Excerpted stories in Crawford County newspaper archives

100 years ago

May 1, 1926

The sixteenth and most brilliant rendition of Handel's oratorio masterpiece, "The Messiah," last night by the Pittsburg Teachers College festival orchestra and 300-voice chorus, under the direction of Prof. Walter McCray, before a record audience brought a striking climax to the twelfth annual spring music festival. The end of last night's performance marked the closing of the most successful festival week in the history of the College, both financially and artistically, it was said. A record of more than 10,000 persons attended the five concerts of the festival this week, Dean G. W. Trout, general manager of the event, said this morning.

Girard, May 1. - Preliminary figures on Pittsburg's population this year, as compiled by the deputy assessors, indicate there will be an increase of fully 400 over last year's figures, it was announced today at the office of Ray Hardin, county clerk. The preliminary figure on Pittsburg's tally of noses shows 19,437. with probably 150 to 200 more to be added to that in a re-check of the assessors' books, Sammy Tucker, deputy county clerk, said. Re-check, in progress this afternoon, already had shown the assessors own figures too low.

Proclamation requesting all the stores and places of business be closed May 20 from 10:30 o'clock in the morning until 2 o'clock in the afternoon in order that everyone in Pittsburg may participate in the celebration of the city's 50th anniversary, was issued this morning by Mayor C. Mart Montee. A feature of the golden jubilee celebration will be a pageant of the city's industries, natural resources, churches, fraternal and labor organizations, educational institutions and exhibits depicting the founding, and the growth and development of the city and its surrounding territory.

50 years ago

May 1, 1976

Persons guilty of writing insufficient funds checks now face a probable conviction with a jail sentence or fine in the City Court of Pittsburg rather than having the charges dismissed after paying court costs and restitution on the check, City Court Judge John. Gariglietti said. "In the past, they simply had to pay the check off, along with court costs and then it would be dismissed. They seemingly abused this courtesy - and it was a courtesy," Gariglietti said.

Faculty members at the Kansas State College of Pittsburg received a quarter million dollars in retroactive pay raises Friday, Lowell Long, director of personnel in the Kansas Department of Administration, said in a telephone interview. The backpay results from settlement of a prolonged salary dispute between the faculty and Board of Regents. Approximately 200 teachers operated for nearly a year under their 1974-1975 contracts, rather than accept a 10 per cent pay increase offered by the Regents.

Dr. Jerry Steele, Pittsburg's new school superintendent, said Friday that the school district "obviously" needs to have its facilities improved. "It's obvious there's a need," Steele said during a press conference at the Earl Bevan Education Center. "Just driving down the street like anybody else you can see that a building program is needed." Steele indicated he needs time to investigate and analyze the needs of Unified School District 250 in depth before making any specific comments on facilities renovations.

25 years ago

May 1, 2001

Local school administrators are pessimistic about the state's efforts to fund education, saying the governor's plan shifts the burden from the state to local taxpayers. But they also plan to make whatever adjustments they can to keep the budget woes from affecting the children they serve. Gary Snawder, superintendent of schools for USD 248, Girard, said, "As superintendents, our concern is for all kids in the state, because all the politicians, everybody has kids, grandkids, neighbors kids, that they should be concerned for."

TOPEKA - A bill designed to help Watco Cos. of Pittsburg preserve railroad tracks it will soon acquire in central and western Kansas has cleared the House and gone to the Senate. The bill provides $10 million in income tax credits over 20 years, at a maximum $500,000 a year, for paying off bonds used to restore and repair railroad tracks. House Transportation Chairman Gary Hayzlett said the measure was intended to help Pittsburg-based Watco Cos., which recently agreed to buy 900 miles of short-line rail in central and western Kansas from Central Kansas Railway.

The Pittsburg State women's basketball team may have dipped to just six returning players a few weeks ago, but the numbers are on the rise. And not just to fill a roster spot. Just 10 days after signing Alicia Wilson out of Weatherford (Texas) College, Pittsburg State announced the signing Monday of Kim Mathews, a 5-foot-11 Natural Dam, Ark., native who spent the last two seasons at Eastern Oklahoma State College.