HOME AWAY FROM HOME

In 1966 and 1967, Australian foreign exchange student Ewan Vickery called Kimball his home, and it appears that after almost 60 years Kimball is still very much home to Ewan.

"The people were lovely, and the town was just a fantastic place," he recalled. "I was a novelty in the town."

Ewan made quite an impression on Kimball and vice versa. During his visit last week, he estimated that this was his 12th or 13th return trip to Kimball to see friends and attend many class reunions.

On Friday, Karen's Kitchen hosted a meet-and-greet for friends and exchange families of Ewan, so they could talk, reminisce, and share some special time with Ewan.

The high school stories flourished at Karen's Kitchen.

"I have a memory for this year you couldn't believe," he said. "I can't do it for any other year of my life, just this year."

In the Jan. 19, 1967, edition of the Observer, a story about Ewan reported that in the 11 months that he was here he visited 21 states and traveled 21,000 miles from Yellowstone National Park to Washington, D.C.

He took pictures and talked on Friday about his vast array of slides in "pristine condition." He had more than 800 slides from his 11 months in the United States when he was 17 and 18 years of age.

Ewan stayed with six different families while in Kimball. He began his year with the Knutsen family, then moved to the home of the Abramsons. Next were the Coulters, and he completed his stay with six week stays with the Ed Robinson family and at the Kinnison and Poundstone homes.

Ewan described his being chosen as a foreign exchange student as "It was my escape from a country town existence. It got me out of what might have been a career of driving trucks for my dad. Because my school grades weren't great."

Ewan graduated with the Class of 1966, then stayed for the first semester with the Class of 1967. He was in Kimball for a calendar year.

Business teacher Mr. Charles Devine was an inspiration to Ewan, as he took business law, applied economics and accounting from Devine. Mr. Devine, 82, returned to Kimball to reconnect with his Australian student.

In 1966, arriving five weeks late into the school year, Ewan studied for Mr. Devine's classes and then asked if he could take the tests from the first five weeks that he had missed. Devine agreed.

Later, Ewan was asked to graduate with the Class of 1966, which was not supposed to be part of the plan and was a big surprise.

Ewan said he found the educational system here "quite liberating" compared to the rigid British type education in Australia.

"I was quite enthusiastic," he said.

Ewan recounted his first morning at the Robinson household. He awoke to Kathy and Linda Robinson practicing their piano downstairs at 6 in the morning.

"That was our schedule," Linda explained.

Ewan said Betty Robinson, another of his hosts, could have been a colonel in the Army considering the large size of her family. Why, he wondered, did they take me on?

"I think it was because Ed (Robinson) and I got along so well," Ewan said. "We became friends forever. The Robinsons were an entirely organized family."

Ewan grew up in a country town in south Australia, and after his experience in the United States as a foreign exchange student he graduated from the University of Adelaide.

He discussed is professional life in Australia.

"I have practiced mostly as a business lawyer on companies and stock exchange stuff," he said. "In the last 20 years, most of my work has gravitated towards negotiating agreements with the Australian Aborigines on behalf of oil, gas and mining companies. There was a high court decision that surprised everybody, so it is all a bit new. And by serendipity, I found myself pioneering some of the documentation."

At 75, he said he is slowing down and retreating into retirement. However, he went on to say that a former partner asked him to help run an investigation into lost American shareholders from the 1950s, which may bring him back to the States for investigative work.