North-Nebraska’s Fastest-Growing Newspaper
VOLUME 71.—NUMBER 17.O'NEILL, NEBRASKA. THURSDAY, AUGUST 30, 1951. PRICE 7 CENTS
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Postmaster H. V. Rosenkrans . . . the trunk laden with books
^ was floating around the room.—The Frontier Photo & Engraving.
4 . • iiSSft,.. *■ v.
The Truax family . . . Eva, Hilda, Richard and Fred . . . the
high water mark can be seen 18 inches above the ground. — The
Frontier Engraving.
Peterson to Test
Blanket Tax Law
(The following story concerning Charley W. Peterson’s test
case of the 1949 “blanket tax” school law was written by The
Frontier's editor, Carroll W. Stewart, at the request of the Omaha
World-Herald and appeared in the Sunday, August 26, issue of
the Omaha paper. It is reproduced here in full.)
A suit which will test the constitutionality of the 4-mill “blanket
tax” school law adopted by the 1949 legislature was filed here last
week.
Charley W. Peterson, extensive Holt county landowner and
cattleman, filed an action against J Ed Hancock, Holt county trea
surer, seeking to restrain the latter from collecting the “blanket
tax” in school district 2S1.
Mr. Peterson is a substantial*1
owner of land and personal prop
erty in the district
Mr. Peterson, through his at
> torneys, Julius D. Cronin, of O’
Neill, and Daniel Stubbs, of Lin
coln, contends that district 231,
in which his ranch home is locat
ed, had an enrollment of less
than 5 pupils during the 1949
1950 and 1950-1951 terms.
Mr. Peterson’s suit claims that
because of the small number of
pupils they will not participate
in any distribution of the $943.98
levied against the Peterson land
under the “blanket tax” law.
The assessed valuation of Mr.
Peterson's property in district
231, both real and personal, for
1951 is $235,995. In addition.
Mr. Peterson's holdings domi
nate a number of other dis
tricts.
Mr. Peterson charges that un
der terms of the “blanket law”
the money is distributed among
all other school districts in the
county without any benefit to
district 231.
« "The tax is not levied uniform
ly and proportionately and is
gross discrimination against the
plaintiff and others similarly sit
uated in favor of taxpayers in the
larger school districts,” the pe
tition declares.
Specifically it charges that the
law violates Section 4, Article 8;
Section 5, Article 8; Section 6,
Article 8, and Section 14. Article
3. of the the state constitution.
Section 6, Article 8. provides
that no bill shall contain more
than one subject and the same
shall be clearly expressed in the
title.
Mr. Peterson claims that the
title to this act does not disclose
that elementary school districts
with fewer than 5 pupils may not
participate in the distribution of
the tax levied.
The ruling of the court on this
matter will affect a large number
of districts in the state.
►
Mr. Peterson also charges that
the law “provides for a tax levy
without regard to the needs of
the school district” and points to
a lack of expenditures in pre
vious years.
Depopulation of districts by
expansion of ranch units has
caused some district schools to
be abandoned and to enter con
solidations. There are 35 dis
tricts in Holt county with 5 pu
pils or less.
Mr. Peterson claims that Ne
braska law specifically requires a
school board to levy a tax in
each district necessary for main
tenance of schools each year. He
maintains that the sections to
which he objects are “changed
and amended . . . without refer
ences to the original sections”
with the result that “an intelli
gent levy could not be made
without commingling the provis
ions of the law.”
District Court Clerk Ira H.
Moss said Saturday the court
probably could have “a determi
nation within about 6 weeks if
attorneys want to hurry the mat
ter along.”
Houser Signed
to Teach Music
Charles B. Houser, 33, of Des
Moines, la., Wednesday was
; signed to become instrumental
nusic teacher at O’Neill high
school. Announcement was made
by Supt. D. E. Nelson.
Houser has a bachelor of music
degree from Coe college, Cedar
Rapids, la., and a masters of mu
sic from the University of Mich
igan, Ann Arbor. A World War
II veteran, he is married and has
been teaching instrumental music
in the Des Moines public school
system for 2 years.
Frontier for Printing!
Water Hits
Redbird
8 - Inches of Water
in Postoffice After
Cloudburst
(By a Staff Writer)
REDBIRD—A flash-flood late
Sunday in the Redbird creek
watershed sent a 14-foot wall of
water roaring down the valley in
the early hours Monday, inun
dating the Redbird school and
several homes and driving some
of the residents to higher ground.
At the postoffice, members of
the H. V. Rosenkrans family saw
the water rush into their home
about 1:30 a.m. and rise to about
8 inches in depth. Furniture and
other objects floated about the
room, including a large trunk
filled with books.
At the Fred Truax home the
water rose to 18 - inches sur
rounding the house and filled
the rooms with water and
muck measuring 6 inches.
Mr. and Mrs. Mike Hull, who
are elderly, were unable to seek
safety on higher ground and
watched water pour into their
house. They climbed onto chairs
and tables.
The Redbird school, district 3,
taught by Mrs. Willa Schollmey
er, was damaged by mud. Work
men spent Monday cleaning the
school and readying for classes
which begin next week. Old tun
ers say it’s the highest water ev
er seen at the Redbird village.
Four pigs were drowned at the
Art Bessert place. Others report
ed drowning of chickens and
cows.
The Rosenkrans say the water
reached its height after 1:30 and
by 2:30 had begun to recede.
The Redbird creek drains
most of northeast Holt county.
Its tributaries include the Black
bird and drain the area up to
within about 2'k miles of O'Neill.
Rainfall in the basin varied from
3 to 7 inches in depth in the
flash-flood.
Wind Raises Havoc
in Northeast Holt—
A tornado swept across the |
north-Holt county flats Sunday
evening causing an untold a- j
mount of damage. Nobody was !
hurt but some livestock perished
At the Frank Turay estate, 12
miles northeast of O’Neill, the
tornado touched down and de
molished a hog house, lifted a
steel grain bin from its moor
ings (leaving the grain to spread
out over the yard), took the top
mechanism off the windmill,
wrapped a hay rake around the
porch of the house and damaged
virtually every roof on the place.
Dick Marston, who made an
aerial tour of the region the fol
lowing day, reported that virtual
ly every haystack in a 6- or 7
mile stretch was toppled over by
the wind.
Joe Madura, living north of
Turays, lost a windmill and sev
eral stacks of hay. There was
wind damage also at the Orton
Young place.
One bridge on the Lynch high
way, south of Redbird, was prac
tically washed out and a large
(Continued on page 4.)
Orphans no more. . . these 5 smiling children, whose ages Vincent Jackson farm, near Venus.—The Frontier Photo & En
range from 4 (left) to 11 (center) are now happily at home on the graving.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Venus Couple Seeks to Adopt 1, Gets 5
3 Brothers and 2
Sisters Abandoned
2 Years Ago
Other pictures on page 9.
(Note to other editors: Please
do not reproduce this story. It
is the express wish of the Vin
cent Jacksons that the story
appear in no other newspapers.
Read it and you’ll understand
why.)
By CAL STEWART
Editor, The Frontier
VENUS—If you are a parent
you can imagine the transforma
tion that has taken place at the
farm home of Mr. and Mrs. Vin
cent Jackson, northeast of here.
The Jacksons have been mar
ried 12 childless yfears.
For sometime ihey’d had an
application on file at a midwest
Catholic orphanage. They want
ed a little boy — 4-years-old
would be just fine.
Last week the orphange wrote,
“We have a boy for you.’’
Arriving at the orphanage the
Jacksons were moved when they
encountered a family of 5 chil
dren—3 boys and 2 girls. These
youngsters had been abandoned
by their parents 2 years ago.
Tough proposition for orphanage
officials to place 5 children—in
tact.
Mr. Jackson and his wife, the
former Alice Ickler, went into a
huddle. In a few moments they
announced they’d like to take
home all 5. Orphanage officials
were delighted. They knew the
Jacksons would provide a happy
home. Papers were fixed.
Imagine 5 children just about
as sweet and handsome as kids
could be; 5 children who have
been starving for love and affec
tion. Bright kids, too. The girls
have long dark hair, brown eyes,
braids. The boys are fairer.
Orphanage care had been
fine, food had been good. But
unless you've been an orphan
I ourself you don't know how
onesome, how empty the
world can be.
The Jacksons? Well, they live
on a farm, 21 miles east and 3
north of O’Neill. They’re tenants,
good ones. Mrs. Jackson’s par
ents are Mr. and Mrs. Fred Ick
ler, of Royal. Vince was reared
at Creighton. Both came from
sizeable families.
Hearts of childless couples cer
tainly are right when they seek
to adopt a child. But this report
er runs out of superlatives in
writing about the Jacksons.
While tne real parents of the 5
children have relinquished all le
gal rights to the children, the fa
ther and mother are still alive.
They live “not too far away.’’ To
avoid any dramatics any time in
the future, the names of the chil
dren are being withheld and pub
licity is being coi fined to the
O’Neill area.
“Their Christian names will
remain the same, but we are free
to change them if we wish,” ex
plained Mr. Jackson.
Only clothing the kids had
when they left the orphanage
was the clothing they had on.
Saturday night the Jacksons—
now 7 of them—were in O’Neill
making the rounds of the stores
filling wardrobes.
The sudden expansion in the
size of the family created certain
inconveniences at home that
gradually are being worked out.
The girls, ages 7 and 8, are sleep
ing on the davenport until the
new bed comes. There weren't
enough chairs at the table, but
that has been worked out. The
boys’ ages are 4, 6 and 11.
There’s considerable compe
tition among the 5 to deter
mine who sits by their new
found mom and pop at the ta- '
ble, in the car and in church
(the family attends St. Pat
rick's Catholic church in O'
Neill).
Pop Jackson’s leisure moments
are over. There’s a big demand
for his attention in helping read
books and funnies.
Mom Jackson has discovered
she has 2 of the best kitchen
helpers that God ever created.
It’s up from the table and in
nothing flat the table has been
cleared and dishes done. They’re
helping gather eggs, too.
I’ve written lots of stories, ma
ny of them routine, mechanical.
This is one of those tender, heart
warming stories that could fill a
volume, and you find it difficult
to tell it in a few short para
graphs.
If you can imagine city orphan
kids being transplanted into a
congenial home on a farm; if
you could see the radiance in
those little eyes; if you had an
opportunity to witness the dis
plays of love and affection that
I’ve seen in this wonderful home,
then you’d have trouble finding
words, too.
Mr. and Mrs. Jackson—gener
ous and charitable Christians be
yond all bounds!
And I think they’re lucky.
Weather Warm and
Humid for Fair—
CHAMBERS—Warm and hu
mid weather is forecast for today
(Thursday), opening day of the
59th annual Holt county fair.
Registration Wednesday indi
cated the 1951 exposition will
rank high in quality of livestock,
farm produce and handiwork ex
hibits.
Today is judging day and Fri
! day and Saturday will be packed
solid with entertainment. There
will be a rodeo both Friday and
Saturday afternoons, grandstand
acts and dancing each night.
2 Auctions on
Frontier’s List
Two sales of livestock, farm
and haying machinery and house
hold goods are listed on The
Frontier’s sale calendar.
Don Hill, living 5 miles south
of O’Neill, 1 mile west and a
quarter of a mile south, will auc
tion his personal property, in
cluding 80 head of cattle, on Fri
day, August 31, beginning at 1
o’clock.
Mrs. Alice Matthews, whose
son, Robert, will go to the army
next week, has set Friday, Sep
tember 7, as her sale date. She
lives at the northeast edge cf O'
Neill. Her husband, the late Ed
Matthews, died several years ago
and she and her son have been
carrying on farming operations.
(See advertisement on page 6.)
Col. Wallace O’Connell will
auctioneer both sales.
A. L. DORR, 51,
PAGE MAN, DIES
PAGE — Alfred L. (“Fritz”)
Dorr, 51, died at 4:10 a.m., Mon
day, August 27, at his home in
Page. He had been in ill health
for many months.
Funeral services were conduct
ed at 2 p.m., Wednesday, August
29, at the Methodist church at
Page. Rev. C. E. Wilcox officiat
ed and burial was in the Page
cemetery. A large crowd attend
The late Mr. Dorr was bom
September 11, 1899, at Meadow
Grove. He moved to Holt county
with his parents in 1908. Mr.
Dorr was a machinist by occupa
tion and enjoyed the reputation
of being an expert. Several
months ago, because of his ill
ness, he was obliged to dispose
of his shop and equipment.
On September 8, 1932, he mar
ried Emma Adams, at Osmond
They became the parents of 2
sons—Vernon Lee, and a younger
brother, who preceded his father
in death in 1944.
Survivors include: Widow: son
—Vernon Lee; brothers — Her
man, of Venus; John, of Tecum
seh; Henry, of Page, and Leon
ard, of Orchard; sisters—Mrs. An
no Holden, of Sioux City, and
Mrs. Delia Stauffer, of Norfolk,
who was his twin sister.
Pallbearers were: Alton Brad
dock, Henry Tegeler, Harden
Anspach, Otto Terrill, Melvin
Smith, Ben Miller, William Sim
mons and Herbert Steinberg.
John T. Bennan
Expires in Utah
John Thomas Brennan, 67, son
of the late Mr. and Mrs. Neil
Brennan, died at his home in Salt
Lake City, Utah, Monday, Au
gust 27.
He was born in O'Neill and at
tended All Hallows high school
and college in Salt Lake City.
As a young man, he operated a
general dry goods and grocery
store in O’Neill for several year*
and, after moving west, he went
into the advertising business
which he continued until a year
ago when he suffered a stroke.
He had not been well since that
time.
Survivors are: Widow, Caro
line; son, John; and daughter.
Caroline, all of Salt Lake City: 9
grandchildren; 2 brothers- -Neil,
of Gering, and Thomas, of Lin
coln; 2 sisters—Mrs. J. A. (Mar
garet) Pfeiler, of Hot Springs,.
S. D., and Miss Bernadette Bren
nan, of O’Neill. A brother, CoL
F. M. Brennan, and 2 sisters, Mrs.
Edward (Nell) Donahue and
Mrs. J. B. (Sarah) Ryan, preced
ed him in death.
Roy Lowry, Wife
Plan Observance—
Mr. and Mrs. Roy Lowry on
Tuesday, September 4, will cel
ebrate their golden wedding an
niversary. They plan an open
house observance from 2 until 5
p.m.
Ray B. Crellin . . . embarked on law career, switched to pub
lishing.—The Frontier Photo & Engraving. (Story at right.)
Crellin Ends 30-Year Career
Ewing Publisher
Retires with This
Week’s Issue
(By a Staff Writer)
EWING—The Ewing Advocate
goes to press today for the final
time under the guidance of Ray
B. Crellin, 64, retiring editor
publisher. Next week Thelma E.
Drayton’s name will appear on
the masthead. As new owner,
she takes possession Saturday,
September 1.
“A lot of water has gone down
the Elkhorn during the 30 years
that I have been publishing The
Advocate,” writes Mr. Crellin,
who has been dean of Holt coun
ty publishers since the death of
Dennis H. Cronin in 1947.
“All good things must come to
an end and so it happens to us.
It has been a most enjoyable ex
• perience. We have shared the
joys, successes and sorrows of
the Advocate readers. We are
forced on account of our health
to turn the job over to new.
hands. The work has been entire
ly too much for us the past cou
; pie of years and with insufficient
i help we simply overworked.”
Mr. Crellin was born at Lyons,
a son of Mr. and Mrs. Daniel
Crellin. His parents later operat
ed a newspaper at Plainview. It
i was there "R. B.” learned the
I trade.
He began a law career at the
University or Nebraska but
World War I interrupted his
education. After the war he
went to work in the mechanical
department of the Norfolk
Daily News In 1921 he bought I
the Advocate from Gary Ben
son.
The Advocate was a handset,
(Continued on page 4.)
Miss Thelma E. Drayton . . .
newcomer to journalistic field.
