Looking Back

By Arline Adamsick

The Peotone Vedette: September 1, 1972

“Rains Don’t Drown Out Will County Fair”

“‘Rain, rain go away; come again another day.’ It hasn’t been substantiated that this little rhyme was a part of the magic used by Will County Fair officials, but something surely was on their side last week.

“While the fair opened on Thursday with gloomy skies after a heavy rain the night before, the worst was yet to come. Friday night approximately one inch of rain fell just after the final heat of the demolition derby had been completed. However, it could have been much worse. To the south, at Kankakee, and to the west, at Joliet, more than four inches of rain hit the area. While on the northwest side of Chicago, they are still cleaning up from more than seven inches of rain.

“Even with the bad weather, the final attendance figures showed a little more than 45,000 people attended the fair. This was down approximately 4,500 from last year, when the total attendance reached 49,582. The record year for attendance was in 1969, when 50,664 people came through the fair gates.

“Fair officials did an excellent job cleaning up the grounds and getting it in shape after Friday night’s rain. Saturday’s attendance was the worst it has been in several years. There were 3,320 people on the grounds Saturday, compared to 12,088 last year.

“Although attendance was down this year, the number of exhibitors and the number of entries set another new record. Nearly 2,400 entries were crammed into the main exhibit hall, making this probably the largest show the fair has ever experienced, other than livestock.

“Fair officials had to scrape the mud from the track for most of the entertainment programs, which surprisingly, in some cases, seems to make it better than it has been in other years.

A new Eagle Scout was in town…Randy Bisping became the fifth boy in the history of Peotone Scouting to attain the rank of Eagle Scout. Present for the honors were his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Bisping, Robert Seabright, who administered the Eagle Pledge, and Scoutmaster Franklin Brtva. According to the paper, the last Eagle Scout presentations were made on July 13, 1959, when Bruce Turner and John Hartman were awarded the highest rank.

It seems back in the day, the William Meyer family generally had something to smile about at fair time – their prize-winning cows always made the paper, and 1972 was no exception. How do I remember this fact after so many years? Well, Tom and I were married in June of 1969, and we were having trouble getting the wedding article to the paper in a timely manner. So, to expedite the situation, we sent in the article, minus a picture, as the photographer still didn’t have the pictures ready. I will never forget how that turned out…our wedding article made the fair edition of the paper, and directly above our article was a picture of Melvin Meyer with his prize cow – NOT the bride and groom!!!

The Crete Record: August 31, 1972

“Teachers Ratify Contract: Goes to School Board Next” That was the front page headline in the August 31 edition. According to the paper, unlike the previous year, it seems the teachers probably would begin the year with a contract. In a decisive vote, the teachers approved the recommendation of the negotiating team, and it was to go to the school board for their final approval.

When dealing with history, one has an advantage, as you can always look at “next week’s edition” to see what happened. Think I’m going to leave it as such – and we’ll find out what happened next week.

“Crete Board Approves Two New Businesses”

“Business licenses were approved by the Crete Village Board Monday night for a real estate concern and a used car sales and service outfit. (Yep, that was the verbiage!)

“Toni Lavan Realty will be at 1401 Main Street in the Medical Building, above the laundromat. Owners are Toni Lavan of Riverdale and Conrad Sweet of Calumet City. They contemplate a September 1 opening date.

“Kenneth Love resides at 1102 Main Street and plans to open his Love Auto Sales and Service at that location. It is next door to the troubled United Auto Sales, which had its license revoked by the village for allowing junk cars and piles of parts and debris to accumulate in violation of the municipal code.

“Love was questioned closely about his business plans and admonished that failure to abide by the village ordinances, with respect to inoperable cars and outdoor storage of parts, would be cause for his license to be revoked. He said he plans to deal with dealers at wholesale and would not have any outdoor storage of parts or scrap. All work would be done inside, he said.

“Both licenses were approved unanimously, with only Trustee Omar Thunherst absent.”

“Navy Expands Buddy System”

“Up to four young men, ages 17 – 31, from the same area may now enlist in the Navy’s Seafarer and Airman apprenticeship programs with a written guarantee of undergoing recruit training together and then serving at the same initial duty assignment.

“The Seafarer – Airman programs require only a three-year enlistment in the regular Navy. Both offer guarantees of sea duty, with either a ship or air unit on the coast of the applicant’s choice.”

The Manteno News: August 31, 1972

“State Trooper Shot, Gunman Killed on I-57”

“In a life-or-death shootout early yesterday afternoon at the Manteno I-57 interchange, an identified hitchhiker was killed, and State Trooper William James hospitalized.

“According to reports from various official personnel, the hitchhiker was stopped by Trooper James, who requested identification, he instead pulled a gun, pointed it at James, and pulled the trigger. Fortunately, however, the gun misfired on the first shot. Jumping over a guard rail for protection, the assailant’s second shot hit him in the lower right back region. However, the officer was able to fire at his assailant and a bullet struck his head, which apparently killed him instantly.

“Lt. Donald Baker, accompanied by Merle Raymond and Arthur Eldridge of the Manteno Community Fire Protection District emergency squad, took Trooper James to Riverside Hospital, where his condition was pronounced as satisfactory.”

“Three Score and 10, It’s Time to Retire!”

“A headline on the front page of the Manteno News on June 13, 1946, read: ‘Manteno Newspaper Sold to L. G. Mansfield of Chicago.’

“That was 26 years ago, and we were a sprightly 44. Now the time has come to pass the worries of producing a newspaper on to other hands – son, Bill, and Robert Reiser.

“Bill joined in the operation after three years of college and carried on faithfully during our 11-year absence from 1953-1964, when we were a partner to a newspaper operation in Columbus, Ohio. Over the years, he has acquired part ownership here and now becomes a full 50-50 partner with Reiser.

“Most everyone knows Reiser as an attorney, but few know that he also was a journalism student at the University of Missouri, the top-ranking journalism school in the nation.

“Bill and Bob are a little insistent that we hang around the premises – just in case. Of course, we wouldn’t turn them down in a pinch, but it’s like the headline says: THREE SCORE AND TEN, IT’S TIME TO RETIRE. So next week’s Manteno News will come to you under new ownership and with a different method of printing – offset. Good luck, boys!”

The Beecher Herald: August 31, 1972

“AMVETS, Auxiliary Labor Day Celebration This Weekend”

“Fireman’s Park will be the scene of activities this weekend in Beecher. The four-day Labor Day Celebration, sponsored by AMVET Post 67 and Auxiliary, will begin Friday, September 1, with a fish fry. Serving begins at 5 p.m. and will continue until???? On Sunday, the Auxiliary will serve a ham dinner beginning at noon. Entertainment in the bandshell Sunday evening will be ‘Sing Out,’ a local group from Crown Point.

“Serving starts at noon on Monday for the chicken dinner, also served by the Auxiliary. The Beecher High School Band plays in the bandshell at 2:30 p.m. Monday, and the evening’s entertainment will be provided by E.T.C., a musical group comprised of local young people.

“Along with the good food and live entertainment, games, concessions, rides for the young set, and baseball games every day will be provided. Festivities conclude at 11 p.m. on Monday, when a $1,000 cash prize and other prizes will be given away by the AMVET Post and Auxiliary.”

Sauk Trail Drive-In: “What’s the Matter with Helen?’ with Debbie Reynolds and Shelley Winters, plus John Wayne in “Rio Lobo.”

“Beecher Woman Tops in Baking at County Fair”

“Dorothy Meyer of Beecher turned out to be the best baker at the Will County Fair. Her entries in the three divisions of the baking and cooking show earned her seven blue ribbons, the greatest number for a single exhibitor.

“Mrs. Meyer had one blue ribbon in the culinary division, none in the pastry division, but six in candies and cookies.

“Pastry winners were led by Karen Ritzmann of Peotone and Ruth Gribbins of Peotone, with three blue ribbons each. Those with two first places each were Vicki Konopacke and Ann Jacobsen, both of Beecher, and Edith Barbour and Elaine Mueller, both of Peotone.”

*****

I’m finishing this column on Thursday, and it’s typical fair weather – hot and muggy – quite sticky, in fact. Let’s hope we don’t get the rains the fair got in 1972. Have a great week – Life is Good, especially with fair food!!!!