Sunday, June 21, 2009

California Bound

Fulton Journasl
June 24, 1892

Thursday Thomas and William Wardlough, of Muskegon, Michigan, passed through Fulton with their families which consisted of their wives and five children. They are on their way to Califoprnia and are making the trip overland. The ladies and children travel in a covered three seated carriage and the gentlemen have a large covered spring wagon. They carry a supply of all the latest improved utensils in the way of stoves, tents, guns, and fishing tackle to make camping life a pleasure, and if it were not for the bad roads and rainy weather would be enjoying their trip hugely. They expect to be one year in making the trip.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

50th Wedding Anniversary: Mr. & Mrs. Fred Utz

Fulton Journal
August 20, 1943

Monday, Mr. and Mrs. Fred P. Utz, highly esteemed residents of Fulton, were married fifty years, and in honor of the occasion they were the guests of honor at a dinner party in the evening in the home of their son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs.T.W. Jones.
The dining table was beautiful with its lace table cloth, yellow tapers and the centerpiece, which was a crystal bowl filled with golden zenias and daisies. There was also the gold wedding cake with its white icing, topped with a miniature bride and groom. The top bore the dates 1893-1943, and dainty rosebuds decorated the outer edge. The cake was baked by Mrs. Chris Petersen of Clinton. A corsage of gold glads was presented to Mrs. Utz, and one of orchid to Mrs. Fred Schmaldt, a close friend.
Those present at this happy gathering besides the honored couple, the host and hostess and their daughter, Marilyn Jones, were Mr.and Mrs Charles Binghm and daughter, Miss Mary, Mr. and Mrs. Chris Petersen and daughter, Miss Marian, Mr.and Mrs.Fred Schmaldt and daughter, Miss Loraine, of Clinton, Mr. and Mrs. Curtis Utz and daughters, Misses Jeane and Lois, of Kewanee.
On August 16, 1893, in the home of the bride's mother, Mrs. Sarah Beauvais, in Fulton, her daughter, Miss Marie, exchanged nuptial vows before Father Stack, pastor of the Immaculate Conception church. Their attendants were Miss Jeanette Beauvais, sister of the bride, and Fred Schmaldt. They have spent their entire married life in Fulton. They have a son, Curtis, of Kewanee, a daughter Florence, now Mrs. T.W. Jones of Fulton, and three grandchildren, Jeane and Lois Utz of Kewanee, and Marilyn Jones of Fulton.
Mr. Utz at the present time is superintendent of the city water works, and is on the job every day.
They have many friends in Fulton who extend their congratulations and best wishes and hope they will celebrate many more anniversaries together.

4th of July, 1891

Fulton Journal: June 30, 1891

The Fire Works

The fire works display this year will exceed anything ever given here before. It will be a magnificent sight. The first thing in order in the evening will be a grand illumination of the bridge with colored fire and electric lights. The platform from which the fire works are to be shot off will be placed on the top of the truss of the high span the highest point on the bridge and 100 feet above the surface of the river.

Lyons Fulton Bridge

Fulton Journal
June 30, 1891
The First to Cross

Saturday evening at seven o'clock the first team crossed the high bridge. It was Ira Stockwell's handsome span of blacks attached to a barouche containing Mr. Stockwell holding the ribbons, and the following other gentlemen all members of the board of directors of the Lyons and Fulton Bridge: J.K.P. Balch, S.W. Gardiner, C.L. Root, G.W. Ashton and J.A. Nattinger. Although for some distance there was no railing on either side and that where the structure is sixty or seventy feet above the water, yet the transit was safely accomplished. The party drove about our city and then returned having enjoyed the honor of being the first to ride over the handsome bridge.

Commencements at Fulton High School

The headline in the Fulton Journal in May 2009 indicated FHS was about to honor its 68th class of graduates. A query at the newspaper office and the school office failed to answer my puzzlement about the number. Library research produced the answer.

1876: 1st graduating class
Fulton Journal: June 16, 1876:

We noticed briefly last week that the First Annual Commencement of the Fulton High School was held at the schoolroom on Wednesday evening, and was attended by a large and appreciative audience. Every available space was filled with seats which were speedily occupied by the throngs coming in, and yet accommodation could not be provided for all, numbers being obliged to stand by the doors, and wherever else they could gain a foothold. This interest was gratifying in the extreme, not only to the teachers and the graduates, but to the friends of the great and beneficent free school system of the State. The day has arrived when this system has become duly understood and appreciated by the people of our land, and nothing short of a revolution which must spring from a source against which every effort for the weal and the welfare of the country will be powerless, can crush it, or even divest it of any of its advantages.
The school room was beautifully and tastefully decorated with pictures, flowers, and festoons of evergreens and forest leaves. The doors between the teachers’ room and the platform were thrown open, thus giving ample space for conducting the exercises, and adding much to the general appearance of the whole room. At 8 ½ o’clock, Prof. Loomis, the Principal, Miss S.E. Linn, the Assistant, Misses Laura Gerrish, Mate Green, Etta Jones and Jennie Knight, the graduates, accompanied by Revs. D.E. Wells and J.S. David and the choir consisting of Prof. Mark Jones, Mrs. A.A. Austin, Miss Lucy Brink, Miss Hattie E. Green, Miss Josie E. Knight and Mr. Chas. Startsman appeared upon the stage…
On June 4, 1941, the 63rd commencement for Fulton high school was held in the Coliseum. It was to be the last commencement for that numbering system because in 1940, Fulton Community High School District No. 306 was organized with 5 new board members: Henry Flikkema, Frank Bell, Howard Abbott, John Sterenberg, and Macy Lockhart. It appears to have been a tumultuous time as people from Garden Plain and portions of Union Grove protested being part of Fulton and preferred to join with Erie. Areas north of Fulton wanted to go to Thomson.
On May 29, 1942, the first annual commencement of the Fulton Community High School was held in the Coliseum with 28 “boys and girls” receiving their diplomas.
The name change went from Fulton High School to Fulton Community High School and the numbering system went from 63 to 1. The current numbering system leaves out 63 years of Fulton’s educational history. It could be adjusted easily by adding dates 1876-2010 and eliminating current numerals.