This is a Blog site created by Bob Reed (in Florida) for folks who live--or used to live--in Marcus, Iowa. Its purpose is to exchange notes, news, remembrances, and thoughts about life in and about Marcus, or news about one's family, friends or acquaintances.
Sunday, November 21, 2004
Discussion - November through March 2005
This is the first long discussion thread. Click onto the comments link below to read through. Comments are now closed in this thread
The following little story won an award and was published in the Iowa Alumni Magazine. It may bring out some memories about that little town near Marcus. Bob reed
Couldn't figure out how to add the story. Max will post it as soon as she finds it. Bob
Shangri-La, Iowa by Bob Reed It was—-maybe still is—-a small town in the rolling hills of northwest Iowa. To call it a town, though, is an exaggeration. It’s probably best described in good old Midwestern terms as “a wide spot in the road.” But when I was growing up in the 1940s in a town a few miles away, Oyens became a mystical part of my life. It’s remained so to this day—even though I’ve never seen the place. I used to pass by it a lot, though, in the back seat of my parents’ 1936 Chevy, en route from my hometown of Marcus to Sioux City. That off-the-highway spot was the real measure of our progress. “We’re coming up to Oyens,” my mother used to say with some satisfaction. My father merely grunted, for he was intent on navigating the dangerously narrow highway with the high curbs. And sure enough, a small homemade sign and an arrow pointing north would appear, positioned just past—not before—the intersection of a gravel road. It was as if Oyens’ inhabitants were grudgingly admitting its presence after the fact. Perhaps it was their way of discouraging visitors. As we sped past the intersection at 40 miles per hour, I could actually see the place. From a rise in the little hills and over an early cornfield, I could glimpse a bunch of trees about a mile down the gravel road. Nestled between the leaves were flashes of white houses. I wondered about its population. I asked my parents and there was a long silence. I don’t think the question had ever come up before. Finally, my mother ventured, “Oh, maybe 100 folks.” “More like ten,” my father snorted. That fired my imagination. Cleghorn, also on Route 75, had some 300 souls in residence, and Meriden had maybe 100. But ten people, hidden in a grove in a distant valley! I felt a sudden superiority, somehow less rural. My town, with its 1,300 citizens, was so much bigger. And so, whenever we approached the Oyens intersection, I positioned myself to get a better look. Sometimes, autumn corn stalks obscured it; other times, a mist or big, soft flakes of falling snow shrouded it. But it was there, and I began to feel a strange satisfaction and comfort in that thought. I imagined all sorts of configurations to the place. Were there three houses and a general store/gas station? Was there a creek among the trees? Where did the kids go to school, and what did they do on Saturday night? Was anybody in the army, or overseas? And, later—did any girls my age live there? The spot began to take over a fanciful section of my imagination, as I half-realized that I could make it into anything I wanted. Gradually, I became cautious and protective of it. When I started driving and traveled the country roads in pursuit of the high school girl-of-the-month, I still took notice of Oyens. But somehow, I had the intuitive good sense to avoid it. Fortunately, I’ve never met anyone who lived there. There has been no one to spoil my private speculations about my personal sanctuary. My illusions are still wonderfully intact. Oyens is my soft Shangri-La, the haven I turn to in my mind in times of turmoil. It’s a muggy spot under a summer sun, with cool lemonade in the shade of a big tree. It’s a place to curl up in like a blanket, with a cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter night. It’s peaceful and manageable and tranquil and down-to-earth and honest and clean and simple. My secret nook, my Brigadoon, is a niche where I can move all my dearest memories and thoughts and rearrange them as I please. It’s been that way through a war, health problems, and involuntary exile from my beloved Iowa. I suppose each of us has a similar harbor somewhere in our hearts—a station where we can return to refresh our souls. But no, I’ve never been to Oyens—and I intend never to go there. Occasionally, I wonder whether my fantasies had—or have—any relationship to reality. Or even whether the place still exists. But please, don’t anyone violate my innocence by informing me of the truth about my wondrous refuge. Some things in life are best left unexamined. And some dreams should be silently held, close to the heart, forever.
Bob Reed, 56BA, is an award-winner in Iowa Alumni Magazine’s nonfiction writing competition 2003. The retired PBS executive and college professor now lives in Florida, but he thinks often of his beloved Iowa
Donnie Peters says it's 78 degrees in San Diego! It's near the 30' here in Florida and we are freezing! Does anyone know where the Japanese Garden ballroom in Marcus was located in the '30s and early 40's? Was it above the bowling alley? Or was it someplace else down by the railroad tracks? Who played there besides Warren Reed and the Ten Tuneful Tombstones? And did Lawrence Welk really play at Fielding in his early career? Bob Reed
I'm new to this site. My brother, Kurt (I'm the second son of Melvin and Margaret Dorr) told me about it. I love what I've read so far. I live in Des Moines. Thanks to Bob Reed for setting this up. I especially enjoy the Marcus history pieces. I found the "flower garden" story very interesting. After seeing what San Diego, Chicago and Texas highways, to name a few, do with flower plantings I've always wanted to see our state do more. I know it's lots of work. (We grew up taking care of all the pine trees our mom and dad planted north of Marcus. I know what watering, weeding and mowing is all about.) The effect is wonderful, though. Has the Marcus Garden Club (if there is one) ever considered a community flower project near the edge of town? A couple of years ago I went to Europe with my daughter and some other kids and parents. While there we saw, in Munich, in particular, the most incredible parks and gardens I've ever seen. Those of you who have been know what I'm referring to. It is such a statement about your community when it's done. I'd be happy to help buy bulbs or seed, but I live too far away to help tend such a project. Are there pictures anywhere of the glads referred to earlier, Bob? I'd love to see how it looked back then. More later. Again, love this dialogue (especially the Hawkeye Update - even though it wasn't my school.)Regards, Fred Dorr
I'm having trouble posting to this site, so I'll try a short version first. (My first attempt indicated it was going through, but didn't show up.) My brother Kurt Dorr told me about this blogspot. Great idea, Bob. I'm the second son of Melvin and Margaret Dorr. Live in Des Moines and am in my late '50's. I especially like the historical pieces posted about Marcus. Does anyone have photos of the flower bed referred to? It sounds wonderful. I'd love to see pictures if they are still around. Fred
Bob: Thanks for your response. If you find the flower photos, I'd love to see them (even if in B&W.) Have you ever seen the Lady B. Johnson-inpired miles and miles of Indian Paintbrushes, Buttercups and Bluebonnets that the Texas DOT plants along hundreds of miles of Texas highways? If you have you know they are gorgeous. If not, use "google" and go to "Texas highways flower facts" for a short course on what Texas does. That state sows more than 47,000 pounds of wildflower seeds each fall along many miles of its highways. I think it would be wonderful for Marcus to convince the appropriate highway authorities to allow it to seed both sides of the roughly one mile on Hwy. 3 south of Marcus. Wouldn't that be a sight? There are highway mowing and safety issues and I'm sure many other bureaucratic concerns that would have to be addressed, but somehow Texas overcame that. If the flowers were native to the area, they wouldn't require much maintenance. Just a thought. Fred
Just read my Marcus News and saw this article about the blog. I have enjoyed reading the stories about mystical Oyens and the momentous Iowa/LSU game, despite the fact that I am a ISU grad myself. I remember my father once pointing out a small building straight south of Marcus where he said his parents, Ed and Amanda Meylor, danced to the champagne music of Lawrence Welk ... maybe that "spot" was Fielding?? I graduated from Marcus High in 1975 and have lived on the East Coast for the last 25 years, with the last 19 in Rhode Island. Iam in the process of contacting classmates about a fuss-free 30th class reunion on Saturday during this year's Marcus Fair at JB's Bar and Grill. I am having trouble finding some addresses, so I thought I'd pass along my "No address" list to see if anyone out there can help or knows someone who can. I have been a high school teacher for the past 10 years at a small high school in Massachusetts, and we just had a three-day snow hiatus ... rarely happens out here. Anyway, of course, that made me recall all those snow days out of school when I went to Holy Name through eighth grade. At the first hint of snow, the nuns would give us piles of homework just in case we got stuck at home. Our recent 24 inches (and 5 more last night) can never compare to the drifts I recall flanking Highway 3, despite those deep ditches all over the place. Anyway, back to my project. Here are the names of classmates that we do not have addresses for so far: Peter deBoer, John Fisher, Brad Hazen, Kathy Meehan Trudell, Don Short, Shawn Heilman, Jerry Steffen, Mike Olson, John Nelson, Mike Pedersen, and Joel McKernan. Thanks for any and all help!
Just read my Marcus News and saw this article about the blog. I have enjoyed reading the stories about mystical Oyens and the momentous Iowa/LSU game, despite the fact that I am a ISU grad myself. I remember my father once pointing out a small building straight south of Marcus where he said his parents, Ed and Amanda Meylor, danced to the champagne music of Lawrence Welk ... maybe that "spot" was Fielding?? I graduated from Marcus High in 1975 and have lived on the East Coast for the last 25 years, with the last 19 in Rhode Island. Iam in the process of contacting classmates about a fuss-free 30th class reunion on Saturday during this year's Marcus Fair at JB's Bar and Grill. I am having trouble finding some addresses, so I thought I'd pass along my "No address" list to see if anyone out there can help or knows someone who can. I have been a high school teacher for the past 10 years at a small high school in Massachusetts, and we just had a three-day snow hiatus ... rarely happens out here. Anyway, of course, that made me recall all those snow days out of school when I went to Holy Name through eighth grade. At the first hint of snow, the nuns would give us piles of homework just in case we got stuck at home. Our recent 24 inches (and 5 more last night) can never compare to the drifts I recall flanking Highway 3, despite those deep ditches all over the place. Anyway, back to my project. Here are the names of classmates that we do not have addresses for so far: Peter deBoer, John Fisher, Brad Hazen, Kathy Meehan Trudell, Don Short, Shawn Heilman, Jerry Steffen, Mike Olson, John Nelson, Mike Pedersen, and Joel McKernan. Thanks for any and all help!
Bobby G. - Great to hear from you!!! I'd love to see the group in 2006 (our 40th Class Reunion!). The problem is that I don't do boats well. Even after 3 years on a carrier in the Navy and one summer on a minesweeper, I never got over regular bouts of seasickness. I've tried everything and nothing helps. So, put me down to meet the group in Florida before or after, or at an island stop somewhere in between. It's a great idea. I'll pull out my Jimmy Buffett-style "Cheeseburger in Paradise" and Pina Colada and wait for the ship to dock.
Seems as though we were just downing french fries and Baby Ruth's, after football practice, at Lage's Cafe. Or scoopin' the lot at Kids Korner in Jimmy Irwin's copper-colored '57 Chevy - the only car that was so tricked out he would not let you in it, unless you took your shoes off first.
On a more somber note, the paper this morning reports that a soldier from Cherokee was one of the fatalities in the recent chopper crash in Iraq. It stated that it was the town's first military casualty since Vietnam. That brought back the memorey of that night at high school play practice (mid-60's) when Vicki Mead came into the gym crying. The family has just been advised that her brother-in-law (I think it was), Billy Kirchoff had just been killed in a paratrooper incident in Vietnam. We were all just stunned, remember that Bobby? It made the world feel very small and the threat very real. If a kid from Marcus could go there and die, it made all us young guys about to graduate and face the draft feel very vulnerable. I recall that as though it was last night. Fred
I'll be emailing you to get Jerry's address. Our class was always so good about staying connected. We had a class website until last year when it expired. Jerry kept in contact with us and then we lost touch. Thanks so much. So nice to hear that you've seen the prairie poetry site. It's a great way to get some things out there for people to read. I've put together one chapbook of poetry and I am working on another that focuses on a trip I took through North Dakota and Saskatchewan last summer. Incredibly beautiful country ... at least in July when it's warm!! Mrs. Dorr, I've read your poetry too and have enjoyed other articles you have written. I've met you through Miss Diment. My parents recently sent me a wonderful newspaper article on Miss Diment that I have saved. I was one of her shy and quiet freshmen students ... who went on to be one of her speech club diehards ... and I hear she is retiring this year!!
So sorry to hear about Cindy's husband. Cindy lived north of town near us and we rode the same school bus throughout high school. I will let my sister Nancy know who was also a member of Cindy's class.
I am teaching a novel on the Vietnam War now called The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien. These short web videos add so much to the discussion. Here is another tribute that is well done.
Copy and paste this link that will take you to a column in the Rocky Mountain News about Tom Meylor (Holy Name High grad ... about '42 or '43). The article is about the dedication of a memorial to honor Purple Heart recipients in Colorado.
I have just sent another email to the Marcus News about the lack of mailing addresses in their stories about fundraising for town activities. It is very frustrating!! This time it was about the town pool. Now I don't know about you, but I spent a good portion of my summers in that cement pond!! I wrote them before about a story about Dollars for Scholars. Maybe someone can help me here! Again, no address for more information or where to send funds!! Of course, I would support scholarships for Marcus High graduates ... I probably know their families better than those here in East Providence and I support them!! The Marcus News must go to a very large percentage of FORMER residents, but rarely are we ever considered as readers or someone who wants to stay involved. Maybe someone in Marcus on this blog can help to get the message out. I have written the News on more than one occasion to get more information on programs with little response or help. I'm sure I am not the only one who feels this way. Marcus might think of turning more to its former residents who still feel a tug of the heart or who still have family there. The "community" of Marcus is much larger than the 1000-some people who reside there!!
I couldn't agree more about your support for Marcus, Julia. As an example, last night I was watching a portion of a sports talk show on cable TV. Appearing, as a guest, was a former player from the original basketball team in Indiana on which the classic movie "Hooisers" was based. His hometown (Milan, Indiana or something like that) is a town of 1500 people I believe he said. (Roughly the size of Marcus.) When that town won the state basketball championship, and the kids and families returned home from Indianapolis, the returning parade of cars was 13 miles long. The Indiana Highway Patrol estimated over 40,000 visitors/residents in that town that day.
People have a strong attachment to small towns, especially those who grew up in one. That natural connection should be nurtured and cultivated. It requires someone to set up a data base of current and former residents, followed by communication about people and projects.
I've asserted the same thing at the state level for years. Jerry Junkins, from small town Iowa, until his death not long ago, was the head of Texas Instruments. An ex-CEO of Coca Cola, original backers of Intel, and the founder of Gateway, to name just a few, all have Iowa roots. Yet no one makes a concentrated effort to identify, stay in touch with and bring these Iowa-based matters to their attention. Instead, these people fund/contribute to projects in their adopted hometowns, once they leave Iowa.
The local paper should provide more detail, as you suggest, Julia. There are other options available, as well. New Hampton, Iowa built a new library, in large part because of financial support from a few local benefactors. Perry, Iowa got its Hotel Pattee because a young girl who grew up there, went off to California with fond memories of her hometown. She was able to help financially in a very significant way in later putting that project together. The Hotel Winneshiek in Decorah, Iowa (another lovely hotel) is the product of a local girl who went off to Chicago, but always remembered her hometown.
These projects are all around us. Like most things, it requires someone to take up the cause, pull it all together and communicate.
There are some amazing people who have Marcus as a birthplace. This blogspot serves to underscore that for me. As I used to tell people when I left the state to go to college, many of the clearest thinkers, most worldwise, caring and decent people I know are those from my hometown. For me, it started with my parents, but then expanded to my school, my church, my friends and classmates, athletic teams/other extracurricular activities and the adults in the community, generally. Fred
I hope I didn't offend anyone with comments about the Marcus News. I have been a faithful subscriber for almost 30 years now! It is the link that provides me with something I can get nowhere else! I am always amazed at the staying power of the small town press in Iowa. It is a rare bird that must be respected and supported. I simply suggest that the residents of Marcus realize that even though we don't reside there any longer, our roots are still strong. It isn't until many of us have pulled up those roots a few times that we realize how lucky we are to have such long-standing attachments to a place, people, and its memories. We take it for granted in so many ways. We may not reside there, but it will always be "home." Those of us who still make it back regularly would not be offended if asked to support a town that has given so much to us. In fact, I think one of our greatest fears is that one day this Brigadoon will fade away into the endless fields of northwestern Iowa. A database is a wonderful idea; I'm not sure how or where it would be maintained. Four years ago when I first had questions about the Dollars for Scholars program and was trying to put something together as a class gift, I was told that Marcus High alumni would be contacted about the program so I waited ... and then promptly forgot about it until the subject came up again the Marcus News recently. To date I haven't received any information. There is a Marcus, Iowa, website. Maybe up-to-date contacts on local fund drives and programs could be maintained there. Marcus residents have done a wonderful job of taking care of their world; I just want to remind them that there are others willing to take on some of the responsibility. I know I have enjoyed splendid fireworks displays and awesome Marcus Fairs. I know of no local chuch in Rhode Island that has such beautiful stained glass windows as those found in my own small hometown church, and it is a favorite haunt along with morning walks at the high school track. So you see, I make use of the town services whenever I am back. I guess I don't have a lot of answers, just a willingness to stir up questions and ideas. There is one thing I am sure of: the key is communication and I thank Bob Reed for this site (a man I have never met but I did attend his reading at the town's 125th and have a signed copy of his book!) I also apologive for going on long so here. I'll sit back for awhile now. :)
Thank you. Thank you. I have all the info I need on Dollars for Scholars! Now to try to get my classmates interested in a Class of 1975 Scholarship ... now how about the swimming pool fund? Haven't seen an address for that yet ... although Lori at the News has been quite helpful.
Let's stir things up here! Let's tell some stories ... I love stories ... especially about places I know. Tell us your favorite memory of growing up in Marcus.
P.S. John Carey sent me a wonderful pamphlet on Dollars for Scholars and I've sent off my contribution to warm up the Marcus Pool ... Although I have to tell you, I remember early morning swimming lessons at that UNheated pool back in the day. Quite a shock to the system ... but the smell of chlorine still brings it all back. Sad to say we don't have municiple pools like that out here, just pool clubs and backyard pools and, well, an ocean. :) But it's just not the same.
FOOD MEMORIES: One abiding memory for me was the seasonal (summmertime) downtown popocorn stand with its lone, outside yellow light. On Saturday nights Main Street (1950's-early 60's) was the place to be. Lots of parked cars, kids and parents walking around, and young teens checking each other out. I remember talking with my friends while watching the popcorn spin in that big popper. It was then quickly upended and its piping hot contents scooped up to serve those of us patiently waiting in line for those sizzling,white morsels. The enticing smell of it was everywhere, drawing people to that little stand like a hobo to a window-ledge pie. Other than old-fashioned (using the now-forbidden coconut oil) movie popcorn, that "Saturday-night popcorn" was some of the best I've ever had. When finished, you always topped it off by inflating and then bursting those little white sacks it came in. Pound the popcorn bag with your hands, jump on it with both feet, the effect was the same. A fitting finish to a great American treat.
As for other Marcus food memories,the frozen snickers and stretch taffy at the swimming pool came in a close second. On a hot day, after a swim, nothing was better.
Ah, and then the sweetcorn. When it came in fresh it was everywhere. Jammin' kernels between your teeth, butter dripping down your chin, it didn't matter. It was finally sweet corn season and there was little time to waste. Nobody worried about too much salt or butter. Slather'em up and see who could put away the most - 7,8 or 9 ears, as long as there was plenty of cold milk handy to wash it down with.
Later, a watermelon (which tasted even sweeter from someone else's patch-so I've heard) was broken open. You could wander around spitting seeds and letting the red juices drip on the ground. Wipe your mouth on your sleeve, if you needed.
Those hometown memories are ingrained in my mind like the faces on Mt. Rushmore. Always there to revisit whenever whim or fancy strikes. Fred
What's the statute of limitations on some of the stuff we did, Bobby? Do I still have a right to remain silent?
As for watermelon escapades, the one I remember best was a group of high school kids checking out a watermelon patch when the farmer showed up on his front porch and fired off a shotgun blast. My understanding is that the group had an immediate change of plans.
And then there was climbing the old Marcus water tower, and someone leaving a letter jacket up there to prove it had been done.
And jumping on a train at the depot (while a group was supposed to be decorating a Homecoming float) and riding it to Remsen. It had fully functional jeeps and other military equipment on it headed for the West Coast and then Viet Nam. The horns worked as did the lights. The train crew stopped the train just west of Marcus while they shot flares in the air to check out what was going on. Finding nothing, the train went on. What a great sensation, flying through the dark night air on the seat of a Jeep, anchored to a rail car, with a group of friends. We had to jump off while the train was moving through Remsen (it slowed, but didn't stop). "The Great Train Ride" our Class of '66 calls it. What a great memory.
The play sounds great, Bobby. I'll try to find it somewhere and see it. As always, good to hear from you. Fred
If you have a castlist from the play about Iowa, could you tell me who wrote it?
Love the memories ... keep it up. More, more!!
The play reminds me of our own summer vacations. We were one of those families who loaded up the car with kids and luggage for family trips. Most hilarious time? My dad rigged up this box on the top of our big Chevy Bel Air to hold the overflow bags etc. on a trip to New York with five kids in the car. Of course, he had to emblazon it with "The Meylors from Marcus, Iowa." Anyway, we were lost in some godforsaken spot in Manhattan and we were going the wrong way down a one-way street. The kids hanging out on the stoops yelled at us to go back to Iowa. We had forgotten about the sign on top of the car. The four teens in the back seat slipped down so no one could see us. We felt like the Joads from Grapes of Wrath!
What about the downtown Knox Cafe, Sundays after church. What a great soda fountain. It was dark in there, regardless of time of day, but always lively and abuzz with lots of people, especially on weekends. And, you could get the Sunday Chicago Tribune there. Chicago, then, seemed like a foreign country. (To some it still may be.) There were all these mysteries about that place, too. Fred Knox had a "gold coin collection". No one else I knew did. Why did he? Did he know something the rest didn't? You could sense a certain excitement in that place, whenever you walked in. It was kind of like peeking into the front doors of the old Holy Name gym on a Saturday night when adults were square dancing in there. You saw grown-ups acting like they normally didn't during the week. I remember seeing some of my friends' moms flouncing their skirts around and showing off their bloomers. It felt like an illicit insight into something kids weren't necessarily supposed to see.
My dad always talked about not being able to go to dances (his father was very religious and didn't approve), so they would hang around the dance hall in Fielding (I think it was) watching Lawrence Welk through the windows and listening to him through the open doors.
When we'd peer through the doors of the Catholic school gym, I felt much the same, a generation later. Fred
Is there an easy way to explain what ethanol is to a doubting New Englander ... and why does it get bad pr? Also, the Cape Codders are mad as heck that the waters off their playground are being considered for a wind farm. Are there any complaints about the operations of wind farms surrounding areas around Marcus? You would think we would embrace these alternative sources. What's the problem in simple layperson's terms?
Ethanol and Wind Energy: (two very hot political/social buttons depending on your perspective)
1. Ethanol: Renewable energy generated through processing of corn. Lots of plants being built in Iowa right now - especially northwest and central Iowa. It creates significant new markets for corn for those selling, but for those buying locally to feed livestock, it creates additional costs. Since there are more farmer-sellers of corn than buyers in most rural areas, these plants and this technology are viewed positively in most farm communities.
It does reduce dependence on foreign oil, so that is a positive.
Until oil prices reached recent levels, ethanol was more expensive to buy at retail (gas pump), and even then dependent on federal subsidies to be sold at those pricing levels. Non-ag types are usually upset over the federal subsidization of this fuel. The federal government is considering an increase in the level of required ethanol use/purchases which would create more market demand for ethanol producers (and corn farmers), but moves that source of fuel even further from a true market-driven pricing point.
Summary: If you have corn to sell, have an interest in an ethanol plant, are interested in development of renewable fuels and want to see our country rely less on middle eastern oil, this is all a good thing, albeit it is a source of fuel that is expensive, even with federal price supports and mandated use requirements. (The coastal perception is that it is artificial, federal support for an energy source that wouldn't be price competitive in a true market economy.) There are side issues about what it does or doesn't do to auto engines when used, and related matters, but most of those have been discounted now.
2. Wind Energy: Lots of these facilities are being built in Iowa and many more to come. Local farmers get paid to allow them to be sited on their property and again, they are a renewable energy source. Since Iowa is one of the windiest spots in the nation - a surprise to many - there are lots of opportunities here. They usually draw two objections, if at all: Esthetically they change the landscape and they have unprotected blades which aren't foregiving when birds fly into them. (For an interesting take on the latter, read Michael Crichton's latest - "State of Fear". He talks a little about environmentalists being upset with wind farms and their impact on birds.)
Hope this helps. Depending on "whose ox is being gored" people have strong feelings about these energy sources, as you've observed. Fred
Thanks Fred for the explaination of ethenol and wind farms. I didn't know Iowa was one of the "windiest" states. My wife,Max is from South Dakota and the wind really blows up there on the prairie. In 1949,it stopped blowing one day-- and everybody fell over.
Many of you have probably seen this one on the web, but it does stake out a position for our beloved state. Rules to Enter Iowa: Applies to each person as they enter Iowa. Learn & remember: East Coast and California-types pay particular attention!
1. Pull your droopy pants up. You look like an idiot.
2. Let's get this straight; it's called a "gravel road." I drive a pickup truck because I want to. No matter how slow you drive, you're going to get dust on your Lexus. Drive it or get out of the way.
3. They are cattle & feed lots. That's what they smell like to you. They smell like money to us. Get over it. Don't like it? I-80 goes east and west, I-35 goes north and south. Pick one.
4. So you have a $60,000 car. We're impressed. We have $200,000 corn/bean combines that are driven only 3 weeks a year.
5. So every person in every pickup waves. It's called being friendly. Try to understand the concept.
6. If that cell phone rings while a bunch of pheasants are coming in, we WILL shoot it out of your hand. You better hope you don't have it up to your ear at the time.
7. Yeah, we eat catfish. You really want sushi & caviar? It's available at the corner bait shop.
8. The "Opener" refers to the first day of pheasant season. It's a religious holiday held the closest Saturday to the first of November.
9. We open doors for women. That is applied to all women, regardless of age.
10. No, there's no "vegetarian special" on the menu. Order steak. Or you can order the Chef's Salad and pick off the 2 pounds of ham & turkey.
11. When we fill out a table, there are three main dishes: meats, vegetables, and breads. We use three spices: salt, pepper, and Picante Sauce. Oh, yeah.... We don't care what you folks in Malibu call that stuff you eat... It AINT REAL Maid-Rites !! Maid-Rites were born and bred in Iowa .... and real Maid-Rites never met ground turkey!
12. You bring "coke" into my house, it better be brown, wet, and served over ice. You bring "Mary Jane" into my house, she better be cute, know how to shoot, drive a truck, and have long hair.
13. The "Hawkeyes", "Cyclones" and"Panthers" and High School Football is as important here as the Lakers and the Knicks, and a dang site more fun to watch.
14. Yeah, we have golf courses. But don't hit the water hazards - it spooks the fish.
15. Colleges? Try Iowa City, Ames, Des Moines, Cedar Falls, or abunch a' others. They come outa there with an education plus a love for God and country, and they still wave at passing pickups when they come for the holidays.
16. Our state is home to "The Big Three, " so if you feel inclined to flip the bird to one of us in the state of Iowa, you'll get your happy, flabby eastern/California behind whipped by the best!
Always remember what Gen. Eisenhower once said:
"IOWA can make it without the United States , but the United States can't make it without IOWA."
What is the Northwest Iowa Review and where is it published? Thanks for the clear and coherent explanation on ethanol and wind farms. I have seen the wind farms several times back home ... they are hard to miss, but I don't find them eyesores in any way. In fact, they stand out as positive alternatives for energy that make so much sense ... like the old windmills that once were so common.
Karen - great to hear from you. Your comment about the movie theatre reminded me of a great memory of the Marland Under the Stars. Barry (whose last name I won't mention) but he had a twin brother named Larry who we all know and love, threw a wad of bubblegum through the screen leaving a pretty good sized hole. I remember watching Elvis' "Blue Hawaii" there and everytime good things would happen on the right side of the screen you'd miss just a little bit because of that "wound". And when we were young we'd run home at night after the movies past a house or two that we all just knew had "crazy people" or "escapees from the Cherokee Mental Health Unit" lurking behind the curtains watching us. Kind of like the Boo Radley experience in "To Kill A Mockingbird" now that I think about it.
I may go home Memorial Day weekend. If I do I'll be sure to call, Bobby. Fred
This is Bob Reed Jr. I am this close to persuading the parents to make some changes to the structure of this discussion blog in order to make it a little easier to use. You'll see for one thing, I've tweaked a setting to provide a better date stamp on these comments. Stay tuned.
The parents are out of town visiting and partying in Washington DC. So I'm going ahead and making these changes..
This discussion thread is now closed, and we will create a new thread periodically. The active thread can be found by following the link to "home" below.
IMPORTANT: If you have bookmarked this location right here for following the discussion, you need to change your bookmark to the home page: http://marcusiowa.blogspot.com/
The following little story won an award and was published in the Iowa Alumni Magazine. It may bring out some memories about that little town near Marcus.
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Couldn't figure out how to add the story. Max will post it as soon as she finds it.
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Shangri-La, Iowa
by Bob Reed
It was—-maybe still is—-a small town in the rolling hills of northwest Iowa. To call it a town, though, is an exaggeration. It’s probably best described in good old Midwestern terms as “a wide spot in the road.”
But when I was growing up in the 1940s in a town a few miles away, Oyens became a mystical part of my life. It’s remained so to this day—even though I’ve never seen the place.
I used to pass by it a lot, though, in the back seat of my parents’ 1936 Chevy, en route from my hometown of Marcus to Sioux City. That off-the-highway spot was the real measure of our progress. “We’re coming up to Oyens,” my mother used to say with some satisfaction. My father merely grunted, for he was intent on navigating the dangerously narrow highway with the high curbs.
And sure enough, a small homemade sign and an arrow pointing north would appear, positioned just past—not before—the intersection of a gravel road. It was as if Oyens’ inhabitants were grudgingly admitting its presence after the fact. Perhaps it was their way of discouraging visitors. As we sped past the intersection at 40 miles per hour, I could actually see the place. From a rise in the little hills and over an early cornfield, I could glimpse a bunch of trees about a mile down the gravel road. Nestled between the leaves were flashes of white houses.
I wondered about its population. I asked my parents and there was a long silence. I don’t think the question had ever come up before. Finally, my mother ventured, “Oh, maybe 100 folks.”
“More like ten,” my father snorted.
That fired my imagination. Cleghorn, also on Route 75, had some 300 souls in residence, and Meriden had maybe 100. But ten people, hidden in a grove in a distant valley! I felt a sudden superiority, somehow less rural. My town, with its 1,300 citizens, was so much bigger.
And so, whenever we approached the Oyens intersection, I positioned myself to get a better look. Sometimes, autumn corn stalks obscured it; other times, a mist or big, soft flakes of falling snow shrouded it. But it was there, and I began to feel a strange satisfaction and comfort in that thought.
I imagined all sorts of configurations to the place. Were there three houses and a general store/gas station? Was there a creek among the trees? Where did the kids go to school, and what did they do on Saturday night? Was anybody in the army, or overseas? And, later—did any girls my age live there?
The spot began to take over a fanciful section of my imagination, as I half-realized that I could make it into anything I wanted. Gradually, I became cautious and protective of it. When I started driving and traveled the country roads in pursuit of the high school girl-of-the-month, I still took notice of Oyens. But somehow, I had the intuitive good sense to avoid it.
Fortunately, I’ve never met anyone who lived there. There has been no one to spoil my private speculations about my personal sanctuary. My illusions are still wonderfully intact.
Oyens is my soft Shangri-La, the haven I turn to in my mind in times of turmoil. It’s a muggy spot under a summer sun, with cool lemonade in the shade of a big tree. It’s a place to curl up in like a blanket, with a cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter night. It’s peaceful and manageable and tranquil and down-to-earth and honest and clean and simple.
My secret nook, my Brigadoon, is a niche where I can move all my dearest memories and thoughts and rearrange them as I please. It’s been that way through a war, health problems, and involuntary exile from my beloved Iowa. I suppose each of us has a similar harbor somewhere in our hearts—a station where we can return to refresh our souls.
But no, I’ve never been to Oyens—and I intend never to go there.
Occasionally, I wonder whether my fantasies had—or have—any relationship to reality. Or even whether the place still exists. But please, don’t anyone violate my innocence by informing me of the truth about my wondrous refuge. Some things in life are best left unexamined. And some dreams should be silently held, close to the heart, forever.
Bob Reed, 56BA, is an award-winner in Iowa Alumni Magazine’s nonfiction writing competition 2003. The retired PBS executive and college professor now lives in Florida, but he thinks often of his beloved Iowa
Donnie Peters says it's 78 degrees in San Diego! It's near the 30' here in Florida and we are freezing! Does anyone know where the Japanese Garden ballroom in Marcus was located in the '30s and early 40's? Was it above the bowling alley? Or was it someplace else down by the railroad tracks? Who played there besides Warren Reed and the Ten Tuneful Tombstones? And did Lawrence Welk really play at Fielding in his early career?
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I'm new to this site. My brother, Kurt (I'm the second son of Melvin and Margaret Dorr) told me about it. I love what I've read so far. I live in Des Moines. Thanks to Bob Reed for setting this up. I especially enjoy the Marcus history pieces. I found the "flower garden" story very interesting. After seeing what San Diego, Chicago and Texas highways, to name a few, do with flower plantings I've always wanted to see our state do more. I know it's lots of work. (We grew up taking care of all the pine trees our mom and dad planted north of Marcus. I know what watering, weeding and mowing is all about.) The effect is wonderful, though. Has the Marcus Garden Club (if there is one) ever considered a community flower project near the edge of town? A couple of years ago I went to Europe with my daughter and some other kids and parents. While there we saw, in Munich, in particular, the most incredible parks and gardens I've ever seen. Those of you who have been know what I'm referring to. It is such a statement about your community when it's done. I'd be happy to help buy bulbs or seed, but I live too far away to help tend such a project. Are there pictures anywhere of the glads referred to earlier, Bob? I'd love to see how it looked back then. More later. Again, love this dialogue (especially the Hawkeye Update - even though it wasn't my school.)Regards, Fred Dorr
ReplyDeleteI'm having trouble posting to this site, so I'll try a short version first. (My first attempt indicated it was going through, but didn't show up.) My brother Kurt Dorr told me about this blogspot. Great idea, Bob. I'm the second son of Melvin and Margaret Dorr. Live in Des Moines and am in my late '50's. I especially like the historical pieces posted about Marcus. Does anyone have photos of the flower bed referred to? It sounds wonderful. I'd love to see pictures if they are still around. Fred
ReplyDeleteBob: Thanks for your response. If you find the flower photos, I'd love to see them (even if in B&W.) Have you ever seen the Lady B. Johnson-inpired miles and miles of Indian Paintbrushes, Buttercups and Bluebonnets that the Texas DOT plants along hundreds of miles of Texas highways? If you have you know they are gorgeous. If not, use "google" and go to "Texas highways flower facts" for a short course on what Texas does. That state sows more than 47,000 pounds of wildflower seeds each fall along many miles of its highways. I think it would be wonderful for Marcus to convince the appropriate highway authorities to allow it to seed both sides of the roughly one mile on Hwy. 3 south of Marcus. Wouldn't that be a sight? There are highway mowing and safety issues and I'm sure many other bureaucratic concerns that would have to be addressed, but somehow Texas overcame that. If the flowers were native to the area, they wouldn't require much maintenance. Just a thought. Fred
ReplyDeleteGreeting Marcus, Iowans past and present!
ReplyDeleteJust read my Marcus News and saw this article about the blog. I have enjoyed reading the stories about mystical Oyens and the momentous Iowa/LSU game, despite the fact that I am a ISU grad myself. I remember my father once pointing out a small building straight south of Marcus where he said his parents, Ed and Amanda Meylor, danced to the champagne music of Lawrence Welk ... maybe that "spot" was Fielding??
I graduated from Marcus High in 1975 and have lived on the East Coast for the last 25 years, with the last 19 in Rhode Island. Iam in the process of contacting classmates about a fuss-free 30th class reunion on Saturday during this year's Marcus Fair at JB's Bar and Grill.
I am having trouble finding some addresses, so I thought I'd pass along my "No address" list to see if anyone out there can help or knows someone who can.
I have been a high school teacher for the past 10 years at a small high school in Massachusetts, and we just had a three-day snow hiatus ... rarely happens out here. Anyway, of course, that made me recall all those snow days out of school when I went to Holy Name through eighth grade. At the first hint of snow, the nuns would give us piles of homework just in case we got stuck at home. Our recent 24 inches (and 5 more last night) can never compare to the drifts I recall flanking Highway 3, despite those deep ditches all over the place.
Anyway, back to my project. Here are the names of classmates that we do not have addresses for so far:
Peter deBoer, John Fisher, Brad Hazen, Kathy Meehan Trudell, Don Short, Shawn Heilman, Jerry Steffen, Mike Olson, John Nelson, Mike Pedersen, and Joel McKernan.
Thanks for any and all help!
Greeting Marcus, Iowans past and present!
ReplyDeleteJust read my Marcus News and saw this article about the blog. I have enjoyed reading the stories about mystical Oyens and the momentous Iowa/LSU game, despite the fact that I am a ISU grad myself. I remember my father once pointing out a small building straight south of Marcus where he said his parents, Ed and Amanda Meylor, danced to the champagne music of Lawrence Welk ... maybe that "spot" was Fielding??
I graduated from Marcus High in 1975 and have lived on the East Coast for the last 25 years, with the last 19 in Rhode Island. Iam in the process of contacting classmates about a fuss-free 30th class reunion on Saturday during this year's Marcus Fair at JB's Bar and Grill.
I am having trouble finding some addresses, so I thought I'd pass along my "No address" list to see if anyone out there can help or knows someone who can.
I have been a high school teacher for the past 10 years at a small high school in Massachusetts, and we just had a three-day snow hiatus ... rarely happens out here. Anyway, of course, that made me recall all those snow days out of school when I went to Holy Name through eighth grade. At the first hint of snow, the nuns would give us piles of homework just in case we got stuck at home. Our recent 24 inches (and 5 more last night) can never compare to the drifts I recall flanking Highway 3, despite those deep ditches all over the place.
Anyway, back to my project. Here are the names of classmates that we do not have addresses for so far:
Peter deBoer, John Fisher, Brad Hazen, Kathy Meehan Trudell, Don Short, Shawn Heilman, Jerry Steffen, Mike Olson, John Nelson, Mike Pedersen, and Joel McKernan.
Thanks for any and all help!
Bobby G. - Great to hear from you!!! I'd love to see the group in 2006 (our 40th Class Reunion!). The problem is that I don't do boats well. Even after 3 years on a carrier in the Navy and one summer on a minesweeper, I never got over regular bouts of seasickness. I've tried everything and nothing helps. So, put me down to meet the group in Florida before or after, or at an island stop somewhere in between. It's a great idea. I'll pull out my Jimmy Buffett-style "Cheeseburger in Paradise" and Pina Colada and wait for the ship to dock.
ReplyDeleteSeems as though we were just downing french fries and Baby Ruth's, after football practice, at Lage's Cafe. Or scoopin' the lot at Kids Korner in Jimmy Irwin's copper-colored '57 Chevy - the only car that was so tricked out he would not let you in it, unless you took your shoes off first.
On a more somber note, the paper this morning reports that a soldier from Cherokee was one of the fatalities in the recent chopper crash in Iraq. It stated that it was the town's first military casualty since Vietnam. That brought back the memorey of that night at high school play practice (mid-60's) when Vicki Mead came into the gym crying. The family has just been advised that her brother-in-law (I think it was), Billy Kirchoff had just been killed in a paratrooper incident in Vietnam. We were all just stunned, remember that Bobby? It made the world feel very small and the threat very real. If a kid from Marcus could go there and die, it made all us young guys about to graduate and face the draft feel very vulnerable. I recall that as though it was last night. Fred
Hi Dan,
ReplyDeleteI'll be emailing you to get Jerry's address. Our class was always so good about staying connected. We had a class website until last year when it expired. Jerry kept in contact with us and then we lost touch. Thanks so much.
So nice to hear that you've seen the prairie poetry site. It's a great way to get some things out there for people to read. I've put together one chapbook of poetry and I am working on another that focuses on a trip I took through North Dakota and Saskatchewan last summer. Incredibly beautiful country ... at least in July when it's warm!!
Mrs. Dorr, I've read your poetry too and have enjoyed other articles you have written. I've met you through Miss Diment. My parents recently sent me a wonderful newspaper article on Miss Diment that I have saved. I was one of her shy and quiet freshmen students ... who went on to be one of her speech club diehards ... and I hear she is retiring this year!!
So sorry to hear about Cindy's husband. Cindy lived north of town near us and we rode the same school bus throughout high school. I will let my sister Nancy know who was also a member of Cindy's class.
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ReplyDeleteI am teaching a novel on the Vietnam War now called The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien. These short web videos add so much to the discussion. Here is another tribute that is well done.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.clermontyellow.accountsupport.com/flash/UntilThen.swf
Copy and paste this link that will take you to a column in the Rocky Mountain News about Tom Meylor (Holy Name High grad ... about '42 or '43). The article is about the dedication of a memorial to honor Purple Heart recipients in Colorado.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/news_columnists/article/0,1299,DRMN_86_3551773,00.html
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
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ReplyDeleteTom is my uncle, my dad's oldest brother.
ReplyDeleteI have just sent another email to the Marcus News about the lack of mailing addresses in their stories about fundraising for town activities. It is very frustrating!! This time it was about the town pool. Now I don't know about you, but I spent a good portion of my summers in that cement pond!! I wrote them before about a story about Dollars for Scholars. Maybe someone can help me here! Again, no address for more information or where to send funds!! Of course, I would support scholarships for Marcus High graduates ... I probably know their families better than those here in East Providence and I support them!! The Marcus News must go to a very large percentage of FORMER residents, but rarely are we ever considered as readers or someone who wants to stay involved. Maybe someone in Marcus on this blog can help to get the message out. I have written the News on more than one occasion to get more information on programs with little response or help. I'm sure I am not the only one who feels this way. Marcus might think of turning more to its former residents who still feel a tug of the heart or who still have family there. The "community" of Marcus is much larger than the 1000-some people who reside there!!
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more about your support for Marcus, Julia. As an example, last night I was watching a portion of a sports talk show on cable TV. Appearing, as a guest, was a former player from the original basketball team in Indiana on which the classic movie "Hooisers" was based. His hometown (Milan, Indiana or something like that) is a town of 1500 people I believe he said. (Roughly the size of Marcus.) When that town won the state basketball championship, and the kids and families returned home from Indianapolis, the returning parade of cars was 13 miles long. The Indiana Highway Patrol estimated over 40,000 visitors/residents in that town that day.
ReplyDeletePeople have a strong attachment to small towns, especially those who grew up in one. That natural connection should be nurtured and cultivated. It requires someone to set up a data base of current and former residents, followed by communication about people and projects.
I've asserted the same thing at the state level for years. Jerry Junkins, from small town Iowa, until his death not long ago, was the head of Texas Instruments. An ex-CEO of Coca Cola, original backers of Intel, and the founder of Gateway, to name just a few, all have Iowa roots. Yet no one makes a concentrated effort to identify, stay in touch with and bring these Iowa-based matters to their attention. Instead, these people fund/contribute to projects in their adopted hometowns, once they leave Iowa.
The local paper should provide more detail, as you suggest, Julia. There are other options available, as well. New Hampton, Iowa built a new library, in large part because of financial support from a few local benefactors. Perry, Iowa got its Hotel Pattee because a young girl who grew up there, went off to California with fond memories of her hometown. She was able to help financially in a very significant way in later putting that project together. The Hotel Winneshiek in Decorah, Iowa (another lovely hotel) is the product of a local girl who went off to Chicago, but always remembered her hometown.
These projects are all around us. Like most things, it requires someone to take up the cause, pull it all together and communicate.
There are some amazing people who have Marcus as a birthplace. This blogspot serves to underscore that for me. As I used to tell people when I left the state to go to college, many of the clearest thinkers, most worldwise, caring and decent people I know are those from my hometown. For me, it started with my parents, but then expanded to my school, my church, my friends and classmates, athletic teams/other extracurricular activities and the adults in the community, generally. Fred
I hope I didn't offend anyone with comments about the Marcus News. I have been a faithful subscriber for almost 30 years now! It is the link that provides me with something I can get nowhere else! I am always amazed at the staying power of the small town press in Iowa. It is a rare bird that must be respected and supported. I simply suggest that the residents of Marcus realize that even though we don't reside there any longer, our roots are still strong. It isn't until many of us have pulled up those roots a few times that we realize how lucky we are to have such long-standing attachments to a place, people, and its memories. We take it for granted in so many ways. We may not reside there, but it will always be "home." Those of us who still make it back regularly would not be offended if asked to support a town that has given so much to us. In fact, I think one of our greatest fears is that one day this Brigadoon will fade away into the endless fields of northwestern Iowa. A database is a wonderful idea; I'm not sure how or where it would be maintained. Four years ago when I first had questions about the Dollars for Scholars program and was trying to put something together as a class gift, I was told that Marcus High alumni would be contacted about the program so I waited ... and then promptly forgot about it until the subject came up again the Marcus News recently. To date I haven't received any information. There is a Marcus, Iowa, website. Maybe up-to-date contacts on local fund drives and programs could be maintained there. Marcus residents have done a wonderful job of taking care of their world; I just want to remind them that there are others willing to take on some of the responsibility. I know I have enjoyed splendid fireworks displays and awesome Marcus Fairs. I know of no local chuch in Rhode Island that has such beautiful stained glass windows as those found in my own small hometown church, and it is a favorite haunt along with morning walks at the high school track. So you see, I make use of the town services whenever I am back. I guess I don't have a lot of answers, just a willingness to stir up questions and ideas. There is one thing I am sure of: the key is communication and I thank Bob Reed for this site (a man I have never met but I did attend his reading at the town's 125th and have a signed copy of his book!) I also apologive for going on long so here. I'll sit back for awhile now. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you. Thank you. I have all the info I need on Dollars for Scholars! Now to try to get my classmates interested in a Class of 1975 Scholarship ... now how about the swimming pool fund? Haven't seen an address for that yet ... although Lori at the News has been quite helpful.
ReplyDeleteLet's stir things up here! Let's tell some stories ... I love stories ... especially about places I know. Tell us your favorite memory of growing up in Marcus.
ReplyDeleteP.S. John Carey sent me a wonderful pamphlet on Dollars for Scholars and I've sent off my contribution to warm up the Marcus Pool ... Although I have to tell you, I remember early morning swimming lessons at that UNheated pool back in the day. Quite a shock to the system ... but the smell of chlorine still brings it all back.
Sad to say we don't have municiple pools like that out here, just pool clubs and backyard pools and, well, an ocean. :) But it's just not the same.
FOOD MEMORIES: One abiding memory for me was the seasonal (summmertime) downtown popocorn stand with its lone, outside yellow light. On Saturday nights Main Street (1950's-early 60's) was the place to be. Lots of parked cars, kids and parents walking around, and young teens checking each other out. I remember talking with my friends while watching the popcorn spin in that big popper. It was then quickly upended and its piping hot contents scooped up to serve those of us patiently waiting in line for those sizzling,white morsels. The enticing smell of it was everywhere, drawing people to that little stand like a hobo to a window-ledge pie. Other than old-fashioned (using the now-forbidden coconut oil) movie popcorn, that "Saturday-night popcorn" was some of the best I've ever had. When finished, you always topped it off by inflating and then bursting those little white sacks it came in. Pound the popcorn bag with your hands, jump on it with both feet, the effect was the same. A fitting finish to a great American treat.
ReplyDeleteAs for other Marcus food memories,the frozen snickers and stretch taffy at the swimming pool came in a close second. On a hot day, after a swim, nothing was better.
Ah, and then the sweetcorn. When it came in fresh it was everywhere. Jammin' kernels between your teeth, butter dripping down your chin, it didn't matter. It was finally sweet corn season and there was little time to waste. Nobody worried about too much salt or butter. Slather'em up and see who could put away the most - 7,8 or 9 ears, as long as there was plenty of cold milk handy to wash it down with.
Later, a watermelon (which tasted even sweeter from someone else's patch-so I've heard) was broken open. You could wander around spitting seeds and letting the red juices drip on the ground. Wipe your mouth on your sleeve, if you needed.
Those hometown memories are ingrained in my mind like the faces on Mt. Rushmore. Always there to revisit whenever whim or fancy strikes. Fred
What's the statute of limitations on some of the stuff we did, Bobby? Do I still have a right to remain silent?
ReplyDeleteAs for watermelon escapades, the one I remember best was a group of high school kids checking out a watermelon patch when the farmer showed up on his front porch and fired off a shotgun blast. My understanding is that the group had an immediate change of plans.
And then there was climbing the old Marcus water tower, and someone leaving a letter jacket up there to prove it had been done.
And jumping on a train at the depot (while a group was supposed to be decorating a Homecoming float) and riding it to Remsen. It had fully functional jeeps and other military equipment on it headed for the West Coast and then Viet Nam. The horns worked as did the lights. The train crew stopped the train just west of Marcus while they shot flares in the air to check out what was going on. Finding nothing, the train went on. What a great sensation, flying through the dark night air on the seat of a Jeep, anchored to a rail car, with a group of friends. We had to jump off while the train was moving through Remsen (it slowed, but didn't stop). "The Great Train Ride" our Class of '66 calls it. What a great memory.
The play sounds great, Bobby. I'll try to find it somewhere and see it. As always, good to hear from you. Fred
If you have a castlist from the play about Iowa, could you tell me who wrote it?
ReplyDeleteLove the memories ... keep it up. More, more!!
The play reminds me of our own summer vacations. We were one of those families who loaded up the car with kids and luggage for family trips. Most hilarious time? My dad rigged up this box on the top of our big Chevy Bel Air to hold the overflow bags etc. on a trip to New York with five kids in the car. Of course, he had to emblazon it with "The Meylors from Marcus, Iowa." Anyway, we were lost in some godforsaken spot in Manhattan and we were going the wrong way down a one-way street. The kids hanging out on the stoops yelled at us to go back to Iowa. We had forgotten about the sign on top of the car. The four teens in the back seat slipped down so no one could see us. We felt like the Joads from Grapes of Wrath!
What about the downtown Knox Cafe, Sundays after church. What a great soda fountain. It was dark in there, regardless of time of day, but always lively and abuzz with lots of people, especially on weekends. And, you could get the Sunday Chicago Tribune there. Chicago, then, seemed like a foreign country. (To some it still may be.) There were all these mysteries about that place, too. Fred Knox had a "gold coin collection". No one else I knew did. Why did he? Did he know something the rest didn't? You could sense a certain excitement in that place, whenever you walked in. It was kind of like peeking into the front doors of the old Holy Name gym on a Saturday night when adults were square dancing in there. You saw grown-ups acting like they normally didn't during the week. I remember seeing some of my friends' moms flouncing their skirts around and showing off their bloomers. It felt like an illicit insight into something kids weren't necessarily supposed to see.
ReplyDeleteMy dad always talked about not being able to go to dances (his father was very religious and didn't approve), so they would hang around the dance hall in Fielding (I think it was) watching Lawrence Welk through the windows and listening to him through the open doors.
When we'd peer through the doors of the Catholic school gym, I felt much the same, a generation later. Fred
Is there an easy way to explain what ethanol is to a doubting New Englander ... and why does it get bad pr? Also, the Cape Codders are mad as heck that the waters off their playground are being considered for a wind farm. Are there any complaints about the operations of wind farms surrounding areas around Marcus? You would think we would embrace these alternative sources. What's the problem in simple layperson's terms?
ReplyDeleteDon't know anything about Ethenol except that many folks say it will cut our reliance on Middle Eastern Oil. Can anyone help Julia and me?
ReplyDeleteBob Reed
We are testing out a new orgainization for this blog. In the meantime, can anyone help explain Ethanol to Julie and me?
ReplyDeleteEthanol and Wind Energy: (two very hot political/social buttons depending on your perspective)
ReplyDelete1. Ethanol: Renewable energy generated through processing of corn. Lots of plants being built in Iowa right now - especially northwest and central Iowa. It creates significant new markets for corn for those selling, but for those buying locally to feed livestock, it creates additional costs. Since there are more farmer-sellers of corn than buyers in most rural areas, these plants and this technology are viewed positively in most farm communities.
It does reduce dependence on foreign oil, so that is a positive.
Until oil prices reached recent levels, ethanol was more expensive to buy at retail (gas pump), and even then dependent on federal subsidies to be sold at those pricing levels. Non-ag types are usually upset over the federal subsidization of this fuel. The federal government is considering an increase in the level of required ethanol use/purchases which would create more market demand for ethanol producers (and corn farmers), but moves that source of fuel even further from a true market-driven pricing point.
Summary: If you have corn to sell, have an interest in an ethanol plant, are interested in development of renewable fuels and want to see our country rely less on middle eastern oil, this is all a good thing, albeit it is a source of fuel that is expensive, even with federal price supports and mandated use requirements. (The coastal perception is that it is artificial, federal support for an energy source that wouldn't be price competitive in a true market economy.) There are side issues about what it does or doesn't do to auto engines when used, and related matters, but most of those have been discounted now.
2. Wind Energy: Lots of these facilities are being built in Iowa and many more to come. Local farmers get paid to allow them to be sited on their property and again, they are a renewable energy source. Since Iowa is one of the windiest spots in the nation - a surprise to many - there are lots of opportunities here. They usually draw two objections, if at all: Esthetically they change the landscape and they have unprotected blades which aren't foregiving when birds fly into them. (For an interesting take on the latter, read Michael Crichton's latest - "State of Fear". He talks a little about environmentalists being upset with wind farms and their impact on birds.)
Hope this helps. Depending on "whose ox is being gored" people have strong feelings about these energy sources, as you've observed. Fred
Thanks Fred for the explaination of ethenol and wind farms. I didn't know Iowa was one of the "windiest" states. My wife,Max is from South Dakota and the wind really blows up there on the prairie. In 1949,it stopped blowing one day-- and everybody fell over.
ReplyDeleteMany of you have probably seen this one on the web, but it does stake out a position for our beloved state.
ReplyDeleteRules to Enter Iowa:
Applies to each person as they enter Iowa. Learn & remember:
East Coast and California-types pay particular attention!
1. Pull your droopy pants up.
You look like an idiot.
2. Let's get this straight; it's called a "gravel road."
I drive a pickup truck because I want to.
No matter how slow you drive, you're going to get dust on your Lexus. Drive it or get out of the way.
3. They are cattle & feed lots.
That's what they smell like to you.
They smell like money to us.
Get over it.
Don't like it?
I-80 goes east and west, I-35 goes north and south.
Pick one.
4. So you have a $60,000 car.
We're impressed.
We have $200,000 corn/bean combines that are driven only 3 weeks a year.
5. So every person in every pickup waves.
It's called being friendly.
Try to understand the concept.
6. If that cell phone rings while a bunch of pheasants are coming in, we WILL shoot it out of your hand.
You better hope you don't have it up to your ear at the time.
7. Yeah, we eat catfish.
You really want sushi & caviar?
It's available at the corner bait shop.
8. The "Opener" refers to the first day of pheasant season.
It's a religious holiday held the closest Saturday to the first of November.
9. We open doors for women.
That is applied to all women, regardless of age.
10. No, there's no "vegetarian special" on the menu.
Order steak. Or you can order the Chef's Salad and pick off the 2 pounds of ham & turkey.
11. When we fill out a table, there are three main dishes: meats, vegetables, and breads. We use three spices: salt, pepper, and Picante Sauce.
Oh, yeah.... We don't care what you folks in Malibu call that stuff you eat... It AINT REAL Maid-Rites !!
Maid-Rites were born and bred in Iowa .... and real Maid-Rites never met ground turkey!
12. You bring "coke" into my house, it better be brown, wet, and served over ice. You bring "Mary Jane" into my house, she better be cute, know how to shoot, drive a truck, and have long hair.
13. The "Hawkeyes", "Cyclones" and"Panthers" and High School Football is as important here as the Lakers and the Knicks, and a dang site more fun to watch.
14. Yeah, we have golf courses.
But don't hit the water hazards - it spooks the fish.
15. Colleges? Try Iowa City, Ames, Des Moines, Cedar Falls, or abunch a' others.
They come outa there with an education plus a love for God and country, and they still wave at passing pickups when they come for the holidays.
16. Our state is home to "The Big Three, " so if you feel inclined to flip the bird to one of us in the state of Iowa, you'll get your happy, flabby eastern/California behind whipped by the best!
Always remember what Gen. Eisenhower once said:
"IOWA can make it without the United States ,
but the United States can't make it without IOWA."
What is the Northwest Iowa Review and where is it published? Thanks for the clear and coherent explanation on ethanol and wind farms. I have seen the wind farms several times back home ... they are hard to miss, but I don't find them eyesores in any way. In fact, they stand out as positive alternatives for energy that make so much sense ... like the old windmills that once were so common.
ReplyDeleteKaren - great to hear from you. Your comment about the movie theatre reminded me of a great memory of the Marland Under the Stars. Barry (whose last name I won't mention) but he had a twin brother named Larry who we all know and love, threw a wad of bubblegum through the screen leaving a pretty good sized hole. I remember watching Elvis' "Blue Hawaii" there and everytime good things would happen on the right side of the screen you'd miss just a little bit because of that "wound". And when we were young we'd run home at night after the movies past a house or two that we all just knew had "crazy people" or "escapees from the Cherokee Mental Health Unit" lurking behind the curtains watching us. Kind of like the Boo Radley experience in "To Kill A Mockingbird" now that I think about it.
ReplyDeleteI may go home Memorial Day weekend. If I do I'll be sure to call, Bobby. Fred
This is Bob Reed Jr. I am this close to persuading the parents to make some changes to the structure of this discussion blog in order to make it a little easier to use. You'll see for one thing, I've tweaked a setting to provide a better date stamp on these comments. Stay tuned.
ReplyDeleteBob
b. Iowa City, 1954
The parents are out of town visiting and partying in Washington DC. So I'm going ahead and making these changes..
ReplyDeleteThis discussion thread is now closed, and we will create a new thread periodically. The active thread can be found by following the link to "home" below.
IMPORTANT: If you have bookmarked this location right here for following the discussion, you need to change your bookmark to the home page: http://marcusiowa.blogspot.com/
happy April Fools Day,
Bob Jr.