Pickings from Pike’s Past 4.25.24
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50 YEARS AGO: STACEY HILLEBRENNER FLIES IN “PETER PAN” AT PHS
150 Years Ago
April 30, 1874
And now comes the gentle spring when cornplanters bloom and cultivators and riding plows blossom, and the shining, joyous faces of the middlemen are wreathed in smiles. Wheat gives a marvelous promise of a most magnificent crop, and the fruit is all right up to date.
The Sny levee is a grand success. It has dried out the bottom lands.
We know that the chinch bug is particularly plenty, pert and promiscuous this year, and has commenced his peregrinations already.
A skeleton depot now erected at the junction at Maysville is soon to have a full dress on, and those Barry Odd Fellows won’t have to stand in the rain as they await the train to Pittsfield.
The communication from our Kinderhook correspondent was good, but too personal.
125 Years Ago
May 2, 1899
Did you notice how summer jumped in us Saturday, running the thermometer up to about 90? Talk about spring lingering in the lap of winter, why the old fellow kicked her right into the middle of six weeks at one kick.
There was a big and lively crowd in Pittsfield Saturday and faces seen here that hadn’t appeared in about three months. But what a complaint did go up about the roughness and hardness of the roads.
Farmers and merchants in the vicinity of Pleasant Hill and Nebo are jubilant over the prospects of a full crop of apples and small fruits, with the exception of peaches and blackberries. This is glorious and good weather to prepare the way and make the roads.
The Mississippi has been on a small rampage for several days and if it keeps up the present pace will overflow the Missouri banks.
It is said that on May 1 Pittsfield was out of debt for the first time in 20 years, and there still remained thousands in the treasury.
The poverty social given by the Steadfast Society of the Pittsfield Christian Church was a great success.
May 5, 1899
The month of May is the paradise of the year. It is the month when nature breaks the seal of the tomb of winter and comes forth clad in resurrection robes. It’s the month when the Maypole gets in its work and the maidens dance upon the greensward; when the hired man eats two pounds of bacon, nine biscuits, 17 young onions, drinks a gallon of buttermilk for supper and goes to bed dreaming of his girl.
There is considerable bloom in on the peach trees and not so many killed as was supposed.
The Barry school board met and selected teachers for the coming year. Superintendent C. W. Hogg is to be paid $125 per month, principal Simeon Smith $75 per month and grade school teachers are to receive from $37.50 to $40 per month.
Don’t forget that the Pike County Democrat gives you two issues a week for $1.50 per year.
100 Years Ago
April 30, 1924
Dr. George B. Carey, who practiced dentistry in Perry for 42 years, died at his home in Perry Friday evening. He had been associated with his brother, Dr. Albert B. Carey in Pittsfield for about nine years prior to moving to Perry in 1882.
Pittsfield physicians, Drs W. E. Shastid, S. B. Peacock, F. N. Wells, Stuart L. Smith and L. S. Lacey entertained the Pike County Medical Association at Koepping’s restaurant Thursday. Thirty doctors from three counties were in attendance.
Only four teams, Pittsfield, Baylis, Barry and Milton, make up the Pike County baseball league this spring and summer.
Pittsfield district board of education Monday evening elected Helen Kaeser principal of the East School to succeed Herman Hooper, who was not again an applicant. She is a graduate of the state normal at Macomb and has taught at East School for six years.
75 Years Ago
May 4, 1949
Pike County’s greatest “white elephant” sale is planned for the benefit of the Pittsfield Community Center, which needs approximately $2,500 additional in order to complete remodeling and to build on a completely new “youth center” wing for youth activities. Hicks Petty is the contractor.
The marriage of Miss Kathryn McIntire, second oldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry McIntire of Griggsville and Frank Edward Penstone, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. F. E. Penstone, took place Saturday evening at 8 p.m. in a beautiful candlelight service at the Methodist Church in Griggsville. Mr. Penstone will be associated with his father in the fruit industry.
Luther Stillwell of Pearl died suddenly Tuesday of last week, while hauling a load of wood. Following death his body remained on the wagon and the faithful team followed the highway to his home.
It’s mushroom time in Pike County. Anything can happen and mushroom yarns may be told.
50 Years Ago
May 1, 1974
Jim Eatock, whose ingenuity sends Stacey Hillebrenner soaring high across the PHS stage in the upcoming production of “Peter Pan,” modestly says that the flying feat was worked out by “trial and error.”
Mrs. James (Joan) Smith of Nebo, a well-known music teacher in the area, was presented the Mary Barkley Award by the Unit 10 Teachers Association at the annual spring dinner held Monday evening at the Nebo School.
Miss Nancy M. Lightle, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Merle L. Lightle of Payson, and Richard L. Peebles, son of Mrs. Hubert Peebles and the late Mr. Peebles, were married April 12 at 7:30 p.m. at the First Christian Church in Payson.
Women’s lib has invaded radio broadcasting. The three top winners of the 18th annual WBBA high school disc jockey contest are girls. G. B. Meyer, station owner, presented checks to Pam Braungardt of Perry High School who placed first; Rokettia Johnson of East Pike high school who placed second, and Joni Tittsworth from Seymour High School in Payson, who placed third.
New officers of the Pittsfield High School FHA, installed at the annual mother-daughter spring banquet last week are: Brenda Spann, secretary; Connie Smith, second vice president; Susan Knipmeyer, first vice president; Becky Steffa, president; Teresa Lanhum, treasurer; Virginia Taylor, vice president of projects, and Carol Harris, vice president of recreation.
25 Years Ago
April 28, 1999
A shooting rampage at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo. has prompted local authorities to take once-overlooked situations more seriously. Sheriff Paul Petty says his office has received numerous calls since last Tuesday’s Colorado shooting that left 15 individuals dead, including one teacher, 12 students and the two teenage gunmen responsible.
Pat and Pam Cooney, co-owners of McDonald’s Restaurant in Pittsfield, were selected to receive the Sam Walton Business Leader Award, sponsored by the Wal-Mart Foundation and the Wal-Mart store in Pittsfield.
Shirley Dean received the first annual scholarship from the Business and Professional Women’s organization this year. While pursuing her college degree she has worked as a teacher’s aide with PACT pre K.
Scott Riley hit three home runs for the Saukees in a baseball game against Griggsville-Perry last week, the second time in as many weeks he had accomplished the feat.
10 Years Ago
April 30, 2014
After months of speculation, the waiting is over. Curt Simonson of Pittsfield is the new Saukee football coach. Simonson’s name is not new to longtime Saukee faithful. He served as assistant and head coach from 1977-1993 and helped Don Bigley for the first four years of the Bigley era.
A new coffee shop, the Free Press Coffee House, will be coming to Pike County soon. Jane Ann Petty, owner of the William Watson Hotel, hopes to open the coffee shop sometime in June.
• Compiled by Michael Boren.
