The Bluffton news. [volume], September 22, 1949, Image 1

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BLUFFTON
A Good Place to Trade
VOLUME LXXIV
OTTO BIGLER DIES
HERE WEDNESDAY
FUNERAL IS FRIDAY
Associated for Many Years in
Meat Market of Bigler
Brothers
Last Rites to be Held at Metho
dist Church Burial at
Maple Grove
Otto Bigler, 73, for many years
a partner in the firm of Bigler
Brothers Meat Market, died at his
home at 551 South Main street Wed
nesday morning at 5:15 o’clock.
Death was due to a heart ailment.
He had been seriously ill for the
past 18 months and recently was re
turned to his home from Bluffton
hospital.
Funeral services will be held Fri
day afternoon at 2:30 o’clock from
the Methodist church of which he
was a member. The pastor, Rev.
Paul Cramer will officiate and bur
ial will be in Maple Grove cemetery.
The body will be at the Paul Diller
funeral home until time for serv
ices.
He was born in Bluffton, Febru
ary 21, 1876 the son of Frederick
and Anna (Schaublin) Bigler and
at an early age became associated
with his father in retail meat busi
ness here. He and his brother
Godfrey continued to operate the
business after the death of their
father until three years ago when
they sold their interests to Swank
Brothers.
In public life he served as Rich
land township treasurer and was a
member of the Masonic and Medern
Woodman fraternal orders. His wife,
the former Elsie Bigler and one
daughter Geraldine, preceded him in
death.
Surviving are two sons, Elmond
Bigler of Cincinnati and Eugene
Bigler of Kent, and two daughters,
Mrs. Neva Zeller of Cleveland and
Mrs. Janet Burkholder at home
also one brother Godfrey of Bluffton
and two sisters Mrs. Cal Kohli,
Ft. Wayne and Mrs. Minnie Kim
mel of Bluffton.
COLLEGE ENROLLS
245 STUDENTS AS
FALL TERM OPENS
Total is Expected to be Swelled
by Late Arrivals on
Campus
Mark 50th Anniversary of
School at Homecoming Game
October 29
A drop of 50 students from last
year’s record enrollment marked the
opening of Bluffton college’s 50th
year of operation when fall term
activities got under way on the cam
pus last week.
Student enrollment reported at the
beginning of this week stood at a
mark of 245 in comparison with
registration of 295 at the same time
last fall.
Further increase in enrollment is
expected this week, however, for
total enrollment in 1948 eventually
reached a mark of 344 aft^r opening
at 295, college authorities said.
Enrollment of students attending
college under the G. I. Bill of Rights
also declined this fall, with this
year’s coupt showing 40 in compari
son with the 1948 total of 60.
Beaverburg Filled
Bcaverburg, the campus trailer
village for married students and their
families, is filled to capacity again
this year. Dormitories also have all
accommodations taken, but fewer
students are staying in private homes
off the campus this fall, college
authorities said.
Observance of Bluffton college’s
50th anniversary will mark all events
during the coming year.
Homecoming on Oct. 29 will be the
first occasion to officially celebrate
the anniversary. One of the features
during the homecoming football game
will be a parade of floats represent
ing each decade in college history.
In the grid tilt the Beavers will
tangle with Taylor university, of Up
land, Ind.
Another important event this year
will be construction of the new
$250,000 gymnasium auditorium,
work on which is now under way at
the building’s location at the rear of
Science hall.
Do yourself a good turn. Work
safely.
Fall Late This
Year Will Get
Here On Friday
FALL will arrive officially at
4:06 a. m., Friday, being a little
late this year, since our calendar
does not exactly agree with the
sun.
Early Friday morning will be
the moment when the sun crosses
the autumnal equinox, an imag
inary line 23!i degrees north of
the equator.
Thus far the Bluffton area has
experienced no frost, giving a
large corn crop ample time to
mature. Average date for the
first frost here is September 24.
COAL STRIKE IS ON
BUT BLUFFTON HAS
NO FUEL SHORTAGE
Householders and Industries
Have Enough Coal For
Immediate Needs
Many Homes Have Entire Win
ter’s Supply of Coal
On Hand
Shutdown of the nation’s coal
mines in the newest walkout of the
United Mine Workers union is not
expected to have any immediate re
percussions so far as Bluffton users
are concerned, a survey of the local
situation showed this week.
Practically all homes heated by
coal have at least a partial winter’s
supply on hand, and all Bluffton
dealers have stocks of fuel in their
yards sufficient to handle any emer
gencies.
Large stockpiles at the Central
Ohio Light and Power Co. and the
municipal light plant will be suffi
cient to keep both in operation for
several weeks, the survey showed.
In addition, the municipal plant
received one car of coal Tuesday,
and they have shipping notices show
ing that three others are enroute to
Bluffton. Approximately 25 tons of
coal are used each day at the muni
cipal plant.
Bluffton college and Bluffton pub
lic schools also have enough coal on
hand for immediate purposes, and
the mine shutdown will have no ef
fect on their operation.
Harvest Home At
Emmanuel's Church
Congregations of Emmanuel’s and
St. John’s Evangelical and Reformed
churches will observe their annual
harvest home and homecoming fes
tival at the Emmanuel’s church in
special services, Sunday morning
and afternoon.
Principal speaker will be Rev.
Elmer Fahringer of St. Peter’s Re
formed church of New Bremen,
formerly of Pennsylvania. His sub
ject will be “God’s Farmhands.” A
basket dinner will be held in the
church dining room at noon.
MOVING TO COLUMBUS
Mr. and Mrs. Harold Diller and
family are vacating the Clyde Reams
property on South Mound street this
week and moving to Columbus where
he will enter the college of agricul
ture of Ohio State university.
Gil Dodds, holder of the world in
door mile record, will be the prin
cipal speaker at a Youth for Chirst
rally at the Pandora stadium, Fri
day night following the Pandora
Forest high school football game.
Dodds, who is track coach at
Wheaton college, Wheaton, Ill., will
be accompanied by James Diller,
Bluffton student at Wheaton and a
member of the track team. They
will give an exhibition run at 8:45
o’clock, preceding the rally. Also
appearing will be members of the
Pandora high school track team.
Dodds with a mile track record
of 4:05.3 minutes Avon the coveted
Sullivan trophy in 1944 and was un
defeated in 37 matches before retir
ing two years ago.
Since that time, in addition to his
coaching duties he has spoken ex
tensively for the Youth for Christ
international group of Chicago in
rallies throughout the country.
Two weeks ago he returned to this
country after two months speaking
tour in Norway and Sweden with
other Youth for Christ leaders.
Included in Friday night’s program
will be selections by the Pandora
and Forest high school bands and
numbers by a Bluffton high school
girls’ octette.
Gil Dodds, Holder Of World’s Track
Record To Speak At Youth Rally Friday
YOUTHS IN STOLEN
CAR ARRESTED ON
MAIN STREET HERE
State Highway Patrol Appre
hends Pair at Traffic Light
Stop Tuesday
Escaped from Michigan Correc
tional Institution Monday
Night
Two youths, ages 16 and 17, driv
ing a stolen car were arrested in
the Bluffton business district by
State Highway Patrolman Dwight
Carey, Tuesday morning at 9:30
o'clock.
The pair, according to their story,
escaped Monday night from Boys’
Republic School, Farmington, Mich.,
a correctional institution, and stole
the car in Wayne, Michigan.
Patrolman Carey trailed the Mich
igan car from Findlay and appre
hended the boys on Main street as
they stopped at the Elm street
traffic light.
Sell Tire, Ti
re to
Raise Cash
Action of the pair aroused sus
picions when they sold a tire, tube
and wheel for $2 worth of gasoline
at a Findlay service station and the
incident was reported to the high
way patrol.
The youths were apparently en
route to Dayton to the home of one
of the boys’ parents, then expected
to proceed to Ft. Worth, Texas, to
see the other boy’s mother.
The 16-year-old was doing time
for breaking and entering and the
older youth for auto larceny. Both
admitted a series of previous es
capes.
The Dayton youth was released
from the Hancock county jail Tues
day night to the custody of his par
ents and the case will be taken to
court there. The older boy was re
leased to Detroit authorities Wed
nesday.
Foltz Heads Legion
For Coming Year
Garnet Foltz was elected com
mander of Bluffton Legion post for
the coming year at the annual elec
tion of officers for the coming year
held Monday night.
Other officers elected were:
Vice commander, James Stonehill
adjutant and treasurer, Denver
Augsburger service officer, Stanley
Basinger Sgt. at arms, Ralph Augs
burger historian, Mel Long chap
lain, Rev. Paul Cramer asst, chap
lain, Quinten Burkholder color bear
ers, Wm. Stonehill and Gene Mer
icle.
Newly elected officers will be in
stalled at the post meeting on Mon
day night. October 3. Millen Geiger
will be installing officer.
Files Answer In
Teacher Lawsuit
County Prosecutor Anthony Bow
ers, representing the Bluffton Board
of Education, has filed an answer
in the Allen county common pleas
court to the suit against the board
brought by Mabel Lantz of Campus
drive. Mrs. Lantz, a former teach
er in the schools here seeks two
years’ salary and reinstatement un
der the teacher tenure act. Date
for the hearing has not yet been
set by the court.
Home After Summer
Travel In Europe
Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Gratz resid
ing north of Bluffton returned Sun
day night from a 60 days’ European
trip. They visited England and
countries on the continent besides
spending several weeks with their
son Delbert Gratz, a student in the
graduate school of the University of
Bern, Switzerland.
Delbert was formerly engaged in
European relief work under the
Mennonite Central committee. He
and his wife and little son are liv
ing in Bern while he is in school
there.
Mr. and Mrs. Gratz made the trip
to Europe by plane and returned by
boat. During their absence their
farm was occupied by Mr. and Mrs.
Vernon Yoakam.
TAKE TEACHING POSITIONS
Mr. and Mrs. Roger Howe, Bluffton
college graduates are living in
Marseilles where he is high school
coach and instructor in social
sciences. Mrs. Howe is music in
structor in the Marseilles and Harp
ster schools.
THE BLUFFTON NEWS
A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY
BLUFFTON, OHIO, THURSDAY, SEPT. 22, 1949
Dr. Hazen G. Werner
Resident Bishop of Ohio
BL
ANNIVERSARY SPEAKERS
I
I
Dr. John M. Versteeg
Superintendent, Limit District
-----------------------------7
MAY ASK SCHOOL
BOARD TO REVIEW
ATHLETIC POLICY
Bluffton's Victory Over Kenton,
League Ch imp, Sparks
Opposition
Faculty Committee Standing
Pat on Original Decision
to Withdraw
Adding fuel to a controversy set
off last week by Bluffton High’s
withdrawal from the Western Buck
eye league, the local high school’s
stunning 12 to 6 victory over Ken
ton’s defending champions last Fri
day night brought assertions that
protests over the resignation will be
carried to the board of education be
fore the matter is ended.
Just what may happen if the sub
ject gets to school board level ap
peared indefinite, however, for ordin
arily the board does not interfere
with operations of the school’s ath
letic program thru the faculty com
mittee.
It was the faculty committee which
last week made the decision to with
draw from the league, a move an
nounced last Wednesday after the
resignation had been submitted at a
league njeeting the preceding night.
Protests Come
Protests over the withdrawal and
the surprise victory over Kenton Fri
day night have not changed the
faculty committee’s views, a spokes
men said this week.
It was pointed out that high school
athletes themselves have argued
against continuing membership in the
league which is made up entirely of
Class A schools with the exception
of Bluffton. Several football veterans
have not reported for play this year
to avoid the possibility of injuries
which would keep them from playing
basketball, which they prefer.
On the other hand, objections to
the withdrawal appear headed by
former Bluffton High athletes whose
contention is that dwindling high
school enrollment and small football
squads are something encountered in
the normal “ups and downs” of
athletic play. It is principally from
this source that protests to the board
of'education are being considered.
Win Over Kenton
Bluffton’s victory over Kenton last
Friday marked a conquest over one
I of the schools that likely would have
been eliminated from the Pirate
Methodist Church Dignitaries Coming
for 115th Anniversary Here Sunday
ft
S
Rev. Pall H. Cramer
Pastor, General Committee Chairman
Bluffton Asked To Join In Emergency
Campaign For Polio Funds This Week
Dr. F. Bringle Macintosh
President,* Ohio Northern University
Bluffton residents this week will
be asked to join the rest of the na
tion in an emergency drive to re
plenish depleted funds in the treas
ury of the national polio foundation.
Last year’s infantile paralysis
campaign organization is handling
the emergency drive, with Dr. B. W.
Travis, chairman of the March of
Dimes campaign, again serving in
the came capacity.
Cards and envelopes will, be dis
tributed this week to every resi
dence, and Bluffton citizens are
urged to cooperate with the rest of
the nation in raising funds to (‘li
able the national foundation to cope
with this year’s epidemic, one of
the most critical in history.
Although the immediate Bluffton
area has not been as hard hit this
year as it was last summer when an
epidemic raged in nearby Putnam
and Hancock counties, there have
been 94 cases reported in the Lima
hospital area. In Allen county
there have been 15 cases during the
summer.
Contributions may be placed in
envelopes provided and mailed to or
left at the Bluffton post office.
New Minister
Addresses Lions
Rev. Leonard McIntire, who re
cently assumed the pastorate of
Bluffton and Rockport Presbyterian
churches addressed the Lions club
dinner meeting at the Walnut Grill,
Tuesday pight, speaking on the sub
ject “Jeremiah.”
Supt. of Schools Aaron Murray
also spoke explaining necessity for
support of the proposed three-mill
school levy to be voted on in No
vember. Rev. Paul Cramer, newly
elected president was in charge of
the meeting.
schedule as a result of resignation
from the league.
Preliminary plans had called for a
continuation of football scheduling
with Wapakoneta, Celina and St.
Marys, the three smaller A schools
in the loop. Chances are that the
teams to be dropped are from the
larger schools of Van Wert, Kenton
and Bellefontaine.
For the present, Bluffton is remain
ing in the league for basketball play,
and the withdrawal will affect only
football scheduling until such a time
that a new loop member is chosen.
However, cage schedules only being
drawn on a one-year basis instead of
the usual two-year card, to prepare
for the ultimate severence of play
on a league basis.
Carelessness is a major factor
90 percent of all farm fires.
Six known causes account for
three-fourth of all farm fires.
Marking its 115th anniversary as
one of the focal centers in Bluffton
community religious activity, the
First Methodist church will celebrate
an anniversary re-dedication in
special morning, afternoon and even
ing services next Sunday.
Methodist church dignitaries head
ed by Bishop Hazen G. Werner, of
Columbus, will join leaders of the
Bluffton congregation in the many
fold activities scheduled for the an
niversary celebration.
Bishop Werner, Ohio resident
bishop, will preach the sermon at the
morning anniversary worship service,
beginning at 10:30 a. in. following
the usual Sunday school period.
His subject will be “The Place of
the Church in the Drama of Today.”
Methodist Dignitaries
Also appearing on the morning
program will be Dr. John M.
Versteeg, Lima district superintend
ent Rev. Frank J. Batterson. retired
History of the Bluffton .Metho
dist church and program of next
Sunday’s services appear on Page
9 of this issue.
Ohio conference minister Rev. J.
Paul Clark, now residing in Bluffton
and who is on sabbatical leave from
the conft rence and Forrest L. Stein
man, lay leader and trustee of the
Bluffton church.
A basket dinner at noon will be
followed by the anniversary dedica
tion program beginning at 2:30 p. m.
The dedication service will be led
by Dr. Versteeg, and the afternoon
sermon will be preached by Dr. F.
Bringle Macintosh, new president of
Ohio Northern university, at Ada.
Former Pastor Here
Rev. J. H. Butler, now living at
Lakeside, a retired pastor, who had
the Bluffton charge from 1910 to
1913, also will appear on the after
noon program. Rev. Butler drew up
the plans for the present church
building.
A union anniversary service at 7:30
p. m. Sunday will be addressed by
Rev. Paul Niswander, pastor of the
Nelsonville, O., Methodist church.
Rev. Niswander is the son of Mr. and
Mrs. Lewis Niswander, of Bluffton.
Dr. Lloyd L. Ramseyer, president
of Bluffton college, also will take
part in the service.
Special music will be presented at
morning, afternoon and night serv
ices ,with a vocal duet by Mrs. Char
les Steiner and Mrs. James West
marking the evening program.
Church Board
Rev. Paul Cramer is pastor of the
First Methodist church, and the of
ficial board of the church is made
up of Rev. Frank .J Batterson. Rev.
J. Paul Clark, Forrest L. Steinman,
lay leader and trustee A. J. B.
Longsdorf, chairman of official hoard
and trustee Charles Aukerman,
chairman of board of trustees G.
Ross Bogart, Dr. Franklin Roda
baugh, Robert L. Artman, Slewart
Berryhill, Albert Augsburger, Forest
Harmon and Edgar Cook, trustees.
Clayton Harkness, treasurer Mrs.
Frank Todd, financial secretary Miss
Eileen Haller, secretary Mrs. Cliff
West, honorary steward .lames F.
West, steward and chairman of ush
ers Mrs. L. M. Thomas, Mrs
Bertha Hahn, IL IL Huser, Mrs.
Edith Mann .Mrs. Albert Augsburger
and Mrs. Charles Steiner, stewards:
Nelson Steiner, church school super
intendent Mrs. Forest Harmon,
president of the woman’s society of
Christian service, and Lynn Carmack,
president of the Methodist Youth
Fellowship.
Bluffton College Gr
Open Season At
With less than two weeks of prac
tice behind them, Bluffton college
gridders will swing into action for
the fall season in a tilt with Wil
mington at that place this Saturday
night.
In rounding his squad into shape
for the early opener, Coach A. C.
Burcky not only has been plagued
by lack of practice time but also
faces the necessity of building an
almost entirely new eleven for this
fall’s schedule.
Prospects which looked fairly
promising prior to the opening of
school took a turn for the worse
when practice sessions got under
way and it was found that a num
ber of lettermen would not be can
didates for the team this year, al
though back in school.
Wilmington, on the other hand,
has a rugged team of veterans, and
the Beavers will have a difficult as
signment in their first tilt on the
eight-game schedule.
Following this week’s contest at
Wilmington, the Burckymen will make
their first home appearance the fol
lowing week in a night game here
with Findlay College Oilers.
Four of Bluffton’s games this fall
BLUFFTON
A Good Place to Live
NUMBER 23
GATES PROPOSED
AT CHERRY STREET
GRADE CROSSING
Nickel Plate Offer to Council
Contingent on Dropping
Watchman
Fisher, Present Watchman,
Would be Eligible for Find
lay Job
Nickel Plate railroad representa
tives at a meeting of the municipal
council Monday night offered to in
stall electrically operated traffic
flashers at the unprotected College
Avenue crossing and a new warn
ing system complete with automatic
ally operated gates at the Cherry
street crossing—if the town wifi
agree to dispense with watchman
service at the Cherry street crossing.
In addition to College Avenue
warning signals, a city demand for
more than a decade, the railroad’s
proposal also provided what its
spokesmen termed "completely new
24-hour protection” for the Cherry
street crossing.
Changes which would be made at
Cherry street would include installa
tion of automatically operated gates,
plus a new system of warning lights
installed at each side of the street,
eliminating the existing standard in
the center of the street.
The new circuit also would be
actuated so that cars standing on
the track during switching opera
tions would not lower the gate or
cause the lights to flash, and warn
ing precautions would go into oper
ations only when the locomotive
would approach either crossing,
council was told by Trainmaster
G. A. Hecker, who appeared at the
meeting with Bluffton Stationmaster
Raymond Holden.
Acceptance of the railroad pro
posal by council would result in
automatic protection devices at all
Nickel Plate crossings inside the
corporation limits, it was pointed
out.
Installation of the gates, however,
would eliminate the need of a cross
ing watchman at Cherry street,
councilmen were told, and the muni
cipal government was asked to agree
to the railroad proposal that the
post be abolished.
Discontinuance of the watchman’s
Job would not mean that Joe Fisher,
who has served there for 16 years,
would be out of yvork, the railroad
official said. Fisher’s seniority is
such that he can take a watchman's
job in Findlay, the council was told.
Councilmen are taking a week to
consider the proposal, and will make
a decision at a special meeting next
Monday night in the council room.
Union Church Service
Next Sunday Evening
Bluffton's monthly union church
service will be held Sunday night
at 7:30 o’clock at the Methodist
church in connection with its 115th
anniversary program, it was an
nounced this w&ek by the Bluffton
Ministerial association.
Rev. Paul Niswander of Nelson
ville, formerly of Bluffton, will be
the speaker at the service Sunday
evening which will take the place of
the regular October union service.
The next regular evening union
service will be held the first Sunday
in November.
Good housekeeping is good safety.
dders Will
Wilmington Saturday
will be against foes in the newly
organized Mid-Ohio league. In loop
competition, the Beavers will play
Findlay, Defiance, Ashland and Ce
darville.
Real Estate Deal
Supt. of School Aaron B. Burray
purchased the residence of the late
John Welty on Cherry street at
public sale, Saturday. Consideration
$5,300. Mr. and Mrs. Murray will
occupy the 'property next month,
moving from the Leland Sechler
property on Jackson street adjoining
the high school.
Births
The following births at Bluffton
hospital:
Mr. and Mrs. Max Klingler, Ada,
a girl, Nancy Darlene, Thursday.
Mr. and Mrs. Orlo Wilcox, Mc
Comb, a boy, Larry Eugene, Thurs
day.
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Mikesell,
Beaverdam, a boy, Thomas Gordon,
Sunday.