From the Archives

1993 – 30 years ago

The 11-member ad hoc committee formed to evaluate interest in the idea of building a civic center here recommended to the City Council on Monday that the concept to be pursued. Councilman Jim Kellogg, committee chairman, presented the council results of two surveys conducted from Feb. 22 to March 1. We feel our results are valid,” Kellogg said. “We’ve determined there is definitely is interest in the idea. For example, 92 percent of people conducted by telephone favored the concept.”

After changing with the times for half a century, the Lead Belt Area Vocational-Technical School is changing again. This time it will be the name which is changing. As of Wednesday night, the school is now the UniTec Career Center. “The old name was too long, for one thing,” said Sonny Peifer, an instructor at the school, who headed the committee to study a possible name change. “Someone would call and by the time the secretary said, ‘Hello, Lead Belt Area Vocational-Technical School,’ they’d forget why they were calling.

Douglas Hahn of Boy Scout Troop 483 of Farmington has completed the requirements for the rank of Eagle Scout. He was presented the Eagle Scout award on Dec. 21, 192, by Admiral Fielding Chandler. Hahn began as a member of Cub Scout Pack 483 and advanced through the ranks to Boy Scout where he served as patrol leader, scribe, senior patrol leader and junior assistant scoutmaster. He earned 21 merit badges and for his Eagle project, stripped and curbed a church parking lot.

The engineering firm involved in the Farmington Municipal Airport master plan was also involved in plans to expand the Fredericktown Municipal Airport — until Feb. 15 when the City Council voted to select a different firm. Crawford, Murphy and Tilley, based in Springfield, Ill., reportedly had been associated with the Fredericktown airport project for about eight years. They contracted for the acquisition and design phase. Smith and Co. of Poplar Bluff will now oversee construction of a new 4,000-foot runway.

Kala Stroup, president of Southeast Missouri University in Cape Girardeau, addressed an overflow crowd Thursday at the Farmington Chamber of Commerce meeting. Six new businesses — ranging from window washing to employment assistance — were represented at the meeting: additional tables had to be set up. Chamber President Chip Peterson said he thought an attendance record was set. Stroup stressed the linkage between St. Francois County and the college.

“It was a big haul,” said Sheriff Dan Bullock, of the 32 pounds of processed marijuana seized in a raid at Doe Run early Saturday morning. “It’s the biggest pot bust since I’ve been sheriff and one of the biggest ever in this county.” A 30-year-old Doe Run man has been arrested in the case but, as of press time, not yet charged. Bullock estimates the value of the pot to be between $35,000 and $40,000.

The Farmington Knights have a new coach and a great attitude going into the 1993 high school baseball season. Taking over the reins as the Knight’s head coach is Stan Walden. Walden spent the last 14 years coaching in Caruthersville, the last 12 years as varsity baseball coach. During his span as head coach at Caruthersville, Walden compiled an amazing 172-80 record. His teams have also won the district baseball title five times during his tenure. The team Walden inherited is a good one. After posting a disappointing 10-15 mark in ’92, this group seems poised to make the jump to the top.

1973 – 50 years ago

Anyone who may be out of town and unable to vote on Election Day may vote an Absentee Ballot for the County Library Tax, or the County Board Members in the office of the County Clerk during the week from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., or on Saturdays from 9 a.m. until 12 noon. The closing day for mailing Absentee Ballots is Friday, March 30, and the closing day for Absentee Voting here in the office is Monday, April 2, 4 p.m., according to City Clerk Glenda Seegars.

A Farmington youth faces a second round of surgery soon, but he and two other area youths are out of danger following a head-on crash on Highway 8 about two miles west of Flat River. Daniel Ray Wells, 16, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Norvel Wells of Rt. 1, Farmington, underwent surgery earlier this week after the Sunday afternoon accident. Mrs. Wells said he faces a second operation on his leg at Barnes Hospital, but is out of danger.

Ben B. Smith of Farmington was elected president of PRIDE Saturday as the organization held its first stockholders meeting and officially added an “Inc.” to its name. A non-profit cooperative organized locally to provide transportation for the aging, the group has grown into a regional organization. The Madrigal Singers of the Farmington Senior High School will provide the special music at the Dayse Baker Dinner April 2, it was announced this week. The dinner, honoring Farmington’s longtime teacher will be at 7 p.m. in the United Methodist Church.

Two students at MAC lost all their clothing and personal belongings Wednesday morning when their trailer caught fire in Farmington. The trailer, which belongs to Gary Young, was totally destroyed on its parking place just outside the city limits on West Liberty. Killed in the blaze were a dog and cat belonging to the tenants, Mr. and Mrs. Glen Jones. The Farmington Fire Department answered the call.

1963 – 60 years ago

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday March 8,9, and 10, the Knights of Science held their annual science fair at the Senior High School. In all, sixteen members exhibited in the local fair. The projects were divided into two divisions, physical and biological. There were four winners in the biological division with first place going to Barbara Auchter. Barbara’s project showed the effects of alcohol on hamsters. Susan Watkins won second with a project on bacteria. Third and fourth went to Mike Reynierse and Karen Holliday. Mike’s project showed the effects of radiation on plants and Karen’s project was a model showing the path of blood from the heart.

Approximately 400 delegates are expected to attend the Second Annual Meeting of the Missouri East Conference of the Woman’s Society of Christian Service of the Methodist Church at Memorial Church in Farmington, Wednesday and Thursday, March 27 and 28. The Cape Girardeau-Farmington District, of which Mrs. Homer Hughes of Farmington is President and host for the conference, which will be preceded by an executive meeting on Tuesday, March 26.

The St. Francois County University of Missouri Extension Council announces the appointment of Wallace Drace as Community Development Agent for St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve, and Madison Counties. Mr. Drace was born in Keytesville, Missouri and obtained his grade and high school education at the public schools there. He graduated from the University of Missouri in 1949 and received a B.S. degree in Business and Public Administration.

1953 – 70 years ago

Special honors to Headquarters Company, 2d Bn, 140th Infantry, Farmington, highlighted the National Guard Association Convention held in Jefferson City over last weekend. The honors consisted of the awarding of the Pershing Trophy to the local unit for having attained the highest percentage score in marksmanship over all units within the 13 state Fifth Army area. There were over 1000 company sized units in this area competing for this award, and this represents the first time it has ever been received by a Missouri unit.

An enthusiastic crowd was on hand last Sunday for the ground-breaking ceremony of Memorial Methodist Church. Dr. E.H. Orear, District Superintendent of the Methodist Church, complimented the group on its undertaking. Mr. Berl Miller, chairman of the Official Board, served as master of ceremonies. Mr. George Karsch, chairman of the Building Committee, introduced the other members of the Building Committee. Mr. W.T. Coghill, chairman of the Board of trustees, introduced Mr. Grish and Mr. Bone, representatives of Froese, Maack and Becker, architects.

The late Brigadier General Alexander Wilson was the son of the late Geo. M. and Mrs. Wilson of Farmington. George M. Wilson was mayor of Farmington many years ago. General Wilson’s picture and the flag that draped the General’s casket at the time of his burial on July 3, 1952 in San Antonio, Texas were presented to Farmington by Mrs. Alexander Wilson who lives in the Wilson home at San Antonio, Texas. The flag and picture, enlarged and framed have been hung in the entrance hall of the Long Memorial Building. This building was presented to the city of Farmington by relatives of General Wilson.

1943 – 80 years ago

All arrangements have been completed for the presentation of the coveted Army-Navy “E” Flag to the Farmington Rice-Stix Factory officials and employees at a public celebration to be held just outside the factory building this afternoon, Friday, in a ceremony which will start promptly at 4:30 o’clock. A special platform has been constructed on the factory grounds, from which the ceremony will be held. However, in case of inclement weather the event will be held at the Farmington High School Auditorium.

Miss Marie Herman, 21 year old resident of Farmington, was instantly killed about 10:30 last Sunday morning when the car in which she was riding was crashed into by a stolen car driven by James Madison McNabb, 15, of Marked Tree, Ark., as the latter was attempting to flee from a member of the State Highway Patrol. The accident occurred at a point on Highway 61, just south of the intersection with Highway 32, about six miles north of Farmington.

According to figures released by the Federal Reserve Bank, St. Francois County fell short of its Bond buying quota by $5,800.00 during the month of February. This is an unusual condition for St. Francois County, according to Chairman E.W. Hyatt of the county war savings committee.

Approximately four hundred members of the American Legion and their wives and families, from St. Francois and adjoining counties, were guests of the officers at the Alien Enemy Concentration Camp at Weingarten last Sunday noon. The guests were served a splendid dinner and then taken on a tour of the camp, during which time they were allowed to inspect the soldiers’ quarters, hospital facilities, the quarters for the prisoners, etc. Construction work still continues at the camp where an additional prisoner compound is being built. However, the original portion of the camp is complete and ready for occupancy.

1933 – 90 years ago

Handbills were distributed over Farmington last Monday by orders of Dr. R. Appleberry, Deputy State Commissioner of Health, instructing all persons owning dogs to keep them securely chained at home or to muzzle them if they are to be allowed to run at large. The order was made necessary by the prevalence of rabies throughout the country. Approximately two hundred persons were treated for dog bites in St. Louis last week. Previously two dogs had been killed there that were found to have been suffering from rabies.

Spring foot ball has been going on for the past week on the local gridiron and will continue until March 31, making a three weeks practice period. It is hoped that the boys will receive knowledge of the fundamentals and learn most of the signals before the spring period ends so that they will be able to start off the fall session in full sway. There will be eleven places for the boys to fill which will be vacated by the 1932 team and quite a bit of interest is being show due to this fact.

3.2 per cent beer will be on sale throughout Missouri on the morning of Friday, April 7th, or 15 days after its sale was made legal through its passage in Congress and the signing of the bill by President Roosevelt at 2 p.m. Wednesday. The return of beer is expected to bring $125,000,000 annually into the depleted treasury of the United States, as well as aiding the state treasury through the additional taxes placed on it. The federal tax amounts to $5 on each barrel of 31 gallons, a fee of $1,000 from each brewery, $50 from each wholesaler, and $20 from every retailer. Beer will be legally sold on the first day in 14 states, which have already sanctioned its return.

Hundreds of damage suits and notices of suits, embodying claims running into millions of dollars, have been filed within the last year against the St. Joseph Lead Company and the National Lead Company by unemployed miners who allege disability from silicosis, a disease contracted in the mines from rock dust. Some of the officials of the mining companies are of the opinion that many of the suits grew out of poverty rather than the occupational disease alleged, but the suits actually are backed up by medical certifications, intended to prove the cases for the miners.