George Muhlenberg

If you will look back at the postings of October 22, 2007, you will see a post marked Class of '55 Early Photos. In that picture on the front row is a very blond boy dressed in a little soldier suit. That little soldier is/was George Muhlenberg (probably spelled it wrong). George was with us a very short time. As I recall, he lived with his grandparents in a little house on the corner across the street from Oltgens???? I noticed that by the time the fourth grade picture was taken, George was gone. He and I used to play together in the back yard of their house, and I recall one day when I went to play, George was in bad shape, and was having trouble walking properly. After a lot of questions and prompting, I was informed that he had a recent circumcision and therefore the funny spraddle-legged walk. It was not funny to George, and at the time I didn't really know what that meant, but after 65 years I still remember that day.
I wonder where George is now??? Does anyone recall his relatives that lived in that house??? It was on the northwest corner of Maple Street. Don??

The American Beauty Rose

Long ago (about 1949 as I recall) and far away (well, not so far, it was actually the eighth grade room at the old Cedar Vale Elementary School) there was an event that probably changed the lives of the students that were there. It was an event that we will most likely never again see in our lifetimes. It happened before the age of wide-spread television and the internet. It happened in a room where Mr. Bates brought in a radio, or was it a little TV, so that the guys, and a few gals could listen to the World Series.
But into that room came "The American Beauty Rose". No, twas not a flower. Twas not a gorgeous beauty queen from the Arkalala. No it was a short, chubby man whose name was (George, I think) Rose, but referred to himself as The American Beauty Rose.
The Cedar Vale Baptist Church was holding a revival ( does any one remember what an old-fashioned Baptist revival was like?) and George Rose was the evangelist who came to comdemn the evil one and exort us to higher and purer thoughts. He was invited, or invited himself, to come to the schools and hold a session where encouraged all of the young sinners to show up at the church to have their sins forgiven, and to be SAVED. I have never in my life heard such a glorious speaker. The word of God came from his mouth like manna from heaven, and the threat of hell-fire and damnation came flowing forth like lava from the volcano. And sing!! He had the most beautiful baritone voice that raised the ceiling of that eighth grade room with
"Are you washed in the blood?" and "Ye must be born again" and " Wonder-working power in the blood."(As you may surmise, the baptists did like those songs of the blood( I was a baptist at that time)).
Those days are gone forever. Oh, I am sure the baptists still have their revivals and I am sure that carbon-copies of "The American Beauty Rose" are still thundering their threats and hopes, but they are not doing it in the public schools. Since the rise of the civil libertarians, the ACLU lawyers, the rabid atheists and others who wish to inflict their beliefs on the masses, we are not seeing the melding of church and state that we experienced on that wonderful day long ago and far away. Is this the way it should be?? Some will argue one way and some the other, but the fact is that now we don't see George Rose with his silver tongue and golden throat coming into the Cedar Vale Schools to entone us to BELIEVE. That way of life is disappearing rapidly, and we may be less because of the disappearance. I, for one, will not forget "The American Beauty Rose".

Fwd: Effie Foster

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Reva Sawyer <kansaw1@sbcglobal.net>
Date: Thu, Nov 26, 2009 at 9:24 PM
Subject: Effie Foster
To: nelsoncm@sbcglobal.net, glittrell1@hotmail.com, tchbth@mac.com, ivanwells@att.net, grannyj@sktc.net, jpowell@usd462.org, kennethmagnus@sbcglobal.net, raycar@sbcglobal.net, rjwpmw@aol.com, RobertH458@aol.com, bbcable@cox.net, rossmc@mt-vernon.com, tootandroy@aol.com, tomran@cox.net, waywoodruff@gmail.com

For those of you who may not have heard, Effie Mae Torre Foster, passed away on Nov. 22 at the age of 102.  She was very important in my younger days, as she taught at the country school, Goodview School, where I went for my first 3 years.  And then, of course, she taught us in the 6th grade.  But, aside from that fact, is that Effie and Earl Foster were a part of the group of neighbors on the Cowley/Chautauqua county line that got together almost every week at someone's home and played cards.  Earl and my Dad loved playing jokes on one another.  So I have fond memories of her.

--
Wayne Woodruff

Passing of Effie Foster

I am sorry to inform all that Effie died this past weekend. She was in the Dexter Care Facility and was 102 years old. I know several of you had Effie as a teacher in your youth--I suppose that if anyone had memories of Effie to share, this would be a good place to do it. You could make a comment to this announcement or make a new entry.
Services are today at 1:30--graveside in the Cedar Vale Cemetery.

From Debra Emanon

This note just came in from Debra Emanon, in case you don't scroll back to March to read comments. She is asking for information. If you know something make a new post or comment on this one. Here is her query:

I am a descendant of an Owen Lavely and Electa Morlan. They had a son Burl D. Lavely who died in 1950 in a aircraft accident while in the military.

I spent summers in Cedarvale, KS with my aunt Coba Morlan.

Does anyone have info on this family?

Thanks

Debra

Earl Vore

Reading about Earl Vore brought back many memories! As Wayne said, "he was a man of many talents!" So true. Here are some memories of "Earl, The Vore!"

I was just a young lad, when Earl came home from the World War II. One day, he stopped by the lumber yard and gave me a light, that fastened on my head! I was fascinated with it! Wore it at night, ferreting out unsuspecting Germans lurking in the corners of our closets! I, frankly, do not remember what it was actually used for, but it being "part of the war" was enough for me!

And, yes, Earl was a carpenter/builder, par excellance!!!! If memory serves me the way it should, he built and supervised the building of Dr. Hayes house, east of town. He often talked to my Dad, blueprints in hand, about the House that Hays built! I had never seen such a house and to know that my "hero" was the builder only heightened my idolization of him!

He was the kind of guy whose clothes were neat, and even his slicked-back hair seemed un-mussed, even when "building!" I always called him "Mr. Vore." Anything less was not befitting of this "man's man!"

One last anecdote! Earl was also a fantastic basketball player on Cedar Vale's Town Team! Quick? Oh, yeah.... quicker than a Caney River flood! Fast on his feet and fast with the pass! You never knew the "where or when" of his passes! You had to be "always at the ready!"

And, this last, last recollection is imbedded in my mind forever! Earl (The Real Pearl!), was being "over-guarded" by an agressive opponent. With the opponent's hand in his face, he looked this way and that! No opening! And then, in a sheer stroke of genius, he passed the ball between the legs of his astonished opponent! The crowd erupted! His teammate caught the ball, laid it up for "two!," and Earl's expression never changed.....

He was a man ahead of his times, with enough thoughtfulness, to give a little kid a "light" that is remember to this day! Thank you, Mr. Vore!!

P.S. Anyone remember the "Town Team" that Cedar Vale had? The players? Their
exploits! Let the "iron screens" of the C.V. gym, rattle with your tales!