RCNews November 2, 2016

Birthdays: November 3, Kay Beth Casey, Gary Turner; November 4, Tony Rues; November 5, Mel Basgall, Lynnette Doornbos; November 7, Troy Petz, Dave Libberton, Donna McKinney, Kathy Coen; November 8, Chris Jones, Janice Stull, Kim Townsend, Charlotte Ochs, Grace Desbein.

Anniversaries: November 3, Barry and Sharla Schwien; November 8, Darwin and Lynnette Grumbein.

There was a flock of turkeys in the yard of Chris and Allie Ault one week day morning.

Fran Work, Gladstone, Illinois, and her sister were cleaning out a deceased relative's house and they found a pamphlet of “Government Lands for the Great Arkansas Valley of South Western Kansas” including the counties of Rush, Barton, Pawnee, Edwards and Hodgeman. The land included Pre-emptions, Homesteads, Timber Claims and Soldiers Claims. The Government Land office for the Arkansas Valley was located in Larned, on the lines of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad. Every Head of family, widow, single man or woman were entitled to pre-empt 160 acres. Land was offered to Soldiers. For homesteads 160 acres was $1.25 an acre. Land was granted to the Railroad Company in Kansas. It consisted of the odd-numbered sections for twenty miles each side of the railroad from Emporia west to Kinsley, and for ten miles each side of the railroad from Kinsley to the west line of the State. The Union Pacific through Hays offered the same opportunity.

Oops!! Forgot Martin and Mary Higgins, Joe and Cynthia Higgins and Ryan were here for the Fall Fest. James and Diane Unrein were also in attendance, Diane entered the chili cook-off contest!

There was a very nice article in the Hutch News Sunday about Ransom, now, Western Plains, written by Amy Bickel. It told about not having enough boys to have a football team, they are trying to field a 6 man team. She also wrote about Nolan Cromwell who played for Ransom. In 1948 McCracken had a 6 man football team after 7 years without playing. They defeated Utica by a score of 39-0. Those listed as playing were Robert Thompson, Robert Davis, Wayne Irvin, Bill Spomer, Floyd Thompson and Robert Derr, coach Al Rues.

Every ‘village’ that has an elevator has a milo “pyramid”. Someone said they were visiting with a farmer and he was saying...first time ever I had a bumper milo and wheat crop and lost money!!! Wheat price $2.87 bushel, milo $2.44 bushel.

History Notes: 1969 4th graders: Gerald Rourke, Leslie Rogers, Kim McCormick, Jane Moran, Benny Pfaff, Mike Conner, Terrie Rogers, Paulette Rogers, Diana McFarren, Jeannie Augustine. 5th graders: Scott Kershner, Ruth Johnston, Jimmy Casey,, Donna Greenway, Bruce Davis, Sally Irvin, Chuck Higgins, Roberta Halbleib, Steve Foreman, Mark McCormick, Marsha Healy, Robin Schuckman, Tim Rues and Lynnette Legleiter. 6th graders: Sally Buster, Gary Schuckman, Fritz Foster, William Greenway, Robert McGaughey, Greg Hinman, Nancy Higgins, Donald Casey, Mike Moran, Rosemary Rues, James Unrein, Glenn Ryan, Jerry Higgins, Sherry Petz, Kent Brown, Richard Conrad, Linda Sloan. There are new teachers for McCracken-Alexander schools next fall. Joyce Bromlow, 2nd grade at Alexander, Pansy Fryman, third grade at McCracken; Peggy Crawford, business teacher; Arlene Gilbert, music; Philena Baus, remedial reading at both schools, Lorraine Norlin, kindergarten and vocal music at Alexander.