25 years ago: May 13, 1998

Over 320 people returned to the hallowed halls of Tonganoxie for the alumni banquet. The yearly dinner served as a way for old classmates to get together, catch up on old times and raise money for graduates heading off to college. The banquet was hosted by the class of 1973.

The class of 1938, known for their hijinks on St. Patrick’s Day, met for a late afternoon lunch. They discussed their high school memories. Seven of them were in first grade together.

Ann Durham has been an art teacher at Tonganoxie High School since 1973. Walking down the hallways at THS it is obvious that there is a huge amount of artistic talent flowing with the students. Durham has encouraged her students to compete in art shows. In fact, students participated in the High School Art Day at Highland Community College on April 30. More than fifty schools from classes 2A to 6A attended. Tonganoxie students did well in this very competitive setting, bringing home five awards.

50 years ago: May 10, 1973

An eight-year-old girl, Shelley Umbenhower, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Umbenhower, was fatally burned and her three brothers and parents were injured in a fire that destroyed their home here early Monday morning.

A 21-year-old Kansas City, Kansas man was arrested Wednesday by Tonganoxie Police Chief Richard E. Parker and arraigned in Magistrate Court on charges of burglary and grand theft in connection with the April 9 break in of the residence of Michael Rita of Tonganoxie.

Construction is underway on the bridge over Little Stranger Creek in Stranger Township.

The first Pioneer League track meet ever held at Tonganoxie was held Friday, May 4. The new track and the existing football lights made it possible to hold the meet during the afternoon and evening for your enjoyment.

Kansas State University will establish a record this year for number of degrees granted. There are 3,432 degrees granted up from the 3,178 last year.

Make a side-by-side yield test on your farm and earn a FREE bag of Pioneer Seed.

There is a Grand Opening of Jim’s Auto Parts on May 12 with prizes and free coffee and donuts at 616 East 4th.

Season tickets to the Tonganoxie Swimming Pool may be purchased now at Schilling Electric.  After May 25th they will be available at the pool. Art and Linda Hancock are managing the pool this summer.

75 years ago: May 13, 1948

The Weekly News Reel – A war veteran has bought a farm south of McLouth and named it Dun Romin Farm.

Saturday, May 29th has been set up as poppy day in Tonganoxie. The Ladies Auxiliary of the VFW will be in charge of sales.

Jarbalo – Mrs. Walter Little, Miss Selma Lohman and Miss Dorothy Ehart recently helped county superintendent, Miss Drusie Coffin, grade the eighth-grade diploma examination papers.

100 years ago: May 10, 1923

Slab work on the Fort-to-Fort Highway has been completed from Lansing south to the Parallel Line. This road will be open May 20, giving thirteen miles of paved highway from Leavenworth city south.

Stanton and Sons have moved the concrete mixer and gang from the Lansing gap to Basehor and are now working on the mile connecting that town to the main road. The gang working this way from Stone Station are this side of the Basehor Road. The gang working out of this place are at the Stranger Creek bridge.

The detour is to take the road straight east of town to the Basehor Road then through Basehor to the schoolhouse, then east to the paved road. This road cannot be used yet for a few days. A week from Saturday the road will be opened through Stone Station.

CONTRIBUTIONS NEEDED FOR THE DECORATION OF OVERSEAS GRAVES – The American Legion intends to raise at least $100,000, preferably $200,000, to create a permanent endowment to decorate the graves of 32,000 American soldiers and sailors overseas. Though this money is being raised under the Legion it is by no means raised thru Legion members.

Every patriotic American in this community should give some amount, however small, that those graves shall be forever decorated. This money is being made up of contributions of 50 cents and a dollar from those of every walk and rank of life.

People are thankful that they can have a part in the unselfish cause, as shown in the letter that accompanied a contribution to the Overseas Grave Fund. “I have a boy over there somewhere. They know just when and how he was killed, but his grave has not been found. Perhaps the poppies will bloom on his grave. I want to help get flowers for the others.” A Mother, McCook, Neb.

125 years ago: May 12, 1898

Eagle Echoes – Miss Anna George is visiting her sister in Jewell County.

Fairmount Features – At the residence of her son, Wm. Warner, of Boling, Kansas, after a lingering illness, Mrs. Mary L. Warner quietly passed away on April 27th. She was 76 years of age. The remains were laid to rest in Mount Muncie Cemetery.

Jewett Jewels – Lester Evans, of Elm Grove, while hitchhiking a team last Friday, was kicked in the face, the blow breaking his nose. The pay of a private soldier is $25.60 per month and food and clothes.

There are a number of young men in the community to whom it would be a blessing to enlist. It would give them discipline, which they were never subject to at home, and they would be taught regular habits which would prolong their lives. The regular army takes all able-bodied young men between the ages of 18 and 35 years.

Sixteen years ago today, the Mirror made its first appearance, and with this issue the seventeenth volume begins. In that time the town has grown from a population of 400 to over 1,000. A town is judged away from home by its newspapers. A good newspaper indicates a live progressive town, and a poor one a backwoods habitation from which a businessman will find it financially beneficial to remain away. Now is the time to subscribe.