Dr. George Griffith, Chadron State College professor of English and humanities, reassured the institution’s master’s degree graduates of the value of their degrees while delivering their commencement address Friday afternoon, Dec. 14.
Griffith, who in his 37thyear at CSC has been employed longer than any other faculty member, interspersed humor and sincerity while addressing the class of 67 graduates in Memorial Hall.
The professor noted that compared to the undergraduate class, which received degrees later that afternoon, members of the master’s degree group are mostly older, more mature and already have jobs and families.
“I can’t see a single ‘Hi, Mom’ taped on top of any mortarboards, and I’d probably be safe to bet beneath those gowns not one of you is wearing shorts and sandals,” he said in the opening remarks of his eight-minute speech.
Griffith commended the graduates for mastering new skills, obtaining knowledge and developing open minds during their pursuit of education. He also said the graduates have developed valuable confidence while accomplishing a master’s degree while dealing with the distractions of life as adults.
“Many of you earned these degrees while your life insisted on going on indifferent to your having to write papers, read books, participate in online discussions, fulfill projects and take tests.”
The graduates were awarded one of CSC’s four master’s degrees – Master of Arts in Education, Master of Business Administration, Master of Education and Master of Science in Organizational Management. Each which will repay the graduates for their hard work well into the future, Griffith said.
“You may have now one of education’s greatest gifts, which is not answers, but questions,” he said. “Can we name any important human achievement that was not the product of a question?”
In addition to addressing the intangibles, Griffith cited 2009 U.S. Census Bureau statistics about the value of higher education. The report, he noted, states that master’s degree recipients will earn $1.3 million more in their lifetime than those with just a high school diploma.
“With some good fortune, someone will still need you and this degree will still feed you when you are 64,” he said, making a reference to the lyrics to a classic Beatles tune.
In closing, Griffith encouraged the graduates to take pride in their accomplishments, but to be most thankful for their family.
“No matter what this job may do for you in your employment, your job is not your life,” he said. “Jobs don’t hug you or surprise you. They don’t laugh or cry with you. They don’t share memories or tell stories. Your family is there for you for that.”
Ron Hull, CSC Pres Randy Rhine, NSCS Trustee Gary Bieganski
Nebraska public television pioneer Dr. Ron Hull of Lincoln relayed the
advice that he’s gleaned from several notable Nebraskans as he served as commencement speaker for those receiving bachelor degrees at Chadron State College on Friday, Dec. 14.
Hull, who has been involved with the Mari Sandoz Heritage Society since its inception and was instrumental in the development of the Mari Sandoz High Plains Heritage Center on the CSC campus, spoke immediately following his acceptance of the CSC Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree. He was chosen for the honor for his outstanding service to CSC and greater society.
Hull was the ETV program manager from 1955-1982 and continues to serve as senior adviser to Nebraska Educational Telecommunications and professor emeritus of Broadcasting for the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.
“I’ve discovered that the most important aspect of our lives is the relationships that we have with each other,” he said during the 21-minute speech to the 114 graduates. “Nothing passes that. When I was in college, I remember some cynics would say, ‘Ah, you won’t get ahead. It depends on who you know.’ It’s true. It depends on who you know, but you make those connections yourself.”
Hull recalled stories of both Mari, the acclaimed author from northwest Nebraska, and her sister, Flora. He had developed a relationship with the family after producing 18 hours of television interviews with Mari.
Hull recounted advice from Flora, who joined Hull in speaking to CSC graduates in May 1975. She received the CSC Distinguished Award that year and Hull served as the commencement speaker. Hull described Flora as a “no nonsense person,” and said her presentation to the graduates was one of the best speeches he’s ever heard.
“She looked those graduates right straight in the face and said ‘Hitch your wagon to your star. Get in harness and pull your own load. There is lots of work to be done. Thank you.’”
Hull also encouraged graduates to emulate the work ethic of Mari. He described Mari as a “High Plains person” and said she worked harder than almost anyone else from he’s met during his profession.
He recalled Mari telling him that her most satisfying book was “Crazy Horse: The Strange Man of the Oglalas.” She told him that her first version of the book contained a great story, but was told from a “white man” perspective and lacked effectiveness. She proceeded to rewrite the entire book to give it an Indian voice.
“She gave 100 percent of herself, her energy and her talents to tell the stories to tell the people of the High Plains country,” he said. “The traits Mari Sandoz had are your traits, too – hard work, give it your best shot. We’re western people. I’m from Rapid City. You’ve got it already because you’re High Plains people.”
Hull also spoke about John Neihardt, the Nebraska poet laureate who died in 1973. A lot of guidance can be taken in Neihardt’s book, “Black Elk Speaks,” Hull said, noting that it has a wealth of information about “how to live our lives.”
Hull relayed a story Neihardt told him about his exchange with a troubled student during the author’s teaching days at the University of Missouri. It was the era of the Vietnam Conflict and Hull said the student was distressed by the state of the world.
“Neihardt said, ‘You know you’re right. We could take 24 hours and talk about how terrible things are in this country — in our lives. Everywhere you look you will find something that is not good.’ But, he said, ‘If we’re going to do that, let’s take 24 hours and let’s talk about the things around you that are good and wonderful,’” Hull said.
Following that advice, Hull encouraged the students to find their happiness.
“You choose the life you want to have. If you have the life you want, believe me, that’s the first step to happiness.”
Hull also told of his experiences during the Vietnam era. In 1966 he signed on to help establish a television network in Vietnam to assist in President Lyndon Johnson’s efforts to “win the hearts and minds of the country.” Hull gave credit to his wife for supporting his involvement, even though it meant she would have to care for their four small children without his help until he returned.
He noted that many Vietnamese families had fled the war-torn countryside to live in the comparatively safe cities. It was common to see families living under culverts, in boxes and under eves, he said.
Although advised not to give the native Vietnamese money, he said he became compelled to give $20 to the mother of four children who was living on the streets. Later, while walking the street, he noticed that she had used the money to have her hair done. Around her, he said, were her children with pride in their eyes.
“Those smiles told me that was the best investment of 20 bucks I had ever made in my whole life,” he said.
He encouraged the graduates to use their educations to “get out in the world and do things for other people.”
“I promise that it comes back to you 12-fold all the time,” he said. “That’s how the world works.”
Hull told about broadcasting a television show to the Vietnamese from a large aircraft equipped with an antenna. The “flying studio” was the source of two-hour broadcasts 10,000 feet above Saigon, a temporary solution as the television network was being constructed below.
Hull said he hopes that the Vietnamese were inspired by the broadcasts of history and arts, much like the college graduates have been inspired by the faculty who have helped them along the way.
“I kept thinking, can we inspire some of those little kids to maybe dream and have their own dream?” he said. “You never know. You do your best. You don’t know where you’ll plant a seed.”
A sergeant in the Chadron Police Department escaped serious injury Friday morning when his patrol car was struck in the side by a deer on a northwest residential area of the town.
Chief Tim Lordino says Sgt Mike Loutzenhiser was on regular patrol about 6 am near 1st-and-Maple when the deer hit the driver’s door of the cruiser. Loutzenhiser was wearing his seat belt and was not hurt.
Lordino described the damage to the car as just a few small dents, but the Nebraska State Patrol…which handled the accident report to avoid any conflict of interest issues…put the dollar amount at $1,000.
The South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources is recommending conditional approval OF a ground water discharge plan connected to Powertech Uranium’s proposed uranium mine near Edgemont.
Powertech has leases on some 11,000-acres of land north of Edgemont, but plans to mine only about 200-acres as part of its Dewey-Burdock project…which would be an in-situ injection-well mine.
The in-situ mining method pumps a chemical solution similar to bicarbonate of soda into into the groundwater to dissolve the underground ore deposit at the molecular level.
The water is pumped to the surface and the uranium extracted. Powertech estimates the mine would produce 1 million pounds of uranium oxide a year for 20 years.
Petitions to intervene on the department’s recommendation must be filed with the department’s Ground Water Quality Program and postmarked by Jan. 18. If petitioned, a hearing on the department’s recommendation will be heard before the state Water Management Board sometime early in 2013.
The proposed Powertech mining system is very similar to the one used at the Crow Butte Resources uranium mine east of Crawford, and a group of government and civic leaders will tour the Crow Butte facility tomorrow to learn more about the process.
Today – Partly sunny, with a high near 48. Breezy, with a west wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph.
Tonight – Partly cloudy, with a low around 22. Breezy, with a west wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
Tuesday – Partly sunny, with a high near 41. West wind 10 to 15 mph.
Tuesday Night – A 40 percent chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 16. North northeast wind around 10 mph.
Wednesday – A 40 percent chance of snow. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 28. North northwest wind 10 to 15 mph.
Wednesday Night – Partly cloudy, with a low around 7.
Thursday – Sunny, with a high near 37.
Thursday Night – Mostly clear, with a low around 13.
The Alliance Chamber of Commerce is seeking nominations for four awards that will be presented during its annual banquet, set for January 31 at the Westside Events Center.
Friend of Tourism, Business Person or Business of the Year for 30 employees or less, Business Person or Business of the Year for 31 employees or more, and the Chamber Lifetime Service Award.
Nomination forms are available from the Alliance Chamber office at 305 Box Butte.
Completed forms need to be returned to the Alliance Chamber by Friday, December 21.
The Chadron Police Department received a report from a middle school aged student that the child was approached after school around 3:30 p.m. and offered candy by two male subjects dressed in all black and wearing black ski masks. When the student ran away, the child reported that the males left in a red four-door pickup with a black topper and black windows, southbound on Shelton Street in Chadron.
The Chadron Police Department aggressively searched the area for the suspect vehicle and conducted multiple interviews, over the past several days, of other witnesses in the area and in very close proximity to the reporting middle school student.
Chief of Police Tim Lordino says; “As of today, we cannot positively confirm that this incident took place and out of an abundance of caution and concern, we have notified regional law enforcement agencies in Nebraska, South Dakota, Wyoming and Colorado. We have also asked regional law enforcement agencies to assist in looking for the suspect vehicle reported by the middle school student. We have also notified our local school district and the Chadron State College and will continue with our ongoing investigation.”
“Almost every day we read in the news paper or online of a child being abducted molested or missing. An adult’s worst nightmare can be minimized through appropriate safety tips and education about “stranger danger” and what you should do to keep your child safe and secure. Please take time over dinner tonight and converse with your child about these safety tips;”
• Tell your child to treat all strangers as if they are dangerous and never assist or help a stranger.
• If a stranger comes towards your child, teach them to run away in a safe and secure direction and immediately tell a safe adult, a teacher, a fireman, a city worker, a police officer or run into an open business and tell an employee.
• Teach your child to run away from strangers who offer rides, candy, gifts or other promises or who ask for directions. Do not get into a car with a stranger for any reason.
• Talk to your child about how to answer the phone or door when you are away. Never answer the door unless you and your child agree upon a list of safe adult’s ahead-of-time.
• Your child should call you immediately if a stranger tries to contact them at home, on the phone or via the internet.
An Alliance man is hospitalized in Scottsbluff after fire gutted his home early Thursday morning.
Alliance Fire Chief Troy Shoemaker says that while the cause of the fire remains under investigation, it appears it may have been intentionally set in the basement of the home at 1107 Grand Avenue.
Shoemaker cannot release the name of the fire victim at this time, but he says the adult male was pulled from a basement window by members of the Alliance Police Department. Police spotted the fire while on patrol.
The occupant complained of having difficulty breathing, so he was taken to Box Butte General Hospital and then transferred to Regional West Medical Center in Scottsbluff.
Firefighters were notified at 3:11 a.m., and remained on scene for over four hours. The fire was brought under control at 4:33 a.m. 20 firefighters assisted in dousing the blaze.
The fire originated near a basement stairwell in the 70-year-old house.
While the injured party was the only person in the home at the time the fire broke out, children who also resided at the resident lost several of their Christmas presents.
The Alliance Public Schools Administration Office will serve as a drop off point for those who wish to donate unwrapped Christmas gifts for the children affected by the fire.
The children are a 9-year-old girl, an 8-year-old boy and their 3-year-old sister. The hildren’s Christmas gifts were destroyed or damaged in the fire.
Donations may be dropped off at the APS Administration Building at 1604 Sweetwater between the hours of 8 am and 5:30 pm Monday through Friday .
For more information, contact the APS Administration Office at 762-5475.
Chadron Kiwanis treasurer Casey Fosher displays the promotional check for the club’s upcoming progressive basketball fundraiser. Raffle winners will be given the opportunity to compete for a $10,000 cash prize.
Chadron Kiwanis is giving contestants the opportunity to win $10,000 on the basketball court in January.
Winners of the raffle will get the opportunity to compete for the big cash prize during half-time contests at the Chadron Middle School Gym. The first of three contestants to make a layup, free throw, three-pointer and half-court shot in 30 seconds will win the $10,000 prize.
The first of the three contestants will take the court at half-time of the Chadron High boys’ basketball game against Sidney on Friday, Jan. 25. If that person doesn’t win, two more contestants will be scheduled for the Cardinals’ next game against Alliance on Tuesday, Jan. 29. The winners of the drawing will be notified in advance.
Chadron Kiwanis treasurer Casey Fosher, who is spearheading the activity, said it will not only serve as an opportunity for someone to win big money, but also will help raise funds for Kiwanis and its many worthwhile activities. The Chadron club works to further the international organization’s mission to serve children. Its annual activities include the Cardinal Backpacks food program for elementary students, Stars of Tomorrow talent contest, Fur Trade Days Regatta, a high school honors program and the Pitch, Hit and Run baseball skills competition.
Tickets for the basketball contest are $1 each, six for $5 and 15 for $10. They may be purchased from any Kiwanis member or at First National Bank of Chadron, Security First Bank or West Second Appliance. Tickets also will be sold at upcoming Chadron High basketball games.
Jeff Boppre of Scottsbluff…serving a pair of life sentences for two drug-related murders nearly a quarter-century ago..has filed notice that he intends to appeal an order denying him any post conviction relief or reduction in his sentences.
The 8th U-S Circuit Court of Appeals last April denied Boppre’s request to make continued post-conviction relief challenges in federal court, a ruling he says in his filing this week in Scotts Bluff County District Court that he plans to challenge in the Nebraska Supreme Court.
Scotts Bluff County Attorney Doug Warner saying that the ruling indicates the federal appeals court will not consider any petitions that ask for additional appeal opportunities on the same issues without showing some merit.
District Judge Randy Lippstreu recently rejected Boppre’s request for a court appointed attorney to pursue his challenges, leading Boppre to say in his notice of intent that he will be acting as his own counsel.
Boppre was convicted of 1988 killings of 25 year old Richard Valdez and Valdez’s pregnant 19-year old girlfriend Sharon Condon at at the couple’s rural Scottsbluff
home, but has continued over the years to proclaim his innocence.
Among the most damning pieces of evidence at his trial was the first 3 letters of his last name, scrawled by the dying Valdez on the floor using his finger and white grease
