The Bluffton news. [volume], September 17, 1942, Image 1

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.VICTORY
BUY
UNITED
STATES
DEFENSE
*BONDS
AND
STAMPS
VOLUME NO. LXVII
SCHOOLS MAY LET
OUT FARM PUPILS
TO HELP CUT CORN
Provisions of Old Ohio Statute
May be Invoked in Present
Emergency
Written Request From Parents
Required Fifteen Days is
Maximum Limit
Farm boys and girls, now in school,
may be drafted this fall to assist in
corn cutting. This became increas
ingly evident this week as farmers in
the Bluffton district started to harvest
one of the heaviest corn crops on rec
ord.
Extra hands, always available in
past years for corn cutting have long
ago been drafted into military service
or taken jobs in defense industries.
To meet this situation, provisions
of an old state law may be invoked
which permits pupils to be temporar
ily absent from school to assist in
farm work at home. This is believed
to be the first time that it has been
found necessary, except in isolated
cases, to take advantage of the pro
visions of this statute.
Tomato Growers Seek Aid
Not ony in corn harvest, but also
in the tomato growing area between
Bluffton and Pandora may farm pupils
be recruited for help at this time.
Tomato growers point out that addi
tional pickers must be obtained at
once if a large portion of the crop is
to be saved.
Under provisions of the statute, any
boy or girl, fourteen years of age or
older, may be excused from school to
assist various harvest operations at
his own home.
The school attendance and child la
bor laws permit a parent to take the
child from school for five days for
work “directly and exclusively at the
farm of his parents.”
15 Day Limit
The state department of education
has n«tfig^, fprm available for which
parents may make such an applica
tion. If five days are not sufficient
the period may be extended to 10
days. No more than a total of 15
days would be allowed by the state
code for any one school year, it was
explained by A. J. B. Longsdorf, su
perintendent of schools.
No child will be excused for woric
except on the presentation of a writ
ten request from the parents stating
the reason. While the school does
not encourage students missing class
room work for any reason, the author
ities nevertheless wish to cooperate
with those farmers needing the labor
of their own children, Supt. Longsdorf
stated.
Bumper Yield
Continued rains during the past
month have provided ideal growing
conditions for the corn which this year
looks bigger and than many previous
crops. Numerous farmers have al
ready started to fill their silos.
With the fly free date announced as
Sept. 26 farmers are working hard to
take care of the corn crop and have
their fields in the corn-wheat rotation
ready for the fall planting.
For this reason the farmers are
anxious to get all the additional help
possible and in some cases have been
using their children attending school
here.
Bluffton Boy On
Hobby Broadcast
Charles Trippiehorn, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Murray Tripplehom of
South Main*street, will appear on
the “Astride "Your Hobby Horse”
ladio program on Findlay radio sta
tion WFIN Sunday afternoon from
2:05 to 2:30 o’clock.
He will tell of his hobby in study
ing and collecting various types of
snakes, turtles and reptiles. Charles
will also take some preserved speci
mens, study1 charts and books on
snakes and turtles for exhibition at
the WFIN hobby club, at 101 West
Sandusky street in Findlay on Sat
urday from 5 to 11 p. m. and on
Sunday from 2:20 to 8:30 p. m.
Births
The following births at the Bluff
ton hospital:
Mr. and Mrs. Quinten Elzay, Raw
son, a boy, Thursday.
Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Frankhauser,
Pandora, a girl, Friday.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Dilts, a
bey, Saturday.
Betty Lou is the name of the
daughter bom to Mr. and Mrs. Wm.
Gaiffe at their home here.
Slacks For Girls
O. K. On Bluffton
College Campus
OLACKS for Bluffton college
coeds on the campus and
presumably in the clas«:oom will
be permitted if the girls wish to
wear them.
This was indicated on regis
tration day, Tuesday when col
lege authorities confronted with
the question said there was no
regulation on the matter.
So slacks for girls which is
causing something of a furore in
many institutions of higher
learning this fall will be no
problem here. The whole ques
tion of wearing slacks is now up
to the girls with those who want
to—and can—being permitted to
do so.
FORTY MILE SPEED
LIMIT DEAD LETTER
SURVEY INDICATES
)ixie Highway Traffic Moves
At Rates of 50 Miles Per
Hour and Upwards
Motorists, However, are Show
ing More Concern and
Care of Tires
Suggested forty mile per hour limit
for automobile driving is a dead let
ter as far as motoring over the Dixie
highway is concerned. This was re
vealed in a checkup made by a Bluff*
ton News reporter who drove from
Bluffton to Lima and return at the
forty mil* r«te tb get a first hand
view of the "nation, Monday
noon.
Result-s of th-||j heckuu revejH^d
that traffic is travelling at practically
its prewar rate of approximately fifty
miles per hour and up.
While alternate pleas for rubber
conservation and threats of gas ra
tioning may have served to reduce
somewhat the speeds of a few motor
ists there was encountered in no in
stance any car observing the 40 mile
per hour maximum.
Out of State Cars Speed
Out of the state cars—several from
Michigan and one from New York—
were for the most part driving at
speeds higher than those from Ohio.
Confirming the evidence that the
public generally is disregarding pleas
for rubber conservation was the state
ment from local sources in charge of
the “swap a ride” plan that it had
aroused little response.
Japan Is A Modern, Powerful And
Resourceful Nation, Speaker Says
Seventy Bluffton Young People Will
Enter Various College For Fall Terms
Under this plan those employed in
war industries driving to work were
asked to make arrangements for three
or four workers to ride in one car
instead of each worker driving separ
ately.
Motorists Tire Conscious
The rubber situation, however, has
resulted in motorists becoming tire
conscious, service station attendants
agreed, in that they are checking the
condition of their tires more frequent
ly and with increased care.
While there is little indication of re
duction of driving speeds, there is
plenty of evidence that drivers are
giving more careful attention to the
proper inflation of their tires.
Many car owners previously indif
ferent to the condition of their tires
have begun to realize that the pres
ent set is probably all the rubber they
will get for the duration, filling sta
tion men say. While many have not
yet realized the importance of reduc
ing driving speeds in prolonging the
life of their tires, they do at least ap
preciate the necessity of proper and
sufficient inflation, it is stated by tire
maintenance men.
Leave For Teaching
Positions In Schools
Bluffton young women who are
leaving for teaching positions in
clude:
Miss Dorothy Schumacher at Os
borne.
Miss Marcella Steiner at Rawson.
Miss Fem Stuart at Catawaba,
near Springfield.
Miss Josephine Niswander at Oak
Harbor.
Miss Mary Marshall, Rockport, a
Rising Sun.
I Miss Madeline Bixel at Rittman.
1 Miss Rachel Criblez at Pandora.
Former Missionary to Orient
Speaks to Lions Club
Tuesday Night
Country Originally Inhabited
By Ainu Race Now On
Reservations
Americans should rid themselves
of the notion that Japan is a fifth
rate power, and that her cities are
made of box board houses, it was
stated by R. A. Peterson, repre
sentative of a Lima drug firm, who
addressed the Lions club at the Wal
nut Grill Tuesday night.
Quite to the contrary Japan is a
modern industrial country with re
sources and man power that make
her a most formidable enemy, it was
(Continued on Page 4)
?igure Slightly Less Than
Average of 80 Students
Formerly Leaving
’wenty-eight to Enroll at Bluff
ton College Seven at
Bowling Green
With nearly 70 Bluffton young
people making plans to enter col
lege this fall, the attendance totals
of those going to institutions of
higher learning are slightly higher
than last year but some under the
usual figure of 80. Last year there
were 60 young people from here at
tending the various colleges.
By far the largest number of
Bluffton young people will be en
rolled at Bluffton college with a total
of 28 expected to register.
Next in line is Bowling Green
State university with seven and
Ohio Northern university and, Ohio
Stat* university with six ea^h*
I Tnose Bluffton c**«*
^registered Tuesday while the Fresh
men finished registration Wednes
day. Most of those enrolled else
where are leaving within the next
two weeks for the various schools.
Ohio State university, because of
the quarter plan, will not start its
fall term until September 29.
Included among those attending
college are the following:
Ohio State university, Columbus—
William Holtkamp, Wayne Yoakam,
(Continued on page 8)
Probate Folet Estate
Estimate Value $7,700
Estate of the late Mary Ann Fol
et of Richland township filed in Al
len county probate court s estimated
at $7,700. It consists of personal
property $500, real estate $7,000 and
annual real estate rentals $200.
Mrs. Folet died August 25.
Samuel Augsburger was nominated
in the will to serve as executor with
out bond.
A trust fund in which her two
sons were Jo be beneficiaries until
each reached the age of 50 years
when all proceeds of the estate be
divided between them equally, was
set up. The will was made Dec. 8,
1937, and first directed that she be
given a Christian burial and a suit
able monument be erected for her
grave.
She left all her property to her
two sons, Noah and Homer Folet, in
a trust in which Elmer Romey was
named trustee. If Romey be unable
to handle the trust, then Mrs. Folet
selected E. M. Hostettler trustee.
Reports For Army
Medical Service
Dr. G. Otho Thompson, Alliance
physician, formerly of this place,
who recently wa commissioned cap
tain in the army air corps, has re
ported for duty at Wellston Air
depot in Georgia.
He is the son of Mrs. Chester
Thompson of Orange township. His
wife is the former Gwendoline Elaine
Copeland of Cleveland. They have
three children George, 9 Beverly, 7,
and Bruce, 4.
Advanced To Corpora
Walter G. Williamson, son of Mr.
and Mrs. D. D. Williamson of Orange
township has been promoted to rank
of corporal. Announcement to this
effect was made by military author
ities of Key Field, Miss., army air
bas«, where Williamson is in train-
FHE BLUFFTON NEWS
A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY
BLUFFTON, OHIO, THURSDAY, SEPT. 17, 1942
MORE GIRLS THAN
BOYS ENROLLED AT
BLUFFTON COLLEGE
'reshman Clas4 Shows Gain in
Total Over Last Year’s
Enrollment
)njft and Wartime Industry
Takes Men from Three
Upper Classes
Reflecting military and industrial
demands for manpower, Bluffton col
lege opens its doors this week for
the beginning of the fall term with
more girls than boys enrolled in the
three upper classes, it was indicated
by incomplete registration reports,
Wednesday noon.
The incoming freshman class will
be about equally divided between
boys—and girls with prospects of a
slight increase over last year’s fig
ure.
This gain, however, will probably
be offset by decreased enrollment in
the upper classes, it was stated.
Final enrollment totals are expected
to be about the same as last year.
Changes Expected
Changes in attendance figures are
anticipated by a number of students
now employed in industrial plants
who will register later this week.
On the other hand some of the
men already registered may be called
for military service in the near fu
ture. Several men reported Wednes
day for physical examinations under
selective service regulations.
Of the student body the largest
number outside of Ohio come from
Pennsylvania, Indiana, Illinois and
Iowa, it was stated.
Classes are scheduled to begin
Thursday morning following the
opening chapel exercises with Dr. L.
L. Romseyer, president, giving the
welcome address.
Opening social event of the fall
term will be the get-acquainted mix
er to be held in Up^jymnasium, Fri
day night. T1 '^sJnual affair is
In New l^v vims
Mrs. D. E. Dailey and children
have returned to their home south
of Bluffton on the Dixie highway.
They spent the past summer in De
catur, Ill., where Mr. Dailey is em
ployed.
Rev. and Mrs. W. H. Lahr have
moved to Bluffton from Ada and are
occupying the property on West Har
mon road which they recently pur
chased. Rev. Lahr was formerly
pastor of the St. John’s and Em
manuel’s Reformed congregations
here.
Dr. and Mrs. W. B. Travis are oc
cupying the West Kibler street prop
erty which they purchased last
spring from Mrs. Moses Steiner.
The property was vacated last sum
mer by Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Bruse
who moved, to Washington.
Mr. and Mrs. Irvin Long will move
into their property on Garau street
vacated by Dr. and Mrs. Travis.
Mr. and Mis. Maynard Niswander
will move fr the Mrs. Martha
Flick apartir nt on South Main
street into the Leland Gerber prop
erty on Soutl Lawn avenue. Mrs.
Gerber recently moved to her home
in Berne, Inciana.
Rev. and Mrs. John Todd, former
Bluffton resid nts have moved from
Cleveland to Lima where they are
making their home with the son-in
law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. A.
M. Schifferly. Rev. Todd was pastor
of the Bluffton and Rockport
churches about thirty years ago.
Dr. I. W. Bauman of the College
faculty and Mrs. Bauman and child
ren have returned to their home at
Kibler and South Jackson streets
after spending the summer at Way
land, Iowa.
Gets Army Commission
Glen Owens of Norwich, N. Y., is
visiting at the home of his sisters,
Mrs. Sarah Ooates and Miss Clara
belle Owens.
He will leave Thursday for Miami
Beach, Fla., where he has been com
missioned second lieutenant and will
take six weeks training in the army
air corps. From there he will go to
Harrisburg, Pa., to enter the army
intelligence school.
Navy Promotion
Francis Carnicom, in naval service
stationed at Jacksonville, Fla., has
been advanced from First Petty Offi
cer to Chief Petty Officer. He is the
son of Mrs. E. C. Ludwig and a bro
ther of Mrs. Clayton Harkness.
That miscellaneous collection of
scrap metal which you gathered up
around the house to help put Bluff
ton’s junk drive over the top last
month will net you about a half
cent a pound.
This was indicated the first of the
week when Mayor W. A. Howe stat
ed that he had received a bid of
$9.50 a ton for the pile of scrap
lying on the vacant lot at the rear
of the town hall.
The $9.50 offer was the highest of
several which had been received, the
mayor stated. However, no sale of
the junk will ba made until the pro
posal has been presented to the coun
cil and the mayor stated further that
28 Pupils in First Grade and 40
Seniors Show Differential
Of 12 Students
Smaller But More Numerous
Families Reflected in In
sufficient Housing
Town’s Scrap Metal Drive To Net
Donors About Half-cent Per Pound
Definite downward trend in public
school enrollment and at the same
time an increasing shortage of hous
ing 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
four years, giving Bluffton the larg
est number of houses in its history,
there is still a demand for more
housing accommodations.
Materials Frozen
With building materials frozen by
order of the WPB, new residential
construction was abruptly stopped
during the past year but re-model
ling of houses into duplex and apart
ments has continued to add to the
housing facilities available.
TM increase in housing here
however, finds no counterpart in the
school enrollment totals. The second
week of the school term this fall
finds a total of 28 pupils enrolled in
the first grade. Last year there
were 38 first grade pupils and in the
fall of 1940 there were 42 in the
first grade.
The differential between the first
and 12th grades this year is not as
large as last year. Last year with
69 seniors and 38 first graders the
difference was 31 while this year
with 40 in the senior class and 28
in the first grade the difference is
only 12.
Decline Stopped
School officials here believe that
the decline in enrollment totals has
reached a plateau. The small classes
at the grade school now are a re
flection of periods of economic de
pression when the birth rate always
falls off.
Downward School Enrollment Trend
Here, Accompanied By Housing Shortage
With employment at high levels
here and wages good the birth rate
in the past seveial years has taken
an upward surge which should be
felt in school enrollment statistics
in a few years.
Schools the country over have gen
erally experienced a decline in enroll
ment and in cities it has been ne
cessary to close down many elemen
tary school buildings.
Orange Township
Another factor appearing this year
in the local school picture is the
transfer of a number of’ Orange
township students to Mt. Cory High
school. With this matter now ad
justed it is likely that no more stu
dents will be lost because of this
factor.
With school enrollment trends defi
nitely down it would normally follow
that there would be an abundance of
housing but quite the opposite situ
ation prevails in this community. A
survey would likely indicate that
families have increased in number
but not in size.
Smaller Families
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.
The school enrollment this year is
less than 500 for the first time in
several decades. But present condi
tions indicate that a stable condition
has been reached. It will be neces
sary to show considerable increases,
however, to bring the high school
senior classes to figures which pre
vailed up until three years ago, us
ually in the range of 60 to 70 stu
dents.
he hoped to get a better bid before
closing the deal.
Those who contributed scrap metal
in the canvass were given receipts
for the number of pounds brought
in and they will be paid pro-rata
from proceeds of the sale.
Any who desire may designate
that their portion of the returns be
turned over to the Red Cross or
other patriotic relief organization of
their choice.
Late additions to the scrap pile
have raised the total from fourteen
tons to about sixteen tons, it was
stated by town officials, Tuesday
night.
COUNCIL WILL GET
WPB PROPOSAL FOR
STREET CAR RAILS
Federal Agency to Make Propo
sition at Meeting Mon
day Night
Rails Probably Will Be Donated
To War Effort if Street
Is Repaired
Steel in the rails of the abandoned
Western Ohio interurban line running
the length of Bluffton’s Main street
may soon be contributing to American
war production, it was announced by
Mayor W. A. Howe this week follow
ing conferences with WPB and WPA
engineers.
After surveying the local situation
the engineers will make a proposition
in writing to the town council at the
meeting next Monday night. WPA
labor will likely be used in the remov
al of thf rails, it was indicated.
The council it is anticipated wHl do
nate the rails to the government if
the latter agrees to assume complete
responsibility for the repair of the
street. If these conditions will be
met by the government agencies it is
vary likely that the council will give
immediate approval to the removal
proposition, it was stated by Mayor
Howe.
Power driven drills will be used in
the removal process with entire rails
being taken up at one time, it was
stated. It was found impossible for
a private concern to make a profit by
this method but with government
agencies in charge the removal work
will continue until completed.
It had been estimated by the engi
neers looking over the project that
there were about 200 tons of high
grade steel embedded in the concrete
on Main street.
It is very likely that the entire re
moval and repair project will be com
pleted before th? winter months, it
was stated by the Mayor.
Attend State Health
Contest In Columbus
Geraldine Montgomery and Sarah
Mae Miller are in Columbus this
week representing Hancock county at
the state 4-H club health contest be
ing held at Ohio State university.
Miss Montgomery is the daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Montgomery
and Miss Miller the daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Andrew Miller.
Miss Miller went as alternate for
the Hancock county group, taking
the place of Franklin Steiner of Mt.
Cory’ who was unable to attend be
cause of a broken arm received in a
fall, Saturday.
War Bond Committee
A meeting of all committee chair
men of the Bluffton war bond sav
ings staff has been called on Thurs
day night at 8 o’clock at the offices
of the Triplett Electrical Instrument
Co. Chairman Norman Triplett has
urged that all chairmen attend this
important meeting.
Ebenezer Broadcast
The weekly Ebenezer Mennonite
church broadcast will consist of a
solo, mixed quartet, duet and trio
to be given over Findlay radio sta
tion WFIN Friday night at 7:15
o’clock.
Buy more War Bonds and Stamps.
BUY
UNITED
STATES
SAVINGS
/Bonds
!akd stamps
NUMBER 21
MAN IS KILLED
WHEN AUTO HITS
PARKED TRUCK
Louis Santschi Meets Instant
Death in Accident at
Jenera
Two Companions Riding in
Car Escape with Minor
Injuries
Louis A. Santschi, 53, of Bluffton
was instantly killed when the auto
mobile which he was driving crash
ed into a parked truck on the Main
street of Jenera, Sunday morning
at 1:30 o’clock.
Santschi sustained a broken neck,
fractured nose and numerous cuts
and bruises.
Riding in the car with him were
Dwight Worthington of Geiger
street who received cuts and bruises
about the face and head and Emil
Schamber of North Jackson street
who was not injured.
Coroner’s Verdict
Sheriff Lyle Harvitt, acting cor
oner, returned a verdict of accidental
death.
The sheriff said the truck was
parked on the east side of the street
headed south and the three men also
were headed south and struck the
back corner of the truck.
The corner of the truck struck the
left side of the automobile and
Santschi, in the driver’s seat, re
ceived the full impact of the col
lision. Worthington was thrown
partially thru the windshield.
Car Wrecked
Body of the car, a Buick sedan,
was wrecked. The motor, however
continued running and rescuers after
pulling the three occupants of the
car from the wreckage were unable
to switch off the ignition and finally
disconnected wires of the car’s
electrical system to shut off the
power.
The truck, owned by Ed Bosse of
Jenera, was not appreciably dam-__
aged.
l^Santschi’s body was taken to the
Paul Diller funeral home hr—
where it remained until funeral s
vices held at St. John’s Reform
church, Tuesday afternoon. Rev.
Emil Burrichter, the pastor, officiat
ed. Interment was in Maple Grove
cemetery.
Santschi was born in Putnam
county August 4, 1889, the son of
Christian and Caroline (Boss)
Santschi.
He was graduated from Bluffton
high school in the class of 1908, and
later attended Purdue university.
His wife, the former Miss Naomi
Stith, died in 1927. At the time of
his death he was employed as a
farm hand at the Fred Muller place
north of Bluffton.
Surviving are his father and a
daughter Alice, Bluffton high school
junior, both residing at the Santschi
home on East Kibler street a son
Harold who recently went to Wilm
ington, Delaware where he is em
ployed a brother Arthur Santschi of
Milwaukee and sister Mrs. Alice
Parker of Washington, D. C.
In Naval Training
Clair Gerber Habegger, son of
Mr. and Mrs. John Habegger west
of Bluffton has enlisted in the Naval
Reserve and is now stationed at the
naval training station at Great
Lakes, Ill.
Enlists In Marines
Edward Schultz, son of Mr. and
Mrs. T. J. Schultz of West Kibler
street who enlisted in the Marine
Corps recently is in training at the
marine base at Paris Island, South
Carolina.
Radio Sermon Series
“I Will” is the topic of the talk
to be delivered by the Rev. A. C.
Schultz, pastor of the Ebenezer Men
nonite church and Bluffton college
Bible professor, in the series “Liv
ing Today” over Findlay radio sta
tion WFIN Friday afternoon at 3:45
o’clock.
With The Sick
J. H. Loganbill, Bluffton college
business manager, who underwent an
operation at Bluffton hospital last,
week has been removed to his resi
dence at Lincoln hall.
Mrs. Peter Matter of Spring street,
was ill the first of the week witiv
an attack of gallstones.