So, the question of the month is, “where were you in 1958?’ For a large number of the readers of this newsletter, the answer could well be – wasn’t born yet!
It might be fun to review our national status since the very first FFAM newsletter was published in January of that year.
- Dwight D. Eisenhower was President of the United States and Richard Nixon, Vice President.
- Average home price in 1958 – $12,750.00.
- Average wage rate – $4,600.00.
- Average monthly rent – $92.00 and the real huge deal –
- A GALLON OF GAS — 25 CENTS!
- The first Satellite launched from Cape Canaveral
- Elvis Presley was inducted into the Army and Toyota cars are introduced to the United States market.
- The U.S Supreme Court orders Little Rock schools to integrate.
NEWSLETTER AND THE FFAM
Volume one, number one of the newsletter was published in January of 1958. The Cass County Shopper in Harrisonville did the printing and the Co-editors were Robert V. Johnson and John L. Welch.
In the “Presidents Column” President G.V (Spud) Allers from Flat River stated “In this NEWSLETTER we hope to bring a message to our fellow firemen that will be both instructive, informative, and worthwhile for all concerned”. He also points out in his column that since the organization was formed October 17, 1954 in Jefferson City that the legislative efforts were paying off. The blue light and siren law allowing firefighters to use warning equipment on their vehicles had been passed by the General Assembly. The proposed Fire Marshal legislation had not done as well but efforts were being put in place for next year to get it passed.
Secretary Johnny Welch, in his column, states that the FFAM had a membership on 1957 of 106 Fire Departments and over 1500 individuals. He goes on to state that his goal for 1958 is 3000 firefighters and with department dues of $5.00 and individual firefighters for one dollar, any department can afford it!
FOURTH ANNUAL CONVENTION
The headline news in the Newsletter was the plan for the Fourth Convention in St. Charles, being hosted by the St. Charles Township Volunteer Fire Department. Highlights from that article call for:
- A parade unsurpassed in St. Charles
- Cash prizes for all three divisions of the parade of $50, $20 and $10 dollars for first, second and third place.
- A huge banquet and dance at the Knights of Columbus Hall with music for the dance by “The Swing Kings Orchestra” a well-known band in the St. Charles County area. I know the music was great because I was the trumpet player for the Swing Kings!
- Reasonable registration cost: Three dollars per individual and an additional fee of two dollars for the banquet and dance.
AUTHORS NOTES ABOUT 1958
I graduated from Duchesne High School in St. Charles in 1957 and was a freshman at the University of Missouri – Columbia in 1958. For some unknown reason the great crew of guys that ran the St. Charles Township Fire Department let me join their happy group when I was a senior in High School. My Dad owned a printing business in St. Charles so we had move from my hometown of O’Fallon to St.Charles when I was in the third grade.
The Township Department protected the area around the City of St. Charles up to the area where the Cottleville Community Fire Department and St. Peters Fire took over.
Tax supported fire districts did not exist in St. Charles County in 1958. All the departments in the county were supported by the annual sale of “fire tags”. The fire tag cost per residence in 1958 was five dollars.
The areas the thirteen departments in the county covered were established by the St. Charles County Fire Protection Association back in the 1940’s when that organization was formed in a meeting in O’Fallon to establish mutual aid procedures and better working relationships. My Dad was the O’Fallon Fire Chief at the time and he said a number of “interesting” meetings had to be held to establish boundaries.
I had my first emergency apparatus driving experience at Township. One of the two pieces of equipment they operated was a one ton Dodge rescue/utility rig kept at Assistant Chief “Bud” Vogt’s place of business. Bud was a great easygoing guy who liked everyone and everybody liked him. I had an after school job driving a flower delivery International metro van delivering flowers for Buse Flower Shop. I was delivering flowers to a funeral home one afternoon and the little Dodge came up behind me with Q ablairin”. ( I know that’s not a word), so I pulled over. Much to my surprise, the truck stopped next to mine and Bud (the driver) hollered “come on, get in”! As I approached, he slid into the passenger seat and said, “You drive”. The only other time I had ever driven the rig was to a training session. So much for driver/operator certification. Needless to say, Mr. Buse and the funeral director were not happy because the flowers didn’t get delivered on time.
Unfortunately, several years later Bud was killed in a very strange and unfortunate accident. He and others were behind a rig reloading hose with the apparatus backing up. The apparatus operator had a seizure and back over Bud and one other member of the department.
Lawrence Boschert was the Fire Chief of the Township Fire Department in 1958. He ran a welding shop about two blocks from the city fire station where some of the Township equipment was housed. Fire phones were the only means of notification and Chief Boschert had one in his welding shop and at home. I have been in his shop many times when a call came in and he would usher any customers out; lock the door and go pick up the main pumper to respond to a fire. The true spirit of the “American Volunteer”. The spirit that makes our Fire Service and our country great today!
FFAM
