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Robert Bike

Robert
Bike

Licensed Massage Therapy #5473
Eugene, Oregon

EFT-CC, EFT-ADV

Teaching Reiki Master

Life Coach

541-465-9486

Gift Certificates

Reiki
Private classes.
Biblical Aromatherapy
Therapeutic Essential
Oil Massages
Member
OMTA & ABMP
President of the Oregon Massage Therapists Association
2008-2010
& 2012-2013

I graduated from Freeport (Illinois) High School.
I'm a Pretzel!

FHS Reunions

Copyright 2002 - present

Latest Copyright
August 20, 2015

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Please help keep
this site free.
Buy one of my books, on sale below.
All sales go to help support this website.

Remarkable Stories,
Volume 1


by Robert Bike

Remarkable events have happened in Freeport and Stephenson County, Illinois, and remarkable people have lived there. These are stories gathered about people and events from 1835 through World War II.

By no means complete, these are overviews of lives and events which shaped our country and our world. From events in the lives of Tutty Baker, Abraham Lincoln, Charles Guiteau, Leonard Colby, Jane Addams and Bob Wienand come stories that will amaze you. Welcome to Volume 1 of our living history.

The author lives in Eugene, Oregon, and works as a Licensed Massage Therapist and Life Coach. An amateur historian, parts of these stories and many more appear on this website.

Buy now! Only 99 cents to download in .pdf format!

Want a paperback? List price $14.99, now only $11.99!

Biblical Aromatherapy

by Robert Bike

The Bible mentions about 232 plants by name, or closely enough to figure out what plant is meant. Of these, 24 are aromatic plants; that is, parts of the plants can be pressed or distilled to get an essential oil. Essential oils are the lifeblood of plants and have tremendous healing capabilities.

The healing power of plants is the basis for modern medicines.

Biblical Aromatherapy
discusses how the plants were used in biblical days and how you can use the essential oils from biblical plants.

Originally published in manuscript form in 1999, I completely revised the book and added illustrations.

To order Biblical Aromatherapy in paperback,
Click here.

List price $24.99; introductory offer $19.99


To order the pdf version and download to your computer or phone,

Click here.

The electronic version is only $2.99!

 

Publicity!

Olga Carlile, columnist for the Freeport (Illinois) Journal Standard, featured this website in her column on January 19, 2007.
Here is a jpg scan.

Harriet Gustason, another columnist for the Freeport Journal Standard, has featured this website twice. Click to see pdf of articles:
June 29, 2012
November 3, 2012

 

"My Life Purpose is to inspire my friends
and clients to achieve
success, health,
wealth and happiness
by empowering them
to reach their potential,
while living in harmony
with each other, animals
and our planet."
Robert Bike

Robert Bike, LMT, LLC

The Polaris is the high school annual from Freeport High School, Freeport, Illinois.

All text and photos Copyright 2002 - present Robert L. Bike, except for photos and direct quotes from the Polaris, which is uncopyrighted material in the public domain.

The Class of 1928

The 1928 Polaris
The 1928 Polaris

Lois Andre,

Warren Babb, Iva Bastian, Marguerite Bauch, Anna Baumgartner, Nelson Baumgartner, Carroll Becker, Harry Becker, Frank Beddoes, Clarice Bender, Forrest Bender, Sam Bolender, Russell Borchers, Mary E. Bowers, William Brice, Leita Brown,

Beryl Carlson, Marguerite Carpenter, Eldred Cole, Donald Cox,

Charles Davis, Othniel Deemer, Donald Dick, Gladys Ditzler, Charles Doerr, Weldon Dole, Maxine Dry, Sarah Duper,

Margaret Esmay,

Robert Fifer, Mary Fosha, Ida Freerksen, Jacob Frehner, George Frehner, Virgel Fry,

Kathryn Garrison, Thomas Goetz, Mabel Goranson,

Helen Hamnet, Dorothy Harroun, Elizabeth Hartman, Jennie Hawes, Jane Hayes, Robert Hayes, Beatrice Heine, Beulah Heitz, John Held, Jacob Hess, Catherine Hummel,

1928 Senior Matilda KranerEleanor Ickes,

Lowry Johnson,

Verla Kaufman, Wilbur Kerlin, Elta May Kerch, Raymond Kerch, Francis Kiefer, Margaret Kline, Lucille Kortemier, Matilda Kraner, Leslie Krauthoff, Gertrude Krieg,

Victor Lamm, Marjorie Law, Bernice Lenaur, Henrietta Lohff,

Lee Madden, Maurice Madden, John Manion, Charles McCool, Thomas McLarnon, Dahl Metters, Vinona Miller, Dorothy Jean Moore, William Mosely,

Jenona Neff,

Catherine Oberhart, Gladys Otto,

Russell Pash, Kathryn Perry, Margery Perry, David Phillips, Mabel Phillips, Gerald Plowman, Annagene Prall, Frank Putnam,

Harold Rhynders, Robert Rhynders, Pearl Rizner, Victor Rockey, Roy Roddewig, Paul Rhode, James Rought, Margarete Rought, Edward Rubendall, Alfred Rund, Benjamin Rush, Ralph Ruthe, Elizabeth Ryan,

Marion Sage, Margaret Schmich, Dorothy Schmidt, Leola Schramm, Anna Secker, Emogene Shank, J. Daniel Shelley, Richard Shouer, Gertrude Smith, Harold Smith, Mildred Soladay, Dorothy Spangler, Arthur Steffen,

Hershel Taber, James Taber, Evelyn Taylor, Alvin Toelle, Ralph Tuell,

Marguerite Welty, Emerson Williams, Ina Witte, Kathryn Witte, Margaret Wittenmeyer, Barbara Wright, Dorothy Wubbena, Robert Wurtzel,

LeRoy Young.


Henrietta Lohff married Robert P. Wurtzel Nov. 22, 1933. Henrietta and Bob were known around the midwest as “The Magical Wurtzels.” Their talents took them around the U.S., to Cuba, Canada and Hawaii. During World War II, Henrietta Bob created “The Wurtzel News,” a concise edition of the happenings and whereabouts of service men and women from the area, in addition to tidbits of Freeport news. The Wurtzels were widely-known for their annual Open Houses, featuring performances by magicians throughout the midwest.

Henrietta Wurtzel was known as Freeport’s "First Lady of Magic” and was a member of the national organization, “Magic Gals.” Her memberships included being an officer of Freeport Women’s Club, the Culture Club, the YWCA, a 50-year-member of Winneshiek Players, a life member of Stephenson County Historical Society and a life member of Freeport Memorial Hospital Auxiliary.

Henrietta Wurtzel, Lady of Magic (scan courtesy of Alice Horner)A member of St. John United Church of Christ, she served as a Sunday school teacher, a member of the church dramatic Guild, President of the Women’s Fellowship, and was a past officer of the Golden Agers. (Scan of Henrietta's magic brochure courtesy of Alice Horner.)

She & Bob set up a scholarship for Highland Community College students. She presented her scholarship to a student in person at the annual scholarship program. When it was time to give the scholarship, it would seemed to have “disappeared.” But Henrietta always had her “magic purse” and “magic wand” which made the scholarship re-appear, to the relief of the recipient student and the delight of the audience.

Bob died April 4, 1983, just a few months short of their 50th Wedding Anniversary. Henrietta died at age 98, on May 11, 2008.


William Mosely was only the second black student to graduate from Freeport High School. He lettered in basketball and football, sang with the glee club, and was in the latin club.


Stephenson Street

This is a card from the 1920s showing a brick paved Stephenson Street, looking west. The first building on the left is a bakery; the second is a hardware store. Then comes State Street, and the tall State Bank building. Trolley tracks run up the middle of the street. On the right, the tall brick building with the flag is the old Brewster Hotel, where Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas stayed during the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas Debate. Little's China Plate Tower is just visible beyond the Brewster. On the near side of State Street is the cupola of what was in my day Garrity's Drug Store. The next store is a tire store, which prophetically advertises Kelly Springfield Tires. In the 1960s, Kelly Springfield opened a tire factory just east of Freeport. The next nearest sign says Cigars, with a small sign underneath that says, Bowling. On the street are a mixture of automobiles and a horse-drawn wagon.


Sharon Kayne wrote to me asking about her grandfather, Frank Putnam, so I scanned some photos of him from the 1928, 1927 and 1926 Polarises. They are shown below. She send me a newspaper clipping telling about a trip he took with two friends, Albert Kircher and Arthur Cremer, in a Model T Ford they bought for $15. They saw the West Coast on a 5000 mile drive.


Frank Putnam's senior page.


Frank Putnam's senior photo.
"A gallant knight in sunshine and in shadow."


Frank lettered on the Lightweight Basketball team.
In the bottom photo, the head coach on the far right is Adolph Rupp, who went on to coach at the University of Kentucky, where his squads won several national championships, and the current basketball arena is named after him.


Frank Putnam's Lightweight Basketball team.


Frank Putnam lettered for the football team.
Note the leather helmets.
In the top photo is a game being played in the Pretzel Bowl, with a portion of Freeport High School shown behind.


Frank Putnam's junior photo from the 1927 Polaris.


Frank lettered for the Lightweight Basketball squad his junior year.
In the top photo is the old gym.


Frank Putnam's sophomore photo.


Polaris Home

Freeport High School

Click on any year in the chart below to see the class and other info,
such as postcards, people and events from that year.

1928
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

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