Look Back ... to the nuisance of the telephone 'party line,' 1949

Apr. 20—April 20, 1949, in The Star: It's never too late to take up a hobby — nor to discover a hidden talent. That's what David D. Walker has done, having made his first drawing last year, after his 75th birthday. He now has his own studio inside his home at 502 East 5th Street, Jacksonville. A non-instructional employee of Jacksonville State Teachers College, Mr. Walker was encouraged to try being an artist by Miss Stella Huger, head of the art department. He began with charcoal and later began painting with oils — reproducing some of the scenes of his boyhood in Calhoun County. Sixteen pictures have been painted so far by this "new artist" and 12 of them will be exhibited at the Regar Museum in Anniston for 10 days, starting today. Mr. Walker is a widower, his wife, Mary Ella, having passed away in 1947 shortly after they had celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Also this date: A feature article about "party lines," that necessary evil that accompanies ceaseless demand for telephone service in a prosperous community, urges Annistonians to be more considerate in their use of their phone, so that others on their party line will be able to make their own calls, some of which might be crucially important in the moment. Anniston has more than 10,800 phones being used in homes and businesses today and there are more than 6,000 party line subscribers. It doesn't help, for example, when a school group gets together via the telephone to do their homework; this ties up the telephone for all parties involved for an hour or more at a time, and is "very inconsiderate," said a local phone company spokesman.

April 20, 1999, in The Star: A formal roll-call vote of the Jacksonville State University board of trustees, which was unanimous in its choice, yesterday elevated Bill Meehan to the presidency of the university, effective at midnight on June 30. Meehan is a home-grown product of the university, having earned a bachelor's degree there in 1972 and a master's degree in 1976. Currently serving as JSU's acting vice president for institutional advancement, Meehan is working toward his doctorate in higher education administration at the University of Alabama. He also had the support of JSU students and the faculty, as expressed through their input into the presidential search. Also this date: With the land cleared between Interstate 20 and the Talladega Superspeedway, the huge track's fresh new look will no longer be hidden from motorists' view — like it has for the past 30 years. "It's one of the tracks that's gotten a little older now. It's nice to see the facelift they're giving it,"said drive Ken Schrader. Some of the work done at the track since last October's Winston 500 includes a remodeled front entrance, complete with a track-logo sign out front. Five thousand grandstand seats have been added in turn 1 on the south end, and the old Winston Cup covered garage is gone, replaced with a 62-stall enclosed garage area. There's also a 120-space, fenced-in motorhome park, complete with utility hookups and a playground, all for the drivers in the infield — and which they reportedly just love, for themselves and their families.

Assistant Metro Editor Bill Edwards: 256-236-1551. On Twitter @bedwards_star.