Good Old Days 10-30-15

Compiled By Delaney Uhrig

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

50 Years Ago

'Science showed be inquisitive, speaker asserts'

Oct. 29, 1965

Secondary school teachers should teach science as a mode of inquiry rather than as a collective of seemingly authoritarian views, a University of Nebraska authority on science education declared on Friday, Oct. 29.

Dr. James A Rutledge, supervisor of natural science at University High School and professor of secondary education, addressed teachers members of the Nebraska State Education Association at their annual sectional meeting.

Dr. Rutledge told the assembly that students today are given little more than a glimpse of the frontiers of science where teachers place emphasis on memory work alone and where highly structured laboratories serve only to let students verify authoritarian views.

"There is a process, or mode of inquiry by which the scents discovers the 'hows' and the 'whys' of phenomena he observes," he said.

Dr. Rutledge called upon the teachers to develop in their students the desire to understand the basic theory as well as methods with which all scientists work.

"This change somehow goes against the grain for many of us who have been brought up to disdain as lacking rigor any course which did not contain mountains or materials to be memorized," he stated.

Dr. Rutledge said much more time must be devoted to concept development and discussion of the results of inquiry.

"The teacher will then relinquish his authoritarian role and become a fellow-inquirer with his students, wiser perhaps than they, but fallible," he said. "He will encourage them to doubt, to question and to reformulate ideas. No idea, no author is sacred or above criticism."

40 Years Ago

'Parents seek safe night'

Oct. 31, 1975

Reacting to reports of tainted Halloween candy, parents and schools in many American cities are trying to take the trick out of trick or treating this Halloween.

Valid or not, fears of contaminated Halloween treats are causing parents and school officials to imagine the worst. In several cities, they're seeking ways to outbid the lure of trick or treating and its real or imagined dangers.

In Spokane, Wash., the Northwest Treasure Hunters Club will continuer the "No Trick in the Treats" program it started in 1973.

Members will set up their metal detectors in Spokane fire stations and use them to spot metal objects in bags of trick or treat candy.

Meanwhile, the National Confectioners Association is promoting its "Meet n' Treat" program which urges parents accompanying children on trick or treat rounds to meet the neighbors.

The programs promotes the following suggestions:

Young children should be accompanied by adults on trick or treat rounds

Visits should be in the neighborhood at reasonable hour

Only wrapped or sealed candy should be given

Persons welcoming children should turn on porch lights

Children should carry flashlights

25 Years Ago

'Wagon received Halloween attention

in the old days'

Oct. 30, 1990

Dismantling farm wagons and putting them on rooftops was apparently a favorite Halloween trick "in the good old days," according to three old timers at Memorial Home recalling those times. Two of the three mentioned the wagon trick. Knocking over outhouses was, of course, common to everyone's experience.

Fern Hjeltness, (nee Gutsch - "Good Irish names," she jokes) said she never did anything "bad" at Halloween, but her future husband, Harold, certainly did. He and some other Minnesota farm boys went to town (Hemming, pop 600) dismantled a wagon and put it back together on top of a cafe. Adele Seeger went the wagon story one better. She recalled that a group of Clay Center men had dismantled her uncle's wagon during the night and reassembled it on top of the barn. The next morning, they and some neighbor farm men came strolling by to question her uncle about his odd choice of a parking place for his wagon. But lo and behold, the wagon was back where he had left it the previous day. He had gotten up well before daylight, discovered the wagon, and all by himself had disassembled it and put it back together on the ground. When the neighbors came, he acted as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

Mary Whitmire (nee Oliverius) recalled that the boys around Lodgepole used to tie tin cans to a dog's tail and turn the dog loose. On the whole, however, she thought the kids around Lodgepole were pretty tame compared to some places. Maybe it was because most of them lived on farms and didn't have much time or opportunity for Halloween shenanigans. Her family, she said put punching jack-o-lights in each window of the house, and did a lot of special baking. "Halloween called for pumpkin pies."

All three ladies agreed that costumes are much more elaborate - and expensive - than in their day. Costumes and masks were all home made, and the simpler ones might consist of nothing more than a paper sack worn over the head. Masks were usually made at school, as well as paper hats. Also at school, the teachers would read the story about Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman.

10 Years Ago

'Curtain raises on 'You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown'

Oct. 28, 2005

The curtain raises tonight on the next Broadway musical being staged by the Way Out West Community Theatre.

'You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" begins tonight at 7:30 p.m. and will continue with performances Oct. 29 at 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 30 at 2 p.m.

Performances will be the following weekend on Nov. 4 and 5 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 6 at 2 p.m. All performances are at the West Elementary Auditorium in Sidney.

Plenty of tickets are still available and can be purchased at The Book Corner, Western Drug, Wilson-Tobin Drug and Sue's Hallmark. Patrons can also buy tickets from the actors, musicians and at the door.

Cast members have been preparing for this night for the last 10 weeks.

"This cast has been very dedicated," Director Angelyn Nienhuser said, "They have spent countless hours perfecting their roles for the opening night."

Filling the six roles for "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" are Todd Nienhueser as Charlie Brown, Cheryl Hauge as Sally Brown, Erin Huddleston as Snoopy, Jeremy Narjes as Schroeder, Todd Flick as Linus Van Pelt, and Cindy Bartling as Lucy Van Pelt.

Also hard at work for the past few weeks are the members of the orchestra.

"We have assembled an extremely talented group of musicians for this show," said music director Diane Dinndorf Friebe, "They've only rehearsed together for two weeks, but they sound like it's been 10 weeks."

The "Charlie Brown Combo," as they like to be called, is comprised of Tanny Akerson on piano, Ted Egging on bass guitar, Josh Brauer on percussion, Abbi Raasch on clarinet and Micahla Beyer on saxaphone/flute/piccolo and recorder. Connie Loos from Sedgwick, Colo., will be filling in as the "substitute piano player" for the second weekend of shows.

For the first time in W.O.W.'s history, the set has been done by someone outside the organization.