A Nice Place to Raise a Family

     If you remember the 1960's in Boone you, no doubt, remember the Harris family. They had a definite impact. Merle, as Boone High's most successful high school football coach, Litta, who probably "baby sat" or, at least, guided many Boone "young'un's" as a longtime director of the Christian Church Child Care Center, and the "kids".........Mike, BHS-66, Larry and Terry, BHS-71, Patty, BHS-79 and Tim, BHS-81.......via their athletic and academic achievements.
     It was extremely interesting to hear from members of that family this week. Tim or Patty indicated that they had received some material from Mary Jo Newbold, BHS-60. Included was a copy of the football game program, Boone vs Ames, Oct. 21, 1960. The Kornerman noted that the starting BHS offensive lineup included Larry Paulson, Steve Trulin, Dave Adams, LaVerne Ivis, Steve Hilts, Tom Burke, Gary McLeod (Mary Jo's brother), Joe Reedholm, George Hannum, Roger McCoy and Terry Ferry.
     There was also a column penned by former Boone News Sports Editor Wayne Shaw, dated Nov. 7, 1959, that indicated that Coach Harris initially guided the Toreadors to a 2-6 record in 1958 but followed up with a 4-2-1 mark in '59 which was the best BHS season since 1953. There was also a copy of a BNR game story detailing the Toreadors 1960 season ending victory over Oskaloosa which completed a 7-1 overall season, including a 4-1 second place finish in the Central Iowa Conference. That 7-1 was the best BHS season since the 1928 campaign........32 years prior.
     Coach Harris, of course, guided several other outstanding Toreador teams in his remaining years at the helm.
     Tim or Patty proudly concluded the email repeating a comment heard in some of the pre-Harris years, "this (Boone) isn't a very good athletic town but its a nice place to raise a family........that was before dad's football teams won how many games in the 60's?"
     EDITOR'S NOTE: Oh yes, such exciting times and I, the Kornerman, had such a great experience broadcasting all of the games during those great Harris years.........a career highlight....definitely.
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     Classmates Mark Tompkins, BHS-60, and John Clymer are touring Europe and keeping the Korner up to date on their adventure.
     Mark sent a clipping regarding an important bridge, it read, "in order to secure control of the crossing, General Gavin launches an all-out assault. Casualties on both sides are horrific, but the men of the 507th PIR and the 325th Glider Infantry Regiment, supported by tanks brought in from Utah Beach, succeed in occupying the village of Cauquigny on the other side. This battle at LaFiere lasted for three days."
     Mark concluded, "as chance would have it, we stayed in the manor within 50 yards of this famous bridge."
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     Thanks to Karen Anderson we have a full schedule of upcoming events along the Lincoln Highway. Karen commented, "most are in State Center, Marshalltown and/or Colo. It would seem Boone would be "into" Lincoln Highway events since Boone prospered by having the highway go right through town."
     The Kornerman has a list of events or you can find them at the Iowa Lincoln Highway Association website if interested.
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     Would you believe? Two national baseball home run leaders played for the Des Moines Community College Bears at Boone campus?
     Scott Schebler plays right field for the Cincinnati Reds these days and leads the National League with 16 homers. Then there's Jake Adams who has belted 27 home runs for the Iowa Hawkeye baseball team this season. That's an all-time record at SUI and he currently shares the national collegiate leadership in homers. Both played at one time for DMACC at the Boone campus. Schebler was here for one season while Adams racked up 17 and 25 home runs for the Bears in the 2015 and 2016 campaigns.
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     BOONE CONNECTED DEATHS: John Smith, 67, Bouton. Formerly of Boone. BHS-68. Worked for his dad at Chuck's Electric, then as an electrician at Woodward State Hospital. Boone area survivors include his son, Sean Smith, of Woodward and a sister, Nancy Larson, of Stratford.......Darrell Berglund, 74, Boone........Candace Van Meter, 67, Berkley, IA. Was born in Boone in 1950. Her parents were Robert and Deloris Johnson.
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     Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 710 Aldrich, Boone, Iowa 50036-4703. Phone number is 515-432-1530. To email your stories/memories/comments/SUPPORT........
kelleyskorner1@gmail.com.