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1942: Scrap metal, basketball and rationing

Submitted by Jari Lynn Oncken - May 27, 2017

Sept. 24: The September War Bond drive sponsored by the local Lions Club, has played an important part in forging this community ahead of the county in sales of war bonds and stamps.

The Square Deal Metal and Iron Company of Streator has bought the iron and steel and hauled a few loads from the scrap collection and have agreed to clean up the local junk pile within 30 days.

The local bank made all payments to persons who sold scrap.

Any profits will go to charitable or service organizations.

Oct. 8: November 25, Thanksgiving, has been set as the date for the 49th annual dance sponsored by the Minonk Volunteer Fire Department members to be held in the high school gymnasium. All earnings from this year's dance instead of being used by the department will be donated to the United Service Organizations.

Oct. 22: Soon Woodford County will have as many men in the armed forces as the total number who served in the First World War.

Semi-official records of the 1917-18 honor roll for the county listed 1,006 men as having seen service.

It can be expected that by Christmas, the county will have surpassed the World War I records.

Oct. 29: Members of the recently organized Minonk troop Boy Scouts of America, include Bob Camelin, Jim Cunningham, Fred Oyen, David Wolfe, Albin Johnson, Gene Barth, Herky Poloumpis, Jim Ford, Ralph Goff and Roland Schickedanz.

High school basketball hopes look bright for the 1942-43 season.

Eight veterans are back this year including Carl Young, Bob and Ralph Cufaude, Jim McKay, Pete Mazzini, Jr., Jim Meierhofer, Jim Toler and Gene Ruestman.

Nov. 12: The first wartime Armistice Day was observed in ceremonies held yesterday at the Minonk Community High School gymnasium in cooperation with the American Legion post auxiliary.

The program opened at 11 a. m. with one minute of silence commemorating the final shot of the First World War.

Band music and vocal solos followed a reading entitled "The Spirit of '17," was given followed by a panel discussion by students dealing with the meaning of Armistice Day.

Nov. 26: Sale of coffee, frozen since Saturday, will begin on Monday under the new wartime rationing restrictions, with each person over the age of 15 entitled to one pound each five weeks.

The book issued for the rationing of sugar will be used and coffee quotas will be torn from the back of the book.

Members of St. Patrick's Catholic Church parish will give thanks in a special high mass Thanksgiving morning.

Submitted by Jari Lynn Oncken