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Glance at the Past, 75 years ago

July 1947

An old-time Fourth of July celebration, sponsored by the Commercial Club, will be held at Garwin. The first event of the day will be a concert by the Tama County Concert band under the direction of Asa Thomas, Toledo at 10:00 am. Miscellaneous foot races and contests will begin at 11:00. The band will present another concert at noon. Featured attractions for the afternoon will be two ball games, the first between Green Mountain and Garwin and the second between the winner of the first game and Montour. In the evening there will be another concert by the Tama County band. The bowery dance will start at 9:00 with Earl Fulton’s dance band furnishing the music.

Bob Vlasak, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Vlasak of Toledo and representing the National Bank of Toledo in the Tama County soap box derby run at Traer, took a close second losing to Arlin Wilbert Wiese of Traer, entered by the Traer Star Clipper. Time for the 600-foot course was 26.7 seconds, there being only a split second between first and second place. First prize was a bicycle. Bob was awarded first prize for best-looking car entered in the race. His prize in this department was a sheathed hunting knife. This was the first time Bob has entered a soap box derby and his showing was exceedingly good. One of the rules of the derby was that the contestants

had to build their own cars without any help from any other person and the total cost was not to be more than $11. This cost did not include the wheels, which were furnished by the firms sponsoring the boys.

In deference to the Tama County farmers in this trading area, Toledo merchants voted to amend their former decision and will now remain open on Tuesday band concert nights for the remainder of the summer. According to a motion made by Maurice Aldrich, all stores would stay open on Tuesday nights straight through from the opening hour in the morning until such time as each individual merchant has taken care of his last customer and determines that all have been taken care of for the day.

Allison Cecil, owner-manager of the United Food Market here since January 1946, has sold his store to Harry McCord of Creston, who took possession this week. Cecil, who has been a popular groceryman and has been very active in community affairs has found it necessary to go to another climate because of a serious sinus infection. Mr. McCord has been assistant manager of a United Food Market store for two years at Creston. The same policy of high-quality foods at everyday low prices will prevail.

Resurfacing has been done on nine and one-half blocks of Toledo’s graveled streets during the past week and Chas. A. Gary, mayor, says that three blocks are being resurfaced in each ward under the city’s resurfacing program. LeGrand

quarry is being used for the resurfacing work and is being hauled and spread by the Byram and Mattingly truck lines which have spreader equipment for this type of work.

The American Legion auxiliary, Enright=Schrader Unit No. 73 of Tama is starting its annual magazine subscription campaign. This campaign is to raise funds for the purchase of three new regular portable adjustable hospital beds with mattresses and a new portable Vollrath Polio-Pak heater. The polio-pak heater, similar to the one recently purchased by the Toledo auxiliary unit, is specially designed to produce hot packs to facilitate the Kenny method of treating infantile paralysis and is equally efficient in preparing packs for the treatment of patients with infections, vascular and muscular congestions, arthritis, neuralgia, rheumatic fever, or other ailments requiring either hot moist or hot dry packs.

Of historical significance was the presentation of a permanent charter to the Robert Morgan Post No. 701, American Legion at the Mesquakie Indian Settlement. This is the only Indian Post in Iowa and one of three in the United States. Thirteen Indians were initiated into the post which was organized by P. Hope Overturf, Toledo, Tama County Legion Commander. The meeting was opened by Robert Waseskuk, commander of the new post. Color bearers were Edward Benson and Dewey Roberts. Commander Overturf introduced Ruben Miller, Third District Commander of Cedar Falls. State Commander Jess Halden of Newton gave a talk and presented the charter.

Commander Halden said there were 25,000 Indian men and women from all over the United States in the armed service during World War II. Those who were initiated were Dan Young Bear, Raymond Slick, Alexander Walker, Robert Waseskuk, Charles Pushetonequa, Conklin Morgan, Edward Benson, Frank Snache, Hebert Young Bear, Gaston Keahna, Arthur Black Cloud, Dewey Roberts and Earnest Roberts.