Monday, November 25, 2024

Nov 25, 2024

NO STONE UNTURNED

Tom Plymate, Ph.D., speaks last week at the Joseph Boggs Society meeting about the area’s geologic history. Over the course of two hours, Plymate presented and even explained the origins of rocks brought in by attendees. Plymate himself brought in peridot, the August birthstone, which he found on his property just a few miles from Boggstown. With no volcano in the area to produce such a rock that is more common in upper Minnesota and Michigan, Plymate asked how it arrived in Indiana. The answer: glaciers. “Everything that we see today in Shelby County (geologically), except in the very southeastern corner, was brought here by huge sheets of ice that came down from the north at least four different times,” Plymate said. For those without two hours to dig into such eras as the Paleozoic and Mesozoic, Plymate offered a “Hemingway version” of the speech: “The seas came. The seas left. The glaciers came. The glaciers left. Then all was corn.” | photo by ANNA TUNGATE

Courier Archive: Shining Senior - Sam Gambrel Leaves His Mark on SHS

Editor’s note: The following article appeared in the Nov. 23, 2005 Shelbyville High School Courier.

by SARAH NEWKIRK, Co-Editor

Through the past several years, Shelbyville's Cross Country team has had several remarkable runners; however, one of these runners is recognized not only for his running, but for the fight he had to make just to be eligible.

At the start of his freshman year, senior Sam Gambrel decided that he wanted to be part of the SHS athletic program, so in the spring, Sam decided to join the track team. Unfortunately, though, as Sam and his family soon found out, because of his status as a non-diploma track student, he would never be allowed to compete at the varsity level. The reasoning behind this rule is that students who are unable to compete in an academic setting are unable to compete in an athletic setting. Obviously, in Sam's case, the thinking behind the rule did not apply. Although he competed with his team, none of his points were counted with the rest of the team.

As track season ended and summer break approached, Sam decided that he wanted to train during the summer to be able to run with the Cross Country team. Each day, Sam attended early morning running sessions, and a team camp at Turkey Run State Park.

At this camp, Sam really became part of the team. During a team canoe trip, the canoe that he was riding in with team member Andrew Newkirk capsized. Fellow team member Zack Tatlock, also a member of the swim team, jumped in to “save” Sam.

“Zach jumped in with a broken collar bone and got me out,” Sam said.

Sean Hudson, an SHS alumni and Anderson University runner, said that this was one of his favorite memories about Sam.

When the Cross Country season started, it became apparent just how hard he had actually worked. As Sam's times steadily improved, he became more aware that if he was recognized by the IHSAA, then he could really help out the team. Coach Todd McCullough explained that, if in a meet the team was behind by just a couple of points, Sam's points could ultimately win the competition. With all of this in mind, Sam and his parents decided to start questioning the IHSAA on their rulings and ask for a waiver.

"Every time we talked to them about it they would just tell us no, so eventually we decided to get a lawyer," Sam said.

The farther along Sam and his family went, the more media coverage they gained.

Soon local news stations, The Indianapolis Star and The Shelbyville News, all started to cover his story. "I thought he was capable of running at the varsity level, and so I was pretty excited," explained Coach McCullough.

Finally, on August 5, 2004, after much pressure from such groups as the Indiana Protection & Advocacy, the IHSAA approved an emergency by-law amending the Scholarship Rule, the rule that had kept Sam from being eligible as a varsity athlete.

"We were at home when they called," explained Sam, "I was shocked; my mouth just hung open. The lawyer said I changed the world!"

Coach McCullough expressed that towards the end, he figured that the IHSAA would change its rulings. "I think he definitely is an inspiration, especially for the team," continued Coach McCullough. "He's had a lot of obstacles to overcome and he has overcome them."

Hudson shares McCullough's feelings. "Sam has definitely been an inspiration to me...It's pretty cool to see someone like Sam, who has had to work through a lot of adversity, remain a positive person."

Senior Alex Miller said, "A lot of times he thinks I'm teaching him things, but really he's teaching me a lot of important little things that are easy to forget. On top of that, he can outrun most Triton runners."

On August 23, 2004, Sam Gambrel ran his first official Cross Country meet. After that, Sam became one of the team's top runners. In this past season alone, he placed second in team standings, sectionals, conference and at Southeastway Park. Even though this is Sam's senior year and the end of his high school running career, Sam plans to continue running. "I want to keep running, and I want to work with kids someday; who knows, maybe I will go to the Olympics."

NOTEBOOK:

The Shelby County Plan Commission will consider the following petitions at tomorrow’s meeting, 7 p.m., in the Courthouse Annex:
- Subdivision of a 2.3-acre single-family building lot from a 14.6-acre parent tract at 7816 W 950 N, Fairland, to allow a family member to build a new home.
- Rezone 8.2 acres from Conservation Agricultural to Agricultural to allow for a one-lot simple subdivision at 4717 S. Marietta Road, and for a simple subdivision to establish an 8.2-acre building lot from a 95-acre parent tract. The petition includes waivers to allow the simple subdivision design to have a lot without 50 feet of road frontage, without frontage on a public street built to county street standards and having side lot lines not within a 15-degree angle to the right-of-way.
- Rezone 6 acres from Conservation Agricultural to Agricultural to allow for the development of a single-family residence at 9075 N 800 E, Morristown.
Editor’s note: Thank you again for your support of local non-profit news and history. Many readers donated a one-time gift for 2025. This will not automatically renew. You can, however, make another one-time donation for 2025 either online or via a check to The Addison Times, 54 W. Broadway, #13, Shelbyville, Ind., 46176. We will once again provide a quarterly publication with extra news and photos in 2025 as a gift for your support of $100 or more. Any amount raised above the goal will be placed in a rainy day fund for 2026 operations and beyond. Thank you for your continued support of daily local news and history. I appreciate each of you. - Kristiaan Rawlings, Editor
Correction: In addition to the student names listed in yesterday’s edition, Addyson Wilder (Shelbyville Middle School) was also a winner in the Shelby County Drug-Free Calendar contest.
HOOSIER NEWS: About 2.9 million of Indiana’s 4.8 million registered voters cast a ballot in the recent general election, according to the Indiana Secretary of State. Almost 97,000 fewer Hoosiers voted this year than in 2020. Shelby County’s turn-out was 62 percent, lower than the 67 percent turn-out in 2020, but higher than every other presidential election year since 2000. (Indiana Public Radio)
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SHS Courier Archive Highlights:

April 15, 1964, Part II

Gaye Waltz (’62) and Don Sexton (’63), both Ball State students, were guest speakers at the SHS Future Teachers of America meeting. Gaye noted that formal wear for girls in college was out. She encouraged skirts and sweaters. Don told the future college students to make the best of their investment by going to class. “You learn something new each day - even if it’s just a new joke,” he said.
New Sunshine officers were Ann Cline, Rosie Thieman, Judy Haas and Shelby McRoberts.
Jerry Alexander, SHS junior, joined Denny Haehl on the Youth Advisory Committee to the Indiana Youth Council. Both had been appointed by Indiana Gov. Matthew Welsh.
Bob Zimny’s track and field team were ready for the season, despite missing the first meet due to inclement weather. Seniors were Steve Mullen, Tom Strawn, Rich Adams and Dave Bird. Relay team members were Adams, Bird, Daryl Bernard and Eddie Griffith.
SHS senior Joe Meloy was The Rec’s “Teen of the Month.”
Hi-Y held a spring dance. Tom Strawn won a pie-eating contest. Other participants were Dan Bird, John Turner, Steve Carwein and Richard Walts. Karen McNew won a solo dance contest. Jenny Sleet and Mike Meloy won a doubles contest.

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.

2014: Shelbyville High School senior Blayre Scott and sophomore Danielle Lubbe had spent the cross country chasing each other’s course records. Scott, who had set the record in 2013, improved her record time in September on the new Blue River Cross Country Course. Four days later, Lubbe lowered the record by one second. Both qualified for semi-state.

2004: The Waldron Elementary Spell Bowl Team placed first in their division at a meet in Rushville. Team members were Alisha Scoville, Jacob Leffler, Heather Mink, Jessica Smothers, Hannah Davis, Presley Huffman, Katilin Guffey and Laura Crosby. Kay DeHart and Rebecca McComas were the coaches.

1994: Discussions continued at the Parks Department regarding the Morrison Park band shell, which had been built in 1935 as a Works Progress Administration project, but hadn’t been used in several years. A committee was reviewing the feasibility of saving the band shell.

1984: Local Black Friday shopping had been much stronger than anticipated. Some local store owners said they were having their best day ever. Grocery stores, however, were “really quiet,” The Shelbyville News reported.

1974: A Flat Rock teenager pleaded guilty to burglarizing First Presbyterian Church, stealing money from a church soft drink machine and a silver communion set. He had also been involved in a Flat Rock hardware store burglary. Most of the teen’s sentence was suspended, and he was given credit for 87 days served of the 120-day sentence in the Shelby County Jail.

1964: A Shelby County Plan Commission petition was withdrawn that would have allowed Texaco to install a service station at the I-74 and State Road 9 junction. Over 60 people had signed a petition objecting to a gas station in that vicinity.

1954: Insect spray “bombs” lived up to their name at the Thomas Fruit Market, on Boggstown Road. The “bombs”, located on a shelf near an oil heater, had become overheated and exploded. Firemen were called because employees in the market thought the oil stove had blown up. “When firemen arrived they found no fire, but the interior looked like a Korean town after a battle,” The Shelbyville News said. One can went through the ceiling and several collided with other merchandise in the store.

1944: Fifty-four men harvested fields belonging to the late Clater Roe, of Hendricks Township. Several women prepared lunch for the group.

1934: Shelby Publishing Company, owned by Carl Ogle, purchased the Shelby Printing Company from Enos Porter, trustee of the estate of the late T.E. Goodrich. The company had published The Republican for many years. Ogle had worked in the editorial department of The Indianapolis Star for 14 years.

1924: Christmas sales were underway at the J.G. DePrez Co. Bicycles started at $30 ($550 in today’s money). Coaster wagons started at $1.50.

“The Hunchback of Notre Dame” was on at The Alhambra. More than 3,000 cast members were in the production.

1914: A state report deemed local water to be of high quality. “During the early days of the fall, an unfounded report spread about the city that the water that was being used was filled with bugs, worms and typhoid germs.” The state said there was “no truth to that.”

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