PIONEER ENGINEERS HONOR PRESIDENT

The Pioneer Engineers Club honored their president, Ray Jones,
who retired after 25 years of service to the club, of which 21
years was served as president. Ray assumed the presidency in the
fall of ’56 and saw the show move from the Lawrence Porter farm
to its present location at the Rush County Conservation Club east
of Rushville.

Citing his age, 80, as a reason for stepping down, Ray expressed
his gratitude to all the members who helped over the years make the
show the success that it is today. On Sunday, August 5, the last
day of the show, the club presented Ray with a plaque for his
services. During the picture taking, the beautiful Indiana
University Calliope played ‘Back Home Again in Indiana.’
Ray then mounted his former old 12 HP Russell engine to drive it
through the parade for the last time as president. This year’s
show was a big success even though over 12 inches of rain fell the
week before the show. Everything was in operation all three days. A
large number of beautifully restored steam engines and tractors and
gas engines were displayed. This year the feature outfits were a
Rumely Oil Pull Road roller and an 1892 12 HP J. I. Case center
crank return flue engine.

Saturday night an old time fiddlers contest was held and won by
a young lady named Sharon Johnson of Greensburg, Indiana, while her
sister, Karen, placed third. Dillard Armstrong of Bryant, Indiana,
placed second.

This year the club had two calliopes. One was the Kitch calliope
from Miamisburg, Ohio. This was featured last spring on CBS’
‘O  The Road’ with Charles Kuralt. The other was the
largest calliope in the country, owned by Indiana University and
mounted in a reproduction of a circus calliope. This beautiful show
piece is shown throughout the country and appears each year in the
Indianapolis 500 Festival Parade.