Page 96 - MOST RECENT

riage from Korner's Folly. In it were D. L. Donnell,
who is a tax collector, and his wife, a daughter of Jule
Korner . . . De Witt Harmon, dean of Kernersville, sat
with his sister on the front porch of their home and held
open house for those who wanted to see from the van-
tage point of fine shade trees . . . Out on their front
porch sat Dr. and Mrs. J. R. Paddison, dressed as George
and Martha Washington ... Two of the string bands
rode in old-time prairie schooners, and all of the band
wagons were drawn by plumed horses and mules, in
four, six and eight hitches."
There were an estimated twenty-five thousand peo-
ple, by far the largest number ever to have been in
The beautiful A. Clay Smith, Inc. float in the 1940 Fourth of July
parade. Betsy Jane Ring is " Miss America" and Berkley T aylor is "Uncle Kernersville at one time, for the 1938 celebration. The
Sam".
Hon. W. Kerr Scott, orth Carolina Commissioner of
Agriculture, was the speaker that first year. The next
year, 1939, the event had gained momentum and Gov-
ernor Clyde R. Hoey was the honored guest speaker.
Drenching rains during the day in 1939 did not
drown the enthusiasm and surely the most exciting
events that year were the sandbag Pulling Contests. Mr.
Gilmer Smith's prize mule team set a state record,
pulling a load of 14.3 tons on a wagon as thousands of
enthusiastic rooters roared their appreciation and a
state official recorded the new record with amazement,
saying he had never seen a team that could so much as
lift its own weight before.
The Joyner grandchildren enjoying the Fourth of July parade in In 1940 a third celebration just as successful as the
1957. Lee Joyner, W ill Joyner, Janie Joyner, Edward Bowen, Jeffer-
son Myers. first two was held. By July 4, 1941 ominous war clouds
were gathering to the East and to the West of the
United States and although Pearl Harbor was five months
The prize winning S & R Motor Company float in the 1940 Fourth of
uly parade. Pictured from bottom to top of float left to right: Shirley Rag- away there was neither spirit nor cause for celebration
l and, Martha Jane Ragland, Marilyn W illiard, Ruth Peoples, Grace Ragland,
Elizabeth Fulp, Juanita Ragland, Ellen Cooke, Joanna Doggett and little in a world already bathed in blood.
Jeannette Cooke.
Eight years passed, during four of which this coun-
try was helping wage the most far reaching and de-
structive war of all times. Hundreds of boys from this
town and surrounding communities were drawn into the
struggle. Thirty-seven laid down their lives that we
might remain a free people.
In 1948 the celebration was resumed successfully
and has continued since that· time. Proceeds from the
celebration have been used for many worthy community
projects. The current president of the Kernersville

Four members of the always popular " bicycle brigade" in the 1940
Fourth of July parade as it nears the school house.

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