Too Long in the Wind

August 2011

Origin of the water tower

[August 31]   Roger Hanhardt knows an interesting detail about our hometown's big blue water tower.

Here's his e-mail:

I do not know the exact year, but either in the '70s or '80s, the city of Pawnee Rock purchased the water tower from the out of business Detroiter Mobile Home plant in Hutchinson. It would be interesting to know how that happened, and how it was moved to Pawnee Rock.

That is proof there used to be some people in Pawnee Rock that could get things done.

Rog

Back to top

Another 4-Her is identified

[August 29]   James White, who married Pawnee Rock's Anna Sue Deckert and moved with her to Goliad, Texas, sent her confirmation that two of the girls in the 4-H photo were indeed Frances Deckert and Ann Schmidt, and the girl kneeling in the front row on the right is Jolene Dirks. (Photo "Pawnee Rockets 4-H Club members" is in the Gallery.)

Thanks!

Back to top

Class of '61 50-year reunion report

[August 29]   A reunion report arrived from Ronnie "Gov" Long, member of the Class of 1961:

We were very pleased with the turnout for our reunion, August 19, 2011. Out of 13 graduates, there were 9 present, and one classmate who left Pawnee Rock after her Junior year. We had a total of 10 classmates attending. Both Sheldon Sawatzky and Rosalie Russell Smith Burns were unable to attend, but we received letters from each of them noting their accomplishments over the last 50 years.

Those present were Virginia Crone Jacobs and husband, Joe; Raymond Hanken and wife, Pat; David Heibert and wife Karen; Ronald (Gov) Long and wife Judy; Robert Peterson; David Schmidt and wife Rita; Charles Skolaut and wife Mary; Bill Unruh; Dennis Unruh and wife Kathy; and Janet Everett Brown.

We were honored to have Coach Lorin Miller as our guest and keynote speaker. We thank him for sharing his magnificent career and experiences with us.

We all enjoyed hearing the accomplishments of each classmate. Also, before and after dinner, we reminisced and shared our life experiences.

We appreciate everyone's attendance. We had several local classmates, and the states of Connecticut, Oklahoma, Missouri and Nevada were represented. Charles and Mary Skolaut, traveling from Connecticut, came the farthest.

We give special thanks to Dave Schmidt for helping put our reunion together. We also thank Judy Long for decorating our meeting room and greeting everyone as they arrived. She provided special music to bring our reunion to a great close.

We all agreed to meet again for our 75th reunion! That would be 2036.

*Proud to be a Pawnee Rock grad!*

Ronnie "Gov" Long

Back to top

Buildings and water tower

[August 29]   Ed Durall sent a note about some recent homepage photos, both of which are now in the Gallery:

You've published two pictures recently that have brought back memories.

The first was of the retired bus barn. That building was built around 1950 when I was in junior high. It was really shiny and clean, and all its windows were glass. They parked a bus in the south end, and shop classes were held in the north end.

The second was the picture of the house on the NW corner of Cunnife and Houck streets. In the early 1950s we lived directly across the street on the southwest corner. The house in the picture looks as good or better than it did 60 years ago. A Converse family lived there. The house we lived in was the one that burned down in 1972. What a shame. That was a great house.

On another topic, do you know when the water tower was built? In the 1950s, there was no city water. In addition, there were no paved streets and no street signs. I didn't know till many years later that we lived on the corner of Cunnife and Houck.

Question: Does anyone know the year(s) when the water tower was erected? I (Leon) was out of town at the time and was surprised on a visit to see it there.)

Back to top

The house of music

House in southwest corner of Santa Fe Avenue and Rock Street.

[August 26]   Roger Hanhardt, a PRHS grad, remembers the old gray house when it was hopping:

"Your picture today of the abandoned house is a symbol of what is ailing Pawnee Rock today. In '61 and '62 it was occupied by the Dan King family, probably the greatest band teacher, ever. From there he went to Russell, and then on to Bethany, his alma mater. He used to come back to the area with a dance band. He could play anything. He and his wife are both deceased now, at early ages, '50s. When the wagon train came by PR in 61, he had us dressed as Indians, he was on a horse in a Chief costume; and we "attacked" it. Look in the history book at how big the band was then. Probably 50. Anyway that house was home to a real professional; now falling down. And that is repeated over and over in Pawnee Rock today."

-- Rog

Back to top

Welcome, Barry Jack

[August 26]   Barry Jack has joined the Friends of Pawnee Rock page. He's on the City Council and has served in the fire department.

Back to top

Concern about City Council

[August 26]   Another e-mail about Pawnee Rock's political situation has arrived:

"We are very disturbed about the things that are going on in Pawnee Rock, and it is VERY SCARY when all these things come to light. This is a public City Council, and is subject to rules to protect the citizens of this city. To be told that none of us need to know what is going on, is *outrageous.* Soon, the word will be out and a lot of people will leave and others will not want to live here.

-- Sincerely, Wesley and Judy Belden"

Back to top

Challenge made over fire chief

[August 25]   The following e-mail, received last evening, fits into the letter-to-the-editor category. Its author is Cindy Armstrong.

Any responses from the mayor, fire chief, and other interested parties will be posted on this page as well.

Pawnee Rock City Council

"Dear Sir,

"I am writing this in hope you will pass it along to all those wonderful people that live and love our little city of Pawnee Rock Ks. Our city has come to a place in time when all those who care for our community need to speak up to our Mayor Tim Parret. We have an issue with what our city council has allowed to happen. In the past month our city council has ignored the rules that govern our council and moved to have a newcomer sworn in as Fire Chief of our town. Not concerned with the fact that he has no formal training in the fire department and thus putting our homes and lives at risk!! Mr. Chambers has been told to not have his family in the city fire responce car by the city council several times but has ignored this request. He has on every occassion taken the first responders car to a fire and not a fire truck! How does one put out a fire with a car!! He shows he has no concern for the city or it residents. He has also show total disrespect for our Mayor and other residents of our city by telling them the rules do not apply to him as he is on the city council and the chief of our fire dept. Is this the kind of person we want or need to watch over our community?!! He has removed a member of the fire dept for the sheer fact he does not like him. This man has given of his time and has been training for 4 1/2 years to serve this community. Those of you that has called for assistance from Barton county know that Barry Jack has been the first person to arrive day or night. I humbly ask that you PLEASE come to the council meeting on the 12th of September and show your support for Barry and let our city council know they work for US!!!!!! PLEASE STAND UP AND HELP US MAKE THE BOARD KNOW WE ARE THE PEOPLE THEY SERVE."

-- Cindy Armstrong

Back to top

Wrapping up the 2011 reunion

[August 23]   The wrap-up of the 2011 Pawnee Rock school reunion is in, courtesy of one of the organizers, Roger Hanhardt.

Here is his e-mail:

We had another great meal and a great time visiting with old friends. The count was down from about 150 last year to 100 this year; however, everyone seemed enthusiastic about having it every year. A couple thoughts come to mind. I would like to have one or two persons from each class take the bull by the horns and contact their classmates about this reunion. The best thing would be to inform them of Pawnee Rock.org, where they can get info about these events.

Anyone that reads this has to say to themselves, I will be the one from my class. I just feel like we could double our turnout with better communication. Also, on a different subject, the depot has our senior pictures, and through no fault of that group, there are 6 classes missing their pictures. They were already gone when they hung in the school.

Elaine Mull was telling me that if we just had the 8.5 x 11 of those classes, we could get them sized and put in their place of honor. The yrs. missing are 1967, '68, '69, '70, '71, '72. Someone from each of those classes should have the smaller version. I have mine, but my '64 class is not missing.

I also want to thank a few people for our reunion nite.

First, Glenn Mull's daughter, Amy, has done a great job of composing and mailing the invitations. She has the address list, so if you have any updates, contact her at Mull Farms.

Secondly, Sandra Haun, has worked hard at the registration table and taking pictures. And Beans (Ed Crosby) has done a great job securing the building, getting the caterer, and organizing the golf, which I think he said he had 48 golfers. And kudos to Joe Bowman for bringing the speaker system owned by Nathan Goorick.

The '62 class will be celebrating their 50th next year, and it was a big class, so we hope to see all of them next year.

Sincerely, Rog

Back to top

The 44-year-old toolbox

Richard Batchman, 1967, with his 4-H toolbox. Photo by Bill VanSkike.

[August 22]   Last week, I posted a photo of Richard Batchman taken at the 1967 Barton County 4-H Fair. It showed him holding his woodworking project, a pastel-green toolbox that received the champion's purple ribbon.

I figured the photo -- taken by extension agent Bill VanSkike -- would stir up some memories. Then I got a message from Richard, who lives north of Pawnee Rock:

Here's a brand-new photo Richard sent, showing him and his toolbox:

Richard wrote: "It's not in Grand Champion shape anymore but I still got it. Thanks for posting the picture. I have never seen that picture before."

Back to top

Two more 4-H names

[August 19]   Ron Darcey suggests two more names for our photo of 4-H girls:

"Just at first glance the girl holding the round container looks like Becky Schmidt and to her right looks like Rhonda Schultz. But of course I could be completely wrong. I concur with Phillip Bowman's identifications. (See photo below)

"Brings back lots of 4-H memories when the River Ramblers (Pawnee County River Township) Club always had their tour after harvest in early to mid-July before the Pawnee County Fair in early August."

Back to top

Not even a fever

[August 19]   I meant to post this screenshot of a Weather Underground page earlier in the week, but it's just as relevant today.

Sure, the air is warm, but it's only body temperature -- and that's normal for this time of year in Pawnee Rock.

On Saturday, the day of the Pawnee Rock school reunion in Great Bend, the day should be slightly cooler, and there's a chance of rain.

Back to top

"Various" class members identified

These members of various PRHS classes were identified by Susan Unruh-Ellis. (The women's last names are the ones they used in school.) Left side, from the top down: Dean Lakin, John Schmidt, Trishia Bright, Susan Unruh, Kevin Unruh, and Karla Mead. Right side, from the top down: Jesse Lakin, Troy Schroeder, Rob Bowman, Todd Bright, Rick or Randy Smith, and Tim Epperson. In the middle: Tina Bright.

[August 18]   Susan Unruh-Ellis, I think, knows everybody.

"Ok Leon, I've waited all year for someone to name these folks, and nobody has," she wrote.

And with that, she identified all the men and women in the "various classes" photo from the August 2010 Pawnee Rock school reunion. (2010 reunion gallery)

Thanks, Susan.

Back to top

4-H names sought

[August 18]   The caption for the photo on yesterday's homepage (now here) asked for readers to identify the girls. Phil Bowman suggests a couple of names:

"The two tall girls in back look like Frances Deckert and Ann Schmidt, but the lighting makes it hard to tell for sure."

Thanks, Phil. If anyone else can contribute names, I'll add them to the caption, which now in the Gallery.

Back to top

Post office thoughts

Pawnee Rock's post office, 1965. Photo by Elgie Unruh.

[August 17]   With all the hullaballoo over the Postal Service's plan to abandon much of America, it's worth celebrating the Pawnee Rock post office and what it has meant to us over the years.

Our hometown post office is on the hit list, along with a big handful of other outposts served by the Hutchinson branch, but the official word on closings has not come out yet. It's possible that localized public uprisings might keep some post offices open.

Cheryl Unruh, who spent a lot of her youth in the post office, has written about it for the Emporia Gazette and her website. (Find it here.)

Pawnee Rock, by the way, has had 22 postmasters in the almost 139 years the office has been in existence.

Back to top

Don Appel dies

[August 16]   Don Appel, a member of the Pawnee Rock High School Class of 1959, died Sunday in Hutchinson. He was 70 years ago.

He was the son of David and Margaret (Behrens) Appel. Mr. Appel had moved to Great Bend in 1962. He owned and operated Don's Welding and was a member of Peace Lutheran Church near Albert. His obituary says he enjoyed racing, animals, skiing, and football.

He is survived by wife Karen; son Mike Appel; daughters Gayle Fellin and Janell Crosley; and four grandchildren.

Mr. Appel will be buried in the Peace Lutheran Cemetery after his funeral Thursday morning. (Obituary)

Back to top

Millard Barrett is remembered

[August 16]   Millard Barrett, who graduated with Pawnee Rock High School with the Class of 1951, died recently at home in Larned. He was 78 years old.

Mr. Barrett was the son of Hugh and Elizabeth Barrett and had lived in the area his entire life. His obituary describes him as a farmer, a Catholic, a bowler, and a Gem Dandy 4-H Club leader.

He is survived by his wife, Patricia; sons Kevin Barrett, David Barrett, Steven Barrett, and Jeff Barrett; daughter Jody Ary; sister Joanne Baldwin; and nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Mr. Barrett's funeral was August 8, and he was buried in the Pawnee Rock Cemetery. (Obituary)

Back to top

Memories in a clipping

[August 15]   Early last week Barb Schmidt sent a pair of clippings about the 50th reunion banquet enjoyed by the Pawnee Rock High School Class of 1931. Her parents had scissored the photo and story out of the Great Bend Tribune 30 years ago. (See today's homepage.)

I got distracted and didn't get the clippings posted. In the meantime, one of the people in the photo died.

Gladys Hungate, who grew up on the farm just northwest of Pawnee Rock that would be sold in 1940 to the Schmidts, died in Iowa at age 98. She had been born to Benjamin and Susie Koehn.

After Mrs. Hungate's death was announced, Barb sent a second message:

"I have heard stories over the years about the 'Koehn girls' who grew up there and, with their brothers, walked to school every day in the company of schoolmates from your grandparents' farm a quarter-mile north. But I never knew the first names of the Koehn children until seeing the information you provided (and the obituary link) this morning. It's nice to think of that huge Koehn family living in our farmhouse before my smaller Schmidt family arrived. Guess I'll have to think of it from now on as 'the old Koehn-Schmidt farm.'"

Barb also has a relative in the story: Mable (Schmidt) Marak, a sister of her father's.

The two photos here are taken from the senior class composite photo, which was republished in volume 1 of Pawnee Rock High School 1910-1972, compiled by Roger Hanhardt.

Back to top

Gladys (Koehn) Hungate dies

[August 12]   Gladys Hungate, who was born in Pawnee Rock in 1913 and later lived and worked in Larned, has died at the age of 98.

Mrs. Hungate was born to Benjamin and Susie (Base) Koehn and in 1933 married Myron Hungate. After five years in western Kansas, they moved to Larned. She worked for an optometrist, Robert Bair.

She died in Clinton, Iowa, where she had gone to live with her daughter. She was preceded in death by one son and 14 siblings.

Mrs. Hungate's funeral will be Saturday morning at Beckwith Mortuary in Larned, and burial will be in the Larned cemetery. (Obituary)

Back to top

The last day of summer

Blueberries, labrador tea, and tussocks of grass in the tundra near Fairbanks.

[August 11]   Nik and I walked down the wide grassy path, sidestepping long muddy spots as we hunted for blueberries. It was late afternoon, almost suppertime, and clouds that would eventually bring rain were skipping past the sun.

This little adventure -- the blueberry roundup -- is an annual event for the boys and me. This year, because of my dad's recent death, we put it off it and I was afraid we had missed the season. But here we were, quart zip-lock bags in hand, bending at the waist as we peered into thickets of willow and prehistoric-looking labrador tea, looking for the oblate leaves of the tundra-hugging blueberry plant and for the berries themselves, dusty-blue spheres smaller than marbles.

The trailside plants had been cleaned by timely pickers; nothing dangled over the mossy ground but the occasional full berry and lots of wrinkled old berries.

Nik and I were determined to find berries for the freezer. In a way, it was our last chance.

School starts today for Nik and Sam. The boys have been homeschooled for a half-dozen years, and now we're pushing them out of the nest. In a city with a several large schools, they'll attend a small charter school with a high percentage of Native kids and an emphasis on community.

We talked about how the blueberries seem to like growing near a certain kind of willow, and we wandered away from the trail. Nik found a bountiful plant and soon there appeared another and another.

"There's enough that we can eat some," he said.

The wild berries are tart, much more flavorful than the decorative version found in the grocery store. Ours go well with vanilla ice cream, which Nik and I agreed smoothes out the acidity.

We reached into the underbrush, plucking berry by berry and eventually filling our bags to the point that our trip felt rewarding. Before long we were fifty feet off the trail. The trail's mud and grass were replaced with willows and tussocks rising a foot and a half off the tundra floor, making each step on them clumsy. It didn't take long for the dry branches of the willows and spruces to etch Nik's legs.

Nik had gotten off the couch when I got home from work and asked for berry-picking volunteers. He was dressed appropriately for a 64-degree afternoon; I was still in my go-to-work clothes more suitable for a cool morning -- cotton pants and a fleece jacket I was too lazy to remove, and the long-sleeve blue shirt I last wore about two weeks ago at Dad's funeral in Pawnee Rock.

Our expedition route was a loop near our cabin. The route is more easily traveled in winter, when the mush is frozen. We walked on and off the trail as the mud holes required, pushing past brush-stiff spruces and stands of willow saplings, cut ragged at their ends by a moose last winter.

"August is a busy month for us," I said. I mentioned the time I wrecked the car on August 8, which coincidentally was the anniversary of the distant day I pedaled my bike from Oklahoma to Nebraska in sixteen and a half hours, and another day two years ago when I led the boys on a sodden, confusing hunt for a lake not far from where we stood.

I asked Nik whether he remembered the day he and his brother and I had climbed high above the treeline to pick blueberries near Anchorage. For me, the day was a treasure -- sunshine then sprinkles, lots of alpine berries, snapshots in abandoned missile bunkers, a pause on a windswept mountaintop, and finally a ramble down to our car.

"It was August 28, 2007," he said.

I spun around. "How can you remember that?"

"It was the last day of summer," he said.

I suppose we all pick a time that we recognize as the end of a season. As it was when we were kids, it could be the last day before school. Now, maybe it's the shift in the seasons, the subtle moment when the morning arrives with a chill, when we notice that daylight no longer extends around the clock and that the robins have left without saying goodbye.

Yesterday was Nik's last day of summer, unfairly situated in the first half of August. Instead of mourning summer, however, he was in the moment, talking about plants and mud and flavors and bragging about his scratched legs.

Finally, Nik and I agreed that we had picked to our hearts' content. We'd work our way over to a road crossing, picking only the berries we stumbled across.

That's what I did. I bent down for a half-dozen, and when I stood straight Nik's red T-shirt was nowhere to be seen.

"Nik!" I yelled. I called again from the road.

There was no doubt Nik had passed that way. Down the trail to the cabin, a long wake of grass and wildflowers was freshly bent toward home.

I wish I could have kept him with me, another hundred yards with my son, but he had run on to the next big thing and I was left alone with a bag of blueberries and the exquisite ache of the fading summer.

Back to top

Reunion sign-up deadline is coming fast

[August 8]   The Pawnee Rock school reunion is coming up in less than two weeks, on Saturday, August 20.

The day's festivities start with an 8 a.m. golf tournament at Stoneridge Country Club in the northeast corner of Great Bend. The cost for the game and half a cart rental is expected to be about $45.

The get-together next convenes at the Black Angus Best Western motel on West 10th Street in Great Bend. A session of chatting, renewing acquaintances, and taking pictures begins at 3 p.m. There's no charge for this session.

Finally, the catered supper begins at 6 p.m. It'll feature brisket and fried chicken and comes from the Wheatland Cafe in Hudson.

You'll need reservations for the supper. The deadline officially is this Wednesday, but Roger Hanhardt has extended it for a couple of days to Friday. Call Roger or Ed Crosby and let 'em know you're coming for the meal. Payment of $20 will be accepted at the door.

(Download the alumni association's information as a PDF to get instructions on making reservations with Ed Crosby or Roger Hanhardt.)

Back to top

BCCC has honored Pawnee Rockers

[August 5]   Over the years, Barton County Community College has honored area residents who have provided singular service to the area. Among them are several people identified with Pawnee Rock.

In 2005, Keith and Marian Mull were honored. The Mulls founded the Pawnee Feedlot south of Pawnee Rock and have been active members of the community as well as institutions in Larned and Great Bend. They're 1941 graduates of Pawnee Rock High. Marian has passed away. (Mull entry)

In 2007, Warren Kopke and Dorothy Kopke were recognized. Warren, the son of Otto and Josephine Kopke and a graduate of the Pawnee Rock schools, was a lawyer in Great Bend. He passed away in 2007. (Kopke entry)

Back to top

Parade will be this Saturday

Downtown Pawnee Rock.

[August 3]   Historic downtown Pawnee Rock -- featuring the 1908 Lindas building, a century-old former grocery store, and the former (and relocated) Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway depot -- will be the setting for this Saturday's parade.

The August 6 parade starts at 10:30 a.m. at the north end of Centre Street and will move south. The event is being sponsored by the Lions Club.

Last year's parade featured a number of tractors, a fire truck, antique cars, clowns, horseback riders, an RV and other outdoor-fun gear, and the area's state representative.

Back to top

Dust and the wind

[August 1]   In the late morning of July 30, my dad's body was laid in the dry dirt of the Pawnee Rock Cemetery. The rest of us were going on, looking for lessons in Dad's life and prompting one another for pleasant memories like the land begs for rain.

As we sat at the cemetery, shaded by the canopy and listening to the pastor's words about leaving earthly tabernacles behind, the south breeze came across the crunchy grass and into my face. At that point I realized that Dad was at home. For the first time since my sister called Monday evening with the news of Dad's death, I felt at ease.

Cheryl and I went back out to the cemetery at midafternoon. The funeral home men had mounded the soil and laid the flowers out nicely. We each took a few blossoms and a little wheat. I picked up a couple of small clods, idly wondering whether I should take them as a memento mori, but they crumbled in my fingers and fell back onto the grave.

This was Dad's dirt. His soul may be with Jesus, but he -- and we mourners -- can rest easy because he belongs now to the cemetery, to the ageless soil of his homeland.

Back to top

Sell it

Advertise here to an audience that's already interested in Pawnee Rock:

Or tell someone happy birthday.