Friday, September 29, 2023

Retired Shelbyville Central Employees Honored

Shelbyville High School homecoming parade grand marshals Christie Nigh, Susan Wettrick and Gail Procell lead last Wednesday's parade in a 1947 International owned and driven by Jeb Bass, father of SHS Assistant Principal Jason Bass. All three grand marshals retired from the Shelbyville Central Schools administration office this year, Procell with 32 years of service, Nigh with 26 years and Wettrick with 23 years.

The International truck, only on its second owner, has its own story. The original owner was Bass's great-uncle. "One day, he said, 'You know, you took your first ride in this truck,'" Mr. Bass recalls. "He said, 'The night you were born, your dad borrowed it to take your mom to the hospital.'" His great-uncle then handed him the title, and Bass has continued to restore the vehicle over the past 35-plus years.

SHELBY COUNTY SKY

The Latest Digitized SHS Courier Editions

April 27, 1966 | Dec. 17, 1968 | Oct. 1971 | March 25, 2004

Editor's note: The Evening Review will be on hiatus for the next few weeks due to fall break and, frankly, so I can complete doctoral assignments. Until next time!

This Month in Shelby County History

2018: A newspaper feature covered longtime Shelby Eastern teachers Pat Kohne and Deborah Stafford. They were both in their 39th year of teaching. Karen Parmer and Cathy Macaluso were in their 39th year at Southwestern.

2013: Shelbyville cross country runners Daniel Kuhn and Alton Anspaugh shined in their final home meet, with Kuhn finishing second and Anspaugh third.

2008: Lewis Creek Baptist Church marked 175 years since its founding. Board members had recently decided to build a new sanctuary within a decade.

2003: Jollity United Methodist Church began a year-long celebration of the 175th anniversary of its founding. Jollity Church, located on the Shelby-Johnson county line near Edinburgh, was named after Frederick Joliee, who first surveyed Johnson County between 1820 and 1830. In 1823, the Richard Shipps, Tandy Brockmans and Samuel Sandefur joined the two other families in the area.

1998: A newspaper article covered Brad Fix, who was in his 15th year serving as chief electrician for the Bears of Blue River Festival. His job was to ensure food vendors had enough electric power, a job that often meant untangling the miles of wire and cable that coiled through downtown, providing quality sound for the festival's programs and concerts.

Blake Everhart, 15, a Waldron Junior-Senior High School student, took grand champion honors at the Indiana State Fair for his polled Hereford heifer.

1993: Paul and Wanda (Weaver) Caldwell celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. They had been married in the Morristown Christian Church and were the parents of Dana, Linda (Muegge), Derel, Lani, Cheryl (Resnick) and Michael.

1988: A newspaper article covered Mark Sullivan, who was Shelbyville's longest serving police officer. Sullivan had been 29 years old when starting under Chief Gene Junken in 1958. Sullivan planned to retire by the end of the year.

1983: Bob Knecht, a 1983 graduate of Shelbyville High School, headed to Hanover College, where he would join his brother, Jeff Knecht, on the baseball team.

1978: The Eagles were the co-champions of the Knothole "A" League. Team members were Clay Hoefener, Mike Wise, Jeff Knecht, Randy McNeely, Brian Baker, Russell Riggen, Joe Roberts, Jeff Grimme, Todd Bass, Brad Bass, David Dillman, Bryan Lay, Brian Tulloh and Laymon Carter. Herb Riggen, Bruce Knecht and Jim Grimme were coaches.

1973: An additional newspaper photo of new Shelbyville Central teachers included Daniel Howell, Donna Purcell, Mary Farrell, Donna Demmary, Virginia Ferris, Meredith Craig, Charles Kinsey and Terry Hamilton.

1968: A newspaper photo showed Mary Pritchard shaking hands with her dog, Elmer, before heading off for her freshman year at Ball State. Also present for the get-together was Cydney Finkel, who was entering Indiana University; Kathy Adams, going to Purdue; and Lisa Phares, who would attend Indiana State.

1963: Shelby County Fair queen contestants were announced: Vicki Evans, Vicky Scheffler, Lou Ann McVay, Pam Eck, Carol Shaw, Lindsay Sawyer, Carol Bassett and Sharon Fisher. The previous year's queen had been Janet Fox.

1958: The Shelbyville VFW purchased a folding wheelchair, two "invalid strollers" and a pair of child's crutches, available for the public to use for free.

1953: Fred W. Kennedy, 82, founder of the Kennedy Car Liner and Bag Company and Kennedy Hotel, died at his home in Boggstown.

1948: Local Republicans said they would not put up candidates for three county offices, assuring the election of Sheriff Fred Gravely, Treasurer Carroll Mohr and Surveyor Rohr Smith.

1943: The local American Legion post elected officers Loren Murphy, Ora Mann, Walter Myers, Walter Cato, Lester Myers, Maurice Thralls, Flavia Moore and Fred Courtney. The officers voted to buy a $1,000 war bond.

1938: Contrary to local rumors, school superintendent W.F. Loper said the Colescott school would not be operating under half-day sessions. He said that if the government approved remodeling plans, half-days would be on the table.

1933: City Council approved the purchase of 120 tons of coal for use at the city building and fire station.

1928: Lovell Wright, of Michigan Road, reported his cantaloupe patch had been raided multiple times. He had fired a shot at one raider, but did not believe he hit the man. "Wright followed one of the groups, and overtook them," The Republican said. "They persuaded him to take the shells out of the gun, and when he had done so, one of the young men struck him and knocked him down."

1923: Shelbyville school officials announced new boundary limits, an attempt to relieve crowding at Colescott School. The junior-senior high school was open to all students, with the exception of "colored" seventh grade students. The "Departmental" school housed sixth grade students, except those who attended Booker T. Washington (School No. 2). There were to be no exceptions for those wanting to attend an elementary school outside their prescribed boundary.