Starting this week and from time to time on page 3 we will have an "Updates & Corrections" box where we will list corrections for errors, and answers to unknown & unidentified pictures and questions we asked for help with in previous issues.

Each week our history group uses page 3 of the Monitor to promote the school history book project. We can beg and plead using many different angles but what seems to happen more often than not is something or someone we feature in the Monitor will catch the eye of the beholder and move them to act on our requests.

Recently I was contacted by a former Manning first grade teacher who lives in Denison. Patricia (Johnson) Kirby was reading the January 18 page three article when she noticed a familiar name and face. Below is a note Pat sent me.

Pat not only sent me this note she also brought her school scrapbook to Manning for me to go through and scan her pictures and information. Below is Pat's school information and we hope her information and pictures will "catch your eye" and encourage you to write up your school employee history or dig out some of your school pictures.

Patricia Johnson

Patricia Johnson 1976

Patricia (Johnson) Kirby graduated from Storm Lake High School and went on to receive her undergraduate degree from Buena Vista University (Storm Lake). In 1972 she was hired by Paul Bjorkgren and Wayne Curlile to teach first grade at Manning Community Schools. She lived in Beverly Mitchell Smith's apartment in Manning.

Her beginning salary was approximately $6500, about the price of a new car, which she purchased in November of that year. She taught first grade during her six years at Manning. The last week of school in 1978, she met her future husband, Mark Kirby. He was doing work through Rasmussen Lumber on Pat's apartment. That fall, Pat became a third grade teacher at Carroll Public Schools. Patricia and Mark were married in December of 1978 and the following year she was hired by Manilla Community schools and ended her teaching career with the IKM School district. She retired in 2004 after teaching for thirty-three years, all but one year in first grade.

Pastor Mark and Patricia Kirby

Pat and Mark moved from Manilla to Denison in 1988. Mark is presently employed at WESCO Industries in Denison and is also pastor at Faith Wesleyan Church. Pat is now doing some substitute teaching in the Denison Schools. She gives piano lessons in Denison and also taught piano lessons at Manning and Manilla when she taught in those schools. Pat and Mark's son Joe and his family, consist of four children and they live in Bellevue, Nebraska. Joe is employed as a sales representative for Lincoln Poultry.

The main thing Pat remembers about Manning is that as a first year teacher and someone who had never been away from home before, this became her second home. The year she was hired was one of those "baby-boomer" years. She remembers thirteen new teachers were hired, most of them being single. There was safety and comfort in numbers. Pat especially remembers the blizzard of 1975. Tracy (Swanson) Norman and Pat took off for their respective homes in the Storm Lake area that Friday morning, after they heard school was canceled. "Wow! What a trip!" They drove separately but in a caravan and both had a dog in the car. Because of the snow-blocked roads, they didn't get back to Manning until at least Wednesday of that next week. Pat said she would never attempt such a crazy thing now!

Pat hesitates listing any memories of students... She has many memories and several of them were hilarious as a first year teacher. She is proud of every student who went on to complete their education and still enjoys reading the Manning Monitor and keeping track of their achievements. While teaching in Manilla Pat had several children of students she taught while at Manning and she also taught with two of her former Manning students, Paul Croghan and Craig Bogatzke.

Quoting Pat, "I think back to when I signed my contract that first day in Mr. Curlile's office. I didn't even know where Manning was on the map. Now because of Manning, I have a wonderful husband and many close friendships."

Below are some random pictures from Pat and I need help identifying some of the students.

1978 First Grade students on the old slide.

Wendel Kahl, Jean Myer, Mike Hull, ? Karla Wieland?

Back: Bruce Wegner, ??, ?Larry Faulkner?;
Front: Nate Bandow, ?Monica Martens?, Aaron Nelson

??, ??, possibly Jeff Menke, ??

Back: Martin Bogatzke, David Hass; Front: Rod Frank, Barbara Crandall

Back: Scott Kerkhoff, LeAnn Dammann, ??; Front: ??, ??, ??