The 1895 fair, street vendors and a new ‘55 TV

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Editor’s note — We’re continuing our tradition of taking a look back each Saturday at some of the important, interesting or even odd events as they were reported during the same week throughout the years, along with interesting advertising features from back in the day.

This week in 1895, the Hillsboro News Herald reported that the Highland County Fair was a grand success in every respect, with a large crowd, fine exhibits, good order and “a delightful time,” and that contrary to previous expectations, gate receipts showed a larger attendance than the previous year.

Lynchburg won two of the three baseball games played the previous week, beating Fayetteville by a score of 11-10 and shutting them out 9-0 the game before that.

Another hotly contested ball game was reported as a 12-inning marathon between Lynchburg and Lebanon, with the “Distillers” from Lynchburg slipping past Lebanon by a score of 7-5.

In news from Leesburg, John Edwards received a hydraulic cider press and was ready to accommodate people wanting to bring in their apples.

To promote the neighboring Blanchester Fair, the Baltimore & Ohio Southwest Railroad was selling round trip tickets from Hillsboro, Greenfield, East Norwood and intermediate stations at half rates, good through Sept. 1.

Shermer’s Cafe, at the corner of Main and Short streets in Hillsboro, invited patrons to stop in for a meal “just like your mother used to cook,” with everything new and elegant.

This week in 1923, the Greenfield Republican reported that Daugherty Shoe Co. was featuring Red Goose Shoes for back to school, with a complete line for men, women and children that were stylish and comfortable.

The Gray Wolfe Co. had a special on the Dover Domanco, an electric iron that was selling for $5. It also reminded patrons that stove time would soon be here as the weather turns colder. They had elegant stove rugs made of woven asbestos for just $1.75.

At the Lyric Theatre, it was the sixth annual Paramount Pictures week as it joined in the national demonstration of better motion pictures. Showing Monday and Tuesday was “Her Gilded Cage” starring Gloria Brannon, followed by “Over the Border” with Tom Moore and Betty Compton.

Greenfield merchants were asking for relief from stiff competition from street peddlers, who they claimed paid no licensing fees, no taxes or rents. The village council promised to investigate the matter.

This week in 1954, the Hillsboro Press-Gazette reported that the March of Dimes was assisting victims of polio, featuring a picture of Charlene Hawkins, 26, East Monroe, using a special rocking bed respirator since being stricken with the disease one month earlier. The paper reported she was one of seven cases recorded in Highland County at that point in the year.

A special three-day open house was scheduled for the Mother Thompson home on Willow Street in Hillsboro. The 135-year-old residence of the Temperance crusader was set to be auctioned off along with its contents.

An army helicopter made a landing at the Hillsboro High School football field to advertise the National Aircraft Show in Dayton Sept. 4-6. It was originally scheduled to land at the playground the Webster School but the pilot, a Korean War veteran, radioed that it would raise too much dust and debris for a safe landing.

County engineer Philip Partridge refused to resign his position despite confessing to setting fire to the Lincoln School on the morning of July 5.

Automotive Service & Supply on West Main Street in Hillsboro told residents that everybody could have a new 1955 TV set with its exclusive budget plan. It had the latest Motorola and Crosley models, with low prices, low installation costs, low down payments and lower weekly or monthly payment plans.

At the Colony Theatre, the latest installment in the “Francis the Talking Mule” series started Friday with “Francis Joins the WACS” starring Donald O’ Connor, Julia Adams, Chill Wills and Mamie Van Doren.

Swonger Dairy had a recipe for a banana milk shake that it said would make “little Ted stand on his head.” The recipe said to mash one banana, add a cup of delicious and nutritious Swonger milk, and a dash of cinnamon, cover tightly and shake until well blended.

At Albers, customers could win one of 10 new ’55 Ford Victoria’s as first prizes, or a box of Oxydol laundry detergent, in the Oxydol $50,000 Ford Contest. If you won the car, you also won $250 in free groceries that Earl Hughes would carry to your car.

Albers was also giving away a new 1954 Plymouth two-door plaza club sedan to the lucky shopper who could guess the correct number of Mickeberry all-meat wieners sold at all 68 Albers stores between Aug. 2 and Sept. 4.

The paper reported that “crazy man Jack Matson” was having another sensational used car sale. A ’49 Olds two-door hardtop was $442, a ’47 Studebaker one-ton pickup truck was $297 or a classic 1937 Chevrolet was $49.40.

This week in 1997, the Hillsboro Times-Gazette reported that Highland County schools were struggling with an all-time high enrollment figure of 8,331 children for the 1997-98 school year. All five district superintendents said they expected the number to increase slightly once the fair was over.

Three Highland County men were being recognized for their work in reviving the Highland County Fair some 50 years earlier. Grand marshals for the Aug. 30 parade were Arthur Milner, Sanford Haigh and Maynard Surber, who the paper said helped bring the fair “back to life” in 1947.

Stacie Rhonemus of the Mowrystown FFA was recognized for placing first in the 18-year-old age category of the Sheep Skill-A-Thon at the just completed Ohio State Junior Fair.

A giant Labor Day sale was underway at Heilig-Meyers Furniture in Hillsboro, with five days of savings, featuring free delivery, no interest on purchases and no down payments.

Rusty Fite was given the rank of colonel as he completed a 10-day course of auctioneering and auction sales management at the Missouri Auction School.

With Labor Day looked upon as the traditional end of summer, forecasters were calling for a mild winter that they thought would be warmer with less snowfall. Meteorologists said it was due to an El Nino climate pattern.

Reach Tim Colliver at 937-4902-2571.

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A look back at news items through the years

By Tim Colliver

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