Davey Crockett Era Officially Over

Fess Parker died today at the age of 85. We all remember the Davey Crockett craze.

He also played Daniel Boone on TV for six years. In films, he appeared in The Great Locomotive Chase, Old Yeller, and Westward Ho. He turned down the title role of McCloud on TV.


Parker had a long, successful career after acting.

Many of us had our own coonskin hats, modeled by Kenneth Zeigler below.



Zig posted a photo of himself painting on a roof, so I decided to imagine what it would be like if an art gallery owner asked for someone to touch up the paintings on sale.

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Davey Crockett Song

Born on a mountain top in Tennessee,
Greenest state in the land of the free.
Raised in the woods so's he knew every tree,
Killed him a bear when he was only three.
Davy, Davy Crockett King of the Wild Frontier.

He fought single handed through the Injun war,
Till the Creeks was whipped and peace was restored.
And while he was handling this risky chore,
Made himself a legend, forevermore.
Davy, Davy Crockett the man who don't know fear.

When he lost his love, and his grief was gall,
In his heart he wanted to leave it all,
And lose himself in the forest tall,
But he answered instead, his country's call.
Davy, Davy Crockett, the choice of the whole frontier

He went off to Congress and served a spell
Fixin' up the government and laws as well.
Took over Washington, so we hear tell,
And patched up the crack in the Liberty Bell.
Davy, Davy Crockett, seein' his duty clear. (Serving his country well)

When he come home, his politickin' done,
The western march had just begun.
So he packed his gear, and his trusty gun
And lit out a grinnin' to follow the sun.
Davy, Davy Crockett, Leadin the Pioneers.

His land is biggest, and his land is best
From grassy plains to the mountain crest
He's ahead of us all in meeting the test
Followin' his legend right into the West
Davy, Davy Crockett, King of the Wide Frontier
King of the Wild Frontier.

Moline Boys Choir - Did This Group Inspire "Total Eclipse of the Heart"?

I was not going to post this photo, since Photoshop failed to fix the glowing red eyes and zombie expressions. Left-click to appreciate the effect. But I realized it may have inspired the group in "Total Eclipse of the Heart." The video is posted below.

The T-Bird I Never Had

1956 T-Bird, now selling for $30,000.

Comments made in the year 1955!
That's only 55 years ago!


'I'll tell you one thing, if things keep going the way they are, it's going to be impossible to buy a week's groceries for $10.00.

'Have you seen the new cars coming out next year? It won't be long before $1,000.00 will only buy a used one.

'If cigarettes keep going up in price, I'm going to quit. 20 cents a pack is ridiculous.

'Did you hear the post office is thinking about charging 7 cents just to mail a letter.

'If they raise the minimum wage to $1.00, nobody will be able to hire outside help at the store.

'When I first started driving, who would have thought gas would someday cost 25 cents a gallon. Guess we'd be better off leaving the car in the garage. [RA: I can remember when it was only 18¢]

'I read the other day where some scientist thinks it's possible to put a man on the moon by the end of the century. They even have some fellows they call astronauts preparing for it down in Texas .

'Did you see where some baseball player just signed a contract for $50,000 a year just to play ball? It wouldn't surprise me if someday they'll be making more than the President.

'I never thought I'd see the day all our kitchen appliances would be electric. They are even making electric typewriters now.

'It's too bad things are so tough nowadays. I see where a few married women have to work to make ends meet.

'It won't be long before young couples are going to have to hire someone to watch their kids so they can both work.

'I'm afraid the Volkswagen car is going to open the door to a whole lot of foreign business.

'Thank goodness I won't live to see the day when the Government takes half our income in taxes. I sometimes wonder if we are electing the best people to government.

Sent by Linda Pearson

Dr. Fred Swanson and the Moline Boys Choir

Dr. Fred Swanson's name was spoken with awe, because he started and developed a well known boys choir. We were not just a tractor town.

When the National Music Educators meeting was scheduled to meet in Davenport, 1949, Fred Swanson was asked to organize a Quad-City festival choir of 500 boys from the entire area. Swanson was head of the Moline Public Schools vocal music program. The other music coordinators agreed and the rehearsals began.

After the first and only concert at the convention, the Moline group of 150 boys wanted to continue rehearsing and singing. Requests came in for additional concerts, more reason for the Moline group to continue.

August Sundine, Moline Daily Dispatch, donated money for robes. The Moline Boys Choir sang their Christmas Vespers concert at First Methodist Church in 1949, which began an annual tradition.

Their summer camp at Lake Geneva featured a concert, and that led to paid concerts in the Chicago and Wisconsin areas. The program outgrew the public school system and became a separate community organization, incorporated in 1953.

In 1964, the choir was invited to sing at the World's Fair in New York City. This led to a tour and the start of the touring choir. The touring choir was a separate organization because of the demands for rehearsals and practical limitations on transportation. By 1969 they were preparing to tour Europe, with massive help from Moline fund-raising and volunteers. A few years later they were touring the South Pacific.

John Robeson provided scans from the 25th anniversary (1948 - 1973) booklet about the choir. The booklet was made possible through the efforts of Douglas Frazer, former member of the Moline Boys Choir.

Moline Boys Choir Tour

Moline had its own Trapp Family.

Moline Boys Choir Summer Camp

Left-click to see if any faces are familiar.

John Boland Writes

How many cities have an office on top of an elevator shaft?

John Boland has left a new comment on your post "Websites and Blogs Devoted to Moline and the Quad-...":

Greg,
I don't remember you, and you probably don't remember me. But we were at MHS in the same stretch. Thanks for creating this blog. There isn't much I get nostalgic for, but the old radio stations are fun to remember. And when I came back for the '01 reunion, I hunted up a Maid-Rite. Couldn't find my favorite news rack, as the Campbell Hotel was gone. I hope you keep posting, and I'll keep reading.
John Boland, Baltimore

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GJ - I remember John Boland from swim class. Our physics teacher called the MHS swimming pool The Aquarium.

I enjoy writing these posts. John Robeson sent me more about the Moline Boys Choir and I will post that soon.