LOOKING BACK in the Early Files by Lora Stull

The high wind which prevailed early last week played havoc with Emlin Smith’s chicken house and shook up his entire flock to such an extent that he thought best to sell most of his fine Rhode Island Reds on the market. The average weight of the hens sold was 7 1/2 lbs. and the roosters averaged 9 lbs. each. Mr. Smith saved one pen, the choicest of the flock, eight hens and a rooster.

Two trips a day for more than a year without missing a train on the Great Western, Benton or Diagonal. Fare one dollar Glendenning and Rice phone 331 or 37.

The Junior-Senior banquet of Redding high school was held at the Hotel Mount Ayr Friday evening April 30. The “Hot Spots,” a Mount Ayr orchestra played for the banquet.

Marriages: April 29, Daniel Dorn and Mildred Clark..Sunday Curtis Van and Fern Carson..April 21, Cloyd Thompson and Lottie Butterfield..Thursday, Lyle Brown and Helen O’Leary.

Births: Monday, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Harry Hull..April 26, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Willard Moore..April 23 a daugther, Mary, to Mr. and Mrs. George Hounsom.

Obituaries in this edition were: Harrison Vernon Clark, Effie Dickey Hathaway, Sophia H. Miller Lamb, and Isabel Jackson Miller. .

The Mount Ayr Vets will open the 1951 baseball season Sunday afternoon against Prescott on the diamond. The game will called at 2 o’clock.

Clair “Skip” Eason will be on the mound for Mount Ayr, and Clair Johnson will do the receiving.

Other positions will be played by Gene Hannon, Ellis Shelden, Junior Lent, Bob Rice, Sam Newton, Walter Johnson, Joe McNeill, Jack Monaghan, Smiley Johnson, Jim Markley, Kenneth Davenport, Billie Smith, Mel Ingram and Bob Mahoney. Lefty Geist, veteran player of many seasons, will probably be on hand to share in the twirling duties.

Harry Skarda, who has led the Vets in victory by his excellent performance from the mound, has requested relief from his pitching duties on account of heavy farm work.

Charles Eugene Sobotka, a senior in the Diagonal high school, Monday night was given the American Citizenship Medal, presented by the Iowa State Bar Associatioin, through the Iowa State Bar Foundation. The presentation was made by Grant L. Hayes at a program in the Diagonal gymnasium at which time other school award were made.

Sobotka was selecdted for the honor on the basis of outstanding citizenship and an understanding of constitutional government.

Dedicatory services for the new Methodist Church in Beaconsfield will be held May 20.

Extensive damage by heavy rains. Ten bridges and 200 culverts washed out.

Following heavy rainfall during April and the first day of May, County Engineer M.A. Rubek and road maintance crews have been busy making emergency and temporary repairs to bridges and culverts.

Births: May 6, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Harley Powell..May 6, a daugther to Mr. and Mrs. Robert Walkup..May 7, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Sobotka..May 9, a son to Mr. and Mrs. Park Rinehart..May 9, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Burl Reynolds..May 5, a daugther, Linda, to Mr. and Mrs. Dean Schlapia.

Obituaries in this edition were: A. E. Swanson  and Leonard Orr Seaton.

A new business opens its doors next Tuesday in Mount Ayr. Sewing ‘76 located in the former pool hall building at the corner of South Taylor and Monroe Street will feature a wide selection of vacuum cleaners and sewing machines, accourding to owner Marvin Weeter.

Two Mount Ayr community high school teachers will be retiring from teaching here this year. Jim McIntosh of Tingley will complete his work with the school at the end of the summer when drivers education classes are over. Plans to call for devoting fulltime to the operation of Mac’s Gun Shop in Tingley.

Vince Geringer completes 37 years as a classroom teacher, administrator, and coach. When he retires as Mount Ayr chemistry and physic instructor he plans to be teaching this summer in Massachuetts.

Ringgold County now has an indoor warning system that will facilitate alerting various points over the county when severe weather is forecast.

Two Mount Ayr boys were champions at the Pinewood Derby held at the annual Scout-O-Rama for Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts of the Bluegrass District Sunday afternoon.

Craig Willis, son of Mr. and Mrs. Francis Willis of Mount Ayr took first place and Todd Glendenning, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Glendenning of Mount Ayr took third place.

Marriage: April 10, Nancy Riley and Michael Ford.

Obituaries in this edition were: Goldie Irene Harris Dady and Richard Archie Palmer.

Ringgold County was one of thirteen Iowa counties designated as federal disaster areas by President George W. Bush Wednesday, May 2. Ringgold County was lumped in with two other counties which received tornado damage and ten counties along the Mississippi River where flood damage has been reported in receiving the decloration.

Air Force Airman Nicholas E. Adair has graduated from basic training at Lackland Airforce Base, San Antonio, TX. He is the son of Edwin Adair of Mount Ayr.

Raiderette discus thrower Amy Hynek will be making a return trip to the state girls track meet after taking first place in the event at the district meet held in Mount Ayr. Hynek throw 114 feet to take the win.

A Mount Ayr community high school runner set a Pride of Iowa conference record and a new school record in the 400 meter hurdles. David Hosfield ran the race in :56.4 shattering the conference meet record of :57.33. Hosfield is one of the Raiders with an inside track to qualify for the state boys track meet with the record time. He is currently ranked 10th in the state with this time.

Obituaries in this edition were: Joan Marie Adams Priest, Clayton Dale “Bill” Rinehart, Mary Lou Foltz Weeda, and Lela Mildred Foreman Wilson.

Last week a group of current and former Mount Ayr residents had a rare opportunity to witness the whirlwind excitement of big-time professional sports.

Rick and Lora Stull, their son Steven Stull and grandchildren Trenton and Peyton Stull and Ethan Main were invited to attend parties associated with the player draft for the National Football League, where the Stull’s great-nephew Ezekiel Elliott was selected in the first round by the Dallas Cowboys.

Longtime Mount Ayr resident Jim Brand sees the rides he gives to regional Veterans Administration (VA) hospital as his way of giving back to the community.

He provides transport for the veterans through a transportation program of the Ringgold County Veterans Affairs Office.

Birth: April 11, a son, Draven, to Derrick and Kasey Dredge.

Obituaries in this edition were: Cynthia Ellen Harover, Raymond Leroy Godden.