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20 • SATURDAY, AUGUST 8, 2009
..COURTHOUSE MEMORIES • THE SEA COAST ECHO
Memories
■ Continued from Pg. 16
get inside.
During one of the trials, I had many folks who told me there was even a lady from Waveland, Mrs. Bea George, who ran for judge and other positions, who climbed up a drain pipe and was reported to have gotten stuck in the ladies’ room window, trying to get into the courtroom.
I was always impressed by Miss Lillian Carver, who was blind, and had her snack bar in the foyer of the courthouse. I, like may others, never could figure out how she could tell the difference between the different amounts on $$ bills.
The type of operation she conducted as a blind person could not work in today's world. There is now a certain segment of people who would have stolen her “blind,” even if she was already blind.
She had her business, and even if she was blind, was able to do something to help support herself. I can still remember her dog by her side.
Miss Carver knew everyone by their voice, and was really a beacon of light as one entered the front doors of the courthouse.
The first time I served on a jury was early in the 1960s. It seemed after that, my name was one of those on the fre-quently-called list. In those days, the board of supervisors member from each Beat would submit a list of jurors’ names to be called. Since then, jurors are selected by a lottery system from the registered voters of the county.
On that first day of jury duty, it was very cold - at the time, maybe the coldest day I ever remembered in the Bay-Waveland area.
My brother Felton had just overhauled the engine of my old Studebaker Champion and I had trouble getting it started because of the cold weather.
He pushed my car with his pickup from Jeff Davis almost to the beach on Nicholson Avenue before I could get it started.
It was very drafty in the big courtroom with all the old windows and gas floor heaters. I was lucky because I was selected on the first jury list and got my feet warm by placing them on the old gas space heater that was in front of the jurors’ box. Three sets of juries were selected that morning and court was to be held in the afternoon.
When I returned after lunch, there was a large number of attorneys sitting in the courtroom, several of them I had known in my school days. So I inquired from one of them why were they all there, as it was my understanding they were not involved in the case to be heard.
One of them told me they were there to see the “show,” because a particularly well-known attorney was involved in the case. Well, I never got to see the show because one of the attorneys objected to me serving on the jury and I feel it was because I was working for the newspaper, so I was dismissed by the judge and walked across the street and went to work.
My wife was raised on Cue Street right beside the courthouse and many times she has told me about the great times she and her friends from the area would have skating around the courthouse.
You have to know, too, that it was hard to skate on Main Street, as it was brick at the time, making it a very rough surface. The bricks had been rolled over so many times by wagons and vehicles they were rounded on top and there were gaps between each brick which were filled with sand.
Cue and Gex Streets were concrete, as were the sidewalks and walks to the courthouse steps. It was really one of the few places where kids could skate when the courthouse was not in use.
Talking about the old is	tioned before, is the fact that	shape I have ever seen them,
good, but I do feel what is	the renovated courthouse and	We can truly be proud of our
important, as I have men-	grounds are now in the best	Hancock County Courthouse.
We want to congratulate the County and The Board of Supervisors on their return to The Historic Court House!
We are excited to announce the ground breaking For the Business Incubator on Coleman Avenue on August 28, 2009 at 10 a.m. and
The ground breaking for the City Hall City Hall Annex & Fire Department
On August 29, 2009 immediately following The Katrina Memorial Ceremony at the foot of Coleman Avenue at 9:00 a.m.
CITY OF
Ml
HOSPITALITY CITY
David Baria
MISSISSIPPI STATE SENATOR DISTRICT 46
Welcomes You Back To The Historic
Hancock County Court House
David
STATE SENATE