She writes of some of her experiences at Milford.
“I attended ISU my first year 1951-'52 and then transferred to NIU. I attended there, along with my fiance, Gene Lackmore, 1952-'53 and summer school that summer to receive my 2 year teachers' certificate.
“I interviewed with the Board of Education at Milford and was hired to teach 1st and 2nd grade. I started my first teaching job on my 20th birthday in the same classroom I had started in the day I was 6 years old. You may recall there was no kindergarten, so we all started in the first grade.
“The day I started first grade was “show day” for Duroc hogs at the Iowa State Fair. We always attended that so I had to choose between going to the fair or taking cupcake treats for my fist day on my birthday. You probably can guess which I chose.
“In 1953 when I received my class list for first and second grade, There were 36 students for this 20 year old beginning teacher. I attended the first Board Meeting in September and pleaded for help of some kind. I assured them that I could contain the students and keep them busy, but I wasn't sure how much learning would take place. They hired another teacher for second grade and built a partition through our large classroom. The new teacher took second grade and I had 18 first graders. Perfect!! During the school year I rode with teachers Mrs Jesse Petersen and Mrs Gilreath from Ames while living with my parents. In the evenings I waited tables at a dinner place in Ames. Gene and I were married in August of that summer of 1954. I taught at the Cedar Heights Schools1954-55 and in Connecticut after that while Gene got his Master of Divinity degree from Yale Divinity School.”
Edit: Mary, daughter of Harlan and Joan Harper, taught at Milford for just the one year, 1953-'54. Her Parents established a tradition of long term marriages, a few more details on page 224.
In the fall of 1931, the Milford Baseball team ended their rather short season with a perfect 5-0 record. They defeated the Farmers, 7-4: Shipley 12-6; Jordon 10-6; Gilbert 7-3; and in the season ender; Roland 4-3. The Nevada Paper writes:
“The game was featured by the fine work of the mound men- Holland of Roland who allowed Milford but six hits and J. Alfred of Milford who cut the Roland boys off with but five safe blows. Another feature of the contest was the errorless support given by both teams to their pitcher.”
For a complete high school game to have gone errorless in that time period must have been a very unusual event when one looks at the size of the gloves that were used and compare that with the small “bushel baskets” that are used by today's players. J. Jacobson and M. Arrasmith were the top batters for Milford that day against Roland as they each went two for three at the bat. L. Burley and R. Watson each got one hit.
The Jordon game of this season was the one where Max Arrasmith was struck in the head with a bat and knocked unconscious. It's good to see that he didn't suffer any long term affects from this incident and was back out there competing. Right: Max Arrasmith
In Oct of 1931 the American Literature Class of Milford organized a reading club for the purpose of studying books written by American authors. They had a full roster of Officers apparently elected and then had a book selection committee appointed by Supt Morgan .
When a little reading is done about this reading club, it might strike one that it was a “scheme” by the book publishers to get more books sold. There were dues paid by the members and with those proceeds books were being bought. The goal was to buy two books a week. At the end of 10 weeks it is thought that each member will own one book besides having the liberty of reading many others. Meetings were held regularly and the books were discussed. Imagination would think this club was rather short-lived.
A bond issue was approved by the voters of Milford Twp for $65,000 on 7 Feb 1956 for the construction of a new gym and three class rooms plus two restrooms and dressing rooms, training rooms and coach's office. The new gym will have a floor 88 ft long and 66 ft wide. Seating would be along the north side and accommodate approximately 600 and another 100 could be seated on the stage.
The per pupil cost of the Milford Twp School District is $298.12 for elementary students and $643.75 which is higher than most of the surrounding schools.
The bond issue required a 60% passage and it easily obtained that goal with 123 yeas and 63 nays. The poll was open from Noon to 7 PM.
The goal was to have the new facility ready for the start of the 1956-57 school year but, because of steel strike, that goal was delayed a few months. Plans were to begin construction as soon as possible as the thinking was the construction would not interfere with school. Resulting building pictures on page 115.
There's a brief note in the Sept 1928 student news section “The phonograph has been moved into the high school room and furnishes music for the lunch period and the noon hour, which is very enjoyable.” This is one of those bits of information that causes more questions than answers. Where had it been before? Who made the decision to move it? What type of machine was it- ie: a 78 rpm or a `roll type Edison'? Was it an electric model or an old style `hand crank up' model? Does that imply the students ate their `sack-lunches' in the study hall? Who was on the selection team for the type of music that was played? Did the School own the records or did students bring their music to school? Who was in control of the volume of the phonograph? How long did this `enjoyment' last- days, weeks, a semester, or a year or years?
From the Nevada Paper in the Fall of 1931: The Milford baseball boys played the Jordan boys Wed evening, Milford won with the score of 10-0. Max Arrasmith`32, one of Milford's players, had the misfortune to get hit with the bat and knocked unconscious. He was rushed to Ames to a doctor by Supt Morgan. Max is a junior and expects to return to school in a few days.
Corn husking vacation at Milford will start October 24 and end November 3rd.
The first six weeks exams were given Thursday and Friday.
The Junior girls called on Max Arrasmith Thursday noon.