100 years ago: At the request of President Coolidge, O’Fallon observes Nat’l Defense Day
Looking back at stories that appeared in the O’Fallon Progress 125, 100, 75, and 50 years ago:
125 years ago, Sept. 15, 1899
“School opened Monday with an attendance of 251, divided as follows. Primary 55, Second Room 35, Third Room 42, Fourth Room 41, Fifth Room 48, Sixth Room 30.
“The teachers are Principal, W. R. Dorris; 1st Assistant, F. W. Wade; 2nd Assistant, Miss E. A. Scott; 3rd Assistant, Miss A. V. Carriel; 4th Assistant, Miss Carrie Jones; Primary, Miss Lillian Etherington.
“All indications point to a successful school year. Let every parent co-operate with the teachers and thus ensure the very best results.”
100 years ago, Sept. 11, 1924
“National Defense Day, as requested by President Coolidge, will be observed in O’Fallon tomorrow with special patriot programs in the public and township high schools.
“Special services will be conducted Sunday in the various churches and at the Men’s Bible Class meeting in Masonic Hall. At several churches the clergymen will offer a prayer for the preservation of peace throughout this great Republic at special services, the general theme being ‘Healthy, Dignified Peace.’
“While no public demonstration was possible owing to the fact that suitable quarters were not available and special speakers could not be procured on short notice, the day will be generally observed here with the flying of Old Glory.
“The Government requests that there should be a universal display of the American flag, in the home, shop and on the farm on that day. This is to be done by every citizen who appreciates the peace of this country, who believes in its constitution and loves freedom of speech, religion and politics.
“Misunderstandings placed many in the belief that National Defense Day is for the purpose of mobilizing.
“The government assures the citizenry that this is not the case but “is a day set apart to show loyalty to the country, which descends to us as a sacred heritage, which must be maintained among the powers of the world as a great peace-loving nation.”
75 years ago, Sept. 15, 1949
“Platting of the new addition to O’Fallon City Cemetery has been completed and with the exception of landscaping and a few finishing touches, it will be ready for the sale of lots.
“The city cemetery board announced yesterday that it has set September 24 and 25 as public inspection days. At that time a complete plat will also be available to prospective buyers. Comprising seven acres, the new addition to the present city cemetery (formerly Tiedemann’s) is platted into eight sections, including a center plot.
“All sections are accessible by rocked and oiled circular driveways which also connected with the old cemetery and St. Clare’s Catholic Cemetery. Burial sites are provided with six and eight-grave lots, while others will be for two and three graves. Certain sections will be for tombstones, others for headstones and another section for bronze markers.
“This plan was decided on after the board studied modern cemetery layouts and regulations in other cities, including St. Louis and St. Louis county. Much credit is due the city administration and the cemetery board, the members of which worked and planned untiringly for several years to make this new burial site one of the outstanding in this area.”
50 years ago, Sept. 12, 1974
“Reverend Arthur Erb, pastor of Faith Lutheran Church in O’Fallon, has announced the resignation of his position as pastor of the church effective Jan. 1, 1975. Rev. Erb is resigning his position to devote his full interests to the Our World Day Care Center recently opened at Faith Lutheran Church.
“In his letter announcing his resignation to the church body, Rev. Erb said, “I see myself to be on a leave of absence from the parish ministry. I have not made the decision to leave the parish permanently.”
“At the present time, Our World is working in co-operation with the city of O’Fallon and the city’s Chamber of Commerce to establish a program of meals and transportation for persons over the age of 60. There are also plans for a summer day care center next summer for elementary children.
“The Faith church council will be holding a special meeting Sept. 22 to consider the resignation of Rev. Erb. The resignation was submitted at this time, Rev. Erb said, to give the congregation time to call another pastor to replace him.
“’It was in April of this year, when I did the study to determine the feasibility of a day care center, that I began to consider the decision I have made,’ Rev. Erb said.
“A special program is scheduled for Oct. 6 at 2 p.m. to present the Our World program to the public. The day care center recently opened with 125 children in attendance.”