April 16th 1944 edition of the Jackson County Floridan
I am typing this article from the April 16th edition of the Jackson County Floridan....by Jan Cleveland Morris.I have enjoyed these articles taken from the archives of the paper, and thought that you might like them as well.TLH
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The year was 1944 and the nation was at war.
In Jackson County:
Bob Hope breezed into Marianna with his entertainment troupe when their plane was forced down in Mobile, Ala., because of bad weather.They took to the road on their way to their original destination, Miami, but stopped at the Marianna Army Air Field Weather Station.Inside, Sgt. James Glover was drying his shirt and pants on the stove at the Marianna facility when the door flew open and a familiar voice said, "I don't know if you're a private or a general, but my name's Bob Hope."Hope and his comrades were made welcome in Marianna as the storm pounded down outside.The visitors were treated to ham and eggs at Mess Hall Number Two while dazed night KPs and cooks collected autographs in return for their meal.By the time a photographer had arrived, Hope and his entertainers had left.But the star did autograph the kitchen wall:"G.I. ate here - Bob Hope."
A 68-year old blacksmith at Marianna's Army Air Field's 65th Sub Depot has invented a tool which will remove dents from intake valves on Pratt-Whitney AT-6 aircraft engines.G.L. Smith drew up the plans for his inventions and submitted them to the "new ideas" program.He received a $25 cash award for devising the time-saving device.
An 81-foot Japanese suicide submarine came to town and was on display near the Jackson County Courthouse.It was captured while participating in the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor.The sub was being shown to raise money for the "Bundles for America" program under the sponsor-ship of the American Legion.
The Marianna Pilot Club, composed of Marianna's business and professional women, the city's newest organization, was assigned a quota of $1,500 in War Bonds for the fourth war loan.The group met at the Chipola Hotel and voted unanimously to double their quota to $3,000.
George Morrow Jr., who is attending military school near Montgomery, Ala., spent the weekend with his parents, Mr. & Mrs. George Morrow Sr. in Graceville.
Chipola Cotton Co. proclaimed that cotton was America's number one war crop, second only to steel as an essential war material.The U.S. Army Quartermasters Corps lists 1,100 different items made from cotton.
Scoutmaster D.W. Wells, Troop 36, reported the boys had collected one ton of waste paper and 105 gallons of waste fats.It was reported that Florida leads the nation in the fat salvage program.
The Girl Scouts were holding a tin can drive to help with the war effort.
Lovetts Groceteria advertised bread at 8¢ a loaf, lettuce was 6 1/2¢ per head, knuckles were 15¢ per pound, tails were 15¢ per pound and a bunch of carrots was a nickel.
Turner's Department Store in Marianna announced to customers that its civilian men's clothing had all "gone to war."The clothing went to provide wearing apparel for officers in the armed services.
Many Marianna residents will be pleased to learn that street lights will no longer be on a reduced schedule.
John D. Milton, a Jackson County high school principal, was elected to the office of county superintendent of public instruction with 4,559 votes.At 32, he was the youngest man elected to the office.
(Information in this series is obtained from bound volumes of the Jackson County Floridan.)