It’s Coming!

In less than a year, on Monday, August 21, 2017, at around 12:57 p.m., a total solar eclipse is coming to Sargent, Nebraska. It will be the first total eclipse of the sun on American soil since 1991, the first on the mainland since 1979 and the first to sweep the entire country since 1918. It will be a once in a lifetime experience. You can go to this link to see an interactive map to determine what areas the full eclipse will take place. If you live outside of this area, why not make plans to come to Sargent for the weekend and stay for the eclipse on Monday? Invite your friends and make it a big celebration. If you come to the Sargent Library, we will have viewing glasses available.

Summer Reading Success

The library’s summer reading program is officially over now, but we sure had a lot of fun. We had five afternoons of reading with an average attendance of 23 each day. We had 35 kids earn prizes for time spent reading. This resulted in giving away 31 ice cream cones, 1 hot dog, 160 treasure chest prizes, and 41 pizza/movie rentals.  For the Jr High/High schoolers, we had a drawing for a Kindle Fire E-Reader. Every time they read a book, they were able to put an entry into the drawing box. Out of 25 entries, Karina Kitt was the lucky winner of the Kindle. The kids had fun and hopefully they increased their reading skills over the summer.

This was all made possible by the generous donations from local organizations. Emily Jandreau was great in helping organize the program. The Custer County Foundation gave the library a grant for $400, Trotters Whoa & Go donated some of the pizza/movies, and SWAT donated the Kindle. It was definitely a community effort, and we appreciate everyone who helped

We Love Donations!

Nebraska State Bank in Broken Bow recently presented the Sargent Library with a check for $357.00. Every week the bank has “Jean Fridays” where employees are allowed to wear jeans if they make a donation.  This last month, their donations all went to the Sargent Library. This was a great surprise and very much appreciated. Jana Coons is shown presenting the check to Gayle Mattox and Jessica Decker.

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Life Was Dangerous Without Electricity

We take so much for granted today with our instant lights and other convenient appliances.  Looking at the Sargent Leader in the summer of 1913, I noticed two articles about accidents that occurred. One accident was because of a little boy drinking kerosene.  A week later, a woman was badly burned and died from filling a heated gasoline iron that ignited into flames.

Sargent Leader June 5, 1913

Sargent Leader June 5, 1913

 

Sargent Leader June 12, 1913

Sargent Leader June 12, 1913

Remember, the Sargent Leader Newspaper archives are searchable and available online.

A Piece of Sargent’s History is Gone

A few weeks ago, the library board was made aware of a diseased tree on our property line.  From our side, it looked perfectly healthy.  It was beautiful, huge, and provided much shade.

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However, looking on the other side, it was obvious that the trunk was hollow inside. That was scary!

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This big, humongous tree could fall at any time and do major damage to property or even kill someone.  We hired Joe Schneider to come take it down. This was not an easy task because the tree hung over many different obstacles.

 

 

 

All that’s left is the stump now, but Joe did a fantastic job. (He even saved a family of birds.) If only trees could talk. Just think of how many Sargent events – happy and sad – that tree would have witnessed.

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