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| December 5, 1985 The Ponchatoula Times |  |
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LIONS' PRIDE
When you enter the front door of the
home at 431 Sisters Road, you notice
immediately that the occupants of the
house have three interests - music,
books and clocks.
It is the home of Homer d. Hardin
and his wife, Margaret. They have
shelves and shelves of books, of every
description. Hardin is interested in
history and he has many volumes on
the Civil War, World War II and ancient
histories of Egypt, Greece and Rome.
He is this week's Lions' Pride
honoree of The Ponchatoula Lions
Club.
In the field of music,, he and Margaret
have hundreds of pho-.,aph records
and two stereo systems and tape
recorders. The records are very diversi-
fied; classical music, piano and organ
music, country and western and
popular. If it is music, they like it. They
have quite a few records of mechanical
music: the street organs of Holland, the
music boxes of America, especially the
sounds of the old merry-go-round
Homer an d Margaret Hardin
organs. Quite a few ot their recoros are
of the great voices of the past. "While
made under crude recording
conditions, the beautiful voice of artists
like Caruso, Schuman-Heink. and
other immortals makes up for the
scratchy recording," says Hardin. They
also have many records of organ music,
recording by international organists on
the great organs of Europe and
America.
And, speaking of organs, they even
have a pipe organ in their home.
Several years ago when the Poncha-
toula Methodist Church was considering
a new sanctuary organ, Hardin bought
the old organ and removed it from the
church. It was quite a chore, as a pipe
organ has many parts. He took it apart
and moved it from the chamber in the
church, carried the parts down a ladder,
and took them home.
The only help he had was a person
who helped him move the main wind
chest down the ladder and to remove
the console from the sanctuary. He built
the room, adjoining the den, and
installed the organ in there, and put the
console in the den. To his great amaze-
ment, it played the first time after the
installation. "To be sure, it needs the
touch of an organ maintenance man.
but they are not easy to find in this area.
However, the organ plays very well and
affords many hours of pleasure and
relaxation." he said.
And there are the chiming clocks.
Homer and Margaret love them and
never pay any attention to the sound of
the bells. Some people say that all those
ticking clocks and their chimes would
drive them up the wall. Not them, they
have them set a few seconds apart, in
order to hear them all. In his travels,
Hardin has a clock from every country
that he visited.
He moved to Ponchatoula in 1921
and lived here for two years, later
moving back to New Orleans. In 1929
the Hardin family returned to Poncha-
toula and he has lived here ever since.
In 1935, he graduated from Poncha-
toula High School and shortly after, he
enlisted in the Marine Corps, where he
stayed until 1945, seeing action
including the attack on Pearl Harbor.
After World War II. he worked for
Louisiana Cypress Lumber Company.
He worked in that job until 1952. when
he left to attend L.S.U. In 1955 he
graduated and took employment with
United Fruit Company as Chief Purser
on the ships of the Great White Fleet.
This job took him to many parts of the
world, even to 16 months in Vietnam,
while the ship was under charter to the
government. After the end of the war.
the ships were sold and Hardin retired.
Not one to sit idle, he took a job with
the State of Louisiana, in the Division of
State Building & Grounds, until 1982.
when he aqain retired.
Homer and Margaret say that they
cannot understand why some people
say they get bored, when there are so
many interesting things to occupy the
time.
• Local museum
FROM PAGE I-A
rice on an island he dredged out of the
marsh called Frederick's Island then,
Guste Island now, the location of the
Port Louis sailing community). It joined
the current path of La. 22 in Bedico and
proceeded on to the vital river port in
Madisonvflle.
"We used to have to ford the river,
wade across, when we got to Bedico
Creek," Keaghey recalls. "We didn't
have real roads until the 1920's when
the police jury got an old Folsum tractor
with iron wheels operated by. H.B.
"High Pockets" Hoover.
Mrs. Violet Collier, who was on hand
to accept the original bridge plaque, had
memories not as old as Keaghey's, but
old enough:
"We had to get off the carriage and let
the horses rest, the road was so bad
near the bridge. It was kept torn up by
the oxen."
Artist Gladys Keaghey rendered a
painting of the river crossing before the
bridge was built, depicting a family
being pulled across, horse, carriage and
all - a scene captured in a tinytype of the
rope-drawn ferry owned by Milburn
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donation spans decades of area history
Fletcher, the local historian.
But it wasn't just the added
convenience that made the bridge such
an improvement in the first years of this
century. To understand its importance
you have to remember that the only way
farmers could get their crops to market.
the only avenues of trade linking this
area with the outside world were the
river ports at Wadesboro and at Madison-
ville, and to some extent the railroad
through Manchac.
Keaghey's Irish*born grandfather
moved the family here from New
Orleans in 1892 and settled a I00 acre
farm on Seltzer's Creek two and a half
miles from the center of Ponchatoula.
"We used to do everything but cash
your check at the Keaghey farm. We
ground flour, meal for horses, sawed
lumber, did experimental farming for
the government, everything, all without
electricity, which didn't come here until
1943.
"The bridge connected us to Madison-
ville where the lake schooners were
docked. Everything was brought by
boat to Madisonville or Wadesboro,"
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Pl2 |
Hammond Square Mall
(Main Entrance-Near Texas State Optical)
542-9266
Open Mon.-Sat. 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Video Transfer Service-See home movies on
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said Keaghey while handling the
damaged and aged family keepsake
photo of his young-looking police
juryman father on the bridge.
The entire superstructure of the
bridge was made with steel beams
bolted together, of steel, supporting
stout wooden planking. Continuing
problems w!'h the swampy road leading
east from the bridge were solved some-
what by pilings which were driven by a
later police jury,
"Every time we got a high water the
little bridges were washed out and in the
late 1930's they started plans to move
the highway to its current location and
with the names of the police jury
members who built the bridge cast in the
metal.
Now being refurbished for public
viewing, the plaque will soon be an
display at Collinswood Museum.
Recalling that Keaghey had said
earlier in the interview that there were
no real roads until the 1920"s. and the
significance such a major structure as a
steel bridge over the Tangipahoa would
be in the dawn of the 1900's. the
reporter on leaving the Keaghey home
asked Keaghey what it was like here
before roads:
"'You headed through the woods on
build a new bridge on land the police what trails there were before the roads. I
jury built up at the new location.*' remember carrying my shoes to school
related Keaghey. so they wouldn't get damaged and dirty
Finally. the war effort locally during on the trails, which were all mud. I see
World War II claimed the old bridge, the schoolchildren today drive past on
,,,"; .... as dismantled in 1943 for scrap, their school buses and 1 can*t help but
Only the plaque placed at its top when feel that they're really got it made:"
the bridge opened in 1903 was saved.
CITIZENS IN SERVICE
BROWN
Forstall
ARMY
Pvt. Timothy P. Forstall. son of Mr.
and Mrs. Alvin E. Forstall of I I0 Manor
Drive. Ponchatoula. La.. has
completed basic training at Fort Knox.
VKy.
During the training, students received
instruction in drill and ceremonies,
weapons, map reading, tactics, military
courtesy, military justice, first aid. and
Army history and tradihons.
He is a 1985 graduate of Poncha-
toula High School
ARMY
Army Private John A. Maryman, son '
of Albert S. Maryman of St. Francisville,
La.. and Virginia M. Maryman of Rural
Route 2. Springfield, La., has
completed one station unit training
(OSUT) at the U.S. Army Infantry
School, Fort Benning. Ga.
OSUT is a 12-week period which
combines basic combat training and
advanced individual training.
The training included weapons quali-
fications, squad tactics, patrolling, land-
mine warfare, field communications
and combat operations. Completion of
this course qualifies the soldier as a
light-weapons infantryman and as an
indirect-fire crewman.
Soldiers were taught to perform any
of the duties in a rifle or mortar squad.
He is a 1984 graduate of Springfield
High School.
AIR FORCE
Tech. Sgt. Jewel A. Simmons, son of
Ruth Simmons of 1500 Natchez St..
Hammond. La.. has been decorated
with the Air Force Commendation
Medal at Chanute Air Force Base, I11.
The Air Force Commendation Medal
is awarded to those individuals who
demonstrate outstanding achievement
or meritorious service in the performance
of their duties on behalf of the Air
Force.
Simmons is a contract inspector with
the 3345th Civil Engineering Squadron.
His wife, Sonia, is the daughter of
James D. and Hilda M. Henderson of
250 N. 12th St., Ponchatoula, La.
He received an associate degree in
1984 from the Community College of
the Air Force.
Army Sgt. Ist Class Bobby L. Brown.
son of Wilbert and Martha D. Brown.
Ponchatoula. has been decorated with
the Meritorious Service Medal at Fort
Polk.
The Meritorious Service Medal is
awarded specifically for outstanding
non-combat meritorious achievement
or service to the United States.
Brown is an infantryman with the 6th
Infantry Brigade.
His wife. Linda. is the daughter of
Wilma J. Crockett, Compton. Calif.
He is a 1972 graduate of Ponchatoula
High School:
AIR FORCE
Airman Craig A. Thomas. son of Carl
and Shirley Thomas of 115 Oakwood
Drive. ,nchatoula. La.. has graduated
from the U.S. Air Force course for
aircraft control and radar repairman at
Keesler Air Force Base. Miss.
Graduates of the course learned
tuning operations, alignment, in-
specl;,n, maintenance and repair of
aircraft control and warning radar equip-
ment, and related test equipment, and
earned credits toward an associaw
degree in applied science through the
Community College of the Air Force.
Thomas is scheduled to serve with
the 61lth Tactical Control Flight in
West Germany.
He is a 1984 graduate ,f Poncha-
toula High School.
AIR FORCE
Seniol Airman Donald H. Black, son
of William D. Black of 5900 Stuart
Lane, Oak Forest, II1., and Barbara D
Black of 138 Colver Drive, Poncha-
toula, La. has been awarded an associ-
ate degree in applied science by the
Community College of the Air Force.
The worldwide college, headquartered
at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., awards
associate degrees to enlisted airmen for
programs combining technical edu-
cation received in the Air Force with
general education provided by civilian
institutions.
Black is a medical laboratory specialist
with Wilford Hall Air Force Medical
Center. San Antonio, Texas.
His wife, Linda, is the daughter of
Beverly M. Jeveret of 16734 Tinley
Park Drive, Tinley Park, III.
He is a 1980 graduate of Oak Forest
High School.
ARMY
Army Private Stephen F. Pearce, son
of Eileen M. Singerman and stepson of
Joseph M. Singerman of Star Route.
Ponchatoula, La., has completed one
station uni t training (OSUT) at the U.S,
Army Infanty School, Fort Benning,
Ga.
OSUT is a 12-week period which
combines basic combat training and
advanced individual training.
The training included weapons quali-
fications, squad tactics, patrolling,
iandmine warfare, field communi-
cations, and combat operations.
Completion of this course qualities the
soldier as a light-weapons infantryman
and as an indirect-fire crewman.
Soldiers were taught to perform any
of the duties in a rifle or mortar squad.
He is 1983 graduate of Ponchatoula
High School.
If you were to die before your
mortgage was paid off,
could your family afford the
mortgage payments?
If not, you ought to consider
Mortgage Protector Plan-
designed to insure that your
family will have their home
free and clear if you do not
live to pay off the mortgage.
WILL
YOUR
MORTGAGE.
OUTUVE
YOU?
THE PROFESSIONALS
BRANCH-DANIELS
General Insurance
• 386-9987
h lie r _ 165 E Pine St'
C ar B anch Jr.
P.O. Drawer a/D
qJiMner Ponchatoula
-- For aComplete
, review of Your
Insurance
Needs .... .CALL
Velma Kraft
386-3754
Wilk McKean
386-2415
Farm Bureau Insurance
*LIFE *HEALTH
.RETIREMENT
-,HOME
For the convenience
of my Ponchatoula,
Albany, Springfield,
Bedico, Robert and
Hammond clients...
Please note the direct dial
number to my Amite office
542-0403
JOSEPH SIMPSON
Attorney at Law
P.O. Box 1017
Amite, La.