Youth Music & Dance Groups

Children & Youth

Singing and Dancing Groups

Kinmundy and Alma, Illinois

We are looking for photos of people and/or places from around Kinmundy & Alma. Can you help?

Or maybe you have stories or memories from the "Good Old Days"? What do YOU remember?

The Kinmundy Historical Society would be honored to preserve your memories and stories. We also have the

equipment to scan (or copy) your photos so that they may be enjoyed now as well as for generations yet to come!

We would love to hear from you! For more information, please contact:

Dolores (Ford) Mobley – Dolores@ford-mobley.com

208 Joan Dr.; Divernon, IL 62530; (217) 625-7527

Gladys (Corrie) See – gsee49@yahoo.com

408 S. Washington St.; Kinmundy, IL 62854; (618) 547-7731

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The Junior Community Choir, under the direction of Mrs. F.O. Grissom, which will make their first appearance Sunday morning at the First Methodist Church, and again Sunday evening when the group will sing at the Christian Church.

Back Row: Patricia (Bailey) Sagadine, Shirley (Bailey) Miller, Helen Hall, James White, Loretta (Diss) Brandt.

Center Row: Barbara (Hammer) Schneider, Phyllis Hoyt, Wanda (Garrett) Brasel, Bonnie Gray, Carol (Thoms) Bass, Barbara (Doolen) Shanafelt, and Patricia Doolen.

Bottom Row: Louis Maxey, Barbara (Howell) Beery, Morris Maxey, Donald Thompson, Marilyn (O'Dell) Black, Patricia Pruett, Barbara (Allen) Alexander, Kathleen O'Dell.

The Junior Community Choir, under the direction of Mrs. F.O. Grissom

Back row: 1) Carol (Thoms) Bass, 2) Loretta (Diss) Brandt, 3) Shirley (Bailey) Miller, 4) Pansy West, 5) Donna Schooley,

6) Patricia (Bailey) Sagadine, 7) Bonnie Gray, 8) Shirley (Howell) Vasil
Middle row: 1) Pat Doolen, 2) Marilyn (O'Dell) Black, 3) Jim Alexander, 4) Jim White, 5) Barbara (Doolen) Shanafelt,

6) Shirley (Jasper) Drewes Smith, 7)____________, 8) Phyllis Hoyt, 9) Wanda (Garrett) Brasel
Front row: 1) Louis Maxey, 2) Edith West, 3) Donnie Thompson, 4) Beverly (Phillips) Bouseman, 5) Morris Maxey,

6) Dorothy Shaffer, 7) Barbara (Allen) Alexander, 8) Barbara (Howell) Beery, 9) Ruth (Baylis) Combs, 10) Kathy O'Dell

The Junior Community Choir, under the direction of Mrs. F.O. Grissom

Back row: 1) Darlene Debault, 2) Warren Shufeldt, 3) Mary Brimberry, 4) Edith West, 5) Morris Maxey, 6) Rosalie Garden,

7) Larry Morris, 8) Dorothy (Shaffer) Clark
Middle row: 1) Gene Montgomery, 2) Ronnie Doolen, 3) David Lee, 4)___________, 5) Pat (Olden) Williams,

6) Barbara (Gentry) Maxey, 7) Linda (Jenkins) Thompson, 8) Ella Harvey
Front row: 1) Marvin Chasteen, 2) Robert Shufeldt, 3) Marilyn Howell, 4) Kathy O'Dell, 5) Barbara (Allen) Alexander,

6) Brenda (Gray) Hanks, 7) Carol (George) Utech, 8) Alice (Chasteen) Torgler

Children's Choir leaving the Kinmundy C & E.I. Depot on a train to Chicago to perform - 1951

"The Kinmundy Express" - July 7, 1951

Kinmundy Children's Choir

Kinmundy Children's Choir - 1951

"The Gospel Five"

(O-50) "The Gospel Five" Musical Group - Oct. 1965

Back Row: Russell McCulley, Sandy (DeVore) Thompson, Francis Johnston; Front Row: Debbie (Deadmond) Bell, Clarence DeVore, Marlis (Ingram) Neilson

(O-53) The Gospel Five - April 1966

Clarence DeVore, Marlis (Ingram) Neilson, Francis Johnston, Sandra (DeVore) Thompson, Russell McCulley, and Debbie (Deadmond) Bell

(O-55) Gospel 5 with Dot McCulley - August 1965

Debbie (Deadmond) Bell, Russell McCulley, Sandy (DeVore) Thompson, Francis Johnston, Marlis (Ingram) Neilson, Clarence DeVore & Dot McCulley

(O-54) "The Gospel 5" - March 1966

Marlis (Ingram) Neilson, Frances Johnston, Sandy (DeVore) Thompson, Russell McCulley, Debbie (Deadmond) Beell, and Clarence DeVore

(O-52) Summer 1965 - The Gospel Five - Before leaving for Reunion

(O-63)

Quadrillites Square Dance Teams

It all started around 1957 when Kenny & Bernice Alberson opened their home to approximately 16 to 18 young people 12 to 15 years of age.

In the very small kitchen, Kenny would teach square dance drills and Bernice would reward them with refreshments. With two squares (16 kids),

they would travel to nearby towns to perform at Lions Clubs, VFW’s, Moose Clubs, Salem’s Soldiers and Sailors Reunion, and many other city

celebrations. By the end of 1958, there were so many kids who wanted to join the fun, the Alberson’s began to rent the “old” school gym (for $5 a night)

every Saturday. All kids 12 years and older were welcome to bring their “445’s” and dance away 2 ½ hours. Kenny only had 3 restrictions: No smoking,

no alcohol, and once one left the gym, you could not come back in. After a few weeks, several of the parents began to bring in refreshments and

many of them would stay and watch and enjoy their children having so much fun. Both Kenny and Bernice always opened their home and hearts to all children.

Kenny’s motto was “You are never better than others, you may be better off than others, but never better.”

(O-54) Kinmundy Quadrillites Square Dance Team

Sharon Eagan, Marilyn (Alberson) Lux, Mary Susan Harvey, and Kay (Allen) Engel

Quadrilite Square Dancers in the 1959 Town of Kinmundy Homecoming Parade

(O-55) Kinmundy Quadrillites Square Dance Teams

1) ________, 2)_________, (girls standing on bales) 3)Susan Harvey, 4)Jack Mulvaney, 5)Sue Wagoner, 6)Jerry Ballance, 7)Sherry Doolen, 8)Bud Alberson, 9)__________(boy), 10)________(girl on far right), 11)Bruce Gray (with white shirt on bale), 12)__________ (dressed in costume on far right side bale)