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100 Years – April 30, 1925
The entire town was thrown into a fever of excitement this morning when a producing oil well, far exceeding the famous Shrum well, was brought in on the Gregory lot, adjoining the let on which the Shrum well is located…The oil was struck shortly before nine o’clock this morning and came in with such volume as to force out the workmen who were digging the well, and as we go to press at noon, three hours of pumping had produced about 150 gallons of oil and the flow continued so strong that a hand pump was scarcely adequate to handle the production.
Home Concern Bids in New Section of Route 70 at $55,600. The road construction firm of Humphrey & Stebbens of this place was the low bidder for the price of road in the western part of Madison County, award at a letting in Jefferson City last Friday. The local firm bid $55,600.17 for the 3.9 miles, in a contest with three other contractors.
At a meeting of representative farmers at the Farmers Warehouse last Saturday night, a movement was inaugurated for the location of a canning plant here. The Missouri Pacific Railroad Co. had brought to local attention the fact that the Case Canning Co. of Marshfield, Mo. was looking for additional territory and was favorably impressed with this section.
Hopes that Marvin College might be acquired by the local school district for a high school and grade school plant were apparently blasted Monday when the Board of Curators of the College met here and decided that $40,000 was the least price that would buy the property, the curators also reserving the Franklin property, the library and laboratory and dormitory equipment.
75 Years – May 4, 1950
Four American journalists and two newspapers will receive Missouri Honor Awards for Distinguished Service in Journalism as one of the highlights of the 41st annual Journalism Week activities at the University of Missouri School of Journalism this week. Dean F. L. Mott, who will present the medals in a special ceremony at 2:30 p.m. Friday, said the newspapers to receive the awards are the St. Loui Star-Times, and the Nieuwe Rotterdamse Courant of the Netherlands.
On Friday night of this week, the grade school will present an operetta, “Snow-White and the Seven Dwarfs.” Several years ago these programs were given annually, but this is the first to be presented in a number of years. It promises to be as delightful and colorful as we remember those of former times.
Foresters and plant pathologists the country over are calling for help in their efforts to track down the unknown carrier of the new wilt disease of oaks, says L. E. McCormick, extension forester of the Missouri University College of Agriculture. So far no carrier has been found that will account for the long jumps made by this new disease from one region to another.
With the enumeration of the city complete, the unofficial count of Farmington’s population is 4,355, it was reported by Robert Tetley and Warren Watkins, crew chiefs for St. Francois County’s enumeration in the 1950 decennial census. This figure includes all persons in the city limits, including those children at the Presbyterian home.
(photo) Miss Colleen Jones and Arnold G. Mesler, Jr. were married April 29th.
(photo) Miss Evelyn Reese and Gerald Whitener
50 Years – May 1, 1975
More than 120 nurses practicing in Missouri are attending a series of weekly seminars at the University of Missouri-Columbia Medical Center to learn more about the drugs prescribed for today’s patients.
The fourth annual Azalea Festival Golf Tournament will be held this weekend at Fredericktown Country Club. Some of the top golfers in this section of Missouri expected to compete for many merchandise prizes. The entry fee is $30 per team. Tournament director Lindell Ward said that the quota of 60 teams or 120 golfers was filled more than two weeks ago.
Two new tournaments have been added for this year’s Azalea Festival. Under the direction of coaches Bill Ennis and Tony Sander, ping pong and tennis tournaments will be held on the Saturday of Azalea weekend.
Five Fredericktown Future Farmers received the State Farmer Degree. This honor is earned by only 3% of the total Missouri FFA membership. Selection is made on a combination of leadership ability, and supervised farming program. For instance the total farm earnings for these five seniors during the past three years has been over $44,000.
(photo) 1975 Azalea Festival Queen Candidates have been selected from the junior and senior classes at Fredericktown High School.
(photo) Miss Cheryl Clark, right has won the district black River Electric Cooperative essay contest.
25 Years – May 3, 2000
The theme of the 2000 Azalea Festival is “Celebrate the Millenium.” Arguably, one of the bigger events of the first four months of this year – in Missouri – was the Super Bowl Championship of the St. Louis Rams in January. Appropriately, two 2000 St. Louis Rams Cheerleaders will be appearing as the Grand Marshals of the Azalea parade.
(photo) Two members of the World Champion St. Louis Rams’ Cheerleading Squad will appear as the Azalea Parade Grand Marshall(s).
Last July 4th, on the Court Square in Fredericktown, there was a gathering of the descendants of the founders of the 1799 St. Michael’s Village…On May 7th at 1 pm, right before the Azalea Parade, a beautiful bronze plaque will be unveiled upon this 6 ton boulder – The St. Micahel’s Village Founders Monument.
Mrs. Breer’s career exploration class had a guest speaker, on Monday April 10, 2000. Their guest was Mr. Bill Jud who is a retired geologist and now works as a custodian at the middle school. He spoke to the class about Oil and Gas Exploration.
(photo) Phyllis DeSpain modeling tea dress with tea kettle purse for the 69th Founder’s Day.
