Good Old Days 08-29-14

Compiled By The Sidney Sun-Telegraph Staff

These stories from the past first appeared in The Sidney Telegraph. Original writing is preserved, though some stories were shortened for space reasons.

100 Years Ago

Aug. 29, 1914

'Gun is Discharged; boy loses right hand'

Last Sunday, a distressing accident happened at the ranch of Roy Nelson four miles south of town which resulted in Elmer Fulton, 16-year-old son of Will Fulton, losing his right hand. Elmer and a lad working for Roy Nelson were riding their horses and in coming to a gate the Nelson boy requested Elmer to hand up his shot gun which he had left leaning by the fence. The Nelson boy's horse was too shy to approach it. Elmer road up and leaned over, grasping the gun, when his own horse shied; the stirrup, it is supposed, struck the trigger and the gun went off plowing its ragged way through the hand and wrist and several inches in the arm. The fingers only remained, dangling to a few tendons. Roy Nelson made haste with the boy to town where Dr. Swatzlander and Dr. Owens made the amputation between the wrist and elbow.

He was able to travel home in the evening, five miles south of town. He is doing splendidly and feels quite cheerful and thankful that it is not his head that received the charge.

75 Years Ago

Aug. 29, 1939

'Vandals reported to have entered church'

Police recently probed reported vandalism at the Episcopal church and rectory – unoccupied since April – and said they found evidence of considerable damage. In the church a number of prayer books and other articles had been damaged, although nothing apparently was stolen, police reported. Two windows were broken in the rectory and other damage was reported.

The church has been without a rector since April, but a new rector has been appointed and is expected to be here about Sept. 24.

50 Years Ago

Aug. 28, 1964

'Most area schools to open Monday, Aug. 31'

An estimated 4,400 students will be back in the Cheyenne County classrooms next week with their usual start-of-the-term vigor.

School buildings have been refreshed and, in one case at Sidney High School, there are new additions to be utilized.

St. Patrick's Academy's new junior and senior high school building is not ready for the start of school. However, school officials and the contractor have high hopes that the move can be made by early October.

Starting on Monday, Aug. 31, with a half or full day of classes will be the schools in Sunol, Dalton, Potter, Dix, Gurley, Sioux Army Depot, Lorenzo, St. Paul's Lutheran.

Most rural schools will open on that date as well, according to County Supt. John Webb.

St. Patrick's will begin classes on Tuesday, Sept. 1.

In the county there is but one change in the list of school heads. The one is at Sunol where Supt. Francis Kroll is replacing Francis Cortney who had moved to Las Vegas.

Returning as superintendents and principals will be: Sidney – Russell Pedersen, third year; St. Patrick's Academy, the Very Rev. Vincent Pelster; Potter – Supt. A. J. Mason, third year; Dalton – Richard Krause, second; Gurley – Robert Scoville, third; Lodgepole – Duane Freeman, second; Lorenzo – Leo Turner, second; Sioux Army Depot – Mrs. Josie Klitzing, 11th; and St. Paul's Lutheran – George Gerdes, second.

Public officials are voicing the traditional warnings to drivers to be careful of children on the way to and from school. The National Safety Council emphasizes this theme, and it is reechoed by traffic officials, law enforcement authorities and others who recognize the hazard to human life when children are on the streets.

25 Years Ago

Aug. 28, 1989

'Fowl cry 'foul' after pranksters drain Legion Park lagoon'

The Legion Park fowl have reason to cry "Foul."

Someone opened the flood gate, apparently sometime Sunday night, and drained Legion Park's lagoon of nearly half its water.

Leonard Erickson, who is in charge of the Sidney parks, said he had no idea who may have done it or why but, "it had to have taken a lot of force to open the gate because it took a lot of force for us to close it this morning."

Erickson said there was no evidence that any fish were killed or that the ducks and geese who live there were harmed in any way.

It will take several weeks before the pond is refilled, Erickson believes. "I really don't know how long it will take," he said.

The pond is refilled from a city well running through only a two-inch pipe. "I can't recall anyone ever before draining the lagoon as an apparent prank," said Erickson.

A Telegraph staff member noticed the greatly reduced lagoon and telephoned the Sidney Police Department early this morning. An officer closed the flood gate as far as he was able at about 7 a.m. Parks workers finished the job, using a sledge hammer.

Water released from the lagoon flows down a drainage ditch and eventually runs into Lodgepole Creek.

Unsightly debris that had washed into the lagoon by weekend rain storms was exposed by the lowered waterline. Rather than attempt to wade in the mud to clean out debris, Erickson said workers will let the rising water float it to the banks from which it can be removed.

Meanwhile, the lagoon's fowl residents have some new beach to explore.

10 Years Ago

Aug. 28, 2004

'County schools begin new term with 2,028 enrolled'

More than 2,000 students are attending area schools and enrollments indicate an increase in numbers.

Enrollments at Sidney, Leyton, Potter-Dix, Lorenzo, District 77 and the new Creek Valley indicated a total of 2,028 students Monday.

The Sidney Public Schools had an increase over the third-day-of-classes total a year ago to 1,225, a gain of nine over the period in 2003.

Potter-Dix is up five from a year ago with 195 enrolled.

The area's newest school, Creek Valley, the result of the merger between Lodgepole and Chappell, begins its first year with an enrollment of 296, including 95 at the middle school at Lodgepole, and 184 at the Chappell site, where grades K-4 and 9-12 attend.

Leyton has 255 students, including 99 at the high school at Dalton and 156 in grades K-8 attending the Gurley site.

District 77 began classes Monday with 19 students, and Lorenzo is expecting 38 students when classes begin there on Sept. 7.

Sidney High school has 397 students enrolled, down from the 2003 first of school count of 407.

The Sidney Public Schools has 173 in the middle school, up two from a year ago, and 655 in the elementary grades, a 63 student gain from the 592 a year ago.

There are 217 students at South School where kindergarten and first grade is held; 176 at North, second and third grades; and 89 at Central, fourth grade.

West School, attended by fifth and sixth grades has 182 students. Largest class in the SPS is the kindergarten with 113 pupils.

There are 105 sophomores, 104 first-graders, 103 freshmen and 101 sixth-graders.

The SHS class of '05 numbers 98.

Smallest class in the system is Grade 8 with 74 students.

Potter-Dix has a gain of five students over last year to 195, with 108 in grades 8-12 in the high school at the Potter site and 92 in grades K-6 at the Dix site.

The Potter-Dix High sophomore, junior and senior classes each numbers 18 students and the freshman class has 19, the largest class in the system.

Grades 4 and 5 each has 11 students at Potter-Dix.

Leyton High School has 29 freshmen, 26 in both the senior and junior classes and 20 sophomores.

Leyton Middle School totals 46 students and the elementary school has 110 enrolled.

At Creek Valley, there are 296 students.

The middle school, grades five through eight, totals 95 and attends at Lodgepole. Creek Valley High attends at Chappell and totals 112 and the elementary, grades K-4, also at Chappell, has 89 students.