Joe Limbaugh

So glad to hear about Chuck and Betty. I was one of the several babysitters who looked after the two Warwick boys while Chuck made his nightly visits to see Betty. He was also my English teach (sophomore year, first semester only as I transferred at the semester.) In retrospect, I realize what a courageous man he was. As luck would have it, I spent my senior year on campus in Champaign. My roommate in a rather strange rooming assignment in the basement of a doctor's office, was an Oklahoma U. grad. She and I frequently ate at a small diner near our rooms. Guess who showed up the second week of the semester - Chuck, then a doctoral student at the great U of I. Needless to say, between my having known him in Minonk and Marilyn's (the roommate) being a graduate of Oklahoma, we had a firm Wednesday night dinner date the rest of the semester.

Re: RL, remember how the students called him "Creep) because he wore hush puppy type shoes and would creep up on a student unawares? Chuck's recollection of how one had to ask repeatedly for some change also rang a bell. I remember wanting to start a senior elective course in modern novels. I went through the same procedure described by Chuck. RL told me later that he believed if a person really wanted something and if a project were really worth something, a second and third request would follow. After my third request, he granted me permission to have the modern lit class for seniors and it was a big success. I credit him with that success because by having to ask more than once or twice, I was forced into evaluating what I wanted to do and why and thus, I fell presented, a better class.---Unfortunately, after he fell ill and left, the class was dropped a few years later.

Thank You

There was this about Mr. Yates also--he was a really good teacher. In the fall of 1964, for some reason, there was no one available to teach the economics class that had already been scheduled. R.L. decided to teach it himself, and it was very thought provoking and well done. There were absolutely no discipline problems, but there were a lot of heart felt, wide ranging discussions. That fall was the Johnson/Goldwater presidential campaign, which Mr. Yates used as a vehicle to discuss as much economic history as he did economic theory. It was the best high school class that I ever attended. His stories of the great depression and WWII were very vivid and insightful.

Keep up the good work on the Minonk web site.

Best wishes,

Thanks

When we visited Minonk for Rita's 50th Class Reunion, we were also searching for family tree data. We knew our paternal grandmother, Josephine Martha (Schminski), was married to John Wetoski, Jr. on 4 Feb 1896. A man allegedly named Morgan, in an episode at the coalmine in 1897 had fired a shot, the bullet ricocheted off a railroad track, striking John Wetoski in the neck and killing him. We believed that the miners then rioted and Morgan was killed. Grandma Josie was then a widow, and she had a months-old daughter to raise. We knew she had survived the ordeal and gone on with her life, marrying Adam Frank Buchness on 10 Jun 1899. We also note that the Morgan family returned to Maysville, Kentucky in a state of shock and disbelief, and we regret their loss. It is said that, if Grandma Josie ever spoke of this tragedy in later years, it was still to say, "My God, how did this happen?" Indeed, it does appear that the whole affair was a mistake.

We specifically visited the Filger Library to search old newspapers to try to find a history of what occurred on that day. Richard uses microfiche files at work, so he was the most adept at operating the machine. Although he had experience with the procedure, he had to stop a couple of times, because it brings on motion sickness! When he located the article, we had difficulty reading the copies. We found it best to print two copies-one large print, one small print. When we arrived home, Rita typed her copy from the small print and I typed mine from the large print. At times, one can read the small print, but not the large, and vice-versa. After typing, we proofread by reading our typed copies to each other, making corrections as we went.

We had a great trip to Illinois. Chicago was an impressive city, sparkling clean, well organized, and with many gracious residents. Minonk and the surrounding acres were the highlight of our trip. It was with regret that we noted some of our favorite things were missing, but we appreciate the will of the citizens to preserve and protect as they move forward in time.

Barbara (Buchness) Hutchison

I remember walking to the park in my swimsuit to enjoy a swim in the "pool". (For those who don't remember, there was a round pool that couldn't have been more than two feet deep, but for some of us young kids it could have been a lake.)

I remember watching magic shows on the bandstand during special holiday celebrations and trying to figure out how they got all that milk out of that "empty" pitcher.

I remember the community musicians getting together on the bandstand to entertain us -- just because it was a lovely spring or summer evening.

I remember just walking through the park and enjoying the shade on those hot summer days.

I remember sharing rides on the "merry-go-round". The one you had to push and then jump on and ride until it stopped.

I remember swinging on the "trapeeze" and imagining that I was an acrobat in the circus.

I remember sharing a swing with my first girl friend.

I remember playing in the park and on the bandstand with Donald Mohar, Buddy Jacobs, Erma Marshall, Judy Parks and Carol Timmerman.

I remember all of the Uphoff and von Behren reunions where we all ate and played softball and had such wonderful times that we couldn't wait until the next one.

I remembered all these things and just had to help be a part of the new one. If the new kids have just half of the wonderful memories I have, then it will be worth every penny spent.

Jim Uphoff
Lorton VA