Thursday, September 28, 2006
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Thursday, September 28, 2006 |
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Community | Obits | Editorial & Columnists | Society | Sports | Education | Classified Ads | Calendar of Events | Features | Newsbriefs | Legals | Archives | Subscriptions | Photo Gallery |
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Potts
Camp News Smith home setting for Whaley family reunion On Saturday night, a large crowd attended a reunion for the Whaley family at the lovely home of Amanda and Kent Smith in Holly Springs. Among those attending were Fred and Mary Jo Whaley, Rodney and Betty Whaley and daughter, Lori; also their daughter Stacy and Johnathan Morrison; Neil Whaley and his dad, Brett Whaley and family. Members of the late Pearl Johnson’s family attending were Cecil and Hazel Johnson, Freddie and Connie Johnson, Sarah House and also Paulette and three of her children. Recent guests of Mary Jo Whaley were cousins, Robert and Wilma Cox of Dell, Ark. She was glad to see them. Her mother was a Cox. Happy birthday to Anthony Fincher on Sept. 27, also to Ladine Randolph (Mrs. Don Randolph) on Sept. 27. Happy birthday to Judy Gurley on Sept. 26, also to Alea Gurley and Faith Gurley on Sept. 26. Thoughts I. When we experience God’s love through faith in Jesus Christ, something wonderful is born within us – a desire to love and please God for all He has done for us. “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” Acts 16:31 II. “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord –Romans 12:19. Some of us have difficulty getting rid of bitterness about small slights or major offenses. What a difference there would be in families, churches and our relationships if by the Holy Spirit’s enabling we were filled with a Christ-like attitude that puts in God’s hands the injustices done to us. III. Search me, O God,
and know my heart today Poem I do not know what lies ahead Jesus said “I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:16 Prayer
A friend, Kathryn (Jones) Scarbrough of Houston, Tx., called recently. She was sorry about the former Curtis Greer home burning. She grew up across the street from it with her parents, the late Harry and Rose Jones, and her two older sisters, Bettye Rose Jones of Memphis and Mary Frances (Jones) Fitts of Dallas, Tx. Sometimes they visit friends in Holly Springs and Potts Camp. Kathryn Scarbrough retired last year as an airline stewardess. On Sept. 9, a luncheon was held in Oxford at a friend’s home to celebrate Willie Thomas Wicker’s 97th birthday, which was Sept. 11. Her son, Fenton Wicker of Virginia Beach, Va., attended, also her other son, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Wicker of Louisiana. Many other relatives attended. Willie Thomas taught in Potts Camp School for 10 years after her husband, Mr. Wicker, died. We hope she had a happy birthday! On Wednesday, the former Gholston girls, Maxine Avent, Elizabeth Hunsucker and Jo Ann Cox, all of Memphis, visited Annie Ruth and T.M. Stone. Keith and Bennie Mayer and two sons of Olive Branch visited his parents, Cary and JoAnn Mayer on Sunday, and also his granddad, Joel and Joyce Clayton, next door. Keith brought the boys, 6-year-old Ethan and 2-year-old Mason, to visit me on the front porch and watch the trucks go by. Another child, 6-year-old Jamie Goolsby, was with them. When Keith was a boy he mowed my yard. I made brownies for him. Jimmy and Martha Hollingsworth drove their granddaughter, Brittany, to the Gulf Coast to visit their daughter, Sonya and Greg Kidd. Brittany plans to stay with them and work in their bridal shop. We are thankful that Jimmy is doing well after his recent surgery. We are thankful that Gale Goode is improving after surgery, also that Rev. Don Newton is doing well at home after having surgery. Betty Fincher fell on Wednesday and broke her arm. Get well wishes to her. Prayer list: Jean Derryberry, Roy Foote, Betty Fincher, Donna Marett, Mary Jo McCallum, Gale Goode, Joe McCallum, Lucille Hutchens, Lina Mae Rhea, Rev. Don Newton, Lena Faye Work, Evan Watts, Joel Clayton, all others who are sick or suffering. Pray for the Childers family; a benefit was held for them on Saturday night at First Baptist Church in Potts Camp. Memories Who is there old enough who hasn’t thrilled to the cry “The train is coming”? Railroads have always been a part of our town since Mary Potts Reid, daughter of the town’s first settler gave land for a right-of-way and the depot was built in 1886 and named Potts Camp. Two years later in 1888 the first board meeting was held. In earlier years trains were very important and the most popular Christmas gift for boys was a toy train set. Until the death of my dad, the sounds of an approaching train was music to his ears, also to Harry Jones, who was once a brakesman. We here in Potts Camp were sad when the old railroad system was demolished. Many people told about working in Memphis and riding home on the train for the weekend. Betty Fincher worked at the huge Sears Store and my sister, Ann, also worked in Memphis with friends; they all rode the train home on the weekend, after staying in a boarding place for women. The late Frank Johnson, we called him “Lighten,” worked on the railroad so long and loved it so much that he kept coming back after retirement. Everyone loved the old man so much they gave him a job of hanging the mail and bringing the sack of mail for Potts Camp back to the old post office. He lived to be 100 years old and smiled and talked to everyone. I remember seeing the old T Model and A Model cars and old wagons at the depot; it seemed like everyone was “waiting for the train.” During winter months they were gathered around the old pot-bellied stove. As children we would watch the trucks and tell the others, “The train is coming!” Everyone rushed outside. My young brother would close his eyes until the huge engines had passed. Before the ’50s when they used the steam engines, they stopped at the Frisco Coal Chute in Potts Camp and the water tank nearby for water. When the train rolled in at the depot, you could hear the chuff, chuff, chuff of the air pumps, and rattling of the wheels against the tracks, then a sizzling, whistling sound as the steam leaked out. I still miss the old depot and coal chute where my dad was depot agent for 40 years, and we had a pass to ride free. One reason people rode the trains during those days was because the roads and bridges were so bad, and the old cars were not dependable, especially in cold weather. We would get out and push the old T Model up the hill to get it started, then run and jump in and away we would go. They called it the Tin Lizzie. If it rained the windows were covered with fabric curtains and it was dark inside the car. Daddy broke his hand while cranking the old T Model in front of the car, so my brother, James, started driving at about age 12. We enjoyed my dad’s old cars! (Intended for last week) A birthday luncheon to celebrate the 97th birthday of Mrs. Willie Thomas Wicker was held Saturday, Sept. 9 at the home of Mrs. Barbara Shepard of Oxford. Those attending were Fenton Wicker of Virginia Beach, Va., Mr. and Mrs. Walter Wicker of Ruston, La., Dr. Carroll Wicker from Hattiesburg, Dr. Carolyn Wicker from Grand Prairie, Tx., Mr. and Mrs. Billy Wicker from Washington, D.C. and Mr. and Mrs. John McRae and children from Meridian. Also attending was Mrs. Celia Dunn and Martha Day of Oxford. Willie Thomas Wicker, a long time friend of mine who grew up in Winborn, attended Potts Camp School, then later attended college after her husband, Richard Fenton’s death. She taught in Potts Camp school for 10 years. We are glad she had a happy birthday. Her younger brother, Dr. Worth Dunn, gives the R.A. Butler Scholarship to a deserving Potts Camp senior every year. Thoughts I. The greatest gifts cannot be bought in a store or ordered from a catalog, all wrapped in a pretty paper. It can be seen in the eyes of a child, heard in the words of kindness, and felt in the embrace of a friend. It is the precious gift of love! II. Some of the ways to make your light shine are: Pray with love, work with joy, share what you have, live simply, love deeply, dream from your heart and thank God always. III. Those that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles. Isaiah 40:31 IV. Peace on earth cannot
be found
We send get well wishes to Rev. Don Newton, pastor of the three churches on Potts Camp Methodist charge, Bethlehem, Cornersville and Potts Camp. He had recent surgery in New Albany General Hospital. A happy day to Mitch and Jeanette Stone, who celebrated their wedding anniversary on Sept. 13 and also to Don and Ladine Randolph, who celebrated their wedding anniversary on Sept. 15. Happy birthday to Tyler Cooper on Sept. 17, to Billie Baum on Sept. 18. Happy birthday to Mable Day on Sept. 19 and Shae White on Sept. 22 also to Jacob Riley on Sept. 23. Colonel Earl McCallum Jr. and his wife from Texas are visiting his mother, Mary Jo McCallum. Her grandson, Gene, is also visiting her from Texas. We send our love and sympathy to the family of Fred Taylor, age 78, in his recent death. They are all special friends. Services were at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 13 at Holly Springs Funeral Home with burial in Temperance Hill Cemetery. He leaves a large family. We also send our love and sympathy to the family of Lajune Jeanette White, age 71, in her death. Services were held Tuesday, Sept. 12 at Holly Springs Funeral Home, with burial in Holly Springs. She leaves a large family. Prayer list: Rev. Don Newton, Joel Clayton, Maxine Potts, Martha Ross, Charles Henderson, Roy Foote, Hazel Foote, Joe McCallum, Donna Marett, Lena Faye Work, Jean Derryberry, Robbie Taylor, Gale Goode, Lucille Hutchens, Ollie Mansel, Jessie Pipkin, Lina Mae Rhea. Pray for others who are sick or have lost loved ones. Pray for our men in service everywhere. Memories During my childhood days, a white frame church was located near the two-story Boren house on Church Street. It was a “Christian Church.” It was very much like the Methodist Church my granddad had built in 1904 with a high steeple, stained glass windows, a pipe organ and kneeling rail. In the “Christian Church” a revival had started, and Dr. Lowdy had preached one sermon. People had come from Bethlehem, Winborn and surrounding areas that second night and were all waiting for services to begin. They didn’t know that behind the church, two members of the church, Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Mintz, were trying to get Dr. Lowdy to change the way he was preaching. Dr. Lowdy refused to change, so the revival was moved to the auditorium of the new Potts Camp School, built in 1925, after the two-story school burned in 1924 (the year I started to school). Mrs. Gladys Wilson, a dear friend, told me about what happened before her death. Since we lived near the new school, my parents let me attend the revival with my friends, the Alvis family. The music was beautiful; we learned many new hymns. I enjoyed “When They Ring Those Golden Bells.” Dr. Lowdy had several posters placed on the stage and he would point to them as he spoke. He was a handsome young man. Mrs. Boatner, a neighbor, rented rooms to teachers and Dr. Lowdy, after Dr. Boatner died. I wasn’t too interested as he pointed to the posters, until he told that the world would end if the atom busted. Then I sat up in my seat and listened. Over the years I had almost forgotten Dr. Lowdy’s words, until two cities were destroyed in Japan by the atom bomb during World War II. Then I remembered! Dr. Lowdy was a smart man; I believe God had sent him to warn the people what could happen. But we don’t always listen. Many preachers are sending us warnings today. Will we be ready when the end of time comes? Report News: (662) 252-4261
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