This Week in Shelby County History: July 1-8
1917
The “civic playground” was opened at the City Park. Fifty kids attended the ceremony. A wading pool, 20 feet across and 15 inches deep, was also opened in the park.
The Republican noted that Shelby County had not celebrated the Fourth of July publicly in 30 years. The paper said the last time the holiday was celebrated, a much-hyped fight was held at the fairgrounds, but “not a blow was hit that would have knocked a frail woman down. It was a day on which everything went and they went so hard that the spirit of celebrating the Fourth of July in Shelbyville went along with the rest and has never returned.” The paper predicted a return in five years, 1922, for the 100-year celebration of Shelbyville and Shelby County. On the fifth of July, the Republican noted that the Street Commissioner must have “forgot for the time being that ‘cleanliness is next to Godliness,’ leaving trash and litter on the paved streets while employees took the holiday off.
Orville Pope, Navy deserter, and Otis Stillwell, held on a charge of selling government rifles to Charles Pettit, escaped from jail, but Pope was recaptured in the surrounding neighborhood a few hours later.
1942
Five hundred people attended Porter Pool’s season opening.
War Bond Sales were pushed by Lions Club members Wray Fleming, Walter Myers, James VanPelt, Fred Breeding, Robert St. John, and W.F. Loper. The Club installed new officers Wray Orem, Warren Brown, George Yarling, Jack Trueb, William Reimann, Ray Clifford, Robert Staats, Bob Williams, Joe Smith, Maurice Moberly, Nate Kaufman, Chester Sandman, and Fred Breeding. Committee members included Dick Chichester, Marion Stiers, Hubert Dellekamp, Carl Peterson, Len Bearman, Kenneth Kanouse, Wiliam O’Laughlin, Rev. J.W. Dickmann, Joe Smith, and Dr. A.M. White.
1967
New teacher hires included Gary Myers (English and Speech at SHS), Miss Tina Toland (elementary), and Miss Janet Hutchinson (SHS librarian). The new school board president was Raymond Olinger, succeeding Clayton Meiks. The new vice-president was Frank Scheffler, replacing Olinger. Maurice Hart was the new secretary, taking Scheffler’s place.
High scores in the bowling league were Carol Grillo, Don Kaster, Ray McDaniel, Lynn Cox, Clarence Fritz, Linda Kaster, Aline Bausback, and Janice Roell.
Ground-breaking for the Holiday Inn was scheduled, which would include four buildings; three with rooms and one with an inn lobby, dining room, cocktail lounge, and meeting space. A pool was planned, as well.
Winners of Standard Food Stores’ Post Time promotion were Luella Hall, Orienne Thompson, Henrietta Spurlin, Roger Stark, Mary Bush, Virginia Baltz, Dixie Barnes, Kenneth Heath, Frances Fryer, Mrs. Clarence Richardson, Ralph Rhodes, Mary Meloy, Molly Garrison, Eva Cherry, and Clay Sizemore.
An old tombstone was unearthed at 32 Fourth St. Rev. Ralph Mayo, pastor of the West Side Pilgrim Holiness Church on Miller Ave., started to dig up the block as he was remodeling the unoccupied house for an out-of-town owner. The stone bore the names of William F. Francis (1848-1880) and his infant daughter, Lena Francis (1876-77). Police checked records and said the area was once farmland and that the stone could mark an old family burial plot. A day later, Hattie Francis, W. Mechanic St., said that the stone was actually a marker for her father’s grave in the old Center Cemetery near the Old Union Church on Boggstown Road. Her mother decided to replace it with a new stone in 1927. The monument dealer was instructed to dump it and further records show that part of Fourth St. was once a dump. Police had advised Rev. Mayo to hold the stone pending discovery of any relatives, but Miss Francis said she “didn’t care what they do with it.”
Walls and rafters were erected for the new Sullivan Restaurant located in front of Sullivan Motel on E. Michigan Road.
1977
Shelbyville Central Schools hired new teachers Cynthia Smith, Stephen Sommerfield, Mark Millis, and Deborah Fleck.
The Parks board decided 1977 would be the last July Fourth weekend concert in Morrison Park due to complaints from neighbors. After concert sponsors finished cleaning, several children knocked over the park trash containers, emptying them on the grounds.
The city held their first fogging of the year to kill insects in local neighborhoods.
State BMV Commissioner Ralph VanNatta said that reservations would start soon to roll out personalized license plates for the first time for 1978. A list of banned “offensive” letter combinations was distributed and included: SEX, IM4SEX, IMSEXY, PORNO, GAYGUY, GAYBRD, CDEUCE, KKK, COP, NUN, BUM, APE, SOB, CIA, LSD, POT, TRYPOT, and USMAIL.
1992
Lulu Link retired from the BMV Morristown branch after serving as manager since 1973.
Bob and Alma Trees were named Shelby County’s 1992 Senior King and Queen in a coronation at the Shelby County Fairgrounds. “In my eyes, she was always queen,” Robert Trees said. They would celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary the following year. The Trees’ took over for 1991 winners Doris Hinkle and Paul Stafford. First runner-up for queen was Mary Barker; second runner-up was Betty Cuellar. Gladys Swinford was third runner-up; and the winner of the Heart Award, similar to Miss Congeniality, was Laura Kettler.
Candidates for the 1992 Shelby County Fair Queen were Amy Beth Crowe, Angela Kaye Glessner, Crystal Dee Green, Tasha Renee Hirschauer, Jennifer Dawn Sipes, Amy Beth Roberts, Tangelina Swift, April Lynn Hitchcock, Janell Alice Inman, Ann Marie Kamleiter, Stacey Marie Lee, Anna Kay Montgomery, Carrie Anne Richardson, Brandi Leigh Scott, Amy Lynn Sullivan, Kretia Weddle, and Erin Runea Wheeldon. Erin Wheeldon was named Fair Queen. Amy Sullivan was named Miss Congeniality and second runner-up. Tangelina Swift was named first runner-up.
Ralph VanNatta was chosen as the delegate to the Electoral College for the upcoming presidential election.