Mansfield
Tiger sports fans will soon have available for purchase Athletic Passes for the
2019-2020 school year.
Adult passes
are $60 each. Upon presentation at the gate, card holders will be admitted free
to most all Mansfield regular season athletic home contests for grades 7-12 for
the current sports calendar. Free admission will be limited to regular season
football, volleyball, cross country, basketball, baseball, softball, and track
contests. Per AAA and conference bylaws MHS athletic passes will not be honored
at benefit games, conference tournaments, regional, or state competitions
hosted by Mansfield. Passes will soon be available for purchase at the high
school office during regular business hours beginning August 5. Questions can
be answered by contacting the high school office at (479)-928-1105.
Current
Mansfield Public School students (K-12th grade) may purchase a
Student Discount Card to attend regular season home games for $15. Presentation
of this personalized photo ID card at the gate of any regular season contest
will allow the cardholder $1 admission. Student discount cards must be ordered
with payment by August 30, 2019. Students will be issued a temporary card until
a date for producing photo cards is established. Student discount passes will
not be honored at benefit games, conference tournaments, regional, or state
competitions hosted by Mansfield. Card orders may be made at one of the offices
at any of the three Mansfield campuses.
Patrons 55
years of age or older may pick up a free senior citizen’s pass. Simply show
proof of age at the high school office during regular business hours to receive
your pass. Upon presentation at the gate, senior citizen pass holders will be
admitted free to most all MHS sporting events. Restrictions may apply to
conference tournaments, regional or state competitions hosted by Mansfield.
It’s no secret that Mansfield Public School systems will have a lot of new faces in the buildings this coming August. The district has had to hire several new teachers, coaches, a principal, and a superintendent. Within these recent changes, Mansfield School District will also be adding a new Band Director and Choir Teacher.
Mansfield School Board hired Michael Parker, of Fort Smith, as the new Mansfield Band Director for Senior and Junior High Band. Parker will also be teaching Music Appreciation at the High School as well as General Music at the Middle School. Parker grew up in Alma, but he has taught at Heavener, Oklahoma for the past seven years. He is excited for this new adventure coming to Mansfield. He has a bachelors degree in Music Education and a Masters in Instrumental Conducting.
Parker recalls he was in 6th Grade Beginning Band when he first learned to play an instrument (clarinet), and since then he has always had a love for music. He loves to collect movie score soundtracks CDs, but when asked what his favorite song/artist/instrument was, he replied, “Way too many to choose from.” When we asked Mr. Parker what he was most excited about in coming to Mansfield schools, he told us, “Getting to know the students!” We also asked him if he had any goals for the Mansfield Band, and he replied, “The only goals that really matter are making great music and growing in our musical abilities.” Mr. Parker said, “For any student not currently in band and want to join, contact me and we will set up a time to meet. I happily teach students after school to catch them up.” Mansfield Band students have already begun practicing for this Football Season’s halftime show! It should be an exciting season for all!
Welcome to Mansfield, Mr. Michael Parker!
Mansfield School District also hired Kimberly Boyd, of Mansfield, as the new Senior and Junior High Choir Director. Boyd will also be teaching General Music for the Elementary. Boyd is originally a native of Booneville, but upon marrying she moved to Mansfield over twelve years ago which is now considered home to her. She has been a substitute teacher for the past ten years for the Mansfield School District as well as an employee for Resident Press. Mrs. Boyd has a bachelors of General Studies with a primary emphasis in English Education and a secondary emphasis in Anthropology. She also holds an Associates of Arts degree. She has also worked for the past twenty years in church music ministry where she has also given private vocal and piano lessons. Boyd is passionate about music and loves kids!
When we asked Boyd if she remembered the first time she performed or sang in front of a crowd, she couldn’t quite remember. She replied, “I’ve been singing all my life. I can remember as a little girl singing with my Momma in church.” However, she was in 5th grade when she began learning to play the piano. “Now, that took some time! I remember always begging my Momma for a piano, but we just didn’t have the money. One Christmas, someone gave my Grandma a piano, so she in turn gave it to me. I’ll never forget my Momma hollering, ‘put your foot on the quiet pedal, Kimberly!’ I was always banging on that thing and pretending I knew exactly what I was doing!” We asked Boyd what her hobbies were, and she replied, “Family! I am big on family. I think it is so important. We have four kids, and we try to have dinner at the table every night. I love to cook and write short stories about my kids. Our family is loud, and we all love music so you can just imagine what that’s like with all of us together. My husband is a drummer and I’m a pianist, so there is a constant flow of music within our house.” When we asked Boyd what she is most excited about in joining the Mansfield School District and what her goals were for Choir and the Elementary students are, she replied, “I just feel so blessed for this opportunity. I’m excited to teach something that I truly love. I can’t wait to see a child’s face light up with a smile the first time they accomplish playing a drum, xylophone, or recorder! Everything about music is wonderful! I am excited to meet the students in all the schools, help them grow in their musical and vocal abilities, and build a wonderful Mansfield High and Junior High Choir Program as well as a great musical program for the Elementary! My main goal is to find laughter in teaching, share my love for music, and hope the kids find passion for music as well.” Mrs. Boyd also wanted to add, “If any student is interested in choir, she would love to have them aboard! We are in desperate need of Senior High Choir members this year. Please call the high school or meet with Mrs. Duval, so the school can get you registered.”
Welcome Mrs. Kimberly Boyd!
On behalf of Resident Press and citizens of Mansfield, we would like to welcome Mr. Parker and Mrs. Boyd to Mansfield Schools! We are excited to see these programs within our schools take off. Please come out and support our band and choir members at the Mansfield Tigers Football games as well as their concerts.
July is winding down quickly and August is sneaking in on Thursday. The Lavaca Area Chamber of Commerce is trying to ease the thoughts of s-c-h-o-o-l starting in just a couple of short weeks!
The LACC held their annual Back-to-School-Bash on Saturday evening, July 27 in the Lavaca City Park. Chamber member Angela Gillooley was the chairperson of the Bash and all but single-handedly is responsible for the success of the evening. Free hotdogs and drinks were provided by our chamber member Farmer’s Bank. Additional drinks were provided by Jerry Denton and Coca-Cola.
The Lavaca School superintendent and chamber representative, Steve Rose, provided a small bus to hold the Fill-the-Bus project. Backpacks filled with supplies were given away by a drawing of names of school kids that were there.
The park was filled with two gigantic bounce-arounds, games of all kinds, face-painting and more. A local group sold Indian tacos, fried Oreos and funnel cakes. The local Girl Scouts sold cookies and some local baseball coaches were there pleading to sign-up players.
When darkness fell, a screen was set up and the new movie “Dumbo” was shown outdoors in the park as well.
It was a hot, yet full, afternoon in the summer sun but it was a really good way to celebrate and prepare for another school year beginning!
The Lavaca Little League Golden Arrows made a very positive adjustment over the offseason as the Arrows stepped out of their old league to join up with the West Central Football League. The WCFL is a league that was established to help small-town programs to match up with opponents similar to size, numbers, and talent. After the success of the WCFL’s inaugural season last year, the programs in the league saw a drastic rise in participation and excitement around their programs. Programs around the area noticed this and many wanted to join. When Lavaca was invited to join the league this past spring, they jumped at the opportunity.
Lavaca is set with great coaches and a great program as a whole. They have a history of being a stiff team for any opponent. With the Little League Golden Arrows now in a position to go toe to toe with WCFL competition and start building their program to prominence, the Golden Arrows are facing the unimaginable. They are so short on players that there’s a possibility of them having to forfeit their season. With only four weeks until their WCFL Jamboree in Mansfield on August 24th, Lavaca’s fifth and sixth grade team currently does not have enough players signed up to have a team while the third and fourth grade squad has merely a handful more.
Lavaca Little League Football President and WCFL Representative Alanna Brunson said “We’re excited to play in the West Central Football League this season. Most of the schools in the league are the schools that we play all the way up into high school now. The coaches and players we have are very excited to compete against these programs but our numbers are extremely low. If we can get more kids interested and involved in the program, we have the possibility of having the best season we’ve seen in years.”
Little League sports are not all about the money that a program gets at the gate. They’re not about whose rich, cool, or popular in that community. Little League sports are about young athletes and should be solely about young athletes. High School athletics may be the face of athletics in towns, but Little League is the entire body. Little League as a whole is the future of any high school athletic program. So if you get the chance, make some phone calls, knock on some doors, put up flyers, or simply post something on social media to help the Lavaca Little League Football program get some more players on their roster.
Most every school-aged child has had the priviledge of making the acquaintance of the larger than life figure, Smokey the Bear! Smokey, while bringing smiles to children’s faces, also introduces them to wildfire safety and prevention.
The Smokey Bear Wildfire Prevention campaign is the longest-running public service campaign in the U.S. Since his debut in 1944, Smokey Bear has taught millions of Americans about their role in preventing wildfires.
Although Smokey will turn 75 on Friday, August 9, his work in preventing wildfires is far from over. Campaigns like “Spark Change, not Wildfires,” and Smokey’s conservation pledge will continue on.
For every child who has grown up knowing the joy of meeting the legendary bear, and for every Forestry worker who was fortunate enough to don the suit, thank you! Happy Birthday Smokey Bear!
With just about two weeks left to enjoy those summer days, the dreaded back to school time is approaching fast! Are you ready? It’s time to buy school supplies, lunch boxes, and school clothes. It’s time to get back into the routine of going to bed early and waking up early. There is so much to do! As a parent of school age kids, it’s almost overwhelming! To make it easier, we have come up with a few tips and ideas to make it a smooth transition for parents and kids. In this two-part series, let’s take a look at some money saving tips first.
It seems each year the school supply list gets longer and more expensive. Times are changing, budgets are cut, and prices are raised. If you have more than one kid to buy for then that makes it even more expensive. Luckily, some area churches and organizations like United Way try to help families out during this time. Today, at Midland Assembly of God from 10-1 p.m., free school supplies will be given out as well. However, if you are shopping and looking for the cheapest places for those supplies, here are THREE tips to keep in mind while shopping:
1. Eventhough everything is a dollar at the Dollar Tree, some items are cheaper at Wal-Mart! If you are like me, one trip in the Dollar Tree can end up costing over twenty dollars when you went in for a $1 item. It’s because we love the Dollar Tree. Don’t get me wrong there are some items I do buy there and are totally worth that dollar. However, be careful on the school supplies. For example, let’s look at crayons. One package of crayons at the Dollar Tree cost $1 and at Wal-Mart one package of crayons costs 33 Cents! So, shop around. Also, don’t forget the Dollar General offers online digital coupons on select school supplies, and if you shop on Saturday, spend $25 then you get $5 off with a coupon. Don’t have the coupon? Don’t worry! Ask the cashiers. They usually always have extra coupons at the register that they will let you have for this discount. One other thing to think about is ordering online. If you hate going down each aisle and trying to mess with the crowds, order online. Some stores offer discounts, coupons, and even free pickup when ordering online, like Dollar General, Wal-Mart, and Office Depot. I did some price checking online for you! Below is a chart of price comparison to make your school supply shopping easier. Prices are subject to change, and some are offered for a limited time or until supplies last. Be sure and check the sale ads before heading to the store.
Price Comparison Chart to make YOUR shopping Easier! Prices highlighted are YOUR best deals!
2. If your kids insist on packing their lunch, I have money saving tips for you too! First, be careful about buying individually wrapped items. Although I will admit it saves a ton of time while packing a lunch, it doesn’t save in your pocketbook. If you want to save money on packing lunches, buy regular size bags of chips and place individual serving sizes in baggies instead. It is the same concept with individual packages of carrots or apples. When you buy these items prepackaged for individuals, you pay the extra for them doing the work for you. However, if you do the work, you will save money! If you are like me and always busy, plan ahead to help yourself! Last school year, I purchased a small 3 basket cart. I labeled each basket as the following: chips, desserts, snacks. On Saturdays or Sundays, whichever day I had some free time, I sat and made up snacks, bags of chips, and desserts, and I placed a week supply of each of the items in each basket. This saved me time and money! That way all I had to do (or you can make your child do it) was select one from each basket and just make a sandwich! It was so much easier for me since I pack 6 lunches every night!
3. Let’s talk about school clothes! This is stressful for a parent. Every kid wants to look in style, but not everyone has the means for this, and I totally understand! We have four kids, so I really do get it! Some of the tips I can give you is shop in thrift stores! Sometimes, I have found brand new pairs of shoes with the tags still on them for $3 dollars! Don’t forget to look at yard sales, too. I’ve sold items at a yard sale that still had tags on them because my kids grew to fast to wear the items. So, it’s worth stopping and looking. Also, look on Facebook Yard Sale Group Sites. Parents always start selling their items to clean out the closet for the next year. However, be careful. Sometimes on this, you will pay more! Right now, at the Greenwood Wal-Mart, they have tons of kid’s clothes marked down for $2, $3, and $5 each! Let me add this too, Wal-Mart has really stepped up their game in their clothing style! I remember as a kid dreading when my mom shopped at Wal-Mart for my school clothes, but she was a single mom. It was all we could afford, and she was doing the best she could do with what money she had. However, now Wal-Mart has some great clothes for low prices. Also, check the prices and sales at JC Penny’s and Children’s Place in Central Mall. I am not a big fan of the mall. I always thought you pay way too much for clothing there, but my mother in-law is an avid shopper there, and she has convinced me that some stores are worth the trip! So, take time to compare the sales! It’s worth your dollar savings!
In closing, don’t forget that tax free weekend is August 3rd and 4th. So, if you can wait until next weekend, that will save you money too! Also, if you don’t have the means to buy school supplies for your child, reach out to your local church or school. They will help you get in touch with someone to assist you in this area. If you are unable to buy new school clothes for your kid, it’s ok! Sometimes, the money is just not there. Check with your local clothes closets. Mansfield First Baptist has a clothes closet, and they would love to help your child find some clothes for school.
Last, if you have no school age kids, help someone out! We have been blessed with wonderful grandparents on both sides of the family that have always bought clothes and supplies for our kids. If you have a friend that you know needs help, pick up a school supply list at Wal-Mart, and buy some of the items. You have no idea how you could bless them with this small gesture. Buy some clothes for their kids! It will mean so much to those kids! Stay tuned for part 2 on ways to help students get back into the routine of school! And most of all…
As with any success seen in Jr High and Sr High, it all starts with the little guys. Outside of the town of Magazine, very little is known about Magazines Little League program. For years they played the BIG teams and were merely outnumbered on the field. It’s hard to take a team that can barely get enough players and try to overcome teams who have 40 to 50 players. Having to do that year in and year out can decimate a program. But all of that is slowly changing as the Magazine Little League program is looking to get the community “rattling” again.
The Little League Rattlers made a change in leagues last season with the creation of the West Central Football League. The WCFLs creator and President is none other than Magazines own Doug Powell who gathered a hand full of small schools to help bring smaller programs in the area back to their prime. The results of that move were an immediate impact for Magazine as their fifth and sixth grade Rattlers earned a playoff berth and even made it to the WCFL Championship in 2018. Although they fell to Hackett in the championship game, they proved something to their league opponents and more importantly, the town of Magazine. These snakes are as dangerous as ever.
Josh Scott, Magazines WCFL Representative and Treasurer said, “For years we barely had enough kids to suit up a team. We had to basically beg and plead with kids to sign up. It was hard to convince a kid or parent to play football when they knew they’d be facing teams three times bigger than us. With the creation of the WCFL, that all changed for us. Our success last season showed everyone that we can compete with anyone in this league. Kids are excited to be a Rattler now and our community is rallying behind them. Even our Sr High players are excited to work with and watch these little guys. Our numbers are higher than we’ve seen in years thanks to everyone pitching in and believing in our program.”
Magazines Little League program is blessed with awesome leadership, great coaches, and very talented young athletes. They have proven that they can compete with anyone no matter how big or small. But they are still in need of more players each year to continue growing the program to its full potential. But time is running out with sign-ups closing soon. Remember, the Little League teams the community represents today will be the Senior High teams representing the community tomorrow.
Raymond Chastain isn’t with us any longer, but his legacy as a member of a pioneer family is still told through his widow, Billie Jean Phillips Chastain. Billie still lives in their home in Bloomer, Arkansas. She is surrounded by memories and mementos of their lives together in small boxes, old luggage, and scrapbooks. She has kept her husband’s recollections alive in those treasured items.
In 1968, Raymond’s great uncle was visiting about how his mother and Raymond’s great-great-grandfather, Richard Turner, was one of the military men who traveled with a detachment of the U. S. Army that relocated the Cherokee Indians to new lands west from Tennessee, Georgia, and South Carolina. This was 181 years ago at the time of today’s writing. Turner settled at the frontier army post at Fort Gibson, often traveling from Fort Gipson through Fort Smith and to Dardanelle along the Military Road.
The late Mr. J. B. Turner of Branch recalled that his own great-grandfather moved along the old Military Road, settling in the present-day South Franklin County area. His father, also named Richard Turner, was born about three miles southwest of the present-day Branch community. J. B. Turner remembered the stories that were passed down across the generations. He himself knew the route between Fort Gibson to Dardanelle just about as much as his ancestor did.
J.
B. recalled how his distant grandfather helped with the Indian removal in the
1830s. The old Military Road east of Fort Smith followed the route of
present-day Highway 22 as far as Central City, Turner accurately recalled. The route turned on Highway 255 on the left
at Central across a creek (Vache Grass) and on through present Lavaca, which
was at one time known as Oak Bower.
Turner continued in the notes, “The old routE went about a half-mile north of the community of Ursula then on through Grand Prairie and past the Hampton Cemetery, then south to the top of the ridge at Old Donald about a half-mile northeast of Branch.” The Old Donald community is reported as one of the first communities in that section of Franklin County and there is no sign of it today. It was here where the Dardanelle-Fort Smith Stage Road came across the ridge, but instead of following the Military Road northward, it continued westward, running through the old wagon campground at Spring Hill, now Barling,” Turner noted.
Arkansas state roads sometimes followed the old Military Road that was established long before Arkansas even was a state. Some portions of the Military Road follow old Indian trails.
In
Turner’s noted recollections, he wrote how there was once a big open spring on
the hill where the Barling Post Office sits. (Hence the title of Spring Hill.)
Weary travelers stopped and camped overnight here, especially those whose
journey led from present-day Branch on the way to Fort Smith and beyond. That distance was about a full day on
horseback or wagon.
J.
B. Turner’s memories record that there was three main founders of the town of
Branch: William Bradbury, Richard Turner, and J. D. Branch.
When
the post office came, it was named in honor of John D. Branch, an uncle to the
Turners. The community almost was called Turnersville, in honor of Richard
Turner, but unfortunately, there was already a Turnersville in Craighead
County. The honor then turned to J. D.
Branch. It was Branch who had built one of the first cotton gins and grist
mills. J. B. Turner wrote that more than
900 people lived in Branch (although the census doesn’t confirm that). Strip
mining for coal at Grand Prairie was strong and workers walked the five miles
northwest to their work or rode horses.
`There
used to be an old log cabin on Highway 22/Military Road that still stood
between Charleston and Dardanelle that was a major stop for fresh horses and
for feeding travelers and providing shelter for the night.
The Arkansas Central Railroad built through Branch, as well as Lavaca, in 1898. There was two daily passenger runs through Branch and to Fort Smith and back. A Branch railroad connecting to the mainline was built in 1919. Headquarters were built near where the old high school sat. (The building sits abandoned in Turner’s 1968 interview. This school, built in 1914, was consolidated and students moved to a different district.)
Passenger service slowly stopped soon after Highway 22 was paved in the 1930s. The coal slowed considerably as well and people used those paved roads to move to jobs in other locations. The population in 2010 was 341 persons. Few buildings remain from the better days but the population has remained relatively constant.
Every
town has a story. How great it is that the family of Raymond Chastain took the
time to record this history or it may have been lost to the ages.
The exact figure is 726.7 miles. That’s
how many miles the collective effort of the Mansfield cross country team has
put in during their first three weeks of pre-season training.
Leading the way has been Faith
Rainwater. The tenth grade Lady Tiger was the 2018 MHS female cross country
runner of the year. Close behind have been fellow sophomores McKenzie Griffin
and Hope Rainwater.
Faith Rainwater has logged 74 miles
since the start of organized team activities. Just barely behind is Griffin at
72 miles. Both have only missed one practice since the summer schedule began.
Both incidents were due to illness.
Hope Rainwater hasn’t trailed her Tiger
running mates by much. Since the first full week of July, she has reached 69.5
recorded miles.
“The sophomore girls have been really
motivated,” stated Tiger cross country coach John Mackey. “They are an exciting
bunch. They fit nicely with our older and younger core.”
For the Tiger men, Ashton Hinkle has
recorded the most miles. The cross country check in/out sheet as of last week
showed Hinkle at 66.5 miles.
“Some of the guys put in a lot of miles
even before training camp began,” expressed the coach. “Our sign in sheet
doesn’t reflect all the numbers. There’s probably a lot more miles that have
been run that didn’t find the sheet.”
What is known is that Hinkle put in the
most non-stop miles of any player just the other day. On Thursday evening with
temperatures at a moderate level, the ninth grade athlete ran 7.5 consecutive
miles before being stopped by his coach due to darkness.
“You could tell he wasn’t fatigued in
the least,” offered the coach. “He was gonna just keep going. He typically runs
home after practice. I didn’t want him out on the streets after dark so I made
him stop.”
The coach noted the progress of the 2018
Mansfield male cross country runner of the year, Ethan Chapman, as well.
According to his coach, Chapman has been running the majority of the summer.
“Ethan started back in May,” said
Mackey. “He only writes down his lake runs. I’m sure his total for the summer
would be substantial if he recorded everything.”
On more than one occasion, many of the
cross country athletes get extra work after evening weight sessions. The Tiger
weight room opens about an hour and a half before team sessions begin at the
city park. To get extra road work, most of the athletes just run the extra mile
to the lake.
So far, 35 different athletes have made an appearance at the Tiger lake runs. Not all of those will make the final cross country roster according to the coach. However, he felt it was a positive sign that the Tigers are trending in the right direction as the 1,000 mile mark is well in sight.
2018 MHS female cross country athletes of the year Faith Rainwater.Eleventh grader Renden Emery does a light lift before running to the city lake for cross country practice.Tenth grade cross country runner Ethan Chapman set the school record in the junior high 1600m run last season. In the center of the team warmups is Mansfield sophomore McKenzie Griffin. Freshman Ashton Hinkle looks at ease after completing 7.5 non-stop miles of cross country training.
The Mansfield School District has found a new Tiger to add to their roster. Mr. Mark Tolton has been hired on to be the new assistant football coach, math teacher, and to teach PE. When it comes to coaching, Tolton is no stranger to the game. “I’ve played football since I was eight years old,” Tolton says. “I volunteered in college and even after graduation, I continued to volunteer in the sport. I played for Fort Smith Southside and was on their first state championship team in 1983.”
“I was fortunate to have been hired at Hackett as an assistant coach for both football and baseball. I became Western Yell County’s Head Coach the first year they played a varsity schedule and then moved back to Fort Smith and became Head Coach at Trinity Junior High. Now, I’m very honored to have been hired on at Mansfield High School.” Coach Tolton knew from a young age that coaching was what he wanted to do in life. When he 13, Tolton had to fill in as head coach for his brothers’ boys club basketball team. It was at that moment that he knew coaching was where his heart was.
Mark Tolton and his significant other, Kristy, share four kids and seven grandkids between them. Growing up in Fort Smith, Mark attended Bonneville Elementary, Chaffin Junior High, and Southside High School. Coach Tolton graduated from ATU with a Bachelor of Science in Health/PE along with graduating from Southwestern Oklahoma State with a Masters in Educational Administration.
“I wanted to come to Mansfield especially after I knew that Mr. Eveld was Principal. I have great respect for him and knew I’d like to work for him if given the opportunity. I enjoy coaching and working with young people while watching their growth academically and professionally.” We’d like to welcome Coach Tolton and family to the Resident Press area.
