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Community News

Potts Camp News
Dale Hollingsworth

Congratulations to Haven Hale and Ken Daniels

Thanks to Frances Fitts of Dallas, Tx., for her letters about the lovely old Greer home being destroyed. I agree with her; it has been a part of our town for a long time, and should be restored.

Betty Fincher and Connie Work enjoyed family members Tony Fincher and wife Tammie’s visit at their home on Saturday. They live at Olive Branch. We are glad Connie’s foot is improving after surgery and treatment.

We were saddened by the tragic death of Phillip Watts. He had lived here all his life and had friends and family who will miss him. We send our love and sympathy to his family.

Congratulations to Haven Hale and Ken Daniels, who were married on June 27 at Temperance Hill. The reception was held at the home of Kerry and Lela Hale. The couple will make their home in Huntsville, Ala.

Many people enjoyed the Hill County Picnic over the weekend. You could hear the music from the town of Potts Camp.

I appreciate the letters and records Bob and Tula Hollingsworth sent me, telling all about their trip to Shreveport, La., to attend his sister, Catherine Snare’s funeral. We loved Catherine (my sister-in-law) very much in Aberdeen many years ago during the war. Catherine and Frank had three children; we send our sympathy to them.

A Hollingsworth family reunion is held every year at the home of Bob and Tula. My family attends it most of the time.

Get well to G.R. Thompson.

Thoughts to Remember

1. Before you condemn others, remember that none of us are without sin, and we answer the same God.

2. Before you complain about the way you look, think of those who are crippled or injured.

3. When your house is dirty, think of those who live on the street.

4. When you are depressed, smile and thank the Lord you are living.

5. Every day is a precious gift of God!

6. People always remember when you say words to make them happy!

Thoughts

Poem

God bless your days with everything, a rich, rewarding life can bring a joyful heart and love to share, family and friends to always care. God bless your life with wisdom, too, strength to see each problem through. The happiness for which you strive, and faith to keep your dreams alive. God’s blessings be with you!

Angels unaware are everywhere waiting for God to send them to answer someone’s prayers for help, wanting God to put them in the right place to help someone. Thank you God for all the kind, wonderful angels in the world. Thank you for sending me angels unaware, and Lord I pray, please let me be an angel unaware for someone else some day.

Prayer list: Diane Clayton, Donna Marett, Lina Mae Rhea, Henry Tutor, Ralph Dunning, Lena Faye Work, Charles Henderson, Connie Work, Mary Jo McCallum, Virgie and Lloyd Kelly, Mary Jo Whaley. Pray for leaders of our country, to those who have lost loved ones and all who suffer.

Memories and History

July 4, 1962 was a sad day for our town and school! Potts Camp School principal Frank Hutchens, who moved here in 1958, died in a Memphis hospital after having surgery. Many of us traveled to Calhoun City to attend the funeral and burial at Big Creek. He was a wonderful friend and neighbor. Mr. and Mrs. Hutchens had one child, Frank Jr. He came back a few years ago to visit friends, especially Mr. and Mrs. T.M. Stone and family.

Back in 1961 when Coach T.M. Stone carried the Potts Camp Cardinals to overall State Championship, the Hutchens family lived here. Frank Jr. was a boy.

Frank Jr. also visited our son, Danny, at Miss State College a few years ago. They were good friends for many years, also.

Mr. Hutchens’ picture was in the 1958 school annual, also a new commercial teacher, Mrs. George (Rhetta) Greer. The senior class of 1959 honored Coach T.M. Stone by dedicating the annual to him!

Edna Doris and Bonnie Whaley were editor and assistant editor of the annual that year. Barbara and Frances Dunn were business managers. Assistant managers were Norris Boren and Carol Smith. Other assistants were Katherine Greer and Jimmy Hankins, also Emma Bolden. Photographers were Mary Ruth Gurley, Jill Seymour, James Gray and Gerry Fletcher. This same class was honored this year at the Potts Camp School reunion after 50 years.

June Gurley was chosen best girl sports and Don Randolph for best boys sport.

Boys on the safety patrol were Frank Hutchens Jr., Jeff King, Mitch Stone Jr., Robert Phillips and Ralph and Roger Clayton. Mrs. Rhetta Greer, sponsor for the annual that year, was killed in a car accident later that year.

We will never forget principal Frank Hutchens and Mrs. Rhetta Greer!

North Marshall News
Richard Simmons

Rights, life, liberty and happiness

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness…..”

These are some of the best known words from our Declaration of Independence. On July 8, 1776, the Liberty Bell rang out summoning folks to the first public reading of the Declaration. On July 9 George Washington ordered that it be read to his troops in New York City.

On July 19 Congress ordered that the Declaration be officially inscribed on parchment and signed by all its members. The original document was lost sometime during the printing. Today the original copy of the Declaration of Independence is displayed at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

I did a little survey (very unscientific), mainly to get folks to thinking about what we celebrate on the Fourth of July. I asked several people seven questions related to Independence Day. The questions and answers were;

1. What do we celebrate on July 4th? Well, 100 percent got it right with Independence Day as their answer.
2. How do you celebrate Independence Day? Everyone said they spent time with family, cooking out, shooting fireworks and some participate in parades. About half attend a fireworks show in the evening hours.
3. What do you like most about living in the United States of America? All 100 percent said freedom, 70 percent included free speech and 30 percent added the right to vote.
4. On what day was the Declaration of Independence adopted? All 100 percent said July 4th and 60 percent added the year 1776. Actually on July 1, 1776, 12 of the 13 colonies voted to declare independence and at that moment became the United States. On July 4, 12 of the colonies voted to adopt the final draft of the Declaration. New York adopted it on the 9th of July, 1776. Only John Hancock, president of the Second Continental Congress and Charles Thomson, Second Continental Congress secretary put their signatures on the Declaration on July 4, 1776. The remainder of the delegates signed the new engrossed copy of the Declaration on August 2, 1776.
5. How many signers were there to the Declaration of Independence? No one knew the correct answer is 56 signers.
6. Name three of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Fifteen percent named three, 15 percent named two, 60 percent named one and 10 percent could not name any.
7. How many colonies were represented in the signing of the Declaration of Independence? Sixty percent knew it was 13 and the other 40 percent well….

Now I have to admit before refreshing my memory I had forgotten the answer to question five. This information is readily available via the internet, just Google Declaration of Independence.

President Calvin Coolidge, who just happened to be born on July 4, 1872, made a speech on July 5, 1926. The words are wise, true and so applicable for today. Here is part of that speech.

Our forefathers came to certain conclusions and decided upon certain courses of action which have been a great blessing to the world….They were a people who came under the influence of a great spiritual development and acquired a great moral power.

No other theory is adequate to explain or comprehend the Declaration of Independence. It is the product of the spiritual insight of the people. We live in an age of science and of abounding accumulation of material things. These did not create our Declaration. Our Declaration created them. The things of the spirit come first. Unless we cling to that, all our material prosperity, overwhelming though it may appear, will turn to a barren scepter in our grasp. If we are to maintain the great heritage which has been bequeathed to us, we must be like-minded as the fathers who created it. We must not sink to a pagan materialism. We must cultivate the reverence which they had for the things that are holy. We must follow the spiritual and moral leadership which they showed. We must keep replenished, that they may glow with a more compelling flame, the altar fires before which they worshipped.

I hope you and your family have a great Independence Day. Enjoy the hamburgers and hot dogs, games or take part in an old fashioned parade. But whatever you do take time to be thankful for the privilege of living in the greatest country in the world, These United States of America.

Did You Know On

July 01, 1863 – The three-day battle of Gettysburg begins.

July 02, 1776 – The Continental Congress votes for independence, passing a resolution that “these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States.”

July 03, 1986 – President Reagan presides over the rededication of the 100-year-old, newly renovated Statue of Liberty.

July 04, 1776 – The Continental Congress adopts the Declaration of Independence.

July 05, 1776 – The Continental Congress has Declaration of Independence printed.

July 06, 1785 – Congress adopts a currency system with a basic unit called the dollar.

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