Bucklin High School - Reco Yearbook (Bucklin, MO)

Page 17 text:

Fire Brings Changes Fire of unknown orgin swept through a portion of the business section of Bucklin early Saturday morning, March 3, 1956, causing anestimated damage of 550, 000 ac- cording to a news item in the Brookfield Daily News, March 5. Only the walls and store fronts remained standing of two buildings. The Mattick's barber shop, the Poshek shoe shop, the pool room of Jimmy Myers, and the Masonic Lodge were a total loss. The Order of the Eastern Star had just finished remodeling the second floor of one building and laying a new rug costing Sl, 000. The rug and a new signet were destroyed. The theater alongside the Mattick's build- ing suffered water and roof damage. The building occupied by the Katie Riley grocery and the Leonard Wolfskill family was dam- aged severely by smoke. Without the quick aid from Brookfield and Marceline fire departments, much greater loss would have occurred. Today, less than a year later, the un- sighly ruins have been cleared away. Two one-story buildings are in their place oc- cupied by Jimmy Myers' pool room and Robert's electric shop. The Lodge has bought the theater and is remodeling it for the use of the Masons and the Stars. Improved Fire ighting Equipment T , Bucklin's fire fighting equipment was in- adequate for the protection of the commu- nity. The city fire truck lacked sufficient hose to fight fire efficiently. Then, too, it is important that the town be equipped to protect its rural neighbors. After a period of investigation and trial by the committee, the city and a group of 43 progressive citizens purchased addi- tional hose needed, a spray nozzle, a thirty-foot intake hose and pump, involving an expenditure of 5795. With the new pump, the city fire equip- ment can function outside the 'city limits. The new pump can be effective in rural fire protection by inserting hose into wells, ponds, or streams, The committee in charge of the improved fire-fighting equipment project was com- posed of: Orville West, chairman, C. A. Larson, vice-chairman, Mrs. C. A. Larson, secretary, and P. E. Rouse, treasurer.

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Improvement Parking Facilities Before After ,n Q n , , , , -t H1 , A .. - I V ' . ' ,ti f 1 27. W F?-'wr 'R' - - 4 n z, N. - -A 4.,.- ' f. -V t ' 'ti ' A R' ' .5 5- 1 Q' ,f . . A uf A , V , '? W g.f,w'.', , ' inf ., , Y ' s- -, if an ,- 51 1. . n-iv, Lawfzxf 0 , ,Q--if W V - I W ts :hm N . we , - J 4, .4 H N, , l mei To relieve the congestion of traffic on Bucklin's narrow street in the business section, both township and city officials co- operated and worked with the planned pro- gress committee. The groups graded and graveled the grounds immediately back of the stores on the west side of the main street. A total of 69 U2 hours of labor was contributed, and 82 tons of gravel were used, the money for whichwas donated by the city. The parking lot committee consisted of: co-chairmen Ray Neff and Orville West, vice-chairman Arnold Stanley, tary Mrs. Frank Fitzgerald, and secre-

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ii Fa? rn . f, - mjfwfqsa QiyiX-Zsf-fajiflilllif-y't2mZ3f.Q:z,',11f Wgyrgp-wg51e,j1i svmfig ,V i.gig..f55s7i:,lj1-AgQ5jf,5,,,,iVZ, .g5:gz,,5gg,3,,. girgiknzygyfii fxwggzftxwit, 'ea sf Tri, -g'3f,g5Q,, , ev S551 New Boston Enters To meet the need of a summer recreation center for their community, both Bucklin and New Boston decided to do something a- bout a ball park. Under the leadership of Ben Burnett, Ralph LeMay, Mary Dean, and Don Millsap, the group began what they called a long range project. The field at the Bucklin school was improved by grading, and a fund was started for the purchase ofmaterials for bleachers and lights, A donkey ballgame sponsored by the Green Hills Post 57 of the American Legion early in September furnished fun for all and some money for the fund. Because Boston was a little on the hilly side as one young citizen said, that group had a real problem in getting a .level spot. Undaunted by the amount of dirt that had to be moved, they discarded the thought of hiring a custom bulldozer, and turned out en masse the first week in May with their own tractors and machinery. In four days the dirt was moved and the ground leveled. Several more days were spent in buildingabackstop and screen, lay- ing out the playing field, moving playground equipment fswings and slidesl obtained from the school district, laying tile under the driveway, and building a concession stand. Tons of dirt were moved by the Home Construction Com- pany as they kept from six to twelve tractors in action.