Monday, February 17, 2025

Feb 17, 2025

A Call to Get Involved

Shelbyville High School Student Council officers Riley Everette, Gabe Cueto Ramos, Everett Stegemiller, Sophia Cunningham, Sydney Brown and Jessica Price present at an Indiana University Indianapolis conference last week on their initiative aimed at getting more elementary and middle school students involved in student organizations. | submitted

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SHS Courier Archive: Life as a Twin Special, Wonderful for teachers Rice and Palmer

by LYNN JAMES, April 24, 1981

Two little boys giggle together in the sand box, conversing in excited tones as they construct and mash back down intricate tunnels and bridges. This scene seems only ordinary - until the observer moves closer. After a few blinks, it becomes certain that the sun isn't playing double-image tricks: the two small boys are identical twins.

Throughout history, there have been several instances of twins developing their own language. Because of the natural closeness and shared experiences, some identical twins develop a form of private communication, but the new language usually disappears with the start of kindergarten.

Mr. Roger Palmer, SHS chemistry teacher, and his twin brother, Russell, developed their own language during their preschool years. Building bridges and tunnels of sand turned out to be good practice as the two brothers entered science fields.

Russell, now living in South Bend, is an engineer for Dodge. His family consists of two girls, fifth and sixth grade. Roger Palmer has a boy, Phil, 12 years old, and a girl, Shari, nine years old. Both Palmers married red-headed women.

Roger Palmer described him and his brother as “holy terrors. Of course, this only applied to our childhood years,” he added with the famous Roger Palmer grin. He also stated that he and his brother's personalities were very similar, although they both value their individuality. One unique characteristic of identical twins is their ability to form an unbeatable team for charades.

Mr. Palmer commented, “It's like ESP. I can guess what he's going to act out before he even starts.”

Sometimes this super-sensitivity between twins extends to concrete circumstances. Mr.

Jerry Rice, SHS Spanish teacher, and his twin brother Terry have experienced several parallel circumstances. As children, the two boys were “brought up as one,” relates Jerry. He remembers always being referred to as “the twins” and even dressing alike until their sophomore year of high school.

Jerry commented, “My brother and I have always been very close. It usually didn't bother us, and we never went through any kind of identity crisis because of it.”

Because they were so close, they developed similar tastes in everything from food to hobbies. Both attended Indiana University, majoring in Spanish education. Both men received their masters degrees at the same time. A junior high school in Keystone was the first job for both brothers. After college, Jerry and Terry became tour guides for the same company. They traveled and worked together for several years. While in Spain, Terry was hospitalized with typhus fever and simultaneously, Jerry was hospitalized for exhaustion.

Both teachers are married with no children. Jerry and Terry Rice are also an excellent charades team. They experience the same type of extra sensory perception as the Palmer twins.

Even today, the Rice brothers are physically identical - even their voices sound alike!

Because they live so near each other, once in a while they run into conflicts with mistaken identities by both students and friends! Mr. Rice commented, "We usually don't have the explanation, so we just play the part."

One of Jerry Rice's former students transferred to Southport, where Terry teaches. She insists even their teaching techniques are identical.

Both Jerry Rice and Roger Palmer feel that being a twin is a very special and wonderful experience.

NOTEBOOK:

Several Shelbyville High School JAG (Jobs for America’s Graduates) students won first place in their category at a recent JAG Career Development competition and will attend the State Career Development Conference in Indianapolis next month: Brooklyn Winkler, David Tran, Nathan Tweedy, Dylan Johnson; Fatima Novoa, Giselle Vargas Garcia, Jose Mejia Caballero; and Emma Slaven. Category winners at the contest were Fatima Novoa, Dani Tressler, Jaydan Stiers, Lidia Santiago, Leslie Ornelas-Huerta, Brooklyn Morrell, Jacob Slusser, and Sofia Sipes.
The Grover Center is hosting “The Historic Significance of the Black Church in Shelby County” on Thursday, Feb. 27, 6:30 p.m., in recognition of Black History Month. The free program is co-presented by the Grover Center and Second Baptist Church and hosted in the lower level of the Grover Center.
HOOSIER NEWS: Plans are proceeding for a massive $2 billion residential development in Noblesville that amounts in scope to some Indiana small towns. Gatewood Lakes would be a square-mile of homes, parkland, man-made lakes and stores between 156th and 146th streets and Olio and Cyntheanne roads, near Ruoff Music Center. Zionsville-based Henke Development Group submitted plans to build 2,422 houses and possibly 1,000 apartments over seven to 10 years. The housing will include single-family houses, townhouses and duets. Once completed, the 1,300-acre development will have a population well over 5,000. (IndyStar)
NATIONAL NEWS: The test scores released at the end of last month by the National Assessment of Educational Progress reveal that in 2023 only 14 percent of students said they read for fun almost every day, a drop of 13 percentage points since 2012. Only 37 percent of American 12th graders were rated as proficient or better at reading. (New York Times)
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SHS Courier Archive Highlights

September 19, 1980

In-school detention, which had been introduced in 1979, was back. “Several members of the student body apparently viewed expulsion as a three-day vacation, and the missed school work simply provided an incentive for further misconduct.” In the second year, students would also have to stay 30 minutes past the 2:30 p.m. dismissal.
School officials were putting hard-to-remove stickers on vehicles not registered with the school. “I don’t resent the sticker, because I was guilty,” Mr. James Carr said. “I do resent the fact that I had to spend two hours pulling the sticker off, though.”
Newly elected show choir officers were Cindy Everhart, Nancy Marshall, Diane Zimmerman and Judy Green. Sunshine Society officers were Renee Fullenkamp, Pam Peters, Cathy Soller, Susan Hebbe and Lynn James. Fellowship of Christian Athletes officers were Scott Olinger, Sherri Soller, Kim Skinner and David Zak.
Grading periods had been reduced from nine weeks to six weeks.
Several new staff members had started the semester at SHS. Mark Fellmeth, attendance officer and coach, said he came to Shelbyville “so I could get interviewed by the Courier!” Jennifer Pendley, Spanish and Literature teacher, chose SHS for its excellent Spanish program. Del Ebadi, from Afghanistan, math teacher, said Shelbyville was a “pretty neat and friendly town.” David Hunton had taught at the junior high for seven years and would be teaching Biology. Barbara Douglas, Ball State graduate, would be teaching English and drama. Justin Rehm taught geometry and general math. Scott Lorek was an English teacher and coach. Cathy Mitchell was an art and textiles teacher. Mike Breck, physical education teacher, cited SHS’s “great student newspaper” as his reason for coming here. Diane Nuthak was a new secretary. She had previously operated a cosmetology business.

This Day in Shelby County History

News around Shelbyville and the surrounding area as reported on or about this date in history. Selections are curated by The Addison Times from Shelby County Public Library Genealogy Department materials.

2005: Ten soldiers hailing from the 38th Aviation Brigade in Shelbyville returned home from Kosovo. The troops were transported to Camp Atterbury to begin their demobilization process.

1995: Subway opened at the Crystal Flash station, 1005 N. Riley Highway. The store was open 24 hours a day, with breakfast from 6 to 11 a.m.

1985: Shelbyville (9-9) drew Morristown (6-10) for the opening night of the IHSAA boys basketball sectional. The Golden Bears and Yellow Jackets had drawn each other three straight years and five of the previous eight. “They must not shuffle the cards very well up there at the IHSAA,” former Morristown basketball coach Lowell Albertson joked. The winner would face Triton Central (14-4), coached by Hank West.

1975: Shelbyville won the seventh grade title at Paul Cross Gym. Cheerleaders were Lois Amidon, MarLou Brokering, Stacy Lummis and Sally McKenney. Damon Henry and Dan Pursley were managers. The players were Don Lawson, Kevin Garrett, Todd McLane, Brian Baker, Mark Craft, Darren Brewer, Thad Brewer, Mike Blackburn, Bill English, Dave Dillman, Laymon Carter, Jerry Veerkamp, Tom DeJonge and Randy Gibbs. John Chesser was the coach.

Shelbyville football standout Erin McKenney received the J.M. McKeand Award, presented in Garrett Gymnasium.

1965: Downtown Shelbyville stores announced plans to remain open until 9 p.m. on Thursdays.

James “Jim” Pierce, 86, 53 W. Pennsylvania St., mayor of Shelbyville during World War II, died suddenly in the law office of City Judge James Robison. Pierce had not been ill. He and his wife Jennie had two children: a son, James “Babe” Pierce, who had portrayed “Tarzan” in the movie series, and Joan (Wray) Orem. Pierce, a Democrat, had been a former telegraph operator and local agent for the Pennsylvania Railroad for 41 years. He was mayor from 1942 to 1947. He had also been a member of the school board and First Baptist Church.

1955: Ray Chitwood and Cecil McDaniel opened a gas station in Fairland with complete auto and tractor mechanical service. Both were former employees of Glasson Chevrolet.

The Milroy Canning Company began processing a new chemical-liquid product, Skotch Ice, an improved substitute for ice, plant manager Mort Tobian announced. The Skotch Ice cans were purchased warm by the consumer, frozen solid in a freezer and then used as a substitute for ice. Skotch Ice reportedly kept food and drinks cooler for longer than real ice and there was no dripping or moisture. It was also reusable.

1945: The first Senior Scout unit (for those ages 13 and up) in the Shelby district was organized by six boys of Boy Scout Troop 206 at First Baptist Church. The first members were Bill Conrad, Jim Babb, Jim Grubb, Don Johnson, Jim McGinnis and Griffith Brackett.

1935: First Christian Church honored Sarah Rapp Kuhn, known as “Auntie”, on her 92nd birthday. Kuhn still walked to Sunday school. He said when she came to Shelbyville as a child, there were few homes and no sidewalks. Sarah, whose husband Adam had passed away 34 years’ prior, lived with her sister, Lena Thrasher, 82, at 110 East Hendricks Street. Kuhn said he mostly just read her Bible and went to church.

1925: The state legislature passed a bill mandating schools buy and display American flags.

1915: The Farmers’ Co-operative Elevator Company of St. Louis Crossing announced plans to build a grain elevator at the crossing. The members had attempted to purchase the local grain elevator from Charles Myers, but he refused to sell, so they made plans to build their own.