100 years ago: Hundreds show up in O’Fallon to greet dairy cow train
100 years ago, Nov. 12, 1925
Shortly after 1 o’clock yesterday afternoon the special dairy sire train of 11 cars operated over the B. & O. railroad in cooperation with the College of Agriculture, University of Illinois and other organizations, came into O’Fallon and was greeted by several hundred farmers and citizens from various parts of St. Clair and neighboring counties.
After the cars were thrown open and those interested passed through the exhibits of pure-bred Jerseys, Guernseys and Holsteins, B. W. Tillman, county farm advisor and representatives of the various breeds and the College of Agriculture opened a series of talks.
Among the speakers were: O. K. Quivey, general agricultural agent of the B. & O. who spoke on “The Railroad’s Interest in the Dairy Industry”; A. J. Glover, editor of a dairy journal who discussed “Scrubs vs. Purebreds,” and C. S. Rhode, dairy extension specialist of the agricultural college, who told how to build a profitable dairy herd. W. R. Dorris, cashier of the First National Bank spoke on the business man’s interest in agriculture.
A pure-bred Jersey heifer was awarded to J. H. Holcomb, a Freeburg township farmer, as a gift of the O’Fallon Business Men’s Association which organization purchased the pure-bred from the train. About 50 bulls of the three breeds were carried on the train and representatives of the various breed associations were on hand to arrange for sale of the animals seven of which were sold.
Part of the train was composed of an exhibit for school children, several hundred of which took advantage of the opportunity. This consisted of displays relative to good health, with quality milk as the prime factor.
The train left here in the evening for Fairfield, Ill. where a similar exhibition took place in the morning.
75 years ago, Nov. 9, 1950
Hunters and farmers in the area are asked by the O’Fallon Sportsmen’s Club to cooperate with their program of encouraging the propagation of pheasants in this area.
The club released 150 of them some time ago and is desirous of having them multiply. This is the first time such an experiment has been tried and it is hoped enough will be in the area next season to permit hunting.
Hunters and others interested in wildlife commended the club for their program. Farmers can help by providing feed and cover areas in the winter and others by refraining from shooting them.
50 years ago, Nov. 13, 1975
The Shiloh Grade School District 85 celebrated its 125th anniversary as a school district Monday with a daylong celebration and historical skits. Children and teachers dressed the way the teachers and children did 125 years ago when the Shiloh Grade School was a mere one-room classroom with all the grades in the one room and only one teacher.
In 1850 Shiloh was part of District One, Cherry Grove School District. A group of parents of Shiloh, feeling that Shiloh was growing and disturbed at having to send their children three to four miles to the Cherry Grove School, decided to form their own school district. The Shiloh parents also cited the high teacher’s salaries at Cherry Grove that would only allow Cherry Grove to have school for two quarters, whereas Shiloh would have enough funds to operate the full school year.
The Shiloh petition was accepted by the school trustees and school started the fall of 1850 in a one-room school house not far from the present site.
There were only minor changes in the boundaries of the school district over the next 125 years. This makes Shiloh School District 85 one of the oldest, if not the oldest, continuing school district in this part of the state. Other schools were around then, but they consolidated forming new districts.
The original one-room school lasted for a number of years and shortly before 1900, a four-room school was built on the site of the present school. This school lasted until 1956 when the first part of the present school was built, housing 4 classrooms, an all-purpose room, office, and restrooms. A gymnasium was added in 1962, and 3 more classrooms were added in 1966. Finally, two more classrooms, offices, restrooms, and a basement were added in 1970.
Over the years, the school was run by a three-man Board of Directors. Then in 1965 the population of the district reached a point where a seven man Board of Education was formed.
A classroom, similar to the classroom used in 1850, was set up in the gymnasium Monday and a skit was performed showing today’s children how their great-grandparents were taught. Included in the historic play were props such as the dunce cap, the primer readers and the old reliable hickory stick.