Nichols, Iowa Centennial Book
Nichols - Our Town - 1984
Articles on Students
Nichols School Sets Good Mark in Scrap Drive
Nichols, Iowa Centennial Book 1884-1984, page 599 October 1942. - Nichols – A total of four tons of scrap was collected by Nichols school children in a second drive held on Wednesday afternoon. This amounts to an average of 20 pounds per person in Nichols.
Each student who participated in the drive will receive defense stamp and the balance of the funds will be divided equally between the Red Cross and the local school activity fund.
Anton Ogren, Martin Christofferson and W. E. Loeb each furnished a truck for the collection drive.
Nichols High Band Gets Top Honors in Music Contest
Nichols, Iowa Centennial Book 1884-1984, page 59May 1951, Nichols. – The Nichols High School band was recognized Saturday at Ottumwa as being one of the best five bands in its class as determined by judges in the state music contest.
The local musical organization, directed by Martin Crabtree, was accorded a division 1 rating in the state contest. Only five of the 22 bands from class D schools competing at Ottumwa were accorded this honor.
Bands from schools having an enrollment of less than 100 are ranked in the class D category.
George Carlisle Wins Bronze Medal in Olympics
Nichols, Iowa Centennial Book 1884-1984, page 6021 May 1981. - George Carlisle of Nichols received a bronze medal (3rd place) in the 50 meter dash in the Sate Special Olympics held at Drake Stadium in Des Moines.
There were 2400 participants in this year’s competition. The Special Olympics are second only to the Drake Relays in the number of participants in statewide competition.
George is the 13 year old son of Evelyn Carlisle, Nichols, and Forest Carlisle, Eliza, Illinois. He is a student at the Pickett School in Muscatine.
Jeff Chown Mathcount Winner
Nichols, Iowa Centennial Book 1884-1984, page 6523 February 1984. - Jeff Chown of Nichols, an eighth grader in Middle School, was first place winner in the oral portion of Mathcount competition Saturday at Muscatine Community College. In the individual writing competition, Columbus Community’s Doug Walker was first. Columbus Community also took first in team events and will participate in state competition in Ames on April 7.
Mathcounts is an accelerated coaching program with a series of competitions intended to improve math achievement in junior high students. Iowa’s regional competitions are sponsored by the Iowa Engineering Society and its local chapters.
Wrestler Goes to State
Nichols, Iowa Centennial Book 1884-1984, page 6523 February 1984. - Mike Oostendorp qualified and advanced to the State Wrestling Tournament in Des Moines. He possesses a 24-3 record for the year.
A Tragic Accident
Nichols, Iowa Centennial Book 1884-1984, page 61
Nichols Students, Injured in Crash, Show Improvement 3 October 1934 - Pershing Elder, Lloyd Hahn and Edwin Yedlik, the three Nichols youths injured in the accident last Tuesday night which resulted in the deaths of their three companions, continued today to make favorable progress toward recovery at Hershey hospital here.
The three were all said to have passed a comfortable night and all were up in wheel chairs this morning. Hospital attendants were still unable to state when the three might be released.
Killed In Wreck 4 October 1934. - Three Nichols high school students, all members of the high school baseball team, who were instantly killed in a highway accident late Tuesday near Conesville are pictured above. Left to right, they are Clarence Carney, Junior Nash and Virgil Poole. The boys were on their way home after a baseball game at Conesville.
Nichols Prepares to Bury Crash Victims
Individual Services to Precede Joint Rites At Auditorium4 October 1934 (Journal News Service) Nichols – Funeral arrangements for the three youths, Clarence Carney, Virgil Poole and Junior Nash, whose lives were lost when their speeding automobile crashed into the rear of a construction company cook shack, had been completed today. Meanwhile their three companions injured in the same accident, continued their fight for recovery.
Injured Improving. The three, Pershing Elder, Lloyd Hahn and Edwin Yedlik, spent a “fairly good night” it was reported at Hershey hospital, Muscatine, this morning.
The dead, removed from the undertaking establishments this morning, lay at their homes awaiting the services Friday.
Pallbearers and flower attendants for the three have been selected, ushers have been named and the ministers chosen.
Short rites for each of the three will be conducted at the individual homes at 1 p.m. The bodies will be removed to the new high school auditorium in time for joint services at 2 p.m.
Former Pastors to Speak. Two former Nichols ministers, the Rev. E. Clark of Sigourney and the Rev. H. C. Druse of Birmingham, Iowa, will be in charge.
Pallbearers for Junior Nash have been named as follows: Lawrence harder, Lester Pike, Marian Barnhart, Virgil Vetter, Townsend Brown and Marvin Green. Flower girls will be Betty Pike, Jean Elder, Madeline Oostendorp and Theodora Neff.
Pallbearers for Virgil Poole will be Donald Mlls, Clinton Brown, Ralph Borgstadt, Ben Swickard, Irvin Pike and Earl Whitlock. Flower grls are Kathryn Elder, Dorothy Mills, Mary Smith and Irene Stolley.
The Clarence Carney pallbearers are Archie Hillyer, Clarency Hillyer, Lester Hillyer, Elmer Rathjen, Louis Rathjen and Keith Vetter. Flower attendants are Marie Rathjen, Ethel Hillyer, Helen Oostendorp and Alberta Weiskamp.
Others to Assist. Supervising the flower attendants will be Mrs. H. Barnhart, Bernice Hillyer, Helen Rice and Mrs. S. Cozad.
Ushers will be B. F. Nichols, Fred Hummel and Charles Clark.
The services will be conducted at the high school building in the following order: Processional, Verda Metcalf; duet, Mrs. B. F. Nichols and Mrs. Anna Rosenfield; Scripture, the Rev. E. Clark; prayer, the Rev. H. C. Druse; obituaries, Mr. Clark; duet, Mrs. Wilma Mills and Leland Billick; sermons by both ministers; duet, Mrs. Nichols and Mrs. Rosenfield; recessional.
Short ceremonies will be conducted at the graves.
Buried in Family Plots. The three bodies will be buried in their individual family plots, the burial to take place in the order that the procession reaches the cemetery.
Through a misunderstanding in identification, a picture which was believed Wednesday to be that of Clarence Carney has since been identified as that of his cousin, Paul Pruess of Breckenridge, Texas. The two boys appeared together in the same photograph. A picture of Carney will appear in an early issue of The Journal.
Motorists who brought the three injured youths to the Muscatine hospital unidentified at the time were later learned to be Henry J. Truninger, Philip Lanzarotta and C. F. Truninger, all of Muscatine. They were followed by G. G. Bellamy, Nichols superintendent of schools, in his own car.
Rites Observed For Three Crash Victims
Community of Nichols Joins In Triple Services.(Journal News Service.) Nichols --- This little town wrote “finis” to its chapter of death today.
Relatives, friends, the whole of Nichols, paused beside the biers of Clarence Carney, Virgil Poole and Junior Nash to pay their last tribute to the three youths who died Tuesday night amidst the twisted wreckage of their automobile.
High school companions, still stunned by the tragedy which took the three form them, sat silently throughout the services in the new gymnasium where tonight a completed project was to have been dedicated – a dedication in which the three who died were to have had their part.
Classmates Assist. Eighteen of their number, some of whom were witnesses to the fatal crash, bore the three coffins from the homes, to the services at the school and to the grave.
Flowers, last evidences of esteem which filled the homes and school, were in the hands of other classmates.
“No man dieth to himself,” the Rev. H. C. Druse reminded the mourning community. “A little of life has gone out of our community, a little of influence has gone from school and class, a little of the tenderest ties has gone from home.”
But, he said, “Whether we live or die we are the Lord’s.”
The Rev. Mr. Clark Speaks. The words of Jesus where he said, “Because I live ye shall live also” were sounded by the Rev. C. E. Clark as the two ministers, both former residents of Nichols, spoke their lines beside the three bodies.
“Through science we can only say, ‘perhaps’, “ the latter speaker said. “Through love we can say ‘I hope so,’ but because we are Christians and have faith we can say ‘they live again’.”
“For the Christian to die,” he said, “is to gain. Today we see through a glass darkly but then we shall know and see him face to face. This position can only be through faith in God having a plan for each life and no matter whether the summons from this life comes in old age or in youth, they come neither too soon or too late since God doeth all things well.”
“For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself,” the Rev. Druse said.
Occasion Proves Union. “This occasion proves how we are bound together. One of the sins of the present age is the tendency to want to live our own life, go our own pace and disregard the rights of others. You cannot be upon our highways an hour without realizing the selfishness of this viewpoint of life. The old question, ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’ is a vital one. All distinctions vanish as we face a community tragedy as today. Every farmer is asking himself, ‘What if it was my boy?’ Every mother, ’What if I was sitting on these front seats?’ Every boy and girl ‘What if I was sitting on those car?’”
The lesson of life, the lesson of the hour, is that the highest responsibilities of life are to God.”
Injured Students Improving. As services were conducted at the homes, the school and at the individual graves this afternoon, Pershing Elder, Lloyd Hahn and Edwin Yedlik, companions of the dead in the fatal crash, carried on their fight to recovery in a Muscatine hospital.
None of the three were able to attend the services, although all three were reported this morning as having spent a comfortable night.
Hospital attendants could not say when they, each of them carrying the scars which for their companions spelled death, will be dismissed.
Both Hahn and Yedlik were able to sit up today and hospital attendants and physicians reported their appetites good. Hahn, the most seriously injured of the three, was also reported making good progress and to be in excellent spirits. It was the opinion of physicians that his face, despite the extent of his jaw injuries, will not be badly scarred.
The three dead and the three injured met their tragedy as the car which Virgil Poole was driving crashed into the rear end of a construction company cook shack on the road to Nichols from Conesville late Tuesday afternoon.
The six, all member of the Nichols high school baseball team, were returning from Conesville where they had played against members of the Conesville team. They lost the game that day 9 to 1.
The Rev. Mr. Druse is now of Birmingham, Iowa, and the Rev. Mr. Clark of Sigourney.16 October 1934. - Pershing Elder and Lloyd Hahn, two of the three Nichols youths injured in the automobile crash which took the lives of their three companions, two weeks ago, left Hershey hospital for their homes today. Edwin Yedlik, the third member, will remain in the hospital for a few more days, attendants said, probably being released later in the week.
Settle Claims Over Car Crash
Covenants Not to Sue Filed by Group of Nichols Residents3 November 1934.- Covenants not to sue the estate of the late Virgil Poole, driver of the car in which three Nichols high school youths died and three were injured in an accident October 2, have been signed by two guardians and one administratrix of three of the youths involved.
Cash settlements were offered in all three instances through Charles M. Poole, owner of the car which Virgil Poole was driving.
Nellie Carney, administratrix for the estate of Clarence C. Carney who was killed in the accident, has been authorized by the court to accept the sum of $305.80 in settlement in return for her agreement not to sue.
Mary Yedlik, guardian for Edwin Yedlik, one of the injured has been authorized to accept $303, and Arthur Hahn, guardian for Lloyd Hahn, another of the injured, has accepted $171.50.
All three of the court orders were signed Saturday.
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