Hometown Newspaper Excerpts - Band Booster Talent Show

Hometown Newspaper Excerpts

Band Booster Talent Show

Coon Rapids (Iowa) Enterprise - Thursday, April 19, 2018, Page 5:

Band Boosters Bill Riley Teen Time Talent Show, Nov 12, 1956

 The Kuemper Five, boys quintet were first place in the Band Boosters
Bill Riley Teen Time Talent show held in the community school in 1956.
 From left are Dick Olerich, Larry Louis, Bob Haukap, Dan Vasos and Bill
Schreck.

 Jerome Mescher, left of Halbur, finished second place in the Teen Time
Talent Show with his performance on the ‘bones’. Nancy Bolger and Bill
Smith won third place with a vocal duet.

Nancy and I were in our Senior Year of High School. We did a little song and dance routine. It was fun, at the time, but we decided 'show business' was really not out calling! ;-)

Families are Forever!!

Dr. Bill ;-)

Hometown News - - 75 Years Ago - May 3, 1940

Hometown News

75 Years Ago

May 3, 1940

 

A rural school nearby in the late 1940s

From the Coon Rapids Enterprise - Thursday, May 7, 2015 Page 5:

75 Years Ago
May 3, 1940

Mildred Middleton, for the past nine years, a teacher in Union township rural schools and one of the most active workers in the Rural Teacher Association, will leave June 4 for Cedar Falls to enroll in Iowa State Teacher’s College for a two year Junior High teachers’ course.

After graduating from Coon Rapids High School, Mildred taught at the Heald School for six years and has been teaching the Richland Center School for the past three years. In 1931, Mildred and her sister, Mrs. Roswell Jordan, were prominent in organizing the Ten and Seven Teachers’ Club, one of the first such organizations in this part of the country.

Monday night Mildred entertained that group at a cooperative dinner at her home here with
county and state Rural Teachers Association officers as additional guests. The original organization included only 12 members: Irene Smith, L’Vene Smith, Mrs. Verle Thomas, Dorothy Barnoske, Clara Trullinger, Mrs. Alf Hetland, Mrs. Roland Drake, Elma Johnson, Mrs. Grant Ballard, Ineze Grohe, Mrs. Clarence Shirbroun, Mrs. Roswell Jordan and Mildred Middleton.

Now the group has a membership of 24. Honored guests at the dinner last Monday night were Mrs. Captolia Greteman, of Templeton, president of the state rural teachers’ association; Mrs. Mary Moore, of Carroll, assistant to the county superintendent; Helen Kuhn, of Manning, corresponding secretary of the county rural teachers’ association; Aurila Lamp of Manning, treasurer; and Edith Lund, president, who is also a member of the local Ten and Seven Club. Other members of the club attending were Erna Lund, Irene Smith, Mrs. Verle Thomas, Lorene George, Loretta Brannan, Pearl Brutsche, Eveleyn Schultz, Dorothy Schultz, Linette Cretsinger, Arlene Cretsinger, Virginia Gillespie, Mrs. Harold Pomeroy, Mrs. Roland Drake, Ethel Betts, and Mrs. Jordan. Edith Thomas and Irene Anderson served the dinner which had been planned by Mildred, Miss Brannan and Miss Brutsche. Places were laid at two long tables centered with potted flowers on table mirrors. Nutcups and favors were combined in handmade pots of artificial tulips.

The evening was spent in games, contests and singing, directed by Mrs. Jordan, Miss Betts and Mrs. Thomas. Mrs. Greteman also showed private movies.

My comments:

These women played key roles in early family life. Three of them were my aunts, and all were close family friends. They were teachers in local schools, in the town schools as well as rural schools over the years, and one, at least, Erna Lund, just retired a couple of years ago. Mildred Middleton went on to serve Education at the state level and elsewhere. Many of these ladies served many important community roles and leadership positions. A neat article. I haven't corrected any errors... just copied as it was printed. Dr. Bill

Families are Forever! ;-)

Hometown News - 75 Years Ago - March 29, 1940

75 Years Ago This Week

Hometown News

Coon Rapids, Iowa

From the Coon Rapids Enterprise, April 2, 2015, page 5:


75 Years Ago
March 29, 1940

In what almost might be called a photo finish, and with the vote tied until almost the last vote was counted, Mayor Alex nosed out Dale Carpenter in the mayoral race here Monday winning by ten votes. Out of a total of 551 votes cast, Mayor Alex received 273, Carpenter polled 263. Treasurer Paul Kinnick, running without opposition, polled 376 votes.
Ben Bowman was elected assessor, polling 306 votes; Mrs. Ethel Austin ran second with 173 votes; and B.M. Surridge, third with 33 votes. Elected to the town council and the number of votes polled:
Dwight Williams, 423; George Textor, 388; Freeman Mingus, 369; Wellman Kretzinger, 365; and John Tigges, 365. Defeated for town council were H.L. Cadden with 268 votes and C.A. Nelson with 186 votes. All members of the old council who ran were reelected. Dave Davis and Ralph Shannon were not candidates for reelection and Mingus and Williams will take their places on the board. Ben Bowman will be thenew assessor.



Leo Kinnick, employed by the First State Bank the past three months, has accepted a position
as book-keeper and teller of the Commercial Savings bank at Lanesboro [Note: This should say Lohrville, in Calhoun County - he stayed there for many years!]. Mr. Kinnick is already
at his work there and the family will move there the first of the week.


Note: Paul Kinnick was my maternal grandfather. Leo Kinnick is his oldest son, and my uncle.


Families are Forever! ;-)

75 Years Ago - In My Hometown - 5 Jan 1940

 75 Years Ago

In My Hometown

5 Jan 1940

From the
Coon Rapids Enterprise - Thursday, January 8, 2015, PAGE 4:

75 Years Ago
January 5, 1940

Dwight Williams Coon Rapids’ “refrigerator man”, reports he expects to begin harvesting his annual ice crop Monday. The ice, he says, is excellent, about 12 inches thick and of fine quality as it froze fast without thawing. With good equipment and experienced help the ice harvest promises to be of short duration.

“Shorty” Raymond Raygor was elected chief of the local fire department at a meeting in the town hall Thursday night. He succeeds Dwight Williams. Assistant chief is George Franks and secretary-treasurer is Jack Russell. First foreman is Jack Alex, second foreman is Dwight Williams and chief of fire police is C.A. Nelson. Fires in the community were evenly divided according to reports at this meeting during 1939, 14 were in the country and 14 in town!

Ida Marie and Leo Kinnick

The opening of a new year finds a business change in Coon Rapids. Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Watrous having bought the Tall Corn Inn from Leo Kinnick and taken possession.
Mr. and Mrs. Watrous are both experienced in this line of work. Mrs. Watrous has been employed in a restaurant in Manning and at several local restaurants. They will serve lunches, meals, sell cigarettes and give the public first class cafe service. Mr. Watrous will continue to operate his trucking business. Mr. Kinnick has taken employment for the time at the First State bank.


Families are Forever! ;-)

Hometown Monday - Old Carrollton School in final days

Hometown Monday

Old Carrollton School in final days

 

From: Coon Rapids Enterprise, Thursday, November 14, 2013. Front Page Story:

Sometime next summer the 1937 Carrollton School House will disappear from the rural landscape, following action by the Carrollton Community Heritage Club at their October 28 meeting. After nearly a decade of effort trying to save the building, the group dedicated to preserve the memories of the Carrollton Community have realized the task is too large and
expensive to achieve.

“Our intentions were to refurbish the building, maybe put an apartment in there, maybe a
community center,” said Rosemary Paulsen, one of the members of the CCHC.

The group even spent money in 2006 to have asbestos removed from the building in hopes that a renovation could eventually take place.

“We had all kinds of plans, of course, but we had no real money and the building continued
to deteriorate,” Paulsen added. “I hate it. It’s really sad. It’s the last standing public building in Carrollton. It would have been nice to save it,” Paulsen said.

The final straw, Paulsen said, was a report from Sebern Structural Services of Panora, who
was commissioned to document the deterioration and provide necessary costs to rehabilitate.
From there, the group solicited bids for demolition and the one from Mike Daniels was accepted.
Paulsen said he’ll fit the job into his schedule and will have it down by next summer.

Carrollton, the first county seat in Carroll County, had a school as early as 1856. In 1909 a consolidated school in Carrollton was built and in 1936 it burned down. It was replaced with this all-brick building and for many years it had 10 grades, although in the last years it was limited to eight grades. It closed in 1959.

Paulsen said that now plans for the demolition have been made, new ideas for the school property can begin in earnest. Not surprisingly, several have already been made, such as making an historical interpretative park or maybe shelterhouse. Many other ideas will circulate when the large group of Carrollton enthusiasts gather for the ‘Old Settlers’
Picnic’ on August 16 of next year.

In the meantime, Carrollton Community Heritage Club members can continue to enjoy
the Old Carrollton Park which it has developed on property which once was home to the
community’s first grocery store.


Families are Forever! ;-)

Hometown Monday - 100 Years Ago This Week - More Lem Williams News

Hometown Monday

100 Years Ago This Week

Lem Williams News

Last Monday, I posted a bonus piece from my home town newspaper from 100 Years Ago this week about my great-great uncle Lem Williams. His was a frequent name in the paper of the time because of the various blacksmithing, concrete, construction, ice man, and other projects he undertook.
Last week, he had contracted to build a new dam for the floor mill on the river. Here is an update, a week later.

100 Years Ago in the Coon Rapids Enterprise, August 15, 1913:

"Lem Williams has engaged some farmers who are on their way from Kansas to assist him on his mill dam work. Some sections of Kansas are completely burned out by hot winds. Water has also failed and stock is being disposed of as rapidly as possible and some of it at any price."

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Hometown Monday - 100 Years Ago This Week - Lem Williams News

Hometown Monday

100 Years Ago This Week

Lem Williams News

Last Friday, I posted a bonus piece from my home town newspaper from 100 Years Ago this week about my great-great uncle Lem Williams. His was a frequent name in the paper of the time because of the various blacksmithing, concrete, construction, ice man, and other projects he undertook. Many buildings that still exist had his hand somewhere in their construction. Here is another, today.

100 Years Ago in the Coon Rapids Enterprise, August 8, 1913:

"Lem Williams has contracted to build the new dam for the flour mill and the work will require several weeks. There will be more than a thousand loads of rock and cement used. The water is now
being pumped from the old dam by a rotary pump, preparatory to building the new. This is a new kind of work for Lem and a pretty big job but he will no doubt take care of it all right."

Families are Forever!  ;-)

My Hometown on Monday - Methodist Ministers listed

My Hometown on Monday

Methodist Ministers listed

The following list was prepared for the Carroll Co, IA, GenWeb Site, August 2003, by County Coordinator at the time, Bill Smith - me.

Star Methodist Church

Coon Rapids, Iowa

Transcriptions from

The Official Membership and Church Record of

The Methodist Church from August 8, 1886 to “present” [mid-1960s]

List of Pastors, page 130, from 1885 to 1963.

Number	Pastor’s Name	Appointed	Transferred
1	Wm. Douglas	9-12-1885	9-9-1886
2	John Webb	9-9-1886	9-19-1887
3	I. H. Elliot	9-9-1887 (sic)	9-20-1890
4	C. D. Fawcett	9-20-1890	9-21-1891
5	A. C. Rawls	9-21-1891	9-19-1892
6	S. E. Brown	9-19-1892	9-18-1893
7	A. M. Lott	9-18-1893	9-9-1894
8	C. W. Anderson	9-9-1894	9-28-1896
9	Fred T. Stevenson	9-28-1896	9 – 1898
10	George W. Wood	9 – 1898	9-19-1900
11	C. M. Ward	9-9-1900	9-16-1903
12	J. W. Stokebury	9 – 1903	9 – 1905
13	A. T. Jeffery	9 – 1905	9 – 1906
14	A. W. Harned	9 – 1906	9 – 1908
15	John F. Gibson	9 – 1908	9 – 1910
16	H. H. Barton	9 – 1910	9 – 1912
17	Carl Brown	9 – 1912	9 – 1914
18	A. J. Matthews	9 – 1914	9 – 1917
19	H. E. Copeland	9 – 1917	9 – 1919
20	H. G. Hicks	9 – 1919	9 – 1922
21	C. W. Koehler (did not serve Star)	(See History) 9 – 1922	9 – 1925
22	W. Frank Clayburg	9-2-1925	9-24-1933
23	R. J. Arms	9-24-1933	9-20-1935
24	O. E. Cooley	9-20-1935	9-19-1939
25	J. H. Krenmyre	9-19-1939	6-15-1941
26	Eugene Alexander	6-15-1941	6-15-1950
27	J. B. Pooley	6-15-1950	6-15-1953
28	Leo Wolfe	6-15-1953	6 – 1954
29	Cecil C. Latta	6 – 1954	6 – 1958
30	Earl E. Josten	6 – 1958	6 – 1963
31	Mark C. Sullivan	6 - 1963

(sic) = transcribed as recorded, even if possibly incorrect

Generally, the same Methodist Minister served both the town church and the rural Star Church.

Families are Forever!  ;-)

My Hometown on Monday - Computer usage in 1962

My Hometown on Monday

Computer usage in 1962

I am always interested in news articles from past years to be reminded of how computers came into our lives, and how they were used in different years. This showed up in my hometown The Coon Rapids (Iowa) Enterprise in the 50 Years Ago column of November 22, 1962 [29 Nov 2012 issue]:

"The Star Charolais Farms of Coon Rapids are keeping records on their Charolais herd the modern way. They recently enrolled their cow herd on IBM machines through Performance Registry International which is headquartered at Denver. PRI is an international association of cattlemen
representing all beef breeds. The Star Charolais Farms will have the weights of their cattle calculated and analyzed through IBM and this information will serve as a management guide to them in their breeding program. They are one of the first farms in this area to use IBM computing machines to improve their beef herd."

What early computer use stories do you like to share?  ;-)


Families are Forever!  ;-)

My Hometown on Monday - Dwight Williams to open locker in Coon Rapids

My Hometown on Monday
Dwight Williams to open locker in Coon Rapids


October 22, 1937 - 75 Years Ago - 1 Nov 2012 CRE, p. 4:

Dwight Williams, local ice man, has leased the east room of the Speiker building and is remodeling it to install refrigerated lockers. Electricity will be used to create below-zero freezing temperatures in which meats or other food stuff can be kept for an indefinite period. This locker system has been installed in many cities and towns in the state and is proving highly satisfactorily according to Mr. Williams who says it will be some weeks before he will have it ready for operation.


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Treasure Chest Thursday - 1950 Main Street info

Treasure Chest Thursday - 1950 Main Street info

[Two different photos - same time, same place - two different sets of info!]

[Same Homecoming parade, it appears!]

From the Coon Rapids (IA) Enterprise, in my Hometown:

May 11, 2006, p. 5:

[Click to see enlargement and read caption]

October 23, 2008, p. 4:

[Click to see enlargement and read caption]

The Williams story in the second caption is part of our Family History, of course. L.B. Williams, the 'ice-man' referred to above, was a brother of my great-grandmother, Nettie (Williams) Kinnick.

Families are Forever!  ;-)

My Hometown on Monday - Southside Cafe

My Hometown on Monday - Southside Cafe

[Click to see enlarged view and read caption]

This is a really good photo in the Coon Rapids Enterprise of the Southside cafe I "remember so well" from my youth. I used my mental image as a setting in my novel, "Back to the Homeplace," actually. 

I fact, now that I see it, and it does bring back memories - it is much smaller than my mind remembered it. The detail in this photo is exceptional. I am so glad I came across it.

Do you have similar memories?

Families are Forever!  ;-)

My Hometown on Monday - Deal Elementary

My Hometown on Monday

Deal Elementary Closed in Coon Rapids, Iowa

The 24 May 2012 edition of the Coon Rapids Enterprise included several articles and clippings and photos about the opening in 1957 and the closing at the end of the recent school year in 2012 of Deal Elementary School. On Wednesday, May 30, I shared a photo of my Dad, Pete Smith, as a member of the School Board in 1956 as they were building the school.

Today, I want want to share just three more 'snippets' - I urge you to see all the stories in the Enterprise. They did a fine job of covering the events. P.S. They are in the process of adding several new elementary classrooms on the central campus of the consolidated school that will be available in the fall - so that there is just he one site to manage, for same on the budget!  ;-)

Three photos, with caption from the Enterprise:

Students, faculty, and staff from the 2011-2012 school year gathered outside Robert Deal Elementary for one last photo in front of the building, which officially closed May 23, 2012. A closing
ceremony was held yesterday morning where former occupants shared their favorite memories of the school.

From Coon Rapids Enterprise archives, January 4, 1957 — Douglas Duncan, left, hangs up his coat in the third grade room in the new elementary school building. Other boys, from left to right, are Martin Shirbroun, Steven Kult and Thomas Smith. The water fountains and lavatories in the rooms, shown at right, are another feature that pleased the new occupants.

Erna Lund stands to be recognized as a former third grade teacher at the building.

My comments: 1) My younger brother, Thomas Smith, now know as T.K. or T. Kinnick, in the middle photo!

2) Erna Lund is mentioned regularly in my daily diary posts of my mother's 1937 diary. She was a nearest neighbor and girl friend, along with her younger sister, Edith, of my Mom. So good to see her actively taking part.

Here is one final clip on Erna, from the 75 years ago column in the same edition of the Enterprise:

"The Normal Training Club held its final meeting of the year last Wednesday at which time reports of the various officers were made covering the work of the year, and officers chosen for the ensuing year. Those officers were elected for the coming year:
President Marjorie Davis,
Vice President Erna Lund,
Secretary Edith Vaughan,
Treasurer Lorene George, and
Student Council Representative Shirley Johnson."

3) Normal training, of course, was the classes the young women took in High School as their initial teacher's training to be able to teach in one-room country schools. As they continued their studies, after High School, while teaching, they would earn credits toward a degree or toward teaching at "higher levels" of schools.

Families are Forever!  ;-)

My Hometown on Monday - Sesquicentennial Book Story Preparation

My Hometown on Monday
Sesquicentennial Book Story Preparation


Coon Rapids, Iowa, my hometown, will be celebrating the 150th anniversary of its founding, the Sesquicentennial, in July of 2013. Recently, in an insert in the local newspaper, The Coon Rapids Enterprise, there was a call for submissions of stories for a Sesquicentennial Book. It calls for stories up to 300 words with a photo for a variety of categories. See the actual brochure for details and examples.

Here are the categories:

• All households, both old and new families, both previous and present residents.
• Schools
• Churches
• All social, civic and fraternal organizations
• Cemeteries
• Businesses
• Agriculture
• Military
• Celebrations

We have started working on our family stories; I've done a draft on my Mom and Dad's family, and each of their parents families, Smiths and Kinnicks. We've been asked to work on Bolger and Thomas stories, for my wife's side, since we have the information. All entries are due by 1 Feb 2012, in Coon Rapids, at the Library or the City Clerk's office. Seems like a short deadline, but we'll work hard this week to meet it.

I posted a scan of all three pages of the brochure on Facebook. Here is the front page only. Let me know if you need the other pages. [email: billsmith2003 at gmail.com]


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Hometown on Monday - Rural School Teachers, 1933

My Hometown on Monday

Rural School Teachers, 1933

From time to time, we get into discussions of which of our family and friends, in the old days, were teachers at which rural school around Coon Rapids (IA) where we grew up. Cleaning out some old Coon Rapids Enterprise copies of the Years Ago page, I came across one from 25 Dec 2008, in the 75 Years Ago column for 22 Dec 1933, the following entry:

To hasten the activities of the holiday season and to close the old year of school, many rural schools are entertaining at socials and presenting programs this afternoon and evening. Union No. 2, under the direction of Mildred Middleton, will be hosts at a social at the school house this evening. A program in which all the students will participate, will be given preceding the social and refreshments.

Pupils of the Star school will present a Christmas program at the school at the same time. They will be  under the direction of L'Vene Smith, teacher of the school.

Elma Johnston, teacher at the Jack Jergens school, will direct a program to be given by the pupils of the school this afternoon.

A Christmas program will be presented at the Oak Hill school tonight under the direction of Inez Grohe, teacher.

*************

Comments and observations:
1) Mildred Middleton was a life-long teacher and school administrator. Union #2 would have been the school two miles west of the Star school, which was Union #1.
2) L'Vene Smith, later L'Vene Thomas,  was my Dad's older sister. She continued to teach, earned her degree, and taught in Coon Rapids schools though out her lifetime, as well.
3) I'm not familiar with either Elma Johnston nor the Jack Jergens school. Comments welcomed.
4) The Oak Hill cemetery was northwest of town… should not have been a school there, so it was somewhere else. Anyone know where? Inez Grohe, later Shirbroun (Speedy, the radio/later tv repairman), was my teacher for a couple of years later, around 1950 or so, at Willow #3, in Greene County, northeast of Coon Rapids.

Mrs. Inez Shirbroun, approx 1950

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Hometown Monday and 52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History - Week 45 High School

Hometown Monday and 52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History

Week 45 High School

Thanks to GeneaBloggers and Amy Coffin of the We Tree blog for these prompts.


Week 45. High School. Describe your middle and/or high school. Was it a large or small student body? Is the school still in existence today? How has it changed since you went there?

Coon Rapids (IA) High School has now become Coon Rapids-Bayard High School through consolidation with the nearby town down the highway to the east. It still exists, which is a feat in itself, given the rural Iowa location.

Several separate buildings are no longer used by the school, including the building I attended for high school. The school board recently voted to build a new addition on the existing High School/Middle School to include all K-12 grades for both towns and the surrounding rural community on the one site, for long term sustainability.

I maintain a wiki for the use of all classes, through the years, back to 1888.



Families are Forever!  ;-)

My Hometown on Monday - Carrollton School Fire

My Hometown on Monday

Carrollton School Fire

In Week 32 of Mom's diary - 75 years ago - she mentioned the fact that the Carrrollton school had caught fire and burned to the ground - about 15 miles north of where they lived.

Following are two stories from the Coon Rapids Enterprise, that appeared in the 11 and 18 Aug 2011 editions, respectively:

75 Years Ago
August 14, 1936
The consolidated school building at Carrollton was completely destroyed by fire last Saturday evening. Although the origin of the fire is not known, it is believed to have started from spontaneous combustion in the coal bin which was stored about five tons of coal. Eldin Annear and family and the Possehn family, retuning home from Coon Rapids at 11:30 first discovered the blaze through the window on the northwest corner of the building.
Fire departments from Coon Rapids and Glidden were called immediately and made quick response but the blaze had gained too much headway for anything to be saved. The frame building was a mass of flames and the fire fighters had to turn their attention to extinguish the flames in the dry grass of the school yard.
Ralph and Oscar Lloyd brought Thomas Hessler’s tractor and plow to the stubble field west of the schoolhouse and plowed a wide strip to stop the spread of the flames. Verne Carter and others made attempts to enter the building but the dense smoke made it impossible. Several men remained at the school yard the remainder of the night to watch that no spark would spread the fire. The chimney remained standing until after the fire had died down, but it collapsed about 4 a.m.
The building consisted of two basement rooms, four school rooms and four halls and housed ten grades which required four teachers every year. Harvey Toft is superintendent. Miss Ellen Fouts, who taught there last year will be back, and two new instructors have been employed.
Verne Carter is president of the school board, Donald Anderson is secretary and Frank Squires treasurer. Other board members are Charles Bowman, Thomas Hessler, Ed Davis and Abe Conner.

75 Years Ago
August 21, 1936
Members of the Carrollton school board met here Tuesday evening with the Coon Rapids
school board and accepted the offer of the later to take Carrollton students here without charge until suitable school arrangements can be made at the former county seat where the school building was destroyed by fire on the night of August 8. Carrollton has a school of ten grades and it was decided to send the five higher grades here by bus while quarter for the five lower grades will be provided space at the United Brethren church at Carrollton.
The Carrollton school board plans to hold an election in the four school districts comprising the consolidated district to vote on the question of erecting a new building at Carrollton. With the insurance money from the destroyed building and an additional fund of several thousand dollars on hand the Carrollton board has sufficient funds to erect an excellent building. A government grant is also being discussed. The loss in the recent fire was total including all school records which causes an embarrassing situation in regard to school credit of pupils. The school faculty is not to blame in this matter as the school had no fireproof vault.
The Coon Rapids school is also without a vault for valuable records, a situation which is now having serious consideration.

Families are Forever!  ;-)

My Hometown on Monday - School Board Election 1936

My Hometown on Monday 

 School Board Election 1936

I carefully read my hometown Coon Rapids Enterprise newspaper every week - we do get it on-line now on Thursday and the hard copy comes the first of the following week. My favorite page, of course, is "Days Gone By" featuring news items from 100, 75, 50, 25, and 10 years ago.

In the 75 years ago column this week is reported the School Board and City Election results. I knew my grandfather, Paul KINNICK, served as City Treasurer for many years. He was Clerk of one of the banks in town (the number of banks ranged from one to two, over the years!)... always considered himself to be a 'banker.'

The surprise to me in the paper from March 13, 1936, was the results of a four way race, for two seats, including one long-time incumbent, for School Board: Paul Kinnick (287 votes) and Charles Thomas (262 votes) are elected to the School Board. The incumbent received 98 votes (...and retires after many years of service). The other well-known gentleman received 217 votes. I had never heard, that I can recall, that my mother's father served on the School Board - and that would have been the Spring that my mother, Eileen, graduated from High School! Small world - my dad was President of the School Board in Coon Rapids the year I graduated in 1961 and handed me my diploma!  ;-)

Further, the gentleman who was elected with my grandfather, Charles Thomas, was at the time a young entrepreneur, the co-founder of Garst and Thomas Hybrid Seed Corn Company - the leading employer in the community from the late 1930s to present (though sold to an international firm a number of years ago). Charlie Thomas was also my wife, Nancy's, great-uncle. The Thomas and the Garst families have both been active benefactors of the community through the years and three or four generations, and continue to be.

Coon Rapids recently erected a number of sculptures at the town entrance. One of them was of "Garst and Thomas."

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Monday at My Hometown - The Gregorian Interview

At The KINNICK Project blog, yesterday, I posted a transcription of a fine article about Buzz and Colleen KINNICK in a local, home town, publication. Please check it out.

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Monday at My Hometown - Nielsen Holiday Gatherings

Monday at My Hometown - Nielsen Holiday Gatherings

My Hometown is Coon Rapids, in West Central Iowa, in Carroll County but near the corner with Audubon, Guthrie and Greene Counties.

I still get the Coon Rapids Enterprise each week. Here is a useful story that lists many of my relatives and where they are now. This family is my maternal grandmother's sister's family - her children, and their children and grandchildren. We shared holiday gatherings with them often in my youth!


HELEN NIELSEN ENTERTAINS DURING HOLIDAYS
Early Christmas dinner guests on December 12 at Helen Nielsen’s
home were Junior and Winona Huffman and Marie Nielsen of Audubon;
Darrell and Marjorie Nielsen of Glidden; and Jerry and Annie
Vincent of Jefferson. Holiday guests on December 26 at Helen’s
home included her son, Maurice Nielsen of Hartland, WI; also Maurice’s
three daughters and families: Jenni Maskel and children Mike
and Mia of Cottage Grove, WI; Erin and Ben Kossow and their children
Tyler and Grant, all of Mukwonago, WI; Paul and Laura Tesch
of Hartland, WI. Other guests were Helen’s son and daughter-in-law,
Bob and Ann Nielsen of Lenexa, KS. Everyone left for home on December
29. During the holiday time, Helen received a telephone call
from her third son, Keith and his wife, Karen, of Fort Walton Beach,
FL.

From: Coon Rapids Enterprise - Thursday, January 6, 2011/page 4 - online

Families are Forever!  ;-)