Decorah public opinion., December 21, 1921, Image 1

About Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928

Image provided by: State Historical Society of Iowa

                
TWELVE PAGES
Vol. XXVII.
NEW SCHOOL
BY MAJORITY 361
HMJI \ «ters Out Thursday. Num
ber Nearly Equalled That of
General Election Last Fall.
WOMEN OUTVOTED THE
MEN BY GOOD MARGIN
Preparations Under Way to Get New
Building Started First Thing
In The Spring.
Decorah is going to have a new
high school building. That question
was decisvely settled at the special
election held here * last Thursday
afternoon, when 1901 voters were
out and cast their respective votes
.for and against the proposition
which carried by a majority of 367
wotes.
The women outnumbered the men
voters by 64. There were-983 wo
men at the polls and 918 men. The
vote follows:
How the Women Voted.
“Yes” 591
“No" 349
Defective ballots 43
Total
How the Men Voted.
'‘Yes 508
“No” 383
Defective ballots 27
Total 918
By the figures it will be shown
that 70 voters did not know how to
mark their ballots. 27 men failed
ard 43 women. Some wrote the
4 'Yes" and some the word “No”
,-An die ballot. Others made their
mark over either the word “yes”
or “no", thus invalidating their bal
©ts.
*t was the largest vote ever polled
at a school election in Decorah, by
far, and almost equalled /' e vote in
the city here at the naK nal election
last fall. At that time their were
2,259 votes cast, only 374 more than
at the school election Thursday.
Two previous elections were held
this year on the same proposition
and it was defeated each time. On
Jan. 10 their were 1391 votes cast,
f 765 men and 626 women, and the
proposition lost by a majority of
292. The women’s vote against the
proposition that time was 117 and
the men 175. There were only 7
defective ballots cast by the women
and 18 by the men.
On June 30 the second election was
held and the proposition defeated.
At this election 1139 votes were cast,
the men casting 616 and the women
523, and the proposition lost by 126
votes. At that time there were
24 defective ballots cast by the men
and 31 by the women.
After the fact became know r n that
the proposition had safely carried
there was a big jollification on the
streets by numerous school chidren
and some elders. There was almost
as muck excitement here as the day
the armistice was signed. Tin pans,
old cans, horns and most any thing
that would make a noise was
brought into play ami pandemonium
reigned supreme for several hours.
One feature of the celebration that
could have been left out was the
vi.-it to the homes of several who
had opposed the proposition, by a
• number of the young people, led by
their elders, to impress the fact on
the opposition that they had won. |
The good big boost the new school ■
got at the election naturally made
many feel jubilant, and quite natur
ally at times the jubilation part is
overworked.
The board has not decided just!
yet on the matter of building, but (
it is expected that in a very short j
time plans will be under way. Bond
buyers are after the bonds already,
and when the preliminaries are all
settled bids will be let for the new |
j building. We understand it will be
built on the school grounds, just
north of the old building. There 1
has been some talk that the loca
tion should be changed, but looking
at it from all angles the location
look< like as good one as could be
I found here, and it is centrally locat*
I ed also. A new location would mean
I a considerable expense, and we don’t
I believe the board cares to incur any
I more than is absolutely necessary.
I But all these matters will be gone
['over thoroughly before the building
I is put under way.
I The following letter concerning the
I recent school ejection was received
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A MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OURREADERS AND FRIENDS.
Hkcorah JJwblic ©pinion.
‘HAILTHE WOMAN’
COMING TO STAR
New Special Production to be Seen
Here on Monday and Tuesday,
Dec. 26 and 27
ONE OF FIRST SHOWINGS
IN UNITED STATES
Santa Claus Plays Role in Christmas
Scene. Doubting Kiddies ‘ Will
all Wonder.
“Ain’t no Santy Claus."
“Is.”
“Ain’t.”
“My paw says there is."
“Your paw’s fooling you like they
fool all the other kids."
“No, sir, it’* true. Saw Santy
Claus myself."
“Nobody ever seen Santy Claus,
because there ain’t no Santy Claus.”
“I saw him myself right in the mo
vies, and it’s true,”
“No fooling?”
“Sure I ain’t fooling. He was
there.”
So that settled it, and here is how
it happened.
A few chunks of cardboard, a
bucket of salt, some plaster, some
bits of old glass and a few odds and
ends—and presto!—it was Christmas
eve.
And as the moon glistened on the
bitter cold New England town with
the spire of the Methodist church,
austere and chilling, dominating the
snow-bedecked landscape, Santa
Claus, reindeer team and all, flew
across the horizon to fill the stock
ings of the good little boys and girls.
The scene described is part of
Thoifias H. Ince’s big picture drama
“Hail the Woman,” which will be at
the Star next Monday and Tuesday,
Der, 2/5 ard P 7. .The bleak village 'is
a minature, built at the Ince studios
in Culver City, Cal. where the ther
mometer never goes below 50 de
grees.
It was an exact replica of the little
town of Flint Hill, Mass., where the
Ince drama is laid. Of course it was
impossible to find snow even in Flint
Hill in the summer time, and it
would have been impractical to trans
plant the cast of players to New
England for the required soene. So
Mr. Ince called on Nick Kaltenstad
lerr—Camouflage Nick they call him,
and Nick took a few knick-knacks
and built it.
It was complete in every detail.
Cardboard and plaster built the
houses, the stores and even the
church. Little twigs from the studio
lawn furnished the trees. Old pieces
of glass provided the windows. Clip
ings from newspapers furnished the
signs. And plaster and salt made
the snow.
When it was finished double ex
posure photography brought Santa
Claus (Oh, the genuine, of course!)
and his reindeer. -
And as the scene flashed across
the screen, it is said, doubting kid
dies who see it will wonder if, after
all, there isn’t really a Santa Claus.
Some People's Nerve
“You will never get anywhere un
less you/have higher ideals than
this,” preached the woman to whose
door the tramp had applied for as
sistance. “Are you really content to
spend your life walking around the
country begging?”
“No, lady, answered Weary Wil
lie. “Many’s the time I’ve wished
I had an auto.”
A Swell Shyidigger, You Know
She—“ What does Jack mean when
he says I slide a slippery heel ?”
—“That’s just his slang; he means
that you shake a wicked hoof.’’
by Dr. A. F. Barfoot from John Fos
ter, Secretary of the Board on Sec
ondary School Relations.
December 17th, 1921.
Dr. A. F. Barfoot,
Decorah, lowa.
D'ear Dr. Barfoot:
j 1 rejoice with you over- the good
news contained in your letter of the
16th inst. It is fine that this ques
tion has now been settled in the
right way and by such a decisive
majority. This means a great deal
to the children of the Decorah school
district.
I P. S. Since Decorah has taken
this step to improve housing condi
tions, there is no question that the
High School will remain on the
North Central accredited list.
Very sincerely yours,
[ JOHN E. FOSTER,
1, Secretary of the Board on Sec
ondary School Relations.
. CORAH, WINNESHIEK COUNTY, IOWA, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21,1921
MURDER HEARING
IS STILL ON
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Secret Hearing of the Van Brocklin
Murder Case Has Now Entered
On the Second Week.
NO NEWS HAS
BEEN GIVEN OUT
More Than Twenty Witnesses Have
Been Examined, And AH
Anglea Are Being
Probed.
The secret hearing of the Van
Brocklin murder case is still on at
the court house, and has now enter
ed its second w’eek, and no intimation
has been given out as to when it
will end.
County Attorney Nelson is con
ducting a thorough investigation be
fore Justice H. F. Barthell, and El
mer Van Brocklin who was arrested
[in connection with the crime is
represented by attorneys C. N.
[Houck and Frank Sayre.
No other arrests have been made
in the case so far, and until the
hearing is concluded nothing will be
given out to the public. How much
longer the hearing will last is not
known at this writing.
The Decorah lodge of Elks are
foaking elaborate preparations for
their annual Open House, which will
be held this year on Monday, Jan.
2. A class of sixty or more new
members will be initiated during the
afternoon. At six o’clock a big ban
quet will be put on at the Winne
shiek Hotel, which will be attended
by practically all the Elks of the
local lodge.
Before the initation a big parade
will take place on the street. Watch
-for
After the banquet a big dance will
be put on in the lobby of the Win
neshiek, and it will be open to the
general public, and everybody cor
dially invited to attend. Remember
it makes no difference whether you
belong to the Elks or not, you are
cordially invited to attend the dance.
ELKS WILL KEEP
OPEN HOUSE
Big Banquet Will be Served at th*
Winneshiek Hotel on Monday
Evening, Jan. 2.
CLASS 60 INITIATED
IN THE AFTERNOON
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Big Dance Will Follow the Banquet
In the Lobby of the Hotel,
To Which All Are '
Invited.
The famous.“ Big Five” basket hf"
team that brought So much fame U
Decorah last fall, will be organized
again here and Che flr&t game sche
duled is with the Denver, Colorado
Athletic Club team here on Dec. 28.
The gam** will be r’s-ed L"
ADAMS SEED CO.
STOCKHOLDERS
in Big Meeting at the Company’s
Offices Here Last Friday.
Important Meeting Held-
COMPANY READY
TO BRANCH OUT
dAs Added a Wholesale and Mail
Order Garden Seed Department
In Charge of Expert,
A special niMtlftg ef the stdfk
holders of the Adams Seed Cdmptthy'
of this City was held in the officer
of the company, December 16th, for
the purpose of considering special
plans for the coming year. In spite
of the very bad weather and road
conditions, the meeting was well at
tended, a mojority of the stockhold
ing present either in person or by
proxy.
It will be remembered that Mr.
Therkildson of Chicago spoke at the
. court house last September in re
gard to the future of this local
enterprise. Since that date the com
pany has worked out a definite pro
gram for expanding their business
and has added a wholesale and mail
order garden seed department in
charge of Mr. F. W. Maas, who for
several years was intimately con
nected with the Burpee Seed Com
pany of Philadelphia. Last Friday’s
meeting was just another step in
putting these plans into active oper
ation. Mr. W. F. Therkildson of
Chicago on account of his close con
nection wit! the company, was pre
sent at the meeting, and will be a
regular visitor in Dncor vh, He spoke
to the stocl* -older;■> going into con
siderable dei .il and pointing out the
e „ont p**.. 1 ' jA* li as *md
in the vegetable and flower seed end
of the business which the Adam:;.
Seed Company has never engaged in
except in a very limited way. Mr.
Therkildson speaks with much au
thority being one of the outstanding
figures in the seed trade of the U.
S. He predicted that the Adams
Seed Company, with adequate home
support, could be within the next
few years, one of the leading mail
order seed houses of the country.
“Everything is In their favor’’,
Mr. Therkildsbn said. “Geographical
position means much in the seed
business, and the Adams Seed Com
pany, not only has in this respect
a very distinct advantage over mbst
of the seed houses, but in addition
is located in one of the best farminr;
and gardening sections of the who’ i
country.”
A big time is promised everybody so
remember the date and be one of the
merry dancers.
ther College gymnasium. Mr. Ed.
Herwig, who successfully managed
last year’s team has made arrange
ments for the game. It goes without j
saying that this great team wil! i
' houses, as the team is
r i
,
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• '■■*»■***•' . ’ “ <j;
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BURGLARS ROB
OSSIAN STORE
Joseph Spillman Drug and Jewelry
Store Entered M< nday Night.
Over S3OQ Loos.
KAUT
TO GET THE ROBBER
Fellow Who Did the Job Evidenty a
Professional Crook, and
Doubled in His
Tracks.
Tea*. - . sr
Last Monday night Ossian had ftrt
©th#f burglary, the drug and jewelry
»tor£ of Joseph Spillman being en
tered aiki H>bbed of about S3OO in
jewelry, ivory gOOdd* Watches, rings,
etc. The cash register was relieved
of $5.00 in cash.
Bloodhounds were brought to Os
sian yesterday, and the dogs went
to a certain home five different
times, the burgluF having' #Vl4dntly
gone to the vicinity of this Homo
and then doubled back in his tracks.
No arrests were made, and it is
figured the fellow who did the job
is a professional crook, and covered
up his tracks in good shape, so the
bloodhounds were unable to track
him.
Messiah Pleased Big Audience
Last Sunday the oratorio Messiah
was given at the F. N. E. L. church
under the directorship of Prof. Carlo
A. Sperati and the church choir. The
chorus , numbered about 70. The
soloists were Mrs. L. A. Moe, so
prano,; Mrs. A. M. Rovelstad. alto;
Mr. Fred A. Grundeland, of Calmar,
tenor and S. O. Orwell, of Luther
college, bass. Mrs. Rove's tad and
M rs. Moe MUP&the parts’ l*ist,
ear, auri *bc<.af ~<<{** v o.intrv*
ful together. The chorus was well j
balanced and all acquitted them
selves handsomely. The orchestra
aocompanient w r as excellent, and the
piano playing of Oscar Strom was
highly complimented. The presenta-,
tion of the Messiah is a distinct
honor to Prof. Sperati and he is to
be congratulated on his good work.
o
Five in a Family Fallacy
For years, the economists have
been using the estimate of five per
sons in the average wage-earner’s
family—husband, wife, and three j
children under fourteen—in arriving |
at conclusions in regard to wages, I
budgets, cost of living, etc. The
Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce’s
Committee on Industrial Relations
announces that the average number of
persons supported by one wage
earner is 2.46.
0
Your bad traits came from your
ancestors but your good ones are all
due to yourself.
this section. The old lineup will
on 'he floor and 'it goes without
saying they will give the fans their
money's worth. Remember next
Wednesday evening at the college
gym. Lets start the team off right
and give them a parked house.
TWELVE PAGES
MURDERER FEARS
MOD VIOLENCE
| Sl Wcr Earl Thfoul In the Waukotl
■ r Jail Afraid of the Death Pen
alty. Will Gft Hi** *»
i*entenc« Soon.
T ' ■ - •- ' — l *•%
[’PLEADS guilty
BEFORE JUDGE TAYLOR
i
Four Murder Canes Disposed of in
This Section of the State Within
The Last Ten Days.
Waukon, di?sih» i>f
Earl Throat, expressed to County
. Attorney E. F. Pieper, of Allama
! kee county, that he be brought be
, fore the district court judge at an
I early date to plead guilty to the
murder of Inga Magnuson at the
Bergen district school Monday, Dec. ’
12 is beleived to be prompted by a
desire to cheat the hangman’s noose.
Sentitrigrtt against Throst Is so
strong that it is believed a strong
fight would be made by the state
t.* have the death penalty inflicted if
, he went to trial ami a verdict of
guilty resulted.
Throst knows how strong the feel
ing against him is running
throughout the county. He was
trembling and fearful when he was
biought into Waukon Tuesday night
and smuggled secretly into the
county jail by way of a back door in
order that an ominous crowd of
several hundred people who had as
sembled in fipnt of ihe jail might
not resort to violence.
The slightest noise causes Throst
in his cell, to tremble and gaze fear
fully toward the entrance to his jail
quarters. He is still afraid of mob
violence. . * •
v, +4" x ' x of
(school fceacner seemsld be aDsolute
i ly remorseless over his deed, but in
abject fear for his own personal
safety.
Knowning that the state has built
up a powerful case against him, be
dsides having his voluntary, signed
confession, and that a verdict of
guilty would be practically assured
if he went to trial, Throst indicated
after he waiving preliminary hearing
that he wanted his case settled
quickly. He told County Attorney
Pieper that he would like to go be
fore the court with as little delay as
I possible and enter a plea of guilty.
Attorney Bert Hendrick is repre
, senting Throst. He has had several
conferences with the prisoner.
A later dispatch from Waukon has
the following to say regarding the
case:
Earl Throst made no appeal for
mercy to*’ Judge Taylor when he
pleaded guilty to murdering Inga
Magnuson at her lonely school house
near Dorchester last Monday.
Whether he hangs or spends the
rest of his life in prison, is now
within the discretion of the judge.
Judge .Taylor will sentence him
later in the week.
It is probable that he will ex
amine j into the young man’s men
tality. There have been reports
that he was mentally incompetent
■ and had a guardian. This arose
from the fact that he mysteriously
disappeared at one time a year or
two ago and it was necessary to
appoint a custodian to conserve
his farm property that was left
without care during his absence.
He reappeared as unexpectedly as
he had dropped from ’ sight, and
has never explained or discuss"d
his absence.
This is the fourth \ ca e
disposed of in this section c r the
state within the last ten day . •
At Elkader last week, Pe.vr
| Kleinow pleaded guilty to the mur
der of , his former sweetheart,
j ' *'ier Kersten, and A. M. Schmi It
I was J guilty of mansjaugh.er
! in killing Andrew Rapp of Dubuque.
At West Union Mrs. EfTie A. h
i baugh was found not guilty of the
murder of her husband.
The girl reporter accepted the
editor's invitation to dinner, and
when asked how she enjoyed it, said.
“Oh fine, but I’ll never go to din
ner with an editor again."
“Why not?”
“Well the dinner was fine, but he
blue-penciled about three-quarters of
my order.”—London Opinion.
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The clever liar knows he is,
knows you know he is, and makes
you like him anyway.
NO. 51
True to Form
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