By Jessica Gorman
Newspapers from 1924 reflect a variety of topics being reported. Among them was the war on both mosquitos and ticks. Minden called for “death to the mosquito” and frustration was expressed over those not participating in clean-up efforts to rid the city of breeding grounds. Ticks were a major problem for cattle. There was debate over whether or not to continue dipping cattle resulting in federal aid being withdrawn until a decision was made.
In school news, Minden was dealing with a huge increase in students resulting in concerns about overcrowding despite having recently completed a new school building. Other considerations included the addition of a junior college for the city. The new brick school building at Dubberly had been completed and a tax had just passed unanimously in Sibley for the construction of a new building to replace the recently built one that had burned just two months before. The cost of the new building was estimated to be $65,000.
The Brownie Theater in Minden announced the addition of musical and sound effects to movies shown there. They were also set to host a contest to name Minden’s most handsome man.
The visit of a movie actress to her parents in Minden was announced. Mrs. Ruth Lewis Santell, wife of director and producer Alfred Santell, was visiting her parents, Mr. & Mrs. Newton Lewis, on McDonald Street. Her father was a railroad conductor. The Santells were only married a few years before their divorce made news. She claimed cruel treatment and he blamed her for embarrassing behavior.
In contrast, Webster Parish was lauded in 1924 for its low divorce rate and its “unique and enviable record” in this regard.
The Department Club, a joint venture of the women’s civic club and the business men of Minden, was formed. It was composed of units focused on literature, music, and art, home economics, parent-teacher, civics, and commercial interests. The women had recently approached the police jury to ask for funding to establish a parish library.
Similarly, in Springhill, business men organized a club to function as Chamber of Commerce and retail merchants association dedicated “to building their own town into one of North Louisiana’s most progressive communities.”
Voters in Antioch asked for a change in their voting precinct from its current location to McIntyre station. The McIntyre location was considered to be more convenient for most voters of the Antioch precinct.
The local gas fields were providing gas to five Webster Parish communities, Minden, Cotton Valley, Sarepta, Shongaloo, and Springhill.
Cotton Valley was beginning to feel the effects of the oil field boom. There were five wells being drilled and an influx of new residents.
In downtown Minden, two prisoners being held in the Webster Parish jail attempted a jail break. One was being held on a forgery charge and the other on a drunk driving charge that resulted in a collision with a school truck. They had managed to use a hacksaw to saw one window bar in two before deputies arrived.
These are just a few tidbits of local news from February 1924.
(Jessica Gorman is the Executive Director of the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, Webster Parish Historian, and an avid genealogist.)