Mulberry High School - Mulberry Tree Yearbook (Mulberry, FL)

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Two of Mulberry’s Oldest Residents Review Area History ■ i -i Li iaa Two of Mulberry's oldest residents are Mrs. Helia Josephine Pearce and Mr. David Hall. Mrs. Pearce is 90 years old. She settled in the Mulberry area in the 1890’s when she was five years old. Mrs. Pearce was interviewed by one of the MHS yearbook staff members. In this interview she recalled some of Mulberry’s early years and events. She said. “There were a few stores in Mulberry at the turn of the century, a drug store, 2 grocery stores, and a men’s clothing store run by identical twin brothers. Anything else that was needed must come from Lakeland, Bartow, or Hillsborough county. The nearest doctor was in Bartow, a half day’s ride by horse and buggy. “In 1901 the first automobile came through Mulberry, but it was 1906 before I saw one.” Mrs. Pearce remembers the Miner’s Strike of 1919. This strike literally tore Mulberry apart. In April, the men started the strike by holding a noonday parade. They wanted less working hours and more money. After nine months of violence and four deaths, the strike was broken. Mrs. Pearce said. Mr. David Hall is 89 years old. He moved to Mulberry in September, 1927. He was also interviewed and gave the following information: He and his family raised their own food, as was typical of most families. When the Great Depression hit, things were bad in Mulberry but not as bad as in other places. The banks of Lankland and Fort Meade were closed down but the Bank of Mulberry remained open. Schools shortened their terms to seven months in- stead of nine: Mulberry kept its nine month term with students keeping regular attendance. These are some of the memories from two of the areas most knowledgeable citizens on the old days of Mulberry. i

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PHvSPHAU N.HIkh y v €t TOP: A mining operation. CENTER: Prairie Pebble Phosphate Mine. Mulberry. Florida. BOTTOM: Phosphate being loaded onto a steam driven locomotive. 4

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Dateline Mulberry: 1539-1976 Progress Through Phosphate 1539 DeSoto was the first white man to set foot in Polk County. 1841 The first white child was bom in the Mulberry area. 1861 Polk County was established. 1881 Phospate was discovered in Polk County by J. F. Labarron. 1888 T. S. Moorchead shipped out the first shipment of phosphate. 1890 Four pebble phosphate plants were built-Palmetto Phosphate. Kingsford. Bone Valley, and Land Pebble. The center point of these mines was the Mulberry Tree. 1896 First schoolhouse was completed. This made the third school in Polk County. 1901 On Tuesday, February 12. Mulberry was incorporated. The first auto found its way to Mul- berry. 1907 The Bank of Mulberry was estab- lished. Mulberry received electric power and a telephone exchange. Mulberry High School was organized. 1908 Mulberry High School was erected at the site of the present city hall. In June, the first newspaper, the Mul- berry Journal began publication. 1909 The new public school building was dedicated on January 19. 1910 Census showed Mulberry to be the third largest town in the county. 1910 The Mulberry Journal burned down. 1911 The newspaper. Mulberry Enterprise, was founded in March, nine months after the first newspaper burned. The first graduating class of MHS consisted of two girls and one boy. 1912 The Mulberry Herald began publica- tion in May after the failure of the Enterprise. 1913 On March 9. Seaboard Air Line Rail- road provided the people of Mulberry with passenger service. 1914 MHS had a new two-story brick build- ing with an auditorium and six class- rooms. 1917 A Red Cross chapter was organized here. In July, an automobile bus service was established between Brewster, Mulberry, and Plant City by W. C. Sprott. 1919 The Great Miner’s Strike began and lasted for nine months. 1920 July 13, the City Council passed Ordi- nance 107 unanimously making it il- legal for anyone to have or to hold intoxicating beverages. 1921 The first edition of the Mulberry Tree was published. 1922 Luther Pipkin donated some land on the cast side of N.E. 1st Avc. for building of a new high school which was completed in 1924. 1924 Football became an interschool sport. Marion Wiggs was the captain of the first football team. 1926 The end of the Horse and Buggy days came officially when an ordinance was passed prohibiting autos without rubber tires, to protect the hard- surfaced streets. 1932 One of the first diversified training un- its, including shop and other commer- cially related subjects were set up at MHS. 1937 Diversified training was changed to a full-time commercial department at the high school. 1940 Mulberry became known as the “Is- land city of central Florida” because of connecting phosphate pools that completely surrounded the town. 1945 The International Minerals and Chem- ical Corporation of Nichols gave 62 acres in east Mulberry for construc- tion of a new junior-senior high school. 1950 The Mulberry Woman’s Club or- ganized Mulberry’s first public li- brary. It was first located at the city hall and contained over 500 volumes. 1951 In April the Seaboard Air Line Rail- road hired a tree surgeon to try to keep the old Mulberry tree alive. 1954 The Polk County school Board desig- nated SI.000.000 for the Mulberry area to build two new schools and to complete an addition to the old high school on N.E. First Ave. 1955 The new Mulberry Junior-Senior High School was formally dedicated at 3:00 p.m. on November 20. 1956 The first football game was played in the Phosphate Memorial Bowl in Oc- tober. 1958 In March, the first annual Phosphate Jubilee Days celebration was held to encourage shopping in Mulberry. 1959 In March, the Greater Chamber of Commerce was organized with 65 members. 1961 Mulberry High School held its 50th commencement. 1965 The Mulberry Shopping Center was opened on Highway 60. 1968 The Mulberry Tree died completely and was cut down and removed by the city. 1969 On February 1, a new mulberry tree was planted about 25 feet from the old landmark. The old tree was nearly 100 years old when it finally uied. 1975 The Mulben-y Civic Center was com- pleted. 1976 Mulberry celebrated its 75th birthday. 6