The Howells Journal publishes a weekly column entitled "Do You Remember" compiled by Myra Langhorst and taken from earlier Journal files. A special thank you to Ramonyca Hanel Brown for retyping these articles and to the Howells Journal for allowing us to put them online!

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Thursday, July 10, 1952 - reprinted on March 17, 2010

Mrs. Theo Hegemann Attends Ceremony
    Mrs. Theo. Hegemann was at St. Joseph's convent at Milwaukee to be present at the ceremony in which her daughter, now Sister M. Myriam, received her name and her religious habit. At the same time a similar Mass and blessing was conferred on Carla, daughter of Mrs. Vlasta Ritzdorf, as she received her habit and new name, Carolann. Mrs. Hegemann was accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Adolph Hegemann and Mr. and Mrs. Richard Schlautman, and all heard an appropriate sermon on the religious life. At the close of the rites the honorees went into retreat.

ALA Installs New Officials by Mrs. Mildred Fiala, Sec.
    The American Legion Auxiliary met Tuesday evening at the Legion Club Rooms for their regular monthly meeting. All officers and committee chairmen gave their yearly reports, and a report of the Junior District convention in Columbus was given by Mary Ann Fiala. The Legislative chairman, Lillie Kuzelka, gave a report saying the benefits to be received by the Korean veterans will be the same as Veterans of World War II. Installation of officers was conducted by Lillie Kuzelka, assisted by Mae Vodvarka. Officers installed were Catherine Fritton, President; Theresa Langhorst, Vice President; Mildred Fiala, Secretary; Helen Sindelar, Treasurer; Laura Sindelar, Chaplain; Genevieve Rupprecht, Sergeant-at-Arms; Ema Dvorak, Historian; Margaret Palensky, Elizabeth Knust, Sophia Verba, Executive Committee. Hostesses were: Anna Barta, Caroline Baumert, Clara Baumert, Joan Baumert, Lois Baumert and Theresa Balak. Thirty-three members were present.

Recent Sales At Pimper Garage
    A.A. Pimper Agency reports the following new car and machinery sales: To Carl Clausen, a Chrystler Windsor sedan; to Frank Svoboda, a self-propelled 14-foot Massey-Harris combine; to Jerry Faltys and Frank Bohac a 12-foot Massey-Harris combine; to Albert Vogel, Martin Thiem and Joe Tresnak, each a 7-foot combine. Used combines were sold by Pimper's to Herman Hegemann, Raymond Hegemann and Duffy Belohrad.

Fire Destroys a Large Farm Grain Elevator...At Risch Farm
    The 15,000 bushel grain elevator at the Fred Risch farm three miles northwest of Howells was hit by lightning and completely destroyed by fire Sunday evening. A telephone call about 7:30 notified Howells firemen that there was a fire in the country. The telephone connection was poor and the firemen thought the blaze was four miles west of Howells at the Fred Lerch farm. They hurried there, found no fire, but the fire truck became stuck in the Lerch driveway and had to be pulled out. Then hurrying to the Risch farm, the firemen discovered that a bolt of lightning had set fire to the elevator, the largest private structure of its kind in this area. Apparently the fire started inside the structure and fanned by a strong east wind, the flames spread so fast that there was no chance of saving the elevator of the 1500 bushels of oats or 800 bushels of corn. The building was 80 feet high. Flames shot skyward and could be seen for at least 20 miles. After the roof caved in the elevator became a huge chimney with the draft carrying burning pieces of wood over the house and other farm buildings. The Clarkson Fire Department was called to help and the Clarkson truck slipped into the ditch along the road leading to the Risch farm. It was 6:00 in the morning before the fire was completely out and the last firemen could go home. Being Sunday evening, most of the firemen answered the call dressed in good shoes and suits. After several hours in the mud and water their clothes were either ruined or in bad condition.

Mrs. Krupa will Observe 100 Birthday
    Plans are underway for a family observance of the 100th birthday of Mrs. Mary Krupka on July 22. Mrs. Krupka who lived in a sod house and experienced the famous blizzard of 1888, is the mother of seven children of whom five are living. The centnarian was born near Prague, Czechslovakia, and was married in that country at the age of 20 to Joseph Krupka. Among the vivid memories is her coming to this country and settling at Howells in a sod house 75 years ago. At that time the soil was tilled by ox-drawn plow, she said. It was necessary to go all the way to Schuyler for provisions and to have the grain ground into flour. Each trip would take several days, she said. Throughout her life, one of her biggest pleasures was tending a garden to raise vegetables for canning. Mrs. Krupka was able to be up and around the house continuously until a year ago. Recently she was a patient in a hospital for the first time in her life. Her children are Joseph Krupka, the late Mrs. Mary Chudomelka, Mrs. Josephine Pokorny, Mrs. Joseph F. Pojar, Mrs. Adolph Dlouhy, Miss Agnes Krupka and the late Mrs. Anna Cejda.

Paving is Underway on "91" Between Scribner and Snyder
    Construction crews were pouring concrete for the first of four miles of paving Highway 91 between Snyder and Highway 275. Marvin Huerberger, project engineer for the State Highway Department, estimated the crew of 65 men on the Highway 91 project would lay 1,200 - 1,400 feet of paving in a 10-hour day or about a mile a week. Dobson and Robinson Construction Co. of Lincoln is contractor for the $221,937.67 project on 91. Work is to be completed within 80 working days. When the paving is completed, the Department of Roads and Irrigation plans to ask for bids for erecting guard rails at locations along the highway. Cost of paving the 8.1 miles of road was set at $427,777.