This is Throwback Thursday #139. 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 esconi.info@gmail.com. Thanks!
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Devil's Lake State Park, Wisconsin. Site of an ESCONI field trip in 1952.
25 Years Ago - December 1997
- The December General Meeting featured Dr. Klaus Westphal, who presented "Of Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Creatures".
- The Holiday Party for 1997 was held at the Tuchetti Italian Restaurant in Aurora, IL.
- Earl and Mary Cornwell died. Both were 99 years old. They were the long time owners, publishers, editors, and writers of "Earth Science Magazine".
- The "Richardson's Guide to the Fossil Fauna of Mazon Creek" was added to the ESCONI library.
- The Paleontology Group discussed the Pennsylvanian Period. The meeting was led by Don Auler and Andy Hay.
- Mineralogy was identifying micro and macro specimens. Everyone brought in 3 specimens to test their knowledge.
50 Years Ago - December 1972
- The General Meeting was given by Richard Winar, who was a geologist with Dames & Moore.. His topic was "Rocks and Minerals".
- An identification contest was held at the Holiday Party.
- Mineralogy was discussing the Fluorite deposits of Southern Illinois and Kentucky area.
- Turquoise was the Gem of the Month. It's also the birthstone for December.
- Richard Leakey's announcement of the discovery of Homo habilis was in the news.
70 Years Ago - December 1952
- The General Meeting topic was "Lapidary".
- "You Too Can Be a Lapidary" was an article in the newsletter, which tied into the General Meeting.
- The newsletter contained a report about the first meeting of the Archaeological Study Group. They had a field trip to the Kankakee River and found found Native American pottery and arrowheads.
- There was a report of the Wisconsin Dells Field Trip in October 1952. It was cold and windy. They ate sandwiches or Lunch. They saw rock formations and took many pictures.
- Jay Farr wrote an article entitled "All Blue Gems Were Called Sapphires". The topic was lapis lazuli.. a beautiful blue stone.
