Looking back – Calhoun County
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25 years ago
December 24, 1997
Hardin Senior Service News
“And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem…To be taxed with Mary, his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over the flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone about them and they were so afraid. And the angel said unto them, ‘Fear not. For behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger’…And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward me,’” (Luke 2:4-14).
St. Norbert’s School was here to put on their Christmas play. The seniors that stayed or came back really enjoyed them.
Friday, the day care children were here and they sang carols and they were so sweet! Both groups had a Santa cookie and kool aid and they liked that.
Monday, the 22nd, was our Christmas dinner. As usual, the food was wonderful. We gave away 11 door prizes. We drew for the afghan that Violet had made and Anita Hirschfield won. Congratulations, Anita!
Karolyn Wankle and the Kampsville seniors had a very nice surprise on Monday. Norma Thomas and Pat Gotway, representing the Bank of Kampsville, had lunch with Karolyn and her group and the Bank of Kampsville paid for everyone’s meal! What a wonderful way to show Christmas spirit.
50 years ago
December 21, 1972
Probably the worst ice storm of this century has come and gone, leaving numerous accounts of episodes which happened because of the ice and loss of electric power.
Over the weekend, six days after the storm hit, most of the electric power was restored in Calhoun.
Workmen were still repairing isolated spots and telephone workers were also still putting back torn down lines.
Some of the stories told about the ice storm were serious, some were humorous, but circumstances did seem to bring out the old-time ingenuity in Calhoun County.
The most serious happening struck the Bill Rogers family of Golden Eagle.
Mrs. Rogers was on her way to Hardin the first day of the storm when her car slid and turned over south of Hardin. When her husband was notified and had started to the scene of the accident, their house caught on fire and burned to the ground while he was away.
Another accident caused by the slick pavements occurred when a school bus of Unit 40 slid off the highway at Kampsville. Luckily no students were on the bus at the time of the accident, which resulted from the bus and another car colliding.
Nearly 100 maintenance men of the light and telephone companies were in the area repairing the damage to utility lines.
Between Hardin and Jerseyville about 20 light poles snapped in domino fashion when the first one fell under the weight of the ice and hit or pulled down the next pole, and so on.
In East Hardin, the William Gettings family had to milk by hand their large herd of dairy cattle when they had no electric power to operate their milking machines.
At the beginning of the storm, the Hardin Bridge lift span could not be operated, and the auxiliary motor wouldn’t work, causing two or three barge tows to mark time until electricity was restored.
Water supplies of some of the towns in Calhoun dwindled to a dangerous level, especially if there had been a big fire, as pumps were not usable to keep the tanks at capacity.
Many families, who were without electricity or heat for very long, and who had children, moved into homes of more fortunate friends, who had electricity, to spend the night or nights.
Mr. and Mrs. William Stone fashioned a wood heating stove out of an iron barrel and put it in their basement where they remained “comfy” while their heat was off.
Mr. and Mrs. William Whitworth resurrected an old Warm Morning stove from their barn where it had been stored for several years and used it to keep warm by.
School was dismissed for five days during the storm, and when the buses ran on a limited route some of the days when school was open, the attendance was below normal.
The salt supply became very short or practically extinct at most places where it was sold, so there was little to apply to slippery sidewalks.
One man reported that he had to work three hours with a chainsaw to cut the fallen limbs from his drive way before he could drive up his house.
At the local beauty shops, women patrons would wash their hair at home and drive to the beautician to have it set, getting it dried the best way they could.
One man with the Christmas spirit drove to the country for a Christmas tree and got stuck when his car slid off in a ditch.
There were many more such incidents, and most people took their misfortunes with what humor they could muster up, hoping to be able to tell their children or grandchildren someday of the “Great Ice Storm of December 1972.”
75 years ago
December 18, 1947
The Community Christmas tree program will be held Monday evening at 8 p.m. in the courthouse yard.
Arrangements have been made for a loud speaker system to send forth the Christmas carols on the air.
Santa Claus will be there to greet the children and give each child a treat.
Bring the children and enjoy the evening, entering into the festive spirit of Christmas.
100 years ago
December 21, 1922
Both the picture theatre at Hardin and Kampsville have special attractions for the Christmas week, with no increase in price. Both theatres are playing expensive bills. See their ads elsewhere in this paper. The theatre at Hardin will play only one performance and will start their program on Saturday evening, December 23rd, at 6:15 o’clock so as to be out in time to allow their patrons to attend the Xmas entertainments to be held in both churches at this place.
The Playhouse, otherwise referred to as the Kampsville theatre, advertised eight reels on Christmas Day of “Love Light,” starring Mary Pickford. On New Year’s Day, the Playhouse was showing “The River’s End.” Admission was 20 cents and 30 cents, including tax.
The Apple Blossom Theatre, located in Hardin, was showing several reels throughout the week leading up to both Christmas and New Year’s, including the following:
Hoot Gibson in “Action.”
Tom Mix in “Trailin.”
William Farnum in “When a Man Sees Red.”
Dustin Farnum in “Strange Idols.”
