Grainfield Opera House Membership

Members - Grainfield Opera House Inc.

Newest members @ 7-3-10:

Brian Kaiser

Lavina Logan

Newest members @ 4-16-09:
Eugene Deges
Dan Godek
Nicole Godek
Edward Gagnon
James Gagnon
Martin Gagnon
Kirby Gillespie
Vera Hartman
Roy McBride

Members – Alphabetic Order:
Janice Arnhold
Nick Arnhold
Jeanine Beamgard
Lora Billow
Arlene Bird
Glenn Bird
Fred Bixenman
Delbert Bollig
Donna Bollig
Leona Carter
Tim Cheney
Ruth Cheney (deceased)
Carole Crist
D. A. Crist
Eugene Deges
Leon Deges
Adolph Dinkel
Joann Dinkel
Rudy Dinkel
Janet Downey
Linda Dreher
Jim Dubois (deceased)
Billie Eberle
Ellen Eberle
Ron Eberle
Dee Foster
David Gagnon
Edward Gagnon
James Gagnon
Martin Gagnon
Tom Gagnon (deceased)
Phil Garrett
Pam Garrett
Beulah Gillespie
Carlene Gillespie
Kirby Gillespie
Mitchell Gillespie
Ron Gillespie
Tonda Gillespie
Velma Gillespie
Dan Godek
Nicole Godek
Rosemary Goetz
Dr. Steven L. Golden
Winifred Greenwood (deceased)
Roger Hallenbeck
Kay Hallenbeck
Brenda Hammerton
Kathy Hartman
Vera Hartman
Joseph Heier
Kimberly Heier
Louella Heier
Dixie Heinrich

Brian Kaiser
Delmar Kaiser
Diana Kaiser
Marlene Kaiser
Shirley Kaiser
Ollie Katt (deceased)
Patricia Kennedy
Karen Kerksiek
Carol Kliewer
Norman Kliewer (deceased)
Bob Ladenburger
Jay Ladenburger
Marianne Ladenburger

Lavina Logan
Martha Greenwood Laffel
Doris Manhart
Dean May
Denora May
Karen May
Roy McBride
Lee McCubbin
Laverna Moore
Mark Moore
Catherine Morel
Cynthia Orr
William L Orten
M. Cheryl Patrick
Cynthia Peck
William A Petersen Jr.
Marilyn L Petersen
Margaret Powers
Herbert F. Queen
Edna M Queen
Cheri Remington
Vera Orten Roberts
Eulalia Sanger
Merrill Sanger
Jolene Schuster
Roger Schuster
Elaine Selenke
Florence Orten Smith
Lisa Steerman
Pamela Taylor
Wanda Thummel
Cristy S. Tuttle
Bill Umscheid
Madelene Umscheid
Deloris Wasinger
Allan Weber
Irwin Wolf
Skip H. M. Yowell
Janet Ziegler
Keith Zerr
Kevin Zerr

Grainfield Opera House Membership Application

Instructions To Print Membership Application Form: Please "select" (highlight) all the information in the entire post below, either copy and paste into application (word processor, word pad, etc.) of your choice, then "print" or simply "select" (highlight) all the information in the entire post below, right click on selected text and choose "print" (you may need to choose the "selection" radio button on your printer). Or use any other method of printing that you desire (i.e. File Menu, choose Print after selecting text).

GRAINFIELD OPERA HOUSE, INC.
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
LIFE TIME MEMBERSHIP


NAME _______________________________________

MAILING ADDRESS _____________________________

CITY, STATE, ZIP CODE __________________________


TELEPHONE __________________________________

E-MAIL ADDRESS ______________________________

DATE _______________________________________



$25.00 Per Person, Life Time Membership. Please fill out form and send cash or check to Grainfield Opera House, Inc. c/o Janet Ziegler, Treasurer, P.O. Box 158, Grainfield, KS 67737 (if you have questions, e-mail address: ajzig1@ruraltel.net ). You will receive a membership certificate by return mail.

For a donation of $250.00, $500.00, $750.00, $1,000.00 or $1,500.00 you can have your name or the name of a loved one placed on a name plate below a window in the Opera House depending on the size and location of the window. There are only a limited number of windows left. This is a great way to make a lasting memory of family while also helping to rebuild the Opera House.

All donations are tax deductible; we are a 501(c)3 organization.

You are welcome to stop by the Opera House at any time.

Grainfield Opera House

Below is an e-mail received by Janet Ziegler, a board member of the Grainfield Opera House. It demonstrates the uniqueness of our little community. Click on photo to enlarge it.



Wrights Hall of 1888
Ouray, Colorado

----- Original Message -----
From: Bryjka, Darius
To: ajzig@ruraltel.net
Sent: Friday, September 05, 2008 4:10 PM
Subject: Grainfield Opera House

Dear Ms. Ziegler,

My name is Darius Bryjka and I’m a project designer at the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. I am also spearheading the ‘got mesker?’ initiative, which focuses on the identification and increased awareness of the ornamental metal products produced by the Mesker Brothers Iron Works from St. Louis, Missouri, and those made by George L. Mesker & Company of Evansville, Indiana.
I am contacting you in regards to the facade of the Grainfield Opera House, which was manufactured by the Mesker Brothers in 1887. I was aware of the building for a couple of years now but at the time I wasn’t sure of its condition or how it compared to other similar facades in the country. According to your website, the building has been restored or is undergoing restoration, which is wonderful. I also know that there are few other Mesker Brothers facades that are of the same vintage and magnitude, both in scale and importance. I was recently in Ouray, Colorado, to present a program about Mesker products to the local historical society. We held the lecture in Wright’s Hall of 1888, which has a facade very similar to that of the Grainfield Opera House (see attached). To my knowledge, these are the only two facades to share this design in the country.
I am very pleased to see that local volunteers have embraced the building and that lots of work was done to preserve and maintain it. Its facade is important not only to the local community but to the nation. The Mesker companies had a tremendous impact on small town architecture nationwide and the facade of the Grainfield Opera House is in very small company of intact early examples of their work.
We maintain a website, http://www.gotmesker.com/, where you can find more information about our efforts to recognize the three Mesker brothers and their two companies. Should you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me. If there’s something that I can do to help with the preservation of this great resource, I will gladly be of assistance.

Sincerely,

Darius Bryjka
Illinois Historic Preservation Agency
One Old State Capitol Plaza
Springfield, Illinois 62701
Phone: 217.782.8221
E-mail: darius.bryjka@illinois.gov
http://www.illinoishistory.gov/
http://www.gotmesker.com/

Grainfield Opera House E-mail

From: Janet Ziegler [mailto:ajzig@ruraltel.net]
Sent: Friday, September 05, 2008 7:46 PM
To: Bryjka, Darius
Subject: Re: Grainfield Opera House

Hello, Darius

I am so pleased to hear from you about our historic Grainfield Opera House. How is it that you found us on the web site? I never realized that the Mesker Bros. facade had that much significance. Did you know that when you traveled to Ouray , CO you probably passed by our town of Grainfield , KS on your way if you took I-70. We sit right on I-70. Yes, we have the lower floor of the opera house renovated after about 12 years of hard work and few laborers and we are still working on the second floor where the stage and dance hall are. Now we need to decide on what we want to do with the building and we have differing opinions amongst our group. We are always in short supply of funds so we have several fund raisers ongoing.

Do you think we could use this to our advantage somehow, the fact that we are one of the few opera houses to have a facade manufactured by the Mesker Brothers. We would be willing to do what ever you suggest to gain some notoriety because at the present it is just a building sitting here. We have more interest from individuals like you than of our own towns people. What is your purpose in the "got mesker" initiative?

I enjoyed your web site and will share it with other members on our committee. If you ever get out this way again please look us up and we will give you a tour. I look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards,

Janet Ziegler

Return Grainfield Opera House E-mail

----- Original Message -----
From: Bryjka, Darius
To: Janet Ziegler
Sent: Monday, September 08, 2008 9:42 AM
Subject: RE: Grainfield Opera House

Hi Janet,

Since I flew to Colorado I did not have a chance to stop by Grainfield, which I would have done if I drove. I think that you can definitely use the rarity of the building’s facade as an advantage. It’s not that there aren’t other opera houses that used Mesker Brothers facades, but the facade of your and Ouray’s are some of the earliest examples of their work still in existence and the facade designs are also unique. In the 1890s, Mesker Brothers changed and standardized their designs so their later buildings don’t look like your opera house. Even in 1887-88, this design with rounded upper story windows was unique among their offerings. This entire discussion about Mesker Brothers depends of course on whether someone cares about them or not. But since they were the largest, or one of the largest, manufacturers and distributors of ornamental sheet-metal building products, and their work can still be found in large numbers in every state, their impact is undeniable.
The Wright Opera House in Ouray is in a similar situation, with a local non-for profit trying to acquire the building and restore it as a performing arts venue. They are going after state and potentially federal grants that would fund a lot of the work. I have promised to help them in proving the significance of the facade in any way I can, and would be happy to do the same for Grainfield. A lot of the reasons for my going there was to increase local awareness of the facade as an important historic resource, since it faces uncertain times. I gave a lecture about the Meskers in the building and we also did a walking tour of downtown Ouray, which has 13 other examples of Mesker facades. This is exactly the intention of the ‘got mesker?’ initiative – to get people interested in the discussion of these buildings, and to ultimately increase their preservation and rehabilitation.
Please let me know how I can be of help. I will definitely let you know if I travel in your area so we can meet and look at the building.

Sincerely,
Darius Bryjka
Illinois Historic Preservation Agency
One Old State Capitol Plaza
Springfield , Illinois 62701

Phone: 217.782.8221
E-mail: darius.bryjka@illinois.gov
http://www.illinois-history.gov/
http://www.gotmesker.com/

Grainfield Opera House E-Mail

From: Janet Ziegler [mailto:ajzig@ruraltel.net]
Sent: Tuesday, September 09, 2008 7:40 AM
To: Bryjka, Darius
Subject: Opera House

Hi, Darius

Thank you for your response to my e-mail. We have gotten some grants to help us with the renovation of our building and have used most of that money. I guess we would like your help in figuring out how we can use the Mesker facade to further interest and somehow promote the building for tourism or whatever it may be. We have nothing else in our town to draw people. We only have a post office, grocery store, insurance business, Nappa auto store and a bank on our main street. We would appreciate what ideas that you have.

Many thanks.
Janet Ziegler

Grainfield Opera House E-Mail

----- Original Message -----
From: Bryjka, Darius
To: Janet Ziegler
Sent: Tuesday, September 09, 2008 12:10 PM
Subject: RE: Opera House

Dear Janet,

I think that the Mesker facade of the opera house is magnificent but I’m not sure how it alone can generate tourism. Even if you get people to go and see it, there has to be something else for them to do and to sustain their interest. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t try. I think that you can begin by creating some publicity about the facade and how important it is. You can use me as a reference and I’ll gladly talk to any reporter about it. Are there any local papers that you have a good relationship with that you can call up to do a story? Maybe you can get in touch with the Evansville Museum of Art, History and Science about the Mesker exhibit they held this year. Ouray , Colorado has borrowed some panels from the exhibit to display them at the local museum. Perhaps you can do the same; creating an exhibit that discusses the facade and the history of the Mesker companies could be a nice draw (?)
The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, correct? I wonder how much the nomination talks about the facade. An interesting spin on the story would be to discuss how a building already recognized as historically significant acquires even more importance because of its rare facade.
These are just some quick ideas – there’s really no one solution here. I think that the facade can be used in many different ways and it’s up to you to take it as far as you want to.
Let me know how I can help.

Sincerely,
Darius Bryjka
Illinois Historic Preservation Agency
One Old State Capitol Plaza Springfield , Illinois 62701
Phone: 217.782.8221
E-mail: darius.bryjka@illinois.gov
http://www.illinois-history.gov/
http://www.gotmesker.com/

Kansas Photos from Mid 1800s to Early 1900s

Click on link to view photographs "The Good Old Days in Kansas":

www.stevens86.com/graphics/TheGoodOldDaysInKansas.pps

The Question Before Us

Do we want to have another alumni reunion in 2010 or ever?

The officers of the Grainfield Rural High School Alumni Association are going to vote on this issue around the first of the year, 2009. If they vote no, we will probably never have another reunion. The officers have asked for volunteers to replace the secretary and the treasurer, but nobody has come forward. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Current Officers:
Steve Golden - President
Delmar Kaiser - Vice-president
Norma Zerr - Treasurer
Antonia Waldman - Secretary

Please express your views by leaving a comment on the blog.

The Dash

Inspiring message with scenic photos. A short 3 minute movie. A moment for reflection.
Please click on this link to view:
http://www.dashpoemmovie.com/

Class Reunions

Class reunions: What we have that counts

By: Lynne Wisman a freelance writer and photographer in Mason City .

Months later, when nothing remained but the memories and the expensive black dress I couldn't afford, it came to me. The thought had surfaced more than once and I turned away from it, told myself it wasn't true.

But truth doesn't die and the truth then and now is that high school reunions do not begin as an opportunity to see old classmates. That is how they end.

Ten years after graduation, it's about what we "have."

I have this estate...this boat...this degree...this job...this six-figure income...live in this suburb...have this membership... Have great abs...children in private schools...have a Porsche...a great handicap in golf...a personal trainer...this summer cottage...this girlfriend. Say, by the way, do you fool around? Hey, just joking. But, seriously, did you come alone?

A 20-year reunion is when the Haves still have it, but...still have most of my hair...worried about the company downsizing...but she's fat now...he's an alcoholic...going broke paying alimony to three wives...but can't change horses in the middle of the stream...had this operation...but they're implants...they live so far away...but saving for retirement now...lost out to a younger exec. Say, you look great!

Always had this crush on you. Did you say you're here alone?

The 30-year reunion is when it starts to shine: It's the year the Haves check it at the door.. What we have isn't important anymore. It's important to be here, to see you, to see him, to see her. To remember the fun...Hi-Dive...Senior Week...the tug of war...the prom...the beer parties...the broken curfews...the souped-up cars...Senior Skip Day...the night Buddy Holly died. To remember pleated skirts and saddle shoes and the hangout where we smoked our first cigarette and felt sophisticated.

We were doing head counts long before the 40th reunion. Many of our classmates are gone now, never to attend a reunion again. Some of the Haves are now Have-Nots: wear a pacemaker...use a walker...can't golf like I used to...doctor said it was too much steak and booze...have a new heart...the bank foreclosed when the company folded...look too bad in my workout gear...sure miss some of the guys that are gone now...plan to retire soon if I live that long.

Say, aren't you in the room next to me? Didn't see your husband. Oh, he's gone now? Sorry about that but, have I got a deal for you. I take Viagra now...

Now comes the summer of the 50th. A bittersweet time in our lives, perhaps the last time we'll all be together again.

It may be the last reunion, the last time we'll see our high school friends, the last time we'll dance to the music of Buddy Holly. It may be the first time that it doesn't matter to anyone who has what or who never had it to begin with.

The joy of having material things loses ground as the years evaporate like a silent and unwelcome ghost in the night, leaving changes that far overshadow what we have.

For it was with those once tender young hearts that we learned one of the most valued lessons in life: Friends, and the memory of what once was, are priceless possessions. It's the one thing we all have.

You may not remember me but, I remember you. And it's good to see you. I only care that you're happy. I don't care that we are fat or thin or rich or poor. I care only about the years that are gone and the friendships we once had.

It took nearly a lifetime for all of us to understand the real value of yesterday.

Perhaps now we will better cherish the promise of tomorrow.

So, did you say you're here alone?

Class Reunions

CLASS REUNION

Every three years, as July nears,
An announcement arrives in the mail,
A reunion is planned; it'll be really grand;
Make plans to attend without fail.
I'll never forget the first time we met;
We tried so hard to impress.
We drove fancy cars, smoked big cigars,
And wore our most elegant dress.
It was quite an affair; the whole class was there.
It was held at a fancy hotel.
We wined, and we dined, and we acted refined.
And everyone thought it was swell.
The men all conversed about who had been first
To achieve great fortune and fame.
Meanwhile, their spouses described their fine houses
And how beautiful their children became.
The homecoming queen, who once had been lean,
Now weighed in at one-ninety-six.
The jocks who were there had all lost their hair,
And the cheerleaders could no longer do kicks.
No one had heard about the class nerd
Who'd guided a spacecraft to the moon;
Or poor little Jane, who's always been plain;
She married a shipping tycoon.
The boy we'd decreed "most apt to succeed"
Was serving ten years in the pen,
While the one voted "least" now was a priest;
Just shows you can be wrong now and then.
They awarded a prize to one of the guys
Who seemed to have aged the least.
Another was given to the grad who had driven
The farthest to attend the feast.
They took a class picture, a curious mixture
Of beehives, crew cuts and wide ties.
Tall, short, or skinny, the style was the mini;
You never saw so many thighs.
At our next get-together, no one cared whether
They impressed their classmates or not.
The mood was informal, a whole lot more normal;
By this time we'd all gone to pot.

Author Unknown

Kansas Towns Website Links

A State of Kansas Website
http://skyways.lib.ks.us/kansas.html

A list of the Kansas Communities on the Web
http://skyways.lib.ks.us/towns/

A Gove County Website
http://skyways.lib.ks.us/counties/GO/index.html

Another Gove County Website
http://skyways.lib.ks.us/genweb/gove/

Grainfield Opera House
http://skyways.lib.ks.us/genweb/gove/opera%20house/opera.html

2007 GRHS Reunion Pictures

We have 57 digital pictures taken by Doreen Boor of Great Bend, KS and 38 pictures contributed by Joyce Roberts Lott for a total of 95 reunion pictures. We owe a great deal of thanks to the efforts and kindness of Joyce Lott and Doreen Boor for taking the time to photograph and process these pictures. Doreen and her husband provided the catering for the event.

A Note of Appreciation

Joe Dinkel of Hill City and Rudy Dinkel of Grainfield are owed an enormous debt of gratitude for the assistance they provided in updating the GRHS Alumni database. Without their thorough knowledge of the living and deceased alumni, it couldn't have been done.

The Grainfield Rural High School Alumni Reunion Pictures are courtesy of Joyce Roberts Lott, taken July 28, 2007.

Joyce has web sites containing her personal photo galleries at http://community.webshots.com/user/joyceroberts64 and her new web site http://milleniumwebs.com/joycelott

Those who attended the reunion may remember her as the one taking all the digital camera shots. She has consented to making these pictures available to the Alumni. Her efforts are greatly appreciated.

2007 GRHS Alumni Reunion Attendees

Class
Year - Attendees

1937 - Richard Schmidt
1938 - Velma Gillespie, Vera Roberts
1939 - Houston Stubbs
1941 - Elmer Berens
1942 - Francis Cox, William Orten
1944 - Lenard Ribordy, Loretta Shaw
1945 - Victor Schmidtberger
1946 - Emma Kaiser, Ruby Bixenman, Sally Dinkel
1947 - Leona Carter
1948 - Elmer Heier, Bernard Deges, Virginia Wildeman, Jim Kepferle
1949 - Ann Weber, Geraldine Shaw
1950 - Adolph Dinkel, Florence Bayack, Bob Kepferle
1952 - Laverna Moore, Jim Brungardt
1953 - Ray Gagnon, Darlene Schwarzenberger, Mary Ann Feldt
1954 - Sylvester Engel
1955 - Delmar Kaiser, Betty Gagnon, LeRoy Dinkel, Marilyn Petersen
1956 - Jeanine Beamgard, Elaine Selenke
1957 - Norma Zerr, Louise Wildeman, Louella Zerr, Charles Reitcheck
1958 - Gene Deges
1959 - Wilma Geist, David Gagnon, Marlene Kaiser, Jim Ziegler, Freda Hunt, Leon Deges
1960 - Don Gagnon, Orvis Katt, Herbert Queen, Janice Arnhold
1961 - Fern Mader, Bill Goetz, Yvonne Palisfer
1962 - Virgil Deges, Martin Gagnon, Janet Downey
1963 - Shirley Kaiser, Doreen Boor, Verlene Feldt, Antonia Waldman, Louise Wildeman, Imogene Wildeman, Virginia Ochs, Ruth Ann Pracht, Lois Limes
1964 - Jim Arnott
1965 - Eugene Ziegler
1966 - John Stubbs, Judy Reinecker, Gary Gassman, Nancy Sumpter
1967 - Dwight Hartman, Wanda Thummel, Sylvia Tanner, Charlene Gassman, Denver Cox
1968 - Kirby Gillespie, Mary Lou Wiedeman
1969 - David Welton

GRHS Alumni 2007 Reunion Photos

"Click on each picture to enlarge it."

GRHS Alumni 2007 Reunion Photos

GRHS Alumni 2007 Reunion Photos

GRHS Alumni 2007 Reunion Photos

GRHS Alumni 2007 Reunion Photos

GRHS Alumni 2007 Reunion Photos

GRHS Alumni 2007 Reunion Photos

GRHS Alumni 2007 Reunion Photos

GRHS Alumni 2007 Reunion Photos