12/21/1968 – Kittanning Lodge of Elks will honor James V. Colonna as Elk of the Year in 1969. Colonna organized the first school band in western Pennsylvania, the Kittanning Boys Band, which made its first public appearance on Sept. 3, 1925. In 1927, he organized the Freeport School Band and taught it two days a week for 23 years. The Kittanning Junior and Senior High orchestras were given to him in 1932. The Ford City School band was organized in 1933 by Colonna and his sister Margaret Colonna Steinmetz. His sister directed the band until 1946. He began the Kittanning Girls Band in 1949 with the help of his daughter, Marianna, who taught the band until her father retired from Freeport to devote full time to instrumental music in Kittanning public schools. After hearing that Pearl Harbor was bombed on December 7, 1941, he wrote his well-known “America Forever March” which has been played all over the world by military college, high school, and community bands.
Pvt. John Rush
12/21/1968 – Pvt. John E. Rush, son of Mr. & Mrs. Herman H. Rush of Ford City RD3 is home on leave from Ft. Gordon, GA, where he is attending radio relay and carrier attendant school. He completed basic training on November 8 at For Jackson, SC.
12/21/1968 – A report released today shows high school dropouts in the Armstrong School District for the 1967-68 school year totaled 76, or 1.3% of the total secondary school population of 5,812 students. The number decreased from 96 in the 1966-67 report.
12/21/1963 - An 80 pound deer, an ice covered Allegheny River, and a lot of ingenuity were amongst ingredients yesterday in an action packed drama at Garretts Run. The deer, a doe, was trying to cross the river when her weight broke the ice. Swimming helplessly, the deer appeared doomed until her rescue by Richard (Dick) Leonard, district game protector; his deputy, Robert Hunter; and Joel DeGrand, L-T photographer. The deer was sighted about 2pm and was taken ashore 2 hours later.
12/21/1953 - Kittanning Kiwanis Club members will be hosts to their sons and daughters and invited young friends at an annual Christmas party.
12/21/1953 - Miss Barbara Host, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Host of Kittanning RD 3, is one of 6 candidates for “Queen of the Mistletoe” at Robert Morris School, Pittsburgh.
12/21/1953 - Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Crawford received a cablegram from their daughter, Mrs. Robert L. Mateer, telling of her safe arrival in Germany. Mrs. Mateer started her plane journey from Greater Pittsburgh Airport where she was accompanied by her father and friends, Ruth Emminger, Mary Stapinsky, and Frances Kerenick.
12/21/1948 - More than 80000 pieces of mail were put thru cancelling machines at the Kittanning post office. Had it been possible to handle all the mail deposited in the office for dispatch it is estimated the cancellation would have reached 85000.
12/21/1948 - Police are continuing investigation into a burglary and an attempted holdup that took place over the weekend.
12/21/1943 - S-Sgt. James W. Norton, son of Mrs. Viola Norton of 1355 Orr Ave., is MIA in the European Theatre of Operations, the War Dept. announced officially.
12/21/1943 - Cassius Adam Doverspike, prominent Timblin lumberman, was instantly killed when he was struck on the head by a tree limb whilst at work on the Arthur Law firm near Ringgold.
12/21/1938 - More than 24000 first class letters were run thru the cancellation machine at Kittanning post office as Christmas mail neared its peak.
12/21/1938 - Auditor-General Warren R. Roberts announced approval for payment of $25,126.62 to Armstrong Co. as its share in a liquid fuels tax refund collected during the 6 month period 31 Oct.
12/21/1933 - A partnership which extended over a 9 year period was dissolved, it was revealed today by M.E. Croyle, Rural Valley undertaker. Croyle had been associated for that period of time with Robert R. Smith, Kittanning funeral director.
12/21/1933 - At the Columbia Theatre, “The Sweetheart of Sigma Chi”.
12/21/1928 - Harvey N. Snyder, prominent Kittanning attorney, died at his home on Queen Street.
12/21/1928 - Thermometer readings dropped this morning to 6 degrees. Snow flurries accompanied a strong wind.
12/21/1928 - Lee Oddrey, 33, son of George Oddrey of 5th Avenue, Ford City, died at his home following an 8 year illness.