Looking Back
20 YEARS AGO
The county school board honored Mt. Hosea Missionary Baptist Church and its members for wholeheartedly jumping into the Superintendent’s new church-school mentoring program. The district’s Audrey Lewis told board members that Rev. Eddie York and members of the church were receiving the Award for Adopted Schools for giving 60 mentoring hours a week to St. John Elementary.
To kick off its annual celebration of African-American History Month, TCC unveiled its sixth annual African-American History Calendar entitled “Celebrating TCC’s Alumni: A Tribute to 40 Years of Excellence and Achievement.” Honored on the calendar from Gadsden County were Dr. Vera L. McIntyre and County Commissioner Ed Dixon.
30 YEARS AGO
Christopher Berry of Havana, a Navy Petty Officer stationed in Bosnia, was featured in the Havana Herald after a satellite link-up interview arranged by the Navy. Berry was a Seabee whose battalion was building four large camps to house 20,000 US Army troops who were enforcing a peace treaty between the Bosnians, Serbs, and Croates.
Quincy city officials unanimously decided that if the county wanted its downtown Quincy parking lot behind the Building Inspection Office paved with the help of the city, commissioners would have to come up with $23,100 cash … in advance.
40 YEARS AGO
“We begin our new year by honoring those who have helped us the most in the past year,” Florida Sheriffs Association President Fred Peel of Washington County commented as he presented the Association’s 1985 Legislator of the Year award to State Senator Pat Thomas of Quincy.
The county commission agreed to a contract with an auctioneer to sale surplus and junk equipment at both the Road and Bridge Department and the old hospital building. The board expected to raise at least $30,000.
50 YEARS AGO
Campaigners of Jimmy Carter for President were stumping Gadsden County and stopped in at Miller Chevrolet Co. in Havana to shake hands, distribute literature and chat about their candidate. Asked by owner Billy Miller about government’s increasing size, a spokesman said Carter felt it was too big.
Dick Gandy, a Havana councilman for two terms, was nominated and unanimously elected president of Havana’s governing body. Jim Morgan was elected vice-president. Re-elected councilmen H.R. Bert, Jim Morgan, Bobby Miller, Buck Hook and Bobby Harrell were all sworn into office by Mayor W.K. Cowart.
60 YEARS AGO
Gadsden County Wildlife Officer Joe Pickles was shown in the Havana Herald receiving a service pin denoting his 12 years service with the Law Enforcement Division, Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission. Regional Manager John T. Brown, Panama City, presented the award.
Cecil Victor Butler, Jr. was selected by the Quincy Jaycees as their nominee for the 1965 Five Outstanding Young Men of Florida Award. Butler, of Havana and affiliated with C.V. Butler Farms, Inc., was a student at Auburn.
70 YEARS AGO
Havana’s longtime Scoutmaster, Elbert “Bully” Poppell, announced his retirement from the office that he had held for the past eight years. He was succeeded by Don Butler, who had been assistant Scoutmaster and actively associated with scouting in Havana and the Gadsden District for three years.
Tax Collector Clinton Bassett announced that he would seek re-election to the Democratic Primaries in May. Bassett was completing his 16th year in the office of Tax Collector of Gadsden County. Also announcing his intentions of seeking re-election to the office of County Superintendent of Public Instruction was M.D. “Max” Walker.