100 years ago: St. Clare Church begins work on building a new school
100 years ago, Oct. 15, 1925
Work on the new parochial school of St. Clare’s congregation will start early next week on the site at Cherry and South Second street. George Wilcox, superintendent of the Cardini Construction Company, of Herrin, who has the contract, arrived here Tuesday and is busy with the preliminary work, preparatory to getting an early start Monday, when a force of bricklayers will be on the job.
The foundation and basement for the new structure were completed in early spring. The contractors expect to have the building under roof before winter providing favorable weather conditions prevail.
A large number of bricklayers will be on the job with more to be added as the work progresses.
When completed the structure will be one of the most modern and imposing in this section of the state and will cost in the neighborhood of $65,000. It will be located in the center of the block between Cherry and Oak Streets, facing South Third street.
The new building, two stories and basement, will have a frontage of 100 feet by 60 feet deep. The outside will be light and dark colored shale brick with white stone trimming. The basement will be equipped with a large dining room and kitchen, with the furnace room and toilets on the far end.
Practically all of the grade rooms, about seven in number, will be on the first floor. The building will be ready for occupancy by spring, 1926.
The congregation purchased the ground for $10,500 from the Smiley heirs several years ago, formerly the S. C. Smiley homestead, being razed to make room for the new building.
The building with a modern extension still stands and is used by St. Clare School.
75 years ago, Oct. 12, 1950
Members of the O’Fallon American Legion will become a volunteer painting crew Sunday when they are scheduled to paint the 115 street sign posts in town.
The Legion paid for the signs and their erection. Now they are going ahead with maintenance and are giving them a coat of aluminum paint.
Some new signs will be put up in a new subdivision where the streets were not laid out when the signs were originally placed.
50 years ago, Oct. 16, 1975
The first meeting of the newly organized Town and Country 4-H Club was recently held at the home of Mrs. Michael McQuade, rural route 1.
Donna McQuade was elected president of the organization. She will be assisted by Laura Schmitt, vice president; Susan Schwarz, secretary; Mary Riley, treasurer; Kathy Schmittling, reporter; Karen Schmittling, recreation chairman; and Joe Schmitt, historian.
The chairmen for the various groups are: Colleen Hillen, citizenship; Donna Meininger, people-to-people; Kim Schmittling, health; and Danny McQuade, safety.
The meeting was highlighted by members presenting skits from “the good old days.”
Members of the club will have a general store and shoe shine stand at the Fall Festival, Nov. 2, sponsored by the Downtown Merchants. The club will meet Nov. 7 at the home of Mike McQuade, rural route 1, and following the meeting will attend the annual 4-H awards program in Belleville.