Forum Flashbacks: Jan. 9-15
Margaret McMillen Hanna
25 years ago
Maryville Daily Forum, Jan. 14, 2000
Today marks a special milestone. It’s not a national holiday, but it is Margaret McMillen Hanna’s 105th birthday.
In her lifetime many things have changed. Hanna believes that transportation has been the biggest area of change in her lifetime. …
“I remember we kids would run down to the depot to see the train come in,” Hanna said. “That was quite a sight for kids.”
Growing up in Pickering, cars weren’t very commonplace in her youth. In fact, she said the blacksmith was the only person in her town who had a car.
“We heard it start up and we’d all run down and see it,” Hanna said.
Sometimes the blacksmith would take all the children for rides. She said that was a very exciting time for her back then. …
“I remember when we were kids, my father had a phonograph player. It was the only phonograph in town,” Hanna said. “My father would put it on the front porch and our yard would fill with people.” …
These days, Hanna enjoys a relaxed life at Maryville Chateau.
“I go to the entertainment they have here and I watch T.V. a lot,” Hanna said.
50 years ago
Maryville Daily Forum, Jan. 11, 1975
“This is Mrs. Walter Cronkite. I’d like to make a hair appointment,” said the voice on the telephone.
“Oh really? This is Napoleon,” said the beautician thinking it was a practical joke from a friend.
A similar incident happened in Maryville when Mrs. Walter Cronkite Sr. requested a hair appointment.
Following the death of her husband, Dr. Walter Cronkite Sr., she moved from St. Joseph to the town in which she had lived since she was one year old. Mrs. Cronkite lives in Maryville with her daughter, Ms. Jane Costello, a Northwest State University instructor in the elementary education department.
The former Marguerite Cummins was born at Darlington, the daughter of Judge T.A. and Hattie Gartin Cummins. Her father held the circuit court judgeship now filled by J. Dorr Ewing.
“I was a spoiled brat,” said the 75-year-old woman who now feels the touch of arthritis. …
Ms. (Jane) Costello (EDITOR’S NOTE: Mrs. Cronkite’s daughter) said of her mother, “What she enjoys the very very most is visiting with people. Maryville has a very interesting way of bringing its own back. Coming back here is really coming home. So many good memories with old friends.”
100 years ago
The Maryville Daily Democrat-Forum, Jan. 15, 1925
A SHORTAGE OF EGGS HERE
Mrs. Hen has gone on a strike. As a result there has been a shortage in Maryville this week of fresh eggs and those in Maryville who had eggs for breakfast this morning were mighty lucky.
There were five dozen fresh eggs in Maryville yesterday afternoon and one of the restaurants gobbled these up just as soon as it was found out there were this many eggs in the city. This is just how scarce fresh eggs are now. The produce dealers have not been buying eggs. Why? Because there have been no eggs brought into the city for sale. One local produce dealer said this morning he had not bought an egg since Saturday.
This is an unusual situation for Maryville. One of the produce dealers who handles thousands of eggs each year remarked this morning that he could not remember when such a situation existed here.
The fault may be laid directly to the Weatherman, who has inflicted a long and tedious cold winter this season. J. Ross Fleetwood, county agent, said this morning in explaining the shortage of fresh eggs at this time of the year:
“About the time the chickens had completed moulting and were ready to start laying again the extreme cold weather came on and unless a flock of chickens were well sheltered from cold they never started laying and probably won’t as long as cold weather continues.”
EDITOR’S NOTE: The 50- and 100-year flashbacks are courtesy of the Missouri Digital Newspaper Project from the State Historical Society of Missouri, accessible at shsmo.newspapers.com.
MARYVILLE DAILY FORUM, JAN. 14, 2000
25 YEARS AGO: Recess Rowdy – During recess, second grade student Chastity Heather makes use of the jungle gym at Eugene Field Elementary School.
