Forty Years Ago

Eight Proviso East students, two from Forest Park, returned from an elementary school in Jasper, Tenn., where they made a presentation of some $1,300, plus boxes of new and used clothing for distribution to the school’s children.

In 1949, the Proviso Student Council had adopted and contributed to another Tennessee school until it closed. The council then requested a name of a nearby school with similar needs-Whiteside Elementary in the town of Jasper. Money was solicited from Proviso Township people, businesses and organizations. Toys brought along for the Jasper students were wrapped during a late night gift wrapping party on the train.

The program was looked on as a unique cultural experience for our local kids, who admitted they were touched by the younger and less fortunate students from the Whiteside school. Sponsors Sue Van Thiel and Barbara Wendt put it this way: “You just can’t put into words witnessing two different groups of school children discovering each other, and liking what they found.”

From the Jan. 4, 1968, Forest Park Review

Thirty Years Ago

A Review article on CBs-not CDs-carried this dictionary definition: “A device that transmits and receives radio signals within a designated band of frequencies.” Trucks still use the citizens band. Cars not so much; there’s been far too much in the way of new electronic gadgetry.

Back then, a C-Being was one cool guy or gal tooling down a highway in communication with another cool guy or gal a couple of miles behind, talking about the speed trap in between, so it was a novelty and a necessity. Cell phones seem to have made a lot of CBs fade away like old soldiers.

Prices for a 23-channel model were dropping to as little as $9.95, and a comparable drop was expected in 40-channel prices. The cause for price reduction was the FCC rule that 23-channel sets with less stringent tech specs would not be sold after Dec. 31, 1977. Because a million unsold sets would remain in the distribution pipeline, a lot of radios would need to be sold in a couple of weeks, or someone would get stuck. The CB buyer was in the catbird seat.

From the Dec. 21, 1977, Forest Park Review

Twenty Years Ago

Same old missing 1987 bound book. Brand new list. This time, Odd Names of Real Persons:

William B. Snowhook … Orlando Arce … Noble Lord … Alora Flowers …J. Hoinsucker … Randeane Doolittle Tetu … Seth Grape … Magdalena Babblejack Milton Leathers … Hilda Hulda … Douglas Unfug … Robert P. Necessary … Archimedes I. Zzayandottie (Last name in 1965 Manhattan phone book.) … Jingle-Bells Kaplan … Sibly Bibble … Zelda Lust … Honorable Ben Boo … Manfred Erb … Odd Jacob Linnerud … Violet Stem … Uncas Fretwell … Flotella Tilly … Velvet Roofer … Minnie Mauney … Mrytle Moose … and don’t forget Yo-Yo Ma.

From the missing pages of Twenty Years Ago

Ten Years Ago

A mother collapsed in the Grant-White schoolyard while taking her 6-year-old daughter to first-grade. Also in tow were her 3-year-old son and a baby. Make it five if you count that she was pregnant with twins. Another parent in the yard ran to the school office, reporting she thought the unconscious mother might have suffered a seizure. School secretary Theresa Giglio called 911 then hurried outside with one of the teachers and some blankets. A third teacher, Mr. Del Rio, ran to his nearby home and had his wife tend to the victim’s children. He then notified the woman’s husband at work. Meanwhile, the Forest Park paramedics arrived. Ms. Giglio said they took excellent care of the woman then transported her to the hospital for treatment and overnight observation.

Usually, emergencies are brought under control by people who are caring, calm and clear-thinking. This, apparently, was no exception. A lot happened in a short time in this case. Often, the victim and others involved remember the care of these heroes for a lifetime.

From the Dec. 7, 1997, Forest Park Review