HUCKLEBERRIES: Forget Greek Week — let's go medieval

North Idaho College shot a beer barrel into the air — and it fell, we do know where — about two football fields away.

In fall 1975, NIC’s Engineering Club challenged eight colleges in Montana, Washington and Idaho, including the University of Idaho, to a “Great Catapult Contest.”

But only four other colleges showed up for the event at the Henley Aerodrome in Athol (now Silverwood) on April 24, 1976: Montana State, Eastern Washington and the community colleges operating in Spokane and the Spokane Valley.

The Cardinal Catapulters paid for the contest with help from the associated students and by selling bumper stickers with the motto: “Plunk your Magic Twanger, Froggy.”

The Battle of the War Machines had two purposes — to renew interest in the ancient siege weapon and to foster non-athletic rivalry among regional colleges.

The locals built their 10,000-pound catapult for about $800, not including material donated by merchants. According to The Press, the NIC entry resembled “a small oil derrick.” The locals tested the device by firing an empty 16-gallon keg at 85 miles per hour into Lake Coeur d’Alene.

 “We wanted to win this so we built the simplest and best slingshot we could think of,” said Doug McLean, the physics and engineering instructor who helped design the winning entry.

The NIC catapulters easily bested the field, blasting their keg 526 feet. Montana State, which named its device “Calamity Jane,” finished second with a launch of 310 feet.

The locals claimed they set world records for the largest slingshot and longest keg toss. Maybe so. Maybe not. But they probably had fun storming castles afterward.

Love him or not

North Idaho College houses an outstanding entertainment venue, Schuler Auditorium at Boswell Hall, home of the Coeur d’Alene Summer Theatre.

The hall is named after the late Joyce Boswell, a beloved speech instructor. The auditorium’s name honors not-as-lovable, former college President Barry Schuler.

The plan to honor Schuler was resisted.

During his 18 years as NIC president (1968-86), Schuler oversaw the rapid expansion of enrollment, buildings and programs. A strong personality, he attracted fierce supporters, like trustee Don Sausser — and diehard opponents, like longtime faculty members.

In 1995, Sausser ignited residual “anti-Schulerism” by launching the effort to name the Boswell Hall auditorium after Schuler. Three campus groups fought the idea.

They recalled the controversy of Schuler’s last year at NIC. In 1986, Schuler reacted to criticism in the school newspaper by not renewing a journalism instructor’s contract. The flap led to the firings of two deans, a vote of no confidence, and Schuler’s resignation.

On Nov. 29, 1995, trustee Chairman Norm Gissel broke a 2-2 tie in Schuler’s favor. Trustees Betty McLain and Sue Thilo voted yes; Bob Ely and Jeannie Givens voted no.

Said Norm Gissel: “One year of controversy shouldn’t overshadow 17 good years. The college thrived while he was here.”

Flag country?

Flags are popular in North Idaho today, especially the “Don’t Tread on Me” and patriotic ones. And that would have pleased the late Frank White, also known as “Flag Man.”

In the 1980s and 1990s, White was known for selling flags from his 35-foot 1969 bus, painted red, white and blue. He parked his bus along Seltice Way, U.S. 95, or anywhere that people might stop and buy a flag.

When he died Oct. 10, 1999, his daughter, Melody, took over.

“Everybody knows this bus and chases me down because of my father’s business,” Melody told The Press.

She didn’t earn much — maybe $300 on a good day — but it paid the bills. And she got an education of sorts by taking her portable business to other parts of the country. On a wintry day in late November 2000, she was leaving for Arizona when The Press called.

“I’m trying to keep my dad’s spirit alive and the business alive by following his footsteps,” Melody said. “I never could dream what a wonderful business it is.”

Huckleberries

• Poet’s Corner: Like tiny stars upon the trees/they twinkle in the frosty breeze,/and throw their little rays of light/like hope into the cold black night — The Bard of Sherman Avenue (“Christmas Lights, Sherman Avenue”).

• Land Sharks: The in-box of manager Dirk Fledderjohann overflowed after Louisiana Pacific announced the closure of its 30-acre Post Falls mill in November 1995. Developers pestered him. The situation was tough enough without developers walking on the property, the L-P exec said, adding: “The vultures are circling.”

• Top of His Class: Joe Dobson has been a quality Realtor for 54 years, with expertise in ag land sales. His list of triumphs began at Emmett High, where he was student body president, captain of the football team and a state officer in Future Farmers of America. But did you know that, in 1970, Joe was also a Kootenai County extension agent? And that he transformed the 4-H stock program into a blue-ribbon winner?

• Thankful: On Thanksgiving 2005, Taryn Rossmiller, 13, of Post Falls, was thankful that her sister, Tori, was alive. Two days earlier, Tori was hit at a school crosswalk by a van going 30-35 miles per hour. The impact knocked her 50 feet. Mother Trina told The Press: “I hope everyone sits down (today) and counts their blessings.” Make that every day.

• Channeling Weather: Insiders refer to Cliff Harris as a “weatherman’s weatherman.” And, for 35 years, this area has embraced him as “our weatherman.” In March 1990, Cliff moved to Hayden after he ran a Whitefish (Mont.) weather station for 17 years. Cliff made Farmers’ Almanacs obsolete locally with his spot-on winter forecasts.

Parting shot

In November 1980, local politicians made cameo appearances in “Born Yesterday,” a Community Theatre production.

Among the local pols who took turns playing a waiter were Mayor Don Johnston, legislator Bob Scates, Commissioner Glenn Jackson and Councilmen Jim Fromm and Ron Edinger.

Their character walked to the center stage, lifted a silver service tray from a coffee table, bowed to another actor and left. They didn’t talk. The whole bit lasted about 20 seconds.

Rehearsals flowed with few hitches, although director Bob Brown reminded the amateurs during practices to face the audience.

Brown told The Press that the politicians fanned interest in the play.

Said Brown: “I have every confidence that the men who represent our city, county and state government will be able to carry a tray properly.

Do you suppose our, ahem, rated-and-vetted local politicians of today are up to that task?

• • •

D.F. (Dave) Oliveria can be contacted at ([email protected].

    North Idaho College engineering students test-fire an empty beer keg from their 10,000-pound catapult in 1976.
  

    Mayor Don Johnston, left, congratulates North Idaho College President Barry Schuler at the opening of the new Communication-Arts Building in 1979. The building’s auditorium would be renamed after Schuler in 1995.
  

    President Barry Schuler feuds with the North Idaho College student newspaper, its advisor and the Faculty Assembly in 1986.
  

    Melody White follows in the footsteps of her father, Melvin (Flag Man) White, in 2000.
  

    Brokers and developers call the Louisiana-Pacific mill in Post Falls after news of its closure breaks in 1995.
  

    Joe Dobson, the Kootenai County extension agent, presents awards to enable Karen Davidson, of Post Falls, left, and Diana Hughes, of Silverton, to attend the National 4-H Congress in Chicago in 1970.
  

    Taryn Rossmiller, right, is thankful that her twin sister, Tori, was alive and recovering after a van hit her in 2005.
  

    Cliff Harris forecasts weather for the Coeur d’Alene area in 1990.
  

    Director Bob Brown, right, tells local politicians what to do during their cameo appearances in his play in 1980, including, from left, Glenn Jackson, Ron Edinger, Jim Fromm, John Centa and Bob Scates.