75 Years Ago—1950
Dr. Raymond Gelvin and Dr. Leo Haughey announced plans for the erection of a clinic building, to be known as the Gelvin-Haughey clinic, and the addition of a new surgeon and physician, Dr. Frederick Emery of Des Moine, Iowa… Mrs. Ida Johnson’s farm home, located about four miles north of Jamestown, was struck by lightning. The house and all its contents were destroyed by the resulting blaze… Kiwanis members were entertained at a dinner meeting at the Igloo cafe by music from the accordion of Charles Fulton, nine years old… something of a collector of Indian relics, Myron Garrison of the Miltonvale vicinity brought a cigar box full of flint spear points, tomahawk heads and other large flint weapons and tools, found in a bank that had been washed by heavy rains, to the Blade office… Miss Beverly Griffin, bookkeeper at Boll’s Dairy, left on a vacation by plane for Portland, Ore. … at the home economics class of the Meredith Center 4-H club, the “Well Dressed for School” class cut out their dresses, the “Learning to Sew” class sewed on their tea towels and potholders, and the “Planning a Wardrobe” class worked on their pajamas… Rite-Way Laundry service was planning to expand its building on West Third for the addition of dry cleaning equipment in the near future… winners in Indian Day contest events at the playground in the best painted squaw category: Rita Collette, first; Mary Margaret Reed, second; Connie Harris, third; Joyce Collette, fourth. Best painted brave: Kenny Switzer, first; Alan Shirling, second… Jim’s Cafe at 14th and Lincoln—“Where you get the MOSTEST for the LEASTEST”…
60 Years Ago—1965
Wilson Carlgren was at the throttle and Paul Charest tended boiler when down Fifth Street the steam engine came—“huffin’ and puffin’ and with that high-pitched steam whistle shrieking for right-of-way as it proceeded at a 3 mph clip” on its way to the scales at the Co-op elevator. Charest had laid a few bets around town that the weight exceeded 20 tons. Charest won—the giant Reeves engine pushed the scales indicator up to 47,000 pounds… approximately 113 Concordia children enrolled in the new summer playground Creative Arts class at Lincoln school, which was being conducted by Mrs. Doris Smith, Mrs. Etta Warner, Ron Hosie and Bill Smith… Danny Strait brought one of his grandmother’s (Mrs. Evalyn Strait) tomatoes to the Blade office. It weighed more than two pounds… two of the 48 Kansas State university students to have Henry J. Putnam Memorial scholarships renewed were Joseph Detrixhe of Ames and Jean Saindon of Concordia… Mary Lou Menzies, Devine Montoya, Bob and Jim Tyler were the winners of the Recreation Commission’s tennis tournament…
50 Years Ago—1975
Rules for the famous Cloud County Fair Baby Show had been changed. There is now only one category for boys and girls, 18 months to three years, inclusive. Girls in the show can only wear a bathing suit and boys can wear swim trunks but no shirts. Shoes are optional… an electronic bell carillon had been installed in the Concordia Baptist church in memory of Marion Collins… a Saturday evening After-Harvest street dance was held in Aurora with two bands, The Steels and the August Harvest, furnishing the music… the ninth annual Kansas Flower Show Symposium was held in Concordia, and Concordia’s 10-year-old ventriloquist, Angie Doyen, and Henry, and guitarists-singers, Tamie Bemis and Sylvia Workman, provided entertainment at the Judges’ Council dinner at the Skyliner… three students from Concordia, Leslie Wilson, Kim Pettygrove and Maria Belvill, attended the Kansas State University Twirling and Drum Major Camp… Mr. and Mrs. Bob Peterson of Concordia spent July 7 with Mr. and Mrs. Jack Peterson of Jamestown, putting corn in the freezer… Concordia Chamber of Commerce sponsored a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new Wickes Buildings facility three miles south of Concordia… Larry Nelson had been named the new principal at the high school…
25 Years Ago—2000
Adam Trost, Concordia, was one of 100 young people selected to attend the national Wild Turkey Federation’s annual Porter Wagoner/JAKES Conservation Field Days in Hickory Knob State Park in South Carolina… Mr. and Mrs. Don Demanett celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary… Stephanie Sulanka, on a Canada Wilderness fishing trip with her father Greg, caught a 43 inch, 18 lb. Northern Pike… Webelos II Scouts who attended Camp Hansen near Kirwin Lake were Braden Bruntzel, Jordan Cyphers, Jeff Molter, Isaac Rothfuss and Ian Smith… Concordia Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cuttings were held for Rolling Hills Driving Range and Storage and Kennedy & Coe LLC…
