident near Greenville A military aircraft crashed and burned on the Milton Hickman farm in the Central Community just after noon on Wednesday.

All three occupants of the plane were killed.

A member of the Public Information Office at Hurlburt Field, Fla., called this office late Wednesday and stated that the plane was a U-10 observation type aircraft assigned to that base.

The men aboard were on a 60-1 proficiency flight from Hurlburt to Maxwell Air Force Base and return.

Sheriff Henry Stanford said that the flight left Maxwell Air Force Base at approximately 11:38 a.m. The fatal crash occurred some 35 minutes later on the Hickman farm.

The site of the accident was in a plowed field about 100 yards from the Halso Mill Road in front of the Hickman home.

Navy rescue personnel station at Whiting Field, Fla., and assigned to Ever-

green Airport for training exercises, were the first military personnel on the scene.

A group of officers from Maxwell Field arrived later in the afternoon to investigate the crash.

James McClure and his wife had just finished eating lunch when they heard the plan fly over.

“The engines sounded a little funny,” said Mrs. McClure, “so we went out to see what might be wrong. The plan was dipping from side to side and looked like it was trying to circle and land. All of a sudden it went right straight into the ground.”

James McClure said the plan “looked like it was trying to do acrobatics just before it hit.” Extremely high winds were prevalent in the area prior to and after the accident.

Milton Hickman was at the McClure store when he heard the airplane fly over.

The store is approximately one-half mile from the scene of the accident.

“The motor was cutting up,” said

Hickman, “when it went over the store. I went out to see what was the matter and it was twisting and going up and down in the air. The airplane dropped out of sight behind a hill and by the time I got to the crash, the plane was in full flames.”

Hickman said that in his opinion the pilot tried to land the airplane, but the wind was too stiff.

The Greenville Fire Department was called to the site, but there was little they could do when they arrived.

City police and state troopers were at the scene to help control the heavy traffic drawn to the crash site.

The aircraft went nose-first straight into the ground that had been plowed and was softened by two days of rain.

There was no evidence at the site to indicate the plane moved at all after impact.

Witnesses said the plane was not on fire when it fell.

— March 4, 1971

REF to open in December REF Alabama Inc., with the parent company in Toronto Canada, will begin in a few weeks to manufacture electric connectors for the electrical industry in a 24,000 squarefoot building in the Greenville Industrial Park. The official announcement was made Monday in the office of Gov. Fob James by the governor and Paul Flubacher, company vice president.

Capital investment required to get the facility into operation is slightly in excess of $2.5 million according to Mayor Jamie Etheredge. The building, being constructed by Southern Steel Contractors, of Greenville, is virtually complete and production is expected to get underway in December.

A state training program is already started for REF and company spokesmen stated that approximately 20 employees will be hired when

the plant is ready for operation and 12 more after the training program is completed. It is anticipated that 50 employers will be at REF Alabama at the conclusion of the training program.

The company will average using 150,000 pounds of aluminum raw material per month when full production is reached. The raw material will be supplied by REF customers.

“We are happy to have executives of the REF company in Alabama’s Capital today for the purpose of announcing a new manufacturing plant for our State,” Governor James stated.

“Mr. Flubacher, please convey our thanks to your associates for this discussion to locate in Greenville, and for the contributions this facility will make to our economic growth.”

“In addition to the 12-acre site on which the present facility is being directed, REF

has an option to purchase additional contiguous land for possible future expansions,” stated William Lewis, chairman of the Greenville Industrial Development Board.

The company considered 40 states before making the decision to locate in Alabama, Fred Denton, Alabama development Office industrial development director, said.

The decision in favor of the Greenville location was determined by three major factors according to the mayor: the warm hospitality and reception given REF executives during site location studies; the overall business climate in Alabama which encourages profitable manufacturing operations; and the professional assistance provided by the Alabama development office.

Initial contact with REF was made by Denton who assigned the project to Indus-

trial Representative Leonard Shertzer and both assisted with the company’s plant location studies. Company officials were particularly enthusiastic about the Alabama Industrial Development (AID) training program, which is presently giving instruction to the workers who will be manning the assembly lines in December.

The new plant is being financed by industrial revenue loans issued by the Greenville Industrial Development Board with Ray Roton of the Robinson–Humphrey Company handling the arrangement.

In addition to Flubocher, Ed Hawes, comptroller, and Gene Poole, plant manager, were present for the capital announcement.

— November 20, 1980

UC mill destroyed fire, injures one Officials at Union camp are still puzzled about a fire which annihilated a 50 year old planner mill at Chapman lumber yard and left one Greenville man with minor injuries early Sunday morning Sources have estimated damages from the 1:15 blaze will cost the company between $2 million and $3 million.

Plant manager Bill Windham said the damage could have been even more costly if it were not for having occurred during the peak of the season when supplies were about half of what they would have been otherwise.

Another factor that reduced losses was the lack of wind during the most intense periods of the fires range, according to Industrial Relations Manager Steve McGee. “There wasn’t a breath of air,” he said.

This helped prevent the fire from spreading to another large nearby building.

McGee said if it had been burning the entire complex was in jeopardy.

Investors have ruled out arson as a cause, but are still clueless about what actu-

ally started the fire under the 25,000 square foot structure.

McGee said Tuesday afternoon there was still too much flame and smoke for anyone to go in and try to examine the remains to figure out the cause.

“We don’t want to risk anyone getting hurt. Its still too hot,” he said. He hopes by Thursday afternoon crews will be able to start the investigation.

Giddens said approximately 75 firefighters from Greenville, Chapman, Georgiana, McKenzie, Garland, FIW (Friendship, Industry and Welcome communities), Shackleville, Liberty, and Starlington battled the sawdust-fueled fire inside the building for five hours before concentrating another three hours outside.

Since midday Sunday, Union camp personnel have been hosing down surrounding buildings and wooded areas and “letting the fire burn itself out.”

“The building is a total loss,” Giddens said.

By Tuesday morning all the remains of

the building where raw lumber was given its final treatment before going to market was smoke, a few flames, ashes and debris.

Employees from the mill will be cleaning up the debris and filling in vacationing employees, McGee said.

This way, no lay offs will be made, he added.

McGee also said the canter mill portion of finishing the lumber resumed Wednesday morning.

“We are doing the best we can to meet costumers’ needs and trying to keep our folks working,” McGee commented.

Seventeen of the company’s 477 employees worked in the planner mill.

Fortunately, Greenville fireman Jerry Holley received the only injury when he fell full force on his knees. He was taken to a Georgiana hospital and released shortly thereafter.

“Everyone involved did a tremendous job,” McGee added.

— July 24, 1986

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80s Greenville sees housing boom This scarce housing situation in Greenville should be easing somewhat in the next few months. A check at the City Clerk’s office last week revealed that the city is enjoying a housing boom of sorts. At three locations in the city 129 housing units are either already being built or site preparations are underway.

The largest of the three is Highland Apartments, for the Greenville Housing Authority with 60 units.

Mrs. Frank Crow, executive director of the Housing Authority, stated that the $1,698,000.00 construction job should be completed by June of next year with units available for rent by August 1. Castle Construction company of Montgomery is the prime contractor. Highland Apartments is located near Greenville High School.

Mrs. Crow stated that the street will be constructed into the apartment complex from the end of the Government Street (where Government Street ends and School Highland Road begins). The new street will be named Valley Drive.

— November 27, 1980 Greenville Advocate l 67

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80s Stabler Foundation offers med scholarships Announcement is made by the Board of Directors of the Stabler Foundation that it will begin offering scholarships to the citizens of Butler County in the health related fields.

The money for the scholarships will be derived from the liquidation of assets from the old hospital. The first of the scholarships will be in the area of Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN). The scholarships will be in the amount of $1,500.00 Anyone who has gained admission to the fall, 1985 and Reid State Technical College class is eligible regardless of race, religion, national origin, sex or age. Consideration will be given to grades and to family income. Six of these will be awarded to the beginning 1985 class. Inquiries should be made to the Stabler foundation, 300 N. College St., Greenville, AL 36037, attention: Mrs. Velma Huggins.

The purpose of these scholarships is an attempt to ensure that Butler County will have adequate support in all its health related fields. At future dates the foundation hopes to be able to offer scholarships in the field of Registered Nursing (R.N.) medical school, laboratory technicians, x-ray technicians, physical therapists and others.

— April 25, 1985

68 l Greenville Advocate

Hank Williams Memorial Day Set For Sunday The 12th annual Hank Williams Memorial Day celebration, featuring Ronnie McDowell, is set for this Sunday, June 2, 1985. Other acts include Charlie McCoy and that HeeHaw Band; Lew Dewitt, the man who wrote and recorded “Flowers on the Wall”; Merle Haggard’s son Marty; Bobby G Rice; Ron Taylor and the “Country Brand”; plus many others.

Admission is $4.00 for adults, and $2.00 for children under 12. Bring your lawn chairs and picnic lunch to the Hank Williams Memorial Park in Mount Olive, Alabama, 2 miles west of I-65 at the Grace-Garland Exit (Exit 107).

From shining shoes as a scrawny youngster to composing hit songs in the backseat of the Cadillac as a brilliant folksinger, Hank Williams retained a love for country ways throughout his short life. With the encouragement of his mother, the teaching of a black street singer named Tee Tot, the support of publisher Fred Rose and a pure genius for musical composition, he worked his way into the hearts of millions.

“If you’re gonna sing, sing them something they can understand” was his motto. The devotees who “suffered with him” when he sang truly “understood”. Though a weakness for

alcohol caused much heart ache and the ultimate breakdown of his family and his career, the genius of Hank Williams will forever be immortalized in the phenomenal number of tunes that he managed to turn out in six short years. Such works of genius as “Jambalaya”, “Cold, Cold Heart”, “Move It On Over” and “I Can’t Help It” prove beyond a doubt that Hank’s mind was one of the most fertile, receptive and sensitive thinking units of our time. The show was sponsored by the original Hank Williams Memorial Association.

— May 30, 1985

Washington Youth Tour Winners announced Winners of the Washington Youth Tour essay contest, sponsored by Pioneer Electric Coop, were announced at the ninth annual awards banquet. Ronnie Womack, left, from McKenzie High School, and Chris Shirley, from Greenville High School, will join Pioneer’s winners from Selma and nearly 1,000 other students on a tour of Washington, D.C. in June.

— May 7, 1981

Partnership-In-Education begins in Butler County A new program aimed at merging business, industry and education to improve the quality of education in the Butler County public schools is being implemented this year through Community Education. Under this program a business or organization is matched to a school according to the needs of the school. The group shares the time, talent and expertise of its members or employees with the school. Some of the helpful ways in which a business or organization could become involved with the school are in judging contest, providing tours of the business sites or facilities, serving as a resource speakers, sponsoring school

contests, assisting with in center of programs, providing scholarships, etc.

Since the Partnership-In-Education Program is a reciprocal arrangement, student share with the business or organization by doing such things as providing entertainment performances, displaying artwork or special projects, assisting with partner involved community projects and informing and inviting partners to school activities.

Companies, groups or even individuals who are interested in forming a Partnership-In-Education are asked to call Judy Manning at 382–2665. Commitments have already been received

from the Greenville Bank, the Georgiana Bank, the McKenzie Bank, the Greenville Kiwanis Club and Greenville Nursing Home.

Forming a Partnership-In-Education is an investment in your community’s future. As a partner, you can assist with improving schools in your community.

Good schools produce good citizens-the knowledgeable, skilled and informed consumers and leaders of tomorrow who helped make and keep the community strong. Quality education is everybody’s business.

— April 7, 1988

Press gets preview of Cambrian Ridge A number of members of the state press corps enjoyed an afternoon of golf at Cambrian Ridge last Thursday during Media Day at the new golf facility located north of Greenville. Cambrian Ridge, one of seven links on the Retirement Systems of Alabama’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, officially opened last Friday. Play is presently limited to 18 holes of the 36hole facility. The remaining 18 holes and clubhouse are scheduled to open in 1994.

The Greenville Chamber of Commerce and The Greenville Advocate served as hosts at last Thursday’s event which began with a press conference at the Holiday Inn and ended with a scramble format golf tournament for the media participants who were paired with members of the Chamber’s Board of Directors. In

addition to the local broadcast and print media, WSFA and WHOA television stations from Montgomery, along with TCI cable and WACV radio, both located in the Capital City, were in attendance.

The Montgomery Advertiser and numerous weekly papers in south-central Alabama were also represented. Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice President Ralph Stacey coordinated Media Day, along with Cambrian Ridge Director of Golf Kenny Szuch.

Stacey said that in his opinion, the event was successful.

“I felt it was an unmitigated success,” Stacy said. “What we tried to do is promote Cambrian Ridge and the other assets in our area. Through Media Day, I believe we were able to accomplish that goal.

Plus, it was a good opportunity for local Chamber

Board members to interact with the media. The press wasn’t just turned loose on the golf course, they had local people with them to promote Greenville and tell them how we feel Cambrian Ridge will be beneficial to our area.”

Stacey said he was pleased with the coverage the event received, particularly the five television spots broadcast on the local NBC and ABC affiliates in Montgomery, as well as TCI Cable’s morning show. He added that in the days following Media Day, he had received favorable comments from the representatives attending the event. “All of the feedback has been very positive,” he stated.

“All the ones I’ve heard from can’t believe how wonderful (Cambrian Ridge) is and how well they were treated during their visit.”

Stacey said that there are no immediate plans to make Media Day an annual event, but added that could change in the future. “I don’t know if we want to try to turn it into an annual affair this point,” he said. “But maybe down the road we could put together some type of event that uses Cambrian Ridge as a focal point, but at the same time showcases the many other assets in and around Greenville.”

“The participation of Chamber members in this event is indicative of how the business community is willing to be an active part of their own future,” Stacy added. “In this willingness, coupled with truly world-class facilities, that point to a very positive path for the attraction of additions to our economic base.”

— November 4, 1993

Greenville–Butler County Public Library opens The dedication and formal opening of the Greenville–Butler County Public Library was held Sunday afternoon.

Well over 100 Butler Countians turned out for the event, which included a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house. Russell Parish, chairman of the library board, gave the welcome and introduced the afternoon speakers.

Following an invocation by the Rev. Gorman Houston First United Methodist Church, Mayor Ernie Smith made a few remarks on the completion of the project and other progress in Greenville.

He also recognized those government officials who were instrumental in the construction of the facilities: Rep. Charles Newton, Sen. Wendell Mitchell, Probate Judge Calvin Steindorff, Butler County Commissioners, and Greenville City Councilmen.

Special guests introduced by Mr. Parish were Mrs. Rufus Poole and Mrs. Lambkin Rogers. The sisters were members of the Greenville Study Club that sponsored and operated the first Greenville Public Library in the early

1930s. Other members of the club who were unable to attend are Mrs. Luther McKinnon, Mrs. Jack Davis, and Mrs. Dan Sherling.

Library board member Mrs. Bob Crosby identified the plaques in the foyer of the new building. They honor all donors, private and corporate, who contributed to the successful project, including the Butler County Commission, the Greenville City Council, library architects, and the Library Board. Funding for the project was provided by the federal library services and Construction Act. Representing the Greenville Exchange Club, District Judge Barry Branum presented the “Freedom Shrine,” which will also be on display in the entry. It is a tribute to American liberty and commemorates documents vital to U.S. history such as the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address, among others.

The American flag to be flown over the new library was presented by Wil-

liam Kelley on behalf of Congressman Bill Dickinson who could not attend Sunday ceremony. The flag had previously flown over our nation’s capital.

Patricia Harris, a director of the Alabama Public Library service, spoke of her pleasure in seeing the local library become a reality. She presented to Mr. Parish and the library 100 children’s books.

Part of the official dedication program was the recitation of the Dedicatory Litany. Gene Hardin presented the charge that was read responsively with the audience. Sunday’s ceremony concluded with the cutting of the grand opening ribbon. Mrs. Edward McFerrin, librarian, Mr. Parrish, and Mayor Smith cut the ribbon officially opening the doors of the Greenville – Butler County Public Library. Other doors to everyplace imaginable may be open from inside the new library – by reading books.

— December 17, 1992

Nineteen

90s Pioneer building turns 50 Pioneer Electric Cooperative’s building is 50 years old. Happy birthday to the old building at 209 Bolling Street. On March 6, 1939, the Pioneer Electric Cooperative opened its operation in this territory and on Saturday, March 6, 1948, an open house was held in the handsome office building located on the corner of Bolling and Herbert Street. Many visitors admire the many unusual features which were incorporated in the design, such as the large area display room with its plate glass windows of unique design.

The handsome building of modern 1948 architectural styling was constructed of concrete, brick, steel and cinderblocks, with plate glass front, the glare proof slanting windows in the center is a feature behind these huge windows, which slant inward to prevent reflection were the appliances on display offered to REA customers.

The building was first renovated in 1974. In early 1990s the old building was incorporated into the new design and additions of warehouses. Which is about three times the size of the original building completed in 1948.

— September 30, 1998 Greenville Advocate l 69

Nineteen

90s Obstetrics to return to Stabler With the new staff, new equipment and a community in need, L.V. Stabler Hospital will soon be bringing new lives into the world again.

The hospital is putting the finishing touches on their new obstetric clinic. It is expected to be done sometime in March. Connie Bass, chief nursing officer at Stabler, described obstetrics as “anything to do with childbirth and pregnancy.”

Since the mid-1980s Stabler has been without obstetric care. Bass said that during that era they were probably delivering up to 30 babies a month. She hopes to match that rate when the new clinic opens. Bass said that the old service had to be discontinued because the obstetrician moved out of town.

“When they would give birth, they would have to go to Montgomery or Luverne,” Bass said.

Obstetrics found their way back to Butler County after an assessment survey showed that the public felt it was a needed service. So renovations begin in May that included four bedrooms, a nursery and an isolation nursery.

Bass said that there will be an open house in the near future.

— February 25, 1998 70 l Greenville Advocate

Tigers claim title with win over Homewood The Greenville High School Tigers vowed a year ago that, if given another chance, they’d get it right next time. Friday night they made good on that promise.

Before a tiger Stadium record crowd of 6,500 fans, coach Gene Allen’s Tigers finally put their 1993 loss to Oxford in the state finals behind them, defeating Homewood High School 28-14 to win the 1994 class 5A title and cap a 13-1 season.

The win touched off a wild celebration between players and fans that lasted long after the final horn sounded. At the corner of attention was Allen, Greenville’s fourthyear head coach, who has lead the Tigers to a 39-11 recording during his brief tenure.

An assistant coach for the 1987 Tigers who won Greenville’s first state title with a 21-20 overtime road win over Russellville, Allen initially hesitated to say which win was more satisfying. But he finally admitted that the Tiger Stadium atmosphere made the win over Homewood a little more special.

“I guess I feel a lot better about this one, especially with it being in front of a home crowd,” Allen said. “The atmosphere was electric. From the time we entered the stadium until the end of the game, it was unbelievable. It’s the most exciting thing I have been around in my life.”

Allen said his players caught up in the

atmosphere even before they got to Tiger Stadium. In fact, he said he and his coaching staff had to calm them down on the short ride from the school to the field when they realized the fans were already pouring into the stadium to hours before kickoff.

“We had no idea how many people were over here,” Allen said. “But when we got to the curb at First Baptist Church and they saw cars parking all the way down there and people walking to the stadium, they literally went nuts. They couldn’t wait to get inside.

The ovation we got when we stepped on the field for our pre-game walk was unreal.”

And when Greenville turning in its best performance of the season against Homewood, Tiger fans had plenty of other reasons to cheer before the night was over.

GHS dominated Homewood in the first half, scoring three touchdowns on runs by seniors Dexter Burnett, Tyson Bennett and Rodney Palmer, and another on a 27 yard pass from Bennett to Micheal Feagin.

With kicker Jason McCormick nailing four straight extra points Homewood was in a hole early and never fully recovered.

The patriots managed to score a pair of touchdowns in the second half, but with Greenville’s offense controlling the football most of the final two quarters, the opportunities for a successful rally never fully materialized.

Afterwards, many of the tiger players and coaches agreed that their experience in last year’s championship game helped them against Homewood last Friday night.

“Everything was kind of over our heads last year at Oxford,” offensive linemen Dennis Phillips said, “They just wanted it more than we did. But I think we proved tonight that we wanted it more than Homewood.

We played the best half of football that we’ve played all year.”

Defensive Coordinator Tony Stonicher agreed with Phillips’ accessment. “A lot of times this season we played badly and just won on heart alone,” Stonicher said. “But these guys came out here tonight and put together a great half of football. In fact, it’s the best I’ve seen out of them all year long.”

Allen said he felt good about his team’s chances coming into Friday’s game, particularly after a week of preparation.

He credited his staff, including Stonicher, Steve Allen, Danny Foster, Ronnie Faulk, Raymond Phillips, Jerome Antone and Russell McCarthy, for their hard work. “By no means is this a one man job,” Allen said.

“Those guys have done a tremendous job and worked very hard all year long.”

— December 15, 1994

The Celebration Begins! - Greenville High School students attempt to bring down the goalpost at Tiger Stadium after GHS defeated Homewood 28-14 in last Friday’s Class 5A championship game. Greenville ended the season 13-1. The goalpost survived the post-game celebration.

Ivan’s worst brings out Camellia City’s best “Worse than Opal.”

“Worst ever.”

That was the common theme I heard Thursday night and Friday as I precariously made my way around town to see the devastation that Hurricane Ivan wreaked on the Camellia City.

As I meandered through the streets talking to people the look in their eyes was one of disbelief.

It was a hollow, slack jawed look as they tried to wrap their brains around what had just happened, wondering when they were going to wake up from the nightmare they were living.

Throughout the city the damage was extensive, but I had no idea of the magnitude of the hit Greenville has sustained until I toured the city with Mayor Dexter McLendon in a helicopter graciously provided

by Pioneer Electric.

I had been through tornados and floods before but never had I seen Mother Nature more ill tempered than what I saw from 500 feet above the city.

The damage was unfathomable.

As my camera clicked away; through the viewfinder I saw images of trees on houses, trees in houses, power lines down everywhere. It was if God had taken his hand and attempted

to wipe the slate clean. It was surreal.

Some areas of the city were harder hit than others. One of the worst was the Country Club Drive area where it seemed that every other house had damage from falling trees.

“Those little boys are OK and that’s all that matters,” Angela Mosley told me, standing in the front yard of her Country Club Drive home, a massive oak tree resting comfortably on her house.

Mosley, like many other Greenvillians, had taken refuge with family elsewhere and wasn’t home when Ivan dropped a tree on her house, possibly sparing her life and that of her children.

Mosley’s story was a common theme among many. Being in the right place at the wrong time. Surviving the storm because they left their houses or simply changed rooms before trees turned their homes into a big shish kebab.

Divine intervention? Only one person knows the answer to that, but I’d say it was a miracle that nobody was seriously injured in the worst natural disaster Butler County has ever had.

The aftermath of Ivan has

spawned a hurricane of questions. Where is the Red Cross?

Why was the state and federal governments so slow to respond to our area? What are we going to do to be better prepared next time something like this happens?

As Jay Thomas, our managing editor, said to me Monday, “People in this town are suffering.” He said that after interviewing a mother who had to feed her children chicken broth because all the food in her freezer had spoiled and she had no money to buy more.

Yes, people are suffering and they will continue to suffer until they get some help. Luckily they live in a community that helps each other out in difficult times, which is evident by the many examples of neighbors helping neighbors or neighbors helping strangers, thereby abating the suffering, at least a little bit, until things return to normal.

Along with the questions and criticisms there are many stories of heroes and good deeds. While many were without power for days and some still remain without power, I don’t think anyone can say that Alabama Power and Pioneer Electric have not gone

to extreme steps to get people’s power back, a daunting task when you consider nearly the entire county went dark during the height of the storm.

While many curse them during brief outages, these men and women braved the elements to attempt to restore some sense of normalcy and comfort to those in need. Heroes? Many may differ, but I say yes.

Others who deserve praise are the city and county workers who doggedly worked double and triple shifts to keep the infrastructure of the city and county alive, many of them ignoring their own personal property damage instead focusing on that of others. While most would tell you they were just doing their job, there’s more to it than that and we all know it.

By the way, the mother who lacked food for her children now has her cupboards stocked and her children’s stomachs full, compliments of a stranger who decided to get involved in a story rather than just report on it.

Yes, heroes come in all shapes and sizes and I thank God for them.

— October 14, 2004

Flooding from heavy rains force road closures

Heavy rains left many roadways in Butler County flooded and impassable as a lot of thundershowers and rain storms took up residence for nearly two days across the southern part of Alabama. Nearly four inches of rain, unofficially, on Saturday but a prelude to the deluge Butler County saw on Monday and Tuesday. Rain was nearly nonstop: at times heavy, at times of light, but always persistent. By late Tuesday afternoon a total of eight inches of rain, according to the county engineer Dennis McCall, had caused ponds and creeks to overflow, swapping nearby roads and bridges. McCall listed at least 6 County Roads closed due to flood waters, but unpaved roads maintained by the county were just as affected, he said.

McCall said county workers had to make temporary repairs to dirt roads in order to make them passable again. The good thing

was that the damage, in general, appeared to be a light, said McCall.

“We’ve got some minor damage, especially on our unpaved roads, where we are dealing with some situations of erosion,” he said.

More good news: forecasters expected the rain into Wednesday morning. McCall said he feared heavy rain on Tuesday an inch to an inch and a half would cause flash floods in areas already heavily saturated by rainwater. Butler County spent much of Monday and Tuesday under such a warning.

“What I’m meaning is hard rain, which would normally not affect us,” he said. “But anything that hits the ground now is runoff, because the ground has soaked up all the it’s going to soak. Beaver ponds and ditches are all running at capacity.”

Once the rain stops, McCall said floodwaters should begin to reseed within 48 hours. Engineers will then inspect all the roads to ensure they remain structurally sound. Joseph Dean, Butler County Interim Superintendent, said the district was able to maintain the same bus schedule on Monday and Tuesday despite the flooding with the exception of McKenzie where two buses had to split one route. Some of the schools students live in and around Garland, where County Road 8 was flooded.

Other roads closed, said McCall, were County Road 16, west of Georgianna; County Road 24; County Road 7; Tulip Rd., South of Greenville; Bowden Bridge Road, north of Greenville; and County Road 37.

— December 16, 2009

Two Thousand

00s Officers wounded in shootout Two Greenville police officers were shot during a gunfight at the Comfort Inn that also left the suspected shooter dead on Saturday night.

According to Greenville police, officers Lionel Davidson and John Bass received gunshot wounds after confronting the suspect, Wayne Vasquez, 50, of St. Bernard, La., in his first floor hotel room Saturday evening.

Officer Byron Russell also responded to the scene as back-up.

Bass and Davidson’s injuries are non-life threatening, according to GPD spokesperson Lt. Anthony Barganier. Davidson was struck in the right arm and left hand and Bass was hit in the right arm.

Vasquez was later found dead in his room when an assault team entered the hotel. Ingram said the suspect appeared to be occupying the room by himself.

“From our initial investigation it appears the bad guy was killed in the initial shootout,” Ingram said.

Ingram said Bass and Russell returned fire on Vasquez during the gunfight.

At approximately 9 p.m. the GPD’s Special Response Team entered the hotel. At 9:15 word was sent out that the suspect was dead.

— January 18, 2006 Greenville Advocate l 71

Two Thousand

00s Plane lands on busy highway Something fortunately not seen every day in Butler County is a plane using a highway for a landing strip. But that’s exactly what residents along U.S. Hwy. 31 witnessed Thursday morning when a plane was forced to make an emergency landing right in front of their homes.

Bob Ocasio took off from London, Ky., at about 7 a.m. bound for the Greenville airport, but miles from the runway his engine died on him and he was forced to put down prematurely.

“I had a smooth ride until the engine got quiet,” Ocasio said. “So I decided to put her down on the highway. As I was coming in I didn’t see much traffic so I thought it would be a pretty good opportunity.”

Ocasio, a consultant for Image Entry of Georgiana, said he lost power a few miles north of town at 3,000 feet and basically became a glider. He was able to coast down and land on Hwy. 31, narrowly avoiding two sets of power lines running across the road.

He did hit a cable-TV line, however, cutting it with the plane’s propeller and setting the utility pole afire.

“After landing I saw an 18-wheeler come over the ridge headed for me,” he said.

“He saw me and slammed on brakes and I just steered off the road. Other than that it was a pretty uneventful landing.”

— March 29, 2003 72 l Greenville Advocate

Greenville Mayor Dexter McLendon, left, and Gov. Bob Riley congratulate Hwashin Company, Ltd., President Chang-Myung Suh on his company’s decision to locate their $70 million facility in Greenville.

Hwashin to locate 400 jobs in city It’s official.

Citing a good location , a good operating environment and a good relationship with the community, Hwashin America Corporation is coming to Greenville.

Gov. Bob Riley made the announcement to a packed auditorium at Greenville High School with numerous state and local dignitaries in attendance. After the announcement the crowd, estimated at nearly 700, stood and cheered.

The company will produce chassis and chassis parts for Hyundai’s Santa Fe and Sonata models that will be built at Hyundai’s $1 billion automotive plant in Hope Hull.

“When you see a community come together like this and see the enthusiasm, it’s absolutely contagious,” Riley said. “You have a community that’s absolutely on fire. It was like being at a pep rally.”

Chang-Myung Suh, president of Hwashin’s parent company, Hwashin Company Limited, said his company’s first manufacturing plant in the United States will be right at home in Greenville.

“We thank you very much for showing a great interest in our company and we thank you for accepting us into your community,” he said. “We will make every effort to be a

world class automobile parts manufacturer.

We are very confident of accomplishing our goal with all of you.”

Suh said the company’s decision to locate in Greenville was difficult, but fulfilling.

“I’ve been to about 70 cities since July last year,” he said. “This is my fourth visit to Greenville. I like Greenville very much.”

Hwashin America Corporation is a newly created arm of Hwashin Co., Ltd., a Koreanbased company with more than 1,600 current employees worldwide. Its 250,000 square foot facility will be located on 62 acres in Greenville’s newest industrial park. The site, located on Highway 31, will represent a $70 million investment and will employ 400, including 175 welders, when the company starts full production in March 2005. The company is expected to break ground next month and begin producing pilot products

by May 2004.

“We’re a very robust company,” said Hwashin America Corporation President David Nam. “We visited many cities in south central Alabama. There is quality labor and availability and good infrastructure and site and very reasonable distance from Hyundai site.”

Nam will also be the Greenville plant

manager.

The company visited Greenville on 28 separate occasions, meeting with Greenville Mayor Dexter McLendon and Executive Director of the Butler County Commission for Economic Development Ricky McLaney before deciding to locate its plant here.

“I want to commend those that worked on this with me and Dexter,” McLaney said.

“This is kind of a new day to this town and for this company to come in and build a facility like this. It’s sort of a rebirth for us, so to speak.”

McLendon said this announcement will go a long way to solving some of the unemployment problems that have dogged the county. Unemployment in Butler County in December 2002 hovered near 10 percent after peaking at 18 percent in 1999.

Rep. Charles Newton commented that Korea’s dedication to free trade and a Democratic society is to be commended.

“The Korean people have shown through this investment that they support this form of government,” he said. “We’re honored by that investment.”

— March 20, 2003

NFL’s Ravens draft Greenville native Former Greenville High School standout Za’Darius Smith is Baltimore bound.

Smith, who played the last two seasons for the University of Kentucky, was chosen by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 2015 National Football League Draft on Saturday afternoon in Chicago.

Smith said waiting on the call was at times frustrating.

“I just got aggravated because I didn’t get the phone call when I thought Smith I was going to get it,” he said. “I had one phone outside by the TV, and I went inside and I started to lie down and just continue to watch the draft in the living room. My mom ran in the house saying ‘somebody’s calling you from a weird number,’ and I tried to answer it and they hung up and called my other number. I answered it and the head coach said ‘Zadarius,

you ready to be a Baltimore Raven?’ Getting that call felt like being at the top of a roller coaster and you know it’s about to drop, and your heart just drops. As soon as the roller coaster dropped, everything came back to normal.”

Waiting on the call wasn’t only difficult for the former Kentucky standout. It was just as hard for his mother, Sharon Smith.

“We’ve been a nervous wreck for the past couple of weeks,” she said. “When we got the phone call, it was like a burden released.

We were all released of a lot of stress. It was just an amazing feeling.”

The Greenville native will likely transition from defensive end, which he played at Kentucky, to outside linebacker. He may also see action as an interior rusher from time to time, similar to how Baltimore used Pernell McPhee in recent years. McPhee signed a free agent deal with Chicago in March.

“I think I’ll be a good fit,” Smith said.

“The coaching staff really wants me to come in for Pernell. He was a great defensive end/ outside linebacker guy, and that’s who they see me as. They just like my pass-rush abil-

ity. They want me to set the edge on third downs and keep me inside and rush the passer between the guard the center. They see me as a great fit and I see myself as a great fit for the Baltimore Ravens.”

Smith said he’s not concerned about transitioning from defensive end to linebacker.

“Coming out of junior college, we ran a lot of 3-4, but being at Kentucky man, we ran a lot of 4-3,” Smith said. “Just being in both defenses, I felt comfortable with this team drafting me because I can play multiple positions. I feel comfortable playing outside linebacker, standing up some, and also feel comfortable getting down there in that three technique on the pass rush on third down. “(The Ravens are) one of the best defensive teams in the NFL, and for them to put me in the situation to come right in and play right away helps a lot and gives me more confidence for myself throughout this upcoming mini-camp. “ — May 6, 2015

Alabama Sen. Wendell Mitchell passes away Former state Sen. “Walking” Wendell Mitchell has died. He was 71.

According to a report from the Associated Press, Mitchell’s wife of 48 years, Rosalind, said he suffered from congestive heart failure and died about 4 p.m. Saturday.

Mitchell served the 30th District for almost three decades before he lost his seat in 2010 to Republican Bryan Taylor, an Iraq veteran and former aide to Gov. Bob Riley.

“Since I took office, Sen. Mitchell would check in on me from time to time, always with a kind word of encouragement or a friendly piece of advice,” Taylor said. “He did so because he was a gentleman, he loved the Alabama Senate, and he cared deeply for the people of District 30. I’ll never forget his gracious telephone call to me on election night to tell me how lucky I was to be able to represent such fine folks. Although we had our disagreements on the issues, Wendell served our district well in countless ways over his long and distinguished career in public service. On behalf of my family and all the people Wendell represented for so many years, our heartfelt prayers and deepest sympathies go out to his family in this difficult time.”

During his time in office, Mitchell was instrumental in helping Greenville grow, Mayor Dexter McLendon said.

“He was a great statesman,” McLendon said. “He loved Greenville and Butler County, and he did his job for the right reasons.”

McLendon cited Cambrian Ridge, the construction of Greenville High School and the YMCA, and attracting Hwashin America and Hysco America to Greenville as a few of the projects that Mitchell was involved in.

“I never called him when he didn’t call me back,” McLendon said. “We had developed a close friendship over the years and I will miss him dearly. He’ll also be missed as a great community leader.”

Rep. Charles Newton, who served alongside Mitchell while representing Butler and Crenshaw counties in the House of Representatives, said he “couldn’t have found a colleague to help represent the area that was more forthright” than Mitchell.

“His service to the district is well known,” Newton said. “He was always professional, candid and honorable in all of our dealings. … I was saddened to learn of

his death and my condolences certainly go out to his family.”

Mitchell earned his nickname “Walking” by walking from town to town during campaigns.

“The passing of Wendell Mitchell this weekend marked a great loss for the Alabama Democratic Party,” ADP Chairman Mark Kennedy said. “Wendell served the people of district 30 for (nearly) 30 years as a state senator, earning the nickname, ‘Walking Wendell,’ for walking several hundred miles during his campaigns to meet with his constituents face-to-face. Wendell was indeed one of the most respected individuals in the Alabama Democratic Party and will be greatly missed by all.

Many throughout the state thought highly of Wendell, as both a senator and dean emeritus of Jones School of Law in Montgomery, and he could always be counted on for sound advice and encouragement.”

Mitchell was a former professor and dean emeritus of Jones Law School at Faulkner University.

— February 5, 2012

Two Thousand

10s

ATRIP impacting county The largest road and bridge improvement program in Alabama’s history is making a visible impact on Butler County.

Fifteen road and bridge projects throughout the county are being funded by the Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement Program, which takes future federal dollars to pay for road and bridge projects that are needed immediately.

“ATRIP is making a material change for the better for most citizens in the state,” said Frank Hickman, chairman of the Butler County Commission. “… This program has moved us far ahead in the repairs, resurfacing and maintenance of our road system.”

The state awarded more than $10.3 million for projects in Butler County, which according to Hickman totals nearly two decades worth of federal funding. The money will be used to resurface 92 miles of roads throughout the county.

Among the projects being funded through the program is the resurfacing of Glendale Avenue, which passes in front of Ozark Materials, which announced in May that it will open a plant in the former WestPoint Home facility in Greenville.

— October 12, 2013 Greenville Advocate l 73

Two Thousand

10s

Georgiana landmark burns Amber plumes rising into an early morning sky signified the funeral pyre for not just one of Georgiana’s most popular hangouts, but also a nearly 80-year-old pillar of the community.

At roughly 1:45 a.m. on Wednesday morning, the Georgiana Fire Department received a notice that a smoke alarm had inexplicably gone off inside the Georgiana Gas and Garage Service Station.

And, despite arriving to the scene after only four minutes within being alerted, the establishment was deemed unsalvageable.

“We had heavy smoke blowing out of the building, and within five minutes we had flames coming out,” said Georgiana Fire Department chief Alvin Dantzler. “The roof started falling in because they had a tar roof with tin on top of it. We fought it for over two hours, but it was a total loss.”

Also among the first responders to the scene of the fire was owner Larry Creech.

“It was a different way of looking at it—I’ve been to hundreds of calls and I’ve been a firefighter for roughly 25 to 26 years, and I’ve never had nothing of mine burn,” Creech said.

Creech has owned the Georgiana Gas and Garage Service Station for nearly 10 years.

— August 24, 2013 74 l Greenville Advocate

Cambrian Ridge ‘a real jewel’ On Thursday as Greenville Mayor Dexter McLendon teed his ball up at Cambrian Ridge, he almost stopped to pinch himself.

Looking out over the 36hole golf course situated on Greenville’s Sherling Lake, McLendon felt like he was dreaming. He’s felt that way for two decades now.

“Sometimes I’ll be out there on the course and I’ll have to remind myself that I’m in Greenville,” McLendon said. “At times it’s still hard to believe that we have a golf course of that caliber here in Greenville.”

Cambrian Ridge is part of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Alabama, which boasts 26 courses on 11 different sites. This year marks the Trail’s 20th anniversary.

What started as a concept to enhance the image of the state has turned out to be one of the most successful achievements in the golf industry.

“What we were trying to do was give an impression of Alabama to people that was different than what they had in mind,” said Dr. David G. Bronner, the CEO of the Retirement Systems of Alabama.

Bronner, the visionary behind the creation of the Trail, believed the way to do that was to construct a dazzling collection of public golf courses that stretched across the state.

Bronner set out immediately to find the right group to put his plan in motion.

Enter Bobby Vaughan, the former director of golf at Tanglewood in Clemmons, N.C. Bronner charged him with putting together the team for the massive project.

Vaughan formed SunBelt Golf Corporation which would develop, construct, operate and manage all 18 of

the original golf courses.

But there was still the matter of who would design the new courses.

Bronner and Vaughan decided to aim high. The pair pitched the idea to legendary architect Robert Trent Jones, Sr., who had designed more than 500 golf courses around the world, many of which are listed among Golf Digest’s “America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses.”

“I made a deal with him that the Trail would be his Sistine Chapel,” Bronner said.

Jones signed on and one of the most massive golf course construction projects in the history of the game began shortly thereafter.

And Greenville officials made sure that the Camellia City was a part of it.

McLendon, a first-term City Council member at the time, wrote Bronner a letter asking that Greenville be considered as a site for an 18-hole golf course.

Bronner, who has been quoted as saying “I don’t do windows and I don’t do just 18’s,” promptly responded that he was not interested.

But Greenville’s city officials weren’t ready to call it quits.

“We weren’t thinking big

enough,” McLendon said.

“We went back to him and asked what we needed to do to be a part of the Trail.”

Bronner provided a list on a sheet of yellow legal paper.

The list included building a road, guaranteeing that two billboards — one facing north and the other south -— would be placed on Interstate 65 and securing more land to build a course that would include 27 championship holes and nine short course holes.

“We came back and got to work, and in a few weeks we were back in his office asking what else we needed to do,” McLendon said.

McLendon said he believes Greenville’s persistence in seeking to be a part of the Trail won Bronner over.

“We are the smallest city on the Trail, but we just wouldn’t give up,” McLendon said. “Getting this done was too important.”

Bronner agreed to add Greenville as a stop on the Trail and shortly after Cambrian Ridge opened up, it was named the third best new public golf course in the country by Golf Digest. The magazine also listed it 13th on its list of “America’s Top

50 Affordable Courses.”

In 2003, Cambrian Ridge was immortalized on the 2003 Microsoft golf game “Links.”

McLendon said that’s publicity the City of Greenville could never afford to buy.

“You can be watching television in Seattle and see a commercial for the Trail and Greenville will be mentioned,” he said. “That’s amazing.”

But the true impact goes beyond the game of golf and national advertising.

“The biggest impact is that Cambrian Ridge is a major tool for economic development,” McLendon said.

“I’m not sure that Hwashin and Hysco would be here without Cambrian Ridge.

When a company comes in to look at Greenville that’s the first place we take them.

Next to Interstate 65 coming through here, Cambrian Ridge is the biggest thing to happen to Greenville as far as attracting people to the area. We’ve got a jewel in Cambrian Ridge. It’s just a real jewel.”

— May 25, 2012