What Was Happening in Walnut, Iowa, in 1909

WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN WALNUT, IOWA IN 1909

[TAKEN FROM THE WALNUT BUREAU]

The Walnut Public Schools.

After a rest of three months the Walnut Schools will again resume operations Monday morning, Sept. 6.  Four new teachers will take their respective helms in the school this year.  Miss Laura Eroe assumes charge of the Kindergarten and First Primary, Miss Gwendolyn Lougher takes Miss Broughton’s place in the Second Primary, Miss Margaret Cissna fills the position made vacant by the resignation of Miss Murphy, and Miss Hendricks is the new Asst. Principal in the High School.  Much as we deplore the change of nearly half the teaching force still we feel that worthy successors to worthy teachers have been selected.

The entire interior of the school building has been thoroughly cleaned during the interim, new furnaces have been installed, and changes have been made in the method of heating, the registers being placed on the floors rather than on the walls as they were previously.

It is with some hesitation that we take this opportunity of stating that, unless more serious and extensive work is done in our High School in the future, our school will go the road of a few other accredited schools in the state.  The University of Iowa is now a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Universities, and in consequence, has raised her entrance requirements in several respects, notably in the number of books of Latin read in the last three years of the High School.  The University requires four books of Caesar, six orations of Cicero, and six books of Vergil.  Of course we believe that the requirements are somewhat excessive.

R. M. LAMPMAN. Supt.Schools. [September 3, 1909, p. 1]

BORN: — On Tuesday, August 31st, 1909 to Dr. and Mrs. M. Moore, a fine baby girl.

If you use Lee’s Hog remedy now for your hogs, you will effectually prevent Cholera and Swine Plague.               E. C. THOMPSON & SON.

The Carnival in Walnut, September 2-3 and 4, 1909, is meant for a time of relaxation, recreation, a place where everyone can meet their neighbors and friends for a good visit and enjoy the amusements.  The merchants have subscribed to pay most of the expenses.  No disorderly conduct will be permitted, the throwing of rice, beans, flour, talcum powder, or the like will not be tolerated.  Confetti is harmless.  Let us have good pure, unadulterated fun and laughter and hand the smile around for we cannot laugh much after they put us in the ground.

            W. E. FRASER, Mayor.

I will have on exhibition at the Adam Ekart Livery Barn the last two days of Carnival Friday and Saturday, September 3 and 4 a number of my Thoroughbred Poland-China male hogs, fall shoats.  They are good ones.  R. L. RAY.

I will have a number of Thoroughbred Kentucky Hampshire hogs on exhibition in Walnut during the Carnival.  They are all prize winners and I have papers for each one.  While attending the Carnival, September 2, 3 and 4, call and see them, they will be on private sale. 

J. E. BECKENDORF.  [September 3, 1909, p. 5]

CARNIVAL CLOSED.

The Three Days Carnival Proved a Great Success for Fun and Excitement.

On Saturday, previous to the opening of Carnival, two tent shows and the merry-go-round arrived, and by Wednesday evening all was ready for business.  The Free Attractions were all on hand and ready for their share of the entertainment.  The genial proprietors of the Big Store had put up a large “rest” booth, covered with canvas, for the accommodation of all who chose to avail themselves of an opportunity to take a few moments rest.  There were stands and eating booths all along the north end of the business block.  A medium heavy rain Thursday morning laid the dust, in fact made the streets quite muddy.  All three days was mostly cloudy and threatening of rain, regardless of this a large crowd gathered on Friday and Saturday afternoons and evenings and enjoyed the free program and shows.  The free attractions were above the usual class of acts, and great credit should be given the committee on free attractions.  Mayor W. E. Fraser was chairman of this committee, assisted by Roy Bigelow.

Two platforms occupied prominent positions within the roped space, upon which the free exhibitions were given, every half hour, afternoon and evening.  Electric lights were stretched through the center of Central street, passing over the platforms, which gave plenty of light during the performances.  The acts on the north platform by Rizal and Atima, the Flexible Equilibrists, are not excelled by anything in their line in the country.  Their performances always brought fourth rounds of applause.  Clark’s Comedy Dog and Pony act was excellent and very pleasing to all who witnessed it.  Major Del-Fontaine’s Combination Novelty act was great, especially in the evenings when the Major gave his famous twirling act, in which he formed rings of fire with his twirling irons.  Pool, the Human Frog and Contortionist was fine.

Not the least of the attractions was the music.  The Walnut band was employed and did good service.  The largest day crowd was on Friday and the largest at night was the last evening.  At no time were the crowds as large as was anticipated, owing to the threatening weather.

While the crowds, especially at night, were hilarious and the spirit of fun ran high, yet there were very few incidents to mar the pleasure of the carnival, and it was noticeable that very few arrests were made.  The little bits of confetti fell each evening like a continuous kaleidoscope of colored snow and the spat of the “wife beater” could be heard on every hand (or back.)

The carnival was a success.  In the first place the committee find that they are not behind in the expenses, so there will be no deficiency.  In the second place, better order was maintained than is usual at such events.  In the third place, a higher class of free exhibitions and more of them was given than is usually found in towns of many times the size of Walnut.  Last, but not least, our visitors express themselves as satisfied with the entire program, and say that Walnut, its citizens and committee deserve great credit for the entertainment offered. [September 10, 1909, p. 1]

J. W. Clark left, Wednesday evening, for Milestone, Canada, where he will spend a couple of months running a threshing machine engine at seven dollars per day.

Mr. and Mrs. Fred Rasmussen and family, left for Halstine [Holstein], Iowa, Friday morning, for a two weeks visit with her sister, Mrs. John Kaus and family. [Sept. 3, 1909, p. 5]

KH