Info Please (1)

[dandymomma]

I've got some pictures of places in Howard that I'd like to know more about. Anyone who knows some history, please reply...

This is where Grandma went to church. I remember her telling me that they weren't always able to have services on Sunday because a pastor had to come in from out of town. I also remember that it was SSSOOOO HOT in there in the summer. Last summer I'm pretty sure Aunt Wretha said it wasn't being used anymore.

[patyrn]

This is the Church of Christ building on south Wabash (Main Street).  They no longer have church there, and Indygal on the forum has purchased the building and plans to make it into a home.  She and her husband were married there earlier this year.  Check back on the forum for details.

[frawin]

Your Grandmother, Mae Riggs was the head cook at the Howard School Cafeteria and she done a great job  with the food and budget she had to work with plus she liked young people and they liked her. I remember when they were building the Church of Christ which was 2 Blocks from where my parents lived. While I went to the Methodist Church as a small boy I later lived with a family for several years and they attended the Church of Christ and I often went there with them. The Minister's name was Nimrod and I think he came from Independence Kansas to Preach. As I recall there was no organ or Piano but there was lots of singing. Your Grandmother was always there as were the Murphy's, Lukes, Andersons and I think Pauline Smith. I rented the little Pasture, for 2 or 3 years,  that your Grandmaother had and kept mares and colts in there. She always enjoyed the baby colts and would come out and pet them when I was there working with them. She was a really nice person.
Frank Winn

[Teresa]

Changing the subject here for a minute.

Who bought Paul Boquinns house? I saw lights on in there a few nights ago.

[dandymomma]

Grandma Loretta kept the books for the church as well. Everyone said she did a really good job with the budget.

When did she work for the school??? I think I remember her mentioning it before, but it was such a long time ago.

[frawin]

I was in High School from 1954 thru 1958 so it would have been during that time and after.
Frank Winn

[Jo McDonald]

When we were in Howard last week - we were wondering what would become of the Boquinn home...That was a grand home in its day.  I never saw a "For Sale" sign along there any time we passed by.  It will be interesting to know who will be the new owners.

[patyrn]

Dandymamma,

The cook at the Howard Schools would have been your great-grandmother, Mae Riggs. The first school cafeteria was a new structure built in the 1950s, and she probably was one of the first cooks there.  She was still there when I graduated from high school in 1967. 

[indygal]

Thank you for posting the great picture of the former church building, dandymomma. The sign in front was gone when Terrell and I bought it last November, so it's neat to see what it looked like. I too would love to know more the history of the building, which we've named Harmony. We are making slow but steady progress toward it becoming our home and art studio, and we're enjoying every minute of the process. It's apparent the building was well-loved from its beginnings, and rest assured it will continue to be.

Saturday afternoon we had a surprise guest, a woman whose maiden name was Melba Christmas (sorry to admit I can't recall her married name). She lives in Wichita now and was in Howard to attend a funeral. She stopped by to visit, saying she'd attended the church in the 1950s (it was built in 1944) and had many fond memories of it. Dandymomma, she -- and we -- can confirm it still gets very hot inside there in the summer, though we now have a wonderful air conditioner that makes it very comfortable. Melva was surprised how the upstairs looked without the pews in it, and we explained how we intend to keep the wood floors as they are, with the "shadows" of the pews, which we find delightfully charming. She also showed me where she had Sunday school class in the basement. There was a doorbell upstairs that the minister would ring to let folks downstairs know class time was over --- we've left that bell and are now pleased to know what its purpose was.

We were told that the church members hand-dug the basement themselves, and we know whoever did the actual construction did fine work. The building is as solid and level as the day the final brick was installed. The only real sign of age are a few cracks around the basement windows and the poured concrete basement floor, which is wearing away in some places. There has been a small amount of water damage to the plaster walls downstairs, which we will repair as money allows. Amazingly, even after the 20-plus inches of rain that deluged Howard this past July, there was minimal water infiltration in that basement.

I wish I could answer your questions, but truth is, I have just as many and maybe more that I'd like the answers to!

[Dee Gee]

Indygal, you almost got your vistor's name correct it was Melba (Crismas) George.  Her family and mine lived around Severy but attended the Church of Christ in Howard as did a lot of other family members.  But the only time I remember being in the Chruch was for our grandmother's funeral in 1960.  Melba is a interesting person to visit with.