Looking Back… News items from the past pages of the Calhoun News-Herald

By Editor | July 13, 2026 |

100 years ago
July 15, 1926
Ottie Plummer, our pitcher, pitched another one of his good ball games last Sunday at Elsberry. He struck out twenty men in Sunday’s game, making a total of sixty men he has struck out in the last three games. Ottie aught to be traveling in the big leagues. We’ll be our last dollar he can hold a berth down in any big league. He is pitching for Elsberry, Mo., this season and he is making the “show me” folks sit up and take notice. There are two things that the Kingdom of Calhoun is noted for and they are the big red apple and its good baseball players.

75 years ago
July 12, 1951
For many years the people of Calhoun have needed and longed for some kind of local hospital. However, all inquiries into the matter by interested organizations have shown that the costs of a hospital were insurmountable for a small community. Now there is a move on foot that looks very encouraging. A meeting has been called for Friday night, July 13, at the home economics building for the purpose of organizing a board and discussing the possibilities of selling stock and raising money to equip the present Hardin Hotel for hospital purposes. Money and moral support is needed for this project. It looks like a very good proposition for Calhoun County. The building could be made over into a small hospital without too much outlay and the benefits of the institution would far outweigh its costs. All interested parties are urged to be present at Friday night’s meeting. Stock will be sold and interest paid on stock. The hospital will be run on a self supporting basis. The project will be managed by parties selected at the meeting. Profits will be used for equipment and expansion, and the proposed hospital will be non-sectarian.

50 years ago
July 15, 1976
Philip Aderton retired as president and chairman of the board of the Bank of Calhoun County at the annual stockholder’s meeting last Friday and Peter W. Simon was elected to succeed him. Aderton, who had worked for the bank for 57 years, celebrated his 50th year with the bank in 1969. After being discharged from the service on April 20, 1919, Aderton was offered a job at the bank and the next day was scheduled to start work on May 1, 1919. However, he was called for jury duty on a murder trial in the county and didn’t start until the middle of May. Simon, whose grandfather, P.A. Gotway, was a former president of the same bank, started work at the Bank of Calhoun in 1964. He is a graduate of Hardin High School, attended SIUE, the Banking School of Carbondale, and is a graduate of the School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Simon is a trustee for St. Norbert’s Catholic Church, a 4th Degree Knights of Columbus, fund chairman for the American Red Cross, former president of the Tri-County Banking Association, active in the People for the Preservation of Calhoun County and a volunteer ambulance driver.

25 years ago
July 18, 2001
The Calhoun Lions Club broke ground recently on a plot adjacent to the Swimming Pool for the purpose of completing a roller hockey rink. This concrete pad may also have additional uses for basketball and tennis. The pad will be available for free skating. It is hoped that a cooperative effort will let many youngsters enjoy this facility. For several years young men in Calhoun have used any facility available for practicing roller hockey. Last year, these same young men put on ice skates and won a regional ice hockey championship. The facility will exceed the budget of the Lions Club and will be financed by the Bank of Calhoun County. Anyone wishing to help fund the project may send donations to the Hardin Lions. The initial site preparation was done by Chad Nolte and he deserves a big thanks for the donation of the services of his Hy Life earthmover.

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