Center vs. Knox - Starke County Tidbit #57

Lots of things have happened in my short lifetime.  One thing of interest is that school rivals could join together in a reunion to celebrate graduation.  On July 10, 1982, a class of the Center Township School and a class of the Knox High School jointly held their 50th class reunion.  Each group had graduated in 1932.

Now, for some of you who may not know, the Center Township School (for students living in Center Township outside the city limits of Knox) was located just west of Knox on the property where the White Flyer Company is now.  The Knox High School was in town.  The two schools were only a mile apart, but were strong rivals in sports.   The "Blue Streaks" (Center) and the "Knox Redskins" would always battle very hard in basketball (the sport of the day).  The Center School burned in January 1942, so the "country bumpkins" had to join together with the "city slickers" to form the Knox Community Schools.  And that is why the official colors of the Knox Community Schools are now Red, White and Blue.

The news article about the unique reunion relates how each person shared memories about living conditions in the great depression and how different things were "now" (in 1982).

It is interesting in 2014 to read about corn selling for 10 cents a bushel and a cup of coffee selling for 5 cents in 1932.  The news article lists other items subject to inflation over the years (now 82 years ago).  Fascinating where time has taken us.

Attached is the article with picture of those "rivals" who put aside differences to celebrate together.   (Maybe folks in the Middle East could take a lesson?)   You may have to enlarge the article to be able to read it better.

Jim Shilling
Starke County Historical Society

http://www.starkehistory.com
http://www.scpl.lib.in.us/historical/