December 25, 2019

15 years ago

Dec. 22, 2004

All the long oak hard-back benches in Harrison Circuit Court Judge H. Lloyd (Tad) Whitis’ courtroom were full Saturday morning to honor the stylish renovation of the Harrison County Court House in Corydon. The program, chaired by Commissioner J.R. Eckart, marked the end of $4.5 million renovation that started in 1991 with a space-needs study. Only a little work remains to be done. Through the years, the boards of county commissioners, county councils, architects, engineers and restoration workers managed to completely modernize the three-story Bedford limestone building put up in 1928 and 1929 while preserving its solid look of strength and dignity.

Land conservation, long a concern for many Harrison Countians, was placed on the front-burner earlier this year when a 17-member task force was appointed to make recommendations for developing “smart growth” here. On Monday night, task force member Bob Schickel and many of his colleagues appealed to the Harrison County Commissioners for a one-year extension and budget to continue their work. The commissioners established the Farm, Forest and Open Space Task Force last summer. Schickel said Harrison County’s undeveloped acreage is at risk of vanishing because of development pressures. Between May 2003 and May 2004, 399 new parcels were created, with 327 vacant parcels developed last year and 276 vacant parcels developed this year to date, he said.

The South Harrison Community School Corp. honored the memory of late educator Harry Rooksby Sunday with a tree planting and reception for the family at a newly-remodeled South Central Elementary School. Rooksby was a well-loved principal at the old Elizabeth Grade School before he retired in 1981 after a 40-year career in education.

For all intents and purposes, Thursday night’s second semifinal matchup of the South Central Holiday Tournament — the host Lady Rebels against rival Lanesville — was for the championship. South Central avenged its Nov. 24 loss to Lanesville by blasting the Lady Eagles, 56-33, behind senior guard Samantha Troutman’s 19 points and a super defensive effort on Lanesville’s stars, Meagan VanHoose and Heather Schaefer. Lanesville’s duo was held to a combined three points. Then, in Saturday’s title bout, the Lady Rebels dominated Borden, 70-23, to capture their fourth consecutive tide in the tourney’s six-year history. Lanesville bounced back with a 52-19 decision over Henryville in the consolation.

Deaths: Jannie E. Vann, 76; Thomas M. Roll, 72; Harold Fancher, 76; Dorothy Johnson, 89; Patrick Sheridan, 76; James Carpenter, 77; James A. Hecker, 71; Bruce A. Mayfield, 59; Bernard A. Glotzbach, 85; Gillie V. Jackson, 92; Gabriella J. Lee, 4; Donald Hussung, 75.

25 years ago

Dec. 28, 1994

Is there life out there? That’s the question South Central High School officials posed to members of the school’s class of 1994, who were asked to return to their alma mater and share post-high-school experiences with this year’s juniors and seniors. The answer — at least to the two dozen former students who could make it to the program last Monday morning — is a resounding “Yes.” One former student, who didn’t have enough credits to graduate, has encountered hard reality. After seven frustrating months, he’s found decent jobs hard to come by. “Nobody wants anybody without a diploma,” he said. “To anybody thinking about dropping out of school, I wouldn’t suggest it.”

At the turn of the century, there were around 150 one-room schoolhouses in Harrison County. Most have been torn down, but the White Cloud Schoolhouse — which turned 100 years old in 1994 — has found new life. Larry Green, a retired Indiana State Trooper, bought the property for less than $40,000 from a Louisville architectural firm.

Christmas in Harrison County this year brought a record number of requests for help, but it also brought record response. More than 850 children received gifts who wouldn’t have without the generosity of churches and other groups who collaborate to see that no one goes without and there’s no duplication, Shirley Hawkins, director of Harrison County Community Services, said. That includes Salvation Army angel trees at churches, Wal-Mart and donations from such groups as the Harrison Township Volunteer Fire Dept. and the Fraternal Order of Police Wyandotte Lodge “Shop with a Cop” program.

Santa was wearing his usual bright red suit last Wednesday, but he was cruising on a Harley instead of a sleigh. And he got run over by a car, not a reindeer. Jack McCartney — featured that morning in a front-page picture in The Tribune of New Albany — had just finished circling the Floyd County Youth Center and headed south on Grant Line Road in New Albany about 5 p.m. McCartney, 28, lives near Lanesville.

Corydon rediscovered its shooting eye in just enough time last night to rally for a 57-51 win over Lanesville in the consolation game of the Jeffersonville Holiday Classic. Host and 20th-ranked Jeffersonville (7-2), meanwhile, continued its domination of the tournament, knocking off New Washington (6-4) in the championship game 73-64. The Red Devils have won all four titles since the tourney began in 1991.

Deaths: Kathleen Alton, 74; Ruth Phillips, 85; Philomena Nordhoff, 89; Chester C. Wolfe, 85; Florence B. Hoke, 89; Goldie Mackey, 71; Kelvin D. Brown, 40; Richard Brown, 29; Frona F. Wolfe, 91; Edward LaPlant, 78; Olive J. Walter, 69; Bertha C. May, 77; Raymond Brown, 80; Mary Pearl Cole, 68; Carolyn Mattingly, 46; Margaret Morris, 62; Mary Purkhiser, 59; Carl A. Barth, 82; Ann Deeringer, 49; Harry G. Conrad, 75; Mary B. Wallace, 77; Harold Jenkins, 74; Mario Ricci Jr., 71; Stephen Thomas, 28; Viola Miller, 82.

50 years ago

Dec. 24, 1969

The Eureka Telephone building in Corydon and the Edmund F. Schneider residence on North Harrison Drive in Corydon were the winners in the annual Corydon Jaycees Christmas Lighting contest. Second place was the Gord Rusk residence on S.R. 62 West, and third place Charles E. Miller in the Wilson Addition.

Harrison County Hospital employees are recognized for their years of service at a Christmas party Friday night. They were: Albert Hart, 5 years; Mary Simcoe, 5 years; Ruth Gerdon, 5 years; Myrtle Fogal, 10 years; Alta Bottorff, 15 years; and Marie Deakins, 10 years. Administrator Norman Penick made the presentations.

Army Private First Class David Hawkins of Lanesville received two awards of the Array Commendation medal near Tay Ninh, Vietnam. The awards were for heroism in action while engaged in ground operations against a hostile force in Vietnam.

James Oral Sutton III of Palmyra has joined the U.S. Navy and departed for recruit training at Great Lakes, Ill., recently.

Mr. and Mrs. Donald Troncin of Corydon are the winners of a brand new Ford given away by the Harrison County Silgas of New Salisbury. Willis Charles, manager, presented the keys.

Births: Boys — Saundra Gilmore, Vicki Sanders, Doris Goodwin; girls — Dianna Steiner, Betty Hughes, Judy Breeden, Mrs. Billy Bugg.

Deaths: Darlene Bour, 42; Blanche Davidson, 76; Roy Lewis, 39; Oma Wright; Shirley F. Fox, 65; Roy Sanders, 64; Russell Stiles, 53; Jeane Berkenmeyer, 59; William Shuck, 109; Mrs. Thurman Moore.

65 years ago

Dec. 22, 1954

Men of the Corydon Volunteer Fire Dept. received a good Christmas gift this week. A brand spanking new, specially-built, 750-gallon per minute capacity fire truck arrived in Corydon Monday. The new $18,000 fire truck was ordered by the Town of Corydon and will be rented for $3,000 a year for the next five years.

Bonds were sold last week for the $130,000 financing of a new school building for Milltown and Whiskey Run Township. It is the fourth major school construction project started this year in Crawford County. Leavenworth started construction first, English began last summer and Marengo in recent weeks.

Mr. and Mrs. Davis Monroe are planning to move soon into their new home in Hoosier Heights, west of Corydon. Work has been started next door on the new residence of Mr. and Mrs. David Aaron Grant.

Dr. John Gwinn, former physician in Corydon, gets a pediatrics degree from the University of Minnesota. He will practice medicine in prevention and treatment of diseases of children.

Dixie Withers has resigned her position as county health nurse here after serving for two years. Crystal Atz Clark of Milltown has been appointed to fill the vacancy.

Births: Boys — Mr. and Mrs. Garland Saltsgaver, Mr. and Mrs Ernest Lytle, Mr. and Mrs Earl Lawton, Mr. and Mrs Donald Beckett; girls — Mr. and Mrs Walter Tuttle, Mr. and Mrs Coy Parkert, Mr. and Mrs Harold Tuell, Mr. and Mrs Loran Byerly.

Deaths: Sheila Armstrong, 55; Ira Trobaugh, 83; Willard Denbo, 91; Daisy Flickner, 66; George W. Heinz, 72; Geneva Byrne; Jacob Blessinger, 73; Hardin Hess, 70; Mildred Roggenkamp, 45; Gertrude Kingsley, 58; George R. Redden, 62; Melvin Lewis, 71; Evan Fenneman, 36.

75 years ago

Dec. 27, 1944

Miss Marjory Louise Jones, accompanied by Mrs. Everett L. Jones, played Christmas music at the evening service at Leavenworth on Sunday night. The numbers played were violin and piano solos.

Mrs. J. C. Curts and little son Bobby plan to leave for Camp Blanding, Fla., to spend Christmas with her husband who is in training there.

Births: Boys — Mr. and Mrs Robert Stevens, Mr. and Mrs Amzi Longacre, Mr. and Mrs Roy Amy; girl — Mr. and Mrs. William E. Lone.

Deaths: Pvt. Lester Goldman; Henry Lopp, 32; Sgt. Claude Beanblossom, 24; Mrs. Nola Dodds, 62; Mrs. Nora Gilles, 63.

100 years ago

Dec. 31, 1919

Miss Frances Adams, supervisor of music in the schools at Milltown, and sister, Mrs. May Rose, a nurse at Pope’s Sanitarium, Louisville, spent Christmas with their parents, Mr. and Mrs. L.C. Adams at Corydon Junction.

Miss Laura Fisher of Anderson, Ind., is visiting her uncle, Sam Fisher, and family, northeast of town. Miss Fisher lives with her uncle, Garfield Fisher, and family at Anderson and is a high school student at that place.

Births: Boy — Mr. and Mrs. Charles rector; girl — Mr. and Mrs. James Mahan.

Deaths: Aaron Peters; Mrs. Lou Kaylor, 66; Pat Wells, 60; Katie Isabell Crecelius, 48; Dr. John F. Finley, 73; Mrs. Alva Bennett; Ed S. Cooper, 58.