Contributed by Emily Petroskey
Article Excerpts
- Golden Jubilee (1)
- Last Monday night at 8 o’clock the Knights of Pythias of No. 63 entertained at a banquet to celebrate the Golden Jubilee, the 50th anniversary of the order
- They met in the castle hall where ceremonies were conducted by Chancellor CommanderW. Thornler and his brother officers, and guests were lectured on the origin and teachings of the order, including the significance of the colors, blue yellow and red as symbols of friendship, charity and benevolence.
- After the ceremonies they went to the Hotel Walton for a banquet. The dining room was decorated in Pythian colors and red poppies, violets and vases of jonquils were scattered throughout the room.
- After the feast was served in several courses, speeches began. Mr. Thornber was toastmaster. Mr. Storrs gave the first speech on the history of the order, focusing on its distinctly American past, having formed after the civil war to heal the wounds of bitterness caused by the conflict. Messrs. D.S. Gillis, Kenneth Bruce and Rev. S. J. Catts also spoke.
- Life Certificate (1)
- Miss. Myrtle Warren has been grated a state life certificate by the State Board of Education.
- A Life Certificate enables the honoree to teach at any Florida school without requiring further examination.
- Miss. Warren’s is the 100th certificate issued since the practice began in 1894, and the third certificate given to a Walton county teacher, the first two belonging to Miss. Chrissie Gillis and Prof. Neal of the High School.
- The Speaking (1)
- Organizer John A. Curry of Texas and Capt. Eric Von Axelson and other Socialists of Walton County visited DeFuniak Monday.
- Mr. Curry spoke at the courthouse at 8 o’clock.
- Due to the Knights of Pythias celebration taking place the same night, the turnout was smaller than it might have been, but those in attendance were well entertained by Mr. Curry’s speech on the subject of Socialism. He will be returning again to deliver another address.
- Died (1)
- Mr. A. M. Chapman of Chapel Hill, SC, father of Rev. Thomas Chapman of this city, died Sunday.
- Mr. Chapman spent the winter here with the family of his son three years ago.
- Rev. Chapman was holding services at Florala when notified of his father’s death.
- Free Lecture (1)
- A free lecture, “The Message of the Hour,” by C.A. Wise of Indianapolis, Ind., to be held at the Star Theater at 3:00 PM Sunday, March 1st. All are invited and should bring a friend.
- $2,000 Bond (2)
- Candidates for the Office of County Commissioner must qualify in a certified bond of two thousand dollars for the proper discharge of the duties of the office. This high sum isn’t easily obtained by just anyone who feels the calling to run, and is intended to create a board of county commissioner composed of good solid men.
- Each county commissioner must be voted for by the county at large.
- From Mr. McSween (2)
- To all Voters (Gentlemen) of Walton County, Florida:
- The last primary election law adopted by the legislature known as the Bryan Primary Law is greatly misunderstood by political parties and the general population.
- The law provides that any party polling 5% of all the votes cast constitutes a political party.
- The Democratic Party, the Republican Party, the Bull-Moose Party and the Socialist Party are the parties that qualified.
- There will be one primary election held for all these political parties at the same time and place, which county commissioners will decide. This is not a Democratic primary, it is a primary for all political parties paid for by the public.
- Any political party failing to nominate its ticket in this primary election cannot get its ticket for the general election by nomination
- The gentlemen of other political parties should go work with their own party and build it up, let the people know what the party stands for.
- The Democrats have sins enough of their own without being responsible for other political parties, as it has been in the past. No one but those who voted the Democratic ticket at the last election will be allowed to vote a Democratic ticket in the next primary.
- The Democrats propose to do the best for the people they can and not impose on your parties.
- John C. McSween, Chairman Democratic Committee
- Chautauqua (2)
- The 1914 Annual Session Opened Last Night
- Good Audience Despite Threatening Aspect of Weather
- The 29th annual session of the Florida Chautauqua opened last night to good attendance despite the inclemency of the weather, which was most likely the worst ever for an opening night.
- Mayor Gillis delivered an address of welcome, followed by brief addresses from Rev. Lynn R. Walker, president of Palmer College, and Superintendent Kenneth Bruce.
- The speeches were interspersed with selections from the orchestra, impersonations by Miss. Lahrmer and vocal selections by Mr. & Mrs. Hinchliff
- The evening programs begin strictly on time, as the editor learned last night when he was 10 minutes late and missed the Mayor’s speech.
- Everyone should be buying tickets and telling everyone else to buy tickets, which is a good business decision and the right thing to do. The men of DeFuniak are responsible for making up the difference between the sale of tickets and $4,000. This should be considered before making negative comments about the institution that “made” DeFuniak.
- Pomahasika was supposed to appear next Saturday, but has died and his place on the program will have to be filled in with some other attraction.
- Revival Closed (2)
- The revival services at the Presbyterian Church finished last Sunday evening.
- Evangelist Rev. Dr. Richardson of Nashville worked hard and forty people joined the church.
- On the last day around $7,000 was pledged to enlarge and improve the church building. Though plans haven’t been adopted officially, a Sunday school room and other additions will probably be made to the church building.
- Rev. Robert Stuart Saunders resigned, so Dr. Richardson has been engaged as evangelist for this Presbytery, and the revival was the first work he has done since taking the position.
- Constitution of Florida A Farce (2)
- Editor Storrs reports the supreme court passed on the Walton County Road Law.
- J.F. Richbourg believes that the court has ruled on an unconstitutional law, and must have been drunk on bad whiskey or have the spirit of a monarch.
- The constitution on this point is only a referendum. Advertise a local law sixty days so the people can acquiesce or reject it.
- He has taken an oath to uphold the constitution, and the higher court by extension, but if they are right, the constitution is a farce and he is wrong, otherwise he is right and they are wrong.
- Richbourg promises to abide by the constitution, regardless of what men say.
- “Let us prosecute but never persecute.”
- Unveiling (2)
- Local Woodmen and the sovereigns of neighboring camps, as well as the general public, are invited to attend the unveiling of the monument to the memory of Sovereign P. W. Richardson at the DeFuniak Cemetery at 2:30 PM on Sunday March 8th.
- Church Directory (2)
- Lists events and times for the Methodist Church, Baptist Church, Presbyterian Church, Universalist Church, and Episcopal Church
- Apportionment of Funds (3)
- Made under Section 24, Chapter 4322 Laws of Florida 1895 shoing the amount of taxes charged to the Tax Collector of Walton County, Florida to be collected for the years of 1911, 1912, and 1913
- Statement (3)
- Statement of the condition of the Cawthon State Bank of DeFuniak Springs, FL at the close of business February 11th, 1914, as condensed from the Bank Examiner’s report
- What Mapoles Will Advocate if Re-Elected (4)
- If re-elected, W.J. Mapoles will try to appeal the road law of Walton County, which passed over his objections, and instead favor the general rad law of 1913, which allows County Commissioners to control road work and eliminate the use of boys under age 21 to work the roads.
- He believes voters should have the right to nominate the county commissioners, but advocates the law providing they are nominated by voters of a district should be repealed, because the decisions of the commissioners affect the whole county. He also believes commissioners should be residents of their districts.
- Mapoles thinks State taxes should come from the public service corporations and from licenses. County taxes should be raised by assessment of the property of the people in each county. This eliminates the practice of paying property taxes to both the state and county. The bill separating the two only lacked a few votes in the last session.
- Public officials should be given salaries, rather than basing wages on the fee system, which incentivizes petty offenses at the taxpayers expense.
- Mapoles promises to try to repeal the Bryan Primary Bill, which passed despite his protests, and he calls it the worst bill ever passed in the state.
- He will try to repeal the game law and instead prohibit the killing of any kind of game for at least two years.
- He reminds voters to participate in the Primary of June 2, 1914, and tells them if they are registered as Democrats they can’t vote for him.
- Craps (4)
- Mr. Jeff Anderson discovered a group of juvenile crap-shooters while walking in the old Woods pasture. He thinks that if he chose to reveal their identities, their parents would be surprised to know what their boys do on Sundays