Looking Back with Lora Stull
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One Hundred Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News, Thursday, January 26, 1921.)
One out of every four persons living in Iowa is enrolled in schools. This is shown in statistics prepared by P.E. McClenahan, State Superintendent of Public Instruction at request of P.P. Claxton of Washington, D.C., National Commission of Education. Based on the state’s population, which is 2,403,630. Twenty-three percent of Iowa residents are going to school.
The action of the manufacturers of farm machinery in increasing their prices this year is meeting with universal disapproval. In the face of falling prices in almost every line of merchandise and with the farmers produce, necessarily produced at the highest cost on record, selling for one-half of production cost and one-third the price received a year ago, an advance in farm machinery is certainly ill advised.
Recent distressing fatalities at railway crossings have stimulated interest in some method of warning that will prevent automobiles driving in front of approaching trains. Hon. Dwight Lewis, Secretary of the State Railway Commission, says that it would cost $500,000,000 to make overhead crossings at the 10,000 points where railroads and highways come together, and he says if overhead crossings were provided, reckless auto drivers would run off of the viaduct and thus prove as grave a danger as the one to be obtained.
Obituaries in this edition were: Mary Hollister Stuck and Martha Haines Jefferson.
Seventy-Five
Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, January 31, 1946.)
Eighty-two discharges were recorded during the month of January according to George Farmer, county recorder, bringing the total number to 480. Sixty-two of the 82 discharges were released from the army, bringing the total number of discharges from that branch of service to 384; 18 navy, bringing that total to 87 and two coast guard, bringing that total to 3.
What is known as the Heaton farm, 8 miles north of Mount Ayr on highway 169, owned by Elton Werner, was sold last week to Kenneth Barnett of Middle Fork Township. The considersation was $147.50 per acre or $23,250 for approximately 158 acres. The Barnett farm of 120 acres on highway 169 in Middle Fork Township was sold to Miss Etta J. Rider for $50 per acre.
Marriages: January 23, Eva Van Sickle and Marvin Johnson…January 14, Helen Bowser and Lt. Morton Crew…January 25, Mary Groves and J.R. Miller Jr….December 20, Jeannie Spillman and John German.
Births: January 20, a son, to Mr. and Mrs. Donald Bender…January 19, a daughter, to Mr. and Mrs. Guy Henderson.
Obituaries in this edition were: David C. Fett, Florence Hughes McCammon, and Ella Mae Pass Grady.
Fifty Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, February 4, 1971.)
Mr. and Mrs. Roy Pimper have assumed their duties as managers of the Clinton Motel, located west of Mount Ayr on Highway 2 & 169.
Find Cattle Stolen Here: A charge of larceny of domestic animals has been filed against Leland Link of Red Oak, who was arrested Saturday at Audubon by Sheriff Elbert Strange and brought to Mount Ayr, where he is confined to the county jail. A warrant has been issued for the arrest of another subject believed to be involved in the theft of seven head of steers and heifers from the Mount Ayr Livestock Market the night of January 25 or early the following morning. Six head of the cattle had been consigned for Tuesday’s sale by David Irving and one steer was the property of John Henry. The cattle were located at Walnut, IA and Brush, CO.
Carmetta Knight has been named 1971 Betty Crocker Homemaker of Tomorrow for MACHS.
News of Men in Armed Services: Lt. Gary Main has been transferred from Fort Binning, GA to the US Army Training Center to Fort Lewis, WA where he is assigned to the Basic Rifle Markmanship Committee as a principal instructor and officer in charge of one of twenty-four rifle ranges.
Marriages: December 27, Debra Richards and Rodney Bastow were united in marriage…December 25, Joan Hagmen became the bride of Edwin Hoffman.
Obituaries in this edition were: Charles Vernon Butler, Elmer J. Day, Olyn Flavy Davis, Naomi Arlene Johnston Richardson.
Twenty Five Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, February 1, 1996.)
Place’s Discount Center opened officially Wednesday morning marking another expansion in the retail base for Mount Ayr. The company has been part of the community for 49 years, now in it’s third location.
Ten inches of blowing snow grinds county to a halt. Weather forecasters were “right on” in their prediction of a big snow storm that would be swirled by the wind into drifts from hip high to more than 10 feet high in some drives along South Henderson Street.
A Mount Ayr player on Central College’s women basketball squad is tied for the Iowa conference lead in 3 point goals. DiAnna Faris, a junior guard, has made 18 three point shots this season going into this week’s play with a player for Loras. Faris is a starter for the squad and is averaging 7.3 points per game and 2.1 rebounds per game.
Obituaries in this edition were: Pearle Elien Beadel Byers, Zola Marie James, Goldie Marie Mercer Jackson, Everett Hugh “Happy” Merritt, Guy S. Bagley and marcella May Huitt Conrad.
Ten Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, January 27, 2011.)
Pertussis case confirmed in Ringgold County child. A case of pertussis, also known as whooping cough, has been confirmed in a Ringgold County child last week. Pertussis is a very contagious bacterial disease causing severe spells of coughing. These spells can interfere with eating, drinking, and breathing. Pertussis can lead to pneumonia, convulsions, inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) and sometimes death.
Concession change gaining acceptance: The recent nutrition grant changes to school concessions stands at Diagonal and Mount Ayr has stirred up a great deal of controversy. “Initially there was much resistance to the changes but as people have accepted the elimination of candy and tried new alternatives, many are finding they like the changes,” noted Marci Mobley, Sites for Learning coordinator for the district.
In the Elks Club district hoop shoot contest at SWCC in Creston Saturday, January 22, Myles Greene of Mount Ayr finished second in the 10-11 year old boy category. Samantha Stewart also participated in district competition.
Births: Januray 16, a daughter, Isla Jaye, to Patrick and Anna Leigh (Watson) Cunningham.
Obituaries in this edition were: Desiree Kristine Driskill and Oleta Jane Barbour Moon.