A glance in the rearview mirror

February 1922—Egg-eating hens. Eleven husbands. Dimples on dollars.

by Mary Jo David

The following news excerpts are from February 1922 editions of the Stockbridge Brief-Sun newspaper. These are mostly reproduced in the original, without edits or corrections. Visit the Stockbridge Library to view electronic copies of old local news publications dating back to 1883.

Special for One Day Only:  I will pay for fat hens (6 pounds or over) 24 cents per pound; fat geese (15 pounds or over) 20 cents per pound; heavy ducks (20 cents per pound); all other poultry at market prices. –AMI SMITH, Webberville, Mich.  –2/2/1922

Egg-Eating Hen is Difficult to Cure: An egg-eating hen is a Bolshevik that is liable to corrupt the rest of the flock with her uneconomic notions regarding rations. She should be removed to a place where her example will have no effect on her sisters, or she should have her head cut off, for the habit is practically incurable. … (Prepared by U.S. Department of Agriculture) –2/2/1922

Ford Reduces Tractor $230: Henry Ford has cut the price of the Fordson tractor 37 percent—a cut of $230. … “We can afford to take the loss,” Mr. Ford said this morning, “because it will put the price of the tractor where it should be—where every American farmer can buy one.” –2/9/1922

Questions and Answers column: To John—all we can do is to repeat our advice of several weeks ago: “Don’t argue with her.” Raw beef, steak or scrapped potato will take out the discoloration—the swelling will take time—remember don’t argue with her. To Tom—a 1,000 Ruble note in Russian money is worth 1-2 cent in American coin—anything smaller than that could be used to wipe your glasses. –2/9/1922

Jumping Beans for Girls: Trained to leap through hoops and stand unhitched, thousands of genuine Mexican jumping beans are awaiting girls of the United States who will write a little letter of cheer to a disabled soldier. … Five thousand sick and wounded veterans of the World war, recuperating in the hospitals in New Mexico, have trained the beans. –2/16/1922

LOCAL/PERSONAL—Feb. 2, 1922 edition:

• In the circuit court last Thursday Ed. McCrow was fined $75 and costs for selling liquor to Will Lewis.
• Plainfield: Milo Isham collected several quarts of canned fruit besides useful articles for the home, for the Watters family, who recently lost nearly everything by fire.
• Gregory: George Buhl’s horse was frightened last Friday at some egg crates left by the mail man on the corners south of George Marshall’s, tipping Mr. Buhl out and running from there to town. Mr. Buhl was bruised some and the cutter damaged.
• Derby Neighborhood: The ice houses have been filled in this neighborhood the past week or so, with a fine quality of ice averaging about a foot thick.

LOCAL/PERSONAL—Feb. 16, 1922 edition:

• Ad from G.H. Hollis & Son: The Best in Meats. Fancy Rib Stew: 10¢ per pound. Fancy Kettle Roast: 12¢ per pound. Side Pork: 15¢ per pound. Pure Kettle Rendered Lard: 15¢. We do not handle T.B. Cattle.
• Jackson: The oldest inmate of Jackson prison has been there since 1876.
• Local: Wilbur Ostrander has installed a wireless service at his residence and last Saturday evening listened to a musical program from Detroit.
• Gregory: Charlie Whithead’s new house will improve the looks of our town.

LOCAL/PERSONAL—Feb 23, 1922 edition:

• Plainfield: Fifty years ago St. Valentine’s Day, Mr. and Mrs. Levi Jacobs resolved to enter into partnership and this 14th day of February their relatives and friends resolved to remind them of the fact. Sixty of the invited guests assembled at the home of their grandson, Clyde Jacobs.
• South Bunker Hill: Elmer Garner and Mr. Bedell went to Williamston Friday, returning the following day bringing back two truckloads of timbers to raise the dredge which sank one night last week.

INTERNATIONAL / NATIONAL NEWS

February 2, 1922 edition:

• Radio Tests Please Maxim: New York—The success of amateur wireless operators in this country and Canada in sending signals and messages to Scotland in the week’s tests recently will be revolutionary … according to Percy Hiram Maxim, president of the American Radio Relay league. … “It is only a matter of time when this wireless telegraph communication will be followed by telephonic communication…”
• She Passed Up the Marines: Discovery that Mrs. Helen Ferguson Drexler was receiving $400 a month from the government in soldiers’ allotment checks led to her arrest in Chicago. She is said to have had eleven husbands in the army and navy, but none in the marines.

February 9, 1922 edition:

• Universal Facility: The telephone is the most universal of modern facilities used on the farms. Almost 40 per cent of all farms now have telephones, and in Iowa the figure runs up to 86 per cent. In the states beginning with Missouri and Kansas, and extending northward, where automobiles are most numerous, 70 per cent of the farms are equipped with telephones. –Spokane Daily Chronicle.

February 16, 1922 edition:

• To Be Withdrawn: The new peace dollar is misnamed and will have to be withdrawn from circulation and remodeled. … President Harding, its sponsor, had a premonition of this when he objected to the dimple originally placed in the chin of the figure of liberty. “Feminine dimples,” the President said, “are not usually associated with peace.” … now it is discovered that the sculptor … placed his monogram beneath the face of liberty, which is modeled from that of his wife. Initials on money are taboo … But more serious yet … bankers complain the new dollar will not stack and others say it is too thin.