Nothing can take the place of
music from the marimba in the
hearts of the people of Central
America—and perhaps rightly
so. Anyway you'll get a better
conception of their viewpoint
after you have read the follow
ing article. Editor.
The typical musical background to
life in Central America and pariieu
larly in Guatemala and El Salvador
are the notes of the it .irii- ..
the most purely national and localized
instruments of the world.
The question of whether the n ari.m
ba is an authoctonous American in
strument or whether it v as brought
over from Europe and Africa by
either the colonists or their slaves
has for years beer, the cause of much
debate.
It is a well-known fact that marim
bas existed in ancient times in Africa
but although some of them may have
been brought into Central America
during colonial days, it does not nec
essarily follow that this instrun ent
was unknown in America before that
time.
That a mountain in Guatemala
should have the pre-Columbian na
tive name of Chinal Jul—the marimba
of the ravines—seems to indicate that
the instrument must have been famil
iar to the people of our hemisphere,
before the arrival of the great naviga
tor.
The marimba—a close relative of
the xylophone—is an instrument made
of a series of pieces of wood placed on
a base in a certain order and which
give out a musical sound when struck
with sticks. The construction of the
marimba is quite a complicated pro
cess which has to be done carefully
from the choosing of the wood which
is to be used, to the last finishing
touches on the playing sticks.
It is really a labor of love, done
most of the time by the players them
selves. You would never think of
Paderweski constructing his own
piano or a Paganini or Sarasato mak
ing a Stradivarius to play on, yet in
the marimba you have an instrument
that has been constructed by the mu
sicians who are about to play on it.
The first requisite for a good mar
imba is the wood which has to be of
the hard kind and preferably of the
Hormigo species called by the Indians
“musical wood” from the pleasant
sound it gives out when struck by the
ntral American Natives Thrill
To Enchanting Rhythm Of Marimba
I NEWS OUR FATHERS READ
FROM ISSUE OF JANUARY 18,1917
Unknown to the parents and
fri* nds of the young couple, Donald
Flick and Miss Hazel Meeks of Lima,
were quietly married in Cincinnati.
Clarence Jones, the 18 years old
son of Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Jones,
was overcome by gasoline fumes
while working in the garage on the
T. W. Keel farm. The garage doors
were closed due to the extreme cold
and soon after the auto had been
started young Jones fell to the floor
unconscious.
Theodore Scheid, Jr., has been
selected by Congressman Russel as
first alternate for the appointment
as cadet in the West Point military
academy.
Mr. arid Mrs. Aldine Steiner wel
comed a baby boy into their home,
Sunday.
At the Cleveland poultry show
Jacob Schnegg won second premium
on hen, third on pen, and second and
fifth on pullets.
Paul Everett was shot in the leg
by a 22 rifle by a play mate. Dr.
Steiner extracted the shot.
Weather observations are being
forwarded daily by A. E. Temple to
the Columbus weather bureau. The
principal work of the local agent
will be the observation of thunder
storms.
Miss Magdalene Baumgartner en
tertained the Campfire Girls at her
home.
Fresh Drugs
and
Quality Drug Store
Merchandise
of All Kinds
Prescriptions Care
fully Compounded
Phone 170-W
From this wood, small elongated
blocks are carefully cut out with
hatchets—a saw would harm them—
and submitted to a slow drying pro
cess.
When the wooden frame,—a sort of
long topless table in the shape of a
trapezoid—is ready, the slats or keys
of wood which have been cut in ac
cord nice with a scale of prescribed
dimensions and then polished and
tuned to a certain pitch very much
like the ones used for the pian are
laid on it in a given order.
Under these are placed sounding
boxes made of cedar—which have re
placed the gourds used for this pur
pose in more primitive instruments—
and at the lower end of which a thin
membrane is stretched over a small
hole.
The sound waves that come from
the upper part of the sounding box
when the key is struck, decend., caus
ing the membrane to vibrate which
accounts for that soft melodious tone
characteristic of the marimba. Final
ly the playing sticks are about eigh
teen inches long, of flexible wood and
with round head made of strips of
raw rubber.
The marimba has, as a rule, a range
of five octaves. It is not exclusively
a one-man instrument, some being
large enough to be played by two or
more persons. The amazing skill, pre
cision and cleverness with which the
Central American artists play the
marimba is always an object of ad
miration to foreigners.
There are families, especially a
round Quetzaltenango, second largest
city of Guatemala, in which the con
structing and playing of a marimba
has become hereditary.
Although it is often very crude and
particularly adequate for popular
tunes, the marimba has also been used
to render semi-classical and even
sometimes classical music.
It sound blends itself particularly
well with string instruments and it is
frequently played not only with ac
companiment of guitars but also of
violins and bass.
The marimba is known in some
South American countries such as
Colombia and Ecuador but it is really
the typical instrument of Central
America. Nothing will evoke Guate
mala or El Salvador better, nothing
will set the heart of their people beat
ing and the feet of their people danc
ing, as the distant notes of a marimba.
The George Duffman family who
have resided in Michigan for the
past ten years will return to Bluffton
to make their home.
Mr. and Mrs. S. P. Hummon and
daughter Elizabeth are in California
for the winter sightseeing.
“She begs the simplest ques-*
lions," wrote Alfred Cochrane. Turn
not aside at any of today's Guess
Again questions, though they may
be simple. Merely place a mark in
the space provided, and check be
low for the correct answer and your
rating.
(1) Henry VIII was noted for his
vast collection of: (a) recipes (b)
pottery (c)
wines (d) wives. __
(2) “In the spring a young man’s
fancy lightly turns to thoughts of
love” was written by: (a) Shakes
peare: (b) Wordsworth I”"I
(c) Shelley (d) Tennyson.
iM
(3) Recognize this major league
baseball team manager pictured
arguing with an umpire? Is it (a)
Dykes of the White Sox (b) Me
Kechnie of the Reds (c) Durocher
of the Dodgers (d)
McCarthy of the Yanks? __
(4) The only owner to have won
four Kentucky Derbys is: (a)
Colonel E. R. Bradley (b) Bing
Crosby (c) Colonel H. L.
Adams, (d) Lady Cavendish. __
(5) A copyright extends for a
period oi (a) 10 years (b) 15 years
(c) 28 years r“
(d) 1 year.
(6) The first American President
to speak over the radio was: (a)
Herbert Hoover- (b) Calvin Cool
idge (c) Woodrow Wilson 1----1
(d) Warren G. Harding. |__
Last year an average of $32.79
for every auto in the U. S. wmt for:
(a) tires (b) lights (c) r~l
oil (d) gasoline tax. |__
“GUESS AGAIN”
_________TMR HI?
t,
ANSWERS
h!
1. 10 points for (d)..........
2 20 b'.s ones for anot’im d)
3. c) for 15 more........................
4. (a) for another 10...............”__
5. 20 again for (c)..........................
6. 10 for (d).........................
7. Add 15 more for (d)............. ...I__
YOUR RATING: 90-100.
excellent: 80-90, dam TOTAf
good 70-80, at leaat
good 80-70. well, you tried anyway.
The Boxwell-Patterson Richland
township commencement will be held
Friday evening June 17 at the
Bluffton town hall at 8:00 P. M.
Each graduate must recite some
poem, essay or short oration that he
has committed to memory. Graduates
are Jesse W. Steiner, Genevieve
Betzner, Lyle Richards, Zoa Augs-
1
2
3
News Our Grandfathers
From Issue Of June 9, 1910
burger, Lydia Burkholder, Harvey
Burkholder, Lt la Frick, Lizzie Stein
er, Freda Fryman, Lavina Gratz,
Ho Boothby, Rosella Biederman,
Harry Amstutz, Fred Augsburger,
Fanny Lauby, Ruth Neiswander,
Minnie IkilnnT, Raymond Augsbur
ger, Abe Block, Ella Steiner, Mildred
Bixel, Ralph Stearns, Estelle Am
stutz, Agnes Seehler, Bernice Bogart,
Zoe Miller, Hazel Augsburger, Ros
coe Bowers, Grace Murray.
A baby girl was born to Mr. and
Mrs. Eugene Tschiegg last week.
Phares Steiner secured a position
with the Lima Locomotive works.
Willis Althaus ’left for Green
castle, Ind., to attend the graduation
exercises of his brother C. P. Alt
haus.
P. B. Amstutz has passed a sub
scription around for the purpose ot
building sheds at the Ebenezer
church and has secured 40 signa
tures. A barn will be built to ac
commodate the rigs.
Samuel E. Vincent of Columbus
and Mary Alice, daughter of C. U.
Steiner, three miles west of Bluffton,
were married Sunday morning by
the Rev. W. S. Gottschalk
Invitations are issued for the mar
riage of Miss Mayme Boyer of near
Rockport and Alvin Whisler, former
ly of this place. The wedding will
RLIIFFTON. OHIO
take place June 16th.
Miss Louisa Ruhl left Saturday to
visit friends in Oberlin and Cleve
land.
Real Estate agent D. S. Flick sold
the Charles Fenton property on
Riley street to Floyd Everett.
Mrs. Noah Basinger and Mrs.
George Pifer of Orange Twp., left
Sunday for Galion, to attend the
funeral of Mrs. Petrie.
Much credit is out lark Frick
and son Robert, wh went u Maple
Grove cemetery and ady repainted
the markers at the s 'Idlers’ graves,
before decoration day.
Misses Nellie l-.atmi, Eva Idle, Zoe
Bentley, Flora !‘.v Mabie Fett,
Mabie Jones, Lillian Zehrbach, Mr.
aid Mrs. C. A. Waltz, Armin and
Ray Hauenstein, drove to Ada, Fri
day and saw President Taft.
A very enjoyable evening was
spent at the home of Mr. and Mrs.
Sam Stettler in honor of Mrs. O. V.
Swerlein of Goshen, Ind. Those
present were: Mrs. O. V. Swerlein
Mrs. W. Hawk and family, Mrs. R.
Potee and daughter, Mr. and Mrs.
Albert Deppler, Mrs. Pence and
daughter, Misses Ho Boothby, Emma
Woods, Leia Satterlee and E. E.
Mosiman.
Orange township citizens will wel
come back Alva Anderson and wife
in the near future, as they have
bought the Walter Hilty farm.
The reserve supply of clover and
legume seeds is expected to be at a
very low level after 1946 spring
seedings, so farmers are urged to
plan to harvest these seeds in 1946
and are advised to increase seed
yields per acre by placing colonies
of bees in the fields.
For years the facts about General Motors have been
piade public.
[n spite of this, the UAW -CIO demands a chance to
|ook at our books, with the hint that we could meet
Union demands “if the truth were really known.”
JvVe have firmly declined to recognize this as a basis
for bargaining:
The Full Facts are Published
How much General Motors takes in each year—how much it pays
employes—how much it pays to stockholders—how much it pays in
‘axes—how much net profit we make—and many other facts are
plainly stated in annual reports and quarterly reports.
These are broadcast to 425,000 stockholders from coast to coast
sent to newspapers and libraries. /Additional copies are free for
♦he asking.
a All Figures are Thoroughly Checked
Every General Motors annual statement is audited by outside
auditors. Similar figures arc filed with the Securities & Exchange
Commission.
Does the UAW-CIO honestly believe that General Motors would
or could deceive these experts?
Basis of Collective Bargaining is Defined
The Wagner Act lays down the rules for collective bargaining.
These cover such areas as rates of pay, hours of work, working
conditions.
No mention is made of earnings, prices, sales volume, taxes and
Ihe like. These are recognized as the problems .of management
Land Prices Rise 48
Per Cent In 10 Years
(Concluded from page 1)
Land Prices Soar
Before the outbreak of World War
II, good farm land in the Bluffton
area was priced roughly at $150 an
acre. This same land now is quoted
at an average of upwards of $225
per acre. In 1935 the same land
would have brought about $130.
In some cases, present high
A "Look at the Books”
OR
"A Finger in the Pi®
Which is the UAW-CIO really after? Is it seeking facts—or new
economic power? Does it want to know things—or run things?
These questions concern you as well as General Motors.
4b
5
prices are due to owners’ hopes that
they may be able to sell the farms
to returning war veterans who have
promises of federal loans for that
purpose.
Seemingly no thought has been
given to the fact that soaring prices
for farm land will make it increas
ingly difficult for veterans to buy
farms, as an increase of one-half
would make an 80-acre farm cost
in excess of $16,000.
Big Hurdle
for
FARM MACHINERY
Overhauled and serviced in a modernly equipped
shop by experienced mechanics.
Bring in your equipment today and have it ready when spring
work opens. Remember, much of your present equipment will
have to serve for another year—that’s why overhauling is es
pecially important this season.
First Come First Served Better Come Today
ALL KINDS OF ELECTRIC AND ACETYLENE WELDING
If you are planning to buy new equipment see the advantages
and special features which you will find only in Ma^sey-H«rfls.
BLUFFTON FARM EQUIPMENT CO.
E. F. Schmidt, Prop.
MASSEY-HARRIS SALES AND SERVICE
105 E. Elm Street /Bluffton, Ohio
Something New has been Added
TH IIRSIIAA -,J A
Vet
In addition to the cost of the
The obvious fact is that the UAW-CIO has gone beyond its rights/
under the law—and is reaching not for information but for new
power—not
for a look at past figures, but for the power\
to sit in on forecasting and planning the future.
A “look at the books” is a clever catch phrase intended as an!
opening wedge whereby Unions hope to pry their way into the 1
whole field of management.
It leads surely to the day when Union bosses, under threat,
of strike, will demand the right to tell what we can make, when',
we can make it, where we can make it, and how much we must
charge you—all with an eye on what labor can take out of the
business, rather than on the value that goes into the product.
This Threatens All Business
If the ,Union can do this in the case of General Motors, it can*
do it to every business in this land of ours. 1
Is this just imagination? Union spokesmen have said, “The
Union has stated time after time that this issue is bigger than
just an ordinary wage argument, that it is bigger than the
Corporation and bigger than the Union.”
a
For Labor Unions to use the monopolistic power of their vast mem
bership to extend the scope of wage negotiations to include more
than wages, hours and working conditions is the first step toward
handing the management of business over to the Union bosses.
We therefore reject the idea of a “look at the books” not because we
have anything to hide but because the idea itself hides a threat to GM,X
to all business, and to you, the public.
General Motors
AJTO BETTER JTHIMGSJ&R Mfi8E££fieiX”_
n
i n 1 ftm —. .. ....
farm, a veteran beginning operations
would need at least $3,400 for ma
chinery and an additional minimum
outlay of $1,600 for livestock.
This would make the total cost of
setting up farming operations ap
proximately $21,000, and under pres
ent arrangements veterans can ob
tain maximum government loans of
only $2,500 for chattels and an esti
mated commercial loan of $6000 is
in force, too little to finance most
farm transactions in which veterans
figure.