March 2004                                               The Megaphone                                                          Page 8

Bert Manis -- 1910 or later on a line crew

Editor's Note: The following information and photo was sent to me . . . but I'm not familiar with the names . . . perhaps someone will recognize the people mentioned . .  .  

Marv & Pat, 

  I believe the guy 2nd from left is Grandfather Bert Manis. Marv, the widow of Bert Manis is Lucy who was a cook at the high school. Bert died in 1949. Since he was born in 1892, I figure this picture is 1910 and on. Their children were Ethel (Jeffries) Bert Manis and MaryBelle (Fisher). They raised a sister's children upon her death, Walter, Elmer, Denzel and Wilma June Manis. They all went to Elwood schools except Wilma June. Francie Fisher McDaniel was the daughter of MaryBelle & Bert I. Fisher

Submitted by . . . 

Francie (Fisher) McDaniel

Chili -- Bean There, Done That

We've endured several discussions about what constitutes genuine chili. Actually, I only mention it to kill time because I am trying to put off dealing with this meat vs. beans thing. Some people tend to get a little overwrought when discussing this issue, and I know no matter what I say, I'm going to spend the next week or so listening to people complain about it.

Let's start at the beginning. Chile peppers are native to the Amazon region and early on spread through various Native American cultures.

Of course, chiles aren't really pepper, like the stuff on your table. That kind of pepper was one of the things Columbus was on his way to the Orient to buy when he ran into the New World. Apparently, he tried some chiles and figured, what the heck, he'd just call them peppers anyway.

As for the origins of chili, it's hard to say.

There are plenty of accounts of Native Americans in Mexico and the Southwest eating various types of stew flavored with chile peppers. The Aztec emperor Montezuma is said to have eaten a plate of chiles first thing every morning, which certainly would get your blood flowing, although I think I'll stick with oatmeal.

It's seems pretty likely, although not certain, that chili is a Southwestern thing and not Mexican. I found one chili Web site that claimed that until recently the definition of chili in the Diccionario de Mejicanismos was "detestable food passing itself off as Mexican, sold in the U.S.," but since I don't happen to have a copy of the Diccionario de Mejicanismos at hand, I can't vouch for its authenticity.

What we think of as chili probably originated with cowboys who had plenty of beef around and could always find some wild onions and chile peppers to throw in the stew.

Or, if you are of the bean school, what we think of as chili probably got its start as a kind of bean stew with some chile peppers added to brighten it up a bit.

OK, now - beans or meat? Here's my bold stand. Only weenies make chili with . . . Oh, look, we're out of space. Dang. I guess you guys will just have to decide about it yourselves.

Submitted by . . .

Pecos Bill (Dombroski)