The Bluffton news. [volume], May 16, 1946, Image 1

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BUY
UNITS*
STATW
•VOLUME LXXI
BLUFFTON FEELING
GROWING PINCH OF
BREAD SHORTAGE
Some Stores Consider Limiting
Purchases A s Rationing
Measure
Bread Shortage May Stimulate
Demand for Crackers and
Cereals
Bluffton this week is feeling the
pinch of bread shortage as the, re
sult of government cuts of flour.
Thus far there has been nothing
in the nature of bread rationing, al
tho some stores are considering lim
iting of bread purchases as a means
of insuring more even distribution of
the available supply.
With no definite rationing system
in effect the result is that morning
shoppers usually obtain their supply
The Ohio Co-operative Crop
Reporting Service Tuesday pre
dicted a 28 per cent wheat har
vest decline this season.
of bread while those shopping late
in the afternoon frequently find the
shelves swept bare.
Difficulty in connection with limit
ing purchases of bread lies in the
wide variation of requirements of
different families, grocers acknowl
edged.
Each Customer Buys Loaf
All dealers agree that virtually
every customer buys a loaf of bread.
Most of them feel, however, that it
still is too early to determine just
how drastic the situation will be but
they agree that the matter poses
plenty of headaches for storekeepers.
Drastic milling regulations will
mean about 40 per cent of last year’s
production between now and July 1,
it is stated. Bakery operators are
having difficulty in trying to work
out reduced quotas to their custo
mers and food stores here uncertain
from day to day as to the amount of
bread they will receive.
Jesuit in flour
milling and the subsequent bread
shortage wilt be an increased demand
for crackers, sphagetti and cereals it
was stated by dealers. Stocks of
these bread substitutes are in ample
supply now but they are in no con
dition to withstand a sharply increas
ed demand.
To Graduate From
Chicago Seminary
Richard Mumma, son of Mr. and
Mrs. Ray Mumma of Cherry street
will be graduated from McCormick
Theological seminary, Chicago, Sat
urday.
Following his graduation he will
be ordained to the ministry at serv
ices in the Presbyterian church on
Sunday night, May 26.
He and his wife, the former Wil
ma Nonnamaker and their infant
daughter expect to spend the next
two years in New York City where
he will take two years of graduate
study in Columbia university and
Union Theological seminary made
possible by a $1,500 scholarship
which was awarded to him this
spring for scholastic achievement.
Bluffton Girl Is In
Symphony Broadcasts
A Bluffton girl, Barbara Jean
Triplett is a member of the orches
tra of the Eastman School of Music
of Rochester, N. Y., which is broad
casting a series of symphony con
certs every Saturday afternoon at
2 o’clock during May. The programs
are heard over the N. B. C. network.
Miss Triplett plays both the ma
rimba and tympani with the orches
tra. She is the daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. R. L. Triplett of Campus
Drive.
Real Estate Deal
Bluffton college has purchased the
residence of Prof. H. W. Berky at
College and Spring streets, it was
announced the first of the week. The
property will be used as a girls’ dor
mitory when classes open next fall
to accommodate the overflow from
Ropp Hall.
Births
The following births at Bluffton
hospital:
Mr. and Mrs. Elva Dilts, Jenera,
a girl, Susetta Doreen, Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs. Dallas Heldman,
Bluffton, a boy, Wednesday morn
ing.
Street Lighting To
Continue Stock Of
Coal Is Held Ample
rpHERE is no intention at this
A time to curtail Bluffton’s
street lighting because of the
present coal situation, it was
stated by Harry Barnes, presi
dent of the Board of Public Af
fairs at a meeting of the board
Tuesday night.
Barnes* statement was made
following reports that a brown
out might be necessary in order
to conserve coal. The plant, he
said, had about 20 days supply
of k'oal on hand and additional
supplies are expected before the
present stock reaches the critical
point.
BLUFFTON COLLEGE
WILL GRADUATE
13 NEXT MONDAY
Baccalaureate Sunday and Grad
uation Monday Will Culmin
ate Busy Season
Dr. Ed G. Kaufman, President
of Bethel College, Will Be
Class Speaker
Baccalaureate services Sunday
afternoon and graduation exercises
next Monday morning will mark the
culmination^ of a busy program of
commencement week «id activities
on the Bluffton college campus.
With wartime travH restrictions
removed, a larger number of out
of-town visitors than usual, are ex
pected here for the 46th commence
ment season, and pre-war features
dropped from the commencement
program since 1941 will be enjoyed
agafti this spring.
Dr. L. L. Ramseyer, president of
the college, will deliver the bac
calaureate sermon in the chapel at
8 p. mt next Sunday. Subject will
be “Let Us Rise Up And Build.”
Music will be provided by the vesper
choir directed by Prof. Russell A.
Lantz.
Commencement at Mennonite
Church
Commencement exercises the fol
lowing morning at 10 a. tn. in the
First Mennonite church will be ad-'
COIaLEGE
COMMENCEMENT
FRIDAY
8 p. m. Booster Concert, Ram
seyer chapel
SATURDAY
2:45 p. m. Unveiling Plaque,
College Hall
4 p. m. May Day exercises,
Baseball Field
8:30 p. m. Shakespearean Play,
Baseball Field
SUNDAY
3 p. m. Baccalaureate Service,
Chapel
MONDAY
10 a. m. Commencement Program
dressed by Dr. Ed. G. Kaufman,
president of Bethel college. His
subject will be “The Challenge of
the Kingdom.”
Dr. Kaufman received his Master
of Arts degree from Bluffton college
in 1917, and was a member of the
faculty here from 1929 to 1931.
Honor guests of the college during
the commencement season will be
descendants of the original board of
trustees who are expected here
Saturday afternoon to attend the un
veiling of a new bronze cornerstone
plaque, a replica of the original
cornerstone of College Hall.
Mrs. N. C. Hirschy, of Lexington,
Ky., wife of the first president of
the college, also has been invited.
Library Donor Coming
Among other prominent visitors
will be Mrs. C. H. Musselman, of
Biglerville, Pa., one of the principal
benefactors of the college. She and
her late husband were donors of the
Musselman library on the campus.
College graduates this year include
the following:
Bachelor of Arts degree: Elton
Beery, Seville Hildred Eversole,
Bluffton Russell Fellers, Findlay
Iona Gerber, Orrville Mary Locher,
Bluffton David Rosenberger, Dalton
Paul Soldner, Bluffton and Darwin
Luginbuhl, Bluffton (as of Aug. 31).
I Bachelor of Science in Home
Economics: LaVonne Hostettler,
Smithville and Margery Niswander,
Bluffton.
Bachelor of School Music: Celia
Amstutz, Dalton Mary K. Ramseyer,
I Smitville Treva Arrants Sommer,
I Lima.
New Emergencies Arise As Housing
Situation Becomes More Serious
Bluffton College Buys Residence
Property For Dormitory
Purposes
Two New Instructors Seek
Houses Move House In
From Benton Ridge
An appeal this week for residents
of the community to open their
homes to accommodate Bluffton col
lege commencement visitors over the
next weekend has again focused at
tention on the town’s pressing de
mands for housing shortage relief.
Witty a larger number of visitors
expecteM to the campus this year be
cause of removal of wartime travel
restrictions, Dr. L. L. Ramseyer,
president of the college, said it has
become necessary to issue the general
appeal for overnight lodgings.
Insufficient accommodations in the
town for visitors, however, merely
marks another phase of a housing
shortage that has been on a critical
level here since before the war.
College Buys Two Houses
Increased enrollment at the college,
in connection with the town’s need
of more residential buildings, has
forced the construction of temporary
housing units on the college campus,
and the purchase of two residences
by the school.
Second residential purchase this
spring was announced last week by
college authorities who have bought
the H. W. Berky home at West Col
lege avenue and Spring streets for
use of sophomore girls who will live
outside the dormitory. The house
will accommodate about 16 girls.
Purchase of the Berky residence
followed announcement last month
that the former Jacob Hochstettler
property on High street has been
presented to the College. It was
purchased from Frank Stalter by
Rev. Jerry, Sauder of Grabill, Ind.,
a member of the college board of
trustees and turned over to the in
stitution.
Need New Houses
Minimum estimates of at least 50
new houses here focus attention
squarely on a housing shortage that
is keeping from Bluffton industrial
employees and two instructors at
Bluffton High school.
The two instructors, who now re
side in Lima, seeking places of resi
dence are Dwight Spayth, instructor
in manual training who has been
commuting since he took over the
department last January, and Kent
Cotterman, who will be the new ath
letic coach.
Many Triplett employes who com
mute from nearby towns are looking
for houses, and altho several new
homes are under construction, their
completion will in no way even begin
(Continued on Page 8)
With Service Men
Capt. Robert Oyer of the Army
Medical corps arrived here Tuesday
for a month’s furlough after which
he will report at Ft. Houston, Texas
for assignment. Capt. Oyer was
stationed in the Pacific area and had
been recently on New Guinea island.
Sgt. Robert Oberly, son of Millard
Oberly has received his discharge
papers. He formerly served with a
harbor craft unit in Belgium.
Byron Fritchie who served as sig
nalman in the Navy has received
s discharge and returned here
Monday night.
Sgt. LeRoy Lugibihl of the Marine
corps has left for Cherry Point,
North Carolina after spending a
month’s furlough with his parents,
Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Lugibihl west
of Bluffton.
David Tosh of the Coast Guard,
son of Mr. and Mrs. John Tosh of
South Lawn avenue expects to re
ceive his discharge papers this week.
Sgt. Donivan Moser, son of Mr.
and Mrs. War rep Moser has received
his Army discharge. He served two
and one-half years and was with the
occupation forces in Tokyo, Japan.
Clyde Sommer has received his
discharge from the Navy.
Robert Stratton, son of Mr. and
Mrs. Cliff Stratton of East Elm
street has received his discharge
from the Navy.
Railroad Employees
Get Service Awards
Six local area employees of the
A. C. & Y. railroad received service
pins at a dinner, Sunday, honoring
veteran employees of the road. Those
from this district receiving awards
were Charles Matthey, Louis Weyer,
Jacob Nusbaum, Louis Gaiffe and
Noah Geiger of Bluffton and B. R.
Filhart of Jenera.
Gaiffe, Geiger and Filhart were
awarded diamond pins for more than
25 years’ service with the road.
rHE BLUFFTON NEWS
A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY
BLUFFTON, OHIO THURSDAY, MAY 16, 1946
KENT COTTERMAN
HIRED AS COACH
AT BLUFFTON HIGH
Former Football and Basketball
Star at O. N. U. to Coach
Here Next Fall
New Mentor Directed Spring
Sports at Local School Back
in 1943 Season
Kent Cotterman, 26, has been em
ployed by the Board of Education as
athletic coach and director of physi
cal education for Bluffton High
school during the coming school
year. Action was taken at the board
meeting last Wednesday night.
His salary was set at $2,200 per
year, and he has accepted the con
tract for the local position.
Cotterman is known in the com
munity, for he served as coach of
spring sports in 1943 after Head
Coach George Swank, had gone
into military service.
At that time, Cotterman still was
a student at Ohio Northern univers
ity where he was a letterman in
football (halfback) and basketball
(guard). In his junior year he re
ceived honorable mention on the All
Ohio collegiate basketball team. He
graduated from Northern in 1943.
Commanded Naval Craft
The new Bluffton coach was in
the Navy from June, 1943, to Feb
ruary, 1946, where he held the rank
of Lieutenant (j. g.) in command
of an L., C. I. ship. He saw service
in both the Meditermnean and Pa
cific theatres.
Cotterman is married and now
lives near Lima with his wife and
22-months-old daughter. The family
will move to Bluffton when they can
find a place to live here.
Bluffton’s new coach is the son of
Hardin County School Superintend
ent Cotterman, who formerly headed
the Alger public schools.
Robert Patrick Given
War Service Award
Robert J. Patrick, formerly of
Bluffton has been awarded the War
Manpower commission certificate for
meritorious service, it was learned
the first of the week.
Patrick was a civilian member of
the staff of the War Manpower com
mission and served as chief consult
ing engineer on the army’s heavy
duty truck tire expansion program,
seeing service in England and
France.
He resides in Akron where he is
now employed as district truck tire
engineer with the Seiberling Rubber
Co. He visited here this week with
his mother Mrs. Med Murray of
North Jackson street.
H. S' Boys Class
To Exhibit Work
Exhibit of work of the industrial
arts department of the high school
will be placed this week in show
windows of the Bluffton News, Ba
singer furniture store and Arm
strong furniture store.
Approximately 75 shop projects
and 90 drawings will be displayed,
it is stated by Dwight Spaythe, in
structor in charge. The exhibits are
the work of 90 pupils in the indus
trial arts department consisting of
grades 7 to 12 which has been in
operation during the second semester
this year. Materials used are wood,
metal, plastic and leather.
An enrollment of 99 is anticipated
in the department next year, Spaythe
stated.
Buhler To Head
Lions Club Here
Gerhard Buhler, high school prin
cipal has been elected president of
the Bluffton Lions club for the com
ing year.
Other officers are: 1st vice pres.,
R. A. Lantz 2nd vice pres., N. A.
Triplett 3rd vice pres., Robt. Non
namaker sec-treas., D. W. Bixler
tail twister, Robt. Potts lion tamer,
Chas. Emans directors, L. L. Ram
seyer, N. E. Byers.
Teacher At Grade
School Resigns
Resignation of a Bluffton grade
school teacher, Mrs. Robert Koenig,
the former Miss Floy McBain, has
been filed with the board of educa
tion here. The resignation is to be
come effective at the close of the
school year this month.
Mrs. Koenig who was recently
married, will live in Botkins. She
has been employed to teach in the
schools of Jackson Center nearby.
Bluffton’s scrambled mail delivery
service, completely disrupted last
week by curbs on railroad transpor
tation because of the coal strike,
was gradually beginning to clarify
itself on a new schedule this week.
During continuance of the emer
gency, however, residents of the com
munity can expect slower and far
less satisfactory receipt of mail
from outside, it was indicated by
developments over the weekend.
Principal cause of disruption to
the town’s mail service was removal
of the morning and evening fast
trains on the Nickel Plate railroad,
because of curtailed passenger travel
resulting from the coal shortage.
Bluffton’s major delivery of mail
from outside formerly was received
every morning over the Nickel Plate
flier coming from Lima, where con
nections were made with other lines.
Now the first daily mail delivery
from Lima is by Star Route at 2:35
May Queen Will Be Crowned In
Traditional Outdoor Pagean
try Of Music, Dances
Unveiling Of New Cornerstone
Plaque Shakespearean Play
Other Features
Outdoor campus festivities in the
picturesque setting of Bluffton col
lege’s beautifully wooded grounds
Saturday afternoon and evening will
highlight the busy 46th annual com
mencement season at the school.
In the varied offering of outdoor
events are included unveiling of a
new bronze cornerstone plaque, May
Day activities including coronation
of the May Queen, presentation of a
Shakespearean play and the annual
box ceremonies.
Members of the original board of
trustees of the college will be hon
ored in dedication of a new bronze
plaque that will supplant the time
worn cornerstone on the College Hall
building. This portion of the pro
gram is scheduled to start at 2:45
p. m.
Surface of the original cornerstone
of soft sandstone has eroded and
the inscription is obscured.
The cornerstone unveiling will im
mediately follow the annual box cer
emonies conducted in front of Col
lege hall.
May Day Program
Next event on the program at
4 p. m. is the ever-colorful May Day
program, which reaches its climax
with coronation of the May Queen,
Miss Mary K. Ramseyer, Smithville
senior. The Maid of Honor will be
Marjory Niswander, Bluffton, also a
member of the graduating class.
Bluffton Mail Service Disrupted By
Removal Of Nickel Plate Trains
Outdoor Festivities Next Saturday
To Highlight College Commencement
David Rosenberger, Smithville,
most popular man at the school, and
Paul Soldner, Bluffton, will be the
Queen’s escorts.
“The Taming of the Shrew” will
be staged at 8:30 p. m. Saturday
against a picturesque outdoor back
ground to mark a resumption of pre
sentation of Shakespearean plays as
a feature of each commencement
season.
Presentation of the plays was dis
continued during war years by the
Thespian society of the college.
Legion Names Youth
For Boys9 State
Malcolm Basinger, Bluffton high
school junior, has been named Jjy
Bluffton Legion post as its repre
sentative to Boys’ State, a summer
camp and conference at Miami uni
versity, Oxford, June 15 to 25.
Boys’ State is sponsored by Legion
post here from an eligible list of five
high school junior boys. He is the
son of Dr. and Mrs. E. W. Basinger
of Spring street. John Althaus was
named alternate.
College Summer
Term Opens Soon
Bluffton college summer school will
open May 21, it was announced by
Dr. J. S. Schultz, dean.
The school will be divided into
three terms: May 21 to June 8
June 11 to 29 July 1 to 20. Class
es will be in the morning only five
days each week following the Hiram
plan of one subject for each term.
Subjects offered include zoology,
Christian ethics, general psychology,
the family, applied psychology, U. S.
history, educational principles and
management, composition, genetics
and chemistry.
p. m. in the afternoon.
Mail will come in each morning
at 7:19 o’clock on a local train now
operated by the Nickel Plate, but
the train is westbound starting at
Fostoria, and little mail can be ex
pected from that direction.
The next mail delivery is via the
Akron, Canton and Youngstown rail
road, from Delphos, at 9:40 a. m.,
which is too late for rural routes
and for morning routes in town.
Star route mail at 2:35 p. m.
from Lima A. C. and Y. mail from
the east at 4:45 p. m., and Nickel
Plate local delivery from Lima at
7:15 p. m. complete the day’s sched
ule.
It is anticipated that most of
Bluffton’s mail will be delivered to
homes approximately a day later
than usual during the period of rail
road disruption and until the two
fast trains can be returned to opera
tion on the Nickel Plate.
BACCALAUREATE TO
OPEN HIGH SCHOOL
GRADUATION WEEK
Union Church Service Next Sun
day Will Be Addressed By
Rev. Bigelow
Senior Class Play in Two-Night
Run Next 'Monday and
Tuesday
Opening of the Bluffton High
school commencement week program,
baccalaureate services will be held
Sunday night in the school gymnas
ium at 8 o’clock.
Rev. E. N. Bigelow, pastor of the
Presbyterian church, will deliver the
baccalaureate sermon on the subject,
CALENDAR
Sunday, May 19 Baccalaureate
Monday and Tuesday, May 20
21 Senior Class Play, “Papa
Is All.”
Wednesday, May 22—Class Night
Tkurs^y, May 23 Commence
ment.
Friday, May 24—Alumni Reunion
“If I Were Eighteen.” It will be a
union service for ail churches of the
town.
Continuing the parade of com
mencement week events, the senior
class play, “Papa Is All”, will be
staged on Monday and Tuesday
nights in the auditorium. Both per
formances will start at 8:30 p. m.
Class Night Exercises
Graduating seniors will be fea
tured in a program of varied in
terest in the class night appearance
of the group at 8 p. m. Wednesday
in the gymnasium.
Commencement exercises will be
addressed by Grove Patterson, editor
of The Toledo Blade, at 8 p. m. next
Thursday in the gymnasium. Di
plomas will be presented to a class
of 43.
Robert Ramseyer is valedictorian
of the graduating class and Elmer
Stonehill is salutatorian, to qualify
as the ranking senior honor students.
Commencement week activities will
close on Friday night of next week
with the annual alumni reunion, fea
turing a banquet and dance.
Wheat And Corn
Prices Shoot Up
Government action in raising price
ceilings of wheat and corn in con
nection with the overseas food relief
program were reflected in a sharp
rise in quotations for wheat and
corn and to a lesser extent oats and
soybeans on the market here Wed
nesday morning.
Wheat was quoted at $1.87 a
bushel as compared with $1,74 last
week. Corn is $1.38 a bushel last
week it was $1.12. Oats are 83
cents as compared with 80 cents.
Soybeans are $2.09 as compared
with $2.04 last week.
HERE FROM WEST
Robert Mitchell of Berkeley, Calif,
former Bluffton resident, visited
friends here last week. He was ac
companied by his brother, Milt Mitch
ell of Lima. Mr. Mitchell was con
nected with the Bluffton telephone
company in its early days and later
was employed for many years by a
large telephone system in California.
BUY
UNHM
•TATM
NUMBER 4
MAN HIT BY CAR
ON MAIN STREET
FATALLY INJURED
Otis Leiber, Farmer, Dies of
Fractured Skull in Hos
pital Here
Orange Township Youth, Driver
of Car, Is Not Held for
Accident
Otis Leiber, 67, farmer living
three miles southwest of Bluffton
was fatally injured when he was
struck by an automobile driven by
Morris Moser, 19, son of Ervin
Moser of Orange township while
crossing the street in Bluffton’s
North Main business section Satur
day night at 10:10 o’clock.
Leiber died of a fractured skull
in the Bluffton hospital Monday
morning at 6 o’clock without regain
ing consciousness. It was Bluffton’s
first traffic fatality this year.
The accident occurred as Leiber
was crossing the street from the
Dillman news stand toward the Pine
restaurant. He was struck by the
right fender of the Moser car, north
bound.
Sheriff, Coroner, Here
Allen County Sheriff William R.
Dailey and County Coroner Harry
Lewis were here Monday investigat
ing the accident in conjunction with
local police officers.
Following the investigation it was
stated that Moser was not driving
fast and sw’erved out the line of
traffic in an attempt to avoid Leiber.
Moser was not held in connection
with the affair.
After the accident Moser, together
with Paul Diller and Wilbur Nis
wander took Leiber to the hospital
in Moser’s car. Leiber did not ap
pear to be seriously hurt at the
time.
Former Oil Pumper
A son of Emil and Louisa (Fett)
Leiber, he was born in Richland
township, December 25, 1878. He
worked as an oil pumper before tak
ing up fanning.
Leiber is survived by hi! wife, the
former Edna Matter and son Russell
Leiber, Bluffton three sisters, Mrs.
Cora Althaus, Mrs. Clara Basinger
and Mrs. Bessie Stettler all of Lima
and two brothers, William and Cal
vin Leiber both of Bluffton.
He was a member of the Emman
uel’s Reformed church where fun
eral services were held Wednesday
afternoon with Rev. V. C. Opper
mann officiating. Interment was in
the church cemetery.
Veterans May Join
New Hospital Plan
Discharged veterans of World
War II in this area will have an
opportunity this month to join the
Bluffton Blue Cross plan for pre
payment of hospital bills.
The special enrollment period will
be for one month only. During this
time plans will waive normal re
quirements for group enrollment and
permit veterans to apply as individ
uals for protection for themselves
and members of their families.
The hospitalization program for
enrollees and their families normally
is made available only thru group
plans. This restriction, however, is
being waived by Blue Cross plans
thruout the country for veterans to
permit individual enrollments.
Any veteran interested may get
further information at the Hauen
stein & Son drug store. Applications
should be made directly to Hospital
Service, Inc., Dauch Bldg. Lima,
giving name, address and place of
employment.
Minister To Get
Theological Degree
Rev. Landolene Amstutz, formerly
of Bluffton, will be graduated from
Northern Baptist Theological sem
inary in Chicago at commencement
exercises Thursday night. He will
receive the degree of Bachelor of
Theology.
Rev. Amstutz and his family have
lived in Tiskilwa, III., since last fall
where he is pastor of the Mennonite
church. He previously made his
home with Mr. and Mrs. H. O. Lug
inbuhl of North Main street in Bluff
ton.
POPPY EXHIBIT
An exhibit calling attention to
Poppy day in Bluffton on May 25
will be placed in the window of the
Basinger furniture store this week,
st is announced by the Bluffton Le
gion Auxiliary.