I am going way on back to 1952 again. One reason I like to read stories from this era is because of the publisher at the time.

Most of you old timers will remember Emmett Brooks. I don’t even know how long he was the publisher of The Brewton Standard but it was for many years.

In those days, the newspaper had a “homey” feel about it. I compared it to the way Mayberry and Sheriff Andy handled situations.

Mr. Brooks told of a man who was arrested for swimming in Murder Creek. Now this, in itself, is not against the law, but this time the man was doing it without wearing any clothes. Later on that night, his friend came down to the jail to get his buddy released. The problem was that there was no one there to let him out. But, not to worry, the keys were hanging on a nearby peg. So they calmly unlocked the door and walked away. This did not sit well with the officer, so the friend that unlocked the door was locked up instead. The swimmer made good his escape and his friend was arrested for aiding and abetting.

In another article in 1952 Mr. Brooks told of sitting on a lady’s front porch so he could see the flying saucer she had spotted. After sitting there for some time, he saw some lights, but he got to thinking about how he would be ridiculed if he reported a flying saucer, so he ignored the lights and sure enough, they soon moved on down the road.

Now you know, Mr. Brooks was always willing to listen and report on any tall tale.

Another story was told about the fellow who came by the newspaper to report that gold had been found in Murder Creek. A news story like that can’t be ignored, so off they went to find the gold mine. Needless to say, when they asked about the gold at the gravel pit they went to, they were told that there was no gold, but they had some gravel and rocks.

These stories may not have been very newsy but they could certainly make you smile.

In other “news,” the Escambia County Draft Board were looking for 23 young men who had not kept the board informed  of their whereabouts. Another story told that nine men had been called to be drafted into the military.

That was in the days when young men were drafted and required to report for duty as soon as they were 18. Today, it is an army of volunteers.

In 1952 farmers were having trouble in the drought and the extension service was advising them as to what could be done.

The question of married students came up and the Alabama Attorney General said there was no ruling to forbid students in school to be married.

I think I have told you about the trip made by the T.R. Miller Band to Mexico. It seems the results of the trip encountered some extra expenses of $1,158. They had to buy an insurance policy of $750 on students before they could cross the border. A film of the trip was be shown within a few days.

Radio WEBJ announcer Dick Carey, 27, died in a car wreck.