May 25 News
Christopher Pham, son of Hung & Tran Pham and grandson of Philena Baus; and Matt Stramel, son of Glenn & Rhonda (Brenner) Stramel are graduates of Hays High School.
 
Congratulations to Tim and Nicole Higgins of Hoisington on the birth of a daughter, Lauren Nicole, born at 4:21 p.m. at the Salina Regional Health Center, May 11, 2006.  She weighed 7 lbs 9oz and was 20 inches long.  Grandparents are Robert and Mary Beth Higgins, Hoisington.  Maternal grandparents are Marvin & Brenda Scates of Hutchinson and Pat Scates of Omaha, NE. Paternal great grandparents are Evelyn Higgins of Hoisington and Warren & Marge Moore of LaCrosse.
 
Jennifer Casey graduated from Hays High School Sunday evening.  She is the daughter of Daniel and Tina Casey.  Pat and Jackie Casey and family and Kayla Beth Irvin attended.
 
If you need a bridge built, please contact Jessica Casey.  She built a bridge of pop sickle sticks that held 75 lbs in her science class.
 
Lorraine Ryan and Shirley Higgins motored to Goodland Friday where Lorraine had an eye appointment.  They enjoyed lunch with Wade and Juanita Barnett.
 
Danny and Pat Petz, Dolores Petz, Sherry Petz and Hal Witthun, Kelly and Melanie Petz and family attended the graduation party for Chelsea Petz at Frontier park in Hays on Saturday evening.  Chelsea is the daughter of Chris and Cindy Petz of Wichita.  Chelsea graduated from Goddard High School on Wednesday, May 17.  The ceremony was held at the Kansas Coliseum north of
Wichita.
 
Those attending the rodeo meeting Monday evening at the rodeo grounds were Jerilyn Stull, Tayler and Colby, Roger and Norma McNair, Debbie Rogers, Roger Legleiter, L. Pat Casey, Bet McCormick, Bob House, Mark Brackney, Gary Barnes, Coleen Kerns, Kerri Morgan.
 
Allen Casey hosted an after graduation bar-b-que party at his home in Hays.  Those attending were his family and friends.
 
Pat Petz attended the graduation ceremony for the LaCrosse High School students on Saturday afternoon.
 
A 2006 MHS alumni Celebration, Rodeo and Craft Show would like to invite you to join us Saturday, July 8, 2006 at the McCracken City Park.  The Alumni sponsored picnic will begin at 12:30 and the Rodeo Parade will begin at approximately 2:30.  The time of the Craft Show will be from 10:00 - 3:00.  Anyone interested can contact Pat Petz at 785-394-2296 for more information.
 
 Harrison Cole Boatright, Topeka, graduated from Topeka West High School on
Saturday, May 20.  Harrison is the son of Anita and Bill Boatright of
Topeka/Brownell.  Anita is the daughter of Bonnie and Joe Zeller and the
niece of Francis and Julia Zeller.  Harrison entertained guests at his home
after the graduation ceremonies with a wonderful, tasty luncheon.  Guests
present were Mary, Martin and Carrie Higgins, Lenexa; Paula & Gino Corte,
Gladstone, Mo.; Mr. & Mrs. Morgan Hannings, Lawrence; Mrs. Rena Ryan, Ms.
Judy Piercy, and Miss Jamie Wilcox, Salina; Mr. & Mrs. Darrin Scott and
Nick, Mr. Robert Beeberlee, Molly and Hannah, Mr. & Mrs. Gale Anderson, Ms.
Kathy Marion and Mr. Morris Hunt, all of Topeka and several of Harrison's
classmates.  Harrison has been attending the Topeka Vocational School this
past school year and will continue there in the machinist's program.
 
Arline Rues, Cathy Casey, Alex and John, Topeka, attended graduation exercises in LaCrosse Saturday evening for Cody Jaynes.  Cody stayed at the Day Care Center that Cathy operates in Topeka when he was a ‘toddler’, Cathy and his mother Marilyn were team mates on a volley ball team. . . .
 
Kayla Beth Irvin qualified for the 4x1 relay team that will go to State in Wichita this next Friday.  Nicole Ryan qualified for the shot put, Lisa Legleiter for the 4x4. Congratulations.
 
Thayne and Machree Jones celebrated Mother’s Day weekend with Chris Jones in Wichita. 
 
Eric Hurd tied a school record in the 800 yard dash at the Pleasant Ridge Blue Valley Middle School in Kansas City.  He is an 8th grader and the son of Jeff and Kathy Hurd.  Clay Faiman, a 5th grader, pitched a no-hitter for the after school baseball league in Columbia, Missouri.  He is the son of Scott and Lora Faiman.  Both are grandsons of Bill and Sharon Lovitt.
 
The Hoisington girl’s softball team will go to their first state appearance since 2001 with a 12-2 six-inning win over Lyons in the Class 3-A regional title game at Hoisington Tuesday evening.  They beat Halstead 7-1 earlier in the evening. Lyons won over Holcomb 14-5 before falling to Hoisington 12-2.  Hoisington will play Riverton at 5:00 p.m. in Manhattan on Friday.  Kyra Horesky is a member of the Hoisington Cardinals.
 
The Hoisington boy’s baseball team beat top-seeded and state-ranked Sacred Heart of Salina in their Class 3-A regional championship Wednesday night 12-0 in 5 innings.  Hoisington handed Sacred Heart their worst postseason defeat in the program’s 16 years of existence.  Jacob Deutsch was the winning pitcher in the shut-out. The Cardinals won over Wilson/Quivera Heights on Tuesday, 8-2, to earn the right to play Sacred Heart. Hoisington will play Wichita-Trinity Friday at 11:00 a.m. in Manhattan.  Cameron Horesky is a member of the Hoisington Cardinals.

Travis and Tina Elias, Katie and Tanner, Oakley, were weekend guests of Tyrel Elias.  Saturday they attended a summer league track meet in Sterling in which Katie participated.  Joining them at the track meet were Carolyn Davenport and Lenora Stremel.
 
Gary Wendling, Tom Denning, Dean Denning and Sheila Dickerson stopped by Sunday afternoon and visited the McCracken Jail/Museum.  They are members of the Fort Hays H.O.G. Association.  They were on their way to Oakley for a get together with other motorcyclists.
 
May 12th Francis & Roberta Wierman went to Silver Lake to Marilyn & George Sommers.  Saturday Marilyn, Francis & Roberta left for Moundsville, W.Va. They stopped in Albay, Iowa and visited Della Ruth Flateffery, cousin of Roberta's.  They stayed overnight Saturday and left Sunday afternoon for Moundsville where they visited Ruby Kittle and other relations.  They returned home May 15.  George couldn't go because he had taken a job as doorman for the Kansas Senate.  The Senate had to stay over about three days to finish their session.
 
Gifts to the museum include a blue felt letter with the signatures McCracken high school students.  They include Lillian Irvin '32; Marie Wierman '32; Juanita Ree '32; Bill McG; Pat Higgins; Woodrow Lovitt '33; Harley Tanck '35, Cecil Phillips '33, Ralph Tanck '33; Katherine Higgins '34 and Dorothy Skinner '33.  Also received was the original drawing by Bob Foster of the picture for the rodeo shirt of Jack Paul Wilson in '93.
 
Gertrude Frances Healy Campbell of Longmont died April 26, 2006 at Longmont.  She was 89.  She was born June 4, 1916 in Elmo, Kan., to James Leo and Anne Julia Pintka Healy.  She graduated from Council Grove High School and worked at Kansas State University as a cook in the girls' dormitories.  On May 25, 1938 she married Louis Leroy "Jack"Campbell in Council Grove.  They moved to Longmont in 1985.  Survivors include a son, Thomas, two daughters, Anna Campbell and Carol Schack, a sister, Frances Janke, five grandchildren.  She was also a sister of the late Paul Healy.  The funeral was at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church where she was a member with burial in the Crown Hill Cemetery in Denver.
 
Spring Blackwell is on the Girls Soccer team at Hays High School.
 
Ruthanne and Ron Crawshaw, Mamie Crawshaw, Bill and Paul Greenway & family went to 4-Corners for supper to celebrate Jeff's birthday.
 
Wilfrid & Twila Higgins attended the Lyons Regional Baseball tournament where Lyons defeated Medicine Lodge for a berth in the State Tournament in Manhattan next weekend. They will play Yates Center  in the first round.  Lyons is 21-0. Brett Higgins, a member of the team, is a grandson of Wilfrid & Twila.
 
Congratulations to Doug Higgins on his retirement.  He and 4 other teachers at Lyons were honored in a retirement ceremony on Sunday.
 
It would be worth your time to go to Ransom and see the massive piles of railroad ties. 
 
Fritz and Laura Casey will say the Rosary at St. Mary's Cemetery on Memorial Day prior to the services.  They will begin around 10:15 with the Military Services following.
 
Services at McCracken City Cemetery will begin at 11:00.
 
Saturday evening Arlyn & Jan North hosted a Mother's Day picnic for all the moms in the family.  Guests included Eunice North, Daryl & Linda North, Adam North, Paul North, Joshua North & friend Kayla, Cindy, Ladina & Julia, Ava North & girls, Daniel & Janice Basgall, Danae Basgall & Taylon, Dylan Basgall & friend Katie, Ted & Shawna North & boys, Paula North & boys.
 
On Sunday the children of Icis Eisenhour honored her with a picnic on her patio.  Following lunch the group planted flowers for Icis.  Present were Larry & Joyce Eisenhour, Frank & Elaine Littler, Dwight & Sherri Eisenhour, Arlyn & Jan North, Scott Littler.  When you are in Hays stop by and enjoy a cup of coffee in Icis' beautiful back yard.
 
Carolyn Thompson attended the Pratt High School commencement on Sunday.  Carrie Pixler, daughter of Bryan and Susan (Lubbers) Pixler was a member of the class.  She plans to attend Fort Hays State University in the fall.
 
McCracken History Notes
 
May 1906
LaCrosse voted almost unanimously last week to establish a high school, 217 for and 8 against.
 
May 1936
Free Show sponsored by the McCracken Business Firms will be held on Saturday. "Charlie Chan's Secret" will be shown.
 
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Vic Montgomery of  Brownell, May 28, 1936 an 8 pound boy whom they have named Wendall Edward.  Mrs. Montgomery was formerly Miss Agnes Shepherd.
 
May 1946
Those assisting Mrs. Anna Smith at the new restaurant are Mrs. Basil Davenport, Mrs. Tommie Holden, Mrs. Hattie Nash, Mrs. Bessie Davis and others.
 
Rev. J. P. O'Flynn, pastor of St. Mary's church left Sunday for a visit to his old home at Firies, Kerry County, Ireland.
 
Mr. and Mrs. James Moran of Hargrave are the parents of a daughter, weighing five pounds and fourteen ounces born Sunday, May 26 in St. Anthony's hospital at Hays.  She has been named Rosalind.
 
The population of McCracken is 437. 
 
May 1956
The piano students of Mrs. Lorraine Norlin will present a short recital Saturday afternoon.  Those who will play are Vicki and Susan Irvin, Lavona and Jametta Peters, Brenda Kleysteuber, Linda Gaschler, LuAnn Grumbein, Helen Shaw, Janice Stetler, Theresa Horlick, Karen Birzer and Karen Norlin.
 
Miss Verna Dixon has summer employment at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Carman.
 
Ruth Ellen and Gail VanWinkle were graduates of the grade and high school at Byers.
 
Faye Smith left Monday for Boise, Idaho where she will stay with her father, Carl Smith.
 
May 1966
Mr. and Mrs. Emmett Sloan entertained with a party following commencement exercises Wednesday evening honoring their daughter, Ruth Ann.  Mr. and Mrs. Albert North served ice cream and cake honoring their son, Daryl, following graduation.
 
Mr. and Mrs. Mont Buxton left Thursday from New York City on the S. S. Statendam for Europe, landing at Rotterdam, Holland.  Among the countries they plan to visit are Germany, Switzerland, Austria and others.  They will return home the middle of August.
 
May 1976
The graduating class of MHS were pictured in the Rush County News.  They were sponsored by the following businesses: Neta's Café, Alexander, Farmers Co-Op Merc. & Elev. McCracken, LaCrosse & Hargrave; Davis Café; Alexander State Bank, McCracken Insurance Agency; Rush County Elevator; Farmers Co-Op Oil & Supply, Alexander, Citizen State Bank; State Farm Insurance, LaCrosse; Janousek Funeral Home, LaCrosse, Rush County News, LaCrosse; Pivonka's Inc., LaCrosse; and Hi-Way Café, Alexander.
Graduates are James Casey, Marsha Healy, Bruce Davis, Rosemarie Grumbein, Robin Schuckman, Donna Greenway, Kenneth Higdon, Roberta Halbleib, Chuck Higgins, Sally Irvin, Steve Foreman, Ruth Johnston, Scott Kershner, Lynette Legleiter and Mark McCormick.
 
Graduates of McCracken Grade are Laura Unrein, Dale Elias, Kellye Irvin, Loretta Augustine, Mitchell Jacobs, Tammy Higgins, Kathleen Moran, Lisa West, Sonya Bell, Craig Stull and Norma Elmore.
 
May 1986
Joe Conner received a B. S. in General Science, Connie Musil a B. A. in English and Sandra Taylor an A. S. in Secretarial Administration at Ft. Hays on Friday.
 
A retirement open house was held at the McCracken school lunchroom in honor of Philena Baus.
 
May 1996
Sandra Jacobs and Sean Peters were Mother's Day guests of Terry and Charlotte Peters in LaCrosse.
 
Special guests at the Senior Center were Jack Wilson, Caroline Durand, Orville Durand and Lucille Elias.
 
Check out the new benches at the McCracken Swimming Pool.  They were built by John Zeller and Kirby Petz.