It isn’t often you can take a trip through a wormhole, and survive, tumbling back in time, from whence you began, and then arrive back in the future from which there is no escape; and so I have described my recent journey tripping through the online archives of — The Scotia Register — a village newspaper that was published weekly, on Thursdays, in Scotia, Nebraska (population 291) from 1895 to 2003. Paging back through The Scotia Register archives was like being watched and recorded, from afar, years ago, with the perspective, and perception, of the now.
The Scotia Register was a local newspaper that printed gossip — posing as local news — while advertising lots of unique agricultural artifacts along with livestock news.
However, the real power of The Scotia Register online archives is in the remembrance of what was, and things that never were. I did a simple “David Boles” search and found a trove of article mentions. Here are a few of them.
Mrs. Wilma Boles and David In the afternoon they attended the production of “The King and I” given by the University of Nebraska School of Music Opera Theatre. David Boles was one of the princes. Several other students from Mrs. Boles’ classes were also in the three hour production. The play was presented three times.
Here's a step through time to my footfalls on the stage of the Lincoln Community Playhouse as an actor, director, and crew member from 1976 to 1987! What a time warp! Too bad the Elsie Award winners are no longer listed on the site. I still have my award! https://t.co/Bkb9OmHFf8pic.twitter.com/KX8v0735mr
David Boles Receives “Elsie Award” Mr. and Mrs. Michael Honke of Columbus, Mr. and Mrs. Mills Hill and Russ and William Vodehnal drove to Lincoln Sunday to see David Boles, son of Mrs. Wilma Boles, in the musical, “Camelot.” On Monday night, the Lincoln Community Playhouse presented the annual Elsie Awards for outstanding performances in the local theater’s productions in the 1977-78 theatre season. David Boles was presented an Elsie award for Best Minor Actor for his performance in “Camelot.” “Camelot” took the award for best production of the season. David is the grandson of Mr. Vodehnal.
Mrs. Mills Hill drove to Columbus Wednesday and accompanied her daughter, Mrs. Mike Honke to Lincoln where they attended graduation exercises at Lincoln Northeast. David Boles, son of Mrs. Wilma Boles was one of the graduates and was chosen to be one of the two speakers to represent the class. Following his graduation, they were reception guests in the Boles home and returned to Columbus. Mrs. Hill came back to North Loup Thursday. David is the grandson of the late Bill Vodehnal and plans to attend the University of Nebraska next fall.
Then, a bit more sorrowfully, I paged deeper, and even darker, into The Scotia Register archives — perhaps 10-20 years back to the future from whence I started — where I found the unravelling results of layers from a sad little boy named David Isherwood, a person I once was, but never knew, discovering there was no core to the center of the memory.
Before a chancel appointed with orchid mums, white gladioli, and seven branch candelabra, Miss Wilma Vodehnal, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Vodehnal, and Bruce Isherwood, son of Mrs. Norma Searles of Lincoln, and Don Isherwood of Omaha, were united in marriage in a 4:30 service Sunday afternoon.
Mrs. Bruce Isherwood of Lincoln and Mrs. Don Overton and Stephanie of Fairbury returned to their homes Saturday. Mrs. Isherwood will teach in the Capitol school in Lincoln this fall. Her husband is in basic training in San Antonio, Texas.
The Rev. and Mrs. Don Overton and family of Salina, Kans., spent the weekend with the Bill Vodehnals. Don has a church at Salina and also teachers at St. John’s military academy. Mrs. Bruce Isherwood and David of Lincoln joined the group for the weekend. Sunday the Overtons and Isherwoods and relatives from Ord were guests in the Vodehnal home.
Mrs. Don Overton and family of Salina, Kans. They were joined later by Mrs. Wilma Isherwood and son who are still visiting here. Christmas Eve they were all guests in the Mills Hill home and were Christmas Day guests in the Victor Kerchal home at Ord.
It was definitely an interesting trip back to 1960 in The Scotia Register. There’s a record there, preserved forever in digital amber, that can haunt you, and comfort you — if you know where to search, and what to read.
There’s no comfort in facts. There’s little retribution left in the truth.
Reminiscing is more for companionship, than exploration. Recovering from a wormhole whirlwind may be more than one may yearn for in the rescuing of how life used to be — before you knew it existed.
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