Asa Wolfe, McMillen's and 'Conchies'

Monday, February 11, 2002

In 1942, graduation of eighth grade rural and church school students in Red Willow County involved 36 graduates. There were almost as many teachers as students listed in the McCook Gazette article. Here is a list of the teachers of these 8th graders: Marion: Audrey Hoyt; District 8: Dorothy Ventling; District 11: Minnie Story; District 14: Grace Story; District 16: Helen Hatcher; District 20: Alyce Carmichael; District 21: Frances Sughroue; District 23: Mareta Warner; District 26: Pauline Sorensen; District 33: Rosemary Finch; District 47: Ruth Winters; District 49: Doris Carter; District 58: Alice Ray; District 62: Helen Snyder; District 63: Alice Carter; District 64: Lois McNeill; District 67: Elsie Nelson, District 68: Elma Teter; District 74: Dorothy Klooz; District 80: Marjorie Schmidt; St. Johns: Rev. Schabacker and St. Patrick's: Sister Eucharia. Red Willow County School Superintendent Asa A. Wolfe conducted the graduation exercises at the McCook Jr. High building on Saturday, May 16, 1942, at 1:30 in the afternoon.

Mr. Wolfe served seventeen years as county superintendent, retiring at the age of 84 to care for his beloved wife, Alice. Asa was active in the field of education for fifty-five years and often said that one of his greatest rewards had been the opportunity to counsel and guide the thousands of youth he had come in contact with. He was also very active with scouting and the Kiwanis, especially in their youth programs.

Asa Wolfe's granddaughter, Rebecca Lewis, e-mailed me last week about another "On Main Street..." column and I was able to tell her that I remembered her grandfather very fondly. Hayes Center Lake was the nearest "fishing resort" for anglers in the McCook area in 1942 ...but the road was not good. From Culbertson to the lake there were ten miles of the 32-mile road that were still not graveled. That ten miles of dirt road was impassable at times and the McCook Daily Gazette editorial of May 12, 1942, campaigned for an improvement. The Garrett family had donated 180 acres of land at the headwaters of Red Willow Creek to the State of Nebraska. The land contained an 80-acre lake that was stocked with fish. There were camping facilities and a large picnic grounds with shade and grass. Editor Strunk thought that improving these last few remaining miles of highway would add greatly to the value and popularity of Hayes Center Lake to sportsmen in the area.

The McCook Junior Chamber of Commerce was sponsoring a "Hay Loft Hoe-Down" on Saturday, May 16, 1942. There were two bands, alternating playing times and no singles would be admitted...couples only. There was no admission fee shown in the ad, but you just know that there just probably was one. Carole Lombard and Jack Benny were starring in "To Be Or Not To Be" at the Fox Theatre in mid-May of 1942. Robert Stack was also in the movie but got a smaller billing...he was most likely a relative unknown still at that time. There was a Superman cartoon playing also. On Saturday night, you could attend the 9 p.m. showing of the main feature and see Jean Arthur in "Arizona" for free. It was called the Owl Show.

McMillen Drug with A.J. Crabtree, proprietor, was having a drug sale on May 14, 1942, which included Swifts ice cream in Strawberry Marble, Chocolate Marble, Raspberry Marble, Banana Fudge Marble and Black Walnut. When you're on a diet, I will admit that ice cream seems like it could be counted as a drug, but I was surprised to see it listed as such in the "drug sale". Mr. Crabtree also offered the 25 cents size bottle of castor oil for 16c; Ingrams Milkweed Cream for 39c; two large rolls of toilet tissue for 13 cents and Admiracion shampoo for 39c. Montgomery Wards on McCook's Main Street where Top Office is now, was having a paint sale...$3.35 a gallon for their Supreme Quality house paint in 5 gallon lots, and they would include 1/2 gallon of linseed oil and turpentine. You did have to bring your own container for the turpentine though. Flat wall paint would run you $2.45 a gallon and varnish for floors, furniture or woodwork was $3.95 a gallon. They had some related products that I don't know if we even have any more...screen paint for 31 cents a pint; a 5 pound container of Kalsomine sold for 31 cents and wallpaper cleaner at 8 cents a can.

A special camp for conscientious objectors to the war was opened in Weeping Water, Nebraska on May 15, 1942. The men occupied buildings of the abandoned CCC camp near Weeping Water, east of Lincoln. Eleven "Conchies", as they were referred to, had already prepared the camp, aided by 30 Mennonite church members from Milford. The Mennonites would be there to help police the buildings and grounds. Most of the "Conchies" would come from Illinois and surrounding states...no Nebraskans. The men would be doing conservation work on local farms.

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