Sept 6
Fall Book Club starts September 6th and will run through December 6th. Meetings are at the McCracken Library on Thursdays from 7:00 to 8:00pm. This is a wonderful opportunity to be part of an interesting group. You choose the books you read. Everyone is welcome! If you have any questions, please call Tomi Rues (785) 394-2404.
 
Roy Conrad has a new computer.  Now he won’t be spending all his time at the library!!!
 
Tony and Tomi Rues, Bill and Sharon Lovitt, Les Diehl, Cathy Casey and John, Jeff and Julie McCormick, Tanner Higgins, Dave and Carolyn Davenport, Kayla Tacha, Lindsey and Nicole and Shirley Higgins attended the Hoisington – Tulsa Victory Christian football game Saturday afternoon.  Hoisington won 20-7. 
 
Arlene Gilbert, Marlene Funk and Lorraine Ryan joined Joyce Eisenhour in Salina recently and all visited with Lorraine Norlin for her birthday.
 
Bruce and Sue Davis, and his friend Jim, Memphis and Sheryl Skillett were guests of Bob House Labor Day weekend.  They also visited with Bruce and Ellen Kershner and family and Allen and Cheryl Werth and family. Their son Eric and Melissa Davis live in Lincoln, Nebraska where Eric is a chef for a well known restaurant. Melissa is attending school where she is studying to be an ultra sound tech.  She will graduate in May.   Brian, Lisa and Madison Davis live in Hutchinson, where Lisa is a beautician with a shop on Main Street.  We think Bruce is ? Gypsy, one never knows where he is going to move next!!!
 
Melanie Zeller attended festivities in Hoisington Sunday and visited with her mother, sisters and other family members.
 
Tomi Rues and Emma motored to Topeka early Saturday morning and did some mother-daughter bonding.
 
Paula Corte is spending a few days ‘vacationing’ in McCracken.  She joined Francis and Julia Zeller, Bill Zeller, Cecilia Gilbert for the Labor Day festivities in Brownell. Some others attending were Joy Petz, Priscilla Jacobs, Babe and Arlene Gilbert, Bet and Jeanette McCormick, Wilfrid and Twila Higgins, Pat Der, Wendell and Gladys Hinman, Bob and Charmayne Wolfe, Russ and Laura Linsey, Roy and Phyllis Conrad, G.T. and Signe Barnes.
 
Glenn Ryan and Richard Showalter golfed in the Labor Day tournament in LaCrosse.
 
Jerry and Chuck Higgins refereed volleyball in Norwich last Tuesday evening.  Craig Rusk visited with them after the games.  Craig was a student in Lakin when Rich Higgins was coaching in high school.  He said he has not seen him for about 20 years.  He ‘thought’ that Rich’s son, Craig was named after him.
 
Arlene Rues, Ron, Cathy, Catherine, Alex and John Casey and Les and Rose Diehl spent Labor Day weekend in McCracken. 
 
Norma H. Leiker, 82, of Modesto, California, formerly of Grinnell, died August 25, 2007 at her home.  She was born July 19, 1925 in Timken to Oren Richard and Florence Lewis Howard.  Norma’s father, Oren, grew up northeast of McCracken.  She married Clarence H. Leiker in January 1946 in LaCrosse.  He died January 23, 1966.  Survivors include two daughter, Sherri Smith and Sandra Platt; a sister Shirley Bruner, two grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.  Burial was in Immaculate Conception Cemetery, Grinnell.  She was a sister-in-law of Eleanor Halbleib.
 
Sandra K. Chestnut, 65, died August 24, 2007 at Salina.  She married Royce Chestnut May 25, 1988.  He survives.  Other survivors include a stepson, Tom Chestnut, husband of Annette Davis Chestnut.  Burial was in Smoky Hill Cemetery, rural Lindsborg.
 
McCracken History Notes
 
September 1887
Election was held Tuesday.  One feature about the election we did not sanction, several barrels of beer were brought here and several of the boys got more than they can manage.
 
Miss Gertie Camp has so far recovered and is able to be around again.  She is now out on the claim with her sister.
 
September 1907
A game of ball was played at Hargrave Monday afternoon between Smoky Hill and Hargrave, which resulted in favor of Smoky Hill, 6-4.  Lineup for Smoky Hill was George Joseph, George Ree, Harry Seiling, Will Foster, Jess Gentenard, M. Moore, Dick Carter, L. Joseph and H. Doerr.  For Hargrave the line up was Ivy and Rolla Irvin, Ray and Wm. Brenner, Guy Chase, Ed Prior, Thomas and Clarence Sutton and Robert Belcher.
 
September 1937
Pete Brackney and family moved to McCracken on Monday and plan to make their home here.  Mr. Brackney will work at the Phillips grocery.
 
Miss Rilla Sawyer, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Sawyer of Ness City and Owen Dixon, son of Mrs. George Joseph, McCracken were married August 25, 1937 at McPherson.
 
McCracken schools opened Monday with a greater enrollment than was expected.  The high school has 84 pupils and the grade school 94.
 
September 1947
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Thompson and Allan drove to Logan Thursday of last week taking Kenneth who is teaching the sixth grade and coaching in the Logan school.
 
The S. H. Scheideman residence property in the east part of town has been sold to Mrs. Amelia Start who will take possession soon.
 
Miss Neva McCormick has been employed by the Western Light and Power Co., to take the place of Mrs. Basil Davenport who will leave soon to make her home in Salina where Basil has employment with Packard Motor Co.
 
September 1957
First graders this year are Darrell Petz, Debra Schuckman, Carolyn Pfannenstiel, Richard Showalter, Linda Kleysteuber, Russell Peters, Douglas Whitis, William Wetzel, Valandia Derr, Richard Higgins, David Davenport, Patricia Casey and Ruby Ann Grumbein.
 
Mrs. Erman Oelkers was honored on her birthday with a picnic in the park on Friday.
 
September 1967
The first Most Valuable Player Cookie Award was given to Bob Foster.
 
Elmer Derr caught a 28 inch 8 pound fish while fishing in a dam north of town.
 
September 1977
Kindergarten members are Crystal Anderson, Heath North, Travis Williams, Troy Williams, Reed Blackwell, Joel Miller, Billy Harp, Dale Basgall, Terri Petz, Treva Wilson and Lee Basgall.
 
Mr. and Mrs. Frank McCormick celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with an open house on Sunday, September 4 in the McCracken Hotel.  This was the last event celebrated in the McCracken Hotel.
 
September 1987
Annette Davis Chestnut is a summer graduate of Kansas State University with a B. S. in elementary education.
 
Clayton Wilson and Bryan Bergquist are members of the LaCrosse Leopards football
 team.  Brett Gilbert is the trainer for the team.
 
September 1997
A beautiful picture of Castle Rock has been donated to McCracken Public Library by Delores Petz.
 
Cheryl Burns, Kevin and Cody, have moved into the Drewie McGaughey house.  She works in graphic arts in Hays.
 
Chad Irvin recently graduated from the Vo-Tech at Goodland.  He has begun work at Golden Belt.