OLD’N NEWS From Around the County
MOBERLY MONITOR INDEX MICROFILM FILE
The microfilm files of the Moberly Monitor Index and Evening Democrat as well as its predecessor papers will now be housed in the History Center library at 223 N Clark in Moberly. The collection, belonging to the Monitor Index, ranges from 1882 to 2004, a span of 122 years. Papers do exist back to 1876, but these are not available as yet. This is the single most significant acquisition, ever, by Randolph County Historical Society. We extend our sincere gratitude to Bob Cunningham of the Monitor Index. He felt that the collection needed to be in a location accessible to researchers of Randolph County history. The Little Dixie Regional Library and the State Historical Society also have these papers on microfilm.
THE RALPH GERHARD MICROFILM RESEARCH CENTER
Now here’s a thought. Say you were looking for a job. You go to University of Missouri after a football game. They say “Sure. Here’s a broom. Just sweep out this stadium.” Or you go to a golf course and they say “Sure, just bring your mower from home and mow our course.” Both would be impossible tasks. Here is one more. You show up at the library and they say, “Sure, just read every Moberly Monitor Index newspaper from 1876 through 1960.” Another impossibility? Well not for Ralph Gerhard. It has taken him nearly 40 years to do it, but he has read them all. He has read many of the old Huntsville Heralds as well. It gets better.
Ralph not only reads the papers. He never fails to jot down notes on his yellow tablet about the important stories in each paper. These handwritten notes are now in binders that cover approximately 12 feet of space in our library at the History Center.
The Board of Directors of RCHS recently honored Ralph for his work by naming the microfilm department at the History Center The RALPH GERHARD Microfilm Research Center. Our microfilm collection includes not only the newspaper. It also includes various county records such as, marriages, deeds and court proceedings from Randolph and surrounding counties. They are listed on our website. By the way, all of these columns are on the website, too. www.randolphhistory.com
4th STREET THEATER NEWS
The 4th Street Theater Restoration Committee is getting ready to throw another great Classic Movie Party at the Moberly Country Club. An added feature this year will be the drawing for the 50/50 ticket contest. Sales of these $100 tickets are really going good since only 200 will be sold. If all are sold the winner would get half of $20,000. Not bad odds either at 200-1 or less instead of millions to one for lottery tickets. The tickets to the Party are $20. Call 263-3345 for more information.
OLD FAMILY VALUES
This election season is finally over, which means that candidates might get back to one of those family values that I learned as a kid. There were many others, but one was ‘telling the truth.’ Telling the truth was one of those values that, if broken, resulted in consequences. My Dad’s old leather belt hung on a nail just outside the kitchen door on the back porch. My mother used it full length so her swings were slower coming, but sometimes wrapped around my leg. Dad on the other hand would double the belt back, which allowed quicker, harder swings and much louder action. My folks would have even said that truthfulness includes publicly condemning untruths circulated by others in your behalf.
Oh, by the way, my last trip to the back porch was over 50 years ago. I was a Senior in high school. You bet – I remember it well!
PROSTITUTION BOOK ON SCHEDULE
One of the news items that Ralph Gerhard footnoted in his reading of the Moberly newspapers had to do with the continual problem of prostitution in Moberly in the 1800’s and the first part of the 1900’s. Those notes make up the bulk of the book that he is writing called Madams, Johns and Painted Ladies. The book is being published by the Society and pre-publication orders are being accepted. Cost is $9.50 plus $2.00 if you want the book sent to you. Just call, write or email the Historical Society for Christmas orders.