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.
The blog has been upgraded to a newer platform that recognizes google accounts as well as the original blogger account you may have already established.
You may use either google or blogger usernames to login when entering a comment.
uh-oh. The old blogger credentials don't work right now. I think that is an error and will be corrected. If you don't want to create a google account, you can still identify yourself and comment by using the 'other' identity option in the comment form.
One hundred years ago, we were a town of “Threes.” According to a clipping from the Files of the Marcus News in 1997, our fair city in 1907 boasted Three banks Three grain elevators Three doctors Three barber shops Three lumber yards Three dray lines Three implement dealers Three paper hangers Three millinery stores Three drug stores and Three printers And the next year the high school basketball team won the State Championship!
We grew. Thirty-three years later, according to similar File clippings from the Marcus News, the 1940 census revealed that Marcus had One bank Six grocery stores Two blacksmiths Two hardware stores Four garages Three restaurants Ten ice cream parlors and refreshment places Two butcher shops Two cold stage locker plants Two produce houses Two drug stores One furniture store Three butcher shops Two newspapers One movie house Seven oil stations Two lawyers Two dentists Two veterinarians Two doctors Two undertakers and Not a vacant house in town, along with Twenty-five residences with more than one family.
On occasion I enjoy these recollections of a time I once knew growing up in Marcus. I'd imagine Bob's list makes many pine for such days and wonder - where did they go? Why did they go?
Thrice-named NYC teacher of the year, John Taylor Gatto has a good insight into the reasons - "It’s very useful for some people that our form of schooling tells children what to think about, how to think about it, and when to think about it," says Mr. Gatto. "It isn’t very healthy for families and neighborhoods, cultures and religions. But then school was never about those things any-way: that’s why we don’t have them around anymore. You can thank government schooling for that."
Las Vegas daily newspaper columnist Vin Suprynowicz takes it a bit further - "The reason one salary will no longer support a family with a car and a free-standing home is because Americans have been progressively impoverished by the purposeful government policies of inflation and higher taxation. Basically, mom now works to pay the higher taxes on dad’s inflation-devalued salary." http://www.lewrockwell.com/suprynowicz/suprynowicz57.html
Marcus needs Holy Name High School back. Peace and Trinity Lutheran should start their own low-cost school up, the Methodists and any evangelicals can start their own as well. Then in time, enjoy the closing of the government school on Fenton - which the state DE says will lose another 30% of its enrollment between 1996 and 2010 anyway.
Pulpits and community leaders should encourage larger families (as our generations before were able to support) and simpler yet richer family lifestyles which won't demand the high cash flow to sustain. Start by throwing out the video games, TV and most computer time. Work at restoring family, church and neighborhood life to be something valued more than a local govt. school basketball game. (As far as that goes, the church schools could have youthful competitive athletic events among themselves, apart from the IHSAA.) Encourage study and thought again of more important questions and issues beyond the trite and manipulated, as delivered over the daily news. Teach young’ins again how to stay out of debt, or at least keep them greatly diminished as they grow into adulthood. Teach children economic patience as well. With govt. inflation always come deflation - opportunities will come. Tell local and state govt.’s to get out of economic development (and a host of other programs) and let families keep enough of their money to begin their own economic development. Then, don't be surprised if amny of these small shops Bob listed start to return. The future for Marcus families is not in ethanol and biodiesel.
To turn the course for Marcus such ideas will require sacrifice for a generation or two. If there is no sacrifice then I imagine most will feel less than sanguine as you chronicle the suicidal demise of real culture - small town life – particularly, your beloved Marcus.
I'm forwarding Chuck Beaton's email about the Marcus Picnic in Arizona.
JAN. 8, 2007
HI FOLKS; The question was brought up by the committee about next year and was voted unanimously to have the 2007 Marcus Picnic on Feb. 18, at the same location, 1312 Scottsdale Rd Scottsdale ,AZ at 11:30 am till 3:00 pm.. Anyone with any ideas that could improve attendance and interest in the Picnic,Please send them and the ones that plan to attend to;thank you in advance. Charles Beaton E-mail cnbeaton@juno.com Phone 602-789-6253 3208 West Cactus Rd. Phoenix, AZ. 85029-2327
Please look at the link www.myhometownhelper.com this site has Marcus lited twice for help for the school and for the post prom party please go to the site and show your support. It is fairly easy to do. Thank you! Kristi Ames
I just posted a comment in support of both projects that Kristi writes about. And the more comments, the better the chances are of getting the awards, I believe! For anyone who might need them -- here are some more precise instructions:
Go to the MYHOMETOWNHELPER.COM site.
Click on FIND A PROJECT.
Go to IOWA in the States box and type MARCUS in the empty box, then click on SEARCH.
Click on each project to read the comments already posted, and scroll down.
Fill in your name etc, accept the Terms, and write your comment.
Yours will appear on the site as soon as you submit it. Let's ALL help! Max Reed
I will never forget this amazing blizzard. I remember shoveling out driveways and sidewalks for days afterward. I remember a helicopter landing in the middle of the Holy Name playground to pick up a baby from the Letsche home behind us. I remember losing cattle out on our farm.
Upgrade notice.
ReplyDeleteThe blog has been upgraded to a newer platform that recognizes google accounts as well as the original blogger account you may have already established.
You may use either google or blogger usernames to login when entering a comment.
Baribob
uh-oh. The old blogger credentials don't work right now. I think that is an error and will be corrected. If you don't want to create a google account, you can still identify yourself and comment by using the 'other' identity option in the comment form.
ReplyDeleteBb
A BUSTLING TOWN!
ReplyDeleteOne hundred years ago, we were a town of “Threes.” According to a clipping from the Files of the Marcus News in 1997, our fair city in 1907 boasted
Three banks
Three grain elevators
Three doctors
Three barber shops
Three lumber yards
Three dray lines
Three implement dealers
Three paper hangers
Three millinery stores
Three drug stores
and
Three printers
And the next year the high school basketball team won the State Championship!
We grew. Thirty-three years later, according to similar File clippings from the Marcus News, the 1940 census revealed that Marcus had
One bank
Six grocery stores
Two blacksmiths
Two hardware stores
Four garages
Three restaurants
Ten ice cream parlors and refreshment places
Two butcher shops
Two cold stage locker plants
Two produce houses
Two drug stores
One furniture store
Three butcher shops
Two newspapers
One movie house
Seven oil stations
Two lawyers
Two dentists
Two veterinarians
Two doctors
Two undertakers
and
Not a vacant house in town, along with
Twenty-five residences with more than one family.
That’s the town I remember.
Bob Reed
On occasion I enjoy these recollections of a time I once knew growing up in Marcus. I'd imagine Bob's list makes many pine for such days and wonder - where did they go? Why did they go?
ReplyDeleteThrice-named NYC teacher of the year, John Taylor Gatto has a good insight into the reasons -
"It’s very useful for some people that our form of schooling tells children what to think about, how to think about it, and when to think about it," says Mr. Gatto. "It isn’t very healthy for families and neighborhoods, cultures and religions. But then school was never about those things any-way: that’s why we don’t have them around anymore. You can thank government schooling for that."
Las Vegas daily newspaper columnist Vin Suprynowicz takes it a bit further - "The reason one salary will no longer support a family with a car and a free-standing home is because Americans have been progressively impoverished by the purposeful government policies of inflation and higher taxation. Basically, mom now works to pay the higher taxes on dad’s inflation-devalued salary." http://www.lewrockwell.com/suprynowicz/suprynowicz57.html
Marcus needs Holy Name High School back. Peace and Trinity Lutheran should start their own low-cost school up, the Methodists and any evangelicals can start their own as well. Then in time, enjoy the closing of the government school on Fenton - which the state DE says will lose another 30% of its enrollment between 1996 and 2010 anyway.
Pulpits and community leaders should encourage larger families (as our generations before were able to support) and simpler yet richer family lifestyles which won't demand the high cash flow to sustain. Start by throwing out the video games, TV and most computer time. Work at restoring family, church and neighborhood life to be something valued more than a local govt. school basketball game. (As far as that goes, the church schools could have youthful competitive athletic events among themselves, apart from the IHSAA.) Encourage study and thought again of more important questions and issues beyond the trite and manipulated, as delivered over the daily news. Teach young’ins again how to stay out of debt, or at least keep them greatly diminished as they grow into adulthood. Teach children economic patience as well. With govt. inflation always come deflation - opportunities will come. Tell local and state govt.’s to get out of economic development (and a host of other programs) and let families keep enough of their money to begin their own economic development. Then, don't be surprised if amny of these small shops Bob listed start to return. The future for Marcus families is not in ethanol and biodiesel.
To turn the course for Marcus such ideas will require sacrifice for a generation or two. If there is no sacrifice then I imagine most will feel less than sanguine as you chronicle the suicidal demise of real culture - small town life – particularly, your beloved Marcus.
I'm forwarding Chuck Beaton's email about the Marcus Picnic in Arizona.
ReplyDeleteJAN. 8, 2007
HI FOLKS;
The question was brought up by the committee about next year and was
voted unanimously to have the 2007 Marcus Picnic on Feb. 18, at the same
location, 1312 Scottsdale Rd Scottsdale ,AZ at 11:30 am till 3:00 pm..
Anyone with any ideas that could improve attendance and interest in the Picnic,Please send them and the ones that plan to attend to;thank you in advance.
Charles Beaton E-mail cnbeaton@juno.com Phone 602-789-6253
3208 West Cactus Rd.
Phoenix, AZ. 85029-2327
Chuck Beaton
Please look at the link www.myhometownhelper.com this site has Marcus lited twice for help for the school and for the post prom party please go to the site and show your support. It is fairly easy to do.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
Kristi Ames
I just posted a comment in support of both projects that Kristi writes about. And the more comments, the better the chances are of getting the awards, I believe! For anyone who might need them -- here are some more precise instructions:
ReplyDeleteGo to the MYHOMETOWNHELPER.COM site.
Click on FIND A PROJECT.
Go to IOWA in the States box and type MARCUS in the empty box, then click on SEARCH.
Click on each project to read the comments already posted, and scroll down.
Fill in your name etc, accept the Terms, and write your comment.
Yours will appear on the site as soon as you submit it. Let's ALL help! Max Reed
I will never forget this amazing blizzard. I remember shoveling out driveways and sidewalks for days afterward. I remember a helicopter landing in the middle of the Holy Name playground to pick up a baby from the Letsche home behind us. I remember losing cattle out on our farm.
ReplyDeleteStorm of the Century
Kurt Dorr
Check this out...
ReplyDeleteThe Marcus Historical Society is on the web!
Marcus Historical Society
I'm still working the site and will be adding new things as I have time.