The Weekly Corinthian, Vol. XXXXI #43, Thursday, Oct. 22, 1936
p. 6, c. 1-2.
PARADE PROVES
HAPPY TRIBUTE
TO COL.TURNER
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Thursday's Daily.
A parade nearly a mile long circled through the city today under
windblown flags and bunting to start a stream-lined train of events for
Corinth's aviation day celebration.
With an airplane circling overhead and motorcyles and horsemen
leading the march, over a dozen floats and scores of automobiles, many of
them decorated, paraded through the city, and Colonel Roscoe Turner
beamed at the crowd which lined the sidewalks from the front automobile.
The colorful Jackson, Tenn., Legion band, winners of a Tennessee
State Band Championship in 1935, marched near the head of the parade.
The parade was escorted by a corps of motorcyclists and horsemen,
made up of representatives of the American Legion and CCC officials.
Official cars containing notable aviators, Governor Hugh White,
Governor-elect Gordon Browning, Col.J.Carroll Cone, parents of Roscoe
Turner, and Mrs. Roscoe Turner, and other relatives followed.
First of the floats was a colorful flowered one entered by the
Corinth Kiwanis Club. Colonel Turner and his families were in official
cars immediately following it.
Behind came a float entered by the Eight and Forty, auxiliary
organization of the American Legion and the Corinth Music Club, with a
float symbolic of the club's membership of music.
Young ladies, whose heads protruded through the sides of the
float and formed notes in the music written on the side, sang as their
float followed in the line of march.
The Twentieth Century club, taking southern personalities as its
theme, presented a float of unusual interest. Three famed aviators,
Roscoe Turner, Phoebe Omelie, and Dick Merrill stood between the pages of
a book (Southern history) and represented contributions of Southern
personages to world progress. Other floats were entered by the Iron
Workers Union, at Pickwick Dam, the Daughters of the American Revolution,
whose float carried out the idea of the South's ancient heritage of
family and character.
The Fin de Siecle Club float with a motto "From Wagons to Wings"
emblazoned upon it, had an ancient covered wagon at the rear and wings at
the front to designate the progress made in transportation in the United
States. Miss America stood on the float to sponsor aviation's progress.
In the Beethoven Club float the famed composer for which the club
was named was impersonated by Thomas Nichols, who played a piano during
the parade.
From Pickwick Village came a large number of floats and decorated
cars. In addition to the Iron Workers local, there was another float
entered by workers at Pickwick dam, and cars, representing the Pickwick
Women's Club; the Pickwick Garden Club, and a TVA Employees organization.
Local Number 25 of the Welders' International Union and the
American Legion and sons of the Legion were represented in the parade by
attractive floats in patriotic colors.
A decorated car, containing members of the staff, represented the
Pickwick Village Training Section.
The float representing workers at Pickwick Dam was one of the
most interesting in the parade. It displayed to throngs on both sides of
the street a large painting of a TVA dam, such as the one under
construction on the Tennessee river twenty-four miles northeast of
Corinth.
The parade was held up for a short time in the downtown section
of the city when one of the horsemen from Shiloh National Park, riding a
high tempered horse was thrown when the animal became excited at the
noise and the crowd when the head of the parade reached Cruise Street,
and threw his rider, injuring him slightly.
Nurses from McRae hospital riding in a McPeters ambulance,
accompanied the parade to the airport and set up an emergency medical
unit, with the ambulance available in case of a mishap at the airport.
The Homecoming Day crowd, scattered from the Fair Grounds on the
south to the airport two miles north of the city, was increased by the
fact that most of the activities of Fair Week were centered on this day.
Entertainment has been planned of interest to all types, and the
airplanes and aviators, capturing the imagination of many spectators,
proved the most compelling attraction.
Corinth schools and those of a number of surrounding towns were
dismissed early in order to permit the students to attend all of the
events in connection with Roscoe Turner Day.
Merchants closed their doors for the parade and everybody turned
out to line the streets with spectators.
In the crowd there were many familiar faces of former Corinthians
who had returned to visit on this occasion.
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The Weekly Corinthian, Vol. XXXXI #43, Thursday, Oct. 22, 1936
p. 6, c. 4.
AIR HOLIDAY
REACHES HIGH
POINT IN CITY
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Thursday's Daily.
Northeast Mississippi's three day "aviation holiday" reached a
climax here today with an exciting Homecoming Day celebration honoring
Colonel Roscoe Turner at the Corinth airport.
Related information.
Notable figures in aviation, friends of Colonel Turner, and
aviation enthusiasts from several parts of the state rode in a parade
which, with aviation as its theme, proved one of the most interesting
ever held here.
Official importance was added to the ceremonial by the presence
of Col. J. Carroll Cone, assistant director of the Bureau of Aeronautics,
Department of Commerce; Gov. Hugh White and Governor-elect Gordon
Browning, of Tennessee.
The Homecoming Day here brought out the largest crowd of all
three aviation events, and the largest group of aviation notables. First
of the trio was held at Aberdeen Tuesday and the second at Tupelo
yesterday.
Publishers and newspapermen, whose interest in aviation is
enhanced by the fact that aviation is "news" in this modern age, were
here in numbers.
Dance Finale
Corinth's Celebration, beginning with the registration of
Homecoming day visitors, will end late tonight with dance at the high
school gymnasium when Jack Staulcup's orchestra will play the last
hilarious tunes for the gala event.
Among the first to arrive this morning for the celebration were
Al Key, airport inspector of the Bureau of Aeronautics and co-holder with
his brother, Fred, of the world's record for endurance flying; S. E.
Travis, Jr., airport engineer for Mississippi; T. E. Bostick, also
connected with the WPA airport program, who flew here from Tupelo, where
they attended ceremonies held for the dedication of the WPA airport to
Colonel J. Carroll Cone.
Colonel Turner, in whose honor the celebration is being held flew
here with Fred Key yesterday afternoon from Chicago.
Fifteen planes had landed at the airport before noon, and others
were expected to arrive prior to the parade.
A plane carrying Commercial Appeal reporters and a photographer
was reported to have left Memphis before noon.
Both Governor Hugh White and Gov.-elect Gordon Browning arrived
before noon accompanied by their secretaries.
Col. J. Carroll Cone, Assistant Director of the Bureau of
Aeronautics, flew here from Tupelo, arriving at about 11 o'clock.
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The (Jackson, Mississippi) Clarion Ledger? Undated clipping probably
10/17/1936-
TURNER TURNS
WHITE INTO
AIR FAN
===============================
CORINTH- (Special)- Governor Hugh White today had relented in his
attitude toward the "lion tamer's uniform" worn by Colonel Roscoe Turner,
native of Corinth who came home Thursday, and joined in the dedication of
the local landing field as "Roscoe Turner Airport," for the Mississippi
executive, fresh from his trip in the air, has become air-minded.
"I think I'll buy one of these things," Governor White declared
as he alighted with Governor-Elect Gordon Browning of Tennessee and Mrs.
Turner after Colonel Turner, who was tendered a colonelcy on the staff of
Governor White on condition that he "provide himself with a uniform of a
Mississippi colonel in place of his lion tamer's uniform," had piloted
them on a spin over the city.
"I didn't know when I left the ground," the governor declared,
"and I didn't get any jolt when I landed."
Colonel Turner explained to Governor White that his "lion tamer's
uniform" is "as much a part of me as my plane."
"Will Rogers had his slouch hat," said Turner, "Al Smith, his
brown derby, and Tom Mix, his white cowboy uniform, though not so famous,
is, I feel, my good luck charm."
Presented the key to the city by former Congressman Zeke Candler,
the aviator was overcome with emotion as he endeavored to find words to
express his gratitude.
"I just can't take it, I guess," he said. But he finally found
himself sufficiently to recall that the airport "was once a cow pasture
where I landed in Corinth." He told of how he had been married on the
field "under an apple tree," in September, 1924, "and we took off to the
air races."
Governor-Elect Browning told Mississippians that he resented the
fact that "you call Roscoe Turner your own."
"Roscoe belongs to America," Browning declared as his listeners
cheered.
He added that he was flying from Washington over the mountains
once and the motor went dead, "and since that time I've wanted to see an
airport on every mountain top."
Governor White paid tribute to the famous fliers from
Mississippi, including the late Eddie Stinson, for whom the Aberdeen
airport was formally named this week; Al and Fred Keys, of Meridian,
endurance record holders; Dick Merrill, trans-Atlantic round-trip flier,
and others.
"My only sorrow in reviewing their careers," the governor said,
"is that they, like so many in other lines of endeavor, have had to drift
away from Mississippi to attain high laurels. I work and pray for the
day when every Mississippi boy and girl with high ideals may find in the
Magnolia state every opportunity which might be found elsewhere."
A gigantic parade opened the celebration. W.C. (Chubby) Adams,
former state senator, was master of ceremonies. Adjutant General John
A. O'Keefe, who represented Colonel Carroll Cone and the department of
commerce, was the principal speaker at a banquet which climaxed the
celebration.
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Col.Roscoe Turner, holder of several aviation speed records, and
a native of Corinth, today was made a colonel on Governor Hugh White's
staff.
The governor signed a commission for Colonel Turner today upon
his return from Corinth where he assisted in the dedication of an airport
there yesterday.
While at Corinth, Governor White took his first airplane ride
with Colonel Turner, one of the notables present for the dedication
ceremonies.
See ALSO: The Weekly Corinthian, 10/22/1936 Farming
Abstracts (c) Copyright 1993 Stephanie L. Sandy