Days Gone By In Staunton

Thursday, April 3, 1975 -- Senior Class Play Saturday, Apr. 12 -- Rehearsals are now underway for the 1975 Senior Class Play which will be held on Saturday, April 12th at 8 p.m. in the Staunton High School Auditorium.

The play cast includes Robert Lietz as Henry Gilcrest, Jame Fritz as Aunt Ethel, Cindy Marcuzzo as Margie, Audrey Albrecht as Pumpkin, Karen Goodson as Jill, Paula Hering as Gladys, Lee Ann Mullens as Aunt Stella, Margaret Killmar as Clarissa, Tami Mosser as Ernestine, Dwight Garrels as Ernie, Craig Stiegemeier as Mr, Bumpus, Greg Yarmk as Sleepy, John Urekar as C.K. Grimm, Bob Gay as Dr. Ernest. Annette Bodner will be serving as the prompter and Don Sullivan will be the stage manager. The play is under the direction of Mrs. Michele Bertolino.

Kathy Hall and Linda Weindel are in charge of ticket sales. Ushers for the evening are Diana Bond, Cindy Brown, Renee DalPozzo, Sue Dittrich, Dorothy Johnson, Ellen Koehne, Mary Sue Stiegemeier, and Terri Streeb.

DONKEY BALL IN LIVINGSTON -- The Junior Class of Livingston High School will sponsor a Donkey Ball game this Saturday, April 5, in the Livingston High School Gym, beginning at 7:30 p.m.

The first game of the evening will feature the Junior Class against the Sophomore Class. The second game scheduled is the Livingston High School Faculty vs. Livingston High Alumni. A championship game will top off the evening.

Tickets may be purchased in advance for $1.25. Tickets at the door will be $1.50.

DIPPING INTO OLD MAN MOSE'S BUCKET -- Another factor in the growth of Staunton which tended to increase the population was the completion of the interurban railway originally known as the McKinley Lines, later as Illinois Traction System, and finally as the Illinois Terminal Railroad.

The tracks from St. Louis to Staunton were in operation in 1905 and provided transportation to and from Staunton to Worden, Edwardsville, Granite City and St. Louis via the McKinley Bridge to the south, and Gillespie, Carlinville, Virden, Springfield, and other cities north to Peoria. A branch line was also built eastward from Staunton to Mt. Olive, Litchfield and Hillsboro. For many years convenient transportation for passengers was afforded, and the company's slogan was "A car each way every hour of the day."

When I came to Staunton in 1912 the electric cars usually carried many passengers at reasonable rates. At that time one could obtain a round trip ticket to St. Louis for $1.00. Naturally the operation of the electric railway brought many families to Staunton, as this was a division point, including dispatchers, motormen, conductors, and other necessary employees. At nighttime a number of freight trains were operated when the passenger traffic was at its lightest. With the coal mines the traction system helped to increase Staunton's population, which at one time prior to World War I was said to be well over 6,000. But with the closing of the mines; and the abandonment of the Illinois Terminal, the population decreased, and for a time jobs were hard to obtain. However, when World War II started in Europe, plants in the St. Louis industrial district needed workers, and provided employment for a large number. However, the great depression and mechanization of the mines, together with the abandonment of the ITS tended to reduce the population to a bit over 4,000. Now the population can be estimated at 4,500, including those residing outside the city limits.

Although Staunton can now be described as a "bedroom town" with so many being employed in the metropolitan industries, it must be stated that it is a progressive city, with stores of all kinds, service stations and garages, where everything needed in this area can be obtained. We are also able to boast of a modern hospital, and a fine nursing home, where the residents of the area who need such services can be accommodated.

While this series of articles may not be informative to many of our residents. I hope that some of the readers will find them interesting.

THEATER ADS -- The movie theaters in the area were showing various movies.

The Sky View Drive-in in Litchfield was showing Report to the Commissioner and Juggernaut through Saturday. Sunday, Monday and Tuesday the movies were The Sister-in-Law, The Step-mother; and the coming attraction was Robert Redford in Jeremiah Johnson.

The Diane Drive-in in Carlinville was showing The Sister-In-Law and The Step-mother through Saturday. Born to Kill and Big Bad Mama was scheduled for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

The Canna Theatre in Gillespie was showing James Bond 007 The Man with the Golden Gun.

The Marvel Theatre in Carlinville was showing The Towering Inferno with Strongest Man in the World starting Wednesday.

SHOP AND SAVE IN STAUNTON -- Businesses who advertised for the Shop and Save in Staunton event were: Mancell Music Company - Kohler & Campbell piano $825,Woodson Slave power amplifier $128; Duda Hardware - Corning Ware roaster with rack $8.88, Pyrex bowl set $3.99; Illini Lumber Company - One silver dollar for every $20 spent; Community Memorial Hospital - Coming Soon; Lovejoy's Bi-Rite - Maxwell House coffee 98¢ 1 lb. can, Pet Milk 4 for $1, Purex bleach 57¢ gal.; Jubelt's Variety Bakeries - coffee cake 69¢; Balon Jewelry Shoppe - Diamond pierced earrings 1/2 carat $225, 30 pts $165, 20 pts $150; Staunton Variety - Cookies 4 for $1; Staunton Monument Co. - Purchase now and get set of vases free; A&R Cafe - Specials - Turkey with all the trimmings, Choice of Jack Salmon or fish sandwich, Fried chicken; Dietiker Sport Shop - Free pair slacks with purchase of any man's suit or sport coat; Vee's Fabric Shop - Assorted denims and seersuckers $1.99 yard; Firnhaber Florists - All pictures, wall plaques, clocks Half Price; Western Auto-Ace - 10-speed racer bike $84.88; Bug Jug $1.00; lighted Frisbee $1.00; Billings Shoes - 20% discount on all white ladies, men's & children's; Fashions IV - Bobbie Brooks top $1 when you buy 1 pair of pants at regular price; Mode O'Day - Pant suits $9.00, Misses pants $6.00, Shells and pullovers 2 for $7.00; Fashion Footprints - Keds and Buster Brown canvas shoes $2.00 off; Staunton Variety - Nylon hose 3 pairs for $1.00; and Staunton Hardware - Decorated cookie jars $1.49, Picnic bags $2.98.