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BUY UNITED •TaTES ravings /bonds VOLUME NO. LXIX LONGSDORF WILL RESIGN AS HEAD OF SCHOOLS HERE Superintendent Will Vacate Position at End of School Year, August 31 Announcement Made to School Board No Action Yet to Name Successor A. J. B. Longsdorf has announced that he will resign as head of Bluff ton’s public schools at the close of the present school year, August 31. Announcement of his resignation which may also mean his retirement from the teaching profession was made to members of the board of education at their meeting Monday night. His formal resignation 'was placed in the hapds of the board of educa tion Wednesday morning, Supt. Longsdorf stated. In connection with the announcement, the Bluffton school head pointed out that he will have arrived at the point by the close of this school year where he will be eligible for benefits from the state teachers retirement system, having completed 35 years of active work in the teaching profession. Whether the board ■will meet in a special session to act on the resignation or whether it will be held over until the next regular meeting on June 11 is not known. No Plans for Successor News of the resignation has given rise to speculation as to a possible successor. However it is learned from reliable sources that no action toward filling the position will be under taken by the board of education until after the close of school the latter part of this month. Announcement by the Bluffton school head of his resignation came unexpectedly at the board meeting. Members of the board unsuccessfully urged him to reconsider his decision. Supt. Longsdorf said that he was not resigning his position here with a view of accepting another school position and intimated that he did not expect to continue in the teach ing profession where he has spent 35 years. Future Plans Indefinite Future plans are indefinite at this time, he stated and whether he and Mrs. Longsdorf will continue to reside in Bluffton has not yet been determined. Supt. Longsdorf came here in 1925 from North Baltimore where he resigned as head of the school system to accept the Bluffton posi tion. With the close of this term he will have completed 19 years here, the longest term of service of any head of the Bluffton schools. During that period his contracts have been renewed by the boards of education, usually in three year terms and his resignation will come with one year remaining unexpired on his present contract. Supt. Longsdorf was graduated from Wooster college in 1912 and received his Master of Arts degree from Columbia university, New York city in 1921. He has also done graduate w'ork at Ohio State university. Observe Nationdl Hospital Day Friday 4 ____________ The part which is being played by hospitals both in this country and abroad on the fighting fronts will be brought to attention of the public in observance of National Hospital day, Friday. There will be no special observance of the day at Bluffton Hospital, it was stated by Miss Sylvia Bieder man, superintendent, however, visi tors are always welcome at the in stitution and are invited to inspect the new oxygen tent which has re cently been added to the hospital’s modern facilities. Solicitation For Honor Roll To Be Contnued House-to-house solicitation of the town to raise funds for the erection of Bluffton's honor roll will be con tinued by the American Legion and Legion Auxiliary until May 23, it was announced Tuesday. Those in the rural areas and any one overlooked in town who wish to make contributions are asked to leave donations at the home of Mrs. J. S. Steiner. Names of men and women from Bluffton and the vicinity now serv ing in the armed forces will be on the roll of honor, which will be lo cated on the high school grounds. Bluffton Too Busy And Little Interested David Kliewer Writes From Jap Prison Camp David Kliewer, American airman now held prisoner of war by the Japanese was permitted to send a 25 word message to his parents, Rev. and Mrs. P. A. Kliewer of Albany, Oregon, who are visiting here. David was taken prisoner early in the conflict and has since been held in a prison camp on one of the is lands in the Japanese group. The message written last August was received in December. It said that he was well and had high hopes of seeing his parents soon. David is a former Bluffton youth and attended school here during which time his father was pastor of the Ebenezer Mennonite church. Rev. and Mrs, Kliewer who have been spending several days with former parishioners in Bluffton and vicinity will leave Thursday. They came east to visit their son and daughter in Illinois. OLDER MEN SELL FARMS MIDDLE AGED GROUP BUYS Sixty-five Year Old Class Cash ing in on Present High Market Younger Group Above Draft Age Invest High Wartime Wages in Land Ownership of many farms in the Bluffton district is changing hands these days, with most of the turn over represented by men 65 years of age or older retiring from agri cultural pursuits while land is bring ing good prices. With sales of farms increasing steadily, there are some symptoms of a land boom similar to that which this area want thru in World War I. In addition to the good prices re ceived for land sold today, older farmers are influenced in their deci sions to sell out by the fact that they are .unable to do all of their work and they find it practically impossible to obtain farm labor. 38 to 50 Year Group Buyers Most of the land changing hands now is going to younger men be tween the ages of 38 and 50, many of whom own adjoining farms and want more acreage. Others buying farmland are men who have been working in war plants and believe this is a good time to get set for what post-war conditions may bring. With curtailment in some war plants, these men are investing their savings in farm investments, which offer a high degree of security. As long as there is a ready market and good prices for farm products, the sale of land probably will continue on the present trend. Some farmers estimate they are netting a 15% return, even on today’s higher land prices. Births The following births at Bluffton Community hospital: Mr. and Mrs. Delbert Neuensch wander of Lima, a son, this Wednes day morning. Sgt. Lyle McCarty in overseas service and Mrs. McCarty of Ada, a son, Monday afternoon. Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Williams of Beaverdam a son, Sunday afternoon. Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Guillen qf Pan dora, a son, Saturday morning. All water lines into residential properties and places of business along Main street from the Bentley road to the A. C. and Y. railroad will be changed this summer by em ployes of the town’s municipal water works. Present one-half-inch taps, which have been in service since the first Main street pavement was laid more than 40 years ago, have corroded and become partially filled with sedi ment, .resulting in reduced water pressure for homes and business places. New taps will be larger three fourths inch for residences and one inch for business places, it was an nounced. In the replacement program water works crews will install new taps in Water Taps To 160 Outlets On Main Street Will Be Replaced In Tuesday’s Voting Electors Here Manifest Small Concert Tuesday Night as to Outcome Spring Housecleaning and Late Farm Work Cut At tendance at Polls In a light presidential primary vote, Allen county electors cast bal lots for delegates and alternates to Republican and Democratic con ventions this summer, expressed their preference for nominees for state and district offices and determined the party slates for the November election. The fact that there were few contests on either ticket detracted measurably from interest in the election, however results Wednesday morning disclosed several unusual developments. Among these were the race for sheriff which will be run by two candidates of the same name, only spelled differently—William V. Daley, incumbent, Democratic candidate and William R. Dailey, Republican aspirant. Democratic Write-ins Also an election day develppment were three write-ins on the Demo cratic ticket for which there were no candidates. They were: Lena £iferd who received 405 votes for clerk of courts Jos. Book, ,293 votes for recorder and Harry J. Meredith 10 votes for common pleas judge. These write-ins will appear as candidates on the ticket at the November election provided they ac cept the nomination. In contested races on the Republi can ticket, Paul Landis, seeking a second term as prosecutor defeated David Steiner. The vote was: Landis 3,011 Steiner 1,669. L. H. Myers, seeking nomination for another term as state represen tative defeated Burdette Herring. The vote was: Myers 2,828 Herring 1,591. In the sheriff race the vote stood: William R. Dailey, 2,309: Oscar Dupes, Sr., 705 Ralph Marshall 1,733. State Vote Mayors of two of Ohio’s largest cities were nominated for governor— Frank Lausche of Cleveland on the democratic ticket and James Stewart of Cincinnati by the Republicans. William Pickrel, Dayton attorney appeared to be the Democratic nom inee for U. S. Senator, opposing this fall the present incumbent Robert Taft of Cincinnati who had no opposition at the primary. Appeals Jury Award In Farm Land Case Lester L. Clymer, Bluffton road contractor, has appealed to the U. S. circuit court of appeals in Cincin nati from a U. S. district court jury award of $39,240 for 480 acres of farm land near Marion taken for the Scioto Ordnance plant. Clymer con tended the fair market value of tho property was $56,000. Town Softball Play Will Start May 25 Softball play for the summer will be started at Harmon Field, at 6:30 p. m., Thursday, May 25, with every one interested in playing urged to turn out for the first meeting. Tentative plans are for play each Tuesday and Thursday night, with separate leagues for oldsters and be ginners if there is enough interest. All equipment is provided except ing individual gloves. approximately 160 outlets from the large water main to the consumers’ meters. If replacement lines are needed from the meter to the pa tron’s outlet it will be his responsi bility to make that change. Water mains from which the taps run are under the pavement, about eight to 10 feet from the curb. Workmen already have started the replacement program, hoping to com plete before Main street is re-sur faced early this summer. It is esti mated that about three months will be required for the work. Water mains, cleaned about six years ago, are in good condition, and present complaints of low water pressure should be remedied by in stallation of the new taps, unless the trouble lies in the householder’s service lines. II IE BLUFFTON NEWS A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY BLUFFTON, OHIO, THURSDAY, MAY COUNTY NOMINEES NAMED IN LIGHT PRIMARY ELECTION Write-ins Develop on Democra tic Ticket as Result of Vote Tuesday William V. Daley and William R. Dailey are Candidates for Sheriff Bluffton was too busy to vote nt Tuesday’s primary. There was spring housecleaning, late farm work and the dozen and one-other demands on the elector’s time and as a result only "about twenty per cent of Bluffton's voters went to the polls. The total vote cast was 224, consist ing of 123 Republicans and 101 Dem ocratic ballots. The town’s total vote is estimated at 1,200. Altho it rained the greater part of the day making spring tillage work impossible, the vote in Richland North precinct was one of the lightest in re cent years. Of the total of 45 votes, cast, 20 were Republicans and 25 Dem ocratic. The vote here by Precincts was Rep. Dem. Bluffton A .... ...........* .28 20 Bluffton ........ ............ 51 37 Bluffton ........ ............ 22 25 Bluffton ........ 22 19 Richland N......... ........... 20 25 The light vot’ reflected lack of in terest generally in the primary in which there were few contests on the county tickets. Electors showed lit tle concern in the outcome and few gathered at the polling places during the evening after returns were posted. Hartman-Watkins Wedding At Mt. Cory Miss La Donna Hartman, daugh ter of Mr. and Mrs. Pari Hartman, Orange township, and Jimmy Wat kins, son of Mr. and Mrs. Chell Wat kins of Mt. Cory, were united in marriage last Wednesday afternoon at 5:30 p. m. in the If4 Cory par sonage by Rev. Irvin Kauffman. The bride wore a navy blue two piece silk dress with w'hite trim, edged in lace and white accessories. Her corsage was red roses. The bride is a graduate of Mt. Cory school in the class of 1943. The groom attended Van Buren high school and has been engaged in farming. Following the ceremony the bride and groom were honored with a sup per by Mr. and Mrs. Freeman Ba singer, the bride’s sister, of Bluffton. The color note of pink and blue was carried out in the decorations. Two crystal candelabra with white candles and a wedding cake topped with a miniature bride and groom centered the table. Fresh cut,flowers were arranged around the room. Betty Steinman Honored At O. W. U. Miss Betty Steinman, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Forrest L. Steinman, of South Lawn avenue, is one of eleven juniors at Ohio WesPyan uni versity, Delaware, who has been se lected to serve as senior advisor to freshmen women at the school for the coming year. Miss Steinman is active in choir, orchestra and the Y. W. C. A. at Ohio Wesleyan. During this semes ter she is serving as social chairman of Austin Hall. She is a member of Gamma Phi Beta, social sorority. Miss Steinman is a graduate of Bluffton High school and attended Bluffton college before going to Ohio Wesleyan. Commencement At Beaverdam May 18 Baccalaureate services of Beaver dam high school will be held Sunday night at 8:30 o’clock with Rev. V. C. Oppermann of Bluffton as the speak er. Commencement exercises will be held on Thursday night, May 18 at 8:30 o’clock with Rev. W. E. Bradley of Findlay delivering the class ad dress. In India Cpl. Edgar Schumacher, son of Mr. and Mrs. Menno Schumacher has arrived in India with an army unit, it was learned the first of the week. BLUFFTON MARKETS Wednesday Morning Grain (bushel prices) Wheat $1.60 corn $1.10 oats 75c soys $1.80. 11, 1944 Republican Paul Herbert 1938 Thos. Herbert 1091 Payne 183 Stewart 1478 Taft 4259 Bender 2901 Edwards 886 Reichle 269 Jones 4148 Sorensen 573 Myers 2828 Herring 1591 Landis 3011 Steiner 1669 Mills 4161 Dailey 2309 Dupes 705 Marshall 1733 Failor 4189 Barnett 4413 Mumaugh 4261 Lewis 4349 Jennings 3472 Morris 3107 Emans 3869 Lora 4477 Mrs. Wilma Nonnamaker Mum ma Will Reign Over Colorful Campus Ceremony Many and Varied Activities Are Included On Program of Pageantry Accompanied by the traditional pageantry of annual May Day festivities, Mrs. Wilma Nonnamaker Mumma, of Bluffton, will be crowned Bluffton College May Queen in a colorful outdoor ceremony against the attractive natural setting of the campus at four o’clock next Saturday afternoon. Coronation of the Queen is the feature event of the picturesque May Day celebration, always one of the high spots of each commence ment season. Additional color is provided by the maypole dancers, actors in the pageant, flower bear ers, escorts and musicians. Earl Lehman, of Pandora, will escort the Queen to her throne. Maid Pictures of the May Queen and attendants appear on Page 2 of Honor is Miss Wanda Suter, of Pandora, who will crown the queen. Queen’s Attendants Allen County Vote In Tuesday’s Primary Returns from All 111 Precincts GOVERNOR -U. S. SENATOR CONGRESSMAN-AT-LARGE CONGRESSMAN STATE REPRESENTATIVE PROSECUTOR CLERK OF COURTS SHERIFF RECORDER TREASURER ENGINEER CORONER COMMISSIONER May Queen To Be Crowned In Traditional Pageantry On College Campus Saturday Attendants to the Queen are Holly Burkhalter, Helen Habegger, Mary C. Bowman, Joan Schertz, Viola Am stutz, Trella Bosserman, Eula Locher, Grace Geisinger and Gertrude Det wiler. Little Ann Stauffer will be the crown bearer, with Christine Rae and Helen Kae Geiger acting as train bearers. Flower children will in clude David Kennedy, David Det wiler, David Suter, Jimmy Burry, Nancy Patterson, Connie Patterson, Laura Jane Diller and Carolyn Mus ser. Donna Hartzler and Lila Mobn will be the pages, and Mabert Benner the trumpeter. May dancers are Anna Ruth Leh man, Florence Higa, Camilla Gorby, Phyllis Hartzler, Margaret Chase, Edith Stuckey, Betty Rusher, Agnes Suter, Marcene Blodgett, Joan Everett, June Oyer, Carolyn Wilcox, Virginia Geiger, Alice Oyer, Alice Locher and Clymania Hammon. The colorful May Day procession will form at Ropp Hall, cross Kreh biel bridge and proceed across the baseball field to the far side where the crowning will be held. In case of rain, the event will be held in the college gymnasium. North Baltimore Man To Lead Sinspiration Rev. Hilliard D. Camp, pastor of the United Brethren church of North Baltimore will lead the singspiration at the Defenseless Mennonite church Sunday night at 9 o’clock. He will be assisted by the A-Capella Gospel Trio of the Defenseless Mennonite church at Grabill, Indiana. Democratic PROBATE JUDGE COMMON PLEAS JUDGE Baertschi 44 Dye 130 Huffman 536 Lausche 1042 Reams 464 Sweeney 662 Harrison 459 Pickrel 1419 Taylor 533 Glass 545 Russell C78 Van Schiock 44 Ward 551 Ludwig 2318 Solomon 1991 Miller 2220 Siferd 405 2122 Daley Ford 830 Book 293 Kelly 2201 Cupp 2230 Sigler Hilty 1501 2142 Smith 2611 Meredith 10 MARKETS SWEPT CLEAR OF PORK AS RATIONING ENDS Hamburger And Veal Also Move Rapidy No Run On Beef And Butter Shoppers Seeking Best Cuts Must Go To Markets Early Now Shoppers preparing for Sunday dinners and taking advantage of the discontinuance of rationing on most cuts of meat swept Bluffton’s two meat markets bare of pork last Sat urday. Hamburger and veal, also ration free, climbed sharply upward in sales but rationed beef steaks and roasts and unrationed cheaper cuts moved comparatively slowly. Butter, still on the ration list, has shown little change in sales, but there ie an ample supply on local markets as contrasted with the shortage of several weeks ago. Last Saturday’s rapid movement of pork and veal was an indication that lifting of point rationing on all but choice cuts of beef may again put the meat business on a first-come, first serve basis. Best Cuts Popular With no point difference to regulate sales, the best cuts of non-rationed meats will sell rapidly. Only the cheaper varieties will be left for late comers in many cases. Despite the fact that only 15 in stead of 30 red points will be validat ed each month because of the easing of rationing, local dealers believe ju dicious use of point-free meats will leave considerably more points for butter, cheese and steak purchases in the future. Lifting of rationing also should help Fido, for more bones will be available and no points will be required for dog meat. Partial lifting of meat rationing last ^Thursday reflects the record run of hogs continuing to come to the market, a good supply of lamb and mutton and a large backlog of beef cattle on the nation’s ranges. Returns Home On Medical Discharge Weldon Deppler, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Deppler of Bentley road has been honorably discharged by navy medical officers, it was an nounced the first of the week. He arrived home Tuesday morning. Deppler was inducted into the service last month and stationed at the naval training school in Great Lakes, Ill. He will assist his father in farming. Hiram Geiger family the first of week. Viola Amstutz held a vocal re *iy night at Ramseyer chap uto« college. 1 Lockers Are Held To Farm Use icreased demands for food locker nts have made it necessary to —'hten r^qiiirrmpnta stall at NUMBER 3 -i-flU COMMENCEMENT AT BLUFFTON COLLEGE MONDAY MORNING Commencement Speaker Will Be Dr. Elmer E. S. Johnson, Hartford, Conn. Fifteen Seniors Will Graduate This Spring May Queen To Be Crowned Diplomas will be awarded to graduating seniors of Bluffton col lege in the 44th annual commence ment exercises to be held jn the First Mennonite church at 10 o’clock next Monday morning. Wartime conditions which have considerably affected enrollment at the school are reflected in the reduc ed number of seniors in the class. Of the graduates, nine will receive Bachelor of Arts degrees five the Bachelor of School Music degree and one a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree next Monday. COMMENCEMENT CALENDAR Saturday 1:30 P. M.—Class Program 4:00 I*. M.—Crowning of May Queen 6:00 P. M.—Alumni Banquet 8:45 P. M.—Thespian Play Sunday 3:00 P. M.—Baccalaureate 7:30 P. M.—Girls Glee Club Concert Monday 10:00 A. M.—Commencement At the close of this summer’s ses sion of classes in August, seven other students will receive Bachelor of Arts degrees, and one will qualify for the Bachelor of School Music degree. Class Speaker Dr. Elmer E. S. Johnson, profes sor emeritus of Hartford seminary, Hartford, Conn., will be the speaker at this year's commencement exer cise. His subject will be “Redeeming our Heritage.” Next Saturday’s program, high lighted by the annual May Day exercises and the Alumni banquet, will be the most crowded day on the commencement schedule. Saturday’s program will open with the Varsity breakfasts followed by Class and Pi Delta dinners at noon. The 1944 senior class pro gram will be held at 1:30 p. m. Crown May Queen Crowning of the May Queen in colorful May Day exercises on the campus will be the outstanding event of the afternoon program, and it will be followed at 6 p. m. by the Alumni banquet. Closing feature of the day will be presentation of the Thespian play, “Letters to Lucerne”, at 8:45 p. m. in the chapel. President Lloyd L. Ramseyer will deliver the Baccalaureate sermon, “Lift Up Your Eyes”, at 3 p. m. Sunday in the Ramseyer chajfd, and a girls’ glee club concert will be given at 7:30 p. m. Members of Class Members of the graduating class include: Bachelor of Arts—Mary Bowman, Lima Holly Burkhalter, Middletown Grace Geissinger, Allentown, Pa. Ellis Guthrie, Lafayette, O. Helen Habegger, Busby, Montana EUwyn Hartzler, Bloomington, III. Eula Locher, Pandora Wilma Mumma, Bluffton James Welty, Lima. Bachelor of School Music—Viola Amstutz, Pandora Ruth Fenwick, Lima Earl Lehman, Pandora Wanda Suter, Pandora and Ruth Zuider hoek, Troy. Joan Weaver Schertz, of Bloomington, III., will receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Nurs ing. At the close of next summer’s ses sion those who will qualify for Bachelor of Arts degrees will ba Edmund Zehr, Gridley, III. Viola Amstutz, Pandora Eleanor Berky, Bluffton Jeanne Habegger Boehr, Dallas, Texas Trella Bosserman, Rawson Frank Hamblen, Columbus Grove and Elizabeth Locher, Bluff ton. Gertrude Detwiler, Souderton, Pa., will get a Bachelor of School Music degree. College Girls Choir Will Sing Twice Bluffton college’s girls choir of 45 voices will make two public appear ances during the commencement sea son, presenting a cantata and a church concert. “Pan on a Summer Day”, the can tata, will be presented at 8:30 p. m. Friday in the Ramseyer chapel at the college. The closing concert of the year will be given by the group at 7:30 p. m. Sunday in the First Mennonite church. Prof. Russell A. Lantz director of the choir.