Files from yesteryear: From the files of 1936

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The Cullman County High School was closed on April 1, 1936, due to lack of funds. Mrs. Oldacre spoke to the student body on Monday morning in assembly. The Cullman County High School first opened in September of 1907 with an enrollment of 45 students. The upstairs of the Bill Kelly store was used for classrooms, since no other building was available. The new school building was ready for use the following year.

The first faculty consisted of two members: J.J. Riley, principal and Oscar Hyatt, assistant. Mrs. J.M. Oldacre (Leta Weeks) was the only member of the graduating class who was present on the first day of school. There were six graduates: Onie Lee, Mary Lee, Catherine Whitsell, Mrs. J.M. Oldacre, Cullman, Berts McConnell, who lives in Florida and Ira Bain, who is now in Washington. The graduates were six the first year, seven the second year and thirteen the third year. The first class chose the present school colors, the school flower and motto. There were two literary societies: Jeffersonian and Websterian.

The sports of that day were tennis and baseball. Equipment was poor, but spirit and enthusiasm surmounted all such obstacles.

The cornerstone of the Hanceville Methodist Church was laid on March 25 at 3:00 p.m. in 1916.

Mrs. Nettie Wooten died on Wednesday of pneumonia. Mrs. Wooten was the mother of nine children. Her husband was Reno Wooten. Services were on Thursday and interment was at Shedd Cemetery.

From the files of 1950:

Frank Calvert’s neighbors brought in 12 tractors and a dozen mules to plant his crop at Ryans Creek last Tuesday, while the ladies cooked a big meal. Mr. Calvert has rheumatism and is unable to work.

An 800 gallon still was destroyed on Tuesday, north of Sardis.

The Deverne Holloway residence, north of Fairview, burned on Thursday night while the family was a at church.

An unusual fire burned practically all of Mrs. Avonell Whitworth’s furniture, which was loaded on a moving truck.

W.J. Pruitt of Fairview saw the truck smoking as it passed his home. He stopped the driver and directed him to the Pete Christian Dairy Barn where running water was used to extinguish the blaze.