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First Frost of the Year, Our season is finally at hand - When the Frost is on the Pumpkin!
- Hickory Husker Varsity Club
- 3 Replies
INDIANA -- When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock...
With apologies to James Whitcomb Riley, autumn means far more to Hoosiers than just harvest time and football games. Good Hoosier friends, that most special time of year has now arrived. Indiana high school basketball season is with us again - Our gals are just about ready to start practice!
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock,
Good Hoosier folks get the feeling that soon neighborhood gyms will rock.
Idle hands kept heartland keyboards a-clickn' with predictions,
Pining away the summer months dreamin' smells of popcorn a-fixen'.
There's something kinda' harty-like about the atmusfere,
When the heat of summer's over and the coolin' fall is here.
It gets the blood a pumpin' and a mind a-ready to pace,
For every Indiana soul is ready for the upcoming hardwood race.
O, the balls have been a-bouncin through the long ol' offseason,
But any good Hoosier'll tell ya, AAU is just a hair short-a treason.
It's that real season that means the most under ev'ry gym light's gleam,
True sideline teachers training Hoosierland's best to be part of a team.
When that wind begins to turn and the temperature dips just a bit,
Hoosier minds start to wander, folks get to talkin' and pipes get a-lit.
Indiana cafes, barbershops and water'n holes in tiny little hamlets,
Start harkenen back to by gone days of glory teams and near miss damn-its.
Legends, icons, heros -- goats, groans, and shouts,
Stories of exploits and near misses 3-2-1 in-and-outs.
Help'n all us Hoosier souls paint that valuable background picture,
Givin' folks a sense of past and makin' this season much richer.
Then the balls'll start a-bouncing, like they do each annu'll fall,
The sound'll fall soft on Hoosier ears like a fav'rble chargin' call.
E'vn with the changes that have shaken our great game,
You know what's coming, and boy is sure seems the same.
Thoughts drift to that walk from the car and parking lot,
Distant crowd noise, gym windows glow, ticket'n hand pressed hot.
And with your corn a-pop'n and dear friends sittin' near,
Any feller'll be tempted to drop a Hoosier tear.
I don't know how to tell it-but ef such a thing could be,
If God himself would come a-calling and want to visit me.
No host could ask for more - a game, a ticket, a gym, and a clock,
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.
Defending the Home Court - A True Hoosier Hysteria Story
- Hickory Husker Varsity Club
- 1 Replies
ONWARD, Ind. -- Want a dose of real Hoosier Hysteria? How about all night vigils guarding your high school from invading government officials? Check out this unbelievable story of Onward High School in Cass County as they turned back twp. trustees by gun point in order to keep their school open...
Two Onward citizens take their turn standing guard over Onward High
The fate of Onward High School is one that most Hoosiers can sympathize with. The loss of a community school to consolidation has taken many a town's identity with it over the years. However, the story of Onward and the fight the townspeople put up speaks to just how far community pride in their school will move otherwise peaceable and even minded folks.
The fateful announcement came from the township trustee in the summer of 1950. Onward High School would be consolidated with rival Walton that fall when school began. To salt the wound, Walton High would continue to house the high school students while Onward's building would become the elementary for the two schools.
The two bitter Cass County rivals were separated by just four miles, and while the Walton Warriors enjoyed the majority of the hardwood success, (final 8 in 1911 and sweet 16 in 1921) it meant little to the Onward Red Coats.
While Onward, population of less than 200, never captured a Sectional, they did capture the hearts of most Hoosiers when their plight snd subsequent fight for survival.
When the time for school finally rolled around that fall, Onward's preps refused to make the trip to Walton. With no salaried teachers, the Redcoat student population began classes with some of the more advance students taking over the lessons.
As the story goes, a handful of 'turncoat' Redcoats did venture over to Walton and ultimately enrolled there. In a community meeting, Onward headmaster William Helms spoke in tones more familiar of a funeral when he stated that two of the traitors were…gasp…ballplayers.
Quickly worry turned to fear and finally to panic at the thought that the township trustee would attempt to close Onward High by force. The result was a 24 hour picket set up with area townspeople taking turns guarding the school grounds. An old civil defense air raid siren system was quickly established to sound the alarm of any government trespassers. Action plans were set into place and an old crop dusting plane patrolled the air during the daylight hours to watch the approaching roads.
Word of the Onward civil defense quickly spread, and the township trustee decided to test their will in early October. Along with a dozen volunteers from Walton, the trustee made a trip to Onward under the guise of exchanging Walton elementary student desks for high school desks at Onward. Their caravan was quickly detected and the alarm sounded.
When the trustee arrived at Onward High, nearly fifty area "Redcoat" men created a human barrier between the public servant and the school. Threats and pushing ensued before the Walton men finally left without their desks. Written reports describe the victorious defenders sang "Onward, Christian Soldiers" as the trustee's men road off.
The trustee would return days later, though, this time with nearly 70 armed Indiana State trooper. However, after the first confrontation, Onward had beefed up its defenses as well. The town had organized rings of trucks, cars, tractors, and wagons to circle the old Onward school building. In addition, high school students were stationed inside and the doors chained shut.
More verbal jousting and shoving took place, but with it evident that the Onward community was willing to go to any physical lengths to defend their school, Indiana governor Henry Schricker ordered the government men to leave.
At this point the state decided to switch tactics. While the watchful vigil of armed Onward citizens continued, the state set about to cut off all funding and accreditation. Teachers and administrators went without pay and an Onward diploma meant nothing outside of the community.
For their part Onward citizens countered with chili suppers, chicken dinners, and pie bakes as a means to raise money to pay for the expenses of running a school. For two full school years the Onward Redcoats lived on as an autonomous entity. As word of their plight and continued struggle spread, financial support came from citizens of Peru, Kokomo, and county seat Logansport. It even became a bit trendy for a time for folks from Indianapolis to drive up to help support an Onward High fish fry, but ultimately the financial burden of operating a school without state funds and without accreditation forced the Redcoats to capitulate. However, the stubborn will and the pride of the Onward community still strikes a chord to this day.
Two Onward citizens take their turn standing guard over Onward High
The fate of Onward High School is one that most Hoosiers can sympathize with. The loss of a community school to consolidation has taken many a town's identity with it over the years. However, the story of Onward and the fight the townspeople put up speaks to just how far community pride in their school will move otherwise peaceable and even minded folks.
The fateful announcement came from the township trustee in the summer of 1950. Onward High School would be consolidated with rival Walton that fall when school began. To salt the wound, Walton High would continue to house the high school students while Onward's building would become the elementary for the two schools.
The two bitter Cass County rivals were separated by just four miles, and while the Walton Warriors enjoyed the majority of the hardwood success, (final 8 in 1911 and sweet 16 in 1921) it meant little to the Onward Red Coats.
While Onward, population of less than 200, never captured a Sectional, they did capture the hearts of most Hoosiers when their plight snd subsequent fight for survival.
When the time for school finally rolled around that fall, Onward's preps refused to make the trip to Walton. With no salaried teachers, the Redcoat student population began classes with some of the more advance students taking over the lessons.
As the story goes, a handful of 'turncoat' Redcoats did venture over to Walton and ultimately enrolled there. In a community meeting, Onward headmaster William Helms spoke in tones more familiar of a funeral when he stated that two of the traitors were…gasp…ballplayers.
Quickly worry turned to fear and finally to panic at the thought that the township trustee would attempt to close Onward High by force. The result was a 24 hour picket set up with area townspeople taking turns guarding the school grounds. An old civil defense air raid siren system was quickly established to sound the alarm of any government trespassers. Action plans were set into place and an old crop dusting plane patrolled the air during the daylight hours to watch the approaching roads.
Word of the Onward civil defense quickly spread, and the township trustee decided to test their will in early October. Along with a dozen volunteers from Walton, the trustee made a trip to Onward under the guise of exchanging Walton elementary student desks for high school desks at Onward. Their caravan was quickly detected and the alarm sounded.
When the trustee arrived at Onward High, nearly fifty area "Redcoat" men created a human barrier between the public servant and the school. Threats and pushing ensued before the Walton men finally left without their desks. Written reports describe the victorious defenders sang "Onward, Christian Soldiers" as the trustee's men road off.
The trustee would return days later, though, this time with nearly 70 armed Indiana State trooper. However, after the first confrontation, Onward had beefed up its defenses as well. The town had organized rings of trucks, cars, tractors, and wagons to circle the old Onward school building. In addition, high school students were stationed inside and the doors chained shut.
More verbal jousting and shoving took place, but with it evident that the Onward community was willing to go to any physical lengths to defend their school, Indiana governor Henry Schricker ordered the government men to leave.
At this point the state decided to switch tactics. While the watchful vigil of armed Onward citizens continued, the state set about to cut off all funding and accreditation. Teachers and administrators went without pay and an Onward diploma meant nothing outside of the community.
For their part Onward citizens countered with chili suppers, chicken dinners, and pie bakes as a means to raise money to pay for the expenses of running a school. For two full school years the Onward Redcoats lived on as an autonomous entity. As word of their plight and continued struggle spread, financial support came from citizens of Peru, Kokomo, and county seat Logansport. It even became a bit trendy for a time for folks from Indianapolis to drive up to help support an Onward High fish fry, but ultimately the financial burden of operating a school without state funds and without accreditation forced the Redcoats to capitulate. However, the stubborn will and the pride of the Onward community still strikes a chord to this day.
