Author's Posts

Science Hill High School’s 1916 annual, titled “Green and Gold,” measured approximately 6 by 8.5 inches. The cover was appropriated adorned in green with gold letters.

The original owner, Edith Opal Clark, wrote her name on the inside cover and dated it May 19, 1916. H.W. Lyle Printing Company of Johnson City published it. A photograph of the new school revealed that the building was complete but the grounds had not yet been landscaped.

The Editorial Staff consisted of F.L. Wallace (Editor-in Chief), H.L. Faw (Business Manager), E. Vance Jones (Assistant Business Manager), Ethel Deane Riddell (Class Editor), Ruth McCorkle (Editor of Wit and Humor), Ernest T. Hodge (Athletic Editor) and Helen L. Johnson (Art Editor).

The dedication page contained a picture to whom the annual was dedicated with these words: “We, the members of the senior class, do hereby humbly dedicate this issue of the ‘Green and Gold’ to our esteemed superintendent, Mr. Charles E. Anderson and loyal members of the faculty in recognition of the faithful service rendered by them.” The group also expressed their appreciation to W.I. Williams, Faculty Advisor. 

 

Faculty members (and classes they taught) were M. A Crary (Principal, Manual Training), Miss Lucy Hatcher (Mathematics, later principal), Miss Floy Harris (Latin), James L. Gilbert (Commercial), Joseph D. Clark (English), Miss Cherry Mae Preston (Music), Miss Una V. Jones (Modern Languages), Mr. A. F. Roller (Science), Miss Edith Barton (Departmental Teacher), Miss Clara Fulton (Assistant, Domestic Science) Miss Ruth Baxter (Departmental Teacher), Miss Willie Blance Hook (Departmental Teacher) and Miss Ella Burrow (Departmental Teacher).

The senior class consisted of 21 students. Superlatives included “Most Popular,” Ethel Riddell; “Most Obliging,” William Mitchell; “Biggest Grouch,” James Emmert; “Ladies’ Man,” Freddie Lockett; “Sleepiest,” F. Lee Wallace; “Noisiest,” H. Bear Miller, “Biggest Rube,” Reeves Haves and “Boss,” Ikie Williams.

A senior class poem titled “Home Coming to Johnson City” is a clever imaginary revisit to the city: “Why ‘tis August, nineteen and thirty; And today in my aeroplane; I came back to Johnson City; To see my classmates again. Just fourteen years ago in May; The diplomas from the JCHS; Were handed us. We parted then; To Where, I dared not guess.” The 104-line poem went on to envision where the students migrated after high school and how well they performed in their respective careers.

Hannah Elizabethton Doak penned a class song to the tune of “Then You’ll Remember Me.” The first of four stanzas read “Thru four long years we’ve studied hard; But we’ve enjoyed it too; Old Science Hill, our joy and pride; We bid farewell to you. Tho’ time may change, we’ll ne’er forget; The watchtower on the hill, Tho’ o’er the land and sea we go; Your voice will be calling still; Won’t you remember, O remember me.” 

One page was an essay on “The Three Degrees of Mathematics.” The first paragraph made crystal clear one student’s disdain for the dreaded subject: “Mathematics is that form of the most heinous torture ever invented by the ingenuity of man. Centuries ago it was used exclusively for the punishment of the most hardened criminals and was more dreaded than the rack or the guillotine. Since its invention, however, it has been introduced into schools, where it is used for the utter bewilderment and torture of defenseless and miserable students.”

In 1916, five student societies were available to the students: Young Men’s Christian Society (male), Francis E. Willard Literary Society (female), Jefferson Literary Society (male), Adelphian Literary Society (male) and Ossolian Literary Society (female).

The Athletic Association officers were M.A. Crary (president and treasurer), Fred R. Lockett (v-president), Earnest Hodge (secretary and baseball manager), Hubert Brooks (football manager), Eugene Parsons (basketball manager) and Harry Lusk (baseball captain).

Johnson City High School’s 11-student football team was one of the best football teams in upper East Tennessee. According to the annual, they played on the home field with Bristol on Thanksgiving Day: “The game was fast, both teams playing well and going together like steam engines with but little gains for either.” Bristol scored a touchdown in the first half but failed on the field goal attempt. In the second half, Johnson City broke the line and carried the ball safely for a touchdown. The game ended in a six to six tie.

The basketball program was described in an amusing depiction: The majority of the participants were very small in stature, but as the old saying is ‘They were little but loud.’ We cannot boast of having the gymnasium that some schools have, but when it comes to defeating the heavy, fast Boston Girls in a cement garage, where great skill must be employed in dodging Cadillacs, Buicks and various other kinds of cars, including Fords, the Johnson City boys are there with the goods.” The specific location of the games was not identified.

Rain was a constant problem for the baseball team during the spring of 1916 causing cancellation of several games. The key victory was defeating Emory and Henry, described as being a fast team, by a score of 11 to 4.

Finally, Joseph D. Clark wrote a brief essay on “The Work of the YMCA.” In part it read: “The greatest moral agency in the high school during the last two years has been the YMCA. The young men have found that there is more in school than text books and athletics, good as they are; they have found in the YMCA a great democratic stimulus, a friend that has helped to make true friends.”  

Read more

I occasionally receive correspondence from Dr. Herb Howard who was the subject of a feature story I did in August 2006 titled, “Early WJHL-TV Pioneer Recalls 1953 Debut of Station.” It was Howard, a former program director at the station, who uttered the first words heard over the new television venture.

Herb Howard as He appeared in 1952

“Several friends,” said Herb, “continue to send me clippings of your “Yesteryear” columns. These are special people who like to remember the good things that have happened there. Now that Elizabethton and Bristol radio and TV station themes have been included in your column, that has prompted me to offer a few additional subjects that I don't think you have done.”

Dr. Howard noted that the most famous of all former announcers in the Tri-Cities area was “the old pea picker” Tennessee Ernie Ford (Ernest J. Ford) who started his career at WOPI, Bristol in the 1930s. He also worked at WROL, Knoxville, and was at that station the morning of December 7, 1941, where he read the attack on Pearl Harbor bulletin over the airways.

 “Of the stations still in existence,” said Howard, “the third Tri-Cities station was WKPT in Kingsport (1940). Its slogan was ‘the nation's model station.’ I think the most remarkable thing about WKPT was its organized plan of developing young announcers, usually high school guys who would be given weekend air shifts as they developed skills.”

This unique training program was run by the station's program director, Martin Karant who became identified by his signoff line, “”It's time for me to go for today. But, good Lord willin' and the creeks don't rise, I'll be back with you in the morning after the seven o'clock news.”

According to Herb… “There are several well-known WKPT “alums” who got their careers started in this organized training program: George Sells, who has anchored in several large markets; John Palmer, who became a newsman at NBC; and George DeVault, who stayed with WKPT and for many years now has been the company president and general manager. 

“Of course, local guys broke into radio at practically every local radio station. I did it at WJHL as Merrill Moore did at WETB, but WKPT had a well-organized training program.” 

Howard mentioned Kathryn Setzer Willis of Johnson City, a woman who broke into pre-war radio at WKPT. She worked as a mailroom messenger at NBC during World War II and was later given her own show playing records over the air for overseas military personnel. Her pleasant voice coupled with her selections of jazz and swing music made her a favorite with servicemen. Later, she did women's programs for WJHL-TV and near the end of her life did some radio programming again for WKPT and its Jonesborough-Johnson City station, WKTP.

 “If you want to do something on women in broadcasting in the area,” said Herb, “the expert is Patty Smithdeal Fulton.” In Patty’s superb book titled, I Wouldn’t Live Nowhere I Couldn’t Grow Corn (The Overmountain Press, 1998), she recalled when Hal Youngblood once produced a Saturday night stage show at the Majestic Theatre on E. Main Street. She tap-danced on stage and recalls seeing Kathryn Willis there dressed in a white and silver top hat and tailcoat, carrying a sparkling silver cane and dancing on the stairs.

Thanks to ongoing contributions from people like Dr. Howard, the cherished memories of local radio and television continue to be captured and preserved for future generations.  

Read more

A few months ago, I penned a column from material supplied to me by Peggy Harvey Street. She and her late husband, A.J., were once acquainted with 304-pound weightlifter, Paul Anderson, 1956 Olympic gold medal winner. Recently, two readers added their recollections of this famous strongman.

One responder was Richard “Dick” Church who said, “Hello Bob, I always look forward to the Monday paper when I can see what you folks are writing about that will bring back some memories of good old Johnson City.

“The article about Paul Anderson of Elizabethton caught my eye.  I too met Paul back in the 1950’s. I started riding motorcycles while I was at Science Hill High School in about 1953. One of my motorcycle friends in those days was Jim Hardin who rode a BSA 500cc one-lunger (one-cylinder) motorcycle. I also ran with James Moss who rode a BSA 650cc twin identical to the one I rode and Van Wilson who rode an AJS 500cc one-lunger one.

“One day, we got together and decided to take a cycle ride up to Elizabethton to visit Paul Anderson. Jim Hardin had evidently met him before and I remember being told that he was ‘The World’s Strongest Man.’ When we got to Paul’s house, we were invited in to visit. All over his living room floor were improvised things Paul used to work out. 

“There was a large block of concrete that looked as if it had been cast into a large round bucket. A canvas strap came out of the top of it. Paul demonstrated how he would sit in his easy chair, lean over, put the strap around his huge neck and lift and swing the concrete block off the floor.  We were shown numerous photographs of Paul performing all kinds of unbelievable feats of strength.

“One photo, I remember, showed him harnessed to the front of a railroad steam engine, leaning forward as if he were pulling the train. For all I know he might have been pulling it.

“Before we left, we all went outside where Paul admired our motorcycles.  He was very interested in taking a ride on one, so Jim cranked up his BSA and had Paul sit on the buddy seat right over the rear wheel.  Well, Paul at over 300 pounds along with the normal rider who himself was probably about 200 pounds was just a bit more than the suspension of the bike had been designed for.

“I recall the whole rear of the cycle was squatted down so much the front wheel barely touched the ground. I am not sure the rear tire would even rotate as it was probably rubbing against the rear fender and probably flattened at that. It was decided that we probably couldn’t accommodate Paul’s wishes to take him on a motorcycle ride.”

Richard indicated that this was the only visit they made to Paul’s house and he completely lost touch with his career until he read my article in the paper. He said it was good to recall the memory of this superstar.

My cousin, Larry Reaves, said my column also brought back a memory for him: “Bob, when you lived on Johnson Avenue, you and I went to the corner of Knob Creek and Market Street where (West Side Esso Servicenter) was having a grand opening. They had Paul Anderson there as a guest. 

“There was a barbell lying there on the pavement that he was going to lift. I remember that you and I “tried” to lift it; we couldn't even roll it. We were only about eight or nine years old. It is funny how you remember thoughts like this.”

Larry and I fully agree that if we were at that Knob Creek service station almost 60 years later standing beside Paul Anderson’s barbell, we still couldn’t budge it.  

Read more

A favorite book of mine is “Old Limber” or The Tale of the Taylors (Delong Rice, McQuiddy Printing Co., 1921). The small-sized 88-page volume speaks of a famed Walker hound once owned by Alf Taylor, former governor of Tennessee. The witty prose emulates that of Alf’s brother, Bob, also a Tennessee governor: 

“Alf could not take the thousands in his audiences to the mountains; so he must bring the mountains to them. By the magical power of description, he lifted upon their enchanted views the blue and lofty peaks, drew out the long a sloping ridges and laid the river-threaded valleys. And when he has veiled them all with the silver sheen of moonlight, he blew the horn of fancy and out from their kennels came a third of a hundred hounds, each individual, except one, bearing some noted name.

“There was Alexander and Bonaparte and Bismarck and Lincoln and Grant and Thomas Jefferson (for Ben is a Democrat and would have his representation). There was a Caruso and a Patti and a Jenny Lind, which latter names were, perhaps, the most appropriate, for these dogs were singers – all.

“But the greatest of the troupe was “Old Limber,” a direct descendant of that mysterious tramp dog of unknown lineage, which old man Walker had found in the woods of West Tennessee eighty years ago. And still the picture grew under the spell of the speaker. The neighbors gathered and with them was Uncle Ace, the proud valet of the dogs and dusky musician to the camps of the clan.

“And they hied to the crest of a ridge, which lies on a nocturnal circuit of the foxes and release the chafing pack. There was the soft rataplan of feet as the dogs were lost in the shadows, turning for a little while the keys of silence until the strings of expectancy were taut; then intermittently, they thrummed the hills, as when a fiddler tunes his fiddle.”

A reader sent me several pages from The International Fox Hunter’s Stud Book, Volume II, (S.L. Wooldridge, Keeper of Records, The Chase Publishing Company, 1923). The volume offers an interesting look into the world of dog breeding. The names vary from the mundane to the atypical; some dogs even have two names. Limber’s parents and offspring can be found in the list:

“Taylor’s “Ole Limber” 2180 – Nat G. Taylor, Johnson City, Tenn., owner and breeder. (Walker) BW&T dog. Whelped June 29, 1915. By Limber (Taylor) out of Sail (Taylor); Sail by Ginger our of Mary Jones; Ginger by Tomcat out of Queen; Mary Jones by Dug out of Trilby; Tomcat by Jaybird out of Fan; Queen by Rout out of Fury; Dug by Harbinger out of Alice; Trilby by Raider out of Vic; Jaybird by Red Sam out of Mag; Fan by Minch out of Old Fan; Rout by Clark out of Spring; Fury by Bohannon’s Ginger out of Kate; Harbinger by Imp. Harbinger out of Belle; …

“Alice by Ed Walker out of Lot; Raider by Don out of Blk. Fan; Vic by Raider out of Tuck; Limber by Duke out of Kate; Duke by Gordon out of April; Kate by Buster out of Frances; Gordon by Phil out of Phoebe; April by Scrape out of Meck; Buster by Arp out of Phoebe; Frances by Don out of Tex; Phil by Arp out of Lill; Phoebe by Joe White out of Nancy; Scrape by Troupe out of Linda; Meck by Bally out of Emma; Arp by Joe out of Charmer; Phoebe by Joe White out of Nancy; Don by Rock out of Lucy; and Tex by Scrape out of Bones.”

Alf Taylor’s beloved canine has long been silenced, but tales of his celebrated hunting exploits still permeate local history books. “Old Limber” will not be forgotten, at least as long as this writer is around. 

Read more

One piece of exciting news in 1912 was the opening of Jones-Vance Drug Company at 121 Buffalo at Tipton. There were just four doctors in town then – Dr. Elmore Estes, Dr. J.H. Johnson, Dr. W.G. Matthews and Dr. J.H. Preas.

Owners H. Raymond Jones and T. Beauregard Vance took over the site formerly occupied by the Abraham Heller Cigar Shop. This was in the era of Model T cars, brick streets and trolley cars. Jones had ten sons and over the years employed them as they became old enough to work.

A 1915 Chamber of Commerce booklet described the business as “a beautifully fitted up store, which reflects credit alike to the city as well as to the proprietors.” The publication further stated, “It may be said that there is no branch of business, which, for its successful operation, calls for such a high standard of character, combined with sound knowledge and ripe experience, as the modern drug business. This store is thoroughly stocked throughout with every variety of drugs, sundries, medicines, toilet articles, perfumes, cigars and all other such articles usually found in first class enterprises of this character.”

In 1969, the late Dorothy Hamill, former Johnson City Press-Chronicle writer, interviewed Lloyd Jones, the only surviving son. He noted that although his family’s trade changed hands several times during its 68-year operation, it always carried the original name. His store duties included helping prepare medicine, working at the soda fountain and dispensing a wide variety of patent medicines. Jones recalled that the hours of operation were from about six a.m. until nine p.m., seven days a week.

On the left side of the store as you entered was a counter that displayed boxes of candy, stationery, chewing tobacco, cameras, perfume, postcards, cosmetics and the like. On the right side was a beautiful soda fountain fabricated of marble and onyx. “There wasn’t any refrigeration then,” Jones said, “We kept the ice cream in ice and rock salt and made our own chocolate syrup. Customers could buy chocolate milk for five cents. It consisted of ice cream, chocolate syrup and milk, all mashed up together. You could get a banana split for ten cents. At the end of the fountain was one of those decorated china lamps that looked like stained glass.”

Lloyd indicated that fountain customers were served at one of three round wrought iron tables at the far end of the store. Notably absent were counter stools, considered to be out-of-place for a quality drug store. Ironically, not considered rudimentary was a brass spittoon (or cuspidor) sitting on the floor just inside the door to the right, adjacent to the soda fountain counter.

Air conditioning consisted of an overhead fan for summer months and a coal burning stove in the back during cold weather. Hot pipes from the stove ran under the ceiling and had to be cleaned periodically. The remedy was to wrap sulphur and nitrate of soda together and burn them in the stove to eliminate the residue in the pipes.

Getting a license then meant serving as an apprentice to another druggist for a prescribed period of time. Medicines were prepared in a back room by the pharmacist. He charged 50 cents to fill a prescription plus the price of the drugs. If people wanted pills, the attendant would mix and grind the powders and place them in capsules or small paper folders. The store’s original mortar and pestle were eventually donated to ETSU’s Reece Museum.

Jones-Vance made some of its own remedies such as tincture of iron and iodine, a cough medicine containing mostly honey and laudanum (opium), a blood tonic called IQS (iron, quinine and strychnine), a liniment rub comprised of mostly grease and cayenne peppers and another tonic known as VVP (vim, vigor and pep). The drug store also sold several patent medicines such as Lydia E. Pinkham’s Vegetable Compound and Cardui, “The Woman’s Tonic.”

The close proximity of the business to the railroad resulted in customers arriving in Johnson City by train from Virginia and North Carolina and patronizing the store, often bringing with them orders from the train conductors. These would be filled and taken back to the depot the same day.

Hungry customers desiring more than fountain fare usually went across the street to the Buffalo Café that was operated by an older lady. The eatery’s placard consisted of a single board containing the menu. In addition to short order items, regular dinners cost 35 cents and Sunday ones sold for 50 cents.

City directories reveal that Jones-Vance moved to 110 E. Main between 1928 and 1935 on the site formerly occupied by Gump’s clothing emporium (downstairs) and Jobe’s Opera House (upstairs) and later the Tennessee National Bank.

While few residents can remember the Buffalo Street store, many can recall the impressive Main Street one. The business remained in that location until its demise in 1960.  

Read more

Memories of old West Side School continue to flow from J.C. Press readers, this being my fifth column on the subject. Terry Parsons, who attended the school between 1951 and 1957, offered his own personal reflections. 

“I waited with great anticipation for going into the first grade,” said Terry, “because my sister, Betty, and my brother, Roger, were already in school. I wanted to carry books, notebooks, pencils and papers back and forth to school each day. I craved it.

John Mahoney and Terry Parsons

“Mr. John Mahoney, the principal, rang the old bell in the mornings signaling that it was time to get to school. I recollect his letting a few of us pull the big rope that extended from the ceiling just outside the auditorium.” Terry offered comments about his seven teachers:

1st Grade, Mrs. Mildred Taylor: “I remember her class” said Terry, “and setting at those little rectangular tables with about four or five kids to a table. Her reading circle was at the back of the room where she read from a large book. The students read back to her and chanted, ‘See Tom run, See Spot run.’”

2nd Grade, Miss McCloud: “She was the first teacher that I had a crush on. She was a pretty dark haired woman who was single. Her boyfriend occasionally came into our class, which brought giggles from the students.”

3rd Grade, Mrs. Georgia Tomlinson: Terry described her as a robust woman and a stereotypical teacher. He said she had impressive chalk calendars on her blackboard that were really a work of art. He recalls being in a play in the auditorium as a policeman dressed in his Cub Scout shirt and pants and wearing his Safety Patrol hat and plastic white belt.

4th Grade, Mrs. Alberta Sisk: Terry depicted her as looking much like Aunt Bee of the Mayberry television series. He said the little kids were downstairs and his class finally made it upstairs. It was in the 4thgrade that he was introduced to ink pens. Learning to use this device was part of becoming a grown up – a right of passage.

5th Grade, Mrs. Mildred Adams: The 5thgrade was upstairs on the south side of the building. The teacher was a small slender woman with gray hair. He learned fractions in math, which he said began to get more complicated.

6th Grade, Mrs. Ruth Martin and Mrs. Maude Meek: Mrs. Martin taught him all courses except math, which was presented by Mrs. Meek. “We received the famous Weekly Readers, which we read and answered questions in the back of the little paper,” said Parsons. “The 6th grade was the boys’ first experience with organized football. The city had a P.E. teacher assigned to each school that organized each school’s football team. Ours was Coach Bob “Mohawk” Mays.”

Terry has vivid memories of the trees that surrounded the school and how they would turn each year into the most beautiful fall colors imaginable – rich golds, yellows and reds. His class went outside and collected leaves, brought them inside, traced them and colored the tracings. Each year, the school held a ‘’The Fall Festival,” marking the beginning of the holiday season – Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. The entire school was heavily decorated in vivid fall colors.

Terry concluded by saying, “A lot of parents baked cakes and brought them for the ‘cake walks,’ which were held in front of the office in the great hall. One game was held at Miss Taylor’s class doorway. Curtains were strung across the door and kids took a long cane pole and fished over the curtain to catch a prize.” Ah, such memories of yesteryear. 

Read more

“Young Johnnie Steele has an Oldsmobile, He loves a dear little girl, She is the queen of his gas machine, She has his heart in a whirl.” Few songs capture the nostalgia of the birth of the “horseless carriage” than the 1905 musical composition, “In My Merry Oldsmobile,” written by Gus Edwards and Vincent P. Bryan and published by M. Witmark & Sons. Ransome Eli’s Olds Motor Vehicle Company came into existence in 1897.

An excerpt from Sinclair Lewis’s “Babbit,” (1922) further states: “It was a night of lovers. All along the highway into Zenith, under the low and gentle moon, motors were parked and dim figures were clasped in revelry.” An examination of some old Johnson City directories between 1911 and 1921 reveals some early and virtually forgotten automobile businesses:

A.J. Hurlbut & Co. (121 Spring), A.J. Wakefield (200 W. Main), Burrow Motor Co. (339 E. Main), Dahl & Johnson (320 E. Main/227 W. Main), E.D. Hanks Motor Co. (119-121 E. Market), East Tennessee Motor Co. (320 E. Main), H.R. Parrott Motor Co. (Ash Street), Johnson Auto Co. (320 /339 E. Main), Johnson City Automobile & Machine Works (corner of Roan and Millard), Johnson City Buick Co. (339 E. Main), Lewis-Brown Sales Agency (123 E. Market), Model Motor Co. (117 E. Market), Morris Motor Co. (115 S. Roan), Southern Auto & Welding Co. (206 W. Market), Standard Auto Repair Co. (207 Boone), Summers-Parrott Hardware Co. (Buffalo at Ash) and Wood Motor Company (308 E. Main).  

An interesting article in an October 1960 Hobbies Magazine told of an antique automobile display called “Come Away with Me Lucille – The Gay Days of Motoring, 1897-1912.” It featured 12 antique cars from the late 1800s. The hazards and hardships seen in the display vividly illustrated the safety concerns and lack of comforts of those beautiful but experimental relics of yesteryear. 

Several “dangerous” vehicles were identified that included a 1906 Cadillac, one cylinder, ten H.P., selling price $1050; a 1900 Columbia Electric Surrey (with the fringe on top); and a child’s Electric Runabout of 1907.

Others on display were the 1898 Leon Bollee Tricar, 1899 Locomotive Steamer, 1903 Pierce Motorette, 1903 Autocar Tonneau, 1904 Knox Surrey, 1904 Franklin Touring Car, 1906 Success Auto Buggy, 1911 Buick Runabout and a 1912 Spache Cyclecar. Their attractive finishes, plush upholstery and shiny brass made it difficult to believe that the future of the automobile industry was so uncertain. One man reportedly had his car fabricated in the shape of a horse. Also, Henry Ford twice considered selling his company.

The display also included a wide array of motoring artifacts and parts of early automobiles, ranging from a compilation of horns and headlamps to milady’s vanity case. The article humorously said “this luxurious case, equipped with every conceivable necessity for repairing the effects of the journey, is significant for it was not until nearly 1912 that primping and powering ever took place outside the sanctity of the boudoir.”

“Come away with me Lucille, In my merry Oldsmobile, Down the road of life we'll fly, Auto-mo-bubbling, you and I.”

The “Johnny Steeles” of today must find alternative “merry automobiles” for going “auto-mo-bubbling” with their favorite “Lucilles.” Sadly, the Oldsmobile motored off into the sunset on April 29, 2004 after 106 years of operation. 

Read more

Last February, I wrote about the tri-city Preaching Mission that faithfully came to Johnson City, Kingsport and Bristol annually in February for an 8-day convention between 1955 and 1986. Recently, I located supplementary material about it.

Feb. 13, 1955, the inaugural day of the Mission, was typical East Tennessee mid-winter weather. In spite of this, a large number of folks turned out in all three cities. Johnson City led the pack with an attendance of 3,000 participants that night at ETSC’s (later ETSU) Memorial Gymnasium and 1000 at noon the next day at the Tennessee Theatre. This outpouring of excitement set the tone for the week.

Highly recognized speakers on the agenda included Dr. Dan Poling, editor of Christian Herald magazine; Dr. Walter Judd, Minnesota congressman and a former medical missionary; Congressman Brooks Hays of Arkansas, former president of the Southern Baptist Convention and Dr. Charles Allen, Grace Methodist Church in Atlanta. A newspaper write-up said the meetings produced inspired and challenging messages. Dr. Allen became a crowd favorite and consequently was invited to future missions.

A year later, several Elizabethton church leaders asked that their town be added as well, prompting a name change to Appalachian Preaching Mission. In addition, three other cities jumped on the bandwagon – Erwin, Jonesboro and Greeneville. Erwin eventually formed a Mission of its own.

By 1957, the four cities had a combined weekly attendance of 79,927, with Johnson City leading at 36,850. A year later, the total topped 85,000. Johnson City continued to lead with 38,102.

The Johnson City Press-Chronicle offered continuous editorial support, citing the potential for spiritual as well as civic and social growth. George Kelly of the Press-Chronicle once wrote, “People truly drawn together by spiritual bonds are likely to be drawn together in other ways that count.”

The annual mid-winter services became a habit regardless of weather conditions. The ETSU gym was often filled to capacity. At noon, it seemed as if the whole town had closed and flocked to the Tennessee Theatre. The Preaching Mission became a high priority event, often taking precedence over other city happenings. It was advertised well in advance with the admonition, “Clear your calendar.”

Over the years, other recognized speakers traveled the four-city circuit, some accepting little or no pay: Gov. Theodore McKeldin of Maryland; Dr. Louis Evans, First Presbyterian Church, Hollywood; Dr. Duke McCall, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville; Dr. Harold C. Ockenga, Park Street Church, Boston; Dr. Charles Ray Goff, Chicago Temple; Dr. C. Oscar Johnson, former president of Baptist World Alliance; Dr. Pierce Harris, First Methodist Church, Atlanta; Dr. James DeForest Murch, editor of Christianity Today; Dr. Andy Holt, president of the University of Tennessee; Dr. Theodore Adams, president of the Baptist World Alliance; Dr. Robert C. Shannon, First Christian Church, Largo, Florida; and Rev. Bob Richards, San Diego Church of the Brethren.

In 1961, the Mission moved to April to address the concerns of ice and snow. Initially, all seemed to go well with the first night’s attendance at 3600 and the second one at 4000.

Nevertheless, the date was moved back to February at a new venue – the recently built Science Hill High School gymnasium. From there, it was relocated to Freedom Hall in the 1970s where it remained until its demise in 1986.   

Read more

Recently, I received four pages of an undated newspaper known as The Monday Wash, distributed by “The Young Woman’s Auxiliary of the Monday Club,” and advertised as “A Newspaper of No Character.”

Solomon New was editor of the paper that appeared to date back to about 1940. The paper’s serious aim was noted in an editorial: “For several years now, we’ve had no Monday Wash. The depression took most of the laughter from us and gave us so much to worry about that we lost, at least temporarily, our sense of humor. This year we have attempted to give you a few laughs in a paper, which is designed not for the purpose of making fun of people or hurting anybody’s feelings. The proceeds of the sale will be used for civic work.”

The newspaper’s rates were $.25 daily, $.25 weekly and $.25 yearly.” The paper did not print communications whose authors were revealed to the publishers. They claimed to have three libel suits and desired more. Submitted manuscripts had to be accompanied by a deputy sheriff.

A lengthy article titled “Knights of Bantam Chanticleer” spoke of an organization for the prevention of cruelty to bachelors. Part of the 379-word oath stated: “I being of sound mind and having an inordinate indisposition to bestow my worldly goods upon any woman of the female sex, realizing the uncertainty of married life, which I believe to be a scheme upon the part of woman to inveigle man into paying her board bill for life and recognizing the certainty of the joyous and untrammeled life of the bachelor, do by those presents, in the presence of these assembled Knights, herby …”

Another article mentioned a trek of the “Hick, Hack, Hike Club.” The group left Johnson City, hiked to Alta Pass (NC), trekked to Greeneville (TN) where a light lunch was enjoyed, took a 20-minute rest break, journeyed on foot to Gatlinburg, to Erwin and thence to the foot of Buffalo Mountain. The group then walked an hour, skipped an hour, trotted the next 30 minutes and ended the third hour with “a decided gallop.”

Another story was of a stranger stopping at Central Baptist Church in the middle of the Sunday morning worship services while Dr. William Rigell was preaching. The visitor slipped into a back seat alongside a member and whispered to him, “How long has your minister been preaching?” He was told “about ten years.” “Well,” said the stranger, “I think I’ll stay; he must be nearly through.”

A testimonial was sent from George Barnes, City Judge, to Mr. Stevedore Smith of Jones-Vance Drug Store, whose occupation was listed as “Pharmaceutilist and Mortician”: Gents, I suffered from tendium, languor of spirits and a disinclination for work for nigh on to 40 years. I tried 38 and a half bottles of your ‘Git Up and Go Prophylactic,’ and got up the next morning feeling fine. Since then, I have ‘worked’ over 30 men with good results.”

About the only earnestness in the paper were advertisements: Masengill’s, Zimmerman’s News Stand. Office Supply Company, Remine Monuments, Windsor Hotel, George E. Treadway & Sons, Free Service Tire Company, Vee Bee Grocery, Central Coal Company, Mrs. Lyons Taylor Fruit Cakes, Snyder-Jones Pharmacy, Mrs. W.W. Belew Cakes, Bobie’s Chili Parlor, The Hat Box Millinery, The Marguerite Hyatt School of the Dance, Beckner’s Jewelers, Dosser’s, Mecca Restaurant, Appalachian Funeral Home, King’s, The Floral Shoppe, The Charlie Cargille Studio, Bonnie Kate Beautify Salon and H.E. Hart Jewelers.

And then there was this clever news bit: “At a recent Rotary Club meeting, Doc. Wheeler had a congestion of traffic on the Esophagus Road to his stomach. He tried to run a load of hotdogs through a red light.” 

Read more

A 1902 edition of the Comet newspaper spoke of the upcoming election that year. The Democratic ticket consisted of James B. Frazier, Hamilton County, Governor; Cy H. Lyle, Washington County, Congress, First District; J.N. McKenzie, Wilson County, Railroad Commissioner; A. H. Tipton, Greene County, State Senator; J.L. Clark, Washington County, Representative; and R.M. Barry, Unicoi County, Floater. The Republican ticket was noticeably absent.

The U.S. Representative race grabbed much newspaper space by duly noting why voters should elect Lyle to the position and why they should not elect the incumbent Republican contender, Walter Brownlow. You may recall that it was Brownlow who got Soldiers Home approved for Johnson City on January 28, 1901.

At first the contest was considered a joke, but the underdog Lyle turned up the heat on his popular rival. The harsh tone of the campaign was much like those of today. A partial listing of “Do’s” and “Don’ts” reveal the torrid debates that ensued:

“Don’t vote for Brownlow because he is a petty tyrant, for he has threatened those holding official positions under the government with loss of their positions if they do not work and contribute to his campaign. He is a spoilsman. His doctrine is that positions in his district shall be given to those only who help him get in office. His practice is to buy votes and influence with governmental appoints regardless of merit.

“Don’t vote for Brownlow if you have any regard for the purity of your election. His motto is that anything is fair in politics and resorts to intimidations, misrepresentations, vote buying and corruption, thus debauching your citizens and imperiling your institutions.

“Don’t vote for Brownlow if you are a union veteran and pensioner. You fought for principle, risked your life and all to preserve your government and are entitled to your pension as a matter of right and law. If you are a confederate veteran, you sacrificed all for what you believed to be right. With your record, you can’t afford to vote for a man whose practices are all wrong and who measures your manhood by the standard of money and the political pie. He is a demagogue, spoilsman, violator of the civil service laws, corruptionist and a disturbing factor in his own part.

The paper then offered reasons for voting for Cy Lyle.

“Vote for Lyle because he will strive to advance the best interests of the people of this district without asking them to be his slaves for so doing. He is opposed to the prostitution of the ballot box and is in favor of upholding, not trampling upon, the manhood of our people. He proposed to act upon the principle that ours is a government of the people, by the people and for the people and not a government of Lyle and his appointees, by Lyle and his appointees, and for Lyle and his appointees.

“Vote for Lyle because he is opposed to the trusts which put from 50 to 75 percent advance on your food and clothing and from 10 to 20 percent advance on your wages, which sell you articles at 100 percent and sell the same articles in Europe at 25 and 50 percent less.

“Vote for Lyle in order to purge your district of politics in which bribery, intimidation, corruption and demagoguery take the place of statesmanship and disgrace your honor, integrity and manhood.”

When the votes were counted, Lyle had lost to Brownlow and Frazier was elected to the governorship. Cy Lyle, as editor of the Comet newspaper, had the liberty, money and position to say what and how much he pleased about his own candidacy and that of Brownlow’s … and he did.   

Read more