The Bluffton news. [volume], December 01, 1949, Image 1

About The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current

Image provided by: Ohio History Connection, Columbus, OH

                
A Good Place to Trade
VOLUME LXXIV
TWELVE TONS OF
HIGH EXPLOSIVES
PERIL AREA HERE
Driver of Big Transport Truck
Takes to Ditch to Avoid
Collision
Accident Occurs during Night
Near Swiss Inn South of
Bluffton
A large transport truck carrying
1212 tons of dynamite overturned in
a ditch one-fourth miles south of the
Swiss Inn on the Dixie highway
early Saturday, but a major high
way catastrophe was averted when
the dangerous cargo weathered the
mishap without exploding.
Four trucks and an automobide
were at the scene when the accident
occurred at 1:10 a. m. and had the
huge load of dynamite been set off
in the crash all would have been in
the blast area.
With its driver lost and on the
wrong road, the northbound red
tractor and trailer labeled “High
Explosives” was forced into the
ditch when a speeding southbound
automobile attempted to pass a truck
also headed south. To avoid a head
on collision, the dynamite-laden semi
took to the ditch and overturned.
Two Trucks
Ditched
The dynamite truck was followed
by another semi which also was
ditched, but it did not overturn. A
third truck, also northbound, was
stopped before it joined the others
in the ditch.
All four trucks stopped, but the
passenger car blamed for the crack
up kept on going, the truck drivers
reported. The estimated speed of
the car was about 80 miles an hour.
The night was cloudy and a light
snow was falling.
Enroute from Chicago to Zanes
ville, the dynamite truck was on the
Dixie highway in error. Traveling
on Route 30 through Beaverdam, the
truck driver made a mistake when
he turned north on the Dixie, head
ed toward Bluffton. In the huge van
were 511 cases of dynamite, weigh
ing 50 pounds each.
Driver Unhurt
Driver of the truck was Charles
Drenkel, 40, of Chicago. Drenkel
was not injured, but the truck tract
or was badly damaged. 'In the crash
the cab and motor were torn loose
from the body, and the frame was
sprung. There was slight damage
to the trailer, caused by the shifting
load bulging the sides.
Highway patrolmen who investi
gated the crash said the truck
would not have overturned, but a
narrow, deep ditch near the fence
caught the wheels, causing the ve
hicle to jack-knife and turn on its
side.
Shortly after noon on Saturday,
two relief trucks arrived from Chi
cago, and the load was transferred
to'resume its journey to Zanesville,
where it was destined for coal mine
use.
The wrecked tractor will be placed
on a float and hauled back to Chi
cago headquarters of the owner, The
H. R. Henderson Trucking Co.
State highway patrolmen parked
the trailer until another tractor
could make the trip from Chicago
to pick it up.
Show Film At Sunday
School Convention
Orange township Sunday school
convention will be held at Bethel
Church of Christ in two sessions,
Sunday afternoon at 2 o’clock and in
the evening at 7:30.
A feature of the evening meeting
will be showing of the film “A Voice
in the Wilderness,” a portrayal of
life of John the Baptist.
Lima Minister Will
Address Union Service
Rev. Porter French, pastor of
-the Lima Congregational-Christian
church will address Bluffton’s union
monthly service at the Presbyterian
church, Sunday night at 7:30 o’clock.
Subject: “His Name Shall Be Called
Wonderful.” Services are under aus
pices of the Bluffton Ministerial as
sociation.
In New Location
Mr. and Mrs. Wade Bechtol have
moved from the Rineman apartments
on North Main street into the Dep
pler heirs property at South Main
and Poplar streets recently vacated
by the Thos. Ferrell family who
moved to Lima.
Real Estate Deals
Wm. Amstutz residing on the Fol
lett farm purchased the 80 acre farm
of the late Mrs. Lenore Miller My
ers, three and one-half miles south
west of Bluffton for $13,800.
E. S. Miller, Bluffton automobile
dealer purchased the former Leah
Steiner property on South Jackson
street sold at sheriff’s sale Satur
day. Consideration $3,500. Miller
who lives in the Henry Gratz prop
erty south of town on the Dixie
highway expects to occupy the resi
dence.
GARA’S CONVICTION
IS UPHELD BY U. S.
COURT OF APPEALS
Former Bluffton Man, Draft
Act Violator, to be Paroled
Next Tuesday
He and His Wife Plan to Take
up Residence in Wyandotte,
Michigan
The U. S. District Court of Ap
peals in Cincinnati in a decision
handed down Monday upheld convic
tion of Larry Gara, 27 year old
former Bluffton college instructor
who is seiwing a sentence in the
Federal Correctional Institute at
Milan, Mich., for violation of the
peacetime draft act.
Federal Judge Frank Kloeb im
posed a sentence of 18 months im
prisonment last March after a jury
in the Federal District Court at
Toledo found Gara guilty of advising
Charles Ray Rickert, former Bluffton
college senior to refuse to register
under the 1948 Draft act.
Gara, however, will be pardled
next Tuesday, it was announced by
the U. S. Probation Office in Toledo,
the parole beginning five days after
the earliest possible date on which
he could have become eligible, ac
cording to a probation official.
Gara and his wife, who has been
living here, plan to take up residence
in Wyandotte, Mich., where he will
be employed as a construction work
er and remain under supervision of
the U. S. Probation Office, Detroit.
Rickert who was sentenced by
Judge Kloeb and also was confined
in the Michigan institution was
paroled three months ago.
Richland Center
Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Reichenbach
and family were Thanksgiving day
dinner guests of Mr. and Mrs. John
L. Reichenbach and daughter.
Mr. and Mrs. John Luginbuhl of
Marion and Mr. and Mrs. Herbert
Coon and daughter of Columbus
were Thanksgiving week end guests
of Mrs. J. I. Luginbuhl.
Patsy and Ray Schaublin spent a
few days with their grandparents,
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Schaublin.
Mrs. Rhuel Kohler and son Dick
were called to Springfield, Monday on
account of her mother- who is very
sick and was removed to the
hospital.
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Woodhead
were Thanksgiving dinner guests at
the Harley Heslers of Lima. Mrs.
Woodhead is staying with Mrs.
Heiser who is sick.
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Follas and
daughter attended a funeral of his
uncle, Thos. Fair at Delphos, Sun
day.
Ernest Gratz called on Mr. and
Mrs. Max Miller, Sunday afternoon.
Mr. and Mrs. Noland Benroth and
family were Thanksgiving day din
ner guests of Mr. and Mrs. Joe
Follas and daughter Joan.
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Morris and
daughters of Col. Grove spent Friday
evening with Mr. and Mrs. Richard
Core and family.
Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Bridges, Jr. and
family were Sunday evening supper
guests of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond
Matter and family.
Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Amstutz spent
the week, end with Mr. and Mrs.
James Kolvas and daughter of Dan
ville, Ill.
Mr. and Mrs. Harold Stevens and
family spent the week end with Mr.
and Mrs. Otto Amstutz.
Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Sharp of Nor
walk, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Mar
quart were Thanksgiving day dinner
guests at the Amos and Weldon
Luginbuhl home. Evening callers
were Mr. and Mrs. Robert Dillman
Truck Laden With Dynamite Overturns In
Roadside Ditch Without Exploding Cargo
50 Years In Church Work By Rev. And
Mrs. Batterson To Be Honored Sunday
Fifty years of service by Rev. and
Mrs. Frank Batterson, S. Main
street, in ministry of the Methodist
church will be honored at a special
service in the First Methodist church
Sunday morning at 10:30 o’clock.
Rev. and Mrs. Batterson, who
are now Bluffton residents, served
as missionaries in South America
for more than 20 years. In his
South American ministry, Rev. Bat
terson served as director of the Boca
Mission at Buenos Aires manager
of the Methodist publishing house in
the same city and superintendent
of the Southern district of the South
American Methodist conference.
Upon his return to the United
States, Rev. Batterson taught Span
ish at Defiance college and served
several Ohio Methodist churches.
Since 1943 he has been a retired
member of the Ohio Methodist con
ference.
Rev. Batterson now is Spanish in
structor at Bluffton college, a posi
tion he has filled since moving here.
Rev. and Mrs. Batterson both were
graduated from Ohio university,
Athens in 1898. Rev. Batterson also
served in the U. S. Army hospital
corps in the Spanish American war.
and family and Mrs. Ella Dillman.
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Schaublin
spent Sunday evening with Mr. and
Mrs. C. O. Stryker of Lima.
Mr. and Mrs. Ed Marquart and
son, Mr. and Mrs. Francis Marquart
and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. T. Gra
ham and daughter Ruth and Millard
Mowery were Thanksgiving dinner
guests of Mr. and Mrs. Faye Isham
of Lima.
Miss Marie Imbach, Mrs. Lorena
Leedy, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Gerber
and family spent Wednesday evening
at the Amos Gerber home.
Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Reichenbach
and daughter Barbara spent Thurs
day evening with Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd
Braun and family.
Mr. and Mrs. John Barnhart and
Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Basinger and
family were Thanksgiving dinner
guests of Mr. and Mrs. Don Dillman
and family.
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Gratz, Mr.
and Mrs. Donivan Moser and daugh
ter were Thanksgiving dinner guests
of Mr. and Mrs. Warren Moser.
Afternoon callers were Mrs. Leonard
Gratz and Mr. and Mrs. James Gratz
and son Robin.
Mr. and Mrs. Ed Cook spent Sun
day afternoon with Mr. and Mrs.
Earl Matter and daughter Carolyn.
Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Matter were
evening callers.
Mr. and Mrs. Donivan Montgomery
and daughter Connie, Mr. and Mrs.
Quinten Burkholder and son Harry,
Mr. and Mrs. Dwight Frantz and
daughters were Thanksgiving dinner
guests of Mr. and Mrs. Donald
Balmer.
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Follas spent last
Wednesday with Mr. and Mrs. Sam
Basinger.
Mr. and Mrs. Don Dillman and
family called Sunday evening at the
Amos and Weldon Luginbuhl home.
Mr. and Mrs. Marion Hochstettler
and daughter were Thursday evening
supper guests at the Floyd Harris
home.
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Schaublin
and grandchildren Patsy and Ray
were Thanksgiving dinner guests of
Mr. and Mrs. Emanuel Boutwell ana
daughters Barbara and Marcia.
Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Grant and
sons were Sunday dinner guests of
Mrs. J. I. Luginbuhl.
Mrs. Sam Kohler and daughter
and Mrs. Rhuel Kohler called Sun
day afternoon at the Amos Gerber
home.
Harry Wingate called at the
Walter Schaublin home one night
last week.
Mr. and Mrs. Francis Marquart
and daughter, Ray Hirshfield were
Sunday dinner guests of Mr. ana
Mrs. Ed Marquart and son. Even
ing callers were Mr. and Mrs. John
Marquart and daughters.
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Core and
family called Sunday afternoon on
Mr. and Mrs. Bert Core of Col.
Grove.
Mr. and Mrs. Russell Schaublin
and family were Sunday evening
supper guests of Mr. and Mrs. Wal
ter Schaublin.
Junior Recital
Miss Joanne Vercler, soprano and
Miss Mary Kathryn Bauman, pian
ist, students in Bluffton College de
partment of music will appear* in
junior recital at Ramseyer chapel,
Sunday afternoon at 3 o’clock.
Miss Bauman is a student of Mrs.
Pearl Mann. Miss Vercler, student
of Prof. R. A. Lantz, will be ac
companied by Miss Joanna oBwen.
5
THE BLUFFTON NEWS, BLUFFTON, OHIO
THE BLUFFTON NEWS
A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF BLUFFT&N AND VICINITY
BLUFFTON, OHIO, THURSDAY, DEC. 1, 1919
Frank B. Reiter
Dies At Mt. Cory
Frank B. Reiter, 77, former mail
carrier died at his home in Mt.
Cory, Wednesday morning following
an extended illness. He carried mail
on the Mt. Cory rural route for 36
years, retiring in 1938.
Two sons surviving are Clair and
Bliss Reiter both of Mt. Cory. Fun
eral arrangements are incomplete.
FOUR IN HOSPITAL
FILE DAMAGE SUIT
ABER AUTO CRASH
Wayne County Residents Seek
$300,000 in Action Against
Rawson Man
Mother of Mrs. Morris Triplett
Among Those Filing Action
In Court
Four Wayne county residents in
jured two weeks ago in a Dixie high
way mishap near Rawson while en
route here for a visit with Mr. and
Mrs. Morris Triplett are seeking
$300,000 in judgment actions filed
Monday against Lawrence J. Haley,
Rawson Route 1.
The suits were entered in Hancock
county common pleas court by at
torneys representing the four claim
ants, all of whom have been patients
in the Fihdlay hospital since the
crash occurred.
In the court action, plaintiffs are
seeking compensation for personal
injuries sustained in the traffic ac
cident which occurred near Haley’s
home, three miles north of Rawson
on the Dixie.
Plaintiffs and the amounts sought
in the suite are: Elmer J. Smith,
Doylestown, the driver, $50,000 Ora
Lance, $100,000 Pearl Clippinger,
$100,000 and Zelda L. Hoover,
$50,000. The latter three are from
Rittman.
Mrs. Hoover is the mother of Mrs.
Triplett, of this pace and Lance
and Mrs. Clippinger are uncle and
aunt of the local woman. Smith is
the fiance of Mrs. Triplett’s sister.
Lloyd Hoover, father of Mrs.
Triplett, who also was in the mishap,
received only slight injuries and was
not hospitalized.
The accident occurred when the
Wayne county car collided with a
farm truck operated by Haley, as
Haley, who was headed northeast,
is said to have attempted a left turn
onto a country road.
Haley has been cited by state
highway patrolmen to appear in the
Findlay mayor’s court this Wednes
day on a charge of unsafe operation
of a motor vehicle.
Attorneys representing the Wayne
county residents are Bowman, Hanna
and Middleton, of Bowling Green.
Pleasant Hill
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Phillips spent
Thanksgiving dinner with Mr. and
Mrs. William Younkman of Beaver
dam.
Dale Huber of O. S. U., Mr. and
Mrs. Berdell Huber and daughter
Lee and son Richard were Thanks
giving dinner and supper guests of
Mr. and Mrs. Russell Huber.
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Weaver and
Mrs. Imogene Long were Thanks
giving and week end guests of Mr.
and Mrs. Lowell Cisel^of Chicago,
Illinois.
Mr. and Mrs. Gary Andrews and
family from Cleveland, Ohio, Mr. and
Mrs. Frank Andrews and Mr. and
Mrs. Joe Andrews and son of New
Hampshire, Ohio, were Thanksgiving
dinner guests of Mr. and Mrs. Mark
Andrews and family.
Sunday evening guests of Mr. and
Mrs. Leonard Gratz were Mr. and
Mrs. Dana Moser of Columbus Grove
and Mr. and Mrs. Neut Krosse.
Mr. and Mrs. C. M. Gleason and
family were Thanksgiving guests of
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Gleason and
family of Red Key, Indiana. Mickey
Gleason spent the week end there
also.
Mr. and Mrs. Cal Herr were Sat
urday afternoon callers of Mr. and
Mrs. Oscar Zimmerman and daugh
ters.
Past week callers of Mr. and Mrs.
Arthur Phillips were Mae Weaver
and Earl Younkman.
Danny Younkman and his fiance
from Wisconsin were Friday evening
guests of Mr. and Mrs. Nolan
Younkman.
Past week callers of Mr. and Mrs.
Russell Huber were Mrs. Alma Grif
fith, Walter Kohler, Herman Hilty,
FIVE GIRLS UNHURT
WHEN TRUCK HITS
CAR ON MAIN ST.
All Escape Injury In Traffic
Mishap After High School
Play
Car Damaged in Tuesday Night
Crash Mixup Over Turn
Cause
Five Bluffton area girls escaped
injury Tuesday night at 9:45 o’clock
when their automobile was struck by
a large transport truck at Main
street and College avenue in down
town Bluffton.
Driver of the automobile was Lois
Hilty, 19, Pandora High school
senior, and the daughter of Aldo
Hilty.
With her were Catherine Diller,
17, Bluffton telephone operator,
daughter of Archie Diller: Miriam
Basinger, 17, daughter of Mardon
R«asinger and Joanne Diller, 10, and
Rachel Diller, 8, sisters of Catherine.
All of the girls live northwest or
Bluffton.
The mishap occurred when Miss
Hilty, driving south on Main street,
attempted to make a right turn at
College avenue. Driver of the truck,
following her on Main, said he
thought she was turning left and
swung his truck to the right, crash
ing into the car as it turned in front
of him.
In the impact the left front fender
of the Hilty car, a 1947 Buick, was
mashed in and the motor damaged.
All occupants of the car and the
truck driver, however, were unhurt.
Miss Hilty told State Highway
Patrolman Zene Smith, who in
vestigated the crash, that she had
signalled for a right turn.
Driver of the truck, owned by the
Tarbet Trucking Co., of Muncie, Ind.,
was Robert Gray, 27.
The girls were enroute home after
seeing the Bluffton High School
junior play presented earlier in the
evening.
William Althaus and Mrs. Winston
Jennings and son, Tommy.
Mr. and Mrs. Eldon Younkman
were Sunday supper guests of Mr.
and Mrs. Earl Younkman.
Sunday dinner guests of Mr. and
Mrs. Raymond Stratton and son
were: Mrs. Larry Miller, and Dr. and
Mrs, J. J. Sutter of Lima, Mr. and
Mrs. Orton Stratton and Mr. and
Mrs. Maurice Bell and family.
Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Zimmerman
and daughters were Thanksgiving
guests of Mrs. Harry Zimmerman of
Defiance, Ohio.
Sunday afternoon callers of Mr.
and Mrs. Wayne Zimmernian and
family were Mr. and Mrs. Dwight
Frantz and daughters.
Thanksgiving evening guests of
Mr. and Mrs .Gerald Huber and son
were: Mr. and Mrs. Delmar Adams
and sons. Past week callers were
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Reichenbach.
Thanksgiving guests of Mr. and
Mrs. Clyde Hauenstein and family
were: Mr. and Mrs. Karl Hauenstein
and sons Jerry and Jimmy, Mr. and
Mrs. Wesley Hauenstein, Mrs. Dale 1
Sparlings and daughter Lynn of
Lima, and Mr. and Mrs. Charles
Ludwig and daughter Ginger of
Dola. Afternoon callers were Chris
tine Elwood and Roy Blosser.
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Long were
past week callers of Mr. and Mrs.
Chet Long and daughters.
Sunday afternoon callers of Mr.
and Mrs. Winston Jennings and sons
and Rodney Jennings, were Mr. and
Mrs. Avery Watt ad son and Mr.
and Mrs. Kenneth Watt of Lima.
Mr. and Mrs. Ellis Vandemark of
Lima were Thanksgiving guests of
Mr. and Mrs. Karl Huber.
Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Huber and
son called on Mr. and Mrs. Karl
Huber, Sunday evening.
Karen Younkman was a week end
guest of her grandparents, Mr. and
Mrs. Guy Younkman.
Sunday afternoon callers of Mr.
and Mrs. Guy Younkman were Mr.
and Mrs. Earl Winegardner and fam
ily, Mr. and Mrs. Carey Yonnkman,
Mr. and Mrs. Francis Younkman,
Mr. and Mrs. Gene McElwain.
Mrs. Lyle Lane and daughter of
Three Forks, Montana, arrived Sun
day at Upper Sandusky, where her
mother, Mrs. Della Kunert is critic
ally ill. Mrs. Kunert is Mrs. C. M.
Gleason’s aunt.
There will be a meeting at Pauld
ing Community house this Thursday
evening. Supper will be at 7:30.
Each fami|y is asked to bring cover
ed dish and table service
HOME FROM HOSPITAL
Mrs. A. J. B. Longsdorf who was
a patient in Lima Memorial hospital
has been returned to her home on
South Lawn avenue.
Births
The following births at Bluffton
hospital:
Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Grisinore,
Pandora, a girl, Diana Louise, Mon
day.
Mr. and Mrs. Carl Lehman, Bluff
ton, a boy, John Carl, Wednesday
mominf.
Mr. and Mrs. Sheldon Hall, Pan
dora, a girl, Wednesday morning.
Mr. and Mrs. Don Wenger, Mer
cedes, Texas, a girl, Suzannv Chris
tine, born Nov. 16 at that place.
The couple are former Bluffton resi
dents, Mrs. Wenger being formerly
Christine Miller.
Clubs, J^odgeS
and Societies
Legion Auxiliary
Past President’s Parley Chirstmas
party and gift exchange at the home
of Mrs. Monroe Amstutz, Friday
night at 8 o’clock. All past presi
dents
welcome.*
Eastern Star
Members of the chapter will enter
tain the Masons and their wives at a
potluck supper, next Tuesday night
at 6 o’clock.
Olive Branch Ladies Aid
Christmas meeting and gift ex
change at the home of Mrs. Walter
Purdy, Rawson, Wednesday after
noon, Dec. 7.
Christmas Dinner
Gertrude Hoy Missionary Circle of
St. John’s Reformed Church will hold
their family Christmas dinner, Mon
day night at 6:30 o’clock. Mrs. Guy
Scoles will be program leader.
Century Circle
Meeting postponed until Wednesday
afternoon, Dec. 7 at the home of Mrs.
Munson Bixel.
Garden Club
Meeting at the home of Mrs. Chas.
Montgomery, Thursday afternoon.
The program: Roll call—Ways to
make Christmas Merrier Garden
Clinic, Mrs. J. S. Steiner.
December Wedding
Mrs. Geneva Badertscher announces
the coming marriage of her only
daughter Coletta Irene to Roger
Thomas Mullenhour, only son of C. G.
Mullenhour of South Main street. The
wedding will be an event of Sunday,
December 18 at the home of the bride.
Engagement Announced
Announcement has been made of
the engagement of Lillian Zimmer
man, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Karl
Zimmerman of Lima Rt. 6 to Jack
Lee Weyer, son of Mr. and Mrs.
Lewis Weyer of Bluffton. No date
has been set for the wedding.
Richland Community Circle
All day meeting at the home of
Mrs. Henry Huber, Thursday, Dec.
8, with covered dish dinner at noon.
The afternoon program:
Christmas Carols, Mrs. Fanny
Gratz Christmas Once is Christmas
Still Christmas with the Pioneers
Christmas Bells Story of Silent
Night Our Most Famous Christmas
Trees Legends of Holly Xmas ex
change.
Settlement
Mr. and Mrs. Menno Augsburger
entertained at dinner, Friday: Mr.
and Mrs. Chas. Boehr of Winona
Lake, Ind. Mrs. Vernon Buller,
Goshen, Ind. Miss Arvilla Geiger,
Los Angeles and Miss Ruth Bixel,
Pandora.
Mrs. Glen Zimmerly who under
went a major operation at Lima
Memorial hospital is improving.
Mr. and Mrs. Ellis Steiner and
family made a business trip to Ft.
Wayne, Friday.
Remodeling of the Omer Gratz
residence is nearing completion.
Abraham Suter is spending two
weeks in the home of his daughter,
Mr. and Mrs. Ambrose Keller tn
Bellefontaine.
Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Grismore
are the proud parents of a baby
girl born to them Monday.
The dedicatory services at the
Pandora Missionary church were
largely attended over the week end.
The occasion marked the return of
nearly all the pastors who had
served the congregation from its be
ginning.
Rev. and Mrs. Aubrey Henderson
and family of St. Clair, Michigan,
visited in the home of her father,
John Schneck and brother Clarence
Schneck and family the latter part
of the week.
Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Schneck
and family visited in the home of
Mr. and Mrs. Riley Case and family
at LaGrange, Indiana, Thursday.
Esther Reichenbach and Joanne
Hatfield, students at Taylor univers
ity spent the latter part of the week
with their home folks.
Mr. and Mrs. Donald Wenger,
formerly of this locality and for the
past years residents of Texas, are
the parents of a baby girl bom to
them recently. She has been named
Suzanne Christine.
The new electric organ recently In
stalled in the St. John church is to
be dedicated Sunday afternoon. The
program is to be broadcast over the
Findlay broadcasting station at 3:00
o’clock.
Pre-Christmas Events
Herald Holiday Season
Harry Hochstettler of Mansfield
visited with his home folks here over
Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Schumacher
PAGE THREE
BLUFFTON
A Good Place to Live
NUMBER 33
SANTA CLAUS TO
BE IN BLUFFTON
NEXT SATURDAY
Retail Stores to be Open Thurs
day Afternoons Until
Christinas
Messiah Concert December 11
to Mark Opening of Music
Programs
With Christmas only three weeks
in the offing, traditional pre-holiday
activities and preparation for the
Yuletide are begnning to take the
center of the stage in the Bluffton
community, including a scheduled
appearance of Santa Claus in the
downtown district here Saturday
afternoon.
Santa will bring gifts for kiddies
in each Saturday visit to the town,
beginning this week and continuing
until Christmas.
To accommodate Christmas shop
pers, Bluffton business establish
ments cooperating with the business
men's group will remain open on
Thursday afternoons until Christ
mas and until 9 p. m. in the week
preceding Christinas. All stores will
close at 6 p. m. on Christmas eve.
Messiah Opens Season
Opening musical event of the holi
day season will be the presentation
of Handel's oratorio, “The “Mes
siah,’ at 8 p. m. Sunday, Dec. 11, in
the Bluffton High school gymnas
ium.
Appearing in the annual rendition
will be the Bluffton College Choral
Society and featured soloists from
outside the community. Accompani
ment will be by the Bluffton College
orchestra directed by Laurence Burk
halter. Prof. Russell A. Lantz is
conductor of the chorus, and Mrs.
Pearl Bogart Mann is pianist.
Soloists this year will be:
Soprano, Mrs. Beulah Temple
Nietz, of Walbridge. A Bluffton
College graduate, Mrs. Nietz is
prominent in Toledo music affairs.
Contralto, Mrs. Marian Pugh
Blakeman, of Toledo, a graduate of
Heidelberg' College, Tiffin, and a
former student and teacher here.
She is a native of Beaverdam.
Tenor, Carlton Eldridge, blind mu
sician who is on the faculty of the
Springfield Junior College, Spring
field, Ill. Eldridge has sung here in
the Messiah on two previous occa
sions..
Bass, Samuel Burkhard, of Co
lumbus. He is minister of music
at Indianola Presbyterian church,
and instructor of music at Capital
University.
Rehearsals Set
Rehearsals also are well under
way throughout the district for pag
eants and programs marking the
Christmas observance in churches
and other groups, with announce
ment of the schedule of offerings to
come later.
Christmas holiday vacation for
Bluffton High and grade school pu
pils will begin Thursday evening,
Dec 22, with classes resuming on
Tuesday morning, January 3.
Bluffton college Christmas recess
will begin the evening of Dec. 16,
and classes will reconvene on Tues
day, January 3.
Students And Teachers
Here For Thanksgiving
Among students and teachers
home for the Thanksgiving holiday
were:
Miss Alice Jean Bixel, Flora Stone
Mather college, Cleveland.
Miss Marilyn Fett and Roger Lin
den, Miami university, Oxford.
Miss Eleanor Linden, Wooster
College.
Byron Fritchie, Ohio State Uni
versity, Columbus.
Mr. and Mrs. James Basinger,
Purdue university, Lafayette, Ind.
Dorothy Schumacher, Wyoming
schools, Wyoming, Ohio.
Mr. and Mrs. Dale Reichenbach
and family, Grand Rapids, Ohio.
and son. Jonathan Petpr of Mans
field end Dr. Frank That of Elida
visited in the home of Mr. and Mrs.
Menno Schumacher, Sunday.
Rev. G. A. Jacobson, formerly
a missionary in China and now re
siding in Pandora, recently closed a
series of evangelistic services in the
Missionary church in Elkhart, Ind.,
where Rev. Paul Steienr is pastor.
Mrs. Delos Rash of Lynn. Indiana,
spent a number of days last week
with her mother and sisters.
At the 31st annual meeting of the
delegates of the Ohio Farm Bureau
federation met at Columbus, Tues
day and elected Elam Suter as one
of the members of the board of
directors.