ONE THAT "GOT AWAY"

     I, the Kornerman, noted recently that Percival Scientific, a former Boone business partner, but now a neighborly rival, has made a splash with some major expansion news.

    Percival called Boone "home" until 2000, when it was lured to Perry and a 60,000 square foot facility there. While here, it occupied a 29,000 square foot building on old Highway 30 at the east edge of town and had a nice employee block.

     Mid-size communities like Boone are always looking for mid-size industries to recruit and then, when successful, do what they can to retain their favor. We've  had some success........Fareway, of course, which has grown to become a major industry, CDS, Patterson Logistics, DMACC (thanks Lloyd) come to mind as well as the standard school system and the Boone County hospital.  There are other mid-sized I've probably missed.

     Unfortunately, Percival Scientific was one that "got away."

     In April, a groundbreaking ceremony was held in Perry for a 33,000 square foot addition to the north side of Percival's current building. The $3 million project will help expand the companies production space by between 50 and 60% and a roster of 80 employees will also expand, by about a dozen. The firm also purchased 10 acres of land on the west side of its 5.5 acre parcel for even further expansion in the future.

     I don't know if he was ever a Boone resident but long-time Percival CEO, Gary Wheelock, just retired the other day after 49 years of service. Jake Oakland will be the new CEO. Also mentioned in the news release was the retirement of Randy Watson, BHS-72, after 40 years. He earned a degree from DMACC in Building Trades and worked construction until joining Percival.

    There are, no doubt, others from Boone or the Boone area who work for Percival and, perhaps, live here or close by.

    Currently, Percival is known for manufacturing high-end incubators and climate-controlled chambers for scientific research. Their global market reaches to customers in 89 countries.

     C.L.Percival started the company in 1901. In January of 1941, the company was moved to a 29,000 square foot facility in  Boone to "affect a great manufacturing and operating economy." Worth Percival, the CEO and manager, commuted from Des Moines for some time before moving to a room in Boone. The company name was changed to Percival Scientific in 1992 and the move from Boone to Perry then occurred in 2000.

    On a personal note, when I was between by junior and senior high school years, 1952-53, our family took a trip to Colorado. Naturally, in addition to Pike's Peak, a trip to the famed mountain retreat, Central City, was to be included. While there, in some type of a store, I noticed a self serving food case......the type you find in grocery stores displaying vegetables etc. To my surprise, the cooler had a label on it stating that it had been built by Percival in Boone, Iowa. I was very surprised and.....probably a bit proud........my Boone, clear out in Colorado.

K-----K 

     Back to the very old YMCA. Jerry Manriquez, BSH-57, wrote, "I remember the Saturday morning movies, can't remember what they were about but they did show a couple cartoons. My special treat from there was a coke from the machine and adding peanuts to it."

The Kornerman says, "to any red-blooded, young (and old), American boy, that treat was always a "go too."

     Tony Crandell, BHS-59, said, "I, too, spent most Saturday mornings at the old Y. My Saturday morning job was to run the 16 mm motion picture projector in the big room east of the lobby. We showed cartoons, the Three Stooges, and the like.....every Saturday morning at 10. This event was always very well attended. A good number of guys you mentioned in Saturday's column were in my BHS class of '59. Al Jaggard was the Y Director at that time and I think the girl who worked the concession stand was named Bev. On Saturdays, I would spell Bev so she could eat lunch. As was mentioned, and I thought it was humorous that folks would all remember that "pushing the "buzzer" to give access to the basement and gym areas was one of the most important responsibilites of whoever was working in the concession stand."

K-----K

     Last Saturday at the bakery, I had the great pleasure of visiting with Phil Larson, John Doran and Terry Ferry, BHS-61 classmates. The first thing that popped into my mind was to warn all non-domestic animals to seek shelter immediately. Yes, Terry had come from his home in Vail, CO to join his area hunting companions for some serious but fun activity.

     In my many years of covering BHS athletics, Terry and my teammate Jim Cowhick, BHS-53, stand alone as the quickest starting football running backs I ever saw. I remember Terry's BHS coach Merle Harris stating that the secret to Terry's great all-state success was that  very quick start. He hit the opposing lines in a hurry. Later, he played at the State University of Iowa for Coach Jerry Burns. At Iowa, he became a defensive back as I recall.

K-----K

     Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 928 South Jackson, Boone, Iowa 50036-4932. Phone number is 515-432-1530. Leave a message. To email your stories/memories/comments/death notices.....

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