Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1915-08-20
JOHN GUMCkEL
The Founder Of the Newsboy's Asso
citation Friend Leader land In
spirer OF Boys Throughout the Ma
ton Passes From Life of Noble
Service.

John Gunckel died at his home in
Toledo last Monday morning at 1880
having just passed the sixty-ninth an
niversary OF his birthday. There are
thousands upon thousands of New.s-
boys and many who are not newsboys
throughout this land who will feel
and know when the tidings of his
death reached them, that they have
lost a real friend and many Of them
esteemed him as their best friend.
There are hundreds upon hundreds
Of citizens respected successful and
happy to day VINO viii look back over
the years Of their lives and remem-
Der that IL was John Gunckel who
turned the tide Of their lives into
the channels that led to the better
and happier conditions which they
enjoy today, or helped them to at
tain the prosperity or success which
they now possess. Among men and
women Of mature years he was low
ed. hOnored and respected, he was in
the highest sense Of the term a
Brotksr-man; but to boys Of the
street no matter Of what race or
condition he was In the same high
sense a father. John Gunckel never
amassed fortuns for himself but we
feel safe in saying that no man Of
his generation has aid up more OF
the treasure of the Kingdom Of
Heaven than has John Gunckel. Genial
kindly, helpful, friendly; a man to
laugh with, TO confde in and to work
with, that was the John Guncko.
whom we knew, who had the privi-
lege Of q personal acquaintance with
him.
II was q pleasure to meet him, il
was both pleasure and inspiration to
converse with him.
He was willing always to help; in
fact he gave himself without reserve
to the service which was his life. He
came to Wauseon and Delta several
times to help in organizing the boys
and preparing for their welfare by
organizing the business men to ad-
vance the interests better the condi-
tions and insure the future manhood
and good citizenship of the boys Of
the various communities. No appeal
10 John Gunckel in behalf of the
boys of community was ever turn
ed away without consideration; he
literally gave his life for the boys
and IN return he has received the
loyal love and devotion of thousands
of boys.
Born in Germantown, Ohio, Aug
ust I4th, 1896, educated in the Pub
lie Schools of Germantown and al
Oberlin College, he engaged In the
banking and real estate business with
his father William Gunckel at Day
ton. In 1871 he came 70 Toledo ana
for q time was engaged In real es-
tate business until 1875 when he be-
came ticket and passenger agent fol-
the l.. s. q M. s. Railway, occupying
this position until 1906 when he re.
signed to devote all of his time tC
work among boys Of the streets.
Long before 1906 Mr.. Gunckel hat
established the National Newsboy'
Association and the Toledo News
boys Association and had attained
national fame as che "Boy's Friend.
Since 1906, with the cooperation o.
the business men Of Toledo, who hav'
provided his salary since 1906 he ha
built the Auditorium devoted es
pecially to the newsboys of Toled'
and strengthened both the Nationa
and local organizations until the.
have become institutions that vii
remain in this country during tn
years TO come as monument to tn
memory of John Gunckel and a mem
orial Of the dawn Of a new era 70
Boy life in this country. Not by re
preston, not by punishment not b
dictot6rial methods but by directe
expression. by genuine sympathy an
common interests and by the splendi
leadership Of the example Of a nobl
character, "Gunck" has led thousand
Of the boys of the streets up into th
pathway Of clean minded health