Dear Moms and Dads of '71 grads:
How'd you like to bat for the News-Press?
Call your school superintendent, read him the Riot Act and threaten to stop paying your taxes unless he sends us pictures of this year's graduates.
We'd appreciate your help.
Most school principals and superintendents are pretty busy this time of the year with school activities and despite the hub-hub they are very helpful about rounding up pictures of the grades to be put in the paper.
The local photo studios will provide composite pictures if that's what the schools want and generally, that's about the easiest way to get 25, 50 or 100 pictures of boys and girls at one time.
So, the next time you meet your school principal or superintendent on the street, tell him you're one of the News-Press gang and Ivanskavinskiskavow sez to send in the pictures . . . pu-r-r-t-y please!
We've received pictures and information about baccalaureates and commencements from Nebraska City's schools and from Fremont Mills, Nehawka and Palmyra. (Clarence Monahan of Palmyra knew better than delay with the N-P 'cause he knows I'd unlock all the swine gates at the County Fair this summer if'n he didn't cooperate).
We'd like very much to get similar pictures and information on the Orange Bowl folks at Syracuse - Dunbar - Avoca, Johnson - Brock, Nemaha Valley and Douglas.
Les Carr who has been active in river boating development in Nebraska City many years, really put out the effort this year.
We've got a second state park complete with boating facilities and there's going to be special attractions on the river very soon.
An old Navy minesweeper will be coming upstream next month in a private enterprise. We understand some of the superstructure has to be removed or lowered to permit the ship to pass under the river bridges.
The second will be the appearance of the Army's Green Berets.
They will retrace the Lewis and Clark trail from St. Louis to Astoria, Oregon. The soldiers, all volunteers, began their 3,000-mile trip Friday. They will make the trip in Army assault boats.
Instead of the 18 months required by Lewis and Clark, the Army expects its explorers to make the trip in 118 days. They will make about 50 miles a day and will be in this area in about 10 days.
We'll rely on Glen Wilcox of the U.S. Corps of Engineers to help keep us informed on the whereabouts of the trip.
Legionnaires of Adam Schellinger Post No. 8 are once again planning the annual Legion golf tournament on the new course at Nebraska City.
Jack Chadwick is general chairman and his silent and hard-working partner is Harold Bliss. Entry fee is $5 and that includes a whale of a dinner for golfers and their wives.
Last year the grand prize was a set of golf clubs. Well, you know the Legion . . . it does things up right . . . this year the grand prize will be a Cushman golf cart.
Tickets will be available soon. The golf tourney will be August 22.
Up on the North 40.
The howling wintry winds, blizzards and icy streets are gone, but there's going to be a Christmas on the North 40 very soon.
Jay Fenstermacher, son of Dr. and Mrs. R.C. Fenstermacher, will be home from Vietnam soon and his mother and dad are anxiously awaiting his arrival.
A successful attempt at fulfilling medical services where there is a shortage of doctors, may sweep across the nation.
A program called Medex is being instituted in which ex-GI medics are receiving special training and taking over some of the jobs now handled by busy doctors.
The specially trained men handle such jobs as case histories, cast work and stitching of wounds, to name a few.
In one community where the Medex program is being conducted, an elderly man who had just had his leg put in a cast by the doctor assistant was asked whether he had confidence in the young man who cared for him.
"If he can take care of our boys on the battlefields in Vietnam, he can sure take care of me."
We never did figure out who sent us a copy of the Wenatchee Daily World from the town in Washington, but we read it anyway.
The issue was all about the Apple Blossom Festival and whether it will continue another year. Police Chief Bill Reich said, "we had a rock festival without the rock — not an apple festival."
Police also reported:
The theft of 90 street flags, seven accidents, seven emergency runs, three shoplifting cases, five car theft cases, three attempted car theft cases and 14 illegal consumptions.
Despite the lawlessness in the town, the newspaper printed five full pages of pictures and stories telling the story of the "more pleasant" side of the festival.
Wilfred Woods, publisher, questioned whether the festival has become a monster. "If we are heading for a riot or massive disorder . . . now is the time to examine the problem, not after the fact."
And speaking of law enforcement, Nebraska City was complimented the other day when Assistant Police Chief Don Martin was reelected head of Region IV of the Crime Commission established by the governor.
Officer Martin was designated assistant chief about six months ago after serving the department as police sergeant. His new duties include working with police personnel.
The governor's regional organizations study needs for better law enforcement and assist in obtaining equipment to meet certain needs.
Nebraska City's new police radio system was acquired through the regional organization.
Have you read the want ads in the paper about "Toby?"
Well, you'll do a great service if you happen to find the dog and return him to the owners, Mr. and Mrs. Claude Oliver, 600 Ninth Corso and their son, Von, 14.
"It isn't that Toby is so beautiful or valuable. He's just an affectionate, quiet dog," Mrs. Oliver said.
The Olivers obtained the dog last fall as a six-week old pup from the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bill Cass who brought the pup here from Washington.
"We just got so attached to Toby," the family said.
He's described by the family as a shaggy brown dog.