75/25 YEARS AGO

Jan. 28, 1937, in The Star: John Hingson Jr., son of a prominent Oxford family and currently enrolled at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., has just arrived at home after spending three days helping to rescue “sick and hysterical” people marooned at or separated from their homes — victims of massive floods ravaging the Ohio River valley and points south. Exclusively for The Star Mr. Hingson has written an account of his efforts to help stricken residents of the area in which he’s in school, thereby bringing home to Star readers the grim reality of life in the flood zone. Also this date: Preliminary work began today on the construction of a new pump house at Coldwater for the City of Anniston Water Department. The $9,500 project is to include a new building 50 feet wide and 62 feet long inside. The pump room will provide ample space for new pumps and machinery if they’re needed in the future. Additionally: Supplying eye examinations and eyeglasses “for needy and worthy school children” through the cooperation of doctors and optometrists will be a major objective of the Anniston Kiwanis Club during this year, club members decided at their weekly meeting yesterday.

Jan. 28, 1987, in The Star: Thanks in part to regular transfers of personnel away from and into Fort Mcclellan and Anniston Army Depot, sales figures for existing homes in Calhoun County are up 25.5 percent over last year but prices are up only 2.5 percent, according to Mike Wallanzheimer, president of the Calhoun County Board of Realtors. Also this date: A marketbasket comparison of prices at five leading Anniston supermarkets finds that they’re all relatively close for the 21 items bought — the total at each store ranged from $31.12 to $35.13. The survey includes the brand-new Super Valu at 16th and Quintard, but doesn’t include the soon-toclose Super Valu at 8th and Quintard, just because it didn’t sell several of the items available at the other stores. Additionally: Memories of Mark Mccormick, who died a few days ago at age 8 after a prolonged battle against leukemia, fill George Smith’s column today. They are the written recollections of Mark’s classmates at Alexandria Elementary School, compiled by their teacher, Cheryl Harris.