Deaths: Maxine Engle, 78, Tonganoxie, died Aug. 14, 2003; Allen J. Houk, 52, Oskaloosa, died Aug. 17, 2003 of an apparent heart attack; Curtis T. “Tom” McGown, 58, Tonganoxie, died Aug. 14, 2003; Sylvia Weeks Nitcher Medlock, 67, Oskaloosa, died Aug. 17, 2003; Mark E. Williams, 44, Tonganoxie, died Aug. 16, 2003.

In June, former Tonganoxie resident Ann Renee Low re-enlisted for an additional year of service in the Peace Corps. Low, 26, began her work with the Peace Corps two years ago and was assigned as a rural health education volunteer in the Caribbean country of Haiti. (Ms. Low was pictured with her godchild in Haiti.)

Birth: Chad and Jill Kietzmann, Tonganoxie, a son, Cuyler Jay, born Aug. 5, 2003.

Fair-goers had the opportunity to win mugs from The Mirror newspaper during its nightly drawing at the Leavenworth County Fair. Tonganoxie resident Tammy Jordan won a mug, as did John Moses and Shirley Deemer, both of McLouth; Matt Briggs and Gayle Sharp, Leavenworth; and Belinda Sheets, Atchison.

For more than a decade, Willard Masopust has been a familiar face at the Leavenworth County Fair. Masopust, 87, this year is bussing tables in the Donna Wiley 4-H Food Pavilion. It keeps him busy, he said. “The kids call me ‘Grampa,'” said Masopust, who has lived in Tonganoxie for 18 years. Among those who call him “Grampa” is his own grandson, Arthur Rollins, a member of the Happy Helpers 4-H Club who lives in McLouth.

25 years ago: Aug. 10, 1988

Local Lady Teaches in Belgium: Jaquelin Lenahan Johnson, overseas teacher in Brussels, Belgium, gave a fascinating and fluent lecture recently at the Tonganoxie Community Historical Society meeting at the Florence Riford Center on July 26, 1988. A large crowd attended the meeting to hear Johnson talk about her experiences as a teacher in business education. Johnson returned to Tonganoxie for a visit with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Francis Lenahan. She was accompanied by her daughter, Paulette, who graduated from high school this past spring in Brussels. Paulette plans to remain in the states and will attend Kansas City Community College this fall.

Chris Walters, RR, McLouth, was selected to the post of vice-president during the energy seminar July 24-28 at the Scandinavian Lodge near Steamboat Springs, Colo. The seminar was sponsored by the electric cooperatives in Kansas and Colorado.

Deaths: Charles A. Wolf, 86, Gardner, a former area business owner, died Aug. 5, 1988; Evelyn M. Shehan, 75, Kansas City, Kan., died Aug. 5, 1988.

Birth: Kenny and Jackie Bradle, a son, Joseph Paul, born July 31, 1988.

50 years ago: Aug. 29, 1963

Birth: Jack and Mary Louise Neibarger, Lawrence, a daughter, named Lea Marie, Aug. 23, 1963.

Death: Funeral services for Mrs. Genevra Mae Schilling, wife of Edward Don Schilling, will be Friday at 10:30 at the Methodist Church, Tonganoxie. (No date of death given or place of residence.)

The Hillbilly Model A car, fancied up and put in the fair parade by the McCaffrey Barber Shop (John L. McCaffrey and Dale Thompson) won the most unusual award. This car had everything on it but a barbershop quartet.

The fact has been publicized that Neely (a defunct station on the old KC&NW) has all the Norwegian characteristics of old Norway — mostly up-and-down — should give the area another tourist attraction along with The Cliffs on Big Stranger and the scenery from the top of Hubbel Hill. Army engineers clearing Big Stranger have given The Cliffs a crew cut.

It looks like our county fair will be on Candid Camera in October or November. Four of the program’s camera crew were here Wednesday and Friday. Among the films taken were shots of the turtle races and shoe-kicking by women, who were certainly not aware they were being filmed. They took pictures of animals being groomed and people stowing away food at the stands. Arrangements for the filming were made by telephone from New York City.

75 years ago: Aug. 4, 1938

Saturday, Aug. 6, only, the Mirror will offer the paper 11 months for $1. Here is an opportunity to advance your paper at a bargain.

Valley Falls: Clarence Lane suffered a painful injury last week when a “torpedo” of the Fourth of July variety was thrown against a door, glanced off and struck him in the back. — Vindicator.

Basehor News: A son was born Friday to Mr. and Mrs. Joe Carney.

From “It Happened in Kansas” by F.A. Cooper: The fastest mile ever run by a human being. This record was established on March 5, 1938, by Glenn Cunningham of Kansas. Strangely enough, Glenn was pronounced a hopeless cripple at the age of 8. He was bothered by sprains and colds throughout his college career, and now, at the age of 28, was considered too old for a mile race. But, the record stands at 4 minutes 4 seconds … “Haymakers:” Strangely enough, hay making was the most dangerous occupation in pioneer Kansas. Hay was as necessary in the 60s as gasoline is today. Vast quantities were used by the many army posts scattered over Kansas and by the growing traffic on the Santa Fe and Oregon trails. To supply this demand, hay camps were located throughout the hostile Indian country. It was nearly impossible to guard these camps. The Indians could easily swoop down on the scattered workers and massacre them before they could gather to defend themselves. Whole camps were repeatedly wiped out, but new men were sent to replace the dead. Hay was necessary, so the dangerous work went on.

100 years ago: Aug. 14, 1913

The number of silos in the Tonganoxie neighborhood will be nearly doubled the next few weeks. Ed McNerney has sold about 30 Common Sense the past few weeks, and there are other makes and cement silos going in as well.

Death of an infant: Vivian Marcelle, infant daughter of Arthur E. and Leora L. Brown was born Jan. 1, 1913, in San Antonio and died at Tonganoxie last Friday at the age of 7 months, 8 days. The remains were laid to rest in the family lot in the Tonganoxie Cemetery beside her little brother, who preceded her to that better land seven years ago.

The Friendship Valley School is nearly completed and will be ready for occupancy at the regular opening of the school next month.

When Frank McRill was over in the Pony Creek neighborhood Saturday, he met an old veteran rattlesnake. The snake was short, fat and sassy. When the decapitation had been properly made, 12 rattles and a button were taken off.

Tying a tin can to a dog’s tail is fun and inexpensive for the boy, but tying a tin can to an auto costs $5.

An aviator in France scared a cow to death. Knowing what goes up generally comes down, the cow had cause for fear.

Fred Papenhausen has been living over on Stranger so long that he has seen the waters of 47 summers pass down its channel. Never has the water ceased to flow in Stranger, according to his recollection, nor does he think the stream was ever any lower than at present. Mr. Papenhausen has been over on Stranger since April 1867.