File Finds: Easter 100, 50 and 25 years ago
With Easter just days away, let's take a look back into the Humboldt Newspaper archives, which date back to 1904, to see how the holiday was celebrated 100, 50 and 25 years ago. Whether you're attending a sunrise service, enjoying an Easter Brunch with family or friends, or just in it for the Kiwanis Egg Hunt, this Spring Holiday has something for everyone.
100 Years Ago - 1926
Vo. 38 No. 1 of the Humboldt Republican (Published Friday, April 2, 1926) shared Church Services on Easter Sunday as the centerpiece of the front page.
While there were no Easter Egg Hunts advertised for the holiday, the society pages (the social media of old) shared various community members plans for Easter Sunday activities.
The County Newsletters published in the paper told of a Good Friday Evening Concert that was held at the Methodist Church with a brief intermission from a Lutheran Pastor.
Mr. and Mrs. E.C. Wittman hosted a group of relatives for a midday dinner. Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Reed hosted a Sunday dinner complimenting a group of students from Des Moines. Dr. and Mrs. C.P. Christianson invited friends over for a midday Easter dinner.
Advertised in the paper were hats from A.B. White Company, ranging in price from $4.95 to $12.50.
50 Years Ago - 1976
In 1976, the year that saw Jim Dreyer become Humboldt's first state champion wrestler, the Kiwanis Easter Egg Hunt was somewhat of a kerfuffle. The story, titled "Saturday's Easter Egg Hunt a fiasco," published in Vol. 76 No. 5 of the Humboldt Republican, read as follows;
"Webster's Dictionary describes the word "fiasco" as an action that comes to a ridiculous end; a complete failure.
Things were going well with the Kiwanians as they lined the hundreds of small children up in preparation for the mad dash for the Easter eggs. Then the outside, automatic school bell rang, 10 minutes before the hunt was scheduled to begin. Children scattered in every direction and there was no stopping them.
Then more mothers with more children kept arriving to find the hunt in progress, leaving their children without a chance of taking part.
Some children who got several eggs were good about sharing with some of those who didn't get any. The Kiwanians gave disappointed youngsters all of the eggs they had extra, but there still weren't enough to go around. Some mothers were angry and then some were understanding of the predicament.
In all, most Kiwanians working at the hunt would agree that the word "fiasco" pretty well describes this year's Easter Egg Hunt, and next year, the hunt will begin sometime after the last school bell and before the next one is due to ring.
And speaking of the day being a fiasco, of all of the pictures taken by the photographer that day, only one turned out."
25 Years Ago - 2001
The Easter Egg Hunt that year, hosted by the Noon Kiwanis Club, was much more successful than 50 years prior. The Easter Bunny was photographed visiting the crowd of children at Taft Park.
Joyce Wearmouth's first-grade class presented a puppet play, "Tale of Peter Rabbit." A photograph from the event showed Meg Link, Kallie Kollmorgen and Tyler Dix.
