Three stories, well, actually two stories and one request for information, are included today, both stories are about people’s ingenuity, which I think you’ll find interesting. Next week the column will be about a mistake made 175 years ago and uh, well, we’ll go into that next week.

I recently received one of the 2008 calendars published by the Historical Society. Yes, I know we usually get our calendars the beginning of the year but these are special keepsakes so it doesn’t matter when we get them.

The 2007 calendar pictured doors in the county and I doubt many of us had thought about how individual doors can be. This year the calendar pictures the towers and steeples in the county. Turns out we have a rich array of them. You’d think there’d be 12 pictures, one for each month, but no, there are 22 pictures because they’ve included some of the old towers or steeples.

What makes these all the more interesting is the history that goes with each picture. I’d say that you will be surprised by at least some of the histories. Of course, that also makes the calendar more valuable in the years ahead and especially of interest for those living away from Decatur County. Even if there are plenty of steeples where they live now they aren’t Decatur County steeples.

Every picture is captivating and each is unique. If I had to choose it’d be the St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church - or maybe the Burney Baptist Church – well possibly the Westport Christian Church – no, it would probably be the St. Maurice Church. Gee whiz, the Greensburg Baptist is outstanding, but the Immaculate Conception at Millhousen must be way up on the list. Oh well, I can’t make a choice. They’re all an important part of our county, which makes them pretty wonderful. I don’t know why I didn’t get one at Christmas but was ever so glad to learn it isn’t too late to get one. Ginny Garvey tells me there are a few left at the museum. Now I’m wondering what the subject will be next year.

**Three photos from about 1900 were recently up for auction on eBay. Starting bid was $99.95. The person or firm wanting to sell it was in Richmond, Ind.

Surely someone can tell us more about what was going on at the time. George Morgan of Clarksburg sent the pictures to me and we’re hoping to learn more. The auction was for a series of three antique photos taken in front of the courthouse. They show a high diver in front of the courthouse with the tree in the tower, the high diver was ready to jump, and the diver on the way down. Each photo is mounted on stiff gray cardboard, with The Eclipse Studio, Greensburg, Ind., embossed in the lower right corner. No date or information was on the reverse of the photos, but from the clothing worn by the crowd on the courthouse lawn, they were assumed to have been taken about 1900.

The largest photo measures 8 inches by 10.25 inches mounted on 12-inch by 14-inch cardboard with two bent corners. It’s G+ to very good condition. The two smaller images measure 5 inches by 7 inches, mounted on 8-inch by 10-inch backing. The image with the diver at the top of the ladder is very lightly soiled, but very good condition and the other image (with the diver in mid-air) is excellent condition.

When I couldn’t find the items on the Internet I asked George what it finally sold for. He checked it out and said it didn't sell the first time so was relisted.

At first I thought this was what Charles Metz had told me about seeing happen years ago. Charles, however, wasn’t even born in 1900 so unless this was an annual event for several years it couldn’t have been what Charles had seen.

**Former resident and book editor Cheryl Schroeder Hosmer is helping with a book on the history of music for a man in Germany. ‘I’m working on the blues and ragtime right now,” she said. ‘Do you know anyone who knows something about this music that I could interview? There'd be no pay, only their quotes and any pictures to be inserted into the book. Also, especially for ragtime, it would be great if someone remembers their love for it.” Surely someone reading this can give Cheryl a memory or two or a story. Please email her at chosmer@twmi.rr.com.

I love hearing from readers but am seldom at the Daily News building. Please feel free to email me at patjsmith@verizon.net or send a note to Pat Smith, 122 W. Sheridan, Greensburg, IN 47240