The Bluffton news. [volume], August 28, 1941, Image 1

About The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current

Image provided by: Ohio History Connection, Columbus, OH

                
BLUFFTON NEWS
The Advertising Medium for
Bluffton Trade Territory
VOLUME NO. LXVI
BLUFFTON SCHOOLS
TO OPEN FOR FALL
TERM ON TUESDAY
Classes to Commence at High
And Grade Buildings for
Full Day Session
Enrollment in First Grade Ex
pected Same as Last Year’s
Total of 45
Bluffton public schools will open
next Tuesday morning for the be
ginning of the 1941-42 school term,
with all classes meeting at 8:30 a.
m. for a full day’s scholastic work.
In the grade and high schools
Bluffton will have a staff of 28
teachers. Included in the teaching
corps are three administrative heads,
eight grade school teachers, 15 high
school teachers and four special
teachers and supervisors.
In addition to the regular teach
ing staff is Mrs. Wayne Harris who
will conduct a private kindergarten
in the grade school building starting
at the same time as the regular
school session. Mrs. Grace Cox,
principal of the grade school, is
expecting enrollment in the first
grade to be about 45, the same as
last year.
Miss Theola Steiner will return to
the grade school as full time instruc
tor in the sixth grade and W. A.
Amstutz will return to the high
school as full time instructor in
junior high school mathematics.
Miss Harriette Criblez will teach
French and Latin in place of Miss
Helen Boss who is on a leave of
absence for the benefit of her health.
Miss Criblez will also teach girls’
physical education.
In the department of vocational
electricity the instruction will be
in charge of Harvey Beidler, who re
places George Sigg who resigned his
Bluffton post and has accepted a
similar position at Ashtabula High
school.
Teaching Assignments
Teaching assignments for the year
are as follows:
Grades—Grace Cox, principal, first
grade Meredith Stepleton, first and
second grades Floy McBain, second
grade Levada Balmer, third grade
Minerva Hilty, fourth grade Adella
Oyer, fifth grade Robert Ewing,
fourth and sixth grades Theola
Steiner, sixth grade.
High school Gerhard Buhler,
principal and science Wilhelm Am
stutz, mathematics and English
Harry Barnes, vocational agricul
ture Harriette Criblez, Latin,
French and physical education
Edythe Cupp, vocational home eco
nomics Arthur Daymon, industrial
arts and mathematics Dwight Diller,
physical education, coach and science.
Florence Duffield, commercial
Wilford Geiger, chemistry and bio
logy Wilbur Howe, English Harvey
Beidler, vocational electricity The
ressa Slusser, history, English Paul
Stauffer, speech, English Sidney
Stettler, mathematics Orden Smuck
er, government, sociology and his
tory.
Special instructors—Sidney Hau
enstein, instrumental music Eliza
beth Higley, vocal music Mrs.
Russell Lantz, art Ocie Anderson,
librarian.
Levi Mellinger has started work
as janitor of the grade school build
ing filling the vacancy caused by the
resignation of Albert Oyer who is
janitor at the post office building.
Caucuses In Orange
Tup. Friday, Tuesday
Democratic and Republican cau
cuses will be held within the next
week to name candidates for five
Orange township elective offices.
Democrats will meet at Orange
Center at 8:00 p. m. Friday to select
their nominees, and the Republican
caucus is -scheduled in the same
place at 8 p. m. next Tuesday.
Two township trustees and two
constanble offices will be vacant this
yeai4, and the township also will
elect a justice of the peace.
Bluffton Girl Gets
Honor Scholarship
Miss Phyllis Steiner, daughter of
Rev. and Mrs. E. G. Steiner of South
Jackson street, has received a selec
tive honor scholarship at Taylor uni
versity of Upland, Indiana.
Miss Steiner will enroll as a stu
dent at the Indiana institution which
begins it 96th year of college work
September 16. Rev. J. A. Huffman,
formerly of this place, is instructor
in religion at the college.
Democrat, Republican
Caucuses This Friday
Democratic and Republican candi
dates for six Richland township of
fices and three posts on the Bluffton
board of education will be named at
caucuses to be held this Friday
night.
Democrats will meet at 8 p. m. in
the town hall, with the Republican
caucus scheduled at the same time in
the Bluffton High school library.
Nominations to be made at the
caucuses are for two township
trustees three Bluffton board of ed
ucation members two justices of the
peace and two township constables.
BOND ISSUE FOR
FIRE APPARATUS
UP TO COUNCIL
Decision on Matter Urged by
Mayor to be Made at Meet
ing Monday Night
Favorable Action by Council
Would Determine Largely
Type of Equipment
Bluffton’s town council at its
meeting next Monday night will de
cide the question of whether to sub
mit to voters here at the November
election a proposal to issue bonds
for the purchase of new fire fighting
equipment
Mayor W. A. Howe last week stat
ed that he w’ould submit the matter
to the council at its meeting next
Monday night with a recommenda
tion for favorable action on the mat
ter.
Favorable action by the council
also would require the fixing of the
amount of the proposed bond issue
to be submitted to voters.
Type
Since the purchase of any equip
ment would be made by the council,
it is presumed that the council would
have this angle in mind, should they
decide to submit a bond issue pro
posal at the polls in November.
On the basis of unofficial figures
obtained the first of the week, a
small and fast fire truck would cost
about $4,500 medium size equip
ment about $6,000 and larger equip
ment from $10,000 up, it was stat
ed by Mayor Howe.
Deadline Soon
It will be necessary for the council
to make its decision Monday night,
unless a special session is held, since
the Ohio code requires that bond
issue proposals to be placed before
voters be filed with the county audi
tor not less than 60 days prior to
the election.
With the election this year on
November 4, the deadline for certi
fying the resolution would be on
September 5. Legal forms to carry’
out necessary legislation by the coun
cil are being prepared this week in
the office of City Solicitor, Francis
W. Durbin of Lima, it was stated
by Mayor Howe.
Action has been made necessary
on this matter due to the fact that
fire insurance underwriters are ex
pected to raise insurance rates here
as a result of equipment that is de
scribed as both inadequte and out
moded. In addition there is the
hazard occasioned when the local
equipment is called outside the cor
poration limits should the fire truck
be needed within the municipality7.
Labor Day Will Be
Observed Quietly
Life In United States Navy Strenuous
But Interesting, Bluffton Boys Report
of Equipment
Type of Bluffton’s new fire fight
ing equipment would depend largely
on council’s action in fixing the
amount of the bond issue proposal.
On this figure will hinge to a great
extent the decision as to light, me
dium or heavy equipment.
Bluffton’s observance of Labor Day
next Monday is expected to be a
quiet one, with business generally to
be suspended in the town over the
holiday.
Business places will be closed,
there will be no mail deliveries and
most of the town’s industries will
suspend operations in observance of
the holiday.
Marking the close of the summer
vacation season, Labor Day finds
many residents of the area planning
week-end motor trips to points of
interest in Ohio and adjoining
states. Others are making arrange
ments to entertain visitors in their
homes here over the holiday.
Joe Swank and Marion Fisher
Home From Great Lakes
Training Station
Accustomed to Hammocks Boys
Find it Difficult to Sleep in
Bed at Home
After getting used to the ham
mocks of the United States navy,
one of the adjustments in coming
back home is to sleep in an ordin
ary bed and mattress, according to
Joe Swank, son of George Swank,
north of town, and Marion Fisher,
son of Mrs. Jeanne Fisher of Riley
street, who are home for a 10 day
furlough from the U. S. Naval train
ing station at Great Lakes, Illinois.
At first it was somewhat difficult
to accustom oneself to the hammock
and to sleep in a large room with
more than 100 men but the adjust
ments were soon made. The ham
mock is fastened eight feet above
the floor and a fall is dangerous.
The strenuous program of the train
ing school makes most of the boys
receptive to almost any kind of
sleeping arrangements.
Enlistment
In contrast to the army, the naval
forces are built up entirely by en
(Continued on page 2)
Naomi Welty Is Wed
To David E. Jones
Miss Naomi Welty’, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Sylvanus Welty, and
David E. Jones, son of Howell E.
Jones of Venedocia, were united in
marriage in the Presbyterian church
at that place Saturday afternoon.
Rev. W. T. Jones, pastor, officiated
at the single ring ceremony.
Preceding the ceremony, Mrs. Har
mon Leaders, organist of Defiance,
played Chopin’s “Nocturne” and
Schubert’s “Serenade”. Mr. Willis
Baker, former student of Mr. Jones
at Mark Center, sang “I Love You
Truly”. Mrs. Charles A. Patterson
of Bluffton sang “Because” and “Ich
Liebe Dich”. The bridal party en
tered the church to the strains of
“Wagner’s Chorus, and Mendelssohn’s
“Wedding March” was used for the
recessional. Soft music was played
during the ceremony.
The bride, entering in the arm of
her father who gave her in mar
riage, was attractively gowned in
white satin with inserts of lace,
fashioned with a train, long pointed
sleeves, and a sweetheart neckline.
Her lace-bordered finger-tip veil of
illusion was held in place by a tiara
of pearls. She carried a white bou
quet of gladioli and lilies, tied with
white maline.
Mrs. Robert Beerman, twin sister
of the groom, was matron of honor,
and wore a gown of aqua sheer with
a corsage of pink roses and blue
delphinium.
Richard Klopfenstein of Van Wert,
close friend ofthe groom, served as
best man. Sue Rissei4 of Bluffton in
a long white dress was flower girl
and J. Noble Pritchard of Venedocia
in a white and blue military suit
was ring bearer. Mr. Robert Beer
man, brother-in-law of the groom,
and Mi'. Omar Welty, brother of the
bride, served as ushers.
Mrs. Welty, mother of the bride,
was gowned in black and white sheer
with black accessories, and wore a
corsage of gardenias.
Following the ceremony, an in
formal reception was held at the
home of the groom. A three-tiered
^wedding cake topped with a minia
ture bride and groom centered the
table.
The couple left on a trip through
the Smoky Mountains, after which
they will reside in Sherwood. For
traveling the bride wore a blue wool
crepe costume suit with black acces
sories.
Mrs. Jones was graduated from
Bluffton High school and from the
Betty Jean School of Beauticians in
Fort Wayne, Indiana. Mr. Jones is
a graduate of York high school and
Bluffton college, and is at present
music instructor at Mark Center.
Burial Services For
Former Resident Here
Cremated remains of Samuel
David Romey, 58, formerly of Bluff
ton who died in Los Angeles, Aug
ust 3 will be interred in Maple
Grove cemetery, Thursday afternoon
at 2:30 p. m.
Brief services will be held at the
cemetery with Rev. Emil Burichter
of the Reformed church officiating.
Mr. Romey was the son of the
late Henry L. Romey and a brother
of E. C. Romey and Mrs. Fred Bad
ertscher of this place.
THE BLUFFTON NEWS
______ A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY
BLUFFTON, OHIO, THURSDAY, AUG. 28, 1941
MISSIONARIES TO
CHINA ORDERED
HOME BY BOARD
Dr. Lloyd and Floyd Pannabeck
er, Formerly of Bluffton
College Sent Message
Threatened Crisis in Far East
Renders China Unsafe for
Mission Workers
Ordered home because of disturbed
conditions of increasing proportions
in the Far East, Dr. Lloyd and Floyd
Pannabecker, missionary workers in
Kai Chow, China, formerly of Bluffton
College, have been sent urgent sum
mons by cable and short wave radio
by the Mennonite board of foreign
missions during the past week.
A cablegram sent by P. p. Wedel,
of Newton, Kans., chairman of the
board of foreign missions, on Friday
was returned as undeliverable. A
second one was sent the first of this
week and it is not known whether the
message reached its destination.
The Pannabeckers have been serv
ing as missionaries to China under
the foreign mission board of the Gen
eral Conference of Mennonites. Mrs.
Floyd Pannabecker and family have
been living in Bluffton since May fol
lowing action of American diplomatic
representatives in China advising
that all women in Chinese mission
stations evacuate the country.
Mrs. Lloyd Pannabecker and family
also returned to this country from
China and are making their home
with her father, Dan Roth of Gibson
City, Ill., for the duration of Sino
Japanese conflict.
Japanese Danger
The men were allowed to continue
mission work at the Kai Chow station.
The present action of the board,
however, was precipitated by the se
rious turn of affairs in the Far East.
The Japanese have been known to
hold missionaries as hostages and are
using this technique increasingly in
retaliation of the freezing of Japanese
assets by President Roosevelt.
In one case »'ese sentinels are
reported keeping watch at a mission
ary station making the missionaries
virtual prisoners within their owm
premises.
No official action on the part of
American diplomatic representatives
(Continued on page 8)
Religious Education
Teacher Is Employed
Miss Mary Sypos, of West Middle
sex, Pa., was employed as instructor
in religious education at the Bluff
ton public schools, by the Bluffton
Council of Religious Education at a
meeting held at the high school
Tuesday night.
Miss Sypos is a graduate of Tayl
or university, Upland, Ind., and the
Missionary Training institute of
Nyack, N. Y. She has had exper
ience in teaching vacation Bible
school and the under-privileged child
ren of Upland for the Women’s
Christian Temperance Union.
Kohli Sheep Judge
At Ohio State Fair
Hiram Kohli, of near Bluffton,
was at Columbus, Tuesday, serving
as judge of Merino sheep entries in
the Ohio State fair for the fifth
year.
One of the outstanding Merino
breeders in the state, Kohli was in
charge of judging several hundred
heads of fine sheep competing for
the Ohio fair ribbons.
Sails For Hawaii
Miss Evelyn Niswander, daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. Noah Neuenschwan
der of South Lawn avenue, sailed
for Honolulu, Haw’aii, from San
Francisco, Calif., on the liner Mari
posa Thursday afternoon. She ar
rived in California from Galveston,
Texas, where she visited her bro
ther Emerson who is in service at
Camp Wallace at that place.
Births
The following births at the Bluff
ton hospital:
Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Herr, Lima,
a girl, Saturday.
Rev. and Mrs. Kent Welty, a girl,
Monday.
Mr. and Mrs. Marcus Moser, Pan
dora, a boy, Monday.
Word was received of the birth
of a son to Mr. and Mrs. Karl Nord
strom of Belmont, Mass. Mrs. Nord
strom -was the former Miss Mabie
Geiger, daughter of Mrs. Cal Geig
er, also formerly of this place.
In the longest telephone call ever
placed through the Bluffton ex
change, Norman Triplett, sales man
ager of the Triplett Electrical In
strument Co., talked over a com
munication network of more than
5,000 miles to Buenos Aires, Argen
tine, last week.
Perfect transmission was reported
in the telephone conversation with
Teo de Grand Pre, Jr., in the call
to the Triplett sales agency in the
Argentine. It was no different than
Dr. Merle Schwartz, Bluffton
College Graduate, Describes
Harrowing Experiences
Addresses National Conference
Of Defenseless Mennonites
Sunday Afternoon
Editor’s Note: The account of
Dr. Schwartz's experiences as a
passenger on the ill-fated Egyp
tian liner Zamzam will be de
scribed in two installments fo
the Bluffton News. The first
installment follotcs in this issue
of the News and the second in
stallment will be published next
week.
Sinking of the Zamzam by a time
bomb from the Nazi sea raider on
which they were prisoners was but
one of the terrifying situations wit
nessed by the group of missionaries
enroute to Africa, according to Dr.
Merle Schwartz, who addressed the
Sunday afternoon meeting of the na
tional conference of Defenseless Men
nonites in session during the past
week at the Bluffton High school
gymnasium.
Dr. Schwartz, graduate of Bluff
ton college in the class of 1933, to
gether with his bride of recent
months were enroute to the Mukedi
station in the African Congo repre
(Continued on page 2)
In New Locations
Mr. and Mrs. Harold Marshall
will move this week from their prop
erty on Lawn avenue to the home of
his father, Walter Marshall, east of
town.
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Detwiler and
son have moved from the Fett apart
ments to the Mrs. Josephine Carna
han property on Elm street, recent
ly vacated by Mr. and Mrs. Harry
Barnes and daughter.
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Barnes have
moved to the home they purchased
from Cecil Clymer on South Main
street.
Prof, and Mrs. Harold Lincheid and
little son of Oklahoma have arrived
here and are occupying apartments
in the Miss Zanna Staater residence
on South Main street. Prof. Linchied
will be head of the department of
mathematics at Bluffton college, fill
ing the position held by the late Prof.
E. J. Hirschler.
Transmission Perfect In 5,000 Mile
Call Thru Bluffton Phone Exchange
Survivors Of Zamzam Witnessed Sinking
Of Ship From Nazi Raider, Speaker Tells
Roger Hauenstein
Takes New Position
Roger Hauenstein, son of Mr. and
Mrs. Edgar Hauenstein of South
Jackson street, has been appointed
instructor of public school music at
the Degraff schools. Last year he
taught at York tow’nship high school
in Van Wert county.
Magazine Solicitors
Work On
When that smooth-looking young
man knocks at your door and asks
you to subscribe for a magazine in
order to help him thru college, think
twice before you act.
Reports were received the first of
the week that the old college racket
is being worked in Bluffton and vi
cinity by a crew of magazine solici
tors who have victimized the unwary.
They have streamlined the old
story into a new 1941 version—and
now instead of just going to college
they will tell you that they are
working to obtain an education in
a Lutheran college, preparatory’ to
entering that ministry.
Several persons who paid the crew
money have not received magazines
and reports from other parts of the
state are to the effect that a check
given for $2 was cashed for $72.
talking to a local party, Triplett said
after the call had been completed.
It required less than an hour to
get connections made thru the var
ious exchanges on the international
hookup. Toll charges were nominal,
slightly more than $16 for a three
minute conversation.
Young de Grand Pre is well known
here, having spent the summer of
1939 working in the Triplett plant
to gain experience in the line which
his father’s organization represents
in several South American countries.
MORE THAN 1000
ATTEND
CHURCH MEETING
Conference of Defenseless Men
nonites at High School
Closes Monday
Entire Membership of Body
Consisting of 12 Churches
Represented
More than a thousand delegates
and visitors were in attendance at the
national conference of the Defense
less Mennonites at the Bluffton High
school auditorium which closed Mon
day afternoon, a full day ahead of
schedule.
The sessions from Wednesday thru
Sunday were open to the general pub
lic and the business meeting of the
delegates and ministers was rushed
through to completion in one day in
stead of the two days originally
scheduled.
New Officers
New officers named at the confer
ence were: President Rev. Harry
Bertsche of Flanagan, Ill. secy., Mau
rice Klopfenstein of Grabill, Ind. The
place of meeting next year has not
been officially decided but likely the
1942 conference will be held at
either Pioneer or Archbold on the
basis of making the rounds of the
various churches in the conference,
it was announced by Rev. E. G.
Steiner, pastor of the church here.
Attendance at the conference was
augmented by visitors at various ses
s: ns from other churches in the com
munity’. The churches of the com
munity joined with the conference
Sunday night in the union service.
Hear Zamzam Survivors
A large crowd was present Sunday
afternoon at the foreign n.iss’onary
hour to hear Dr. Merle Schwartz,
survivor of the raided Egyptian liner
Zamzam, relate his experiences en
countered on the ill fated ship. A
collection of $450 was taken at the
Sunday afternoon meeting to be plac
ed in the foreign mission fund.
Principal speaker at the conference
was Rev. S. H. Turbeville, well known
evangelist, who delivered a series of
evanglistic messages and conducted
Bible study discussions.
Delegates were accomodated in the
homes of Bluffton people of the com
munity and at Lincoln hall on the
Bluffton college campus. Meals were
served in the Bluffton High school
cafeteria.
Delegates representing 1,600 com
municants from 12 churches in Kan
sas, Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee and
Ohio were in attendance.
Are At
Old College Racket
Bluffton Girl Wins
First At State Fair
Miss Eloise Sommers, Bluffton
High School senior and daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Sommers, three
miles south of town, won place in
the nior high sch» 1 div’-.. n of the
farmers’ institute po-ter .test a:
the Ohio State fair i: h.. ,b ss, Mon
day.
The ster v.a- a.an- i -r the Bluff
ton farmers institute last winter and
depicted a farm scene with woods,
fields and a bridge showing. This is
the second time that Miss Sommer
has w’on first place in the poster con
test, having won a similar prize last
year.
BLUFFTON
A Good Place to Live and a
Good Place to Trade
NUMBER 18
BUMPER CROP OF
POTATOES BEING
DUG PRICES SAG
Hot Weather Adds to Storage
Problems and Increases
Market Volume
Prevailing Prices are Expected
To Go Higher With Cooler
Weather
Harvesting a bumper crop of po
tatoes from one of the largest
acreages ever put out here, Bluffton
growers are faced with the alterna
tive of disposing of their crop on a
sagging market or providing ade
quate storage until the arrival of
cooler weather.
Hot weather of the past several
weeks has materially added to the
problems of potato farmers as buy
ers in the large markets are unwill
ing at this time to take the crop in
quantities because of increased dan
ger of spoilage.
Although larger producers in this
area are equipped for proper stor
age, many of the smaller growers
are finding it difficult to do anything
except market the crop due to lack
of storage facilities. In hot weather
potatoes bruise easily and turn black
at the bruised spot.
Price Range
Prices of $1.10 per hundred
pounds were being quoted for good
quality potatoes at the large central
markets the first of the week. De
ducting 20 cents for hauling leaves
the growers a net of 90 cents. Re
tail prices for potatoes were quoted
at 90 cents for a 60 pound bushel
Wednesday morning.
Prevailing prices are expected to
stiffen with the arrival of cooler
weather stimulating wholesale de
mand and the passing of the present
selling flurry occasioned by market
ing of that portion of the crop for
which storage facilities are lacking.
Although harvesting of the potato
crop is not yet completed, reports
are current of yields of 200 bushels
to the acre and some as high as 250
bushels.
Harvest Now On
Majority of growers started dig
ging potatoes about three weeks ago
and another month will see most of
the potatoes dug in the Bluffton dis
trict.
It is said that potatoes are not
so numerous in the hills this season
but they are larger in size and gen
erally more uniform to which is at
tributed the better than average
yield.
Mrs. Isham Hurl
In Highway Crash
Injuries received early Saturday
night when two automobiles collided
two miles south of Beaverdam on
the Dixie highway to avoid striking
a two-year-old girl confined Mrs.
Fay Isham, of Bluffton, to her home
the early part of this week.
Mrs. Isham, driver of one of the
autos figuring in the mishap, receiv
ed shoulder injuries and cuts about
the face.
Three other passengers in the
Isham auto escaped serious injury.
They included Marlyn Isham, a
daughter and Leia and Mary Frick.
Coming from Lima about 7:30 p.
m., Mrs. Isham stopped her car in
the highway to avoid striking the
two-year-old daughter of Ephriam
Prowant. The tot was walking
along the highway.
Another motorist, Claude Brown,
of Lima, traveling toward Lima, also
attempted to stop, and his car
swerved into that driven by’ Mrs.
Isham. The girl was unharmed.
Mrs. Isham was brought to her
home by a passing motorist.
Bluffton Boy Wins
Grand Championship
Arthur Neuenschwander, 12, son of
Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Neuenschwander,
west of town, won the grand champ
ionship in the showing of 4-H club
members at the Delphos fair which
closed last week.
Arthur showed a Shorthorn steer
in" the 9(H) pound class and won first
place and later the grand champion
ship. The steer was a native and
raised on the farm of his father.
Other Bluffton 4-H members who
placed prize winners in the fair show
ing were: Dale Huber, Hereford
Harry Burkholder Shorthorn Wesley
Sommer, Shorthorn Keith Brauen,
Shorthorn Ralph and John Althaus
and Arthur Hilty, purebred Holstein
heifers.