One of the most refreshing annual meetings is the Last Man's club which meets for dinner the night of November 11 and has been meeting at that time for many years since 1936.
The Last Man's club is an organization of veterans. There is a grand prize — a bottle of whiskey. And, according to club rules, the Last Man to survive, gets the bottle.
It's quite a unique and elite organization. Virg Pitstick tells me of another club in another state where the membership puts 50 cents or so in the pot and that pot has now grown to several thousand dollars, the prize for the Last Man in that club.
A belated Happy Birthday to Mrs. Edith Fisher, the News-Press correspondent. Mrs. Fisher was 90 years young on October 30.
Best wishes to Jack Chadwick and Ralph Fitzhugh on their retirement from the U.S. Corps of Engineers.
Jack served as resident engineer in the Nebraska City area for many years. Mr. Fitzhugh, "Brandy" to his many friends, was former area engineer here and served in that capacity at Onawa, Iowa, for several years.
No word has been received here at the moment on whether a successor to the resident engineer will be named.
Nebraska City had a whopping Engineer force here at one time, but the numbers have been dropping.
We hear talk now and then of a new post office for the town in the form of a federal building to house the many offices now located in the post office, including the Engineers.
Many hope the Engineers will maintain resident headquarters here. One observer said the other day that he feels confident a force of some size will be retained here because of the service to the area.
Mr. and Mrs. George Coupe will be leaving soon on a winter vacation that will include a visit with their son in Florida and a Caribbean cruise.
Understand the cruise is a gift to the Coupes in observance of their recent 50th wedding anniversary.
How about that!
The potential of Nebraska City (or any other community in the state) building a trade school is good.
Superintendent James Withee said the other day that too much emphasis has been placed on every student obtaining a bachelor's degree when only 15 per cent of the students actually complete four years of college.
The Career Conference directed so well for 24 years by Mrs. Don McGaffey has been geared along the same line of thinking.
The Conference provides much more information in the way of training to those 500 or 600 students. Even the name was changed to "Conference on Careers and Training Opportunities."
Mr. Withee said Nebraska Citians will see much more emphasis placed on the vocational programs here utilizing present facilities.
The superintendent pointed out that there are federal funds available for many vocational programs. It's just a matter of a lot of paper work and time to get the wheels turning . . . and they are already turning under direction of the superintendent.
From the pulpit.
This youngster was asked by his father to name his favorite songs:
"I have two favorites," the bright - eyed boy replied, "Jesus Loves Me" and "From the Land of Sky Blue Waters."
There's a new book out by Jeane Dixon, the woman who many people believe, really knows the future. The Nebraska City Library will have a copy for check-out here soon, ordered possibly because of the demand for the book now available on a borrow-basis with Lincoln.
Bob Hegstrom, former Chamber manager here and at Hastings, is doing public relations work for Northwestern Steel and Supply Company in Omaha.
Bob, an avid sports enthusiast, naturally attended the NC - Ralston game Friday night.
The NC-Ralston game will go down in my books as a Pioneer defense victory.
The Minnesota Vikings call their defense the "front four." We should have some sort of a name like that for boys like Tom Paap, Lee Miller, Rick McCown, Brian Mabie, and Harold Anderson. The Pioneer defense was just plain superb.
I had something to write about the officiating, but my wife said I shouldn't because young boys and girls may read it.
CITY PLANNING — The City Planning commission will meet Tuesday at 7.30 p.m., at City Hall. Engineer Bob Selander, Omaha, will report at the meeting, Wm. F. Davis, chairman, said.
Built Business.
Nahum Stetson was largely responsible for the growth of the Bridgewater (Mass.) ironworks to one of the largest in New England in the 1860s. The forgings for the original Monitor were made there.