Dorothy Olson'50 Christy (Jim) reported their family (Magnus and Ella Olson) lived in Milford Twp 1933-'43. Under the leadership of Supt B.G.Halverson and with Milford's close proximity to ISC, the district had excellent teaching staff that knew how to academically challenge their students. The Olsons had children in Milford from 1938-1943. All three Olsons; Dorothy '50, Loren '52 and James '53 graduated from Roland with classes of 20-25 students and ironically all with Valedictorian or Salutatorian honors. She also complimented that Milford Twp provided families with close friendship, social gatherings and a feeling of close community and the PTA was a constant monthly contact with families and education. These years will always be close to our hearts as we reminisce over our educational experiences.
Edit: Very well said and several others made similar comments in the 2007 survey. Mary Harper'51 left Milford and graduated Ames but she commented about Milford's PTA and the good desserts that were served after the program. See pages 224, 322.
A couple of short comments from former high school students at Milford:
Doris Moser `49 Olson writes: "I don't know who, or how or why, but the 2 years I spent at Milford High School did more good for me than anything else I can think of. I gained confidence and purpose in life, and made many long lasting friendships."
Edit: One of the most poignant comments came from the observations and recollections of Harriet Comfort of the class of 1947.
Harriet Comfort `47 Whitmore writes: "The closeness we as students felt to the people of the community knowing they were behind us no matter what. That never goes away. We were lucky that economically we were basically in the same category. Thank goodness there was no right and wrong side of the tracks in our School."
A picture of Harriet on page 182 and the Comforts on page 265.
In a game that may have had far reaching consequences for the Girls of North Story County, a Nevada girl was KO'd in a contest with Iowa Falls. Nevada lost both the boys and girls games. The date of the incident was March 27 but no year was given. Speculation was 1927 or earlier and as early as 1919.
Some have stated that this incident was the "reason" that schools in the northern part of the County were reluctant to have competitive girls sports.
One of the most unnecessary trips ever taken by a couple of Milford lads was in 1963 when Jerry Book and Dale Hughes rode their horses westward.
One pleasant day in the middle of summer, Jerry Book rode his horse up to our place and, in the casual conversation, said- Why don't we head for Denver on horseback some time soon? Not having much else to do, I thought for a couple of seconds and said- Why not? So, a couple of days later we headed for the great West-- Jerry on one of his best horses and I on a horse borrowed from my Brother, Loyd. We dilly-dallied along setting under trees for shelter in rain storms, swimming in old rock quarries, etc. for two weeks getting to Omaha where we stayed a couple nights with Ed Allen `58 who was stationed there at Offut AFB.
While there, a cold rain set in and my horse caught pneumonia and when we started out again he was breathing so rapidly we both thought it impossible that an animal this large could breath like that. A quick decision was made to halt the adventure and we called my Brother, Loyd, who came down in Dad's old `48 Ford pickup and took us back to Milford Twp.
Two weeks later, to the day, my Brother took me and the now recovered horse back to the same farm where we had stopped and I went on alone, on to Denver. I had left many of the items that Jerry and I had carried behind so I reduced the saddle and gear weight from about 125 pounds to 90-95 pounds. We had an inventory of gear that, we thought, would be the envy of any TV cowboy. Anyhow, I headed south and west in an attempt to bypass Lincoln to the south. While doing this I happened to end up on an east west road for about 75 miles that was right under the westbound flightpath of the B-47's that flew in and out of Lincoln AF Base. It was sobering to realize that, in an hour or so, those guys in their air-conditioned planes could be in Denver and I would be down the road three miles, still swatting mosquitoes and getting more sunburned. They could be dining on steaks at the Officer's Club and I'd be eating a can of body temperature sardines, topped off with body temperature beans eaten with only a sharp knife and with the persistent company of a swarm of insects.
When we had been traveling together, Jerry had a "ten- gallon" western hat while I had elected to not wear a hat. However, on very sunny, quite warm, windless afternoon riding and walking into the late afternoon sun, I suddenly became very aware that I was getting sunburned. So, the next morning, when I passed one of the numerous small towns that were along the way, I purchased a western style straw hat and some Noxema.
There were numerous small misadventures of a dog bite, pinning a rattler to the ground with my knife, getting "robbed" at a carnival in west Nebraska, a runaway horse, and sleeping in the open in an all night light rain besides numerous reports of "sleeping sickness" which was attacking the horses of the area..
I traveled about 27 miles a day by being in the saddle at daybreak and riding quite late in the evening- walking most of the time. I say the trip took me 2 weeks and 19 days. Two weeks with Jerry and 19 days by myself. Two weeks to go about 225 miles and 19 days to go about 560 miles. When in Denver I sold the horse for $225. My Brother said I could if I got $150 for him as horses like that one were worth about $75. So, I gave him the $150 and I kept the other $75.
The return trip was made in about 14 hours by Rock Island train to Des Moines and this was the most seat weary hours of the entire adventure.
Ol' Milford Farmer learn: Most of the stuff people worry about ain't never gonna happen no how.