The Bluffton news. [volume], August 10, 1944, Image 1

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VOLUME NO. LXIX
SCHOOL TO OPEN
FOR FALL TERM
TUESDAY, SEPT. 5
Action on Three Vacancies in
Teaching Staff Expected
Monday Night
Superintendent Ralph Lanham
Takes Over Duties as
School Head Here
Bluton’s public schools will open
for the fall term on Tuesday,
September 5, it was announced by
Ralph S. Lanham, new head of the
school system who arrived Monday
to assume his duties here.
Superintendent Lanham’s arrival
came at the same time as an un
expected vacancy develops in the
teaching staff and this together with
the filling of previously existing
vacancies in the corps of instructors
is scheduled to come before the
board of education at its monthly
meeting next Monday night, the last
regular session before the opening
of school three weeks hence.
Latest vacancy to occur in the
teaching personnel was that of Mrs.
Marilyn Holmden Rader, employed
two weeks ago as instructor in the
first grade. Mrs. Rader asked Mon
day to be released from her contract
in order to return with her husband,
R. B. Rader to an army camp near
Los Angeles where he is stationed
as an instructor. Rader is now home
on furlough.
Expect Release
Altho the matter will not come
before the board of education form
ally until next Monday night, mem
bers indicated unofficially Tuesday
that the release would be granted
and the couple are making prepara
tions to leave shortly for California.
Because of an anticipated enroll
ment of 52 pupils in the first grade
this fall, the largest in recent years,
the board of education is planning to
divide the £ass between two teach
ers instead one and Mrs. Rader
had been enfcloyed as the additional
instructor.
1
The vacancy created by Mrs.
Rader’s resignation will probably be
filled at the meeting of the board
next Monday night.
Other Vacancies
Also scheduled for board action
are two other existing vacancies
one in the manual training depart
ment occasioned by the resignation
of Hayden Steiner and the other by
the resignation of Sidney Hauen
stein, instructor in instrumental
music.
In the matter of manual training,
it was stated by informed sources
the first of the week that no in
structor had yet been obtained, altho
efforts to fill the vacancy are being
continued. In this connection it was
pointed out that unless an acceptable
instructor can be secured there will
be no alternative except to close the
department.
Less definite is the music situa
tion where an instructor is to be
supplied in band and orchestra. It
is believed possible that Miss Har
riet Brate, present instructor in
vocal music may be given super
vision of both vocal and instrumental
music with part of the vocal en
semble instruction assigned to
present high school teachers and a
part time instructor employed to
take charge of the band.
Superintendent Lanham has been
unable to move his family here be
cause of lack of housing accom
modations. He is hoping to find
living quarters by the latter part of
August when his family consisting
of his wife and two daughters will
move here from Mt. Victory, south
of Kenton.
Former Bluffton
Man Hurt In Fall
Calvin Niswander, 65, former
Bluffton resident now living in Lima
is in a critical condition at St. Rita’s
hospital in that city suffering from
multiple fractures and internal in
juries as the result of a 30 foot fall
at the plant of the Lima Locomotive
works where he was employed.
Notwithstanding his serious condi
tion, there are hopes that he will
recover.
The accident occurred last Thurs
day when Niswander who was work
ing on top of a building at the
plant slipped and fell thru a sky
light, crashing to the floor below.
He is a native of Pandora, the
son of the late Cleophas Niswander.
His wife, the former Elizabeth Lora
is a sister of Mrs. Ray Mumma.
Frank Niswander of Pandora is a
brother. The family lived here
about thirty years ago, later moving
to Lima.
Sgt. Olan Herr Wins
Bronze Star Medal
Staff Sergeant Olan Herr, son of
Mrs. Alice Herr, of Bentley road,
has received a Bronze Stat medal
and citation for meritorious service
in actual combat, it was learned this
week.
Sgt. Herr has been serving in Italy
with a field artillery battalion. He
received an award of the Purple
Heart several months ago, after hav
ing been wounded in a fox hole
while serving as an observer for his
artillery unit at an advance post
under enemy fire.
SUGGEST ANNUAL
FEE FOR OUTSIDE
FIRE PROTECTION
Richland and Orange Trustees
and Beaverdam Council At
tend Meeting
Area Conference is Held at
Bluffton Council Chamber
Monday Night
Preliminary discussion of Bluff
ton’s future responsibility in fighting
fires in the surrounding area outside
the corporation limits was completed
Monday night in the council cham
ber at a conference between the
town council and trustees from
Orange and Richland townships and
Beaverdam village councilmen.
Union township, whose trustees
were invited to attend the conference
was not represented.
As a result of the meeting the
two township groups and Beaverdam
council have propositions under con
sideration and upon their reply will
depend largely Bluffton’s future
policy in regard to answering out of
town fire calls.
Determine Type of Equipment
Also to be determined by their
replies will be the type of equip
ment to be purchased in Bluffton’s
planned program of modernizing its
(Continued on page 8)
Lions Club To Meet
At Buckeye Tuesday
Members of the Bluffton Lions
club will hold a picnic supper at
Buckeye lake at 6:30 p. m. next
Tuesday, and after the meal will di
vide into groups to work on im
provements to the park and its
buildings.
Weeds at the park will be cut, the
grass will be mowed, buildings will
be painted and minor carpentry re
pairs will be made to the structures.
All members of the club are re
quested to report for the park im
provement drive.
Births
The following births at Bluffton
hospital:
Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Reichenbach
of Bluffton, a son, Samuel Herbert,
Tuesday.
Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Swank,
Bluffton, a daughter, Nancy Ellen,
Saturday.
Mr. and Mrs. Huber Jones, Co
lumbus Grove, a son, Robert Lynn,
Friday.
Mr. and Mrs. Evan Anderson,
Findlay, a son, William Evan, Wed
nesday.
Mr. and Mrs. Russell Welty, Pan
dora, a son, Ronald Dean, Wednes
day. K
Mr. and Mrs. Francis Basinger
are the parents of a daughter born
at their home southwest of Bluffton,
Tuesday morning.
Mr. and Mrs. Orden Smucker of
Columbus are the parents of a
daughter, Lisen, born at the Uni
versity hospital, Saturday.
Lieut, and Mrs. Cleon Althaus are
the parents of a daughter born at
Ft. Belvoir, Va., last Wednesday.
Lieut. Althaus is the son of Mrs.
Elizabeth Althaus of North Jack
son street.
Cpl. and Mrs. Gerald Basinger are
the parents of a daughter, Patricia
Ann, born at S^. Rita’s hospital,
Lima, Thursday. Cpl. Basinger, sta
tioned at Lowry Field, Denver,
Colo., is the son of Mrs. Martha
Basinger of near Bluffton.
Piano Recital
Pupils of Miss Mabel Amstutz will
appear in a piano recital at the
Ebenezer Mennonite church Friday
night at 8:30 o’clock. The public
is invited.
A NEWSPAP
Wading Sewage Laden Creeks In High
Top Boots Is Task Of Mosquito Patrol
Mayor W. A. Howe Takes Over
Job in Present Wartime
Emergency
Precarious Footing on Slimy
Creek Bed Brings Fre
quent Dunkings
Wading in slimy water, burdened
with a 25-pound spray tank, and
not always being successful in re
maining upright on a treacherous
underfooting of slippery rocks is
the very unglamorous wartime job
Mayor W. A. Howe has taken over
in keeping Bluffton free of mosqui
toes.
For 35 to 40 hours each week, the
mayor sloshes thru the unsavory
waters of Big and Little Riley
creeks and circumstances of his job
are such that the worst areas of
stagnant pools are where he must
spend the most time in applying
spray to kill mosquito larvae.
Slimy rocks are a constant men
ace to anyone wading in the creek
in rubber boots, and, laden with a
heavy spray can, he has little chance
to maintain his balance once he
slips. As a consequence frequent
“dunkings” in the sewage coated
waters do little to improve the
mayor’s outlook on life—and the
war.
When the scarcity of labor last
year grew so acute there were no
applications for the mosquito treat
ment job, Mayor Howe took it over,
and is serving again this year in the
emergency.
Contrary to popular opinion, dry
weather this summer has not de
creased the breeding of mosquitoes,
and the fact Bluffton residents have
not been troubled has been due en
tirely to the unceasing vigilance of
the patrol.
Larvae Feed On Sewage
As long as any water is present,
mosquito larvae will thrive, and cir
cumstances are even more favorable
in dry years than those in which it
is unusually wet.
Sewage particles that can
found along every stretch of the Big
Riley, and which virtuaaly clog the
Little Riley, are ideal for mosquito
breeding. The larvae cling to the
sewage, and to make certain that
all are killed it is necessary to get
out in the creek and kick the de
posits over so that both sides can
be coated with spray.
Every foot of the water courses
must be patrolled weekly, and the
job is a hot one and a dirty one as
Mayor Howe can attest.
More than 500 gallons of larvi
cide and oil are used every summer
on the streams of the town, and all
500 gallons must be carried over
the treacherous stream beds in the
four-gallon spray can.
It’s a dirty job, but those who
remember when Bluffton every sum
mer was infested with swarms of
mosquitoes that made it impossible
to spend a moment of relaxation
out-of-doors in the evening can bear
witness that the program is a
worthwhile one, so far as the town
is concerned.
Hilty-Crow Wedding
At Pandora Tuesday
Simplicity marked the marriage
of Miss Evelyn Hilty of Pandora
and Cpl. Lyle Crow of Mt. Cory
which took place at Pandora, Tues
day evening at 5:45 o’clock in the
parsonage of the Grace Mennonite
church.
Rev. Forrest Musser, pastor of the
bride, officiated in the double ring
ceremony.
Miss Rachel Criblez was the
bride’s only attendant and Roy
Crow, brother of the bridegroom
was best man.
The bride was attired in a fur
trimmed aqua wool suit with gold
accessories and a corsage of peach
gladioli. The maid of honor wore a
gray wool suit with fuschia acces
sories and corsage of matching glad
ioli.
Following the ceremony the couple
left Tuesday night for a short wed
ding trip.
The bride, only daughter of Mrs.
Adam Hilty of Pandora was gradu
ated from Pandora high school and
received her Bachelor of Arts degree
from Bluffton college. During thb
past year she was instructor in so
cial science and history at Pandora
high school.
Cpl. Crow, son of Mr. and Mrs.
Ferd Crow of Mt. Cory was gradu
ated from Mt. Cory high school and
prior to entering the Army attended
Findlay and Bluffton colleges. He is
now serving in the signal corps sta
tioned at Drew Field, Tampa, Fla.
THE BLUFFTON NEWS
DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY
BLUFFTON, OHIO, THURSDAY, AUGUST 10.1914
23 MEN TAKEN IN
BOARD NO. 3 DRAFT
CALL FOR AUGUST
This Month’s Inductions Re
main Light, Altho Heavier
Than July’s Total of 8
Six of Those Inducted Tuesday
Are From Bluffton Area
Two Live in Town
August draft calls of the three
Allen county boards were heavier
than in July, with Board No. 3
which has jurisdiction over Bluffton
and Richland township sending 23
men to Ft. Hayes, Columbus, for
induction, last Tuesday.
Six Bluffton area men were in
cluded in the group. They were
Richard Rockey and William P.
Mericle, both of Bluffton Donavin
L. Sommer, Pandora Route 1 Wil
mer J. Lehman, Columbus Grove
Route 2 Ralph E. Burwell, Lafay
ette Route 1, and Kenneth E.
Barnes, Lafayette Route 2.
August’s call of 23, including one
transfer, took nearly three times as
many registrants as in July when
only eight men were inducted from
Board No. 3.
However, the number of men call
ed for service remains materially
less than in the spring months when
170 men from Board No. 3 were
inducted in April, May and June.
The August call for all three Allen
county boards totalled only 45 men
in comparison to the June record
when there were 72 inductions from
Board No. 3 alone.
So far there is no indication as
to whether the September call will
be light or heavy, but it is expected
that inductions for the moat part
will be made for that month from
18-year-old registrants who have had
birthdays during the preceding
month.
Wedding At Methodist
Church On Saturday
The wedding of Mary Alice
Geiger, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Millen C. Geiger of South Lawn
avenue and Cpl. Franklin L. Farns
worth, son of the late Mrs. Ida
Farnsworth of Wheatland, Wyoming
took place Saturday evening, August
5th, at 8:30 o’clock in the Methodist
church. Rev. J. A. Weed, pastor,
officiated in the presence of the im
mediate families and close friends.
The altar was decorated with
candelabra, white gladioli and ferns.
Preceding and during the ceremony
the Misses Betty and Jean Ann
Steinman, playing the cello and
piano, presented a musical program
selected by the young couple.
A lilac gabardine suit was chosen
by the bride for her wedding and
going-away costume. Her corsage
was white roses and purple larkspur.
The bride carried an heirloom lace
handkerchief, which was also carried
by her mother on her wedding day.
The maid of honor was Miss Har
riet Cooney of Bluffton and Dayton,
who wore a suit of cocoa brown
wool. Her corsage was Johanna
Hill roses.
The best man was Pfc. Stanley
Beyer, who is stationed at Vandalia,
Ohio.
An informal reception for tw’enty
five guests followed at the home of
the bride’s parents.
The couple left for a fifteen day
furlough-honeymoon at the ranch
home of the groom in Wheatland,
Wyoming.
The bride was graduated from
Bluffton High School and attended
Bluffton college. She will return to
the office of the Triplett Electrical
Instrument Company of Bluffton,
where she is employed.
The groom was graduated from
Wheatland High school and attended
the University of Wyoming before
enlisting in the Army Air Forces.
He will return to the Army Air
Base at Vandalia.
In New Locations
Frank Batterson, new instructor
in languages at Bluffton college who
last month purchased the J? W.
Jackson property on South Main
street will move here next week
from Circleville and occupy the res
idence. Mrs. Norah Koch, daughter
of the late J. W. Jackson and ad
ministratrix of the estate who has
been living in the property this
summer will return to her home in
Lima.
Harold Kennedy and family of
South Jackson street expect to leave
August 21 for California where they
will make their future home.
Bluffton residents got their first
closeup look at war prisoners last
Friday when two large Army bus
loads of captured Italians passed
thru town on the Dixie highway.
The entourage was traveling
south, enroute to Celina where the
prisoners will be housed in a tem
porary camp while working for can
neries during the tomato processing
Gasoline Rationing Prevents
Trips, So Home Re-Stocking
Program Is Stepped Up
More Than Two Tons of Fish
Will be Released Locally Be
fore Arrival of Winter
Gasoline rationing restrictions
growing out of the war may prove
a blessing in disguise for Bluffton
area sportsmen, as a result of ex
tensive fish and game re-stocking
programs now under way in the
area.
Sponsored by the Bluffton Com
munity Sportsmen’s club, the propa
gation projects are intended to pro
vide better hunting and fishing right
at home, thereby eliminating the ne
cessity of making trips to other
parts of the state for those pur
suits.
Highlighting this summer’s activi
ties of the club is the largest fish
re-stocking program ever sponsored
in this district, which was started
two weeks ago with the release of
a ton of fish in local quarries and
streams.
In this shipment of fish were
“catch-size” Lake Erie channel cat
fish from 10 to 14 inches in length.
Start
of
Crappies obtained for distribution
here will be large size fish, and
total weight will approximate one
ton, all of which will be large
enough to catch next spring. Cost
of the fish will be about three to
four cents each.
Hunting improvements have not
been overlooked by the sportsmen’s
organization, altho this area already
is known as one of the best pheas
ant districts in the state.
Very few pheasant chicks reared
in the area have been released on
contracted land by the game ward
ens due to the fact that pheasants
this fall will probably be more nu
merous than in previous years.
Farmers are complaining there are
almost too many pheasants, the sur
plus being built up as a result of a
shortage in shells, and the fact that
last fall there were fewer hunters
than usual because of so many young
men being in the armed forces.
Thirty-three raccoon raised locally
will be released for next winter’s
hunting, a continuation of a Bluffton
propagation project started two
years ago by the sportsmen’s club.
For raccoon raising alone the club
appropriated $150.
Cost of the fish and game propa
gation programs is being paid from
proceeds of the Fourth of July rodeo
sponsored jointly by the sportsmen’s
club and other local organizations.
With The Sick
Condition of Peter Matter who has
been ill at his home on Spring street
was reported serious the first of the
week.
Mrs. Eliza Fett continues quite ill
at her home on South Main street.
Noah Basinger, Bluffton furniture
dealer continues to make satisfactory
improvement at Bluffton hospital
where he underwent an operation
for gallstones nearly two weeks ago.
Condition of Elmer Diller suffer
ing from a heart ailment and com
plications at his home on Spring
street is improved.
Samuel Blosser residing south of
Bluffton underwent an operation for
removal of tonsils at the office of
Dr. M. D. Soash, Tuesday.
Charles Keifer residing south of
Bluffton is a medical patient at Lima
Memorial hospital.
Mrs. Bennie R. Shafer who recent
ly underwent a major operation at
the Findlay hospital is convalescing
at her home on Cherry street and
able to receive visitors.
Mrs. Dennis Diller is convalescing
at Lima Memorial hospital following
a major operation last Thursday.
Italian War Prisoners Pass Thru
Bluffton In Army Buses Friday
Better Fishing And Hunting Locally
In Prospect For Bluffton Sportsmen
Program
However, this represents only the
initial stage of an extensive re
stocking program that will be* cli
maxed in the fall when two tank
truck loads of crappies will be
brought here from Lake Erie hatch
eries, for release in local fishing
waters.
season.
Following the buses carrying the
prisoners were several Army trucks
loaded with bedding and supplies.
After completion of the work at
Celina, the Italians will be returned'
to Camp Perry' on Lake Erie where
they have been quartered since use
of the camp as an army induction
center was discontinued.
DROUGHT RETURNS
AFTER WEEK END
RESPITE IN AREA
Hot and Dry Weather Resumed
After Rain Breaks Six
Weeks Record
Spotty Downpours Bring Meas
ure of Relief to Part
of District
Drought conditions, broken tem
porarily by rains over the week end
have returned with indications point
ing to a resumption of the hot and
dry spell which has proven the
longest in recent years.
After six weeks of virtually no
rainfall, a heavy downpour, accom
panied by an electrical storm
drenched Bluffton last Saturday
afternoon, bringing to lawns and
gardens welcome relief.
The week end rains, altho heavy,
were spotty—the area northwest of
town receiving good rains on Friday
and Saturday while the district east
of Bluffton got none.
Temperatures Drop
Temperatures also dropped follow
ing the rains, with the thermomtter
registering a low of 61 degrees ^rly
Tuesday morning. The respite, How
ever, was short lived with the mer
cury mounting into the nineties
Wednesday and still warmer weather
in prospect for the last of the week.
The return of rainless weather will
further aggravate drought condi
tions which are already severe and
in marked contrast to conditions a
year ago when fields and victory
gardens were repeatedly flooded by
recurrent heavy downpours.
Effect of the w*eek end rains on
crops was being appraised by farm
ers the first of the week. The late
potato crop should be one of the
chief beneficiaries, they said. Also
it will be of help to soy beans and
those stands of corn which have de
veloped sufficiently deep root sys
tems to benefit from sub-surface
moisture.
Funeral For Gust
Basinger On Friday
August (Gust) Basinger, 52, farm
er of three miles west of Bluffton,
died in Lima Memorial hospital last
Sunday evening after having been
ill for five weeks with undulant
fever.
Funeral services will be held at
the Ebenezer Mennonite church on
Friday morning at 10:30 o’clock
with Rev. A. C. Schultz officiating.
Interment will be in Zion Mennon
ite cemetery. His son J. August
Basinger in naval service is expect
ed to arrive Thursday from Seattle.
Survivors include his wife, the
former Elizabeth Oard, and the fol
lowing children, Mrs. Virginia Reich
enbach, Bluffton Mrs. Elene Schu
macher, Columbus Grove Daisy Ba
singer, at home J. August Basing
er, with the U. S. Navy at Seattle,
Wash. Clark L. Basinger, in navy
training at Great Lakes, Ill. Karl,
Ernest and Shirl Basinger, all at
home.
Surviving brothers and sisters are
Fred, Chris, Irwin and John Ba
singer, all of Columbus Grove
Walter Basinger, Pandora Mrs.
Regina Kohli and Mrs. Carolyn
Kohli, both of Columbus Grove.
His mother, Mrs. John (Catherine
Kiene) Basinger resides in Columbus
Grove. The body is at the Paul
Diller funeral home where it will
remain until time for the services
Friday morning.
Longsdorf Accepts
Internal Revenue Job
A. J. B. Longsdorf, who resigned
as superintendent of Bluffton public
schools last spring, has accepted a
position as deputy collector of in
ternal revenue, it was announced
this week.
His headquarters are at internal
revenue offices in Lima.
NUMBER 16
POTATO, CORN AND
SOYBEAN OUTLOOK
IS FOR HALF CROP
Corn Estimates Vary Widely
Early Potato Crop Small
est in Years
Some Hope for Late Potatoes
Burned up Meadows Raise
Dairy Problem
After three years of bumper war
time harvests, three major crops:
corn, potatoes and soy beans thia
year will return less than an aver
age yield and reliable estimates place
the return at roughly half a crop.
The outlook for corn varies con
siderably in this area, due to scat
tered rains during the past week and
farm estimates vary from three
fourths of a crop in those stands
in low ground which have had a
fair degree of moisture to other
growers on high, drought ridden
land who state flatly that their corn
crop is all but a complete failure.
Early potatoes have bAen irrepar
ably damaged by prolonged dry
weather, and the loss will be from
one-half to three-fourths of the
crop in tlus area.
Farmers say that some fields will
barely return the seed put in the
ground last spring, and one who
dug some of his crop this week said
that he got from five rows only as
much as the normal jveld would be
from one.
What will happen to the late po
tato crop will depend on rainfall
in the next two or three weeks, for
farmers already have written off
prospects for an average yield. Rain
fall merely holds the key to how
much below normal the harvest re
turn will be.
Prices Ark High
Retail prices are reflecting the
scarcity of potatoes and early varie
ties now' on the maAet were quoted
at 85c a peck at local stores the
first of this week.l
Soy bean prpsp«®s are the poor
est in recent ye A* and the many
acres in this area likely will yffeld
only about half a normal return,
unless there is immediate relief in
the form of plentiful rain.
The coni outlook steadily has
grown worse, and a stand which
looked good on the first of July has
deteriorated to the stage where
rains no longer will be of material
benefit.
On high ground south and east of
town, the yield probably will be
only about 25 per cent of normal,
and altho lower land to the west
and north have better prospects no
more than a 50 per cent harvest can
be expected in an overall estimate.
Corn Is “Firing”
Rainfall will help the crop only
slightly now, for the corn has passed
the “ear shooting” stage, and hot
winds during the last week has
“fired” most fields.
Farmers eyeing the parched stands
of corn east of town are cynically
remarking that there will be little
work for corn pickers this fall. It
will take a larger acreage of corn
to fill silos as stalks will have less
in the way of leaf foliage required
for good silage.
Early sw’eet corn was almost a
complete failure in most fields, and
the late crop has been damaged
more than 25 per cent, according to
estimates.
Pastures Gone
While no effort has been made to
determine grass crop losses, damage
to them also has been heavy. Pas
tures are gone for this year, and
many dairymen are pasturing their
second-crop clover and alfalfa. This
represents a bad picture in light of
the feed situation. Other farmers
already are beginning to use their
winter feed supply, and unless other
feed can be obtained the shortage
may result in liquidation of dairy
cows.
Vegetable production, too, has
been more than cut in half by the
unfavorable season, and canners will
handle a less than normal volume
of late sw’eet corn, tomato and lima
bean crops this fall.
Victory gardens have suffered
heavily, for the first time since
wartime emphasis has been placed
on the need of such produce, to
further add to the complications in
the winter foodstuff outlook.
Real Estate Deals
Fred Lingel has purchased the
residence property on Campus View
occupied by Woodrow Little and
owned by Orden Smucker of Colum
bus, former Bluffton high school in
structor. Lingel expects to oc
cupy the property this fall moving
from his present location, the Mrs.
Edna Badertscher property at Grov
street and Kibler road.