WONDERFUL MEMORIES

     The Kornerman has been given the opportunity to "listen in" to a wide ranging interview that certainly is a memory maker.
     The late Hal Lyness was one of the most popular, most respected teachers I can recall in all of my 70 Boone years. Sometime, before Hal's passing, Bob Sapp, BHS-71, conducted a very thorough and interesting interview with him.
     Its actually a two part interview and I only listened to the first 30 minutes of the first part and decided I had more than enough information from that to pass on to Korner viewers. The plan is that, perhaps, at a later date, we will provide, "the rest of the story/interview.," the remainder of part one and then, part two.
     But, without further adieu, let's move forward with the initial info we have.
     Hal started talking about the close relationship he had with Bob's dad, Bill Sapp. Hal said, "I came to Boone in 1956 and Bill came here in 1957 and it was amazing how our path's intertwined. We were both Navy veterans, both went to boot camp in Idaho where there were actually nine separate camps. However, we both ended up in the same camp, but at different times. Our kids were the same ages, our wives, my Betty and Clarice, were the closest of friends and, in those days, we both lived paycheck to paycheck. I feel like I could have gained another job but I loved what I was doing and I'm sure Bill felt that way also."
     After his Navy service, Hal took a teaching job in a Nebraska community of 1,500 population. "I coached all the sports and after five years, I asked for a raise in pay. They offered an additional $10 and that brought my salary up from $3,500 up to $3,510. I had started there in 1948 for $1,900. I felt like it was time to "hit the highway elsewhere.""
     Mr. Lyness said, "I wrote application letters to all the midwestern states and 13 or 14 sent contracts to me. One was from Dubuque and that was for the most money. However, I didn't like the idea of a river town. Boone also replied and I, eventually, got up at 4 a.m. and made the five hour trip to Boone for an interview. When I got to Boone, there was a line from the school all the way down the street, other applicants just hoping for an interview. I never got to the front of the line. I came back a second time and the line was just half that long but I still didn't get an interview. I understand there were 900 applicants."
     Well Hal finally did get an interview and the job at BHS. He said, "our wives, Betty and Clarice, came from smaller communities and had heard that Boone was a "tough town" and weren't sure about the move. We both agreed later it was the "best thing ever." Coming in on old Highway 30 from the west was the most beautiful entry, beautiful homes and all well manicured. We just fell in love with Boone right away and, ironically, old friend, Bill Sapp, ended up here as well."
    Mr. Lyness said, "Bill coached eighth grade and I had ninth grade and we both coached football, basketball and track and our teams traveled together. Our "outside" activity was primarily golf, which we'd play at the Oaks in Ames two or three times a week. We had very little money but we could play 18 holes there for just $4.50 at a discounted rate. But even that was lots of money in those days."
     He talked about all the coaches in that era.......Merle Harris, Ralph Carroll, Chuck Lovin, Jim Ranglos and the great citizens of this community.
     Bob Sapp asked Lyness about the early 60's into the 70's in Boone. Hal replied, "those were the best times ever and I can't tell you why. From 1963-75 and, particularly, 63-68, were a terrific time for high school athletics in Boone. Great football and baseball featured two state championships and three other state appearances in just an eight-year period. That was in the old Central Iowa Conference and even later, when we in another conference, we were playing schools 10 times our size but were still successful."
     He said, Little League provided a good "feeder" system for baseball but there really wasn't that type of thing for the other sports. He mentioned just a few of the many great athletes of that era......Crandall, McMullan, son Topper, Mustapha, Hopkins, Harris, Riker, Davis and various others. And, he added, "the best thing about it was that similar success carried over into the classroom. I remember teaching an eighth grade history class one year that was better than any senior class I had from 1985-90. Kids today watch too much television and spend too much time on computers. They can run those computers but their common sense and dedication is, oftentimes, lacking."
     "I just think some school things are so diluted these days, including some of those 3.8, 3.9 and 4.0 grade point averages. I remember when there might be 15 students who earned the Goeppinger Award given for high academics. This year it was up to 82. What does that tell you? Lots of students these days "avoid" tough subjects like chemistry, physics and calculus. For even some teachers, its just an 8-4 job when it should be a seven day a week dedication."
     EDITOR'S NOTE: Well that's it for this time. As indicated, there is lots more available from the interview and, as you can tell, the late Mr. Lyness, at the time of the interview, was pretty pointed in some of his opinions. Nevertheless, I, the Kornerman, thought there were great memories provided and viewers might find them as interesting as I did.
     Perhaps one reason I enjoyed this so much was the fact it reminded me of the type of great stories about friends and neighbors that we all enjoyed in the News Republican those many years ago and miss so much today.
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     BOONE CONNECTED DEATHS: Barbara Hardy, 75, Boone. Born in Washington. Married Willis Hardy in 1963 and spent many years in Washington and Alaska. When Willis passed away, Barbara moved to Boone. The couple had three children, two sons and a daughter, Wendy Daleske, of Boone.
K-----K
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