The Mystery Person described in last week’s column is now revealed to be long-time Alto Elementary School third-grade teacher, Thelma McLendon Shattuck. Her favorite read-aloud book was Miss Minerva and William Greenhill, which was serialized in The Alto Herald during the year 1913.

One of the many community service projects Mrs. Shattuck headed was the drive for financial support for the Stella Hill Memorial Library. She recognized early on that it is hard for an adult to deny a request from an attractive and eager school-age child. And that it is easy to make that school-age child eager with the promise of a cash reward and a picture in the newspaper.

Among the winners for most library memberships was Donnita Carter in 1962. According to the Herald “Donnita’s bright and happy face popped up all over town” on her way to receiving the $5.00 cash prize.

In 1964, Mrs. Shattuck is shown presenting awards to Robin Whiteman who sold 40 memberships and Paula Copeland who sold 28.

By 1966 the boys had decided to get in on the act, and Tim Sartain was presented with $5.00, Larry Joe Davis $3.00, and Cody Allen, $2.00.

Although our on-line copies of the Herald end with 1966, the project went on for a number of years before the patron drive was turned over to the members of the Thursday Study Club.

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That’s the end of the original column, but we have some bonus content for those who read this far. As often happens when I open one of these old Alto Heralds, my eye was caught by another picture on the front page of this last one. I was only 4 when this paper came out, but I still had no trouble immediately recognizing Hunter Whiteman, who was evidently a budding star at barrel racing.

Here are a few more photos of our mystery lady from the Stella Hill Library photo archive. The first is from way back in 1907 (with some enhancement)

And finally, some images that may remind you of the Thelma Shattuck many of us remember.

Originally published in the May 9, 2012 edition of the Cherokeean-Herald