Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Oak Grove News

Last week's news:

Editor's note: Mrs. Kendrick's news last week was hand delivered Wednesday afternoon, too late for the paper.

Oak Grove and NCTS school reunion has come and gone. It was not as big has it has been. So many of our alumni have passed away. Those who attended had a good time seeing their classmates one more time. One of our teacher's (Mrs. Elsie Sanders) funeral was Friday, June 30. She had been sick a long time. She was the wife of Edward Sanders. He drove the school bus at Oak Grove.

L.W. Johnson's funeral was held at Harrison Chapel Baptist Church.

Ennis Gulley's funeral was held Thursday at Bethel AME Church with burial at New Salem Cemetery.

We need funds to keep up the cemetery. We had it mowed three times this summer and it needs it again real badly. We have never run out of money before. People who have people buried over there did not give a penny last year. We are asking $25 per year.

Our homecoming will be the second Sunday at New Salem AME Church.

Our revival services will begin Monday night at Bethel AME Church with Rev. Wallace Ingram as the evangelist. Come on out. We are planning to have a good time.

Elder Bernis Blake, his wife and son, visited me at home after church Sunday evening.

Peter Gulley's funeral was week before last.

This week's news:

We are having some extra hot weather here in Arkansas.

Our revival closed out Friday night at Bethel in Rosston. Rev. Wallace Ingram was the evangelist for the week. We had a packed house every night. He is pastoring in Rockford, Ill., at the present.

I hate my news did not get printed for last week.

Our annual homecoming will be the second Sunday in August at New Salem. We are looking to seeing you there. If you can't come, send. We try to keep the cemetery mowed. We really do miss Mr. Willie Flemons. He was really good and dependable. He sent us a very good person in his place. We ran out of money this time. We had to mow twice a month this time, not weekly. It needs it every week. It has really rained this summer. Those of you who have relatives over at New Salem, please send your money on time so I can record your name. I have been the contact person for four or five years. Send it to Lula Kendrick, Rosston. We need your help. Some did not pay last year at all. I paid the last time by myself. The cemetery does not belong to the church. It is for the people whose families are buried there, so send your dues. If you want a receipt I will give you one. Just don't let the cemetery grow up. To those who have paid I thank you. Dues are $25 per family. Pay what you can. Donald Bozzelle has paid his family's $50.

I am asking the men who have relatives over at New Salem to come out Saturday morning to help clean up around the campus. Everybody around New Salem has died out, but Girtie Blake, Mrs. Morgan, Henry Staples, Therman Simpson and Clyde Simpson, and they are all sick. There is not enough around to have service. Hope to see you the second Sunday in August.

We are having preaching in the morning and singing in the afternoon at the homecoming in August. Elder Bernis Blake of Hot Springs will be our speaker for that morning. He is also a home boy. He has plenty of relatives around here and is a very good speaker. Try to contact someone for that afternoon solo or anything else. Oak Grove has given its word they will make contacts and they will. Others need to commit so that more can fellowship.

Mrs. Vera Purifoy and friend and her sister and brother-in-law, Velma and Lupo, went to Las Vegas on vacation. She says they had a good time.

I am having my people come for the homecoming at New Salem Church. Some are coming from Atlanta, Ga., Detroit, Mich., and other places. We are well represented over there.

Mr. Herron, from Louisiana passed away last week. John Mixon raised him.

Oak Grove has lost its pastor, Rev. Bobby Young. His parents are cousins to me. He was doing good at Oak Grove, but when it was time to go; he knew it.