This Week In History, 7-3-08

Citizens of Calhoun County have made up their minds to celebrate the Fourth at home this year.

Plans are underway for an all day celebration to be held on the high school grounds at Grantsville on July 4th. Two ball games will be played, one at 10 a.m. and one at 2 p.m. Charles Lewis, manager of the local nine, has assured us that Jarrett Printers, one of the best teams in Charleston, will be here in full force.

There will be band concerts, a parade and different games and music by the Burns String Band included in the program.

The celebration is under the direction of 4-H club leaders and the proceeds will go to the Calhoun Cottage at Jackson’s Mill.

  1958, 50 years ago

From numerous quarters comes encouraging news. Those of us who have been worried lest we become engulfed in a full blown depression have been reassured. While we are not positive that the recession has touched absolute bottom, many think that it has.

One can be fairly certain that this readjustment was a recession, and is not to be another depression--which is one source of relief to the worried. Spending is increasing and pay raises have been granted to millions. Inventories are decreasing in many areas and production has picked up in some.

From a political standpoint, ending of the recession could be a blessing to the Republicans. From an economic standpoint, the upturn will be good news to all Americans. The U.S., in these times of challenge from communism, certainly cannot afford a depression. The recession has been worry enough.

 1983, 25 years ago

A 30-inch rattlesnake was killed in Grantsville on Sunday, July 3. At about 12:30 p.m., Calvin Robinson and his family were driving into town when he saw a rattler gliding across Rt. 16, near the board of education building.

Robinson killed the creature by running his car wheels over it several times. While he was inspecting it, Fred Barnes, who has been an amateur herpe-tologist for many years, drove by and he, too, stopped to study the reptile.

Barnes classified the rattler as a one-button female. What was unusual about it was its presence in the middle of Grantsville. “It was about fifty miles out of its usual habitat,” he said. He agreed with the Robinsons that parents should warn their children that if they see any snakes with triangular heads and a yellow-and-black diamond pattern, they should keep a respectful distance and call an adult for help.