Seward Country Club Golf Course

Gene Oetting and I are shown here as 2007 Co-Champions of the Seward Senior Golf League. While I havn’t played the past couple years, our weekly paper carried a distressing story today of the Club Members having authorized the Board of Directors to dissolve and/or liquidate the Seward Country Club, Inc. at the end of the year. The Board was also authorized to offer the City ownership of the golf course with the city taking over the current debt of about $350,000. The paper didn’t cover additional details, but I understand the Club owns only the 2 acres where the Club house, parking lot and Storage Shed are located. The 9-hole Course and driving range have been utilized under a long term lease.

There was some consideration of the City taking over the Course a few years ago and expanding it to 18-holes, but it never came to pass. My hope is that the City will take it over, assuming an acceptable long term lease can be attained on the 9-hole Course. I would hope that it could be managed to not become a great burden on City taxpayers and could be looked at like our City Library, Park and Recreation Programs, etc. If closed, Seward would be the only City of its size in the State without a golf course. We have seen a Youth program at the Course in recent years as well as High School teams that have done very well. I spent some of my happiest days during the past 25 years out on the Course. The fellowship and exercise was a great benefit to my health and general well-being. I don’t know where this old Plaque may be stored with my name on it, and it really doesn’t make much difference. What will make a difference is in having a Course available for current and future players. 

Conversion of School to Church

This is what the old Seward High School looked like today. Considerable work has been done to convert it into a “Rock Lutheran Church” after serving as the Seward Middle School for a number of years. It was built in 1919 and continued to be SHS until a new facility was built on Northern Heights some 50 years ago. It served as the Middle School from then until just a few years ago when a new Middle School was built and the entire 3-block school area was sold. 

It appears that the south side of the building will be the front of the Church from the white material that has been put in place. An extensive fire escape has been added on the east side of the building to accommodate the top floor of the building. New heating/air conditioning has also been installed. It is an interesting “work in process”. This is the building that Elaine graduated from with many happy memories. We wish success to those involved, but there are times when demolition is preferred to keep memories in tact.

Pilsner & General Patton

Kiwanis Club Member Louis Reith presented the program this noon on his recent visit to Pilsner in the Czech Republic. He told of the cities involvement in WWII which also led him to a discussion of General George S. Patton. The City has continued to honor and pay respect to Patton and the Allied troops for their liberation. He showed pictures of the beautiful old buildings that have been restored and also of the “non descript” housing that was built during the occupation which still provides living quarters for a significant portion of the City’s population. The City has a long history of its Breweries. We were in the Czech Republic some years ago but didn’t get to Pilsner. However, I did bring home an empty bottle of Pilsner Urquell that had been brewed there. According to Louis’s research, Patton’s leadership style was an excellent match for the situations he faced as he led troops in Africa, through Italy and on into Germany. His research also brought to light personal details which have never been publicized. I had the opportunity to spend 3-weeks with the General’s son, George Patton  III who was a 2-star, General in his own right. He was a Tank Commander and saw action during the Korean War. He and I were classmates and in a small “family group” at Harvard University in 1979. It was a Seminar for Senior Managers in Government and Industry at the Kennedy School and the Harvard School of Business. 

The Joy of an Auction

We attended the John Potter auction conducted by Underwood's this afternoon at the Seward Ag. Pavilion. It was most interesting with a large amount of very nice items. We had gone to Church early and I went down soon after it started at 11:00am. The had many items grouped together like these 4 books in one box. I was particularly interested in the Paul A. Johnsgard book but also thought the 1977  “Who’s Who in Nebraska”  and the 11th Edition of “Familiar Quotations” by John Bartlett were also  “treasures”. All 3 are in new condition. The 4th was an old Betty Crocker's Cookbook.

I came home for  lunch, and Elaine and I went back down. We also spotted these 4 children's books that were also in excellent condition and got them for $4.  We think Sadie will especially like the Peter Rabbit book with interactive sounds. I have already more than got my $7.50 dollars worth out of the other 3. (The old Cookbook has been recycled.) Just flipping through some of the 1200 pages of the  "Who’s Who” book, I learned more about some friends and relatives. The Johnsgard book is really what I wanted. I don’t believe it had ever been opened since published in 2001. It covers the Geology and Landforms of Nebraska including the State’s Ecological Regions and the Biological Communities. It would have been most helpful during my days with the Nebraska Natural Resources Commission,  but now it is enjoyable and interesting reading. 

My Narrative of 1988

This picture was taken in 1988. It was the year that I retired from my State job at the Nebraska Natural Resources Commission. I spent much of today writing and including pictures on my narrative of that year’s activities. It was probably one of the most frustrating years we have ever had. After having the farm for 8 years and dividing our time between our home in town and the farm, it was the year that we would spend more time out there and decide where we wanted to call “home”. Be it right or wrong, I still maintained many of the professional activities that I enjoyed while working.

We were both involved with activities that required travel and being away from home frequently. We had a big garden at the farm, harvested Certified Switchgrass as well as a yard that required considerable maintenance. It was an exceptionally hot, dry summer, the well breaking down, and having to walk the soybeans might have been the final straw in our decision to sell the place. Through it all, it was 8 year old Julie who was the bright light that kept us going. She spent a lot of time with us, and as I read back through that ’88 Journal, her name is on most of the pages

Friday night Fish in Bee

 About the time Elaine normally starts fixing our evening meal, she suggested that this would be a good night to go to Bee for Fish. I agreed and so we did. It is not only an excellent place to eat but also a social event. The first people we saw were nephew Terry, his daughter Angie and her daughter Allysa. We joined Lloyd who was alone at a table for 4 and had a good visit. After Lloyd left we asked Leroy and Marlys to join us. Leroy is in the “Helping Hands” Kiwanis Club here in Seward after several years in our “Kiwanis Club of Seward”. We had a lot to visit about.

This is what the plate of fish looks like. In addition it comes with coleslaw, french fries, and a slice of rye bread. I give Elaine my  coleslaw and Elaine shares her fish  and fries with me; so we both have all we can eat. I probably couldn’t get my plate cleaned up if it wasn’t for the Miller draft. We came back to Seward on the country road straight south of Bee. It took us past the Country School which Elaine attended for 8 years. It has been converted into a very nice private home. Some of the Soy Beans have already been harvested and it appears that Corn harvest will begin very soon. Great evening.

Magazine Club Meeting at the National Guard Museum

Our Seward Magazine Club met this evening at the new Nebraska National Guard Museum here in Seward. Col. Jerry Meyer and Mary are members of the Club, and he is the Curator of the Museum. They moved here a year ago  to head up the project of converting a 1956 National Guard Armory into the State NG Museum. They couldn’t have found a better person for the job. Jerry not only has had wide experience in the Guard but also headed the development of the Higgins Memorial at Columbus. He gave us a tour of the facility where a lot of work has already 

been done but much work still remains. It is anticipated that it will be open for business by the 4th of July in 2017. While Museums traditionally have had displays of items for visitors to observe, the trend is to have more interactive exhibits. Jerry has been down to Disney World to work with designers on some of the exhibits. They will recreate an exhibit to depict the hedge row battles in Europe during the summer of 1944 with all the trees, smells and sounds of the actual happening. Jerry has visited the warehouse back at Ft. Belvoir where numerous items will be available on loan for special showings. It is anticipated that the Museum will be a State-of-the-Art Facility and make Seward a destination point for many visitors. The proximity of Seward to Lincoln and Interstate 80 should make this a popular stop for school children.