As a college junior, I took an advanced photojournalism course offered at Kansas State University. I made friends with a fellow photography student who apparently kept close tabs on the weekly surplus sales held at Ft. Riley. Thanks to his updates on what was being offered, I made several Tuesday afternoon road trips over to the post in search of irresistible deals.
Once I found 100 foot rolls of Ansco film selling at a fraction of what I was paying for a comparable Kodak film. I bought several rolls with plans to load it into 35 mm cartridges.
I tried the film but wasn't happy with the results. It recorded images but the contrast was low. While it didn't show after developing, the undeveloped film's antihilation backing looked like it had been in the Southeast Asia jungles and was being consumed by a jungle fungus for it seemed to have something living on the film surface. I promptly froze all the film.
On another of my friend's inspired trips to the surplus exchange, I bought a 400-foot roll of 35 mm infrared black and white film. It didn't seem to be as old but infrared film sees the world differently than the more common panchromatic or orthochromatic film.
I suspect the film was surplus from a Vietnam era aerial surveillance project for infrared film allows the creation of images which are of a different color temperature than their surroundings.In total darkness, I cut the film in about three foot long strips, loaded it for use in my 35 mm camera and began experimenting with it. I grew tired of experimenting with the film and eventually tossed most of it out.
The use of the film required a special filter, a tripod and focus adjustments. Film camera lens of that time came with special red focusing marks which were used with infrared films. When a single lens reflex camera was used with the film, the normal focusing and framing methods did not work.
One of my experiments included taking a picture of the late George Higer's home located a couple miles southwest of my home on Blauvelt's Hill.
Last week, while looking through a wooden four-drawer file cabinet that was also obtained through a military surplus program, I found an 8x10 enlargement I had made from the Higer negative more than 50 years ago.
While scanning documents the Farm Service Agency needed, I decided to scan the Higer House print and post it to a social media page that features old and abandoned buildings.
I am amazed at the interest that photo is generating. I didn't think it a particularly good photo but at this writing more than 400 people have liked the photo, many people have made comments and I have no idea how many people have looked at it.
It hadn't been posted but a few hours before members of the Higer family spotted it and began sharing their memories. Cynthia Higer commented, "This was my Great Grandpa George A. Higer's home. Many wonderful memories of visiting that handsome, white-mustached gentle man.
"There was an old crank phone on the wall; he had an old blue cook stove in the kitchen; and the French doors to the dining room were always kept closed (at least while the great-grandkids were there). The round oak dining table held the opened family Bible on an ornate book holder.
"On warm summer days the cerulean blue shingles on the stately home nearly 'evaporated' into the clear sky."
Another great-granddaughter, Linda Hale, said, "I recall Three Musketeers candy bars being handed out to the children. Also, a hand pump at kitchen sink which was probably a rare item then.
"I've always wondered what the second floor looked like. Was not allowed up there either.
Ruth Pearce, a great-granddaughter, said, "I'm thinking it was cold upstairs and they didn't want to lose the heat from downstairs. But if that was an all-season rule (not to open the door to upstairs) then I've not got the answer."
Ruth also remember when the family got together, all the youngsters ate on the steps. She speculated the upstairs may have been off limits because it was easier to keep an eye on the youngsters and their chocolate covered hands if they had access to only part of the house.
Cynthia also remembered the large 3 Musketeers candy bars he had for the youngsters. If he was out of those candy bars, they would get a chocolate covered cherry or a large marshmallow.
"It seemed he always wore bibbed overalls. I recalled he 'dressed up' once for a picture by putting on a suite jacket over his overalls. He also had an old collie, Shep. When Great-Grandpa sat in oak rocking chair, Shep would lay at his feet."
I was never in the house but I remember he was one of two neighbors who sometimes drove their horses to town. While the men were doing their trading, they tied the teams and wagons to hitching posts which were on the east side of the 300 Block of Commercial Street.
When this picture was taken, the house was empty and it appeared weeds were taking over. However the picture shows evidence of the vehicles which once gathered in the front yard.
The house may be gone but memories of it live on. It was a beautiful country home of the kind our forefathers worked hard to build and located on a hill along Jewell County's Diamond Road. It was built for a different time, a time when the heating, cooling and lighting demands were much different than they are now.
After being forgotten about for more than 50 years, I'm glad someone finally had the opportunity to enjoy my picture.
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