100 years ago: City council time occupied by unlicensed dogs

Looking back at stories that appeared in the O’Fallon Progress 100, 75 and 50 years ago:

100 years ago, June 4, 1925

There are too many dogs without a license in O’Fallon. This has taken up the attention of the City Council at more than one meeting, again cropping up for discussion at Monday night’s meeting of the city dads. This time the council feels that it will get action on Mayor Kampmeyer’s slogan of “Dogs Must Go.”

After a lengthy debate the council backed the mayor in his determination to rid the city of all dogs on which the owners refuse to pay the yearly license. Immediately after the meeting an edict went to the police department to get the machinery in motion to have the city cleared of the dog nuisance and the police are now busy in carrying out the instructions.

According to the city clerk’s records O’Fallon has between 600 and 700 dogs. Of this number only 50 owners have paid the yearly license for 1925 which was due on May 1st. When these startling figures became known to the council members the mayor had no difficulty in securing the proper support.

The police have already started on their campaign and indications are they will have an arduous task before the edict is carried out. They are now notifying all dog owners to the effect that unless the license is paid at once the dogs will be dispatched to their “happy hunting grounds.”

Hardware merchants will do well to stock up on ammunition so that there will be no delay on the part of the police, as O’Fallon has too many houn’ dogs which are absolutely no use to their owners and a nuisance to the community in general. The action of the council will no doubt meet with the approval of the majority of citizens.

75 years ago, June 1, 1950

The members of the O’Fallon Township High School Alumni Association will meet in the forty-third annual banquet at the gymnasium Saturday night. Dinner is to be served at 8 o’clock.

The members of the graduating class of 1950 are to be inducted into the organization the same evening. J. E. Hinchcliffe, Jr., will officiate as toastmaster. The program will open with a welcome to the class of 1950, and a response by Shirley Dunbar.

Other numbers will be musical selections by a German Band under the direction of Jack Thompson; address by Edwin Schilling, of Webster Groves, Mo.; memorial services in charge of Dr. Paul Feder; business session and song “Blue and Old Gold.”

At the conclusion of the program there will be dancing.

50 years ago, June 5, 1975

In days gone by, summer school was a place where slower students went to catch up on material they missed during the regular school year. But now, summer school in O’Fallon has become a place most students look forward to attending.

Enrollment in both the District 90 Grade School summer school and O’Fallon Township High School summer classes has increased over the past years because of the wide variety of classes that are being offered. The interest shown by the students attending has been overwhelming.

Summer school at OTHS begins June 16 and ends Aug. 1. Summer school is free to all OTHS students. Lab fees and materials are separate. A $20 tuition charge is levied for adult students who wish to attend. Students have until June 16 to register for classes. Summer school in the District 90 grade school area will begin June 9 and end July 3. Both the high school and grade school summer classes offer a wide variety of subjects to choose from. At OTHS subjects include sports literature, small engine repair, field biology and geology and introduction to sculpture.

“We try to involve as many people in the community as possible in the summer classes. That’s why we invite adults to take advantage of the courses,” said Robert Bellina, principal at OTHS.

At the grade school summer classes, subjects include: amateur radio, cooking and baking, swimming, tennis, gardening and stitchery. A total of 38 classes are offered at the grade school. A total of 26 classes are being offered at the junior high school level including a class in babysitting and photography.

Enrollment has been good in the high school and grade school summer classes in the past and this year looks to be as good as ever.