Looking Back

(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, March 3, 1892.)

The Russian thistle, a most pernicious foreign weed, is spreading rapidly in western Minnesota and the Dakotas, and is causing the farmers great uneasiness. It bears enormous quantities of seed and propagates itself with great rapidity.

Local Items~ The speediest way to navigate the roads is to walk or go on horseback~ Go to Culmer’s in Timby’s brick building on the northeast corner for first class work in photography.

The Merchants Exchange Bank of Benton, IA, wants to place $15,000 of 6 percent money on farms.

S. Hall has bought H.H. Parsons & Co.’s hardware store at Benton.

Maloy is on the boom this spring. We are to have two lumber yards; also a new furniture store.

Marriages: Married at the residence of Rev. P.C. Glendenning, in Middle Fork township, Ringgold County, Iowa, February 24, 1892, Rev. George E. Mitchell officiating, Mr. Curtis E. Abarr and Miss Olive Glendenning all of Ringgold County…Feb. 24, D. Gunter and Ida Nicholson..Robert Lorimor and Maggie Stephenson (quoted as event of the year).

Birth: February 20, arrived at their place a fine baby to Mr. and Mrs. Isaac

Hamblin.

(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, March 19, 1924.)

After arresting a couple fellows at Dike, Grundy county, for keeping wild ducks without a breeder’s license, Deputy Game Warden Waldron, of Waterloo, let it be known that he is going to start a drive on the women who were wearing pheasant feathers in their hats.

He stated that he had noticed several women with the feathers in their hats, but in the future they would be arrested if seen and brought before a justice. It is strictly against state law for a woman to wear pheasant feathers in her hat, Idaho being the only state in the Union which permits it.  This law will be in force until 1927, Waldron stated.

The proceeds from the Christmas Seal sale are being used in the free distribution of milk to the underweight children in the school from the first to the sixth grades inclusive. Under the direction of Miss Otto and Superintendent Jones, this milk is being given daily.

Keeping highways open on account of drifting snow was a serious problem the past winter and several communities have procured equipment that will prevent a repetition of the blockade another winter.

A test was made on a primary road leading south from Greenfield, Adair county, with a 10 ton tractor with a snow plow attachment. Drifts three and four feet deep furnished no barrier for the outfit. The plow is so arranged that it is located in front of the tractor. It resembles a blade grader in appearance. The caterpillar type tractor is the most practical for operation in snow.

Marriage: March 11, Mabel Wells and Carl Hogue…March 12, Georgia Hartley and J.O. Stein.

Births: March 16 a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Claud Vance.

Obituaries in this edition were: Mary Emaline Seevers, Deanne Orval Zarr, Dollie E. Erwin Gustin.

(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, March 17, 1949.)

Representatives of the Blue Grass Conference met Tuesday evening March 8 at the school house in Leon and completed arrangements for a football jamboree to be held in Mount Ayr September 13 with eight conference schools participating.

Representing the Mount Ayr school at the meeting were Athletic Director O.C. Varner, Principal George D. Williams, Coach Joe McNeill and Band Director Oren R. Elmore.

Friends of Raymond Walter, son of Mr. and Mrs. Homer Walter, of Shenandoah, formerly of Mount Ayr, will be interested to learn that he was one one of four seniors from the class of 1949 to be selected as a member of the Hall of Fame.

The following item was taken from the Shenandoah paper: “Ray Walter is the present president of the senior class and also president of the student council. He also held the class presidency as a junior and was a student council member as a junior. He has been active in athletics, participating in football during his freshman, junior and senior years and in track during his sophomore and junior years. He sings in the boys’ glee club and mixed chorus. As a junior he participated in the class play and was recently elected to the Thespian Club, and was one of 4 boys in their junior year to be sent to Boys’s state last spring.”

Births: March 13, a daughter, Beverly, to Mr. and Mrs. Frank Deemer…March 15, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Ben Shull…February 25, a daughter, Linda, to Major and Mrs. Bernard Peters…March 11 a son, Gregory, to Mr. and Mrs. Richard Thomas,…March 3, a son, David, to Mr. and Mrs. Duane Knapp… March 7, a daugther to Mr. and Mrs. Corwin Parker…March 8, a son to Mr. and Mrs. Russell Petersohn…March 3, a son, Robert, to Mr. and Mrs.  Claire Kirk…March 9, a daughter, Linda, to Mr. and Mrs. Paul Johnson.

Obituaries in this edition were: Anna Magdaline Feldman Liebig, Violet Hester Smith DeVries, Iva Andrew Sissel, William Edward Alexis Scott, Charles Marion McPherson, Roland Howard Meadows and Robert F. Kimble.

(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday,  March 21, 1974.)

A decision March 11 by the board of directors of Mount Ayr Community school district to notify high school principal Russell Boyd of consideration of termination of his contract triggered action in several different quarters this week.

Monday morning about 10 a.m. an estimated 100-150 high school and junior high students walked out of school in protest  to gather in front of the administration building located north across from the school, lead by student body president Ned Foltz.

The Ringgold county extension office will have a new home come summer. That’s the word from extension director Neil Chicken, who announced this week that the office will be moved from the basement of the Mount Ayr post office to the old ASCS office at the corner of Polk and Madison streets in Mount Ayr.

Dr. Max Mekus and Mrs. Diane Peters greeted visitors at the open house at the Mount Ayr Vet Clinic Sunday. An estimated 125 visitors toured the new facility which features the latest in equipment for animal health.

Marriage: March 9, Helen Angus and Tom Pollock.

Births: March 16, a son to Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Moe…March 17, a son to Mr. and Mrs. Reggie Carden.

Obituaries in this edition were: Fleta Baker Duncan, Raymond F. Feree, Willard Arthur O’Dell and Russell Vance Hogue.