Many of the readers of this column tell me they like seeing names, theirs or others that are familiar and the activities in which they were involved in years past. This week I have several items.
April, 1939: A blind inventor and radio amateur from Tiffin visited the home of Ivan Schenck on East Main Street. Henry McFerren invented and manufactured a refrigerator door closing device. He also operated a 100 watt short wave radio station in Tiffin. He spoke to Cardington Rotary Club members while here. Blind for 14 years, he invented the door closing device during that time.
All schools in the county, except for Cardington, participated in the Morrow County spelling contest this month. Because of the presence of scarlet fever in the school district, Cardington students were asked to not participate in the contest. Six homes in the school district were quarantined.
Oil companies operating in Cardington, dropped the price of gasoline two cents so the price for standard brands was now 16 cents per gallon.
Edsel Gillespie, Roscoe Keen and Milford McConnell, all of Cardington, enrolled in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) at Marion.
Dale Mattix wrote his father, Dallas, that he was enroute home to Cardington after spending two years in Russia working for his employer, Alco Products Co. of Pittsburgh. Mattix, a 1929 CHS graduate, helped to erect an oil refinery near the Ural Mountains.
April, 1949: The removal of the steel fire tower which had stood in Railroad Park in Cardington for more than 40 years was ordered by Cardington Village council to be removed. Prior to installation of the siren on the standpipe, firemen were summoned either by the bell in the park or the bell atop the fire engine house which was taken down several months ago as a safety mea- sure. Earlier the bell in the park was used as a curfew.
April 1959: Jack Powell, local hardware store owner, was elected president of the Cardington Rotary Club succeeding Harley Long.
From the Cardington High School newspaper, The Searchlight:
April, 1954: Betty Betts, a CHS Senior, was named the Cardington High School student of the month. Linda McElroy was elected the 24th Cardington High School May Queen.
The May Pole dance was to be supervised by Joyce Underwood, Ann Thompson, Dorena Ruehrmund and Mrs. Nelda Akron, teacher. Attendants were Ruehrmund, Carol Betts, Doris Schorr, Emily Reed, Janene Heacock, LaCretia McClish, Dolores Lawrence, Helen Zeigler, Marlene Fricke and Ginger Davis. Flower girls were Linda Snyder, Karen Bender, Linda Brake and Bonnie McGraw and crown bearer was William Benedict. Retiring queen was Joyce Underwood.
April, 1959: Jane Orewiler was elected 1959 May Queen. She was to be crowned by the retiring queen, Dorothy Bingman. Her attendants were Patricia Rengert, Shirley Denton, Judy Linstedt, Ann Mosher, Janet Orewiler, Sue Jerome, Betty Heimlich, Joan Strine, Janet Lee and Sherry Crum. Crown bearer was David Stephens and flower girls were Sherry Conant, Cynthia Crum, Michelle Owens and Deborah Witzel.
April, 1959: Mrs. Lowell Boger of Cardington, was honored for 15 years of service as an advisor of the Get-Together Girls 4-H Club. Another 4-H Advisor, Mrs. Phylis Miller of Mount Gilead, was recognized for five years of service.
