Community

30 YEARS AGO: PRAYER AMONG SMOKING EMBERS — There were still same flames at the burned out Calvary Baptist Church Sunday morning when the congregation gathered at 10 a.m. to pray for a quick rebuilding of their church. Whisps of smoke fanned by breezes drifted over the group ever reminding them of what four arsonists had caused at their near Exeter church. The structure was a total loss, despite the efforts of both Exeter and Cassville volunteer fire fighters. Only solid concrete portions of the building remained standing after the blaze. Pastor Richard Jones, Sr., said the congregation has made arrangements for temporarily holding services in the Cemetery Building in Exeter. Cottage prayer meetings will be held at the homes of church members. The rural church northwest of Exeter had just under 100 members. Democrat file photo

50 YEARS AGO: SOME TO COLD STORAGE — Part of the apples, not immediately destined for a market, picked this year at Vollenweider Orchard go into huge cold storage facilities.

50 YEARS AGO: In addition to special assignment duties, these members of the Barry County Mounted Sheriff’s Posse represent the area in various events through the area.

30 YEARS AGO: Cassville can be as big as she wants to or as small as desired, depending on which way her visitors might want to enter town.

50 YEARS AGO: Cassville city patrolmen, Eddie Boyd, left, and Danny Spyres, right, display a new radar unit now in use by the local police force. Part of the unit is mounted on the patrol car while the officers hold the read-out unit. A preliminary trial of the equipment shows considerable speed on local streets. City council action in leasing the equipment for a four month period before making a purchase also set rules for officers to follow in its use.

Sept. 4, 1973 — Joe Stewart Company, Construction Galena, was the apparent low $293, 095, bidder, at Friday on a State Highway Commission road project in Barry County.

Les and Jan Cooper, of Cassville, are celebrating 50 years of not strangling one another on Aug. 25. The Coopers’ granddaughter, Janessa Sullivan, said, “They have laughed, cried, had their arguments, but they always got through it together.

30 YEARS AGO: SOLVING PROBLEM OF HEAT — A pair of Exeter youngsters were about to solve the heat problem late Sunday afternoon as this photo was taken. The youths, Cosmas Trotter and Greg Parks were taking a plunge into Flat Creek from the Jefferson bridge on Route Y. The plunge meant about a 20 foot drop from the rail of the bridge into cooling waters.

50 YEARS AGO: Whether you are on the anticipated eating end…or expect to increase income as picker, Barry County apples will be available for both next Monday. John Vollenweider of the Vollenweider Orchards says the harvest will swing into full gear starting Monday.

50 YEARS AGO: This enlargement of an advertising card used about 70 years ago wasn’t an unusual means back in the first days of the present Barry County Courthouse. A number of Cassville businesses used this method of expressing their pride in the new county office building.