BLUFFTON NEWS
The Advertising Medium for
Bluffton Trade Territory
VOLUME NO. LXVI
CLASSES TO BEGIN
AT COLLEGE WITH
DECREASE SHOWN
Private Employment and Draft
Cause Attendance drop at
Bluffton College
In Line With National Trend in
Which Colleges Show Re
duced Enrollment
Early registrations at Bluffton col
lege Tuesday and Wednesday indicat
ed that enrollment at the local insti
tution will be somewhat less than the
total of 229 students registered at the
school last year, it was announced at
the registrar’s office Wednesday
morning.
This is in line with the national
trend in w’hich college enrollments
are declining because of the ease of
obtaining employment in private in
dustry and because of removal of the
men of draft age.
Ropp Hall Filled
With all rooms at Ropp hall filled,
early indications are that for the first
time in the history of the institution
there may be more women than men
enrolled. Last year there were 128
men and 101 women. Quite a few of
the rooms at Lincoln hall will not be
occupied this year, it was pointed out
by college officials.
A reduction in the number of fresh
men is anticipated with an expected
enrollment of some better than 50.
Last year there were 67 first year
students enrolled at the local institu-
tion
Lenient Draft Policy
Although the draft has been re
sponsible for some of the reduction
in the enrollment totals, state selec
tice service officials have indicated
that the policy will be one of leniency
in “cases of young men who are pur
suing educational opportunities.”
Lt. Col. Chester W. Goble, state se
lective director, said that the policy
relative to students will be one of co
operation aiming not to cause sudden
interruption of studies or financial
loss. Goblenas advised students to
see their local draft boards before en
rolling to ascertain approximately
how soon they might be called. Ar
rangements may be made with the
understanding that the student can
at least finish "the semester and pos
sibly the entire year according to the
merits of the individual case.
Classes Start Thursday
With registrations of upper class
men completed on Tuesday and the
Freshmen on Wednesday, regular
class work will start Thursday morn
ing at which time also, Dr. L. L. Ram
seyer will deliver the opening chapel
address
On Friday evening the get-acquaint
ed mixer will be held in the gymnas
ium with all students and faculty
members participating. The annual
affair is sponsored by the Y. M. and
Y AV. C. A. organizations of .the col
lege.
In New Locations
Ray Root of Fremont, formerly
of this place, has rented the Fred
C. Badertscher property at South
Main and Kibler streets and will
move this week. Root is employed
as a telegrztph operator at the AU
tower here, taking the place of Fred
Birchnaugh who is now night oper
ator at Beaverdam.
Paul Eikenberry of Ada has
moved here, occupying the Diefen
deifer property on Mound street
The house was recently vacated by
Glen Ramer and family who moved
to Mt. Cory where they are occupy
ing the property of the late Mrs.
Maggie Adams.
Wilbur Sumney and family have
moved from their home on Washing
ton street to their farm near Rock
port.
Gerald Huber, employed at the
postoffice here who moved recently
from Lima is occupying the Sumney
property on Washington street.
Births
The following births at the Bluff
ton hospital:
Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Moser, Benton
Ridge, a girl, last Wednesday.
Mi. and Mrs. Byron Gamble,
Rawson, a boy, Sunday.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Harold
Schultz, of South Bend, Ind., a
daughter, Aileen, Friday. Mrs.
Schultz was the former Miss Emma
Detweiler of this place.
Word has been received here of
the birth of a son to Mr. and Mrs.
Herbert Thornblake of New York
city. Mrs. Thornblake was the form
er Miss Eleanor Barnard, instructor
in public school music here about
eight years ago.
i
?igure is 20 Less Than Enroll
ment Total of 80 Students
Last Year
Twenty-Eight Enroll at Bluff
ton College Seven at Ohio
State University
With about 60 Bluffton young
people preparing to enter college this
fall, the attendance totals of "those
going to institutions of higher learn
ing are at least 20 under the approx
imate figure of 80 reported last year.
This is in line with the national
trend of reduced enrollment at col
leges throughout the country.
By far the largest number will at
tend Bluffton college with 28 enralled
at the local institution the first of the
week.
Next in line is Ohio State univer
sity with seven from here enrolled
and Ohio Northern and Bowling
Green universities with five and four
Bluffton students respectively.
Those attending upper classes at
Bluffton college registred Tuesday,
while the Freshmen finished registra
tion Wednesday morning. Most of
those enrolled elsewhere are leaving
within the next week for the various
schools.
Sixty Bluffton Young People To
Enter Colleges For Fall Terms
Ohio State university, due to the
TOWN MOVES
TWO FRONTS
QN
SEWER PROBLEM
Solicitor Durbin Files Motion in
Common Pleas Court in Be
half of City
Report on Possibility of Federal
Aid is Sought by Town
tion
Faced with damage suits aggregat
ing 25,000 because of alleged pollu
tion of Big Riley creek with sewage
from the town, Bluffton moved the
first of the week to establish a legal
defense in court and also looked for
ward to measures calculated to re
move conditions in the stream which
gave rise to the complaints.
The damage suits were filed in the
Allen county common pleas court
ten days ago by Oliver Locher and
Henry P. Huber, landowners, whose
farms are located downstream on the
creek a short distance from town.
Locher’s suit claims damages in the
sum of $10,000 while Huber asks
$15,000 damages.
On the legal front City Solicitor
Francis Durbin filed a motion in the
(Continued on page 8)
Orange Twp. Girl
Wins State Contest
Ida Mae Arnold, of the Gold Star
4-H club of Orange township, won
first place in 4-H clothing judging
at the Ohio State fair in Columbus,
last week.
In capturing highest honors in
clothing judging, the Orange town
ship girl qualified to represent Ohio
in national competition to be held
in connection with the International
Livestock exposition in Chicago.
Miss Arnold, 17, is the daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Arnold, of
Orange township. She is a junior
at Mt. Cory High school where she
is majoring in home economics.
In state competition girls were
called upon to judge the workman
ship and materials of clothing. In
addition to entering the judging
contest, Miss Arnold also had a
canned fruit exhibit at the state
fair.
Bluffton Girl Weds
In Kentucky Sunday
Announcement was made the first
of the week of the wedding of Miss
Belle Potee of this place to Hobart
Hall of McGuffey which took place
in Kentucky, Sunday.
The bride is the eldest daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Potee of
Mound street and a member of the
high school senior class. The couple
will reside in McGuffey.
NEW FIRE HOSE
Five hundred feet of new fire hose
purchased last month by the council
has '.rrived and is now in service, it
is announced by Fire Chief Guy
Corson.
quarter plan, always starts on Octo
ber. 1.
The following listing do not include
a large number of young people from
the community attending nursing
schools, beauty schools and business
colleges.
Included among those attending col
lege are the following:
Ohio State university, Columbus—
William Holtkamp, Junior Augsburg
er, Jason Triplehorn. Evan Sommer,
Wayne Yoakam, Paul Rhoades, Louise
Dunifon.
Bowling Green State university—
Mary Marshall, Edwin Rice, Edward
Schumacher, Rachel Beagle.
Miami university, Oxford—Ethel
Jean Marshall, Neil Baumgartner.
Eastman School of Music, Rochest
er, N. Y.—Nelson Hauenstein.
University of Cincinnati—Morris
and Ropp Triplett, Charles Schumach
er.
Wheaton college, Wheaton, Ill.—
June Burkholder.
Oberlin college—Roberta Biery.
Heidelberg college, Tiffin—Joseph
ine Niswander.
St. Joseph’s college, Collegeville,
Ind.—Chas. Hankish, Jr.
Taylor university, Marion, Ind.—
Phyllis Steiner.
Ohio Wesleyan university, Dela
ware—Betty Lape.
Missouri State Teachers college,
Warrensburg, Mo.—Wade Mumma.
(Continued on page 8)
Downward School Enrollment Trend
n
38 Pupils in First Grade and 69
Seniors Show Differential
Of 31 Students
Smaller Families Reflected in
Decline of Students and
Lack of Houses
Definite downward trends in public
school enrollment and at the same
time an increasing shortage of
houses in the Bluffton area point to
the conclusion of more numerous but
smaller families here.
Notwithstanding the extensive res
idential construction program which
has taken place here during the past
thiee years, giving Bluffton the
largest number of houses in its his
tory, there is still a demand for
more housing accommodations.
This increase in the housing pro
gram, however, finds no counterpart
in school enrollment. The second
week of the school term this fall
finds a total of 38 pupils enrolled in
the first grade.
Wide Difference
Last year there was a class of 42
first graders and a spring graduat
ing class of 53 with a difference of
11 students. This year with 69 sen
iors the differential between the first
and twelfth grades is 31 students,
the largest in the history of public
education in the community.
Schools the country over are gen
erally experiencing a decline in en
rollment, a reflection of the depres
sion era when size of families was
restricted. Another factor appearing
this year in the local school picture
is the transfer of a considerable
number of Orange township stu
dents to Mt. Cory High school.
With school enrollment trends defi
nitely downward it would normally
follow that there would be an
abundance of housing but quite the
opposite situation prevails in this
community. A survey would likely
indicate that families have increased
in number but not in size.
Smaller Families Trend
With smaller families also the
trend it would be necessary to have
more houses to furnish accommoda
tions even though the total number
of persons has not materially in
creased.
Although the enrollment this year
is the smallest for several years it
is larger by four than in 1939 when
there were only 34 first graders. The
present figures seem to indicate that
temporarily, at least, a stable condi
tion has been reached. It will be
necessary to show considerable in
creases, however, to bring the senior
classes up to figures which prevailed
up until three years ago, usually in
the range of 60 to 70 students.
IN NURSES TRAINING
Miss Wanda Diller left Wednes
day for Cleveland where she will
enter nurses training at Fairview
Park hospital. She is the daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. Noah Diller of
North Jackson street and was
graduated from Bluffton high school
last spring.
THE BLUFFTON NEWS
A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY
BLUFFTON, OHIO, THURSDAY, SEPT. 11, 1941
COUNTY BOARD IS
EXPECTED TO ADD
ANOTHER PRECINCT
Action Anticipated at Meeting
Of Election Board Wed
nesday Afternoon
Proposed New Precinct Bound
aries to be Submitted for
Board’s Approval
Re-districting of Bluffton to create
a fourth voting precinct for the fall
election is expected to be approved
by the Allen county board of elections
in a meeting this Wednesday after
noon.
With the change in precincts car
rying the support of local committee
men, it is expected the town will be
re-classified into four precincts for
voting purposes.
If the contemplated approval is re
ceived, the new precinct committee
men will be named. Under the pro
posed new setup a Republican com
mitteeman will be named for Pre
cinct D, and a Democrat selected for
C.
Complete re-arrangement of the
town’s three present precincts will be
made if the fourth voting district is
created.
(Continued on page 5)
Here, Accompanied By Housing Shortage
HALF-MILL LEVY
TO PAY FOR NEW
FIRE EQUIPMENT
Auditor Estimates Average of
.52 Mills Required to Fi
nance Project
Proposal for $8,000 Bond Issue
To be Submitted at Polls
In November
Bluffton taxpayers will add slight
ly over one-half mill to their tax
levy if voters at the November elec
tion approve a proposal to issue
bonds in the sum of $8,000 for new
fire fighting equipment.
Figures from the office of the Al
len county auditor submitted at a
meeting of the town council Mon
day night indicated that an average
annual levy of .52 mills will be re
quired to retire the proposed bond
issue.
Bonds, according to the auditor's
schedule would run from 1943 to
1950 with $1,000 of the principal
being paid annually.
Estimate Is Average
The tax levy, it is pointed out is
the average assessment, the cost to
the taxpayer when the bond issue
had run half its allotted period.
During the first half of this time
the cost would be more than the
average and less than that figure
for the last half.
The issue to be submitted at the
polls here in November has been
certified to the Allen county board
of elections and that body took ac
tion at its meeting Wednesday
afternoon to place the measure on
the ballot.
Board Raises Pay Of
School Bus Drivers
Drivers of five Bluffton school
buses were given an increase in pay
of $1 per month at a meeting of the
board of education, Monday night.
The new rate of pay, $36 per
month represents a restoration of
the amount received by the drivers
two years ago when the rate was
cut one dollar in a general retrench
ment program.
Bus drivers are: Francis Basinger,
Chris Gratz, Jerome Herr, Aaron
Messinger and Walter Sommers.
Eldon Tschiegg is substitute driver.
Janitors also rehired for the com
ing year at the high school are Al
bert Benroth, Charles Fenton and
Harry Trippiehorn. The board in
dicated that there would be also a
revamping of the janitors’ salary
schedule.
FIRE ALARM
Blaze from an oil stove at the
home of Chas. Young, Lake street
resulted in a call for the fire depart
ment last Wednesday afternoon.
The damage was negligible.
MH!
l‘T
violin numbers by
W-'
Aiswunder~Warren
Nuptials Sunday
Wedding of Miss Marcella Irene
Niswander, daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. C. F. Niswander and Arthur
Racine Warren,
J. A.
MRS. ARTHUR RACINE WARREN
son of Mr. and Mrs.
was solemnized in the
Sunday
Warren,
Mennonite church,
loon at four o’clock,
bright afternoon sun
tall cathedral candle
aftei
A
with
the chancel of the church which was
decorated with palms and ferns to
form a background for the nuptial
ceremony. A large number of rela
tives and friends of the couple was
in attendance.
The single ring service was read
by Rev. H. T. Unruh, pastor of the
Preceding the
half-hour musical
gan selections by
wander,
ceremony was a
program with or
Miss Elvira Nis
the bride. Two
Miss Leia Hagan
of
of Ft. Wayne, cousin of the bride
groom, were Liszt’s “Liebestraum”
(Continued on page 8)
Bluffton Man To
Head Church Body
dusky
the Uni
H. Allman of Bluffton was
superintendent of the San
nference of the Church of
■d Brethren in Christ at its
sion at Columbus Grove.
Dr. Allman’s reelection came
ing Tuesday afternoon’s st
after he had read his annual report.
He was retained as conference super
intendent by a large majority over
several othei- nominees.
dur
ssion
James Bixel Takes
Teaching Position
James Bixel, son of Mr. and Mrs.
Samuel Bixel of South Main street,
has accepted a position as instructor
of public school music at Newport,
Ky. He will be in charge of vocal
and choral music in the public
schools of the community.
Bixel graduated this spring from
the Cincinnati Conservatory of Mu
sic with special honors in piano com
position.
Church Redecorated
New hardwood floors have been
installed and new carpeting has been
applied to the floors at the Lutheran
church. The church was closed
several weeks in order to effect
redecorating and services were
sumed again last Sunday.
for
the
re
To Teach At York
Miss Laura
r. and
Hiestand,
N. M.
hip, has
Bowling Gree
daughter of
Hiestand o
accepted
sition as instructor in the fourtl
ade at the York Centralized schoc
the coming year. Miss Hiestam
a graduate of Bluffton High schoc
Open Air Day
Thursday
Bluffton retail stores are now open
all day Thursday after having been
closed in the afternoon during the
summer months.
Irw
f. Ttr ■*.
"1
n
MENNONITE YOUTH
FROM PARAGUAY
AT COLLEGE HERE
housands of European Men-1
nonites Live in South Amer
ican Colonies, He Says
Special Land Grants and Self-|
Government Given by
Thousands of
ites are living
tlements under
and privileges
South
cording
Frenheim,
Tuesday
college.
American governments, ac
to Ernst Harder, 19, of
Paraguay, who enrolled
as a freshman at Bluffton
Harder who has been in this coun
try for two years, is a member of
one of the settlements in the Chaco
in Paraguay consisting of 19 vil
and the surrounding farm lands
is securing his education in
country in Mennonite institi
after which he plai
Paraguay to teach
(Continued
Book Exchange To
Move From Bluffton
Started in Toledo, the book
change was moved to Bluffton in
fall of 1938. Reid said that
principal reason for returning to
Reid has purchased a Toledo build
ing which is being remodeled for
his purposes. It will be ready for
occupancy in about one month.
Howe To Discuss
Sewers At
ity
BLUFFTON
A Good Place to Live and a
Good Place to Ti*ade
I
Southern Republics
I
European Mennon
in cooperative set
special land grants
accorded them by
»f
I markets i
The College Book Exchange, locat- afternoon at 3 o’clock.
ed in Bluffton since 1938, will be I Dr Grismore for many years a
moved to Toledo this fall, Edwin Ml practisjng physician at Steubenville
Reid, manager of the concern, an-|diedin that city, Tuesday.
nounced Tuesday.
I
Specializing as a wholesale jobber! Diller funeral home in Bluffton,
to college and public libraries, the! Thursday noon, from where it will
exchange has been operated here ini be taken to Pandora. Short services
quarters on the Bluffton college cam-1 win be held at the grave with Rev.
pus. I Everett Mosslander, pastor of Pan
Student labor has been used prin-l dora Methodist church officiating.
cipally by the book concern, with ap-l Dr. Grismore was the son of the
proximately 600 hours of part-time! late Mr. and Mrs. Henry Grismore,
work provided each month.
11 to 14 Bluffton college students tor’s wife died in the summer of
have been on the payroll of
company during the time it was
cated here.
NUMBER 20
DAIRYMEN BENEFIT
FROM MORE MILK
AND HIGHER PRICE
Bluffton Plant of Page Dairy
Co. Handling Record Vol
ume of Milk
Price is 53 Cents Hundred More
Than Last Year Pro
duction is Up
Greatly increased income for Bluff
ton district
in record
local plant
and higher
by creamery stations located here.
dairy farmers is reflected
milk processing at the
of the Page Dairy Co.,
prices paid for butterfat
Volume of raw milk handled at
the Page plant is nearly 20,000
pounds daily greater than under
normal conditions, officials said this
week.
Between 65,000 and 70,000 pounds
of milk were processed daily at the
plant during July and August, in
comparison with a normal average
of 50,000 pounds, it was pointed out.
This year’s production exceeds that
of last year by
day.
12,000 pounds per
Income
for dairy farmers
More
Higher income
on the Page lists is assured by the
record volume of milk, and the pro
ducer also benefits because of higher
prices, altho feed prices have risen
somewhat in the past year. Base
price of the product has risen from
$1.75 per hundred at this time last
year to $2.28 this fall.
Prices quoted by the Page plant
are for milk with a butterfat base
of four per cent.
With the local concern handling a
record volume of milk, business for
the past summer has been the best
coming milk is
15 to Sept. 1
pasturage.
highest from May
because of better
Processing Plant
At the local plant, raw milk is
processed into sweet condensed milk
and powdered milk. In addition
sweet milk is provided for Page dis-
Six plants are operated by the
Page organization, located in Bluff
Findlay, Whitehouse,
ton, Toledo,
Mansfield and
Weston, Mich. Three,
one in Bluffton, ar,e
plants and the others
including the
manufacturing
serve a
as distribution centers.
wholesale prices of daily
at the highest levels in
farmers who sell cream also
iping additional dividends,
srfat was commanding a price
the Bluffton
With
product:s
s higher than
Funeral For Dr. Otto
Grismore At Pandora
Interment of the remains of Dr.
Otto Grismore, 62, native of Pan
dora will be made at Riley Township
cemetery at that place Thursday
p,O(dy will be brought to the
Betweenl pioneer Pandora residents. The doc-
the! 1940 and a daughter, Mrs. Helena
lo McMillen, died last July.
I Surviving are a daughter Miss
ex I Drussilla Grismore of Steubenville
the! two sisters, Mrs. Cora Miller of Pan
thel d°ra and Mrs. Emma Morlock of
the I Crediton,
larger city was to obtain improved! 4ohn of Columbus Grove, Fred of
transportation facilities. Florida, Oscar of Whittier, Calif.
Two full-time
Cook and Martha
Toledo w’ith the
move is made.
employes,
Powell, will go to
concern when the
Ontario, and five brothers,
Oscar of Whittier, Calif.
1 r( l| Carl of McGuffey, and Grover of
Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Real Estate Deal
Leland Gerber, Bluffton phatog
ipher, has purchased the Mrs.
property on North
md will occupy the
week. Gerber, pro-
Idessa Henry
Lawn avenue
Lions\^j.ejof]ast
v
in the light of the recent suits I The SoL Huber farni of 80 acr®s
against the town will be discussed I five miles south of town has been
by Mayor W. A. Howe at a meet-1 purchased by Paul Faze from George
ing of the Lions club to be held at I and Brooks Huber. Possession will
the Walnut Grill Tuesday night atlh® 8iven March 1. The deal was
6:15 o’clock. I made by H. W. Althaus.
Neu-Art studio here was
_____ nxarr month to Miss Winifred
Bluffton’s sewage disposal problem I sPrunKcr °f Bernt- Indiana.