Forty Years Ago

The following made up the entire “Personal Observations” column of Editor Claude A. Walker, Jr.: “Forest Park has a reputation of rallying around neighbors who need help. When there’s a fire we can offer food clothing and shelter; when there is financial loss we pass the hat. Where there is illness someone takes over the household by caring for the children, doing routine chores and keeping the rest of the family fed.

But what can you do for a good neighbor like Harold Blough and his wife?” [Harold co-owned a television sales and repair business on Madison Street. He was also a local force in the Illinois Civil Air Patrol.] Harold’s 20 year-old daughter disappeared with two other girlfriends while enjoying an outing at the Indiana Sand Dunes. Speculation ranged from drowning, foul play or possibly running away.

“Authorities throughout the country are looking for them. In the meantime, the Bloughs are going through their prolonged agony. We can’t do anything physically, but we can hope and pray for the Bloughs during this bad time.”

Forty years have passed and no sign of the Bloughs’ daughter has ever surfaced. To this day, she and the others, remain utterly gone.

From the Jun/Jul 1966 issues of the Forest Park Review

Thirty Years Ago

Dear Sally: Our daughter has been married for five months, but still seems to think we’re supposed to feed her. My wife and I own and operate a small grocery and regularly every week she and her husband come in, load a cart, say thanks and wheel the cart out to their car. We don’t want to appear stingy or unkind, yet we don’t feel this is right.-D.W.

Dear D.W.: “Indeed not. Tell these two freeloaders you’re ready to give them a discount, but that the free handouts are out. Still a better deal than they could get elsewhere.

From the June 1976 issues of the Forest Park Review

Twenty Years Ago

Haeger humor in the form of a hotel dining room at the Carleton in Oak Park. Editor Bob noted that the name of this tony restaurant, Philander’s, sometimes get misspelled or mispronounced with an extra syllable – like Philanderer’s. A small addition but a big difference in meaning; especially for a reputable hotel. the shorter and correct name refers to Philander Barclay, a pioneer citizen whose historic photographs have greatly enriched that village’s history. Whereas a philanderer, of course, is one engaged in frivolous love affairs. (Room to room?)

From the Jun/Jul 1986 issues of the Forest Park Review

Ten Years Ago

Since Ed Huebner retired, Esther and Ed, longtime Forest Parkers, spent a fair amount of time trotting the globe, experiencing new joys and storing fond memories. Column-mate Jackie Schulz reported on the Spain-Portugal-Morocco leg, the final week of which was spent in a charming apartment in a fishing village on Spain’s Costa del Sol. Most mornings, Esther would rise, do some marketing and bring home the fixings for breakfast, which they’d eat on their balcony while planning the day. They remembered the trip as peaceful, relaxing and stress-free in a beautiful part of the world. The way it should be.

Who Remembers? Good Ol’ Jean Sheperd … chimney sweepers … mine sweepers …”Duty Sweepers, Man Your Brooms!”-or as a friend once Spoonerized over the P.A. system of a navy destroyer, “Sweety Doopers, etc.”) … Lawence Tero (Mr. T) … hog calling … Henry Horner … Herb Shriner … Goodman and Jane Ace … Howard Beale (mad as hell one day, decided he wasn’t going to take it anymore) …Get those clammers off the mudflats!!! Be different, don’t have a nice day.

From the June 5, 1996 issue of the Forest Park Review