November 30 is my Daughter's Birthday

Today is my daughter, Sandy's, birthday. I want to tell you about her. She was, of course, beautiful from the very first day and has remained so ever since. She was also busy from the first, with all kinds of projects and interests. She began playing the piano early, but I wouldn't LET her take piano lessons until she begged me!! I never had to remind her to practice and she is now an accomplished pianist.

Some of the things she did while growing up were figure skating, equestrian riding and modeling. While in college, she worked as a model, then went to flight attendant training with PanAm Airlines. She flew all over the world with them, going to Russia and East Germany several times. She was in East Germany when the "Wall" was coming down and in Russia had citizens come up to her trying to buy her blue jeans. He favorite place to go was Rio de Janeiro. She lived in New York City for about 5 years and was able to attend Broadway shows, The David Letterman Show and other interesting things. She visited all the interesting sights there and in Washington D.C and surrounding areas. The day of the first Trade Center bombing, she was working in a building only 2 blocks away and had no way to get home that day because all the subway stations were closed down. Getting a Taxi was almost impossible. That day just happened to be her last day of work at that company and she had all her "personal things" in a box and while she was trying to get home. In the next few days, she packed her belongings into a U-haul truck and drove by herself across the country to Lincoln, Nebraska. When she crossed the Nebraska state line, she says "I stopped that truck and got out and kissed the ground!!" You can take the girl out of Nebraska, but can't take Nebraska out of the Girl!!!

A few years ago Sandy and her husband Matt took a little boy into their home who had been badly burned when his mother's boyfriend poured boiling water on him. He was taken to the burn center in Lincoln, where Sandy went to visit him every day while he was recovering. He was not expected to make it, but I believe that Sandy's tireless efforts and love and the year spent in her home saved that little boy's life. He was later adopted by a couple here in Lincoln and is thriving and happy.

Every year, she runs in the Lincoln Marathon and is diligent about training all year round. She is very involved in her church and plays the piano for the group she studies with every Tuesday. She has a kind and wonderful husband and two beautiful children and is a great wife and mother.

I could not be a prouder mother. I am amazed at how well I did in raising her!!!

District 42 School

District 42 was organized in 1910 and believe school was still held there until 1955. Alice Myer came to teach there in 1926. She was the first Myer to come to Haigler. She married Carry Will (he was on the school board). My grandparents, James and Bertha Myer moved from Franklin, NE to the Will farm in 1930. Their younger children all attended District 42, including my mother Opal Myer, sisters Grace and Velma, and brother Gerald. Their teacher that year was their older sister, Evelyn Myer, (my aunt). The story is told of a terrible snowstorm that winter and they all had to spend the night in the school. ....The school itself might still be a part of what is now known as the Bush property?
--LaNeta (Collicott) Carlock

Thanks from Gene Pennell

I want to thank everyone who wrote about district 42. It was all so interesting and brought back lots of memories. Some of which I have forgotten. I want to thank Dallas Adams, his sister Joann Webster and some of the articles from Don Bush and the others.

The school house was just as I remembered. On the west side of the school was the barn where the teachers that rode their horses put them. On a bad day we all got to play in it, which was fun. On the north east was a garage for the cars.

Thanks again to you for all the work that you did on the article about district 42.

-- Gene Pennell

Happy Birthday - Rodney Hoover

Hope you have a wonderful day.

Deer Pair in the Moonlight

Here are our pets. They paw off the snow and eat the apricot leaves that have fallen.
--Ray & Floy Ruggles

The Haigler News - November 20, 1931

While I was visiting Haigler last spring, Don and Virginia Harford gave me a stack of old copies of The Haigler News. Every once in awhile I get them off the shelf where I have them "waiting to be copied" and look at them.

Yesterday, I decided to type up the community news items and spent several hours on just one paper, but from time to time during the next few months, I will try to add more of these very interesting news items.

The Haigler News, Haigler, Nebraska, November 20, 1931

Laura Pearl Wall injured

Just received word that Laura Pearl Wall fell and broke her hip and was transported to the hospital in Greeley to have it pinned.

Thanks Calvin for letting us know. We will include Laura Pearl in our prayers for a quick recovery.

Letters and Cards can be sent to:
Laura Pearl Wall
North Colorado Medical Center
1801 16th Street
Room 476
Greeley, CO 80631

Snow in the Moonlight

We had more snow last night. I looked out of our bedroom window this morning to see the full moon setting and had to snap a picture although it actually does not do justice to the scene. A little later there was a mama deer and her fawn under the apricot tree outside of our bedroom window. I snapped a picture of them, too. It was 1 degree before sunup but it warmed up to the 30's when the sun came up - a beautiful day.
-- Floy Ruggles

50th Wedding Anniversary - Russ & Char Hoover

Today is Russ & Char Hoover's 50th Wedding Anniversary.

Give them a call and wish them a happy anniversary today. They are having a reception today from 2:00pm to 5:00pm in Vacaville, Ca.

Cell phone numbers as follows:

Russ (707) 718-0303

Char (707) 718-7582

--Richard L Hoover

November/December Birthdays

I always felt sorry for my kids because their birthdays are both between Thanksgiving and Christmas so the celebration always seemed to blend in with the holidays, but they didn't seem to mind.

Now I have 2 grand-daughters with birthdays on November 25 and December 9. On Sunday, we will have a "Hello Kitty" birthday party for my 4 year old grand-daughter. She wanted "mermaid" stuff, so, of course she shall have it!! I'll send "Money" to the 13 year old so she can buy something her sweet little teen-age heart desires. Being the first, she will always hold a special place in my heart, even while she thinks Grandma is so old fashioned. These two are the youngest and oldest of my seven grandchildren.

Here are Blog Reader's Birthday for November and December.

November
20 - Alice Gregory
21 - John Phifer
27 - Rodney Hoover
29 - Calvin Freehling

December
1 - Lavoine Collicott
4 - Joie Brown
7 - Dallas Adams
12 - Stanley Carlock

Call for Papers

I work in a college setting and one of the things we get in the mail fairly often is a "Call for Papers" by Universities and Educational Journals. This call for papers is an opportunity for the professors to submit their "writings" to be published.

Well, I thought it would be a good thing to "Call for Papers" from the readers of the Haigler Blog. I would like to see pictures of your grandparents or great grandparents and hear stories about their lives. I am curious about where the families of Haigler came from. What brought them here? Why did they stay when so many others left during the hard times. How did they manage to take care of their big families with very little resources?

During this year's Holiday Season, I hope you can take a little time to write down some of your own memories and talk to your living grandparents, aunts and uncles and write down their stories. You will find it an interesting and rewarding experience.

So this is an official "Call for Papers (and pictures)" to be published in the Haigler Blog and possibly the newspaper and a future "Haigler History Book."
--Sherri G.

The Winter of 2007-2008

I don't know about you, but winter seems to feel colder every year. Or maybe I am just getting tired of shoveling snow from my driveway and sidewalk. I have been too cheap to hire anyone else to do it, but I just might do that this year. I plan to retire in a couple of years and part of that plan is to find a way to go south about this time of year (right after my daughter's birthday on November 30) and spend time in Tucson with my sisters and mom.

When it snowed enough to cover the ground here on Wednesday, and again when I woke up this morning to see that there was a dusting of snow and the temperature was 21, I began looking forward to becoming a "Snowbird". I also began wishing that the "Global Warming" would hurry up and get to Nebraska.

Cal Freehling wrote a note this morning saying they have 2 inches of snow there at 23 degrees and I see that the temperature is 12 degrees in Haigler.

Hope everyone has their wood piled close to the house and are ready to "hunker down" and stay warm.

Happy WINTER everyone!!
-- Sherri G.

MARY SMITH ROLLS

We hope everyone is having a great Thanksgiving Day! We sure are. Different but good. Usually Dwight and I have the whole family over - 22 to 25 people. Today, both girls are taking over and having their own dinners. Brenda and Dan are having his family over to their home. Lisa is having her boyfriend, his kids, his brother and family and his parents. We are invited to both! Brenda's dinner is at 1 and Lisa's is at 4, so it will work out except we will eat too much.

I have to share this with you - the reason for the title of my letter to the bloglady. In 1962 the year that my sister Leone and Norman Beeson got married, Mary Smith invited her up to their house north of Haigler to teach her how to make her dinner rolls. I begged to go along - and now ever since 1963 when Dwight and I got married, we have "Mary Smith Rolls" every holiday, so both girls gave me the assignment of "Mary Smith Rolls" for their dinners today. They are so good - don't know why I don't bake them more often. So we will leave in a little while to go to Brenda's and take the "rolls" with us. Then we will come back and take another batch to Lisa's.

We are so blessed - our two girls live within 15 minutes from where we are.

Just wanted you all to know how special I think Mary Smith was. I will never forget her kindnesses to all of us Gregory girls. Patty, Melvin and Don, want you to know how special she was to us, and she will always be in our hearts.

-- Leah Gregory Brewer

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I'd like to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!!

One of the things many people do on Thanksgiving Day is verbally acknowledge the things that they are thankful for. I would like to tell all the Haigler Blog Readers that I am very thankful for those of you who stop by and read the ramblings of an "old lady" and her memories and those of others who share their comments and articles. It is nice to know there are other people who have happy memories of growing up in the Haigler area.Even though we may not know each other well, you all seem like "family" to me since we have some common roots in that little town where anyone who "isn't from there" might wonder why we are so attached. Just what is it that endears us to that town? If you think about it... we are pretty prejudiced about "strangers" even if they are only from Yuma or McCook!! Maybe it is the water! (of course the current young people won't know what I mean by that)... Or maybe it is just the remoteness - being in the furtherest corner of Nebraska ... I like to think of it as the "neighborliness" of the residents of the area and caring about each other.

Well, anyway, whatever it is, Thank You for your continued reading and contributing to the "memories of Haiglerites."

My plans for today is to take the pies (pumkin and pecan) that I baked yesterday and go to my daughter's house and help her cook dinner for 10 adults and 11 children. We will eat too much, sit around too long, play with the kids and enjoy each other's company. I am also taking the "makings" to help the kids make little turkey deserts....

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:
Vanilla cookies (with frosting inside) Or Oreos
Chocolate frosting
Cherry Chocolates
Boston Baked Beans (the candy)
Candy Corn

Break the cookies in two
Put a dob of frosting on one side of the cookie to glue the other side into an L position.
Place a cherry chocolate on the cookie
Stick candy corn around the "tail" side of the cookie
Put a dob of chocolate on top of the cherry chocolate where the "head of the turkey" goes and stick on a boston baked bean.

There you have some cookie/candy turkey's to put on a plate and serve as a snack.

Have a great day!
-- Sherri G.

Haigler Happenings

This is to recognize the great work Floy Ruggles does to gather up the news about Haigler "Happenings" each week and make the Monday night deadline. She has filled the shoes of long time correspondent Opal Collicott very well. Her quiet, kind spirit is loved and cherished by all who know her.

The Haigler Happenings is an important column to all the current residents of Haigler and especially appreciated by those who live all over the country and probably the world. Many "Haiglerites" subscribe to the three papers who print the column and pass it on to others who might be interested in the news.

Each week, when I read the paper, I like to "hear" about the people who have visited and whatever is a "current event" for that week. Fond memory pictures go through my head when a name appears that I recognize.

Thank you Floy for all your hard work on the paper each week.
-- Sherri

PS: If you have a story or "happening" - current or past - that would be a good addition to the Haigler Happenings, be sure to send it to Floy so she can add it to the "Haigler" news.

Happy Birthday to Alice Gregory

Alice Gregory turned 93 on November 20th. Her daughters, Leah & Dwight, Leone & Kenny and Eunice & friend David took Alice to eat at their favorite Mexican Restaurant near their homes in Tucson Estates, which is located about 7 miles west of the Tucson city limits.

Alice still lives in her own home and takes care of her yard and house (except she doesn't climb on the roof or anything like that). She is healthy and active, enjoys going to prayer meeting and church every week. One of her favorite things to do is spend an afternoon "shopping" with one of her daughters.

She is having Thanksgiving dinner at her house this year with Leone and her family while the other sisters spend the day with their children.

The other two of her children lived in Tucson Estates near Alice until a few years ago when Dick's job moved him & Sharon to Houston, Texas. Sherri moved to Lincoln, Nebraska to be near her daughter and grandchildren.

Dick and Sharon will be celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary this year and their children Sheila, Melissa and Jared are planning a big party for them in Houston.

Alice attributes her long and happy life to "a good attitude" and "healthy eating & living." She adds that "it could be in the genes." Her father, Frank Crabtree, lived to be almost 101 years old and many of her uncles and aunts lived into their late 90's. Alice's goal is to live as long as she can.

Alice keeps an active correspondence with her sister, Floy Ruggles of Haigler, her 5 children, several of her first cousins who are still living and many other friends and relatives. She just finished converting the library card catalog for their local church school from physical cards to the computer. She writes email letters back and forth between all her children, nieces & nephews, and many other friends and relatives. She checks in to MSN Instant Messenger every evening and chats with whomever comes online.

Happy Birthday Momma!
-- Sherri G

I got a note from Gene Pennell about District 42 school.

I would like to know if anyone has ever mentioned district 42?

It was about 5 miles east of Haigler and I think Mrs.Coons was a teacher. Some of the kids that went to school there were the Chrisian boys, the Bush boys, the Crouse kids, Calvin Coons and the Wills family which had about 5 kids and my sister Helen, my brother Herb and myself all went there, too. This is just some of the kids that I remember.

Do you have a record of this country school?

I have never seen anyone talk about district 42 at all so was just wondering. It was torn down years ago.

If you have any history of this school would you please let me and others know.

-- Gene Pennell

If anyone has information about this school or any other schools that were located near Haigler, we would like to hear about them. Pictures and stories would be welcome.

Jim's Virginia Bluegrass News

While surfing around on the internet looking for things related to Haigler, I ran across "Jim's Virginia Bluegrass News and Personal Blog" and a note he made about last summer's Bluegrass Breakdown in Haigler:

"[Posted 10/05/2007] To Borrow a phrase from a good friend of mine....Golly Bill! Can you believe five months passed without me writing a thing here? Why the whole summer is just gone. Speaking of summer - this past one was one heck of a wiz bang...going to more festivals than you could shake a stick at. Why I even did a radio interview from the Haigler, NE Bluegrass Breakdown. I found that the only place I could get cell phone reception is if I stood on the front stoop of the Haigler Methodist Church. I knew there was power in the chuch!"

WESTERN DUNDY COUNTY FIREHOUSE TOY DRIVE

To help some kids in western Dundy County have a great Christmas, Jonna Carmen is organizing the first annual soup supper and bingo night scheduled for Saturday evening, November 17. They will serve supper from 4-7 p.m. Bingo starts at 7 p.m. Call 308-297-3276 for more information.

Veteran's Day

I just wanted to take a minute to wish everyone on the blog a Happy Veterans Day. My deepest respect and gratitude goes to all those who are serving or have served in our countries armed forces at home or abroad. Thanks to all of you. You are awesome!! God Bless You.

Watch the following tribute to our service men and women.

A Pitance of Time
(must have Windows Media Player to watch this video)

--Roger Douglass

TEA PARTY HELD AT 67 SOUTH

The first of many events to be held at the country schoolhouse 67 South was a tea party last Tuesday, November 6. It was a very chilly morning, but candles and a heater helped to warm the building inside. Tables were decorated with fall decor and the last of the garden roses and mums for this season. Cinnamon coffee, cinnamon spice tea, homemade rolls, breads, jelly and jam, and cookies were served. Stories of one room country school experiences were shared, a code for teachers in 1872 was read, and several greetings were given from a 1918 School Song Knapsack book. Sisters Merry Lu (Wall) Simmons and Jeannie (Wall) Zuege sang a duet "Opening Song for School." Other school songs were also enjoyed and individual pictures were taken at the old school desk.

Those attending the tea from Haigler were: Laura Pearl Wall, Sophie Zuege, Lillian Mahon, Veda Douglas, Joann Webster, Floy Ruggles, Virginia Harford, Violet Relph, Myrna Mulligan, Galena Webster, and LaNeta Carlock. Out of town guests were Jeannie Zuege of Hot Springs, South Dakota, Merry Lu Simmons and Helen Woods of Wray, Colorado.

Honor "Student" - Laura Pearl (Woods) Wall at the tea party in South 67 school building.

-- Floy Ruggles

Correction - published RE: Haigler Cafe

From the Benkelman Post & News-Chronicle, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2007.

Correction
In last week's Post article, Haigler Cafe to Reopen, there was an error on the date in which the Cafe would be closed. The article read they would be closed on Thursdays, it should have said Tuesday. The Post apologized for the error.

So the cafe will be open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 6:30a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and on Sunday from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Proposed Law Would Make It Hard For Chicken Thieves

Taken from the HAIGLER NEWS
January 28, 1927

Proposed Law Would Make It Hard For Chicken Thieves
A member of the Nebraska Legislature is proposing a bill that will make it difficult for chicken thieves. It contains some striking measures which would no doubt make it difficult for said thieves but at the same time it would make it difficult for poultry raisers and legitimate produce dealers.

The following account of the proposed law appeared in the State Journal:

A bill is about to make its initial bow in the house hopper which provides that under certain circumstances, chickens shall wear leg bands and that they shall not go riding on the public highway between the hours of 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. Representative J. B. LaChappelle of Ashland will be the introducer.

While the above paragraph indicates that the bill is intended to regulate the dress and conduct of chickens, this is not the purpose. Mr. LaChappelle offers it as a means of cutting down on poultry theft and is of the opinion that enactment of the law such as he proposes, will practically eliminate this kind of theft.
-- 1976 Haigler Book, p. 39

Spring Forward / Fall Back

The changing of the clock seems to be later than usual this year. It is almost with irritation that I have to remind myself to get up at 2:00 a.m. this coming Sunday, November 4 to change my clock back to 1:00 a.m. Don't you agree that it is a ridiculous rule to make all of us get up in the middle of the night to change all the clocks in our houses? And then someone else has the audacity to suggest that since I am already up, I might as well change all the batteries in my smoke alarms!!

Well, just so you know, I found a way to fool THEM!!!! I'm going to do it on Saturday night this year, BEFORE I go to bed on November THREE!!!! That will teach THEM!!!

Country Cafe will Reopen

This week's Benkelman Post and News-Chronicle has an article saying that the Haigler Cafe is scheduled to reopen full-time in November.

Steve and Terri Yost purchased the business and Barb Wheaton, who lives in Laird has a lease/purchase agreement and will begin serving three meals a day beginning November 7; just in time for the hunting season. The cafe will be serving home cooked meals from 6:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Sunday.

I look forward to having a meal at The Haigler Cafe the next time I visit town.
--Sherri Gregory