News of Sumner 1906

From the Sumner Press 1906

March 1, 1906 Burglars entered Westall Brothers grocery store and wrecked the safe door in an attempt to blow the safe open. Entrance was gained by prying the north window open with a crowbar.

March 22, 1906 Sumner had an ordinance against anyone not connected with the railroad, jumping on and off the trains. Almost daily, this was violated. The editor of the Sumner Press asked that the ordinance be enforced. "Should we wait until some of our boys or young men are killed or crippled by this practice?" the editor pleaded.

April 12, 1906 E.V. Buchanan, general manager of the Star Store, left Sumner to take charge of a new store at El Paso, IL. J. L. Barnes purchased the entire stock of goods and merged the stock of the Old Reliable store to the May building. Mr Buchanan was a resident of Sumner for 4 years arriving in July, 1902.

April 19, 1906

Rates on the train to St. Louis from Sumner were $2.00, and to Vincennes, 60 cents on Sundays.

April 26, 1906

Mabel Judy advertised her lady's bicycle, in good condition, for sale at $10. W. H. Schrader sold his fine driving horse for $280. The mail bag was torn to pieces by the afternoon west bound train. Businessmen are talking about imposing a speed limit on the trains through town.

May 3, 1906

The 17th commencement of Sumner High School was held at the M. E. Church with the Bridgeport orchestra playing. Mrs. Mary Stoltz was the principal of the High School. Cora Shaw was the valedictorian. C. C. Judy was the president of the school board and there were three graduates. There had originally been five members in the class but Miss Ethel Ringwait moved to St. Louis and Glen Lucas went to Chicago to work. Neither could return for graduation.

In a later edition of the Sumner Press, the monthly salary of Supt. G. B. Walker for 1906 was given as $85, Principal Mrs. Mary Stoltz earned $57.50, and Asst. Principal J. H. Mayne earned $47.50. Room 7 teacher, Miss Harriet Foster, made $40, while Room 5 teacher, Miss Mayme McDowell earned $35, followed by Room 4 teacher, Miss Chlora Adamson at $35, Room 3 teacher, Miss Olive Lewis $35; Room 2 teacher, Miss Perna Emerick $35, Room 1 teacher Miss Mable Judy $40, and janitor A. P. Moore, at $28. Miss Cleora Emerick, formerly the teacher in Room 2 did not apply for her old position and her sister was hired in her place. The school term was seven months but the newspaper editor hoped to see that increase to eight or nine months because he said it was a waste of money to allow as much money as had been invested in the building and furniture to be idle five months in the year.

In an advertisement in the Sumner Press that same month, it was noted that the telescopes required by the Sumner high school science class were for sale at Roach’s Book Store, Westall’s Grocery, and Dale and Sheridan’s Drug Store.