100 YEARS AGO — 1917

Women are invited to attend a Liberty Bread demonstration at the Maple Avenue School on Saturday. The government asked you to save wheat flour, so come and learn how to mix some wheat flour with other materials and thereby save the wheat flour and then you can act as missionaries in working for the promotion of the conservation plan.

Very few of us have any idea of what a solider carries while marching into war. When first you see the complete list of what an American infantryman actually carries in field service, you wonder how he can march or fight at all. Here is the list: riffle; 220 cartridges with 100 worn in the belt and 120 in bandoleers slung over his shoulder; bayonet; bayonet scabbard; intrenching shovel or pickax or wire cutter; cartridge belt; haversack; pack carrier; shelter tent half and rope (each man carries one half of a tent and half of the rope, and the halves button together; metal canteen; padded canteen cover; drinking cup; meat can; bacon can; condiment can; fork, knife and spoon; extra suit of underclothes; two extra pair of socks; extra shoe laces; comb; toothbrush; soap, towel and a small sewing kit; identification tag; and rations that are issued. The soldiers are given frequent inspections and if one tent pin, comb or sock are missing, trouble results. Also each squad of eight men has a squad bag which is carried in the wagons, and in each bag, each man must always have and extra pair of breeches; extra flannel shirt; two pair of socks; extra suit of underclothes; spare pair of marching shoes in good condition; and extra shoelaces.

The members of the Colored Masonic Fraternity have almost completed a handsome building on Second Street in Danville. It is a credit to any town. It is three stories high and the lower floor will be used for store rooms. Numerous other rooms in the building will be used for offices and lodge purposes.

75 YEARS AGO — 1942

A good luck charm made of a four-leaf clover grown in Balboa Heights, Canal one, and given to James Gresham, U.S. Navy, by a Danville friend, is given credit for his good fortune. The young “gob” who attended Danville High School before joining the Navy lost his wallet containing over $50, several photos and identification papers while going for breakfast on Wabash Avenue in Chicago. A strange quirk of fate permitted Mrs. G.G. Randall, of Paducah, to be strolling along Wabash Avenue the same morning and found his wallet, although many other persons has passed it by. She mailed the items directly to Mr. Grasham’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. H.D. Gresham of 490 Dillehay Street and he received it recently when he went home to visit. Mr. Gresham has volunteered for training in a submarine school.

Gasoline rationing registration was progressing slower than expected today. Superintendent Birckhead, whose school building and faculties were utilized, reported about 900 people were registered yesterday afternoon at Maple Avenue, Broadway the high school and Bate school. With the completion  of gasoline rationing, the public was ready to face another rationing problem with coffee. The plan is one pound per person over 15 years old will be allowed every five weeks for individual and family use. War Ration Book One will be used both for sugar and coffee.

The program that was rendered at the Bate School last night was an unusual performance. While it was well and most skillfully done the performer should receive more than casual mention. Horace Jr. was born here. His parents were industrious and up right Horace Sr. was a fine plasterer and a hard worker. His grandparents Robert and Carrie Moore were persons who held the respect of the best citizens who knew him. With such a background Horace Jr. should have found it easy to reach the goal that he has; but when a  little boy he fell victim to infantile paralysis then his father died, leaving him a semi orphan, handicapped by being a cripple. Horace Jr. deserves much praise for his achievements. Physically weak; financially limited, he has done well and stands as a worthy example to others to strive and win.

50 YEARS AGO — 1967

William J. “Billy” Faulconer, of North First Street, celebrated his 90th birthday with a supper party at Old Crow Inn by Mr. and Mrs. Manly Douglas McBeath. What is most remarkable is that Mr. Billy is still working his regular job everyday, still loves to hunt and indulge in other outdoor activities. Mr. Faulconer has been superintendent of Bellevue Cemetery for the past 26 years. Those who have had occasion to visit the cemetery to seek out an obscure grave or the final resting place of someone buried several decades ago, say that Mr. Billy will lead them directly to the spot. He has all the necessary information either at hand or in his head.

The Christmas shopping season in Danville will officially open the day after Thanksgiving, and merchants in the city have gone all out to provide a varied and large display of merchandise for shoppers in the area. Santa will arrive by helicopter and land on the Ford Motor Company used car lot on Walnut Street. The Danville street and window decorations will be lit that night and the merchants have added six additional decorative material to that which was used during the last Christmas season. They are cathedral windows with lighted stars in the center and will be interspaced with the unusually attractive and different sugar plum branches that were used last year.

Perplexed Santas shopping for a gift to please student, career girl and or homemaker may find a trip to the hosiery county a superb inspiration. The wide range of new styles in stockings suggests a gift to delight every special girl on his list.

25 YEARS AGO — 1992

The Boyle County Human Rights Commission plans to urge those stores that make racial notations on customers’ checks to voluntarily stop the practice. While the practice apparently does not violate anti-discrimination laws, the “connotation of labeling a person by his or her race is there,” said a field representative for the Kentucky Human Rights Commission. It has been noted that people have found notations of “BF”, “BM”, “WF” and “WM” on their checks. Owners of two local stores have stated that they do it for all customers’ checks, regardless of race. They said it is a means of gathering additional information on people for the purpose of prosecuting writers of bad checks.

Trumpet virtuoso Vincent DiMartino will join the Centre College faculty next fall as its distinguished artist-in-residence. “It’s the best thing that could happen to music at Centre College,” said Doc Severinsen, the former “Tonight Show” band leader who has often played with DiMartino. DiMartino will take a leave of absence from the University of Kentucky where he has taught for 20 years, or order to take the job at Centre.

There was something unusual about the telephone call between the Hitachi Automotive Products office in Harrodsburg, and the company’s technical center near Detroit Thursday. The callers could see each other on television. “Videoconferencing”  has come to Harrodsburg and according to Hitachi officials, probably will be commonplace in offices throughout this area someday.