The Bluffton news. [volume], December 31, 1942, Image 1

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

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Happy New Year
VOLUME NO. LXVII
BLUFFTON PLANS
TO WELCOME NEW
YEAR WITH GAIETY
Watch Parties and Bands
Carolers WiU Greet 1943
Thursday Night
of
Enthusiasm and Cheer for New
Year Little Dampened by
Clouds of War
With the fortunes of war having
taken a considerable brighter turn
than at this time last year, Bluffton
area residents will cast their cares
aside to the accompaniment of ring
ing bells, shrilling whistles and
blowing horns as watch parties pre
pare to celebrate the passing of an
other year and the ushering in of a
successor at midnight on Thursday.
As is the custom in the community
many bands of carolers will make
their traditional rounds of the town
and countryside adding color and
cheerfulness to the New Year’s ob
servance.
Caroling
Caroling on New Year’s eve is a
tradition of long standing in this
area and the many bands of singers
know most of the melodies by heart.
In past years carolers traveled
thruout the countryside in cars but
with the various restrictions on tires
and gasoline it is expected that this
type of activity practically will be
eliminated this year.
Often
are
the
the homes they serenade.
midnight lunches or snacks
served and the general gaiety of
occasion prevails.
Home on Furlough
Some of the families in Bluffton,
having sons ift the Army service,
will celebrate the New Year, with
one or several members of the
family absent. In other cases the
been extended to permit the boys to
celebrate the holiday with their par
ents here.
Watch parties are another fav
orite form of entertainment in
Bluffton and numerous get-togethers
are being planned again this year.
In some cases groups are arranging
theatre parties and in others they
are confining the celebrations to
their homes listening to the radio.
Climax of Yuletide
The period marks the time
many people in the area take
the house Christmas decora
and discard the Christmas tree.
New Year’s day marks the second
anniversary of the dedication of
Bluffton’s post office building. As
usual postal deliveries will be sus
pended on
routes.
both town and rural
Stores Close
will generally be sus
Friday in observance of
Business
pended on
New Year’s day. Saturday, however,
will find the color and cheer of the
Yuletide season absorbed in the rush
of every day affairs.
Bluffton grade and high school
students will resume their studies on
Monday with college classes conven
ing on regular schedule Tuesday
morning.
Council Raises Pay
Of Night Police Here
Salary of Albert Reichenbach,
Bluffton night police was advanced
to $125 per month by action of the
town council, Monday night. Reich
enbach previously received $110
monthly.
Rate of common labor, employed
intermittently by the municipality
also was raised from 45 cents to 50
cents per hour by the council, Mon
day night.
Rev. Pannabecker
To Talk At Lions
An illustrated lecture on China
and the Far East will be presented
by Rev. S. F. Pannabecker, mission
ary returned from China, at a meet
ing of the Lions club at the Walnut
Grill next Tuesday night at 6:15
o’clock.
Rev. Pannabecker took most of the
colored pictures himself which he
will project on the screen. He will
give an interpretation of present
problems in the Far East as affect
ed by recent war developments.
Red Cross Rooms
To Open Tuesday
The two Red Cross work rooms lo
cated at the Dr. J. S. Steiner resi
dence on South Main street and at
the Bluffton grade school will be
open for volunteer work again start
ing on Tuesday, it was announced
by Mrs. J. S. Steiner, director of
supplies.
Surgical bandages will be made at
the grade school room every week
from Tuesday through Friday after
noon from two to four o’clock. Gar
ments and soldiers’ kits will be made
at the sewing room. Organizations
may reserve dates, it was announced.
During the past year there were
1,055 garments made in the sewing
room and
were made
August, it
Steiner.
33,096 surgical bandages
at the grade school since
was announced by Mrs.
SIEFIELD’S BAKERY
TO CLOSE DOORS
SATURDAY NIGHT
Business to be Discontinued Be
cause of Labor and Ma
terial Shortages
Firm
activities of
travel from
is expected.
No limitation on the
the many carolers who
house to house by foot
Generally they are welcomed into
in Continuous Operation
Here Since 1919 Is 9th
To Close Here
The business room,
Charles Hankish, will
and the equipment will
the barn on Siefield’s
South Main street.
gay
to a
will
With the debut of 1943, the
Yuletide season will be brought
close, and the Bluffton district
resume the accustomed mid-winter
life.
when
down
tions
owned by
be vacated
be stored in
premises on
The present allotment of baking
materials is insufficient to maintain
an output adequate to justify con
tinuance of the business, Siefield
stated. His plans for the future are
indefinite.
This is the ninth business in
Bluffton to be closed due to the war.
Others closed are: Swank’s Barber
Shop, Neu-Art Studio, Cal Balmer
& Son Sawmill, Suties Haberdash
ary department, the Beatrice Beauty
shop, and the following filing stations:
Gulf, Marathon and Johnson.
bluffton markets
Wednesday Morning
Wheat, $1.40 new corn, 79c old
corn, 80Hc oats^ 50c soys, $1.60.
War and its effect on the every
day life of a typical American small
town takes the center of the stage
in a review of the 1942 happenings
in Bluffton and its environs.
oddities that help to
The usual
make up the warp and woof of this
community’s pattern of living also
come in for
tention, however, despite the war
time setting.
their share of the at-
For one thing, 1942 gave the town
its first entirely quiet Fourth of
July in all history, a new Ohio state
law assuring the complete absence
of fireworks of all kinds from the
celebrations.
Despite war censorship, the weath
er really was something to talk
about.
Weather Defies Censor
The year started with a cold wave,
climaxed by a six-below-zero reading
on the morning of Jan. 7. The clos
ing month of December also provided
plenty of frigid weather, a four be
low zero reading coming on Dec. 21
at the close of a cold spell that
lasted for three weeks.
Then to demonstrate the fickleness
of the weatherman, warmer weather
came to the district on Dec. 22, the
first official day of winter, and
spring-like temperatures prevailed
for the most part during the rest
of the month.
Drastic temperature changes mark-
ri-117 DI TI7
1 llJtL DLUr
Gasoline Restrictions May Eliminate
New Year’s Caroling In Country Areas
re-
Because of labor shortages and
strictions of materials another Bluff
ton business concern will close
doors this Saturday night,
ninth to be closed here as a
suit of the war.
its
the
re-
op
be
Siefield Bakery, in continuous
eration here since 1919, will
closed indefinitely, it was announced
theftnit of the week by Herbert Sie
field, propriety!.
Prior to 1! bakery here was
operated by Henry Ruhl. Mr. and
Mrs. Siefield moved to Bluffton from
Toledo at that time and have been
engaged in the bakery business ever
since.
A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE
Caroling Expected to be In
creased in Town District
For Same Reason
Watch Parties to be Popular
Feature Due to Travel
Restrictions
New Year’s eve caroling, a tradir
tion of long standing in this com
munity, is expected to be practically
eliminated in the country areas but
very likely to be increased in the
town because of gasoline and tire re
strictions forcing the young people
to stay nearer home.
In previous years the young people
of the country' churches and other
organizations in auto caravans
ranged the countryside singing their
New Year’s melodies.
This type of activity is expected
to be forced out of the picture by
the rationing of gasoline. It is
known, however, that some of the
rural groups are planning to come
to town where, in some cases, they
will be joined by the young people
of the town to make the rounds by
foot.
With traveling to near-by center
of amusement for New Year’s cele
brations greatly lessened by the gas
oline restrictions, it is expected that
watch-parties
creased.
He was the son of George and
Mary Whitney. On Dec. 24, 1941, he
was married to Mollie Cook, of this
place, who survives with a daughter,
Lillie Daisey. There is one brother,
address unknown.
Mr. Whitney was employed by
A. C. & Y. railroad and worked
of Bluffton.
BLUFFTON, OHIO,
ewwm
in homes will be in­
ago the young people
horse and buggy for
Many years
here used the
New Year serenading but this is not
anticipated this year.
Caroling may also be restricted by
the bad weather of the past week.
A heavy fog and extreme dampness
have made all out-of-door activities
disagreeable and if this weather con
tinues on New Year’s Eve it is ex
pected that even caroling in the town
will be considerably restricted.
Funeral Services
For Walter Whitney
Funeral sendees for Walter Whit
ney, 49-year-old section worker re
siding northeast of Bluffton, were
He died in the Hancock county
home Thursday morning at 7 o’clock,
following a three weeks’ illness with
a heart condition.
the
out
the
the
Rev. J. A. Weed, pastor of
Methodist church, officiated at
services. Burial was made at Cly
mer cemetery.
Finishes Training In
Navy Hospital Corps
Jack Clark has been promoted to
hospital apprentice, second class,
aftei’ completing the course of in
struction in the naval hospital corps
at Great Lakes, Illinois.
Clark, the son of
Paul Clark of Grove
stationed at the U. S.
at Quantico, Virginia.
Mr. and Mrs.
street, is now
Naval hospital
ed the year as a whole, however. In
June a 15-year low of 45 degrees
was established, to be followed by a
July hot weather assault that gave
seven consecutive days of tempera
tures at or near the 100° mark.
September was the coldest in this
century, with a low of 28 reported.
Personalities also figured in the
news. A. E. Lichtenwalter captured
the prize for the gardening oddity
of the year when he bought three
peony bulbs paying 25c each for
two of them and $6 for the other, a
champion type. Finally when the
three bloomed he’d forgotten which
was his prize bulb, and was unable
to identify it.
Unusual Accidents
The usual unusual accidents were
reported. Rolland Matter fell in
front of a tractor, was run over by
it, but escaped unhurt. J. I. Lugin
buhl sneezed while working and
temporarily lost his eyesight.
Fatalities and mishaps were not
missing. Two Bluffton men died in
automobile accidents, and two small
boys were suffocated in a bam fire.
A ton of milk flooded the College
avenue crossing of the Nickel Plate
railroad when a freight train hit a
Page Dairy truck.
Cleon Triplett started to look for
insurance on his trees when three
times in the span of a year automo
biles jumped the curbing and crashed
21 FROM DISTRICT
REGISTER IN CALL
FOR 18 YEAR OLOS
List of Those Registered An
nounced by County Draft
Board No. 3
Third Group of 18 Year Old
Youths Being Registered
This Week
Kenneth Edwards, an Burkhold
er, Arthur Martz, ’’Don Renner,
Stephen Verhoff, Galea Struble, Rus
sell Bellinger, Columbus Grove.
Gilbert Breitigan, George Kauf
man, Route 6, Lima.,
Ernest Beery, Pauli McClure, La
fayette.
Youths who have attained their
eighteenth birthday Anniversary be
tween Nov. 1 and lAc. 31 are now
being registered untilfThursday night
at offices of the drift board in the
National Bank building in Lima.
Zitella Getties And
James Griffith Wed
In
a twilight $ ••vice performed at
ost chapel, .. .5$ Zitella Getties,
hter of Mr. a#.d *Mrs. Fred Get
ties of South Main street, and 2nd
Lieut. James A. Griffith, grandson
of Mr. and Mrs. John Rogers of
this place, were married at Morrisson
Field, West Palm Beach, Florida,
Sunday afternoon at 5:30 o’clock.
le i
The double ring ceremony was per
formed by the post chaplain. Lieut
Griffith is in the army intelligence
division and is taking advance train
ing at the Palm Beach School of the
Army Air Corps.
He was graduated from the Miami
Beach army air corps school
early December at which time
was commissioned with
second lieutenant.
STS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY
DAX DEC 31, 1942
youths
Twenty-one Blufft area
were registered with «e 18-year-old
group during the part week under
the Selective Service act for possible
military service, it is announced this
week by Allen County Draft Board
No. 3.
The youths competed the third
group of 18-year-olds registered
since the lowering of the draft age
and were those who attained their
eighteenth birthday aniversary be
tween Sept. 1 and O t. 31.
Registered were:
James Stratton,
Jule Basinger, Jr.,
Byron Fritchie, Richaid Berky, Rog
er Howe, Robert Oberly, Denard
Ixjganbill, Norman Bejdh ., Bluffton.
Russell Gratz,
L/slc Niswander,
in
he
of
the rank
graduate
the class
of
of
Mrs. Griffith is a
Bluffton High school in
1939 and attended Bluffton college.
She has been employed in the offices
of the Triplett Electrical Instrument
company.
Lieut. Griffith graduated from
Bluffton High school in the class of
1937 and from Bluffton college in
the class of 1941. Prior to his en
listment last February he was em
ployed at the Triplett Electrical In
strument company.
IT ALL HAPPENED IN BLUFFTON DURING THE YEAR 1942
into shade elms in his front yard on
South Main street.
When Bluffton’s fire department
aes
lor
appiness
an Prosperity
in 1943
ON NEWS
a era
Julius Caesar in Reform of Cal
endar, Changed First of
Year to January
Old World Custom of Seeing
New Year in Now General
Practice Here
Although most of the Christian
countries celebrate New Year’s Day
on anuary 1,
of the world
date is used,
recently that
this time in the Christian countries.
Varying First Dates
Throughout the history of man
kind, the first day of the year
occurred at various times. The
cient Egyptians, Phoenicians
Persians began their year at
autumnal equinox September 22
the Greeks of the time of Solon at
the winter Solstice, December 21.
He died at the Bluffton Community
hospital Sunday afternoon at 3
o’clock. He had been confined to his
bed for five weeks.
The son of Ulrich and Rachel
Roser Kohler, he was bom Septem
ber 11, 1870, in Richland
In 1904 he was married to
Luginbuhl, who survives.
Celebration Of New Year’s Day Not
Always Observed On Januay First
there are many parts
in which a different
and it has been only
the celebration is at
Russia and Greece, for example,
who used the Julian calendar instead
of the Gregorian calendar celebrate
the day 12 days later. In these
countries New Year’s Day would
normally be celebrated on Jan. 13.
With considerable starvation and
suffering in Greece it is unlikely that
there will be much of any kind of
celebration there. And with all of
Russia’s energies devoted to the war
it is expected that the celebrations
will be only nominal.
has
an
and
the
and
The Romans reckoned the begin
ning of the year from the winter
solstice until Julius Caesar in his
reform of the calendar changed it to
the first of January. The Jews be
gan and still begin their civil year
with the beginning of the month
Tiser, which roughly corresponds
(Continued on page 8)
to
Funeral Services
For Samuel Kohler
Samuel Koh
residing four
were held at
Funeral services for
ler, 70, retired farmer
miles west of Bluffton,
the Diller Funeral home Wednesday
morning.
township.
Catherine
by three
Evelyn
Kohler
He is also survived
daughters and two sons, Mrs.
Fridley and Miss Madeline
of Bluffton Mrs. Geraldine
of Ann Arbor, Mich. Rhuel
of Bluffton, and Harley Kohler of
Toledo,
ren.
Dobson
Kohler,
There are four grandchild-
Two sisters and a brother, Mrs.
Sarah Niswander,
ertscher and John
ton also survive.
Mrs. Lydia Bad
Kohler of
Biuff-
Mr. Kohler
oper-
In recent years
ated a service station near his ]home.
Rev. Emil Burrichter, of
Bluffton Reformed churches and Rev.
W. H. Lahr, a former pastor, also
of Bluffton, officiated at the services.
Burial was at the Maple Grove cem
etery.
the
answered six alarms in May a 20
year record was set, but the total
fire loss for the year was light.
Rationing Arrives
of the most, pronounced
brought about in Bluffton’s
living by the war was the
One
changes
way of
effect of rationing. Government dis
tribution of automobile tires started
last January sugar rationing came
in May coffee rationing in Novem
ber, and gasoline and fuel oil ration
ing in December.
Everybody got up an hour earlier
during the year. War time went
into effect February 9, when all
clocks of the nation were set ahead
an hour for the duration of hostili
ties.
Complying with government re
quests, there was no Bluffton Mid
winter fair in 1942 for the first time
in 28 years. Fishing was stopped
last spring in the large National
quarry as a war-time measure.
Strong protective fences bristle
about plants of The Triplett Elec
trical Instrument Co., the Municipal
Light and Water plant, the Central
Ohio Power Co., and the Page Dairy.
Bluffton was effectively mobilized
for Civilian defense. More than 200
persons took first aid courses. Fire
wardens, auxiliary policemen, fire
men, etc., were trained for their du
ties in case of disaster.
The town set an Ohio record in
Injured In Auto
Accident In Lima
Harriet Burkholder, daughter of
and Mrs .Calvin Burkholder,
of town, was injured in an
accident caused by fog at a
street intersection Sunday
at 10:45 o’clock.
Mr.
west
auto
Lima
night
She was taken to the Lima Me
morial hospital where she was treat
ed for minor injuries. The mishap
occurred at Main and North streets
when a car operated by Richard
Basinger, 20, of Columbus Grove,
collided with an auto driven by
Lawrence Barnes, 19, of Hamler.
Miss Burkholder was riding in the
Basinger vehicle which was going
east on North street. The Barnes
car was traveling west on North
street. Police arrested Barnes on a
charge of failing to yield the right
of way.
CLOSES
DOORS BECAUSE OF
LABOR SHORTAGE
Cal Balmer & Son Firm Ceases
Operations Temporarily
Despite Demand
Bluffton Without Sawmill
for
First Time in Nearly One
Hundred Years
a
For the first time in almost
century the community of Bluffton
is without the services of a sawmill
in regular operation.
Because of labor shortages due to
workers being drafted into the mili
tary forces and attracted by the
high wages of war plants in nearby
cities, the Cal Balmer & Son saw
mill, located near the Nickel Pltae
Railroad at East College avenue,
has temporarily closed its doors.
The firm has been operated by
James
father the late Cal Balmer, last
April.
continuously since 1849.
Cal Balmer
here from
his demise.
Balmer since the death of his
Bluffton has had a sawmill
The late
was operator of the mill
1896 until the time of
Big Demand
The closing of the mill has come
at a time when the demand for na
tive timber products is the greatest
in the history of the business. War
industries need millions of feet of
lumber for shipping purposes and
in addition the numerous
camps have considerable need of
lumber for construction work.
army
the
for
addition the use of steel
(Continued on page 8)
In
Births
Bluff-
The following births at the
ton hospital:
Mr. and Mrs. James Patterson, a
girl, Virginia Anne, Saturday.
Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Flick, Raw
son, a girl, Gwen Deane, Sunday.
per capita war bond sales to help
provide a
the war.
all rents
levels.
solid financial backing of
Tenants benefitted when
were frozen at March 1
Disadvantages, Too
There were some disadvantages.
Delivery of a new fire truck for the
town was stopped by war measures.
Two mail trains, also providing pas
senger service over the Nickel Plate
railroad, was discontinued.
Bluffton’s photographic studio was
closed by the war. So also were
three gasoline filling stations, a
beauty parlor, haberdashery shop,
bakery, sawmill and barbership.
Buffton schools have two fewer
teachers because of the war one
less school bus is being operated
and athletic teams are experiencing
transportation difficulties as the re
sult of a ruling barring them from
the use of school buses for their
trips.
Close to 100 young men from the
town and the surrounding territory
already are in the service. Many
are overseas. Two have been re
ported on the casualty lists.
And it is against this war-time
background that Bluffton carries on
—striving to maintain the small
town ideals that are the strength of
America’s way of life, and preserv
ing for the future, freedom for a
world-wide brotherhood of man.
Happy New Year
Wt JN. **m urft **3
wffl
NUMBER 36
NUMBER 36
RE-ORGANIZATION
OF TOWN COUNCIL
TO TAKE PLACE
No Change Anticipated in Per
sonnel of Municipal Gov
ernment this Year
Other Administrative Bodies in
Town and Township to
Re-organize Soon
No changes are anticipated in
Bluffton's official family when the
town council meets next Monday
night for reorganization and confir
mation of the mayor’s appointments.
Under new state regulations in
cumbents of several municipal posts
continue unchanged following the
original appointment made by the
mayor. These include the offices of
marshal and night watch. Re-ap
pointment of Marshal Lee Coon as
street commissioner and Albert Ben
roth as caretaker of the town clock
is expected.
New Regulation
This will be the second year in
which the new state regulation is in
effect. Formerly the office of marsh
al was elective while that of night
watch was appointive on a yearly
basis. Selection of the street com
missioner continues on the
basis.
same
to be
which
Another appointive position
filled is that of city solicitor,
has been held for several years by
Francis Durbin, Lima attorney. This
appointment will be made at one of
the early meetings of the council, it
was stated by Mayor W. A. Howe.
New appointments to the positions
of clerk and caretaker of the cem
etery board are not anticipated at
this time. Lee Coon as caretaker
and Elmer Diller as clerk were tem
porarily appointed to the positions
several weeks ago.
Wilford Geiger, Bluffton High
school instructor, will continue as
deputy clerk until the term of James
West expires. Geiger was appointed
by the council when West left for
training in the armed forces in the
spring of 1941.
Local elections are not held on
even years and consequently there
will be practically no new faces in
the municipal government this year.
Election for local offices will be held
next fall.
Re-organization will be the prin
cipal business at the meeting of the
council Monday night. Cleon Trip
lett is the president of Bluffton’s
governing body. Present committees
of the council are:
Committees
Fiance—Charles Aukerman and E.
S. Lape.
Streets and roads—Fred Hofer
and William Amstutz.
Fire and light—Cleon Triplett and
Jesse Yoakam.
Re-organization of other adminis
trative bodies in town and township
government will be made during the
first meeting of the month. These
include: School Board, Board of
Public Affairs, Richland Township
trustees
trustees.
and Orange township
To Observe Union
Prayer Meetings
Bluffton churches will observe the
National eek of Prayer in a series
of union meetings to be held in the
various churches of the community
from Jan. 3 to 10 inclusive at 8:00
o’clock, it was announced this week
by the Rev. Emil Burrichter, presi
dent of the Bluffton Ministerial as
sociation.
Rev. Emerson Slotterback, who has
been staying at the John Burkholder
farm west of Bluffton, will speak at
the high school Sunday night.
The remainder of the speakers
and places of meeting are as fol
lows:
Monday—Rev. J. N. Smucker, St.
Johns Reformed church.
Tuesday—Rev. Emil Burrichter,
Presbyterian church.
Wednesday—Rev. E. G. Steiner,
Methodist church.
Thursday—Rev. Gerald Bright, De
fenseless Mennonite church.
Friday—Rev. Ernest Bigelow,
Church of Christ.
Sunday—Rev. J. A. Weed, First
Mennonite church.
No service will be held on Satur
day night, it was announced. Special
music will be provided at all the
meetings.
With The Sick
Noah Basinger who has been ill at
his home on South Lawn avenue
since last Saturday is improving.
Elmer Ewing is improving at his
home on South Main street following
an illness of several weeks.