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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 14, 1960)
THE FRONTIER. O'Neill, Nebraska, Thursday, January 14, IW# Pra irie land Talk. Blizzard Anniversary By ROMAINE SAUNDtrtS, 4110 South Sist St., Uncoin 6, Nebr. Seventy-two years ago the 12th day of January prairieland was visited by the worst blizzard within the memory of man Here at O’Neill it struck that morning between 9 and 10 o'clock, struck without warning, those times no tele phones, no weather man to tell what was coming. I was 17 years of age that winter. My father had died the summer be fore when we were then living five miles out of town on land rm father had taken as a home stead. After his death it was decided that mother, my young er sister and I leave the farm and move to town, my brother older than I then in O’Neill e engaged in printing and news- Saunders paper work, and an older sister teaching in the Inman schools. We disjiosed of the poultry and cattle but took a team of horses to town with us, lived that winter in the four-room house that had been the home of the General John O'Neill family that stixxl just across the street to the north of the Methtxhst church. I had harnessed the team that morning to hitch up and go for a load of hay down toward Inman. The blizzard struck and I did not got started for that hay stack A country school teacher a few miles to the southwest of town lost in the storm ran onto a hay stack, crawled in. found a day or two later, her limbs from knees down so badly frozen doctors amputated them and, she died. /dlinn te irfii/linc Lift in thn tl?nlzn nf flint blizzard Grandma Chapman of the Dustin com munity on her way to Stuart was found frozen to tit ath in her sled, tier team standing at a hay stack. Her little granddaughter that was lieing taken to her home in Stuart sat beside grandma who was in a kneeling posture as if in prayer when frozen, the child cold and frightened but not frostbitten. Dur ing the day and <on into the night the church tiells in O'Neill at the Catholic church and the Methodist church were kept ringing to give any out in the storm a clue as to directions. That day if out you were enveloped in a cloud of snow and saw nothing hut snow. The prairies the morning after were the scene of hundreds of dead cattle and many settlers lost all they had. * * * Neighliorhood children are out this first day of the new year having fun in the snow. Those in their second childhood are in where roaring furnace keeps them warm . . . Nellie Morse Wright died September Iti last in a hospital in Boulder, Colo., at the age of 81 years. As a child jusl three years of age Nellie Morse was in the home of her parents in northwest Holt county, spent her girlhood and young womanhood in that community, attended school one year in Atkinson. And she is the sub ject of the story "Nellie's Prairie” recently men tioned in Prairieland Talk . . . President Ike got things straightened out in the Far East; next going to South America to do the same* . . . Sixty-five years ago early in the month of January the lifeless body of Barret Scott was fished out of the icy waters of the Niobrara mer. Barret hung for doing in a small way what the late Franklin D. Roosevelt as presi dent did in a big way. • • • We have crossed the portals of another year, leave behind the story of life's achievements, its failures, its joy and sorrow'; step ahead to do it all over again, while memories linger. • * * Joe Ballon, a product from the good old cow town of Atkinson now sits m his easy chair more than a mile from whore I do likewise here in the Capitol City. Joe was a pioneer homestead kid down there in the Holt Creek valley south of Atkinson and knew about everybody from Atkinson tb Swan Like, ttie Berry family, the Watsons, the Rileys, the Carpenters and others. I recently had contact with Mr. Ballon by telephone and hope to see him soon. • • * Holt county today lias four newspapers. Where are the others — dead. The Holt Record with a Scottville date lino in '79, the Dustin Dispatch, the Mineola Sun, the Stuart Ledger, Atkinson Plain Dealer, Chambers Eagle, Bugle and the Sun, Sham rock Pickin’s, Inman Index, Ewing Advocate, Page Recorder, O'Neill Tribune, the Alliance Tribune, the Beacon Light, The Free Press. Holt County People, the Item, the Sun and G. M. Cleveland’s Personal Organ, and about the last to go was Sam Eves’ Democrat. Editors and printers come and go, but The Frontier goes on forever. I learn from a cherished holiday greeting that Mrs. Melvin retains her connection with the O'Neill community, has a pleasant residence at Fifth and Clay streets. She is the daughter of the pioneer J. J. McCafferty family, Mr. McCafferty owning at one time a two story business building where the bus depot now is, and was the town’s pioneer hard ware dealer and turned out the hay burners in use in homestead days. As a girl before her marriage Mrs. Melvin’s mother tripped fne light fantastic on the dance floor in the upper story of the hard ware building with the notable and notorious Doc Middleton, the horse thief and lover of the dance, always nice to the ladies. Miss Brennan of the Grattan township library is another still here who springs from pioneer parents, Mr. and Mrs. Neil Brennan, he too being a hardware merchant. And a third lady I think of as this is written is Miss Anna OTkinnell, the daughter of O’Neill’s first couple to launch out in the hotel business, Mr. and Mrs. John O’Donnell. Miss O'Donnell served for some time on the school board and was also con nected with a financial organization doing business in O’Neill. She may be living in retirement in the family home on east Everett street or the street just south of Everett. And what has become of that capable Miss Keys who for so long managed the affairs of the Ryan Hay Company? ————————————* " “ ' I Editorial - School Survey Report On December 3 representatives of the State Department of Education and the l ni\eisit> of Ne braska met with momlxtrs of the O'Neill School Board. These men, Donald O. Bush and Merle A. Stoneman, surveyed the O'Neill public school sys tem and made a numlier of recommendations. The following account is printed to inform G’NeiUites of our school problems and the solutions given to the problem are printed without comment at this time. The O’Neill School Survey Report A Survey Committee representing the State De partment of Education and the University of Ne braska visited the O'Neill Public Schools on De cembor 3, 1959. At this lime an examination was made of the existing public school plant. An oral report on the findings of the Survey Committee members was made to the O'Neill Board of Edu cation and Superintendent of Schools on the eve ning of December 3. The present report is a summary of that oral report. The present report may also be considered i supplement to the O’Neill School Survey Report previously submitted to the O'Neill school author ities under the date of November 2, 1953. The O’Neill Attendance Area O'Neill and its surrounding area give every indication of present and probable continued pros perity. Continued Increases in school enrollment lend to bear out this conclusion. There is no appar ent reason to anticipate any drop in enrollment in the near future. A modest increase seems much more likely. The Present School Problem At the present there are two serious limitations on the O'Neill School Plant. One is the matter of inadequate space and the second is the lack of pro vision of sufficient special rooms to offer a complete educational program. Both of these limitations have l>een developing over a period of years. The con dition was alleviated by the construction of the re cent elementary school addition. This addition is now full. The need for more special rooms has !>een apparent for some time. Facilities at present are inadequate at the sen ior high school level for science, physical education, music, industrial arts and library. At the junior high school level limitations are even more severe since sufficient time in special room areas cannot »>e allotted to seventh, eighth and ninth grade classes for science, music, shop, physical education and homemaking activities. Hence the result is a junior high school program which does not meet modern curriculum requirements satisfactorily. Possible Solutions Two possible solutions to the present building problems are apparent to the Survey Committee members. One would be the construction of a new senior high school to house grades ten, eleven and twelve. The other would be the erection of a new junior high school building to house grades seven, eight and nine. In either case the new conatroation would need to be on a new sit* sinee the present f small site is seriously overcrowded, ur tne two j possibilities, the Survey Committee members feel that the first, the construction of a new senior high j school, is by far the better of the two possibilities j for relieving the present situation. Should such a unit tie constructed, it should he so planned now that it may he expanded to serve the entire secondary school program, grades seven through twelve, at such time as a complele school j district reorganization program takes place in Holt j County, At such time some enrollment increase at the elementary school level may he anticipated and a great deal of increase at lx>lh junior and senior high school levels is likely. The elementary school in crease will likely be limited since it is probable | that some of the elementary schools in outlying j areas will he continued in use. The construction of a new senior high school j at this time would permit the utilization of the pres ent plant for junior high school classes and would relieve the a re nc. pressure in dm lementary school. The special rooms available in the present plant would servo junior high school purposes rea sonably well—much better, in fact, than they are serving the senior high school at the piesent time. Present enrollment in the elementary and junior high school grades would fill the rooms of the pres ent building nearly to capacity. The new high school site should lx? near the present athletic field. It would he possible to build the new plant either to the east or to the west of [ the athletic field. The location to the east is by far j the better because of the amount of land available | in that location. Twenty to twenty-five acres is considered minimum for a six year high school. The area to the west of the athletic field is much too limited for the six year high school which will eventually he needed. The Survey Committee members wall be avail able to provide further assistance upon the request of the O'Neill Public School authorities. Relief of the present overcrowding and provision of more adequate special rooms are basic to the promotion of a sound and adequate educational program for the public schools of the O’Neill attendance area. JAMES CHAMPION, Editor and Co-Publisher I Terms of Subscription: In Nebraska, $2.50 per year; elsewhere in the United States, $3 per year; | rates abroad provided upon request. All subscrip tions payable in advance. 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 Asso ciation, National Editorial Association and the Audit Bureau of Circulations. Frontiers Ago 36 A EARS A(H) Farmers living in the neighbor hood of Dorsey met last Thurs day and organized the Dorsey Cheese company with a capital of $5,000 and they will buiki a fac tory at Dorsey. The contract has been let for the machinery to be installed before April 1, 1910. . . . Mr. and Mrs. E. \V. Wilcox, who have been visiting relatives in Missouri for tiie past two weeks returned home Wednesday. . . . A large crowd of young folks gathered at the home of Mr. and Mrs. DeLong last Saturday night to help celebrate the lbth birthday; i of their friend, Roy DeLong. All enjoyed the evening.Elfie I Thomas returned to Gross, Nebr..| Sunday afternoon after her vaea-j tion at home. The river being fro zen it is much nearer to Gross shortening the way twelve miles . . . A. E. Wilke, an old settler [ of Inman, came from Ohio last Thursday for a short visit with his many friends and old acquain-1 tances of this place. 25 YEARS A<iO Everything is now quiet and serene in the office of county superintendent and Superinten dent MeClurg and his assistant, Harold Weirs, are in complete control. Last Monday morning Mrs, Luella Parker sent the keys of the office up to Mr. MeClurg, thus relinquishing all claims to the office, several hours before the matter was decided by the supreme court. . . .One of the smallest babies ever lx>m in Holt county was Donna Rae, weighing 212 pounds, born last Thursday morntng to Mr. and Mrs. L. D. Calkins in southeast O’Neill. The daughter lived only about twenty hours and died Thursday night . . . .Mr. and Mrs. Harry Me Grave, J. T. Tompson and Jim Hoxsie narrowly escaped serious injury and perhaps death Satur day while enroute to Norfolk. They were driving between Page and Ewing when they hit a horse. The horse was instantly killed and the car badly damaged, but Mr. and Mrs. McGraw, Thompson anti Hoxsie were unhurt. 10 YEARS AGO Well, The Frontier's fourth an nual first baby contest is over. The winner is none other than Master David Lynn Tracy, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Tracy, of Chambers. . . . Mrs. Emily Van Uraker celebrated her 92nd birth day anniversary at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Ace George Thursday, December 29. . . Mr. and Mrs. Dean Streeter enter tained Sunday in honor of their 32nd wedding anniversary. Friends and relatives attended. ... A group of neighl>ors at^L friends met at the Earl Parks home Wed nesday evening, January 4, for a farewell party for Mr. and Mrs. L. C. Rakow and son, Ross, who I are moving to White Salmon,; Wash. . . . Deaths. Russell Shoe- j maker, 41, O'Neill rancher; Clyde Allen Crawford jr„ 1, Bassett tot; Miss Mary Jane Flanigan, 70, O' Neill resident; Frank J. Heying, 74, Nebraska resident since 1906; Mrs. Marne Mellor, 79, widow of a pioneer O'Neill businessman. 5 YEARS AGO Mr. and Mrs. Thomas II. Davis of Atkinson, who have been resi dents of this community more than half a century. Sunday observed their 60th wedding annivesrary. The Davises were married at Au burn. . . . Mr. and Mrs. Newton E. lliatt of Butte, who were the first couple to be married in the Friends church at Gross, Monday observed their golden wedding day at their home at Butte. . . . Mr. and Mrs. Henry Reimer and Elayne of Deloit left Friday, Dec ember 19. on a trip to California, returning to their home Sunday, December 26. . . . Frederick B. I Iolsclavv of Kansas City, Mo., son id Mr. and Mrs. Fred llolsclaw oi U iNCiil, will CM1 aasiRiifu iu ur American embassy at Madrid, Spain, effectiv e March 1. . . . [ Deaths: Ralph Nelson. 45, for mer O'Neill farmer; Emma Sehaaf. 14, native of the Stuart and; Atkinson communities; Floren E. Gesirieeh, 72, retired Atkinson far mer. Lynch News By Vckleen Pinkerman Mr. and Mrs. Gay Hull and family were Friday evening visi tors in the Leonard Havranek home. Gail Heiser returned home from Omaha Friday afternoon. Miss Mary Ellen Schindler was a Wednesday overnight guest of Veldeen Pinkerman in the Han nah Streit home. Mr. and Mrs. Guy Pinkerman, Danny and Delmar. and Eddie Krugman were Tuesday evening, Jan 5 supper guests in the Robert Wilson home in Verdel for Kay Christensen's birthday. Mr. and Mrs. Leo Kalkowski and Kevin were supper guests in the Bob Courtney home Thursday evening. Marjean Birmeier was a Jan. 5 overnight guest of Marlene Streit in the Hannah Streit home. Johnny Weeder left for Florida Tuesday, January 5. Glenna Courtney went to Oma ha Tuesday, Jan 5 where she will attend school. She has been work ing at St. Anthony’s hospital in O’ Neill. Jerry Carsten and Mrs. Veldon Pinkerman were January 5 din ner guests in the Reggie Pinker man home. Mr. and Mrs. Guy Hull were Friday evening supper guests in the Fay Pinkerman home. Del Anson was a January 4 eve-j ning supper guest in the Veldon Pinkerman home. Cathy Hrbek is staying at the | George Courtney home for the second semester of sch<x>l. Handy Pinkerman stayed at the Wayne Christensen home the past week. Nate Conrad called at the Vel ikm Pinkerman home Friday morning. Mr ami Mrs. Leroy Punance Jr., ami Bnan left Wednesday for there home in Denver, Colo., af ter spending several days here with relatives. Mrs Marvin Schindler and Mary Ellen art' staying at the Eddie Heiser home while they are gone. Mrs. Bob Courtney and Sherry called on Mrs. Leroy Purvianee and Bnan Tuesday afternoon at the Phylis Mulhair home Mr. ami Mrs. Berl Moody and family left for their home in Sioux City after spending several days here with relatives, Mr. and Mrs. Pete Mulhair were Thursday callers ut the home of Mrs. Roy Lowry m O’Neill. Mrs. Glen Hull. Mrs. Iad Kalko wski .uul Kevin, Mrs. Bill Spencer and family, Mrs. L)iek Hull and Dawn and Mr. and Mrs. Pete Mulhair were Friday dinner guests in the home of Mrs. Roy Lowry at O'Neill. Sharon Courtney was a Jan. 4 overnight guest of Carolyn Court ney. Albert Carson, Mr. and Mrs. Rex Carson and Dick Ladley were Jan. 5 callers m the Ray Witherwax home in O'Neill, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Christen sen and children were Friday eve ning guests in the Glen Rihanek home. Mr. and Mrs. George Calkins, Mr. and Mrs. Eldon Sedivy and family, Mr. and Mrs. Guy Hull, and Mrs. Fay Pinkerman spent Friday evening playing cards in the Guy Pinkerman home. Mrs. Eddie Heiser and Gail Hei ser took Eddie Heiser to Omaha January 4 where he entered the Clarkson hospital. Mrs. Joe Rihanek ami daughter, Donna and children were Friday evening visitors in the Glen Ri hanek home. Mrs. Fay Pinkerman, Mrs. Y’el don Pinkerman and Veldcen were Sunday dinner guests in the Reg gie Pinkerman home. Jerry Carsten went to Bonesteel, S. D.. Saturday evening returning to Veldon Pinkerman’s Sunday. Mrs. Fay Pinkerman is spend ing a few days in the Reggie Pinkerman home in O'Neill. Mr. and Mrs. Guy Hull, Mr. and Mrs. Gay Hull and family were O'Neill callers Saturday. Mr. and Mrs. Vigo Christensen and Kay were O’Neill callers on Saturday. Judy McGill was a Thursday overnight guest of Halite Carsten in the Frank Carsten home and Mary Ellen Schindler was a Thursday evening supper guest of Shlene Johnson. Mr. and Mrs. Leroy Purviance Jr., and Brian from Denver, Colo., are here spending the holidays with relatives and friends. Mr. and Mrs. George Calkins were Tuesday evening, Dec. 29 callers in the Veldon Pinkerman home. Veldeen Pinkerman was a Dec. 29 dinner guest in the Reggie Pinkerman home. Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Havranok and family, Mr. and Mrs. Leo Kalkowski and Kevin, Mr. and Mrs. Dick Hull and Dawn. Mr. and Mrs. Bill Spencer and fami ly, Mr. and Mrs. Glen Hull and Jerry and Mrs. Roy Lowry were New Year's day dinner guests in the Pete Mulhair home. Mrs. Irene Carsten from Bone steel spent the weekend with Mrs. Faye Pinkerman. Mrs. Delhert Nelson and girls were Thursday dinner guests in the Guy Hull home. Mr. and Mrs. George Calkins were callers at the Guy Pinkerman home Wednesday. Irene Boelter visited Mrs. Pete There's nothing like a new car—and no new car like a Chevrolet. This is the Impala Sport Coupet NOW-THE CAR THAT STARTS THE SIXTIES WITH SO MUCH THAT'S NEW, SO MUCH THAT’S DIFFERENT ...AND SETS THE PACE WITH LOWER PRICES! Bee The Dinah Shore Chevy Show In color SundayB, NBC-TV—the Pat Boone Chevy Showroom weekly, ABC-TV. Chevrolet speaks of the Sixties like no other car—with a broad accent on spa' dousness, stirring new concepts in Styling and strong emphasis on spirit and thrift. 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See your local authorized Chevrolet dealer. A. MARCELLUS CHEVORLET CO. 127 North 4th St. O Noill, Nobr. Phone 100 Mulhau on Wednesday. Mr. ami Mrs. llershel Mullen spent their Christmas \acation at the George Calkins home. Mr. and Mrs. Herman Heiser were Butte callers Wednesday. Mrs. Willa SchoUmeyer and Bruce spent se\ era! days in Oma ha the past week Bruce under went a physical check-up. Mr. and Mrs. Herman Heiser entertained several friends at a card party December JS evening Present were Mr. ami Mrs. lone Micanek, Mr. ami Mrs. losho Stewart, Mr. ami Mrs. Wayne Christensen, Mr, and Mrs. Eddie Heiser and Mr. and Mrs. Fete Mulhair, Mrs. Veldon Pinkerman and Mi’s. Faye Pinkerman were Thursday evening supper guests in the Reg gie Pinkerman homo. Miss Mary Ellen Schindler s|x'nt from Tuesday till Thursday night in Omaha with Janie Schindler Mrs. Veldon P.nkerman and Vel deen were Thursday overnight guests of Mrs. Faye Pinkerman. Ray Wilson and IMck 1 -alley drove to Gregory. S. D , Wednes day to Earn Wilson in the Duane Wilson home. Mrs. Leonard Havranek enter tained at a party for her daugh her Debbie's birthday. Guests were Mrs. Glen Hull. Mrs. Bill t Spencer and children Mrs Roy |l*mr>. Mrs leo Kalkwski ami Kevin, Mr*. Dick Hull and l\»wn. Mrs. Fete Mulhair, Mrs BiU Hav ranek and Mrs Kenneth I'ish ami ehUdren. Ice cream and cake were served. Mr. and Mrs. Swede Sedivy and Mr. and Mrs Guy Hull and fatiu K were New Year's dinner guests m tiie Guy Hull home. \li>vs Shlene Johnson and Mar lene Stroll were Thursday over night guests of Marjean Hirmeier Mr. and Mi's. Leo Karran spent from Thursday till Sunday in the U'slie Stewart home. Mr. and Mrs. Ah in Carson spent Saturday night with Mrs Nat a Bjornsen. Mr and Mrs George Calkins were Saturday overnight guests in the Guy Fmkerman home. Frankie Matejcek was a Friday overnight guests in the Herman Heiser home. Mr. and* Mrs. C. L. Haselhorst Mr. and Mrs Edward Slreit and Marlene, Mrs Herl Moody and children. 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