It Happened in February

The following article by Charles Hartley originally appeared in The Pioneer News on 23 February 2015. It is archived here for your reading enjoyment.

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We will look back 10, 20, 40, and 80 years to capture glimpses of what was happening in Bullitt County in each of these years. Today we will focus on the month of February.

2005 - 10 Years Ago.

Shepherdsville police officers Doug Puckett, Joey Alton, Kenny Proffitt, and James Benham all received meritorious service awards for saving lives during the previous year.

Mt. Washington Middle School claimed the District Governor's Cup competition. Hebron placed second. In individual events, Crystal Grant of Mt. Washington placed first in language arts, Zachary Drane of Hebron won science, Rebecca Porter of Hebron won arts & humanities, Matthew Okruch of Mt. Washington took mathematics, and Alex Nutt of Mt. Washington won social studies.

Did you go see Gold City at the Paroquet Spring Conference Centre ten years ago? The concert also featured the Morris Family from Mt. Washington.

Bullitt Central eighth-grader Jeremiah Walls was pictured keeping his head up in the Sharkbait wrestling tournament hosted by B.C.

Theodore Roosevelt was president when Nettie Greenwell Coomer was born. When she was seven, Arizona became a state. Her parents Gatton and Leona (Shepherd) Greenwell lived in the Cedar Grove area when she was born on Valentine's Day. She married Ray Coomer when she was sixteen. And in 2005 she celebrated her 100th birthday!

Allison Miniard of St. Aloysius won the county spelling bee.

I wonder if David Bradshaw, Austin Eastridge, Isaac Mitchell, Noah VanVactor, Nathan Sparkman, Mason Hebst, Devon Hollander, Alex Bryant, Jesse Miles, Brandon Mann, Avery Runion and John Bradshaw of Cub Scout Pack 686 remember visiting the Southeast Bullitt firehouse and getting their picture in the paper?

Wayne Edwards of Shepherdsville placed ninth in the Florida Dodge Dealers 250 at Daytona Beach, his first top-10 finish.

And Robert White wrote an excellent article about Leon Mattingly, a very talented softball coach who happened to be legally blind. He was beginning his 39th season coaching softball, including 20 years while legally blind. Amazing guy.

1995 - 20 Years Ago.

Brian Shelman and Jennifer Adams were named King and Queen of the Bullitt Central Basketball Homecoming. At Bullitt East, it was Steve Mudd and Stacy Clements taking the honors; and at North Bullitt Chris Beisler and Dara Davenport were selected.

Kent Vincent rolled his first 300 game at the Bullitt East Bowling Center.

Bullitt Central chorale students Benji Simmons, Russ Berry, Erica Steams, Olivia Terry, Chris Lasley, Bobbi Jo Mattingly, Leslie Baker, and Jeremy Galloway presented their annual music presentation, "BC Billboard."

Brandon Egan of Bullitt East signed a national letter of intent to attend Western Kentucky University on a football scholarship.

The Cracker Barrel restaurant at Brooks and the Medicine Shoppe in Shepherdsville both opened this month in 1995.

Lois Simmons of Pleasant Grove reported that Doc and Robie Neighbors of Louisville visited Mr. and Mrs. Mac McAfee, and they played dominoes and had chili for supper.

The Bullitt East Lady Chargers defeated Sacred Heart 61-59 behind 26 points by Alison Bass. The rest of their scoring was evenly spaced with Becky Franklin having 5 points, Lisa Mason 6, Sheri Barnett 8, Lee Remington 4, Kelly Karnes 6, and Carrie Johnson 6.

The paper announced the 1994 All-Bullitt County Football Squad. Included on offense were Brandon Egan, Scott Johnson, Jason Calvert, Jason Reynolds, Eric McCawley, Reggie Wells, Willie Foster, Jason McClain, Dereck Rogers, and Newton Farias of Bullitt East; Jason King, Sam Potter, and Rick Brown of Bullitt Central; and Ricky Spears and Clint Smith of North Bullitt.

The defense included Kevin Crisp of North Bullitt; Bud James, Rick Brown, and Jason King of Bullitt Central; and Jeremy Yearns, Dereck Rogers, Todd Wray, Reggie Wells, Niki Britt,, Jeremy Jenkins, Jason Calvert, and Brandon Egan of Bullitt East.

Victor Shawler showed that he knew his way around the world by winning his Mt. Washington school's Geography Bee competition.

In the middle school Academic District Competition, Chad Thompson of Mt. Washington won the mathematics written assessment competition, Fred Paul of Hebron won in science, Michael Robison of Hebron in social studies, Hannah Compton in language arts, and Gabe Hodges of Mt. Washington in general knowledge. Leslie Dorris of Mt. Washington wrote the best English composition.

David A. Imbrogno was officially welcomed as the new executive director of the Bernheim Forest and Arboretum Center.

Lee and Debbie Mills of Bullitt Central announced that they would retire at the end of the school year.

And Carolyn French and Betty Darnell signed copies of their new book, Out of the Shadows, at the Ridgway Library. It's still available.

1975 - 40 Years Ago.

Pastor Estell R. Casebier of the Dennie Memorial United Methodist Church in Lebanon Junction announced that the new church building would be dedicated this month.

Jean Hatzell announced that she was a candidate for Circuit Clerk in the May primary.

Shepherdsville Mayor Margie Eddington proclaimed the week beginning February 9th as Future Homemakers of America Week in Bullitt County.

Mr. and Mrs. Herman Brown announced the opening of their new Western Auto building on Highway 61 just south of the Salt River bridge.

New Bullitt County Shrine Club officers were announced. They include President Jim Ryan, Vice President John R. Smith, Secretary & Treasurer C. L. Lane, Temple Director Bud Hardy, Sands Representative Ike Neal, and Motor Corps Director Vernon Patterson. The Board of Directors included Quentin Johnson, Jim Roe, Carroll Neeley, Owen Miller, Bob Kyser, Grant Heath, Steve Plenge, Jim Welker, Ed Pierson, and Benny McDonald.

The Bullitt Central Cougars may have found spacious Freedom Hall intimidating in the first half of their game against Henry County, but they came back to win 65-50. Mark Hardy had 17 points, Jim Troutman 11, Bruce Coulter 9, and Howard Miller 9.

Ida Atkisson lost a pair of bifocal sunglasses in Lebanon Junction. Have you seem them?

Mrs. Anna Hawkins retired as Postmaster of the Shepherdsville Post Office. Before that, she was Editor and Manager of the Pioneer News for her parents, J. W. and Myrtle Barrall from 1931 until 1966.

Bob Carpenter's Shepherdsville Jr. High Rams used a half-court press to defeat Taylorsville 62-23 after trailing 10-8 after the first quarter. Mike Seaton led with 15 points. Donnie Doan added 10 and David Masden 9 points for the Rams.

Peggy Francis of Mt. Washington was named chairman of the 1975 Easter Seal campaign for Bullitt County.

And Mr. and Mrs. Frank Cornell announced the engagement of their daughter, Marilyn Patrice, to Mr. Bill Hardy, son of Mr. and Mrs. Bill Hardy of Shepherdsville. Congratulations on 40 years, Bill and Marilyn!

1935 - 80 Years Ago.

Do you have any idea just how many schools there were in Bullitt County in 1935? Here's a list of those with fewer than 50 pupils: Mt. Olivet, Bullitt Lick, Mt. Elmira, Sugar Valley, Cedar Glades, Pleasant Hill, Victory, Woodsdale, Hobbs, Pitts Point, Beech Grove, Hays, Cane Run, Harned, Mt. Carmel, Culver Springs, Bardstown Junction, and Sharps. And here are the ones with 50 or more pupils: Nichols, Sunny Side, Glen Meadows, Pleasant Grove, Hebron, Zoneton, Bethel, Mt. Washington, Cedar Grove, Clermont, Oak Grove, Belmont, and Bowman Valley. All of these schools were separate districts until they were merged into a County System that year. Only the independent districts of Shepherdsville and Lebanon Junction were not included in the County District.

Buster Rogers scored 16 and Millard Cundiff had 5 as the Shepherdsville team defeated Fairdale 28-19.

C. L. Troutwine Jr. assisted the pastor in a trombone duet at the Baptist Church in Shepherdsville.

Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Lee entertained at a farewell party in honor of a group of young teachers who left recently for Bowling Green. Those present included Kathryn Harned, Sara Fay Lee, Marie Rodgers, Pauline Daugherty, Sarah Whitman, Rua Larimore, Woodrow Masden, A. J. Beeler III, Victor Lee, Richard Maraman, Homer Myers, Clifford Lee, Tommy Joyce, Wallace Harned and Freddie Sadler.

The Shepherdsville High School debating team of Lorraine Funk, Betty Jane Hardaway, and Tommy Carroll defeated Caneyville High School in a match.

The Cedar Grove correspondent reported that Robert Grant had whooping cough, and that Will Swearingen lost a good work mule.

The Mt. Washington correspondent shared that Miss Louise Porter and Mrs. J. T. Bridwell went shopping in the city last Monday.

I wonder if they saw Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Masden, Loyce Bergen, Minnie Maraman, and Eugenia Stansbury who were there too?

Eighth graders Lois W. Hardy, Robert Howlett, and Vernon Troutman were on the seventh month honor roll at the Glenn Meadow school.

Estill Ray Bridwell, Benita Hall, Eugene Hall, Adrain Jones and Gorden Armstrong received certificates to high school from the Pleasant Grove school.

Over in Salt River, Grandma Spears had been sick for several days, folks were glad that Mrs. Cundiff was able to be up, and Mrs. Marguerita Dunaway was given a shower at her parents' home before she left to join her husband in Bowling Green.

William Z. Coleman, who used to live at the Meadows near Gap-in-Knob, died on February 4th. He was the son of T. C. and Lilly Z. Coleman.

The County Agent, J. R. McCord was helping organize 4-H Clubs in a number of schools in the county.

Miss Evalena Bergen gave a birthday party with Agatha Dever, Florence Tinnell, Elnora Maraman, Ester Richardson, Terry Maraman, Nadine Richardson, and Lavenia Harris as guests.

T. W. Hoagland of Bardstown Junction had brine cucumber pickles for sale at 30 cents a gallon, or 4 gallons for a dollar.

And the Lebanon Junction correspondent reported "Many of our children are absent from their classes at school because of having measles." Sound familiar?

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Copyright 2015 by Charles Hartley, Shepherdsville KY. All rights are reserved. No part of the content of this page may be included in any format in any place without the written permission of the copyright holder.

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