Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1920-05-20
After weeks Of preparation Z ali i Il

After weeks Of preparation all is
ready for the fourty-fourth annual
commencement at Des Moines west
high school. Five days. beginning
May %, will be set apart for the SER
vices and ceremonies attendant upon
the most important event Of the
school year. In the graduation ros-
ter there are 50 girls and 80 boys. .
total of So, which compares favorably
with graduating classes in recent
years. The number Of boys gradual
ing, however, is larger than In former
years, as it seldom occurs that the
number of boys almost equals tho
number of girls as is the case this
year.
! One of the unique libraries in Iowa
is that Of the State Historical Soci-
ETY. at Iowa City. 1t Is q large library
numbering over $1,000 volumes. but
Its Importance lies in the fact TIA,
1t H. So highly specialized. 1t is tho
largest collection in existence Of ma
terials on Iowa history, supported by
thousands of volumes on the history
Of the Mississippi Valley. Many Of
these items are books published from
fifty to one hundred, or even more,
years ago, and are long out Of print
and very valuable. The library also
contains collection of books by Iowa
authors, which fills considerable space
on the shelves and is steadily increas-
ing.
With no money and no credit and
q commodity and labor market almost
prohibitive, public service corpora
tions in electric, gas and telephone
lines in all parts of northeastern
Iowa. are passing thru the most criti-
cal period of their existence. The
continued existence or bankruptcy of
these corporations will be determine d
by the financial developments of the
next thirty days. With all elements
combined against them the necessary
relief is not certain. Orders have
gone from the federal reserve bank
at Chicago to member banks in Iowa
to call in all avilable outstanding
cash and grant no new loans or exten-
sions.
Officers for the Southwestern Iowa
Poultry Raisers Association were
elected at Clarinda recently as fol-
lows: Pres, ]. e. Summers; v.
Pres. w. l. Carpenter; Treas. r.
Nothwehr; Secy., ]. v. Pfander. A
boys and girls contest will be put on,
the contestants to raise and exhibit
10 birds OF the May hatch, all Of one
breed which they may either hatch
or buy as baby chicks. The 1Oheavi-
est birds will receive first prize and
Swift & Co. have agreed to buy them
at SOC per pound. Local firms will
buy the second and third prize BIRDS
Contestants may raise not to exceed
20 birds and select the ten best for
exhibition.
Iowa farmers are 10000 men short
of requirements; that as result Of
this, many acres of Iowa farm lands
are taken out Of tillage and put to
pasture. These statements are said
to have a serious influence with finan-
cial institutions which include banks,
insurance and loan companies in the
loan of money to the Iowa farmers
These excessive figures are not true
There has been q shortage of farm
help as indicated by the reports from
county farm agents to the state-feder-
al employment service. Every county
in the state is thoroly organized, there
being one county farm agent for
every county. Each of these agents
is thoroly familiar with the condi-
tions in his county.
The return of the bodies of Iowa
soldiers who died overseas in the
world war for burial in their home
cemeteries has caused a number of
undertakers in various Iowa towns
to make inquiry of the state board of
health as to the opening of the cask-
cts at the funerals. DR.. g. H. Sum-
ner, secretary of the state board of
health has just issued ruling on this
subject. He states that the caskets
may be opened at the places Of busi-
ness OF the undertakers so that the
immediate relatives may identity the
body but should be Immediately seal
ed again. If the remains are enclosed
in hermetically sealed casket or
box and the casket or box is not open
ed at the service public service may
be held, DR.. Sumner states. All of
the bodies being brought back are In
hermetically sealed caskets.
Taintor has been selected by the
Farm Bureau as one of the sites for
the oats variety tests to be conducted
this season. Plots Of ground on the
c. 8. Longacre and G. M. Garner
farms have been selected for the ex-
periments. Mr.. Longacre will set
aside five one-acre plots OF his oats
field for the work. On one acre he
will plant three bushels of Green Rus
sian, on the adjoining acre three bu-
shells of Iowa 103, on the next four
bushels of Iowa los and on the fifth
three bushels of Silver Mine. The
test is being made to ascertain q com
parison between early and late va
riety of oats. The plots will also be
treated for smut. while the remainder
Of the field will not. Across the road
on the Garner farm lowe 103 will be
grown besides 105, and Kherson va.
rieties. The experiments will be
watched with interest,"
An immense denosit of road hnfid-