In 1924, a county physician had strong words for rural schools that failed to meet state health standards. Water quality and outbuilding sanitation were recurring issues. Other news revolved around a small army of musicians descending on Poplar Bluff in 1949 and higher-than-average accident rates in 1974.
100 years ago
Aug. 27, 1924
• Dr. I.N. Barnett, county physician, just completed a four-day review of all rural schools in his jurisdiction. Some buildings passed the sanitation inspection with straight A’s. Others flunked.
Barnett focused on each school’s sanitation practices and water quality. At the high end was the Hart school district, which he said, “has completed cleaning up the school grounds and buildings and has complied in every way with the requirements of the State Board of Health.”
At other schools, he found neglected outbuildings and unsafe water supplies. In paraphrased remarks to the Daily Republican, he said, “(They) have staggered in the direction of cleaning up... but ‘the stagger is about as far as it went.’”
Barnett’s findings will be submitted to the school directors and the State Board of Health.
75 years ago
Aug. 27, 1949
• Seventeen bands totaling 800 musicians will perform at the Butler County Centennial Jubilee in a few days.
The bands hail from across Southeast Missouri and Northeast Arkansas. They’ll present a 20-minute program on the courthouse lawn, then march a few blocks with the centennial’s opening parade.
Uptown in Bacon Park, a tent city is growing to house industrial exhibits and other displays. The Daily American Republican promised, “This will be the largest array of canvas ever seen in Southeast Missouri.” The main tent is 210 feet long.
50 years ago
Aug. 27, 1974
• By the numbers, Butler County is more accident-prone than state and national averages.
The DAR studied data from the U.S. Public Health Service and found over three years, Butler County averaged 24 fatal accidents, 13 of which involved vehicles. (These figures only reflected county residents, not non-residents who suffered accidents within county lines.)
In terms of population, the accident toll was 73 fatalities per 100,000 residents. The state average was 64 deaths, and the national average was 58.
America’s yearly economic loss due to accidents was $29 billion in medical costs, lost wages, property damage and loss in production. Butler County’s share of this was approximately $6,048,000.
Altogether, USPHS reported 116,000 accidental deaths in the previous year. This was lower than it could’ve been since the energy crisis decreased speed limits and limited road travel, it reported.