Ark Valley News - Looking Back

Looking Back
Last Updated: July 18, 2019

50 years ago

Linda Van Dusen left for Europe to study the French language and culture with a group of college students. The students studied at the University of Paris (Sorbonne) during their month-and-a-half visit that included stops in Germany, Belgium, Geneva, Switzerland and Rome. Van Dusen graduated from Valley Center High School in 1967.

Sally Carlson and Bacil P. Dundas, both of Valley Center, announced that they would attend Kansas colleges. Carlson enrolled in the college of liberal arts and sciences at the University of Kansas. Dundas enrolled to study education at Wichita State University.

45 years ago

A bull broke loose from Richards Cold Storage at 111 S. Park in Valley Center. The bull was pursued by Marvin Richards and Raymond Botts of Richards Cold Storage, Valley Center police chief Al Pitts, off-duty officer Jerry Tetrick, Valley Center fire chief Bob Tormey, KG&E agent John Yoakum, Valley Center Index publisher Robbie Robbins and Valley Center employees Bob Ogle and Darrell Davis. Tormey circled the bull in the middle of a field with his vehicle. It was eventually subdued by Ogle and Davis a half-mile south of 77th North and Seneca.

Groundbreaking ceremonies were held for a new facility of the Chisholm Trail State Bank at Broadway and 61st North. The 3,200-square-foot main building with drive-up windows and on-site parking cost about $250,000 to build. Chisholm Trail State Bank was chartered by the State Banking Board earlier that year and opened by the end of the year.

40 years ago

Valley Center High School 1958 graduate Tech. Sgt. Melvin M. Philbrick graduated from the U.S. Air Force weather specialist course at Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul, Ill., where learned how to operate storm detection and weather communications equipment. Philbrick was assigned to a unit of the Military Airlift Command at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois.

Russell and Helen George of rural Valley Center celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. She is a former employee of the Coleman Co. and Beech Aircraft. He also worked for Coleman Co. and was one of the first square-dance callers and teachers in Wichita.

35 years ago

The Ark Valley News talked with Valley Center resident Bruce Vandergrift about starting Greenearth Nursery along 22 acres of the bank of the Little Arkansas River just west of Valley Center. Vandergrift was from California but his wife, Joyce, was from Wichita. They moved with their daughters, Darcie and Celena, to Valley Center after researching places to live in the Wichita area.

Marlena Richards graduated from Professional Beauty College and began working for Chalet Coiffures in Wichita. She is the daughter of Marvin and Darlene Richards of Valley Center.

30 years ago

Longtime Valley Center police Officer George Morgan was named interim police chief until a replacement for former Chief Al Pitts could be named. A lieutenant, Morgan had been with the department for 20 years.

Valley Center's first and only recreation commission director Steve Geddes announced he would step down and accept a similar position in Hays for a $30,000 salary; he was making $20,689 annually in Valley Center. Geddes took the position when it was established 5 1/2 years earlier.

25 years ago

The Ark Valley News interviewed Matt Braden of Valley Center about his service dog, Schaum. Braden's cerebral palsy required him to use forearm crutches, and a walker or a wheelchair to get around. His yellow Labrador retriever helped him pick things up, open doors and perform other difficult tasks. Using a harness, Schaum would also pull Braden up and help him get into his wheelchair.

A burglar broke into Valley Center High School and stole over $5,000 worth of electronics. Among the stolen items were three VCRs, six cassette recorders and a television. The thief also took two brand new Macintosh computers that had recently been purchased for teacher Jan Hoop's journalism class.

20 years ago

The Ark Valley News talked with Arlo and Kathryn Schroeder of Valley Center about their passions for building models. He built model airplanes from sheets of plastic that took about a year at a time. She built carefully scaled miniature room settings and houses. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II as an airplane mechanic and a turret gunner on a torpedo bomber. She served in the U.S. Marine Corps running a navigation simulator as part of ground training for pilots. They met after the war and were married in 1947. They moved to Valley Center in 1966 while Arlo worked for Boeing as a flight line supervisor. Their three children —Jan, Alan and Ron — all graduated from Valley Center High School:

The Ark Valley News interviewed Leona Hobaugh of Valley Center. She graduated from Wichita Business School in the 1930s and moved to Valley Center in 1947. Her first husband, Alanson "Dutch" Rawdon, died in 1942. She married Carl Hobaugh in 1947 and he died in 1973. She had four children: Lanny Rawdon, Gene Hobaugh, Fred Hobaugh and Karen Lusby.

15 years ago

The Ark Valley News talked with Jim and Jan Baker of Valley Center. They both grew up in Burrton and attended the same schools for years. While on a drive with friends in high school, he worked up the nerve to try to hold her hand. She ended the date early, saying she thought the move was "terribly, terribly aggressive."

The Ark Valley News interviewed Ben and Ruth Taylor of Valley Center. The Taylors moved to Valley Center in 1961 and had six children: Sharon, Stephen, Jimmy, David, Wanda and Benny Joe. In Valley Center, Ben began hauling trash for friends, family and neighbors as a way to save money. Eventually, he was told he would need a permit to haul other people's trash and he started Ben Taylor Trash Service, which he operated for 38 years.

10 years ago

Valley Center High School senior Tyler Dort won his first golf tournament. He won the 18-year-old singles division of the USTA Kansas Crestview Junior Open Tournament.

Kaven Knotts and Nick Parsons of Valley Center were members of the Newman University Troubadours that received a standing ovation during a performance at Carnegie Hall in New York. It was the group's second appearance there in 18 months.

5 years ago

Air Force Airman Ethan J. Flores graduated basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in Texas. He graduated from Valley Center High School in 2013.

Porter, Carswell & Raya, Chartered, CPAs moved across the street from its 215 W. Main location to a new location at 214 W. Main. The accounting firm relocated after an extensive renovation of the former hardware store and chamber of commerce office, a move that doubled the company's space.