The Bluffton news. [volume], April 13, 1950, Image 1

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

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BLUFFTON
A Good Place to Live
OLUME LXXIV
NEW SWITCHES ARE
BEING BUILT HERE
BY 30-MAN CREW
More Than 3,000 Feet of Bluff
ton Switch Rails Are
Being Replaced
Bluffton Section Crew Augment
ed By Workers From Three
Other Cities in Project
Replacement of more than 3,000
feet of rails in five Bluffton Nickel
Plate railroad switches is under way
here this week, with a crew of 30
men working on the project.
New’ 115-pound
ed in the switch
gram are heavier
for replacement,
announced.
rails being install
improvement pro
than those ticketed
railroad officials
Switches on which work is being
done include the following spurs:
Bluffton Stone Co., the team track
near the railroad station, west end
of the passenger switch, the west
A. C. and Y. switch and the A. C.
and Y. transfer.
In installation of the new switches,
the Bluffton section
assisted by workmen
Lima and Rawson,
section crews have
here, with Lima and Rawson each
providing one crew’.
is being
Findlay,
Findlay
assigned
crew
from
Two
been
Improvements in the program are
the first to Bluffton switches in many
years, and represent the first major
rail replacement here since late in
World War II.
Bluffton Census Is
Two-thirds Complete
Bluffton census takers are about
two-thirds through their job of com
pleting the 1950 population count of
the village’s residens, and present
indications are that the canvass will
be pretty well completed within the
next week.
Enumerators for the loci census
are Mrs. Aaron B. Murray and Mrs.
Elmer Short. Mrs. Murray has the
town district east of Main street
and Mrs. Short is handling the can
vass in the west end of the city.
Although the enumeration is run
ning fairly well on schedule, local
census taking has been slowed some
what by the number of callbacks re
quired on persons not found at home
on the first stop.
Sportsmen’s Fish
Fry On Thursday
A fish fry for members and
friends of the Bluffton Community
Sportsmen’s club will emphasize
opening of the spring fishing season
at a mixer in Sportsmen’s club head
quarters in the town hall at 7:45
p. m. this Thursday.
Herbert Rupright, program chair
man, plans to have plenty of fresh
Lake Erie pickerel fillets on hand
for all attending.
An open invitation to attend the
gatherini has been extended by the
club president, Rolland Koontz, to
all persons and their families inter
ested in the program of the club.
Plans for restocking the Buckeye
quarry will be discussed at the meet
ing. Ed Root and Jesse Manges,
directors in charge of fish restock
ing, also w’ill lead discussion on the
possibility of holding a rainbow
trout derby for this year’s promo
tion. Plans are considered for pur
chasing several additional loads of
fish for the quarry.
Hunting and fishing motion pic
tures of Canada and several come
dies for children will be shown at
the meeting by C. E. Neuman, well
knowm Spencerville outdoorsman.
Mobile X-Ray Unit
To Visit Local School
Allen county’s mobile tuberculosis
chest X-ray unit will be at Bluffton
school Monday, April 17, under aus
pices of the Allen County Tubercu
losis and Health Association.
Pupils in grades 10 to 12 will be
served Monday morning along with
others wherein a need has been
shown. The board of education
Tuesday night voted to continue the
policy of teachers and other school
employees taking advantage of the
X-ray examination at that time also.
The mobile unit will be at the
college in the afternoon of April 17.
Examinations are free as a service
of the Allen County Tuberculosis
Association.
Nickel Plate Railroad is
Building New Sidings Here
oann Gratz Will Be Bluffton
Candidate For Beauty Queen
Crown
Bluffton will have a candidate
for the district Lions Club queen at
the annual area meeting next Sun
day in GroVer Hill and Ed Lape, of
this place, will appear on the all-day
program as one of the principal
speakers.
The local contestant for the beauty
queen crow’n and the right to
represent northwestern Ohio in the
state finals will
daughter of Mr.
Gratz.
Mrs. Edward (Minnie) Fisher of
Cloverdale passed away at Castle
Convalescent Home in Van Wert,
Tuesday morning. Pneumonia fol
lowed by complications was the
cause of death. She had been ill
six months.
Born November 28, 1871, the
daughter of Almon and Olive Wheel
er, Mrs. Fisher was the last living
member of 13 children. On October
28, 1888 she married Edward Fisher
who passed away January
She was a member of the
U. B. church near Kalida.
Bluffton Lions Will Have Speaker
And Beauty Queen At Area Meeting
Lape Will Be One of Speak
ers On District Program
This Sunday
be Joann Gratz,
and Mrs. Homer
active member of
will speak at the
of the conference
Lape, long an
the Bluffton club,
afternoon session
on the subject “Ohio Red Jackets.”
Miss Gratz is a sophomore in the
Bluffton high school and will compete
for honors as district beauty queen
with representatives from other
clubs of the area. The winner will
compete in the state finals at Cin
cinnati w’ith the Ohio queen partici
pating in the
contest July
Chicago.
Lions International
16 through
E. J. Ward,
20 in
gover
Includ-
Lions district
nor, will announce awards,
ed also in the program
Michael Bradshaw, editor
Toledo Blade, speaking at the even
ing session on “Marshall Plan In
Operation.”
will be
of the
Attending the district meet from
Bluffton will be: Dr. and Mrs.
Gordon Bixel, Mr. and Mrs. Homer
Gratz and local Lions club president,
Rev. Paul Cramer.
Mother Of Charles
Fisher Is Dead
16, 1947.
Palestine
by nine
Bluffton
Mrs. Fisher is survived
children: Charles Fisher of
Roy Fisher, Ottawa
Wooster Mrs. John Michael, Ney,
Ohio Mrs. Peter Strife, Ottawa
Mrs. Florence Keirns, Van Wert
Mrs. Lloyd Miller, Toledo Mrs. Ken
neth Clinger and Mrs. Cecil Stopher
of Delphos.
Ira Fisher,
be
held at 2 p. m.
Harter & Son
Delphos. Rev.
will officiate and
at the Cascade
Funeral will
Thursday at
funeral home
Stopher of Delphos
interment will be
cemetery near Cloverdale, Ohio.
the
in
Carey Named Air
Association Director
Harold A. Carey, manager of the
Bluffton airport, this week was
elected a director of the Ohio Avia
tion Trades association, at the an
nual meeting of the organizaion.
Representatives of the local air
port attending the session included
Carey and Dotie J. Anderson.
In a belated assault of winter,
the weatherman took over the East
er style parade in Bluffton last Sun
day and a four-inch blanket of snow
which fell beginning in mid-morning
provided anything but a spring-like
setting for the holiday.
Instead of Easter finery, residents
of the town were bundled up in
great coats and galoshes as the mer
cury stayed in the twenties thruout
most of the day. The snowfall, com
ing at a time ordinarily associated
with the advent of spring, was one
of the heaviest of the past winter.
About the only persons who
hailed the unexpected weather were
the town’s children who took one last
fling at winter sports by coasting on
sleds and building snow men and
snow forts.
Bluffton Musicians
In Contest Saturday
Easter Fashion Parade Gives Way To
Snow Men In Belated Wintry Assault
High school instrumental
musicians will be among
6,000 students competing
Bluffton
and vocal
more than
in the annual Northwest district
band, orchestra and choral contest
on the Ohio Northern university
campus in Ada, next Saturday.
Bluffton’s band will play in Class
competition with 22 other schools
and the local orchestra, also in Class
C, will compete with representatives
of three other schools.
Also representing Bluffton in the
contest will be a mixed chorus, a
boy’s chorus and a girl’s chorus.
BLUFFTON COLLEGE
FACULTY WILL BE
ENLARGED IN 1950
Three New Instructors Will Be
Added To Staff For Coming
1950-51 Term
Mathematics, Physics and Ele
mentary Education Tea
chers Are Added
be add
faculty
1950-51
Three new professors will
ed to the Bluffton college
with the opening of the
school term next fall, it was an
nounced this w’eek by college author
ities.
One of the new instructors will
serve in the new’ly created elemen
tary education department at the
school, and the other two will be in
the mathematics and physics di
visions.
Luther Shetler, of Goshen, Indi
ana, w’ill teach mathematics here
next year. He is at present doing
graduate w’ork at Indiana University
and has also been doing some teach
ing there. He has completed his
work for his Ph. D. degree, except
for a small amount on his disserta
tion, w’hich he expects to finish
after coming to Bluffton.
To Receive Ph. D.
Mr. Weaver is now studying at
the University of Michigan, from
w’hich he will receive his Ph. D. de
gree prior to coming here. He is
the recipient of a three year scholar
ship to this institution from the
American Chemical Society.
A graduate of Bluffton in the class
of 1942, Mr. Weaver is married to
the former Margaret Shelly, sister
of Professor Paul Shelly. The cou
ple have three children.
The instructor for the newly-or
ganized elementary education depart
ment, will be Ada Lapp, graduate
of Goshen College and received her
Master’s degree from the University
of Illinois. She has
teaching experience
mediate, and junior
Iowa and Illinois.
A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY
Peggy
soon
Goshen College Grad
Col-
He is a graduate of Goshen
lege, a member of the Eighth Street
Mennonite Church of Goshen, and
has had several years’ high school
teaching experience at Middlebury,
Indiana. He is married, his wife
also being a graduate of Goshen
College.
Joining the chemistry and physics
staff will be Richard Weaver, son of
John Weaver, who is bookkeeper at
the college business office. He will
teach physics, physical chemistry,
and perhaps some chemistry.
had 20 years of
in rural, inter
high schools in
Then on Monday the weatherman
pulled an “about-face"’ performance,1
as temperatures soared upwards and
the town got its first taste of spring
like w’eather in more than a month.
By noon Monday the snow
gone, and a high mark of 72
recorded by thermometers in
afternoon, 46 degrees higher
Sunday’s low.
was
was
late
than
Bluffton’s touch of spring again
w’as only temporary, however, for the
weatherman again on Tuesday and
Wednesday drove temperatures down
near the freezing point, and garden
ers continued to wonder when they
will have a chance to get at their
April gardening.
On a pipe organ, the short pipes
produce the high notes.
BLUFFTON NEWS
BLUFFTON, OHIO, THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 1950
45 TO GRADUATE
AT HIGH SCHOOL
HERE ON MAY 25
Senior Class Consists of 19
Boys And 26 Girls Here
This Year
.ohn Bauman Class Valedicto
rian Salutatorian Will Be
Ada May Oyer
a
Bluffton High school will have
class of 45 graduating seniors for
commencement exercises next May
25, it was announced this week by
Supt. of Schools Aaron B. Murray.
Valedictorian of the graduating
class will be John Bauman, son of
Dr. and Mrs. I. W. Bauman, and
the salutatorian will be Ada May
Oyer, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Albert Oyer.
This year’s graduating class of 45
will be considerably larger than that
of 1949 when there were only 29
seniors. In this year’s group of
graduates are 26 girls and 19 boys.
The class roll, announced this week
by school authorities, includes:
Low’ell Keith Amstutz, Roderick
Lynn Balmer, David Edward Basing
er, John Howard Bauirian, Donald H.
Burkholder, Cleo R. Diller, Mickey
D. Gleason, Peter Eugene Hankish,
Charles Dwayne Hauenstein,
C. Hauenstein.
Dwight
Donald
Landes,
Charles Evans Joseph,
James Kuhn, Howard James
Roger Gene Lehman, Larry Lewis
Mathewson, Kenneth Dean Parrish,
Don Herman Schmidt, Donald Eu
gene Shumaker and Edgar E.
Wenger.
Dorothy Rae Amstutz, Marilyn I.
Amstutz, Josephine Miriam Augs
burger, Sara Lee Badertscher, Mary
Louise Balmer, Winifred Joyce Bau
man, Virginia Kay Berry, Miriam
Arlene Bixel, Marilyn F. Brunn,
Dolores Ann Burry, Raelene Joyce
June Elizabeth Habegger, Dorothy
Campbell, Ruth Irene Diller.
Lee Hardwick, Wilta. Ann Hilty,
Wanda Mae Hochstetler, Luajean
I Irene Klass, Carolyn Mae Matter,
Chariean Ra? Miller,* Rosefta Jean
Moser,
Preto,
i Risser,
Ada May Oyer, Lena M.
Mary Jean Ramseyer, Jane
Janet Anne Stover and
Ann Young.
JAMES WEST WILL
RESIGN AS CLERK
OF SCHOOL BOARD
Resignation To Become Effec
tive June 1 Had Been
Clerk Since 1945
the
James F. West, clerk of
Bluffton board of education since
1945, submitted his resignation from
the post at a board meeting, Tues
day night.
Coming as a surprise to school
board members, the resignation will
be effective next June 1.
West has been clerk of the board
for the last four and one-half years,
taking over the position shortly after
his return from military service in
World War II.
Diller, Bluffton
had resigned.
He succeeded Leland
insurance man, who
the Citizen’s Nation-
As cashier of
al bank, West advised that the press
of business was the reason
resignation from the board
cation position.
for his
of edu-
service,
Before going into military
West had served as clerk of Bluffton
corporation.
Elgar Eaton Rites
Held In California
Last rites for Elgar Otis Eaton,
68, of Berkeley, Calif., former Bluff
ton resident, were held Monday at
Berkeley. Mr.
with a heart
afernoon while
home. He was
fore aid to be administered.
Eaton was stricken
attack late Friday
strolling near
pronounced dead
his
be-
for'
A native of Bluffton, Eaton
25 years was chief of the Western
States drug division, U. S. Food and
Drug Administration in San Fran
cisco. He began his career as a
chemist with a private drug manu
facturing concern.
Mr. Eaton is survived by his wid
ow, Mrs. Jeanette P. Eaton and two
sisters, Mrs. Nellie Farrick of Cali
fornia, and Mrs. Mabel Bogart of
Bluffton.
Services were followed with inter
ment at Cypress Lawn Cemetery in
San Francisco.
Bluffton High School Gets Good
Cleanup Week Will
Be April 27-May 6
Dates for Bluffton’s annual Clean
up-Paintup-Fixup campaign have
been advanced nearly one month
earlier, and the drive will be held
from April 27 to May 6, it was an
nounced this week.
An intensive program of municipal
cleanup activity is being mapped by
the committee headed by Edgar
Chamberlain, chairman, with all res
idents, municipal organizations, busi
ness men and others participating.
Bluffton college will cooperate in
the campaign by making a crew’ of
students available for cleanup week
work, assisting anyone in need of
extra labor during the period.
SPRING BUILDING
BOOM GAINS MORE
MOMENTUM HERE
Construction Upsurge Continues
With Start of Another
New House
Three Building Projects Laun
ched In I^ast Week Despite
Bad Weather
Despite continued unfavorable
weather, Bluffton’s spring upsurge in
building continued to gain momen
tum during the last week, with con
struction developments marked by
one new business addition and two
new residences.
Latest building program to get un
der way was excavation completed
last Saturday* on the County Line
road, inside the city limits, for a
new house to be constructed by Ivan
1). Johnson.
The house is located about midway
betw’een Jefferson street and the
Nickel Plate railroad on a lot John
son purchased from his father-in
law, Ezra Basinger.
Earlier in the week an excavation
had been made for a residence to be
erected on Harmon road by Everett
Sutermeister, Bluffton business man
and president of the municipal coun
cil.
At the same time, contractors be
gan clearing the site for a new 40
by 60-foot one-story warehouse
which will be constructed by Carey
Niswander for his farm implement
and home appliance business.
The new Niswander business build
ing will be of cement block construc
tion, and w’ill be erected across the
alley from the rear of present opera
tions on a lot purchased from Hiram
Huser. An old barn formerly stand
ing on the site has been dismantled.
Rawson Band Plays
For Last 20 Years
Rawson’s Community band which
has played every summer for the
last 20 years was reorganized last
week and plans w’ere laid for the
coming suemer’s program.
Membership of the band extends
into the Jenera, Benton Ridge, Mt.
Cory and rural districts. W. A.
Otto has been its director for the
last 16 years.
Barring resignations, Bluffton’s
public school teaching stai for the
1950-51 school term will differ little
from the
the high
year.
Town Moves To Clean Up
Creek Courses! and Alleys
Rating In State Inspection Here I
No Unsatisfactory Status In
Bluffton Public School Teaching
Staff For 1950-51 To Change Little
faculty which has served
and grade schools this
annual contract considera-
At the
tion meeting, the only teaching force
change indicated w*as the need to re
place Ralph DeVore, grade school
instructor, who has not signified his
intention to return, it w-as reported
by Supt. Aaron B. Murray.
On recommendation of the super
intendent new two-year contracts
have been granted, to Lorain Basing
er, agriculture instructor Harry E.
Kettlew’ell, mathematics instructor,
and Jean Ellen Vore, Home Econ
omics. Dwight Spayth, instructor in
vocational shop courses, received a
five-year contract.
More Than 100 Rating V
Categories I
Recommendations by the
eluded a suggestion that
N
Louege One-Act
Local School Continued As High! Sanitation and Mos
School of First Grade By I quito Control
State Dept. I
In commenting on the local s tup.I banks, alleys or vacant lots are
the report included in part: “This!provided in a new ordinance drafted
school is well organized, well staffed I council, and town authorities were
and adequately equipped. The libr-1 directed to police the village, for vio
ary arrangement is an excellent aid |lations.
to the total instruction program.
The student activities program ap
pears to be very strong.”
State authorities also suggested a ”a?e dl8P0EC
daily time schedule on a uniform b’sh' dlrt’ canB’ anlmal
basis o€ either 45 minutes or one- st“ce »«y "‘her offenstve matter
o ... v i i ..Iwithin the village limits,
hour periods. Split schedules should I ... .. ...
., I Conviction of violation will carry
be avoided, thev recommended. I ...
la fine of $25, with second offenses
of men against the sea will be pre-l
i
A Good Place to Trade
sented by an all-male cast under the! DOOSl 11 (IS III( S
direction of Addison Mvers. Appear-!
ing also is the play “Hans Bulow’s Authorization to increase rates
Last Puppet,” a fantasv with highlcbarK ed by Ohio Fuel Gas Co.,
appeal for young children as well as which is the supplier for West Ohio
adults, directed by Onnolee McClin-fGas Co” holder of the Bluffton
tocj. I franchise, was granted last week by
The plays are presented by stu- the Federal Power Commission in
dents in partial fulfillment of re-1" ashington.
quirements in the course in play! Whether the boost in rates charged
directing taught at the college. I ^or wbo'csab‘ service to the West
Appearing in the productions are:|Ohio wil1 result in an increase
Don Steer, Dorothy Shirtz, Ronald!*’1 cbarRe f°r ?as service heie
Kirkwood and Dick Boehr. Bob|was unknown this week.
Smucker ,Dick Simcox, Roderick! granting the Ohio Fuel Gas
Deihl and Bob Stutzman will play in I Permission to increase charges for
“Minor Miracle’ I wholesale service, the power com
mission made the ’increase retroact
ive to April 1.
Don Cossack Chorus
Sings Here April 25.^^ At
Gen. Platoff’s w’orld famous Doni
Cossack Chorus and dancers will be I
presented under the sponsorship ofl A general student recital will be
the Bluffton College music department! presented at 8:30 p. m. Friday even
on April 25, at 8:00 p. m. in the! ing in Ramseyer chapel on the col
Bluffton High School auditorium. I lege campus. Selections will be pre­
Tickets will be on sale beginning! sented by students of Professors
April 14 at Sidney’s Drug Store,! Mann, Holtkamp and Lantz of the
Hauenstein’s Drug Store and Music! college music department.
Hall. Reserved seats will sell for| A special feature of the program
$1.50, plus
sion seats will be $1.00, $.75, and! celebrated concerto for
$.60. I I- ---.
Reserved seats will sell fori
tax, and general admis-|will be the performance
Another musical presentation of I Nunemaker and Mary
the near future is that of the Artlw*B °ffer this selection.
Guild String Quartet. This group! ^he public is cordially invited to
will be presented April 21 at 8:Oo|a^end’
p. m. in Ramseyer chapel under the
auspices of the college Concert
Series.
Changes also were made in the! j^r an(j j^rs Harvey Moser, Jr.,
contract status of three teachers I Bluffton, a boy, Donald Lynn, Fri
who should have received two-year Iday.
contracts last year, instead of one-1
year contracts granted. Those wholGornb’
will be teaching the second year oflday*
the revised contracts during the!
next school term will be Coach Ia fir1, this Wednesday.
Richard Lowry. Miss Geneveive Mr- and Mr8' Vlctor Bucher- C°
Beagle and Mrs. Levada Bixel, grade|lum°us
school teachers, and Miss Elma Ater,|day*
music
instructor.
other Bluffton teachers
the state teacher’s tenure
All
NUMBER 52
OFFICIALS CRACK
pgyy
QN PRE EK BANKS
I Cleanup Ordered In Interests
Bluffton High school has been
continued as a high school of the
first grade by the Ohio department
of education, according to a statel
visitation report received by Supt.I Banks of Bluffton’s streams and
Aaron B. Murray of the local school I the alleys and vacant lots of the
system. I town will be cleaner this summer as
In an inspection last February’ 14.1 the result of a program to crack
the Bluffton school was rated either! down on violators of a cleanup drive
“Satisfactory-Plus” or “Satisfactory”! instituted Monday night at a meet
in 101 different classifications. There IW the municipal council.
were no “unsatisfactory” ratings ini Severe fines for those who dispose
any phase of local school activity. I of rubbish of any kind on creek
Heavy Fines Provided For Vio
lators of New Municipal
Ordinance
Despite the village’s economically
priced rubbish collection service,
many residents have continued to
state in-1 dispose of rubbish of all kinds on
the com-l^0 ban^s of Big and Little Riley
mercial program is worthy of broad- lcree^s» and the crackdown is aimed
ening by incorporating some exper- PartlcularlY a* that Practice, accord
ience in general office practice, andl’ng to ^aU’r A. Howe,
through providing several different I Cleaner Town
types of office machines. Frov?s.on. of the new ordinance
7 I drawing a fine of $100 or imprison-
Iment of 30 days or both.
Play On Wednesdays Mayor Howe that
_____ I mosquito control program also will
The second in the series of one-actH helPcd considerably if the former
play programs sponsored by the! ^sanitary dumping of rubbish along
Bluffton College speech department,Ilstl earns can be curbed under the
will be presented at the College Wed-Ilnew Pro£ram*
nesday evening, April 12 at 8 o’clock.!
“Minor Miracle,” a striking play! IFcs/
Ohio Supplier
rp Rntno
Cdllege This Friday
“The London Concerto.”
of Mozart’s
two pianos,
Mary Ann
K. Bauman
Z---
Births
The follow’ing births at Bluffton
hospital:
Mr. and Mrs. James Green, Bluff
ton, a girl, Jane Ellen, Thursday.
Mr. and Mrs. Roger Musser, Lima,
a girl, Jacqueline Ann, Thursday.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Clark, Find
lay, a boy, Robert Scott, Thursday.
I Born
under
tract coverage.
In assignments for next year,
hard Buhler was approved as
school principal, and Miss Meredith! born Sunday at Ft. Wayne. Mrs.
Stepleton will be continued as grade! Sims is the former Mary Amstutz,
school principal. Both have two-1 daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Am
year assignments. stutz, south of Bluff torn
and Mrs. Jack Nusbaum, Me
a boy, Michael Jack, Satur-
and Mrs. Harry Snyder, Ada,
Grove, a girl, this Wednes-
to Mr. and Mrs. J. A. War
of Route 5, Swanton, a
arcl kentin
con"I daughter, Jayne Agnes, at Toledo
I hospital last week.
Ger-1 Mr. and Mrs. Frank E. Sims, Ft.
high! Wayne, Ind., a boy, Ronald Eugene,