As you know I love looking through past newspapers and read the contrasts between the news of that time and that of today. For instance, scanning a November 1907 edition of the Union Register I found an article titled “Doctor’s Bills,” in which the cost of medical services in Morrow County were listed.

These costs were set by the Morrow County Medical Society and the board of directors of the county infirmary. These costs included office consultation and prescription: 35 cents, day visits in village; 75 cents, night visits $1, extra patients in same home 25 cents; day visits in country for first mile $1; add 25 cents for each extra mile; night visits in country, 50 cents extra for first mile, limited to three visits per week except for consent of trustees of township where patient lives.

This article goes on to detail the cost of obstetrics both in town and in the country and the cost of setting bones and other medical issues. I wonder who kept the books on all of these costs.

Now to a Searchlight newspaper published 35 years later where a story was published on “Mellie — our Janitor,” a tribute to the school janitor, Mellie Gist. At this date, Mellie had been with the school for nine years and “Cardington School just wouldn’t be the same without him.”

Mellie and his wife lived on South Center Street. Their son, Tech Sergeant Richard Gist, was in charge of supplies for B-26s and was stationed in Hawaii.

The Gists’ daughter, Ruthetta, and her family, which included sons, Milton and Larry, lived on East Main Street. Mr. Wallace was serving his country in the U.S. Navy.

In that same edition of the Searchlight, edited by Doris Mathias, was the story on a party for Norman Irons with 30 boys and girls present. Games were led by Norm’s nephew, Doug Slack but the best news was Norm did not have to return to the hospital.

Remembering from the past

Do you remember: Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Laurel and Hardy, Howdy Dowdy and the Peanut Gallery, the Lone Ranger, the Shadow Knows, Nellie Bell, Roy and Dale, Trigger and Buttermilk? Or do you remember when the worst embarrassment was being picked last for a team? Or spinning around, getting dizzy and falling down was cause for giggles?

70 years ago, January, 1952: The Melodettes, a Cardington High School vocal group, was scheduled to entertain at an upcoming school board dinner. The trio’s members were Emily Mosher, Marlene Fricke and Betty Bowman.; Dale Nichols, Cardington village mail carrier, was transferred to Cardington Rural Route Three.

50 years ago, January, 1972: Mrs . Thomas Ray of Morrow County Road 149, Westfield Township, reported the theft of 10,800 eggs from their farm The report was made to Sheriff Budd Bratton.

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By Evelyn Long

Contributing Columnist