Opinion

Skateboarding club forms

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

100 YEARS AGO

(1912)

Workmen are tearing away the little frame house that for many years past has stood at the north end of the Marmaton River bridge on National Avenue bridge. The structure will be rebuilt some distance west of the Avenue. The council requested that the structure be removed as it was in a dangerous condition there and also obstructed the view of the bridge from the north.

FSHS juniors will start on a hike Thursday at 8:30 a.m. from the Y.M.C.A. Building. Each student has the privilege of bringing a friend. Bring your lunch and baseball mitt. On the return to the "Y," there will be swimming before supper.

Having been unable to obtain from the city an appropriation sufficient to cut the weeds on the Buck Run Park and the Plaza Park, B.F. Othick, park commissioner, has a man in the parks with a machine at his own personal expense, cutting the ugly, unsightly weeds.

75 YEARS AGO

(1937)

A $7,500 bond issue for construction of a new school building at Pawnee carried by a vote of 45 to 37. Discussion on the proposal centered largely on the amount of money needed. Opponents explained that that they were not fighting the school itself but only the amount of the issue. They contended that in the past few years Pawnee has lost its railway station and Kansas Highway No. 7 has been changed which caused motor traffic to be rerouted. They noted that the population of the town itself has dwindled from about 80 persons to 28. The school serves 25 pupils, several of whom come from outside districts. The present building has been in use for many years.

Economy Grocery, corner of Second and Main streets -- 20 lbs. sugar, 95 cents; No. 1 Grade Freestone Alberta peaches, 5 lbs. 25 cents, or by the bushel, $1.90; fresh load of watermelons, lb. 1 cents; cantaloupes, 5 cents each; arm or chuck baby beef roast, lb. 12 1/2 cents; new sweet potatoes, 5 lbs. 25 cents; Big Cobbler potatoes, peck 25 cents;

50 YEARS AGO

(1962)

Photo caption: "Mrs. Virgil Crays, horse show secretary, holds up her favorite of the trophies which will be presented to winners in the Community Center Horse Show Aug. 10-11. Looking on are Mrs. Jim Mertz, horse show chairman, and her daughter, Melissa. The trophies were hand made and designed for the show by W.E. (Doc) Hoppes." -- Tribune Photo

Those attending the Community Center Horse Show will be entertained with fine music. Chairman Mrs. Jim Mertz said the Fort Scott summer recreation band will perform one night of the show and the recreation orchestra will play the other night. Both groups are under the direction of Carl Clinesmith. Mrs. Fred Litwin will sing the National Anthem both nights.

25 YEARS AGO

(1987)

Since whizzing about on a skateboard has been a popular and challenging sport for many years, several Fort Scott youths have formed a skateboarding club which they have dubbed the Joe Boardhead Society. The club was organized about four months ago. One member, Joe Thomas, said it began when Joe Lyons "built a ramp and all the little kids caught on."

The club has since grown to 25 members ranging in age from 6 to 17. They have renamed Skubitz Plaza as "Skateboard Plaza."

Members skate various styles including ramp, downhill, street-skate and freestyle.

Their hopes for the future include having a skate park in Fort Scott so they can avoid problems of skating in town, such as not being able to skate on sidewalks.