Indianola’s POW camp, MCC football, in the 1940s

It now takes walking into a room three times to figure out why I went there in the first place. I should hate that but actually, I’m simply happy I finally remember! Life is a series of adjustments. This week I’m just sharing a few tidbits I’ve saved for future use. Better use them before I lose them.

McCook Daily Gazette: Wednesday August 1, 1945. “Must Know Prisoner Laborers Man-Hours. County Extension Age Clyde Noyes said today that unless farmers in the immediate territory inform him immediately as to the number of man-hours they will be needing during the month of August, the prison laborers at the Indianola camp will not be available. At the present time it is planned to hold the Indianola camp as a branch camp to take care of local labor needs, however, Noyes said, a report must be made to the commanding officer Friday morning of the estimated man-hours. Farmers wishing prisoner laborers should notify Noyes at once.” (My thought on this is, would this use of prisoners of war for labor be politically correct today? Even if they volunteered?)

“Stockville Youths Try To Hoist Car Out of Creek: After escaping with only minor cuts and bruises when their car plunged over a 15-foot bank and landed in Medicine Creek north of here, two Stockville boys today were contemplating methods to rescue the car. The car is settling in several feet of mud and water, top down. Wrecking crews from Stockville, Maywood and a larger one from Moorefield have each failed to dislodge it from its resting place. The two boys, Ivan and Dallas Schultz, sons of Emil Schultz, drove off the bank one night last week not aware that the bridge was out. Landing on its top in the muddy creek, the car began to settle in the mud while the boys escaped through a window.” McCook Daily Gazette: Friday, September 5, 1947.

Thursday, September 4, 1947: McCook Daily Gazette. “Football at McCook Junior College rolled into high gear yesterday evening as the Indians held their first scrimmage of the season. This first hard and full workout under a blazing sun saw the collegians rounding into shape for the opener a week from tonight at Sterling, Colo. Coach Merle Confer was pleased with the scrimmage as a whole but stated there was a lot of hard work ahead before the boys would be ready to go the full 60 minutes. In the first lineup, Confer had Gene Morris and Dick Drake, ends; Gerald Sughroue and Bud Hanke, tackles; Eldon Jagger and Jack Hoyt, guards; Wayne Messinger, center; Jack Carroll, quarter; Cliff Vontz and Lee Dinnel, halfbacks, and Chuck Smith, fullback. The second combination included George Harmon and Dick Philips, ends; Bill Yager and Homer Anderson, tackles; Everett Skillman and Dale Allen, guards; Jack Burton, center; Red Warburton, quarter; Jim Biggins and Eddie Miller, Halfbacks, and Elmer Keith, fullback. Bill Hill, giant tackle, saw limited duty as he nursed an early season injury.” (I miss not having a college football team, we got to watch some talented players back in the day.)

If any of you out there use WORD, you will notice that a review of your writings now points out when you are not being politically correct. Sometimes that is hard to do when you are using (word for word) an article from the past.

SWNGS October Expo will be held on Saturday the 22nd. Watch the Gazette or our Facebook page for the details. Researching church records and DNA will be our two main subjects covered.