Pickings from Pike’s Past 12.22.21
50 YEARS AGO: SHORT-SHORT SKIRTS SOLD FASTER THAN HOT PANTS
125 Years Ago
Dec. 23, 1896
The ladies of the Milton Christian Church will give dinner and supper Christmas Day at the K. P. opera house. The K. P. have leased the opera house and are putting it in excellent shape.
T. E. Carpenter of Cincinnati Township is running a wood chopping gang this winter and is getting out a nice lot of wood for the Quincy market.
The Nebo teachers are giving going to give Thursday and Friday as holidays and resume work Monday.
The Pittsfield Poultry House shipped 5503 pounds of dressed poultry to a Boston commission house last week. There was a ton and half of turkeys in the consignment, which is why turkeys are scarce locally.
If you don’t think the boom is on, go to the grocery stores and pay 20 cents a dozen for eggs.
If a Christmas present is to be judged by the element of surprise it contains, Mrs. H. A. Morton’s gift of a pair of twins to her husband was a grand success.
100 Years Ago
Dec. 28, 1921
The Good Fellows, organized some weeks ago to spread happiness for some children in Pittsfield, report large returns from their campaign for funds. Baskets, containing the makings of a fine dinner, were arranged and more than 30 were most gratefully received by those who needed them. Clothing was also purchased and given to children.
Despite inclement weather, the Midwinter Agricultural show held at Barry drew a splendid attendance. Much credit for the success of the show was given to Forrest Miller, superintendent of the Barry schools, and to Edward B. Knight, teacher of agriculture.
A heavy coating of ice covered not only the grounds and walks, but trees and wires and everything outdoors, except the people. The telephone and electric service was badly interfered with.
J. A. Gleckler of Fairmount Township has dug over 450 tons of coal on his 160 acre farm near Fish Hook. Threshers around Fish Hook have used it to fire their boilers, and prefer it to the Springfield product.
Pleasant Hill is in a fair way of having a community building early in the new year. The building will be provided with a stage and also a basketball court, which is so much needed by the Pleasant Hill High School.
New Salem’s new community high school building was dedicated Tuesday afternoon and evening of last week. The building and its furnishings cost approximately $21,000. The building is somewhat remarkable in that the board succeeded in building it practically within the original estimates.
75 Years Ago
Dec. 25, 1946
More merchandise to sell and more money to buy it with in the customers pockets has made this one of the best seasons in Pittsfield for holiday business in many years. Most say this was the biggest trade in the history of their businesses.
Perry, which was first called Booneville, now has five new businesses. Elmer Bradbury and Junior Orr have constructed a new building to sell Ford cars and farm equipment. Elmer is Homer Bradbury’s son and Junior is Ralph Orr’s son. Dale Thiele has opened a new garage and service station on Main Street. A. M. Zimmerman is a plumber who sells furniture and bathroom equipment from his new store; and E. M. Zimmerman owns and operates a new garage and electric welding shop. David Daigh owns and operates a new business on the north side of Main Street, selling a large variety of items.
Three different accidents occurred on Pittsfield streets and highways Saturday evening. Looking at the wrecked vehicles at Finson and Adams garage Sunday, one couldn’t help but wonder how 13 persons involved in the wrecks happened to be still living. Worst hurt was Mrs. Karl D. Hum, wife of the publisher and editor of the Milton Beacon. She had a broken left leg and other injuries. Four were still in Illini Hospital and seven had been treated and released.
Coach Glenn Smith’s Pittsfield Saukees found their scoring eyes and piled up a terrific score of 79 to 21 against Bluffs at Bluffs Friday night, making their record five wins and three losses.
Coach Codd’s red and white clad New Canton Bullldogs defeated the orange and black tigers of Barry on the Rockport floor. New Canton’s record now stands at 9-0.
50 Years Ago
Dec. 29, 1971
Pittsfield merchants, as a whole, enjoyed a jolly Christmas business. The price of hogs, which was around $23, was considered a positive factor. Double knit fashions for men—slacks, sports coats and shirts—went over big. Hot pants weren’t as hot as had been anticipated, but the short-short skirts for teenagers sold faster than hot cakes.
Nine employees were honored last week for having worked for Brown Shoe for 25 years. They were Carl Leahr, Dorietta Freeman, Mary Lou Hancock and Bessie Swartz of Pittsfield, Truman Daniels, Tom Hildreth and Elizabeth Despain of Griggsville, Nettie Fessler of New Canton and Holda Smock of Naples.
Noue K. Niebur, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Niebur of Pittsfield, is one of 38 Illinois Wesleyan University students who will spend the month of January traveling and studying in Europe. She is a sophomore at IWU and a 1970 graduate of Pittsfield High School.
25 Years Ago
Dec. 25, 1996
Pittsfield Work Camp inmates gave Pike County communities an early Christmas present of help during December, its first full month of operation.
Inmates and camp staff spent a total of 1105 hours in community projects throughout the county. That’s a whopping 36 man hours a day, and is likely to increase this spring and summer.
Uncollected accounts took up a big portion of the Pike County Board’s time Tuesday night at the regular meeting. Judy Schlieper, of the Health Department, said that the county ambulance service only has a 52 percent collection rate for the year. The board voted to create an insurance committee, and named John Sheppard, Rick Orr and Tom Dell to the committee.
Pike County is still the state’s number one deer-producing county in spite of a six percent decline in the number of animals taken this year during the firearm deer season.
10 Years Ago
Dec. 28, 2011
The Pike County Board named County Engineer Chris Johnson to serve as solid waste coordinator. Johnson will begin the position January 1, be paid $500 to serve as coordinator. Board Chairman Andy Borrowman said the extra funds will come from the host agreement that the county recently made with the Pike County landfill.
Debbie Rennecker will be retiring at the end of this year after 36 years as administrative assistant for Barry and Western school districts.
John C. Shover, 73, of Barry, died Monday, Dec. 26 in Blessing Hospital in Quincy. In 1970 John moved to Barry, where he became President and CEO of the First National Bank of Barry. He was involved in many community organizations over the years.
■ Compiled by Michael Boren
