The Blade

The Blade Over 145 years of community news

06/03/2026

130 Years Ago
May 30, 1896
The Fairbury baseball club was reorganized Monday evening. The meeting was called to order by John Moran. Bert Schlaughter was made secretary. Henry Weber was elected president and manager of the club and T. D. Karnes, treasurer. The president and secretary were instructed to see the business men and raise money for the purpose of uniforms. The members are Robert Baird, Isaac Addis, Will Braun, Louis Weber, James Baird, Ralph Harris, Bert Slaughter, Dave Compton, Fred Streeper, Alex Skeins, Frank Karns and John Young.
A fad among little girls appears to be the carrying of small rubber balls which they bounce on the walk as they go. The balls are used in connection with the game of jackstones.
A tornado ravaged St. Louis and East St. Louis and adjacent points in Missouri, Wednesday evening, inflicting terrible ruin and disaster. The loss of life in both cities was great. The known killed at St. Louis numbered around 250.

120 Years Ago
June 1, 1906
The alumni of the Fairbury High School gave the Class of '06 and their friends a reception at the Fairbury Opera House Thursday evening. It was a brilliant gathering and one of the social events of the season. The large hall was decorated with potted plants, cut flowers and the Alumni colors, and presented a homelike appearance. Burch's Orchestra furnished music during the evening, rendering some very beautiful selections. The address of welcome was delivered by Miss Bertha Cook and the response was given by Cyril Burns. Mrs. E. C. Green and Bessie Phelps played a duet, Mrs. Geo. Heckmann sang a solo and Miss Ethel Swap gave a reading. A very enjoyable banquet was served during the evening.
Last Friday afternoon the 12th annual field and track meet given by the Fairbury High School was held at the fair grounds. Although rain interfered with the crowd and the records made, yet it was one of the best and most closely contested meets in its history. Fairbury again won the meet with a total of 45 points; Peoria a close second with 35; Colfax 16, Dwight 14, Pontiac 11, Lexington 3.
Mrs. Ed Moore, assisted by Mesdames Presler and Patton, and Misses Kelley and Evans, will entertain the Ladies Aid society of the M. E. Church at a ten cent tea, Tuesday afternoon, June 5th. All members and friends of the church are invited to come and bring your fancy work.

110 Years Ago
June 2, 1916
The Wabash passenger train, leaving Chicago at 11:55 p.m. and due at Forrest at 2:25 a.m., went into the ditch this morning eight and a half miles north of Forrest when a storm struck it. The engine, tank, baggage car, mail car, a combination car and a chair car were blown off the track. Twelve persons are reported injured, but none seriously. An engineer who was “dead heading through was the most seriously hurt. The fast train north at Forrest at 3:55 a.m. was detoured via T. P. & W. to Gilman and the Ill. Central to Chicago. The tracks should be clear by 11 o'clock today.
Albert “Happy” Rusterholtz has bought the Holloway Grocery Store at Wing and will take possession Monday, June 12. Mr. Rusterholtz is a fine young man, knows the grocery business from A to Z, and the people of Wing will like him.
Mayor H. B. Taylor has a letter from the chief men of the Central Illinois Utilities Company, stating that they are going to give us better lights and better power, which means all 'round better service. The people of Fairbury will be glad to hear this and hope that they come across with what they have promised.
Wm. Barnes and Rev. S. E. Aout are the possessors of new Jeffery cars. The former purchased a five-passenger, four-cylinder touring car and Rev. Aout a three-passenger roadster.

100 Years Ago
June 4, 1926
Tuesday was about as disagreeable a day as one will bump into in a lifetime. The wind blew a regular gale all day and filled the air with dust. While it was bad here in town, it was much worse out in the country where the wind had a clear sweep. In many instances the farmers had to quit work in the fields on account of not being able to see. In spite of the fact that houses were kept closed, the dirt sifted through the cracks and settled over the furniture, rugs, etc. On many porches the dirt banked up against the houses and had to be shoveled away. Fields of corn were cut down to the ground in many cases, the wind and dust whipping and eating the tender leaves away.
The city fathers have purchased a new Ford truck to be used in doing the city hauling. The city team was traded in on the purchase. The truck will be kept in the building formerly occupied by the team, and it is planned to eventually keep the fire truck there also.
Two bad railroad wrecks occurred over the weekend, one occurring on the Wabash in the village of Sibley early last Friday morning, and the other one taking place a mile east of Gilman Sunday morning about 10:45. The latter one is the train due here at noon. The Wabash wreck was the fast northbound merchandise train. Fortunately no one was seriously injured in either wreck, although there were several narrow escapes in the wreck on the Wabash. This wreck will also cost the Wabash thousands of dollars, while the T. P. & W. mishap will also set that company back a little.

90 Years Ago
May 29, 1936
Tuesday the greatest exhibit of the world's greatest radio will be held at the Fultz Studio, when the Zenith car of 24 radios including the 25-tube Stratosphere model, listing at $750, will be exhibited. Zenith has ever been the greatest pioneer in the radio world. What Zenith has this year other radios will have next year. Zenith, the world's most copied radio, costs little more than ordinary radios. Don't miss this chance of seeing and hearing the Stratosphere with its 5 speakers.
Under the skillful hands of the Juniors, the high school gymnasium became an old-fashioned flower garden, canopied with the senior colors of orange and blue. In this attractive setting, the juniors did honor to the seniors of FTHS with banquet, program and dance, last Friday evening. Hugh Huntoon was master of ceremonies and presented the following talent: Marvin Shilts, who gave the address of welcome, to which Duane Morris responded; Betty Nussbaum, who read the class will; Mary Frances Glennon, who gave a reading; Mr. A. C. Watson, who addressed the Seniors; Abraham Mattioli, who gave a reading; William Frisby and Wilma Bess, who gave the class prophecy. The junior boys gave their interpretation of “Julius Caesar.” The junior girls sang and a trio of senior girls sang.
Work on the 20-foot paving slab on Main Street came to a stop yesterday noon with the workmen about 115 feet away from their goal. The work was stopped because they ran out of sand and crushed rock. A new supply is not expected until tomorrow. The laying of the slab got under way Monday morning at First street. The pavement has the appearance of an excellent piece of work and no doubt is. The joint extending the whole length of the pavement is reinforced with steel and there are joints extending crosswise every 30 feet reinforced with steel.

80 Years Ago
May 31, 1946
Last Friday morning in the McLean County Circuit Court at Bloomington, a jury of seven women and five men acquitted four T. P. & W. guards of a charge of manslaughter. The four were indicted on two counts by the McLean County grand jury following a shooting at Gridley on February 6th, when two pickets were shot and killed. In closing arguments, Hal M. Stone, defense attorney, contended that the guards had fired in self-defense, and declared they “had avery right to shoot back after they had been fired upon by one of the pickets.” The guards were aboard the first train that had been operated on the T. P. & W. lines in months.
While playing with a dog Monday, James Pool, about four or five years old, son of Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Pool, of Forrest, was bitten by the animal, the dog sinking his teeth in near one of the child's eyes. The tear duct was torn out and the eyeball injured. The boy was taken to the Brokaw Hospital, Normal, and the services of an eye specialist secured.
A local touch is given to the “Flying Wing” bomber recently unveiled at Northrop's at Hawthorne, Calif., since two former Fairbury boys are employed at Northrop's. Dick Hanna, engineer, is one of the test group and Hank Henderson, a mechanic. They are son and son-in-law of Mr. and Mrs. O. D. Hanna, of south of town. The mammoth plane has been in production since 1943, at a cost of $13,000,000. It carries six bomb bays to drop the mightiest load ever hurled by a single plane. Its range will be 10,000 miles. Northrop engineers foresee its use not only as a super bomber but as a highly efficient cargo carrier and possibly as transport.

70 Years Ago
May 31, 1956
Jack Tomlison won his first motorcycle race Sunday at East Peoria. It was also the first motorcycle race he had ever entered. Tomlison beat out six other entrants in a three-quarter mile “scrambles” race to earn the trophy. A “scrambles” race is run over a course full of turns, dips and hills, as compared to the flat track of a regular speed race. The race was for lightweight, one cylinder machines. Tomlison used a 165cc Harley Davidson. Entered in the same race Sunday which Tomlison won was a veteran Fairbury motorcycle racer, Gene Hines. Hines was running second when his chain broke and he was forced to leave the race. Hines has been in the racing game for a number of years and has over two dozen trophies to his credit.
The newest addition to the Village of Forrest, Park View Manor, is a sub-division of land located on the southeastern edge of Forrest. This addition has for its boundaries the Wabash Railroad tracks on the east, highway 47 on the west, and the new Forrest City Park on the Vermilion River on the south. The owner of these lots, which reportedly range in price from $500 to $1,200, is Ray Steffen of Forrest. A sixty foot curving boulevard has been laid out and will be blacktopped. Of the 26 lots presently surveyed, work is now progressing rapidly on those lots which have been sold. All utilities are available and Steffen has set up building restrictions which will protect the value of each property.
Aura Mae Ferguson had the thrill of her life last Tuesday when she stepped on the feet of a man in Chicago, and looked up and saw Nat “King” Cole, one of the top vocalists in the United States. Aura Mae was in the Windy City with the seniors, on their annual trip, when near the Greyhound depot, she bumped into someone, tramped on his feet for awhile in her surprise, and looked up to see the popular vocalist, who recently gained national headlines when he was attacked on the stage of a Georgia theatre by a group of hoodlums. The girls later learned that he was staying at the Sherman.

60 Years Ago
June 2, 1966
Opening of the Fairbury Swimming pool is tentatively set for Sunday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. and the one-week delay has not provoked many tears among the would-be patrons, due to the current cool-wave which has kept temperatures in the range between 40 and 60. Since last week's announcement that a sudden crack had halted plans for the traditional Memorial Day opening, a pool engineer and local officials and workmen have found that the trouble was not as serious as feared. A large number of young Fairbury girls will take part in the annual juvenile beauty parade Sunday afternoon to open the pool.
John “Skippy” Albee, 12, broke both bones in his lower right arm about 7 p.m. Monday when a pony he was riding slammed him into a tree at the Dale Albee farm. The fracture occurred just above the wrist. He remains at Fairbury Hospital in satisfactory condition. A cast has been applied from the hand to the shoulder. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Albee, who plan to move to Hudson Saturday.
The 1966 Miss Livingston County pageant, the first stepping stone for a girl toward winning the coveted Miss America title, will be held June 19 in the Fairbury-Cropsey gym. This will be the 10th pageant sponsored annually by the Fairbury Jaycees. Stanley McCulloh, general chairman, announced that Miss Mary Brady, Miss Livingston County, 1965 will be on hand to crown the 1966 Miss Livingston County. Miss Brady was third runner-up to Miss Illinois 1965. The 10 girls vying for the title are Linda Carlson, Dwight; Betty Cording, Chatsworth; Susan Schade, Chatsworth; Kathryn Gallahue, Piper City; Betty Henkel, Graymont; Rita Ho**er, Dwight; Janice Johnson, Forrest; Kathy Livingston, Chatsworth, Kathy Phelan, Ransom; and Marjorie Flessner, Chatsworth.

50 Years Ago
June 3, 1976
Five Fairbury youths suffered minor injuries Sunday night in a one-car accident at the Mowery Bridge, one mile north and two miles east of Fairbury. The driver, James H. Langstaff III and his passengers, Ron Hammond, Diana Gerdes, Denise Scurlock and Lisa Baltz, incurred minor bruises and abrasions. The mishap occurred about 10:30 p.m. when Langstaff lost control of his vehicle as he entered the bridge. He told authorities his front wheels slipped off planks. Damage was estimated at $750 to front right, left side and rear of the 1972 Ford station wagon. In a statement accompanying the accident report, Sheriff's Deputy John Wiles added his opinion that “this bridge is very hazardous when wet and should be looked into.” No tickets were issued.
Someone broke into the Wiley Cemetery garage, near Colfax, and took two riding mowers, valued at approximately $500 each, and two push mowers, valued at $30 each, according to McLean County Sheriff's Police. The theft occurred sometime last Thursday, police said.
Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Hish of Fairbury announce the engagement of their daughter, LuAnne to Paul E. Sutter, son of Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Sutter, also of Fairbury. He is employed by Livingston Service Co. of Forrest and she is employed by Keck's Agency, Inc., Fairbury. Both are Fairbury-Cropsey High School graduates. They are planning a September 11 wedding.

40 Years Ago
May 29, 1986
A Fairbury native, Phillip A. Troehler, 34, whose parents moved from here when he was 5 years old, has been selected as the new command officer of the Fairbury Police Department with the rank of lieutenant. The appointment by Mayor Maurice Cox, with the approval of the city council, fills the vacancy created two weeks earlier when Donald “Sam” Hedrick, a 14-year veteran of the five-man force, was promoted to chief to succeed William Spray, who resigned two months earlier to accept an appointment to the Illinois State Police. Troehler, son of Virgil and Carley Shoemaker Troehler, who are also Fairbury natives, will assume his new post on Monday, June 9. He was chosen from among 70 applicants. Troehler and his wife have one child.
Mr. and Mrs. Curtiss Meiss, rural Fairbury, received word recently that Beat Wuthrich from Switzerland, will be living with them from June 20 to July 12. Wuthrich is an International 4-H Youth Exchange (FYE) representative visiting in the United States for six months. Wuthrich, who is 23 years old, is a farmer in Trub, Switzerland. He comes from a family of two brothers and three sisters. The Meiss family applied to be a host family through the Livingston County Cooperative Extension Service, which sponsors the National 4-H Council program locally.
Julie Arnold Thomas was elected president of the Fairbury-Cropsey Alumni Association Saturday night by the 400 members attending the 1986 banquet. One of the new president's duties will be to oversee the likely shift of the banquet from Westview Elementary School, where the state fire marshal has imposed a seat limitation on future banquets, to the Prairie Central High School gymnasium. Other new officers elected Saturday night included: Diane Traub Leman, vice-president; Teri Ziller Arteman, secretary; and Mike Wenger, treasurer. An even dozen speakers representing “honor classes” as well as this year's senior class at Prairie Central addressed the full house Saturday. One of the highlights of the evening was the appearance with the Class of 1966 of former FCHS cheerleader “Tilly Tartar,” Peggy Vaughan, who led the crowd in singing the F-C Fight Song.

30 Years Ago
May 29, 1996
Prairie Central High School held their annual graduation ceremonies Friday night in Fairbury. Michael Kinate and Emily Klehm led the 1996 graduating class into the gym Friday night. Top honors went to Michael Rieger as Valedictorian and Jason Dotterer as Salutatorian. Jenny Haab received the attendance award.
Personalized books, 148 in all, were distributed to all kindergarten students in all three towns of the Prairie Central District, Fairbury, Forrest and Chatsworth. Twenty-nine businesses sponsored the “Learn to Read” program, which made it possible for each child to have a personalized book, containing the student as the main character, along with the child's birthday, friend, relatives, dog and address in the text of the story.
Elsie Marie K***z Stallard of Heritage Manor, Gibson City, will observe her 100th birthday on June 8 with a family dinner and open reception. Elsie was born June 6, 1896 in Livingston County, the eldest of 11 children of John and Mary Pauline Shroen K***z. She married Wilbur Stallard June 17, 1952. He died Oct. 8, 1967. She has a brother, Bernard K***z of LaMesa, Calif. and a sister, Hazel Geiger of Strawn and many nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.

20 Years Ago
May 31, 2006
Four retirees (three teachers and a bus driver), were honored at a reception at the Prairie Central Upper Elementary commons from 9 to 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 30. Judy Dameron, Bud Kelson, Phil Tetley and Linda Zick are retiring at the end of the current school year. Dameron began her teaching career at Piper City/Ford Central and arrived in Fairbury-Cropsey High School in 1982-84 as a teacher and part-time aide. Bud Kelson, a long-time driver for Nussbaum Trucking in Normal, drove a school bus for Prairie Central from 1998 until December 2005. After a teaching stint at Glenwood School for Boys in 1968-69 Phil Tetley joined the Chatsworth staff in 1969-70, Fairbury-Cropsey in 1978-79 and Prairie Central in 1986. Linda Zick has taught language arts at Prairie Central Junior High since 1986, culminating a 20-year career. Collectively, these venerable people have given 87-plus years to the Prairie Central School system and its predecessors, a lot of years and a lot of dedicated service.
Rebecca Harms, rural Fairbury, and Kent Casson of rural Fairbury are announcing their engagement. The bride-to-be is the daughter of Norman and Karen Harms of rural Fairbury. She is a May 2006 graduate of the University of Illinois where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Development and Family Studies. Her fiance is the son of Terry and Jane Casson of rural Chenoa. He graduated from Heartland Community College in December 2003, with an associate degree in Communications. He is employed as News and Program Director at WJEZ-FM in Pontiac. The couple is planning a July 22, 2006 wedding at Immanuel Lutheran Church in rural Colfax.
Valedictorian of the Class of 2006, Prairie Central High School, is Reid Zehr. Salutatorian is Emily Bane.

10 Years Ago
June 1, 2016
Nathan Scott Somers, son of Todd and Judy Somers of Forrest, has been named valedictorian for the Class of 2016. He plans to attend the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the fall, majoring in Computer Science and performing as a member of the Marching Illini drum line. Laine Dale Honegger, daughter of Gregg and Michelle Honegger of Forrest, has been named Salutatorian of the Prairie Central High School Class of 2016. She plans to attend the University of Illinois in the fall, majoring in Agribusiness, Markets and Management.
Fairbury Echoes Museum is busting out beyond its walls this summer. Six volunteers will be heading to the street of Fairbury to talk about some of the history of the downtown buildings and people of the past. The volunteers are Mary Catherine Carter, Nancy Ifft, Dale Maley, Diane Pawlowski, Ruth Teubel and Barb Ward with Carl Borngasser filling in for Carter for the first event. The “History Talkers” will be on the streets on the first Saturday of the month on June 4, July 2 and Aug. 6 from 9 to 10 a.m. They will be standing on the street corners of Locust Street at Second, Third and Fourth Streets. They will also have photos related to their topics to help bring the history to life.
Eighteen Prairie Central High School students (16 boys and two girls) are currently enrolled in the Prairie Central High School Clay Target League at the Prairie Central Sportsman Club. Coaches are Brad Beyers, Dan Masters, Dick Hitchens, Art Cabello, Dean Lassitter and Ron Schramm. During the league year, members participate in nine weeks of trap shooting with scores reported online; and a state competition to be held at Brittany Shooting Park in Bunker Hill, on June 4. The clay target league received grant funds from “No Child Left Indoors” from National Pheasants Forever and also received a generous contribution from Livingston County Pheasants Forever #089 toward the purchase of clay birds for shooters.

Send a message to learn more

05/27/2026

130 Years Ago
May 23, 1896
Rev. Charles S. Davies, the pastor chosen by the Presbyterian congregation, will preach his initial sermon next Sunday. Every member of the congregation is especially urged to be present.
G. W. Eckhart has begun the reconstruction of his railroad restaurant from its recent scorching.
Will Weber has moved his family here from Hollis and, in company with Bernard Krumholz, is running a portion of the A. B. Claudon farm in Avoca Township.
Joseph Werling has completed a new barn on his lots on Maple Street, between Third and Fourth Streets.

120 Years Ago
May 25, 1906
Ninety years ago was the year without a summer. Not many of our citizens remember it, but history says that in 1816 frost occurred in every month of the year. Ice formed a half-inch thick in May. Snow fell to the depth of three inches in New York and Massachusetts in June. Ice formed the thickness of a window glass throughout New York on the 25th of July. The corn crop was so badly injured by the frost that none of it matured. The greater part of it was cut and dried for fodder. Seed corn for the spring of 1817 was from the crop of 1815.
Joseph Ross, an employee at R. J. Codlin's livery was badly injured by a horse Monday evening. Mr. Ross was watering the animal, when a boy backed a buggy into it, and the horse getting one of his hind legs through the spokes of the buggy wheel, commenced to plunge and kick. Mr. Ross was knocked down and the horse tramped on his breast and shoulders. He was picked up and taken home. Dr. Robinson was called and dressed his wounds, and the injured man is resting as comfortably as possible.
Last Friday evening when D. Powell, son of Mr. and Mrs. T. E. Powell, went to the pasture to get his cow, he noticed the animal kicking before he got close enough to her to see what was the matter. When he approached he found a large snake coiled around the cow's hind leg. The reptile was in three coils with its head up towards the cow's udder. Dan Rairdon, another lad, was with young Powell and after the boys had tried to get the snake off with a stick and could not, Dan came up town and got a hatchet and went back and the boys cut the snake in two. The reptile was probably a milk snake. The boys say it was about six feet long and about three inches in diameter.

110 Years Ago
May 26, 1916
W. E. Stephey & Co. have added a department to their store that was much needed in this city and something that will be a benefit to the community. In the northeast part of their furniture department they have fitted up a rest room that will be much appreciated by ladies. Mothers with babies will find this place especially inviting. The room is fitted up with large “comfy” chairs, a davenport, etc. A toilet and washstand occupy a smaller room just off the rest room. The rest room will have curtains so that it can be made completely private if the parties occupying it so desire. It is a cool, airy place and a commodity that the ladies will appreciate.
The residents in the southwest part of town were slightly shaken up Tuesday morning and in fact people all over town felt a small trembling of the earth. This unusual disturbance was caused when E. Bills set off a charge of twelve pounds of dynamite in an old boiler which belonged to S. Morganstein and which the latter gentleman wanted to junk. He junked it all right. When the explosion took place iron flew in all directions, windows rattled and people in that section thought that the J**s had invaded our fair land. Two pieces weighing about 200 pounds each were hoisted over Morganstein's house. Another large piece was thrown over into the fair grounds over a block away among the barns where Frank Merrill keeps his horses.
Last Saturday while W. H. Slaight was working with a piece of steel in his machine shop on east Locust Street, a small piece of the metal one-eighth of an inch wide and a quarter of an inch long hit him in the eye, entering the eyeball. The exact outcome of the injury is not known, but Mr. Slaight will probably lose the sight of that eye.

100 Years Ago
May 28, 1926
The little son of Mr. and Mrs. William Bartlett was bitten on the arm last Saturday afternoon by a dog, the animal drawing blood where its teeth went in. The wound was cauterized. Although the number of stray dogs has been reduced within the last few months, there are still plenty left.
Clyde Brown had a truck load of hogs on the Peoria Market Wednesday that topped the market that day for hogs of that weight. He received $14.20 per hundred. Last week he sold six hogs that brought $166. At this rate Mr. Brown estimates he is getting around $1.50 a bushel for his corn.
One of the patrons of the Fairbury schools who is interested in what they are doing in our institution of learning, and who went to the exercises held at the Central Theatre Wednesday afternoon, stated that so many of the people evidently went there to visit and that others nearby could not hear what the children were saying. It seems as though the children should have a chance to be heard, especially when that hour was set apart for them.
Lee Codlin was driving along in the west part of town Wednesday when his Ford struck a rock. The front wheels buckled under and the car turned over. Lee escaped with a cut on one of his hands, but the car was pretty badly damaged.

90 Years Ago
May 22, 1936
Numerous farmers around Fairbury and other communities in this section of the state are a worried, as well as a busy, lot of men right at the present time, all because of a poor quality of seed corn that refuses to germinate. The extreme cold weather of last winter froze the heart of the corn in most of the cribs, making it useless for seed. In numerous fields there are many hills where nary a kernel has sprouted while in others possibly one out of three kernels has come up. While there is still plenty of time to plant corn the big worry is whether the second planting will be any better than the first, as some of the seed shipped in has also failed to germinate properly.
Whether the business men of Fairbury and other residents of the community want the fair to stay as a permanent part of Fairbury is strictly up to them. They have been offered the opportunity to buy shares with no danger of losing the money invested, but so far the solicitors have not met with the hearty response they should have been accorded. No doubt many of those solicited would like to see the fair remain, but they want “George” to do the purchasing of the shares. The fair, while only lasting a week, draws thousands of people to our city which in itself is a big reason for wanting it to continue.
H. E. Carter's Chevrolet coach was pretty badly dented up last Thursday night when it skidded in the gravel and turned over. Mr. Carter escaped injury. Mr. Carter was riding along about a mile and a half southwest of town when he spied a puddle of water in front of him. He swerved the car to miss it, which he did, but he wished afterwards he hadn't tried to dodge such a minor thing as a puddle of water, for the car did a few grapevine twists and then turned over a couple of times. When the car stopped, Mr. Carter found himself reposing gently in the rear seat on a cushion, having made the transfer from the front to the rear seat as the car turned over.

80 Years Ago
May 24, 1946
Memorial Day services will be held at Graceland Cemetery next Thursday morning at 10:30 o'clock under direction of John Joda Post, American Legion. The Rev. W. M. Pritchard will give the address at that time. On this first postwar Memorial Day when we pay tribute to our war dead especially do we honor those who gave their lives during the long conflict so recently ended, the heroes of World War II, whose supreme sacrifice brought victory and the promise of permanent peace to a suffering world.
Commencement week at Fairbury Township High School opens this evening, with the gayest of all the year's events, the junior-senior banquet and dance to be held at the high school gymnasium. Sunday, baccalaureate, a union service at eight o'clock in the evening at the Presbyterian Church with the sermon by the Rev. C. L. Shult of the Methodist Church. Tuesday evening, graduation exercises at Central Theatre. The address will be delivered by H. D. Timble, high school visitor from the University of Illinois. And the last number on the program of this very full week will be the Alumni banquet and dance when all the grads will come trooping back for that reunion.
A young Swiss cow belonging to Henry Bose has made a very unusual record in building up a family. She was fresh for the first time in September, 1944, when twin calves were born to her. The following year in July she produced a calf and this month, twin calves, making a total of five calves in a year and seven months. And now she is a grandmother, each of the first set of twins has a calf.

70 Years Ago
May 3, 1956
The 1920 Maxwell fire truck used by the city the past 36 years, has been retired from service, but new and greater things may lie ahead for the doughty old vehicle. The Fair board is considering the purchase and restoration of the vehicle for use as a publicity show piece. Fair president John P. Wade stated that if the organization did purchase the truck, considerable work and expense would be made in refinishing and equipping it.
At the state convention of the Illinois Association of Student Councils held at Chicago Friday and Saturday Jack K***z, a junior at FSW High School, was elected to the office of 2nd vice president. This office carried with it the responsibility of planning and supervising all the state projects during the year, of planning a panel discussion for the next state convention and presiding at one session of the convention. Jack, who is also vice-president of the Kankakee District, has been active in Student Council work for the past two years.
The Rebekah District No. 16 initiation was held in Bloomington Wednesday, April 25, with Bloomington Lodge No. 614 being the hostesses and their degree staff initiating the class of candidates. The Fairbury Rebekah Lodge was very well represented with 17 members being present and also taking a class of six candidates who were initiated. They were as follows: Miss Rose Mary Grace, Mrs. Marguerite Bills, Mrs. Tillie Faw, Mrs. Hallie Foltz, Mrs. Josephine Harris and Mrs. Gene Bazzell.

60 Years Ago
May 26, 1966
A big question mark today hung over the projected and traditional Memorial Day opening of the Fairbury Swimming Pool, and festivities may end up in dry dock. The trouble hinges around a leak that developed Saturday morning when the bottom at the shallow end settled about an inch at the expansion joint. Two cracks were also found in the side walls after workmen heard a strange noise and began an investigation. Late Wednesday, pool officials were awaiting the arrival of an engineer from the Peoria Pool Supply Company, which had promised to have a man here by noon Wednesday after they were called by Pool manager George Fyke, shortly after discovery of the damage.
A lightning blast apparently ignited a fire in the home of Joe Goins on West Chestnut during a downpour that dropped more than two inches of rain on Fairbury Monday night. Firemen of Chief Wayne Moser were able to get at the smoke-shrouded roots of the unseen blaze, which was gaining apparent headway between the walls and in the attic, and after an hour's battle, subdued it. It appeared that smoke and water damage might be the principal loss, since firemen kept the fire from breaking through the roof, and also pierced the siding in only a few places. Residents of the house, Goins and Fred Downs, were both asleep when the fire was discovered by Andy Maier, a next-door neighbor.
On Friday, June 3, 1966, Mrs. John (Mary Ellen Sullivan) Fordyce celebrates her 100th birthday anniversary at Elmhurst. Mrs. Fordyce, affectionately known as “Molly,” Mary Ellen,” Mom” and Grandma” by friends and relations, resides in good health with her daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. John H. Finch. A lifelong resident of Illinois, Mrs. Fordyce was born in Fairbury June 3, 1866, the daughter of Jeremiah and Mary Josephine Sullivan. She spent her childhood on a farm with her parents, three brothers and two sisters, at the north edge of Fairbury. As a young lady, Mrs. Fordyce worked in Fairbury and Gilman at various jobs which she recounts paid a dollar a week and room and board. It was in Gilman, where she moved in 1888, that she met and later married John W. Fordyce, a young barber.

50 Years Ago
May 27, 1976
Ninety-five seniors will receive diplomas Friday night during Commencement exercises at Fairbury-Cropsey High School. A number of awards will be presented to seniors. Valedictorian Deborah Dowling and salutatorian Sandra Wessels will address the gathering. Senior class president Mark Aberle will deliver the response on behalf of the class. High school principal Bill Winn will formally present the Class of 1976 to Paul Hoffman, president of the board of education, who will distribute the diplomas to the graduates.
Mrs. Eldon (Naomi) Barnes, presently the business manager for Cornbelt Press, Inc., will resign to become the new Fairbury City clerk, to replace Mrs. Jerry (Ruth) Runyon, whose resignation was announced in last week's Blade. Prior to moving to Fairbury two years ago, Mrs. Barnes had been bookkeeper in the McLean County clerk's office in Bloomington. The appointment will run until the April, 1977 election. Mrs. Runyon, who was one of the recent candidates for appointment to the vacancy of Livingston County treasurer, is to join the staff of Fairbury Federal Savings and Loan on July 1.
“And to think I told him at the beginning of the season that he'd never be a pole vaulter.” Fairbury-Cropsey Junior High track coach Jerry Freadhoff was joyfully eating his own words Monday after his “non-pole vaulter” Tom Odom, came home with the state title in that event. Tom won the vault at Saturday's state meet at Olympia with a leap of 11'0”. Tom had actually won the title at 10'10” but pushed his mark to 11'0” and tried for the state record of slightly over 11'4”. “He just missed getting it too,” said Freedhoff. “We set the thing just high enough to get the record, about 1/8” over, and he just brushed it twice on the way down after getting over.”

40 Years Ago
May 22, 1986
Marking its silver anniversary of service, Fairview Haven Nursing Home hosted more than 500 guests at a gala open house Sunday afternoon. The home was opened in the fall of 1962 under auspices of the Apostolic Christian Churches in Fairbury, Forrest, Cissna Park and Gridley, but residency is not restricted. Expanded several times, it today has 54 residents and in addition has 16 independent living units which presently are occupied by 19 persons. Those units consist of 11 condominiums plus five rental apartments.
Mary Beth Fosdick of Fairbury became the bride of Steven Everett Crews, also of Fairbury, on April 26, 1986 in a double ring ceremony at the United Methodist Church of Fairbury. Parents of the couple are Mr. and Mrs. Franklin Fosdick and Mr. and Mrs. Everett Crews, all of Fairbury. Following the ceremony a buffet dinner and dance were held at Indian Creek Country Club. The new Mrs. Crews is a graduate of Fairbury-Cropsey High School and Beau Monde Beauty School of Champaign. She is the owner of A Head of Style, Fairbury. Her husband is a graduate of Fairbury-Cropsey High School and Parkland College. He is employed with Fritz and Gudeman of Morton.
The American Legion Auxiliaries of Fairbury, Forrest and Chatsworth, each year, sponsors a student to Illini Girls State, which this year will be held June 15-21 on the campus of Eastern Illinois University at Charleston. Selected to represent Prairie Central High School this year are three juniors, Rebecca Luttrell, Leona P***n and Brenda Sharp. Rebecca is the daughter of Argil and Paulette Luttrell of Fairbury. Leona is the daughter of Leo and Lorraine P***n of Forrest. Brenda is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Kenny Sharp of Chatsworth. Qualifications for selection include leadership qualities, honesty, good character, scholarship and cooperativeness.

30 Years Ago
May 22, 1996
Prairie Central School Board members braved mud and muck to participate in the ground-breaking ceremony of the new jr. high school in Forrest on Wednesday, May 15. The 5 p.m. ceremony drew many citizens and officials from Chatsworth, Forrest and Fairbury. Despite delays, the $6 million, 61,424 square foot facility is scheduled for completion by January 1997.
The 101st Annual GFWC Illinois Federation of Women's Club convention was held May 7-9 at the Hyatt Regency in Oak Brook. Carol Ely was honored May 8 with the 1995 Outstanding Junior Achievement Award. Carol, in her 20th year of membership with continuous perfect attendance, has been the back bone of Fairbury Jr. Woman's Club for the past two decades, the honor noted. Carol has held many offices in her club. She has been president 3 years, treasurer 5 years, secretary 4 years and parliamentary advisor for two years. She has held many chairmanships, including RIF, education, leadership, public relations, newsletter, scrapbook and guest night. Carol has also served on virtually every committee and department in her club. Throughout her 20 year membership in Juniors, Carol has also done district work.
An omen is a sign of what's to come. A little look into the future. A signal. During the fifth inning of Prairie Central's regional semifinal clash with Central Catholic, a hawk soared over centerfield. It flew around the field as if sent by the baseball gods on high. It signaled a PCHS rally. As far as the PCHS faithful were concerned, it was a good omen as the Hawks pushed across three runs to take the lead, then went on to win the Prairie Central Regional game 10-6 over the Saints. It put the No. 2 Hawks into today's championship game against top-seed U-High.

20 Years Ago
May 24, 2006
The PC girls track team was invited to the Champaign News-Gazette Honor Roll Meet held at the University of Illinois track in Champaign on Monday night May 15. The Hawks were picked to perform in 11 events on the day. Laura Zehr was the first pole vaulter to be chose to perform in an honor roll meet in PC history but was unable to vault because wet conditions caused the event to be cancelled. PC's lone champion was junior discus thrower Erin Clark who threw 126' 2” just one foot off the school record. Third place medals went to PC in the 4x800 and the 4x400 relays. Running in the 4x800 were Kelli Coldren, Amy Williams, Molly Odum and Evan Taylor. The 4x400 relay was made up of Kaleen Bittner, Williams, Taylor and Talen Ge**er.
The Prairie Central baseball team captured its third Corn Belt Conference championship in four years. The conference championship is determined by a combination of season standings and wins in the CBC tournament. The Hawks finished in a tie with Pontiac and Olympia for first place in the season standings with each team having a 5-2 record. Prairie Central took second place to U-High in the tournament, thus, the Hawks clinched the title. The Hawks finished the regular season at 27-6. They travel to Ottawa Thursday to play Ottawa in the regional semi-finals. The winner will face the winner of the LaSalle-Peru/Bradley-Bourbonnais game on Saturday for the regional championship and the right to advance to the Illinois Wesleyan Sectional.

10 Years Ago
May 25. 2016
Small free-standing downtown murals will soon illustrate key points in Fairbury's history. Students from Prairie Central High School's landscaping class recently started clearing the way for the mural project. Local historian and author Dale Maley has been closely researching the city's history and feels this will be a great project for the community. Countless visitors come to Fairbury in the summer months on a weekly basis and the hope is to draw those individuals to different areas to see what the city has to offer.
The Livingston County Soil and Water Conservation District recently celebrated Natural Resources Stewardship Week with a poster contest for all students in Livingston County. “We All Need Trees!” was the 2016 theme and encouraged students to learn more about the products and services that we can get from trees. From Westview Elementary School, Matti Burnett won first place in grades K-1 and Kamber Kilgus won first place in grades 2-3.
Awards were presented to Prairie Central High School senior athletes on Wednesday, May 18. Scholar/Athlete awards were presented to Hayden Wenger and Kassadee Ifft. Their parents are Troy and Renee Wenger and Mark and Brenda Ifft. Three-Sport Athlete Awards were presented to Grant Ricketts and Paul Garcia. Their parents are Edward Ricketts and Ernie and Geri Garcia. The Distinguished Athlete Award was presented to Tom Shafer (underclassman). His parents are Tim and Becky Shafer. Annette Hale was presented the Hawk Fan of the Year Award.

Send a message to learn more

Address

Pontiac, IL

Telephone

+18158421153

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Blade posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category