May 18, 1944 - A large group of enterprising businessmen and boosters met in an enthusiastic discussion in regard to replacing the community hall. W. A. OVERHOLTZER and Dr. J. A. McINTOSH were appointed to assist the city council in making an investigation as to the government regulations, also make an estimate on various sized buildings and report on their findings at the next meeting.

May 25, 1944 - About 40 men gathered at the I.O.O.F. Hall for another meeting regarding the community hall and to hear the reports of the investigating committee. Reports were favorable. Mr. LENT and Mr. DUFTY gave their reports and it was decided to ask for a $5,000 bond and the council to build an attractive building to correspond to the money.

[On July 27, a special bond election was held with 115 voters approving the construction of a new community hall and 9 no voters.]

June 5, 1944 - D-Day, allied invasion of the European continent began. The landing was successful and our sons are fighting to hold it.

Some enterprising citizen constructed a trough on the town well that sends the excess water into the horse tank. Now the water won't splash on the feet of the drinkers.

June 8, 1944 - U.S. and Canadian patents have been issued on a new type of snow plow to George B. KESTER of Tingley. In 1940, Mr. KESTER got to talking with local and state highway officials and did extensive research on the problems of snow plows of the past. The plow he has invested is attached to a Diesel 40 crawler type of tractor.

August 24, 1944 - TINGLEY CAFE ENTERED - Mr. and Mrs. WIETZKE discovered the robbery when they opened up the Tingley Cafe. Sheriff TODD took several fingerprints. A small boy found the money box beside the roadway east of Ellston. All the checks and pennies were still in it.

September 21, 1944 - The activity you might have noticed west of the post office is the building of the new theater. Men standing around idle are the sidewalk supervisors.

September 28, 1944 - A company from Missouri is tearing down the old elevator located one block west of the depot and taking the lumber back to their home state. It has not been in use for a number of years, but was a good hunting ground for the younger generation in search of pigeons.

February of 1945 - SCARLET FEVER SCARE - Tingley School is closed indefinitely. Two girls have the disease and it is thought all school children are exposed. Church services have been called off as have other large gatherings and parents have been asked to keep children off the streets.

February of 1945 - Again this year Burlington [Railroad] will make available for gardening purposes to employees and the general public thousands of acres of railroad land adjoining tracks in 13 states. The increasing shortage of farm labor and workers makes a Victory Garden more important this year than ever before.

May 10, 1945 - News of Germany's unconditional surrender was taken very quietly in Tingley. The stores and school opened as usual but school was dismissed at 9:30 a.m. and stores closed at 10. In the evening a union prayer service was held at the United Presbyterian Church.

May 31, 1945 - The theatre nears completion. The structure presents a very nice appearance. The front door is a massive piece of solid oak with brass knobs, locks, etc. The stage is of modernistic design which blends with the rest of the decorations. Another outstanding feature is the ceiling which looks like a huge checkerboard of a light color.

Do you remember Tingley in the Fabulous Fifties?

Black letter sweaters with orange T's, peddle pushers, triple roll bobby sox, cardigan sweaters buttoned down the back, circular felt skirts, jeans rolled up and pinned with horse blanket pins, dog collars on the ankles, pop heads, scratchy net formals, net half-slips, accordian pleated skirts, rhinestones, penny loafers (with shiny new pennies!!), engineer boots with upholstery tacks on the heels. . . page boys, pony tails, duck tails, crew cuts, mohawks. . . basketball, Obie, stopping in Afton or at Rogers where someone treated the players to malts to celebrate a victory, the empty town in '52, '54, and '57 when everyone migrated to Des Moines for the state tournament, no cheerleaders. . . convertibles, cat's eyes, fender skirts, the fastest car to Clema's mailbox, TULL'S blue Kaiser. . . 45 rpm records, the BANNER Band playing at the Legion Hall dances sponsored by the Class of '56, waltzes, polka, schottisches, square dances, bunny hop, the jitterbug. . . movies shown on the side of Harley BEEN'S barber shop, S. PLAYER'S tent shows, drawing for money donated by the businessmen at the show, the popcorn stand. . . the first TV in town at BRECK'S Store, all the kids gathered 'round to watch "snowy" wrestling, the boys snacking on Pepsi and raw weiners at 5-cents each at BRECKS, Dixie Cups with movie stars' pictures on the lids. . . Elvis PRESLEY, Jimmy DEAN in "East of Eden" and "Rebel Without A Cause," the radio station at Del Rio, Texas, Sky KING, Sgt. PRESTON and the Yukon. . . Civil Air Patrol on the school hosue, "LAMA LAMA 45 BLACK" - Darl FERGUSON reported sighting a crow!. . . Fads, inventions, action - yes, those were the days - Tingley in the 50's!

  SOURCE: Tingley, Iowa Centennial: 1883 - 1983. Pp. 48-52. PSI, Inc. Belmond IA. 1983.
Courtesy of Mount Ayr Public Library, September of 2011

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, September of 2011