News Progress

•February 27 2019•

By Evelyn Burtcheard
NP Guest Columnist

Ever notice how little kids all have imaginary friends or super powerful human ones?
Many years later a member of my married family told me he had a bear for a friend when he was little, and they ate bananas together; however, he was the one who got sick. One thing they all have in common is the friend is always a constant companion.
An extra place must be set at the table, a spot on a chair or a sofa is saved. Danny would put the vegetables he did not like on “Juney’s” plate. I haven’t the foggiest idea where the name Juney came from, but a special friend needs a special name I guess. At any rate when the vegetables didn’t disappear from Juney’s plate, Danny had to eat them. I noticed there was never a problem with pies, cakes or any dessert.
Now with Donny the story was unusual. His friend was a living breathing hero for one summer named Don Beatty. Of course, when you have a “real” friend, you call them by their last name as Donny was so fond of telling me. The best ones have just one name, Superman, Batman and of course Beatty. Read More

•February 13, 2019•

By Evelyn Burtcheard
NP Guest Columnist

When Dad was doing repairs to the house, one of the repairs consisted of re-plastering part of a wall. He had to remove some broken lath and plaster. We hauled the pieces of lathe to the farthest corner of the backyard near the hog pen to be used as kindling to start stove fires.
Taking the eggs to the house I passed the smoke house (none of us liked smoked meat and Dad was using the building for a work shop). I saw Donny hard at work with a hammer, saw and brace and drill bit. I asked him what he was doing, and, of course, I got a one word answer. Car.
The next afternoon the two little boys and I were in the yard looking for our wagon. We could have left it anywhere as we used it for play and work. Donny joined us with a contraption and announced he had built a car! Read More

•February 6, 2019•

By Evelyn Burtcheard
NP Guest Columnist

As soon as they could get the house livable to Mom’s standards we moved in. She painted walls and woodwork starting in the kitchen first, then she and Dad papered the bedrooms and living room of our home.
One weekend Mom’s brothers Uncle Buck, Uncle Charlie and Uncle George helped move the remainder of our belongings into our new home. Donny and I never tired of exploring and dreaming of all the animals we would have.
When Mom finished in the main house, she started on the big summer kitchen and porches. Dad worked at repairs on the outside while Mom worked inside. There was a lot of work to be done.
Two weeks after we moved to Christian 40, a large truck delivered two milk cows, and one had a baby calf. The truck left and returned bringing us a team of work horses Dad bought. A strawberry roan mare named Queen I claimed, and a bay mare named Molly Donny claimed (I think because she was acting silly).
A man Dad worked with said his father had to quit farming. Dad bought several things including the cows and the team. Oh how I wanted that truck to return with more horses. Read More

•January 30, 2019•

By Jim Nowlan
NP Guest Columnist

This past week, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) proposed doubling 2019-20 state school funding, from $8 billion to almost $16 billion, the equivalent of raising the individual income tax rate from 5 to 7 percent. Should the money be available, which it won’t be, the challenge would lie in translating the new resources into significant gains in student achievement. The historical record is not encouraging.
At the outset here, let the record show: I favor all the money for education that will make a difference. I favor equal spending for all schools, more for disadvantaged kids. I am not writing to “blame the victims.” I am not writing to make a case for less school funding.
In the 1996, economists Richard Stout and Marty Eisenberg and I produced a report that ranked test performance of all Illinois public schools by the average household incomes of each district.
We found what umpteen research reports have found over the decades—that the incomes of district residents appear to drive achievement, rather than the amount spent in the schools. That is, the lower the incomes, the lower the achievement. Read More

•January 23, 2019•

By Evelyn Burtcheard
NP Guest Columnist

One year and one week after the twins were born, the smaller of the two babies passed away in his sleep. His condition with his heart was called a “blue baby”, and he was not as active as Jerry. He had a quick smile and seldom cried unless he was picked up. Dad put a bed in the living room so he could be with the rest of the family. Carold wanted to be left alone on the bed and watch the other boys.
Jerry on the other hand loved life rough and with Donny. Jerry was happiest when he was in his stroller, handles removed, being pushed around the living room or the kitchen table by Donny.
I went too slowly to suit him, and Jerry loved speed. Carold enjoyed being talked to or read to, and I loved to read to him.
Our home was a very sad place after the baby died. There were no more fast rides for Jerry. The laughter had gone from our home. I remember the day Dad picked us up at school and stopped at our mailbox on the way home. Aunt Dora was waiting to talk to Dad.
At this time Dad worked the day shift at Allis Chalmers and got home in time to drive on south to our school and pick us up in bad weather. Now Mom wanted us picked up every day, and she would worry until we got home. We walked most of the time because of the gasoline shortage, but we rode to school with the neighbor kids’ mom if she took her kids. But that was usually when they were late, and we were already at school. Read More