130 Years Ago
May 6, 1893
Anderson & Smail have been awarded the contract for building the Presbyterian parsonage for $1,440. Work will be commenced at once.
J. A. Mangan this week purchased the interest of James O'Malley in the grocery firm of O'Malley & Son. The firm will be known as O'Malley & Mangan.
Before thousands of delighted, enthusiastic spectators who gathered at Jackson Park, Chicago, despite the lowering clouds, the president of the United States, Grover Cleveland, at noon yesterday, started the World's Columbian Exposition. Dr. N. S. Parsons and A. H. Mundt of this city, attended the opening service Monday and saw Grover press the button.
Harry Dexter is erecting a neat dwelling house just west of the Thomas house.
We are informed that the Forrest Rambler has changed hands, having been sold to Prof. Board of that village.
120 Years Ago
May 8, 1903
Fairbury Court of Honor will hold a basket social at their hall next Friday evening May 15. Everybody is invited. Each lady is expected to bring a basket containing lunch for two and the gents are expected to buy the baskets which will be sold at auction. A short program will be rendered.
At the meeting of the Board of Education Monday evening B. M. Baker of Warren, Ill., was employed as Superintendent of Schools of this city for the coming year. Mr. Baker comes highly recommended and has the appearance of being a good man. He has filled the position of superintendent of the Warren schools for the past four years and has made a splendid record there. His salary will be $1,200. There were over fifty applicants for the position.
The Ladies' Aid Society of the M. E. Church gave a pillow show at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Mitten Wednesday afternoon and evening and it proved a unique and attractive entertainment. About 300 pillows were exhibited and the ladies in charge had them arranged n a very attractive manner. Each visitor was entitled to vote for their choice, Miss May Bennett's pillow receiving the largest number of votes. Ice cream and cake were served and the ladies netted $30.
110 Years Ago
May 9, 1913
Edward McAllister ran into a mule's foot down in the west shaft one day this week and as a result a stitch or two had to be taken in the region of Edward's nose.
The last coat of stucco was put on Dr. Otis' house this week and the finishing touches are being applied to the residence.
Cropsey — Prof. Langdon has been engaged as principal of the Cropsey schools next year at an advance in salary. Miss Julia Huston, who has taught the intermediate room for the past two years, has accepted the primary room for next year. Miss Macy declined re-election and a vacancy now exists.
The motorcyclists of this vicinity assembled in Fairbury Sunday morning and had their pictures taken. There were 82 motorcyclists and the riders lined up in Central Park. After having their pictures taken they went to Pontiac and were the guests of John Purdum at dinner. Sixty-four made the trip.
100 Years Ago
May 4, 1923
In the person of Mrs. Margaret Griffith, Fairbury has a most remarkable citizen. Although she has just rounded out her 97th year, she does not show the weight of those years. Mentally alert, she keeps up her interest in current events and enjoys, as much as ever, intercourse with her friends. On her birthday which occurred April 23, she spent a most delightful day receiving the congratulations of the many friends who called. Mrs. Griffith is the oldest and only living member of a family of eleven children. She is a native of Boston but has been a resident of Fairbury for the past forty-three years.
Mrs. Edward Zimmerman is at the hospital for medical treatment.
The Blade this week installed a new Barnhart Superior point saw. This piece of new equipment, which represents an investment of several hundred dollars, is a fine piece of machinery which is used for cutting lino-type slugs and will greatly facilitate the work in the composing room of this office.
Workmen with teams have been busy this week cleaning the rubbish out of the Walton basement.
90 Years Ago
May 12, 1933
The South Suburban Dairy is the name of the new dairy firm which has opened for business in the telephone building in the quarters formerly occupied by the Fairbury Dairy Company.
This already rain-soaked community of ours was subjected to a rainfall that was almost a cloudburst on Wednesday night, and as a result basements were flooded from a depth of a few inches to several feet, Indian Creek is spread out over the land adjoining it for a distance of several blocks to three-quarters of a mile wide and the fields in many places are covered with water. Practically all the Indian Creek golf course is flooded, several of their bridges are washed away and other damage done to this popular place of recreation. All greens except those on the hills were deep under water, the only indication that a golf course might exist underneath the flood were the tops of the bunkers peeping forth.
Wing — A dance was held in Wing last Friday night at the town hall, sponsored by a group of women from this vicinity who are members of the Fairbury Home Bureau. A three-piece orchestra from Fairbury furnished music for the dance and a cake walk at which four fine cakes donated by the ladies' committee, were sold. Not a very large attendance at the dance, but the ladies cleared expenses and a small amount over.
80 Years Ago
May 7, 1943
That spirit of good will and neighborliness so prevalent among farmers was never more manifest than it was yesterday afternoon when about 30 neighbors and friends of Mr. and Mrs. Curtis Weeks, with 27 tractors, went to the Weeks home and in just two hours plowed 65 acres of ground. It was just nine weeks ago yesterday that Mr. Weeks had his right hand badly hurt in a combine. While he is still a patient in the Fairbury Hospital there is one thing about which he is not going to worry and that is his plowing.
According to a statement by M. E. Tarpy, when the second war loan drive closed last Saturday evening it was found that the people of Fairbury and vicinity had purchased a total of $101,588.75 in war bonds. These bonds were purchased through the two local banks, the post office and the Federal Loan Association.
New hours that went into effect yesterday morning at the Fairbury Township High School should do much to help with the farm labor situation here. With the new hours school now takes up at 8:14 in the morning and classes continue straight through on shorter periods until 12:15 noon, when school is dismissed for the day. To the boys living on farms it means a half day to help with work on the farm.
70 Years Ago
May 7, 1953
Second Lieutenant Ronnie D. Fendrick, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Fendrick of Fairbury, was awarded the silver wings of an Air Force Pilot in ceremonies here today. Lt. Fendrick, along with 38 classmates, received his wings and diploma from Colonel Ernest F. Wackwitz, Jr., Wing Commander, and was proclaimed a qualified jet pilot. From his present assignment here, the newly commissioned jet-pilot will go on to further training in fighter-gunnery tactics in preparation for his future role as a combat jet-fighter pilot.
A. B. McCollum will not rebuild the theatre here, he told a Chamber of Commerce committee Tuesday afternoon. Mr. McCollum expressed his willingness to help secure a theatre for Fairbury, which has been without a theatre since the Central Theatre burned June 26, 1952. Soon after the fire Mr. McCollum sent a telegram to The Blade to the effect that he intended to rebuild, but later said he desired to wait and study the mechanical developments in the motion picture industry.
The Fairbury High School Band received a second place rating at the State High School contest of Class B schools at Clinton. This is the first year for the High School band to go to the State Contest in Class B Schools. Bensenville was the outstanding band at the contest.
60 Years Ago
May 9, 1963
Neale Hanley, Henry W. Phillips and Harvey S. Traub announce that they have formed a partnership for the general practice of law under the firm name of Hanley, Phillips and Traub, having their principal offices in the Keck building, Fairbury. The firm also has offices in Forrest and Cropsey. The law firm was founded by Hanley in 1931 with offices in the Keck building. In 1949 Phillips became his partner. In 1960 Traub became an associate of the firm, and before associating with the firm, he was general counsel for Honegger & Co., Inc., of Fairbury.
With work progressing rapidly on the new Fairbury Industries, Inc., building east of town, machinists Wednesday morning started to dismantle one mill in one of their temporary locations on the fairgrounds. More than 90 feet long, this mill is the first of seven which will be installed in the plant. Fairbury Industries, Inc., last Friday signed a three-year contract with Local 567, Metal Workers Union, FL-CIO, which had a May 1 starting date. It calls for a $1.25 starting rate with progressive increases over the period to a top operating rate of $1.80, and also specifies three pay grades.
Marsha L. Purdum, of Fairbury, first runner-up in the 1962 Miss Livingston County beauty contest, is a candidate for the title of "Miss Southern" for 1963 at Southern Illinois University. A hazel-eyed five-foot-six miss with black hair, she will compete with 16 other SIU beauties May 10 and 11 during annual Spring Festival at Southern. The 20-year old coed is a junior majoring in English. She is sponsored in the annual contest by her sorority, Delta Zeta, where she is second vice president in charge of rush. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles H. Purdum, Fairbury.
50 Years Ago
May 10, 1973
Announcement has been made by Carlos Thompson of the sale of the Cook Funeral Home of Fairbury to Gilbert Pils of Chenoa, and his son-in-law Roger Duffy of Clifton. Gilbert Pils for the past 35 years has been the owner and operator of the Pils Memorial Home in Chenoa. Roger Duffy for the past six years has served as manager of the Knapp Funeral Home of Clifton. The operation of the former Cook Funeral Home will be continued under the name of Duffy-Pils Memorial Home.
John V. Bellot has accepted the position as pharmacist in charge of pharmaceutical services for Fairbury Hospital it was announced today by Administrator Don Patterson. The appointment was effective April 23. The pharmacy will not only serve the patients of the hospital, but will include the residents of Helen Lewis Smith Pavilion as well. Bellot attended Southern Illinois University and St. Louis College of Pharmacy with a B.S. and an R.Ph. from the latter.
Cropsey — The observance of Postal week at Cropsey was well attended on Monday, April 30, at the Cropsey Post Office. Postmaster Emily Popejoy said over 100 people stopped in for coffee, punch, cookies and to admire the posters some of the sixth grade had made pertaining to postal people. Retired Postmaster Mabel Vaughan was on hand all day to serve refreshments and visit with all who came in.
40 Years Ago
May 5, 1983
Electrical service was knocked out in about two-thirds of Fairbury between 9:20 and 10:35 p.m. Saturday. The incident occurred when a vehicle struck a utility pole carrying a high-voltage transmission line of Central Illinois Public Service Co., north of Strawn. Only the area north of Hickory street, which was re-wired last summer and powered from another loop of the company's lines, was unaffected.
Valerie Metz, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ben Metz of Fairbury, has been selected as a delegate to Illini Girls State, a program sponsored by the John Joda Unit 54 of the American Legion Auxiliary. Cynthia Holland was chosen as alternate. Valerie, a junior at Fairbury-Cropsey High School, has been a member of National Honor Society and participated in volleyball for three years, basketball for three years and track for one year. She was a class officer during her freshman and junior years and has played in band for three years.
On April 30 at Illinois Wesleyan School of Music, Bloomington, four local piano pupils from the class of Virginia Anderson, participated in the National Piano Playing Auditions, sponsored by the National Guild of Piano Teachers, Teacher Division of The American College of Musicians. Emily Hostetter, Betty Chen, Natasha Secoquian and Brian Keller all received certificates of excellence and medals for their accomplishments.
30 Years Ago
May 6, 1993
First year assistant football, assistant wrestling and assistant track coach Jeff Butts, 22, has resigned those positions and accepted the Athletic Director opening at Prairie Central High School. Butts currently teaches health, physical education and behind-the-wheel driving. "Ever since I went into education, I have had a long-term goal to get into administration, and this was a perfect opportunity for me to begin," said Butts of his new position.
Sixty-six PCHS students donned black clothes and white face paint and played dead last Friday during the CAPTAINS sponsored Death Day, a reminder to students not to drink and drive. The number 66 represents the number of deaths in alcohol related automobile accidents during a 24-hour period. Earlier in the week, CAPTAINS sponsored an assembly in which two nurses from Saint James Hospital showed slides on people injured in auto accidents, as a reminder to not drink and drive.
AB Colene Hartman, daughter of Ronald and Caroline Hartman, Forrest, recently completed basic military training at Lackland AFB, San Antonio, Texas. She is now attending Dental Tech School at Sheppard AFB, Wichita Falls, Texas. She will graduate May 27 and be home on leave for 14 days before going to her new assignment at Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, Ohio. Airman Hartman is a 1990 graduate of Prairie Central High School.
20 Years Ago
May 7, 2003
Dedication of the Blue Star Memorial Highway Marker will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 10 at Graceland Cemetery. Sponsored by the Fairbury Garden Club in cooperation with Fairbury VFW #9789, City of Fairbury and the Illinois Department of Transportation, the memorial is "a tribute to the armed forces that have defended the United States of America." Several local and state officials plan to attend the ceremony, including Senator Dan Rutherford, Fairbury Mayor Robert P. Walter, Jimmie Meinhardt of the National Garden Club, Central Region, Gloria B. Heramb, President of the Garden Club of Illinois and many others.
Aaron Ifft wasn't completely on his game as he took the mound Friday afternoon against Central Catholic. But that didn't stop the Prairie Central hurler from tossing a five-inning no-hitter in a 13-0 Hawks win in a Corn Belt Conference baseball game. PC head coach Tim McGuire said that Ifft wasn't his sharpest. Ifft did walk three batters while striking out nine. But his best stat was not allowing the Saints a base hit as Prairie Central improved to 3-2 in the league and 19-2 overall.
Alma Brown, daughter of Betty Brown of Fairbury and the late Charles Brown, was inducted into the African American Hall of Fame during the 15th annual Red, Black and Green Ball held Sunday, April 13 at the Pere Marquette Hotel in Peoria. Brown, a 1978 Fairbury-Cropsey High School graduate, is currently the assistant to the Peoria City Manager for public information. She has been a city employee for 21 years. She was one of eight inductees for the 2003 year.
10 Years Ago
May 8, 2013
Fairbury Chief of Police, Jack Wiser, and Officer Phil Troehler both retired April 30 after serving the City of Fairbury for over 50 years combined. A retirement reception was held Tuesday at City Hall for Wiser. Troehler's reception was held earlier.
Chris Metz received his Master of Arts in Mathematics in the College of Sciences on Dec. 15, 2012 at a graduation ceremony at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston. Then on April 11, he was honored at an awards ceremony by receiving the King Mertz Research/Creative Activity Award of Excellence in the College of Sciences. This award was given for the research he completed and the thesis he submitted entitled, “Math Literacy: A Look at Discourse in Mathematics.” Metz is employed as a math teacher at Prairie Central High School. He is the son of Steve and Sherry Metz of Fairbury.
("Looking Back" is sponsored each week by Duffy-Pils Memorial Home with locations in Fairbury, Chenoa and Colfax)
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