Due to spring storms late last week, water from Stranger Creek crept high enough to lap at all four sides of the Easton Grade School on Friday, canceling class. Once again, fields on both sides of U.S. Highway 24-40 resembled a string of rice patties where Stranger tipped over its banks on Friday and Saturday.

Karen Wake, a Navy veteran from Richmond, Va., and Tonganoxie High School graduate whose parents are Grace and Leonard Wake, recently skied at the Crested Butte Mountain Resort in March, enjoying the freedom and exhilaration of skiing at the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic. “I’ve never skied before so I’ve been very excited to attend this Sports Clinic,” Wake said. “And I’ve been looking forward to the challenge of developing one more ‘ability.'”

Staff writer Eddie Medina interviewed 93-year-old Gordon Barnhardt with Fred Leimkuhler. Barnhardt told the story of a 1919 murder near the Stranger Creek basin and the decline of Jarbalo, once a bustling town with four grocery stores, four filling stations, two car agencies, a doctor’s office, insurance agencies and a bank.

50 years ago: April 13, 1972

Mr. and Mrs. Fred Zoellner had an unusual experience on a Caribbean Cruise. They were on the ship near Puerto Rico where they saw a Russian spy vessel, but the big item was on the ship menu, which said: “We serve the best beef on this side of the ocean, and the highest quality comes from Kansas.” Do you suppose they ate beef from the Bud Laming Farm south of town?

Mrs. John Taylor is the mushroom champion with 20 beefsteak mushrooms she found larger than a teacup.

The Board of Education of Tonganoxie approved a base salary of $6,656 a year for teachers and the acquisition of 8 mobile classroom units to alleviate a space squeeze in the 1972-1973 school year.

330 Cub Scouts and leaders from Ft. Leavenworth chose the Leavenworth County Lake Park for a clean-up project. They collected 2500 bushels of trash in the lake area. Cub Scout Troop 3066 is the largest in the world.

Mr. and Mrs. Dan Oelschlaeger observed their fiftieth wedding anniversary with a reception. Mr. Oelschlaeger has lived at their present home since birth.

The Tonganoxie Civil Defense organization made extensive plans for the coming tornado season. The warning system has been changed in an attempt to provide better protection and more adequate warnings. Three two-way radio spotter units are available on a 24-hour basis.

75 years ago: April 10, 1947

An unusual event occurred this week when the Democrats gained a majority on the Board of County Commissioners. This fluke, as many have named it, happened because of Republican dissention in Leavenworth County. A tie vote was needed to be broken between two candidates and the Democrat county clerk voted in a Democrat commissioner. There was no popular vote to support this action. This is the first time the Democrats have had the majority since 1934! This entire episode promises to create a very lively situation in 1948 as two board members will run for re-election. A united party can be developed between now and then.

In a follow-up to the reports about the TB clinic X-rays, 684 residents took advantage of this free service, provided by Christmas Seals. Additional sites will be in Easton and Leavenworth. Results will be sent to individuals.

The nasty weather we have experienced has killed the area peach crop. Apricots are in bloom.

Bread prices have jumped to $.15 a loaf in most places, possibly accounting for more baking powder biscuits on kitchen tables.

William Stephenson, Jr. a student at Baker University spent his Easter vacation with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. William Stephenson, Sr.

Many changes are happening in the area of school law and school affairs. One of these items of interest is the reorganization of rural districts and the fall out for rural families. Because of these changes, there are more interested parties attending annual school meetings. Two meetings are held for Tonganoxie-one for the rural high school and one for the grade school. 

The Tonganoxie High School yearbook staff is sponsoring Loring Campbell, a magician and entertainer to perform on April 17. The Lectures and Concert Artist of University of Kansas are providing the program.

100 years ago: April 13, 1922

The mill has changed hands again, MB Rich, of Colorado Springs, the recent owner, having traded it to a Mr. Goodnight, of Englewood, Kansas. Mr. Rich got farmland in the transaction. Mr. Goodnight will be in Tonganoxie in a few days to consider plans to operate the property.

Another inspection of the arch culvert on Pleasant Street, indicates that it has considerably disintegrated since the inspection two years ago when the first surveys for the Fort to Fort road were made and it will be necessary to build a new culvert to make that part of the road up to standard. The opening will be considerably larger for the new culvert, which will probably prevent any more overflows at that place which have happened twice since the culvert was built some thirty years ago. The standard width for bridges and culverts along the new road will not be wide enough to admit of a sidewalk across the culvert in addition to the paving.

125 years ago: April 15, 1897

The old council had its last meeting Monday evening and finished up all the old business. The spectators were more numerous than at any meeting during the year and they listened to the proceedings with marked interest. The bills allowed by the retiring council aggregated $143.05. The bonds of the mayor-elect and city clerk-elect were read and approved. After the oath of office had been administered to D.H. Dreisbach, the old council adjourned sine die.

Mayor Dreisbach then administered the oath to the newly elected council, and a session of the council was at once convened. The mayor made a few remarks and said it would be his effort to do right in each and every respect. He felt that the council and he could work together in harmony and for the best interests of the city.

After approving the bonds of the police judge, city marshal and street commissioner the council adjourned until last evening.

On Wednesday, the new council met in executive session at seven o’clock, and discussed matters relating to lamp lighting, marshalship etc. At eight o’clock the council convened in regular session. The street commissioner was instructed to drain some ditches in the west part of town.

Quite a number of citizens assembled, expecting that a petition relative to the suppression of joints and gambling would be presented, but none was read. A petition has been in circulation for a few days, and is being generally signed. It is quite likely that it will be presented Monday evening.