August 26, 2015 News

Birthdays: August 26, Chris Petz, Martin Pfannenstiel, Rodney Taylor, Freddie Taylor, Christi Conner, Gary Walker, Ava North, Lexi Legleiter; August 27, Grace Beisner; August 28, Dena Irvin, Chrystal Hovey; August 29, Karin Casey, Daryl Casey, Ella Prosser, Lynn Miles, Sean Bookstore; August 30, LeAnn Knight, Wilfrid Higgins, Brandon Peach; August 31, Kayla Irvin, Kallynn Petz; September 1, Celeste Davis.

Anniversaries: August 27, Jesse and Jolene Showalter; August 29, John and Melanie Zeller; August 30, George and Marilyn Sommers, Bruce and Carol Barnes; September 1, Chad and Crystal Foust, Eric and Sarah Washaliski, Barry and LeAnn Knight, Terry and Carol Herdman, Rob and Helena McGaughey.

Congratulations to Mildred Littler on her 95th birthday September 2.

John and Carol Waelchli have given to the Jail/Museum a framed picture of Neil Armstrong, Apollo 11 ( July 20, 1969), 25th anniversary of the First Man on Moon, NASA, and four U. S. Space Stamps featuring the same picture; a campaign pin for Bob Dole, two sheets of mint condition stamps one from Father Flanagan's Boys Town, Nebraska (1958) and the other from Cal Farley's Boys Ranch, Texas. We have also received a green Boondocks shirt and a 1997 McCracken Rodeo cap (is that Jack and Verlene on the cap running before a buckling bull?)

Katelyn Engel, daughter of Lynnette Doornbos, was pictured in the Hays Daily News on Friday. She is at Hays Middle School where they received IPads in a pilot project in her science class.

An impressive funeral service was held for Paul North which included his niece, Tricia North, a minister who presided over the funeral service. Travis North gave a tribute to his dad for the North children. A large contingent of police officers conducted a special flag ceremony. A United States flag was given to the family following a prayer and salute to Paul by the policemen. His uniform stood by his casket. Family, relatives and area friends packed the sanctuary and the entry room. Son, father, grandfather, father-in-law, brother, uncle, cousin. Loved by all.

Our sympathy to the family of Marge Moore, 95 who died August 18, 2015 at Great Bend. One of her daughters is Mary Beth (Mrs. Robert) Higgins.

Carol Weber, Shirley Higgins, Susan Rebel and Carolyn Thompson went to a movie on Sunday afternoon in Hays. It is “Ricki and the Flash”, great music and interesting family relationships.

The Janke home which was ruined by fire was taken down on Friday.

A very happy belated birthday to Dan Zeller who turned 36, August 19, 2015.

This was sent to us by Marlene Funk, it is taken from Monday’s Salina paper, August 16, 1915: A tramp in McCracken the other day purchased a chicken from the grocer for himself

and his associates in the jungle just outside of town, and while returning was accosted by a constable who supposed the bird to be stolen. A heated argument followed in which the “son of the ties” chased “the arm of the law” all the way to town, beating him over the head with the helpless fowl, which died from the effects of such acrobatic feats.

A bridal shower was held for Nicole Ryan at the American Legion building Saturday afternoon. She received many lovely gifts, most with a western theme. Her bridesmaids, Kayla Irvin, Angela Morgan, Crystal Foust and Katlyn Morgan were all present along with her many friends and relatives.

We received a letter from our friend in Canada whose maiden name was McCracken: She said they had only one inch of rain since the snow melted, their grass in the yard is brown as are their pastures. Their dugouts (I’m assuming ponds) are drying up, people were selling their cattle. They have a new priest from Nigeria, very hard to understand him. Her daughter-in-law is teaching, she prepares her lesson plans for a year and has to submit them to the principal and superintendent. Their groceries have doubled in price and it is hard to get fresh vegetables and fruit. They also have grass hoppers so thick they are eating the canola crop.

On Sunday Roy and Phyllis Conrad attended Mass at Holy Family Church at Odin, KS. It was a very special day because Odin was celebrating occasion of having had many more than most parishes in the diocese for religious vocations. Sister Andre Kravec, OP, Spiritual Life Coordinator announced the names of all the priests that came from the Holy Family Parish and Sister or Nuns. A total of 48 priest and around 30 some Nuns, give or take a few. Phyllis got to see a few child hood friends and also Sister Janet Rowley who is related to Phyllis and Alouise Zordel. We got to visit with Bishop John Brungardt for a short while. A very spiritual and uplifting day.

Gordon Wayne Swartz, 92 of Amarillo, Texas, died August 17, 2015. He was born June 3, 1923 in Eddyville, Neb., to Samuel and Myrtle Wright Swartz. He served in the US Army from 1943-1945. He married Delores Ludowese , January 28, 1948 in Wheaton, MN. His parents and all his siblings preceded him in death. Burial is August 28th in Ft. Dodge National Cemetery. (Jim Swartz, his brother, went to grade school in McCracken and Rose Grumbein, his sister lived in McCracken most of her life.)

Ron and Cathie Casey spent the weekend at their home in McCracken. On Saturday Arline Rues took a road trip with them to Great Bend and Rozel. An enjoyable time.

History Notes:

January 1931: The thermometer has dropped to the zero mark during the past week; Ivy Irvin reports the Prestone in his truck froze while hauling wheat to Bazine. MHS girls were undefeated this season with 10 wins and 0 losses. Members are Lucy Higgins, Velma Brackney, Mildred McKittrick, Marie Wierman, Marjorie Nowles, Bernita Klee, Marie McCormick, Juanita Ree, Dorothy Davidson and Lucille Flack.

February 1932: Noble Campbell shipped in around 1,500 head of sheep from eastern Colorado this week. They arrived in a snow storm. A boxing bout was held at Alexander Friday night with Harley Tanckthe winner over young Roy Healzer. Dr. R.H. Cheney, a Gypsum dentist for 13 years, arrived here to locate in McCracken. Dr. Wm. Spomer will also locate here; his office will be in the Norlin building. Dode Elmore has a sore finger and bad ankle as a result of strenuous baseball playing.

March 1933: The J.P. Warden Hardware was sold to Liggett and McGuire from Blue Springs, Missouri. The three acre Grumbein tract at the north end of Main has been leased by the high school for a baseball field. O.B. Elias farm home was burned to the ground. Nothing was saved. MHS won a 7 inning no-hit ball game with Otis pitched by Forrest Ramsey. Gas at Standard station 10 cents.

June 1934: The 33 piece McCracken band made a broadcast over KFBI in Abilene Sunday with Fritz Lovitt singing two numbers. A new DeSota car was on display on Main Street. Ryan Motor Company has sold new Chevies to Herb Davenport, Willard & Chess Irvin, Joe Unrein, Bob Sloan and Gayle Ryan. 81 students are enrolled in high school.

March 1935: W.P. Moran has purchased the Hargrave Oil Station from the McCracken Company. Samuel Higgins is a freshman in pre-medics at Ft. Hays. Dust storm and blizzard filled houses with dust and did lots of damage to the wheat. Worst storm in history strikes Friday night and again Wednesday. MHS has 26 high school and 20 grade graduates. Phoebe Elias has moved her beauty shop to Norlin’s basement. Forrest Ramsey signed with the Wichita Monrovians.

May 1936: Tadlock café is being redecorated. Banana splits, malted milk all 15 cents at Hunts Drug Store. The Glen Gordon family moved to McCracken. School opens Monday. Teachers are Oliver Pearson, Eula Strong, Lorena Thompson and Homer Martz, high school; grade school K.C. Morain, Joy Smith, Margaret Lovitt and Agnes Bowen. High school has an enrollment of 88.

January 1937: A new league was organized this year called R.E.N. It is composed of Bison, Alexander, LaCrosse, Bazine, Schoenchen, Otis, and McCracken. First duster of the year hit McCracken on Sunday. The storm originated near Guymon, Oklahoma. John E. Scheideman is remodeling the G.W. Farwell building and will sell John Deere machinery. The Rustic Tavern is staging a cribbage tournament tonight; there is room for 5 tables. Anderson Bros. will be an agency for the Gambles Store. A new café, Whitehead’s Grill is open. (McCracken celebrated their 50th anniversary, July 1937).
May 1938: 13 seniors will graduate Thursday, 15 will graduate from grade school. The Smoky River went on a rampage and took bridges out left and right. Snow White and Seven Dwarfs in Technicolor at the Garden Theatre. Population of McCracken is 511. There are 2,200 students enrolled in Rush County schools. MHS won 4 first place league trophies in scholarship; one-act play; girls’ basketball and boys’ football.

February 1939: A new firm moved to McCracken last week for the manufacture of Lubri-Gel products. Tom Holden, Denver, is the manager. Shelter belt plantings have started in Rush County. A 15 man crew planted 24,500 trees. A severe hail storm destroyed buildings and ruined crops in McCracken and southwest of town. McCracken won the Sunday baseball game with LaCrosse by a score of 26-0 with Chester Irvin the winning pitcher. (A good book about the dust storms in Kansas and surroundings areas is “The Worst Hard Times” by Tim Eagan)