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Potts Camp News
Dale Hollingsworth

Henry Tutor celebrates 88th

Happy school days are here again at Potts Camp and Mary Reid Schools! We are proud of our schools and special teachers this year. God has blessed us!

A friend and neighbor for many years, Henry Tutor celebrated his 88th birthday on Aug. 11. We hope he has many more happy years.

We were saddened by the tragic death of Don Randolph’s nephew recently. We send our love and sympathy to the entire family.

Jamie Smith of Byhalia, who grew up in our town and graduated from high school here, has become very ill again. He needs all our prayers. His sisters are Joyce Clayton, Verla Mae Stanton and Faye Stanton, my friends.

Mr. and Mrs. George Dickey visited their son and his family in Tupelo recently. Next week their daughter-in-law, Mona Dickey, will have a serious operation in Texas. We all need to pray for her recovery.

Happy birthday to Cherrie Shaw on Aug. 18. Happy wedding anniversary to Billy and Ann Edlin on Aug. 20; also to Tommie and Gale Goode on Aug. 20. Their lovely new home on Broadway is almost finished.

Happy birthday to Mary Jarrett on Aug. 22. (We love you, Mary.) Others who have birthdays are Elinor Edwards on Aug. 25. Happy birthday to her, also to Don Randolph on Aug. 26, and to Hannah Goolsby, a senior this year, on Aug. 27.

Don’t forget the Potts Camp room in the three-story Historical Museum in Holly Springs’ old college building. I sent a few things about the Potts family and plan to send more. Fred Whaley, also a descendant of Col. Potts, was glad to deliver my article to the museum. Fred’s grandmother, aunt Betty Floyd, was a sister of my grandfather, J.A. Potts. They are grandchildren of Col. E.F. Potts, the first settler in this area.

“The Touch of the Master’s Hand” — Lindy’s Newsletter

It was battered and scarred, and the auctioneer thought it hardly worth his while to waste much time on the old violin, but he held it up with a smile. “What am I biddin’,” he cried, “who’ll start the biddin’ for me?”

“A dollar, a dollar and who’ll make it two? Two dollars and who’ll make it three, going for three.” But no — from the room far back a gray-headed man came forward and picked up the bow. Then wiping the dust from the old violin and tightening the strings, he played a melody pure and sweet as a caroling angel sings.

The music ceased and the auctioneer, that voice was quiet and low, said “What am I bid for the old violin?” and he held it up with the bow. “A thousand dollars and who’ll make it two, two thousand and who’ll make it three?” “Three thousand going once, going twice and going, gone,” he said. The people cheered, but some of them cried, “We don’t understand. What changed the worth?” Swift came the reply, “The touch of the Master’s hand,” and many a man with life out of time and battered and scarred with sin is cheap to the thoughtless crowd, much like the old violin. A mess of pottage, a glass of wine, a game and he travels on. He’s going once, and he’s going twice, he’s going and almost gone.

But the Master comes and the foolish crowd never quite understands. The worth of a soul and the change that is wrought by the touch of the Master’s hand.

History and Memories

The Potts Camp United Methodist Church celebrated its 100th birthday in 1889, one year after the town’s birthday in 1888.

In 1929, the church burned one night during the Christmas season. We attended Sunday school and church services in Potts Camp School until it was rebuilt. (School was rebuilt in 1925).

Rev. Lester James and his family moved here in 1930. Those were Depression years, so the members decided to let Bro. James teach school to help support his family. He was my seventh grade forestry teacher; he took us on field trips to Eagle Springs to study trees; he also took us to the cotton gin to see it work. It was fun.

Although Robert Greer, banker, and other businessmen in town had the church fully insured, it was empty. Each family bought a pew. They are still being used. An organ was donated by the Greer family in memory of their mother. Her name was Cordelia Greer. They held a concert the day they gave it to the church.

Later, a piano was given by the Day family. Brother James planned a play for our group to learn and present at Potts Camp School that summer, also to Ashland School and Waterford School. We really had fun that summer and made money to buy chairs, tables, etc. for the church. Rosalie James, the oldest girl, was my friend. We had a playground and tennis court near the church and parsonage. Hayes Henderson, nephew of Susie Henderson, school teacher, liked Rosalie and hung around the parsonage sometimes. He went to Arkansas to visit relatives that summer. While there, he wrote to Rosalie and also to a girl in Holly Springs he liked to dance with.

When he came back to Potts Camp, he started to the parsonage. Rosalie and her sister, Geneva, saw him coming and slammed the door. When he went to Holly Springs to see the girl he danced with, she wouldn’t speak to him. He said, “What’s wrong with you?” She said my name is not Rosalie!” He had put the letters in the wrong envelopes.

On the playground near the parsonage, someone brought a horse to ride. It looked like fun, so when my turn came, I got on it and felt fine until some dogs started barking and the horse started running. Some boys finally stopped it. That was my last horse ride.

North Marshall News
Richard Simmons

“Old Ironsides,” the USS Constitution

At the end of March of this year my family and I were in Newport, Rhode Island, for my grandson’s graduation from U.S. Navy Officer Candidate School. While we were in the area we spent some time in Boston touring some of the historical sites. We took the Freedom Trail and that included seeing “Old Ironsides,” The USS Constitution. While on the ship I tried to imagine how it would have been to serve on such a vessel. There was a place for all the servicemen and officers and their needs. The sleeping quarters were small and the sleeping was done in shifts as was just about everything else. The U.S. Navy seamen who are on duty will explain to you the details of battles and manning the cannons. The ship has a lot of history and is worth your time to visit if you are in the area or to make it a trip to see.

On this day of August 19, 1812, the USS Constitution encountered the British frigate Guerriere and within 20 minutes turned it into a dismantled hulk. The British seamen complained that their cannon balls just bounced off the tough hull of the Constitution like it was made of iron. Thus the nickname “Old Ironsides.” The USS Constitution was very effective in its service to the country and was successful in defeating the Barbary pirates that terrorized American vessels in the Mediterranean.

The ship was built from over 2,000 trees of sturdy oak that had planks measuring up to seven inches thick. Paul Revere forged the bolts that held the timbers together. It is thrilling to see and touch these works that were made by this important man and others who were so valuable to the development our country and its history. In 1941 the U.S. Navy gave the Constitution a permanent commission. It is the oldest floating ship of its kind in the world. It is a great symbol of America’s strength, courage, and liberty.

Did You Know On

August 19, 1946 – Bill Clinton the 42nd U.S. president, was born in Hope, Arkansas.
August 20, 1776 – John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson recommended the motto E Pluribus Unum to Congress.
August 21, 1959 – President Eisenhower signed an executive order making Hawaii the 50th state.
August 22, 1859 – The six-story Fifth Avenue Hotel in New York City became the first American hotel with an elevator.
August 23, 1932 – Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly nonstop across the United States, traveling from Los Angeles to Newark, New Jersey in 19 hours.
August 24, 1840 – The first practical seeding machine was patented by Joseph Gibbons of Michigan.
August 25, 1791 – John Fitch and James Rumsey, rival inventors, both received patents for steamboats.

Answers to Last Week’s Quiz

There are 12 rivers that exceed 1,000 miles in the United States.
The Missouri River is the longest and it begins in Montana.
The Donner Party was stranded in the snow.
James Polk was the first president to be photographed while in office.
“The only easy day was yesterday” is the U.S. Navy Seal’s motto.

This Week’s Quiz

1. What was the name of the steam engine that raced against a horse?
2. What seaway links the Atlantic Ocean and the Great Lakes?
3. When Thomas Jefferson defeated Aaron Burr for president, how was Jefferson elected?
4. What was the nickname Pat Tillman’s teammates gave him when he played football at Arizona State?
5. Who sank the ironclad USS Monitor?

Send your answers or comments to richardps@centurytel.net

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