Editor’s note: This feature mines our archives for what was going on this week in local history.
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From our archives: Here’s a look back at this week in 1981
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During a particularly cold night for October, members of the McDowell High marching band had to huddle for warm and were oblivious to the action on the football field. These band members trying to stay warm by sharing the quilt were (left to right, front to back) Mel Clyburn, Debbie Phillips, Kris Silver, Tina Spurlin, Beth Lolley and Kim Morrow.
Even though it was October, Christmas was already on the minds of some McDowell County residents. The members of the Marion General Hospital Auxilary were gathering items for the upcoming Christmas bazaar, set for Nov. 11. Auxiliary member Faye Oglesby is pictured with some of the items collected for the bazaar.
During the week of Oct. 23, 1981, the American Thread plant hosted a craft competition for its employees. The winners were (front row, left to right) Ida McKinney, Jackie Bailey, Rachel Murdock and Rose Bowers (second row) Bernice McAfee, Hilda Burnett, Irene McKinney, Mary Cuthbertson and Iris Ayers (third row) Personnel Manager Wade Bowman, Robert Gouge, Dan Shirlen, Diana Suttles, Joe Robinson, Bill Miller, Ann Parent and Plant Manager Bill Henline.
During the week of Oct. 23, 1981, Hickory High’s Red Tornadoes rolled over the McDowell High Titans to a 35-7 victory at McDowell High’s Titan Stadium. This photo shows Titans Stan Fuller and Bosco Butler playing hard in the game.
At the Pleasant Gardens Elementary fall festival, David Ramsey was officially elected as “the Ugliest Man in McDowell County.” During the fun event, Palmer Hensley (left) presents “Mr. Ugly” with the ceremonial Frankenstein mask instead of a crown. Ramsey won big with 102 votes. Other top vote-getters for this “honor” include Gerald Kirton, Larry Ramsey, James Hardin, Max Ballew, Stewart Duncan, Steve Pierce and Haskell Davis.
During the fall of 1981, seven McDowell High seniors were nominated for the prestigious Morehead Scholarship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The nominees were (front to back, left to right) Janice Bryant, Annette Lytle, Michelle Ford, Allyson Edwards, Chris Buchanan, Scott Campbell and Angela Ellis.
During the week of Oct. 23, 1981, David Ricketts was selected to be the new principal of McDowell High School. He was a 15-year veteran of the McDowell County schools, having previously served as the principal of East Junior High before chosen to take over at the high school.
The McDowell County Law Enforcement Association and the Woodmen of the World hosted a haunted house and fall carnival for Halloween. One of the carnival’s lighter activities was the Nerf ball throw. This photo shows the nerf ball hitting Sheriff Bobby Haynes.
Thirty-five years ago this week, McDowell County schoolchildren enjoyed a performance by the North Carolina Symphony, which performed a children’s concert in the gym of McDowell High. The featured soloist for this performance was David Lewis, who played the euphonium and tuba. A second concert for adult patrons was held in the auditorium of East McDowell Junior High.
Monty Randolph of the Titanette tennis team returns a shot in a match at the high school.
The West Junior High girls track team from October 1981 were (front row, from left) Cindy Greer, Jennifer Willis, Kim Young, Dawn Walker, Tammy Largin and Tena McKinney. In the second row from left were Tami Wilson, Redae Price, Gina Wise, Karen Allison, Jennifer Mooney and Jamie Creola. In the back row from left were Tonya Lanning, Lisa Howard, Andrea Boone, Janet Taylor and Coach Phyllis Davis.
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