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BUY vnnto VOLUME NO. $70,000 SO FAR I WAR FIFTH DRIVE Intensified Buying ^Needed To Put $110,000 Drive Over The Top 3fltre Solicitation Teamsf^Lre Making House-To-House Canvass of the Town In the first nine days of Bluffton’s Fifth War Loan campaign, approxi mately $70,000 has been invested in War Savings bonds, $40,000 short of the town’s goal of $110,000. Heavier individual baying will be required, however, if the drive is to go over the top, for most of the large purchases have been made, zone cap tains told their teams iis week in organizing for the completion of holse to house canvassing of the town. Of the $75,000 raised so far in the campaign, $46,780 came from the drive conducted among employed of The Triplett Electric Instrument Co., Bluffton’s major war industry. This campaign is nearing completion, how ever, and the bulk of the remaining $40,000 needed to attain Bluffton’s quota must come from other residents uf the town. County Sales Slow In Allen county as a whole, the campaign is running behind schedule, vith approximately one million dol lars subscribed towards the1 county goal of $5,506,000. For the Fifth War Loan drive in Bluffton the town has been divided in to 10 zones with zone captains di recting solicitation teams in those ter ritories. Zone captains who are directing the canvass with Norman A. Triplett and M. M. Bogart, co-chairmen, include Woodrow Little, Gene Benroth*. Chas. Aukerman, Mayor W. A. Howe* C. F. Niswander, Charles Gazette,^ Gail Mumma, N. E. Byers, Jesse Yuakam and Silas Diller. Solicitors reported that much ttf the Support in the drive is comingWrom parents with sons in the servic^who fW they are getting closer t^the boys on the fighting fronts by pur chasing as many bonds as they possi bly can. Reports by zone captains this week showed that the team directed by Charles Gazette, with five residences remaining to be contacted, is leading in sales with a mark of $6600 in cash, and N. E. Byers’ team, with only three calls to be made, has nearest completed its solicitations. S. F. Pannabecker Gets Ph. D. Degree S. F. Pannabecker, of College road, will receive the Ph. D. degree from Yale university at commencement ex ercises in New Haven, Conn., this Thursday. Because of his teaching duties at Bluffton college, however, he will not be present at the exercises and will be graduated in absentia. Pannabecker is a returned mission ary to China who came here in 1941 to teach in Bluffton college and work on his Ph. D. degree in Mennonite history. His thesis for the doctor’s degree was “Development of the Gen eral Conference Mennonite Church of North America in the America En vironment.” He expects to return to China this fall where he will engage in relief work under the Mennonite Central committee. The location where he formerly was stationed as a mission ary now is in Japanese hands. His wife and family will remain here when he returns to the Orient. Three From Bluffton Summoned In Draft Three from the Bluffton area were included in selective service regis trants called by Allen County Draft Board No. 3 the first of the week. Oq, Monday, Chauncey Basinger of near Columbus Grove, a Bluffton high school student last year left for army training at Ft. Benjamin Har rison, Indiana. Two who left for naval training on Tuesday were: Kenneth Finton and Clark Leon Basinger both of Bluffton. Dale Stuber Trains At Great Lakes, Hl. Dale R. Stuber, 22, son of Mr. A. J. Miller, south of town, is receiving his initial naval indoctrination at the U. S. Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, Illinois. His “boot” training consists of in struction in seamanship, military drill, and general naval procedure. Husband Succumbs At Army Air Base Cpl. Hobart Hall, 21, whose wife was formerly Miss Belle Potee of this place, died at the army air base at Pierre, South Dakota, Tuesday morning. Word of her husband’s death was received Wednesday morning in a telegram sent by Mrs. Hall to her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Potee of North Mound street. No details were contained in the message and news of his death came as a surprise since Cpl. and Mrs. Hall and their two daughters, Karen aged two years and Linda Darlene, six weeks, had visited here earlier this month and returned to South Dakota on Tuesday of last week. Cpl. Hall was a cook at the army air base and his wife and family sided at that place. Whether death was due to an accident from natural causes could not be termined Wednesday morning. The body is being sent east and will arrive in Ada the last of this week. It will be taken to the home of his mother two and one-half miles south of that place pending funeral arrangements. Cpl. Hall is a native of McGuffey. His wife is the eldest daughtei- of Mr. and Mrs. Potee. BLUFFTON DISTRICT MAN WOUNDED IN ACTION IN ITALY William Amstutz in Hospital, War Department Notifies Family Wounded While Serving with Medical Detachment on Italian Front Amstutz has been overseas since last October and has been serving with an army medical detachment. His parents do not know what part of Italy he was in when the wounds were received, nor where his hospital is located in that country. Amstutz is the first casulty re ported in the immediate Bluffton area since the increased tempo of fight ing was inaugurated in Europe months ago. College Term Will Open On June Few Ration Headaches Now Because Of Rationing Ebb, Victory Gardening re his or de of William Amstutz, Jr., 20, son Mr. and. Mrs. Wiliam Amstutz, three and one-half miles southwest of Bluffton, was wounded in action on May 30, Memorial Day, and is now in a hospital in Italy. His wounds are not serious, ac cording to a telegram received Tues day by his parents from the war department. two 27 A third three-week term will open at Bluffton college, Tuesday, June 27, with courses offered in “Bird Lore” and “Christian Ethics”. Prof. H. W. Berky is teaching the class on “Bird Lore”. Dean J. S. Schultz will be in charge of the other course. Registration is open until the open ing date for either course. So far courses in home economics, psychology, history, education, soci ology, literature and physical educa tion have been offered on the summer school program of the college. H. S. Principal To Be Summer Camp Leader Gerhard Buhler, Bluffton high school principal will leave next Mon day for Cass Lake, Minn., where he has accepted a position as instructor at Camp Wanaki, a summer camp for boys. The camp which will be in session for eight weeks is operated by Dr. Frank Slutz of Dayton, who deliv ered the class address at the high school graduation exercises here last month. Principal Buhler will be accompan ied by his son Samuel, who will spend eight weeks at the camp. Charles Trippiehorn Gives Talk On Snakes Charles Trippiehorn, Eagle Scout member of Troop 56, gave a lecture on snakes at a joint meeting of Bluffton’s two Boy Scout troops Mon day night in Troop 82 headquarters. In addition to giving the talk on snakes, Trippiehorn displayed 10 water and queen snakes to the group. Rationing Reaches New Low as Most Cheese is Declared Point-Free Meat Rationing May be Resumed On July 1 To Adjust Dis tribution Troubles With Victory gardens coming into production and rationing at its low est ebb since restrictions first were applied generally, Bluffton area resi dents are enjoying a period in which there are few rationing difficulties other than in obtaining sufficient sugar for canning. Additional relaxation of rationing restrictions came the first of this w’eek when most cheese was striken from the ration list. The only cheese for which red tokens now are required are Ameri can cheddar, Cheddar products and other cheese which have been in Group 1 on the ration list. Ration ing restrictions are lifted only until July. Temporary Basis OPA explained the temporary point-free basis for most cheese has been declared because in the coming fortnight soft cheese stocks will be at their highest level of the year. Discontinuance of the rationing of most meat, however, has brought dif ficulties in distribution, for many persons complain of being unable to obtain choice cuts, and there is a likelihood that ration points may again be placed on meat on July 1. Spokesmen for the OPA also an nounced this week that the tempor ary zero point value for many major canned vegetables also may be ter minated because most of the 1943 pack of canned goods now has moved off grocer’s shelves. May Resume Rationing OPA will make its decision some time during the coming week, and it has been announced that returning point-free meats to rationing in ^uly has “bright prospects”. Many choice meats are scarce in local markets, such as ham, pork chopp ajpd veal st^ak. Thia tioninr' upl fcafed" on a basis, and provides projected action in ing. This situa natron-wlde l2.... the impetus for resuming ration are blamed for Individual tastes the shortage of popular cuts of meat. With point rationing removed and the price differential between cuts too small to influence buying, the demand for choice meats has been ahead of other cuts. Consequently meat markets have on hand larger stocks of slow selling meats. Added Quota For Surgical Dressings An emergency quota of 120,000 surgical dressings has been assigned to the Bluffton Red Cross to be com pleted by August 1, it is announced by Mrs. J. S. Steiner, local chair man. In connection with the announce ment she made an appeal for more women workers at the Red Cross rooms which are open in the Grade school building every Monday night from 7 to 9:30 and afternoons from Tuesday through Friday from 1 to 4 o’clock. No uniform is necessary. The only requirements are a wash dress and no nail polish. Bluffton Man Shown In Air Force Photo Photographs of Corp. William F. Stager, 23, of Bluffton, this week ap peared in many Ohio newspapers, as a release of the Eighth AAF Bomber station in England. The Bluffton youth is shown in stalling a 50-calibre machine gun in the ball turret of a Flying Fortress. Corp. Stager is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Stager, of 310 N. high Main street. He attended school at Rawson. Vidor Moser Gets Army Promotion Promotion of Victor Moser from Private First Class to Corporal was announced recently in England by Major General Hugh Knerr, com manding general of the air service command. Corp. Moser is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Ervin Moser, south of He was graduated from High school in the class of Bluffton. Bluffton 1940. Real Estate Deals Dana Mathewson of Riley street has purchased from Wm. Leiber the former Duffman property on North Main street now occupied by Wm. Clark and family. W ¥3 THE BLUFFTON NEWS A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF BLUFFTON .AND VICINITY BLUFFTON, OHIO, THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 1 SCHOOL IS FACED WITH TEACHER AND BUDGET PROBLEMS Fewer Instructors in High School and More in Grades Are Needed Board Scans Budget with View to Economies as Operating Costs Rise Rising operating costs, increased grade school enrollment and smaller high school classes find the Bluffton board of education confronted with the dual problem of budgetary re trenchment and readjustment of the public school teaching staffs. Next fall’s estimated enrollment of 52 in the first grade is nearly double that of two years ago, and halts sub stantially for the first time in a de cade the downward trend of grade school students. At the same time, high school classes now are com prised of smaller classes, the result of decreased enrollment in the grades over a span of more than 10 years. Board of education members at their June meeting observed that as a result the high school faculty now is overstaffed and with grade school enrollment picking up there are now too few grade teachers. Adjustment Difficult Adjustment of this situation is made particularly difficult because of provisions of the teacher tenure law, members of the board said. Operating budget problems are complicated by the fact that an esti mated $2,500 additional must be made available next year to cover the cost of a $60 annual increase in salary for each teacher, and to pay an additional salary if another first grade instructor is hired to handle the anticipated enrollment of 52 pupils. The increase in teachers’ pay rep resents a total of $l|380, and salary of the first grade instructor will be about $1200. This instructor, how ever, may be supplied thru a re shuffling the pwent teaching staff. With no prospects of additional school income, adjustments must be forthcoming in order to make the school budget cover the cost of oper ation. May Hire Local Coach One proposed solution has been to hire a local coach for sports teams and pay him on the basis of about one-half of what heretofore has been expended for coaching. Classes formerly handled by the athletic coach would members of staff. ■rf be distributed among the present teaching Athletic Commissioner The late Townsend, who was here for the high school athletic banquet last spring, said there were more than 300 schools in the state operating without a regular coach at that time. Russell Hasson, coach here last year, will not return next fall, having accepted a railroad position. Another proposal has been to re duce art and music instruction from the present five-sixths to one-half time. No definite course of procedure has been worked out, however, and are possibilities that additional dies may be proposed in the to make the operating budget during the coming year. there reme effort reach Births The following births at Bluffton hospital: Mr .and Mrs. Joe Plummer of Ada, a daughter, Wednesday. Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Schumacher of Ottawa, a daughter, Christine Mae, Wednesday. Mr. and Mrs. Harold Thorpe of Pandora, a daughter, Nancy Ann, Friday. Mr. and Mrs. Russell Brown, Ada, a son, Bruce Allen, Saturday. Mr. and Mrs. Harold Ruggley, a son, Ray Wayne, Sunday. Announcement is made of the birth of a son, Richard Allen, to Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Alspach of Chi cago, June 12. Mr. Alspach was formerly of Bluffton. Harry Erwin A. daughter, Mrs. Al- Born to Rev. and Mrs. Albrecht of Chicago, a Angela Marie, Tuesday, brecht is the former Magdalene Bixel of Bluffton. Leads Singspiration E. Kocher of Findlay will singspiration at the De Mennonite church, Sunday 9:15 o’clock. Miss trumpeter and Mrs. Betty lead the fenseless night at Reigens, Goss, pianist, both of Camden, N. J., will give special numbers. Edith Blufftdjp area residents who swel tered Sunday in a 95-degree heat wave, the hottest w-eather of the year^ were shivering one day later whe« the mercury plunged to a mark of 56 at 6 a. m, Tuesday. Incon^stencies of the weather have beerfe? ccenmon so far this year, but thir^** J------ -*change per mei to Change from light weight summer gar»nents to winter clothing before they had a chance to recover from ths effect of the heat wave. Week’s 39-degree in tem ture over a matter of hours had women and children scrambling Torrid weather, aggravated by hu midity, struck suddenly last Satur day when the thermometer reached 90 degrees at 5 p. m., and dropped Horsemen From Three States to Perform Under Light at Harmon Field Trick Riding, Bronco Busting. Steer and Calf Roping on Gala Rodeo Program Bringing to Bluffton all the color and action of the old “Wild West”, horsemen and horsewomen wish some of the best saddle mounts in Ohio, Michigan and Indiana will stage a gala Fourth of July rodeo under the floodlights at Harmon field on that holiday. All the colorful setting of the old time rodeos will be duplicated per fectly, and the* many features will include trick riding, “bronco bust ing”, steer riding, high jumping with horses, steer “dogging”, calf roping, obstacle racing and musical pads. In addition there will be a pony ring for children, clowns on bucking mules and a colorful parade of fancy dressed riders and horses. More than $200 will be awarded to participants in war bonds and war stamps. Plenty of ^bating space will be available for the capacity turnout expected, and temporary wings of bleachers will be added to the large concrete stadium at the recreation center. Opening event of the gala evening program will be an airplaine stunting exhibition over the field at 7:30 p. m. by Clayton Bixel, Bluffton flier. Music will be provided by the Rawson band, which will play thru out the exhibition, and which also is scheduled to present a pre-rodeo concert on Saturday night, July 1. This year’s rodeo is sponsored by Bluffton Merchants, the Saddle Horse club and the Bluffton Community Sportsmen’s club. Consider Applicants For School Head Here Consideration of applications for the position of superintendent of schools here was started by the Board of Education at a special meeting Monday night. Of the total of 20 applicants, 10 selected by a vote of members of the board of education were considered for the position as head of the school system. Further investigation of a portion of these will be made by the board, it was indicated. Wayne Deppler Now Is Master Sergeant Wayne Deppler, son of Mr. and Mrs. Eli Deppler, stationed with the army signal corps in Iran has been advanced to the rank of master ser geant and first sergeant, his parents learned the first of the week. Sgt. Deppler is serving as per sonnel assistant to the company com mander and in his position as con tact man between the commander and enlisted men is responsible for all men in his company. Youth Will Train For Army Air Corps Evan Niswander, son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Niswander of Grove street has left for Ft. Benjamin Har rison, Indianapolis, to be transferred later this week to Keesler Field, Miss., for basic training in the Army Air corps. Tax Man Will Be Here On July 18-19 Representatives from the Allen county treasurer’s office will be in Bluffton at the Citizens National bank, Tuesday, July 18 and Wednes day, July 19 for collection of the last half of the 1943 real estate taxes. n Residents Bake Then Freeze As Mercury Hits 95, Drops To 56 Color And Action Of The Old West To Be In Fourth Of July Rodeo Here only a few degrees during the night. Sunday was a real scorcher, with the 95-degree mark being struck early in the afternoon, and the only relief was from a stiff southwest breeze that helped ease the intense heat. Buckeye lake was jammed with swimmers throughout the day and many from here took to the woods and parks for picnic dinners and lunches. Relief came early Monday morn ing, however, with a driving rain storm, and cooler weather on Monday was followed by Tuesday’s unseason ably low temperatures, leading up to the official arrival of summer at 8:33 a. m. on Wednesday. 24 From Here At Mennonite Retreat Twenty-four young people repre senting the First Mennonite church of this place are attending the Men nonite Young People’s retreat at Camp Mack, Milford, Indiana, week. Accompanied by Prof, and Russell A. Lantz, the group Bluffton Monday morning and return next Sunday night. this Mrs. left will In the party are Harold Hartman, Leonard Smucker, Robert Ramseyer, Betty Bixel, Jean Burkholder, Otto Klassen, Genevieve and Joann Buh ler, Alice Ruth Pannabecker, Dean Niswander, Jean Ann Burcky, Esther Berky, Mary Lou Dean, Robert and Harriett Amstutz, Mary Ann Smuck er, Mary Katherine Bauman, Joann Burkholder, Alice Jean Bixel, Ken neth Winkler, Paul Don Bixel, Mar garet Diller, Louise Soldner and Bar bara Buckland, all of Bluffton. Attending with the local group are Betty Jean and Anita Pannabecker, of Ann Arbor, Mich. and Corrine Bresco, of Chicago. Rev. Forrest Musser, Pandora Rev. Don Smucker, Wadsworth Rev. A. E. Kreider, Goshen, Ind., and Robert Kreider, Akron, Pa., are among the instructors at the retreat. David Wenger Dies In Hospital Here Funeral services for David Wen ger, 85, father of Mrs. Minnie Lug inbill and Hiram and Oscar Wenger, of Bluffton, were held Tuesday after noon in the St. John Mennonite church near Pandora. Rev. Forrest Musser, pastor of the Grace Mennonite church, of Pandora, and Rev. St. John rites, and cemetery. P. J. Boehr, pastor of the church officiated at the burial was in the Mr. Wenger died Sunday at the Bluffton Community from the infirmities of age. been bedfast for a week. St. John morning hospital He had His occu pation was that of a carpenter and farmer. The son of Christian and Marie Wenger, he was born Sept. 4, 1858, near Smithville, Ohio, and went from there to Putnam county in 1880. He had made his home near Pandora since that time and was a member of the Grace Mennonite church in Pandora. He was married Nov. 18, 1884, to Lydia Geiger, In addition sons and one vived by Mrs. Sara Kohli, both of Pandora Josephine McCready, Chicago Zelma Schumacher, Findlay Wilbert Wenger, Salem, Oregon Wenger, Pandora and Paul Wenger, Lancaster, Ohio. There grandchildren and seven great grand children. who died in 1936. to the two Bluffton daughter, he is Mary Miller and sur Mrs. Mrs. Mrs. Homer are 32 Auto Use Tax Stamp Sales Slow Thus Far A heavy rush of last-minute sales of automobile use tax stamps is ex pected at the close of this month un less sales pick up soon, Postmaster Ed R. Reichenbach announced this week. Few stamps have been sold so far, and Postmaster Reichenbach warned again that all motor vehicles oper ated after June 30 must have the stickers displayed on the windshield. The stamps are serially num bered and have provision on the back for entering the make, model, serial number and state license number of the vehicle. It has been suggested that in af fixing the stamps, the windshield should be dampened rather than ap plying water to the adhesive side of the stamp. Car owners also are urged to make a record of the serial number of the use stamp for protec tion in case the stamp should be lost. BUY vnfmmu NUMBER EXPECT 52 PUPILS N FIRST GRADE OF SCHOOL THIS FALL Enrollment Will Touch Highest Point in Past Ten Years Here loard Will Assign Two Teach ers for Primary Grade Reflecting a change from the de cline of the last several years, enroll ment in the first grade of Bluffton public schools next fall will include 52 children, according to a survey com pleted last week by the Mothers* Study club. This is more than 25 per cent above enrollment in the first grade last year. The club survey made in connection with the pre-school clinic last Wednes day showed there will be 52 children of first-grade age next September. Enrollment estimates based on child clinic surveys have proved extremely accurate in the past, and it is assumed that this year’s will provide a similar basis. Largest Grade With an attendance of 52, the first grade will be the largest in the grades or junior high school, and for the sec ond successive year in a decade en rollment will mount upward. To pro vide suitable facilities, the board of education is making preparations for teacher relocation or to hire an addi tional teacher for the first grade, since two different class rooms will be re quired. Estimated enrollment by grades next fall is as follows, Supt. A. J. B. Longsdorf announced First, 52 pu pils second, 40 pupils third, 28 pu pils fourth, 40 pupils fifth, 32 pupils sixth, 28 pupils seventh, 45 pupils eighth, 34 pupils ninth, 44 pupils. High school classes also now are showing effects of smaller classes which began entering the first grade of the school 10 years ago. This means that if the trend of heavier first-grade enrollment prwiicted foe next fall should continue.* the nexft decade will find more teachers nfjfa ed in the grades and fewer in high school. Indiana State Senator Talks To Lions Club Post-war planning must be on a sound basis taking into consideration the rights of all citizens including* factory workers, farmers and profes sional men, Indiana State Senator Charles Phelps, of Ft. Wayne, told the Bluffton Lions club at a ladies night meeting in the Walnut Grill, Tuesday night. We owe it to the boys in uniform to plan the America of the future on a sound constructive basis, pre serving the constitution, fundamental laws, free enterprise and the freedom of a choice of vocations, the speaker declared. Equal opportunities must be available for all, and small com munities should be vital factors in preserving a sensible way of life. New officers for the coming year also were installed at the meeting, including Dr. Gordon Bixel, presi dent Coach A. C. Burcky, first vice president Dr. B. W. Travis, second vice-president Gerhard Buhler, third vice-president D. W. Bixler, treas urer Forrest Steinman, tail twister Jess Yoakam, lion tamer Rev. Paul Whitmer, director and Ed Reichen bach, director. Lack Of Fittings Delays Street Work Non-arrival of a shipment of pipe fittings is delaying work of replacing city water lines into residential prop erties and business places on Main street which was begun by the Board of Public Affairs. The fittings, shipped four ■weeks ago from Decatur, Ill., are believed to have been lost enroute and tracers have been working to locate the ship ment. One side of a portion of North Main street where excavations have been made awaiting the fittings, has been closed to traffic. Butler Ends Navy Engineering Course James O. Butler, 17, son of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Butler, of 110 Church street, has completed a course in basic engineering at the Great Lakes, Ill., navy service school. His father until recently was chief Signal Corps inspector at the plants of The Triplett Electrical Instrument Co. here, but left recently for Alaska. Mrs. Butler and daughter are still in Bluffton.