Thursday March 9, 2017 Vol. 5, No. 2 Hot news tip? Want to advertise? Call (309) 741-9790
The Weekly Post
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Farmington native donates $1.3 million to school By BILL KNIGHT
FARMINGTON – When Annette Gioannini died at the age of 101 last year, she was remembered by former students as a teacher who’d been generous with her time and interests. Now, students at Farmington Central CUSD 265 will benefit from her financial generosity, too. The District inherited $1,363,660.07 from Gioannini, and the District last month established a separate account for the gift. Gioannini, who never married or had children, and her brother were living at Farmington Country Manor when she For The Weekly Post
passed away on Feb. 20, 2016. Edward Gioannini died on May 19 last year. Her will provides for the funds to permanently generate interest that can be used for “educational supplies, funding of activities and programs, purchasing equipment, and building repair and/or construction for Gioannini the benefit of all of the students.” In a few months, the District will receive a partial year’s interest on the sum, which will be spent according to the
wishes of a committee of parents, teachers and an administrator, according to terms of Gioannini’s will, filed in 1999. “We’re thrilled,” said Superintendent John Asplund. “It’s ‘found money.’ “It will exist outside our regular funds in perpetuity,” he continued. “The principal will never diminish.” Gioannini was born in Gilchrist on Nov. 7, 1914 – when World War I was raging (that day, British troops landed in the Persian Gulf, Germany attacked Givenchy, Roye and Vimy in France, Russians bombed Turkey’s Black Sea ports, and Japanese and British forces seized a German base in China).
It’s been 60 years since Sonny slayed a Giant ELMWOOD – With seconds left on the clock, Jack Jordan, a speedy little guard from Elmwood High School, bounced the ball to Sonny Patterson, the tallest player on the team, who threw it from center court toward the hoop. Everyone was standing, watching, silently. Elmwood had been waiting more than 25 years for a chance to beat the Canton Little Giants. uuu As early as the late 1940s, followers of Elmwood basketball realized their grade school teams were taller, faster and scored more points than they had in over 30 years. The dream was some time in the 1950s Elmwood would have a few winning seasons and maybe even beat the Canton Little Giants for the first time. (At that time small schools in Illinois had to compete against large ones in the postseason.) For The Weekly Post
As a matter of fact, Canton was concerned enough about Elmwood’s successful record in the Blackhawk Conference that a bunch of Little Giants drove up to Elmwood and shot baskets with Elmwood players in my back yard. The Trojans did win 20 games in 1955-56, but they lost the title game in two tournaments and drew Peoria Spalding (not Canton) in the Regional, losing 95-59. The dream had been crushed. Two of the four scoring leaders from Elmwood graduated in May 1956: George Whitney and Sam Jones. When the 1956-57 Trojans took to the floor, fans had little to anticipate. The team was short and green with only two experienced seniors over 6 feet, Gerald “Sonny” Patterson and Richard “Cracker” Coon. Things were not much better during the season, as Elmwood lost eight of its last nine regular season games and headed into the postseason 9-13.
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Williamsfield school board election bios
THE MIRACLE ON MARCH 5
By KARL K. TAYLOR
Growing up on her family’s small farm off Illinois Route 78 south of town, Gioannini went to Farmington schools and was a 1932 high school graduate. Although it’s unclear whether she taught in a rural school for a time, as some speculated, records show Gioannini earned a Bachelor’s degree in English in 1938 from Western Illinois State Teachers College in Macomb. Then she went on to earn a Master’s degree from the University of Illinois in 1946. For more than 20 years, she taught Latin and French in Chicago Heights at Bloom Township High School (where the
By BILL KNIGHT
Continuing The Weekly Post’s publishing of candidate information for the April 4 consolidated election, here are brief profiles from another contested race: WILLIAMSFIELD School Board April Bouchez, 33: A 2001 graduate of Williamsfield, I am committed to helping every child and the District succeed. I want every member in the community to be engaged and active with the District. I value the size and commitment at our school to our children and strong relationships and trust between our faculty and our students. My background is in accounting and business. I also tutor numerous children within the District for math. I am in the school three to four times a week and fully engaged with students outside of the school five to six days a week. Aaron Buck, 41: I am seeking election to the Williamsfield District 210 Board of Education. I am a resident of Williamsfield, have a son in the district, and am employed by Mid For The Weekly Post
This is Sonny Patterson’s picture from the 1957 edition of Elmwood’s yearbook, “The Ulmus.”
So when the Trojans learned Canton was their opponent for the first game of the Regional, there was little joy. Despite the outlook, seats for the visitors at the Alice Ingersoll Gymnasium in Canton were filled. Most of the bleachers for the home team were empty, probably because the Little Giants had endured a 6-18 season. Continued on Page 6
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