Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Kosciusko County Historical Society’s 60th annual banquet reminded those in attendance about the significance of history through women’s athletics.
Rita Price, a member of the Indiana Broadcasters Hall of Fame and the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame, spoke at the banquet about her history with Indiana basketball, including in Kosciusko County.
Price, who was on air for 10 years, recalled her early days in broadcasting when the radio station wanted to expand its sports coverage. She was asked to handle interviews, statistics and game coverage. Price reflected on the challenges she faced, noting that some women broadcasters quit on the spot because of the protectiveness surrounding girls basketball teams at the time.
“Warsaw won the state tournament. Every week it became more and more popular. One time we had a game at Benton Central, and they sold out all the tickets for the closed-circuit TV in the auditorium,” Price recalled.
When Price asked Judi Warren, also a member of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame, where her orange Chuck Taylors were, Warren admitted she had thrown them away.
“You threw away part of the history!” Price said she told her. “She said, ‘Yeah, but I didn’t think it would be this way.’” Price admitted that no one at the time thought they were making history – they were just having fun. “It was great!”
“Pat Roy really pushed for girls to play full-court basketball,” Price said. “There actually were people on the IHSAA board who said they thought all the running would make it so people would not be able to reproduce and have babies. That was how backward it was.”
Price recalled the victories, dinners and fun she had during that time with the girls basketball teams.
“I became part of that, and the exposure I got there – it might’ve been years before I accomplished what I did, and maybe even never. So the girls always like to remind me, ‘We made you everything you are today,’ and they are right,” Price joked.
Through all the funny anecdotes and memories, Price said supporting high school athletes is one of the best ways to help build character in a person. She left attendees with this message: “There was one slogan that fit so many things, and it said, it makes no difference what you accomplish. It makes no difference what made you rich. It makes no difference what people think about it. But it does make a difference – the most important thing is the way you make people feel.”
Museum Director Teresa Jones gave a recap of the year. The museum currently has about 400 members, and since the last banquet has seen about 1,300 visitors, mostly from the U.S., but also from Germany, Switzerland and Spain.
Jones said the museum’s social media presence has grown, and staff have been having fun using platforms like Facebook and YouTube to connect with others. That outreach even led to a large financial donation to the museum.
Working with the Warsaw Public Library, the museum received a Heritage Support Grant from the Indiana Historical Society to help with the preservation of Kosciusko County history.
Other recent highlights include:
• New items in the gift shop such as postcards, DVDs, stickers and books.
• More programming, including Greg Steffe’s recorded presentation on John Dillinger.
• A new interpreter helping visitors understand the history of the log cabin and the Pound Store.
• Increased involvement from high school students interested in history, including participation in National History Day with Tippecanoe Valley High School students.
• The return of school tours.
• The museum’s Women in Sports event was named Indiana Outstanding Event by the Indiana Historical Society. Representatives from the society will visit next month to present the award.
• Next year marks the sesquicentennial — the 250th anniversary of the United States.
Jones also reminded attendees that memberships expire Dec. 31.
In the genealogy library, librarian Sharon Whetstone thanked all the volunteers who dedicated their time and effort. Whetstone said the library will be closed starting Dec. 13 until the first week of March, but staff will continue working to make the library more organized.
Sharon Whetstone, librarian for the museum, giving updates on the genealogy department.
She thanked “the best cleaner and organizer, Elaine,” who made inventory lists of all documents in the library to improve access.
Of the $5,000 grant from the Indiana Historical Society, about $4,900 was spent at a bindery in North Manchester to preserve the library’s collection of plat books, the earliest dating back to 1869. The books include information about property ownership and land use in Kosciusko County.
Forty-four families have visited the library to research their family legacies, and 22 have shared memories and stories.
“We have a claw binder, and we can put those memories together for you,” Whetstone said.
She added that donated materials have helped connect families through old photos – one set of pictures was even matched with another family tree through the Ancestry website using AI technology.
The genealogy group meets from 10 a.m. to noon the third Tuesday of each month, and anyone interested in genealogy is invited. Whetstone said the department has received donated directories, which were rebound and preserved, and they plan to apply for another grant to continue preservation efforts.
A tag sale will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18 to help fund the rebinding of old directories.
The library’s Volunteer of the Year is Faye Myers, who was not present for the event. Myers has a background in education and has served as a researcher, presenter, proofreader, board member and bylaw writer. Whetstone said she asked Myers three years ago to serve as county genealogist, and she enthusiastically accepted.
The museum’s Volunteer of the Year is Judy Kinsey. When the Women in Sports exhibit was being planned, Kinsey led research efforts and inspired the team.
“To be able to work on committees has been invigorating – it’s refreshing,” Kinsey said.
Officers for 2026 were elected during the banquet and include Greg Steffe, president; Cynthia Green, vice president; Jan Sloan, assessor; Kathy Patterson, secretary; Sheryl Hanna, assistant; and Jim Tinkey, treasurer.
Steffe reminded attendees that anyone who would like a full financial disclosure for the year may contact him or Tinkey. The report is available to members as required by the organization’s 501(c)(3) status.
Seven people were elected to the Kosciusko County Historical Society board, including two new members: Patterson, who was also re-elected as secretary for 2026, and William Stockdale, an elder law attorney in Warsaw.
They join board members Elaine Beeching, Hanna (re-elected as assistant secretary), Harry Gigous, Marianne Prater and Judy Truex.
For more information about the Kosciusko County Historical Society, visit its website or Facebook page.
