Times Past
Jean Herd stands by the door of her fourth grade classroom at Gainesville Elementary School. The room has been cleaned and desks polished since school closed, but next year, when the seats are occupied again, Miss Jean will not be there - she retired this spring closing out a 31-year career in county schools.
Reprinted from the June 13, 1984 edition of the Ozark County Times.
by Sue Ann Jones
When Jean Herd retired in May [1984] after 31 years of teaching, she left behind a career that included other tasks besides imparting knowledge.
In 1953, when she began teaching, she presided over a one-room...
The Bakersfield High School golf team took home the first place plaque in the April 15 Clever Invitational Golf Tournament and another first place plaque in the April 12 Willow Springs Invitational tournament. The team, pictured from left, includes: Coach Micheal Mahan, Ethan Cotter, CJ Carey,...
Bakersfield’s track relay team competed at sectionals last week, and while they didn’t advance to state, the team did achieve a personal record. Shown are Nathan Watlington, Gaige Samuels, Coach Tammy Lamb, Jacob Watlington, Brooks Amburgy, Amani Kowiti and assistant Kurt Watlington.
Fifty years ago, these 10 Ozark County girls were selected from 21 contestants as Hootin an Hollarin hostesses for the 1972 festival, as reported in the Times Past item at the left. The queen pageant in those years was a two-pageant process, with the hostesses selected in August and the queen chosen later, during the festival. The 1972 hostesses were, front row, from left: Peggy Rackley, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Don Rackley, Gainesville; Sidney Duncan, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Curt Duncan, Gainesville; Debby Lee, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Lee, Dora; Mary Lester, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Lester, Pontiac. Back: Nancy Loftis, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Sonny Loftis, Gainesville; Rhonda Evans, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Burl Evans, Gainesville; Jessie Sweet, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Roland Sweet, Hardenville; Brenda Hambelton, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Loyd Hambelton, Gainesville; Barbara Davidson, daughter of Polly Davidson, Gainesville; and Betty Green, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Green, Hardenville. Sidney Duncan (Casey) was later selected as the 1972 Hootin an Hollarin queen. Rhonda Evans (Suter) was selected as Miss Sweetie Pie. This year’s Hootin an Hollarin queen pageant will be held Thursday, Sept. 15, on the first night of the 2022 festival.
Ozark County News
Aug. 16, 1883
Parties from this county, who attended the Springfield reunion, have all returned, and report the affair’s grand success. Probably 15,000 visitors were in attendance, embracing several hundreds of the participants in the battle of Wilson Creek. Many distinguished men...
In this photo, probably taken in 1909, Florence Hunt (1869-1951), left, and her sister-in-law, Alpha Bet Morrison (1886-1953), take Alpha’s kids for a pretend drive in the early Model T touring car owned by Alpha’s husband, A.P. Morrison. Alpha and A.P.’s son, Verd Morrison of Hollister, said Sunday he thinks the little girls in the backseat are twins Lola and Nola Morrison, born in 1906, and the boy at the steering wheel is probably Afton, the Morrisons’ oldest (born in 1905), while baby Lloyd, born in 1909, is held by his mother. Verd thinks the photo was probably taken near Zanoni, where the Morrisons lived, and he speculates that Florence or one of the men standing on the porch may have ridden the horse, at left, to visit his family. The photo is from the collection of the late Reva Luna Miller and was shared by Jan and Mark Miller.
Ozark County Times
July 13, 1917
The Lieutenant Governor granted six paroles on July 4. Among the number is Ben Richardson, serving a sentence of 99 years for the killing of Alf Henry in 1920.
Richardson was convicted of cattle theft in Ozark County and was in the Howell County jail for self...
During the fall and winter hunting seasons, this undated photo of Ozark County hunters from long ago seems appropriate. The photo, from the collection of former Ozark County resident Donetta Newton Clouse, now living in Springfield, depicts a hunting party of men and boys ready to set out with gun, dogs, traps and an ax. Former Ozark Countian Randy Ebrite identified the man at right (with his eyes closed) as his grandpa, the late Buck Morrison. Ebrite said the boy next to him carrying the ax is a Newton, and the man at left is believed to be Morrison’s cousin. The other two boys are unknown. If you can provide more information about the hunters’ identities, please contact Sue Ann Jones (sueann@ozarkcountytimes.com or 417-679-4641).
Ozark County News
Nov. 29, 1894
The Normal [school] had a very successful opening last Monday. The building was thronged with happy students at an early hour. At 9 o’clock, the ringing of the bell called them to order and after dedicating the building by singing and prayer, appropriate remarks...
Considering all the Hootin an Hollarin activities that occurred on the Gainesville square his past week, we thought this 1958 picture postcard showing the east side of the square would be an interesting contrast. The postcard is from the collection of the Ozark County Historium, which welcomes contributions of old photos of Ozark County families and places. Bring the photos to the Historium during business hours, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays or contact Janet Taber at janettaber@gmail.com, 265-3372, for more information.
Ozark County Times
Sept. 27, 1918
Twelve soldiers and three trainmen were killed and 37 soldiers and two engine men were injured at 7:30 o’clock on Tuesday night of last week when a freight train and troop train crashed together in a head-on collision one mile east of Marshfield. The wreck occurred...
Zanoni store is shown in a Times file photo from 2014. The store closed after Morrison’s death in 1969, and his daughter, the late Classie Shanks, who was Zanoni postmaster, moved the post office to a small building up on the ridge west of the original town of Zanoni. The original store and post office are now part of Zanoni Mill Ranch owned by Scott and Becky Mathews.
Ozark County Times
Sept. 20, 1918
London – Sept. 13 – Official admission was made by the German war office in Berlin today that the Germans have fled the St. Mihiel salient, where the Americans began their great offensive yesterday.
This emphasized the magnitude of the American victory southeast...
In this undated photo from a Hootin an Hollarin in the past, Amyx Auto salesman Larry Amyx, left, and Moses House, long-time driver’s license examiner in Gainesville, stand by an early-model Ford displayed in front of the Amyx agency, the site of the current Gainesville City Hall. The man on the far left is unknown. The dealership sign advertising the Falcon indicates the photo was taken during the 1960s, when that model was made.
Ozark County Times
Sept. 16, 1910
Howards Ridge – Everett Pleasant, a member of the Lick Creek ball team, was hurt several days ago in a game between the Lick Creek and Theodosia teams. He was hit on the jaw with the ball and is suffering much with the injury.
Lilly – A number of our prosperous...
Ozark County Times
Sept. 9, 1904
The Bakersfield and Noble Ball Teams were to have met here last Saturday for a match game of ball, but for some reason the Bakersfield boys failed to make their appearance.
Several of the Pine Creek club came to witness the contest and rather than disappoint the...