The baccalaureate services of the Stockton High School will be held at the M. E. Church on May 25 at 8:00 p.m. Reverend Marlatt will give the address and Professor Osborn has charge of the musical program. The commencement will also be held at the M. E. Church on May 28 at 8:00 p.m. Reverend McDonald will give the address and Miss Nordstrom will have charge of the music. Both of these services will be good and everyone is urged to attend. The following graduates for this year are: Ruth Leighty, Franc Reed, Janet Felible, Ruth Marshall, Mary Lawson, Merle Sutton, Jessie Spealman, Ira Stewart, Faye Fitzpatrick, Florence Tarbell, Doris Gartrell, Verna Hamit, Fauna Harwood, Winnie VanDoren, Dorothy Johnson, Dale Roskilly, Mildred Dunahugh, Dorothy Hill, Jessie Hammond, Elsie Sell, Grace Kelly, Evelyn Swim, Hattie Balderston, Ethel Colburn, Verna Newbrey, Elmo Koken, Hugh Bigge, Judson Flint and Clara McNulty.

USD 271 board members Greg Beougher and Randal Riffel presented diplomas to 27 members of the Stockton High School Class of 2008 in Commencement exercises for Saturday, May 17. The SHS graduate section was featured in this issue.

WITH STOCKTON’S PEONY FESTIVAL AND PARADE set for this Saturday, May 21st, it is fitting that this edition’s Yesteryear picture be one of a parade from years ago. This bird’s eye view of the Woodman Day Parade in 1910 shows a lot of the north side of Stockton’s Main Street back in the day. The town’s photographer, C. A. Jepson, took the photo.

* And So They Say: Nolan Harper: “I went fishing yesterday, but all I got was a boat ride.” Stella Willis: “You water, and water and water, and nothing comes up but weeds.” Leighton Marshall: “Friday the 13th isn’t always unlucky. My oldest son was born on Friday the 13th, was married on that day and his daughter was also born on Friday the 13th.”

The residence known as the Aunt Milly Taylor property, in the southwest part of town, was the scene of a disastrous fire. The fire occurred when a small gasoline stove exploded. When the fire alarm was sounded, the fire had already made rapid headway and aided by the high wind, the house was completely demolished. A family by the name of Swift occupied the house. The Red Cross collected some housekeeping articles and moved the family to a home south of the track. They have the sympathy of the entire community, as the fire resulted in a total loss for them.

Over 150 people attended the Crossroads concert at the historic Nova Theatre on Sunday, May 4 for the benefit of the new county hospital, the Rooks County Health Center. The Christian singing group, Crossroads donated their time and talent to help raise money for the Era of Caring Capital Campaign Fund. This free-will donation netted $1,630 in contributions.

LOOKING AT THE NORTHWEST CORNER of the new middle school, it was evident that construction work was progressing at a rapid pace in the spring of 1994. Decorative rock had been laid about one third the way up the exterior walls.

* And So They Say: Maxine Kenworthy: “Thirteen is not an unlucky number. I now have 13 grandchildren.” Lee Phelps: “The thing kids like best about a party is the food.” John Wells: “I hate to have to eat all this ice cream, but they want me to gain weight. But I don’t know what they’re fattening me up for.”

H. G. Eades of this city has a bunch of chickens, which he keeps as a little sideline to break the grind of the inside work at the store. He says the chickens are not only profitable but that he gets a lot of enjoyment and recreation in caring for them. He has kept a record of the income from his chickens since the first of the year and figures that from his forty hens he has sold $70.00 worth of eggs for hatching besides sold some for the market and had what eggs they wanted to use for themselves. He not only sold eggs to the amount of over $2.00 per hen, but he also has some 70 fine young baby chicks, some of which are all feathered out, and also has five hens setting. Bert handles nothing but barred rock fowls and is only satisfied in raising the very best in this line. He has one pen of chickens, from which he is selling eggs that were hatched from eggs that cost him $1.00 apiece last year. If you have not seen Mr. Eades’ chickens, and are a fancier of chickens, you should make it a point to visit Mr. Eades’ home and take a look at as fine a bunch of chickens as you ever saw. His chickens carried off all the prizes during the past year at all places where he placed his chickens on exhibition.

Freakish-looking hailstones, some measuring up to four-inches across, caused considerable damage to homes and vehicles, when a severe thunderstorm came in with a bang at around 10:00 p.m. on April 25, 2008. In addition to the dangerous and destructive hail, there was also driving rain, 60 mph wind and lots of lightning and thunder. A tour of Stockton the next morning revealed broken windows, including some in Main Street businesses; twisted trees and broken branches; dents and holes in siding; damaged roofs and broken windshields.