31 May

Frank Thompson, son of Bryan and Cindy Thompson, Salina, made a perfect score, a 36, on his ACT.  Frank is the grandson of Ken & Lou Thompson, Bucklin.  Of the 2.2 million taking the test, 256 had perfect score & only 4 in Kansas scored a perfect score.  He plans to study math in college.  Frank will be a senior at Salina South High School this fall.
 
Francis Zeller has loaned a box of license plates to the museum for rodeo weekend.  The plates will be the main display this year at the museum.  If you have any old plates, please let us show them for this event.
 
Set aside the weekend of July 13 & 14, 2007 for the McCracken rodeo/weekend.  You may also be thinking of a great entry for the parade.
 
A colored picture of Whitney Taylor, Ellis High School, competing in a 100 meter dash was shown in the Hays Daily News recently.
 
Our thanks to Roy Conrad who removed and replaced the memorial names on the plaque in the City Park.  Please stop by to look and remember.
 
Jeannie Elias has some beautiful climbing roses in her yard.  The flowers around town are spectacular.
 
Memorials have been given to the McCracken Alumni in memory of Dixie McMullen Allen from Nita Walker Caviness & Wendell & Gladys Hinman; Dean Irvin from Bev & Vida Irvin; Gene Petz from Madeline Rein Petz; Audice & Ruby Yawger Thompson & Stanley Wahl from Carolyn Thompson.
 
Tanner Higgins was promoted from the 6th grade at Holy Cross School in Hutchinson to Hutchinson Trinity Middle School on Wednesday evening.
 
We received a phone call from ‘Curly’ Juvenal Thursday afternoon.  He wrecked his motorcycle in North Carolina on the Blue Ridge Parkway between Cherokee & Ashville last week.  Said he was really lucky, his motorcycle was wrecked but he was just stiff and sore.  Ben Anderson suggested training wheels. 
 
David Norlin said he couldn’t be home for the alumni/rodeo weekend as his band was playing that Saturday.
 
Abby Conner was busy Friday morning looking for ‘Rolly Pollys’’ in front of the beauty shop.  Her grandmother Deb was getting a hair cut.
 
Lonnie, Tammy, Cameron, Jerry, Tanner, Chuck and Zach attended the 3A State girl’s softball tournament in Manhattan Friday evening.  The Hoisington girls lost to Silver Lake 7-0.  Their pitcher, Chelsea Reid, a freshman for Silver Lake threw a no hitter against the Cardinals.  They ended their season 19-3.  Kyra is a member of the Hoisington team.
 
Several volunteers were at the City Cemetery on Saturday raking, weed-eating, cutting down trees and re-mowing.  Thanks.
 
The Rues family, Les and Rose Diehl, Ron, Cathy, Alex, Catherine and John Casey & Arline Rues were here for Memorial weekend.
 
History Notes
May 1877
A lovely, charming country, this Walnut Valley, all the way up and above old Rush Center.  We found the citizens of the old county seat stirring as usual --- a slight riffle in the social wave, resulting from the late severe Civil War of the COUNTY SEAT.   We noticed the court house was gone from the beautiful plateau of Rush Center Valley.  We were told some of the Citizens of Rush County came up there one day and surreptitiously with malice aforethought, took the court house, on wheels and carried it off in something of the manner that honest men of Ellis County call stealing; and some hard feelings seem to crop out toward the LaCrossites. (Hampton History Book).
 
May 1887
Capt. J.W. Edwards arrived nine years ago in Rush County.  His residence is situated on high elevation and can be seen from McCracken, a distance of five miles.  The Capt. has three excellent farms.  He has 110 acres fenced pasture, 19 head of cattle and a lot of hogs.  The Captain was in the 5th Tennessee Cavalry and later a private in the 3rd North Carolina, where he rose to the rank of brevet-major, receiving several wounds.
 
May 1907
McCracken & Hargrave baseball teams played a good game of ball here Saturday.  Following is the lineup for McCracken:  Claude & Ralph Stephens, Fred Freeman, Percy Edgington, Walter Lindbloom, Paul Warden, E. Landon, Oscar Elias, John R. Lovitt and William Metz.  The line up for Hargrave:  Rollie & Ivy Irvin, Ezra & Elmer Lawson, Loren & Ernest Kirkpatrick, Ray and Will Brenner & Albert Albers.  The batting on both sides was poor but the fielding was good.  Claude Stephens, pitcher and Wm. Metz catcher for McCracken, Elmer Lawson, pitcher & Ivy Irvin catcher for Hargrave.
 
May 1937
At the county grade school graduation, 72 graders will receive diplomas.
 
Sebra G. ‘Doc’ Smith died May 19, 1937.  His parents G.S. and Sinah Smith came from Missouri to Rush County in his early boyhood.  In his early manhood he moved to McCracken where he managed a grain elevator.
 
May 1947
The Ryan Motor Company, Chevrolet agency in McCracken for the past 23 years, closed its door Saturday, May 17.  Since the death of the dealer, Harley G. Ryan, his wife has continued the business until the termination of the Chevrolet contract.  Merle O’Loughlin of Hays has been appointed the new Chevrolet dealer for McCracken.
 
Glenn Conner was a member of the graduating class at LaCrosse High School on Thursday evening.
 
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Robert Peters, McCracken, a son on June 1.
 
Mrs. Norma Bisagno was a member of the graduating class at Kansas State on Sunday.  Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. G.E. Ryan, Joan & Elmore attended.
 
May 1957
Cedar Bluff Lake began pouring water over the spillway for the first time in five years.
 
May 1967
The American Legion elected officers on May 16.  They are Calvin Parsons, Bob Derr, William Moran, Harry Janke, Frank McGaughey, Elmore Ryan & Don Buster.
 
May 1977
The McCracken swimming pool will have their opening day, Saturday, May 28.  Pool hours will be 1:00 – 9:00 daily except Tuesday.  Family season tickets, $30, single admission 0-15 will be 40 cents, 16-99 will be 75 cents.  Mike Armstrong will be the pool manager.  Those cleaning the pool were Fred & Rodney Taylor, Joe Casey, Tony Harp, Jim Rein, Johnny Mac Showalter, Rob McGaughey, Calvin & Doneta Parsons.
 
The PRIDE Committee reported that the entrance signs have been completed and were erected at the north and south entrance of town.  Those responsible for the signs are Cheryl Lamer, Gladys Fear, Drewie McGaughey, Harlon Anderson, Thomas Barnes & Francis Wierman.
 
Greg Buster received his degree in general science & history at Kansas Universityy on Monday, May 23.  Keith Higgins received a degree in music; John Irvin a degree in agriculture and Robert Mason in general science, Friday May 29 from Ft. Hays State.
 
May 1987
The Athenian Club had their 50th annual spring dinner at the Davis Café.  New officers are Leonore House, president; Mary Ann Moran, vice-president; Lorraine Norlin, secretary and Rose Showalter, treasurer.  The program was Mrs. Leo (Bonita Maresch) Oliva of Woodstone, who gave an interesting talk on weaving.
 
Larry Eisenhour graduated from KTI in Salina on Saturday.
 
May 1977
Amber Brack was valedictorian and Holly Brack, salutatorian at LaCrosse High School.  Amanda Lamer was salutatorian at Hays High School.
 
Shane Anderson graduated from Ellis High School on May 22.