The Bluffton news. [volume], April 27, 1939, Image 1

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BLUFFTON NEWS
The Advertising Medium for
Bluffton Trade Territory
VOLUME NO. LXIII
58 TO GRADUATE
AT HIGH SCHOOL
Former Urbana School Head
Will Speak at Class
Exercises. May 25
Graduating Class Smaller Than
That of 1938 Has 33 Boys
And 25 Girls
A class of 58, made up of 33 boys
and 25 girls, will be graduated from
Bluffton High school this spring, ac
cording to the tenative list announced
this week by Supt. A. J. B. Longs
dorf.
As a climax to their four years of
high school activity, the graduating
seniors will receive diplomas at com
mencement exercises Thursday night,
May 25.
Charles Cookson, formerly superin
tendent of the Urbana public schools,
will be the class speaker this year.
His subject has been announced as
“Building Character.”
Other commencement week activi
ties include the junior-senior banquet,
May 19 senior class night, May 24
and presentation of the senior class
play. May 22 and 23.
Smaller Cass
This year’s graduating class is
considerably smaller than that of 1938
when 72 received diplomas. In 1937
a class of 50 was graduated.
Members of the senior class includ
ed on the tentative graduating list in
clude:
Ivan Agin, Elias Augsburger, Jr.,
Walter Badertscher, Marlowe Bish,
Jack Clark, Kenneth Gable, A. R. Hol
den, Jr., Wm. Holtkamp, Berdell Hu
ber, LaVern Huber, Wade Huber.
Joel Kimmel, Walter King, John
Lloyd, Fernon Loganbill, Howard
Luginbihl, Darvin Luginbuhl, Robert
Luginbuhl, Ralph Motter, James Mos
er. Richard Mumma, Wade Mumma,
Mark Niswander, Herbert Oyer.
Herbert Brooks, Edward Schultz,
Paul Soldner, Jason Trippiehorn, Sam
Trippiehorn, Milford andemark,
Lloyd Vermillion, Omar Welty, Rich
ard Wenger.
Alice Mae Amstutz, Lavaun Augs
burger, Elene Basinger, Cleora Burk
holder, Dorothy Burkholder, Bonita
Clark, Betty Coon, Zitella Getties,
Berda Gratz, Hope Kincaide, Dorothy
Klingler, Gladys Klingler, Mary E.
Lape.
Wilma Lehman, Bettye Lewis, Mar
cele Lora, Edna Luginbuhl, Adelaide
McGinnis, Lauretta Mahan, Wilma
Nonnamaker, Magdalene Oyer, Betty
Patterson, Betty Reichenbach, Esther
Reichenbach, Lora Schultz.
Masonic Memorial
Service On Sunday
Members of Bluffton Masonic lodge
will attend in a body a special me
morial service at the Lutheran
church, Sunday morning at 9 o’clock.
The service will be in memory of
the 150th anniversary of George
Washington’s inauguration as presi
dent of the United States at which
time he was also Master of the
Masonic lodge at Alexandria, Va.
Members of the Bluffton lodge will
meet at their hall at 8:30 a. m. pre
paratory to marching to the church.
Rev. W. L. Harmony, pastor of the
church will deliver the address.
Births
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Gerber re
siding west of Bluffton are the par
ents of a daughter born at the
Bluffton hospital Saturday.
A daughter was born to Mr. and
Mrs. Bernard Stratton of near Mt.
Cory at their home Tuesday morn
ing.
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Lawrence of
Harrod are the parents of a son
born at the Bluffton hospital, Satur
day. Mrs. Lawrence was formerly
Miss Elvira Gratz, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Peter Gratz of South
Jackson street.
Twins, a son and daughter were
born to Mr. and Mrs. Russell Shmerl
of Chicago, in a hospital in that city
last Thursday night. Mrs. Shmerl
is the former Miss Sylva Watkins,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert
Watkins of Spring street. The twins
have been named Russell Lowell and
Sylva Alice.
Bluffton Youth At
Nebraska Army Post
Robert Potee, 19, Bluffton youth,
has enlisted in the army, according
to word received here the first of the
week, and is stationed at Ft. Rob
inson, Nebraska.
Potee is expected home on a fur
lough in July. He is the son of
Rell Potee of this place.
Manv Trades Which
Sixty Years
Blacksmiths, Wagon Makers,
Carriage Painters and Shoe
makers Plentiful
Twenty-one Carpenters and
Two Tanners were Among
Local Tradesmen
The Bluffton News presents
the twenty-seventh installment of
the “Centennial Series” dealing
with early Bluffton history and
published in commemoration of
the one hundredth anniversary
of Bluffton’s founding.—Editor.
Memories of Bluffton in the
eighties—a small country town still
struggling against the wilderness—
were recalled this week in a perusal
of the listing of Bluffton residents
of sixty one years ago, in an old
Allen County Directory published in
1878.
That it was an age far different
from the present is indicated by
many of the trades flourishing at
that time.
Those were truly the “horse and
buggy” days and employment in re
(Continued on page 8)
Sportsmen Will
Lease Big Quarry
Fishing privileges in the large
National quarry now owned by the
Central Ohio Light and Power com
pany will be leased by the Bluffton
Sportsmen’s club, it was announced
Wednesday morning by George
Swank, president of the club.
Arrangements for taking over the
quarry’s fishing rights under terms
of a lease from the utility company
were made at a meeting of the club
Friday night.
The club voted Friday night to
take out liability insurance to cover
accidents and the lease will be
signed as soon as the insurance pol
icy arrives,. Swank stated.
Trustees elected by the club who
will execute the lease for the Sports
men’s organization are: Mayor W.
A. Howe, Jesse Mangus and Harvey
Garmatter.
Former Local Girl
Married In Indiana
Announcement has been received
here of the wedding of Miss Mary
Griffith, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
E. G. Griffith of Van Buren former
Bluffton residents to Homer Clifford
Lung, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert
Lung of Garrett, Ind.
The ceremony took place at Hun
tertown, Indiana, April 8.
The bride is a former Bluffton
gill who graduated from Van Buren
high school in the class of 1937. She
later attended Bliss college at Co
lumbus.
Probate Judge To
Address Men Here
Judge Raymond P. Smith, of the
Allen county probate court, will be
the speaker at a Father-Son banquet
sponsored by the Brotherhood of the
St. John’s and Emanuel’s Reformed
churches at 6:30 p. m. Thursday in
the St. John’s church.
All men and boys of the two con
gregations are invited to the meet
ing, one of the high spots of the
year’s program.
STUDENT RECITAL
High school pupils studying in the
Bluffton college school of music
under Professors Sidney Hauenstein
and Mrs. Pearl Bogart Mann will
appear in a student recital next
Monday night at 7 o’clock in the
college chapel.
Cooperation on the part of resi
dents of the town and community in
the Lions club community auction
sale Friday afternoon is being urged
by civic and municipal leaders.
Funds for the improvement of bath
ing facilities at Buckeye Lake are be
ing sought thru the unique community
auction sponsored by the Lions club.
The sale will be held at 1 p. m. Fri
day on the parking lot on South Main
street south of the post office build
ing.
Additional donations of items is
sought by members of the club, and
those with contributions are asked to
notify M. M. Bogart. Materials which
have been donated thus far will be
collected by trucks on Thursday after
noon and Friday morning.
Flourished
Ago Now Vanished
Annual Harmon
Field Day Here
Friday, May 12
DLUFFTON high and grade
schools will observe Harmon
Field day on Friday, May 12, it
is announced by Supt. A. J. B.
Longsdorf.
Classes will be dismissed for
the day at 10:30 a. m. at which
time pupils will march to the
field. After flag raising and
band program a community pic
nic dinner will be held at noon.
A program of athletics will be
arranged for the afternoon.
STATE REPORT
ON CITY WATER
Results of Investigation Con
tained in Letter from
Board of Health
Measures Recommended o
Combat “Wrigglers” Found
in City Supply
Results of an investigation of
Bluffton’s city water supply made
recently by the board of health are
contained in a letter received by
Edgar Hauenstein, clerk of the board
of public affairs the first of the
week.
Investigation by the state board
followed the discovery of “wrig
glers” in the city water. The board
recommends that the reservoirs be
cleaned and the elevated tank
screened. Recommendation is also
made that the present aerating
system be revamped.
The letter written by F. J. War
ing, chief engineer of the depart
ment of health, presents a compre
hensive survey of Bluffton’s city
water situation and Superintendent
John Swisher of the municipal
waterworks plant stated that prepa
rations are being made to comply
with the state board’s suggestions.
Identify Wrigglers
Wrigglers in the water which
somewhat resemble a small angle
worm are hatched from eggs of a
fly “Diptera Chirononous”. The
fly is somewhat similar in appear
ance to a mosquito, excepting that
it has smooth wings.
Community Auction To Be Held
Friday For Buckeye Lake Benefit
In opinion of the state board eggs
of this fly are laid in the aerating
basin or the storage reservoir. The
two large storage reservoirs are
covered with a concrete top and the
flies are believed to have obtained
entrance thru the exposed aerating
basin.
Cleaning of the reservoir, aerator
and elevated tank and thorough
brushing of the walls to remove all
cocoons is recommended.
Recommend Coke Type Aerator
Remodeling of the present aerator
or substitution of a coke tray type,
such as now used at Bowling Green
is also recommended. Flies would
probably be prevented from laying
eggs in a coke tray type aerator
because the water is agitated con
tinuously over the entire area cov
ered by the aerator, Waring’s letter
stated.
Screening of the elevated tank to
prevent birds from getting into the
water is also recommended. A fine
mesh screen to keep out flies may
also be required, it was stated.
DEADLINE MAY 1
May 1 is the deadline for Ohio
farmers to complete and sign farm
plans for participation in the 1939
federal farm program.
Those in charge of the drive an
nounced Wednesday that many resi
dents of the community have made
cash contributions.
Items donated thus far have ranged
in nature from bucksaws to goats,
and include household items, tools,
farming implements, etc. Response
to requests for donations has been
enthusiastic, but many more items are
needed if the goal of $1,000 is to be
reached.
All proceeds derived from the
auction are to be turned over to the
town for improvement of the swim
ming center.
Three auctioneers have donated
their services for the sale, Clyde War
ren, Isaac Neuenschwander and Will
iam Amstutz.
II IE BLUFFTON NEWS
A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INT ERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY
BLUFFTON, OHIO, THURSDAY, APRIL 27, 1939
PROPOSE ROAD
IMPROVEMENT
$40,520 Re-Surfacing Project
Proposed as Summer
WPA Program
Iluffton-Columbus Grove Road.
Hard Surfacing Will
Be Completed
Improvement of nearly four miles
of the Bluffton—Columbus Grove
road at an estimated cost of $40,520
is expected to be approved as a
WPA program for the early part
of this summer.
Application has been made for
WPA funds to permit improvement
of the highway which consists of the
Bluffton-Columbus Grove and Jen
nings-Mayberry roads in Richland
and Monroe townships.
Proposed construction work would
complete the improved highway run
ning a distance of nine miles be
tween Bluffton and Columbus Grove.
In the project now under consid
eration, 1.82 miles of the road would
be surfaced with waterbound ma
cadam with a bituminous seal coat,
and 2.10 miles would have a stabi
lized base with bituminous road, mix
top.
As a WPA project it would pro
vide 398 man-months of labor, or
work for 130 men for a period of
three months.
Estimated cost has been an
nounced as $40,520, including $26,137
as the federal government’s share
for labor and materials, and $14,383
as the county’s share for equipment,
labor- and materials.
Bluffton Physician
In Auto Collision
Dr. Munson R. Bixel, of this place,
and two out-of-t he-state motorists
were injured in an auto crash at the
intersection of the Lincoln highway
and the Alien-Hanc :k county- line
road four miles sou of Bluffton
early last Thursday evening.
Most seriously hurt of the three
was Robert Fontecchio, 55, of Iron
Mountain, Mich., who received head
and neck injuries. He was riding
with his daughter-in-law, Mrs. Leo
Fontecchio, 26, of Green Bay Wis.
The Fontecchios remained in Bluff
ton community hospital until Mon
day when they left for Johnstown,
Pa., by train. They were enroute to
that city, traveling east on the Lin
coln, when the crash occurred.
Dr. Bixel was released from the
local hospital after receiving treat
ment. He suffered a head laceration
and a wrenched shoulder. All three
were brought to th? institution by
ambulance.
Both cars were badly damaged, it
tVas reported. Dr. Bixel was on a
professional call, traveling south on
the county line road when the acci
dent occurred.
Husband Of Former
Local Woman Dies
Rev. Philip inkey, known to
many Bluffton people, died at Glen
dale, Calif., last Thursday night, ac
cording to word received here the
first of the week. His wife, who
survives, was formerly Miss Rhoda
Lugibill of this place.
Rev. Hinkey’s death followed an
operation for gall stones which he
underwent about two weeks pre
viously. He and his wife were for
many years engaged in mission work
in China.
In New Locations
Claude David has moved from the
Mrs. Grace Wilson property at North
Jackson and Vine streets into the
Biederman property un South Main
and Kibler streets.
Chas. Conrad has moved from the
Mrs. Eva Patterson property on
South Main street into the property
vacated by David.
Mrs. Lou Eaton expects to move
from the Mrs. Zoe Zehrbach apart
ments into the apartment vacated
by Conrad.
Chas. Emans has moved from the
Rupright property on Mound street
to the W. S. Dearth property on
North Main street.
Carl Devier will move the last of
this month from the Biome property
on North Main street to Findlay
where he is employed.
Kenneth Chidester will move from
the Rohrbach farm, formerly the
Gratz farm, south of town into the
property vacated by Devier.
Millard Herrs who are making
their home with his mother, Mrs.
Alice Herr on Bentley road will oc
cupy the place vacated by Chidester.
Bluffton high school contestants
won awards in speech and music con
tests over the week end.
In the annual Wittenberg college
speech contest held Saturday at
Springfield, Bluffton with three prize
winners from classes of Prof. Paul
Stauffer was awarded sweepstakes.
Herbert Oyer, senior, placed first
in the oratory division with his ora
tion entitled “The Bunds”. Jeanne
Baumgartner, junior, speaking on
“War Referendum” also placed first
in extemporaneous speaking. Zitella
Attitude of England. France
and U. S. Leads to Conflict
Says Speaker
Kirby Page Advocates “Mutual
ity” as Cure for Domestic
And World Ills
Mutuality—a system which will
place paramount the love of God
and fellowman was advocated as a
cure for domestic and international
ills by Dr. Kirby Page, nationally
known lecturer on social and econ
omic problems who spoke in the high
school auditorium, Monday night.
Dr. Page, on a nation wide tour,
stopped here Monday for a day of
public addresses and student confer
ences under auspices of the Bluffton
college Y. M. C. A.
Morning and afternoon addresses
were given at the college to student
groups. The evening address to the
general public was on the subject
“What Kind of a World can be Built
of the Raw Stuff of Human Nature”.
Condemns National Policies
The speaker foresaw the proba
bility of war in Europe unless pres
ent policies of England, France and
the United States are changed. The
policies he described as self-centered
and nationalistic. A change in
these policies to one of mutuality
would show Germany, Italy and
Japan a better way of living and
peaceful attainment of their ideals.
The speaker denounced the Ver
sailles treaty following the World
war as unfair and unjust and one
of the causes for the present con
dition of Germany, Italy and Japan
which he said was desperate.
31uffton High School Wins In
Speech And Musical Contests
Speaker Sees Probable European
War Unless Policies Are Changed
The doctrine of mutuality—mutual
endeavor, mutual concern and mu
tual sharing—would likewise cure
many domestic ills. The speaker
recommended consumer cooperatives
similar to those in Sweden.
Present Order Unchristian
The present economic order he
said is unchristian and should be
changed by peaceful means—a vio
lent change, likewise, would be un
christian, he declared.
Change in the established order
would include government ownership
of coal mines, railroads and sources
of electric energy, with present own
ers being paid a fair price for their
properties.
Private ownership of property used
and consumed by the individual was
advocated by the speaker. In this
classification were food, clothing and
shelter. Property, however, which
carried with it economic power such
as mines, railroads and financial in
stitutions should be owned mutually,
he said.
Place Scholarship
Memorial Fund
The sum of $25, raised by the
Bluffton Federated clubs in memory
of a former president, Mrs. Wm.
Wallace, will be turned over to
Bluffton college this week to be used
as a loan fund.
Members of the federation stated
Wednesday that they expected to add
to the fund from time to time. The
amount will be available as a loan
to some senior in the institution.
A gray mother rabbit who chose
a flower bed under the big elm tree
in the Presbyterian church yard as
the nest for her family of five baby
rabbits has evidently decided to move
to the country for the summer.
At least that is the conclusion of
a group of local men who have been
watching the little family and en
deavoring to keep away dogs and
other hazards which ordinarily men
ace youthful rabbits.
Getties ,senior, was third in the
dramatic reading contest.
In the state high school orchestra
contest at Ohio State university, Sat
urday, the Bluffton high school group
directed by Prof. Sidney Hauenstein
was awarded a one rating of su
perior on sight reading and a rating
of two or excellent in their required
selection.
In the state vocal contest at Co
lumbus, Friday the boys and girls
glee clubs directed by Miss Ruth
Lambertus each received a rating of
two or excellent.
You Can’t Always
Believe In Signs
IT caused a mild furore in
1 Bluffton Friday morning—that
formidable looking placard on
tJM^mtside door of the high
C^^^library with a notice in
big hlack letters “Exposures to
Contagious Diseases”.
It was only a student prank,
high school officials explained,
stating that the card had evi
dently been obtained from the
Lima state hospital when a
class visited the institution a
short time previously.
With The Sick
Harold Schultz, student in the
University of Cincinnati and son of
Dr. and Mrs. J. S. Schultz of South
Lawn avenue is a patient in a Cin
cinnati hospital taking treatment for
eye trouble with which he has been
afflicted for several weeks. His con
dition is reported somewhat im
proved.
N. W. Cunningham is ill at his
home on South Jackson street, it
was reported the first of the week.
G. A. Lehman of Rochester, N. Y.,
formerly of Bluffton college faculty,
:s seriously ill in a Rochester hos
pital with heart trouble. The ail
ment has been reported coronary
thrombosis. His condition was some
what improved the first of the week.
He is expected to remain in the
hospital for a month. For several
years past he has been director of
choir music in the Colgate-Rochester
Divinity school.
Homer Green is ill at his home
north of Bluffton following a paraly
tic stroke.
John Fett who has been seriously
ill at his home near Beaverdam is
reported improved.
Improvement is reported in the
condition of Fred Hodel who has
been quite ill at the Gideon Leh
man home near Beaverdam.
Mss. Oscar Lora of South Main
street is slowly convalescing in the
Findlay hospital where she under
went a major operation last Thurs
day morning.
Mrs. E. I*. Davis of Rushmore is
convalescing at the home of her
sister, Mrs. N. P. Steiner northwest
of town, following an operation at
the Bluffton hospital.
Mrs. A. E. Lugibill continues
critically ill with heart trouble at
the Bluffton hospital with no change
in her condition.
Mother Rabbit Moves Little
Family From Business District
David G. Neiswander continues
seriously ill at the Bluffton hospital
with infection in his right hand.
H. B. Adams continues critically
ill at his home on South Lawn
avenue with no change in his con
dition.
Mrs. Hamilton Berry who has
been a patient in Bluffton hospital
for the past year has been removed
to her home on Railroad street.
Ray Kern is slowly improving at
his home on the Bertsche farm on
the county line following a major
operation for stomach trouble which
he underwent in the Findlay hos
pital.
A pedestrian is a man whose wife
is using the car.
The rabbits, born about two weeks
ago in the flower bed enclosure sur
rounded by a small wire fence were
a thriving lot and the mother rabbit
was seen frequently about the church
3■■■■■■■■■»*»
One morning the latter part of
last week, however, the place was
found deserted and the family had
vanished, bag and baggage, without
any clue as to their whereabouts.
BLUFFTON
A Good Place to Live and a
Good Place to Trade
"I
NUMBER 52
START CLEANING
OF WATER LINES
Work on Three Miles of City
Mains Expected to Begin
First of Next Meek
Water to be Turned Off Thurs
day, Friday, Monday and
Tuesday Nights
Repairing of valves, preparatory to
cleaning Bluffton’s three-mile net
work of water mains, will be contin
ued this week, John W. Swisher, sup
erintendent of the municipal water
works plant, announced Tuesday.
In connection with the program,
city water will be shut off this Thurs
day and Friday night from 9 p. m.
until midnight, and patrons are re
quested to make preparations accord
ingly.
Cleaning of the mains will be start
ed early next week, and the first work
will be done on Monday and Tuesday
nights when the main line from the
plant to the first set of valves is be
ing cleared of deposits.
All the town’s water supply will be
shut off on those two nights also, but
after cleaning to the first valve is
completed service will be discontinued
only on the section of mains that are
being worked, it was pointed out.
Clean at Night
Cleaning will be at night for the
greater part, as it is necessary to shut
off the supply of water in the district
where work is unden’ay. Repairing
of the valves has been nen -ssary v
permit shutting off the water supply
by districts.
Cleaning of the mains will be done
under contract by the National Water
Main Cleaning Co. of New York Citv.
A representative of the company ar
rived here this week to prepare for
the work. He will hire five common
laborers to assist him in the program
which he estimates will require about
three weeks.
In the project, workers will dig
down and cut the main every ItMM
i feet, clean the section of pipe, then
again connect the main.
It will be the first time Bluffton’s
water mains have been cleaned since
the lines were laid 40 years ago. Es
timated cost of the project is $2,000.
Baseball Film To
Be Shown Tuesday
“One Hundred Years of Baseball”,
a 45-minute motion picture, will be
shown free to the public at 8 p. m.
next Tuesday in the Bluffton High
school auditorium.
Arrangements for Blufftffon show
ing of the film were made by Coach
A. C. Burcky, director of athletics
at Bluffton college.
Prior to the public presentation,
Coach Burcky will show the same
film at a dinner meeting of the
Lions club in the Walnut Grill, start
ing at 6:15 p. m.
In connection with the Lions pre
sentation the Beaver mentor also
will conduct a 15-minute normal
session of his baseball theory class,
comprised of students studying base
ball with the thought of coaching at
some time in the future.
The film will be somewhat similar’
to that presented here last year dur
ing the clinic conducted by Roger
Peckinpaugh, Coach Burcky said.
Baseball squads from high schools
in neighboring towns, and everyone
interested in baseball, have been in
vited to see next week’s presenta
tion.
H. S. Ensemble At
Oberlin Saturday
Bluffton high school musicians,
winners in the district contest held
at Bowling Green, will compete in
the state finals for solo and ensemble
classes to be held at Oberlin this
week.
The Oberlin contest will be held
on Saturday, instead of Friday as
previously announced.
Bluffton winners in the district
meet who will appear at Oberlin are:
Bonita Clark, alto solo Barbara
Jean Triplett, xylophone solo Rich
ard Mumma, sousaphone solo Wil
liam Holtkamp, flute solo Herbert
Oyer, tenor solo Junior Augsburger,
bassoon solo.
Woodwind quintet: William Holt
kamp, Joel Kimmel, Junior Augs
burger, Genevieve Fett and Herbert
Oyer.
Mixed ensemble: Mary Alice Howe,
Jeanne Baumgartner, Phyllis Stein
er, Bonita Clark, Ralph Short, Her
bert Oyer, Paul Soldner and Ken
neth Gable.
Lora Schultz is alternate in violin
solo.