RCNews Dec 15

 Austin McGaughey attended the worldwide candle lighting for compassionate friends in Ness City Sunday evening. The candle service was for supporting family after a child’s death.
 
Santa Alert! Come join us Saturday, Dec 17th at the McCracken
Community Center for a great afternoon. Beginning at 2 pm there will
be a raffle, candle making/decorating,
fun jump and games for the kids and kids at heart. We have heard that
Santa should arrive about 3:30 to visit with the children and a
free-will soup supper begins at 5 pm. We will end with some hot
chocolate and Christmas songs as Santa heads out to visit the town
folk. Sign up sheets for desserts/soups/raffle item donations will be
at the post office on the 12th. There will also be a sign-up sheet for
 volunteers to work the raffle table, monitor the fun jump, table
clean-up, kitchen, etc. All proceeds go to the fantastic McCracken
volunteer fire department.
 
Roy and Phyllis Conrad attended the LaCrosse grade school Christmas program last Monday evening. It was really good to see so many of our kids from here in the program.  We were invited by our Zack and Brendon Peach.  We were told to be sure we write down the right day for this program which we did and made sure we didn't miss it.
 
Congratulations to the following football players who were chosen for All-Area 11 -Man teams in the Hutchinson News.
From LaCrosse: Clayton Basgall, Dylan Engel, Kip Keeley, Trey Renz, Taylor Stull, Austin Webs, Tanner Yohe. From Hutchinson, Tanner Higgins.
 
Phyllis Conrad attended funeral services for Marguerite Schneider of Olmitz last Tuesday.   Marguerite's grandmother was a sister to Phyllis and Louise Zordel's Great Grandfather who lived in Odin.  Marguerite played the organ for St. Ann's Catholic Church in Olmitz for 46 years. Two of the daughters played the funeral mass for their mother’s funeral.
 
Birthdays:  December 15, Nancy Wiebe, Treva Bergquist, Sonya Conner, Carla Rodeman, Colby Chestnut, Holly Gilbert; December 16, Wendell Hinman, Tammy Sewell, Mac Hayes; December 17, Linda Dale; December 18, Julia Zeller; December 19, Anna Legleiter, Wilma Washaliski; December 20, Jarrett Packard; December 21, James Reeves, Chris Zimmerman, Parker Scott, Allen Casey, Bruce Winter.  No Anniversaries.
 
Michele and Marge Moran have returned from a two week trip aboard the Princess Line to Hawaii.  The highlight on the island of Oahu was Arizona Memorial and the Battleship Missouri.  This was the 70th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor so it was especially meaningful.  A survivor spoke to the group.  They also visited the Punchbowl which was an ancient volcano.  It is now a cemetery.  They passed by the island of Molokai and visited the islands of Kauai and Hawaii.   Ask Marge why she came home with a black eye!  Luckily she was able to be treated on the well-equiped ship that even includes an ICU.
 
Tony Schlitter wrote us an e-mail regarding where his house was located in McCracken.  Here is his response:  "Our house was on the east side of the football field, making the field on the west side next to the McCracken Town Park, so the field would of been between our house and the Park. The cow barn was the only building left standing the last time I was back home in July 1990"
 
The Dream group met at McCracken Public Library on Thursday afternoon.  Those attending were from Hays, Christine Wagner, Carol Heiman and Kathleen Kuchar; from McCracken, Shirley Higgins and Carolyn Thompson.
 
Because we are a Jail/Museum we get lots of interesting newsletters from other historical societies.  One is from the Cleveland Police Historical Society Museum.  When Eliot Ness became Cleveland's Safety Director, he discovered that the current police qualifying exam had been corrupted and threw out all the scores.  Louis J. Machovec took the test before the revamp.  Ness went on to establish the first metropolitan police academy patterned after the FBI Academy.  The test was given again and Machovec scored sixth out of more than eight hundred other test takers.  He became a member of the first Cleveland Policy Academy Class in 1937.  He served 39 years.  He recently died at age 100.  Our thanks to all those who served in law enforcement in McCracken and throughout Rush and Ness Counties.
 
On Friday evening Marge Moran and Jason Moran went to Pratt for the Great Bend/Pratt Freshman basketball game.   Josh Moran is on the Great Bend team - they won.
Our sympathy to the family of Debbie Walker, 54, died on Thursday, November 24, 2011 in Dalhart, Texas.  Services were held at 10:00 am on Tuesday, November 29, 2011 at First Christian Church with Barry Walker, Pastor, officiating. Burial was in Memorial Park Cemetery.Under the direction of Horizon Funeral Home – Dalhart, Texas Survivors include her husband, Brian Walker, of Dalhart, TX, a daughter – Stephanie and her husband Ty Ellis of Dalhart, TX , one grandson – Carter Ellis of Dalhart, TX, her father - James Crawford and wife LaVell of Stratford, TX, her mother - Helen and her husband Larnce Hartman of Dalhart, TX, and a sister Jeana and her husband Dennis Jackson of Canadian. Debbie Crawford was born July 19, 1957 in Dumas, TX to James and Helen (Finch) Crawford. She grew up in Stratford and graduated from Stratford High School in 1975. Debbie received her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from OPSU in 1979 and her Masters in Elementary Education from Wayland Baptist University in 1985. Debbie taught school at DISD for 30 years and impacted thousands of young lives. Debbie was loved by all who knew her! Debbie married Brian Walker on February 26, 2000. She was a member of the First Christian Church and Beta Sigma Phi sorority, and she loved to read and travel. Debbie was the most devoted wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend and grandma. Carter was the joy of her life.Memorials may be made to The First Christian Church.
My apologies to Bet McCormick.  He served both as a King and an Innkeeper for the Posada.  So, he didn't get his picture in the paper as a King.  He was a regal King.  We are trying to find out if anyone took his picture.  Let us know.  CT
 
Kansas History Questions
 
What is the largest native canine now found in Kansas?  The coyote  (I saw one on Tuesday crossing the road at Eunice North's farm.  Also when my family was deer hunting they observed a deer chasing a coyote )
 
Kansas is one of the nation's largest producers of what high quality wood?  Walnut
 
In what year were hunting licenses, bag limits and Fish and Game deputies established in Kansas?  February 18, 1905
 
What are the three Wildlife Refuges in Kansas?  Quivera, Kirwin and Flint Hills National wildlife Refuges.
 
McCracken History Notes
 
December 1911
 
Christmas Day will not be a holiday for the rural mail carriers.  They have no holiday on Christmas but patrons need not expect mail on New Year's or any other holiday observed by the public throughout the year.  Christmas is a busy time and the government does not exempt anyone from full performance of duty.
 
December 1941
 
Dear Santa, Will you bring me a farm set and a truck, and Santa I want some animals for my collection.  Please don't forget Bobby, he wants a BB gun.  Your little friend, Kay Fear.
 
Little Billy Lovitt had his tonsils removed last week by Dr. Singleton at the St. Anthony Hospital in Hays.
 
December 1961
 
Twelve below zero, wow!!  This is the lowest December reading in the past 30 years according to J. W. Seuser, Bison weather recorder since 1953.  Coldest ever was the 25 below reading on January 12, 1912.
 
December 1981
 
The Colts beat Dorrance 54-22 and Bazine 57-35.  In the Dorrance game Butch Hayes scored 16, Kris Bromlow 10.  Against Bazine, Butch Hayes had 20, Terry Showalter 13, Kris Bromlow 11 and Chris Casey 9.  Team members are Jeff Crawshaw, Edward Mangold, Kris Bromlow, Shawn Baus, Butch Hayes, Chris Casey, Terry Showalter, Tom Hayes, Trenton Herdman, Jason Moran, Kevin Rixon, Lance McCormick, Scott Wittman.  The manager is Michael Hayes and the coach is Bob Bearly.