100 YEARS AGO…
The Rockdale Public School was closed on account of the epidemic of flu having stuck hard among the teachers. Both Supt. Hodges and Principal Hughes were forced to bed. Mrs. W.H. Lyon, sixth-grade teacher, was also confined to her bed and others teachers were apparently on the verge of an attack, while the resignation of Miss Caldwell, as third-grade teacher, had to be accepted on account of the serious illness of her father, to whose bedside she was called. Unless otherwise informed, all pupils and teachers were expected back at school the following week, without fail.
A committee from the Carlyle Post number 358, American Legion, met with the Rockdale Chamber of Commerce and presented a plan for getting some much-needed street work done. Briefly stated, the plan was for Rockdale business interests to declare an allday holiday on some convenient early date and for every able-bodied man in town to don overalls, secure pick, shovel, hoe or space and work—the work to be done under an organized plan.
Mrs. E.A. Camp was the gracious hostess to the Matinee Musical Club. Cheery fires in open grates and hearty greetings all bearing the Valentine message, made guests feel the genuine hospitality of the lovely house. After an interesting business session, a pleasing musical program was rendered. The club had taken up a splendid study for the year, miscellaneous programs featuring the work. A popular musical game added further pleasure to the meeting in which Mrs. Marrs, proving the most adept, received a delicious box of Valentine chocolates. The hostess served a dainty sweet course, with plate favors of attractive Valentines.
40 YEARS AGO…
For the better part of the last decade Alyce Shields of Rockdale had been trying to create a black history library. Shields was standing on the porch of the library, located at 517 Fourth St., and helped library director O.E. Wilhite cut the ribbon which officially opened the building. Miss Shields, 88, was a former teacher in the New York City school system who began working for the library soon after retiring and moving back to her native Rockdale.
The Rockdale Volunteer Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary surprised the RVFD with a balloon bouquet containing a $1,000 check for the new fire station building program.
20 YEARS AGO…
There were no less than 18 sets of twins on the 91-student elementary campus. That made an average of 3.9 percent twin births in Rockdale, a bit higher than the national average of 3.3 percent. Elementary principal Andrew Griffith could keep up easily—he had twin 3-year-olds at home. “Must be something in the water,” Griffin quipped.
Stanley and Theresa Burgess were the winners 2002-2003 Project Graduation car giveaway fundraiser. The annual event raised over $35,000 for the graduation- night alcohol-free party.
10 YEARS AGO…
BOOM-ing Rockdale? Well, no. Nobody’s really going to use that word in post-Alcoa downtown Rockdale in the winter of 2013. But it did look good when a sure-enough construction crane set up at the corner of Cameron and Main (US 79 and FM 908) and began to haul roofing materials to the top of one of the town’s historic buildings. The 100 block of North Main was getting two new businesses, building owner Betty Jensen told The Reporter. A Mexican restaurant and a video game rental store would occupy the first floor of what was for decades the Hodges’ Man’s Shop building. Jensen said a new roof was the first phase of the remodeling project at the site.
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