Nashville High School - Scrapper Yearbook (Nashville, AR)

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The Fire That Marred Main Sire March 25 began much like any other Sunday morning. Church was in service, the back row snoozers were getting their 20 winks, and clergymen were preaching sermons. Then the fire alarm sounded. Volunteer firemen rushed out of church. Lights flickered on and off. Organs lost power to create an eerie atmosphere. Three churches. First Methodist, First Baptist, and Assembly of God. were located on Main Street only blocks from where a black inferno of smoke began billowing from Harris Furniture Store around 11:00 a m. As churches dismissed, downtown merchants and church crowds flocked to the scene. As the hour progressed the situation worsened. The ebony smoke became visible for miles and people flooded in from all around. Renee McClure said, “It seemed as if everyone in the area was reminisced, I was standing in there. Dox and the tin was burning. II Firemen from Mineral Springs, hot I had to move. Dierks, Weyerhauser, Center Point, When the back wall c Murfreesboro, Delight, Hope, and furniture store blew out it causi DeQueen assisted Nashville's volun- side walls, which were higher teers, some of whom still wore their Sunday suits. A Nevada County Rescue Unit and Tyson’s water tank also aided in quenching the flames. Fearing the worst — that the fire those of surrounding stores, t outward. The rubble which desce on the ajoining buildings, t through the roofs. This spread the south into the McLaughlin Built would engulf the entire block — which contained an insurance c townspeople, including some pany, a Merle Norman Cosmt students, broke out glass in some of business, and a trophy shop. To I the endangered stores to remove north, flames consumed the buildi merchandise. Others helped by containing Hastings Music Stor detouring traffic around the fire area, Hughes Printing Company, and permitting firemen to concentrate on room used for dance lessons. combatting the fire. As firemen battled the blaze, Momonf baton tho climactic crumbling o more people crowded into the area ,h ,,0f ,ron,‘ M 'n 8,r f •• i nyn d Wl,h Laurie White who watched the fire furn'»ur - Of0 n ' P,,no - ,nd o,h0r Laurie wnite, wno waicneo me nre Mlvag0d lrom ihop, 0„ ,h0 Wock (photo from Main Street opposite the inferno, courtly of tt» NmIwM Now )

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Tommy DeBlack, a senior class sponsor, be sold. Even before the assembly had ended masters had their slaves skipping and running laps around the court. Terry Reed. Bert Johnson, and Quin Minton forced slave Terry Ray to wear an apron, hunting vest, and lipstick. Coach DeBlack was even seen carrying Susan Blakely to her English class. With what the day's work might involve unknown to prospective slaves, why would any senior in his right mind willingly sell himself into slavery? The $521.23 collected from the slave sale meant more money for the seniors' graduation party which followed the commencement ceremony. May 18. The people were different, the programs were different, but the place remained the same. The gym was the site of most assemblies at which NHS came to life. Following the Reverend John Holeton'e introductory speech, Mr. Cerlies Odom approeches the microphone to tell his life story. Preceding Inspiration’s performance, the National Honor Society made a surprise announcement of juniors voted into the organization by the faculty on the basis of leadership, character, scholarship, and service. New Hope, a singing group from Pathfinder House, a sheltered workshop, presented a program of songs including “Three Times A Lady’’ and “Fire More than five hundred dollars left the pockets of the throng of students and teachers sardined into the gym for the Senior Slave Auction. Junior High Principal Danny Howard auctioned off the seniors who sold themselves into bondage for the day. Prices ranged from $1 to $40 After all seniors had been sold, the audience demanded that Kip Blakely place himself in the auctioneer’s circle. Steve Savage was next, and other seniors followed suit volunteering their services. After Mr. Howard had sold the last of the senior slaves, the audience demanded that Coach Sighting another bid, auctioneer Mr. Danny Howard raiaaa tha prica on a aanior slave. Mr. Randy Garnar, Coach Tommy DeBlack, and David Taagua keep a list of talas.

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Crowds of spectators, high school studonts included, watch the progress of the fire from across the street. After an unsuccessful battle with the blaze which demolished Harris Furniture, volunteer firemen concentrate on dampening the flames of Hastings Music Store next door. All three buildings were a total loss. The cosmetic store saved only 30% of its stock, losing about $ 12,000. The trophy shop lost about the same amount. Bystanders removed most of the instruments and showcases from Hastings Music Store. Other buildings on the block, including an office belonging to an accountant. Mr. Ronny Woods, and the Nashville Recreational Hall reported fire and water damage. Cleggs Cleaners, Steel and Steel’s law office, the Gift Shop, and James TV removed files, merchandise, and equipment when the fire threatened to spread to the entire block. The fire was mostly under control by 1:15 p.m. It was termed by the Nashville News as Nashville's most destructive fire of the 20th century. The day that had begun as a typical Sunday was to be remembered for the acrid smell of burning timber that filled the air and the heaping pile of rubbish filling a gap on North Main — a souvenir left over from the fire that marred Main Street. Student Life 27