This is Throwback Thursday #79. In these, we look back into the past at ESCONI specifically and Earth Science in general. If you have any contributions, (science, pictures, stories, etc ...), please sent them to [email protected]. Thanks!
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25 Years Ago – October 1996
- ESCONI held a Flea Market and Auction on October 12th, 1996. It was similar in format to our Fall Sale on October 16th, 2021.
- The Paleontology Study Group discussed Pre-Cambrian fossils.
- The Juniors had a field trip to a quarry to collect brachiopods, button coral, and bryozoans.
- The Archaeology Study Group was planning to watch a video on the Incas.
- Barb Petry was President of ESCONI. She has also been very active with the West Suburban Lapidary Club for many years. Their newsletter is called The OPAL.
- The book "The Physics of Star Trek" by Lawrence Krauss was reviewed in the newsletter by Diane Dare.
- There was news of a new Dinosaur Center opening in Thermopolis, Wyoming. It's still there.
50 Years Ago – October 1971
- Membership was $2 per year for a full membership! It had been that same price 22 years. President Dick Ade commented on all the services provided for that small fee. He mention many like the regular monthly meeting, study groups, a monthly newsletter, a library, etc. He left the great friendships around an activity we can all enjoy together!
- Back then, a silent auction was held each fall to raise funds to support ESCONI. This was the major fund raising activity of the year. Fossils, minerals, jewelry, books, magazines, and equipment were donated by members for sale at the auction.
- Pit 11 fossils were discussed by the Paleontology Study Group, while mineralogy had a BRAG NIGHT.
- The Lizzadro Museum had a couple of videos on their schedule - "Men, Steel, and Earthquakes", which was about causes and destruction of earthquakes and "We Came in Peace" about Man's dream of conquering space.
- Susan Gemmell, a Western Springs junior, wrote an article for the newsletter called "My Trip to Coober Pedy". Coober Pedy is a world famous opal mine in Australia, known for black opals.
- A five-ton chunk of jade was discovered in the Pacific Ocean off Big Sur, California. It was pulled in from a depth of 30 feet. Its valued was estimated at $190,000.
