Published: July 30, 2008 04:15 pm            

Yesterday in Newton: Conversation of the Day - Part III

NEWTON — The month of June and July 1905 had been hot. Dust was a problem because the streets were dirt and had never been graded, a bond issue was up for grading the streets. Several welcome showers had fallen in this vicinity the middle of June.

Let’s turn our imagination to a group of business men who have met at the Brown Hotel for lunch where they were talking about news of the day. The dining room was cooled with ceiling fans operated by pulling ropes. This was a job performed by young J. B. Brown, son of the historian J. B. Brown who was the owner of the hotel. The old hotel was now known as Brown Hotel. It was originally built by Jarred Watts in 1866 and was nice for that time. Watts had come to Newton from Garlandville. Around 1880 is when A. J. Brown acquired the old Watts House as it was known. In 1871 it was advertised in the Newton Weekly Ledger. A Sandborn Fire Map in 1905 confirms that it was located on the corner of Cedar Street and Monroe Street.

Today, a large red brick building stands on the site and was the Buckley Brothers Wholesale Grocery business house build 1927-28. No doubt such business men as W.B. Richardson, J.C. McClinton, C.H. Rew, T.A. Baccum, C.R. Hoye, I.M. Hoye, Walton brothers, R.G., G.W. and J.O. who were in the wholesale grocery business and soda water business. C.E. Cunningham, the editor of the Newton Record was probably in this group and an article on the editorial page was a conversation piece.

The conversation turned to the discussion of the examination to practice medicine in Mississippi. On June 8, C.E. Cunningham had published an article in the Record that says the following:

One of the laws that should be enacted by the next session of the next session of the legislature is that every person who stands that examination to practice medicine should be a graduate of some reputable and reliable medical college a profession which has the life of human beings in its hands should be of a very high standard and the standard cannot be high when one is lacking in qualification. It is well known that with the exception of Texas, the Mississippi board is the hardest medical board in the south to pass, yet the state does not require an applicant to be a graduate. In Louisiana it is said that the examination is not so difficult, but the applicants must be graduates. Mississippi is the only state in the south that does not say her candidates for license to practice medicine should be graduates. The Record believes that the law should be made such as to require this.

My mother told us the story of how her father Robert Holman Weir, Jr. wanted to be a doctor. The family lived in the Wickware, Sweetwater area. He had medical books and studied a lot. He helped people as much as he could and was allowed to do. Her mother, Emma Walker Weir didn’t want him to go away long enough to meet his requirements to be a doctor. She was afraid to stay alone in the rural area with his children. His dream never came true.

There was some more talk about doctors. The co-partnership of Dr. G.H. McNiel and Dr. I.W. Cooper has been mutually dissolved.

Newton now has a steam laundry and as soon as J.S. Ray of Nashville, Tenn. has a local man trained to take over the plant he will leave. Some women will be employed.

Attempts are being made again to organize a Progressive League. The first organization fell into oblivion, so to speak because members failed to attend the meetings. There was not enough money subscribed or made up to maintain a business league. A commercial league without funds is worth nothing and can accomplish nothing.

It was going to take a hustling secretary with a paid salary so that he can afford to give his time and attention to the work, is an absolute necessity and unit an organization on this plan is formed, nothing will be accomplished for the town.

To end this, I will say research has been done to see when the Mississippi legislature passed a law requiring applicants for the medical examination should be a graduate of a medical college. When this information is obtained I will let you know the answer.

        

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