How the Marion City Recreation Board went from a $1.33 treasury and $250 in bills in 1944 to a more than $16,000 a year budget was outlined at the regular meeting of the Lions Wednesday by retiring recreation director, Cliff Storme. Storme was appointed principal of the high school and will no longer have time for additional duties.
Program Chairman Ray McCormick introduced Storme.
A new City Recreation Council was formed on Nov. 13, 1944, with Maree Cox, Mrs. Ernest Parks, Mrs. Clara Boatright, Frank Morrison, Lloyd McMichael, Oscar Schafale, August Fowler, Fred Stotlar and the Rev. Mr. Harvey Zuren as members.
Previously an attempt had been made at a recreational program with the support of the Lions Club and other civic organizations. A teacher was hired during the summer to supervise playground activities on the school grounds.
Storme pointed out that throughout the minutes of the council reference was made several times to donations made by the Lions. The Lions also supported a small baseball program.
The council met officially on Nov. 17, 1944, and approved a Teen Town idea and agreed to work with the students. Mayor Harry Crisp presented plans for a Marion Memorial Center which were “enthusiastically approved.”
A budget of $2,080.53 was approved to come from the War Chest.
April 30, 1946 the council was broke and had lost its Teen Town quarters when the USO moved out. The council ceased operation.
In a revival movement for a recreation program it was decided to ask the voters to approve a recreation tax levy. On April 15, 1947, the tax was approved.
The council voted to have a city playground program and a Teen Town. The city advanced the board $5,608 and the program was underway.
On Sept. 1, 1947, James Smith was hired as a full time recreational director but there were not facilities. The city agreed to donate part of the city building for Teen Town and it was established where the police department is located, Storme said.
The schools were asked to let the council use the gyms for the program but the schools said if the council used the school facilities everyone would want to use them.
Six teenage unorganized baseball teams were organized. There were no suits and no managers. The members of the teams did the managing.
Storme was hired to assist Smith during the summer. He umpired the baseball games as part of his duties.
Smith resigned to accept a coaching position near Springfield in September of 1949. In 1950 Storme was appointed to run a summer program.
In 1954 Little League started, followed later by Babe Ruth, PONY and after Babe Ruth was dropped, Colt League started. In September 1955 Storme was hired as director of recreation on a part-time basis which soon turned into nearly full-time.
Storme started a swimming program by running buses to West Frankfort. This started a move for a swimming pool for Marion which resulted in the pool in the City Park.
About this time the schools changed their minds and opened their facilities to the recreation program. Storme said a basketball league plays during the winter, that there are nights for men to use the gyms and that the ladies have a program.
In conjunction with park facilities and Marion Youth Baseball, Inc., which spends more than $6,000 year on the baseball program, nearly 600 boys take part in the summer baseball program. The two scout cabins are used by groups under the supervision of the council.
There are classes in leather craft, needle work and etching.
In 1958 Teen Town moved to second floors quarters in the City Building and are now in their own building on East Boulevard. The $80,000 building was completed this year with the main force coming from Youth, Inc. which spear headed a drive for funds, donated material and labor.
Storme said that the fine program is made possible by the city, schools, City Park and organizations of Marion. He thanked them all for their help.
Guests Wednesday were Bill Brown, guest of Bob Bradley, and Don Ridgley and Rex Rendleman, guest of Jerry Grace.
(Extracted from a Marion Daily Republican article dated July 11, 1963)