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McCook Junior High numbers swell
A total of 1,978 students started school on Sept. 1, 1960 in five McCook city schools. Enrollment in the McCook system was up by 111 students over the previous year.
The Junior High had the largest increase, thanks to my class hitting the seventh grade. We pushed their numbers from 424 in 1959 to 470 in 1960. West Ward had an increase of 45 for a total of 388 students. East Ward had an increase of 14 students for a total 434 attending. North Ward increased only seven students for a total of 292. The Senior High actually lost one student, having 394 students roaming their halls.
I mentioned that Gov. Ralph Brooks was very ill and they were leaving it up to his doctor whether he should carry on his duties as governor or turn them over to Lt. Gov. Dwight Burney. Brooks was a candidate for the Senate in the fall election in 1960 and the party was leaving it up to him whether to pull out of the race.
The first public debate for the gubernatorial candidates was to take place Sept. 6 with former governor Robert Crosby moderating. McCookite and Democratic nominee Frank Morrison was to debate John Cooper, Republican candidate in a series of four debates. In McCook, there were three dances advertised in the September 2 Gazette. Charlie Jeffers Orchestra was playing for a free dance at the Legion Club on Saturday, Sept. 3. A Labor Day dance was being held at the Eagles Club on Sept. 4 featuring the Chord-ettes and a free dance with Moomey Kombo was being held at the Elks Club on Saturday, Sept. 3.
Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev was planning to speak at the U.N. Assembly during the American election campaign, hoping to embarrass war hero President Dwight Eisenhower.
On television, Gunsmoke was the highest rated show. "Queen for a Day" was the big daytime show. CBS was covering the summer Olympic games in Rome with twice nightly reports.
Bob Wagner and his wife, Lorena took over management of Ed's Grill at 404 West B Street (now the Magrath Co.) from Ed Misak who moved to Omaha. Their hours were 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily except Mondays.
A.M. Breland of the Breland Funeral Chapel at 1001 Norris Ave. (now Olson's Photography) announced in a big ad that Larry Carpenter had successfully passed the state board of embalming and would continue as an employee of the Breland Funeral Chapel. Larry later took over the business known as the Carpenter Funeral Home which now is the Carpenter-Breland Funeral Home Inc. with Jerry Beckenhauer and Donna Hall, funeral directors. Follow all of that? The Chuck Wagon restaurant sat five miles east of town, the little stone building on the south side of the highway in front of the stone motel. The restaurant in 1960 was managed by Melvin Kuhlmann and was open daily until 11:30 p.m. Their special Sunday afternoon menu included a roast beef or chicken dinner for $1.50 and a baked ham dinner for $1.65. All came with potatoes, salad, vegetable, hot biscuits, dessert and coffee. A hot beef sandwich was only 75 cents, though.
I see by the Vital Statistics that William Hugh Kennedy and Dorothy Jane Scheuring took out a marriage license on Aug. 29, 1960. That's Dorothy of Sehnert's Bakery fame if you didn't recognize the name ... one of the sweetest women ever and a real asset to McCook Main Street!
Joe Moskal's Sporting Goods at 217 West 1 (now MNB Insurance) was gearing up for hunting season with apparel, gear, guns and ammo. I used to go in there during breaks when I worked at the law office in 1969 (then Russell, Colfer, Lyons, Wood & Carroll). I'd get one of those 5 cent candy bars and a bottle of 7-up. In 1960 though the law office building was still known as the Moore Building for the Moore's IGA store that was there earlier and it contained the Reliable Typewriter Co. and attorneys William W. Lyons and LaFayette D. Hurley and the Red Willow County Abstract Co.
Hunters in 1960 also checked in with Bud & Nick's at 402 South Street, right across the street south of what is now the Parker plant. They were called a "Rod & Reel Repair" business but also sold guns, decoys, hunting bows and arrows, guns and ammunition. My Dad, Bus Booth was a very frequent visitor to Bud & Nicks.
The produce has been really good this year from the Farmer's Market...be sure to go down and check out what they have for sale ... you might even find your neighbor down there selling extra produce this year!