The Stockton Sentinel is always looking for pictures for our “Yesteryear” page. If you have a picture that you’d be willing to share with our readers (preferably at least 20 years old), send it to Stockton Sentinel, P.O. Box 521, Stockton, KS 67669, e-mail it to: stkpaper@ruraltel.net or bring it in to our office and we’ll be sure you get it back.

We visited the big Avery apple orchard some seven miles east of town Sunday afternoon. Notwithstanding, apple picking had been going on for about three weeks and many of the trees were stripped of the earlier varieties, it was a scene seldom if ever to be seen in central Kansas. Scores of large trees contained hundreds of bushels of big red apples, many of the limbs pressed to the ground with their burdens of lovely fruit. Every branch and twig carried all it could hold, not ordinary apples, but particularly all of them big, rosy and luscious, delighting the eye with a vision of abundance never surpassed in all this year. We found Mr. A. S. Avery showing an old friend, Mr. Chapel, the orchard, both being expert orchardists from their youth, and they had much to talk about. There are eight acres in the orchard and it has been estimated that no less than 2,500 bushels is the product this year. Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Mor

ENTERTAINMENT was at its best when Leta Bouchey, Betty Smith and Myrna Kincaid entertained the audiences during the Stockton United Fund Telethon with humorous commercials throughout the years. This picture is from 1997 when the trio did advertisements for Waller Motor Company, Shorty’s Service, the Stockton Sentinel and Webster’s Food Pride during the annual October event. Lucia Hamilton wrote the commercials for the ladies.

* And So They Say: Chas. Baxter: “Lee Phelps had my electric watch running on a hearing aid battery.” Doc Mason: “It gave me a sort of startled feeling to almost step on two deer which were bedded down the other morning while I was out hunting.” Chuck Ostmeyer: “You just simply haven’t seen anything until you have seen the sun come up about 3:00 in the morning when you are high in the air over the ocean.”

Jake Prockish and Alicia Hrabe were crowned 2006 Goblin’s Glory King and Queen. Back by popular demand, the Haunted Barns were making a seventh annual ghostly appearance on Halloween Weekend.

Last Thursday night two stores were entered by home talent burglars, and a small amount of loot secured. Entrance to the Griffin Variety Store was made through the cellar. A screen to a rear window was first torn off and some of the putty dug from the glass. Then the party or parties found that the cellar door was easier. This was torn off its hinges, and there being no stairway the elevator was lowered and used to get on the main floor. About $12.00 to $15.00 in nickels and dimes were taken from the till of the cash register and two loaves of bread. Mr. Griffin says he hasn’t missed anything else. The thieves might have gotten away with much valuable merchandise but apparently did not improve their opportunity. The same night, entrance was made to the Gibbs Racket Store but so far as can be learned nothing was taken. Here they got in by a back door. If not apprehended, the thieves may try it again, and perhaps once too often.

Representatitives of Kansas PRIDE communities gathered in Great Bend Sept. 30, 2006, for the annual PRIDE Day Conference. Annual Award presentations were the highlight of the conference. Stockton PRIDE received a “Star Award” for the work of landscaping Ross-Schafer Park. Harry and Willardene Purum were in attendance to receive the award for Stockton. Jacob Morgan was presented the “Youth Community Service Award” for designing and building the sign for the entrance of Ross-Schafer Park.

THE 1997 SHS HOMECOMING ROYALTY CANDIDATES were (from left): Seph Bellerive, Misty Bice, Josh Perez, Laura Gasper, Joey Casad, Sarah Moll, Chris Look and Shelly Lewis. Seniors Misty Bice and Seph Bellerive were crowned queen and king that year.

* And So They Say: Dode Morrissey: “I wouldn’t mind my wife taking a vacation if I didn’t have to work in the store while she is gone.” Matt Mullen: “My wife sat on a rock out at the reservoir fishing early Saturday morning and didn’t complain a bit about the cold, but coming back to town, she had to have the car heater on. Women are funny.”

Taking down Dino the dinosaur left a sadness in many people. He was a welcomed sight as you entered Stockton from the west.