reflections from Norton, Ks.

I am building a boat ramp and parking lot at the lake at Norton and will be staying there for a month or so. After talking to several of the admin people and some of the students that i have run into there, I begin to see a little of the reason why they are so good. they had a clinic this week. put on by the College at Nebraska. their wrestling room is just really cool, open to visit when I looked in in the middle of the day, no indications of any kind of vandalism or graffiti but very accessable resource. the high school has a tv station so that the local population is aware of how they do on their assesments, in debate, sports, music, etc. the local radio station announces about every five minutes (each time brought to you by a different local sponsor) that the community is behind the efforts of the defending national championship air rifle marksmanship team that is competing this week at the nationals in Bowling Green, Ky..... everywhere you go in that town the people are freindly and are happy to talk about what "their" kids are doing. I think that the reason that they do so well, is that they have a support base in their community the likes of which I haven't seen in a long time. The only thing that I couldn't figure out was how Bubba Sprigg, the all american senior national wrestler and West Point bound all-around buttkicker, didn't get the Senior Class athlete of the year award. (It went to some basketball player.) At any rate, congrats to a model community effort to the Norton folks, yours is quite an effort!

Mike,

It was nice to meet you and put a face with a name.
thank you for the nice things you have to say about Norton. It is a WONDERFUL place to live and to raise children.

Yours in wrestling,

Greg Mann
Supt. USD 211

So you are the Superintendant of USD211? Guess that makes you the BIG "EGG"? LOL

That's completely made up, isn't it? Big Egg? No sense.

Ok...how about: You the MANN, Greg!

or how about

I think that'll do.

billy, shouldn't you be working and listening to stupid people's problems with computers?

whats ur job billy?

Mike,

I agree with your analysis of Norton. Having grown up there it is always my first thought when people speak of home towns or just home. It always has been and always will be a special place for me.

Gary Ulmer

Michael Sprigg did not win the NCHS Senior Athlete of the Year, because he was not eligible.
The athlete must compete in 3 varsity sports their senior year, Michael only competed in Football and Wrestling this year.

But thanks for noticing that Norton has many good things that make it a great place to live, and raise kids.

Another nice thing about Norton: the Pamida there is top notch. Not only is there an ample supply of Whistle, they also proudly carry Pajedas.

Way to go, Norton.

Prant: huh?

Another good thing about Norton is that Bill Johnson's lovely wife wanted to share her husbands 40th birthday with everyone ,she announced it on the party line (local call in show)
Isn't it nice of her to tell everyone that Bill is 40 yrs old....
Bill ,Happy Birthday and I hope that you will be able to spend the next 40 yrs in Norton

I thought you mean share his "birth day" with everyone.

Prant: When have you ever been to Norton's Pamida. It is truly an experience. You should have stopped by and seen Egg, he lives only a couple blocks from there.

Mike: Make sure to get your picture taken with the INTERNATIONAL BB GUN CHAMPION Sign before you leave. It is a must have from any trip to Norton!

ToachCwink-

I've been around the world, my friend. All the way to Bird City and back. They call me the Globetrotter.

Interesting notes from that trip:

1) St. Francis smells like pig poo. (And the Dusty Farmer hotel was a little uncomfortable.)
2) Phillipsburg was beautiful. Gotta love the Chubby Pickle.
3) Smith Center was also beautiful.
4) Atchison has nice gas station attendants.
5) Highway 36 is murder on my mom's van's cruise control.
6) Northwest Kansas is surprisingly hilly. And gorgeous.
7) If you stare at the sunset in your rearview mirror long enough, you see green spots for the next few hours when you blink.
8) Bird City is the only "Bird City" in the United States of America.
9) I could live in Norton. (But only if Toach promised never to come back.)
10) There is a Long Island, KS. My friends in New York will be tickled pink to hear that.

Not only does Norton sport a Pamida, it also has a Pizza Hut/Taco Bell combo.... yumm! Two great places under one roof.

Twink- Thanks for imforming the public of EGGS residence!

15: I didn't really help anyone find EGG's house, almost everything in Norton is a couple of blocks from Pamida!

And Prant: if you lived in Norton I would definitely come back and visit!

That is true twink, so very true!

Maybe if Prant lived here then it wouldn't be such a wonderful place afterall?-Just a thought!

An excellent swish by our friend 51.

Another Norton question--did my eyes deceive me, or is there really a bank in Norton called "The Bank?" I sure hope not.

No Prant, your eyes did not deceive you, it is in fact called "The Bank." Located right to the west of Adventures in Eating.

Prant, Inquiring minds want to know. . .for what reason were you traveling Highway 36 (the shortest route between Indianapolis & Denver)? Do you make this trek often?

Egg,

When your boss asks you if you want to travel to Bird City, KS (the only Bird City in the entire United States), you have to say, "HECK YES I DO." And so I did. (I work for a moving company, and two people were moving from Bird City. I have no idea why they would want to.)

I stopped in Norton for two reasons:
1) I'd never been, and it seemed homey. (It was.)
2) I saw a Pamida and flipped out, because my friend and I have funny inside jokes from there.

Highway 36 is gorgeous.

Prant,

I made my first trek to Bird City last weekend. The reason I'd move to Bird City? BIG ED'S! The best steak I have ever had! A 20 oz. fillet, with potato and salad for $21. That was the medium!

wow that is pretty cheap a crappy little 8 oz steak here is 11 bucks.

Highway 36 is THE way to travel. Having been upon that pavment often before I know the route and the places to which you speak of. Great route and a great steak house in Idalia Colorado called "Route 36 Grille & Pub" "shag the ordinary, cruise the route" I know this from being a former resident of the area and having been there a time or two.

This is hard for me being from Ark City, but I too would commend the residents of Norton. We took our kids out there for a tourney last xmas and received nothing but comfort and welcomeness (is that a word?). Those kids have an unmatched amount of support - somewhat reminds me of the good old days in AC! Good luck to the Norton community next year.

Speaking of "The Bank" I wanted to move from Hays my first year there cause. The mall was called "The Mall" the place you go party is "The Home" and my freshmen year Wal-mart closed at 10pm. I mean honestly have you ever seen a non 24 hour wal-mart?

So-- I'm on vacation this week and didn't get out there-- how did the BB gun team do at the nationals? and why did they close the Stagecoach Inn?

Prant,
You neglected to mention the most obvious reason for you stop in Norton- to pay homage to the boyhood home of a certain former coach who used to beat the tar out of you! I am also sure fatbat wanted you to check to see if his mancrush was in town!

Did you happen to drive down Highway 283 and see the awesome wrestling room and the gorgeous football field? If not, you missed out on two of the main attractions.

The BB gun team didn't do as well as they had hoped. I'm not sure on the final placings, but our archery team got 5th place last week at Nationals.

do you guys have aquestrians?

As for the BB Gun Team,they actually did pretty good. They did have some gun troubles that caused them to loose a few points . but a few of there other shooters that don't shoot in the high 90's got off to a good start and helped the others though the match.I do have to compliment the South Dakota team on the performance,they won the match for the second yr in row.
I was luck enought to be there in Bowling Green Kentucky and watched the kids...
They all had a great time our team was bit older than some teams but the yrs that they put in this program did pay off for them.
Believe it or not there are full ride scholarships for college on shooting sports...I can think of 2 shooters from Kansas that has earned them.
If you have a chance to stop in Norton ks please stop into the BB Gun Museum,it will tell the story how serious it is to learn about gun safety and yet have 8 International trophies for all of there hard work.

wow a bb gun museum...we just got a greenwood county historical museum like 6 years ago.

Do they have a red ryder bb gun?

they're probobaly way more advanced than that. They probobaly have BB guns that have infa-read scopes on them.

CTarmona-

People from the East Coast freaked out when I told them our Walmart was open 24 hours. Needless to say, it only made me love Kansas more.

(Just kidding. I already love Kansas more than anyone can love anything. It's science.)

Toach--no, I did not take a ride by the football stadium. If it isn't Bishop or Wagner, it's obviously inferior. (Although I would like to see the place where Marc Simoneau beat the crap out of you.) Plus, I had ladies to see.

TCarmona do we have aquestrians? heck ya but we call em cowboys. They are a dangerous species. its best to stay clear of them.

The NCHS Football field is pretty spectacular for a small town field, or really any town for that matter. Simoneau did NOT beat the crap out of me on that field. He did that about an hour further to the east in Smith Center.

Prant, we all know that you did not have any ladies waiting to see you!

twink... was that the game where the day after you couldn't move off the couch? haha... i was just a youngster and remember that one!

15-

It may have been, after about the 1st quarter my memories are really blurry!

Cwink--

That's pretty much what my adversaries felt like after the Theodore Roosevelt spelling bees.

By the way, if anyone has an open weekend this weekend, be sure to head up to Sebielius (named after KEITH Sebilius, a TRUE American institution [the big first district needs a man like Keith]-not the present Governor , who had to acquire that noble name by marriage) Reservoir at Norton's scenic Prairie Dog State Park, and take in the Carp derby, with cash prizes galore-- no free beer like in the old days but still an action packed angling adventure sure to thrill the nimrod. There truly is no end to the activities that the area has to offer!

Ok.... I just can't let this one pass. I never thought I would live so long that anyone would spend time reflecting on Norton. Hmmm. Home of Gary Ulmer that silver tongued orator of the east now, the Tacha brothers, easily the thickest craniums in the history of Kansas Wrestling. Jake Durham, Saint or Pirate depending on where you were from and if you were coaching againt him. Wow, all that reflecting. Hey to all my good friends from Norton, i was wondering if you got married in norton and moved to kinsley would you still be brother and sister??? I don't know. Hey this is all tongue in cheek. I love all those guys I just named and many others from that little berg. Very tough individuals and a lot of fun at a party. If I ever reflect on Norton again, Gary, Please Kill Me.
Randy Westfah
(written dripping with friendly sarcasm)

Randy,

I will.

Gary