News April 10
 
The McCracken Country Club 2008 tournament dates are as follows: 
June 8th, two person scramble tee off 8:30 a.m. 
 
July 12th four person Texas scramble tee off 8 a.m.  This is a nine hole fun tournament sponsored by the McCracken Alumni in conjunction with the McCracken Rodeo.  This is the 11th annual tournament. 
 
July 27th, three person scramble tee off 8:30 a.m. 
 
August 17th, one person scramble tee off 8:30 a.m. 
 
September 7th His and Hers Tournament:  Tee off 8:30 a.m.  Fee includes meal, mulligan and prizes!
 
The 5th Annual U.T.I.C.A. May Day Parade is Saturday, May 3rd, 2008 in Utica.  Registration at the grade school beginning at 8:00 – 12:00 noon.  There will be a craft show from 9:00 – 3:00 at the grade school gym; kids games and tractor games south of the park at 10:30; cake walk beginning at 1:30 in the grade school and the parade begins at 3:00.  Free pony rides throughout the day!  Food will be available the Utica Café, Wertz Street Social Emporium and booths in the Park.  A free barbeque at 5:00 in the Park for the first 400 people.  Entertainment will be provided by the ”‘David Hinton Band” during the meal.  Dance with the Mark Nebel Band beginning at 9:00 at Wertz Street Social Emporium. For more information please contact Mrs. Thomas Bernbeck, Utica..
 
Robert Tilford asks that we have a neighborhood block watch.  I think we do.  We just need to keep an eye on each other to make sure we are all ‘moving’ around. 
 
Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Klee, Council Grove; Mr. and Mrs. Jim Klee and Francis Klee, Wichita; Mr. and Mrs. Jim Ledbetter and Robert Ledbetter, Houston and Addie Mills met at Lindsborgh on Tuesday for lunch at the Swedish Crown restaurant.
 
Jean Schutte celebrated her birthday twice this month of April.  On Friday Priscilla Jacobs, Pat Derr, Joann Michaeli and Jean gathered at the McCracken Café for pizza; Tuesday night Jeanette and Bet McCormick had a party for Jean at their home.  Those attending were Wilfrid and Twila Higgins, Pat Derr, Priscilla Jacobs, Laura and Russ Linsey,
Joann Micheli.
 
Congratulations to Sheila Brown who has been accepted through the Golden Belt Telephone Association foundation for the rural service 2008 tour.  She will leave May 31 – June 4 for Washington, D.C. 
 
Those children attending story hour Saturday at the library were Emma and Will Rues, Lexie and Zoe Anderson, Megan Erb, Taylor Doornbos, Dalton, Clay and Carson North.  Adults in attendance were Lynnette Doornbos, Valerie Rogers, Paula and Shawna North.
 
Congratulations to Trevor and Stacey Steinert on the birth of a baby boy, Tyron Michael, born April 6, 2008 in Hays. His big sister, Brennen Rae, age 2 welcomes him home.  Grandparents are Tom and Brenda Prosser, McCracken; Myron Steinert, New Strawn and VelRae “Sis” Starkey, Liebenthal.  Great grandparents are Frank and Elaine Littler, LaCrosse; great-great grandparents, Melvin and Mildred Littler and Icis Eisenhour, LaCrosse, Kansas.
 
Linda Kenyon of the RCNews had an editorial about driving under 60 to save gas, I think I will go one step further and recycle my greeting cards.  I spent $5 for two cards plus 82 cents postage the other day. 
 
After our Dream Work shop on Friday with Sister Martina, Sister Joel, Carol Heiman, Christine Wagner and Kathleen Kuchar, Carolyn and Shirley motored to Hoisington for the Hoisington/Lyons baseball game.  Hoisington won the double header, the first in a run rule game, and the second 20-10 after being behind 9-0. 
 
Congratulations to Allen and Cheryl Werth on the birth of a new granddaughter, Audrey Madison Priddy.  Kari Groff is the proud mother.
 
Those attending the rodeo meeting Monday night at the city building were Mike and Jerilyn Stull, Bill Greenway, Gary Barnes, Ty Elias, Tom Prosser, Roger Legleiter, Brett Gilbert. 
 
There will be a golf meeting April 13, beginning at 3:00 p.m. at the golf club. Roger McNair is the new president with Norma as ‘gofer’!!
 
A birthday get to gather was held for Billie Slemp at Locust Grove in LaCrosse Sunday evening.  Guests present were James Slemp, Laura and Russ Linsey, Joann Micheli, Jean Schutte, Wilfrid and Twila Higgins.  Cake and ice cream were served.
 
LOOKING BACK:
 December 1905 A game of football is matched to be played at LaCrosse this afternoon between the eleven there and the McCracken men.  It is understood the boys here would not play unless the boys down the road would make it worthwhile, and it was finally agreed that the teams would put up $100 a side and play for the money.  McCracken’s line up is composed of Ora Ware, Staten Lovitt, Frank Irvin, Guy Chase, B. Irvin, Dick Carter, Hud Starrett, John Keller, Ed Hunt, John Lovitt and Dan Hunt.
December 22, 1905. The football game which was to have been played by the team here and the team of LaCrosse last Friday was started on all right but never finished for the reason that the LaCrosse boys left the grounds and by no sort of coaxing could be induced to continue the game.  The McCracken team says the decisions of the referee was against them from the start, but with all this they would have won the game had it been played to a finish.  The money ‘$200’ is yet in the hands of the stakeholder and there will probably be another game to decide who gets it.
 
 
The McCracken Public Library is open on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until noon.  This is a correction. 
 
 Lorraine Norlin, 89, died March 28, 2008 at Salina.  She was the daughter of J. J. “Floyd” and Alice Maxwell Sawyer.  She was born August 26, 1918 in Kensington.  She married Avery A. Norlin on July 18, 1943.  He died April 29, 1994.  Survivors are her sons, David and Floyd and daughter, Karen Simmerman, 11 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren; sister, Ruth Wolf, Kensington.  A lovely service held at McCracken United Methodist Church included the Bell Choir and reminiscences by family and friends.  Lorraine was known for teaching school music, piano lessons and for memberships in various organizations.  She was a member of Athenian Club of McCracken, Pro-Art Music Club and Sweet Adelines.  Inurnment was in McCracken City Cemetery beside her beloved husband Avery
 
It was nice to see Anna Klema and her daughter of Russell at Lorraine’s funeral.  She was a member of Athenian Club also.  Former teacher Bob Bearley and his wife Sharon were also in attendance.
 
A first class production of “The Music Man” was held at Barton County Community College this last weekend.  It was amazing how they could move the set around – town square, library, Marian’s home and an arched bridge.  They also had a first class orchestra and talented cast.   Sr. Martina attended.
 
Ben Thompson will be celebrating his 80th birthday on April 23.  We are requesting a card shower for him.  His Washington address is 322 A Street S. E., Washington, D. C. 20003.
 
Ruth Yawger has been released from the hospital and is in rehab at Good Samaritan in Hays.
 
Katherine Ryan is in rehab at Rush County Memorial Hospital LTC in LaCrosse.
 
Tracy Woods, Shirley Higgins, Carol Weber, Ellen Kershner, Carolyn Thompson and Janice Stull had supper at Al’s Chickenette in Hays prior to the Encore Series Blast at Beach-Schmidt.  Others attending the event were John and Melanie Zeller, Arlene Gilbert, John and Sharon Irvin, Paulette Harp, Jack Nicholson, Francis and Julia Zeller, Don Urban and Seth.
 
John Stull is recuperating from eye surgery.
 
McCracken History Notes
 
April 1908
Arthur North is now a registered veterinary surgeon.
 
The ball game between McCracken and Bison resulted in a victory for McCracken with a score of 5 to 6.  Good playing was done on both sides.
 
 
April 1938
One of the worst April blizzards in the history of the mid-west struck here last Thursday and continued until Friday.  The MOP became tied up Thursday night and didn’t make it to McCracken until Saturday afternoon.  Drifts were 8 feet high in some places in McCracken.
 
MHS won the REN league one act play contest “Wheat Fire” at Otis Tuesday night.  Professor James Start of Kansas State College, Hays, was judge.  Characters in the play were Julia Davenport, Lucille Elmore, George Doerr and Edward Thompson.  Professor Start’s praise for Miss Davenport was well earned for she has been an exceptionally good character in all school plays this year and has a promising future in dramatics.
 
April 1948
Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Lovitt left from Larned Saturday night for Chicago, where they will visit Mrs. Lovitt’s sisters, Mrs. Rosella Coplin.  They will return to McCracken for a longer visit before leaving for their home in Los Angeles.
 
Gerald Anderson, the Citizens’ nominee for city commissioner was elected at the election on Tuesday when he received all 35 of the votes cast.  He succeeds Ralph Elmore   Other members of the commission are Sylvester Scheideman and Claude Stephens.
 
April 1958
Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Davidson have moved here from Sikeston, Missouri and have rented the home belonging to Mrs. R. W. Walker
 
Mr. and Mrs. Albert North, Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Herdman, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Walker, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Rein and Mrs. Doris Jones entertained the grade school basketball team, Mr. Clarence Richardson and the cheer leaders at dinner and a movie in LaCrosse Thursday evening.
 
April 1968
C. V. (Vic) Whitis was elected City Commissioner and G. W. Anderson is mayor for the city of McCracken.
 
Cub scouts attending the Scout-O-Rama at Larned Saturday were Bruce Davis, Leslie Rogers, Tim and Tom Rues, Robin Schuckman, Scott Kershner, Richard Conrad and Glenn Ryan.
 
April 1978
Dale Swindler will attend Kansas Wesleyan and play football.
 
The McCracken Knights of Columbus Council has been granted a charter.
 
McCracken High School will affiliate with the Quivera League beginning with the 1979-80 school term.
 
 
April 1988
A town meeting was held last Tuesday in the wake of successful efforts to support the town’s only grocery store.  McCracken Mayor Curt Carpenter said that about fifty people attended.
 
Tena Vogle Barber was inducted as a charter member of the St. Mary of the Plains College Nursing Honor Society Sigma Theta Tau, and International Honor Society of Nursing.
 
April 1998
Congratulations to Sheila Brown who was “I’m a Winner” t-shirt given by Channel 2, KSNC, Great Bend.
 
Chris Schuckman, son of Myron and Debbie Schuckman, played in the Mid-Kansas All-Star Basketball Classic held at the Sports Arena in Hutchinson Saturday evening.