This is Throwback Thursday #307. 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!  email:esconi.info@gmail.com.

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25 Years Ago – March 2001

• The 41st Annual ESCONI Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Show was held on March 3rd and 4th, 2001. Dave and Sheila Bergmann were the Show chairmen.
• MAPS was held from March 30th to April 1st. The theme of the event was “Trilobites”. It was held at Western Illinois University in Macomb, IL.
• The Paleontology Study Group was discussing “Dinosaur Collecting in New Mexico”. Dave Carlson presented the program.
• Mineralogy was learning about “Toxic Minerals”.
• Karen’s Komments had entries about Darwin’s Finches, Modern Humans, Mammoths, and a new Mesozoic Bird. The bird paper was about Apsaravis ukhaana from Mongolia. Bet you can’t pronounce that species name…
• Sheila Bergmann wrote an article about making a great “Cab”.

50 Years Ago – March 1976

• The General Meeting featured Jan Buikstra, an assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology at Northwestern University, presenting on “Woodland Indians in Illinois”.
• For the Micro-mount Study Group, Mr. Chuck Herda continued his informative discussion of crystal forms, Part Three.
• Dick Ade gave a presentation titled “The Rancho La Brea, A Record of Pleistocene Life in California” for the Paleontology Study Group.
• The Archaeology Study Group was discussing Williamsburg. For 1976, they were continuing a theme of American Historical Archaeology for the Bicentennial.
• Rich Rock was selling a book called “Classification Check List of the Mazon Creek Formation” that covered the fauna of Mazon Creek.
• The Chicago Flower Show was held at McCormick Place from March 20th to 28th, 1976. This was always an important event and ESCONI was there with an exhibit every year.

70 Years Ago – March 1956

• The Regular Meeting’s topic was “The Illinois State Ceological Survey and Its Relationship to the Mineral Industry”. The presentation was by George M. Wilson. Mr. Wilson was a geologist and head of the Education Extension Division, Illinois State Geological Survey.
• There was a field trip to the Rand McNally & Co., in Hammond, IN. That must have been interesting… now we have GPS and maps on our phones.
• At the Paleontology Study Group, William Kelly presented on the “Geologic Calendar”.
• Howard Knight did a nice article about radiocarbon dating for the newsletter. Unfortunately, there was no mention of half lives or exponentials. It’s hard to believe that radiocarbon dating was still fairly new in the 1950s.