The Bluffton news. [volume], June 01, 1944, Image 1

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BUY
UNITSO
•Tatis
SAVINGS
*ONOS
VOLUME NO. LXIX
EW SCHOOL HEAD
WILL COME FROM
OUTSIDE BLUFFTON
Board Decides Not to Advance
Someone From Present
Teaching Staff
Large Number of Applications
Are Received From Out
siders None Locally
Bluffton’s new public school super
intendent will be hired from outside
the town, instead of filling the
vacancy by advancing someone from
the present teaching staff, it was
decided Friday night at a special
meeting of the board of education.
Altho no consideration has as yet
been given to applicants for the post,
last Friday’s action definitely determ
ined what the board’s policy will be
in hiring a replacement.
Two courses were open to the
board in the selection of a new local
school head, and the question of
policy has been widely discussed
since Supt. A. J. B. Longsdorf an
nounced his resignation a month ago.
In deciding to hire a new superin
tendent from outside the present
school system, the board has ruled
out the likelihood of advancing one
of the present high school staff to
the position paying $2700 a year.
Many Applicants
A large number of applications al
ready have been filed by out-of-town
school men, and up until the time of
the board meeting last Friday there
had been no formal application from
any member of the present faculty.
With announcement of the decision
to hire someone outside the Bluff
ton school corps, more applications
from present school heads in other
systems are expected.
Bluffton’s new superintendent will
have the assistance of an experienced
principal since Gerhard Buhler, who
now fills that post, has indicated his
intention of remaining here, and the
board at last Firday’s meeting gave
him a new three-year contract.
No further meeting of the board is
scheduled until the regular monthly
session on June 12, and meanwhile
speculation is rife as to who the new
superintendent may be. Supt. Longs
dorf is retiring on August 31 after
35 years in the teaching profession,
ip years of which were spent in
Brother And Sister
In Double Wedding
A brother and sister were among
the principals in a double wedding
solemnized Saturday afternoon at St.
John’s. Reformed church at 4:30
o’clock.
The two weddings w'ere those of
Miss Ruth Ann Cook of Lima and
Robert Franklin Thompson of Nor
folk, Va., and Miss Mary Jane Klay
and Edgar S. Cook both of Bluffton.
Ruth Ann and Edgar Cook are the
dughter and son of Mr. and Mrs.
Roy Cook of near Bluffton. Miss
Klay is the daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. George Klay of South Mound
street and Mr. Thompson is the son
of Mr. and Mrs. Martin Thompson
of Roundhead.
The double ring service was used
in the ceremony for each couple with
Rev. V. C. Oppermann, pastor of
the church officiating.
Miss Cook, bride of Mr. Thompson,
chose for her wedding a poudre blue
tailored frock with white accessories.
Miss Klay, bride of Mr. Cook, wore
a poudre blue sheer frock with white
accessories. Both brides wore cor
sages of pink roses and sweet peas.
Following the ceremony a wedding
dinner was served at the home of
Mr. and Mrs. Martin Thompson at
Roundhead.
Mrs. Thompson was formerly a
nurse at Bluffton Community hos
pital. Her husband, in naval service,
recently returned from overseas serv
ice and is stationed in Norfolk where
they will reside.
Mr. and Mrs. Cook will reside in
Bluffton where both are employed by
the Triplett Electrical Instrument
company.
Resume Singspiration
Here Sunday Night
Singspiration services at the De
fenseless Mennonite church which
were omitted for several weeks will
be resumed Sunday night at' 9 o’clock.
Leader will be Rev. Paul Rupp of Ft.
Wayne, brother of Rev. Stanley
Rupp, pastor of the church. Miss
Miriam Klopfenstein will be at the
piano.
Qualities of Heart
Qualities of the heart, not those
©f the face, should attract us.-—La
martine.
Unique Ordination For
Son Of Local Pastor
Ordination of Rev. Dwight Weed,
son of Rev. J. A. Weed of this place,
w’hich took place at the annual Ohio
Methodist conference at Columbus,
Sunday, is believed to have been
unique in the annals of the church.
The ordination took place under
sponsorship of his father and three
uncles, Revs. F. O. Weed of Mar
ietta, R. R. Weed of Middletown and
S. E. Weed of Hamilton, all ministers
in this conference.
Dwight is pastor of the Adriel
Methodist church in Chicago and has
also been appointed research assist
ant in the department of sociology
at Garrett seminary, Evanston, Ill.,
where he is working on his doctor’s
degree.
FILLING STATION
LOOTED OF GAS
RATION STAMPS
Coupons for 3,500 Gallons of
Gas Taken: Toledo OPA
is Notified
Part of Loot Abandoned in
Alley is Recovered Police
Work on Case
Ration stamps good for 3,500 gal
lons of gasoline were the principal
items of loot taken from the Stand
ard Oil Filling station operated by
Edgar Conaway at North Main and
Jefferson streets, in a robbery
Thursday night.
Altho the stamps, which had been
taken in for gasoline, appeared to be
the goal of the burglary, Conaway
reported that batteries, spark plugs,
an electric drill and other accessories
with an aggregate value of about
$200 also were stolen. About three
dollars in change was obtained from
the cash register.
Conaway discovered the burglary
when he opened the place of business
Friday morning, and he immediately
reported it to the Allen county
sheriff’s office. Theft of the ration
stamps for gasoline also was report­
robbery looked like the work of
someone who knew the place, or who
had carefully checked up beforehand.
Cut Thru Glass
Entrance was gained thru a rear
window' by cutting out a corner of
the glass, raising the latch and then
opening the w’indow’. The window'
cut by the thief is the only one
which was not locked, having been
opened during the day for ventila
tion. It was closed and latched at
the time of the robbery.
In entering by the window in
question it was necessary to climb
over some oil pumps, and inasmuch
as none of the other windows was
molested, authorities felt the burg
lary appears to be the work of
someone acquainted with the station.
Local police who are working on
the case with the sheriff’s office
pointed out that the window ordin
arily would not be chosen as the one
to force, unless someone knew in
advance that it might not be locked.
There are several other rear wind
ows, any of which would appear
more inviting, police said.
Friday afternoon a grip in which
Conaw’ay had stored a number of
batteries was found empty in an al
ley at the rear of the Steiner
Chevrolet garage a block away. With
it was a flashlight from Conaway’s
station and a small wrecking bar
w’hich the robber apparently had
used.
When Conaway opened the station
Friday morning he found drawers
standing open and papers strewn
about the floor.
Summer Bible School
Attendance Is 125
Bluffton’s interdenominational va
cation Bible school opened Monday
with an attendance of 125, it is an
nounced following completion of rec
ords of the various classes.
Sessions are being held in the
Grade school building continuing thru
next week. Rev. Paul Rupp of Ft.
Wayne, brother of Rev. Stanley
Rupp, pastor of the Defenseless Men
nonite church is conducting worship
periods and is in charge of the mu
sic.
Teachers are laymen and pastors
of Bluffton churches in cooperation
with the Bluffton Ministerial associa
tion.
Bluffton’s Memorial Day Observance
Tailored To Wartime Pattern Tuesday
War Industries Operate on
Regular Schedules Over
Holiday
Pinch of Gasoline Rationing
Makes Staying at Home
Popular
Bluffton’s Memorial day, Tuesday,
was tailored to a wartime pattern—
vastly different from the old days
when the amount of gasoline one
bought was limited only by the size
of his purse and his gas tank.
Those were the days when Decora
tion day meant a spin down to
Indian lake for fishing, or up to
Lake Erie, or perhaps over to the
Indianapolis races—when Bluffton
filling stations remained open thruout
the night before and after the holi
day to accommodate swarms of joy
riding motorists who crowded the
highways.
In those days filling stations and
restaurants w'ere about the only
places open while everyone else took
the day off for a holiday.
It’s Different Now
This year was vastly different
when only about h^alf of the town and
community paused to enjoy the holi
day. Business generally was suspend
ed but local war industries operated
as usual and most workers employed
in Lima also remained on the job.
Farmers, too, for the most part
had no time to observe the holiday,
and remained in their fields in an
attempt to catch up with long de
layed spring work.
Those who did take the day off
had no gasoline for traveling, be
cause of stricter rationing, and it
was necessary for them to find their
recreation in Bluffton.
Many Go Fishing
Many spent their time in fishing
in Buckeye Lake and Riley creek,
and reported biting good. A few
die-hard mushroom hunters were out
in the woods, but their luck w’as poor.
Most of those who took the day off
spent the time in their victory
gardens or on their lawns. This
spring has brought more lawn
beautifying programs in Bluffton
than in many a year, probably be
cause with gasoline scarce it is
necessary for the family to stay at
home.
Sale of shrubs and evergreens has
been better than ever and nurseries
are getting, from $8.50 to $10 for
Buckeye Lake swimming season
open for the summer had a large
turnout.
Assyrian Will Talk
Here Twice Sunday
M. Malik Verda, a native of As
syria, now’ a resident of Oberlin, will
speak at St. John’s Evangelical and
Reformed church Sunday morning,
and address a Union church service
at the First Mennonite church on
the evenirtg of the same day.
“By the Waters of Babylon”, a
thrilling missionary lecture on mod
ern martyrs and Near East tragedies
will be given at both services. He
w’ill speak in the Reformed church
at 10:45 A. M. and in the First Men
nonite church at 8 P. M.
Verda w’as born and reared near
ancient Nineveh and was brought up
in the oldest Christian church faith
in existence, the Nestorian. He
speaks fluently the Aramaic lan
guage, the native tongue of Christ,
and his rendition of Christian songs
in his native language is popular
with audiences.
Events of the first World War
drove Verda’s family into exile. His
father today is a refugee in Bul
garia, his mother in Russia. Verda
has lectured in 26 different countries
and for the past year has been as
sociated with the Internation Lyceum.
Dies After Contact
With Electric Fence
George Linden of Cherry street
left Wednesday for Pontiac, Ill., to
attend funeral services of a brother
in-law, Robert Balbach to be held
at that place, Thursday afternoon.
Balback, 50, a farmer residing
near Pontiac died Monday night from
complications following accidental
contact with an electric fence. His
w’ife is a sister of the Bluffton man.
Births
Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Marshall,
Jr., of Bluffton are the parents of a
son born at Bluffton hospital, Friday.
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Zuercher
are the parents of a son, Kenneth
William born at their home in Lima,
Sunday.
A son was born to Mr. and Mrs.
Roger Hersh of Continental at Bluff
ton hospital, Tuesday.
rHE BLUFFTON NEWS
A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY
BLUFFTON, OHIO, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 1944
........V----------------------------------
NEW THREE HOUR
PARKING TO BE IN
EFFECT THURSDAY
Traffic Ordinance Limits Day
time Parking in Business
Section
Sentiment Grows to Ban Truck
Parking at Night Near
Residences
Bluffton’s new traffic ordinance
restricting parking on Main street
in the business section becomes ef
fective this Thursday, with parking
limited to three hours in the restrict
ed area.
For the purpose of the ordinance
the business district is defined as
that portion of Main street between
Elm and Franklin streets.
The three-hour parking restriction
will apply only during the day,
from 6 a. m. until 6 p. m.
Municipal police have been ordered
to carefully check all cars parked in
the district, and violators will be
fined in the Mayor’s court.
Restriction of parking in the
business district also has stimulated
sentiment for an ordinance to pro
hibit nighttime parking of trucks in
the residential area.
This disturbs the sleep of many
residents, because several trucks will
park near each other, drivers will
talk in loud tones, and when they
again start motors w’ill be raced with
the mufflers cut out, etc.
Harvey Bauman Weds
Pauline A. Sprunger
Two former Bluffton college stu
dents, Pauline Alvada Sprunger, of
near Lima, and Harkey M. Bauman,
of Sharon, Pa., were united in mar
riage last Sunday afternoon in an
impressive double-ring ceremony in
the Bluffton First Mennonite church.
The bride is the daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. A. P. Spfunger, of near
Lima, and has been music supervisor
in the Pandora schools. Bauman is
the son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Bau
man, of Quakertown, |*a.
White carnations, pennies and ferns
formed an attractive background for
the ceremony performed by Rev.
Forrest Musser, and white tapers
lighted the .«ettiqg.
The organ prelude w. played by
Bluffton, and
preceding the service Miss Dorothy
Burner, of Benton Ridge, sang sev
eral selections. Traditional w’edding
marches were used for the proces
sional and recessional.
The bride, given in marriage by
her father, w’ore a gown of white
brocaded satin, fashioned with a
sweetheart neckline, long fitted
sleeves and full skirt ending in a
long train. Her fingertip veil of il
lusion net w’as bordered with lace
and was arranged with a tiara of
seed pearls. For ornament she wore
a pearl necklace given to her by the
bridegroom.
Miss Letha Arrants, of Beloit,
Wis., formerly of Lima, and Miss
Mary Lou Zurfluh, of Lima, were the
bride’s attendants. Andrew Bauman,
of Quakertown, Pa., brother of the
groom, was best man. The ushers
were Maynard Shelley, of Quaker
town Richard Pannabecker, of Chi
cago, and Frederick Soldner, and
Earl Lehman, of Pandora.
After the ceremony a reception
was held in the church parlors. The
couple will reside in Sharpsville, Pa.,
this summer. Bauman is employed
in Dairy Herd Improvement at Sha
ron, Pennsylvania.
Receives Prize For
Coin Week Display
A. E. Kohli, Bluffton coin collector,
has been awarded second prize by
the American Numismatic Associa
tion in a nationwide contest for the
best displays during National Coin
vreek last April. He received notifi
cation of the award the first of the
week.
Kohli’s coin display was made in
the w’indow’ of the Basinger Furni
ture store and marked his first entry
in the national event. He was as
sisted in making the exhibit by Dr.
Evan Basinger, Wm. Edwards and
Robert Benroth, Bluffton coin collect
ors and together with Kohli, mem
bers of the national organization.
The American Numismatic Associ
ation, composed of coin collectors
thruout the world sponsors National
Coin week as an annual event and
hundreds of coin displays are enter
ed in competition.
Use Farm Manure
Agronomists suggest spreading
fall and early winter manure on the
permanent pasture.
Traffic was resumed on the Akron,
Canton & Youngstown railroad Wed
nesday after the track had been
cleaied of debris of a wreck which
occurred at Rushmore, 23 miles west
of Bluffton, Monday morning.
The wreck occurred when the lo
comotive and tender of a freight
train left the rails and over turned
on opposite sides of the track. En
gineer Gable and Fireman Dice, both
of Akron received cuts and burns,
none of which were serious and both
ha\e been removed to their homes.
Six freight cars also left the track.
Cause of the wreck has not been de
termined.
Traffic over the road ws detoured
from Delphos to Lima over the
Pennsylvania line and from Lima to
Columbus Grove over the D. T. & I,
until Wednesday.
With olume of Purchases
Limited by War, Public
Demands Top Quality
High-priced Merchandise, Form
erly Slow Moving, Now
Sells Quickly
Reflecting expanded earnings re
sulting from war conditions, which
have put extra money in the pockets
of practically every Bluffton area
wage earner, Bluffton merchants
have found that high priced articles,
formerly the slowest moving items
in their stock, are today’s best
sellers.
In wearing apparel stores, the
high-priced items are the first to
move, and the principal reason there
is not as much “silk-shirt” spending
as in the last war is the fact there
is only a limited quantity of luxury
goods available.
Merchants have found it difficult
to keep enough high-priced gowns in
stock to satisfy the demand, and
higher priced men’s clothing is that
which moves fastest in today’s
merchandising.
Buy Only Best
With the purchase of many food
items restricted under point ration
ing, Bluffton housewives are buying
only the best of canned goods. Fresh
greenstuffs. commanding peak prices,
1 move as rapidly as they are receiv
i ed, as another result of rationing
and freer money.
Food stores also report a lot of
“extras” that in normal times are
slow “movers” and which during the
depression never left the shelves,
now are much in demand. Included
in this class are sea foods, shrimp,
etc.
Many store operators maintain the
trend does not reflect a change from
sober and wise buying. People who
now are making more money natural
ly want to “go places and buy
things” previously denied to them.
Restaurants Busy
Restaurants do a rushing business,
and many of those who dine out
never had a chance to do so during
the not so long ago depression years.
Practically every one has money to
go to the better eating places, and
meals taken outside the home do not
use up the family’s precious stock
of ration points.
Movies, sports events and other
forms of entertainment are frequent
ed far more than usual, another
indication of the fact that most
people have ample funds for recrea
tion.
All these trends reflect the fact
there’s a lot of money in circulation,
and demonstrate that in addition to
paying for the war America so far
has also seen its standard of living
advance to the highest level in
history.
Col. Studler Named
Outstanding Alumnus
Col. Rene Studler, of the class of
1913, w’ho now is located in Wash
ington, D. C., last Wednesday night
was cited by Bluffton High school
alumni at their annual reunion in the
school gymnasium as the Bluffton
alumnus who during the last year
has made an outstanding contribution
to the national welfare.
Col. Studler’s citation was the
result of his invention of a new’
machine gun adopted by the army,
which has largely revolutionized the
use of that weapon in combat.
Alumni officers named for the
coming year include Wilford O.
Geiger, president Theola Steiner,
vice-president Donna Hagerman,
corresponding secretary Mrs. Elvira
Niswander Sutter, recording secre
tary, and Carolyn Romey, treasurer.
Wreck On A. C. & Y. Detours
Rail Traffic For Two Days
Higher Earnings And Rationing Spur
Business In Luxuries And Amusements
Passes Physical Test
For Army Chaplain
Rev. E. N. Bigerow, pastor of the
Bluffton and Rockport Presbyterian
churches passed the physical exam
ination at Ft. Hayes, Columbus, last
Saturday for service as an army
chaplain.
Rev. Bigelow last spring made pre
liminary application for service in
that capacity.
He is now awaiting a call to at
tend a training school for army
chaplains and expects to leave about
the middle of July.
Arrangements are being made to
supply pulpits of the Bluffton and
Rockport churches during his ab
1 sence.
FARMERS IN RACE
AGAINST TIME TO
GET CORN PLANTED
Work Piles Up Because of Late
Season And Less Farm
Help Available
Corn Acreage Is Expanded In
Area Fewer Potatoes,
Tomatoes Planted
Working between rains, Bluffton
area farmers are in their fields from
dawn to dusk, racing against time to
get their com planted before the
seasonal deadline is reached.
Shortage of experienced farm labor
is further complicating the delay in
spring planting, and it is a common
sight to see women and school boys
pinch-hitting for farm laborers in the
service by operating tractors and
planters.
Busily engaged with delayed work,
farmers are rarely seen in town dur
ing the day, but coine to town to do
their trading on Saturday nights.
Com acreage being put out in the
Bluffton area is considerably larger
this sprthg, reflecting the shortage of
feed generally, and government freez
ing of com sales in the Midwest.
Fewer Potatoes
Acreage devoted to potatoes and
tomatoes is reduced because of the
shortage of farm labor, which is ex
pected to be about 30 per cent less
this year. For the same reason sug
ar beet planting around Pandora will
be sharply curtailed.
Those farmers who have labor
available for tomato growing will
receive the highest prices on record.
This year U. S. No. 1 tomatoes will
bring $28 a ton and U. S. No. 2,
$18.
Boys and girls out of school for the
summer are helping out with the work
for the farmers must depend on his
family now that he finds it impossible
to obtain other help.
Busy condition on the farms also
has given hatchery operations a break,
for there is a growing demand for
two-weeks and month old started
chicks instead of those only one day
old. This is due to the fact that farm
women have no time to handle baby
chicks this season and are therefore
buying those that have been started.
Mrs. M. J. Stough Is
Dead Funeral Friday
Mrs. M. J. Stough, 86, died at her
home on Cherry street, Tuesday
night following a brief illness. She
was a pioneer Bluffton resident and
a member of the Methodist church
for 45 years.
She was born May 7, 1858, near
Shelby, the daughter of Daniel and
Elizabeth (Leasure) Rogers. In
1878 she was married to M. J.
Stough who died in June, 1921.
Surviving are one son Jay Stough
of McComb and three daughters Mrs.
Maude Stewart and Miss May Stough
of Bluffton and Mrs. Harvey Steiner
of Warren. Also surviving are 12
grandchildren and seven great grand
children.
The body has been removed to the
Basinger funeral home where serv
ices will be held Friday afternoon at
2 o’clock with Rev. J. A. Weed of
the Methodist church officiating. In
terment will be in Maple Grove ceme
tery.
The family will meet friends at
the Basinger funeral home Thursday
evening from 7 to 9 o’clock.
NUMBER 6
BLUFFTON HONORS
ITS SOLDIER DEAD
ON MEMORIAL DAY
Exercises Are Held at Maple
Grove Cemetery, Tuesday
Morning
Address at High School Busi
ness Suspends but Indus
tries Run
Honoring the memory of the
soldier-dead of four wars, Bluffton
Memorial Day exercises Tuesday
morning were highlighted by’ ritual
istic exercises in Maple Grove
cemetery and a public meeting in
the high school auditorium.
Preceding the services at the
cemetery, the customary Memorial
Day parade formed at the town hall
and marched to the grave of Rev. J.
Norman King, army chaplain in
World Wars 1 and II and the last
member of the Bluffton Legion post
to die, where the ritualistic ceremony
was held.
Leading the parade was the Bluff
ton High school band directed by
Sidney Hauenstein, followed by the
color guard, color bearers and mem
bers of the Bluffton American
Legion post, the Legion Auxiliary
and Bluffton Boy Scouts.
Salute Fired
Ritualistic ceremonies at the grave
of Rev. King were conducted by
Armin Hauenstein and W. A. Howe,
chaplain. A salute of three volleys
was fired over Rev. King’s grave by
the rifle squad, and after the salute
taps were sounded in the distance by
the bugler.
Wreaths were placed on the grave
of Rev. King and Calvin Dudgeon,
World War II veteran, who diedTTh
training camp last winter.
It was an ideal day for the out
side exercises, with bright sunshine
enhancing the natural beauty of
cemetery and flowers and flags on
the graves of veterans brightening
the setting.
Rev. Oppermann Speaks
Rev. V. C. Oppermann, pastor of
the Reformed churches, was the
speaker at public services held in the
high school auditorium following the
exercises at the cemetery.
In his address he made a fervent
plea for a just peace based on
righteousness. Our sons, brothers
and husbands are now fighting for
(hose eternal principles which alone
can bring peace to""a war-wracked
world, he said, and he emphasized
that love of fellowmen, justice to all
and the spirit of right and not
might should prevail in the hearts
and minds of all people.
Business generally was suspended
here in observance of the holiday,
but war industries of the town
operated on their usual schedules.
The post office was closed and there
were no mail deliveries on town or
rural routes.
Bluffton Methodist
Pastor Is Returned
Rev. J. A. Weed, pastor of the
Bluffton Methodist church for the
past six years has been reappointed
to this pastorate for the coming
year by the annual Ohio Methodist
conference which met in Columbus
over the w’eek end.
Among changes in this area an
nounced following conclusion of the
conference is a vacancy at Beaver
dam to be supplied later. Rev. Ber
nard Baughn who served the church,
last year will attend Bonebrake sem
inary at Dayton and supply a church
near that city.
Ben Rider, Ohio Northern student
has been assigned to the Rawson
church and Rev. Clayton Landes
formerly at that place goes to Har
rod.
Rev. C. D. Childs has been trans
ferred from Columbus Grove to
Pemberville and Rev. E. L. W’inans
of Pioneer will assume the Columbus
Grove pastorate.
Pastorates returned to their form
er charges include Rev. W. F. Cum
mings, Pandora Rev. W. B. Arthur,
Lafayette and Rev. Marion Tinsler,
Ada.
State High Score
To Bluffton Girl
Mary Katherine Bauman, Bluffton
high school student received the
highest grade in freshman English
in the statewide scholarship test giv
en last April it w’as announced by
the state department of education
‘he first of the week. She is the
daughter of Dr. and Mrs. I. W. Bau
man of West Kibler street.
Back the Attack Buy war
Bonds and Stamps Regularly.