A good shot
There was a moment of emotion when Mrs. Charlotte Mabie announced to the concert audience and students at Senior High that she had submitted her resignation as the vocal music teacher.
She was quick to return to the director's box and concentrate on music composition instead of emotional composure and her charges followed suit with some mighty fine pieces.
The second bombshell came when Gary DeBolt, the instrumental director, announced moments later that he too had resigned. Gary said the announcement made it look like a mass exodus, but he had not been aware of Mrs. Mabie's plans.
Mrs. Mabie will quit teaching and has some other interests. Among them is being lucky and not only at bingo. She's been a winner many times and the kids at high school know it.
The latest we heard was one of those $100 jeeps is still in the crate. We've heard that story regularly since shortly after Ike invaded Europe.
It's not that we're negative. We just plain think it's bunk. And . . . if it is true, then we'll believe it if Mrs. Mabie is seen driving a jeep on Central Avenue.
Best wishes also to Gary who will return to Torrington, Wyo., to enter business with the family and take on some additional work in a grocery store and motel-hotel management.
Commencement site
The Nebraska City High School commencement exercises will be held at a park again this year, but it won't be Hayward. Chairs and park benches will be moved onto the Steinhart park.
We've always liked the park commencements. For one thing they're a whale of a lot cooler than packed gymnasiums during the warm days of May.
This year's commencement site will be especially attractive with the surrounding facilities of swimming pool, tennis courts and ball fields.
Principal Carl Fielder said parents and friends are being asked to take chairs. The graduates will be seated next to the swimming pool, and the band will be behind them inside the pool fence.
That means all the visitors will be seated along the terraces next to The Lodge. The program lasts about 45 minutes, Mr. Fielder said.
And in case the weatherman doesn't cooperate, the commencement will move inside the gym.
Voter turnout
We can all learn from voter turnout. Seventy per cent of the registered voters in the Douglas school district went to the polls resulting in a "yes" margin of 149 to 43.
Superintendent Charles Hastings was especially pleased with the large turnout. He said the result was the people telling school authorities what they want to do.
The bond issue was for $183,255 for a one-story addition to the Douglas school. It will include home ec, shop, music, kindergarten, first and second grades, locker room facilities and office space.
Double pleasure
The Job's Daughters organization has what it calls a Secret Master Mason program. It's like a Secret Pal of many clubs, only in this instance, the girls are given the names of Master Masons and they follow up with notes and other surprises for several weeks.
Then on the night of the box social, the Master Masons are invited to bid on the food. When they are declared the winner in the bidding they learn the identity of the young cook. Mine was Deanna Hall, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Duane Hall.
Then later at the meeting, the girls all stand and introduce their Secret Master Masons of the past weeks or months. I had double pleasure. The little girl who sent me the corsage, St. Patrick's boutonniere, Easter gift and notes was the second daughter of the Hall family, Denise.
Coming home
Mike and Peggy McCartan and their five children will be returning to Nebraska City this summer. Mr. McCartan will be processing manager at Morton House Kitchens, Inc.
The McCartans moved to Kansas City three years ago and for three months have been living in Louisiana. The McCartans have enjoyed Kansas City and Louisiana, but they are looking forward to returning to Nebraska City.
So are we. Welcome home.