This is Throwback Thursday #191.  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 send them to esconi.info@gmail.com.  Thanks!

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25 Years Ago – December 1998

• The 1998 Christmas Party was held at the Greek Islands Restaurant in Lombard, IL
• Karl Everett had a report on the ESCONI Flea Market that was held back in October 1998.
• The lecture at the Christmas Party was given by Dr. Paul Herr.  The topic was the “Geology of the Wisconsin Dells”.
• The Mineralogy Study Group was doing a Mineral Identification Contest.  Everyone was asked to be 3 specimens.
• Rob and Sondra Sula joined ESCONI!  Rob would go on hold multiple ESCONI board positions over the years.

50 Years Ago – December 1973

• The General Meeting presentation was “That Beautiful Lapidary Material – Agate”.  It was done by ESCONI members Doris and Russ Kemp.
• The Mineralogy Group was showing off their display cases.
• The newsletter had an article about turquoise.
• The Lizzadro Museum has a program titled “How Solid is Rock?”.
• Dorothy Schnizlein did a book report on the “Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology”.
• The Micro-mount of the Month was Diamond.

70 Years Ago – December 1953

• The General Meeting’s topic was “Fluorescent Minerals”.  There was a fluorescent Christmas tree on display.
• The Downers Grove juniors were discussing Crinoids.
• New members included Max Hillmer, who built cabinets for ESCONI shows.  A large cabinet he built was later donated to the Fossil Ridge Library in Braidwood, IL.
• Dr. Fleener did another article for the newsletter.  This time it was “Mineral Identity – Cleavage and Fracture”.