125 Years

Sept. 22, 1895

The 36th annual fair of the Shelby County Agricultural Institute closed last night and was a grand success financially. The total receipts were approximately $3,443, which is $761 more than the total receipts for last year.

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Miss Jennie McVay was awarded the oratorical prize during the fair, a two-year scholarship at Wheaton college, of Wheaton, Ill. She presented her oration, “The effect of Education on Morals,” yesterday afternoon from the north steps of the art hall to a large audience.

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Mrs. Peter Hetzler exhibited at the fair a radish that measured 22 inches long and 32 inches in circumference. It was hollow and might be utilized for an old hen to nurse her brood during the night.

100 Years

Sept. 22, 1920

The most enthusiastic football meeting held in Sidney in a good many years was attended by a large crowd at the assembly room last evening. A large number of players and fans were present and it was the consensus of opinion that Sidney would be represented on the gridiron this season by a semi-pro football squad. Chester Johnston has been offered the position of coach.

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The assembly room was packed to the doors and many were unable to gain admission for the meeting Tuesday evening addressed by Congressman Welty, of Lima, and D.F. Mills, of this city. F.D. Christian, president of the Cox-Roosevelt club, presided. Many women were present indicating they are greatly interested in leading issues of the American people today.

75 Years

Sept. 22, 1945

Formal installation of the Rev. John W. Meiser as pastor of the First Presbyterian Church was held last evening in the local church under the direction of a committee form the Lima Presbytery.

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Exploding for scores in every quarter, the Sidney High School Yellow Jackets displayed plenty of power and finesse in defeating the Bellefontaine Chieftains on their own gridiron last night by a score of 26 to 6.

50 years

Sept. 22, 1970

Sidney’s total public school enrollment has reached 4,826 students, an increase of 48 over the 1969-70 school year, Superintendent Roger McGee informed board members Monday night.

McGee said an additional kindergarten section has been opened at Longfellow elementary school to accommodate the remainder of the 405 students in kindergarten this fall.

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Vida Blue believes that if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. The 21-year-old left-hander had a no-hitter going against the Kansas City Royals on Sept. 11 when Pat Kelly ruined it with a two-out single in the eighth inning. On Monday night, however, Blue was not to be denied.

The youngster from Mansfield, La., pitched the first no-hitter of his career as the Oakland Athletics beat Minnesota, 6-0, and postponed the Twins’ clinching of the American League’s Western Division title.

25 Years

Sept. 22, 1995

Is Sidney as a community becoming noncompetitive? If so, what can be done about it?

Those questions are among the many issues addressed in “Education for Excellence,” a proposed strategic plan for the Sidney City Schools. The plan, which is designed to take the school system into the 21st century, will be the subject of public meetings this week and next.

The issue of competitiveness was raised recently when the Copeland Corp. announced its Missouri compressor plant, rather than its Sidney plant, had been chosen for an expansion that would add about 400 jobs. A company official cited a lack of qualified employees here as a factor in the decision and indicated this trend toward noncompetitiveness would have to be turned around if jobs were to remain in Sidney.

Local school officials agree that preparing students for the business world of the future needs to become a major part of the curriculum.