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Community News

Potts Camp News
Dale Hollingsworth

Terri Kitchens to celebrate birthday Saturday

Our prayers go out for those in other states who have lost power because of the frozen weather. I remember how bad it was here in our town.

We are thankful that George and Dorothy Dickey’s grandson, Josh Darnell, is doing well after returning to the States. He has almost lost one arm; they hope they can save it. He was injured overseas.

Annie Ruth Stone spent the weekend with her daughter, Tommie and Gale Goode in Greenwood.

My friend, Sylvia S. Akins of Memphis, visited me Monday. Her mother, Margaret Alvis Seymour, had a twin sister, Mary Alvis Fowler. I grew up with them. Sylvia was one of my son Jimmy’s classmates at Potts Camp School. I enjoyed her visit. Potts Camp is her hometown. She has old pictures to go into “The Heritage News.”

We were saddened by the recent death of Doris Hoover; many of us remember when she helped operate a family business in town for many years, the Taylor Cafe.

Happy Valentine’s Day on Feb. 14! I remember the box of Valentines we had at school. Our daughter Betty started saving her nickels and dimes early; she was so afraid someone would be left out in her class.

Last week some special people were in town to check on conditions to see if Potts Camp could get a grant. A lovely lady from Oxford saw my “Memories of Potts Camp” I wrote in the ’70s, and came to my home. I gave her a copy of it. Patsy was her name.

Betty brought many pictures taken at my 90th birthday party. I’ve been mailing them to friends and relatives everywhere.

A former student of Mae Wynn Wren called from Memphis, after reading about her car wreck and broken legs. We are thankful she is doing well! She won’t be driving anymore.

Thoughts

1. Whosoever sees his brother in need and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? 1 John 3:17

2. We are God’s hands on earth. He created us to give help, and also to receive it!

3. Tell a hungry soul about God today! The child of God who knows the good tidings of the Gospel does wrong if he fails to pass it on to others.

4. Children who attend Sunday school are blessed. They learn early that they should never be ashamed to live for Jesus.

5. A secret Christ is like a light hidden under a basket, instead of shining openly where it could help others.

Poem

When I feel that Christ is near, all my cares and sorrows flee. He is my strength, my hope, my joy. He is all the world to me!

Thoughts

1. God made us with a deep hunger for love. Passions and emotions soon pass away, but the love of God never ends.

2. Jesus set a good example for us. Even when we were yet sinners, He died for us.

3. God tells us to love our neighbors as ourselves; when love rules, there is no room for hate.

4. Poem

My life was dark until the light shone in; that light was Christ, who saved me from my sins. His light I received, I want to share, and let it shine for people everywhere.

Prayer

O, God, help me to share the love of Christ more willingly with others. For Christ’s sake, amen.

Happy birthday to Sank Owen, Feb. 12.

Happy birthday to Sonya Kidd, David and Teresa Hollingsworth and Michael Griffin, all on Feb. 13.

Happy birthday to Terri Kitchens, Feb. 14.

Thanks to Clyde Wilson, a friend, who added my 90th birthday celebration to his Tombigbee County magazine in February.

We ask for special prayers for Jamie Smith, brother of Joyce Clayton, who is a patient in Germantown Methodist Hospital.

On Saturday, Joyce Clayton and her son, Lynn Goolsby and her daughter, Miriam and David Hunsucker, drove to Little Rock, Ark., to visit their aunt, Yvone Smith, who lives with her son.

Prayer list: Mary Jarrett, Mary Jo Whaley, Robert Hugh King, Betty Fincher, Lina Mae Rhea, Mary Jo McCallum, Diane Clayton, Henry Tutor, Leo and Mary Frances Clayton, Hazel Foote, Charles Henderson. Hazel Foote was injured when a door to a business in New Albany fell on her. Her sister, Pauline, stayed with her for a week after the accident. She is doing well now.

Memories and History

Potts Camp’s 100th birthday

The last three months of 1988, the Town of Potts Camp celebrated its 100th birthday! It was very exciting!

Rev. Jim Smith, pastor of Potts Camp Methodist Church, and the women of the Potts Camp Civic Club planned many happy events before 1989 became a new century for our town.

Letters of congratulations came from Gov. Ray Mabus, several U.S. senators and representatives and a special one from President Ronald Reagan.

The history of the town’s church, Potts Camp United Methodist, organized in 1889, celebrated with a special revival. My late brother, Rev. Charles L. Potts (Lindy) helped with it.

On Halloween night, the Potts Camp children and their parents were invited to a costume contest downtown with free candy for everyone.

On Veterans Day, Nov. 11, the Potts Camp veterans were honored. Among World War II veterans were Dallas King, John Hugh King, T.M. Stone, Harvey J. Gurley, G.R. Thompson, and Jeff Overton and George Dickey, who both received Purple Hearts.

One morning a group of us met early at the flag pole in front of the Potts Camp School. They were Donnal Ash, Potts Camp School principal at the time; Dallas and Louise King, T.M. and Annie Ruth Stone, David Fuller, Rev. Jim Smith and me. (Cary Mayer, town mayor, was unable to attend, so he sent a Potts Camp board member.) David Fuller raised the flag at Potts Camp School for many years.

On the town’s birthday, Oct. 16, the Potts Camp Civic Club had decorated the town with flowers. A platform was set up on Front Street with several speakers. A train stopped on the tracks nearby and the train crew came to the platform.

The trainmaster spoke to the crowd of people. He said that Potts Camp had always been a railroad town, since the depot was built in 1886, and the town grew around it. At 11 o’clock, the town mayor, Cary Mayer, welcomed the huge crowd and gave the proclamation.

An antique car show was in town that day and the Potts Camp Memorial was open. Mitch Stone and others sang songs during the day.

That night, Bro. Smith had the main Highway 78 closed so the Potts Camp parade could come through town. Dallas King was the grand marshal; his wife, Louise, was beside him in the limousine as they followed the Holly Springs and Olive Branch bands and go carts. Later, some lovely floats passed my home and the riders threw candy to me.

It was a wonderful celebration; I’ll never forget it!

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