It Happened in 1954

Over the years, Charles Hartley has shared glimpses of what was being printed in The Pioneer News in different months and years. This page includes what was taken from the January through July issues of 1954.

---

January 1954

Myrtle Jackson advertised for sale a seven-room house with electricity and city water in Shepherdsville; James S. Shepherd wanted to sell a five-room house along with ground for a garden, a cow, and chickens out on Raymond Road; and the Kate Greenwell property on Lee Street was for sale. It included a five-room house with electricity and a cistern, garden, and chicken lot. Myrtle Barrall was who to contact if interested.

E. P. Nichols out on Beech Grove Road was willing to trade a pair of mares and some farming tools for a good coon hound.

If you were looking for a large apartment complete with hot and cold water and furnace heat, you could apply at the Jones Gift and Variety Store or phone 133.

J. V. Larence posted no trespassing on his property outside the city limits on Highway 44. Wonder what became of all that land?

Out Nichols way, the correspondent expressed sympathy to Mrs. Mary Ellen Thornton in the death of her sister, Mrs. Edna Hall who attended Nichols school as a child.

And at Bullitt Lick, their correspondent reported that Mr. and Mrs. Henry Troutman, Nina Troutman, Mr. C. L. Croan, and Miss Joan Robison visited Millard Sadler "who has been real sick."

The Shepherdsville High School Rams defeated West Point 54-43 behind the 21 points scored by Parrish and Bridwell Darrell in the second half. Coach Moody said that the ball-hawking on defense by Tee Coy, Arthur Miller, and Bobby Milam in the third quarter really turned the tide for the Rams.

Carl Ray Sadler, who sparked the Rams' JV team to a victory over Old Kentucky Home, turned up the next day with the mumps. He joined Jimmy Cruise with the mumps and Norman Troutman with a sprained ankle on Coach Moody's hospital list.

In the personals column, the paper reported that "Mr. and Mrs. J. V. Shaw and Tommy attended the UK-Tulane basketball game in Lexington Saturday night and spent the week-end as guests of Prof. C. H. Skelton of Asbury College."

County Agent H. E. Rothwell reminded farmers that soil to be tested had to be dry before it could be tested.

Wilma Streble reported that the following students made the honor roll at the Belmont School: (1st grade) Charles Parris, Betty Hodge, Doris LaFollette, Doris Rice; (2nd grade) Susan Nalley, J. B. Skaggs; (3rd grade) Edna LaFollette, Barbara Waters; (4th grade) Raymond Streble, Martha Nalley, Barbara Hawkins, Judith Ann Walden, Ethel Mae Rhodes; (5th grade) Mary Elizabeth Rhodes, Frances Rhodes, Mildred Pearl Nalley, Margaret Goodrich; [same names listed for 6th grade], (7th grade) Frankie Raggs and Christine LaFollette.

Mrs. Robert Wooden, the Mt. Washington correspondent, reported that Mr. and Mrs. Marion Jasper were traveling to Tucson, Arizona where they were to spend several weeks for Mr. Jasper's health. She also reported that Bonnie Bleemel fell down the basement stairs but wasn't seriously hurt.

Mrs. Ted Lesch was appointed to head the local 1954 Heart Fund Drive for the Kentucky Heart Association.

If you needed a well dug, you could call Ray or Jack Bleemel in Mt. Washington. Their number was 2303.

And Elmer Cundiff would sand your new floor, or make the old one look like new. You could call him at 9121.

February 1954

School Superintendent W. O. Anderson was chosen to lead the annual Red Cross Drive in Bullitt County.

Mrs. Mollie Raymond resigned as nurse with the Bullitt County Health Department.

The paper reported that construction of the new toll road would be "the greatest thing that ever happened for our county."

T. C. Carroll was recently elected vice-president of the State Bar Association.

Mr. and Mrs. Roy Shepherd, Buddy, Inez, and Billy had the pleasure of talking to Emogene who was in Margate, Kent, England. The call came through to Mr. and Mrs. Woodford McDaniels.

The S.H.S. band director, Armand Abramson, led his group in giving rousing support to the Rams' basketball team in its 70-45 victory over Mt. Washington.

Mrs. Mary Cook's fifth grade was treated to an interesting account of sights and scenery of Florida when Burnell Pike described her trip to Jacksonville and St. Augustine.

The paper was pleased to report that Mr. Paxton Parrish was able to attend church services Sunday morning at the Methodist Church in Mt. Washington; but regretted to report that little Miss Sharon Pennington has the measles.

Elmer Downs, Roy Kulmer, and William Morrison of the Shepherdsville fire department went to Cincinnati to pick up a used pumper engine that that city had for sale.

The Chamber of Commerce was looking for financial help in getting a bookmobile for the county.

The local P.T.A. expressed their appreciation to Harold Jenkins, Don Riley, Jackie Troutman, Harold Troutman, Charles Fearnbach, Walter Mattingly, Henry Terry, and Blane Terry for providing music at their dance.

Did you miss the grand opening of Wigginton's Union Store Supermarket in Mt. Washington? They gave away 25 baskets of food!

If you shopped in Shepherdsville, the Harold W. Hardy Super Market had a 25 pound bag of Ballard flour on sale for $1.94.

Shepherdsville seniors William Coy, Darrell Parrish, Norman Troutman, Darrell Bridwell, Arthur Miller and Bobby Milam made their final home appearance in a close game against Bardstown. At halftime Janet Masden was crowned queen by Mr. Roger Wigginton. Mr. Wigginton graduated from the school in 1918. Senior Sponsor Neil Farris served as master of ceremonies.

And Attorney General Jiggs Buckman spoke at the dedication of the new lunchroom at the Shepherdsville High School. I had some fine meals in that place!

March 1954

The Shepherdsville Rams' basketball season came to an end when they lost to Willisburg 48-42 in the district tournament.

Lillian Larimore placed a "Card of Thanks" in the paper, thanking her customers, and informing them that due to illness she would be away from the Dairy Bar for about six months.

The Bullitt Lick reporter wrote that Miss Inez Shepherd had her tonsils removed; and that Elmer Cundiff and his wife had visited their son Leland and his family on Sunday.

The reporter for the Bethel News wrote that Druford Moore's daughter had the measles.

At Lebanon Junction the Chatterbox Sewing Circle celebrated their Twentieth Anniversary in the home of their president, Mrs. F. C. Whitehead. The charter members present included Mrs. John P. Samuels, Mrs. Leo Dawson, Mrs. E. H. Fisel, Mrs. Dan Sweat, Mrs. Millard Quick, and Mrs. Whitehead. Other members present included Mrs. R. N. Argenbright, Mrs. Bruce Pipes, Mrs. Wilma Whitehouse, Mrs. Hosie Rexroat, Mrs. Lonetta Gregory, Mrs. Leonard Masden, Mrs. Patrick Murphy, and Mrs. E. C. Pace.

Mr. and Mrs. John Hoskins of Shepherdsville will have to wait to see their new granddaughter since her parents are stationed in Anchorage, Alaska.

R. Lee McAfee, Ora L. Roby, and Walter Cundiff completed their duty of filling the jury wheel as part of their job as jury commissioners.

S/Sgt. Charles Croan returned home from Japan on a 30 day furlough. He and his family will be stationed in Maine.

Mrs. Willie Maye Hackett, Mrs. J. W. Smothers, Mrs. D. E. Snellen, Mrs. Arnold Koch, and Mrs. C. V. Sanders volunteered in the Shepherdsville school first aid room.

William H. McFarland, former school superintendant, sold his interest in the Fishing and Boat Club at Kentucky Lake at a "fancy price."

Among the volunteers staffing the first aid room at Shepherdsville High School were Mrs. Louise Arnold, Mrs. Amy Addison, Mrs. Julia Joyce, Mrs. Wallace Kneisler, Mrs. W. F. Masden and Mrs. Wilfred Greer.

Mrs. Carroll Hedrick, S.H.S. Junior Class Sponsor, was directing the class play to be performed in the school gym.

The Bardstown Junction correspondent reported that Mrs. Jack Applegate had returned home from the hospital and was doing nicely.

The personal column reported that Mrs. Thelma Newman, Misses Ethel and Clara Newman spent a Sunday with Miss Elizabeth Chapeze in Frankfort.

The Hebron correspondent reported that Rev. W. H. Powell took Mesdames D. J. Crumbacker, J. R. Holsclaw, and Eva Garr to Bardstown to attend the American Cancer Society meeting. She also reported that Mrs. Nannie Bridges, age 84, had passed away, and that Rev. Powell had preached the funeral sermon.

And the faculty of the first four grades at the Shepherdsville school surprised Assistant Principal Bob Tanner with a coke and cake party on his birthday. Mr. Ora Roby, who frequently substituted in the grades, was a welcomed guest and song leader.

April 1954

The S.H.S. seniors presented the play, "Meet Me in St. Louis." In the play the Smith family was portrayed by Sam Hardy, Beverly Simpson, C. L. Lane, Carolyn Carpenter, Ina Charles Roby, Bernice Smith, Alice Ryan, and Ed Wigginton. Others in the play included Rose Koch, Shirley Jo Stansbury, Neva Kalwat, Margaret Summers, Eugene Elder, Lloyd Maraman, John McGill, Arthur Miller, and Roy Carpenter.

Mary Robert Barger, Alice Ryan, and Betty Jo McMillen competed for the annual D.A.R. Young Homemakers Award by wearing clothes they made themselves. The costumes were judged by Mrs. S. N. Brooks, Mrs. W. F. Masden, and Mrs. C. T. Korfhage.

Billy Ford Swearingen was awarded the DeKalb award at the Mt. Washington F.F.A. Father and Son banquet.

The Mt. Washington correspondent reported that Phil Lockett and wife moved into their new home on the Shepherdsville Road, and Mr. and Mrs. Joe Owen, Jr. moved into the place vacated by the Locketts.

Senator Alben W. Barkley made a stop in Shepherdsville because "he did not want his friends to feel he had forgotten them."

WHAS-TV hosted a debate between Charles Farnsley, former Louisville mayor, and T. C. Carroll, local lawyer, and Frank Bunce, manager of Bernheim Forest, representing Bullitt County. The subject was "City living vs. Rural living." Seems that the Chamber of Commerce was trying to publicize Bullitt County as an ideal place to live.

Raymond Terry, Director of Pupil Personnel, reported that the Bullitt County school census for 1954-55 totaled 2,715 children, an increase of 166 from the previous year. We've grown a bit since then.

Mr. and Mrs. Jess Brumley of Mt. Washington observed their Golden Wedding Anniversary.

Sheriff Hilary Bleemel and Deputy William R. French traveled to Pennsylvania to return a prisoner who "sawed" out of the local jail some weeks earlier.

The Bardstown Junction correspondent reported that Joe Mooney and some boys from the Senior Class had returned from Washington, D.C. where they had a wonderful trip.

Catherine and Roger Wigginton announced the opening of their Mid-Way Sandwich Shop on Preston Highway midway between Okolona and Shepherdsville.

And the Hebron correspondent reported that, after a trip to the cemetery, she and her brother J. R. Ball stopped at the Mid-Way Sandwich Shop and had a "toothsome roast beef sandwich." Sounds good!

May 1954

On their 70th anniversary, we again honor the 91 students who graduated from high schools in Bullitt County that year.

From Lebanon Junction High School, we honor Bonnie Sue Bradbury, Betty Leigh Formhals, William Lee Hoagland, Billy Hoagland, Shirley Lane, Ronald Leslie, Leonard Masden, Jack McHargue, Carlos Miller, Loretta Pepper, Jerry Rexroat, Barbara Shawley, Betty Sue Shelton (Salutatorian), Keenis Sloan (Valedictorian), Glenna Smith, Martha Thompson, Mary Walker, and Betty Jean Waters.

From Mount Washington High School we honor Glenn Armstrong, Shirley Armstrong, Lloyd Dooley, Billy Roy Gentry, Leonard Laswell, Thomas McAfee, James Robinson, Bobby Sanders, Billy Swearingen, Bertha Carnes, Mary Francis Clark, Darlene Cornell, Ann Crenshaw, Martha Crenshaw, Imogene Graham, Kathy Hardin, Patty Laswell, Hazel Lewis (Valedictorian), Maurice McAfee, Grace McCubbins, Doris Ann Moore, Shirley Ann Parrish, Judith Ann Porter (Salutatorian), and Milda Faye Williams.

And from Shepherdsville High School we honor Ramona Ash, Eddie Beam, Darrell Bridwell, Henry Lee Brown, James Burden, Carolyn Carpenter (Co-Valedictorian), Roy Carpenter, William Coy, Richard Crigler, Nora Mae Dever, Eugene Elder, Doyle Eskridge, Rose French, Vernon Goodwin, Sammy Hardy, Ronnie Hatfield, Selvie Hodge, Yvonne Huffman, Neva Kalwat, Rose Koch, C. L. Lane, John McGill, Lloyd Maraman, Pauline Mason, Bobby Milam, Arthur Miller, Joe Mooney, Betty Jean Moore, Wanda Dean Myers, Lois Norris, Darrell Parrish, Shirley Phelps, Sarah Price, Annabell Rarden, Ruth Ann Riley, Ina Charles Roby (Co-Valedictorian), Alice Ryan, Leona Shelton, Clifford Shepherd, Inez Shepherd, Mildred Shepherd, Beverly Simpson (Salutatorian), Berniece Smith, Shirley Jo Stansbury, Christine Stottman, Margaret Summers, Norman Troutman, Edward Wigginton, and Norma Lee Williams.

In other news, Miss Cora Ney Hardy returned from a three year term of missionary work in Africa.

The annual county 4-H club Spring Rally Day was held May 8. In the style revue Mary Robert Barger was selected as County Clothing Champion; Betty Hawkins won a blue and purple ribbon in the play clothes division; Mary Joyce Magruder of Belmont was county champion in room improvement project; and in girls' demonstrations, Mary Kneisler won the senior division and Mary Joyce Magruder won the junior division.

In livestock judging and crop identification contests held for boys, the following made the highest score: Stanley Daryl Lee, J. B. Shelburne, Albert Kock, William Magruder, Jon Myers, Jerry Snellen, and Joe Barger.

In electrical project, a lamp made by Fay Elder of Shepherdsville won the blue ribbon award.

The Pioneer News partnered with Woltz Studios to take pictures of children, and the paper printed the photos in issues of the paper. Among the many children photographed were Mary Ann and Marsha Dale, children of Harold Abney; Donna, daughter of Raymond Coakley; Brenda and Diane, daughters of Burl Coakley; Sharon, daughter of John Larence; Jacqueline and Jimmy, children of James Sweat; Tonya Lynn, daughter of James H. Hardy Jr.; Carol Jean and Michael Dwayne, children of Billy Stallings; Michael Dale, son of Dale Gentry; David, son of Billy Croan; Mary Ruth, daughter of Milzie Wood; Patsy, daughter of Ellis Cook; Wayne, son of Walter Shepherd; Gloria Jan, daughter of J. O. Smith, Johnnie Ray, son of Sgt. Anderson Payne; Steve and Marcia, children of Gilbert Clark; Billy Allen, son of William T. Ladusaw; Jerry, son of Bill Croan; and Joe Ray and Ralph, sons of Clyde Raymond.

At a joint meeting of the Bullitt County and Lebanon Junction School Boards, it was agreed to merge the two into one system. Thomas Jeffries, former superintendant of the Lebanon Junction district, was named as principal of the Lebanon Junction High School. Two of that district's board members, Reason Newton and Fred Whitehead joined the Bullitt County Board.

The barbers at Keith's Barber Shop and Hatzell's Barber Shop posted an announcement that effective June 1, 1954, adult haircuts would be 75 cents. Kids under 14 would pay 65 cents except on Friday and Saturday when all haircuts were 75 cents.

Audrey Jent, a 1951 S.H.S. graduate, graduated from the Kentucky Baptist Hospital School of Nursing. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E. B. Jent.

And Joyce Cundiff, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Cundiff, had returned to school after undergoing a tonsilectomy at St. Joseph Infirmary. Wonder if she got ice cream?

June 1954

Miss Irma Dell Smith, harpist, performed with the Louisville Orchestra on a river barge in a free concert. She was Nancy Strange's niece.

Dr. James O. Willoughby announced that he was closing his office in Shepherdsville to go work at General Hospital and advance his training. He said that his practice would be taken over by Dr. Bruce Hamilton.

Mr. and Mrs. S. E. Allen announced the engagement of their daughter, Miss Elizabeth Ann Allen, to Mr. Claude Lewis Lane, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Lane.

The Saar family had a reunion at Bernheim Forest. Present were Mr. and Mrs. Charles Maraman, Donna Ray and Charles Henry Maraman, Mr. and Mrs. Noah Whittle and David their son, Mr. and Mrs. John F. Saar, Mr. and Mrs. Roger McAhron, Mrs. Mina Maraman, Mr. and Mrs. Charles M. Baker, Tommy, Linda Lou, Johnnie, Mike, Steve, Kathy, and Ricky Baker, Mr. and Mrs. Roy W. Troutman with Peggy Ann and Roy Gene.

Twenty-seven boys and girls at S.H.S. couldn't get enough music, so they signed up for private lessons during vacation time. Concert band members were Mary Ann Bates, Penny Bergen, Louis Brosick, Joyce Ann Farmer, Billy Hachett, Dana Ann Lee, Wesley Hatfield, Burnell Pike, Bonnie Reader, Patty Reader, Betty Sue Rothwell, Billy Scroggins and George Wigginton. Intermediate Band members included Doris Bishop, Jim Bunce, Donald Coy, Ronald Crumbacker, Donald Dever, Tommy Lee, Estle McElvain, Curtis Pierce, Jimmy Smothers, Ruth Ann Stottman, Carl Warden and Charles Williams. In addition, Martha Eddington and Bonnie Joyce were continuing their piano work.

Billy Horrell, F.F.A. chapter adviser, accompanied four members of the chapter to Louisville for the F.F.A. convention. The boys included Billy Young, C. L. Lane, Selvie Hodge, and Charles Miller.

William French was employed by the Board of Education as a full-time maintenance supervisor.

Ethel and Clara Newman left for New York. They were spending the summer in England, Ireland, Scotland, and Switzerland.

Betty Sturgill opened a laundry in Shepherdsville located at 109 Main Street, north of Henderson & Hardy.

Billy Howard Smith and Bernie Milam were spending the summer attending the University of Kentucky.

And Billy Hardy was promoted to Staff Sergeant in the Air Force when he and his wife returned to Waco, Texas after a visit home to Shepherdsville.

July 1954

Vernon Mothershead was elected president of the Chamber of Commerce for the coming year. Other elected officers were L. W. Demaree, first vice president; Bruce Hartsell, second vice president; Lee McArthur, Thomas Jeffries, Bruce Miller, and Burlyn Pike as directors; and Mrs. Ted Lesch continued as secretary-treasurer.

Frank Bunce was recognized with the Outstanding Citizenship Award for his service as president for the past three years.

As Circuit Court began its session, Judge Gentry swore in a Grand Jury panel consisting of S. N. Brooks, Jr., W. R. Cornell, Hugo Crenshaw, Robert Dever, Hugh Hall, Jesse Lee, Ben McAdams, Roy McCubbins, Roscoe Proctor, Roy Owen, Frank Robards, and J. E. Chappell who was foreman.

Dr. Bruce Hamilton, a Bullitt County native, assumed his duties as Shepherdsville’s practicing physician this month.

The Belmont community was saddened at the accidental death of Norman Earl Heffley who drowned while trying to swim the Rolling Fork River near Pitts Point.

Mrs. Hattie Monroe, who had been associated with the Peoples Bank of Shepherdsville for many years, was employed as treasurer of the Bullitt County schools, replacing Mrs. Nellie Mae Masden who recently resigned.

The Lebanon Junction reporter wrote that Kate Haley had been sick with pneumonia, but was improving; that Otho Quick was slowly improving; and that Clyde Samuels was able to get up from his bed after being very sick. She also reported that Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Stark were all smiles over a new baby boy born in late June.

Gabe Bealmear was offering to sell his 12’ outboard runabout which he said was excellent for fishing. Any takers?

S.H.S. Principal E. E. Rodgers purchased an excellent piano from Mrs. Chester Hill for the school. Now they have three available, one in the gym, one in the lunchroom, and one in the music room, so entertainment can be had in all three places without having to move a piano.

I found it interesting that Mr. and Mrs. Henry Settles left for a three-week vacation in Daytona Beach, Miami Beach, and (this is the interesting part) Havana, Cuba. My, how times change.

The Jones Gift Shop of Shepherdsville sent a big package of fans to Bethel Methodist Church. Cheap air-conditioning.

The Hebron correspondent wrote, “We enjoyed a trip to Shepherdsville one morning last week, and stopped in the Hardy Super Market. We were thrilled to see such an array of good things to eat, and the fine service.”

Miss Mary Curtis Smith attended the Steven Foster Music Camp at Eastern Kentucky Teacher’s College. She was also concert mistress of the All State High School Orchestra at UK.

The community was saddened to hear of the death of Mrs. Anna Brooks Summers, who at 97 was the oldest surviving graduate of Nazareth College. Her ancestors founded the Brooks community, and donated the land for the Hebron Presbyterian Church. She was the widow of Wilson Summers.

The death of A. E. Funk, Sr. was reported in the same issue. A former county attorney of Bullitt County, he began his law practice in Shepherdsville, and was assistant attorney general of Kentucky in the administrations of Johnson and Chandler.

Governor Wetherby was in town to help break ground for the new turnpike to be built between Louisville and Elizabethtown. Have they finished that road yet?

And the Bullitt Bookmobile made its first official run this month. How many of you remember getting books that way?

---

Copyright 2024 by Charles Hartley, Shepherdsville KY. All rights are reserved. No part of the content of this page may be included in any format in any place without the written permission of the copyright holder.

---