Today is the first day of August and it means that mothers are making many plans for "yuck" school.
The school kids say they aren't looking forward to returning to classes, but we think differently. They're ready to get back in the swing of daily events with their friends.
It also means that mothers are looking forward to a "vacation" and a slowdown of the rat-race.
Activity at our house begins about 4:30 a.m., when No. 3 daughter, Jeannea, gets up for breakfast and leaves for the cornfields in Iowa where she has been working with other youngsters detasseling.
No. 1 son Keaton is the "sleepy-head" because he doesn't get up until 5:30 a.m., to go to his job at J&P Truck stop at 6 a.m. The evenings are just as bad. If it isn't ball practice, it's working out with other boys getting ready for the first football practice.
Millie runs a cafe. Once in awhile we are all home for one meal. That occasionally happens on Sunday mornings.
So, there will be some delight in households in Nebraska City when it's school time such as a regular schedule. The "school clothes" buying has already started. The two youngest have outgrown most of last spring's clothing and there are no more "hand-me-downs."
So, activity in the school preparation will be getting off to a flying start.
And, it might be well to mention here that you're invited to register at a participating store in Nebraska City for the "One Last Fling" offered by retailers. It's a trip to Kansas City Worlds of Fun and you could be the winner.
Chancellor Young –
The new chancellor at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln "looked over" southeast Nebraska on a previous visit and now as a resident of the state says his observation was correct.
He is impressed with the agriculture and the quality, impressed with signs of progress, not in the sense of super booms, but in good substantial growth.
Perhaps his strongest impression has been the people of this community. "People here have pride in what they are doing."
He spoke briefly at a joint Optimist-Rotary luncheon on a number of subjects including a research and developoment center on energy. A solar energy project has been approved by the regents. The truth is, he explained, "we're living on borrowed time on oil and gas."
On other topics, he said the NU enrollment this fall will be about the same at 22,360 students and the dorms are filled.
The chancellor was introduced by Jack Mullen who serves on the advisory board at the University. Other visitors included Dick Fleming of the public information department, Jack Miller of the alumni association, regent Robert Prokop and regent candidate Willard Waldo of DeWitt. Mayor Edith Fenstermacher welcomed the visitors. Optimist President Paul Rowe and Rotary President Duane Hall presided.
Motor Drivers — Read This.
That is the heading on ordinance passed by the village of Dunbar and published in the Dunbar Review September 3, 1926.
George Fenske provided us with his copy. Dr. W. Davies Gibbon was chairman of the board of trustees and H. S. Westbrook was clerk.
The ordinance laid down the law on motor drivers in the village.
For example, the ordinance provided that the speed limit in the "congested district" was 12 m.p.h. and outside the congested district the maximum speed limit was 18 m.p.h. No one was permitted to ride on the running board, hood, or top of the fenders. There was a three hour parking law and every vehicle had to have a muffler. There was also a "hoss" law.
It was illegal to leave any horse or team unattended and the animals couldn't be left hitched within 10 feet of a fire hydrant.
We'll have to doublecheck this with Mrs. Bud (Marilyn) Reuter, but we're told the law may still be on the books. So? So tell George about it.
We have had two little visitors at our house for a few days and they've been keeping us hopping.
Polly Jo and Jana Priefert are "farm girls" and we've been having fun spoiling them rotten in the "city." The two little nieces are well informed about their parents' farm north of Hebron.
They know about herbicides, insecticides, green bugs in [illegible] lo, 4200 and 4320 John Deere tractors and 410 Massey Ferguson combines. The oldest is 10 and she showed us recently how to start the oil and then switch on the 40 or 50 h.p. electric motor that pumps water for the irrigating of milo.
They've been learning fast about Nebraska City. First choice was John Brown's cafe. There were lots of visits to Cindy Hall's candy store at the Pioneer Mall, and of course the evenings included ball games at Steinhart.
And if we don't wear out we'll be able to report next week that we "citified" and spoiled the little girls all we could and then handed them over to their parents.
The Pork Producers
Marvin McKay, Alvo, barbecued 175 pounds of pork for the annual Capital Pork Producers family picnic at Wagon Train lake and I tried to eat most of it.
I don't know exactly how he prepared the meat, but it was about the best pork I've had since Dr. Harry Baker used to "cook at hog" for get-togethers.
Pork producers are being recognized nationally for their production quality. It's not an easy business, any producer will admit, but the rewards are there when the price is right.
I sat on the bench listening to Don Kasbohm, Marvin Bando, of Nebraska City and Don Marfice, Elmwood, president of the Producers and Marvin. I got lost several times in the conversations.
My hog producing days involved 24 head of Durocs and one of my daily chores was "slopping" the hogs. Hog production ain't like that no mo.
There are many specialities in the business today. The best market competition is especially fierce. I was interested in one conversation by Allen Steen and Dr. Baker about the "Pig Place" at the Omaha Stockyards. They hope to develop the best hog market in the country and they feel they are well on their way with consignments and prices.
It was dark and the producers were still talking until the wives stirred them. I looked over at the serving table and, drat, they had packed up the last of the meat and other dishes of goodies.
The only thing I can add to the evening with the producers at Wagon Train lake is don't go with Dr. Baker next year. He doesn't know how to get to the lake.
And don't go with Don Kasbohm. He has a CB radio and still fumbled around looking for the lake until after the first dinner bell.