Take a look back at Franklin County’s history through news and photos that appeared in local newspapers 25, 50, and 100 years ago on Dec 18th.
25 Years Ago
December 18, 1996 – Wednesday
“Downtown’s animated delights”
“Windows to Wonder- Tiny displays capture spirit of Christmas”
50 Years Ago
December 18, 1971 – Saturday
“Public Opinion JIM Enjoys All Sports”
Basketball is the “in thing’ for Tommy King, 14, a PUBLIC OPINION JIM carrier, who enjoys all types of sports, but still finds time to sandwich in a paper route near his home. L
He plays Saturday morning basketball at the Chambersburg Area School District J. Frank Faust Junior High School, where he is in the Ninth grade, and soon will be on the intramural team.
Baseball played a large part in his life last summer. While playing for the Scotland Youth League baseball team, he was named Most Honorable Player for 1971.
He enjoys riding his minibike on a trail near his home.
Swimming in a nearby creek is on his list, along with playing football in a nearby field with his friends. Tommy also enjoys small game minting. Last year, he bagged a pheasant, and two years ago, a rabbit.
Tommy lives on R.R. 8 on Cornertown Road near Scotland, and services 46 customers. He has held his paper route for three years and proved his ability by being named runner up Outstanding Carrier Boy with PUBLIC OPINION this year. He also participates in the savings program offered by the company.
He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. James King, and has two brothers, Jim and Tim, along sisters, Nancy and Susan. Tommy’s plans for the future include either being a lawyer or a pro baseball player. He says he would like to attend Dickinson College following high ‘ school graduation
100 Years Ago
December 18, 1921 – Sunday
PIan 5-Year Program for Systematic Insect Control
“This county will become mecca for state orchardists”
Apple orchard 
Peach Orchard in Franklin County, Pa
That Franklin County is on the eve of placing itself first among counties of the state in control of insect blight and diseases in orchards was predicted by E.L. Nixon, head of the extension department of State College, yesterday afternoon after more than 200 orchards and fruit growers had appointed a committee to confer with State College representatives relative of details of a 5 year program of insect control in orchards.
Dr. Nixon said that within the next few years Franklin County will be the mecca of all fruit growers of the state who will come here to learn the lessons by scientific spraying, pruning and treatment of orchard trees. The county will hold the same relative position in fruit culture as Lehigh County holds in potato culture.https://ads.empowerlocal.co/adserve/;ID=181918;size=300×250;setID=511579;type=iframe;click=CLICK_MACRO_PLACEHOLDER
These promising predictions were made by Dr. Nixon following an enthusiastic meeting of representative fruit growers from all sections of the county, held on the fifth floor of the Trust Building. A few women were in the audience. Following the symposium of views of orchardists on their troubles of the county of growing higher grade of fruit and improving marketing conditions, State College representatives led a question session.
The first definite steps toward improvement were made when William O. Bingham of St. Thomas presented a motion of the appointment of a committee to confer with State College representatives on a program of work. The motion passed and a committee was appointed. The committee will work out with the college experts time and locations of demonstrations in control of insect and fungus pests, pruning and tree diseases, the whole program to be carried out in orchards at various sections of the county over a five-year period.
The purposes of the meeting were outlined by Farm Agent Knode, after a preliminary organization had been effected with the appointment of Willis A. Hess, secretary to D.M. Wertz of Waynesboro, as secretary of the meeting. The following are expressions of views by various fruit growers of the community:
W.O. Bingham inquired about the proper method peach tree pruning, and J.B. Crawford of Fayetteville asked for information on trimming of two-year old peach trees. Why thrifty trees show decline and whether method of cultivation has anything to do with color blight were two questions put before the meeting by W.C. Reichard of Waynesboro. D.M. Wertz of Waynesboro talked on the importance of Franklin County as a commercial apple county. He said that two troubles always faced the orchardists: the care of the manufacturing plant and eradication of insects and root rot. Mr. Wertz advocated the establishment of a laboratory in the county and offered to give financial aid to such a project.
The idea of a laboratory for investigation and control of fruit tree insect and diseases, was also favored by Johnson Gilian and of St Thomas. Mr. Gilian said he approved of improved of packing and marketing conditions. A plea for standard brand of apples to put Franklin County on the map as producer of the best of one kind of certain brand was placed before the meeting by R.T. Criswell of Chambersburg, who advocated for the 5 Year demonstration period. H.W. Skinner of Chambersburg said that root rot and color blight were the chief ravagers in his orchards and urged the necessity of a spraying calendar for the county so that all spraying could be done systematically and at the proper time. Packing was declared to be an important item in furnishing marketable fruit. J.B. Crawford and of Fayetteville also approved of a standard brand of fruit for Franklin County and Ed Nicodemus declared that unless apples raised in Franklin County the western product will crowd the local one out of the market.
The expression of views was followed by the addresses of experts. H.E. Hodgkiss, entomologist, stated that there were four proper times for spraying trees in orchards: When the buds begin to show, the buds show pink, when the petals are dropping, and when the young apples are about the size of hazelnuts. The latter time is particularly appropriate to rid the trees of coddling moth and red bug, he said. He recommended a spray gun and a pressure pump, stating that one half of material can be realized by employment of the agencies. Liquid lime and sulfate were said to be the best solution for the red spider. Professor Hodgkiss recommended spraying from beneath. You cannot spray a tree from sitting on top of the tank on a rocking chair, he said. Sucking insects and chewing one are the two destroyers of fruit that do the most damage. The chewing kind are especially hard to combat.
Pruning was the topic of an exhausting talk by C. G. Vincent of State College. After enumerating the different ways of pruning, Prof Vincent said that local conditions would govern the method to employ in each orchard.
The possibility of the employment of a laboratory in Franklin County is remote in view of the fact that there is one in Adams county, according to Professor Hodgkiss. However, he said that there might be an assistant appointed to work out of the Adams County laboratory so that Franklin County fruit growers would have the benefit of laboratory services.
It was decided to revive the Franklin County Horticultural Society, which has been inactive for about eight years.
Farm Agent regards the movement to establish the five-year orchard demonstration in Franklin County as a marked advance in the fruit culture in the county. It will be the only county in the state having such a demonstration, he says, and inevitably bring hundreds of fruit growers from all sections of the state from Franklin County.
