Prairieland Talk
Prairie Cherished by SeattleFriends
Ht ROMAINE SAl'VDERS, Retired. Former Editor The FronUer
LINCOLN—From the Segelman household at
5705 Eighth Ave. NE. Seattle, Wash., came a let
ter this holiday season that not only expresses
their interest and delight in what they read in
The Frontier, but brings to Prairieland Talker cor
dial and sincere greeting.
The letter also paints an effulgent word pic
ture of the great city plant
ed on the hills overlooking
Pudget Sound, and mentions
visits from time-to-time to
a higher point in the city
where they see the ships en
tering and leaving the har
bor, coming in and going
forth to sail the Pacific lanes
of ocean travel. The streets
of the city are so steep that
they appear to stand on end.
And that may be a novelty
to these former flat prairie- Romainr
land dwellers. Saunders
Mrs. Segelman mentions receiving a nice
letter from an O’Neill friend and says "her most
gracious little mother and 1 worshipped in the
same church in the long ago." Turning then to
the scenes of their present home, I read in the
letter from these Seattle friends that "when the
sea-born fog comes rolling in this is an enchant
«*d city; then the streets are veiled in mystery
and familiar landmarks loom like giant phantoms
through the mists, and we hear the deep-throat
ed fog horns on the passing ships”. Yet in it all,
memories of their Nebraska home is cherished by
these Seattle friends and they call Prairieland
Talk TOPS
• • *
The physicians of O’Neill before those now
in practice here started with Doctors Connely, C.
D. B. Eiserman, Shore, Love, White, Mur
phy, Trueblood, Flynn, Gilligan and Wilson,
who took over Doctor Trueblood’s practice.
Besides these resident medics there was an
imported M. D. who heldforth in upper rooms
of the Gallagher building at Fourth and Everett
streets, supervising the Keeley Cure Institute
which was designed to sober up the old soaks,
of which there were plenty.
The physicians of an earlier generation have
been named; now let us look at another group
of other days, more in number if less exalted
professionally—the livery barn boys: Moffit just
west of where the postoffice building now stands,
John Brown's and I. R. Smith’s barns on South
Fourth street, E. M Ward on east Douglas street,
followed in the same location by George Jones,
Mullen Brothers, then Mellor and Quilty. Jim
Weeks built the Checkered barn, taken over by
DeYarman Brothers, George McCutchen located
on west Douglas street, later the P. D. Mullen
bam and one of the Bowen boys whose barn
was located a block south of Everett street near
Fourth.
Livery barns are no more, "filling stations”
have it now.
What next?
The door will soon close on another year, j
Five more days then at midnight the bells ring
out the old, ring in the new year. And with the
old shall the bells toll the knell for last year’s
heartaches, its disappointments, its withered
hopes, its mistakes, its hates and its envy. Ring
in the new'—joy and laughter, love and the kindly
thought, vision to see roses blooming by life’s 1
pathway, senses open to hear the music, hearts
throbbing with tenderness and charity for all. |
The door is closed. Yet memories reach through
the keyhole, travel on dowm the highway of the
past to pause a moment w'here happiness had
i met us by the way and so gather inspiration as
the closed door is left behind and we step ahead
to meet w'hat may be ahead down the highway
of the New Year.
• • •
By the way of summing it up, a bit critical,
and out-and-out denouncing of bringing in refu
gess which some think replaces native sons and
daughters is but showing to new comers what is
ever shown to a stranger moving into a commu
nity. That spirit of helpfulness was what sustain
ed many in pioneer days and in the absence of
which many settlers could not have survived. A
few years ago there came into the community
where I was then living, a family from a distant
county of the state. Ranch community habit
bubbled up, received and helped the new comers.
Deadbeats and social misfits they soon had to
leave. America is letting in refugees. Some will
become worthwhile citizens, some will have to
be deported.
• • •
The new' fallen snow ’ spreads a blanket
clean and white over city, field and open prairie,
hides from view the fallen leaf, the withered
flower and the emblems of decay that sinks into
earth. Denuded arms of towering trees reach
heavenward as if in mute appeal for that which
sustains life and bids them put on their silken
gown when springtime comes again The snow lies
out there in unsoiled purity until the tread of
human feet and whirling wheels of the machines
of men disturb the white loveliness. Snow in all
its clean purity is nature’s plan of renewing ele
ments that bring growth when flower and grain
and fruit-bearing plant spring anew to life as
winter passes away. It too is symbolic of spirit
ual purity that leads the way to full bloom of
that endless life.
• * •
Nebraska publishers of weekly papers now
travel the world over. There was a time if we
got aw'ay from the shop to get down to Omaha
for the press association gathering we thought we
had been places. One of the most recent editors
to go abroad was Howard Crilly, accompanied by
Mrs. Crilly, of the Superior Express. He tells
the story in the December number of the Ne
braska Newspaper, organ of the Nebraska Press
association. The Crilly couple were among a
group of American newspaper people to tour
Europe. In Moscow, they were royally entertain
ed. “Prices on everything you buy in Russia are
fantastically high”, reports the editor of the Ex
press in his story.
Editorial
Faulty Laws Reflect on Agency
On very nearly the eve of the start of the
1957 session of the Nebraska unicameral legis
lature, State Sen. Frank Nelson, O’Neill farmer
and dean of the last session, fired several salvos
at the state education department.
His criticism was published in virtually every
daily newspaper in the state, many weeklies and
was aired on television and radio.
Senator Nelson is a well-qualil'ied observer.
It is not his nature to attack unless provoked
into doing so.
Said Senator Nelson:
“In my opinion, the state education depart
ment during the past eight years has helped to
sponsor and enact more unconstitutional legisla
tion than any other department of state govern
ment.”
“History of some of this faulty legislation runs
like this: The law goes into force and is applied.
Ultimately some individual or group comes
along takes the matter to court and finally the
unconstitutionality is proved.
“I refer to the blaniset tax law a few years
ago, declared unconstitutional.
“The law in regard to the state reorganiza
tion committee passing on redistricting plans in
counties with the petitions bearing signatures of
55 percent of the legal voters in the districts af
fected. That law was thrown out last spring.
“The state education department’s regula
tions concerning school inadequacies have been
declared unconstitutional.
“The Amelia test case is now in the hands
of the state supreme court. The two grade
Amelia high school in my opinion has very
strong constitutional grounds.
Haim hium nthnr inctunPAg
“Irony of this faulty legislation lies in the
fact that I have branded some of these measures
unconstitutional during their making, both off
and on the floor, but apparently failed to get my
point across.
“Delegates to the lay conferences on educa
tion have complained to me that these conferences
are stacked and are conducted by professional
educators trying to impose their own will.
“I am seriously concerned about some of
these tendancies although, granted, some realign
ment of school districts is needed because of
population shifts."
Senator Nelson has been friendly to the Ne
braska Small Schools association since the organ
ization was founded. State Education Commis
sioner F. B. Decker has labeled the association
as a “noisy minority".
The small schools association is growing by
leaps and bounds because it represents organi
zed opposition to the K-12 proposal to redistrict
by compulsion rather than by local voluntary
methods.
State Education Commissioner Decker re
sorted to double-talk to deny some of the Nel
son charges, but Nelson’s phrases were studied
and carefully worded and, as far as The Fron
tier is concerned, they were accurate and pointed.
Judging from Decker’s naive retort, the senator’s
charges must have hurt.
Senator Nelson’s review of faulty legislation,
spawned in the ranks of the education hierarchy,
very likely will serve as a storm signal for rural
Nebraskans, most of whom do not want K-12 or
any other high-handed legislation shoved down
their throats. And K-12 would arm the state
house do-gooders with the power to decide what
they seem to think is good for us and our own.
Warren’s Views Prevail
It is fair to say that Chief Justice Earl War
ren has recently come into the limelight as one
of the most liberal, or left wing, as the reader
would choose it, of the nine justices on the Unit
ed States supreme court.
It was Warren who was appointed by Presi
dent Eisenhower over such conservative and
outstanding jurists as Justice Arthur Vanderbilt
of the New Jersey supreme court.
It is generally agreed that Justices William
Douglas and Hugo Black are—in the majority
opinion—further left than other members of the
highest U.S. court.
In fact, Warren has been increasingly in the
minority in recent days, and is found often on
the Douglas or Black side of a minority opinion.
All of which again raises the question of the
supreme court’s ultimate power. There is no
doubt but that the supreme court has increased
its authority in the last few decades and—for
various reasons—various groups, blocs and sen
ators and congressmen wish to have the power
of the court curbed or controlled.
There is little chance that any such effort
can succeed. If however, sentiment in the states
builds up to a point where resentment against the
court is general (and the states have certainly
become aware of their loss of power and the
consequent growth of federal power in recent
months), then action could possibly result.
But opinion will have to be predominant on
this point before congress could act. If two
thirds of each house of congress passed a con
stitutional amendment and it was ratified by
three-fourths of the states, the supreme court’s
authority might be thereby controlled.
On the other hand, the states can initiate a
constitutional amendment, although this approach
is seldom used. Congress can also simply go on
record, or pass laws, in an effort to control the
court, although there is no guarantee the court
will concur with any congressional attempt to
limit its jurisdiction.
Criticism of legislative branches of govern
ment always has been fair game, but severe
criticism of the U. S. supreme court has prevail
ed in conservative quarters only for a number of
years now while lower federal courts and high
state courts seem to escape this criticism. Feel
ing against the highest court in the land has
mounted because of the federal usurping of
power from the states and some of the decisions
handed down in domestic affairs. We refer to
decisions which delight liberal groups and run
counter to American tradition based on the con
servative view.
Actually, the liberal tendancies of the high
court began when President Roosevelt first
“stacked” the court a quarter of a century ago.
Few of the justices today have had any judicial
background. This no doubt accounts for the
fact the court has been charged with “amend
ing” the constitution instead of interpreting it.
CARROLL W. STEWART. Editor and Publisher
ARTHUR J. NOECKER and ESTHER M. ASHER,
Associate Publishers
Entered at the postoffice in O’Neill, Holt coun
ty, Nebraska, as second-class mail matter under
the Act of Congress of March 3, 1879. This news
paper is a member of the Nebraska Press Associa
tion, National Editorial Association and the Audit
Bureau of Circulations.
Terms of Subscription: In Nebraska, $2.50 per
year; elsewhere in the United States, $3 per year;
rates abroad provided on request. All subscriptions
are paid in advance.
Audited (ABC) Circulation—2,55$ (March 31, 1958
When You k I Were Young . . .
Land Plutocrat
Gets Gold Watch
Mike Lyons Receives
Mail Gift
50 V ears Ago
Frank O. Clyde and Edna M.
Smith, both of Page, and Walter
G. Green and Nellie McKenna,
both of Inman, were married at
the county judge’s office Mon
day. . . Charles Richter of Scoit
ville and Miss Lizzie Schmidt of
O’Neill were united in marriage
Christmas day at the home of
the bride’s parents. Rev. Ab
bott, pastor of the Methodist
church, officiated. . Mike Ly
ons, the genial land plutocrat of
Emmet, was wearing a handsome
gold watch yesterday. Not that
a gold watch is a new thing to
Mike, but this was a Christmas
gift he received by mail.
20 Years Ago
Jerry Bergstrom, four-year-old
son of Mr. and Mrs. Sherman
Bergstrom, died of pneumonia
at the Lutheran hospital in
Norfolk. . . Mr. and Mrs. Ted
McElhaney moved into their
new home. . . .Robert Gray of
Page died at the age of 89.
. . . Mrs. Emma Maring and son,
Ollie, of Emmet called on Mrs.
Joe Ziska, the former Margaret
Gaughenbaugh, who is at the
Stuart hospital after an appen
detomy. . . .Miss Cleta McNich
ols gave a very excellent Christ
mas party at her rural school
about 4 miles southwest of Ir.
inan.
10 Years Ago
The Frontier’s first Holl
county baby contest was inaug
urated. . . P. T, Stevens. 90, oi
Page, celebrated his birthday
anniversary quietly. . . .Mrs. F
H. Russell of Chambers suffer
ed a leg fracture when milking
a cow. She was kicked, knock
ed over and trampled. . . .Mr
and Mrs. George Coventry, life
long residents of the Inman vi
cinity, celebrated their 50th
wedding anniversary. . . .Robert
Childers and wife of Chambers
celebrated their 40th wedding
anniversary.
One Y'ear Ago
Mrs. Thomas Murray. 67, life
long resident of O’Neill; Joe
Miller, 96, of Atkinson and a pio
neer; Mrs. John Ryan, 55, oi
Stuart and Harold Bowden oi
Chico, Calif., and formerly oi
O’Neill, all died. . .Basketball
ball scores: Meadow Grove 54,
Ewing 49; Chambers 67, Oak
dale 39; Atkinson 47, O’Neill 43;
O’Neill 37, Albion 32; Holy Tri
nity (Hartington) 48, Ewing 41;
Center 63, St. Mary’s 57.
Veridgre Burial
for Adolph Hrbek
VERDIGRE— Funeral service:
for Adolph Hrbek, 81, a lifelong
resident of Knox county, were
conducted Tuesday, December 18
at the ZCBJ hall here. Buria
was in the ZCBJ cemetery.
The late Mr. Hrbek, who wa:
born May 5, 1875, at Pischelville
died Friday, December 14, in the
Creighton hospital. His wife
Marie, died in 1943.
Survivors include: Sons—Hen
ry of Minneapolis, Minn.; Sylvyr
of Richmond, Calif.; Milton ol
Verdigre; daughters—Mrs. Joseph
B. (Rose) Klappal of Austin
Minn.: Mrs. Emil (Bertha) Klap
pal of Winner, S.D., and Mrs
Emil J. (Evelyn) Cejda of Okla
homa City, Okla.; 18 grandchil
dren; 20 great-grandchildren.
Bride-Elect Feted —
Miss Betty Gallagner was a
guest of honor at a miscellaneous
shower Monday. After luncheor
at the M&M the guests went
to the C. J. Gatz home. Mrs
Gatz, Mrs. Frank Froelich and
Mrs. Guy Cole were the hos
tesses.
O’NEILL LOCALS
Mr. and Mrs. Arlo Hiatt left
Wednesday, December 19 foi
Chicago, 111., to spend Christ
mas with their son and wife, Mr
and Mrs. Gordon Hiatt.
Mr. and Mrs. William Mac
Kjnlay and family left Decem
ber 20 for Chadron and Chey
enne, Wyo., t o spend the
Christmas holidays with rela
tives and friends.
Mrs. Margaret Elkins and
Bernice are spending Christmas
holidays in Sioux City, la., with
Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Dowd.
Mr. and Mrs. H. G. Kruse are
spending the Christmas holi
days at Perry, la., with Mr. anc
Mrs. E. L. Van Every and boy;
and at Swea City, la., with he
mother, Mrs. Anna Hahl, anc
other relatives.
Ewing \\ SCS Holds
Christmas Party
■
of Christian Service held its an
nual Christmas party Thursday
evening at the Methodist church
parlors.
A Christmas in erne was carried
1 out in room decorations w ith red,
green and silver. Festivities began
with a 6:30 o'clock dinner. The
table was centered with candle
Christmas carollers.
Entertainment, in charge of
Mrs. R G. Roekey and Mrs.
' Claude Elliot, featured contest
paper and pencil games. Several
i guests received prizes. Gifts were
exchanged.
Misses Hazel, Ruby and Elsie
Cha|e were guests*. Seventeen
members were in attendance.
Other Ewing New*
Mr and Mrs. Bernard Bazel
man returned to their home at
Carroll, la., after attending the
funeral of his father, Fred Bazei
man, held at St. Patrick’s Catholic
| church on O'Neill on Tuesday,
December 18. During their stay,
I they were guests at the home of
her parents, Mr. and Mrs. George
j Litzel in Ewing.
R. G. Roekey, who has spent
the past 10 days in California, ar
rived home Wednesday, Decent
; ber 19. •
Merton Dierks, accompanied by
! Mrs. Kermit Jefferies, went to
Omaha on Friday to get Mary
A1ys and Sandra Dierks and Judy
Jefferies, who spent Christmas at
the parental home.
Mrs. Grace Briggs went to
Omaha on Friday to spend the
j holidays at the home of her
j daughter, Mrs. Dorothy Vaughn,
I and family.
mi 3. UIULT IDl L'lUVl ktUUAl
the Thursday Bridge dub on
Thursday, December 13, during
the afternoon. Scorewinners were
Mrs. R. G. Roekey and Mrs. Earl
Billings. Refreshments were serv
ed. The club will meet in one
month at the home of Mrs. R. G.
Roekey.
Mrs. John Steskal, sr., and Mrs.
Earl Wright attended the grade
school basketball game on Thurs
day at O’Neill when Ewing play
ed.
Mrs. Earl Wright and Freddie
were Thursday evening guests at
the home of Mr. and Mrs. John
Steskal, sr.
Mrs. Wildta Carr and family ar
rived in Ewing on Saturday to
spend the weekend and Christmas
with her father, M. H. Dierks,
and other relatives. They returned
to their home at Holdrege after
Christmas.
Mrs. May Pruden returned to
her home in Clearwater Friday
after spending a few days in the
homes of Mr. and Mrs. Ben Lar
sen and Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Pru
den
Mrs. J. L. Pruden and her guest,
Mrs. May Pruden of Clearwater,
accompanied Floyd Tucker to
Grand Island on Wednesday, De
cember 19.
Supt. and Mrs. M. L.Carter at
tended the Page-Clearwater bas
ketball game at Page Friday eve
ning. Mrs. Carter, who teaches in
Page, is sponsor of the pep club.
Mrs. John Wunner went to
Stanton on Monday to spend
Christmas with relatives.
Members of the Ewing Com
mercial club were treated to an
; oyster supper at the Legion club
I Friday at 6 o’clock. Treats were
11 sacked for Santa’s visit on De
I eember 22.
Allen Peterson, who is in the
navy, arrived home Wednesday,
) December 19, from California for
a 14-day leave at the home of his
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Hans Pe
terson.
Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Grim had
as their guests on Christmas day
his mother. Mrs. Lizzie Grim of
Creighton, also Mr. and Mrs. Tel
ford Grim and baby of Verdigre,
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Butterfield of
Orchard.
Mrs. Robert Tams, who teaches
at Emporia, presented a Christ
mas program on Thursday even
ing for the public.
Mrs. Pauline Noffke, Mr. and
Mrs. Frank Noffke and family at
r~ ■■■ •<
* tended the CteWWH program
Thursday evening at the rural
svnouu taught by Miss Maxine
I iNuiiAe. • * * * *
Mr. and Mrs. Gus Perlensein
were guests Friday at the home
| of tneu- daughter and son-in-law,
Mr. and Mrs. Loyd West. Sharon
West accompanied her grandpar
ents to then home at Bonesleel,
S.D., where site will spend the
Christmas vacation.
Mr. and Mrs. Loyd West and
family spent Christmas day with
ms parents, Mr. and Mrs. Loyd
West, sr., at Creighton.
Mrs. John Wunner was an
overnight guest at the home of
Mrs. Daisy Miller on Saturday.
The occasion was in celebration
of her birthday anniversary on
Sundaj.
Valley Center
Yule Party Held—
CILYMBFRS — Valley Center
extension club met Friday, De
cember 14, at the home ot Mrs.;
Glen Grimes with Mis. G. H.
Grimes as cohostess. Following a
brief business session conducted
by Mrs. Fd Harvey, a Christmas
program was presented, each of I
five groups providing one num
ber.
The next meeting will be Jan- ;
uarv 18 at the home of Mrs. Fd
Harvey.
Awarded Pin
b.y Airline—
EWING — Miss Laura Helm- j
ricks, a Ewing high school gTadu- J
ate, has received her pin from
Western Airlines and will be em
ployed in the Los Angeles office, in
reservations. She attended Cen
tral Technical Institute in Kansas!
City, Mo., before going to Califor
nia.
She is the daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Martin Helmricks of Ewing.
Kellar Club Meets—
CHAMBERS — Kellar Ladies
club met Wednesday, December |
12, at the home of Mrs. G. H.
Grimes with Mrs. Louis Neilson
as cohostess. Twenty members
were present. Gifts were ex-1
changed. Next meeting will be
January 16 at the home of Mrs.
Reed Bell with Mrs. Melvin Bell,
cohostess.
Atkinson Teacher
Honored at Shower—
Miss Hazel Marie Johnson was
honored at a shower recently by
the teachers of the Atkinson pub
lic school. Miss Johnson was mar
ried Sunday to Bruce McElhaney.
License Examiners
Attending School
The. entire staff of- driver li
cense examiners of the state of
Nebraska will assemble in Lin
coln on January 3-5 for the pur
pose of attending a three - day
training program for driver
examiners set up by Dale A.
Rogers, assistant director of the
motor vehicle divisioin, and Wil
liam Edwards, chief driver li
cense examiner of the state.
The purpose of the training
course is to review the present
activity of the examiners and to
promote definite uniform stand
ards of examining in conformity
with the program of the Ameri
can Association of Motor Vehicle
Administrators, which is the or
ganization which has developed
minimum standards of driver
examinations throughout the
country.
The state motor vehicle division
of Nebraska is an active number
of that association.
Since all of the examiners for
the state of Nebraska are to at
tend this school, IV) driver li
cense examinatioha w ill bu given
at any point In the state on the
specified dates,
Mr*. Gibson 1* 84—
CHAMBERS—A dinner honor
ing Mrs. Jennie Giheon on her
84th birthday anniversary was
held at the Darrel Gillette home
Wednesday. December 6.
Frontier for printing
fc»
WVVIV^^p
Mi
PINKERMAN’S
Radio & TV Service
O’Neill
Dr. Donald E. David
OPTOMETRIST
Eyes Examined
Glasses Fitted
Phone 2101, Spencer, Nebr.
Ponton Insurance
FLORENCE PONTON, Prop.
Insurance of All Kinds
& Bonds
Phone 106 — Golden Bllg.
[
l
l
being co iwall in tha
pastl It will ba
iun carving
you in tha futurel
Loads of luck, health,
and waalth to avaryonal,
PATTONS
BEN FRANKLIN STORE
_
Income Tax
For assistance in filing your
self-employment and tax
reports, call on
Geo. C. Robertson
O'Neill
Accounting and former em
ployee of Internal Revenue.
Downey Bldg. Phone 534
FOURTH STREET MARKET
O’Neill
WE WISH OUR MANY FRIENDS
GOOD HEALTH, PEACE AND PROSPERITY
PAT’S BAR
— O’Neill —
