56 Years Ago

* And So They Say: Bill Gouldman: “I’m a poor hog buyer—and you can quote me on that.” Harold Snyder of Lyons; “I have twelve grandchildren now, but I don’t think they come cheaper by the dozen.” Frances Nichols (week after the Fair): “This is Exhaustion Week.” Vera Peaslee: “If a person had a little more money, they could have all kinds of fun.”

* The letting of the contract for the building to be occupied by the Stockton National Bank to be constructed at the corner of North First and Cedar had been held with five contractors having submitted bids. The M. N. Boethin Construction Company of Stockton was the low bidder and had been awarded the contract. The bid was for $54,838.00. Work on the 60x78 food brick and concrete one-story structure with basement was to start later in the month, and had 210 days allowed to complete the contract. * One hundred and

* One hundred and ninety-eight head of fat livestock had sold for nearly $24,192.87 at the 4-H and FFA Livestock Sale. Don McLaughlin’s Grand Champion fat steer received 40 cents per pound and was purchased by the Ostmeyer Implement Company. Sixty-four steers sold for an average of 26.9 cents per pound or an approximate total of $16,458.00. The Grand Champion fat hog, which had shown by Ronald Price, brought 40 cents per pound and was purchased by the Stockton Production Credit Association. The Grand Champion fat lamb, which was owned by Rodney Carsten, had been purchased by Ostmeyer’s Implement Company for 42 cents per pound.

* Mrs. Dee Webb of the Woodston area had been a victim of an unusual accident, which resulted in both bones of her left arm being broken just above the wrist. The heavy lid of a cream can had fallen from a shelf onto her wrist.

* Approximately 30 interested farmers from Lanark, Ash Rock and surrounding townships had met with USDA personnel to explore possibilities for organizing a water district. A committee was elected to continue with such plans for a district and to make a survey. Members of the committee were Dick Muir, Don Riffel, Ivan Grimes, Robert Dix and Cleo Baughman.

* Nine-year-old Candy, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Dix, had to take a series of fourteen painful rabies shows owing to the fact that she had been bitten on the finger by a ground squirrel. Candy had been playing in the yard when the little animal ran up and grabbed her finger. As these animals are usually rather shy, and rabies had been reported in squirrels, skunks and other wild animals, it was thought wise to give the shots.

* From The Feminine Slant By The Office Cat: By the time we learn to make the best of everything, the best of life is over.

* Looking Backward Fourteen Years Ago: Bryan Look had been seriously injured in a tractor accident, which also involved a car. Seven-week-old Billy Maddy, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Duane Maddy, had been hospitalized with pneumonia. School enrollment was down slightly—a total of 443 in grade and high school, as compared to 444 enrollment for 1949.

* Showing at the Park Drive-In Theatre were the movies “The Quick Gun,” starring Audie Murphy, and “The 7 Faces of Dr. Lao” starring Tony Randall.

* On sale at Oyer Food Market were two pounds of ground beef for 89¢, Campells tomato soup for 10¢ a can, Kitty Clover potato chips for 49¢ a bag and Dairy Fair ice milk for 49¢ a half gallon.

* Mr. and Mrs. Albert Horn of Logan had announced the engagement of their daughter, Barbara Jean, to Mr. LeRoy Stephen of Stockton. The wedding date had been set for June 6th, 1965.

With the retirement of some of Stockton’s teachers at the end of the 2005-2006 school year, students returning in the fall would be greeted by several new faces. Stockton High School was welcoming three new teachers: Lucas Moll, science; Benjamin T. Clark, Jr., history, current events and government; and Melissa Runnion, Special Education. The grade school was introducing four new teachers: Elizabeth (Beth) McDonald, first grade; Andrea Dix, fifth grade; Ali Bell, second grade; and Jennifer Kesler, K-5 Interrelated.

Lisa Lu’s Cafe, located on Highway 183 just south of Stockton, opened for business on Aug. 14. The family-themed restaurant was owned by Lisa and Frank Brown.

Homecoming 2006 was set for Friday, Sept. 15 with plenty of activities lined up throughout the week by STUCO to add to the spirit and fun of the time-honored tradition. Monday’s dress-up theme was designated as Camo Day; Tuesday was Hat Day; Wednesday was Hippie Day; Thursday was TV or Movie Character Day; and of course, Friday would be Blue & White Spirit Day. Queen and King candidates were: Charley Campbell, Kristen Lingg, Heather Murchie, Luke Kriley, Leneal Weiser and Logan Bennett. Crowning of Homecoming royalty was scheduled for Sept. 16, at Tiger Stadium.

The Stockton Tigers won the season opener with a shutout over the visiting Osborne Bulldogs.

The Lady Tigers split in their season opener at Plainville, defeating Victoria in three games, but losing to the host Lady Cardinals.

The family of Grace Turnbull invited everyone to help in celebrating her 94th birthday on Sept. 9 with a card shower.

Two interesting feature stories were shared: first, a reprint of a story taken from the June 10, 1990 Wichita Eagle, telling the history of the Big Barn, which stood sentinel over the Rooks-Osborne county line for nearly 80 years but had tragically burned down in 1995 when lightening struck, just after it had been restored. The second story shared was the first segment in a series of memories of World War II, written by Chuck Hageman.

The Rooks County Health Center had provided a timeline for the new hospital, beginning in August through December of 2006.

Showing at the Nova Theatre was “World Trade Center,” which painted a painful portrait of two real New York cops and their stories on that now historic day of September 11, 2001. Nicolas Cage portrayed John McLoughlin, a respected NYPD veteran who lead a group of officers who were the first to arrive at the stricken towers.

And So They Say — Dee Sammons, Bella Vista, Ark.: “My wife and I spent 10 straight days at home. We had to get up during the night to go to the bathroom and couldn’t remember where it was.”

Obituaries were published for George D. Whisman (1925) and Donald E. Meistrell (1920).

Looking Back 14 Years Ago, Spotlighting the Year... 1992 —A field of special hybrid marijuana plants with a street value of $150,000 was seized by county law enforcement, located six miles east and two and a half miles south of Plainville. Mark A. Murphy of Natoma was arrested.

56 Years Ago, Spotlighting the Year... 1950 — Bryan Look was in serious condition as a result of injuries sustained on Sept. 2 about a half mile east of Stockton when a car, also traveling east, struck the blower which was being pulled by the tractor on which Bryan was riding. The impact broke his right leg in two places, and he was wedged against the steering wheel in such a manner that it was necessary to use a torch to cut the steering rod before he could be moved.

What Stocktonites Were Doing 98 Years Ago, Spotlighting the Year... 1908 — Dr. Book had remodeled his barn, adding a cement floor and placing everything in shipshape order to accommodate his touring car and the runabout. H. V. Morris of southwest Phillips County was in Stockton on business. Mr. Morris is one of the heaviest landowners and largest farmers in that section, owning 2,300 acres lying partly in Rooks and across the line in Phillips, his home being on the Phillips side.