The Way We Were Oct. 13, 2011

15 Years Ago

1996  – Using a stifling defense and a strong ground game, the Vandalia Vandals defeated Pana, 12-0, to win the Mid-State Conference football crown, the school's first in 20 years.
Rich Walker, Vandalia's mayor for the past 12 years, announced that he would not seek reelection.
Bill and Vernus Lytle of Brownstown were planning to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.
Joe Dees, an attorney in Vandalia for more than 50 years, was named the grand marshal of the Vandalia Lions Club's 54th annual Halloween parade.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held by the Vandalia Chamber of Commerce at The Depot restaurant and bar.

20 Years Ago

1991 – The Brownstown Bombers won their second conference tournament in less than a week as they defeated Witt in the Egyptian-Illini Conference Volleyball Tournament, held at St. Elmo High School on Friday night.
Births – Jared Duane to Mr. and Mrs. Terry Winters of Brownstown; Jacob Robert to Mr. and Mrs. Kent Riedle of Shobonier; Johnathan Patrick to Mr. and Mrs. James Murphy of Hazelwood, Mo.; William Harold to Mr. and Mrs. Bill Cowger of Vandalia; and Adrea Dawn to Mr. and Mrs. Harrison Sisler II of Terra Alta, W. Va.
Ron Kious, with catches totaling  15 pounds, won first place in the Vandalia Sport Fishing and Conservation Club's Bass Classic tournament held Sunday, Oct. 27, at Vandalia Lake.
Joni Koonce was to celebrate her 15th anniversary as The Leader-Union's sports editor.
Golden Harvesters 4-H Club elected the following officers for 1991-1992: Leigh Ann Weida, president; Dennis Schaal, vice president; Carmen Heinzman, secretary; Larry Rubin, treasurer; Reid Torbeck, reporter; and Jared Jahraus, federation representative.
Alpha Mu sorority won $300 in taking first place in the float competition in the Vandalia Lions Club's 49th annual Halloween parade.

25 Years Ago

1986 – Vandals did major damage to the Veterans Memorial Garden at Griffith Cemetery  in rural Brownstown.
Brownstown won the Egyptian-Illini Conference volleyball tournament, and Heidi Pryor was named MVP of the tournament. Teammates Amy Cole and Jenny Biggs were also named to the all-tournament team.

35 Years Ago

1976 – The Vandalia High School band won first place in the Lions parade Tuesday night.
Daylight Savings Time ended Sunday morning.
A First National Bank drive-up building was heavily damaged when a school bus carrying a load of people to the Halloween parade struck the overhanging portion of the building.
Leonard VanCamp directed a seven-school choral concert here Tuesday night.
James Horn resigned at Crane Packing. Paul Perry was named his successor.
Mr. and Mrs. Bill Smith observed their 25th wedding anniversary Nov. 7.
Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Feldpouch of Ramsey observed a golden wedding anniversary on Nov. 7.
The VCHS senior class play, “Vacancy in Paradise,” was  presented Wednesday and Thursday nights.
A house-to-house collection for the United Fund netted $4,000.

45 Years Ago

1966 – Four light standards in downtown Vandalia were decorated last week by a Terre Haute firm, as samples of Christmas decorations. If an agreement wcan be reached, then they would proceed to decorate all standards on Gallatin and downtown side streets.
Daylight Savings Time ended on Sunday, Oct. 30.
Democrats advertised a rally in St. Peter on Saturday, Oct. 29, with free hot dogs, coffee and pop. Dance music was provided by Charlie Washburn and his Stump Jumpers.
Vandalia Teen Center opened with a bang on Thursday night, with several hundred teenagers packing the new quarters at 1114 W. Jefferson St.
Vandalia Band Parents sponsored the annual turkey dinner on Thursday, Nov. 3, in the high school cafeteria.
In the homecoming football game here Friday night, Effingham Hearts beat the Vandals by a score of 45-7.

55 Years Ago

1956 – Louise Campbell was elected queen of the Vandalia homecoming.
The factory fund drive hit the $50,000 mark during the second week.
Births – a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Rubin, St. Peter; a son to Mr. and Mrs. Jerry McFarland, Ramsey; a son to Mr. and Mrs. John VanUytven, Oconee; a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Dale Meador, Vandalia; a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Walter Johnson, Vandalia; a son to Mr. and Mrs. W.L. Belden, St. Elmo; a son to Mr. and Mrs. Warren Muchow of Altamont; a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Tate of St. Elmo; a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Frank Rook, Brownstown.
Vandalia citizens were warned by the police department not to burn leaves on concrete or on improved streets; also, leaves were not to be burned after 5 p.m.
Jerry Spenney was singing with the University of Illinois Glee Club.
Janet Burrus was studying to become an air hostess.

65 Years Ago

1946 – Mary Jane Houck was crowned queen of the Washington School carnival. The PTA realized a considerable amount from the carnival and chili supper.
The LaGrove, St. Elmo and Vandalia bands prepared for Corn Days.
Jennie Schilling celebrated her 82nd birthday on Oct. 7.
Robert E. Murphy and FFA members attended the national FFA convention in Kansas City.
Birth – a son to Mr. and Mrs. Wendell Peyton, Vandalia.
A reunion of the Stephens family at the home of Mrs. Fred Ervin on Oct. 20 honored her brother, Bert Stephens.
Fayette County farmers more than doubled their incomes in the past six years.

75 Years Ago

1936 – Between 25 and 30 Fayette County schools met “recognition” requirements by Nov. 1.
Farm Bureau young people sponsored a pie and box social in Brownstown, Oct. 19.
More than 300 attended an amateur hour at Craycroft’s garage on Thursday night.
Lincoln School netted $46 from a rummage and bake sale.
Births – a son to Mr. and Mrs. Lester Miller of Brownstown; a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Daniels, Vandalia.
Josephine Harris, Margaret Mabry, Bess Straub, Wave Eller and Ella Barenfanger attended a PTA meeting in Effingham.
A surprise birthday dinner was given for Mrs. Ralph Sperry at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. A.L. Abbott.
About 20 members of the Ben Hur Literary Club of Ramsey went to Vandalia on Wednesday and held their regular meeting with Roxie Morrison. Guests for  the afternoon were Mrs. E.G. Frank and Mrs. John Bingham, Vandalia.