|
�
<br /> , ; • - �
<br /> )e;c.t:tur. }IlinoiS-Thur�dav. 1nvr.mber2.-.198Q ��A����� � �
<br /> . �
<br /> , � f
<br /> ���� �� � s
<br /> �� (: .
<br /> a
<br /> }
<br /> ��:
<br /> -:; ��=r�� � ��� It doesn't mean a slo�ver pace �
<br /> „- .,,� _
<br /> ����`'� � life that�took her:from teaching in a one- i
<br /> �,.�::
<br /> �a��,���. � -� By WII.I.IA.M M. hIICHAEL ;
<br /> ��: ' N�nid & Rev�ew�fe.twe w^c.. room scbool. to the.Waves in World War
<br /> ��, �� �� � Martha Montgomery has been active II, to Macy's in New York and tinally to •,
<br /> �. � r.. ��� � ' .
<br /> �..��; • ever since she was born on a farm .in I,akeview High Sct�ool as a teacher. �
<br /> ������; � ��?��=�� � Austin Township in 1911 and retiremen[ She was 18 when she began her fi�st i
<br /> �:>�:��: - ob at Monitor School, a one- �
<br /> ;�, � ��.<�,- hasn't slowed�her down a biL � teaching J
<br /> �� ;,�;::' : Righ[now she is busy getting the Mont- room counh' school. Eartier, she had fin-
<br /> >.:a.^ . _
<br /> M� ���;_ gomery•homestead at 695 Mound Road ished hi� scf►ool at Kenny and one year
<br /> �..:�..: incn shape after being empty from 1974 Lo at IIlinois State Uaiveisity, then called Il- .
<br /> ,��:�„ linois SCate Normal, a teac�ers college_ i
<br /> °� � �,.�,: �. 1978. . ;
<br /> "°-�.� �:��� • Along with that work� she remains ac- '"The Idds were wonderful. "I'he boys ;
<br /> �`�� � �^``� tive in the Macon County HisWricai So- swe�t out and started the fire," she re-
<br /> ��>� . �
<br /> �.� �
<br /> Y;�, �Z'�- - ciety, the Southern Region af Lhe State - called.
<br /> ,'^., -� �_ ,, Congress ot Illinois Hisiorical Socie[ies. She t.au�c for seven years,.then earned '
<br /> '�'?� �� -'" . and the Illinois State Genealogical So- ����°�ad���Ve�sity o[Il�noi s '
<br /> �`�
<br /> �.r� � -. ciety. '
<br /> `�.� � ':
<br /> -<.;. ; She bou�t the big two-story house at For the next five years.she taugh[ Eng- '�
<br /> `�,.�?�,��� '��` Mound and MacArthur roads in October Iish�and Latin at Sullivan High Sctioal• :
<br /> ::�t_.,, , , of 1979 from her aunt, Alberta Montgom- When the United States entered World
<br /> �>ars���r �,
<br /> ,..,.�,.._.,� .; � � : ery.The fitst project was to Insfall a new Waz II, she joined the Women's Appoint-
<br /> - bathroom, but one.job led to another and ed Volunteer Emergency Service
<br /> � today the.new bathroom still is waiting• (WAVES), a part of the U.S. Navy. She i '
<br /> -� '"'` :�� However, another room has been added . was cammissioned as an ensign and serv- .-
<br /> `�� .'�� � � ,: _' and turned into a library with an old roli- ed on active duty until April 1946. She re- .
<br /> ' top desk and white oak book shelves. tired from the reserves with the rank of
<br /> Actually, it was the city that en- lleuteaant commanaer in 1970. ,
<br /> croached on the farm. When her g�eat- "� Wh�1e on active duty,she was in charge . .
<br /> grandparents, William F. and Amelia Su- of a garage of 250 vehicles and about 90 ,
<br /> ver Montgomery, moved into the house in persoas at Floyd Bennett Fieid in Brook- .
<br /> 1855, it was part of a 240-acre farm. Be- lyn. Later she was transferred to the . i
<br /> tween 1855 and 1870, a dining room, kitch- - Navai�Air Statian at San Diego where she
<br /> en and .bedroom were buili onto the helped establish a program for iiliterate
<br /> house_ In 1885, [he front section was Navy per'sonnel• Part of her job also was
<br /> added. to lecture eaci� week at the admiral's
<br /> When Miss Montgomery's grandmother conference on activities and events in the
<br /> bou�t the house in 1929, she added cen- � various theaters of War.
<br /> tral heating,. electricity and .indoor ,_.During her time in��er'esej�� s�e
<br /> plumbing. The old 9uthouse -'•paneled was assistant to the Pe
<br /> now — still is in the�back yard and is In 1948,�stie wenc to New York and be-
<br /> functional_ � gan working for Macy's department _
<br /> V,��le sear�hing through the basement siore. Eventually she went inta merchan- _
<br /> and outbuildings, Miss Montgoinery — a dising and was sent to the Kansas C![y
<br /> pack rat ("I'll collect anything") —found stoce as a buyer for women's ready:to-
<br /> an old_cabinet whict� she re£inlshed and wear ciothing. L.ater she joined Associ-
<br /> hung in her new kitchen. It contains some ated Dry Goods and War4ce� for six years
<br /> _�„ of the crocicery treasures she also col- at its Stewarts store in Baltimore. . I
<br /> �iectS� She unearthed and refinished a In 1962, she decided it was time to re- ; ;:
<br /> multi-drawer nail cabinet which she will turn to the tarm home on the Kenny i
<br /> �_ M turn into a spice cabinet. It is in her new biacictop in Austin Township. She began ,I
<br /> .^ ,,,� p�try teaching at Lakeview High School and
<br /> ` Gradually the acreage on w�hich the spent the next 11 yeais ihere, teaching
<br /> "-; house origivally sat was soid, the last 40 En g lis h, L a t i n, a'c o u r s e i n business com-
<br /> ;; ot whicri were developed by Hunter- munications and classes in marketing. "I `
<br /> Pogue Lumber Co. into Montgomery Hilis had some wonderful students." she said.
<br /> • sLbdivision. She became aceive in lhe Historical So-
<br /> She moved into the house from her oth- ciety and che Genealog�cal Society at�er
<br /> er homestead in Auscin Township to she returned in '.96'- because t!�e (riends
<br /> u•hich she returned in 1962 after a varied she had made long ago K�ere gone.
<br /> �os����.����.����� ��sur�..���
<br /> �
<br /> �, '� ��� �.�� `�x��a� '
<br /> ��� � � � ����
<br />
|