100 YEARS AGO — 1919

Mrs. Edna Baucom held a spelling match between the freshmen and the sophomore classes at the Junction City school. Three freshmen stood up against one sophomore for a while, when Miss Nell Atkins won over Miss Grace Robinson, who stood up last for the freshmen. The prizes were lead pencils.

The young folks had eight days and nights of fine skating weather. Two high school boys ran into each other Thursday night, and one sustained a skinned cheek and the other a hurt left arm. On Friday, Mrs. Maggie Kelley chaperoned a few young ladies and gentlemen to the Reynold’s Mill pond and S.W. Burke, Stanley Catron and Will Reynolds fell into an open hole in the ice and got wet.

Gov. Augustus Stanley will deliver an address at the Centre College Chapel next Tuesday on the occasion of the school’s observance of the 100th anniversary of the founding of Centre College, known as “Charter Day.” Gov. Stanley is one of Centre’s famous sons. When he arrives in Danville he will be the guest of local businessmen at a dinner at the Gilcher Hotel before speaking at the event.

Great excitement was caused on Main Street yesterday morning about 8 o’clock when William Leavel, a barber with the George M. Richardson shop on Main St., fired three shots from a revolver at Ernest Turner. The shooting took place near the Spoonamore Drug Store and the Boyle Bank when many people were going to their places of business and children were on their way to school. One shot went wild, one struck Turner’s shoulder and one shattered the windshield of a car being driven by Joseph Hackney. Sheriff M.J. Farris Jr. was in his office at the courthouse and immediately ran out to the street and placed the men under arrest. He found Leavel standing in the street with the gun in his hand. Turner was trying to make a quick get-away across the yard of Trinity church on the opposite side of the street. When Sheriff Farris called for him to stop, he returned and was arrested. A doctor dressed the wound and Turner was permitted to go home. Leavel was taken to jail. The two men give different versions of the trouble. Leavel said he shot Turner in self defense because Turner had gone at him with a knife. Turner said he didn’t have the knife out of his pocket and was shot without warning.

75 YEARS AGO — 1944

More than 84 advancements in the various ranks and merit badge fields were earned during 1943 by Danville Boy Scouts. There were 251 boys in scouts and cubs in Danville during the year. Despite the heavy turnover in leadership because of the entrance into military service of scoutmasters and older scouts, all local institutions that have adopted the scouting program have managed to maintain adequate leaders for their troops and cub packs.

Contributions for the Danville Recreation Center have jumped to a total of $480. Meanwhile, work is going ahead at the building on North Third Street where the floor is being sanded and high school students are painting the walls and arranging equipment for the formal opening next week.

Women’s shoes selling for $3 or less per pair may be sold ration-free beginning Jan. 17 through Jan. 29, according to the Office of Price Administration through the local war price and rationing board.

An article entitled “Old Wilderness Road,” by Danville attorney C.C. Bagby appeared in the December 1943 issue of the Kentucky State Bar Journal last month. The article is an address delivered by Bagby to the Danville Chamber of Commerce. It deals with the importance of the movement to obtain from Federal Congress, $400,000 to rebuild the Wilderness Road from the point where Boone first opened it to Crab Orchard and to make it a well-constructed and well-graded turnpike through the mountains as far as Crab Orchard. Bagby states in part, Danville on the Wilderness Road was the first capital of Kentucky. … The first Constitution was adopted here. … Perhaps we do not often reflect that our little city of Danville was built upon an old road, that to Kentuckians and Americans should be grander than the Appian Way, and is richer in historic legends than all Roman roads over which marched the legions of the Caesars!”

50 YEARS AGO — 1969

The YMCA Women’s Physical Fitness Program will begin at First Presbyterian Church soon. All women who plan to attend and participate in the activities are asked to dress suitably for the program.

Airman Brenda L. Craig, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Craig of W. Walnut St., has completed basic training at Lackland Air Force Base. Airman Craig is a 1968 graduate of Boyle County High School.

Danville and Boyle County enter the new year with two urgently needed highway improvements, both of which are urgent to the extent of almost emergency. The first of these is the second leg of the Danville bypass. Industrial operators in the area west of the railroad are greatly concerned by congestion of the bypass at Perryville Rd. The second need is the completion of the proposed change on Ky. 150 at the intersection of Stanford and Lancaster roads.

During 1968, the Danville Fire Department made 111 runs, with 380 volunteers for a total cost of $1,167.50, according to the annual report submitted by Chief Hubert Preston to the mayor and city council. In the report, Preston listed 17 fires as Class A or business; 30 as Class B or residential; 36 car fires; and 17 grass fires. Seven false alarms were answered by the department.

25 YEARS AGO — 1994

Replacing trees between Second and Fourth streets has been approved by Danville City Commission. The trees will be replaced with male ginkgoes, after talking with several horticultural experts. Existing trees draw complaints because sap drips on cars; they are attacked by Japanese beetles and the trees are too big so that stores can’t be identified when people drive by.

Boyle County Jail inmates soon will be wearing uniforms. Jailer Chris Hill asked Boyle County Fiscal Court to help him make good on a campaign promise. He had pledged he would put prisoners in uniforms so they could be easily identified if they escaped or when they were in the courthouse for court appearances. Cost of the uniforms and sandals will be $1,727.

Residents woke up to the effects a winter storm with more than four inches of snow. The storm came in three waves. First was freezing rain, then it turned to sleet and snow. A lot more of snow accumulation is expected.