Voters will be asked June 15 to decide on whether bonds should be issued for a new building program to replace Sixth Street and Fourteenth Street schools.
It has been several months since we visited either school. Probably not much has changed in a few months to discolor our outlook on what we see as deteriorating structures.
No one will argue the point — improvement is needed. Whether the voters will give the okay is something else. The person who makes the decision is a mighty powerful individual when he steps into the canvas voting booth.
We don't profess to know the answers. We have a school board elected to "run" the school business. We know all nine members of the board as you do — they have a special interest in the schools and we feel they want to do the right thing.
Our youngest will be a sophomore this fall so it has been some time since we have gone to a grade school PTA meeting.
We used to be frequent visitors when our children attended Greggsport, Southside and Sixth Street and we had our PTA meetings at Kearney Hill.
Today, the basement of Greggsport is used for offices and the upstairs for storage; Southside was used for apartments at one time and is now the Church of Christ; and Kearney Hill is an apartment building.
Good judgment must be used when building school plants. The reason is obvious — they're there for 50 or more years. And, apparently the school boards of those times were able to point out the need. That's what is being done now by board members and other citizens.
You've been invited to see for yourself at open houses. They believe you will agree the need exists. The problem, however, isn't solved with a single visit.
The school board needs help, big help, someone to foot the bill for many years.
We say there is a need. We hope you will agree.
We will vote "For" bonds and tax.
Work for the young
Bill Oberdieck is getting ready for his "crew" of cherry pickers at Kimmel Orchard. The picking season will begin about the 20th of June and continue for about two weeks, he said.
We can tell one story on Bill. It came from a littler girl who picked cherries for the first time. She was slow and her earnings were small.
Bill spoke to her in his German-English, "The Lord gave you two hands. Use both."
She did and passed the advice on to her younger sisters and brother.
Lynn Pursel and the staff at Nebraska Job Service have been busy with the signups for working in the bean and cornfields. Crews will start field work in about four weeks.
Sounds like a busy summer.
Back on the bleachers
If you like baseball, softball or the most entertaining — T Ball — then you'll enjoy an evening at Steinhart park.
Charlie Doeden has a full schedule of Jaycee ball games scheduled each evening on the three diamonds. There is no admission, to the Jaycee games and no collections. You're invited to watch the children and cheer for your team.
The travelers.
Mr. and Mrs. Lester Ehlers, former Nebraska City residents, stopped in town the other day to visit with relatives and friends. They live at Grand Island where Mr. Ehlers is the county engineer-surveyor, the same type of job he held with Otoe county.
The couple just returned from a trip to the east and is planning a trip to Europe.
Meanwhile, they always enjoy Nebraska City. "It's still home," Lester said.
The newcomer.
Chuck Rodeman, the new manager of Mead Lumber company in Nebraska City, made his home in Wyoming before moving to Auburn and then to Nebraska City.
For the hunter, there's no place like Wyoming, he says. The picture you have seen on TV about the snow-covered cabin nested alongside a mountain is like it is. And elk, deer and antelope hunting, well, it's just the greatest.
We don't know much about big game hunting, except that there are many successful bow and rifle hunters of deer in the Nebraska City area.
FFA Alumni Association
Dave Blecha, advisor for the Arbor Lodge chapter of the FFA and vocational agriculture teacher at NCHS, wants to know how many News-Press readers are interested in organizing an alumni association for the FFA.
There is such an organization across the country, but one has not been organized here. "We've got about 25 signed up now," he said, "but we think the membership potential could reach 700." The dues would be $8 a year.
If you're interested, contact Mr. Blecha.
The purposes would be to serve in an advisory capacity for the local chapter and in voc ag, assist in public relations and selecting award winners, providing awards for outstanding members, serve as a resource in the instructional program, provide shop projects, equipment and assistance and provide help in money-making activities.
"We really don't have the purposes spelled out," he said. "We hope to have a meeting sometime in July and do that."
Anyone who was a former FFA member and any honorary FFA member would be eligible. (That means those lapel pins of years ago can be worn again.)
Dave assures there won't be any dead sparrow or gold brick initiations for "Green Hand" alumni members . . . it takes an ex FFAer to catch the pun.
Bicentennial stories
Take a few moments to read the histories of the communities featured in the Bicentennial specials which appear each Sunday in the News-Press.
The stories have been written by John Quinlan, Dorene Duffey, Sue Quinlan and Jerry Wilson from information provided by many helpful individuals and from many libraries. The series will be continued for the next several months.
The stories have another special significance . . . you'll get to know your neighboring communities a lot better.
From Minersville
Henry says if he had to do it all over again, he'd re-enter politics. This time he would like to be a Democrat with a paid "steno."