Harrington news

Game Night

Mayor Dillon Haas has stated that the game nights have been fun and rewarding, but that with school starting shortly, game nights will cease in another week. He seems to have other thoughts for keeping people socializing; when the plan is presented, it will be reported. Thursday, August 18, three turned out and were playing three games simultaneously: Pence, Scrabble and Hi Ho! Cheery-O. Those involved in this complex activity were Alex Soliday, Dillon Haas and Peter Davenport.

Opera House Society

Friday evening, August 19, a nice crowd of about 50 persons came out for the performance of Nu Blu in the Harrington Opera House. Considering harvest is continuing on these warm summer evenings, HOHS was pleased with the support shown to hear the great bluegrass music. The group consists of Daniel Routh on guitar, his wife Carolyn on bass, Clint White with violin and T.J. Honaker with his banjo extraordinaire. They arrived at about 4 p.m. in their motor home and transported their equipment in the elevator. During the performance they admitted that they prefer being on the road, some 250 days of the year, rather than resting in North Carolina, their home. Their fourth number was especially appreciated by this audience, as there were bursts of applause throughout the entire number; T.J. on his banjo created quite the stir. This was followed by “Man from Galilee,” a great country gospel song that also received a warm response from the audience. Following more than 12 numbers, they broke for intermission and wasted no time before striking up more musical selections.

With no less enthusiasm, Nu Blu continued after the intermission with agility and dexterity in which the special talents of each of the group’s members was featured in turn. T.J. and his banjo were new to this group in the past six months, and those who missed hearing and seeing his performance will have to wait until next year. Two of the crowd pleasers were Anne Murray’s “A Little Good News Today” and Carolyn Routh’s version of the Waylon Jennings song “Good Hearted Woman” (in love with a good timin’ man). Of course, the evening would not have been complete without “That’s What Makes the Bluegrass Blue.”

Nu Blu offered their CDs for sale following their spectacular performance. While people milled about and sales were completed, they stayed quite some time visiting. They were delightful, engaging and very approachable. These are great opportunities for our community, as at larger venues these social times just don’t occur.

Travel to the past

Dan Kerns from Red Wing, Minnesota stopped at the Museum in Davenport and proceeded to come to the Harrington Library for information on the Krumholz brothers who had been in this area in the early 1900s. They were in such a hurry to get to the Ephrata Museum that they would not wait for library hours. Consequently, they were in Ephrata by the time information was available in Harrington.

Krumholz Bros. (Frank and George) came to Harrington late in 1907, purchasing the Haynes Brothers’ stock, and established a mercantile firm. By July 1908 their new firm was preparing to incorporate. They came to Harrington from Krupp (Marlin) where they were in business from 1900 to 1907, originally hailing from Fairmont, Minn. Frank married Elizabeth Griffin in New York in 1905 after courting Mae Goodrich at Krupp. Local folks say she was broken-hearted. Mae Goodrich was Krupp’s school teacher in 1904. She was described as “a mere slip of a girl.” She married Asa Tewinkle of Lamona, where they homesteaded, although she retained her original homestead in Krupp.

Two of Frank Krumholz’s sons were baptized in our old Catholic church in 1908 and 1909. Krumholz Bros. were in partnership with Price Newland for a portion of their time in Harrington. In the fall of 1911 Krumholz Bros. sold to John H. Morgan. George was one of the faithful bachelors during his time as a part of Krumholz Bros., but that changed in August 1912 when he married the sister of Dr. L.F. Wagner. “Miss Jennie Milton Wagner and Mr. George Edward Krumholz were united in marriage at 7 o’clock on Wednesday morning, July 31, 1912, at St. Francis Catholic Church, the Rev. Father MacAleer officiating. The wedding party then repaired to the home of Dr. and Mrs. L.F. Wagner, where a sumptuous wedding breakfast was served. Mr. and Mrs. Krumholz were the recipients of many handsome and valuable wedding gifts. They departed on the east-bound Burlington for their future home at Fairmount, Minn., “where they will be at home to their friends after September 15.” In 1915, George and Elizabeth returned with their baby to visit the Wagners. Frank Krumholz also returned to Minnesota where he ran the Krumholz Bakery, and died in 1944. George had preceded him in death.

The following item shows how involved Frank Krumholz was in the community in this local talent production: “Harrington Opera House Tonight and Tomorrow Night. Jephthah and His Daughter. Dramatis Personae. Jephthah – Ninth Ruler of Israel: O.C. Holtz. Prophet of Israel: C.E. Stenger. Elon – Jewish Prince: F.C. Krumholz. Ibzan – Jewish Prince: E.A. Leonard. Eloni – son of Naomi: W.S. Thompson. Arnold – a messenger: Joe Pickell. Camp Guard No. 1: Dr. W.S. Pemberton. Camp Guard No. 2: John Hardman. Jewish Soldiers: Ralph Haynes, John Stone. Adah – Jephthah’s daughter: Lillian Green. Anan, Leah – friends of Adah: Ayleen Green, Mrs. Weisgerber. Naomi – mother of Eloni: Mrs. W.S. Thompson. Iphigenia – daughter of Elon: Grace Jefferis. Sarah – Jewish maiden: Georgia Knight. Angel: Hazel Morgan. Other Maidens: Lydia Cook, Inga Thanem, Ethel Duncan, Maude Wilson, Jeanette Mullins, Leodia Armstrong, Beatrice Thompson, Mrs. A.F.V. Davis. A number of Ammonite soldiers. Accompanist: Mitt Mitchell. Synoptical Program: Overture: Orchestra. Cantata – Act I. Jewish place of Assembly in Mizpeh. Jew mourning the oppression of Gilead. Jephthah’s return ‘Hail, All Hail’ (Presentation of sword). ‘Now art thou made ruler.’ Tableau. Music: Orchestra. Act II. Camp of Jephthah in Mizpeh. Jephthah’s Vos. The Angel’s Message. ‘On to the battlefield.’ Tableau – Jephthah’s Victory. Act III. A stormy night on the battlefield. Naomi searching for Eloni. ‘O, where is my boy?’ Eloni’s death. Tableau. Music: Orchestra. Act IV. Maidens upon the mountains. ‘Tripping where sunbeams play.’ ‘No shadows now cover our home.’ Tambourine Drills, Marches and Plays. ‘The Soldiers.’ ‘Hail, Jephthah.’ ‘Silence, make quiet the music’s sound! My daughter Adah, now is doomed to die. I vowed to heaven a vow.’ ‘Father, turn thou unto me, Have mercy, and pity me.’ ‘Great Jehovah lend thine ear.’ Curtain. Music: Orchestra. Act V. Place of sacrifice. Funeral march. ‘Now slowly sinks my setting sun.’ ‘Strike, father, strike.’ Tragedy: Finale. ‘We will meet you in the morning.’ Tableau. Postlude: Orchestra.” (Citizen: 4-02-1909)

Photo collection

Sharon Frazier Buck donated a wonderful collection of photos; many were modern (1988, 2003). Among the collection there are eight photos of the interior of the old school, several showing the stage, one showing the domestic science department, several of classrooms. There were photos of Nellie Swenson and her classes through the years. One especially valuable photo was the 1942 Class, since that was one of the years for which no annual was published. The modern photos were primarily class reunions and banquet photos. Very few of the photos had an ID unless the photo itself had a label in it. Serious historians with good memories are encouraged to come to the library to aid in adding names to the photos. Comparisons of the older school photos were made to the few photos in the old high school annuals. No perfect matches were found, but an interesting dedication poem was found.

The Panther, 1959, has the following dedication in it: “To Harrington as she was in the days of old, May we never let her down as the years unfold. To our basketball team and Community true We dedicate these pages to you! Whether the team was at home or far away The Community came in full force to see them play. Whether the team won or lost Who figures the cost? Harrington had a team that deserved their attention And every game looked like a Community convention. The team trained, cooperated, practiced – never let down. They, too, felt a responsibility to their own home town. The result of this effort – just about perfection! Three beautiful new trophies for our proud protection.” The seniors for 1959 were: Judy Graham, Eileen Covert, James Els, Lynn McCormick, DeWane Buddrius, Linda Knapp, Kathy Kupers, Marlene Walters, Elenore Knowles, JoAnn Huddle, and Don Warwick. The faculty that year included Eldon Edmundson, Annice Edmundson, Don Hattrup, Harry Krause, Alice Krause, James Hatch and Dallas Neal. Their annual’s focus on community spirit can serve as a reminder that as each organization holds a function, it is to the benefit of the whole for all groups to be supportive.