Timeline From The Past: Ivy Tech Started Locally In 1978
From the Files of the Kosciusko County Historical Society
This is a retrospective series that runs a few times a month on InkFreeNews.
March 23, 1978 — Total enrollment of the first Indiana Vocational Technical College courses offered in Kosciusko County has been estimated at 250 by Ivy Tech administrators.
The first public and special Ivy Tech courses began last night in Warsaw Community High School classrooms and the City Hall council chambers.
March 23, 1979 — Violations of First Amendment rights were cited in a third lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court, South Bend, against Warsaw Community School Corp.
Brooke Zykan, a junior at Warsaw Community High School, and her brother, Blair, who graduated from the school in 1978, filed a class-action lawsuit that asked the court to order the following: that curriculum changes made by the school board be reversed and returned to the status quo; restoration to classroom and library use the former textbooks “Values Clarification,” “The Stepford Wives,” “Go Ask Alice,” “The Bell Jar” and “Growing Up Female In America”; that the school desists from interfering with using books in Warsaw classrooms; and that school authorities be restrained from removing any books and changing curriculum until a “reasonable and impartial” procedure for such future action was formulated.
In their complaint, titled “Academic Freedom,” the Zykans allege that school officials violated the First Amendment rights of students at the high school by banning books and removing courses from the curriculum.
March 24, 1979 — Teresa Burnau, a former Warsaw teacher, filed suit in U.S. District Court, Fort Wayne, against Warsaw School Corporation and two officers, saying her contract was not renewed in a dispute over books used in her class.
Burnau, who now lives in Fort Wayne, seeks $50,000 in damages, reinstatement and back pay from the Warsaw Community Schools and from C.J. Smith, former principal of Warsaw High School, and George Gilbert, assistant school superintendent.
Her lawsuit is the fourth filed against the school corporation in federal courts over the past few weeks. Each of the suits claims the school board or other school officials violated the First Amendment rights of the plaintiffs.
March 26, 1973 — Leo Pike, standing by the headstone of “Rip Razor,” 1873-1973, officiated the burial of razors and cosmetics during a public ceremony Saturday on “boot hill” near the water tower in Claypool. As the “Rev. Pike” eulogized the departed with somber nasal tones, he remarked to those who had suffered a loss not to be sad at the parting. Pike said, “It will ease the pain somewhat for the men to remember the years past when the razor caressed their faces.” To the women, Pike said, “Your loss of cosmetics will be a burden for you to carry. But remember, your husbands will still love you because beauty is more than cosmetic deep.” There was a good turnout for the burial, all in fun, as Claypool townspeople prepare for their July Centennial celebration.
March 25, 1961 — Fire of unknown origin swept through the P.N. Hirsch department store in downtown Warsaw, threatened adjoining stores and was raging on with the probability that damage will run between $250,000 and $500,000.
The Hirsch store, formerly Carter’s, at the southeast corner of Market and Buffalo streets, was totally destroyed. The corner is now home to Kosciusko County Community Foundation.