Dog-gone it!
Coming up
Mrs. Beverly Jordan was discussing plants and plant life to her second graders at Fourteenth Street school. She was telling the youngsters that several plants have names which include the name "dog."
She gave examples as "dogwood, the dogviolet and the dogrose," then asked "Can someone name another plant using 'dog' in its name?"
Little Jimmy was the first up from his desk exclaiming, "I know one, 'Collie Flower.'"
The Nannens
Neil Nannen, one of the family that has contributed so much to basketball at Syracuse over the years, is continuing his interest. He's coaching at Grand Island. The other day the Grand Island newspaper printed a picture of him and a story about one of his games.
Neil is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Ray Nannen who now live at Hallam.
Our friends
We've lost several friends the past week. You know them well: Loyal Shannon, Mrs. Emil Knoll and Paul Holliway.
Loyal was a frequent visitor to the News Press. He was a well read and informed man and kept us in touch with other happenings. Recently he had been particularly interested in the American Agriculture movement.
He was always about as happy a man as you'd ever meet. He greeted people with a broad smile and a warm handshake.
Mrs. Knoll was special to a lot of us. She joshed a great deal with friends and got back at all of them if they didn't wear green on St. Patrick's Day. She possessed a warm heart for all and an especially deep love for her family.
Paul Holliway taught science at the high school for 20 years or so. He was our neighbor. He was a tireless gardener and put my lawn to shame with his zest for outdoor work. He was an accomplished electronics man and a ham operator.
We miss them all.
Mr. Bryan
We received a note from G. Neihart of Braddyville, Ia., and a clipping of a story written by William Jennings Bryan. Mr. Bryan was a good friend of Judge Monroe Neihart of Nebraska City.
The clipping is from the I. H. Farm Equipment Co., Dunlap, Ia., advertisement.
"Burn down your cities and leave our farms and your cities will spring up again as if by magic, but destroy our farms and the grass will grow in the streets of every city in the country."
As long as the North American farmer can supply our food at a price that allows us to spend the greatest part of our income for our cars and TVs and recreational items, our high standard of living can continue.
But when our farmers can no longer produce our low-cost food, or when they have no economic incentive or ability to produce the food — truly again, "The grass will grow in the streets of every city in the country."
The snowstorm
Kevin Mabie, son of Mrs. Charlotte Mabie, spent the night at our home. Sure was convenient. It was snowing and the wind was blowing. I had rescue duty at 6 a.m., and I wasn't so sure until Kevin accepted an invitation and spent the night with our son. Kevin has a four-wheeled drive vehicle.
Sure enough the next day was something else. Chuck Johnson and Pat Osbon hoofed it to work. Jerome Keran had been on the phone in the early morning hours arranging to get employes to work. And since Kevin loaned us his four-wheeler, it was a snap.
Unfortunately, I discovered even a four-wheel drive won't do the job when you miss the drive and plunge front wheels first into a ditch.
We were short a number of employes, at the plant, but everyone pitched in and we beat our own deadlines and went home early . . . had to; we had a lot of snow to scoop, 10 inches of it.
Judy Huebner was on the phone to her 30 carriers and they arrived earlier than usual, picked up their bundles and went on their routes. We're pretty proud of those boys and girls; they've done it before.
Favorite food
What's a favorite food? Golly that's pretty broad. If you're talking about pastries, then it's sour cream chocolate cake.
I still think it's pretty hard to beat plain old fried chicken, but I've never refused juicy roast beef and carrots.
Millie makes a light meal of rice and pork. It's real tasty. Tabasco sauce really sets it off, and will set your tongue on fire at the same time.
For a fun feed, I like all kinds of goodies. Carl Wademan can whip up the best turkey fries, but I have to wash them down with mustard, horse radish and beer.
And it will be a long time before anyone will ever come up with anything better than the kind of tacos prepared by Mrs. John Peterson, Mrs. Sam Kellogg, Jr., and Mrs. Whoopie Landis. My table manners sort of go to pot, and I swan I cannot eat as many as John Peterson . . . and I try.
and then there's the one about the jazz musician who attended services at the Bethel United Church of Christ in Nebraska City. After the service he complimented the Rev. Gary Nienkamp. "You really flipped me out," he said. "That sermon was groovy."
"I'm happy the sermon pleased you," Pastor Nienkamp said, "but I would appreciate it, however, if you could express your approval in some other terms."
"Sorry," the musician said, "but that's my way. I just want you to know that I dug your sermon so much I flipped a c-note into the money pot."
"Cool, man, cool," Pastor Nienkamp answered.