The lower picture was made by someone standing in the intersection of 3rd and Main in Baldwyn. The buildings on the right are the downtown school lunchroom and the tabernacle. The burned out brick facade of the old downtown school still looms in the background.
The tabernacle was utilized for temporary classrooms after the fire. The building used for the lunchroom was brought in from another location. We think it came from a CCC camp or Camp Shelby, MS; was disassembled, brought by rail and put back together. This photo was probably taken about the first winter after the school building was destroyed. This (lunchroom) building was later used for a Boy Scout meeting area and also for tabernacle singers to assemble and practice before going to the stage.
The tabernacle was moved to a place further South later and I do not know its' fate. The Baldwyn post office is located on this property now.
The gentleman shoveling snow is Dr. R. B. Caldwell. A better view of the burned school wall is in the background.
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These photos are lifted from a VHS tape of home movies by Claude Gentry.
The "Singing Spears Family" was the best ever to play the tabernacle except for some of the locals like Red Purvis, Roy McCarley, T.D. Gentry, "The Sportsmen" with Seesaw & Junior Heflin, George Martin and Simon Speight. All the politicians came around for Singing Convention also and Ross Barnett was there one year.
ReplyDeleteCarl, do you think that's the same car in both photos?
ReplyDeleteDon't think so, Cindy. I'll look some more.
ReplyDeleteThe cars are not the same one, Cynthia. The gray one is a 40's Plymouth; the other one with Dr. R. B. I'm not sure of. I'll bet it's the same snowfall, tho!
ReplyDeleteAnd, incidentally, notice the playground equipment. It was left there all through the 50s. We would play on the seesaws and there was a flying jenny and a carousel to ride. I would meet some girlfriends on Saturday night and we would stroll down there and sit in the subdued light on the swings and other places and watch the town activity. Mmmm, what good old days those were.
ReplyDelete"flying jenny", Carl?
ReplyDeleteYep. A flying jenny was a term used for a seesaw that would not only work as such, but was connected at the center to a pivot and could be used to spin in a circle at high speeds while two riders tried desperately to hold on, but eventually had to let go and get some skinned knees and elbows. You might know that contraption by another name.
ReplyDeleteMr. Anonymous, I have added a photo of a flying jenny to the original post. When you see it you may recall at least seeing one. It was a real hoot when it got to spinning with some husky fellows in the center making it spin!
ReplyDelete