March 28, 2024

Throwback Thursday

Today is June 6, the 157th day of the year. So, there are 208 days left in 2019. Below are news items from the Creston News Advertiser for last week (May 27 - June 2) in history:

20 years ago

A “million pennies” campaign was underway at Creston businesses to raise $10,000 for Dollars for Scholars. Stacy Wood, vice president of the Creston chapter, said canisters were placed throughout the community to raise the money by 2000 and the money would go to the invested endowment with scholarships coming from the interest earned.

The first school consolidation in south central Iowa was to occur if voters approved a merger of Greenfield and Bridgewater-Fontanelle districts. The proposal required a majority vote in both districts in the Sept. 14 elections and the combined Nodaway Valley School District would begin July 1, 2000. However, Prescott and Corning, who had formed a joint committee to look at consolidation, would not merge. Prescott voters approved an instructional support levy providing funds for 10 years as long as enrollment remained stable.

The compost site south of McKinley Park was closing after more than three years of junk and garbage being dumped there. The city’s composting and yard waste storage was permanently moved east to Osage Street.

50 years ago

President Richard Nixon asked Congress for legislation to convert the Post Office Department into a government-owned, self-sustaining service removed from Cabinet status. The reform would call for several sweeping changes including an independent service administered by a nine-member board of directors, new collective bargaining rights for postal employees, bond financing for capital improvements and a commission of experts to propose mail classifications and postage rate changes.

The third Southwestern Community College commencement was held at the band shell in McKinley Park with 89 graduates. About 350 people attended the outdoor ceremony.

Skip Kenyon and Richard Johannes, both juniors at Creston High School attended the annual Hawkeye Boys State at Camp Dodge in Des Moines. It was a citizenship camp sponsored by the Creston American Legion Post.

Union County Historical Society held its annual meeting and was faced with finding permanent headquarters or an office for its mementos and records that were housed at a temporary museum that would close Oct. 1. The society also was given the responsibility for assembling and selecting items to be placed in a time capsule that would be buried at the time of the Crestennial celebration in July. Suggestions included written articles and mementos and pictures and similar items typical of the era and the centennial celebration. Attended by 60 people, the society elected Lee Stalker as new president, succeeding Harold Arnold.

The first Crestennial caravan to promote the upcoming celebration was going to Lenox. Members of the caravan would spend an hour in Lenox and provide entertainment on Main Street while others would visit with Lenox people. Mayor Percy Carney, Creston Chamber President William Evans and chamber secretary Eddie Peak, along with a number of queen candidates planned to travel in the caravan. The Peppy Steppers square dance club and Century Belles kitchen band planned to perform. People joining the caravan were asked to wear centennial costumes along with their bonnets, hats, ties and badges.

The largest number of visitors to register at Graceland Cemetery on Memorial Day and sign the visitor’s book to date occured with 1,095 signatures. Many others did not register. There were 17 states and 63 different cities and towns represented.