By Arline Adamsick
The Manteno News: December 13, 1973
The front page of the Manteno News in 1973 had many joyous announcements, including the decorating of the village Christmas tree, Manteno High School’s Homecoming preparations, Santa coming to visit twice on two consecutive Saturdays, plus a very special visit from an elderly visitor…
“We’re just a Young Whippersnapper!”
“We don’t say we are beating the bushes to achieve saturation coverage of The Manteno News, but last week a prodigal son returned to the fold after a considerable lapse of time. John Rice came to the office for a new subscription. Conversation revealed Mr. Rice had subscribed to the paper before we had it – ‘Who was the Editor then? F.S. Breen;’ ‘Breen, what year was that? 1904;’ ‘Seventy years ago? How old are you? Eighty-eight;’ ‘You don’t look it. That’s the same age as the paper.’
“Of course, we hope our product doesn’t look its age, week in and week out, but next week in the Christmas edition, we are going to send you and Mr. Rice excerpts from Christmas Past. And thanks to the courtesy of Frank Payne, we have a copy of the paper’s first Christmas – Tuesday, December 28, 1886. Vol. 1, No. 41, DeVeling and Breen, Editors. The copy may be faded and indistinct at times, but we think you’ll like such gems as ‘John Brown and Lady Turkeyed at H.B. Johnson’s Christmas.’”
The girls at Manteno High School also were getting into the act…
“Girls’ Basketball, Bowling Programs Set at M.H.S.”
“Basketball and bowling teams now are a part of girls’ athletics at Manteno High School. Twenty-five girls brave the early morning chill to attend basketball practice from 7 – 8 a.m. The enthusiastic girls find it exhilarating and fun, and Coach Sue Carberry encouragingly comments that ‘What we lack in skill, we make up for in numbers!’
“Two away basketball games already are scheduled with other schools, and there will be more, promises Coach Carberry. On January 8, the girls will play Grant Park and, on February 16, they will encounter the Peotone team.
“At present, the girls have two bowling teams. One team will stay at home and bowl in a postal tournament. The other team will bowl against other schools and, hopefully, will make the trip to the state finals again this year.”
Quick question: Does anyone remember Bubble-Up soda?
The Peotone Vedette: December 14, 1973
“Village Board Views Plans for Remodeling”
“The Peotone Village Board Tuesday night viewed preliminary plans for remodeling village hall and the construction of a proposed new fire station at Rathje Road and Corning Avenue. The prints were submitted by the architectural firm of Healy, Moore, and Associates, of Joliet, who had been retained by the village earlier. They estimated the cost of remodeling village hall, including new cells and the police department, as $25,000 – $35,000.
“An estimate for the new two-stall fire station, using a modular bay for truck stalls, which could be added to easily, was $55,000 to $75,000. A letter from the architects noted if the village did its own excavation, concrete foundations, and flat work, the cost could be cut approximately 15 percent.
“The trustees generally were pleased with the plans and informally agreed to pursue remodeling of the office area first, to provide privacy for Clerk Evelyn Berry when figuring bills and to create an office for the mayor.
“Although the office phase of the project was assigned priority, there was some concern the state might mandate improvement of the substandard cell area first. The village is on notice by the state that the cells must be brought up to requirements; there has been no crackdown so far because plans for improvement are being made. The state will be notified of progress in this matter.
“The fire station, which would be a second one for Peotone, is in long-range plans. There is not enough money for both projects or even for the entire village hall remodeling now. The sum of $12,000 from Revenue Sharing funds has been committed to remodeling, and more could be taken from the general fund.
“Paul Rathje appeared before the board with preliminary plans for a new 13-lot subdivision called Mill Trace Settlement. The development has no connection with his other project, for which Charles Bruti is the developer.
“Boys Steal Papers, Make Restitution”
“Three Peotone boys were apprehended Sunday after they took newspapers from Hilsenhoff’s Pharmacy, torn them, and strewn them around town. Police Chief Tom Ivanoff said the boys were required to pick up the mess they made and pay Mr. Hilsenhoff for the papers lost, a matter of $25.”
As a personal sidelight: “Bert Zirzows to Mark 65 Years of Marriage Today…Mr. and Mrs. Bert Zirzow will mark their 65th wedding anniversary today, Friday, December 14. Mr. Zirzow married the girl next door, Nellie Stenning, in 1908. They lived their entire lives in Will Township, where Mr. Zirzow engaged in farming until retiring and moving to Peotone 29 years ago.” They were my dear grandparents, and now I know what year my present home was purchased by my grandpa – never was completely sure if it was 1943, ’44, or ’45. Now I know!
The Beecher Herald: December 13, 1973
“Village Board Defers Squad Car Purchase”
“After a discussion of the pros and cons of purchasing a new squad car now, village board members unanimously agreed to wait a while. Police Chief Mervin Bewsey reported the engine of the squad car now in use is in good condition; however, he pointed out it is of utmost importance to the policeman on duty to have a car that will operate without fail at all times. To assure this, he suggested that some work may need to be done in the foreseeable future. (That certainly seems to be a legitimate concern!)
“The board felt they still weren’t ready to make the decision since the trend seems to be toward using lighter cars for police work because of the fuel shortage. The board has bids on an Oldsmobile and a Chevrolet.”
“Mobile Intensive Care Unit Begins Operation December 1”
“A mobile intensive care system, like the one portrayed on television’s ‘Emergency,’ will begin operation in the south suburban area December 1. Paramedics trained in advanced life-saving techniques and manning fully equipped rescue vehicles will be in communication with physicians at the base hospital.
“‘The South Cook County region is the second in the State of Illinois to organize a mobile intensive care network,’ said R. L Harris, president of both Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey and the South Cook County Health Care Planning Association. Ingalls was designated by the association’s seven member hospitals as the program’s base station.
“Twenty-two ambulance applicants from the area recently completed intensive paramedic training at Ingalls. After passing licensing examinations. The paramedics are certified to administer advanced emergency medical treatment. Until recently, state legislation restricted some of the techniques to doctors and registered nurses.
“Although it is the base station, Ingalls need not be the receiving hospital. A patient may be transported to the nearest comprehensive hospital or to one of his choosing. The base station will provide the receiving hospital with a provisional diagnosis and a report of all emergency treatment given. The receiving facility then will assume care of the patient. The south Cook County area is one of the forerunners of this total emergency medical system.”
The Crete Record: December 13, 1973
Unfortunately, there was a very tragic headline and story on The Record’s front page…the murder of lovely 16-year-old Brigitte Regli, an honor roll Crete-Monee High School junior…
Her parents became alarmed when she did not return home from school that Thursday. On that day, she had a conversation with the yearbook sponsor about a special effect for the cover of the yearbook, but they decided to wait until Brigitte received the new camera she expected for Christmas. She indicated she was starting for home at that time. The teacher may have been the last person to talk with her. A student is said to have seen Brigitte get into a car on Sangamon Street in front of Hubbard Trail Junior High shortly after 1 p.m. On Saturday, her body was found, about two miles south of the village, by a hunter whose dog discovered the body.
“Brigitte, with her own dark room at home, had been the photographer for the ‘Jester,’ the C-MHS yearbook, from the time she entered high school. She also had been working as a photographer for The Crete Record for the past month, being responsible for many of the high school photographs appearing in The Record, The Park Forest South Post, and The Monee Monitor.”
“Set Groundbreaking Monday for Deer Creek Junior High”
“On Monday, December 17, at 10 a.m., a brief groundbreaking program will be held for Deer Creek Junior High School, at Olmstead Street and Blackhawk Drive in Park Forest South. Deer Creek School will be the second junior high in the Crete-Monee School District. Completion of the building presently is scheduled for spring of 1975.”
At the Holiday Theatre: Held over for the fifth and final week – “American Graffiti,” plus a children’s matinee – “Heidi.” All seats 75¢. Those were the days when one could still afford popcorn and candy at the show!
And this is how thinking has changed in 50 years…
“NIPC Favors Nuclear Plant Near Braidwood”
“The Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission (NIPC) endorsed the proposed Braidwood Commonwealth Edison nuclear power station, subject to four environmental considerations. The plant would produce 2,200 megawatts of electrical power at a construction cost of $1 billion. The site is six square miles in the extreme southwestern tip of Will County.
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As Christmas quickly approaches and it’s the middle of Hanukkah, hope you are celebrating the wonderful spirit these holidays bring!! Don’t forget to stop for a moment and just enjoy all they offer – Life is Good!!!