Lights-Camera-Action...We're Gonna Be In Pictures

 

On Sunday. . .with banks of snow still piled high and the threat of rain. . .Carter Moody made his way to the Duncan Farmstead to begin filming a documentary about the history of Dell (AR), past and present . . . A junior at Armorel High School, Carter's family is well-rooted in Delta history. . . His father Glenn attended Dell and Gosnell Schools--born and raised in the small community of Half Moon. He now farms and owns the Farmers First Gin Company outside of Dell. . .Carter's mom Debbie is a Mississippi County native, too, attending school in Blytheville. She now teaches 6th grade at Armorel.

The Arkansas Historic Places Student Film Competition was suggested to Carter by the East School facilitator Mrs. Bell. She knew of his interest in filmmaking and local history, encouraging him to enter. . .As it turned out, the project has become two-fold. . . First to enter the Arkansas competition with a 15 minute documentary, in which he could choose a building or a place of historical significance. . .He decided instead of a single building that he wanted to document the town of Dell and its history. . .how it has changed over the years. He realized that many of the stories are being lost and wanted to help record some of them. . .maybe teach others a little of our Delta history along the way.

 

"There is a real sophistication in the work of Arkansas's young filmmakers. . .When students work with their own ideas and are allowed to create freely, the results can be astounding. . . Student films are worth seeing. You come away charmed and surprised by the talent.”  (AETN)

The second project is for the East Conference, where local students come together and share a few of their school projects. . . It's all about community and teamwork. . . Several of Carter's class mates will play a big part in the editing and prep of both documentaries, the second documentary being much longer then 15 minutes. Carter will represent Armorel at the conference.

We were thrilled that much of Carter's documentary will be based on an interview with myself, our photos and research. . .Carter is a delightful young man. . .and we are proud to help foster his creativity. . .We'll be watching closely for the outcome. . .If it were left up to me. . .of course, he'd win the prize. . .He certainly won our hearts. . .We are so excited that he'll be representing the Delta in the competition and conference.

AETN's Student Selects: A Young Filmmakers Showcase is an annual event that grants future filmmakers the opportunity to submit their film and video handiwork for possible broadcast on AETN, streaming on aetn.org and screening at the Little Rock Film Festival (LRFF) and the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival (HSDFF).


In partnership with the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program and the Arkansas Humanities Council, ninth through 12th grade students may compete for the Arkansas Historic Places Student Film Prize, which honors student documentaries about any historic site in the state. Films must focus on a site in Arkansas that is at least 50 or more years old. Films are awarded prizes based on geographical location of the subject matter – the Ozarks, the Ouachitas, the Arkansas River Valley, the Timberlands and the Delta. 

 

Watch for more about Carter and his projects in the Town Crier Newspaper. . .coming soon. . .

 

 

GOOD LUCK, CARTER. . .FROM ALL OF US HERE AT THE FARM. . .

 



Three Blocks to C.A.'s Grocery

"Hi, Mama". . .the screen door slamming behind me.

"Hi, Honey. . .You're just in time. . .I want you to run to C. A.'s. . .
I need a jar of Miracle Whip and you might as well pick up a loaf of bread and a quart of milk, too."
 

"Can I have some Rex Jelly?"
I never missed a chance to ask.

"Not today. . .We have homemade peach and strawberry already open."
 

Why did we have to eat homemade jam and jelly anyway? Rex was my pick. Nothing in this world as good as Rex Jelly on buttered toast or Sunday biscuits. I didn't much like Mom's biscuits but a big dollop of Rex made them go down a whole lot easier. I much preferred Granny's fluffy biscuits. . .and she always had Rex Jelly on hand. . .Yep. . .In the biscuit category, my Granny made the best.

 

As I thought about the mysteries of the adult world and how they think,  I grabbed the bright blue Schwinn bike that Santa brought the Christmas before and headed the three blocks to C. A.'s. . . .When the store was in sight, I scanned the possibilities for parking my bike. . . .As usual there were already bikes there. . .leaning against the porch. . .I'd have to park mine on the other side from where I normally put it. . .A minor inconvenience.

 

 

Farmhands fresh from their day's work in the field sat on the porch. . .smoking cigarettes. . .eating crackers and cheese. . .sipping on Cokes and Pepsi. . .talking about how hot the day had been. . .and their plans for Saturday's trip 'to town'. . .hardly noticing me as I propped my bike against the porch. . . .I nodded to the sweet old lady next door. . .sitting on the porch of her shotgun house. . .She never failed to say "Hello"  and I always smiled and returned the favor. . .Nearly every time I made a trip to C. A.'s, she was sitting on that porch. . .watching all the comings and goings from a friendly distance. . .It seemed to fill her days.

 

Quickly I bounded up the old cypress steps and past the men. . .Mom had warned me to never talk to strangers. . .I could smell the mixture of oiled floors, fried 'something', bags of onions and potatoes and ripe bananas drifting through the screen door. . .Oh that screen door . . .In my entire lifetime of store visits, that screen door squeeked open and shut with a loud bang every single time.

 

"Hello, Little Bit!" . . .that was me.

"Hello, Sissy" . . .my pet name for C. A.

 . . .because he wore the large, white bibbed apron of a butcher. . .Most times we'd find him behind the meat counter--back among the hams and bologna. In those days slices of sandwich meats or pork chops or bacon--well, any kind of meat--were cut, weighed and wrapped in white paper, the price marked on top with a grease pencil.

 

I continued on my mission. . .grabbing Mom's order and nothing else. . .I did check the Rex Jelly on the lower shelf below the Miracle Whip. . .just to be sure C. A. still carried it. . .When I'd gathered all together, I placed the three items on  the counter in the center of the room for Juanita (C. A.'s wife) to write down the charges on our ledger. . .Daddy would settle up with them at the end of the month.

 

"Come here a minute, Little Bit."
 

Those were the sweetest words I'd heard. . .because I knew what was coming. . .On rare occasions it had happened before. . .
 

"Whatcha need, Sissy?"

 

 I rounded the corner and stepped to the other side of the meat counter. . .No words. . .just a grin. . .as C. A. looked straight ahead passing me a couple of crackers with peanut butter spread smooth, topped with that shimmering, red jewel of my heart's desire. . .REX JELLY. . .in that moment, C. A. was my Prince Charming. . .and didn't seem like an adult at all. . .It was our little secret. . .one we never spoke of. . .especially around Mom. . .or Juanita.

 

I gobbled the crackers down. . .wiped my face of the evidence. . .gave C. A. a big hug. . .and headed home. . .grinning all the way.

 

 

 Many have asked why the bike leans against the porch of C. A. Smith's Grocery at our farmstead today. . .Others know why because their bikes were once parked there, too.

 

Me? . . I leave it there in fond memory of a man whose small gestures of love has never been forgotten.

"Thank you, Sissy."
 

C.A. and Juanita Smith, Dell, AR

 

 



Found: Priceless Vintage Cola Bottle

What a find!. . . .Priceless?. . .Yes--to me . . .But now we have a mystery. . . .I love mysteries, don't you? . . .The avenues I go down to solve one sometimes frustrates others but never me. . . .I have my suspicions about this one's history but have yet to find confirmation. . . .Maybe you can help?

We found the Moody's Made Right Beverage bottle under our own C. A. Smith Grocery. . . .It must date back to the early 1930s to 1940s. . . .According to the net, beginning in 1933 a form of silk screening was introduced to put colored labels on bottles. The colored label was actually fused to the glass. This was cheaper and faster than using the molds needed for embossed bottles. . . .Their 'heyday' was during the 30s-40s and are very popular with collectors. . . .

I suspect this one came from the L. M. Moody Grocery in downtown Dell, Arkansas. . . .I'm thinking maybe a local cola bottling plant produced beverage bottles inscribed with any logo. . . .because. . . .we've found many similar ones around the farm. . . .Some with cotton bolls. . . .Some with family names. . . .Some with embossed glass and silk screening . . . .This is the first one I've found that I can 'almost definitely' tie to the local area. . . .and for sure to the Delta. . . .I've been so excited about it that I'm very anxious for an answer . . . .So, if you can solve our mystery of the Moody's Made Right Beverage bottle, please email. . .Or, if you can verify that a local bottling plant produced personalized beverages, we'd appreciate that information, too. . . .I remember the Coca Cola Bottling Company in Blytheville. . . .Could they have produced this one?

No matter what we find or how long it takes. . . .this little piece of Delta history will be proudly displayed in the C. A. Smith Grocery Museum. . . .Finds like this make all our work with preserving history worth it. . . .

Yes. . . .LIFE IS GOOD. . . .

Want to read more about painted soda bottles?

TREASURE NET