FIFTY YEARS OR MORE Nigh on 50 years ago (being old we are supposed to use words like nigh) we all were making our way or soon would be diving into adulthood for our first time. Rotary phones hung on the wall. Push button phones were making their way into posh households. Harvest gold and avocado green were becoming vogue for appliances and carpet. But Arista and Earl could still be heard arguing across the way at the gas station. The Conde Hospital had been closed for a while. I was born there. Mom drove us. Dad was picking corn and would show up later. That was the way it was. The 71-74 years ushered out the school dress code. Boys could have hair over their ears starting in 1972. Girls’ hemlines were moving up. And girls could wear pants to school! We grew up when our town still had two elevators, two grocery stores, two gas stations, a pool hall, a sundries, bank, liquor store, two barbers and shoe shop too! A Catholic Church and Methodist Church on each end of town. Lutherans had a new church in Ferney. Lenz International Harvester and The Gambles Store would close. Ed and Duane would take over Peavey Lumber. Buster would close the hardware store which was the most all-purpose store of the day. The Saturday Night main street gatherings of the earlier days were pretty much gone when Michelson’s Grocery closed, but teens still gathered as the night slipped away. Red and Evelyn would be replaced by Herb with his green 53 Buick and in a few short years Terry would become our town constable. As we drifted to the military, college or technical school, we knew the town would last. The two train routes became one and soon enough would be none. For every ten graduates of CHS, nine would have to find a niche in another town. College degrees would create offers from other cities and states, placing the hometown in the rearview mirror. A few would have the family farm or create a construction/repair business. Our graduates of this era went from long-hand math to calculators and computers in the 10 years following graduation. Who would think back then that we would be farming with the use of satellites today? Many graduates love returning to the hometown to jostle the old memories of their youth. Some have maintained close ties with a few that maintain the town. I laude those that put the effort in for the alumni festivals…and this year really looks to be a festival. May the tradition continue for many decades to come.

That was one lean, mean, fighting machine! Go Spartans!

I hope the statute of limitations has run out. I think I was a Junior when I was set upon to rename the town. Yes, after lunch in the second floor, southeast corner room of the old stone schoolhouse it would become clear and should be easy enough with a bit of silver and black cans of spray paint. There was a loose black cable hanging between the D and E. That should allow me to stand on the railing and do the deed. I would misjudge my capability. With spray cans in both back pockets I climbed the tower and positioned myself on the railing while holding the cable. First the silver to spray out the middle of the E. Perfect! This is where the plan went off the rails. The letters were HUGE! No way could I complete the transformation of the E to an O, but close enough. The other letter to be added was too far for me to hang onto the cable which meant I would have to lean from the top of the railing to the tower. My gumption faltered. I didn't trust the railing nor myself to lean as I painted. CONDO would have to do. Damn, I so wanted that last letter. Defeated, I hopped down. Didn't have enough black paint anyhow. It would have been my crowning achievement of the day! Noticeable from the school, 20 and 37 too!