A day late on Time Capsule Tuesdays (sorry about that), this week’s post includes two articles written by the “Old Timer” that both appeared in 2001. For many years, crothersville.net had a featured area called ‘Days Gone By’. Submissions were contributed by an unknown gentleman that had lived within the town for many, many years. Back in the day, it was a favorite area for those visiting the community website.
March 2001
Spring is just around the corner, the snow is almost gone for the year, (I hope), and the March winds will soon blow. As the grass begins to turn green and the trees start to bud, UFK’s start filling the skies.
What?!? UFK’s?? Don’t you mean UFO’s? No… UFK’s, (unidentified flying kites). Young and old alike have enjoyed kite flying for many decades. It has been a few years since a kite could be purchased at the Dime Store for 25 cents, but even then it was cheaper to make your own. I can remember taking Dad’s unread newspaper, some sticks broken from bushes or trees, Mom’s scotch tape and an old dust rag, and away I would go to meet with my friends for a day of March fun!
About 20 years ago, a spectacular type of UFK began to appear in Crothersville. The skies were decorated with huge, colorful kites created by none other than our local doctor, Joe Butler. These kites were made in all shapes and sizes and sported every color of the rainbow. They were sewn together by Dr. Butler and his family, and came with a wooden reel similar to the crank reels used for current boat trailers. You could anchor this contraption to your vehicle and enjoy the beauty of a REAL high flying kite.
These creations were a site to behold and there were no others that could compare to them. Even now, every spring when the flying season is here, I think about our hometown doctor, Joe Butler, and those big UFKs he used to make.
-Old Timer
PS. Of course I bought one!
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May 2001
Schools! Yes, schools are the subject for this month, and hopefully my article will will not hurt any feelings, or make anyone mad – but the Old Timer says that change is good. Progress is good. New innovations are good. Job creation is good.
When I was a youngster (about 100 years ago), I went to school in big old two story red brick school house with the front doors setting square in line with the center of Howard St. in downtown C’ville. It had a big tall window, steam heat that rarely worked, big black boards (not green boards), old creaky wood floors, and yes they even rang the school bell every morning. What a grand old building to be educated in! We had a big gym, tall ceilings, very little light, a stage, cold damp dressing rooms that flooded when it rained, and 8 or ten rows of bleachers down one side. Our gym would maybe seat 200-300 people. Wow, it was really nice.
Then one day somebody received a feather and placed it (well, you know where) and decided we needed a new school building and gym. So the task at hand was to convince the tax payers that the grand old structure was out dated and needed to be replaced. I thought, “how terrible”, I felt like someone had just tore out my heart. That was my school, my gym, my memories. How could these people be so narrow minded as to tear down my school and replace it with something big and ugly.
I guess there are a lot of people thinking the same thing today. What is considered the old high school today replaced my school in 1956 and you know that big ugly building they called the new school, wasn’t big or ugly at all. It was a big beautiful building at that time and served our community well for many years. It has undergone several changes over the years trying to keep up – but such is life.. it is not enough. It’s time for ‘out with the old and in with the new’. More modern, more up to date, the best technology and computers, a nice new place to eat lunch, air conditioning, all this is just a change of life as it was 50 years ago. So all you folks who were students, met your sweetheart, danced, sang, played in band, played sports, or participated in schools other activities – your building may be coming down, but a new future for our younger generation is taking over the reins. One thing you will always have, will be your memories. Memories of both good happening and bad which will remain forever. Be proud of your contribution to the old school, be happy the younger generation will be making memories in the new school.
You know, I can still hear that school bell ring, and I can still see Samson Mitchell helping the kids across the street.
-Old Timer
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And because I ALWAYS include at least one photo every time I share thoughts here…
I hope that Coco is afforded the opportunity to make tons of wonderful memories during her school years (no matter what school she attends), and that her kites fly high and are as beautiful as she is. =)
