Reading a newspaper from October 1972, it is easy to determine that this month is the 50th anniversary of Morrow County Fire Control and Emergency Call Service.

It was Sunday, October 22, 1972, at 12:01am that the county’s five fire departments and four emergency service squads were activated. The dispatcher’s office of the control center was located in the old waterworks plant north of the Mount Gilead Municipal Building. This building also housed Mount Gilead emergency squad equipment. The new emergency fire and emergency squad phone number for service by Morrow County units was given. Continuing, the article said the dispatcher’s office would be manned 24 hours a day with one or two persons being in the office at all times.

32 volunteers had been trained for dispatcher service. The article noted that, “it is expected that the four emergency squad vehicles be housed at Mount Gilead, Cardington, Marengo and Iberia and be delivered by the Herron Company of Columbus between November 15 and 20. Dispatchers will be serving individually for four, and over four, six and eight hours.”

We are fortunate to have this service, one that is always there with devoted workers.

On another subject, Homecoming was held earlier this month. I found several in past Searchlight newspapers – So here are the details of the 1956 Cardington High School homecoming. Joyce Truax was queen; her attendants were Mary Lou Evans, Sondra Denton, Sondra Weaver, and Barbara Hold. Edgar Reed, the team’s co-captain, crowned the new queen. Escorts of the court members included John Patterson, Dale Levering, team co-captain and Don Strohl. Driving the queen’s car was Gary Rush. Driving the other two cars were Bob Davis and Bob Cook. Carrying the ball and crown was Davey Mercer son of Coach Harold Mercer. Sadly the team suffered its first loss of the season, losing to Richwood 22— 8.

Looking way back: October 1942: 20 Morrow County men, out of a group of 55, sent to the Cleveland Army Induction Center, were rejected for military service due to physical disabilities. October 1972: James Dominy of Cardington, was inducted into military service; James P Oakes of Coshocton County, was hired as the 4-H agent for Morrow County. Although, village council banned trick or treat night, 400 Cardington children in costume participated in a Halloween Parade on the 28th.

https://www.morrowcountysentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2022/10/web1_Long-EvelynBW-3.jpg

REFLECTIONS

By Evelyn Long