Days Gone By – Nov. 19, 2015
20 YEARS 1995
Florence Bone and Edna Arnold were two busy ladies. Both were retired teachers from the Farmington School District who gave generously of their time to their church and senior citizen work. A plaque named the “Florence Bone and Edna Arnold” plaque would be awarded in the fifth- and sixth-grade center of the Farmington School District to the student reading the most books.
Florence had 16 years of teaching and Edna had 36 years of teaching experience. Both admitted to being surprised when informed that the plaque was made in their honor.
Glenda and Orville King celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a reception at the Memorial United Methodist Church hosted by their children.
The Farmington Presbyterian Home, formerly The Presbyterian Home for Children was going through a transitional period. A ribbon cutting ceremony for the home’s Midwest Learning Center took place on the farm’s campus.
30 YEARS 1985
The attempts to bring FMA, Inc. to Farmington started in late summer has proven to be a success. The building would be 190,000-square feet and provide an estimated 300 jobs. FMA, Inc. is an automotive related industry manufacturing electrical wiring assemblies.
The Farmington City Council voted to sell approximately 19 acres in the Industrial Park to FMA, Inc. Word was received from the state that the city’s grant request for $500,000 for improvements to the Industrial Park had been granted and funded. The Farmington Industrial Development Authority approved an inducement resolution that provided $5 million in industrial development revenue bonds for construction of the project.
Julie Ross, daughter of Dr. Douglas and Pam Ross brought honor to Farmington as the recipient of the Governor’s Youth Leadership Award.
40 YEARS 1975
The city of Farmington planned to apply for a second grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development for community development which could be as much as $400,000. Two public hearings were required before application can be made. The first hearing was set for Nov. 24 and the second for Dec. 8 before the December council meeting.
A groundbreaking was held for the new building of St. Francois County Savings and Loan Association. The new building would be at the corner of Liberty and Jackson streets. The directors were Francis Carrow, James Roberts, Judge J. O. Swink, F.X. Stoll, Herman Niedert, Robert Lewis, Miss Ruth Garner, and attorney for the Association, R. B. Manley.
50 YEARS 1965
Mr. and Mrs. Tony (Clara Vogt) Gegg of Coffman celebrated their golden wedding anniversary by attending mass and special blessing at Saint Catherine Parish followed by a family style dinner at Hotel Ste. Genevieve.
60 YEARS 1955
Members of the Farmington Chamber of Commerce attending the November luncheon elected William T. Brewer, manager of the local A & P Store, as their president of 1956. Vernon Wright was elected vice-president and Roscoe Brune was re-elected as treasurer.
Doyle Nicholson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Nicholson, was winner of the Future Farmer Tractor Plowing Contest at the Carl Hoehn farm. Doyle was a freshman in high school, enrolled in his first year of Vocational Agriculture.
Doyle was particularly commended by the judges for his straightness of furrow, evenness of cut and ease in handling the tractor. This was the first year for the county contest.
70 YEARS 1945
Lt. Cmdr. Clifton R. Bell, recently discharged from the U.S. Navy after 37 months service, was named this week by Governor Phil Donnelly as County Superintendent of Schools in St. Francois County, to succeed the late J. Clyde Akers.
Every child in the Farmington Presbyterian Orphanage at Farmington enjoyed a sumptuous turkey dinner Thanksgiving Day through the generosity of P.G. Hunt who made a donation of $100 for that purpose. This was an annual custom for Mr. Hunt.
