125 Years

Thursday, December 16, 1897

All those knowing themselves indebted to Phillips & Hooper will find their accounts at the National Bank of Sabetha, and we will be greatly obliged to them if they will call and settle their accounts before January 1st, 1898, as we have disposed of our mill and press and want to close up our business. Thanking you for past favors we remain, as ever, yours. Phillips & Hooper.

Where They Come From. The Nemaha Pop factory and bottling works are making preparations to do an extensive business this coming year. Corning Gazette. Goodness sakes alive! Frank, can’t you stop it in some way? We have been wondering where all the Pops came from, and this explains it.

The Bern Press has got on the right side of the fall festival business.

One of graduates who passed an examination in pharmacy last week has the suggestive name of Mustard.

A paragraph has been going the rounds of our exchanges of the effect that the government will not print return cards on envelopes after the present contract expires. This is a mistake. The post office department doesn’t know anything about such a law, or ruling.

The Berwick people are making extensive preparations for a Christmas entertainment on Christmas night, December 25th. A good program, a tree loaded with present for everybody, free admission to all, are a few of the items already decided upon. We are told $14 has been raised to expend for a Christmas treat.

100 Years

Thursday, December 14, 1922

Father Wasinger wants to sell his Elburn piano. Funny thing, his offer is not grabbed up right hot off the griddle. The Elburn is the J. W. Jenkins Sons piano. “Our piano,” they call it, “built according to our plans and specifications built to make us friends over forty-four years. We confidently recommend it as the best piano at its price in America today.” Everyone knows what a Jenkins recommendation means. Try Father Wasinger’s Elburn Piano, you will find its tone singing, sweet and beautiful. The piano is mahogny finish, in perfect condition and will make a wonderful Christmas present for some happy woman or girl.

How long will a steam engine and boiler last? Dennis Phillippi had an engine and boiler that has been in use twenty eight years. The boiler waited until everybody was gone and blew up. Henry Walton wanted us to make it a bigger story by saying Art Lichty fished the boiler out of the creek where it came down and used it again. Dennis did not like it and said to tell the fact which was that the shafting was what was afterward.

We have for inspection. A very attractive line of Satin hats. Also have a very liberal reduction on fall and winter hats and have quite a large selection of hats for one dollar. The Fairchild Hay Shop.

75 Years

Wednesday, December 10, 1947

Ice storm raises havoc in vicinity. With deceptive quietness, a freezing rain began to fall last Wednesday night and by morning telephone and electric lines had broken under the accumulated weight, and yards were thoroughly garnished with branches of trees. Overall damage approached record proportions, with 30 electric poles broken and a considerably greater number of telephone poles.

New diesel at power plant into operation next week. Final work on the installation of the new 800-kilowatt diesel engine at the Sabetha light plant is being done, and C.A. Darby, city engineer, hopes to have the new generator in operation next week. Work was delayed for a time awaiting arrival of the generator unit, but this has now arrived and is being installed.

Free candy for kids here next Wednesday. The annual Christmas treat for the children of Sabetha and surrounding territory, sponsored by the Kiwanis club, will be held next Wednesday evening, Dec. 17, at the city hall. There will be a big Christmas tree, community singing of Christmas carols, under the leadership of Ivan Roberts, and music by the Sabetha high school band. Santa Claus will show up promptly at 8:00 o’clock, with candy for all children of grade school age. The general public is invited to participate in the carol singing. Norman Morgan is chairman of the Kiwanis club committee in charge of arrangements for this event, which has become so traditional that children look forward to it eagerly each year.

50 Years

Thursday, December 14, 1972

Sabetha High School’s Chamber Choir will be featured on WIBW-TV between 4 and 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 18.

Pvt. 2 Sharon K. Lee arrived Friday, Dec. 8, by plane to spend the holidays with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. William Lee, Jr., and family and other relatives. Pvt. Lee has graduated from her basic army training at McClellen, Ala., and Corpsmanship training in Fort Houston, Tex., and is now in the Medic Division of the army. She will leave around Dec. 27 to report to Fort Knox, N.J. on Jan. 2 for further duty.

25 Years

Wednesday, December 10, 1997

The old high school shop at the Midtown Building will once again be used to train students in vocational arts under a plan proposed to the Sabetha City Commission Monday. Doug Garrett, president of the Sabetha Industrial Development Commission, updated the city commission on the status of the proposed Northeast Kansas Area Vocational Training School Sabetha satellite training center. He also asked that the commission help that process by making the old shop available as a temporary home for the center. The SIDC has been working with USD 441 to develop the technical center since October when the Atchison Vo-Tech committed to placing a satellite center in Sabetha. The satellite tech center, which would offer classes for training machinists and welders, is to be opened in August 1998. As projected, Garrett said the tech center will need a 4,000-square-foot building, which will cost $200,000, and $70,000 worth of equipment, Garrett said. In addition, about $50,000 of improvements to the school’s existing shop are needed.

10 Years

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

It was a full house at the district office Monday, Dec. 10, for the Prairie Hills USD No. 113 board of education meeting. Approximately 30 people were present at the meeting. Board members approved the agenda as amended and the consent agenda as presented. David Pfrang of Goff presented photographs of volunteer projects that have been completed at Wetmore Academic Center since 2009. Bern patron Mark Haverkamp spoke on behalf of Bern patrons interested in transferring their land into USD No. 115 Nemaha Central School District. Haverkamp said that for Bern patrons who live west of O Road, it just made “logical sense” to send their children to Nemaha Central Schools and to have their land follow their children. Board members thanked Haverkamp for his insight and stated they would enter into more detailed discussion later in the meeting.

In 1987 Sabetha Congregational Church youth pastor Charlie Robinson bought the west side of the current site of The Building from the owners, Jerry and Pat Sullivan. The east side was then bought in the early 1990s from Steve Deiter. “The purpose of The Building was to provide a safe and fun place for students to meet, relax and learn more about God,” current youth pastor Cale Lang said. When the original building was bought, there was a thick stone wall that divided the two sides. The wall made it hard for the two sides to feel connected. Therefore renovation occurred often.

Sabetha Boy Scout Troop 77 will be conducting their fourth annual Christmas food drive this month. On Sunday afternoon, Dec. 9, the scouts distributed empty bags to all Sabetha residences. Inside each bag was a note with instructions. Then from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 15, they will collect the bags filled with food items from residents around town. On Sunday, Dec. 16, the troop will box up all the collected goods. Most of the food items will be donated to the Sabetha Food Pantry. In addition to their donation to the food pantry, the troop will be putting together three to four gift packages for families around town. 

The Sabetha High School Junior Varsity boys’ basketball team traveled to Perry Lecompton Friday, Dec. 7. The team was victorious over Perry, 53-23, The Jays led at halftime, 19-11, and were able to carry their lead to the win. Leading scorer for the game was Derek Meyer with eight points, which included two three-pointers. Six Jays contributed six points each, including Kegan Schumann, Kevan Herbster, Corbin Cox, Kellen Russell, Treavor Schmelzle and Darrin Wenger. Mateo Kirwan added five points.