”March: Chapter 3 of 12.”
— Unknown
20 YEARS AGO (2002)
Members of the Women of the Moose celebrated the 75th anniversary of their charter at the Moose Lodge in Danville. Taking part in the event were Barbara Day, senior regent; Alice Diehl, junior grad regent; Annie Dewald, secretary/treasurer; Pam Bowman, recorder; Connie Koons, junior regent, and Sharon Harner, chaplain.
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Students, Matthew Kirk, Martha Gelbaugh, and Johanna Burke were pictured in the newspaper at Lutz Preschool wearing their pajamas and slippers to school as part of “Warm Fuzzy Day.” The students enjoyed a mid-morning snack of pancakes.
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Second-grade students from Mahoning-Cooper Elementary School braved the cold weather to go maple sugaring at the Montour Preserve in Anthony Township.
Getting a helping hand, Talgat Marks hammered a spike into a maple tree to drain sap. Kiera Bohan was pictured with a spoonful of the maple sugar.
Naturalist Richard Hess poured some syrup from the steaming condenser as students watched.
Other photos in the newspaper showed Ethan Deibert, 7, a second-grader at Riverside Elementary School, coloring a maple leaf while creating an ad for pure maple syrup. Pupils in Lucy Turner and Donna Kreischer’s classes also were treated to waffles and maple syrup after a trip to Montour Preserve to learn how maple syrup was made. The students wrote captions for photographs taken at the preserve.
Chloe Stine, 7, and Sarah Fowler, 7, watched Turner pour pure maple syrup next to their homemade waffles.
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Four seniors in the art program at the DAHS participated in a contest for the new “Walking Works” Program sponsored by Geisinger Medical Center and other area hospitals. The pilot program needed a logo to display on t-shirts, advertisement and signs.
Crafts and ceramics student, Abby Eckel received first place in the contest with her design of a human figure walking inside a circle of the Letters, “Walking Works.”
40 YEARS AGO (1982)
Brownie Troop 442 recently held its investiture. The troop’s member were pictured in the local newspaper: Cassie Bzdak, Becky Fox, Rene Fox, Kelly Reichen, Tulia Gonzalez, Amy Koser, Danielle Shultz, Kim Morgan, Stephanie Harrison, Shelley Hendrickson, Heather Blosky, Amy Kirkner, Tara Gainey, Kellie Green and Jennifer Gearhart. Troop leader was Lynn Reichen.
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The Danville High School Wrestling team outclassed the entire field in the Southern Sectional wrestling tournament crowning seven individual champions and claiming the team title. For the Ironmen it was their second consecutive tourney. They won another championship in 1979. The Ironmen gained their first champion when unbeaten Jim Martin went 6-0 at 98 pounds. Rob Meloy was 10-6 at 112 pounds, Rich Riley 4-2 at 132, Jeff Hostelley, 8-6 at 138, Brian Stamm, 5-3 at 155, Paul Wysocki, 7-0 at 185 and LeRoy Tanner was 5-0 at heavyweight.
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Danville High School students Robert Quickel and Mary Ann Burkland were named Elks “Students of the Month.”
Quickel was an honor society member and active in track, skiing and soccer. Burkland, active in honor society, church youth group and was a nine-year piano student at the Villa Conservatory of Music.
The Danville Elks Club Youth Activity committee each month gave recognition to youth active in community and school functions.
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Supervisors at Merck and Co. treated employees who had been at the plant 30 years to a dinner at the Pine Barn Inn. Pictured in the local newspaper were: Al Wargo, Frank Wagner, Bob Forney, Glenn Grove and Larry Dennen.
60 YEARS AGO (1962)
Danville High School was represented by William Thilly at the Northeast District Orchestra Festival. Eighty-two students from more than a score of high schools took part in the event. Martin Friedman, assistant professor at Wilkes College, born in Vienna, a talented solo violinist who performed professionally, was the guest conductor.
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Gloria Jean Reeder was a winner at DHS in the 1962 “Betty Crocker Search for the American Homemaker of Tomorrow.”
She achieved the highest score in the examination on homemaking knowledge and attitudes taken by senior girls which made her eligible along with winners in other high schools for the title of “State Homemaker of Tomorrow.”
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Three Danville High “cagers” were named to the first, second and third All-Star teams, respectively, in the Susquehanna Valley League.
Named to the first team from Danville was Larry Rudy; second team, Fred Gerringer; and Jack Curry topped the third-team list. The eight coaches decided on the standings.
75 YEARS AGO (1947)
The long-awaited event, official opening of the new Esquire Room, became a reality when the new addition to the Moose Home on Mill Street opened. The Esquire Room would be a regular feature of accommodations for the large membership of the Danville Lodge No. 1133 Loyal Order of The Moose.
The committee also planned a weeklong celebration of its 35th anniversary, open to members and their ladies. Floor shows and other attractions were planned for every night. Ladies of Moose members were invited to attend the nightly programs in the social rooms for the entire week and a two-day glimpse of the new ultra modern Esquire Room.
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March 3 was National Anthem Day. Francis Scott Key wrote the lyrics on Sept. 14, 1814, during the Battle of Fort McHenry in the war of 1812.
It wasn’t until over 100 years later that the Star Spangled Banner became our national anthem.
On March 3, 1931, President Herbert Hoover signed a congressional resolution officially making “The Star Spangled Banner” the national anthem of the United States of America.
On this special day, according to Daily Calendar National World, proudly fly the USA flag at your home or place of business. Take this as an opportunity to sing the National Anthem or listen to it being sung to show your patriotism.
Also March 3 is “I Want You to Be Happy Day,” according to the calendar orgainzation.
Celebrate today by doing more than wishing someone is happy. Do something to make others happy, a phone call, making positive compliments there are endless ways to make others happy, they said.
— Sis
Sis Hause is a Danville historian. Her column publishes Thursdays in The Danville News.