LOOKING BACK in the Early Files by Lora Stull

The maturing of another large crop of corn in Iowa makes interesting an observation made by the state department of agriculture which states that the Iowa corn crop represents 14 % of the total corn produced in the U.S. and is almost twice as large as that of any other country. Forty-five per cent of Iowa’s corn crop is fed to hogs, 14% to cattle and 11% to horses and mules. It furnishes the backbone for the livestock industry of the state. Twenty-eight per cent of the crop is sold and furnishes one of the most important articles of trade.

News of the county northwest of Grant~Even though the weather and roads were bad Friday, the Mount Ayr football squad came over and played our boys in the rain, winning the victory considering the weather. A large crowd was out, a number of Diagonal witnessing the game.

Mr. and Mrs. Archie Bailey visited Thrusday with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John W. Bailey.

For the past 8 months of the year in most parts of the country the temperature has tended to be above normal, and temperatures for September show the same general tendency so far, though records are not yet completed. During February, March, and April it was warmer than usual over the entire country, from coast to coast, and from Mexico to Canada. That is to say in pratically every section, temperatures ranged several degrees higher than the average for that section during that month. One frequently finds that when it is cold in the states east of the Rockies, it is warm in the western group an visa versa, but this year in general and in some regions unusual warmth has been universal for long periods. The Weather Bureau of the US Department of Agriculture does not believe that the world is therefore getting warmer, nor does it offer any explanation for the warm conditions that have prevailed, but it gives interesting facts in connection with these above normal temperatures.

Marriages: October 11, Helen Spurrier and Lester Wiese..Monday, Martha Pacha and Rolland Jons..October 9, Rema Dickerson and Anderw Saltzman.

Births: Sept. 27, a daughter, to Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Bailey..October 3, a son, Joseph III, to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Ormes Jr., October 10, a son, Richard Raymond, to Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Buck.

Obituary in this edition was Charles Welton Hoover. .

The former Ringgold County Home was recently leased to F.E. Shelby of Ft. Dodge and Mrs. Fern Robison of Leon for the purpose of establishing a private nursing home, which will be known as “Fairhaven Rest Home.”

Possession was given the first of the month and they are busy redecorating and purchasing supplies  and equipment for the new project.

For the past three years Mrs. Robinson has operated a nursing home at Leon. In addition she is a state licensed Swedish masseuse.

Five places of business, three in Mount Ayr and two in Kellerton were entered last Wednesday night by thieves and approximately $450 in checks and cash were taken.

The heaviest loss was at the Kellerton Lumberyard, where Harold Harvey, the manager, said that between $400 & $450 in checks and cash were taken. The Meadows Bros. garage was also entered but nothing was molested.

In Mount Ayr, the thieves entered Roe Implement Co., the Hawkeye Lumberyard and the G & R Produce. One dollar was taken from Roe Imp. and four bottles of pop were consumed, where the heaviest damage there was to the safe, which was ruined in an attempt to force it open. About $35 in cash were taken from the Hawkeye Lum., $15 in silver from the produce station.

Marriage: October 15, Anna Flagg and Harold Adams.

Births: October 15, a son, Allan, to Mr. and Mrs. Merritt Triggs..October 12, a son, John, to Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Lepley..October 13, a daughter, to Mr. and Mrs. Albert Harris.

Obituary in this edition was, Shelia Dady. .

A Kellerton man has been installed as Grand Conductor of the IOOF lodge of Iowa. He is Chester Gibson, who assumed the office at installation ceremonies held Thursday October 9, in the grand ballroom of the Savory Hotel in Des Moines.

A program to prevent farm thefts of grain is being launched this fall in Ringgold County, Ringgold County Sheriff Elbert Strange and the Ringgold County Farm Bureau announced today.

The program involves the use of individual farmer indentification numbers stamped on paper confetti. These numbers are assigned by the county sheriff’s office and are designed to identify the state, the county and the farmer.

Varsity softball letters were awarded to eleven Mount Ayr Raiderettes at a dinner October 9 at the B & M cafe in Mount Ayr. Coach Mark Larsen made the awards. The team compiling a record of eleven wins and 3 losses during the fall campaign. Girls receiving letters were seniors Diane Wilson, Jenifer Parker, Cindy Strange, Stacey White; junors Jean Irving, Ruth Bryan, Cindy Howie; sophmores Sherri Wood, Kim Henry, Diane White and Jodi Giles.

Marriage: June 22, Gail Lee and William Sorden.

Obituaries in this edition were: Quincy Combs and Lloyd Marion Gilliland.

Mount Ayr Community Raider marching band had a big weekend, playing at the Bondurant-Farrar football game, in Bondurant, spending the night in Des Moines, then receiving a division 1 rating Saturday at the state marching band contest held at Lincoln High School in Des Moines.

Garage rates for Mount Ayr residents will show a 60 cents a month increase beginning in July and a settlement has been reached in negotitations with the city employee’s union. Those were the main topics for the Mount Ayr city council at its regular meeting Monday night.

The grandson and great grandson of Ringgold County residents received the rank of Eagle in Boy Scouts of America in his troop in St. Peters, MO. Adam Sickels, the son of David and Teresa Sickels of St. Peters. MO. received his award at a ceremony in August. He is the grandson of Myron and Shirley Ingram and Gene and Barbara Sickels of Kellerton. He is the great grandson of Maxine Sickels of Mount Ayr.

Gary Myers retires from Hy-Vee after 41 years in the meat department. He started for Hy-Vee in 1959. He has worked at Urbandale, Trenton, MO, Leon and then returned to Mount Ayr in 1963.

Birth: September 19, a  son, Gavin, adopted by Steve and Michelle Rhine..October 11, a son Trenton, to Steven and Tyra Stull.

Obituary in this edition was Harold Keith Stephens.

It was a banner week for Mount Ayr athletics. First, the Raiderette volleyball team captured the Pride of Iowa tournament championship last Tuesday, their first crown since 1996. On Friday the Raider football team claimed it’s second consecutive district championship with a victory over previously undefeated Pleasantville. It was the Raider’s seventh championship since district football started in 1991, and only the second time Mount Ayr has ever won consecutive championships.

After nearly five years of prayers and months of planning, the United Church of Diagonal Board of Elders, congregation, and Pastor Ed Shields, are pleased to announce, Sunday October 20, as the day the new church will declare its lasting devotion and service to God.

Birth: October 14, Jana, to Darin and Darla Dolecheck.

Obituary in this edition was George Roland “Doc” Pennebaker.