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.
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
September 2005 Discussion
This discussion thread is closed. You may click below to read and catch up, but go to the current thread to continue the conversation.
Thank you for your response. Nice hearing from you and glad you are doing ok. If you ever get to Marcus please give me a call as I would like to see you. I know the people that live in your Dad and Mom's home very well. Maybe you would like to take a peek....
It's always a shock to the system to move back into the school mode, although, (the geek that I am) I truly love this time of year. The weather has been simply glorious and the nights are great for walks around the neighborhood.
I'm wondering how many are dealing with the pain and loss of friends and/or relatives in the New Orleans area. I can't even fathom the scope of this disaster, but I find myself pulled to the images day after day. Wish I could do more...
Also, for those of you with little connection to Marcus, another well-known Marcus resident, Jim Alesch, died Wednesday. I'll never forget what an experience it was to stay overnight at Kim's (his oldest daughter) house and be surrounded by her 11 siblings whose first names all started with the letter "K." Trivia: Can you name them all????
We come from a region of “thin crowds and long echoes,” as the writer Brad Leitauser once noted. Marcus is a place plunked down in the heart of the heartland.
America’s current poet laureate, Ted Kooser, was born in Iowa — our state between the rivers. To some, his poems are too simply constructed with little architecture. To me, they are truthful exposures of the Midwest way of life. He came to his writing career very late, after serving in the insurance business in Nebraska. And his poems are influenced by — and reflective of — the Great Plains. Even if you hate poetry — try ’em. Bob Reed
Thanks to those informing us of recent deaths in Marcus. We, out-of-staters, usually receive the Marcus News two to three weeks after publishing which is late to be sending cards of condolence. Bonnie Morgenthaler
Julie Meylor Simpson- I just talked to Gayle and asked if she knew how to get on the class website. She doesn't and would like to look at it. Her husband will help her if we have the information about how to access it. Could you please send me a snail mail with the instructions and I'll pass them on to her or tell me someone here in Marcus that would give me the instructions? Thanks for your trouble.
All I need is Gayle's email address. We have tried unsuccessfully so many times to get her back on. My email address is jmsimpson@cox.net
If you could send me her email address, we'll take it from there. Thanks again for taking photos of our class in the parade!
P.S. It's been so quiet here ... do I make mention of the incredible, stupendous, knock-your-socks-off upset at the AWA/AWA State game to get the blog juices flowing!!!!!!!???????? :) :) :)
Okay, so no one's going to bite on the BIG football game so .... how about another topic...
Knowing that Jack Clarkson is working on the Holy Name reunion, how about giving him some meat to chew on ... or more appropriately ... ummm ... fish ... make that fishsticks.
Any old Holy Name memories to share out there? Even from the public schoolers? How about going back to the 40s and 50s? It might provide Jack and his reunion group some fodder for thought...
Julia: I have a daughter at Iowa State so my wife and I attended the "Big Game" last weekend in Ames. Unfortunately we sat too close to the student section and had many too many run-ins before and after with people (students and adults) who had tailgated too long and as a consequence we didn't have that much fun. I'm neither a big Iowa nor Iowa State fan (attended another Big Ten school myself), but after that event may have gone to my last college football game. The student section cursed the Iowa band, the Hawkeye football team, the refs... The adults in the section I was in stood the entire game and the poor security forces were taking away liquor bottles and throwing people out of the game over and over. After the game we saw drunk after drunk get into their cars and drive off. It was quite an experience. A friend of mine went to Columbus a couple of years ago to the Iowa/Ohio State game. They needed an escort to their cars after the game to get through the rowdy crowd. Another friend went with a bunch of guys and his son to a K.C. Chiefs/Broncos game last year in Kansas City. His son is a Broncos fan and wore a jacket to the game with Denver emblazoned on it. On the way out to the car, after the game, a drunken fan ran up behind his son, tapped him on the shoulder and, without saying a word, sucker-punched him in the parking lot. The guy then ran off and was never found. The boy's cheek was broken and he required 70 stitches in his face. At the Notre Dame/Michigan game last week the Ann Arbor fans were throwing things on the field when the calls didn't go as they wished. In short, this whole athletic competition thing is starting to feel more like a European soccer ("football") thing, replete with the random acts of violence, lots of aggressive behavior, and mass quantities of alcohol. I don't know how you could take a kid under 10 or so to a college football game anymore (or your parents either, for that matter) without being regularly embarrassed or concerned. It's been said over and over. Our culture is getting increasingly coarse. Professional, collegiate and in many cases high school athletics typify that condition. I attended the big, local, high school rivalry game in my area last Friday night. Our kids booed the opponents' marching band. One of our kids ran out onto the field in soccer shorts and tennis shoes, only, after the first touchdown and before the extra point. The high school administrators had to chase him down, while the game was delayed. He was walked off the field in hand cuffs by the local police. There is an air about athletic competition anymore that rarely existed when we played. Nobody knew what steroids were, fair-play was championed, good sportsmanship was encouraged and most adults (not all) would let it be known that public cursing, violent acts, cheap shots and verbalized disrespect for your opponent had no place in the stands or on the playing field. Of course we had some of that, but coaches, parents and school officials usually dealt with it quickly, keeping a lid on it.
The ISU kids wonder why they can't celebrate VEISHA. If the behavior I witnessed on Saturday was even close to what it is like after 24 hours or more of drinking and carrying on during that celebration, I can well understand locals and law enforcement drawing the line. It would be a no-win proposition to wade into a bunch of drunken, aggressive, numb college kids and try to "restore order", once the craziness broke out.
I know people will say this is an upper Midwest thing, or has always gone on, but I disagree. I lived in Tallahasse,Florida for a while in the early '70's. At that time the Florida/Georgia game, played in the Jacksonville stadium, was billed as the "largest outdoor cocktail party in the nation". It was crazy then, in that locale, but it wasn't as pervasive across the country as it now apears. And it hadn't hit the high school level as hard, then, as it has now.
I love sports as much as the next person, but it is fast getting to the point where viewing it on TV is the best option for me. (About 7 or 8 years ago I took my daughters to a high school football game, locally. Two mothers of players were standing in the back of the stands swearing loudly at the refs after every call they didn't like. I about started a fight in the stands telling them to cap it, as there were young kids around. They looked at me like I was the crazy one. As if their idiocy was the norm. Unfortunately, it seems that more and more it is.)
I understand my old high school football coach, Hank Vogelman, was in town for the Class of '65's 40th reunion at the time of the Marcus Fair. If you acted like a moron on the field, toward your opponent, or before or after the game, you'd have him to deal with. He loved to win, and did often at Marcus, but whining about refs, showboating, taunting your opponents or comments about anything other than how you performed for him and the team weren't tolerated. It's all different now. Fred
Dont know about the Iowa State Stadium, but Kinnick stadium in Iowa City was recently cited as being No 10 in a listing of "The Best Places To Watch A College Football Game" (or something like that) by Sporting News and Sports Illustrated. Bob Reed
I was at the Iowa /Iowa State game. I don't think it's smart to get drunk and stupid/dangerous etc. at any sporting event. The atmosphere on the west side of Jack Trice in Ames is very different from the mess near the student section. I am always appalled when the Iowa band is met with boos on taking the field in Ames. Not only are some of these people drunk but they have zero manners. Unfortunately you cannot legislate common sense or courtesy. Part of the trouble with sports events is that they are held at different times from years ago. I always thought college football started at 1:00 PM and ended about 4:00. Now the tv networks dictate starting times. The Iowa/ISU game started at 2:35 and ended about 6:15. This is way too long. Too long for some to drink before hand. A few years back the game wasn't played until 6 PM. That was an all day mess. The game times have been switched because the 2 million dollars of coaches salaries are really funded by the tv contracts that the ncaa has with abc, espn etc. One little observation--the beer companies now sell beer in 18 and 1/2 case carryout boxes. You can see the kids hauling them out of the convenience stores. Several of the kids from Marcus were at our tailgate which is in lot b5. I am happy to report that they were all in reasonable condition. In spite of what you see some of them were only eating the snacks and drinking pop. Well, rambling thoughts.....Steve Smith.
I guess I haven't been to a pro game in years, but some 20 years ago my husband and I went to a Patriots game in Foxboro, MA. Busloads of drunken adults slobbered their way through the stadium gates. I guess all I'm saying is what goes around comes around. It's nott just college kids ...
I think part of the problem at Iowa is the parking situation. It might be one of the best places to watch a game, but the parking is a nightmare. One of the teachers I teach with left at 4:30 am for the opening game, so he'd be sure to get a parking place. Alot of people do that and it just extends the tailgating! Marcia Steffen Pavey
This comment is from Anne Banister. My dad is Lorne Means and his folks were Cliff and Kate Means. Cliff was once the Mayor of Marcus, along with many other side jobs there in Marcus. Lorne Means' family just celebrated his 90th birthday in Woodland, California. Surprise guests to everyone were Chuck Sand and Jack Clarkson who flew out for the week-end to help my dad celebrate the memorable occasion.
What a wonderful story that would be for The Marcus News. Anne, any chance you could write down some of your father's memories of his years in Marcus ... or pass them on to Thelma?
Anne Banister; As a very young lad, I remember your grandfather serving as mayor. I was impressed that I knew the mayor well enough to visit with him. I also remember that he often was addressed, affectionately, by the nickname, "Pickles". Do you know the origin of that nickname. My brothers' friends use to call me "Butter" because I had a craving for butter as a young boy. Glad to hear of your father's milestone. Earl Rae
Any more to report on the Holy Name High reunion in August 2006? Dan Meylor in CA is already checking out hotels/B&Bs in the area... any new places to suggest?
just wanted to drop a line and say that I enjoy reading the blog. It gives me something to do at work;) Although I just recently left Marcus about a month ago it's still nice to read about the wonderful town:) Keep up the good work everyone!!! Becky Tapper 2001 graduate of MMC high school:)
Donna & Claire Beck,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your response. Nice hearing from you and glad you are doing ok. If you ever get to Marcus please give me a call as I would like to see you. I know the people that live in your Dad and Mom's home very well. Maybe you would like to take a peek....
Very Best Wishes from Marcus
Take care.
Jack Clarkson
It's always a shock to the system to move back into the school mode, although, (the geek that I am) I truly love this time of year. The weather has been simply glorious and the nights are great for walks around the neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering how many are dealing with the pain and loss of friends and/or relatives in the New Orleans area. I can't even fathom the scope of this disaster, but I find myself pulled to the images day after day. Wish I could do more...
Also, for those of you with little connection to Marcus, another well-known Marcus resident, Jim Alesch, died Wednesday. I'll never forget what an experience it was to stay overnight at Kim's (his oldest daughter) house and be surrounded by her 11 siblings whose first names all started with the letter "K."
Trivia: Can you name them all????
We come from a region of “thin crowds and long echoes,” as the writer Brad Leitauser once noted. Marcus is a place plunked down in the heart of the heartland.
ReplyDeleteAmerica’s current poet laureate, Ted Kooser, was born in Iowa — our state between the rivers. To some, his poems are too simply constructed with little architecture. To me, they are truthful exposures of the Midwest way of life. He came to his writing career very late, after serving in the insurance business in Nebraska. And his poems are influenced by — and reflective of — the Great Plains. Even if you hate poetry — try ’em.
Bob Reed
A blog is any thought printed that is too good for a newspaper.
ReplyDeleteThanks to those informing us of recent deaths in Marcus. We, out-of-staters, usually receive the Marcus News two to three weeks after publishing which is late to be sending cards of condolence. Bonnie Morgenthaler
ReplyDeleteJulie Meylor Simpson-
ReplyDeleteI just talked to Gayle and asked if she knew how to get on the class website. She doesn't and would like to look at it. Her husband will help her if we have the information about how to access it. Could you please send me a snail mail with the instructions and I'll pass them on to her or tell me someone here in Marcus that would give me the instructions? Thanks for your trouble.
Pat Ducommun
Pat,
ReplyDeleteAll I need is Gayle's email address. We have tried unsuccessfully so many times to get her back on. My email address is jmsimpson@cox.net
If you could send me her email address, we'll take it from there. Thanks again for taking photos of our class in the parade!
P.S. It's been so quiet here ... do I make mention of the incredible, stupendous, knock-your-socks-off upset at the AWA/AWA State game to get the blog juices flowing!!!!!!!???????? :) :) :)
Okay, so no one's going to bite on the BIG football game so .... how about another topic...
ReplyDeleteKnowing that Jack Clarkson is working on the Holy Name reunion, how about giving him some meat to chew on ... or more appropriately ... ummm ... fish ... make that fishsticks.
Any old Holy Name memories to share out there? Even from the public schoolers? How about going back to the 40s and 50s? It might provide Jack and his reunion group some fodder for thought...
Julia: I have a daughter at Iowa State so my wife and I attended the "Big Game" last weekend in Ames. Unfortunately we sat too close to the student section and had many too many run-ins before and after with people (students and adults) who had tailgated too long and as a consequence we didn't have that much fun. I'm neither a big Iowa nor Iowa State fan (attended another Big Ten school myself), but after that event may have gone to my last college football game. The student section cursed the Iowa band, the Hawkeye football team, the refs... The adults in the section I was in stood the entire game and the poor security forces were taking away liquor bottles and throwing people out of the game over and over. After the game we saw drunk after drunk get into their cars and drive off. It was quite an experience. A friend of mine went to Columbus a couple of years ago to the Iowa/Ohio State game. They needed an escort to their cars after the game to get through the rowdy crowd. Another friend went with a bunch of guys and his son to a K.C. Chiefs/Broncos game last year in Kansas City. His son is a Broncos fan and wore a jacket to the game with Denver emblazoned on it. On the way out to the car, after the game, a drunken fan ran up behind his son, tapped him on the shoulder and, without saying a word, sucker-punched him in the parking lot. The guy then ran off and was never found. The boy's cheek was broken and he required 70 stitches in his face. At the Notre Dame/Michigan game last week the Ann Arbor fans were throwing things on the field when the calls didn't go as they wished. In short, this whole athletic competition thing is starting to feel more like a European soccer ("football") thing, replete with the random acts of violence, lots of aggressive behavior, and mass quantities of alcohol. I don't know how you could take a kid under 10 or so to a college football game anymore (or your parents either, for that matter) without being regularly embarrassed or concerned. It's been said over and over. Our culture is getting increasingly coarse. Professional, collegiate and in many cases high school athletics typify that condition. I attended the big, local, high school rivalry game in my area last Friday night. Our kids booed the opponents' marching band. One of our kids ran out onto the field in soccer shorts and tennis shoes, only, after the first touchdown and before the extra point. The high school administrators had to chase him down, while the game was delayed. He was walked off the field in hand cuffs by the local police. There is an air about athletic competition anymore that rarely existed when we played. Nobody knew what steroids were, fair-play was championed, good sportsmanship was encouraged and most adults (not all) would let it be known that public cursing, violent acts, cheap shots and verbalized disrespect for your opponent had no place in the stands or on the playing field. Of course we had some of that, but coaches, parents and school officials usually dealt with it quickly, keeping a lid on it.
ReplyDeleteThe ISU kids wonder why they can't celebrate VEISHA. If the behavior I witnessed on Saturday was even close to what it is like after 24 hours or more of drinking and carrying on during that celebration, I can well understand locals and law enforcement drawing the line. It would be a no-win proposition to wade into a bunch of drunken, aggressive, numb college kids and try to "restore order", once the craziness broke out.
I know people will say this is an upper Midwest thing, or has always gone on, but I disagree. I lived in Tallahasse,Florida for a while in the early '70's. At that time the Florida/Georgia game, played in the Jacksonville stadium, was billed as the "largest outdoor cocktail party in the nation". It was crazy then, in that locale, but it wasn't as pervasive across the country as it now apears. And it hadn't hit the high school level as hard, then, as it has now.
I love sports as much as the next person, but it is fast getting to the point where viewing it on TV is the best option for me. (About 7 or 8 years ago I took my daughters to a high school football game, locally. Two mothers of players were standing in the back of the stands swearing loudly at the refs after every call they didn't like. I about started a fight in the stands telling them to cap it, as there were young kids around. They looked at me like I was the crazy one. As if their idiocy was the norm. Unfortunately, it seems that more and more it is.)
I understand my old high school football coach, Hank Vogelman, was in town for the Class of '65's 40th reunion at the time of the Marcus Fair. If you acted like a moron on the field, toward your opponent, or before or after the game, you'd have him to deal with. He loved to win, and did often at Marcus, but whining about refs, showboating, taunting your opponents or comments about anything other than how you performed for him and the team weren't tolerated. It's all different now. Fred
Dont know about the Iowa State Stadium, but Kinnick stadium in Iowa City was recently cited as being No 10 in a listing of "The Best Places To Watch A College Football Game" (or something like that) by Sporting News and Sports Illustrated.
ReplyDeleteBob Reed
I was at the Iowa /Iowa State game. I don't think it's smart to get drunk and stupid/dangerous etc. at any sporting event. The atmosphere on the west side of Jack Trice in Ames is very different from the mess near the
ReplyDeletestudent section. I am always appalled when the Iowa band is met with boos on taking the field in Ames. Not only are some of these people drunk but they have zero manners. Unfortunately you cannot
legislate common sense or courtesy.
Part of the trouble with sports events is that they are held at different times from years ago. I always thought college football started at 1:00 PM and ended about
4:00. Now the tv networks dictate
starting times. The Iowa/ISU game
started at 2:35 and ended about
6:15. This is way too long. Too long for some to drink before hand.
A few years back the game wasn't played until 6 PM. That was an all day mess. The game times have been switched because the 2 million dollars of coaches salaries are really funded by the tv contracts that the ncaa has with abc, espn etc. One little observation--the beer companies now sell beer in 18 and 1/2 case carryout boxes. You can see the kids hauling them out of the convenience stores. Several of the kids from Marcus were at our
tailgate which is in lot b5. I am happy to report that they were all
in reasonable condition. In spite of what you see some of them were only eating the snacks and drinking
pop. Well, rambling thoughts.....Steve Smith.
I guess I haven't been to a pro game in years, but some 20 years ago my husband and I went to a Patriots game in Foxboro, MA. Busloads of drunken adults slobbered their way through the stadium gates. I guess all I'm saying is what goes around comes around. It's nott just college kids ...
ReplyDeleteI think part of the problem at Iowa is the parking situation. It might be one of the best places to watch a game, but the parking is a nightmare. One of the teachers I teach with left at 4:30 am for the opening game, so he'd be sure to get a parking place. Alot of people do that and it just extends the tailgating! Marcia Steffen Pavey
ReplyDeleteThis comment is from Anne Banister. My dad is Lorne Means and his folks were Cliff and Kate Means. Cliff was once the Mayor of Marcus, along with many other side jobs there in Marcus. Lorne Means' family just celebrated his 90th birthday in Woodland, California. Surprise guests to everyone were Chuck Sand and Jack Clarkson who flew out for the week-end to help my dad celebrate the memorable occasion.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful story that would be for The Marcus News. Anne, any chance you could write down some of your father's memories of his years in Marcus ... or pass them on to Thelma?
ReplyDeleteAnne Banister; As a very young lad, I remember your grandfather serving as mayor. I was impressed that I knew the mayor well enough to visit with him. I also remember that he often was addressed, affectionately, by the nickname, "Pickles". Do you know the origin of that nickname. My brothers' friends use to call me "Butter" because I had a craving for butter as a young boy. Glad to hear of your father's milestone. Earl Rae
ReplyDeleteAny more to report on the Holy Name High reunion in August 2006? Dan Meylor in CA is already checking out hotels/B&Bs in the area... any new places to suggest?
ReplyDeletejust wanted to drop a line and say that I enjoy reading the blog. It gives me something to do at work;) Although I just recently left Marcus about a month ago it's still nice to read about the wonderful town:) Keep up the good work everyone!!!
ReplyDeleteBecky Tapper
2001 graduate of MMC high school:)