100 YEARS AGO, 1918

♦ The official American casualty list from WWI announced the names of over 6,000, including two boys from Faulkner County. Solomon W. Styers of Mayflower was killed in action, and Irwin Smith of Greenbrier was listed as missing in action.

♦ Conway young men in service overseas were notifying their relatives of their safety following the signing of the armistice. Some of the cards received were dated the exact day of the termination of hostilities. The men sending the cards were William R. James, George L. Hiett, W.M. Stone, Oscar and Isaac Anderson and Homer Wilkins.

♦ A notice from the war department stated that discharged soldiers might permanently retain their uniforms and overcoats they wore when mustered out. Previously the department had planned to have the clothing returned to the government three months after a soldier’s discharge.

75 YEARS AGO, 1943

♦ Small increases in hospitalization charges at the city-owned Conway Memorial Hospital were announced by the hospital board. The charge for ward rooms was raised from $3.50 to $4 a day; for semi-private rooms $4 to $4.50 a day, and for private rooms, the rates were unchanged at $5 and $6 a day. Maternity rates in wards, including services to mother and baby, were advanced from $25 to $30 and in private rooms from $30 to $35. Mrs. S.G. Smith was re-elected chairman of the board while Joe T. Parrott was elected vice chairman of the board.

♦ Edward T. Mattison, 72, for many years a leader in educational and agricultural work in Faulkner County, died at his home four miles west of Conway following a long illness. He served nine years as a Smith-Hughes teacher and several years as principal of Pine Street School.

♦ The women’s army corps training program at civilian colleges would be discontinued within the next few weeks and branch No. 3, army administration school at the Arkansas State Teachers College would be inactivated the latter part of February.

♦ The Conway Kiwanis Club’s annual Christmas party for some 1,500 Faulkner County children would be held on December 23. Each child would receive a sack of candy, fruit and nuts and would attend a picture show at either the Conway or Grand theatre.

50 YEARS AGO, 1968

♦ A new 25-foot high weir, designed to protect Conway’s main water supply against backwaters of the Arkansas River when Lock and Dam No. 8 near Toadsuck is completed, was being constructed west of Gleason.

♦ Second Baptist Church approved the construction of a $262,000 auditorium which would seat 1,000 and would be built west of the present auditorium on Polk Street. The present auditorium would be remodeled for Sunday School departments and classes. Rev. William West had bene the pastor for nearly 12 years.

♦ It was announced that the Conway-Plumerville Interstate leg would probably not open until spring although it had been anticipated by year’s end.

25 YEARS AGO, 1993

♦ The Old Bailey Library at Hendrix College ceased operations in anticipation of the opening of the new library on January 3.

♦ Nabholz Properties celebrated its 10th anniversary along with the opening of Nutters Chapel Plaza.

♦ Carl W. Stuart, 70, retired superintendent of Conway Public Schools, passed away. He spent 36 years as an educator, 22 of them in Conway. He was hired as principal of Conway High School in 1964 and four years later became superintendent.

♦ The first purchase of cypress timbers to be used in rebuilding the Cadron Settlement Blockhouse was made. Jesse Ferrell was chairman of the group charged with fund-raising for the rebuild.

10 YEARS AGO, 2008

♦ Covington Roofing celebrated 85 years in business. George E. Covington Sr., chairman of the board, said his grandfather, George A. Covington, started the business in 1923 as a sheet metal and roofing business.

♦ Bethlehem House, Faulkner County’s only homeless shelter, was making plans to build a new facility and volunteers were needed for large fundraising events to raise the necessary funds.

♦ Southwestern Energy announced that it would build a regional headquarters in Conway, employing as many as 50 people in the second major economic development project announced for the city this year. The announcement was made at Hendrix College which was building The Village at Hendrix, a 100-acre “new urbanism” development where Southwestern intended to build its 100,000-square-foot, $25 million facility.

♦ Former Siloam Springs coach Clint Ashcraft was hired to be the new head football coach of the Conway High School Wampus Cats. Before coaching at Siloam Springs, he was at Greenbrier High School for two seasons.