(Another in a series of remembrances of Guntersville in the 1940’s and 1950’s by an attorney and former mayor who grew up then.)
1948 was a very significant time for Guntersville because of the growth and expansion that followed World War II.
My father, D.M. “Rip“ Barnett, had purchased the old Carlisle farm (365 acres) at an auction and he began developing what was the first subdivision in Guntersville in many years.
He kept approximately 50 acres on the northeast side of Highway 69, adjacent to the Alves property. The remaining 315 acres he sold in 3 parcels to Dr. A.G. Finlay, R.A. Brown Sr. and Harry Rutland Sr.
MR. BROWN owned the part adjacent to Dr. Finlay’s property. It went all the way up the mountain to where David and Margaret Brown Henderson later lived.
Mr. Rutland bought the property running from what is now Forest Drive on the north end to Forest Drive on the south end, adjacent to what is now Sunset Drive.
In 1948 lots began selling in what was called the Carlisle Park subdivision for the princely sum of $400 to $550. A little bit later on when televisions first came out in 1950, my dad traded a lot to Radius Perkins, who owned a furniture store, for a full size Admiral TV.
Also in 1948 there were some significant losses to Guntersville. Dr. Henry Lupton Bain, Jim Hindman and Mr. Jones, all veterans, passed away. And my mother was killed in an automobile accident that year.
I began first grade at the Old Rock School (another Depression Era building, then called “City School“). My first room was on the north end of the school and at the back.
My first teacher was Mrs. Flora Downey who lived in a house next door to Glenn Vaughn’s Shell Station on Gunter Avenue. Mrs. Downey was a very kind, compassionate and loving person who taught for many years and is fondly remembered by her students.
My classmates were Jimmy Posey, Jerry Glenn Vaughn, W.S. Adams, Sandra Martin, Sandra Johnson, Tommy Stribling, Mary Margaret Purser, Mimi Bell Yarbro, Bryan Williams, Joe Porch, Melvin Atchley, Linda Sue Word, Lee Matthews, Joe Coker, Margaret Barkley, Rowe Hall, Mike Mann, Bonnie Couch and Walter Richard Beaver.
The principal was Haden Tidmore, who left after that year and moved to Phoenix, Arizona. His replacement was Mr. E.H. Bailey.
My second grade teacher was Mrs. Helen Gilbreath, who taught here for a number of years. My third grade teacher was Mrs. Mary Hugh Patterson; my fourth grade teacher was Mrs. Arrie Crabtree; fifth grade was Mrs. Mary Johnson; and sixth grade was Mrs. Opal McCain.
Other teachers in the school were Mrs. Nannie Hugh Cox, Mrs. Mildred Pennington, Mrs. T.D. Willis, Ms. Ethel Richardson, Mrs. Mary Roden, Ms. Clara Bell Gattis and Mrs. Maude Johnson.
(To be continued.)
