August 11, 1944

Rock Port is to have a three-day rodeo August 16-18. It will be staged on the local sales pavilion and sponsored by the Rock Port Rotary Club. Unlike last year’s entertainment, there will not be a horse show in connection with the rodeo. Last year’s entertainment, the first endeavor of its kind on the community for some years, attracted large crowds during the three-day presentation, and everyone agreed that they got their money’s worth. The show will include the usual broncho riding, roping, etc., with a promise that there will be plenty of thrills and spills, free acts and concessions.

August 14, 1969

The school building at Watson has been placed on the market for sale according to the action take by the Rock Port R-2 board at a meeting Tuesday night. Legal notice calls for a submission of bids to be delivered to the office of the superintendent in Rock Port not later than 4:00 p.m. September 4.

The building was closed after combining the Rock Port and Watson districts and then reopened for two years with junior high students attending classes there.

The study disclosed that the students were receiving fewer hours education per day as transportation was consuming most of their time. It was also found that a larger expanded curriculum could be offered if the students were attending the Rock Port school with the utilization of qualified teachers. Cost of transportation and cost of upkeep also figured to a great extent in the decision to sell the building. Another factor on the move was the inability to administer necessary disciplinary measures over the students so distant from the principal.

August 11, 1994

Stephen Gaines was one of the three recipients for the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame’s post-graduate scholarships for 1994. As a four-year letter winner and three-year starter at his inside-linebacker position, Stephen played a big part in Bobcat football during his career. As excellent student-athlete, he earned All-American honors and was chosen for the NAIA’s scholar-athlete listings with his GPA of 3.84. Steve was named the Omaha World-Herald’s All-NAIA Nebraska first-time defense his junior and senior years and was chosen as captain for 1993 play. He was honorable-mention All-American in 1992, a selection for the 1993 NAIA Division 11 All-American 2nd team, and two-time preseason All-American and Student Athlete choice of College Football Preview magazine.