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Tama County Historical Society’s A Glance at the Past: 75 years ago March 1948

The main attraction of the past week and this week in Iowa’s major winter sport, basketball, where most of the interest of local citizens has been and will be focused on the University of Iowa, which finally went down in defeat, though the career of the charging Czechs of Clutier in the girl’s state tournament. Meeting a highly rated Wiota team, Coach John Schoenfelder’s powerful Czechs scored a 59 to 51 win and will meet Kamrar. This is the sixth trip to the state girls’ tournament for Clutier in the last nine years. They have defeated 30 teams this year, playing the best competition which could be obtained. They have a top record of tournament entries and are one of the only three teams of last year’s title field which repeated.

In the boy’s sectionals, Tama defeated Toledo for the second time out of three games played this year when they scored a 37 to 32 victory in the sectional tournament at Tama where the two teams were the only class A entries. As the sectional class A winner, Tama will meet Pella at Grinnell. Marshall county’s LeGrand boy’s, the team scored an easy victory of 53 to 30 over Chelsea to win the class B championship at Tama. LeGrand will meet St. Mary’s Buzz boys of Marshalltown in district tournament play at Grinnell.

In a central Iowa league game, Montour won over the Toledo Legion in a decisive 70 to 40 victory and in the class, B tilt defeated Toledo 39 to 27. Curphy and G. Downs each marked up 14 points to lead the scoring for the winners. O’Dell, Fields, DeSchamp, Fisher, Manfull, and Tvedt also saw action in the class A game for Montour. Berger and Smith shared scoring honors for the Toledo Legion with eight points apiece. Spears, Rosenberger, D. Berger, Brown Sorenson, and Gibbs also played for Toledo. High point men in the class B game were Curphy, who hit 15 for Montour, and Marion Berger, who scored 8.

This is whether weather. It’s the kind you don’t know whether you’re going to like it or not. But as the man said, whether you like it or not you are going to take it. Mark Twain has again been proved correct when he said, “If you don’t like Iowa weather. Wait a couple of hours.” Within the last few days, our unpredictable weather has run a course from mild California dew which washed mother nature’s dirty face with very wet rain, dried it with high wind, and shifted to a beautiful blanket of feathery white snow. Previous to this, and for the special benefit of those readers who are basking under southern sunny skies, we had a few balmy days here recently. It is very doubtful however if the approaching income tax deadline had such a depressing effect on the weatherman as to cause the recent copious weeping of February’s lachrymose skies.

Ernest J. Zmolek, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joe W. Zmolek of Toledo, will receive his doctor of medicine degree at the exercise held at the State University of Iowa at the Memorial Union. This year’s commencement is the last to be held as a result of the accelerated wartime program. In the future, all medical and dental degrees will be presented at the regular commencement exercises. Zmolek, a graduate of Toledo high school, attended Howard No. 7 grade school. He was valedictorian of the high school class and was captain of the conference football team of T.H.S. in 1941. He participated in all sports, in many vocal groups during his high school years, and in dramatic arts. Commencing his pre-medical education at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, he continued at the University of Iowa. His course was interrupted by Navy duty after which he returned to the University. He will begin his internship at the Milwaukee, county hospital.

The Tama convalescent home has recently been opened at Tama. It is operated by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Wilson, and the former’s father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. E.A. Wilson. Mrs. Wilson is the former Ruth Irish, of Toledo.

The Minstrel Follies of 1948, a home talent production to be staged by the Toledo Progressive club at the Wieting theater, will be studded with “blood and thunder” “cross-fire”, and Jim Locke as interlocutor, according to the club publicity chairman, Dean Cruikshank. The general committee is headed by Chester McEltree. Miss Bernice Schreiber of the Toledo high school faculty will direct. Many brilliant special numbers will be presented. Francis Berry heads the music committee and Asa Thomas will be the director of the orchestra.

Tams county attorney, Walter Willett has expressed his pleasure at the passing of the bill authorizing state law enforcement officials to make arrests and to try offenders on the Tama Indian settlement by the house of representatives. The bill was sent by the house to the senate and it applies to reservations in all states except New Mexico and Arizona. Many Indians on the reservation favor enforcement by local state officials. If passed by the Senate, Attorney Willett believes that it will be a great step forward in law enforcement. The law and order question on the Tama settlement was brought to a head last fall when a 66-year-old white man was attacked and beaten by some intoxicated Indian boys. Under the present bill, the federal government would retain the jurisdiction it now has on reservations over ten major offenses. The states would have jurisdiction over crimes not covered by federal authority. This act does not apply in states where Indians do not have the right to vote in state and county elections.

The Tama Lions club will meet the “Tigerettes”, a team composed of employees of the Joslyn Manufacturing and Supply Company of Tama, in a basketball game. The game will be played at the high school gymnasium in Tama and under girls’ rules, which no doubt will make the game sensational from the standpoint of laughs.

Cash and items of wearing apparel were taken from the Cash and Carry store at Chelsea, operated by Ray Formanek. $15 in money, a leather jacket, and a number of shirts and underwear were reported missing. Deputy Sherriff John R. Reid is conducting an investigation.

‘Tis again spring and bicycle riding is again becoming a problem in the business district. Bicycles are being left lying on the sidewalks, are being ridden on the walks, and are on the wrong side of the street. They are being parked along the curbs on the main business streets taking up space that is needed for parking. Bicycle riders cut corners and weave back and forth across the street. Mayor Charles A. Gary again wishes to call attention to ordinance No. 68 of the Municipal Code of Toledo which prohibits the riding of bicycles on the sidewalks. He asks that all parents of bicycle riders acquaint themselves with the state laws governing these vehicles. The bicycle rack in front of the Dr. A.A. Pace apartment building is available for parking these bikes. The mayor stated that this practice of bicycle interference on the sidewalk is dangerous. There are many older people whose right it is to use these walks without having to take the chance of being run into. The mayor is asking that the youth of Toledo please observe the city laws.