Norman V. Adcox Daybook of Tremont Schools 1951 January

  1/4/51:  New student in 3rd grade:  Jerald Birkey
Boy Scout meeting: Candy ordered by Ben Getz delivered to Hi Shepardson before Christmas. We do not want to undertake selling at this time, Washington scouts had considerable trouble in selling.

1/5/51: District meeting and supper at Baptist church. Basketball, Green Valley 37 vs Tremont 66

1/6/51: Tazewell County Service meeting all day at gym, about 700 attended.

1/9/17: Basketball  Tremont 41 vs Mackinaw 40

1/19/51: New Teacher in High School, Mrs. Dorothy Alford to join husband in Army camp. Miss Maryln Plese hired to fill term.

1/20/51: Milo Ropp father of Leo and Roger in High School passed away suddenly, service is Monday the 22nd.

County Basketball Tournament held at Pekin. Tremont finished 2nd, losing to Mackinaw 33-17 in championship game. Guy Ricci, head coach and Leonard Kisellus, Athletic Director.

Team:  Ken Stuber: Senior; Jug Stuber: Junior; Bob Riggenbach: Junior; Bob Brenkman: Senior; Pete Payne: Senior; Les Helleman: Junior; Larry Koch: Junior; Glen Moser: Junior; Chris Pflederer: Junior; Shorty Wineburner: Senior.

1/29/51: 8 below zero; car would not start

1/30/51: 9 below zero: 2 loads of coal to grade school, 2 loads to high school, 1 load to gym.

Supplies order for 1951/1952

10 gallon had soap    ok
65 scrub soap (shineall)   ok
35 gallons wax  (Hilbrite)   ok
45 gallons wood primer     ok
10 gallons Grain o seal (quick dry)  ok
15 gallons Star gym floor finish   ok
12 lambskin applicators  9x6   ok
 6  sets of mops for Hiltone   18"  ok
 5 gallons fly spray  ok
 5 gallons deodorant spray  ok
 4 dozen urinal blacks  ok
 6 gallons gray cement paint
 1 gallon parlon thinner
30 cases towel paper single fold
 1 18" squeegee complete  ok
 3 cocoa mats for doors at gym  30x48  ok
 8 gallons gray cement paint for gym  ok

author comment: Vic didn't include prices for any of the order in his daybook. I assume the two items without "ok" following were not ordered. It would be interesting to compare this order with a current order. I don't know if this order included supplies for the rural schools or if this was just for the "town schools."

Tremont High School Addition 1926

This would be the building where I attended grade school. Modern buildings do not hold a candle to these, of course, as a retired teacher I know how hard they were to supervise students. I once worked under a building principal who wanted a four block schedule simply to reduce the number of passing periods for students. That idea was quickly disposed exactly where it belonged.

Additional note: To those of you who attended here in the 60s, additional windows and an entrance had been completed.

Merry Christmas!

May those who check my posts regularly or those of you in Russia, Ukraine, Portugal and Spain who only seem to appear randomly, have a very blessed Christmas Day. Prayers that you would reflect upon the importance of He who came to earth this day, lived a sin free life and the sacrificed Himself upon a cross that each of us might have eternal life. We can get caught up in the troubles of this life and forget that the world has always had troubles. As believers our task is to represent Jesus to a world in need of hope and reconciliation. We can pursue all manner of temporary joys but today, let us focus upon our pursuit of the One who can provide eternal joy.

Merry Christmas to all!

Tremont High School Junior Class 1926

Note: First row and last Row are switched. My Uncle Yeat is in the first row.

Tremont High School Junior Class 1945

My future in-laws, Elwyn Stuber and Phyllis Bolliger are in this picture. Elwyn (Skip) has a grandson who looks just like him. James, what do you think?

Norman Victor Adcox: Daybook of Tremont Schools 1950

Some highlights from November/December

11/7/1950  Fall on H.S. Steps, Esther Berry injured back on steps to basement. Not Serious.

11/7/1950  Harlem Globetroters vs. Standard Brands @ Pekin gym

11/7/1950  Repaired window pane at Menert.

Basketball Rule Changes for 1950-51

Clock shall be stopped at end of period, time out, held ball, personal or technical fouls.
Substitution only when clock is stopped.
Start clock after it is certain a free throw is missed, when touched by anyone after being thrown in from out of bounds, when ....... (couldn't read rest)

11/18/1950    Elmer Stuber hauled ashes from schools.

11/28/1950   First high school basketball game, Washington 36  vs Tremont 44

12/1/1950    Spalding 56  vs  Tremont 62  basketball

12/4/1950    Hauled 3 loads of coal from Tremont elevator

12/10/1950  Bob Riggenbach, emergency appendix operation

12/15/1950   Army draftees: Gale Bolliger & Clarence Burke, Don Anderson enlists in Navy

12/18/1950    minus 6 this morning

Norman Victor Adcox: Daybook of Tremont Schools 1950

Highlights of September/October:

9/8/1950    checked all fire extinguishers in rural schools.

9/19/1950   Otto Getz barn destroyed by lightning. Approximately $30 missing, lost by football players. G. C. and F. N. admit taking it from gym. (I'm not publishing the full names.)

9/29/1950   Football      Homecoming Game, Washing vs. Tremont, Tremont won 7-0, dance in evening in the gym.

9/30/1950    Football, Champaign, football team to game at Urbana-Champaign


10/2/1950  PTA meeting in gym, 150 present

10/3/1950  Masonic Lodge; Henry Schurter, Harold Lee, and Edward Nafziger--Gellow Craft degree (I guess not everything will deal with school.

10/?/1950  Len Kissellus (sp) to build new home on lot east of Wilbur Fox, across from Emma Springer.

10/6/1950 Antioch stoker and window repaired.

10/9/1950   Boys tipped over Menert toilets, girls were turned on base, early Halloween pranks.

10/10/1950  Menert toilets tipped over again with considerable damage, board considering action.

10/17/1950   Menert, Berry, Maiden Lane chimney repairs made by Joe Litwiller.

10/20/1950   Football at Morton, NIGHT game, Tremont 39  Morton 13

10/21/1950   3 panes of glass broken by pranksters at Menert

10/23/1950   New students in 2nd grade, brought in 6 seats from Bolliger School--closed

10/26/1950   Masonic Lodge, Henry Schurter, Edward Nafziger, Harold Lee take 3rd degree

Lyman Runyon World War II era registration papers

Lyman Runyon married Eileen Bolliger which is my wife's aunt. I am posting Lyman's paperwork from WW II. Interesting to note the changes in his classification over time.

 Front

 Back

 Front

 Back

 trace the dates and classification

Tremont School History: 1963-64 I believe

I believe this is our 4th grade class. Again, no names listed but if you are wondering where Jim Boyle is........my notes say he was absent.

Tremont School Picture??

I actually have no idea when or where this picture was taken. My uncle, Carlyle Adcox, is the last person on the right in row 1. This was the only person identified on the back of the picture so if anyone recognizes people in this picture please comment.

Tremont School History: 1962-63 I believe

Third Grade Class at Tremont Elementary School

I have the names but will refrain from posting them.

Schurter Family History: Farm Sale

Vicki and I were living in Greenville, IL where I attended Greenville University so I missed this event.

Adcox Family Tragedies

Clippings from two tragedies in the Adcox family. Cecil and Naomi were family members I never met.

Norman Victor Adcox: Day Book as Custodian of Tremont Schools

Victor Adcox

Custodian, Tremont Schools 1947-1953

August 30, 1950 "Tremont Unit Schools Start, go 1/2 day only"

Schools in the district on that date:

School                         Seats in the rural schools

Berry                                    13 adj     8 reg

Cedar Bluff                          15 adj

Antioch                                25 adj

Maiden Lane                        27 adj

Menert                                 20 adj

Tremont High School was located in the village. Vic recorded the schedule as follows:

New Clock installed 1950

8:30 First Bell

8:52 1/2 - 9:50   First Hour

9:52 1/2 - 10:32 1/2   Second Hour

10:35 - 11:15  Third Hour

11:17 1/2 -11:57 1/2 Fourth Hour

12:42 1/2 warning bell

12:45 - 1:25  Fifth Hour

1:27 1/2 - 2:07 1/2 Sixth Hour

2:10 - 3:05 Seventh Hour

3:07 1/2 - 3:45 Eighth Hour

Vic noted this was the schedule for 1951-52, 1952-53, and 1953-54.

Tremont History Part IV: A "Help Wanted" photo

I need some help with this photo. I found it tucked in the back pages of the 1925 Echo. I don't know the year or anyone in the picture. If you recognize someone please comment so I can update my information. 

Tremont History Part XIII: Class of 1925 graduation

Just a few pages from the 1925 Echo. Lillian Pflederer wrote the Senior History and then you have the "Senior Alphabet." It was truly a different era, the American economy was booming based upon a false stock market which was going to come crashing to a halt in 4 years. These are also the years between the two great world wars, the future looked very bright to these seniors. I would love to have been able to interview them in 8 years once the Depression had hit and settled.

Tremont History Part XII: The "Echo" 1925

Lillian Pflederer, 1925

Another individual who will have a profound influence on my future. Lillian will marry Elmer Stuber, have a son named Elwyn but who went by Skip. Skip married Phyllis Bolliger and their daughter, Vicki, will become my wife. What is interesting, Vicki and I will marry in 1975, one half century after Lillian graduates from high school.

Tremont History Part XI: Freshman Class 1937

I couldn't leave the Freshman Class out of my series of posts from THS 1937. This picture has special meaning since Row 2 contains a young Helen Adcox who will become my mom. Row 3 contains Wallace Gauger, future father of Jill, who will be a classmate of mine, Row 3 also contains Ryan Hild, future father of Don, who will also be a classmate of mine.

Tremont History Part X: Sophomore Class 1937

Row 2 finds the future aunt of mine, Christine Schurter. Another class member that I got to know quite well, Sylvan Unsicker who helped run the Unsicker Lumber yard on old route 121 right where Vince Imig makes his home today. Buildings from the lumber yard are still in use by Vince.

Bear Butte State Park, Sturgis, Sodak October 31, 2017

 We left Rapid City after sunrise with the temperature hovering at 18. Grabbed a quick breakfast to go at McDonald's and drove toward Sturgis. This picture gives you a small sense of the open space around Bear Butte. It is easily understood why this is a sacred spot for Native Americans and you will see examples of how important this location remains in later pictures.

 Just beginning the hike to the top. Trail is 2 miles one way with an elevation gain of 1000'. It is considered a "moderate" difficult trail.

 Looking back as you climb on the trail, Bear Butte Lake. There is a nice campground beside the lake, open year around.

 I thought this picture shows the rate of climb on the trail very well. 

 Vick is heading up this long slow climb.

 Right after taking this shot, two deer moved through above us. I could not get the camera set for a picture before they vanished down the other side.

 View toward Wyoming.

 View back down to our parking lot. 

 This is the view looking toward Wyoming from the top. There are amazing 360 degree views from the top.

 Looking more toward Montana and North Dakota in this picture from the top.

 The stairs to begin your trip back down.

 Always amazed by the variety of rocks in Sodak.

 

Trip to the top took us about 2 hours with all my stops for pictures, climb side trails to look out over the plains, etc. The trip down took less than an hour and one half primarily because Vick has had some knee issues on previous downhill hikes so we took it slow.

We did meet Taffy Howard, South Dakota State Representative. What an amazing person, she was also hiking the trail and spent several minutes visiting with us. We tried to stress following Illinois politics so you know what not to do with state government.

Tremont History Part IX: 1937 Junior Class

Row 1 of this picture has my future Aunt Imo (Adcox) Thorpe. She will marry Gene Thorpe and they will raise a family in Washburn, IL. Gene had a sister who married prominent Tremont farmer Palmer Bliss.

Row 2 has a picture of Harold Haskett, step-father to Pam and Steve Haskett who were part of the THS Class of 1972. Also in this row is Vadis Riggenbach who will become the father of Linda (Riggenbach) Giovanetto. Linda was a classmate of my wife (class of 71) and married Kevin who was my classmate. 

Tremont History Part VIII: Class of 1937

Eighty years have passed since this group of optimistic young people left Tremont High School. Federal programs were beginning, in some cases, to reduce the stress of the Great Depression that had gripped America since the stock market collapse of 1929. Europe and the rise of the fascists seemed a great distance from central Illinois and warlords who had gained control of Japan were beginning to reach out to mainland China to increase their sphere of influence. These faces don't reflect those concerns, for a brief time optimism about the future reigned.

Top left is Dorothy Grubb, she will become the mother of classmate Scott Pflederer and aunt of classmate Deanna Grubb. Third from the left at the top is Wilma Bolliger, she will become a teacher to several of my classmates at Tremont and will be an aunt to classmate Jim Boyle. Middle row, first on left is Jim Moser who will become my boss the year I worked as a bridge carpenter. History is such an interesting study, making connections with the past helps one understand the present and look to future generations in a new understanding.

Tremont History Part VII: 1938 GAA photo

Scanned this page from the 1938 Tremont High School "Re-Echo." Small towns make for interesting future examination, in the years ahead Christine Schurter in row 1 would become my aunt, Helen Adcox in row 2 would become my mother, Bernice Schurter in row 4 would become my aunt, Marian Bolliger in row 4 would become my wife's aunt, and Imo Adcox in row 5 would become my aunt. For those of you too young to remember life before Title IX, GAA was the Girls Athletic Association which allowed competition in a few sports. This was competition within the school not against other communities. I remember watching the GAA teams playing field hockey and many guys being jealous we couldn't touch the sticks for fear we would immediately hit each other. The girls also played some strange form of basketball that I never understood. You would probably have to ask someone over 56 for an explanation. I know there were more than 5 players and not all could cross the center line but beyond that my understanding is limited.

Adcox Family History Part III

1943 letter to Helen, Henry and Charles Schurter