Saturday, November 4, 2017

WHOA! One Minute Please

     Was it Yogi that said, "it ain't over until its over"?
     For many, this Mamie Doud Eisenhower birthplace controversy is far from over. Questions abound.
     When presented with the news release regarding the proposed closing of Mamie's birthplace, the first thing the Kornerman noticed was no mention of the Boone County Historical Society's Board of Directors. The release appeared to be a product of Mara MacKay, the Director of the BCHS. There is a board, a governing body of the Society, isn't there? Seems to me at one time there was a dozen or more members.
      The Kornerman is very capable of missing things but when I perused the Society's website, I couldn't find any word of the Board and who the current members are. Thanks to interested citizen Becky Eckstein, I now have that information.
     There is, apparently, a seven-person board led by President Katie Stines. Donna Cottington, Karen Dannen, Fred French, Jody Fox, Pat Hahn and Janet Tait are the other members.
      Becky wrote,"In 1980, the Mamie Eisenhower Birthplace Museum opened its doors after five years of research, fundraising, restoration, and acquiring  artifacts. Countless hours over the next 37 years have been spent by volunteer tour guides manning the museum, volunteer tradespeople caring for the buildings and volunteer gardeners tending the gardens. Yet, in one meeting of the directors of the Boone County Historical Society, the vote was taken to close the birthplace for two years. No notification was given society members or supporters of the birthplace museum that a discussion or vote to close the Mamie Eisenhower Birthplace Museum would be made."
     The Kornerman says, "that last part of Becky's message resonates with me. History dictates that something this significant, this important, normally is discussed thoroughly after presentation and prior to any decision making. The opposite seems true in this case. First, a decision is made, followed by discussion whenever interested parties hear of it."
     Anyway, Becky added, "if you have questions or concerns regarding this decision, I urge you to contact the Board of Directors of the Boone County Historical Society.......Katie Stines, 233 S. Story  St., Boone, 50036; Donna Cottington, 940 H Avenue, Ogden, 50212; Karen Dannen, 1181 J Avenue, Ogden, 50212; Fred French, 505 S. Marshall, Boone, 50036; Jody Fox, 303 Crawford St., Boone, 50036; Pat Hahn, 1505 S.E. Linn, Boone, 50036: Janet Tait, 315 2nd St. Apt. #7, Boone, 50036."
    There are two logical questions that should provide some clarification regarding this issue. (1) Meeting minutes would show what board member made this proposal for change and what the final board vote was. (2) A look at the Society's finances would disclose how much money is available and how it is distributed. There can always be conflicting views on which direction money should flow.........to secure current assets or ignore some of those and travel down numerous new trails. The latter was, apparently, the final choice.
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     Holden Stradlater brought it up........wondering what the phone number for the Boone News Republican was before dial phones took over.
     Dick Longworth, BHS-53, answered, "it was 1.That's it. Just one digit, and the first one at that. How's that for clout? In those days (your's and mine actually), the BNR was one of the most important institutions in town, the town crier that brought the news and the chronicle that told us who we were and where we'd been. Now, as you've reported, it's a once-a-week afterthought, with a boring phone number to boot."
    And, Dick had this to add, "Danny's restaurant on North Story wasn't really a coney place. It actually was more of a grill, where Danny Canakes dispensed burgers, fries and an occasional steak (a good one too). The Canakes lived in the house next door, so both Danny and his  wife were always in the restaurant. As Tom Matt said, they always welcomed kids, if only to play the pinball machine by the door. Out of respect for Mr and Mrs. Canakes, we mostly behaved ourselves. Our parents were happy we were there. It was one of those safe places, like Hugh Courter's Bide-A-Wee pool hall, run by good people who made us welcome while keeping us in line."
     The Kornerman says, "where do I start in reply?" I'm probably going to hate I wrote this but......does anyone remember those stringy, sticky things that hung down from the ceiling over the grill. They were fly catchers. Hey, nobody spent any more time in Danny's than I did and I loved the food so.........But, probably sadly, that was a memory that has stuck with me all these years. Then there was the Bide-A-Wee where I, and lots of Boone Junior College students, spent time between classes shooting eight-ball or snooker. Anybody else remember Morg or Parrott or any of the other fulltime occupants there? Talk about the popular TV show "Cheers"........the Bide-A-Wee was the Boone, Iowa version.
     This may be something many Boone folks don't realize. Good buddy and classmate, the late Lloyd Courter, was an NCAA pool champion. Yes, that NCAA......you know, NCAA football, basketball etc. I don't know in what pool category he was the champ but, of course, he had lots of training, spending many, many hours in his dad's pool hall growing up and then competing in the NCAA tourney while a student at the State University of Iowa.
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     Here's a preview of a coming Korner attraction. Have your note paper and pen handy. John and probably even more so, Betty Nelson, sent us the original recipe for Mary Kokanakis chili and, of course, we're going to share it with you in a future edition.
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     You can make more friends in a month by being interested in them than in 10 years trying to get them interested in you.
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     BOONE CONNECTED DEATHS: Richard Robert Sherrard Sr., 87, Childress, TX. Born in Boone. Parents were William and Agnes Sherrard. Military vet. Worked for the State of Iowa for 24 years. Boone area survivors include his wife, Penny Moorman Sherrard, Robert Jr., David, Christy Roxanne and Sandy Sherrard and Don Ely all of Boone.......Harlan Rasmusson, 83, Nevada...........Anita Clayberg, 76, Boone. Worked at Hallmark, for Doctors Kollbaum and Barker and was a teacher at a pre-school. Boone area survivors include her husband, Dan, two daughters and two brothers..........Melvin Nutt, 77, Ames. Formerly of Boone. His parents were Jesse and Verna Nutt. Born in Boone. Raised on a farm near Luther. UnitedC-58. Degrees from Boone Junior College and ISU. Worked for the DOT in Ames for 39 years as a road design engineer. Boone area survivors include his wife, Beverly, of Ames, daughters, Teresa Erdman of Nevada and Stacey Ross of Ames, and two sisters including Mary Ann Swanson of Ames..........John (Bud) Haase, 87, Boone. Born in Boone. Parents were Paul and Gertrude. Was a 66 year member of the Brotherhood of Brick Layers. Boone area survivors include his son, Doug, of Ogden and one other, and two sisters, Gretchen Leininger and Paula Haase. John's wife, Lois, is deceased........Michael McCombs, 51, West Des Moines. Formerly of Boone. BHS-84. His parents are Kerry and Dixie McCombs. Was a computer programer at Drake University and recently did construction work. Boone area survivors include his mother, Dixie, brother, Kelly, and aunt, Sheryl Robinson, all of Boone, and his maternal grandmother, Dorothe Smith of Stratford.
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     Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 928 South Jackson, Boone, Iowa 50036-4932. Phone number is 515-432-1530. To email your stories/memories/comments/SUPPORT.......
kelleyskorner1@gmail.com.

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