It happened, years ago

The Clay County Fair Board has announced that there will be no gate fee for admission to this year's fair, although it will cost $1 for adults and fifty-cents for kids to get into the rodeo. Meanwhile, Clarence Rust, program director for the Rector Labor Day picnic reports that a full day of entertainment has been arranged with Congressman Bill Alexander as the featured speaker.

Also in the news, the annual McDougal picnic is also set for Labor Day weekend with entertainment by Dave Sharp and the Country Gentlemen. And Cletus Gribble of Pollard has purchased the Piggott Printing Company and will now operate the business.

Two local soldiers bumped into each other at the Tay Nihn airbase in South Vietnam recently. Neither Terry Olds of Route 2 Piggott, or Donnie Ort of St. Francis, knew the other was stationed nearby. And at the Carolyn Theater this week the features included--"Peter Pan" along with "Where It's At" and "Twisted Nerve."

Kent Sexton of Kennett and C. W. Knauts of Piggott won the second annual four ball golf tournament at the Sugar Creek Country Club with a 21-under-par 123. And Cate's Grocery took the Little League title with a record of 8-2. Coaches and team members were Kenneth Mowery, Charles Littrell, Eddie Littrell, Robert Duckworth, Tom Duckworth, Kent Coomer, Barry Broadway, John Cole, Dale Harmon, David Mowery, Brent Coomer, Timmy Raymond, Mark Ward and Ricky Mead.

1979

Ginger Graves of Rector was named Miss Clay County 1979, while Little Miss was Melinda Finder of Piggott. Meanwhile both the Rector and McDougal Labor Day picnics are at hand for the upcoming holiday weekend.

The PHS land judging team that won the state title last year, and competed in the national event at Oklahoma City, has been invited to compete at the Mid-South Fair this fall. Team members are Byron Williams, Barry Magee, Tim Fisk and Jim Ellis.

At the Carolyn Theater this week the feature is "Frisco Kid" with Gene Wilder and Harrison Ford while the late show was "The New Adventures of Snow White."

Wayne Ingram of Rector reported the first cotton boll on Aug. 28, which was raised from Delta Pine 16 seed that was planted in early May. And in births to announce, a son, Mark Ian, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Chuck Minton of Route 1 Greenway Aug. 20 at Dunklin County Hospital in Kennett.

This week's paper also included a feature on the Knob School, which was started in 1872 near the site of the Rock Springs Church. It was named Rock Springs District #13, and consolidated with Knobel in 1947. The last students moved to the Knobel campus in 1964.

And in sports, the Mohawk's will kickoff off the football season at Paragould this Friday night as they visit the Bulldogs.

1984

Tracie Bell of Rector was named Miss Clay County for 1984. Meanwhile, this year's Little Miss was Ashley Taylor of Piggott first alternate was Ashley Kemp of Rector and second alternate was Leslie Morrisett of Piggott. Plus the picnics at Rector, McDougal and Wilhelmina are set for the Labor Day weekend.

Classes at Piggott schools will start Tuesday, Sept. 4 and will be going on from 8:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. daily. And the newly-formed Clay County Central School District is expecting 850-900 students when they begin classes this fall.

At the Carolyn Theater this week the feature is "Bachelor Party" while the late show was "Joy."

PHS senior band flag corp members were pictured with the new flags made for them by Mrs. Lil Hoggard, the group includes--Cathy McLeskey, Kathy Proctor, Peggy Baber, Kelly Williams, Renee Duckworth and Lisa Pentecost.

Coach Jim Berryhill reports that the football Mohawks are preparing for their season opener at Westside in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, Westside and ASU grad Donna Clark is the new volleyball and girls' basketball coach at PHS.

And the annual football contest has returned to the pages of The Piggott Times, and the first game of the week for 1984 was Arkansas State vs Memphis State.

1989

As kids set to return to school, this week's paper included a feature on longtime local teacher Elsie McDowell, and the many one-room schools that were once located across Clay County. Also in the news, a literacy workshop was held at the Piggott Community Center recently with 16 people taking part in the effort.

The Labor Day Picnic is set in Rector for the holiday weekend and in McDougal as well. David Avery of KAIT will be the MC for this year's Miss McDougal pageant in that community. Meanwhile, the PHS class of 1969 held their 20th reunion with a cook-out at Piggott Tractor and a get together at the Sugar Creek Country Club.

Larry Lee Hitt of Malden brought in the first cotton boll of the year, which was grown near Holcomb and was planted back on May 5. And top horseshoe pitchers at the Clay County Fair were Bill Wilcox and Rick Steward, while Bob Causey and Paul O'Dell were tops at washer pitching at this year's competition.

The "youthful" Piggott Mohawks of Coach Ed Winberry will host Westside to start the football season, and will start seven sophomores from last year's unbeaten conference champs. Meanwhile, Phyllis Morgan's volleyball girls will start their season at Crowley's Ridge Academy.

Brock Swann and assistant Mike Book take over the junior Mohawk football team, and re-load from last year's 8-0 squad. They'll look to QB Chris Brawner and running backs Chad Taylor, Larry Jones and Keith Samples. The offensive line will include center Michael Harrell, guards Jason Lance and Matthew Self, tackles Ryan Pounds and Tim Mowery (the only eighth grader on the line at 190 pounds) end Monte Howell and wideouts Andy Dixon and Shannon Buchannon. Basically, the same bunch of players will make up the defense as well for the junior Tribe. In their season-opener they fell to Gosnell 0-22.