October
7, 2008 "Interview with the Landmeier Girls"
Village Trustee and Historical
Society member, Rick Gieser, did some digging. With help from NBC, WMAQ,
and the Museum of Broadcast Communications, a copy of a 1955 black-and-white
episode of "Out on the Farm" was dug up. This show was broadcast live --
a reality show of the 50's -- on NBCTV Sunday nights at 5:00pm.
Designed to be educational, this
hour-long or half-hour long pseudo documentary portrayed life on the farm.
This farm was, in fact, the Landmeier farm, run by Wilbert and Bertha Landmeier
and their four children, Joyce, Janet, Judy and Jimmy. In those days, the
160 acre parcel of dairy and general crop farm was 'near Cloverdale' but
today the Village of Carol Stream's Bielawski Municipal Building sits atop
that once fertile soil.
Held at the Village Hall board
room on October 7, 2008, this interview with two of the Landmeier girls
was well attended. Joyce Landmeier Hesterman and her sister Janet Landmeier
Zoellick reminisced about the filming of the reality TV show, beginning
in 1954. A 40-man crew 'invaded' their farm weekly and showed families
across America what life was like on this Midwestern farm.
The interview, by Gieser, was followed
by a question and answer period and then the treat -- a showing of the
vintage 1955 footage of "Out on the Farm" - an episode where 2-week old
Arlene, the calf was literally pushed across the farm and fed by Joyce.
Judy Hesterman later lived in Bloomingdale
for many years and now resides in St. Charles. Janet Zoellick now lives
in Bloomingdale.
Others in attendance were:
-
Elaine Dieter Stark, wife of the late
Warren Stark, whose family came to the area in 1846.
-
Ruth Hessling Schmitz, whose father
owned both Cloverdale Tap and at one time, The Gables.
-
Jean Stanke Buttles, who attended
the 'one-room schoolhouse' in Cloverdale, former district office of School
District 93, on Old Gary.
Also in attendance, Mayor Frank
Saverino, Village Manager Joe Breinig and his mother Mary Breinig, Dick
and Marianne Gieser, Rick and Kim Gieser and their son Ricky. From the
Historical Society Barbara O'Rahilly, Jan Smith, Carole Ellermeier and
Luanne Triolo. Also Jack and Pat Williamson, Donna Dinges, Jean Balog,
Dee Spink and others.
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