Sunday, March 16, 2025
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GONE WITH THE WIND
Several trees and limbs were down around town, including this tree in City Cemetery, following high winds early Saturday morning. (Thanks to LuAnn Mason for sending word of this incident to The Addison Times.) Power was out in the county, and Max Lewis reported on a Shelby County home that had its roof blown off.
Students Connect Over Monster Project
Students from Shelbyville Middle School collaborate with Golden Bear Preschool children on an art project: (top left) Geralyn Roman and Caidence Anderson; (top right) Mrs. Dayla Thurston and Beckett Brown; (center left) Braylynn Miller and Gabee Miller work with Hannah McGovern and Eleanor Smiley-Rodas; (center) Christian Peel and Alexis Angeles Sandoval; (lower left) Mrs. Thurston, Hannah McGovern and Braylynn Sturgill; and (lower center) Brayden Robinson and Hope Brindle. | submitted & Anna Tungate
Last fall, Mrs. Dayla Thurston gave her Golden Bear Preschool students a tough assignment: draw a monster and describe what your monster can do.
“It was a learning curve because, at the beginning of the year, my kids were still learning to hold a crayon and hold a pencil, so composing a monster was a challenge,” Thurston said.
Answering questions to describe their monster required acquiring new vocabulary, and the task was complete. While the kids likely forgot about this assignment, one of many throughout the day, the drawings were sent to Shelbyville Middle School for Mrs. Shanae Dees’ WIN students to use as models for creating a three-dimensional object. (WIN is an enrichment class period at the end of the day.)
“(SMS students) learned how to sew and whip stitch around the edges,” Dees said. “They learned other basic stitches and how to think about layers. And my kids were able to develop the monster character more based on the words the preschoolers provided.”
On Thursday, the day before Spring Break, the WIN students visited their artist inspirations to show them the creations. The preschoolers’ excitement was palpable, and students from both schools enjoyed connecting with each other over the collaborative art objects.
“It really was a beautiful thing to watch how the middle schoolers related to their preschooler having just met them, but they had spent all that time creating something for that child so there was already an underlying connection,” Thurston said. “It was so cool to watch it organically.”
The middle schoolers were equally impacted. By the end, one turned to Mrs. Dees and said, “I think I would (like to become a preschool teacher).”
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NOTEBOOK:
The third annual Greening of the Fountain was rescheduled for tomorrow, Monday, St. Patrick’s Day, 5 p.m., due to yesterday’s inclement weather.
The Shelbyville Common Council meets tomorrow, Monday, 6 p.m., at City Hall.
HOOSIER NEWS: For the second consecutive year, Boone and Hancock counties claimed the top spots for fastest growing Hoosier counties at a 3.4% growth rate and a 3.1% growth rate respectively, according to an analysis from the Indiana Business Research Center at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business. Hamilton County and Hendricks County were next on the list, with growth rates of 1.9% each. Hamilton County gained over 7,000 residents last year. Overall, Indiana added more than 44,000 residents in 2024 to reach a total population of 6.92 million. Last year saw the state’s largest annual increase since 2008, according to the analysis. A net international migration of 30,852 residents accounted for 70% of Indiana’s growth in 2024. This number includes people who are foreign born immigrating to the U.S., people migrating between the U.S. and Puerto Rico, U.S. citizens migrating to and from the United States and movement of armed forces personnel between the U.S. and overseas. (IndyStar)
NATIONAL NEWS: China’s population has declined for three consecutive years, and the marriage rate fell by a fifth in 2024, hitting the lowest level in half a century. While China relaxed the one-child policy a decade ago, a baby boom has not materialized, and the market for baby formula in China dropped 21 percent from 2021 to 2024. Over the same period of time, however, demand for pets has boomed, and Goldman Sachs projects that pets will outnumber toddlers 2-to-1 by 2030. That means that the pet economy is poised to boom, on track to jump 40 percent by 2030, to 352 billion yuan (US$49 billion). (Bloomberg/Numlock)
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SHS Courier Archive Highlights
March 10, 1970, Part I
Jo-Jo, a monkey in Mr. Sever’s room, managed to unlatch his door overnight. He emptied Sever’s desk drawers and swallowed a bottle of aspirin and cold pills. He threw film strips into the wastebasket and spilled acetic acid on the table. He tore tests, scared the rats and turned on the water faucets. All this was going on while actual vandals had broken into the school and were desecrating the hallways. “They didn’t know they had a friend working for them on the inside,” The Courier said.
Eleven SHS students, accompanied by Garnett Winchester, attended the Tri-State All Electric Farm Show in Dayton, Ohio. Students were Gary McDonald, Steve Switzer, Jess Nicholson, Bill Pollman, Tim Stevens, John Goodrich, Denzil Walton, Ronnie Caine, Allen Stamper, Herschel Browning and Karl Stohry.
Mr. Rick Scott was student teaching under Mr. Gary Myers. “Scott is 21 and is living in Shelbyville. He said that he is not married and is free on Friday nights… ‘if any girls are interested.’” Miss Cheryl Ann Cook was student teaching with Mr. Outcalt in the music department. She said she was getting married in August.
Daniel Hayes, Susan Kemper, Dale Steffey and Scott Williams were named PPG Industries Foundation Scholarship finalists and recognized at a lunch at the Elks Club.
The Bears beat Bloomington, 77-72, with Harry Larrabee scoring 20 and Jeff Lowe with 17 points.
The Burning Bush, at the corner of S. Riley Highway and McKay Road, hosted a St. Patrick’s Dance featuring Ruby Tuesday. Snack bar, black lights and chaperones were all part of the 75 cent admission.
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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: NAPA Auto Parts, East State Road 44, hosted a grand reopening under new owners Kim and Tim Stone.
1995: Kmart closed. The company had announced the closure in September. Teresa Oeffinger, who had started working at Kmart just out of high school in 1975, had remained with the company 20 years. Carmela Yarling had starting working at Kmart when she graduated from Triton Central in 1979. Teresa Higdon had worked there nine years. There were 24 employees at Kmart at the time of its closure.
Four Shelbyville High School teachers received Teacher Creativity Fellowships from Lilly Endowment for overseas travels coordinated by Shelbyville businesses with foreign offices. The teachers were Tonya Brown, Rich Eldridge, Carolyn Hewitt and Perry Page.
1985: Shelby County Prosecutor James Lisher and Shelbyville Police Chief Robert Nolley withdrew their objections to the Alcohol Beverage Commission renewing the liquor license of the Big L Tavern on E. Michigan Road after tavern management increased cooperation with authorities following two fights that led to serious injuries.
1975: Clodella Wagoner was honored by city officials for serving as a school crossing guard for 20 years. Wagoner had been on duty at the Morris Ave. and Frank St. crossing since the city’s first school safety officer, Earl Trees, had signed her as a volunteer in 1964. Clodella was married to retired police Sgt. Floyd Wagoner. Mayor Jerry Higgins presented her with a plaque, and refreshments were served.
1965: Harold Bell, 44, was named new superintendent of Shelbyville Central Schools, succeeding J.W.O. Breck, who was retiring. Bell had been superintendent of Mooresville schools. He was also a veteran of World War II and served two years overseas in the China-Burma-India theater. Breck had been superintendent for 12 years and had worked in education for 47 years, with 37 of those years in Shelbyville. He had been junior high principal and then senior high school principal. He became superintendent upon the retirement of William F. Loper.
1955: The head of the Indiana State Board of Health published a notice pointing out that there had been opposition in Shelby County to the polio vaccine, with some arguing a plan to vaccinate first- and second-grade school pupils as “basically a socialistic step.” Dr. Wilson Dalton, heading the Shelby County Medical Society, said he had not opposed the vaccine, but wanted families that could pay for it to do so first before free doses were given to those in need.
1945: A local 14-year-old was arrested for stealing two vehicles. He stole the first and drove it to New Bethel, where he abandoned it and stole another.
1935: Shelbyville won their first game in the basketball semi-final at Butler Fieldhouse, beating Berne, 28-17. Steve Gutting scored the most points for Shelbyville. Franny Ray, Norman Graham, Pete Ray, Ed Page, John Page and George Means also scored.
1925: Walter Phelps, West Jackson St., was arrested for keeping alcohol in milk bottles. When officers entered the house, they said Mrs. Phelps was pouring “milk” down the drain.
1915: Chester Fox, assessor of Marion Township, had caused “a big protest to go up” by telling land owners that farmland assessments would rise 33%. County Auditor Fagel said the increase would be much more modest.
ADDISON TIMES MAJOR SPONSOR: Freeman Family Funeral Homes & Crematory
OBITUARIES
Elizabeth Mae (King) Parrott, age 92, started her new life with Jesus on March 15, 2025. She was a long-time resident of London, Ind. She was born to Vern and Dorothy (Wilkins) King on October 24, 1932. She graduated from Moral Twp. High School.
Elizabeth married Norman E. Parrott on May 13, 1951. Elizabeth was employed 29 years with Triton Central Schools as a cafeteria cook. She and Norman enjoyed competing together with family at Blue River Lanes in Shelbyville for many years. Elizabeth loved attending her grandchildren’s sporting events. You would always find her watching I.U. basketball, Colts, Pacers, March Madness, and any other sporting events. Her hobbies included embroidering, cooking, garage sales, and playing euchre. Elizabeth was a member of Pleasant View Baptist Church.
Elizabeth is survived by her daughters Dianne Carroll, Dawsonville, Ga.; Darlene Shaw (Mike), Boggstown, Ind.; Deena Hendricks (Terry), Fountaintown, Ind.; and Dixie Brendle (Michael), Fountaintown, Ind.; and son-in-law Gene Bauers, Fairland, Ind. She is also survived by 17 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren, and five great- great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Vern and Dorothy King; husband Norman; daughters Dona Drake, Delores Bauers; and son Norman Bruce Parrott.
Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to noon, Friday, March 21, 2025, at Pleasant View Baptist Church, 12442 Southeastern Avenue, Indianapolis, IN. Funeral services will follow at Noon, with Pastor Mark Kern officiating. Burial will follow at London Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Our Hospice Center, Greensburg Office, 2015.N. Broadway St., Greensburg, IN 47240 and Pleasant View Baptist Church, 12442 Southeastern Ave., Indianapolis, IN, 46259. Friends may share a memory or condolences at www.freemanfamilyfuneralhomes.com. Arrangements are being handled by Freeman Family Funeral Homes and Crematory, 819 S. Harrison St., Shelbyville.