The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1916-06-01
Many Narrow Escapes.

| oUliie were SUCCESSFUL Ill CSCdplIS
from the building, running through
various doors and openings. But
Williams and Oakley were caught
near the entrance, being buried be.
meath the falling front wall. George
Minear and Kelley Davis escaped the
main fall but were injured by flying
brick. Mrs. ]. L. Lee was running
/ rom the front and fell, bruising hands
and knees.
| Kelley Davis and George Minear
were Immediately rushed to the hos
ipital and the rounding up of the young
men who were in the building COM
menced. While no one saw Williams
and Oakley crushed beneath the
wreckage, some saw their location be-
fore the crash, and failing to account
for them, began the search.
George Minear. who was injured by
the falling front wall escaped from
death miracuously. He was in the
large main hall on the lower floor,
when the warning came from Floyd
Dent, that the roof was coming
through, and Minear ran in attempt
to force his way through the front
entrance. The first falling bricks
struck him on the back of the head
and as he drew back, the entire wall
caved, striking the front of his body
in various places. Harry Oakly who
was just in front of him was crushed
to death by the collapse.
Bodies Are Recovered.
AS soon as the blaze had been
smOthered out in the front Of the
school, dangerous portions of the
structure were torn down. to prevent
further accidents, and the work of
clearing the debris from the front of
the burned building cOmemnCed. Mr.
Williams bod. vas found on the front
sidewalk, about six feet from the door
lying face downward. His head and
face were badly crushed, and a leg
was broken. A short time afterward
Harry Oakley's form was uncovered
in the front entrance of the college,
lying against the steel safe and vault
Bricks were piled beneath and above
the body. His body was not married
as much as that of Mr.. Williams
Faculty Meeting and Resolutions.
At 10 o'clock this morning members
of the Penn college faculty and mem
bers of the Penn college Senior class.
and Fourth Year Academy class, met
in the Argonaut Hall of the Gymnas-
ium building, to consider the plans
and course which the college should
follow, in regard to next weeks pro-
gram and along the lines of Com
mencement Week.
The following preliminary resolu-
tons were drafted and adopted:
In recognition of the appalling
tragedy which has befallen the col
lege in the death of some of it's mem
bers, it is the sense of the faculty
that all college activities should be
suspended until Wednesday morning,
May 31st, and that in the meantime
the entire college community should
unite in paying profoundest respect
to the memory of those who died in
its service.
"On Wednesday the college will as
semble in the Friends Meeting House
at 8:15 a. m. for chapel exercises,
Notwithstanding the loss of the main
college building, and the program of
examinations and commencement will
be carried out as planned, in the vari-
GUS buildings upon and adjacent to
Penn Campus.
THE faculty desire to express their
gratitude to Superintendent o. p.
Flower OF the Oskaloosa Public
President c. j.. Beman and
Secretary George True of the Com
mercial Climb, the management of the
Lacey Hotel, and the management of
Oskalooca College for their generous
offers for the use of various buildings
in the city. us. E..
Resolutions embodying the sense
Of the great loss which has been sus-
tanned in the death OF our beloved as
sociates will be formulated as soon
S possible
Remaining Walls Pulled Down.
+ The east and west walls of the main
section which were left standing,
when the front wall fell, were pulled
over about eleven o'clock this morn
ing. They we're considered very dan
gerous and ordered down. A fire line
was stretched several hundred feet
from the burned structure, and the
public not permitted to cross into the
dangerous territory.
Seniors of the college are consider
ing the abandonment of their class
play, owing TO the tragedy, and sug-
gested before the faculty assembled.
that musical program be substituted
N its stead They feel that the SEN
timent OF the community might con-
denim the class play following the