25 years ago: July 26, 2000

Long before there was air conditioning, Tonganoxie children knew how to cool off in the summertime. They’d gather their swimsuits, towels and spare change for snacks and head off to what was then known as the “Chief Tonganoxie Swimming Pool.” Since 1925, the city’s swimming pool has been a fixture in the community. It is the oldest municipal pool in the area and for many who grew up here, it holds fond memories. Pool statistics: Holds 300,000 gallons of water; has one diving board; 9 feet deep; 13 current employees; offers swimming lessons, water aerobics and walking; Admission is $1 for 12 and under and $2 for 13 and older; Annual deficit was $10,022 in 1999 and $14,798 in 1998.

Last Wednesday night’s vandalism at two local businesses and a break-in at the Tonganoxie swimming pool has spurred local businesses to do something about it. Announced at last Friday’s Chamber of Commerce meeting, First State Bank will provide $1,000 for the reward fund. The Mirror has contributed $200 and Mutual Savings and Loan has contributed $500.

The Linwood Lions Club hosted its annual chicken barbecue Saturday. In four hours, member of the Lions club cooked 700 chicken halves, with the smoke carrying the distinct smell of barbecue throughout the community. The annual chicken barbecue has been smoking since 1972. The barbecue is one of the club’s key fund-raisers, which provides the club with resources to help those who are under-privileged.

Dolph Simons, Jr., editor and publisher of the Lawrence Journal-World and president of the World Co., which owns The Mirror and the local cable television company, spoke with Chamber of commerce members last week. The company purchased The Mirror last September.

Approximately 160 girls gathered together, for a Girl Scout Day Camp, which ran from Thursday to Sunday, at Camp Tongawood. The theme for the day camp was careers. The girls listened to a pharmacist, senator, police sheriff, fire fighters and EMTs speak about their careers. But there were other activities, such as craft time, quiet time, cookouts, shots at flying down the zipline, wall climbing, archery, web searching, and other activities.

Some girls camped overnight with their troops, away from the actual camp. One troop even spent an evening cooking foil dinners and pies, playing the water and stargazing.

50 years ago: July 23, 1975

Miss Cindy Putthoff became the bride of William J. Carmen, Jr. in the Tonganoxie Christian Church with the Rev. Ben Saathoff officiating. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Putthoff and the groom is the son of First Sgt. and Mrs. William Carmen Sr. of El Paso Texas.

City superintendent Charles Conrad and Arden Waters spent time painting curbs and crosswalks downtown. One passerby asked Conrad if they were going to do a good job and he replied, “We have to, we’re working downtown!”

If you were paralyzed you would undoubtably have a hard time doing many things. That is the problem that Dana Wray faces every day. She is paralyzed from the neck down except for partial use of one arm. When local Southwestern Bell telephone serviceman Jeff Logan found out about Dana’s plight, he decided that he and his company could help. What Logan and Bell came up with was a special telephone. It allows Dana to call the operator by simply tripping one lever. When Dana trips the lever the telephone automatically dials the operator who has been alerted of Dana’s inability to dial, and is ready at all times to dial numbers for her. The special phone has a microphone that picks up Dana’s voice. Her sisters had been holding the phone for her but with this she can do it herself.

Two men led a Kansas Highway Patrolman on a short chase from Lawrence into southern Leavenworth County. The men were suspects in the armed robbery of the Bank of Perry. A roadblock was set up and the suspect attempted to drive around it. As the car passed, each trooper fired one blast from a shotgun. When the car stopped the suspects were taken into custody and the money from the Bank of Perry was recovered. The driver was slightly injured from shotgun wounds.

Patrick Myers, age three, son of Mr. and Mrs. Merle Myers, was saved from drowning when his sister, Gail, pulled him from under the water and revived him. She helped his friend also.

75 years ago: July 23, 1950

Chemical sprays are being used in the county to control undergrowth.  Various species have been targeted with Osage orange being the hardest to kill.  One application takes three to four weeks for results to show.  Plants absorb the chemical through the leaves and the bark and the sap and then carry it to the roots.  The roots burst, rot and the plant dies.

Two fellows were arguing on Fourth Street about the location of Korea.  One insists that it is right around Turkey and the other believes that it’s off the coast of east Africa.  Geography classes can’t get here soon enough.

We have a serious situation developing around the local wheat harvest.  The recent heavy rains have kept the fields wet and the combines out.  This results in bending stalks and shattering wheat heads.  Cannot be a good sign for the farmers.  However, the corn crop is booming with corn fields tasseling.  Roads in and out of farming areas are somewhat impassable.

100 years ago: July 23, 1925

Swimming Pool. William Cronemeyer, who is doing the work for A. A. Diekman the contractor, who is laid up at his home with rheumatism, will start pouring the concrete walls for the swimming pool to-day. After the walls are poured the floor will be laid. The big filter has arrived and will be installed by the plumber, EH Skaggs. All of the 240,000 gallons of water the pool holds is supposed to go through the filter every twenty -four hours, keeping the water clean and sanitary. The stock of the company is about all subscribed, only about one thousand dollars is yet to be sold, and that will probably be placed before the weekend. It is hoped that if the weather is favorable the pool will be opened for swimming the latter part of August. But the bath houses will probably not be built until next spring, but temporary buildings used.

Home Missionary Meeting. Tuesday afternoon July 21st, the Ladies Home Missionary Society of the Methodist church met at the spacious home of Mrs. J. R. Fair with a good attendance and a splendid program. This was their guest day meeting at which time each member was allowed to invite a guest from among the M. E. workers, and thirty-three were in attendance. Mrs. Fred Bailey, wife of the M. E. District superintendent who is a very talented woman and worker in the Missionary fields was present and gave an address full of information and zeal for the work and she also answered questions of interest along the line of Missionary work. Dainty refreshments were served and a social time enjoyed.

High School Building Progresses. Brick masons are laying the walls of the Annex. Changes in the old building are nearing completion. The electricians have completed the wiring, the lathers have finished their work and the plumbers are on the job. So far, the plumbers have laid all of the gas lines. Prof. Broadlick has rewired the class room bell circuits and installed an attic radio aerial with terminals in the Study Hall, Library and the Manual Training Shop.

125 years ago: July 23, 1900

The Ladies Aid Society of the Congregational church will meet with Mrs. Parney, Thursday, Aug. 2, at two o’clock.

A neat sum for church purposes was raised Saturday evening, from the lawn social given by the ladies of the Christian Church.

It is the intention to have a Farmer’s Institute and picnic in Tonganoxie sometime next month. The date will be decided on soon.

The brickwork on the new Odd Fellows building was completed this week. A large cornice has been placed on top, and the front of the building will be quite imposing.

The real estate belonging to the Ashton estate is expected to be sold soon. An appraisement was made recently of the four pieces of property. The most desirable piece of property is that on the corner of Fourth and Delaware streets, and the bidders will be numerous when it comes to sale. The corner is 50 x 60 and is appraised at $750. It must bring two-thirds of the appraisement or $500.

Fifth Teacher Not Yet Chosen.The school board did not have a meeting Thursday night to select a teacher for the fourth and fifth grades, as they intended to have, but met Tuesday and postponed action on the employment of a teacher for that department.

The board let the contract for supplying coal to the school during the winter at $2.80 per ton. The contract was equally divided between the Lambert Lumber Co., and E.F. McNamara and they are to supply Leavenworth coal.