A glance in the rearview mirror: April 2020

By Mary Jo David

• On Saturday, April 1, 1995, more than 2,500 were in attendance, including 561 competitors, at a USA Wrestling Federation / Michigan Wrestling Federation sanctioned freestyle developmental tournament at Stockbridge High School. The Stockbridge club consisted of 27 wrestlers, including two girls. Twelve Stockbridge wrestlers captured medals, including four golds by: Mark Rosiek, Jr., Nicholas Moore, Michael Scherdt, and Nicholas Lovachis.
• An announcement appeared on behalf of the Stockbridge Township Firemen’s Association for a ground-breaking ceremony to celebrate the addition to their fire barn on April 29, 1995, at Cherry and Elm streets. All work will be done by the firemen and volunteers.
• Stockbridge School Board approved a 2.5% wage increase for Stockbridge teachers on April 10, 1995.
• Ingham County recorded 18 jail overcrowding emergencies in the previous year, the most ever in one year, which led to a proposal in April 1995 by Sheriff Gene Wriggelsworth for 1) a tether/house arrest program, 2) courts accepting credit cards, and 3) construction of a minimum-security facility.
• The SHS Forensics team sent qualifiers to the regionals on April 25, 1995. Team members competed in broadcasting, informative speaking, and multiple interpretation. The program was only in its third year of existence.

• On April 1, 1970, the paper carried news of three automatic voting machines recently purchased for $2,130 each. The machines would enable the Township to have just one precinct instead of two and would replace “marking an X in a square” with “pulling a lever.” At that time Stockbridge had between 900–975 registered voters. A future open house was planned to help familiarize residents with the new machines.
• Three Stockbridge notables: Arthur M. Wilde and Kenneth Waldron of Stockbridge were honored for outstanding sales performance during the previous year. Both received their Ford 300–500 Club membership pins for sales performance. For the 24th consecutive year, Herald Ludtke qualified for membership in Life Insurance Leaders of Michigan.
• Sadly, the April 15 edition contained more than its share of distressing news: A four-year-old preschooler was hit by a car and killed in Dansville, a motorcycle mishap in Stockbridge resulted in a 15-year-old being hospitalized, and a father of seven was killed when his truck struck a tree southeast of Stockbridge.
• Other newsworthy events reported in April 1970 editions: 1970 Census Forms were mailed out to all households…Gregory 4-H’ers won “Ribbons Galore” in the annual Spring Achievement in Howell, including 18 blue ribbons, two reds, and one white…Eighteen members of the Stockbridge Jaycees and their wives attended that organization’s charter-night ceremonies at the Anchor Inn in Pinckney with George Lee accepting the gavel on the behalf of the new Jaycees chapter…Sarah Caskey, 77, retired after 24 years as a receptionist and switchboard operator in the offices of D&C Stores, Inc. in Stockbridge…SHS students on the Future Farmers of America Soil Judging team ranked top in the State, scoring 1393 of a possible 1500 points.

• On the national front, the April 1, 1920, edition carried this patent recap for some of the stranger inventions sanctioned by the Patent Office, “a tornado-proof house (built on a pivot)”; a “pedal calorificator” (for keeping one’s toes warm with the help of tubing, worn under clothing, with a branch leading to each foot and a mouthpiece at the top for blowing into the tubing to keep your feet warm); “a corncob on a stick for polishing false teeth”; and a “noiseless alarm clock” that yanks the sleeper’s arm to wake him.
• An excerpt from “What’s Ailing America These Days,” published on April 1, 1920: “Too many diamonds, not enough alarm clocks…Too many serge suits, not enough overalls…Too much décolleté, not enough aprons…Too many satin upholstered limousines, not enough cows.”
• Stockbridge election returns were reported in the April 8, 1920, edition. “Out of a poll list of over 700, 336 voted here on Monday, April 5, 1920: 118 straight Republicans, 76 straight Democrats, 140 splits, and 2 thrown out as not voted.” Also, the Daylight Savings Plan garnered 195 Yes votes and 124 No votes.
• In “The Kitchen Cabinet” you could find a recipe for Mock Cherry Pie that called for cranberries and raisins, among other things, and a recipe for a Nut Omelet that called for nuts, eggs, salt, and pepper.
• The April 15, 1920, edition reported “Discontent in Both City and Country.” Two men from a nearby large city were in town recently. One had purchased a farm and one was renting a farm. They had been working in large factories for the going wage but said their expenses were taking all they made. Meanwhile, the paper reported, a number or local men had left the farming life. They resented not having a voice in the prices they received for their products and were unable to find help to work their farms.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email