Bygones

By superadmin | May 21, 2025

50 Years Ago – The seniors are shown listening to the commencement speaker and awaiting the receipt of their high school diploma. The picture also shows the overflowing crowd that was on hand at the commencement.

100 Years Ago

May 27, 1925

A competitive examination for boys under the age of 16 years, to determine who shall represent Shelby County at the Boys’ State Fair to be held at Sedalia August 15-22 will be held at the school building in Shelbyville on Saturday.

The principal address to be given at the Memorial Day exercises at Shelbina, under the auspices of the American Legion, will be made by Honorable Elmer O. Jones, LaPlata.

A farm home on what is known as the Kate Claggett farm, six miles southwest of Shelbina, was burned to the ground at noon Tuesday. Cause of the fire is unknown. The house was occupied by Cecil Wharton, who rents the farm from Charles Claggett, guardian for the heirs.

Chinch bugs are making their appearance early this season, many farmers reporting wheat fields infested with the pests. B. H. Tonkinson said Saturday that chinch bugs were in his wheat in large numbers. To keep them from spreading into his corn he plans to plant soybeans in the first few rows to check the advance of the bugs.

Since February 17, 73,000 baby chicks have seen the light of day for the first time at the big Huntsberry & Ellyson hatchery in Clarence. The hatchery has a capacity of 25,000 eggs, and chicks have been shipped this season to 10 states besides Missouri.

Miss Katherine Drain of this city will leave next month on a trip to Europe as a member of a party of young women who are going abroad to spend their summer vacations. The trip, known as a Temple tour, will be conducted by Dr. Noe of the University of Kentucky.

One of the most brilliant affairs in the history of St. Andrews Lodge No. 96, A.P. & A.M. of Shelbyville, was the official visit to this lodge last Friday of members of Bodley Lodge No. 1 and several other Masonic lodges of Quincy. There were 51 in number.

If you want to disarm your wife when she is raising Old Ned with you just smile sweetly and agree to anything she says. It flabergasts them every time….sometimes.

75 Years Ago

May 24, 1950

Lowell Stuart has resigned as superintendent after 22 years of service in the Leonard school system. He has accepted the position of superintendent of Higbee school. He and his family will go to Kirksville the first of June where he will attend the State Teacher’s College.

Mrs. Ellis Turner of Hunnewell was recently elected delegate to the School of Missions to be held at Fayette in July. She was elected at a meeting of the Methodist Woman’s Society of Christian Service of the Gertrude Feely Zone at Hunnewell.

Two high school seniors from Shelby County have been granted the Regents Scholarship for next year at the Missouri State Teachers College. The students are Miss Dona Frances Allen, Bethel; and Chester Boren, Leonard.

The following brief story on Benjamin Franklin was handed in by a little girl. “He was born in Boston, traveled to Philadelphia, met a lady on the street, she laughed at him, he married her and discovered electricity.”

If applications for stocking fish in farm ponds are received within the next few weeks, bass for those approved can be delivered during June, the Department of Conservation announced today.

A free Skelgas Range will be given away at Parson’s Appliance Company, Wednesday, May 24. The drawing will be at 4 p.m.

A 280-acre farm owned by C. 0. Jarboe, three miles southwest of Shelbina was sold last week to Claude Adams of Loami, Ill. Price was $30,000. The sale was made by the Callison Real Estate Agency at Clarence.

50 Years Ago

May 21, 1975

What was estimated as the largest crowd ever assembled at the North Shelby gym, for any event, witnessed the commencement ceremonies for the North Shelby class of 1975, Friday, May 15. The 55 senior members entered the gym to the processional played by the high school band under the direction of Jerry Hardesty.

Mona Rogers, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Rogers, Shelbyville, was selected as valedictorian with Dotty Prange, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E. L. Prange Jr., Shelbyville, as salutatorian. Receiving the coveted CTA Scholarship at North Shelby this year was Alisa Leishing daughter of Mrs. Hermenia Gilbertson, Shelbyville.

Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Stiefel, Shelbyville, are the parents of a son born Monday at Old Laughlin Hospital, Kirksville. He weighed 6 Ibs. 14 1/2 ozs. and has been named Clinton Keith.

25 Years Ago

May 24, 2000

Twenty-six seniors graduated from North Shelby High School this year. North Shelby Class of 2000 Valedic torian is Jessi Eckler. North Shelby Class of 2000 Salutatorian is Clint Prange.

The North Shelby Raiders baseball team won their second consecutive district tournament for the first time in school history. The Raiders defeated Brashear 13-3 in five innings and will play Cairo on Thursday.

Recent winners in the Canton Art Council Elementary Art Show are Zach Caldwell, Josh Mesmer, Lacey Hunolt, Madison Arnett, Madeline Neill, Jaime Bevill; Dahn Kemp, Alex Daniel, Randi Willey, Neal Ehrenreich, Melody Minks and Tracie Kohn.

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