Yesterdays

75 years ago  

(1934)  

Every pupil of every grade in the Conway Public Schools has been supplied with every book required. The major project of the Central P.T.A. this year was to provide books for every child. Mrs. Mason E. Mitchell was chairman of the PTA book committee. Teachers were contacted and asked to list all the required books. Then books were brought from homes, garages and attics. The books were sorted and placed in bookcases at the different schools. Churches and Sunday schools joined in the donation of books. Boy Scouts went to homes to collect the donated books. In addition to filling the wants of the Conway schools, over 100 books of reference were added to the libraries in the Central and Ellen Smith schools, 50 books were sent to the Vilonia school library, 50 books were sent to the Old Bethel School and 112 books were sent to the White County school. Some books, not secured by donations, were bought through the Conway Book Store, which gave the committee credit. The Central PTA planned to appropriate $15 for this debt. A few public-spirited citizens planned to voluntarily give $1 each toward this work. It was estimated that $30 would be necessary to complete the project started at Central PTA and expanded to take in Ellen Smith school and the African-American school. Conway was founded by three men who were college graduates, Col. A.P. Robinson of Yale, Maj. Harold Borland and Capt. E.M. Merriman of West Point. It is fitting that Conway should become the Athens of Arkansas. We are proud of our schools. Citizens wondered if there is another town in Arkansas where all the children in all the grades have all the books required. As far as we know, this is the first time in history of the Conway schools that this could be said and it was all because the PTA set a goal and worked toward it.

50 years ago 

(1959)

The new Arkansas Children’s Colony, which was formally dedicated last week, would receive 24 children a week, beginning today, until the full capacity of 256 was reached.

Henry Hawk of Arkansas State Teaches College continued to pace the Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference in three major divisions of individual statistics. Figures released by AIC Commissioner Cliff Shaw showed the fleet halfback had rushed for 370 yards, good for first place in both rushing and total offense. Hawk also was on top in scoring with five touchdowns for 30 points. Two of Hawk’s teammates placed in the top five in rushing offense. They were Jackie Ward, third with 242 yards rushing, and Jim Wetherington, fourth with 211 yards. The two were fourth and fifth in total offense.

25 years ago

(1984)

Tim Horton, the Wampus Cat tailback, was setting new records. He rushed for 741 yards in the first five games and gained 100 or more yards in the last four. No other Conway player had ever gained that much yardage in five games or surpassed 100 in that many straight games, at least since 1958. Newspaper accounts of games before 1958 did not include complete individual statistical information. There was evidence to suggest that Don Owen had four straight 100-yard games in 1957, but it could not be documented. There was nothing to suggest that any Wampus Cat before 1958 had ever made 741 yards in the first five games. This might be a surprise to longtime Conway observers who remembered top flight Wampus Cat runners such as Joe Baldrige in 1947, Joe White in 1949, Dennis Fulmer in 1953, Henry Hawk in 1955, Eddie Turner and Owen in 1957, Jack Ward in 1958, Turner in 1960, Bill Hardin in 1962, J.B. Pendergraft in 1963-65, Mike New in 1967-68 and a few others since then. Other players on this year’s team with top performances included John Mimms, Andre Acklin, Brock King, Mitchell Fusilier, Rusty Mosley, Marco Wright, Ernie Woodard, Bobby Starr, Stephen Harris, Allen Miller, Andre Robinson, Jim Smith, Brad Mason, Sean Morris and Dave Armbrust.

10 years ago 

(1999)

Junior Auxiliary of Conway’s project, “Your Special Day,” had its first birthday party. The purpose of the project was to make birthdays special for every boy and girl who regularly attended the Boys and Girls Club in Conway. A party was held each month and the “birthday” child received a gift bag with small presents and free coupons donated from local businesses.

The fate of Ellen Smith Elementary School was discussed by the Conway School Districts Board of Education. The board was considering closing the school because the Ellen Smith campus, on 3.6 acres at Harkrider and Fourth streets, did not have room for expansion. Moving the students to Theodore Jones, Sallie Cone and a new elementary school being built on 12 acres on S. Donaghey would be more cost effective, according to studies done by school officials. The board would discuss the issue again in November.