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STORY INDEX Introduction Service still most important product at Ligonier Telephone Co. A black and white sensation: Tiny Screens a big attraction in early years of television A man works from sun to sun, but a woman's work is never done Indiana Extension Homemakers better the lives of families How to be a good wife The show goes on at The Strand: Kendallville theater survives decades of changes in the movie business Some movies forgettable, but not Cleon Point: Memories of colorful, longtime Strand Theatre manager live on Small towns once supported their own movie theaters 'You'd see everyone there': Kendallville residents have lasting memories of teen hangouts old and new Links of land and lakes: County, state officials worked together to establish Chain O' Lakes State Park William Jennings Bryan among among orators at Rome City's Western Chautauqua Dr. David Rogers - Man of mystery, and benevolence DNR restoration programs working: Once abundant wildlife returning to area Rise of girls athletics have changed face of school sports Decades of intramurals: Before the '70s, girls had limited athletic opportunities Ford Frick was reared on Noble county's sandlots: Baseball executive always considered himself a 'lucky fan' Ruth was greatest player ever: Frick Frick's predictions for 2000 not far off Small Wolf Lake big winner in 1942 basketball regional Four in a row: Finally with a gym of their own, KHS cagers went to 'Sweet 16' four straight years Ink to flow into 21st century at county's newspapers Broadcast media: Manahan was pioneer in Noble County broadcasting WAWK's history dates back to 1959 Soundwaves from the past: Ligonier museum has one of the largest collections of antique radios in U.S. Health trends: Changes through the century occurred in medicine, health care Scarlet fever, polio were early health scares From sanitarium to partnership: A century of Noble County's medical care Funeral directors ran ambulance service in county prior to '74 'EMS arrives in time for '74 tornado LaGrange County doctors once made house calls by horseback Country doctor delivered babies in his home and drove a Thunderbird Service to mankind condensed to footnotes of history Lengthy Mier-Straus rivalry ended with bank merger : German-Jewish immigrants had impact on Ligonier's history Who are the people of the Amish faith? A place to live, farm, worship, and raise families: Amish began settling in LaGrange, Elkhart counties in 1840 Two controversial religious sects from the 1970's have impact on Noble County Churches with rich heritages served parishioners in LaOtto, Ege Rise of girls athletics have changed face of school sports By MATT GETTS The News-Sun KENDALLVILLE - The face of sports in this state changed forever in the 1970s with the Indiana High School Athletic Association's addition of girls sports. The IHSAA officially sanctioned girls volleyball and gymnastics for the 1972-73 school year. Swimming was added in 1974 and girls basketball had its first state finals in 1976. Girls sports have taken off in a big way since, both in participation and the interest of spectators. When the first girls basketball sectionals were held, a total of 63,311 fans attended the games. By 1986, the number of spectators at girls sectionals had grown to 75,534. Then the boom really began. By 1996, more than 141,000 spectators watched girls basketball sectional games. After listing only seven girls sports in the IHSAA's 1976 Yearbook, there were 10 sports by 1986. In girls golf, the number of participants have risen from 396 in 1976 to 919 two decades later. "The biggest change (in the last century) has been the addition of girls sports and more sports for boys and girls," IHSAA Commissioner Bob Gardner said. "There's no question the quality of competition has changed (for girls sports) since the early days." East Noble athletic director Tom Crist has seen the changes in girls sports first-hand. He remembers the early years when it wasn't treated quite as seriously as it is now. "Both teams would sit down and have cookies after the game," he said. That's changed in a big way. "In the last 10 years, girls athletics have come of age," Crist said. The attitude hasn't just changed with the participants, but with the overall view of athletic departments and fans. "We don't have a boys program or a girls program (at East Noble), we have an athletic program," Crist said. "We parallel our boys and girls programs in all sports," Gardner said. The same commitment and dedication found in boys sports are now found in girls sports. Spectators have appreciated the enjoyment of watching the competitive nature of girls sports. More than 145,000 fans watched girls sectional basketball games in Indiana as the 1998 season wound down. Lakeland girls basketball/softball coach Sherry Severson, who began teaching in LaGrange in 1987, has seen girls sports evolve first-hand as well. "The opportunities for women in sports have doubled and tripled," Severson said. "It's just great for girls to have the opportunities." Severson said girls sports have escaped the old stigma which considered such physical activities unlady-like. "It's OK to be a good female athlete," Severson said. "It's not considered not feminine anymore." Gardner said, "People recognize participation in sports and physical exercise is good for everyone." At larger schools, girls can now choose from golf, swimming, gymnastics, soccer, cross country, track, softball, basketball, volleyball and tennis. Not only are the opportunities to participate greater, but the advent of major college women's sports has also increased what sports have to offer athletes. Since Severson has been basketball coach at Lakeland, six of her players have received full-ride college scholarships. The additional opportunities for girls - and boys - has had an impact on attendance. "The spectators we had in the '60s have become participants in the '90s," Crist said. Girls athletics have received a shot in the arm late this decade with the addition of pro sports for women. The WNBA, a fastpitch professional softball league and events such as the Women's World Cup in soccer have given young girls players to emulate.