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Copyright 2023 by Stein Enterprises, L.L.C.
All Rights Reserved.
No use of the material is allowed without prior written permission of the copyright holder.
Copyright 2023 by Stein Enterprises, L.L.C.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, November 30, 2023
"The Video Game Capital of the World"
During the summer of 1981, a man named Walter Day visited more than 100 video game arcades over four months, recording the high scores he found on each game.
After that tour, on November 10, he opened his own arcade in Ottumwa, naming it Twin Galaxies. On February 9 of the next year, his database of records from that summer 1981 tour was released publicly as the Twin Galaxies National Scoreboard.
Twin Galaxies became known as the official scoreboard, arranging contests between top players. Twin Galaxies' first event in 1982 attracted international media attention for gathering the first teams of video-game stars.
Similar competitions were also conducted during the next two summers when Walter Day organized players in many states, including Iowa, to form teams and compete in high score contests for the Guinness Book of World Records.
On November 30, 1982, Ottumwa mayor Jerry Parker declared Ottumwa to be the "Video Game Capital of the World".
That claim was backed up by Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, the Atari video game company, and the Amusement Game Manufacturers Association in a ceremony at Twin Galaxies in Ottumwa in early 1983.
In January 1983, Twin Galaxies organized the first significant video-game championship, to crown a world champion. This event was filmed in Ottumwa by ABC-TV's That's Incredible! and was aired on the night of February 21, 1983 nationwide.
Twin Galaxies founder Walter Day left the company in 2010 to pursue a career in music. But his work led to Ottumwa being dubbed the Video Game Capital of the World, on this date in 1982.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 30th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Video Game Capital of the World"
During the summer of 1981, a man named Walter Day visited more than 100 video game arcades over four months, recording the high scores he found on each game.
After that tour, on November 10, he opened his own arcade in Ottumwa, naming it Twin Galaxies. On February 9 of the next year, his database of records from that summer 1981 tour was released publicly as the Twin Galaxies National Scoreboard.
Twin Galaxies became known as the official scoreboard, arranging contests between top players. Twin Galaxies' first event in 1982 attracted international media attention for gathering the first teams of video-game stars.
Similar competitions were also conducted during the next two summers when Walter Day organized players in many states, including Iowa, to form teams and compete in high score contests for the Guinness Book of World Records.
On November 30, 1982, Ottumwa mayor Jerry Parker declared Ottumwa to be the "Video Game Capital of the World".
That claim was backed up by Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, the Atari video game company, and the Amusement Game Manufacturers Association in a ceremony at Twin Galaxies in Ottumwa in early 1983.
In January 1983, Twin Galaxies organized the first significant video-game championship, to crown a world champion. This event was filmed in Ottumwa by ABC-TV's That's Incredible! and was aired on the night of February 21, 1983 nationwide.
Twin Galaxies founder Walter Day left the company in 2010 to pursue a career in music. But his work led to Ottumwa being dubbed the Video Game Capital of the World, on this date in 1982.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 30th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, November 29, 2023
"A Legend Dies in Iowa"
Cary Grant was the perfect image of a 20th Century movie legend.
By November 29th, 1986, the 82-year-old was enjoying intimate appearances before audiences across the country, playing clips from his films, telling stories from the stage, and answering questions from audience members. That was the plan for an appearance at the Adler Theater in Davenport that Saturday night.
The appearance was part of the annual Festival of Trees at the River Center in Davenport. A black tie reception was scheduled before the performance.
He went through an afternoon rehearsal at the theater, then started to feel ill. He went back to his suite at what was then the Blackhawk Hotel, thinking it was a stomach virus. During the pre-performance gala, it was announced that he had taken ill and would not perform as scheduled.
Before long, however, his condition worsened. Doctors arrived to find him coherent, but in some distress. He was rushed to a hospital around 9 p.m. but slipped into a coma on the way. He then suffered a final massive stroke, and was pronounced dead at 11:22 p.m.
The Quad-City Times reported the death with a very simple front page headline--"A Legend Dies in Our Arms".
The debonair actor, whose credits included some of the greatest films of the era, Cary Grant...died just before giving a performance in Davenport, on this date in 1986.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 29th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A Legend Dies in Iowa"
Cary Grant was the perfect image of a 20th Century movie legend.
By November 29th, 1986, the 82-year-old was enjoying intimate appearances before audiences across the country, playing clips from his films, telling stories from the stage, and answering questions from audience members. That was the plan for an appearance at the Adler Theater in Davenport that Saturday night.
The appearance was part of the annual Festival of Trees at the River Center in Davenport. A black tie reception was scheduled before the performance.
He went through an afternoon rehearsal at the theater, then started to feel ill. He went back to his suite at what was then the Blackhawk Hotel, thinking it was a stomach virus. During the pre-performance gala, it was announced that he had taken ill and would not perform as scheduled.
Before long, however, his condition worsened. Doctors arrived to find him coherent, but in some distress. He was rushed to a hospital around 9 p.m. but slipped into a coma on the way. He then suffered a final massive stroke, and was pronounced dead at 11:22 p.m.
The Quad-City Times reported the death with a very simple front page headline--"A Legend Dies in Our Arms".
The debonair actor, whose credits included some of the greatest films of the era, Cary Grant...died just before giving a performance in Davenport, on this date in 1986.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 29th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, November 28, 2023
"The Modern Style"
Journalism has been practiced in one form or another ever since people could tell stories; then developing a written language. But as a profession, journalism is a relatively new thing.
Iowa universities have been in the forefront of journalism education over the past century. On November 28th, 1913, some Iowa journalism professors defended the evolution of the craft at the second-ever national academic conference on the topic.
A story on the front page of the Evening Times-Republican in Marshalltown told about it, titled "Modern Style in Journalism". Keep in mind that at that time, journalism was limited to newspapers, and its practitioners were almost exclusively males.
The article quoted Iowa State College professor F. W. Beckman as saying "the news sense, the ability to see what is new and its new meaning to the great mass of humanity, is necessary to men in every field of endeavor, but especially to men who write."
He further claimed the "news sense" allowed a writer to "see thru the mass of non-essentials to the essentials, thru dead rubbish to living facts, thru husks and shells to the kernel of truth."
He defended the journalistic style of reporting and writing evolving at the time as efficient, having been "hammered out in the heat and stress of newspaper work to meet the demands of the millions for something to compel their attention".
A Gallup poll released in 2016 showed that trust in American media was at its lowest point since 1972, with only a third of those surveyed saying they had a great deal or a fair amount of trust in the media. It’s not much better in the latest survey.
Perhaps, then, it's important for those who practice the craft to remember the words of Iowa State professor F. W. Beckman, who said journalists write "of the people and for them" with a "value that cannot be denied", when speaking at an academic conference on the topic on this date in 1913...110 years ago today.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 28th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Modern Style"
Journalism has been practiced in one form or another ever since people could tell stories; then developing a written language. But as a profession, journalism is a relatively new thing.
Iowa universities have been in the forefront of journalism education over the past century. On November 28th, 1913, some Iowa journalism professors defended the evolution of the craft at the second-ever national academic conference on the topic.
A story on the front page of the Evening Times-Republican in Marshalltown told about it, titled "Modern Style in Journalism". Keep in mind that at that time, journalism was limited to newspapers, and its practitioners were almost exclusively males.
The article quoted Iowa State College professor F. W. Beckman as saying "the news sense, the ability to see what is new and its new meaning to the great mass of humanity, is necessary to men in every field of endeavor, but especially to men who write."
He further claimed the "news sense" allowed a writer to "see thru the mass of non-essentials to the essentials, thru dead rubbish to living facts, thru husks and shells to the kernel of truth."
He defended the journalistic style of reporting and writing evolving at the time as efficient, having been "hammered out in the heat and stress of newspaper work to meet the demands of the millions for something to compel their attention".
A Gallup poll released in 2016 showed that trust in American media was at its lowest point since 1972, with only a third of those surveyed saying they had a great deal or a fair amount of trust in the media. It’s not much better in the latest survey.
Perhaps, then, it's important for those who practice the craft to remember the words of Iowa State professor F. W. Beckman, who said journalists write "of the people and for them" with a "value that cannot be denied", when speaking at an academic conference on the topic on this date in 1913...110 years ago today.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 28th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, November 27, 2023
"A Life Centered On Faith"
Sarah Pollard was born in Bloomfield on November 27th, 1862. You won't recognize her by that name, because early on, she decided she didn't like it, and instead went by Adelaide Pollard.
A deeply religious woman, by the time she was 40 years of age in 1902, Adelaide wanted to travel to Africa to become a missionary. But she could not raise the needed money.
Discouraged, she attended a prayer meeting one evening, and was inspired by the meditations that night. She went home and wrote a hymn, which millions have sung in the century since it was written.
Have Thine own way, Lord!
Have Thine own way!
Thou art the potter; I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still.
Adelaide wrote more than 100 other songs, but since she seldom sought credit, we don't know how many for sure.
Just before World War I, she did reach Africa, but the fighting forced her to retreat to Scotland. She returned to the U.S. after the war and continued preaching until her death due to a ruptured appendix just before Christmas 1934, at the age of 72. She's buried in a cemetery in Fort Madison.
You may not recall her name, but you've no doubt sung her hymns. Adelaide Pollard, born in Iowa on this date in 1862.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 27th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A Life Centered On Faith"
Sarah Pollard was born in Bloomfield on November 27th, 1862. You won't recognize her by that name, because early on, she decided she didn't like it, and instead went by Adelaide Pollard.
A deeply religious woman, by the time she was 40 years of age in 1902, Adelaide wanted to travel to Africa to become a missionary. But she could not raise the needed money.
Discouraged, she attended a prayer meeting one evening, and was inspired by the meditations that night. She went home and wrote a hymn, which millions have sung in the century since it was written.
Have Thine own way, Lord!
Have Thine own way!
Thou art the potter; I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still.
Adelaide wrote more than 100 other songs, but since she seldom sought credit, we don't know how many for sure.
Just before World War I, she did reach Africa, but the fighting forced her to retreat to Scotland. She returned to the U.S. after the war and continued preaching until her death due to a ruptured appendix just before Christmas 1934, at the age of 72. She's buried in a cemetery in Fort Madison.
You may not recall her name, but you've no doubt sung her hymns. Adelaide Pollard, born in Iowa on this date in 1862.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 27th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, November 24, 2023
"The Dance That Turned Tragic"
It was Thanksgiving eve 1965 in Keokuk, and about 75 persons were in the National Guard armory there for a gala square dance.
About four dozen were dancing in six squares, with another dozen sitting along the sidelines. More than a dozen children played in the basement of the building.
It was the weekly meeting of the Swing Ezy club, and with the holiday coming up, spirits were high.
Then came an explosion and flash fire that demolished the building in an instant.
The building was heated by natural gas, and when it ignited, the explosion blew out the walls and sent the roof high into the air.
A total of 21 people died as a result of the explosion or burns they received. More than a month later, another 12 were still hospitalized.
It was the top news story of the year in Iowa, and the greatest tragedy in Keokuk's history...when 21 people were killed in an explosion that destroyed the Keokuk National Guard armory...on this date in 1965.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 24th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Dance That Turned Tragic"
It was Thanksgiving eve 1965 in Keokuk, and about 75 persons were in the National Guard armory there for a gala square dance.
About four dozen were dancing in six squares, with another dozen sitting along the sidelines. More than a dozen children played in the basement of the building.
It was the weekly meeting of the Swing Ezy club, and with the holiday coming up, spirits were high.
Then came an explosion and flash fire that demolished the building in an instant.
The building was heated by natural gas, and when it ignited, the explosion blew out the walls and sent the roof high into the air.
A total of 21 people died as a result of the explosion or burns they received. More than a month later, another 12 were still hospitalized.
It was the top news story of the year in Iowa, and the greatest tragedy in Keokuk's history...when 21 people were killed in an explosion that destroyed the Keokuk National Guard armory...on this date in 1965.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 24th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, November 23, 2023
"The Day Without Football"
It was to be the game of the year. On Saturday, November 23rd, 1963, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish were to play the Iowa Hawkeyes at Iowa Stadium. It would be the last game of the Hawkeyes' season, and fourteen Iowa seniors were looking forward to ending their careers on a high note against a perennial power.
And then, everything changed.
From Dallas, Texas, the flash, apparently official...President Kennedy died at 1 p.m. Central Standard Time, 2 o'clock Eastern Standard Time, some 38 minutes ago.
The assassination of President John F. Kennedy changed the world in many ways. In Iowa, there was uncertainty whether the football game the next day should be played or not.
The Notre Dame team had already flown into Iowa and was checking into a Coralville motel when the shooting occurred.
The Hawkeyes went through their final practice and were taken by bus to a Mount Vernon motel, where they typically stayed at that time the night before a home game.
A crowd of 55,000 was expected, each paying $5 for a ticket.
Iowa athletic director Forest Evashevski met with his Notre Dame counterpart and decided that the game should be played. That was the word Friday night.
Then just after midnight, after further consideration, the decision was made to not play the game. Players did not find out until the next morning.
No Big Ten games were played that day. NFL games were played that weekend, a decision commissioner Pete Rozelle said years later he regretted.
Notre Dame offered to play the game two weeks later, but Iowa declined since extending the season by those two weeks would interfere too much with class work.
Until the 2020 COVID outbreak, it was the only game in Iowa football history to not be played in the season it was scheduled, when the Hawkeyes game against Notre Dame was cancelled due to the assassination of President Kennedy, on this date in 1963…60 years ago today.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 23rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Day Without Football"
It was to be the game of the year. On Saturday, November 23rd, 1963, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish were to play the Iowa Hawkeyes at Iowa Stadium. It would be the last game of the Hawkeyes' season, and fourteen Iowa seniors were looking forward to ending their careers on a high note against a perennial power.
And then, everything changed.
From Dallas, Texas, the flash, apparently official...President Kennedy died at 1 p.m. Central Standard Time, 2 o'clock Eastern Standard Time, some 38 minutes ago.
The assassination of President John F. Kennedy changed the world in many ways. In Iowa, there was uncertainty whether the football game the next day should be played or not.
The Notre Dame team had already flown into Iowa and was checking into a Coralville motel when the shooting occurred.
The Hawkeyes went through their final practice and were taken by bus to a Mount Vernon motel, where they typically stayed at that time the night before a home game.
A crowd of 55,000 was expected, each paying $5 for a ticket.
Iowa athletic director Forest Evashevski met with his Notre Dame counterpart and decided that the game should be played. That was the word Friday night.
Then just after midnight, after further consideration, the decision was made to not play the game. Players did not find out until the next morning.
No Big Ten games were played that day. NFL games were played that weekend, a decision commissioner Pete Rozelle said years later he regretted.
Notre Dame offered to play the game two weeks later, but Iowa declined since extending the season by those two weeks would interfere too much with class work.
Until the 2020 COVID outbreak, it was the only game in Iowa football history to not be played in the season it was scheduled, when the Hawkeyes game against Notre Dame was cancelled due to the assassination of President Kennedy, on this date in 1963…60 years ago today.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 23rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, November 22, 2023
"The Last of the Wringers"
Frederick Maytag's company in Newton was a world leader in development of washing machines. In fact, it was one of the few businesses to actually make a consistent profit during the Great Depression.
The first mass-produced washer was made in 1907. Called the Pastime, it was hand driven with a crank on top. There was a flywheel underneath to help with the load of cranking.
The first washer with a wringer added came in 1909. Called the Hired Girl, it could be either hand powered or driven by an outside power source. Electricity as a power source was added in 1911.
Over the next three-quarters of a century, Maytag washers advanced in technology with each new model. For example, an easy release wringer was added in 1921 for safety. Some models in the 1920s had gas engines, or could be outfitted with either electric or gas motors.
The last of the new models was introduced in 1955, but Maytag wringer washers were produced until November 22nd, 1983.
First introduced during World War II in 1945, Model E2L or the Master, featured a square aluminum tub, with either a gas or electric motor. And it became the model with the longest running production of any of Maytag's wringer washers.
For 76 years, Maytag wringer washers rolled off the production lines in Newton...but the very last one was made on this date in 1983…40 years ago today.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 22nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Last of the Wringers"
Frederick Maytag's company in Newton was a world leader in development of washing machines. In fact, it was one of the few businesses to actually make a consistent profit during the Great Depression.
The first mass-produced washer was made in 1907. Called the Pastime, it was hand driven with a crank on top. There was a flywheel underneath to help with the load of cranking.
The first washer with a wringer added came in 1909. Called the Hired Girl, it could be either hand powered or driven by an outside power source. Electricity as a power source was added in 1911.
Over the next three-quarters of a century, Maytag washers advanced in technology with each new model. For example, an easy release wringer was added in 1921 for safety. Some models in the 1920s had gas engines, or could be outfitted with either electric or gas motors.
The last of the new models was introduced in 1955, but Maytag wringer washers were produced until November 22nd, 1983.
First introduced during World War II in 1945, Model E2L or the Master, featured a square aluminum tub, with either a gas or electric motor. And it became the model with the longest running production of any of Maytag's wringer washers.
For 76 years, Maytag wringer washers rolled off the production lines in Newton...but the very last one was made on this date in 1983…40 years ago today.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 22nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, November 21, 2023
"A Governor Loses His Life"
William Beardsley was born in Beacon, in Mahaska County, on May 13th of 1901. He established a career in the retail drug business, and also raised cattle and hogs on his farm near New Virginia.
He entered politics in 1933, serving eight years in the Iowa Senate and two years in the Iowa House.
It was during a return to public service in 1946 that he became opposed to the labor and education policies of a fellow Republican, Governor Robert Blue. Beardsley wound up challenging the incumbent in the 1948 primary and won his party's nomination. Iowans then elected him as the state’s 31st governor that fall.
During his time in office, the highway patrol was expanded, worker's compensation benefits were increased, and a World War II veteran's bonus was authorized. Beardsley was re-elected in 1950 and 1952, but opted not to seek a fourth term in 1954.
It was on November 21st, 1954, that Gov. Bill Beardsley and his wife Charlotte traveled by car to Ames to visit one of their five children, who was a student at Iowa State University. On their way home that Sunday night, just 2 miles north of Des Moines on Iowa Highway 60, Governor Beardsley drove his car into the back of a truck. He was killed instantly, and his wife was seriously injured.
Lt. Gov. Leo Elthon drove through the night from his home in Fertile to Des Moines to take the oath of office early the next morning, serving the final 52 days of Beardsley's term.
His career in public service was well respected, but sadly most remember 53-year-old Gov. William Beardsley for being the only Iowa governor to die in office...in a car accident near Des Moines...on this date in 1954.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 21st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A Governor Loses His Life"
William Beardsley was born in Beacon, in Mahaska County, on May 13th of 1901. He established a career in the retail drug business, and also raised cattle and hogs on his farm near New Virginia.
He entered politics in 1933, serving eight years in the Iowa Senate and two years in the Iowa House.
It was during a return to public service in 1946 that he became opposed to the labor and education policies of a fellow Republican, Governor Robert Blue. Beardsley wound up challenging the incumbent in the 1948 primary and won his party's nomination. Iowans then elected him as the state’s 31st governor that fall.
During his time in office, the highway patrol was expanded, worker's compensation benefits were increased, and a World War II veteran's bonus was authorized. Beardsley was re-elected in 1950 and 1952, but opted not to seek a fourth term in 1954.
It was on November 21st, 1954, that Gov. Bill Beardsley and his wife Charlotte traveled by car to Ames to visit one of their five children, who was a student at Iowa State University. On their way home that Sunday night, just 2 miles north of Des Moines on Iowa Highway 60, Governor Beardsley drove his car into the back of a truck. He was killed instantly, and his wife was seriously injured.
Lt. Gov. Leo Elthon drove through the night from his home in Fertile to Des Moines to take the oath of office early the next morning, serving the final 52 days of Beardsley's term.
His career in public service was well respected, but sadly most remember 53-year-old Gov. William Beardsley for being the only Iowa governor to die in office...in a car accident near Des Moines...on this date in 1954.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 21st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, November 20, 2023
"From Aunt Fanny to Fran"
Frances Allison was born on November 20th, 1907 in LaPorte City. Fran graduated from Coe College, and was a teacher. Her love of performing led her to WMT radio's Waterloo studios, where she became a regular on the air in the 1930s.
At the age of 30, she moved to network radio in Chicago, as a staff singer and personality on the NBC network. She became a regular on The Breakfast Club program, and for 25 years portrayed "Aunt Fanny", a small-town gossip.
In the earliest days of television, in 1947, Burr Tillstrom was asked to put together a puppet show for children. He asked Fran Allison to appear alongside his creations, and Kukla, Fran, and Ollie was born.
The show aired throughout the 1950s on NBC, and returned for another decade in the late 60s and early 70s on CBS. Fran appeared in other television programs, featuring her singing talents, but she's best remembered for her time with a family of puppets.
Kukla, Fran and Ollie were even honored by having a U.S. postage stamp issued with their images on it in 2009, 20 years after Fran's death. She was laid to rest in Cedar Rapids.
The only human to appear alongside the Kuklapolitan Players, Fran Allison, was born in LaPorte City on this date in 1907.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 20th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"From Aunt Fanny to Fran"
Frances Allison was born on November 20th, 1907 in LaPorte City. Fran graduated from Coe College, and was a teacher. Her love of performing led her to WMT radio's Waterloo studios, where she became a regular on the air in the 1930s.
At the age of 30, she moved to network radio in Chicago, as a staff singer and personality on the NBC network. She became a regular on The Breakfast Club program, and for 25 years portrayed "Aunt Fanny", a small-town gossip.
In the earliest days of television, in 1947, Burr Tillstrom was asked to put together a puppet show for children. He asked Fran Allison to appear alongside his creations, and Kukla, Fran, and Ollie was born.
The show aired throughout the 1950s on NBC, and returned for another decade in the late 60s and early 70s on CBS. Fran appeared in other television programs, featuring her singing talents, but she's best remembered for her time with a family of puppets.
Kukla, Fran and Ollie were even honored by having a U.S. postage stamp issued with their images on it in 2009, 20 years after Fran's death. She was laid to rest in Cedar Rapids.
The only human to appear alongside the Kuklapolitan Players, Fran Allison, was born in LaPorte City on this date in 1907.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 20th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, November 17, 2023
"A Vicious Attack"
The Gitchie Manitou State Preserve is a 91-acre nature preserve in Lyon County, just northwest of Granite, Iowa and southeast of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The preserve was named for the creator spirit in Anishinaabe Indian tradition, the “great spirit”.
On November 17, 1973, five teenagers from Sioux Falls decided to go to Gitchie Manitou. The four boys and one girl planned to sit around an evening campfire, smoke a few marijuana joints, and play guitars.
But the night quickly turned deadly. Three brothers—Allen, James, and David Fryer—were looking for illumination to poach deer. They camp upon the five, sitting around their campfire, singing. The Fryer brothers decided to confront the teenagers and take their marijuana, posing as narcotics agents. They got shotguns from their truck and opened fire on the teens. All four males were killed. The female, 13-year-old Sandra Cheskey, was tied up and one of the Fryer brothers, claiming to be a police officer, took her to a nearby farmhouse and sexually assaulted her before driving her to her home early the next morning.
Twelve days later, Sandy Cheskey was with Lyon County Sheriff Craig Vinson, searching for the farmhouse. They found it, largely because of the distinctive red fuel tank Sandy remembered seeing in the yard. At the very same time, Allen Fryer drove by in the same truck used the night of the crime. Sandy Cheskey identified him on the spot, and he was arrested. His two brothers were arrested soon after.
Ultimately, all three Fryer brothers were convicted and sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.
Sandy Cheskey said she felt alone and ashamed about the incident for decades, even though she was a victim. Around the 40th anniversary of the crimes, she decided to tell her story publicly, in part because she said she didn’t want her grandchildren hearing the story from anyone else. Not long after, a book was released, telling her story.
The murder of four teenagers and sexual assault of a fifth…by three brothers…happened at the Gitchie Manitou State Preserve in Lyon County on this date in 1973...50 years ago today.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 17th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A Vicious Attack"
The Gitchie Manitou State Preserve is a 91-acre nature preserve in Lyon County, just northwest of Granite, Iowa and southeast of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The preserve was named for the creator spirit in Anishinaabe Indian tradition, the “great spirit”.
On November 17, 1973, five teenagers from Sioux Falls decided to go to Gitchie Manitou. The four boys and one girl planned to sit around an evening campfire, smoke a few marijuana joints, and play guitars.
But the night quickly turned deadly. Three brothers—Allen, James, and David Fryer—were looking for illumination to poach deer. They camp upon the five, sitting around their campfire, singing. The Fryer brothers decided to confront the teenagers and take their marijuana, posing as narcotics agents. They got shotguns from their truck and opened fire on the teens. All four males were killed. The female, 13-year-old Sandra Cheskey, was tied up and one of the Fryer brothers, claiming to be a police officer, took her to a nearby farmhouse and sexually assaulted her before driving her to her home early the next morning.
Twelve days later, Sandy Cheskey was with Lyon County Sheriff Craig Vinson, searching for the farmhouse. They found it, largely because of the distinctive red fuel tank Sandy remembered seeing in the yard. At the very same time, Allen Fryer drove by in the same truck used the night of the crime. Sandy Cheskey identified him on the spot, and he was arrested. His two brothers were arrested soon after.
Ultimately, all three Fryer brothers were convicted and sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.
Sandy Cheskey said she felt alone and ashamed about the incident for decades, even though she was a victim. Around the 40th anniversary of the crimes, she decided to tell her story publicly, in part because she said she didn’t want her grandchildren hearing the story from anyone else. Not long after, a book was released, telling her story.
The murder of four teenagers and sexual assault of a fifth…by three brothers…happened at the Gitchie Manitou State Preserve in Lyon County on this date in 1973...50 years ago today.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 17th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, November 16, 2023
"The Grinnell 14"
It was the fall of 1961, and the protests that marked the decade were years away. But one group of Iowa college students set the example.
The 10 men and 4 women left Grinnell College by car on November 13th of that year, arriving in Washington, D.C. three days later. Their goal was to protest against atmospheric nuclear testing, seeking to influence the young president who was still in his first year in office.
Grinnell's student senate passed a resolution in support of the protestors. Around 160 students on campus fasted in solidarity while the group was in the nation's capitol.
They caused quite a stir, getting national news coverage on NBC's "Huntley Brinkley Report", and making headlines in international newspapers. They were welcomed into the White House to meet with officials; President Kennedy was away at the time.
They even went to the Soviet embassy to ask why nuclear testing was continuing.
And they set an example. Tom Hayden, later part of the Chicago 7, credited the Grinnell group with helping launch the broader 1960s student peace movement. The Grinnell 14 were followed by students from dozens of other schools, one after another, in a series of protests that lasted at least a year.
Less than two years after the protest, the U.S., Soviet Union, and United Kingdom signed a partial test ban treaty that ended the atmospheric tests.
Attention was given to the issue by a group of 14 Grinnell College students, who arrived for a week of protesting in Washington, D.C., on this date in 1961.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 16th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Grinnell 14"
It was the fall of 1961, and the protests that marked the decade were years away. But one group of Iowa college students set the example.
The 10 men and 4 women left Grinnell College by car on November 13th of that year, arriving in Washington, D.C. three days later. Their goal was to protest against atmospheric nuclear testing, seeking to influence the young president who was still in his first year in office.
Grinnell's student senate passed a resolution in support of the protestors. Around 160 students on campus fasted in solidarity while the group was in the nation's capitol.
They caused quite a stir, getting national news coverage on NBC's "Huntley Brinkley Report", and making headlines in international newspapers. They were welcomed into the White House to meet with officials; President Kennedy was away at the time.
They even went to the Soviet embassy to ask why nuclear testing was continuing.
And they set an example. Tom Hayden, later part of the Chicago 7, credited the Grinnell group with helping launch the broader 1960s student peace movement. The Grinnell 14 were followed by students from dozens of other schools, one after another, in a series of protests that lasted at least a year.
Less than two years after the protest, the U.S., Soviet Union, and United Kingdom signed a partial test ban treaty that ended the atmospheric tests.
Attention was given to the issue by a group of 14 Grinnell College students, who arrived for a week of protesting in Washington, D.C., on this date in 1961.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 16th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, November 15, 2023
"An Insurgent Senator"
Smith Brookhart Senior was well liked by Iowa voters, but not necessarily by his own party.
A graduate of Bloomfield High School, he taught school for a time before studying law and becoming an attorney in 1892, practicing in Washington, Iowa.
He served in the U.S. Army during the Spanish-American War and World War I, reaching the rank of lieutenant colonel. He was well known for his marksmanship with a rifle, and wound up serving as president of the National Rifle Association from 1921 to 1925.
Brookhart started a political career, strongly supporting Prohibition. After a failed attempt for the U.S. Senate in 1920, Brookhart was elected to fill a vacant seat in the chamber in 1922. Two years later, when running for a full term, he appeared to have defeated his Democratic challenger, Daniel Steck. But when Steck challenged the results, the state Republican Party sided with the Democrat, accusing Brookhart of disloyalty to the Republican presidential ticket because he supported Progressive candidate Robert LaFollette of Wisconsin.
Brookhart was removed from his seat by the Iowa legislature, but he immediately ran for Iowa's other U.S. Senate seat, and upended incumbent Albert Cummins in the primary, avenging his loss to Cummins in 1920. He was returned to the Senate by voters, and continued his independent reputation, criticizing Republican presidents and big business.
Brookhart lost his bid for re-election in 1932, losing in the primary to nurseryman and broadcaster Henry Field.
He became a special advisor to the federal government on Soviet trade, becoming an early advocate for U.S. recognition of the Soviet Union. He then practiced law in Washington, D.C., before moving to Arizona for health reasons.
Voters elected him to the U.S. Senate twice, but he was never a favorite of party regulars. Senator Smith W. Brookhart, Sr. -- who died on this date in 1944.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 15th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"An Insurgent Senator"
Smith Brookhart Senior was well liked by Iowa voters, but not necessarily by his own party.
A graduate of Bloomfield High School, he taught school for a time before studying law and becoming an attorney in 1892, practicing in Washington, Iowa.
He served in the U.S. Army during the Spanish-American War and World War I, reaching the rank of lieutenant colonel. He was well known for his marksmanship with a rifle, and wound up serving as president of the National Rifle Association from 1921 to 1925.
Brookhart started a political career, strongly supporting Prohibition. After a failed attempt for the U.S. Senate in 1920, Brookhart was elected to fill a vacant seat in the chamber in 1922. Two years later, when running for a full term, he appeared to have defeated his Democratic challenger, Daniel Steck. But when Steck challenged the results, the state Republican Party sided with the Democrat, accusing Brookhart of disloyalty to the Republican presidential ticket because he supported Progressive candidate Robert LaFollette of Wisconsin.
Brookhart was removed from his seat by the Iowa legislature, but he immediately ran for Iowa's other U.S. Senate seat, and upended incumbent Albert Cummins in the primary, avenging his loss to Cummins in 1920. He was returned to the Senate by voters, and continued his independent reputation, criticizing Republican presidents and big business.
Brookhart lost his bid for re-election in 1932, losing in the primary to nurseryman and broadcaster Henry Field.
He became a special advisor to the federal government on Soviet trade, becoming an early advocate for U.S. recognition of the Soviet Union. He then practiced law in Washington, D.C., before moving to Arizona for health reasons.
Voters elected him to the U.S. Senate twice, but he was never a favorite of party regulars. Senator Smith W. Brookhart, Sr. -- who died on this date in 1944.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 15th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, November 14, 2023
"Evasive Action"
We've told you before that the USS Iowa, built in 1940, was known as the Battleship of Presidents during its 50 years of service to America. Due to its big guns, heavy armor, fast speed, longevity and modernization, it was known as the "world's greatest naval ship" at the time.
But on November 14th, 1943, the Iowa almost was hit by a torpedo fired by an American destroyer. And the course of history could have been drastically changed.
The Iowa was carrying President Franklin Roosevelt and his joint chiefs to a secret meeting with Winston Churchill and Josef Stalin, known to history as the Tehran Conference.
At FDR's request, the USS Iowa conducted an anti-aircraft drill that morning, to demonstrate her defensive capabilities to the commander in chief, a former Navy man himself. Escort ships also participated, including the destroyer William D. Porter.
The warship was performing a torpedo drill when the #3 torpedo was accidentally discharged from its tube, headed directly toward the USS Iowa. After failing to get the Iowa crew's attention with its blinker light, the Porter crew broke radio silence to sound the warning. The Iowa turned hard to the right to avoid the torpedo, which exploded in the wake of the battleship.
Roosevelt had learned of the incoming torpedo...and asked the Secret Service to move his wheelchair to the side of the battleship for a better view.
It was the only evasive action the USS Iowa ever had to take during World War II, and it was to avoid an incoming torpedo from an American destroyer...with the President of the United States on board...on this date in 1943…80 years ago today.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 14th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Evasive Action"
We've told you before that the USS Iowa, built in 1940, was known as the Battleship of Presidents during its 50 years of service to America. Due to its big guns, heavy armor, fast speed, longevity and modernization, it was known as the "world's greatest naval ship" at the time.
But on November 14th, 1943, the Iowa almost was hit by a torpedo fired by an American destroyer. And the course of history could have been drastically changed.
The Iowa was carrying President Franklin Roosevelt and his joint chiefs to a secret meeting with Winston Churchill and Josef Stalin, known to history as the Tehran Conference.
At FDR's request, the USS Iowa conducted an anti-aircraft drill that morning, to demonstrate her defensive capabilities to the commander in chief, a former Navy man himself. Escort ships also participated, including the destroyer William D. Porter.
The warship was performing a torpedo drill when the #3 torpedo was accidentally discharged from its tube, headed directly toward the USS Iowa. After failing to get the Iowa crew's attention with its blinker light, the Porter crew broke radio silence to sound the warning. The Iowa turned hard to the right to avoid the torpedo, which exploded in the wake of the battleship.
Roosevelt had learned of the incoming torpedo...and asked the Secret Service to move his wheelchair to the side of the battleship for a better view.
It was the only evasive action the USS Iowa ever had to take during World War II, and it was to avoid an incoming torpedo from an American destroyer...with the President of the United States on board...on this date in 1943…80 years ago today.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 14th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, November 13, 2023
"Taking on the Press"
It was never a secret that President Richard Nixon and the news media did not get along. At the height of the Vietnam War, protests were held across the country. On November 13th, 1969, the Administration decided to fight back.
Vice President Spiro Agnew was set to speak to the Midwestern Regional Republican Conference in Des Moines. He took advantage of the occasion to criticize the news media, in a speech written by future presidential candidate Pat Buchanan.
“The American people would rightly not tolerate this concentration of power in Government. Is it not fair and relevant to question its concentration in the hands of a tiny, enclosed fraternity of privileged men elected by no one and enjoying a monopoly sanctioned and licensed by Government? The views of a -- the majority of this fraternity do not -- and I repeat, not -- represent the views of America.”
“Now I want to make myself perfectly clear: I'm not asking for Government censorship or any other kind of censorship. I am asking whether a form of censorship already exists when the news that 40 million Americans -- when the news that 40 million Americans receive each night is determined by a handful of men responsible only to their corporate employers and is filtered through a handful of commentators who admit to their own set of biases.”
This was merely the first of a series of speeches. In a later one, Agnew called the media pundits “nattering nabobs of negativism”. And of course, Agnew himself had legal troubles that later forced him from office.
But the Nixon Administration’s public criticism of the news media, through Vice President Spiro Agnew, started in Des Moines on this date in 1969.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 13th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Taking on the Press"
It was never a secret that President Richard Nixon and the news media did not get along. At the height of the Vietnam War, protests were held across the country. On November 13th, 1969, the Administration decided to fight back.
Vice President Spiro Agnew was set to speak to the Midwestern Regional Republican Conference in Des Moines. He took advantage of the occasion to criticize the news media, in a speech written by future presidential candidate Pat Buchanan.
“The American people would rightly not tolerate this concentration of power in Government. Is it not fair and relevant to question its concentration in the hands of a tiny, enclosed fraternity of privileged men elected by no one and enjoying a monopoly sanctioned and licensed by Government? The views of a -- the majority of this fraternity do not -- and I repeat, not -- represent the views of America.”
“Now I want to make myself perfectly clear: I'm not asking for Government censorship or any other kind of censorship. I am asking whether a form of censorship already exists when the news that 40 million Americans -- when the news that 40 million Americans receive each night is determined by a handful of men responsible only to their corporate employers and is filtered through a handful of commentators who admit to their own set of biases.”
This was merely the first of a series of speeches. In a later one, Agnew called the media pundits “nattering nabobs of negativism”. And of course, Agnew himself had legal troubles that later forced him from office.
But the Nixon Administration’s public criticism of the news media, through Vice President Spiro Agnew, started in Des Moines on this date in 1969.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 13th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, November 10, 2023
"Little House on the Iowa Prairie"
Generations have enjoyed the books and television program inspired by the writing of Laura Ingalls Wilder. There have been various Iowa angles in the stories, including when Laura's older sister Mary went blind and attended school in Vinton for a time.
Not talked about in the Little House books was the time the Ingalls family spent in Burr Oak, Iowa. Charles Ingalls—Pa—helped run a hotel there for a year. It was during that year, on May 23rd, 1877, that Charles and Caroline Ingalls welcomed their fifth and final child into the world, a girl they name Grace Pearl Ingalls.
Grace moved from Iowa when she was an infant, and ultimately the family settled in Minnesota and the Dakotas. Like her mother and sister Laura, Grace also became a school teacher, near DeSmet, South Dakota. In later years, Grace became her sister Mary's caretaker.
There's another Iowa angle to note. Laura's daughter, Rose, also became a writer. In fact, she wrote the first biography of Herbert Hoover, before he became president. Rose donated her papers and those of her mother to the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum in West Branch, where today, scholars travel to study her works.
Laura Ingalls Wilder's youngest sister, Grace Pearl Ingalls Dow, born in Iowa, died on this date in 1941.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 10th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Little House on the Iowa Prairie"
Generations have enjoyed the books and television program inspired by the writing of Laura Ingalls Wilder. There have been various Iowa angles in the stories, including when Laura's older sister Mary went blind and attended school in Vinton for a time.
Not talked about in the Little House books was the time the Ingalls family spent in Burr Oak, Iowa. Charles Ingalls—Pa—helped run a hotel there for a year. It was during that year, on May 23rd, 1877, that Charles and Caroline Ingalls welcomed their fifth and final child into the world, a girl they name Grace Pearl Ingalls.
Grace moved from Iowa when she was an infant, and ultimately the family settled in Minnesota and the Dakotas. Like her mother and sister Laura, Grace also became a school teacher, near DeSmet, South Dakota. In later years, Grace became her sister Mary's caretaker.
There's another Iowa angle to note. Laura's daughter, Rose, also became a writer. In fact, she wrote the first biography of Herbert Hoover, before he became president. Rose donated her papers and those of her mother to the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum in West Branch, where today, scholars travel to study her works.
Laura Ingalls Wilder's youngest sister, Grace Pearl Ingalls Dow, born in Iowa, died on this date in 1941.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 10th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, November 09, 2023
"Floyd of Rosedale"
Iowa and Minnesota have always been friendly rivals. Sometimes, not so friendly.
The football rivalry between the University of Iowa and the University of Minnesota got a little heated in the middle 1930s, in large part because of what Iowa thought was unduly rough treatment suffered by Iowa's star halfback Ozzie Simmons, one of the few black players of the time.
In 1935, both teams entered the game undefeated, and the rhetoric got a little heated. To try to ease tensions, Minnesota Gov. Floyd Olson sent a telegram to Iowa Gov. Clyde Herring, betting a prize Minnesota hog against a prize Iowa hog that Minnesota would win the game...and requiring that the loser deliver the hog in person to the winner.
Gov. Herring accepted, and on November 9th, the Golden Gophers won the game 13-6; later that year, they won their second straight national championship.
Allen Loomis, the owner of Rosedale Farms near Fort Dodge, donated a pig so Gov. Herring could pay off the bet. The pig was the brother of Blue Boy, from the Will Rogers movie "State Fair", and in honor of Gov. Olson, was named Floyd. Soon Gov. Herring personally walked Floyd into Gov. Olson's carpeted office in St. Paul.
Amazingly, some complained that the wager violated state gambling laws, and because it was across state lines, that the pig was subject to interstate commerce regulations. Lawsuits were even filed.
The Minnesota governor offered Floyd as first prize in a statewide essay-writing contest, won by 14-year-old Robert Jones.
To replace the real Floyd, Gov. Olson commissioned a sculptor to capture Floyd's image. The result is a 98 pound bronze pig trophy, and every year, the Hawkeyes and Gophers play for the right to win Floyd of Rosedale.
In 2008, Rivals.com named Floyd of Rosedale the top rivalry trophy in all of college football. But the real Floyd was the subject of a wager, on this date in 1935.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 9th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Floyd of Rosedale"
Iowa and Minnesota have always been friendly rivals. Sometimes, not so friendly.
The football rivalry between the University of Iowa and the University of Minnesota got a little heated in the middle 1930s, in large part because of what Iowa thought was unduly rough treatment suffered by Iowa's star halfback Ozzie Simmons, one of the few black players of the time.
In 1935, both teams entered the game undefeated, and the rhetoric got a little heated. To try to ease tensions, Minnesota Gov. Floyd Olson sent a telegram to Iowa Gov. Clyde Herring, betting a prize Minnesota hog against a prize Iowa hog that Minnesota would win the game...and requiring that the loser deliver the hog in person to the winner.
Gov. Herring accepted, and on November 9th, the Golden Gophers won the game 13-6; later that year, they won their second straight national championship.
Allen Loomis, the owner of Rosedale Farms near Fort Dodge, donated a pig so Gov. Herring could pay off the bet. The pig was the brother of Blue Boy, from the Will Rogers movie "State Fair", and in honor of Gov. Olson, was named Floyd. Soon Gov. Herring personally walked Floyd into Gov. Olson's carpeted office in St. Paul.
Amazingly, some complained that the wager violated state gambling laws, and because it was across state lines, that the pig was subject to interstate commerce regulations. Lawsuits were even filed.
The Minnesota governor offered Floyd as first prize in a statewide essay-writing contest, won by 14-year-old Robert Jones.
To replace the real Floyd, Gov. Olson commissioned a sculptor to capture Floyd's image. The result is a 98 pound bronze pig trophy, and every year, the Hawkeyes and Gophers play for the right to win Floyd of Rosedale.
In 2008, Rivals.com named Floyd of Rosedale the top rivalry trophy in all of college football. But the real Floyd was the subject of a wager, on this date in 1935.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 9th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, November 08, 2023
"An Iowan for President"
By the time of the Iowa Caucuses early in a presidential election year, we Iowans have already seen candidates for close to two years.
Elections didn't used to last this long. And in the early 1900s, it wasn't surprising to see new political parties pop up. After all, the Republicans themselves had only been around for 50 years.
George Edwin Taylor was an African-American who was born in 1857 in Arkansas. His father was a slave, and he and his mother, who was a free black, fled the state to Illinois when George was only 2 years of age. He made his way to Wisconsin, where he became a journalist and labor activist. By 1891, George Taylor was in Oskaloosa, Iowa, where he published a weekly newspaper called the Negro Solicitor, and served as a local justice of the peace.
At first he was a Republican, but then became a Democrat; in fact, he was president of what was called the Negro Bureau within the national Democratic party.
But he became disenchanted with both major parties in that post-Civil War era, and in 1904, George Taylor joined the National Negro Liberty Party and became its candidate for president.
It was not a very successful run. Jim Crow laws kept blacks from voting across the country, much less being on the ballot. It's believed that Taylor received 65,000 votes nationwide, but records are sketchy.
After the election, he returned to Iowa, but moved to Florida for health reasons by 1910. He also returned to the Democratic party, calling himself an independent first, Democrat second, and always black.
George Taylor knew he would lose that presidential election, but called it a duty to his race regardless of the outcome. The election was held while he was living in Oskaloosa, as George Taylor become the first African-American to run for the presidency, when citizens voted on this date in 1904.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 8th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"An Iowan for President"
By the time of the Iowa Caucuses early in a presidential election year, we Iowans have already seen candidates for close to two years.
Elections didn't used to last this long. And in the early 1900s, it wasn't surprising to see new political parties pop up. After all, the Republicans themselves had only been around for 50 years.
George Edwin Taylor was an African-American who was born in 1857 in Arkansas. His father was a slave, and he and his mother, who was a free black, fled the state to Illinois when George was only 2 years of age. He made his way to Wisconsin, where he became a journalist and labor activist. By 1891, George Taylor was in Oskaloosa, Iowa, where he published a weekly newspaper called the Negro Solicitor, and served as a local justice of the peace.
At first he was a Republican, but then became a Democrat; in fact, he was president of what was called the Negro Bureau within the national Democratic party.
But he became disenchanted with both major parties in that post-Civil War era, and in 1904, George Taylor joined the National Negro Liberty Party and became its candidate for president.
It was not a very successful run. Jim Crow laws kept blacks from voting across the country, much less being on the ballot. It's believed that Taylor received 65,000 votes nationwide, but records are sketchy.
After the election, he returned to Iowa, but moved to Florida for health reasons by 1910. He also returned to the Democratic party, calling himself an independent first, Democrat second, and always black.
George Taylor knew he would lose that presidential election, but called it a duty to his race regardless of the outcome. The election was held while he was living in Oskaloosa, as George Taylor become the first African-American to run for the presidency, when citizens voted on this date in 1904.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 8th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, November 07, 2023
"Test Taking"
High school students who are getting ready for college spend weeks preparing for standardized testing. It used to be colleges had their own individual entrance exams, which was cumbersome for those applying to multiple colleges.
The Scholastic Aptitude Test, or SAT, was developed in 1901 as a way to streamline the process, but it emphasized cognitive reasoning. Leave it to an Iowan to use Midwest common sense to come up with an alternative, focused on practical knowledge.
The University of Iowa had held an annual tournament for academics, called the Iowa Academic Meet. In 1929, UI professor Everett Franklin Lindquist began overseeing the meet, which got the nickname "Brain Derby" among the 1,000 students who participated each year.
After looking at data from that program, E.F. Lindquist was able to create new strategies when it came to designing standardized testing. He used them in his work for the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills for 6th through 8th graders, and the Iowa Tests of Educational Development for high school students. One of his ideas was to provide separate answer sheets and scoring keys, as well as computerized scoring devices, to increase efficiency.
In order to provide a better college admission test, Lindquist co-founded the American College Testing Program in the summer of 1959. It started strong, with 75,460 students taking the first ACT test on November 7th, 1959. It had four parts--English, mathematics, social studies, and natural studies--and lasted three hours, with a maximum composite score of 36. It soon gained in popularity over the SAT because not only could it more accurately predict college performance, it helped identify student strengths and weaknesses.
Still used today as a primary way of measuring student aptitude for college, the first ACT test--developed by University of Iowa professor E.F. Lindquist--was given on this date in 1959.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 7th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Test Taking"
High school students who are getting ready for college spend weeks preparing for standardized testing. It used to be colleges had their own individual entrance exams, which was cumbersome for those applying to multiple colleges.
The Scholastic Aptitude Test, or SAT, was developed in 1901 as a way to streamline the process, but it emphasized cognitive reasoning. Leave it to an Iowan to use Midwest common sense to come up with an alternative, focused on practical knowledge.
The University of Iowa had held an annual tournament for academics, called the Iowa Academic Meet. In 1929, UI professor Everett Franklin Lindquist began overseeing the meet, which got the nickname "Brain Derby" among the 1,000 students who participated each year.
After looking at data from that program, E.F. Lindquist was able to create new strategies when it came to designing standardized testing. He used them in his work for the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills for 6th through 8th graders, and the Iowa Tests of Educational Development for high school students. One of his ideas was to provide separate answer sheets and scoring keys, as well as computerized scoring devices, to increase efficiency.
In order to provide a better college admission test, Lindquist co-founded the American College Testing Program in the summer of 1959. It started strong, with 75,460 students taking the first ACT test on November 7th, 1959. It had four parts--English, mathematics, social studies, and natural studies--and lasted three hours, with a maximum composite score of 36. It soon gained in popularity over the SAT because not only could it more accurately predict college performance, it helped identify student strengths and weaknesses.
Still used today as a primary way of measuring student aptitude for college, the first ACT test--developed by University of Iowa professor E.F. Lindquist--was given on this date in 1959.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 7th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, November 06, 2023
"The Baseball Evangelist"
They say more than a million people accepted Christ as a direct result of his preaching. But early on, there was not much to suggest that William Ashley Sunday would be one of the best known evangelists of the early 1900s.
He was born in Ames in 1862. He never knew his father, who died during the Civil War. His mother tried to keep the family together, but ultimately Billy Sunday spent part of his childhood in various homes for orphans of soldiers.
After high school, he was a locomotive firefighter for the railroad and played baseball in Marshalltown, leading his amateur team to a state title.
Marshalltown native and baseball hall of famer Cap Anson saw him play and arranged for Sunday to get a tryout with the Chicago National League ball club. He made the team, and soon proved to be the fastest runner in the whole league.
In 1886, he joined a group of young people on their way to Chicago’s Pacific Garden Mission. After about a half-dozen meetings, he converted. In 1890, he gave up a $350 per week baseball contract to make only a thousand dollars a year working for the YMCA and touring the country, spreading the gospel.
He was known for pounding the pulpit, moving around the room while preaching, waving his arms and enthusiastically delivering his message.
He preached for 39 years, before dying of a heart attack in Chicago on November 6th, 1935. He was less than two weeks away from his 73rd birthday.
Iowa-born Billy Sunday, pro athlete and preacher, died on this date in 1935.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 6th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Baseball Evangelist"
They say more than a million people accepted Christ as a direct result of his preaching. But early on, there was not much to suggest that William Ashley Sunday would be one of the best known evangelists of the early 1900s.
He was born in Ames in 1862. He never knew his father, who died during the Civil War. His mother tried to keep the family together, but ultimately Billy Sunday spent part of his childhood in various homes for orphans of soldiers.
After high school, he was a locomotive firefighter for the railroad and played baseball in Marshalltown, leading his amateur team to a state title.
Marshalltown native and baseball hall of famer Cap Anson saw him play and arranged for Sunday to get a tryout with the Chicago National League ball club. He made the team, and soon proved to be the fastest runner in the whole league.
In 1886, he joined a group of young people on their way to Chicago’s Pacific Garden Mission. After about a half-dozen meetings, he converted. In 1890, he gave up a $350 per week baseball contract to make only a thousand dollars a year working for the YMCA and touring the country, spreading the gospel.
He was known for pounding the pulpit, moving around the room while preaching, waving his arms and enthusiastically delivering his message.
He preached for 39 years, before dying of a heart attack in Chicago on November 6th, 1935. He was less than two weeks away from his 73rd birthday.
Iowa-born Billy Sunday, pro athlete and preacher, died on this date in 1935.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 6th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, November 03, 2023
"Iowa's First Newspaper"
The land that is now Iowa was originally part of the Wisconsin Territory. In 1838, the parcel of land was divided, and the Iowa Territory was formed, with a capital located at Burlington. Burlington was actually the last capital of the larger Wisconsin Territory, and in 1837, James Clarke and Cyrus Jacobs founded the Wisconsin Territorial Gazette there. After the land became Iowa, they changed the name of their publication on November 3rd, 1838 to the Iowa Territorial Gazette, becoming the Iowa territory’s first newspaper.
Clarke went on to become the third and last governor of the Iowa Territory. A county in southern Iowa is named in his honor. His partner, Jacobs, was killed in a duel just three days before the Iowa Territorial Gazette published its first issue.
Not long after, a rival paper was started, called the Iowa Patriot, encouraged by David Rorer, the man who won the duel with Cyrus Jacobs. The paper’s name was changed to the Hawk Eye in honor of Chief Black Hawk. That paper became the driving force to have “Hawkeye” adopted as our state’s nickname.
Ultimately, the Gazette and Hawk Eye both thrived in Burlington, long after Iowa became a state and its capital moved from the city. But the Depression took its toll, and a Galesburg man, O.N. Custer, purchased the papers and merged them into The Hawk Eye Gazette, the name it held until 1960, when the name was shortened to The Hawk Eye.
The first newspaper in the Iowa Territory, the Iowa Territorial Gazette, now the Hawk Eye, was published in Burlington on this date in 1838…185 years ago today.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 3rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Iowa's First Newspaper"
The land that is now Iowa was originally part of the Wisconsin Territory. In 1838, the parcel of land was divided, and the Iowa Territory was formed, with a capital located at Burlington. Burlington was actually the last capital of the larger Wisconsin Territory, and in 1837, James Clarke and Cyrus Jacobs founded the Wisconsin Territorial Gazette there. After the land became Iowa, they changed the name of their publication on November 3rd, 1838 to the Iowa Territorial Gazette, becoming the Iowa territory’s first newspaper.
Clarke went on to become the third and last governor of the Iowa Territory. A county in southern Iowa is named in his honor. His partner, Jacobs, was killed in a duel just three days before the Iowa Territorial Gazette published its first issue.
Not long after, a rival paper was started, called the Iowa Patriot, encouraged by David Rorer, the man who won the duel with Cyrus Jacobs. The paper’s name was changed to the Hawk Eye in honor of Chief Black Hawk. That paper became the driving force to have “Hawkeye” adopted as our state’s nickname.
Ultimately, the Gazette and Hawk Eye both thrived in Burlington, long after Iowa became a state and its capital moved from the city. But the Depression took its toll, and a Galesburg man, O.N. Custer, purchased the papers and merged them into The Hawk Eye Gazette, the name it held until 1960, when the name was shortened to The Hawk Eye.
The first newspaper in the Iowa Territory, the Iowa Territorial Gazette, now the Hawk Eye, was published in Burlington on this date in 1838…185 years ago today.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 3rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, November 02, 2023
"Keep Serving Others"
You’ve heard how Shenandoah seed salesmen Earl May and Henry Field used radio to market their products to a large national audience in the early days of broadcasting.
They weren’t the only ones, however.
On this date in 1925, a new station in Clarinda in Page County took to the air, owned by the A. A. Berry Seed Company. A. A. Berry had founded the company there in 1899 after a career writing about agriculture for Wallace’s Farmer, the Prairie Farmer, and the Clarinda Herald.
The new station was assigned the call letters KSO, which the Berry Seed Company said stood for “Keep Serving Others”. The station signed on with a power of 500 watts at 1240 kilocycles. The studio was at the Berry Seed Company building at Eighth and Willow, with the towers for the transmitting antenna attached to the north and south ends of the building.
Two years later, the station moved to 1320 on the radio dial; a year after that, as part of a national reassignment of frequencies, KSO moved to 1380 with a power increase to 1,000 watts; however, the station had to share the frequency with a LaCrosse, Wisconsin station and soon was forced back to 500 watts.
In the summer of 1931, the Iowa Broadcasting Company purchased KSO; Iowa Broadcasting was owned by the Cowles brothers, who owned The Des Moines Register and were adding radio stations to their holdings. A year after the purchase, KSO was moved from its home in Clarinda to Des Moines, where it became the NBC Blue network affiliate for the city.
Ultimately, KSO landed on the 1460 frequency, where it became popular in the early days of rock and roll, and later as a powerful country music station, one of the few in AM stereo.
The KSO call letters were retired in 1989. But the original KSO radio, owned by a seed company and broadcasting from Clarinda, went on the air on this date in 1925.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 2nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Keep Serving Others"
You’ve heard how Shenandoah seed salesmen Earl May and Henry Field used radio to market their products to a large national audience in the early days of broadcasting.
They weren’t the only ones, however.
On this date in 1925, a new station in Clarinda in Page County took to the air, owned by the A. A. Berry Seed Company. A. A. Berry had founded the company there in 1899 after a career writing about agriculture for Wallace’s Farmer, the Prairie Farmer, and the Clarinda Herald.
The new station was assigned the call letters KSO, which the Berry Seed Company said stood for “Keep Serving Others”. The station signed on with a power of 500 watts at 1240 kilocycles. The studio was at the Berry Seed Company building at Eighth and Willow, with the towers for the transmitting antenna attached to the north and south ends of the building.
Two years later, the station moved to 1320 on the radio dial; a year after that, as part of a national reassignment of frequencies, KSO moved to 1380 with a power increase to 1,000 watts; however, the station had to share the frequency with a LaCrosse, Wisconsin station and soon was forced back to 500 watts.
In the summer of 1931, the Iowa Broadcasting Company purchased KSO; Iowa Broadcasting was owned by the Cowles brothers, who owned The Des Moines Register and were adding radio stations to their holdings. A year after the purchase, KSO was moved from its home in Clarinda to Des Moines, where it became the NBC Blue network affiliate for the city.
Ultimately, KSO landed on the 1460 frequency, where it became popular in the early days of rock and roll, and later as a powerful country music station, one of the few in AM stereo.
The KSO call letters were retired in 1989. But the original KSO radio, owned by a seed company and broadcasting from Clarinda, went on the air on this date in 1925.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 2nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, November 01, 2023
"Murder on Campus"
You may find it hard to believe that it was three decades ago...on November 1st, 1991...that a disgrunted graduate student at the University of Iowa took revenge, killing four faculty members and one student, seriously wounding another student, and taking his own life. That's because for many, it seems like only yesterday.
That Friday afternoon was a bit chilly, and there was snow in the air in Iowa City. Then as now, Friday afternoons were often a time on campus for meetings and getting ready for the weekend.
Gang Lu was a 28-year-old who came to Iowa City from China and received his doctoral degree from the University the previous spring. However, he was angry because his dissertation did not win a prestigious campus award, and blamed his lack of employment after graduation in part on that.
He apparently planned his actions for a period of months. Finally, on that November afternoon, he attended a physics research group meeting in a conference room of Van Allen Hall. Shortly after the meeting began, Lu shot and killed three people—Prof. Christoph Goertz, Prof. Robert Smith, and graduate student Linhua Shan. He then went to the office of the department chair, Prof. Dwight Nicholson, and killed him.
Not satisfied, he then walked three blocks to Jessup Hall, killing associate vice president for Academic Affairs T. Anne Cleary and seriously wounding student employee Miya Rodolfo-Sioson.
Gang Lu then shot himself in the head, dying shortly after police arrived.
The president of the university at the time, Hunter Rawlings, was also on Lu's hit list...but he was in Ohio for the Hawkeye football game the next day.
The tragic killing that shook the campus and the state happened on this date in 1991.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 1st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Murder on Campus"
You may find it hard to believe that it was three decades ago...on November 1st, 1991...that a disgrunted graduate student at the University of Iowa took revenge, killing four faculty members and one student, seriously wounding another student, and taking his own life. That's because for many, it seems like only yesterday.
That Friday afternoon was a bit chilly, and there was snow in the air in Iowa City. Then as now, Friday afternoons were often a time on campus for meetings and getting ready for the weekend.
Gang Lu was a 28-year-old who came to Iowa City from China and received his doctoral degree from the University the previous spring. However, he was angry because his dissertation did not win a prestigious campus award, and blamed his lack of employment after graduation in part on that.
He apparently planned his actions for a period of months. Finally, on that November afternoon, he attended a physics research group meeting in a conference room of Van Allen Hall. Shortly after the meeting began, Lu shot and killed three people—Prof. Christoph Goertz, Prof. Robert Smith, and graduate student Linhua Shan. He then went to the office of the department chair, Prof. Dwight Nicholson, and killed him.
Not satisfied, he then walked three blocks to Jessup Hall, killing associate vice president for Academic Affairs T. Anne Cleary and seriously wounding student employee Miya Rodolfo-Sioson.
Gang Lu then shot himself in the head, dying shortly after police arrived.
The president of the university at the time, Hunter Rawlings, was also on Lu's hit list...but he was in Ohio for the Hawkeye football game the next day.
The tragic killing that shook the campus and the state happened on this date in 1991.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 1st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
