100 years ago
JANUARY 16, 1903 — The Marion County Teachers' Association met in the High School building at Marion, Saturday, Jan. 10. Owing to the threatening weather and to the negligence of the secretary in failing to have copies of the program furnished to the county papers, the attendance was much below the average.
After the reading of the minutes of the last meeting, Prof. L.L. Andrews, of Hillsboro, read an excellent paper on "The Objects of Teachers' Associations." He considered the benefits to be derived from such meetings threefold — social, professional and intellectual.
The discussion led by W.J. Van Scoick, of Canada, brought out a number of minor advantages, besides emphasizing those presented in the paper.
Could all the teachers in the county have heard such men and Prof. A.H. Bushey, Prof. W.B. Hall, and Prof. L.M. Knowles state the benefit which they received from such meetings, there would surely be a full attendance at all subsequent county association meetings. If men of their ability and experience are aided by these gatherings, how much must be lost by those of less preparation and experience who unnecessarily absent themselves.
Prof. E.L. Rosebush, of Florence, being absent, his topic, "How Can the Position of the Rural School Teacher be Made More Permanent?" was discussed by A.J. Bushey and others. All agreed that a higher standard of qualification, and consequently better salaries, would tend to solve this problem.
Owing to misunderstanding, Dr. Marner, who was to speak on "Fresh Air and Sunshine," was not present.
The subjects of "Teachers' Social Duties" and "The Value of Educational Papers" were thrown open for general discussion, in which many took part, bringing out many helpful suggestions, as well as producing much merriment.
Adjourned to meet in Marion March 28th. — Florence Keller, Sec.
We've about lost faith in Jerry Forney as a weather prophet. Early in the fall Jerry, you know, was predicting that there would be but very little if any ice this winter. Well, with the thermometer showing several degrees below zero and ice five and six inches thick already, it looks as though we have just grounds of doubting Jerry's prognostications.
Mrs. F.R. Frobenius, of whose death brief mention was made in last week's paper, was born in Laughoese, Province Pomern, Germany, July 9, 1864. Her maiden name was Minna Kamin. Her father died a short time before her birth, and her mother died when she was only three months old. Her mother's sister adopted her and took her to Sklana, Province West Prussia, where she grew to womanhood. In 1883 her adopted mother's husband died, and left them in almost destitute circumstances, as through some misfortune they lost all their property. In 1885 Mrs. Frobenius left the old country and came to Marion alone, and in the fall of that year she was married to Mr. Frobenius. In 1890, remembering with gratitude her adopted mother in the old country, she sent for her to come to Marion to live. Mrs. Frobenius' death was caused by pneumonia. She was 38 years, 5 months, and 28 days old. Funeral services were held in the German Baptist Church, and conducted by the Rev. Schwan, pastor of the Hillsboro Lutheran church, of which she was a faithful and consistent member.
E.F. Sheldon, the jeweler, is putting in an acetylene gas plant to light up his establishment, and will also furnish light to the express office and Griffith & Edmunds' barber shop.
A very pleasant skating party was enjoyed on the Cottonwood last Tuesday by a number of young people. After several hours of delightful skating the crowd adjourned to the Elgin hotel, where an elegant supper was partaken of. Those present were: Misses Inez Pyle, Florence Saggau, Mary Mansfield, Gertie Bown, Mary Watson, Virgie Donaldson, Mamie Wheelock, Laura McKeal, Lois Hoch, Maude Rouse and Bertie Cline, and Messrs. Lester Jones, Harvey Uhl, Roy Myers, Walter Corby, Fred Wheeler, John Clarkson, Ed Hauser, W.T. Heddon, Ernest Terkhorn, Charles Watson, Albert Richardson and Charles Wible.
A new switchboard is being put in at the telephone central. Manager Wells is determined to give Marion as good service as can be had.
Our local coal dealers are doing the fair thing by the people during the present scarcity of coal. Whenever they have been able to get a car of coal through they have sold it out without any advance in price. In fact, they have been selling McAlister, about the only kind they have been able to get, at 50 cents per ton less than it sold for last summer and fall. Just remember this fact the next time you are inclined to think they are trying to hold you up on the price of coal. Marion coal dealers are all right.
Walter Sharp was in town the first of the week. He is located at present at Arkansas City, where he has the contract for putting in the largest stone arch bridge in the State, at that place, across the Arkansas river. Tom Kellett expects to go to Arkansas City next week to work with Walter Sharp's bridge gang.
(Copied by Joan Meyer from the 1903 microfilm files of the Marion Record.)
