Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Harold Wagahoff -- Raymond's Santa Claus

One of my favorite memories of growing up in Raymond is meeting Santa Claus on Main Street. He would come to town on a Saturday before Christmas, and dozens of children, many clutching their wish lists, would wait in line for what seemed like hours to talk to him and receive a small brown sack containing an orange, a peppermint stick, and two or three Hershey's Kisses.

I remember one year in particular, standing in line shivering in my red wool coat with black trim. The general belief was that Santa always flew into Raymond and landed near the water tower (the old water tower along 48), but on this day, the line was buzzing with the news that Santa had been spotted coming out of the fire house. Someone's parents quickly let us know that Santa had stopped at the fire house on his way over from the water tower to warm up and "take care of his business" before greeting all of us. Of course we all eventually learned the truth about Santa, and found out that Santa was really Harold Wagahoff. And everyone agrees he was the best Santa ever.

A special thank you to Harold Wagahoff's granddaughter, Stella Merit Turner, for sharing the following article that appeared in the Montgomery County News on December 19, 1990:

Lessons Learned

It's been hectic here in New Jersey, and I was a little worried about the topic for this week's TBT Blog. This evening, when I returned home from work, I was browsing through Facebook (a.k.a. procrastinating), and lo and behold, I spotted a really great status update that totally inspired me:

"Three words that I thought I'd never get to say: I AM RETIRED!!! 32 plus years of teaching and subbing for Panhandle School District :))"

This was posted by Nancy Weitekamp, whom I first knew back in the late 70's as Miss Edmiston. All of the sudden, it dawned on me that she is the person who is responsible for teaching me some skills that I have used daily throughout my adult life. Without her, I would not have been able to type papers in college, or write a blog, or efficiently update my Facebook status. I owe this woman a lot.

Mrs. Nancy Weitekamp

And teaching me was not easy. My freshman year was a bit of a "transitional" year for me, and I was much more interested in my social life than school. Pam (Mitts) Lanter, Curt Snyder, and I sat in the very back of the room in typing class, and it seems like we were always pulling some kind of shenanigans. Then there was 7th hour study hall. Mrs. Weitekamp had study hall duty that hour, which happened to coincide with my "social hour." I enjoyed talking way too much, and one day when she had really had enough, she made me write, I will not talk in 7th hour study hall, seven hundred times (yes, that's 700).  It was about 3 o'clock in the afternoon when she imposed the punishment, noting that she wanted the sentences on her desk first thing the next morning. There was a home ballgame that night, and I wrote sentences up until it started and then decided to take my pen and notebook with me so I could finish up during the game. That's when Jimmy Jones tried to take the notebook away from me. I pulled back and the whole thing ripped in half. I stayed up half the night finishing those $%^&$ sentences, and as you might imagine, I was pretty bitter about the whole thing. I don't know if I learned an immediate lesson, but I'm sure the experience was in my brain percolating and somehow helped me grow up and be a responsible adult.

I'm happy to report that I am now Facebook friends with several of my high school teachers, including Mrs. Weitekamp.  I ran into her a couple of years ago at the 4th of July and we sat next to each other on the bleachers by the stage and had a nice chat. She told me about coming to Raymond for the first time, her initial impressions of the town, and her memories of my dad running the Raymond Variety Store. She's lived in Raymond a long time now, and she and her husband, Larry, have raised a wonderful family. She certainly made an impression on me and hundreds of other students who attended Lincolnwood High School. So, I would like to take this opportunity to tell Mrs. Weitekamp (I just can't bring myself to call her Nancy to her face), thank you and congratulations on your retirement. You deserve it!

By the way, I ended up doing pretty well in typing class (maybe it was really just Pam who caused all the trouble).  :-)  For all you skeptics out there, here's some proof:

Gino's Pool Hall

From the May 4, 1967 issue of The Raymond News:

A small paragraph about Gino's Pool Hall appeared in the Raymond Centennial booklet published in 1971, "Mrs. Luisa Casolari operates the pool hall since the death of her husband, Gino, some years ago. She has remodeled the building, added air-conditioning and new fixtures, and provides a pleasant meeting place for the young people of Raymond." 

Although the pool hall closed when I was still in my early teens, I have lot of great memories of hanging out there (much to my Mother's chagrin). To this day, when I hear songs on the radio by Led Zeppelin or Foghat or Lynyrd Skynyrd (on the oldies station of course), I'm immediately transported right back to Luisa's, and I expect to hear the solid crack of a good break at any second.   

Luisa Casolari

Luisa did not speak English very clearly, and despite the communication barrier, she loved all the kids in town and everyone loved her. She was certainly a memorable character in the history of Raymond. 

One spring, not long before she closed the pool hall and returned (I think) to Italy, she gave me a card along with this photo. On the inside of the card she had written:

Happy Easter

Happy Spring

Happy Happy Everything.

I think of Luisa every year at Easter and sometimes in between.   

Citizens of Tomorrow

Does anyone recognize the little cuties in these photos that were taken just before Christmas in 1950?

 (The article below appeared in the February 1, 1951 issue of The Raymond News.)

A Thanksgiving Tradition...

It’s a snowy Thanksgiving here in Northern New Jersey, perfect for baking the famous “Butterhorn” rolls, a holiday tradition in our family that was started by Mom when I was little, and then taken over by my sister, Sue, when she was still in her teens. Mom’s original recipe appears in the Raymond United Methodist Church cookbook that was published in the late seventies. I’m sure that many people reading this will remember that recipe book and some of you probably even took it off the shelf recently as you were planning your Thanksgiving menu.    

I haven’t been home for Thanksgiving since moving to New Jersey fifteen years ago. We usually spend the day in the city with Harvel native, Elissa Lebeck, who lives in midtown Manhattan. Many years ago, Tim and Lara Lebeck joined us at Elissa’s for Thanksgiving, and although Sue and Jarrod stayed home, Sue surprised us by sending along a care package containing freshly baked Butterhorns. Boy, was that a treat.

After that, Thanksgiving just didn’t seem the same without the rolls, so I decided that I would begin making my own batch each year. Sister Sue, anticipating the challenges I would face in this endeavor (see my blog entry on August 7, 2014), was kind enough to type Mom’s recipe and augment it with a full page of step by step instructions. My favorite part is about halfway down the page when it’s time to let the dough rise. She writes: “I usually turn my oven on WARM for a few minutes and then turn it OFF and let the dough rise in the oven. BE SURE THE OVEN IS OFF.”  Oh, she knows me so well (sigh). Even with these detailed instructions that I keep folded and tucked inside the Methodist Church cookbook, I usually have to call or text Sue at least once during the annual roll-making process. Tim refers to this as contacting the “Butterhorn Hotline."

I like to bake the rolls on Thanksgiving morning when Paul and Jonathan are still sleeping and the house is quiet. I use my mom’s old-fashioned metal measuring cups and spoons, and my Aunt Pauline’s Pirex measuring cup, the red print on the glass faded after all these years. My favorite part is rolling out the dough, “painting” it with butter, and then cutting a pinwheel design using Allen Poggenpohl’s Country Financial Insurance Agency pizza cutter that Jonathan got one time when he visited big Al’s office (I just love that thing!). My next favorite part is the feeling of the floury, velvety dough as I roll each wedge into a crescent, remembering to “put it on the baking sheet point down so it doesn’t unroll” as per Sue’s helpful instructions.

Once the actual baking begins and the aroma fills the house, it reminds me of the Thanksgivings at home on Oak Street in Raymond, Dad carving the turkey and doing “KP duty” in the kitchen, while all of us anxiously waiting for Aunt Pauline and Uncle Harlan to arrive with Aunt P’s famous homemade applesauce. Today’s weather reminded me of the excitement I felt on

another snowy Thanksgiving back in 1974, when Dad and I went to Hillsboro and picked up Grandma Gamlin whom, although extremely frail, had been given a one-day pass to leave the nursing home so we could all spend one last Thanksgiving together. These rolls have such a powerful effect on me that I find myself even feeling nostalgic about waiting for my older brothers to arrive (both were married and had children of their own when I was still really young), even though it most certainly meant that I would get a “dutch rub” from brother Bob when mom and dad were not looking.

The rolls are all packed up and ready to go. Later this evening, as I sit down for dinner in the shadow of the Empire State Building and in the company of an island boy, a Jersey kid, some New Yorkers, including folks from Russia and Thailand, we will all get to experience a little piece of back home.

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The Butterhorn Hotline is open each year the day before Thanksgiving and throughout Thanksgiving Day. The staff is very helpful and nice. Please email me at pinkston.jan@gmail.com if you need the phone number.

In the Army Now

This article appeared in
The Raymond News on 9/30/43

My Dad entered the Army on this day in 1942. Following basic training and a stint at Renken Trade School in St. Louis, he was scheduled to travel to Delaware and join an MP unit that was shipping out to Africa. Due to a mix-up with the orders, the MP unit ended up leaving a few days before he arrived. He was given new orders, and on May 26, 1943 he sailed out of New York Harbor on the Queen Elizabeth, headed for Scotland. He was eventually added as a replacement to the 861st ordinance company. The "mix-up" might have saved his life, as it was reported that many of the members of that MP unit out of Delaware ended up being killed in action.

He spent over two years overseas in England, France, Belgium and Germany, and he documented his trip with "Uncle Sam" on a piece of paper that he kept in his mess kit. Sometime in the early 1990's, he asked me to type it for him (please see below).

Missing in Action

The article below is about Murray Bost, the first man from Raymond reported missing in action in World War II. Sadly, Murray was killed in Africa just days after his 24th birthday.

He was the son of Dwight and Alice (Snell) Bost. The Bosts' were married in Nokomis in 1915 and moved to the Raymond area around 1921 where they farmed and lived the remainder of their lives. Murray, who was born on April 15, 1919, was their oldest child. They had two more sons, Marvin and Maynard. A daughter, Margaret, (twin sister of Marvin) died at birth.

The following photo and article appeared in the June 1, 1944 issue of The Raymond News.

Lt. Murray Bost

Get ready for snow!

I've been hearing all kinds of predictions about a rough winter based on the woolly worms, the large acorn crop, the bushy squirrel tails, and the "spoons" that are visible inside the persimmon seeds. I wonder what signs were present sixty-three years ago this week?

The following article was published in the November 8, 1951 issue of The Raymond News:

Trick or Treat

Terry and Brenda Todt and family in 1994

Earlier this week, I was telling my son tales about the Halloweens gone by, the real Halloweens back home in Raymond. It was the good old days, back before there were superstores and access to all kinds of fancy costumes and decor. We had the same stuff to work with year after year, and it was stored in a big cardboard box way up on the top shelf of a closet. About a week before Halloween, Dad would use a ladder to get it down. The box was full of old masks and various props, and you had to be creative and use your imagination to reinvent yourself year after year.

The masks were old and uncomfortable. They were made out of hard plastic and you could barely breathe, let alone see out of them. They were held on your head by a thin elastic band that itched and always got tangled in your hair or ended up snapping you in the face. The “costumes” were usually clothes that were too big or worn out, and you had to use real ingenuity to get your costume together.

The days leading up to Halloween were exciting. You selected the perfect pumpkin(s), carved them, and made sure you had a supply of candles. Various clubs and organizations like 4-H, Scouts, and church groups hosted hay rides that cruised through the countryside after dark before making a couple of passes through town, leaving a hay trail on the streets. My mom always worried about hayrides because she thought they were too dangerous. I thought hayrides were great fun. What could possibly be dangerous about fifty unruly kids wrestling around in the back of a hay wagon that's being pulled by a tractor down dark country roads? Mom always lectured my sisters about how they should never wear jewelry on a hayride, especially hoop earrings, because a young woman had once gotten her ear ripped off when her hoop earring got caught on a wagon. (To this day, I’m still not convinced that that ever really happened to anyone.)

My friends and I spent our Sundays in October playing in the leaves, coming up with ideas for the haunted house we were always going to build but never did, and trick-or-treating for UNICEF. As Halloween grew closer, the soaping started. It was mainly on the storefront windows on Main Street, and sometimes on certain people’s car windows or houses. It was common knowledge that Ivory or Dove brands worked the best, and if you really wanted to “get” someone, you used paraffin. I remember walking up and down the aisles of Mizera’s Market, my pockets jingling with the change that a half-dozen kids had pooled together, trying to build up the courage to purchase the soap and toilet paper from Mrs. Mizera.  I must admit it was worth every penny, because the TP did look really cool hanging from the tree limbs on a dark, windy Halloween night. 

Trick-or-treating in Raymond went on for two or three nights back then because you had to have time to go to everyone’s house in town. Not only did you stop at almost every house, but you were invited inside and stood there while they tried to guess who you were. And after they got done guessing they gave you FULL-SIZE candy bars, not the little miniatures that get handed out now. An added bonus was that it was not necessary for your parents to go through all your stuff to make sure it was safe.

Mrs. Blodgett, the widow who lived next door to the Ondreys', would dress up a like a witch and give out candy. We were scared to death of her all year round, but particularly on Halloween, and it would take us a while to work up the courage to actually ring her doorbell. (Of course our perceptions of her were entirely wrong, and we eventually learned that she was one of the nicest people ever.)

Many years later, Raymond started hosting an annual Halloween parade. While I didn’t have any luck finding a picture from Halloween from way back in the day, I did find this cute picture of Terry and Brenda Todt and their family, taken in 1994 at Raymond's Halloween parade.

More on the Fire Department...

Last week my blog featured news from when the Raymond Fire Protection District was formed as well as information about the history of the Raymond-Harvel Fire Department. This week,  I'm following up with an article that appeared in the October 25, 1951 issue of The Raymond News about the second fire call. The first fire call was at the Farmersville Elevator, and it is mentioned later in the article.

Charles Bandy (left) and Darrell Pitchford in 1986
when Bandy retired as chief of the fire department. 

My dad, Charles Bandy, was a charter member of the fire department and served as fire chief from 1961 to 1986 when Darrell Pitchford took over. Back before the days of pagers, the firemen primarily relied on the fire siren to notify them of calls. When the fire siren rang, folks would come out of the stores and their homes to see what direction the trucks headed. People who were driving when the fire siren went off knew they better get out of the way, because the streets would soon be overrun by fireman (usually driving pick-up trucks) who would come racing through town. 

Dad operated the variety store on Main Street, so on weekdays he was often the first one to arrive at the fire house, and he would open the doors and start up the trucks. He had a 5x7 note printed in his handwriting with the words "Gone to a fire!" that he taped near the front door of the store. When the fire siren blew, he would put the note on the door, lock up, and run to the fire house. If there happened to be customers in the store, he would leave someone in charge of the cash register and all the merchandise. 

Back in those days before the 911 system, people called 3121 to report a fire. This line was connected to a special "fire phone" that rang at both our house and at Hough Funeral Home. Hough's would then activate the telephone system to notify the volunteers. If the phone rang when Dad was not home, we had to wait until Hough's answered it, and then we could pick it up and listen to the conversation. Occasionally it was a wrong number, but if the fire phone rang after 9:00 p.m., you knew there was a real emergency. 

Raymond-Harvel Fire Department

In the early 1950's, community members began to recognize the need for an organized fire department in Raymond, and a special election was held to establish a fire protection district. The following article was published in the March 21, 1951 issue of The Raymond News: 

New Fire Station at Raymond Nears Completion
(The Raymond News, November 1, 1951)

(Raymond News Photo)

The above picture is of the new building in which the Raymond Fire Department’s new fire truck and firefighting equipment will be kept. The building is erected on the site where the Town Hall previously stood. Work on this building was started about six weeks ago. Although the building is not completed, work has stopped for the present while waiting for material, doors, etc.

The carpenter work was done by Jess Mitts and son Henry. The roof and brick siding by the S.L. Fix Roofing Co., and the plumbing work by the Hough Plumbing Co. all of Raymond. When the fire station is completed and the men have their coats, hats and boots, Raymond will have an A-1 firefighting department.

The following photo and article that appeared in Raymond's 125th Anniversary Book published in 1996:

An early photograph of the Raymond volunteer firemen with their 1951 truck. Pictured are (from left) Joe Bergman, Hank Mitts, Bud Hannon, Tom Mizera, Stanley Fix, and Cecil Pitchford.

An organizational meeting was held for the Raymond Fire Protection District at the First National Bank in Raymond on March 16, 1951. It was attended by D.O. Cox, K.O. Hanks, and Cecil Pitchford. Discussion on the type of fire apparatus and fire hose needed was held, and officers were elected with K.O. Hanks President, D.O. Cox Secretary-Treasurer, S.L.·Fix Fire Chief, Thomas Mizera, Assistant Chief, Joe Bergman, Assistant Chief, Claude Todt, Secretary, and Joe McNeal Treasurer of the fire department.

Charles Bandy was appointed Fire Chief in August, 1961, and held the position for 25 years until he retired. Darrell Pitchford was appointed to fill the position.

On March 1, 1989, the Raymond Fire District was approached about annexing and merging the Harvel Fire Department with the Raymond Fire Department. After petitions, elections, and many decision-making meetings, the two departments became one, as the Raymond-Harvel Fire Department under the Raymond Fire Protection District. During the time of the annexation, the District Board was comprised of Ray Held, President; Edward Weitekamp, Secretary-Treasurer; and Mitchell Engelman.

In February of 1996, Honorary Firemen were Devoy Bechtel, Charles Bandy, Bill Bergman, Bob Hough, Howard Mitts, Kenneth Wagahoff, Carl Routt, Robert Poggenpohl, Leroy Molen, Dale Ogden, Gayle Trulock, Carl Peger, Leland Bockewitz, Larry Miller, Jim Hitchings, Glenn Myers, Gary Kolkhorst, John Herman, Kenneth Armour, Jim Langheim, Earl Viehland, Richard Bails, Howard Beiermann, Gary Bergschneider, Tom Irwin, Rex Pitchford, and Robert Specht.

The firemen have a picnic each year at the city park for their families and the trustees of the Fire District and their families. It is an afternoon of visiting and playing, and all ages enjoy a ride on the fire trucks.

The Fire District trustees host an appreciation dinner each January for the firemen and spouses to recognize them for all the hard work, training, and hours for the community by the volunteers.

Active Fireman in 1996

According to Raymond's 125th Anniversary book, in 1996, members of the Raymond-Harvel Fire Department included: (front row from left) Dennis Skinner, Jim Clayton - captain, John Smith, Wayne Angle - assitant chief, Darrell Pitchford - chief, Tim Lebeck­ assistant chief, Jerry Hefley- secretary and captain, Ivan Benning- treasurer, Denny Held - Sargent at Arms, Ralph Bockewitz.

(Second row from left) George Hough, Shawn Allen, Dan Hough, Mike Masten, Joe Martin, Chad Williams, Dan McCallum, Rick Broaddus, Dennis Williams, Mick Broaddus - rescue squad
co-captain.

(Third row from left) Ron Bergschneider, Ron Springfloat, Mark Myers, Bill Held, Greg Holder, Allen Poggenpohl, Bill Vanzant, Steve Bails. 

(Back row from left) Mike Hough, Russell Poggenpohl­ rescue squad co-captain, Bruce Poggenpohl, Bob Holder, Roy Young- Sargent at Arms, Mo Jenkins, and Doug Pitchford.

Be Careful With Your Junk

The Village of Raymond was incorporated on November 11, 1871. According to Raymond's 125th Anniversary Book, "a meeting of the residents was held and there was a unanimous vote to incorporate." The town's first trustees were R.M. VanDoren, C.M. Davis, Nimrod McElroy, Fred Schmidt, and F.M. McGown. Officers included: R.M. VanDoren, president; E.A. Hanna, clerk; Winfeld P. Carter, treasurer; Frank Boyd, constable, collector and street commissioner; and E.A. Hanna, assessor.

Throughout Raymond's history, many dedicated, community-minded individuals have stepped up to serve on the Village Board. In addition to governing the town and providing essential services, the mayor and the trustees deal with various complaints from the public. When I was growing up, it seemed like people were always complaining about things like excessive dog barking, illegal burning, irresponsible neighbors, and tall grass. Prior generations apparently had an issue with waste management, and while I'm sure it was a very serious issue at the time, I had to laugh when I read the following article that appeared in the October 7, 1943 issue of The Raymond News: 

Comments, photos, and ideas for future Throwback Thursday topics are always welcome. Please email me at pinkston.jan@gmail.com. 

"Speed" McClurg Accident

Raymond News photo

        The photo above and article below appeared in the January 3, 1952 Raymond News

        Two Raymond Men Injured In Head-on Accident

Two Raymond men were injured Monday afternoon when the car driven by “Speed” McClurg went off the pavement and in bringing the car back on the road it skidded across the pavement and hit the car driven by Frank Sheff.

Both men were injured and were taken to the St. Francis hospital in the Hough ambulance for observation and treatment for bruises, shock, etc. Mr. Sheff was able to return home that afternoon but Mr. McClurg remained in the hospital where he will be a patient for the next few days.

The accident occurred about 4:00 o’clock p.m. about a half mile south of Raymond on Route 127. Both cars, pictured above, were badly damaged.

The car on the left was driven by Mr. Sheff and the one on the right by Mr. McClurg. 

Harvest Season

William Gamlin's wheat binding operation circa 1902

From what I’ve been hearing (and seeing on Facebook), it appears that the fall harvest season is well underway in Central Illinois.

My maternal grandfather, Joe Gamlin, made a living farming. He got started sometime around his 18th birthday which is interesting to note, since the doctors had always said he wouldn't live past the age of eighteen. Not only was his heart on the wrong side of his chest, but he suffered from severe asthma and allergies. He was small for his age, pale, and considered to be “sickly” throughout his childhood and teenage years.

In 1902 my great uncle, William Gamlin, visited Raymond and offered Joe a job. Uncle Bill made a living operating a wheat binding business and he personally oversaw a crew that traveled from southeastern Missouri across many western states, harvesting hundreds of miles of wheat fields along the way. Bill owned a wheat binding machine, and that enabled the men on his crew to harvest huge wheat fields quickly and efficiently. Over the years, Bill Gamlin made a name for himself in the wheat binding business, and his company was booked solid during the harvest season with regular customers in Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, and Montana.

Even with the help of the machine, wheat binding was hard work that continued non-stop, eighteen hours a day, seven days a week. It took a team of four horses to pull the contraption through the field, cutting the wheat as they went along, and forming it into bundles that were about two feet wide. One man would sit on the back and tie the heavy bundles with binder twine that was fed through the machine from a large spool. The bundles were then dropped on the ground, and two or three men would follow along behind, stacking the bundles heads up, and tying them together to form a shock that was eight feet high. After the shocks sat in the field and dried for a day or so, the men loaded them in wagons and delivered them to the customers. A covered wagon loaded with supplies trailed behind them and each night the men camped, only occasionally stopping in a town for a meal, a warm bath, and a quick poker game at a local saloon. The men worked from dusk to dawn each day with few breaks, and would drag themselves back to the campsite each night for much needed rest.

Joe accepted the offer and was hired on as part of the crew. I have tried to imagine what it was like for him to leave home for the first time and what it was like for his parents to let go. Not only was his health a major concern, but as with any adventure, there was any number of things that could have happened on his 2,500 mile journey to Billings, Montana and back. Things that could have changed the course of his life forever: a fast moving lightning storm on the prairie; a stray bullet fired during a brawl at a saloon; a brush with diphtheria; a chance meeting with a pretty woman.

Joe Gamlin driving his "Minneapolis Moline" Tractor shortly before his death. 

Of course nothing happened, and luckily, Joe made his way back to Raymond. When he returned, his parents barely recognized him; he had put on a considerable amount of weight and seemed healthy and happy. The doctors claimed that spending time out in the western climate had cured him. I'm not sure about that, but one thing was for certain: he had never enjoyed better health in his entire life. Joe eventually married the woman who would become my grandmother, Wilma McCallum, in 1918. He farmed south of Raymond for three years before the couple moved east of Raymond to what was later known as “Anderberg Hill” (the hill opposite of Mulch’s hill and the birth place of my mother, Eileen Gamlin Bandy, born in 1924). In 1944, the family moved to a farm located on what is commonly referred to as the "East Road" (the road leading out of Raymond past Held's Sales and Service). My grandparents lived there at the time of Grandpa's sudden death on May 11, 1952.

As was customary in those days, the following fall, many friends and relatives gathered at the farm to harvest the corn Grandpa had planted just prior to his death. The following photo and article appeared in The Raymond News in the fall of 1952: 

1952 Harvest at Gamlin Home

While the names of the men who helped are listed in the article, unfortunately they are not identified in the photo. I can recognize my dad, Charles Bandy, seated in the front row, 4th from the left and possibly Earl Sorrells (kneeling in the front row, first from the left).

Many thanks to Susan Lebeck for providing the group photo and article.

If you have memories, photos, ideas for future blog topics, or any comments in general, please feel free to contact me at pinkston.jan@gmail.com. Thank you! 

The Hairburner

In 1975, all the hair stylists in Raymond were forced to raise their prices, and I'm sure that created quite a stir around town.  This advertisement appeared in The Raymond News on August 28, 1975:

When I was a kid, I was always fascinated by mom's weekly hair ritual that dad referred to as "going to the hairburner." After a couple hours at the beauty shop getting washed, dried, curled, teased, and sprayed, mom would end up with an up-do that held up for an entire week. It was low maintenance, only requiring a quick touch-up with a comb each morning, along with a little Aqua Net to hold it in place.  

On Thursday afternoons, mom, along with several other women who also worked at the First National Bank, got their hair done together at Sandra's Boutique in Raymond (owned and operated by Sandy Broaddus Carron). I believe the Thursday afternoon regulars included mom, Mary Johnson, Dot Hough, and Marge Hough.  I know my mom looked forward to spending time with "the girls" each week, and while I'm not sure what happened at Sandy's, I know it always stayed at Sandy's.

Remembering Heroes

The Krause family in 1944. Pictured are the parents, Lena (left)
and John (right), with their three children, Florence, Murvin, and Louis. 

Since today was a day for remembering heroes, I thought it would be appropriate to highlight one of our hometown heroes in this week's TBT blog.

Murvin Krause served in the Army over seventy years prior to 9/11, at a time when a different generation of men and women answered the call to serve our country after it was attacked. Murvin was involved in heavy combat throughout his years in the service, and was recognized for his bravery and sacrifice following the war when he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart.

The article below that appeared in the July 27, 1944 issue of The Raymond News, contains a letter that Murvin wrote to his parents, providing them with details about being wounded in action in France. Although he was injured, he referred to the incident as "a little bad luck," and expressed how anxious he was to return to the front lines as soon as possible.



Murvin was born on 11/11/11. He moved to Raymond from Nokomis in the spring of 1930. He married Grace Weerts on 11/29/47 at the Harvel Trinity Lutheran Church where they both were members. They had one daughter, Karen Krause Grove. Murvin farmed until his retirement in 1985. He died on 6/13/03 and is buried in Raymond City Cemetery.

Raymond's 125th Anniversary Book contains the following account of Murvin's experience in WWII:

Murvin Krause served in World War II, and made the invasion at Normandy. He was in the front line all during the war, and was in the Battle of the Bulge. After the war ended, he was in the Honors Guard at Hitler's headquarters until he returned home in September, 1945.

Following World War II, Murvin Krause received the Bronze Star Medal for "heroic achievement in action while serving with the Army of the United States, October 30, 1944, in the vicinity of Opheusden, Holland,where four men were seriously wounded and isolated from the unit. Pfc. Krause, realizing the importance of evacuating the men to a medical aid station, moved forward to aid in the evacuation. His route took him through a heavily mined area, subject to enemy observation, but he continued and reached the wounded men.

Krause entered the service March 24, 1942, at Scott Field, Belleville and was honorably discharged September 20, 1945 at Fort Sheridan. He served in Normandy, Germany, Holland, Belgium, France, England, and Austria. He was wounded twice, first in France in June, 1944, and in Holland in August, 1944. He received the Purple Heart for being wounded in action.

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A special thanks to my sister, Susan Lebeck, for providing the photo of the Krause family.

The Train Derailment

On Labor Day weekend in 1967 a Norfolk & Western freight train derailed in Raymond. The following article and photos appeared in the September 7, 1967 issue of The Raymond News. 

Raymond's 125th Book published in 1996 gives the following account:
On Labor Day weekend in September 1967, there was a train wreck caused by a hot box. The train had just passed the gas storage tanks when cars began toppling like dominoes. Sue Rossi, on her way in to Raymond, had just gone through the viaduct when the terrible rumbling occurred, and train cars loaded with new automobiles came spilling down, closing the road to traffic. Train cars were overturned for several miles and detectives and railroad crews were in town for a week cleaning up the wreckage. The track was cleared in a remarkably short time, and rail traffic resumed.

Child Stars

I had a nice time visiting back home this week. Some of the highlights included being with my family, hanging out with old friends, going to the Fireman's Picnic, and learning about some Raymond history at Doyle Public Library and the Raymond Village Hall.

I ran into Bob Pennock a few times, and he asked if I was planning to post my blog this week. It so happened that on my last visit to the library yesterday, I came across the article below about Bob and a few other Panhandle kids. The article appeared in the March 15, 1979 issue of the The Raymond News.  I had no idea Bob was once a celebrity, and I would love to hear what "stumper" questions he and the other children were asked.

We'll Meet Again

This week, I had the opportunity to visit Doyle Public Library in Raymond and read through some of the past issues of The Raymond News. During the WWII years, the front page of the Raymond newspaper was full of letters like the one below, as well as updates about individuals who were serving in the war and other war related news. As I read through week after week of the paper from that era, I was amazed at how everyone back then sacrificed so much, yet they kept a positive attitude and always tried to make the best of things.

The following appeared in the March 30, 1944 issue:

VJ Day

Elmer Carriker

On August 14, 1945, Japan surrendered unconditionally to the Allies, effectively ending World War II. Since then, both August 14 and August 15 have been known as “Victory Over Japan Day,” or simply “V-J Day.”

The following information appears in Raymond's 125th Anniversary book:

Raymond celebrated V-J Day on Tuesday, August 14, 1945 shortly after 6:00 p.m. when the official announcement came over the radio that Japan had accepted the Allied terms of unconditional surrender. The fire siren sounded continuously, and the church bells rang out the good news. Automobile horns sounded without ceasing and gunpowder and firecrackers added to the noise. Many Raymond people went to church Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning. Stores in Raymond were closed all day Wednesday.

Elmer Carriker of Raymond was witness to the signing of the Japanese surrender in World War II. Carriker was in the U.S. Navy stationed aboard the USS Wren which saw engagements in Okinawa and the Aleutian Islands with the Third Fleet. on the morning of August 16, 1945 the Wren was among a combined fleet of over 100 ships near the Japan shores. Carriker watched through binoculars as the Japanese taxi boat drew near the USS Missouri and saw the Japanese officers sign the surrender documents in front of General MacArthur and Admiral Halsey.

Special thanks to Janna Carriker Lawrence and Keith Carriker for providing Elmer's photo.  

Home Economics

This week I've been thinking about Home Ec. I had a text the other night from a 217 number that I didn't recognize. The person was asking about the best place to buy souvenirs in New York City. When I texted back and asked who it was, I got the following reply: It's Mrs. B. from Raymond, IL!

Ah, Mrs. Bruntjen, my beloved high school home ec teacher. One of the most cheerful and patient women I have ever known. It's been 35 years or so since I was a freshman in her home economics class and I still feel bad for being such a pain in the you-know-what. I remember how she taught us to thread a sewing machine, and I think I cried everyday while muddling through our first basic assignment: sewing place mats and napkins for an eight piece place setting. I remember later that semester too, when she ripped out the crooked seam on my homemade vest and helped me sew it back together properly just a few hours before our Future Homemakers of America style show. Thanks to Mrs. B., I didn't go out on the stage looking like a complete dork (just a dork). As you might imagine, the cooking portion of the semester did not come easily to me either, but my domestic awkwardness was less obvious since we worked in groups. I volunteered for things like grocery shopping and dish washing; those kinds of chores were right up my alley.  

Let's face it, everyone knows that my sister, Susan, ranks right up there with Martha Stewart and my other sister, Nancy, has this cool knack for home decorating and arranging things. Even my brothers turned out better than me. Joe makes a mean pot roast with gravy and all the trimmings, and brother Bob, known as the Kitchen Bit--, is popular on Facebook and often shares his recipes and cooking tips with everyone. As for me, over the years I have managed to learn to cook a few things (okay, there's five) for special occasions, but I've just never really caught on to whole domestic concept. Our Mom was a wonderful cook and I have great memories of the special dishes that she used to make. I've often wondered what Jon might someday say about my cooking. "Oh boy, my mom made a mean grilled cheese. Ummmm ummm. And did you see her crank open that can of tomato soup? She was a whiz in the kitchen."

Anyway, back to Mrs. B. It turns out that she was in New York City for a girls' trip with her daughter and granddaughter. When Mrs. B texted me, they were visiting with her high school classmate, Elissa Lebeck, who was born in Harvel and has lived in Manhattan for over fifty years. We texted back and forth for a few minutes and Mrs. B. explained that they were in town for a very short visit and it was their last night in the city. I was so excited to hear from her that all of the sudden I blurted out a text: "Too bad you're not staying longer, I would invite you across the Hudson for a visit to New Jersey." 

As soon as I hit send, my knees became weak and sweat formed on my brow. OMG, I thought, what would I do if she said yes, and my high school home ec teacher was actually coming to my house for a visit? I began to panic. I had visions of Mrs. B's flight being cancelled, and could see her at Penn Station hopping on the first train headed west. I heard a train whistle at the station a block from our house and I felt dizzy, my mind was racing. What would I serve? Do I have enough matching dishes? What about utensils? Is there dust in the refrigerator vent? How do I get that stain out of the tablecloth? Do I even have a tablecloth? I would be forced to cook all five of my special occasion dishes at the same time. That means there would be lasagna, Texas Potatoes, pink salad (with cottage cheese and marshmallows), miniature cherry cheesecakes, and of course my specialty at all holiday family get-togethers: frozen corn. This stuff doesn't even go together. What would she think? 

Well, it turned out that I did not actually get to see Mrs. B. and her family during this visit, however, she did teach me another valuable lesson after all these years: always be sure to keep the number of a good caterer handy just in case your high school home ec teacher comes for a visit. I'll be ready for you next time, Mrs. B.!

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I searched through my photos to try to find a picture from my home ec days but had no luck finding one, so I'm sharing this photo of the Boys Home Economics class at Raymond High School that was taken in the late 1930's, before Mrs. B's time. My dad, Charlie Bandy is the back row, fifth from the left. If you know any of the other people in the photo, please let me know.

Raymond Sports Trivia

The Raymond High School track team of 1906 was the Montgomery County Champions, winning the county meet held at Hillsboro. Team members included Harold Henderson, Roy Reineke, Joe Egelhoff, Joe Beatty, Otto Wiegreff, Henry Munstedt, and Percy McGown. 

Harold Henderson was responsible for organizing the first basketball team at Raymond High School in 1905. The team played its games in Doc Heren 's Opera House and then in the Creamery. Harold gradua ted with the Class of 1907 (there were seven in the class) and then attended Northern Illinois College of Ophthalmology and Otology graduating in 1913 with a degree of  Doctor of Optics. He served in World War I in France and was president and adjutant of the American Legion Post in Raymond after the war. He moved to Lit chfield in 1937 to practice optometry there continuing until his retirement in 1968. In those days, athletic teams traveled by train, buggy or surrey to get to competitions. Often when traveling out of town by train, they stayed all night at the homes of rival players returning to Raymond the next day. 

Following the 1907 county track meet, held at Nokomis, rain and muddy roads forced the team to stay overnight. The team members slept in a livery stable and the girls who attended the meet stayed in the home of the owner of the livery stable. Other track standouts from Raymond High School were Henry Bitterberg who held the state record at one time in the shot put and Robert Seward who won second at the state track meet in the 440. Henderson also held a second place

finish at the state track meet in the 220. 

      Football as a sport was briefly offered at Raymond High School beginning about 1915. Games were played in Luking's  pasture. Some of the outstanding football players were Herman Higginson , Toke Herman, and Fred Bowsher . The sport died out in a few years and was never resumed.