Sledding Dare Devils

     WARNING: Please prohibit the "younger set" from viewing the following story that is fraught with dangerous ideas.   
      Vern Modeland, from the Ozarks, is still kickin' but maybe not quite as high. He wrote, "prior to our driving days, we mostly slid down the hill just to the south and west of the hospital when there was a hill. Grabbing the bumper of a car with an A fuel stamp on it's windshield was mandatory for uphill. Richard Longworth, a former school days neighbor down at the end of Boone street, is right in his recollection of the must less-regulated state of sledding whenever it snowed back when. Down at the end of Boone street, we had all of the park to work on. It's roads, too, when it snowed enough to close the park's hilly paths to cars and trucks and such other vehicles. The Donaldson's blue Hudson Bob D would pilot while the rest of us six "BTOs" filled the remaining seats and occasionally pushed after mis-directions. We pulled a hastily built bobsled of sorts, a two-by-12 with a fixed wooden set of skids on the back and one up front bolted on so the one of us, slow enough to be elected to steer, tried his best to do so. The bobsled was also used on Four Mile Drive and South Story street if the weather was just right. Otherwise, city streets were the venue and I don't remember ever being seen or challenged by the police or parents. Likely today, such shenanigans would produce meetings and tickets and lectures and laws. Back in the 40's, however, it just produced a lot of fun and laughter as we tried to recognize the snow-covered ones thrown off the sled after a hard turn or big spot of no snow. Bill Rule was easiest to pick out as we counted snowmen. He was the shortest. Donald Needham and Gene Bergendahl were the tallest and the other three of us sort of made up the middle. Who was the sixth member of the auto-powered bobsled crew in those 1940's? Chuck Anderson, whose lovely and understanding mother, Mary, was working at the very same newspaper you, Mo, did."
     Editor's note: Oh yes, Mary Alice.....a walking encyclopedia who was chief proofreader among other BNR duties.
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     John Kueck wrote, "I'm not sure what Marilyn Long meant by "unfortunately, bowling alleys have gone the same direction as swimming pools." In Minnesota, swimming is well and growing. Some swim clubs even have their own pool. School pools and club pools are rented out for parties and swim meets occur several times a week almost year around. My grandson, Austin Kueck, swims both for club and high school. He's a sophomore, but has been swimming on the varsity team since seventh grade. Most children in Minneapolis take swim lessons at an early age. Austin swims the year around at club, high school and summer camps. He also lifeguards at the school pool for open and party swimming. From our 17th floor winter retreat condo here in Coronado, I can see four swimming pools all being actively used. The community pool across the street is a 25 meter competition pool. Almost all public pools have several hours per day dedicated to lap swimming. Unfortunately, I'm a very poor swimmer, perhaps an Iowa trait, but my grandkids are the opposite and love the water and swimming."
     Editor's note: It just so happens that our 2015  Iowa High School State Boys Swim Meet is this very day.
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     Marilyn Long returned this week, but on a different subject. She wrote, "Vern is probably going to be after us.( Eds Note: She's referring to our Korner Language Department CEO Vern Modeland.)  My grandson, a Sports Information Director, pointed out that I had misspelled Paul Rhoads name last week. And my editor (you, Mo) didn't catch it either. My father, Herbert Miller (Sunstrom-Miller Press), is really disappointed in his daughter. He was really a perfectionist. It was o.k. for newspapers to make mistakes, but not job printers. One of the jobs that I helped with was getting the state high school boys basketball tournament programs ready by the first day of the tournament. They had everything set up for the district semi-finalists so they could pull the information for the teams that actually did qualify. What computers have done for the publication industry. The younger generation tells me that correct spelling isn't valued anymore. I guess with the smart phone you really have to watch what you send because when you do a quick stroke, any word might pop up. Some can be rather funny, or embarassing."
     Editor's note: Memories, memories. I believe in 1970 when I started at the Iowa High School Athletic Association, Sunstrom-Miller, across the street, may have still been doing the state tourney program. That was handy. Being Publications Director of the IHSAA, I was right in the midst of all that last minute turmoil. Results of preliminary tournaments would be held just a day or two or three prior to state and those results would provide info as to who had qualified for state, which would began just a day or two later. It seems like 10 to 12,000 programs would have to be printed at that time. I certainly remember it and it was accepted as "part of the job"  at the time but I shutter to even think about those gruelling days now.
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     The Kornerman had mentioned last week that Doug (BHS-71) and Shari Miller were in town. Had a chance to visit with Doug. What a job. He is still employed by Golf Digest magazine and his job is to play golf courses all over the country and rate them as part of a team of employees who eventually determine the top 100 courses in the country. Can you imagine........"Well, I have to go to work." and then he proceeds to play 18 or 27 holes on one of the most prestigious and beautiful golf courses in the U.S.. Already knowing the answer, the Kornerman asked, "are you about ready to retire?" As long as he can stand, I'm sure he'll retain this "work."
     Meantime, wife Shari also travels the country with her many craft offerings. The Miller's live in Memphis but also spend time in Charlotte (grandkids) and Branson as well as various other destinations.
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     Betty Koger told the Korner this week she has a 1919 BHS Scroll that is available.
     The Kornerman immediately contacted Jerry Manriquez who is always on the hunt for such items to add to his vast online collection and he replied that he would soon make contact with Betty.
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     Boone Area Deaths: John Doyle, 84,  BSH-49. Passed away in Colorado. No Boone survivors but three sisters, Jane, Julie and Mary Louise survive..........Thelma Myers, 80, Des Moines. Born in Boone. Worked at State of Iowa Insurance Division and retired from the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy. No Boone survivors..........Helen Page, 92, Boone. Jordan-41. Worked in the grocery business, at the courthouse and for 26 years at Boone State Bank. No Boone area survivors but has a daughter, Janis Reeves, in Arkansas.........Phyliss Trites, 82, Boone. BHS-50. Was a Boone County social worker for 35 years, retiring in 1990. Boone area survivors include her husband, Ed, and daughter Felicia Gage. Son Henry, who resides in Ohio, also survives.
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