2009 a special year for Schmale
Thursday, January 14, 2010 - 6:03 pm
By Shari ReisdorffFor the Banner-Press
The Ulysses Post Office building sits near the former business district of Ulysses, its modern architecture sharply contrasting with old-time frame or brick structures that long ago closed their doors to commerce.
Still, Ulysses Postmaster Rueben Schmale believes the village is still a very active community on account of its residents. He interacts with many of them on a daily basis while providing them with mail service using both a smile and genuine concern.
It was for such attitude that Schmale was named Postmaster of the Year during 2009 by the
Nebraska Chapter of the League of Postmasters.
The organization, which holds training classes for postmasters, honored Schmale at its convention in April.
"I was really surprised to get the award," said Schmale, a former David City resident who now lives in Seward. "I've really enjoyed my 19 years with the post office," he added.
As a Malcolm area farm native and an agri-business graduate of Platte College at Columbus, Schmale worked for Excel in Schuyler for 10 years. He joined the U.S. Postal Service in 1990 and served as both a city delivery carrier and counter clerk in David City. He then served as acting postmaster at Clarks before becoming postmaster at Ulysses in 2001.
As a member of the League since 1991, Schmale believes the future of small towns like Ulysses and the U.S. Postal Service go hand-in-hand.
"Closing a small-town post office will only feed our competition," he said.
Modern technology like electronic email might lead some persons to believe that the U.S. Postal
Service is outdated. However, Schmale said parcel shipping via the Postal Service has actually increased.
"The Internet has opened a whole new venue of people sending packages," Schmale said. He added this includes people who order merchandise over the Internet or who sell items by eBay.
Schmale said a local post office is otherwise the identity of a small town.
"People come in here and ask us something you wouldn't ask a stranger," Schmale noted. "They ask if there are any houses to rent, if I can refer them to someone who cuts down trees, or someone with hay for sale."
The Ulysses Post Office otherwise has a rural route that includes serving the village of Surprise. Gene Schneider is rural carrier, while Annette Beringer is substitute carrier. Anita Klement is relief postmaster for Ulysses.
Schmale said small-town post offices will continue to have "a legitimate purpose" as a convenience to patrons in a variety of ways.
"One customer said he has telephone, telegraph and tell-a-Reuben," he added.
