100 YEARS AGO April 18, 1913

Demonstrating the work that has been done since the gymnasium was opened a month ago, the “gym” class of the Argenta High School last night conducted an exhibition which delighted a large crowd. The high school girls opened the program with a “Dutch frolic,” followed by a dumb bell drill, by the third, fourth and fifth grade girls. A potato race between the boys of Clendennin and the grammar grade of the high school was exciting. Clendennin won. The high school girls concluded the entertainment with a figure march, forming the letters “A. H. S.” As they marched they sang the new school song to the tune of “Everybody’s Doing It.”

50 YEARS AGO April 18, 1963

Members of the Arkansas National Guard at Camp Robinson are highly pleased with a new arrival in their Field Maintenance Shop. The newcomer is a black widow spider. An appeal was made yesterday for a black widow to replace Blanche, a spider that died a couple of days ago. Blanche was highly useful to the men in the instrument repair section because she produced web material that was used for cross hairs in the eyepieces of sighting instruments. Lt.Col. William C. Page, superintendent of the shop, said the spider had been donated by Mrs. Theo Mashburn.

25 YEARS AGO April 18, 1988

JACKSONVILLE - The Arkansas Highway Police may one day be able to check the license, registration and weight of a truck without ever stopping the vehicle. The process, which is being used in parts of Oregon and other states, was demonstrated Thursday to the Highway Police along U.S. 167-67 near Jacksonville. Representatives from three companies that manufacture automatic “vehicle identifier systems” showed their products to John R. Bailey, chief of the Highway Police, and several patrolmen.

10 YEARS AGO April 18, 2003

Arkansas correction officials say they lack the manpower to take full advantage of recently passed legislation designed to ease prison overcrowding. Senate Bill 720 would allow the Arkansas Department of Community Correction to grant early parole for up to 600 nonviolent offenders. The legislation is expected to become law next month. Already, the state’s 250 probation and parole officers handle about 108 cases each, far above the goal of about 75 cases department officials believe is optimal.

Arkansas, Pages 10 on 04/18/2013