Koshares Receive Gavel

A gavel made from a beam in the original Pony Express stable in St. Joseph, Missouri, was presented to the Koshare Indians Thursady night by Jack Lacy, secretary of the St. Joseph chamber of commerce, during the Koshare's 14th annual Christmas stage-dinner held at the Harvey House hotel.

Before presenting the gavel to Koshare head chief Lee Walters Lacy explained that the gavel was the last of four that had been made from the beam of an old stable. The other gavels which were duplicates were flown to President Truman, and Governor Thomas Dewey of New York and Earl Warren of California when the American Airlines started flights from St. Joseph.

Before making the presentation, Lacy who was the principal speaker of the evening, gave the boys an exceptionally fine, joke illustrated address on the importance of an organization such as the Koshare in building leadership and good character.

Prior to Lacy's address five Koshares, Kyle Richardson, Kent McCauley, Clyde Todd, Tammy Stubbs, and Sammy Frankmore joined the ranks of the eagles in an impressive ceremony in which 37 other Koshare eagle scouts participated. Koshare chiefs tied the eagle neckerchiefs on the new members and the boys' mothers pinned their eagle badges on their coats.

John Wadsworth, high school mathematics teacher and Koshare jack-of-all-jobs was made a member of the select Koshare Key Club. Members of the Key Club are civic leaders who by virtue of their service to the Koshare are considered "key" men in the organization

Art Needham, M. L. Heinzman and Tom Anderson were presented with placards and welcomed into the Koshare as new honorary members.

Five Koshares were presented with books on Indian lore autographed by author Ben Hunt as a special award for their 100 percent attendance at all meetings in 1946. Those receiving autograaphed books were Charles Jones, Gene Hollyman, Bob Mayer, Jack Burdett and Bill Heinzman.

Approximately 125 Koshares and their guests, including many former Koshares who came to La Junta from other cities, attended the banquet. Following the banquet a dance was held at the Harvey House.