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MAGNOLIA BOYS’ TOWN

LAUREL, MISSISSIPPI U.S.A.

HELPING BOYS IS OUR BUSINESS

IMPORTANT DATES

IMPORTANT DATES IN THE HISTORY OF MAGNOLIA BOYS' TOWN

1955

Mar 1: First funds were deposited in the bank for Magnolia Boys' Town.

Oct 6: Laurel V.F.W. voted to pay $1,000 for a swimming pool.

Oct 15: Ground breaking for Magnolia Boys' Town.

Oct 25: Non-profit Charter of Incorporation granted by the State of Mississippi.

1956

Apr 10: First boy arrived at the Home.

1957

Easter Sunday: Official opening of the Home.

Aug 1: First telethon with Preston Foster, Al Markin and Shephanie Foster among the guest stars.

Nov 16: A quarter page feature on the Home appeared in the Commercial Appeal.

1958

Jul 18: Second telethon started featuring such stars as Red Foley, Leo Carrillo, Doris Drew and Lidie Murfi.

Nov 3: Mr. and Mrs. Boyd Anderson came to the Home as "Mom" and "Pop".

1959

Feb 26: On a National television program, Dr. Bucklew presented Red Foley with a Distinguished Service Award for 1958. This program gave National recognition to the Home and was shown to overseas Servicemen.

Feb 27: 1st boy, left the Home for the Army.

Mar 25: Plans were made to make a film by Patio Pictures on the MAGNOLIA BOYS' TOWN STORY.

May 2: MAGNOLIA BOYS' TOWN STORY file was completed.

Jun 25: Director Dr. Bucklew attended the National Boys' Home Association meeting in Colorado Springs, Colorado and was elected National Director.

Dec 20: Plans were made to publish the first paper, MAGNOLIA BOYS' TOWN NEWS.

1960

May: Started new addition to the Home.

Jun 3: A citizen of the Home, was married in a ceremony at Magnolia Boys' Town conducted by Director, Dr. (Rev) Henry Bucklew.

Nov 6: Director, Dr. Bucklew received the V.F.W. Distinguished Service Award for his services to Magnolia Boys' Town.

Dec 21: Magnolia Boys' Town own printing for the purpose of mail arrived.

1961

Jun 15-17: National Association of Homes for Boys convention was held at the Buena Vista Hotel in Biloxi, Mississippi, with Magnolia Boys' Town as host. Dr. Bucklew was re-elected National Director.

Please visit often as new material is added as it becomes available

1962

1963

1964

1964 was one of the Home's most successful years. The Home accepted forty-eight (48) new boys during the year, bringing the total accepted to 263 since it was opened.

Alabama Governor George C. Wallace visited Magnolia Boys' Town

FARM PROJECTS:

In our gardens and on our farms, we raised and gathered over 200 bushels of Irish potatoes, 146 bushels of sweet potatoes, processed over 6,000 lbs. of vegetables for our walk-in freezer, made and gathered 60 bushels of peanuts, 14 bushels of pop corn, over 600 bushels of corn and raised, killed and processed 27,840 lbs. of dressed meat for our freezer.

OTHER PROJECTS:

Completed our 12 x 12 foot walk-in freezer valued at $5,000, purchased a steam heating system, changed from butane to natural gas heating and cooking, purchased a used pick-up truck, purchased a stainless steel sink for our kitchen, replaced gutters and downspouts on our main building, repainted areas of the main building needing paint, started work on hard surfacing our driveways and parking area, bought 88 head of hogs.

1965

Received two (2) Registered and Bred Brood Sows donated by Mr. Shiar Rahain and Mr. J.V. "Bill" Hoss of Laurel. Dr. Ray Ward (DVM) gave the Home a Registered male and several other citizens expressed interest and pledged to the project with a gift of a Registered Yorkshire Guilt or male.

The Animals visited Magnolia Boys' Town and did a benefit concert for the Home.

1966

1967

1968

1969

1970

1971

1972

1973

1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

1979

1980

1981

1982