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PITTSBURG —
For a few years back in the 1960s, toy tin soldiers stood guard over the Pittsburg Public Library during the holiday season.
They were the work of Terry Fernetti, a 1965 Pittsburg High School graduate who was then a Pittsburg State University art education major.
“I was also working at the library,” said Fernetti, who now lives in Independence, but is back in town helping care for his ailing mother. “I started out putting books away, then I checked books out at the desk. Opal Smith was the librarian at the time, and she gave me permission to do some Christmas decorations.”
He said he got the idea for the toy soldiers out of a “Better Homes and Gardens” magazine, and believes the decorations were done in 1966.
“We measured the front windows of the old library, and the soldiers fit in there,” Fernetti said. “The first time I made the soldiers out of cardboard, but they wanted something more permanent, so I made them of tin and attached them to a plywood backboard.”
He said he believes the soldiers were on display every Christmas through 1969.
“A few years ago they put them out again, and I think they still have them,” Fernetti said.
Carol Ann Robb, adult services librarian, confirmed that there are still four soldiers in storage on the third floor of the library.
“I believe that they’re not quite in pristine condition, but I haven’t actually seen them myself,” she said.
Fernetti said he originally made six of them, two large ones and four smaller ones.
“I really enjoyed doing them,” he said. “At that same time, the city also put stars on the two water towers at Christmas. We didn’t coordinate it, but the city really decorated for the holidays.”
He graduated from PSU in 1969 and earned a master of arts degree in art education from Emporia State University in 1976.
“I taught 42 years at the Independence Middle School and just retired this past May,” he said.
For a few years back in the 1960s, toy tin soldiers stood guard over the Pittsburg Public Library during the holiday season.
They were the work of Terry Fernetti, a 1965 Pittsburg High School graduate who was then a Pittsburg State University art education major.
“I was also working at the library,” said Fernetti, who now lives in Independence, but is back in town helping care for his ailing mother. “I started out putting books away, then I checked books out at the desk. Opal Smith was the librarian at the time, and she gave me permission to do some Christmas decorations.”
He said he got the idea for the toy soldiers out of a “Better Homes and Gardens” magazine, and believes the decorations were done in 1966.
“We measured the front windows of the old library, and the soldiers fit in there,” Fernetti said. “The first time I made the soldiers out of cardboard, but they wanted something more permanent, so I made them of tin and attached them to a plywood backboard.”
He said he believes the soldiers were on display every Christmas through 1969.
“A few years ago they put them out again, and I think they still have them,” Fernetti said.
Carol Ann Robb, adult services librarian, confirmed that there are still four soldiers in storage on the third floor of the library.
“I believe that they’re not quite in pristine condition, but I haven’t actually seen them myself,” she said.
Fernetti said he originally made six of them, two large ones and four smaller ones.
“I really enjoyed doing them,” he said. “At that same time, the city also put stars on the two water towers at Christmas. We didn’t coordinate it, but the city really decorated for the holidays.”
He graduated from PSU in 1969 and earned a master of arts degree in art education from Emporia State University in 1976.
“I taught 42 years at the Independence Middle School and just retired this past May,” he said.
