Opinion

J.T. Harris -- McCook's Man from Alabama

Monday, August 16, 2004

EDITOR'S NOTE -- This is the second installment in honor of the Suess/Harris family, which ends more than 100 years of business presence in McCook with the closure of the Lots to Love Corp.

John T. Harris was born on a farm outside Opelika, Ala., and graduated from what is now known as Auburn University.

After roaming the United States for a few years, performing a multitude of jobs in the 1930s, he found himself in New York City. One job, which he loves to tell about, was working at Radio City Music Hall, where he assisted the choreographer, as the fellow who showed the Rockettes how high they were to make their kicks.

Later, as the manager of a Western Union Telegraph office he met Eleanor Suess, from McCook, Neb.

After graduating from U of N, Eleanor was in the city studying for an advanced degree at the Columbia School of Music. A courtship blossomed. After the couple married they returned to the family farm at Opelika, following the death of John T.'s father.

In 1945 John T. and Eleanor came to McCook, to relieve Eleanor's mother, Ethel Suess, who had taken over the management of DeGroff's Department Store, following the death of her husband, Louis.

John T. brought new ideas, a flair for promotion, and boundless energy to McCook. He set about to modernize the store, and to eliminate unprofitable departments -- such as DeGroff's Grocery Depart-ment.

In the years after World War II everyone needed a new refrigerator, a new washing machine -- appliances of all sorts. John T. obliged the people of McCook by bringing in appliances by the train-carload, and turning that event into a celebration.

Soon John T. began to expand his business interests outside the store. He brought the first anhydrous ammonia plant to McCook and began to educate the farming community in using fertilizers to raise bigger crops. He formed the "100 Club," which honored farmers who could raise 100 bushel per acre corn---a notable achievement in the 1940s. Later he pioneered the use of agriculture chemicals when he founded "Gro-Mo," the forerunner of Cornbelt Chemical Co. John T. was proud of his Alabama roots, and kept a carefully developed Southern drawl. He did his own radio commercials, and it was always fun to hear him say, "Mista Fah-ma, increase your yields with Gro-Mo."

After World War II, McCook experienced a severe shortage of housing. John T. addressed this problem by developing "Sunrise Ad-dition," the area north of West J. Street, and constructing some 60 pre-fabricated houses. When our family first came to McCook one of John T's houses on W. 10th St. answered our need for an "affordable home."

Mr. Harris was not only interested in furthering his business interests. He and Mrs. Harris were tireless workers in a multitude of civic projects. She served for many years on the Nebraska and Mid-States Arts Coun-cils.

She was a leader in the Congregational Church and community music circles. She instigated a school string program, and anchored a strong string section at community concerts and high school and college musicals.

John T. was fiercely independent. The rumor was that in Alabama, where most of his neighbors were Dem-ocrats, he was a Republican. In McCook, which voted Republican, he was a Democrat -- but always Pro-McCook.

He was a member of the McCook Rotary Club, the McCook Chamber of Commerce, the Nebraska-land Foundation, Chairman of the McCook 75th Anniversary. Committee (which finished in the black, and actually carried over several thousands of dollars to be used for future civic events!)

John T. was the first chairman of the McCook United Way, and Chairman of the George W. Norris Memorial Committee (in this capacity he journeyed to Washington and drove Sen. Norris' automobile back to McCook, so it could be used as part of the Norris home exhibits.) He was a member of the Tri Trails Boy Scout Council, Nebraska Retail Merchants Association, Neb-raska Tax Research Council, Omaha Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, and the Nebraska Environ-mental Council. He was a member of the Nebraska Aeronautics Commis-sion, where he played a key role in bringing, then keeping, a commercial aviation presence in McCook.

When we arrived in McCook, in 1957, John T. was President of the McCook YMCA. At that time, before the United Way was in place, the Y was in dire straits financially, and there were rumors that it might have to close its doors. John T. organized a series of noon sack lunches at the Y for what he called "business leaders" of McCook, which included everyone who had a store downtown.

At these lunches John T. carefully explained how important the Y was to the town, citing the swimming program, which had saved countless lives by teaching our young people to swim, and how we never turned anyone away. But the Y had no money, just barely covering everyday expenses, with nothing left over to pay for a new furnace, or new programs, etc.

But if we would all just work together we could keep the doors open. He was a good salesman. He made us feel good that we were able to have a part in keeping the Y going.

John and Eleanor Harris were strict taskmasters. Their six boys were taught to work at an early age. With the store, farms, and paper routes, there were always plenty of jobs to do. J. T. Harris, the oldest son, shared his father's enthusiasm for flying. His parents encouraged that interest. J.T. began his flying lessons at 16 -- paying for those lessons from his own earnings, riding his bicycle back and forth to the airport so that he could afford his flying lessons.

The Harris family members have always been strong supporters of McCook Junior College. Mrs. Harris was a member of the second graduating class at McCook College (at the old YMCA building), and all of the Harris boys began their college experience there. John T. did his part in promoting the school. Sometimes his thoughts did not entirely mesh with the majority of the citizens in McCook.

When the state colleges were being reorganized in the 1970s, John T. lobbied for a takeover of the college by the University of Nebraska, There was a small window of time when the NU was taking in schools under the University umbrella.

They wanted to make Omaha University and Kearney State College a part of the University, and John T. believed that McCook Junior College could slip into the system right along with those two schools.

There was a large outcry against this idea, the thinking being that we would lose local control over the school. Instead McCook College became a part of the Mid-Plains Community. College district, along with North Platte.

In the 1980s, John T. and Eleanor Harris returned to Opelika, Ala., in retirement, turning over the management of DeGroff's Store, the farms, and other various commercial operations to son, J.T. Harris and his brothers.

They have retained their home in McCook and have returned frequently over the years.

Of the five Harris brothers still living, four live in Lincoln, and soon J.T. will be moving there as well, leaving J.T.'s daughter, Susan Broomfield and her family, to carry on the McCook-Suess-Harris legacy. We will miss their leadership, their enthusiasm, and their work in behalf of McCook and Nebraska. We thank them for their efforts and wish them well in their future activities.

-- Source for text and photo: Gazette Centennial Edition

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