The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
WEDDING BELLS: GILLILAND & MAHAFFEY: Miss Mary Lois Mahaffey and Mr. Harry Gilliland, both of Stronghurst, were united in marriage by Rev. F. E. Weston, pastor of the Baptist Church, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. The young couple were accompanied by Miss Dorothy Harrison and Mr. Van Calhoun of Iowa Wesleyan College. The bride is the eldest daughter of Rev. and Mrs. J. A. Mahffey and is a graduate of the Stronghurst High School and attended Monmouth College for two years. She has been engaged in teaching school in Warren County for the past two years. Mr. Gilliland is the youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. John Gilliland and attended the Stronghurst schools and is now a highly efficient employee of the Inter-City Telephone Co. The young couple will make their home in Stronghurst following a season with the Cadman Lyceum Co. which Mrs. Gilliland will begin on May 27th. (Lyceums brought culture by presenting a varied program to rural communities.)
RAILROADS COOPERATE IN GROUNDHOG CAMPAIGN: The railroads which have tracks in Henderson County are giving full cooperation in the fight to exterminate the groundhogs. Both the superintendent of the Burlington and Ottumwa, Iowa and T. H. McKibben, Division Engineer for the Santa Fe have assured adviser Walker that the wish to do all in their power to aid in the campaign. Ed Walker, section foreman at Stronghurst, has treated the holes on his four-mile section finding over 260. He reports so far, he has observed only three which were reopened. Mr. Walker has been given instructions to demonstrate the use of the cyanide to the other Santa Fe section men in the county.
BOOSTING ROUTE 94: As the outcome of an enthusiastic meeting of farmers and business and professional men interested in better roads for this section of Illinois held at the Strand Theatre in Stronghurst, it was resolved to urge upon Governor Small and the Department of Public Works at Springfield the desirability of the early survey location and construction of the proposed state bond issue hard road designed as Route No. 94 in the $100,000,000 bond issue act. This is the route by which Stronghurst hopes to obtain hard road communication with the outside world and which will, when constructed, afford a north-south route through Henderson County easily accessible to fully 80% of its population. It will connect the greater proportion of its centers of population and also form am important connecting link between east and west trans-state and trans-continental routes. Undoubtedly, it will become part of a popular direct route between Rock Island and Quincy and St. Louis. (Politicians showed up as well as people from surrounding counties. For details, read this issue on microfilm.)
NOTES FROM GRADE SCHOOL: The pupils of the 3rd and 4th grades who were neither tardy nor absent the entire year and received pins are 3rd grade-Edna Stine and 4th grade-Clarissa Taylor, Louise Gregory. “The Kitchen Band” composed of the 4th grade under the leadership of their teacher, Mrs. Boyd, very delightfully entertained the 1st and 2nd grades with songs, solos and duets. The band was made up of skillets, shovels, wash tubs, kettles, etc. and it was surprising the music the youngsters got from them. 3rd and 4th grade neither tardy nor absent during the month of May are 3rd grade-Eileen Stamp, Louis Wilcox, Marjorie Vaughn, Bill Weddington, Opal Kershaw, Agnes Staley, Gerald Magee, Edna Stine, John Peasley, Winifred Lant, Catherine Winter and Francis Fornell. For the 4th grade were Clarissa Taylor, Junior Shallenberger, Robert Sawyer, Neola Taylor, Louise Gregory, Patria Hudnut, Harry Magee, Eleanor Dixson, Richard Walker, Charles Peasley and Katherine Upton. The 3rd and 4th grades who made an average of 90 or above and did not have to take any examinations are 3rd grade-Eileen, Stamp, Agnes Staley, Isabell Billups and John Peasley and 4th grade-Junior Shallenberger, Neola Taylor, Louise Gregory, Patria Hudnut, Mildred Johnson, Eleanor Dixson, Richard Walker and Katherine Upton.
PICKNICKING TOGETHER: At a joint meeting of the picnic committee of the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce and the Henderson County Farm Bureau, it was decided to hold a picnic on May 24th at Wever Lake northwest of Media on August 17th. Plans for the day were discussed and committees were appointed to carry them out. Indications are good for a real “hog killin” time. Members of the general committee are Bernard White, Joe Rowley and Fred Anderson for the Chamber of Commerce and Wm. Stevenson, G.EDuke and C.C. Painter for the Farm Bureau. (Long list of other committees included in this article.)
BACCALAUREATHE SERVICES: At the United Presbyterian Church a large audience listened attentively to an able baccalaureate address which was delivered by Lester R.Gerber, pastor of the local Christian Church last Sunday evening. The scripture lesson was read by Rev.R.C. Myers of the M.E.Church, who also invoked divine blessing. As Mrs. Gertrude Upton played the organ processional, the members of the graduating and junior classes entered the auditorium and took the seats revered for them.
The U.P. choir rendered two beautiful anathema—“No Shadows Yonder” by Gaul and “Praise Ye the Father” by Gunod. Mrs. Margjorie McAndrews sang a vocal solo— “Eye Hath Not Seen” by Gaul and Douglas Prescott also rendered a vocal solo—“Flee as a Bird” by Dana. The church was decorated with the class colors, blue and gold and with flowers and potted plants.
STRONGHURST WINS COUNTY TRACK MEET: The 6th annual Henderson County Track Meet held this year at Lomax proved to be a success in spite of the eccentric happenings in connection with it, namely, the collapsing of the loaded bleachers shortly after the meet had opened and a few minutes later a rainfall of such severity that the officials were forced to postpone the remaining events until the following Monday. The fall of the bleachers was not due to overloading, but rather to their construction. The lumber used was rented and the builders did not clinch the nails. The weight proved great enough to force the boards apart and the bleachers fell simultaneously without a moment’s warning. For a short time, the crowd seemed panic stricken. All were trying to get clear of the fallen timbers. It seems almost a miracle that no one was injured seriously and although many suffered bad cuts, sprains or bruises, no bones were broken. The price of this lesson will be cheap, indeed, if the bleachers at such future events shall be more carefully constructed.
Stronghurst won first place in the meet, placing in every event but the standing board jump and accumulating a total score of 47 points. Stronghurst won five first, six seconds and one third place. Media came second winning five first and tying for another two seconds and three third places. Media’s total points was 38. Terre Haute won third place with 21 points, Biggsville placed fourth and Oquawka took fifth. Lomax and Gladstone failed to place in any events.
Monday afternoon three records were broken. Max Veech of Stronghurst set a very creditable record in the high jump with a leap of 5 ft, 10 inches. Clarence Vaughn of Media established a new record in the 220 yard dash with a time of 3.3-5 seconds. Harold Smith of Stronghurst set a new record in the javelin throw with a throw of 157 ft 4 in. and Robert Pence of Stronghurst ran the low hurdles in 28 1-5 seconds tying the record held by B. Horrell of Media in 1923. Pence would have official tied the record, but he knocked down one hurdle and although winning first place in the event, his time cannot be taken as a record.
INSPECTING THE MAIL ROUTES: Postmaster J. F. Mains completed the annual inspection of the three rural mail routes from the Stronghurst Post Office. He reports finding everything in good condition with a large amount of excellent work being done by the road commissioners of the four townships through which the routes pass. Nearly all boxes are located at the right-hand side of the road as traveled by the carrier, but there are a few that should be moved. In repainting boxes, it is best to use metal paint as other kinds soon crack and peel off. One of the duties this year was to re-measure the routes. Joseph Huff, Lloyd Rankin and Orville Boyd, the three carriers from the Stronghurst office, all have new cars and their speedometers indicate that each route is more than a mile longer than the schedule on which their compensation has been based for the past several years.
THE VOICE OF S.H.S. by Paul Bell-Junior-Senior Banquet: The Junior-Senior banquet for the graduating class of S.H.S. of 1926 was held in the dining room of the United Presbyterian Church Saturday evening, May 22nd. A three-course menu consisting of fruit cocktail, chicken souffle, creamed new potatoes, golden wax beans, orange sherbet, spring salad, pickles, radishes, Clover leaf rolls, punch, ice cream, golden rod cake and mints was served by Mrs. Joanna Wheeling, cateress. The young ladies of the Sophomore Class were waitresses. The decorations were the class colors, blue and gold, and were also carried out in the place cards and menu cards. The long tables were prettily decorated in runners of blue and gold and baskets of yellow tea roses, the tea rose being the class color. (Read the class will and prophesy in this issue on microfilm at the Henderson County Library.)
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Hicks and family and Mr. George Fort drove to Monmouth to consult a specialist in regard to Mr. Fort’s eyes. A picnic supper was enjoyed by the members of the local high school Sophomore Class at the Footprints near Decorra last Thursday evening. Estel Mudd was initiated into the Rebekah lodge Tuesday evening. A good variety of bulk gardens seeds on hand at F. O. Tweed’s Hardware. Rudyard Kershaw came from Akron, Colo. for a visit with home folks. Miss Clidean Simpson has been engaged to teach the Cork School south of town for the coming school year. Mr. and Mrs. Russell Brooks of Benson, Ill. have returned to their home southwest of Stronghurst for summer vacation. Lafe Ogden returned to Washington state after visiting at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ike Breuer and family of Gladstone. Mrs. Joe Long and children will leave tomorrow by auto for Pawnee, Nebr. And Sabetha, Kans. where they will visit relatives. Misses Stella Marshall and Mabel Rankin have gone to Normal, Ill. for a 12-week course at the State Teachers’ College. Miss Agnes Findley has been employed to teach the Maple Grove School the coming year. Miss Edna Dobbs received word that her sister, Mrs. Chas. Rochel of Jordan, Mont. was a patient at the Miles City, Montana Hospital. Geo. Foote and family of Chillicothe will return to Stronghurst to over see the remodeling of the buildings on his farm south town instead of taking charge of the farming operations as stated previously. Mr. and Mrs. J. D. French and daughter, Mrs. Cris Egle and husband and son of Bluffton, Ind. are visiting at the J. W. McElhinney home. Mrs. French in a sister of Mrs. McElhinney.
The firemen of the village express their thanks to Miss Lucretia Bruen, who treated them to a box of cigars in appreciation of the services they rendered last week when her barn was burned. Miss Ethel Lola Weed, a missionary supported by the Monmouth Presbytery will speak at the local church to the regular meeting of the Willing Workers. Rev. J. A. Mahaffey left for the East to visit friends before going to Sharon, Pa. for General Assembly. Features at the local theatre this weekend include Kenneth Harlan and Patsy Ruth Miller in “The Fighting Edge” and the Hallroom boys in “Day by Day.” William Ottoson of the Decorra neighborhood shipped out some corn graded No. 2 in Chicago. This was the first car of No.2 corn out of here this year and it brought a one and half cent premium over No. 3.
BIGGSVILLE BRIEFS: Miss Marjorie McIntosh, who has spent the past week with her parents, returned to Scranton, Pa. Mr. and Mrs. Wendell Whiteman of Monmouth are the proud parents of an eight-pound boy born Saturday morning. The little one has been named Donald Graham. Miss Arline Dixon has accepted a position in the grade school at Fairview, Ill., where she will teach music, penmanship and physical training. Miss Marjorie Weigand will teach the 6th and 7th grades in Oneida, Ill. grade school this year. Commencement exercises for the 8th grade class will be held on May 26th in the high school auditorium. Members of the class who will enter high school next year are the following: Mariam Pearson, Martha Smith, Barbara Dixon, Gertrude White, Lelah Kilgore, Madeline Campbell, Ivan Gibson, Rau Kilgore, Earl Rice, Wendall Sloan, Russell Shook, Dale Gibb and Carl Kennedy.
Mrs. Laura Knisely and daughter attended the funeral of her sister, Mrs. Judith Totten in Burlington. Burial was at Raritan. Mrs. Jessie Rezner has purchased the residence of C. L. Kilgore now occupied by Prof. T. W. Everett and family. Mrs. Frank Campbell of Red Oak, Iowa is spending a few days with her sister, Mrs. Plummer of this place and Mrs. Walter Martin at Oquawka. Mrs. John Sandstrom’s Ellison Valley School closed last Friday. She will teach next year at the Bacon School.
RARITAN REPORTS: A number of this community attended the track meet at Lomax. Lormer Runner was operated on at the Macomb Hospital for appendicitis. Miss Della Hockje departed for her home at Holland Mich. for several weeks’ vacation. The Reform Sabbath School is preparing a Children’s Day Program. The Decoration Day services will be observed at the opera house Monday afternoon.
CHRISTIAN CHURCH NOTES: Bible school attendance showed a slight increase last Sunday with 74 present. Next Sunday morning all will be dismissed to attend the Memorial Service at the M.E. Church. Union Service will be held here Sunday evening with Rev. R. C. Myers preaching.