I
6
mA
BUY
UNITED
•TATES
SAVING*
/BONDS
AMD SUM
VOLUME NO. LXVIII
TOWN TO HAVE
FIRST BLACKOUT
MONDAY NIGHT
Bluffton
Eight
to Participate in
Northwest Ohio
County Test
Blackout Will Not be
Time for
Announced in Advance
To Public
Bluffton will have its first test
blackout Monday night, as part of
an eight-county Northwestern Ohio
test, it was announced this week by
Jesse Yoakam, chief air raid warden.
Exact time of the blackout will be
kept a secret and residents will be
informed of the start of the blackout
by the blast of the waterworks
whistle. It is
that it will come
ness falls.
believed, however,
shortly after dark
Changes
in the blackout
Signal
Slight revision
signals is announced this week by
the Bluffton Civilian Defense council.
The newly adopted warning system
is as follows:
Two Signals
First whistle, or “blue” signal will
be a steady two minute blast, re
quiring all lights to be out second
whistle of “red” signal will consist
of a series of stacato blasts for a
two minute period.
During the “red” signal all
traffic must stop and persons must
seek shelter The third whistle, or
the return to “blue” will be a steady
two minute blast requiring all lights
to remain out but pedestrians and
vehicles may move “all clear” (no
whistle) will be given by street
lights being turned on or radio an
nouncement.
Residents are asked to have their
radios tuned to Lima broadcastfng
station WLOK for instructions
explanations as to procedure.
and
Require Compliance
Under a municipal ordinance pass
ed by the town council on May 3 all
willful violators of town and county
blackout regulations will be consider
ed guilty of a misdemeanor and li
able to prosecution.
Under the new alarm system, all
lights should be turned off at the
first sound of the whistle and re
main off, even after the third whistle
alarm has sounded, until street
lights come on or an all clear signal
has been given by the radio.
Industrial plants will not be re
quired to blackout or blink their
lights. However, operators have
been asked to extinguish all lights
that will not interfere with produc
tion.
Passengers on buses and in private
automobiles will not be required to
leave these vehicles as they would
in case of actual air raid. Pedes
trians are required to remain off the
streets.
Wardens to Patrol
All air raid wardens, wearing
their white helmets and arm bands,
will check on the lights in their re
spective districts and assist residents
in conforming to blackout regula
tions of the civilian defense organi
zation.
It is understood that since this is
the first test blackout that violators
will not be prosecuted unless they
refuse to comply with orders of
authorized members of the local
civilian defense organization. Will
ful violators will be prosecuted, it
was stated.
Final instruction for the trial
blackout ■will be given to all deputy
air raid wardens in a meeting at the
Mayor’s office in the town
Thursday night at 8 o’clock, it
announced by Yoakam.
hall
was
Couple Is Wed At
Home Of Minister
Marriage of Delbert Luginbuhl,
son of Mr. and Mrs. Cal Luginbuhl
of near Bluffton and Miss Esther
Shoemaker, daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. George Shoemaker of Pandora,
took place at the Methodist parson
age in Pandora Sunday afternoon.
The couple was attended by Hiram
Bucher, of near Bluffton, as best
man and Miss Elva Pickett, Triplett
employe from McComb, maid of hon
or. Following the ceremony a re
ception was held at the bride’s home
in Pandora.
Rev. Everett Mosslander, pastor of
the Pandora Methodist church, re
ceived the wedding vows in a single
ring ceremony. The couple left for
a short wedding trip and are expect
ed to return by the end of the week.
Mr. and Mrs. Luginbuhl are em
ployed at the Triplett Electrical In
strument company and will live on
East Elm street.
High School Graduation Events Open
With Staging
Speaker
JYR. Ernest E. Miller, president
of Goshen college, Goshen,
Ind., who will be the speaker at
Bluffton college commencement
exercises at the First Mennonite
church Monday morning at 10
o’clock.
RAIN, FLOOD AND
TORNADO SWEEP
BLUFFTON AREA
Four Barns in Orange Township
Blown Down by Destruc
tive Gale
No Corn Planting This Week
In Watersoaked Fields,
Farmers Say
Swept by flood and tornado the
first of the week, the Bluffton dis
trict was returning to normal Wed
nesday as cloudy and cooler weather
gave respite from the heaviest down
pour of rain and the most destruc
tive windstorm in recent years.
Rains which fell over the week
Cnd and until Tuesday with scarcely
an interruption sent
their banks flooding
lands, periling farm
inundating already
fields and brought farm activity to
an almost complete standstill.
streams over
adjoining low
livestock and
watersoaked
Adding to the flood situation a
tornado ripped thru Orange township
southeast of Bluffton early Monday
morning blowing down four barns,
unroofing buildings and leaving
trail of damage and destruction
its wake.
a
in
Corn Planting Delayed
Farmers said Wednesday that with
the most favorable weather, it would
be impossible to work the ground be
fore the first of next week. With
no more rains, they hope to resume
spring tillage by next Monday. Even
under the most favorable of condi
tions, there will be much corn to
be planted in June, it was stated.
Several feet of water which cover
ed bottomlands of Big and Little
Riley creeks, Monday, had receded
on Tuesday. Clearing weather
brought a resumption of plans
(Continued on page 8)
High School Alumni
To Meet May
has
for
28
Members of the Bluffton High
school alumni association will enjoy
a program at the school auditorium
Friday night May 28 at 8:30 o’clock
to be followed by dancing in the
gymnasium.
No alumni with Bluffton addresses
will receive invitations other than
the newspaper announcement. Due
to food rationing the traditional ban
quet will be eliminated this year, it
was announced by Dr. Gordon Bixel,
president of the association.
A committee under the direction of
Richard Lewis is making arrange
ments to secure an out-of-town or
chestra for the dancing.
Soldier Injured In
North Africa Action
Don Montgomery serving in the
army and a grandson of Mrs. Han
nah Swank, formerly of Bluffton,
was injured in action in North
Africa and is being sent to a New
York hospital, according to word re
ceived here the first of the week.
Details of the injury were not dis
closed.
His mother, Mrs. Bessie Montgom
ery of Toledo is an elder daughter
of Mrs. Swank, a former resident
here. Mrs. Swank now makes her
home with her daughters, Mrs. Irvin
Zay of Lima and Mrs. Marion War
ren of Findlay.
1
Of Senior Class Play
“American Eagle,” Senior Class
Play to be Given in Audi
torium 8:30 p. m.
Baccalaureate Sunday, Class
Night Monday, Commence
ment Tuesday
Presentation of the Bluffton High
school senior play, “American Eagle”,
at the auditorium this Wednesday
night at 8:30 o’clock will mark the
opening of a crowded week of com
mencement activity.
The play, a three-act mystery, will
be repeated with a different cast, in
the auditorium on Thursday night.
The production is under the direc
tion of P. W. Stauffer.
Baccalaureate services
held in a union meeting in
nasium Sunday night at
will be
the gym
8 o’clock
BLUFFTON COLLEGE
COMMENCEMENT WEEK
Friday—“The Rose
Ramseyer chapel. 8:30
Maiden”,
p. m.
of May
4 p. m.
Saturday—Crowning
Queen... Baseball field.
Alumni banquet. Ropp Hall.
6 p. m.
Shakespearean play. Baseball
field. 8:30 p. m.
Sunday—Baccalaureate.
seyer chapel. 3 p. m.
Ram-
First
p. m.
Vesper choir concert.
Mennonite church. 6:30
Monday—Commencement. First
Mennonite church. 10:00 a. m.
with Rev. Emil Burrichter, pastor of
the Reformed churches, speaking on
the subject, “Personal Service”. This
will be Rev. Burrichter’s final ad
dress here before assuming his new
pastorate at Plymouth, Indiana.
Class night exercises will be held
in the gymnasium Monday night at
8 o’clock. Members of the class, will
be introduced informally and a pro
gram utilizing the varied talent of
the class will be presented.
Graduation exercises for the class
of 44 seniors will be held in the
gymnasium on Tuesday night at 8
o’clock with Dr. Roy Burkhart of
Closing the events of the com
mencement season will be the 62nd
high school alumni reunion to be held
at the gymnasium Friday night ,May
28, at 8:30 o’clock. Due to wartime
conditions, light refreshments will be
served instead of the usual banquet.
Following a program to be held in
the forepart of the evening, dancing
will be enjoyed to the music of a
popular out-of-town orchestra.
Bluffton Couple
Weds In Rawson
Wedding of Miss Melvena Hilty
and B. M. Whisler, both of Bluffton,
was solemnized Friday morning at
9 o’clock. The ceremony took place
in Rawson at the home of the offi
ciating minister, Rev. Paul Zimmer
man, pastor of the United Brethren
church of that place.
Rev. Zimmerman read the nuptial
service using the single ring cere
mony, in the presence of the bride’s
brother Melvin Hilty and Mrs. Hilty.
The bride was attired for the oc
casion in a traveling suit of navy
blue.
Following the ceremony the couple
left on a week end trip, returning
Monday evening,
in the
street.
They will reside
Whisler home on South Main
bride, a nurse, has been con
with the Bluffton hospital,
the daughter of the late Mr.
The
nected
She is
and Mrs. Samuel Hilty.
ler, son of the late Mr. and
Scott Whisler, operates a farm
Bluffton.
Mr. Whis
Mrs.
near
Pre-School Clinic
To Be Held June 1
The annual pre-school clinic will be
held at the Bluffton grade school
building on June 1, from 9:30 to
11:30 a.
week by Mrs. Clayton Murray, chair
man of the committee on arrange
ments.
it was announced this
m.,
Free medical and dental examina
tions will be given to all children
starting to school in September. The
clinic is sponsored by the Mother’s
Study Club. Other members of the
committee are: Mrs. George Carmack
and Mrs. Ralph Badertscher.
i
Remains Buried
Here Wednesday
Body of Mrs. Jennie Miller of To
ledo was brought here for burial at
Maple Grove cemetery Wednesday
morning. Interment was made at the
side of her husband, the late Minie
Miller, a native of Bluffton. Mil
ler’s father Joseph M:ller was a
pioneer resident here.
FHE BLUFFTON NEWS
A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY
BLUFFTON, OHIO, THURSDAY, MAVl 20, 1943
THIRTY SELECTEES
CALLED IN DRAFT
LEAVE WEDNESDAY
Names of Allen County Quota
Are Announced by Draft
Board No. 3
Twenty-one Go to Army: Seven
Will Serve in Navy and
Two With Marines
Thirty selectees, the quota fur
nished by Allen County Draft
Board No. 3 for the current May
call, left Wednesday for formal in
duction into the armed services.
The group which left Wednesday
was accepted following physical ex
amination a week ago at Toledo.
Of the 30 selectees, 21 went to
the army,
two to the
seven to the navy and
marines.
Army
the army are:
Entering
Bluffton—Willard Lee, Wm. Am
stutz, Jr. Ropp Triplett, James Am
stutz, Roger Howe.
Lima—John Earl, Frederick Hil
yard, Robert Lauck, Kenneth Hawk,
Raymond Binkley, Janies Hughes,
Edward Taylor, Donald Brenneman.
Spencerville—Noah Gallaspie, Al
bert Edgington.
Beaverdam—Robert Cartwright.
Elida—Benjamin Branson, Robert
Morris.
Col. Grove—Richard Hall, Evan
Burkholder.
Pandora—Herbert Amstutz.
The following will go to the navy:
Delphos—Donald Lause, Donald
Hageman, John Fair.
Bluffton—Richard Balmer.
Lafayette—Jack Witham.
Lima—Roger Joseph.
Elida—Herman Huber.
Marines
Lima—Carl Thomas.
Delphos—Bernard Wiechart.
31 SENIORS TO
GRADUATE FROM
COLLEGE MONDAY
Commencement Address to
Given by President of
Goshen College
be
Graduation “in Absentia” to be
Held for Eight Seniors
In Service
Thirty-one seniors will graduate
from Bluffton college in the 43rd an
nual commencement to be held in the
First Mennonite church, Monday
morning at 10 o’clock.
Graduation “in absentia” will be
BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL
COMMENCEMENT WEEK
Wednesday and Thursday—
Senior play. Auditorium. 8:30
p. m.
Sunday—Baccalaureate. Gym
nasium. 8 p. m.
Monday—Class Night...Gym
nasium. 8 p. m.
Tuesday—Commencement, 8 p.
m.. Gymnasium.
Friday, May 28—Alumni reun
ion and dance.. .Gymnasium. 8:30
p. m.
held for eight members of the class
who are in service and will be unable
to attend the exercises.
Of the class of 31 seniors, 18 will
receive the Bachelor of Arts degree
and three the degree of Bachelor of
School Music. Tentatively the re
maining ten will obtain degrees at the
close of summer school in August.
Of these latter, eight will receive the
(Continued on page 8)
Births
The following births at the Bluff
ton hospital:
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Phillips, Ada,
a girl, Sandra Faye, Saturday.
Mr. and Mrs. Galen Parrott, Con
tinental, a girl, Monday.
Mr. and Mrs. Gene Mericle, a boy,
Gerald Eugene, Monday. Mrs. Mer
icle was formerly
piehorn.
Miss Eileen Trip-
Russell Sc ha u bl in
Mr. and Mrs.
a boy, Tuesday.
Mr. and Mrs.
Columbus Grove, a girl, Judith Ann,
Tuesday.
Brice Darbyshire,
Bluffton housewives may obtain 10
pounds of sugar per person for home
canning with coupons from war ra
tion book No. 1, it was indicated in
an announcement from OPA this
week.
OPA has announced its intention
to designate two coupons in War
Ration book No. 1 as “home canning
sugar coupons”. Anyone will be able
to buy 10 pounds of sugar with
these two stamps.
Since the home canning rules per
mit a maximum of 25 pounds per
person, housewives may apply to the
Allen county rationing board for the
extra 15 pounds if they are needed.
The amount of sugar which anyone
has obtained for canning since
March 1, 1943, will be deducted from
Miss Ruth Neuensch wander to
Be Crowned Queen in Col
orful Ceremonies
Many and Varied Activities Are
Crowded Into Annual
Pageantry
In the attractive natural setting of
the Bluffton college baseball diamond
will occur the crowning of the May
queen and the traditional pageantry
accompanying the ceremony in the
annual May Day festivities to be
held on the campus on Saturday.
Always the highlight of May Day
is the crowning of the May Queen.
Miss Ruth Neuenschwander, of Phila
delphia, Pa., will
with Miss Grace
maid of honor.
In addition maypole dancers, flower
bearers, musicians, escorts and others
have been rehearsing for the tradi
tional pageant.
Other activities of the day include:
Morning—Varsity breakfasts,
tennis games, luncheons and reunions.
Afternoon—Class activity program,
box opening ceremony, organ music,
crowning of the queen.
Evening—Alumni banquet, Shakes
pearean play.
One of the features of the after
noon program will be the presenta
tion of class activities by the seniors
at Ramseyer chapel at 1:30 o’clock
and the box opening ceremonies of
the class of 1933 in front of college
hall at 2:30 o’clock.
The alumni banquet will be held
at Ropp hall at 6 o’clock. The
Shakespearean play, The Merchant of
Venice, will be given in the natural
outdoor setting of the baseball dia
mond at 8:45 o’clock.
Final Rites Held
For Albert Watkins
Funeral services for Albert Wat
kins, 72, were held at the Paul Diller
funeral chapel Friday afternoon.
Death came at his home on Riley
street Wednesday afternoon at 3
o’clock.
He had been ill a year and bed
fast two weeks. Death was due to
carcinoma.
Mr. Watkins was bom in Hancock
county Dec. 6, 1870, the son of Wil
liam and Susan (Tusshing) Watkins.
On May 10, 1895, he was married
to Estella Garrett, who survives with
three sons and three daughters.
Bluffton Housewives May Obtain Part
Of Canning Sugar By No. 1 Ration Book
be crowhed queen
Adams of Celina,
of Lansdale, Pa.,
Herbert Fretz,
will escort the queen to her throne.
He was elected popular man by stu
dent vote earlier in the spring. At
tendants to the queen are: Lucille
Medler, Findlay- Esther Mae Geigiey
and Ruth Burkhart of Gettysburg,
Pa. Dorethy Beckenbach, Kenton
Lucia Grieser, Jenera Magdalene
Oyer, Bettye Lewis and Mary Alice
Howe, Bluffton Margaret Shelley,
Pennsburg, Pa. Sara Moyer, Mt.
Cory Mabel Hill, Lima.
Children are: Brice Watkins, Mrs.
Jean Swank, Mrs. Myrtle Mann and
Mrs. Alice Wentz of Bluffton Mar
ion Watkins of Detroit Kenneth
Watkins of Columbus Grove.
There are two sisters and two bro
thers: John
Mrs. D. B.
Ollie Fisher
of Oregon.
Watkins of Bluffton
Huber of Lima Mrs.
of Sandusky and Pearl
Rev. Gerald Bright, pastor of the
Church of Christ, officiated at the
services. Burial was in Maple Grove
cemetery.
Honorably Discharged
Robert Murray who has been sta
tioned at Ft. Lewis, Wash., has re
ceived an honorable discharge be
cause of disability. He arrived home
Tuesday. ...
the 25 pound total each person is
permitted.
The rationing board has urged
that all persons wait until they need
their sugar for canning as facilities
are not yet set up to accommodate
a large numbei- of applicants.
The coupon system is expected to
enable housewives to do the can
ning which comes early in the sea
san and it is believed that in many
instances it will be sufficient to take
care of the needs of the average
family thereby making it unnecessary
to apply for additional sugar.
Most families will not need
maximum of 25 pounds of sugar
person, the maximum allowed
OPA.
May Queen To Be Crowned In Traditional
Pageantry At College Campus Saturday
the
per
by
Some details need to
worked out yet and further
nouncement will be made.
an-
HIGH SCHOOL TO
GRADUATE CLASS
OF FORTY-FOUR
Commencement Exercises Will
Be Held in School Gym
nasium Next Tuesday
)r. Roy Burkhart of Columbus
To Give Class Address at
Exercises
Diplomas will be awarded to 44
Bluffton High school seniors in com
mencement exercises to be held at the
gymnasium Tuesday night at 8
o’clock.
Dr. Roy A. Burkhart, pastor of
the First Community church in Co
lumbus, will be the speaker at the
graduation services. The valedictory
and salutatory orations will be given
by Robert Pannabecker and Dorothy
Anderson respectively, qualifying on
the basis of scholastic standing.
Musical numbers on the program
include a xylophone solo by Barbara
Jean Triplett, a vocal solo by Alice
Oyer and a flute solo by Raymond
Schumacher. The high school orch
estra, under the direction of Sidney
Hauenstein, will play the processional
and recessional for the graduating
class.
Members of the class are:
Ralph Althaus, Sylvan Burkholder,
Herbert Conrad, Weldon Deppler,
Herbert Devier, Calvin Dudgeon, John
Dunbar, Janies Gratz, Floyd Herr,
Edgar Huber, Albert Ingalls.
Richard Klay, Denard Loganbill,
Donavin Moser, Richard Oberly, Rob
ert Oberly, Robert Pannabecker, John
Schmidt, Raymond Schumacher, Dav
id Smucker, Clyde Sommer, Janies
Stonehill, Kenneth Winkler, Robert
Young.
Dorothy Anderson, Ellen Basinger,
LaVerne Burkholder, Mildred Camp
bell, Doris Dunifon, Harriete Fett,
Aline Hilty, Treva Hochstettler, Flor
ence Hofer, Dorothy Jennings.
Adah Lehman, Mary Ellen Lugin
buhl, Eileen Moser, Alice Oyer, Ruth
Slusser, Wilma Steiner, Barbara Jean
Triplett, Roberta Wenger, Mary Jane
Worthington, Alice Santschi.
Rites Thursday For
Mrs. Catherine Danner
Funeral services for Mrs. Cather
ine Danner, 94, of South Jackson
street, will be held at the St. John’s
Evangelical and Reformed church
Thursday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock.
She died Tuesday morning at 8:35
o’clock at the home of a daughter
Mrs. Elmer Hochstettler of Fort
Wayne, Indiana.
from
for
Her death was caused
asthma. She had been bedfast
three weeks.
In
she
Mrs. Danner was a native of
terlochen, Switzerland, where
was born July 2, 1848. Her husband
Gottlieb Danner died several years
ago.
She is survived by two daughters,
Mrs. Wilson Hughes of Lima and
Mrs. Hochstettler at whose home she
died two sons, Louis Danner of
Lima and John Danner of Fostoria.
One brother, John Burke, of Inter
lochen, Switzerland, also survives.
She was a member of the St.
John’s Evangelical and Reformed
church. Officiating at the services
will be Rev. W. H. Lahr, former
pastor of the Reformed church here
and Rev. Emil Burrichter, present
pastor.
The body will remain at the Diller
funeral home until time for service*.
1CT0RY
BUY
UNITBD
aTATB*
STAMM
NUMBER 4
DEPUTIES PATROL
TOWNSHIP ROADS
DURING BLACKOUT
Seventy Deputies to Assist
In Richland Township,
Monday Night
Blackout Signal to be Given by
Radio Swiss Inn to be
Headquarters
When the test blackout is held here
Monday, the Richland township civ
ilian defense unit will have the most
complete organization in Allen county,
it was slated by a representative of
the county sheriff's office at a meet
ing of the deputies in the town hall
Monday night as plans were complet
ed for the coming blackout.
One of the problems of rural black
out procedure is to get the blackout
signal to all of the township, resi
dents at the same time. According to
present plans the blackout signal will
be given by radio over Lima station
WLOK for those who are unable to
hear the blackout signals from the
whistle of the Bluffton Municipal
Light plant.
All township residents are advised
to keep their radios tuned to the sta
tion all Monday evening. No definite
time has been assigned for the black
out on Monday but it is believed that
it will occur shortly after dark.
All Lights Off
All lights in the house, bam, hen
house and other farm buildings should
be turned off or blacked out during
the period. All automobiles, truck
and tractor lights should also be turn
ed off, it was stated.
Headquarters of the blackout will
be the Swiss Inn, one mile south of
town on the Dixie Highway. Willard
Jennings, chief air raid warden, Chas.
Lora, fire chief, the township trustees
and several first aid representatives
will be stationed there.
All accidents and violation of civil
ian defense regulations are to be re
ported immediately |o the Swiss Inn.
Severe penalties are provided for all
willful violators of blackout regula
tions, it was stated.
Deputies at Crossroads
Deputies will be stationed at all
important crossroads in the township.
Additional air raid deputies have been
appointed to make a total of about 70
officers in the township assisting in
the test blackout.
All automobiles in the township will
be stopped during the blackout and
will be permitted to continue with
their dim lights on only in case their
mission is most urgent.
Air raid wardens, auxiliary police,
the township trustees and first aid
representatives will participate in the
trial procedure Monday night and all
have been urged by Jennings to be in
readiness.
A follow-up meeting will be held in
the township room in the town hall no
Tuesday night to compare notes on
the experiences and to make sugges
tions for improvements, Jennings an
nounced.
To Enter Foreign
Relief Organization
In preparation for foreign
lief service several former
college students will
course of study at
Goshen, Indiana.
war re
Bluffton
summer
college,
take a
Goshen
be assigned to
The students will
foreign relief centers, sponsored by
the Mennonite Central committee, in
the following areas: Central and
South America, China, Porto Rico,
and the Near East.
Assignments will be made on the
basis of the aptitudes and interests
as shown in the
der experts in
tional problems,
assignment the
stay in the country assigned for the
duration and a year after the war.
course of study un
relief and intema
When accepting an
student agrees to
Taking the course of study will be:
Richard Pannabecker and Bertran
Smucker of Bluffton Harold and
Arthur Thiessen of Basna, India
i Richard Weaver of Goshen, Ind., and
Ed Zehr of Gridley, Illinois.
Completes Navy
Course
Eugene Newlan, 21, son of Warner
Newlan of West Elm street, has
completed his training at the service
school for fire-controlmen at Great
Lakes, Ill., and is now qualified for
active duty aboard a Navy Man-O
War.
Newlan was selected to attend the
school on the basis of aptitude tests
taken during recruit training. The
instruction was for 16 weeks. New
lan was included in a class of 66S
men recently graduated. k
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