Great Story….!!!! Thanks much Ed….!!!!

M-24 “Chaffee” Light Tank
This is the type of Tank they were playing in.

Knightstown History Contest

Winners to have dinner for 2 on me at any of Knightstown’s fine restaurants…….

1. Who is the only Revolutionary War veteran buried in Knightstown..?? Where is his grave..??

2. When did Lincoln’s Funeral train pass through Knightstown..??

3. When was the ISSCH founded..?? Who was it named for..??

4. When did John McCain’s son live in Knightstown and what did he do here..??

5. When did the Canning Factory open and when did it close..??

6. What was the first Railroad in K-town..?? When was it built..??

7. What was the name of the Automobile made in Knightstown..??

8. What Knightstown company was featured in the Sears catalogue.

9. When was the Library built..?? Who donated the money to build it..??

10. Who is Raysville named for..??

11. What is this structure and where was it located..??

12. Here’s another mystery picture. What is this and where was it..??

Post your answers in the “comments” block below…

It has been 56 or more years since I had contact with the folks listed below. My memory too may be a bit hazy on a couple. If you believe I have misspelled a name or erred in the listing please drop Ed Knight a note so he can correct the mistake.

Blaine Addison & Bob Parker-Worked at Goodman’s in the men’s department

Doc Ammerman-dentist

Courtney Armstrong-Plumber

Willard Avery-attorney

Cecil Binford-owned and operated the Knightstown Bowling Alley

Ernie Bradway-owned a grocery at southeast corner Brown and Franklin

Al Brown-KHS coach for a time; taught mathematics

Bonnie Buckles-photographer

Doc (Ralph?) Bush-dentist

Paul Butcher-mortician

Louis Carroll-president of the First National Bank

Lee Carroll-president of Citizen’s National Bank

Jim Chance-owned Chance’s grocery on West Main Street

Joe Cooney-bought the photography business from Henley

Lon Craig-sharpened Knightstown lawnmowers and ran projectors at Alhambra Theater

Allen Cravens-owned a dairy

Belvin Durham-custodian at Knightstown High School

Frieda Dougherty-owned the local bakery

Guy Fausset-town marshall

Dolly Flory-daughter of Louie Flory who ran Flory’s Sweet Shop next to the Alhambra Theater

Fred Forst-Indiana State Police, tragically killed on duty

D.W. Grossman-realtor

Oren Henley-founder and long-time owner of Henley Photo Studio

Flo Hickman-owned Flo Hickman Dress Shop on Main Street

Harvey Hopkins-owned Hopkin’s Furniture Store adjacent to Lord’s

Joe Irvine-owned the Hudson Dealership

Walter Jolly-owned and operated Jolly’s Drug Store with his son Harry

Orville Jones-shoe repair, bought the business from Lawrence

Alvin Kopp-manager of Goodwin Bros Dodge/Plymouth Dealership

Crack Lawrence-shoe repair man

Shorty Lindsay-barber, owner of Lindsay Manor Hotel

Herman List-owned a print shop on the public square

Chet Livingston-manager of Goodman’s Department Store

Ralph Lord-owned and operated Lord’s Grocery Store at Jefferson and Main

Bob Lukens-managed the Knightstown Grain Elevator

Harry Manning-radio repairman

Tom Mauck-owned Mauck Lumber Company

Tom Mayhill-bought the Banner from Bob Sitler and built a large publishing firm

Bob McShirley-postman

Mark Mercer-KHS coach for a time; taught civics

Jack Messick-barber

Zelda Moffett-managed women’s and children’s and home furnish area at Goodman’s Dept. Store

Harriett Moore - Long time clerk at Rody’s Department Store

Ernie Moreland - Part owner and operator of Rody’s at 125 E. Main

Phil Parker-owned Parker’s Grocery Store on Main street at Public Square

Vern Perry-owned the Knightstown Coach Company (National Body Co.)

Clarence Post-owner of the Post Gamble Store, later Post & Post Hardware at 133 E. Main

Claude Puckett-chief grave digger and manager of the Glen Cove Cemetery

Harold Ratliff - Owned the Jewelry store at 19 N. Wash., later Main and Jefferson

Wes Ratliff - Henry County Circuit Judge

Ross Reddick-sold used cars, later owned the Texaco Station at Main and Jefferson

Carl Rihm-local grocer and packing house owner

Mick Ritchie-manager of the Alhambra Theater for Mr. Watts, the owner

Gene Sharp-oil distributor. Owned Phillips 66 gas station for several years

Mike Schatzlein-florist

John Shafer-postmaster

Paul Shaffer-jeweler

Burt Sheidler-the local blacksmith. His forge was located at the east end of Warrick Street

Eddie Shores-worked with Herman List in print shop; later owned facility

Gene Short –Indiana State Policeman

Bob Sitler-owned the Knightstown Banner

Dick Steele-affable, long-time manager at First National Bank

Lawrence Stroup-Was the station master at the Big Four stop at the tracks just south of Carey

Carlos Tribbey-manager of the Main Street Kroger Store

Jimmy Thomas-owned the Standard Oil Gas Station at Franklin and Main; ran the DMV office for a time

Bob and Shirley Thompson-owned and operated the Western Auto Store on E. Main

Fudd Wagoner-owned the hardware store at 113 E. Main Street

Rags Walters- the Knightstown upholsterer; his shop was located on the west side of the public square

Ralph Ward-postmaster

Doc Watts-dentist

Jim Williams-Les’s brother. Owned a dry cleaning store on south Washington Street

Les Williams-public square restaurateur, town marshal, owner Phillips 66 station after Sharp

Tubby Woods-owned the Ford Dealership

Harold Van Buskirk-principal at Knightstown High School

Kiefer Vestal-owned the Elite Café adjacent to the First National Bank

Thanks Wayne…!!
How about everyone pick a couple of names and write something about them in the comments section…!!

The air was heavy and smelled of damp earth and fires long extinguished. The entry room was not very large, perhaps six to eight feet wide and just enough room for a 12-year-old to stand. The walls were stained with ash dust from fires built by other Knightstown explorers. The dirt floor was a mix of deep dust, ashes and bits of burnt sticks and tree limbs.

I was in the secret Knightstown cave.

Not many knew of this mysterious gash in the earth on the northeast edge of Knightstown. I don’t recall how my brother and I learned of its existence, perhaps from the late Bill Hiner, a neighbor lad who often shared our explorations.

We visited two or three times when we were in the fifth and sixth grades. Once we decided to explore its depths, but the tunnel soon narrowed to crawl space, and my claustrophobia prevented further investigation. Besides, we were certain some hideous monster was lurking in the darkness just beyond our flashlight beams. If we kept completely quiet and held our breath we could imagine hearing muffled sounds in the pitch black distance.

We had heard the cave extended far back under Knightstown and that there were other large rooms. It was said it extended under the old cemetery on east Morgan Street; others said it went far under Knightstown itself. I am not sure anyone ever had the nerve to completely explore its length. Despite the intrigue and the promise of high adventure we never ventured far beyond the main room. Unless someone has sealed the entrance I am sure it is still there today. It was/is located on the hillside overlooking Blue River, just south of the old Knightstown dump site that existed for many years on northeast Morgan Street.

It is possible the cave is even larger today. It was most likely created by underground drainage over the past 100 or more years. Now, 60 years after our explorations, it is probable erosion has created even larger tunnels—and even bigger caverns, if they really exist!.

For certain it still lies hidden in undergrowth, its opening agape like the mouth of a hungry beast. It is a timeless adventure waiting for rediscovery by new generations of Knightstown youngsters.

Thanks Wayne, That’s a great story..!!!

Torpedo Works..??

I got this little write up about Knightstown out of the 1919 edition of the “Encyclopedia Americana”. In the description of the business concerns in K-town at the time it mentions a “Torpedo Works”. What on earth is that..??? I don’t think it means the ka-boom kind of torpedo. They surely didn’t make those in K-town, did they..??? What else could it be…??

If anyone knows please share it with us…..!!!

Yes, there was a Torpedo Works…!!!

And it was the ka-boom kind.. I got to looking on the web and found two references. (I am constantly amazed at all the obscure information that’s out there. Who bothers to put all that stuff there…???) Anyway, there was a Nitro-Glycerine factory/Torpedo Works west of Knightstown at about where the Hall’s Chevy place was and a few hundred yards north of Hwy 40. According to Ed Fort a big hole in the ground can still be found where it blew up in 1904.
Here’s an article from the New York Times about the explosion.

I still don’t quite understand what kind of torpedos they made. We weren’t at war in 1904 so I don’t think they were the military type.  They must have been some kind of device used for construction excavation or in mines. It is clear it was a pretty dangerous business…!!! 

Here’s another reference to the nitro plant.  This one from 1901 which tells about an explosion of nitro from K-town that occured north of Anderson. 

The qualifications for teaching were nominally confined to reading, writing and arithemtic, some religon and sufficient physical force to quell the biggest bully among the scholars.  Yet, taken altogether, they worked with a will and made the most of their few talents.  Indeed some of the abelest men which Indiana has produced derived their basic education in these primitive temples of knowledge. 

I want to share share a bit of interest that I found searching for this information.  A description of student’s desks was found in reference to the ones constructed in the 1830’s and 1840’s. 

“Sometimes they were of one long wooden bench of solid wood, carved from a log.  Wooden pegs were used to fasten to the wall or on supports.  They were built to serve more than one pupil and they might extend across a room or around the outside walls.  The seats were separated by a board used to keep girls and boys apart.  Knives were a common possession of young men at the time and the furniture was frequently well carved into and notched, and named by initials of students — often romantically and carved in pairs with the inevitable slope of a heart around them.”

Little did our forefathers know that they established a tradition that still continues and even to the extent to see the limited vocabulary of some there-on engraved.  If you visited the top or third floor of the 1876 academy building you might have observed a similar but more modern continuance of that tradition.  Some of us remember the thrill it was, during the later portion of our senior year when we were permitted to go up the stairway and scribe thereon. 

 Back to history:  As early as 1826, Miss Cary, a daughter of the founder of the town, taught in a school at West Liberty.  Records show that she was probably the first lady teacher in Henry County.  She afterwards taught in Knightstown.  From 1829 to 1832 Dr. Hiatt and Mrs. Willits also taught school in private houses.  In 1832 the first school was erected on the corner of Jefferson and Jackson streets.  Asa Heaton was the builder, and the structure was of frame, 16 x 20 feet.  Henry Carroll taught the first term.  The school house was also used as a community center, serving as a town hall, and for election purposes. 

 Other learning places did exist in the area.  They were known at that time as “seminaries” and were usually taught by a minister or a member of the congregation and were selective on who could attend.

The community felt a need for all children to be educated and a stock company was formed in 1836.  This resulted in the knightstown Academy being built on the corner of Brown and Front Streets.  This building later became the residence of the well known Capt. Valentine Steiner.  The town of Knightstown was not incorporated until January 2nd, 1837. 

The 1858 Academy Building(This must have been hand colored.)

In 1850 a two story frame building replaced the 1836 school.  In 1858 a second Academy was opened in Knightstown. 

The Citizens of Knightstown have just completed the erection of a very large and elegantly arranged school ediface.  One which reflects credit upon their liberality, and honor upon the community.  Located in the northern portion of town, made of the best material, designed and constructed with the special reference to the health, comfort, and edification of both pupil and teacher, and fully competent to accomodate 400 scholars. Cost $8,500. 

The school was first Superintended by William Haughton, who was assisted by five competent teachers.  Two of which were “Eastern ladies”.  A course of education consisting of languages, science, both moral and natural, and the higher branches of mathematics. 

The 1858 Academy building served the educational needs of the community until the mid 1870’s.  In 1872 John I. Morrison moved to Knightstown.  Mr. Morrison was instrumental in writing into the Constitution of Indiana provisions which would guarantee all children a common school education.  Mr. morrison had collaborated with other nationally recognized educators, such as Horace Mann of Massachusetts and W.E. McGuffy of Ohio.  He soon became a member of the local school board.  He was most influential in developing an interest in the construction of an unusual school building.  It was at his suggestion that the turrets were surmounted by a large metal decorative globe and telescope.  These have become a landmark for travelers on the National Road, even today.  This building served well the educational needs of many students for many years and there have been a number of renowned persons come forth starting with the knowledge they gained within its walls as a basic beginning.  Many great, dedicated, and influential educators have spent countless hours helping to stimulate and feed inquisitive minds. 

The Globe and Telescope Building in about 1890.

The Knightstown Academy has changed little in appearance since its errection over a hundred years ago.  It is a three story structure with classic symmetry.  The slate covered mansard roof features ornamental dormer windows and twin turrets which support the globe and telescope.  The building was started in 1876 and the first class was graduated in in 1877. 

On each side of the front door are companion stairways which are largely self supporting and rise to the third floor.   The full basement has walls three feet in thickness.  The third floor has not been used for classrooms since 1887.  At that time a two story wing, also brick, was added to the rear of the building. 

In 1920 an exceedingly important decision was made by the Board of Education.  L.E. Rogers was hired as Superintendent.  A most wise decision, as in his 39 years, he touched the lives of many of us.  A plaque is mounted in his honor and states so simply his great value: 

In memory of our efficient and respected school administrator whose good humor, wise councel, and understanding enriched the minds and hearts of all who knew him.”

He brought forth many needed changes to our schools.  One was a six year high school.  Another was hot lunches served at the school.  Basketball was being at Bell’s Hall and in the basement of the Presbyterian Church.  He called a meeting in 1920 to gain community support for a new gymnasium and $9,000 was raised. 

Time moves rapidly and changes result.  Major reorganization took place in 1956.  The Greensboro Twp. Schools were joined with the Knightstown and Wayne Twp. Schools.  As a result of this change the Lower Elementary Building was erected on the east side of Adams Street.  This building was opened in 1957 and the Southwestern Consolidated Schools had taken one step toward the completion of a plan.  Elementary Schools still operated in Raysville, Central, Greensboro and Kennard.  It was at this time the Falcons and Leopard Cats became the Knightstown Panthers.  As a result of this consolidation space was available and the elementary schools at Raysville, Central and Greensboro were closed. 

This necessatated the need for a new and modern high school building.  A holding company was formed and a new High School building was occupied on April 5th, 1966.  This gave the opportunity for further reorganization.  The trustee and advisory board of Ripley Township met with the school board of the Beard corporation.  A plan was proposed for consolidation, however several litigation suits folled.  In the fall of 1972 the plan was finalized by the Indiana court of Appeals and the Ripley Twp Schools joined the Beard Schools.  In the fall of 1973 the students of Carthage joined the students of Knightstown High School. 

On April 3rd, 1974 a devastating and frightening thing took place.  The school corporation was hit by a tornado that destroyed the Kennard elementary building whill school was in session.  By the grace of God, no one was injured.  Minds went to work and formulated and built a new building on approximately the same site.  Since that time two new elementary buildings have been built and current plans call for consideration to remodel or build for the Junior and/or Senior High Schools.  The school corporation is now in a status of groth in students and assessed valuation. 

In conclusion, I can only come to one thought: Many many years ago a noted and renouned philosopher wrote, “The moving finger writes and having writ, moves on”…..

November 1998

Robert L. Myers

The Latest Knightstown High School c2006.

This is how it should look…

2. Who built the first Church in Knightstown..??

3. Who authorized the building of the National Road..???

4. When did he do it…???

5. When did interurban rail service to Knightstown begin..??

6. When did it end..??

7. What was a “Knightstown Galahad”..??

Answers at the bottom of the “Knightstown was a busy place” page.

In 1938 Louie Flory had arrived in Knightstown from Illinois, and stopped in at Kendall’s Barber Shop.  While there he heard that someone was needed to help in the Bowling Alley.   Mr. Flory said: “I could do that” and headed over to apply for employment. 

Cecil Binford (either owned the building or was the manager) hired Flory to work there.  Leslie Williams was also an employee who worked either a day or night shift. 

After taking the job at the Bowling Alley, Louie Flory returned to the barber shop.  He was asked if he had taken a drink from the fountain on the square and he said he had: then he was told “if you drink from that fountain you’ll never leave Knightstown” and he didn’t.

He and Jane Flory opened up their own shop next to the Alhambra Theatre and later moved the shop to Main Street where it was in operation for many, many years.  It was later managed by the Flory daughter, Dolly, who married Richard McCormack. 

I don’t remember when the alley was closed.  It was located where the Paint Store was (now closed).  I have been told the alleys were dismantled and stored upstairs over the Paint Store.  (may still be there). 

Great story..!! thanks again Vivian..!!!

1.  Who was Brown Street named for..??

General Jacob Jennings Brown hero of the War of 1812.  B1775-D1828
(click on the link for more info.)

http://www.galafilm.com/1812/e/people/brown.html

President Thomas Jefferson

4. When did he do it…???

March 29th, 1806

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5. When did interurban rail service to Knightstown begin..??

1903

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6. When did it end..???

1938

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7. What was a Knightstown “Galahad”
It was a hearse built by the Knightstown Funeral Car Company. There were 2 companies making Hearses and Ambulances in Knightstown in the early 20th century. Read all about them at the links.

http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/k/knightstown_funeral/knightstown_funeral.htm

http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/k/knightstown/knightstown.htm

http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/n/national/national.htm

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Treva sent that Clarence Post told her that there were actually three Bowling Alleys in K-town.  One in the basement under Hopkin’s Furniture Store, one in the Odd Fellows building, and the best known one near Citizens Bank on Main Street.  This little article is about the latter. 

Kay wrote that she liked to go to the Bowling Alley because she had a huge crush on the owner’s son, Gary (Gabby) Binford.  The Binfords moved to Portland, Indiana when they sold the business and left Knightstown. 

Rosie told me that her sister and her sister’s friend would clean and set pins for the owner, Cecil Binford, and he would let them bowl for free.  

Bob Myers shared his memories of the Bowling Alley with us as follows:

The Bowling Alley was next door to the Citizens National Bank.  Later it became a tavern and in the 1960s Alvin Harden, president of the bank bought the building and made the drive through for the bank.  The Strand Theater was next door to the bowling alley.  In the good old days when everyone went to town on Saturday evening, we used to go to the Alhambra for a movie and then went duck pinning afterwards. 

I was in my pre-teens during this time.  The movie, a box of dum-dums, a bag of Flory’s pop-corn and two lines of duck pins cost 50 cents.  Not bad for an evening of good entertainment.  My weekly allowance….. 

Great stuff, thanks Bob…!!!

Don Rhodes who graduated KHS in 1950 very kindly sent an excerpt from his autobiography in which he describes his experience working at the Bowling Alley.  He started working there when he was a freshman and continued throughout his high school years.  I was very happy to receive his account and be able to include it here.  It gives us a wonderful bit of insight about what it was like.  Thank you Don…!!!

I started working at the bowling alley in September (of 1946).  I had to get a Social Security card when I started working.  Cecil Binford was the owner and a good person to work for.  A couple of years later, Cecil sold the bowling alley to Jim LaForge. 

The bowling alley was located on Main Street in the building that used to house the Strand Theater.  I believe it was late occupied by Cooney’s Photography Studio. 

The bowling alley was a “Duck Pin Alley”.  the pins were smaller than regular bowling alley pins and the balls were smaller and solid.  We had four bowling lanes.  Richard Davis set pins on lane number 1, Eddie Vaughn on lane number 2, Victor Wyatt on lane number 3 and I set on lane number 4. 

I set the pins near the end of the bowling lane.  I had little red dots to tell me where to set the pins.  Behind the pins was a drop-off where the pins and balls would after the ball hit the pins.  This was a four foot square called the “pit area”.  I had a little seat that I would hop up on when the bowler rolled the ball.  When the ball came into the pit area, I would jump down and pick up the ball and roll it back to the bowler on a track that went from the pit area back to the bowler.  I would give the ball a push so it would go all the way back.  I would then jump down into the pit and clear the lane of any down pins that did not go into the pit area.  After the second ball was rolled, I would jump down, send the ball back and set up the ten pins for the next bowler. 

If someone wanted to bowl in my lane I would turn the light on and jump up on my seat.  When the ball came down the lane i would put my feet together and hold them out to block any pin that might come in my direction.  The balls were small and some bowlers would roll the ball very fast.  If the ball was rolled fast and hit the head pin straight on there was a good possibility that the head pin would go airborne and hopefully not in my direction.  There were many times when a pin would hit me on the shins or fly up and hit the wall behind me and come back down on me.  If some guys were throwing exceptionally hard Cecil would tell them to slow it down.  If i wanted to be mean, and i was on some occasions, I would set the head pin about an inch in front of the first red dot.  The bowler wasn’t able to see that i did that.  When the ball hit the head pin it was a sure split and the pin would usually go flying. 

We usually worked on Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoon and evening.  We would work other nights if needed.  If there was a basketball game in the middle of the week we would always work after the game.  Most games were played on Friday nights and we would be very busy after the game and work until about 1:00. 

I was paid by the amount of games that were played on my lane while I was setting pins.  I received 15 cents for each game.  Usually two or four people would bolw at the same time.  For four people that would be 60 cents for a game which doesn’t sound like very much of an income.  However, on a busy night I would work from about 6:00 until 12:00 or 1:00.  Each 15 cents counted up and gave me some spending money. 

When bowling was over in my lane, I would turn the light off and go up to the front.  I would get a coke, sit down or do whatever I wanted as long as I stayed close if someone wanted to bowl.  Setting pins was a sales job in a small way.  You wanted people to bowl in your lane.  First you would encourage them to use your alley then set the pins fast.  People didn’t want to wait and if you were slow getting the pins set up you would lose a customer. 

The bowling alley opened at 2:00 on Sunday afternoon.  We would come in about 1:00 and clean up the pit area.  When the pins fell they would make black marks on the alley where they fell.  Also the red dots would fade from week to week and would need to be repainted.  I would take steel wool and clean off the black marks and smooth off the red dots and paint over them.  It wouldn’t take them long to dry.  Then I would be ready for a long day of bowling. 

I continued to work at the bowling alley (through high school).  I enjoyed working there for several reasons.  First and foremost was the money.  I didn’t make big bucks but I made enough to buy gas, go to the movies, eat out and do a few things I wanted to do.  I enjoyed talking to people when they came in the bowling alley.   I have always been shy and this helped me come out of my shyness a little bit. 

I always set pins on alley number four.  When no one was bowling I would talk to people, get a coke and maybe a piece of candy.  Sunday afternoons were always fun.  We would come in early to clean our pit area and then we were free to go back up front until customers came in.  Jim Laforge was the owner at this time.  He would come in and open up then be gone most of the afternoon.  He usually came back about 5:00.  We had two pinball machines.  They were old and we found out we could take a wire coat hanger, straighten it out, and run it through one of the corners that had a tiny opening in it.  We would put a nicklel in the machine then stick the wire through the opening, bump it against one of the lights and rack up about a hundred games.  We would take turns and play all afternoon.  When we saw Jim coming we would hit the button beneath the machine and run off all the games.  I am pretty sure Jim knew we did this but he didn’t care.  We usually didn’t have many customers until later in the evening so it gave us something to do. 

I was traveling a lot back in the late 80s and didn’t really keep up on what was happening in my old home town.  My company always provided business class tickets on international flights and I usually got an upgrade to first so I was “up front” on a flight back from Amsterdam.  My routine on flights “across the pond” was to have dinner and a couple of drinks and then sleep all the way to New York or Chicago.  I awoke about half way through the movie to go to the john and when I got half way out of my seat I looked up and there on the screen in the front of the cabin there was a basketball game being played in my high school gym. 

For a moment or two I was totally disorientated.  I can’t remember being quite so confused.  I really did wonder if I was dreaming.  I sat back down forgetting my need to go and just stared with my mouth hanging open.  I think my sister, Amelia, had mentioned they were making a film in Knightstown but it didn’t really register at the time.   I finally recalled what she had said and began to realize this must be the film she told me about. 

Then I got really excited about it and wanted to tell somebody; “Hey, that’s my High School gym”.  I was on KLM and most of the folks around me were Dutch as was the crew.  The Dutchman next to me was reading and I told him but he only looked at me like I was crazy.  I had to control my excitement until I got home and could tell my wife who said “Oh, that’s nice”.  So it goes……………..!!!

If you have any stories about your experiences with the movie please post them here.  I know some of you must be in it and we would like to hear about that…

 Here’s a link to an interesting story with a Knightstown connection about an incident on the Big 4 RR back in the steam era 

Link to Big 4 Railroad Story

I remember Dad taking me down to the Pennsy track, I think it was between Jefferson and Franklin, to watch the train pick up mail from the arm on a post. I think there were two posts, one for drop-off and one for pick-up. Those steam engines were awesome and still fascinating.

Thanks Ron…!!!

Looking back on it I wonder what the “powers that be” were thinking.  Did they actually believe there was the remotest possibility that planes would fly all the way from Germany or Japan to bomb Knightstown, Indiana…???

We have five children, Brad, Blake, Molly, Bryce and Brock. Brad and Molly live in IN and Blake, Bryce and Brock still live in the Dallas Metroplex area. We have five grandchildren, four girls (Hanna, Emily, Olivia Gail, and Kaitlyn) and one boy (Colton Bryce), ranging in age from 11 to one month old.

I began my professional career as a teacher and coach and moved into school administration as an Athletic Director in 1967. I later served as a high school principal at Westfield Washington High School and at Carmel High School.
I moved into central office administration as an Assistant to the Superintendent for Secondary Education at the MSD of Washington Township (North Central High School district) and was appointed Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education in MSD of Wayne Township (Ben Davis High School district) to head up the peaceful integration of inner city schools to the MSD Township schools across Marion County.

In 1981 we moved to Dallas, TX where I began serving as Vice President for Positive Life Attitudes for America and the Executive Director for Education and Training for the Zig Ziglar Corporation. During my days with the Zig Ziglar Corporation we developed curriculum and educational in-service training for more than 15,000 k-12 schools and colleges across America. The Dallas Independent School District was one of our large clients and we were instrumental in helping to motivate and teach inner city youth to become a success in life. During those days we founded Lexington Academy, a Christian Preparatory School for underachieving students, where I served as a Board member and the Superintendent/Headmaster until 1995.

In the fall of 1995 we moved back to IN where Gail could help her father, Reverend Byron Leaser with assisted care until he developed acute dementia and spent his final three years at the Warren Methodist Home a few miles north of Marion. Bryon passed at age 98. In returning to IN I took a position as chairman of the Masters in Education degree program at Indiana Wesleyan University. I later founded and chaired the School Leadership post-masters degree program and the Doctor of Organizational Leadership program.

I am currently commencing my third year in service as Chief of Staff for President Henry Smith. We live in Country Lake Estates on the edge of the Indiana Wesleyan University main campus in Marion, IN. Indiana Wesleyan University has grown during the past 12 years from a degree seeking student population of about 4,000 students to approximately 15,000 students this fall.
Larry

I became a founding (charter) member of the Indiana Society for Respiratory Care. It still goes strong and I am the only charter member still living or remaining in the state.After 4 years at Community, I was hounded by several people to apply for a job at I. U. Medical Center to start a dept. of “Inhalation Therapy”. The Med. Center had nothing that resembled a dept. and the doctors knew it. During that time I sat for the only credentialing exam there was for respiratory therapists. The final part of the exam was given in Washington, D.C. and it was oral. Not so today. Fortunately, I passed. My new job at the Med. Center hinged on it. I was the 2nd person in the state of Indiana to take and pass the exam and the only R.N. The 1st person was a nun in So. Bend. Most therapists today think I should be dead because my credential number is 3 digits instead of 6 digits or more.While at Community,

I met an engineering student from Purdue whom I married in 1966. By that time I was at I. U. Med. Center and my boss had asked me to start a school for “Inhalation Therapy”. When I told him I didn’t consider myself an educator, nor did I know anything about schools (there were none anywhere for “Inhalation Therapy” then), he said he didn’t care and he wanted a school, so do it. In the meantime my husband was traveling from Indy to Bloomington each day working on an MBA (had finished an EE at Purdue) and the Army starting sending him love notes about Viet Nam. He finished the semester, before he went to Navy OCS and ultimately spent 3+ yrs. in the Navy.I researched until I felt I had a preliminary proposal to submit about the school. It was to be the first degreed program in the nation, starting with an A.S. degree, then B. S. and ultimately a Masters. The top doc liked it and said get the paper work going. Since I.U. was so slow and cumbersome at getting anything done at that time, I thought it would be years before anything happened. It also had to be approved by the Commission on Higher Education. Much to my surprise, the program was approved in 2 months or so. Where to get students? I called a Freshman counselor in Bloomington and asked to talk to some of her students who didn’t yet know what they wanted to do with their lives. I got one student. She ultimately graduated the program, but never worked even though she became credentialed.

The program existed until about 1 1/2 years ago when Clarian took over the higher education of Allied Health Professions. The A. S. program was dropped years ago and the program was for B. S. candidates only.In 1967, I moved to Newport, Rhode Island where my husband was home ported. I never saw the one student again, nor did I ever teach her a thing. All core curriculum was taken in Bloomington and clinicals were at the Med. Center. There was no IUPUI. She did her clinicals after I moved to RI. We lived in Newport about 2 years where our daughter was born and died. She lived 3 days and my husband was at sea. The following year we were transferred to Washington D.C. and lived in Falls Church. After he exited the Navy, we moved back to Indy, and one month later, our son was born. I was a stay at home mom for the next 6 years. There was a restlessness in me and I didn’t recognize what it was, but I went back to the Med. Center to work in the Respiratory Therapy dept. on a part time basis as a hands on therapist. That was mid November of 1974, and by Jan. 1st of 1975, I was head of the dept. in University Hospital which had been built in my absence, but I had designed the dept. before I left in ‘67. The dept. was built exactly like I designed it and it remains the same today with the exception of a corridor which was made to meet code. The dept. head today was an on the job trainee, under my supervision in 1978, obtained her A.S., then B.S., then Masters in the I.U. program.I stayed at the Med. Center 12 1/2 yrs. this time, but divorced in 1976. The dept. had grown considerably and there were many, many problems. It took about 5 yrs. to turn it around. By that time we were doing therapies that no one else was doing and ultimately we became the largest dept. in the nation. After all that, I decided it was time to move on. I went to work as an independent consultant for Puritan-Bennet Corp., a manufacturer of respiratory equipment. It was a job that covered many aspects from product development, marketing, technical writing, investigations, working with foreign customers, etc All during my years at the Med. Center, I worked part time on weekends (nights) at various nursing homes as a staff nurse. Kept my fingers in the nursing pie, so to speak.

When business took a downturn at Puritan-Bennett, they stopped using consultants and I was on a job search. Ultimately, I went to work in 1989, for a little known company, at that time, call Vencor. It was a company that had 6 long term care hospitals based out of Louisville. I started as Assistant Administrator for Clinical Operations in their Dallas Hospital, then became the interim Administrator. Six months later they asked me to move to Corporate Office in Louisville and start a new dept. there. So I did. The company grew into a 2.5 billion dollar company and then went into bankruptcy. I was with them 9 years, but was downsized in the mayhem that came at the end. The company is now known as Kindred, and they own, not only the hospials, but about 200-300 nursing homes.

In 1994, I remarried and that lasted until this year. I won’t bother to get into that, but it was doomed from the start. That is book in itself.
After Vencor, I worked as an R.N., staff nurse in several places, but ultimately sought a job in Columbus, IN, at a not for profit retirement community. I am Director of Nursing at this community and have about 200 residents. Our health care center has 70+ patients and the remainder live in apartments and may or may not have assisted care. I have been there almost 5 years. I’m sure everyone remembers Joyce Skaggs. She was a resident of this community for 23 years before she passed away about a year or so ago. Joyce and I had many conversations about Knightstown.

Now, I try to teach my nurses about respiratory care since the nursing schools teach them almost nothing. They can’t even get the terminology right much less know the anatomy and physiology of the respiratory system. Many of our patients have big respiratory problems, so I guess it is good that I am there to see that the nurses get educated somewhat in this area. Nurses will never take the place of respiratory therapists even though the Dean of the School of Nursing at I.U. told me in 1965 that nurses should do “everything” for a patient and that she would fight my profession until we were gone. Funny how she, many years later, wound up on a ventilator and wanted the respiratory therapists at her side most of the time. I guess, for her sake and others, that she did not win her battle!

My son lives in Overland Park, KS. He has not seen fit to marry and therefore, I have no grandchildren. I’m too young for that anyway. My mother will be 90 next month and she lives in WVA. My father passed away in 1988 and my brother in 1991. I live in Franklin, IN, now and have no plans to retire any time soon.

Little did I know, as that farm girl from Knightstown, that I would get this far in the 50 years since graduating from KHS. As much as I hated that farm, I learned a lot from living on it. Some of what I learned has helped me get where I am today, and, as much as anything else, I truly believe that our education at KHS prepared me for all that I have encountered.

Maybe, if I ever retire, I will write a book, but as I think about it, it would have to be several different books. Where are those English teachers when I need them?
Ellen,

We returned to Indiana and were desperate for a house, Ruth Ratliff let us rent her North Jefferson Street house. It was fun being back in K-town with our son for those months. The winter was miserable - cold and snowy - realized how much I loved the South and not having any snow. We moved to Indianapolis. Max probably remembers - he, Jerry and I were the movers. Not fun - right Max? It was a horrible, horrible winter - so snowy that one day the city buses did not run nor were you allowed to drive your own auto. Could hear San Antonio calling. Wrong number. It was Northern Virginia. The Marine Corps this time. We lived in Annandale - a beautiful area. Had the best neighbors - just like family. Our church was very small - complete opposite from San Antonio as far as size - same warmth. The highlight of living in No. Va. was Jay being in the Northern Virginia Patriot’s Drum Corps. The director was a member of the Army’s Old Guard and a saint. There were 500 members, age 5 through high school. They were in parades all over the area. We were very active with them and loved every minute of it. D.C. is a beautiful area with lots of history, culture, patriotic experiences and is cosmopolitan, expensive and crowded. I returned to school while there. Tons of educational opportunities and lots of well educated people. Still we wanted Jay to have more the life we had had growing up. Jerry was able to go Army and transfer to Fort Ben so we moved to Speedway. Unfortunately, the 50’s were gone and would never return.

Life in Speedway was similar to life in K-town. I was a stay-home Mom as were my friends so we did the Mom things. I thought it was a law that you had to have popcorn and coke for Friday night dinner. The huge difference is there were very. very few dances - only prom.. We were very involved with the band - Jay was a percussionist and in theater. After the games it was Pizza instead of hamburgers for both parents and students. And instead of sock hops it was to the home of one of the students. During our Speedway time I did some part-time and temporary work mostly for the government. We thought Speedway was a great place to raise Jay, however not the best place for a government career or for good weather. We planned to return to the D.C. area as soon as Jerry, Jr. graduated from Speedway High. It took us longer than we had anticipated - Jay was almost out of Purdue before we returned - Springfield this time. I went to work for the Corps of Engineers and returned to school. Had great neighbors from all over the world. Still lots to do and great weather. Could have been a great place to retire from. Jerry wanted and was granted a divorce.

God is good! After hearing an advertisement for a T.V. show “Old Flames” I phoned Jack’s mother. After she caught me up on the news she told me Jack was there for dinner. Ask her if he would talk to me - he was not real happy with me that I did not marry him. She put him on the phone and I realized he had no idea who was on the other end of the line so I said my name. He commented that had I not said my name but that many words he would have known me - I sounded just the same. I could hear wedding bells ringing! I knew I had made a terrible mistake all those years ago and I was not about to make another. Later Jack told me that he had decided 32 years was long enough to be mad at me! I had a train trip to Texas planned with a stop over in Indy. Jack said he would meet my train and take me to see his mother. He was at the train station and 32 years vanished - it was as though we were married and I had gone to Chicago for a couple of days.

After retiring from the Army Jack went to Austin Peay U. for construction and at the time we reunited he was building custom homes. The Army did not keep their promise regarding medical coverage which was not a problem for Jack since he could go to VA but it was a different story for me. Jack decided to return to government for 5 years so we could have medical coverage. It could have been anywhere although I think he probably preferred Tennessee and I probably preferred North Carolina. It was Speedway and the Postal Service. We bought a house and were going to sorta camp out until Jack retired again, then we were going to build our dream house and do a million and one things -dance- while growing old together. That was not to be. Jack was diagnosed with lung cancer.
We were blessed to be in Speedway. Our doctor’s wife and I had been very close friends for years and our doctor was quick to get Jack on treatment. Jack had Christian doctors and they were so kind and caring to us - were sorry that they could not do more but said it was in God’s hands. Everyone at Methodist was a blessing to us. My old Speedway friends loved Jack - who wouldn’t - and rallied around us as did his friends from Carthage. We had wonderful support. Jack lived almost 2 years. Of course, we wished we had married all those years ago, however, Jack said had we been married when he was in Viet Nam he would never have come home because he would not have had his mind on his business. That keeps me from going nuts - most days. We had some wonderful years - heaven on earth. There is probably not a positive adjective that does not apply to Jack. He was not perfect but very close. He was still very strong willed as was I. Thank goodness! My son loved Jack - wrote a beautiful tribute for his funeral.

We now have two grandchildren a 9 year old, Jade and a 6 year old, J.T.. They love PaPa Jack and speak of him as though they knew him 50 years. Jack wanted to be a grandpa so badly. He would love those children. Don’t think I could go on without them - they are Jack’s gift. We were blessed that we were married and I am thankful that I was with Jack at the end rather than him being alone on a far away battlefield. I miss Jack terribly but know he would want me to be strong, so that, Jade and J.T. keep me going. The grandchildren live in Fayetteville, N.C. so I am there often - that is where Jack started out. I love the Army and Fort Bragg so am in 7th heaven when there. J.T. is going to be a 5-Star General which makes his Granma smile. It would be great to hear from old K-town friends.
Kay      kayhinshaw@yahoo.com

Eventually I had an opportunity to move back to Knightstown. By this time my two oldest boys were out of high school, and then the two younger ones graduated from Knightstown. During that time I worked for Tom Mayhill for about a year and then went to work as the Executive Secretary for Central Indiana Youth for Christ. That lasted 7 years and I started working at Fort Ben for 8 attorneys and stayed there until I retired in 2000.

I’ll tell you retirement is a real joy after all the years that I worked. I’m thoroughly enjoying it.My children are all married and I have 11 grandchildren who are a huge joy for me. I stay busy by working part-time at the local Library and also doing a lot of things at my church. I direct the choir, sing and serve as an Elder and other things as they come up. I also volunteer 2 evenings a month in the Gift Shop of Hancock Regional Hospital at Greenfield.

My sons live in Cincinnati, OH, Adairsville, GA, and Houston, TX. My daughter lives in Indianapolis. They are a wonderful bunch and we have a great time when all of them are around.

If any of you want to communicate with me, my e-mail address is: pnicholas@isp.com

 Pat Nicholas

When I made this site it was just intended to be an adjunct to the pictures I posted of the Knightstown, Indiana class of 1957 reunion. However, the more I get into it and think about it I believe it would be great to use the site to compile a snapshot, so to speak, of life in a small midwestern town in the 1950s. If we could collect our memories of day to day life in Knightstown here they would be preserved for the future.

I think a lot of people will be interested in hearing stories on even the most trivial subjects. For example, I sure would enjoy reading about the stuff that went on in K-town in the 1920s and 30s. It follows that a lot of folks will be just as interested in the 50s.

We aren’t getting any younger so there isn’t a whole lot of time left to put something together. At our next reunion (or at my demise) a disc of the stuff we’ve put together will be given to the K-town Historical Society and hopefully they can preserve it.

Since the site isn’t just about our class anymore but rather about K-town in the 50s I hope you will pass the word to anyone who might contribute. There are lots of subjects which could be written about and discussed. The fashions, commerece, religon, politics, social life, entertainment, manners and family life of the era to name a few. The more discussion on any subject the better.

If you want to send me an email here’s my address:  simman@charter.net 

cheers,

This story started in 1954 when the band of Knightstown High School practiced all summer long to compete in the Band Day at the State Fair in August. We worked very hard - early morning and then in the evening. Many people came out (mostly in the evening) to stand along the streets and watch the practices. It was hot and muggy, but when you are in high school, none of that seems to make a huge difference. We approached the State Fair as a competition that was serious and took a lot of work. When the big day came, the only other band in the State of Indiana that was judged better than our band was Muncie Central. We came in second, but were not disappointed. After the competition, Muncie Central was asked if they wanted to go to the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC in the spring, or if they wanted to go to New York to the Grand Conclave of the Masonic Lodge. Happily, Muncie Central went to the Cherry Blossom Festival.

One man in our town, Willard Avery, was the top person (or one of them) in the Masonic Lodge and he arranged for us to go on the trip to New York in the summer of 1955. There were many people involved in getting the whole thing off the ground. Of course, there was the band director, Wilburn Elrod, but his job was getting the band ready. Other citizens took charge of many of the details. The one that stands out in my mind is Norman Reeves. Somehow, the leaders of the community took it upon themselves to start fund raising because we had to pay our own way. The men and women involved made arrangement for the bus to take us, someone else got a rebuilt hearse donated to carry the uniforms and instruments, the people at the hearse company painted the vehicle red and black and they lettered it “Knightstown High School Band.” What a sight that was coming down the street in school colors. Someone else had to make all the hotel and meal arrangements and we band members had to do a lot of work to raise money. We had bake sales, sold stuff, did car washes and I don’t remember everything else we did.

However, what is striking about this trip and being in the mid-50’s, is that it wasn’t just a band trip - it was a complete town effort. There were people that made sure there were plenty of chaperones, people who made tours possible, and others who worked in the background to make sure everything ran smoothly. There were several parents who made the trip with their families - I know my Dad decided to take the rest of my family because he said if his daughter was going to march down 5th Avenue, he was going to be there to see it.

We traveled all night and when we got to New York City, we were amazed. I don’t think any of us had ever been in a city like that before and we were in awe. We got all our stuff in the hotel and then the fun started. We got to do all the regular tourist stuff - like the Empire State Building, China Town, etc. Our meals were excellent and we acted like tourists, but we were warned to behave ourselves. I think that the actual parade was on a week night evening and it was very long. We had our pictures taken, people cheered and clapped and quite frankly, nothing like that would probably happen to any of us again. I think besides being in the parade, the highlight of the trip was on our last day there. Arrangements had been made for us to board a ship that held more people than live in Knightstown, and we went up the Hudson River to West Point Academy and toured. I’ll never forget that part of the trip. We were all very impressed and it was so military, but above all, it was absolutely beautiful up there. On the way back from West Point I think some of us realized that we were homesick and were very ready to board our bus and come back down to earth after such a whirlwind trip.

I don’t know how many high school kids will ever have an experience as unique as this one was and how grateful we all were to be able to participate. I know this is just a short narrative, but it is what stands out in my mind. If you have other particular memories of that week, feel free to add to the information. I just remember how strongly the town pulled together and made it possible for us and sometimes we miss the togetherness that the trip represented.

Pat Nicholas - July 31, 2007

Some of the cars I remember were:

• The Keesling’s “Green Monster” 1952 DeSoto
• Forey Wyatt’s ‘47 Chevy coupe with bittersweet orange front fenders, slick..!!
• Junior Peacock’s ‘46 Ford coupe
• Donnie Sylvestor’s cool sky blue metalic ‘41 Chevy with cackling dual steelpacks - sweet..!!!
• Kenny Perry’s folk’s “Green Bomb” Pontiac
• Nancy’s folk’s pink ‘56 Lincoln convert (what a boat..!!!)
• Phil Ramsey’s ‘55 Chevy BelAire Hardtop with a 4 barrel carb (unbeatable)
• Lonnie Young’s ‘54 Ford Interceptor (pretty fast too)
• Ronnie Short’s folk’s red and black ‘56 Ford Fairlane
• Larry Lindsay’s big ole ‘49 or ‘50 Hudson.  (Had some times in that one…!!)
• Gary Plank’s cherry ‘48 Chevy  (There’s never been a cleaner car..!!)

This is all I can remember right now.  Maybe somebody can help me out and post some more.

I sure would like to get some pictures of the cars to post here.  Hope somebody will either post some or send them to me and I’ll post them. 

thanks to all who put thier pictures on here, and injoyed reading the bolg, sure brings back memories. hope all of you that  can  write me , and we can stay in touch that way anyway…many thanks to viv for sending me a classmates picture.  everyone looks so young…. will be lookin  for some  responses….

                  SARA WILSON  MCINTOSH 

There must be a lot of snapshots of our school days out there but I can’t seem to find many.  There were a bunch of super pictures at the reunion.  I’m not sure who’s they were but they sure were good. 

I’m posting one of the few that I took back then.  It was a 35mm slide that I got digitized at Walgreens.  I think this one was taken just when school started in the late summer of 1952.  Pretty good lookin lineup….. 

I put some of the slides in a gallery.  Just click on the picture to go to the gallery. 

If some folks will loan me their pictures I will get them digitized and send them back unharmed along with a disc of the files.  Then I’ll post them in a gallery for everybody to enjoy.  My address is:

213 Shelburne Dr.

St. Charles, MO. 63301

cheers, Ed

Double click on the arrow thing for a song about the girls. 

I put this page up to have a place for everyone to keep in touch.  I haven’t had time to figure out how best to use it yet.  I think everyone can post messages and then other folks can comment on them.  Also haven’t figured out how to change the way the pages look or add pictures with the text yet, but I will.  It was hard enough to download it then install it on my server.  Took me all night and day.  Us old folks don’t catch on so quickly anymore. 

I hope to see and bunch of stuff here from my old classmates and anyone else who would like to contribute. 

cheers, Ed

If you would like to add a comment to this paragraph just click on the comments link in the header of this paragraph.  Better yet, please add a new subject.  To do that you need to register then you can log-in anytime and contribute.  I promise this won’t get you on any spam lists. 

Here’s a picture of me at 16 with my car trying to be cool.