Looking Back
What Was Going On 14 Years Ago
The City of Stockton received a pleasant surprise—a $120,000 unsolicited grant from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation, “to be used exclusively for public purposes in Stockton in whatever manner and for such purposes as your governing body determines advisable.”
The Rooks County Commissioners were notified by mail that the County was set to receive a $50,000 grant from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation, a one-time grant to be used for public purposes in Rooks County.
Stockton’s foreign exchange student for this academic year was settling in at school and in the home of his host family, Malee and John Berkley. Nuttachai Charoenkajonkul, a young man from Bangkok, Thailand, who wanted to be called by his nickname, “Golf.” Coming from a city that has over 10 million in population, Stockton was quite a change for Golf, although he described Stockton as okay.
A Benefit Barbeque was being held at the National Guard Armory in Hays on Oct. 7 for a former Stockton resident, Jamison Richie, who was diagnosed with Astrocytoma when he was two and a half. Jamison was currently six years old and a student at Roosevelt Elementary School in Hays. When Jamison was first diagnosed in 2003, surgery was done to remove a malignant tumor that was wrapped around his spinal cord. Jamison’s grandparents are Mark and Sue LeSage of Stockton.
The Stockton P.A.R.K. Committee received word that the organization was selected to receive a donation of $300 from the Midwest Energy Community Fund.
The Stockton Tigers knew they had a lot to deal with when they traveled to Smith Center to take on the Redmen. Smith Center, the threetime defending Class 2-1A State Champions, not only owned a 45-game winning streak, but they hadn’t been scored on this season. Unfortunately, the Tigers were unable to break either one of those streaks, falling 72-0 to their opponents. Smith Center, averaging over 65 points a game, led 34-0 at the end of the first quarter, which took over an hour to play.
The Lady Tigers hosted Smith Center, Hill City and Plainville in a quadrangular and finished 1-2, picking up their only win over Plainville. Following the quadrangular, Stockton’s record was 4-13.
Obituaries were published for Floyd E. Kelly (1916) and Gary Rounsley (1939).
Showing at the Nova Theatre was “No Reservations,” starring Catherine Zeta Jones, portraying a workaholic/perfection freak in a successful New York restaurant.
A lot of great talent was to be featured on the Stockton Area United Fund Telethon, scheduled to appear on Nex-Tech’s TV Cable Channel 7, live from the St. Thomas Parish Center on Oct. 23.
Sixth-graders from 12 area towns gathered September 12 for the annual W.A.C.K.Y. Day at Kirwin Lake. About 360 kids learned about wildlife, agriculture and conservation in a day filled with fun activities. Stockton students attending with their teacher, Beth Boswell, were: Korban Palmer, Dylon Peters, John Merritt, Colton Hull, Janassa Swaney, Sidnee Brown, Miranda Wildeman, Caitlin Lingg, Paige Pedigo, Cody Hrabe, Carlie Spires, Joseph Slate, Savannah Germaine, Dacota Starbuck, Nicholas Henry, MaKayla Reed, and Kacey Campbell.
The Yesteryear family portrait featured the Bert and Sophia Odle family, taken in the late 1920s. Pictured were Bert, Gale, Lee, Sophia, Alberta, Nellie (Odle) Barth, Lula, Earl, Grace (Odle) Turnbull, Hazel. The familiy lived on the Phillips-Rooks County line where Mike and Glenda Jirak make their home now.
Looking Back 14 Years Ago, Spotlighting the Year... 1993 — Andy Muir and Mindy Towns were the Homecoming King and Queen. On the football field, the Tigers defeated Osborne 14-6 and remained undefeated. Keena Elam, an eighthgrader from Plainville, was struck by a car and was in critical condition. (From ASTS) Gail Dix: “You need to go for coffee—that’s where the news is!” Jo and Ralph Johnson had been on an extended trip East, covering 14 states and 5,000 miles. Rooks County was featured on “Main Street Kansas” on KSNW-TV Wichita.
56 Years Ago, Spotlighting the Year... 1951 — Mrs. Russell Casad received an eye injury when she was walking in the yard and a piece of fine wire hanging from a tree limb pierced her left eyelid and a portion of the eyeball. From The Feminine Slant by the Office Cat: The goldfish in a glass bowl probably doesn’t lead a very happy existence, but he’s off than the sardine in a can. Miss Joan Maddy of K-State College revealed her engagement to Robert Balderston, also a student at K-State, in the traditional manner by passing chocolates to the girls at Van Zile Hall.
What Stocktonites Were Doing 98 Years Ago, Spotlighting the Year... 1909
— Harve Chandler had a mule killed by lightning in a storm the previous week. The lightning was very sharp in the vicinity of Webster, but we have heard of no further damage, only the burning out of the phones. It was the worst rain and wind we have ever been in since we started carrying the mail in that direction. A large bell for the high school building had not yet arrived but was expected at any time.
