Looking Back with Lora Stull
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One Hundred Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News, Thursday, March 16, 1921.)
Although many of the people of Ringgold County have been liberal in the matter of donating to the European Relief Fund, there are many who have either failed to recognize the need or have neglected to send in their contributions. The weekly report from the state headquarters received Saturday shows Ringgold County ranked 66th among the 99 counties of the state and has raised only 13.6 percent of its quota.
Hale McConnell has opened a bakery shop in the building just east of the Dickson Produce House. This makes Ellston two up-to-date shops.
The Johnson Auto Co. made Saturday the largest sale of used cars that has been made in Mount Ayr since automobiles were invented. They sold to the Hawkeye Auto Salvage Co. of Des Moines, twenty-two cars that have been taken in exchange for new ones during the past few weeks. It was the intention to drive the cars to Des Moines Monday morning, but the rain of Sunday put the roads in such condition that delivery of the cars was postponed until later this week.
Thursday, March 3, the board of supervisors met at appointed time all members present. The fixed wages to be paid for road and bridge men as follows: Grader crew, consisting of 2 men, who furnish the grader, $5.50 per hour; scraper gang foreman, 55 cents per hour; plow team, 75 cents per hour, scraper team, 65 cents per hour; scraper holder, 50 cents per hour; bridge gang foreman, 60 cents per hour; man and team 60 cents per hour; single hand, 40 cents per hour. Hauling, per ton mile 40 cents per ton; dragging (four horse, drag one way) 40 cents per mile; road patrolman, 70 cents per hour; helper and team, 60 cents per hour; single handed helper, 40 cents per hour. Truck driver, 50 cents per hour.(The federal minimum wage was introduced in 1938 at the rate of $0.25 per hour, equivalent to $4.54 in 2019).
Births: March 10, a daughter, to Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Collier.
Obituary in this edition was, Henry Stanley.
Seventy-Five
Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, March 14, 1946.)
Fashion Fads: In Blockton, IA, the boys and girls are wearing bowties. A girl and boy going steady wear bowties alike. Here is a new ribbon color code used in Glenwood, IA. White ribbons means “Going steady”, blue ribbon means, “Looking for a boy”, pink ribbon means “You are a flirt”, red ribbon means “Dangerous woman”, and no ribbon means “Leave me alone.”
The Tingley American Legion cage team drubbed the Mount Ayr Vets Friday night on the Tingley floor by a score of 54-16. The Tingley boys were hot all night all the way, hitting the goal from all angles. Noel Seney Jr., refereed. Mount Ayr boys who made the trip to Tingley included Sam Newton, Curt Roe, Junior and Lyle Dulany, Burl Stull, Ralph Skinner, Jack Monaghan and George Jackson.
Marriages: March 4, Norma Jean Rhoades and Scott Duckworth…February 20, Vesta Hanna and Judge Tedford Miles…February 28, Martha Miller and Eugene Cross.
Births: Born Tuesday a son to Mr. and Mrs. Darold Baluer…March 9, a daughter, to Mr. and Mrs. Earl Jackson…February 26, a daugher, Claudia, to Mr. and Mrs. Burl Dickerson…March 9, a daughter, Ila, to Mr. and Mrs. H.M. Seiffert…March 10, a son, Carl, to Mr. and Mrs. Victor Graham.
Obituaries in this edition were: Howard Buck, Mary Viola Cowan Motsinger, and Hamilton Grant Dehart
Fifty Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, March 18, 1971.)
The school building at Redding has been sold. The board of directors of the Mount Ayr Community district accepted the bid of Richard Knapp of Redding for $1,825 for the two story masonry structure located on US Hwy 169 in Redding.
Janelle Klejch, 16 year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Norman Klejch of Diagonal and a sophmore in the MACH school, has won an all-expense-paid trip to the National Youthpower Congress to be held April 1-3 in Chicago, IL.
The following was an ad for Roe Implement Co. for used tractors and farm machinery. 1968 Farmall 1256, cab, full equipped, 1242 hours, $8,750; IH 56-4 row planter fully equipped, 3 years old, $1,250; 1967 IH No.27 Hay Baler, $1,475; 1966 Farmall 706D new IH turbo charge wide front, $475.00; IH NO 540 4-14” Steerable plow, trip beam, nearly new, $1,100.
Marriages: December 26, 1970, Peggy Terwilliger and Terry Barnes…January 23, Monica Sue Siverly and Ronald Mobley.
Births: March 9, a son, to Mr. and Mrs. Melvis Jimmerman.
Obituaries in this edition: Emma Maude Ouderkirk Sanders, Mattie Mae Penney Sissel, and Victor Dalbey.
Twenty Five Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, March 14, 1996.)
Karen Elmer, daughter of Rich and Diane Elmer of Mount Ayr was crowned as the 1996 Ringgold County Pork Queen by last year’s princess, Nancy Elmer, who happens to be her little sister, at the annual meeting of the Ringgold County Pork Association, March 8.
Now open Mount Ayr Dinner, Hwy 2 & 169…A ribbon cutting was held this week for Ringgold County Redemption Center, managed by Deanna Groves.
Link Nylen, president of WoodLink Ltd., was the speaker at the 23rd annual meeting of SICOG, March 5. Prior to 1980, Nylen was involved in the building industry in Des Moines. During the early 1980’s his interests changed to carpentry and consulting and in 1988 he decided to open a woodworking business. Currently the company has 80 employees and 1996 sales projects are at $5-6 million. The 1996 expansion is partially due to assistance through the SICOG/SIDG revolving loan fund. WoodLink will be adding 20 employees at the Mount Ayr plant after the expansion.
Births: Doug and Debbie Poore are proud parents of a son, Matthew, born March 10.
Obituaries in this edition: Joan Kathleen Devereux Haning, Carl Gordon Riggs, and Belle Elizabeth Hensley Wilson.
Ten Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, March 10, 2011.)
A number of Diagonal archers received individual top placings in the state Archery in the School Program competition recently. Receiving top placings were: Cassie Lohman, fifth place state shoot, elementary girls division; Allison Norris, first place state shoot, first place state wide league and captain of the elementary girls all-state team; Kole Paxson, third place state shoot elementary boys division; Dillon Davenport, fourth place state shoot high school boys division; Layne Ruby, first place state shoot, second place statewide league, captain middle school boys all-state team and overall top male shooter at state shoot with score of 293 out of 300 possible points.
MACH school will be represented again in the Iowa Shrine Bowl. Senior, David Showalter will be a member of the South All-Star squad. The game brings honor and recognition to the players, their schools, and their communities. It has also been an effective tool in raising money for Shriners Hospital for Children.
Obituaries in this edition were: Richard Harrison Brock, Vaughn Andrew Case, Louis Clayton, Louise Patricia “Pat” Eagan Johnson, and Lawrence Ivan Kilgore.