25 years ago: April 19, 2000

Bernice Gergick and Donna Higbee volunteered last week to help students in Debbie Wedel’s kindergarten class at Tonganoxie Elementary School make sugar Easter ducks.

Members of the Mirror staff were presented Saturday with nine first-place awards in the Kansas Press Association’s annual Awards of Excellence contest. “I can’t tell you how pleased I am that our staff was recognized for all of the hard work and dedication they have shown since September,” said Caroline Trowbridge, editor and publisher.

Debi Hatfield wouldn’t mind if Tonganoxie became known as a speed trap among truckers traveling in northeastern Kansas. For several months, Hatfield has quietly campaigned with elected and appointed city officials to enforce the speed limits along U.S. Highway 24-40 in Tonganoxie.

Members of Tonganoxie Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9271 sponsored an essay contest for eighth graders. Pictured were Erin Holton, who took second place, teacher Brenda Shaw; Desirae Rieke, who took first place; Harold Putthoff; Arty Miller; Bob Klinkenberg; and Wilbur Henson.

50 years ago: April 24, 1975

Mrs. Joan Scott, 27, wife of Charles Scott, Jr., was found shot twice in the chest by Tonganoxie Police in her home Monday afternoon after they had responded to a call for help from a neighbor. Mrs. Jane Flewelling, had been alerted by Mrs. Scott’s five year old daughter, Beth. Beth had been playing outside the Scott house when she heard a scream. She went to the window and saw a man choking her mother. Mrs. Scott told Beth to run for help. She ran towards the Flewelling house and was met by Mrs. Flewelling. Before they could reach the Flewelling house to call for help, Mrs. Flewelling saw a car go by from the Scott house. The car, a brown sedan, was last seen headed west on Fourth Street. The Tonganoxie Police Department, The Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation are investigating. Sheriff Dan Hawes said they have no suspects nor any motive. Indications point to the incident occurring suddenly and unexpectedly. Her husband, Charles, was at work in Kansas City and her seven-year-old son, John Wayne, was at school. Mrs. Scott was the Sunday School Superintendent at the Christian Church and volunteered at the Tonganoxie Public Library.

Jeffrey Allen Hooker was killed in front of his home when struck by a pick-up truck. Jeffrey was playing with friends across the street from his home and was coming back to his house to get some toys and failed to see the oncoming truck. The boy then rode into the eastbound lane and was struck by William G. Budy. Jeffrey was a kindergarten student at Basehor. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. William W. Hooker.

Charles Lohman was not surprised last week while surveying his farm just outside of Jarbalo when he discovered one of his cows had given birth to a heifer. About eight hours later another heifer had been born. However, when Lohman returned again about eight hours later he discovered still another heifer. According to Lohman, the triplets, three-fourths Charolais and one-fourth Angus and weighing about 50 pound each, are the first he has ever heard of to be born to beef cattle.

75 years ago: April 20, 1950

It’s Spring and with it has come the scourge of cankerworms on our elm trees. There was a discussion at our latest city meeting and some options were brought forward. One is to ground and air spray. Might work, but the safety of the bee population was brought forward as a caution. One resident suggested that all elm trees be cut down and others planted in their place. A spraying company will be contacted and advice from Kansas State will be taken into account. It would cost over $200 to spray, so the public will need to be included in this decision.

This week is Clean Up week in Tonganoxie, an annual event where we can all pitch in to help. Let’s clean up the business district, paint some outbuildings, plant flowers and pick up trash and paper on the streets. If we all cooperate, we could have the cleanest town we’ve had in years. [Editor’s note-Tonganoxie High School has an annual clean up where students help around the community at residences and businesses. Contact the high school for information.]

The 1950 Ford “Station Wagon” is available at J.C. Laming dealership for less than you think. It is the roomiest wagon of all, carries 8 people comfortably, rides like a million, all steel with wood panels and your pick of V-8 or 6.  

Yonally’s Bakery recommends to the modern housewife to shop their store for the best choices. “Buy it Baked” is becoming the slogan of the nation!

100 years ago: April 23, 1925

Tuesday of this week was the opening day of the Orange and Green Tea Room service at the Myers Hotel for the Orange and Green Bus Line, whose advertisement will be seen on the first page of this paper.

The State Track Meet was held on Friday, April 17th, at Lawrence Kansas. Every high school in the State of Kansas was allowed to enter. Into this meet the Tonganoxie High School entered. Although our boys were outclassed by older and more experienced track men, some of them made a very good showing in the lines in which they entered.

The boys that entered from our High School were as follows: Sowers and Sechrest in the mile; Turner and Blackwell in the half mile; Blackwell and Jarrett in the shot put; Jarett and Wiley in the high jump; Wiley in the broad jump; Jarrett in the high hurdles; Caldwell in the fifty yard dash, Caldwell and Wiley in the one-hundred yard dash; Caldwell in the two-hundred twenty yard dash, and Freeman in the quarter mile run.

Last Saturday 89 students assembled at the Tonganoxie school building to take the county examination, 42 of them taking work to finish and qualify to enter High School next year. The following number of papers were handed in for each respective subject: 69 booklets in Reading; 67 in Geography; 46 in Arithmetic; 51 in Kansas History; 48 in Physiology; 40 in Civil Government and 67 in Classics.

Next Saturday the examinations will be completed at which time the questions on Spelling, Writing, grammar, United States History and Agriculture will be given.

Mrs. Maud Williams, teacher at Mound School, Miss Helen Freeman, teacher at Friendship Valley, and Prof. Floyd Brown of the Tonganoxie grade school district No. 28 were in charge of the examination at this place.

125 years ago: April 19, 1900

An exciting runaway occurred on Fourth street Saturday afternoon. A shaft on John Moore’s buggy broke and the horse got scared and started eastward. When the harness gave way, Mr. Moore jumped out and let the animal go. The horse ran into a box car on the Northwestern siding and had to stop. 

Gustav Schoenau is proud of the new lot of books at the library. He is taking excellent care of the room and invites the young men particularly to spend their leisure moments in the room. 

County School Examination. The second examination of applicants for common school diplomas will be held April 20 and 21 at the following places: Easton, Jarbalo, Basehor, Lansing, Tonganoxie and Leavenworth. Pupils may take all or any part of this examination.

An average of 80 with not less than 60 in any branch is required for graduation. Grades of 80 or over, made on former examination will be carried over–provided that in computing averages for scholarships, grades made previous to this year will not be considered. Every pupil taking this examination or any part of it must pay a fee of 25 cents – those who took the first examination not excepted. Teachers will conduct the examination at the points named.  M.R. Howard, County Superintendent.