From: Peoria Journal Star (Peoria, IL)
They’re a duo like you’ve never heard. On the one hand, there’s Paul Adams, who plays guitar as well as a range of flutes — mainly of the Native American variety, although at least one in his instrument collections harks back to China. On the other is Dave Hoffman on the trumpet, fugelhorn and cornet, who traveled for years with Ray Charles and is steeped in jazz…
Hoffman teaches in the jazz program at Knox College. A flugelhorn soloist with the late Ray Charles starting in 1991, he has toured in Asia, Europe and North and South America… Adams and Hoffman’s body of work draws on influences from across the spectrum. Their concert on March 10 at Universalist Unitarian Church [in Peoria] might serve as the best label of all: “A World of Dreams and Jazz.”… Read more…
From: International Business Times (New York, NY)
The Encyclopaedia Britannica will no longer publish a paper edition. One of the most revered icons of the pre-digital world, the latest Encyclopaedia Britannica 32-volume edition will be the last to see print as its publisher announced this week the retirement of the book collection. Britannica launched its digital edition and multimedia CD in 1989. The Web version came out in 1994. Its most recent [print] edition, the 2010 version, was 32 volumes long and weighed 129 lbs…
“I guess it would be the end of an era if they were actually going to stop publishing it, but so long as they keep updating it … that’s fine by me,” said Jeffrey Douglas, Librarian of the College at Knox College… Read more…
From: Daily Review Atlas (Monmouth, IL)
From feature writer Bill Knight: After 28 years as a writer and editor at The Sporting News, [Ralph Ray] the Fairview, Ill., native – who died 10 years ago this month – sent for information from the bulletin from his former U.S. Army unit – the 2nd Infantry Division – detailing the experience of comrades fighting in Europe during World War II. When the troop reports arrived, he realized that they were stories he himself had written back when he’d been a second lieutenant. “He went around and talked to the people and found out what they did yesterday,” Ray’s wife Mary Jane Ray said. “Years later, who would have thought we would have been reading his old stories.”
After growing up on a Fulton County farm, Ray went to Knox College in Galesburg, where he graduated in 1942. After his military service, he started on the sports desk of the Decatur Herald through the 1940s… Read more…
From: The Register Mail (Galesburg, IL)
From Tom Wilson’s column “Tracking History” — While a student at Knox College [in the 1930s] Ed Waldmire told fellow student Don Strand that he had eaten at a roadside diner down south and had attempted to eat a hot dog baked in cornbread that took 15 minutes to cook. Since Strand’s father owned a bakery in Galesburg it struck Waldmire that the bakery could possibly come up with a more suitable batter that would stick to the hot dog and fry in a timelier manner. When Waldmire left Knox he was drafted into the service.
Strand sent a recipe and a batch of secret ingredients to Waldmire who introduced it in the post exchange at Amarillo Air Field and initially named them Crusty Curs. After Waldmire was discharged from the Air Corps he sold the new hot dog configuration at the Illinois State Fair in 1946. The Waldmire family changed the name to “Cozy Dog.” A U.S. patent had been granted in 1920 for what were the makings of the current Corn Dog. A case can be built that Don Strand and Ed Waldmire, who were graduates of Knox College, perfected the “Dog On The Stick” that remains popular today… Read more…
From: McDonough Voice (Macomb, IL)
March is Women’s History Month, which always prompts attention to the often-overlooked contributions of women, who in the past had to face cultural forces that inhibited them from venturing into many careers. One such woman in our local past was Mary Ewing, who nevertheless made wonderful contributions as a business leader and social activist…
After graduating from Western High School in 1923 and Knox College (with honors) in 1927, she married H. Dewey Ewing in 1928… In the early 1930s she canvassed to raise money for the new McDonough County Orphanage… She also held leadership positions in the Macomb Salvation Army, the county Heart Association, the county Tuberculosis Association, the county Welfare Service Committee, the Altrusa Club, the Girl Scouts, the United Way, Wesley Village, Macomb Beautiful, McDonough District Hospital Auxiliary, and other charity and social service organizations. In fact, no modern woman had a broader record of volunteer service… Read more…
From: The Register Mail (Galesburg, IL)
Caleb Weaver, a junior outfielder/infielder and occasional right-handed pitcher on the Prairie Fire baseball team, who previously played baseball for Carl Sandburg College, is the first George Washington Gale Scholar [who] has participated in athletics at both CSC and Knox College…
Weaver, a 2009 GHS graduate, played baseball for the Silver Streaks and was a forward on the boys basketball team. He also was a member of the Galesburg American Legion Post 285 baseball team…
He led the Chargers in virtually all of the major offensive categories under Sandburg coach T.J. Lindburg and ended his career with a .354 batting average — including a .400 mark his freshman year — 92 hits, 11 home runs, 67 RBIs, 56 runs scored and an on-base percentage well above .400 in 90 games…
“I like the fact that I stayed around,” Weaver said. “It would be cool to go somewhere else, but I’m glad I did this. I’m always around friends and family. I think it makes me play better and it makes me more comfortable playing in front of familiar faces.”… Read more…
