100 YEARS AGO — 1917

The annual report of the Salvation Army fiscal year ending March 4, 1917 includes: 136 persons given Christmas dinner; 40 children given toys; 574 people supplied with meals; 766 meals given to stranded persons; 299 new and old garments given to families; 65 pairs of shoes given to the needy; 396 people given lodging; 5 people given transportation; 770 pounds of coal distributed; 166 applicants for employment; 101 positions found for men; 43 positions found for women; 3 people given medical aid; 169 open air services held; 19,705 estimated attendance at open air services.

A driving snow visited this area Sunday afternoon. Fortunately it melted upon striking the ground, but was here long enough to let its presence be known. There was also much disappointment among the fair sex when they awoke and found Sunday too disagreeable to wear their new spring hats. About six o’clock in the morning, the thermometer registered at 20 above zero.

A.C. Harberson, Sheriff of Boyle County deems it wise in the present crisis, in this formal proclamation to assure all residents of foreign birth that inasmuch as the United States has become involved in the great European War, no citizen of any foreign power, resident of Boyle County, need fear any invasion of his personal or property rights so long as he goes peaceable about his business and conducts himself in a law-abiding manner…I urgently request that all our people refrain from public discussion of questions involved in the present crisis and maintain a calm and considerate attitude toward all without regard to their nationality, that the native-born citizens will refrain from giving public voice to reports, scandalous in their nature, of citizens of foreign birth…

The professional baseball season has opened, but there is not much enthusiasm among Danville fans. The war is the all-absorbing topic of conversation.

75 YEARS AGO — 1942

The Harrodsburg Ice and Produce Company announced that arrangements had been completed with the Cudahy Company for the leasing of part of their property for a cheese factory. The cheese factory will employ about 20 people. Harrodsburg Board of City Commissioners has approved a plan for improvements said to be necessary to accommodate the waste from the plant. The factory wanted to locate in Danville but was refused permission to dispose of their waste through the city’s sewerage disposal plant because they believed the plant’s waste would be harmful to the new disposal plant being built here.

Four Boyle County men are believed to be among the approximately 100 Central Kentuckians with the American Forces who were overcome by the Japanese there. According to a checkup by the Advocate-Messenger, the following men who were last heard from were in the Philippines: Sgt. Charles Reed, husband of Mrs. Pearl Reed; Hugh Leonard, son of Mrs. Hugh Leonard; and James Sallee, and Sgt. Franklin Sallee, sons of Mrs. Sarah Sallee. No report as to their fate has been received. There were 17 Mercer County men last heard from in Bataan.

The president of the Danville and Boyle County Historical Society, announced that it is their intention to seal in a box, not to be opened for 50 years — 1992 — the official souvenir program and Sesquicentennial records, and a copy of the Sesquicentennial edition of the Danville Advocate-Messenger.

50 YEARS AGO — 1967

As of now, there are 18 candidates who have filed for the office of councilman in the May 23 primary for the 12 council posts and three have filed to run for mayor. Thus the stage is set for Danville’s last 12-man council election as the city has voted for a city manager form of government whtat will be instituted in January 1970.

Dick Parsons, coach and teacher of biology at Boyle County High School, has been chosen as “Teacher of the Week” in the current Teacher Appreciation Contest of Radio Station WLAP in Lexington. Mr. Parsons’ selection was based on a 50-word statement submitted by Marianne Rosel, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Rosel of Junction City. Coach Parsons came to Danville in 1963 to coach at Boyle County High School. Mr. and Mrs. Parsons have a son, Roy Edward, 4, and 1-year-old daughter, Kathryn Renee.

Ground has been broken for Jackson Chair’s new plant in Danville, The $600,000 facility should be ready in 160 days. The Jackson Chair Company was originally started in 1941 in the location of what was the Crescent Lumber Company on West Walnut Street. The office and two front warehouse sections were sold to Boyle Lumber and Supply Company. Mr. Jackson’s project grew and expanded and in 1946 he moved it to an old tobacco prize warehouse at the back of Beatty Avenue that had be operated by the late A.W. King.

A ground-breaking service, with 1,000 shovels in use, will be held Sunday afternoon, April 16 at the 5-acre site of First Christian Church on Lexington Road. Construction will then get underway for the church’s new $700,000 building, on April 19, almost two years to the day following the fire that completely destroyed the former church building on West Main Street.

25 YEARS AGO — 1992

Wal-Mart wants to expand its Danville store and is seeking to have property at the corner of the Danville bypass and U.S. 127 rezoned. Wal-Mart is now located in Danville Square Shopping Center on Perryville Road. Plans are to build a store with 93,000 square feet on the 20-acre site, if it can be rezoned. The current store has 60,000 square feet, which had been expanded from the original 40,000-square foot store.

Mothers from Batewood Homes have teamed up with the city this week to turn their children’s spring break into Fun Week. The neighborhood’s resident council, which came up with the idea of Fun Week, is getting 27 children, ages 3 to 10 together throughout the week for morning activities at the Batewood Community Center. The children can play board games or color indoors, or they can play ball and other games outside. Activities will be from 10 a.m. until noon, when the parents serve lunches they have prepared. The council got help from the Danville-Boyle County Recreation Department, which is helping with activities; the Kiwanis Club donated $100 for food; and the Housing Authority of Danville is helping.

On May 1, people having business in Liberty will begin paying the parking meters again. The Liberty City Council voted to reinstate the parking meters after a survey of downtown businesses showed the majority wanted to keep the parking meters with strict enforcement.