Harking Back
25 years ago
Twenty members of the Domestic Science Club met for a picnic at the Labor Pavilion at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds. Jane Hayes Rader was a guest and brought with her a friend, Barbara DeChamp from Mt. Vernon. After enjoying all the good food and fellowship, the club went to the Governor's Mansion to enjoy a program and tour given by Jane Rader on the history of the fair and the mansion ... The Du Quoin Monday Club opened its 1995-1996 season with a late luncheon at HRH Dumplin's in Marion with 18 members present. After a delicious meal, President Norma Martin welcomed everyone. Dues and food pantry donations were collected. Chairwoman Eileen Ashby discussed the programs for the coming year.
50 years ago
Arthur Lee has been named chairman of the forthcoming War Fund Drive in Perry County and has appointed other men whose task will be to help make the drive a success. In Du Quoin, Herbert Heath, Richard Peters, Isadore Friedman and D.H. Lucas have been named to see that the War Fund quota is met ... Band parents of the Marching Papooses grade school band were treated to a sneak preview of the young band's snappy drill routine it will perform in the 49th Annual West Side Nut Club Fall Festival at Evansville, Indiana. The Marching Papooses will give a full dress performance Saturday morning in the park before boarding the bus at 10:30 for the trip to Evansville. The public is invited to see this final rehearsal.
75 years ago
The Call is in receipt of an autographed picture of L. Ray Choisser of Pinckneyville recalling the appearance here 35 years ago this month of the "Young Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show." Mr. Choisser played the steam calliope with the exposition that was one of the largest barnstorming shows in the nation at that time. Choisser was also a former member of the Troupe of Cole Brothers Circus, which featured Clyde Beatty and his wild animals act from 1932-1942. He has retired from show business and resides at his home in Pinckneyville ... Maurice Kimmel, whose hobby is photography, shot a picture of Miss Nancy Flavell astride her five-gaited show horse, Flight Command, at the new barn of the Du Quoin Packing Company. Miss Nancy, a young lady in her early teens, has won many ribbons of the right color with the big chestnut gelding at various county fairs this season. Quite a few of Mr. Kimmel's excellent photos have been used in St. Louis metropolitan dailies in recent years.
100 years ago
The announcement of an engagement that will probably come as an agreeable surprise to many Du Quoin people has just been made public. For sometime, one of Du Quoin's young businessmen has been making trips to St. Louis, but nothing was though unusual of that. However, in looking over the social items in a St. Louis paper, we find that the engagement of Celia Falk to Joseph Werner of this city has just been announced by the parents of the bride-to-be. Joe, as he is known, is a prominent young clothing dealer of this city.
- Barb Croessman