50 years ago

Aug. 28, 1974

— MIGHTY MITE FOOTBALL OPENER SEPTEMBER 14

The Mighty Mite football program will not be in the Carthage league this year. Cassville and Mt. Vernon have formed their own league. The first game will be September 14 at home, third and fourth grade team at 1 o’clock followed by the fifth and sixth grade team. The first practice will be September 3, 5 until 6:30 p.m. All players who have signed up will need a doctors release, football shoes and a mouthpiece. Any third, fourth, fifth or sixth grader wanting to play should contact Bob Sermon or Lonnie McCullah before Friday evening, August 30. More players and helpers are needed this year if the program is to be a success.

— PROBLEMS CUT ROARING RIVER USE FIGURES

Despite floods, inflation and travel cutbacks, Roaring River State Park is holding up well in attendance figures for the first five months of the season, according to statistics released this week by James Woods, park superintendent. A year ago, at this report period through July, the park has 23,574 campers who had used facilities. This year the figure stands at 22,656. Day use figures a year ago stood at 228,600, compared to 139,740 for the current year. Total camper units for July in 1973 was 6,038, with a drop to 5,729 this year. Attendance figures for July last year had 258,982 people through the park with a noted drop of 167,725 this year. A major portion of upper Table Rock traffic uses the highway through Roaring River. Total fivemonth figures for campers has March through July reading 61,806 for last year, compared to 51,185 this year. Day use for a like period last year was 919,015 with a drop to 585,687 this year. Camper units in 1973 listed 15,914 with the like number this year of 14,269. Overall attendance last year was 998,975 at this time, compared to 652,976 this year. Parks in Missouri overall jumped four percent in camping last month according to James Wilson, director of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Wilson noted recent national figures indicated camping is down in both commercial and national areas. Attendance figures were down slightly, by three per cent, for the state. The camping attendance figures are extremely accurate, he said, because they are based on cash receipts for each camping unit, and total number of campers. ‘Attendance figures are not as reliable as our camping attendance figures because they can’t be controlled,” Wilson said. “They’re based on periodic visual counts, not actual dollars collected.”

40 years ago

Aug. 29, 1984

— DRIVERS ARE TOLD TO WATCH FOR SCHOOL-BOUND YOUNGSTERS

As the school year begins, motorists should review a few safety lessons and watch for children on their way to school. The Auto Club of Missouri reports that a large number of pedestrian accidents involve children under the age of 15 who dart into the street from school buses or around parked cars. Last year in Missouri, 19 children under age 15 were killed and 794 children in that age group were injured as pedestrians in traffic accidents. That represents a notable increase over previous years. In 1982, only 14 children in that age group were killed in such accidents. Thirteen lost their lives the year before in pedestrian accidents on Missouri streets. To help avoid such accidents, the Auto Club advises parents to help their children map out the safest route to school or to the school bus stop. The Auto Club also advises motorists to: – Watch closely for reduced speed limit signs in school zones, especially those that become effective when classes are in session.

• Stop before passing or overtaking school buses that have stopped to pick up or discharge children.

• Keep an eye out for youngsters riding bicycles. They may appear from a blind spot near the car.

• Remember to change summer driving habits and pay close attention to school traffic controls such as stop signs, traffic signals and crossing guards.

— ENROLLMENT INCREASES IN PROSPECT FOR SCHOOLS

Two of Barry County’s seven school districts opened classes this week, the remainder will open doors after the Labor Day weekend. Districts that have students on their campus anticipate increased enrollment figures when the holiday weekend ends. Others are projecting slight increases. If all districts have larger pupil numbers, last year’s number of students, 4,772 in the county’s educational system could be exceeded. County schools in the four years 1977 to 1981, lost about 100 pupils per year. First to begin classes, Purdy schools, posted a nine student increase above last year, with 468 enrolled the first day, according to Superintendent Richard Place. Elementary enrollment for the R-2 district was 248 with high school classes containing 220 pupils. The Purdy campus has a new vocational agriculture/industrial arts building in operation for this school year. Place said the next meeting of the Purdy board of education is September 10, in administrative offices. Southwest of Washburn recorded a 23 pupil increase for this year, with 686 students, compared to 663 last year. Superintendent Richard Reavis said increases were largely in the elementary and junior high divisions. Board of education action has established the R-S levy at a total of $2.47 representing a rollback of 23 cents from last year. Next meeting of the board will be September 10. Open house for the district is 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. September 7. Parentteacher conferences will be November 5-6 for kindergarten through fourth grade and November 12-13 for grades five through eight. Schools opening classes Tuesday, September 4, after the Labor Day holiday, their last year’s enrollment and particulars, include: Cassville, superintendent Dan Bailey said the 1,296-enrollment last year will show an increase this school year. He said opening events include a faculty seminar Thursday. Transportation routes will be basically the same as last year. New students can call the bus garage for schedules. Shell Knob elementary district will have a new library facility ready for this school year reports principal Bill Hadlow. The principal expects about the same enrollment this year as posted for opening last year, 135 pupils. Jenkins elementary has a registration Friday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. for new students and kindergarten youngsters. Judy Meadows, principal, says last year’s start of classes had 85 pupils enrolled. Exeter school district campus is undergoing a change, with construction started on a new industrial arts building. Superintendent David Burns said footings for a new high school classroom structure will be poured this week. Exeter’s enrollment figures last year were 277 pupils. Wheaton’s enrollment last year was 371 pupils, according to superintendent Charles Cudney. Monett school district posted a 1,473 starting pupil number for 1983 classes. The superintendent is Dr. Ralph Scott. Officials of all districts said persons desiring information concerning start-up of classes, especially for new students, should contact the respective offices prior to the September 4 beginning of classes.

30 years ago

August 17, 1994

—120 HOLES FOR NEW HIGH SCHOOL’S HEAT / AC

All that 24-hour drilling at the site of the new Cassville high school that has been interrupting some rest for light sleepers is due to be completed this week as 120 holes that will be tied into a ground source heat/air conditioning system for the 100,000 square foot facility Contractors expect to complete the process of punching that number of holes 300 feet into the ground. Eventually the system, which includes 60 units ranging from two ton to 10 ton, will be connected to the wells in the state-of-the-art system. It will be the first such system in this area. Equipment of this type is not located outside but situated throughout the structure to provide heat or air conditioning. Each hole will contain a looped 1.24 inch pipe, each of which is attached to a four inch pipe which recirculates throughout the system. Pipes are an entirely closed system, in theory never requiring replenishment of fluid. The water does not come from the drilled wells. Bill Shiveley, manager of Barry Electric Cooperative, said the system was bid under separate proposals of the $4.3 million total project. He said the system ran about $104,000 more than a conventional boiler or natural gas system. He said rebates provided by Barry Electric and KAMO Cooperative in Vinita, Ok., covered the over-cost of the system. Electric cooperatives participate in the cost of both commercial and residential installations of the ground source systems. Shiveley said the system would result in more than a one-third savings for the R-4 district overuse of conventional heating-air conditioning systems. This will be the first fully air-conditioned facilities for the Cassville district. Shiveley said the system would be unique in that a single room could be heated or cooled for particular use. Under systems on the present campus, meetings of a night course require that an entire building be heated to make those using the facility comfortable. In the ground source system, designated areas can be comfort zone controlled without the cost of an entire building. Rotary drilling equipment has been utilized in providing the “wells” at the northeast corner of the main structure. These will be attached to the system to provide water at an estimated temperature of 60 degrees. General contractor for the project is R. E. Smith Construction Co. of Joplin. Ground system equipment is being installed by Ground Source Systems of Buffalo, Mo.

— DEVELOPER, PARK LAND BEFORE COUNCIL EXTENSION

Back in session Friday noon to complete business from the previous Monday regular meeting, Cassville city council heard from a business developer with a street project request, rehashed some Chappell Estates discussions and learned their proposed park land purchase would amount to $53,354.06. Developer Ron McGrath of Cassville was back before council to present a proposal of extending Third Street eastward across his land to connect with Sales Barn Road. The project had been previously discussed with council as a traffic relief point between Sale Barn Road connection with Highway 248 and prior to the signalized intersection in mid-Cassville. McGrath, proposing a business development of a strip mall and eventually a possible super market, agreed to have his engineer provide plans for the extension and to provide the land. In return, the city would provide 400 feet of large concrete pipe and other culvert requirements at a cost of $30 per foot for the pipe. Total cost estimated at $16,000. Additionally, the city would construct the street, pave and provide curb and guttering at an approximated cost of $30,000. Total cost of the expenditure estimated at $46,000. Clerk Jo Ledgerwood said it was assumed costs for this project would come from the $340,000 budgeted this year by the city for street overlay and general improvement projects. With council not coming to any decision regarding the request or project, agreement was reached that a contract would be drawn by city attorney Don Cupps between McGrath and the city for future consideration. Members Rick Linebarger, Randy Stockton, Sue Brattin and Darrell Ledenham concurred in the present direction of the project. Council has also learned of the cost involved in their proposed purchase of park land from the Cook families. City clerk Ledgerwood said survey of the area had set a 41.48 acre area to be purchased by the city. Don and David Cupps would retain 28.46 acres of the area owned by the family. The Cooks would retain 4.29 acres where their homes are located. At a cost of $1,286.26 per acre, the city cost has been determined. The area has become controversial as residents of Southern Hills subdivision have objected to the area becoming a sports complex. They told council in the regular session August 8 of their opposition. Supporters of summer youth programs were equally vocal in their support of the project.