davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-12-03
Society Rehearses
For "The Messiah"

For the second time within the
year the Bluffton College Choral
Society is preparing the present
Handel's oratorio, "The Messiah" :"
on Sunday evening, December Is, in
Founders hall. The other rendition
this year was during the May COM
mencement activities as a part of
the society's observance of its golden
anniversary.
The forthcoming presentation of
."The Messiah" will be the 57th time
it has been sung by the Choral
society since its founding in 1902,
and the Gath season il> which it has
been conducted by Prof. Russell A.
Lantz, head of the college music
department.
Guest soloists this year will be
Mrs. Floyd Metz, Walbridge, Ohio
soprano; Mrs. Clyde Welty, Lima,
contralto; Russell Chiles, Lima, tenor
and Don Neuen, Bluffton College
student, baritone.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-12-03
Pianist Appears
Here Wednesday

Appearing as the third offering of
the 1953-54 Bluffton College Concert
series, David Bar-Illan, brilliant
young Israeli pianist, will present a
concert at p. m. Wednesday of next
week in Ramseyer chapel on the col
lege campus.
Now on a tour of this country,
Bar-Illan added page to music his
tory last spring when he participated
in the first concert ever presented in
the ancient city of Nazareth. On
that occasion he was soloist, playing
the Beethoven Fourth Piano Concer-
to with the Haifa Philharmonic.
Ten days after the concert in Naz-
areth, the 23-year-old pianist once
again played the Beethoven Fourth
with the Jerusalem Symphony in
Jerusalem.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-12-03
Dixie Bypass
Around Blufton
Set For 1854
Estimate Cost OF Highway
Link At Nearly Two And
A Half Million

Bluffton's Dixie Highway, which
has carried automobiles over the
towns Main street since the early
days of the horseless carriage, will
be moved outside the corporation
limits in a bypass construction pro-
gram scheduled for 1864, it was an
nounced Monday by the state high
way department.
Tentatively slated for completion
during the coming year, the $2,400-
900 program will involve the con
struction of a four-lane highway
from this side of Beaverdam tos
point 2.5 miles north of Bluffton
Right-of-way has been purchased,
according to Walter J. Neidhafdt,
division engineer for the Highway
department, and the program will
be one of IL major projects in
Northwestern Ohio.
Several months ago, Bluffton had
been led to believe by state depart
ment comments that the bypass
around Bluffton would be only a
three-lane roadway, and this weeks
announcement of four-lane construc-
tion has not yet been clarified.
Why the change in plans may be
disclosed later, although there has
been some local thinking that per-
haps approval of 500 million dollar
bond issue for highway improvement,
at the polls last November, may have
had a bearing on highway planning.
Bypass planning calls for the new
roadway to closely parallel the east
side of the Nickel Plate railroad,
beginning near the Beaverdam cenne-
terry, until it reaches Bluffton.
For the first two miles, the road
way will be built partially on the
existing right-of-way, then at Gratz
crossing it will remain on the OPP
posite side of the tracks from the
present Route 25.
1t will pass south and east of
Bluffton's city limits just across the
railroad at the Bentley road cross
ing. In a straight line from that
point it will cut across Richland and
Orange townships to meet the exist
ing highway at the curve just be-
yond the Rogers farms.
All told next year the state plans
to spend a total of 124 million dol
lars on new highway construction.
The only other project in this
area, however, will be widening and
repairing of Route 30-S (Harding
Highway from Lima toward Ken
ton, for a distance of IL miles.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-12-03
To Issue Warming
Tags To Garbage
Rule ViOlatOrs

Bluffton housewives and bust
ness firms who persist in mixing
waste paper, tin cans and glass
with their garbage, will receive
warnings this week i'm the form
of red tag advising them that
the practice must cease or the
collection crew will be forced to
leave the container unemptied.
The tags, which will be attach
ed to the cans, will note that the
owner was in violation of the
new collection rules which be-
came effective since the village
started to cook the garbage ac-
cording to state Law. The village
is no longer permitted to feed
raw garbage to hogs.
Village officials point out that
paper, cans and glass, not only
make the. loads too bulky, but
cannot be cooked with the table
scraps.
After the first warning tag has
been issued, the collection crew
has been. instructed to refuse
pickup if users of the service
fail to comply With regulations.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-12-03
Mennonite Churches Hosts This Week
To National Leaders On Council OF Boards

More than a hundred national
leaders of the Mennonite church are
attending the Council of Boards of
the church's General Conference this
week on the Bluffton College camp
us. The four Mennonite churches of
Bluffton and Pandora are hosts for
the assembly which opened its ses-
sions Wednesday evening and con-
tinues through next Monday.
Elected to the various boards last
August at a conference held near
Portland, Oregon, the members are
meeting to conduct business for the
church membership of $4,000 persons
in the U.S., Canada and South
America.
Open meetings to which the pub
lie is invited will be held tonight
and Friday night at 7:30 in the
First Mennonite church, Bluffton.
A union service of all churches of
the denomination in this area is set
for Sunday >yening, December 6, in
Founders hall. Choirs from the local
churches will sing, and the Rev.
J. N. Smucker, editor of The Men
MONTE, and pastor of Woodlawn
Mennonite church, Chicago, will be
the speaker.
The Women's Missionary associa-
ton and Young Peoples union of the
General Conference are also holding
sessions here this week.
Local persons serving on the var
ious boards include DR.. l.. L. RAM
seyer, executive committee and chair
man of the board of education; DR..
j. S. Schultz, business committee; |;
Rev. G. T. Soldner, committee on
church unity; DR.. Robert Krieder,
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-12-03
TOUn Hall Chimes
To Play Carol
Concert Friday

Buttons Town Hall chimes,
which have attracted widespread
comment from out-of-town visit
ors since their installation last
summer, will peal out their first
concert of Christmas carols FRI
day evening when the Main street
yuletide decorations are lighted
for the first time.
Sixteen new recordings, all
Christmas numbers, have been
ordered from firm specializing
in chime records in Batavia, til.
The records were paid for by in
terested citizens.
Although plans were not def
mite, Edwin Rice, who is i'm
charge of the chime program DUR
ing the holiday season, said that
the bells will probably play for
an hour at time. The concerts
will be repeated at intervals
through the holidays.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-12-03
Council Endorses
Move To Extend
State Route 1O3
Urge State Highway Dept.
To Continue Route To
Grove And Kalida

EOfficial Bluffton sanction of 9
business Mems association campaign
tp obtain the extension of State
Route 103 through Bluffton to CO.
lhmbus Grove and Kalida came Mon
day night when municipal council ap-
proved a resolution recommending
ytate highway department action on
the measure.
Village government endorsement of
Ithe highway proposal came after its
advantages had been explained to the
council by Armin Hauenstein, chair
man of the Business Mems associa-
ton highway committee.
Hauenstein also reviewed for local
councilmen enthusiasm for the Route
103 extension which has come from
Columbus Grove and Kalida.
Copies of the resolution passed by
council Monday will be forwarded to
the state highway director in Colum-
bus, Allen county commissioners and
the Richland and Monroe township
boards of trustees.
At present, Route 103 terminates
at its junction with Route 25 on
Bluffton's Main street. When the new
Route Is bypass is completed next
year, termination of the route will be
outside Bluffton corporation limits.
Under proposed plans, the 103 ex-
tension would come into Bluffton on
jefferson street, following Main street
to Grove, then out Grove toward
Columbus Grove.
1t has been pointed out that advan-
tages of the extension in Bluffton
would be assistance from the state in
maintaining the route, removal of
snow and ice in winter, and state
traffic patrol, as we'll as placing the
town on state highway maps.
Extension of the roadway also
would give an improved route
through this section direct to the
Indiana line.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-12-03
600 Food Packages For Hospital
Collected At Thanksgiving Program

All past records were topIeu .,
Bluffton elementary school children
and the generosity of their parents
last Wednesday at the traditional
Thanksgiving program of the Re-
ligious Education classes, when d
total of 600 packages Of food were
brought as an of sri mg for the
Rlufhpn Comhunty hospital.
AlhAge stacA of kome-canned foods
ami krdSery stSfe items were placed
at ths Nont IF the church by the
youeshrs from first through the
sixth grade during their Thanksgiv-
ing service. More than 325 boys
and girls participated in the pro-
gram which was attended by a
large number of parents and friends.
Joyce Schmutz and Keith Baker
made the presentation of the gifts
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-12-03
Ralph S. Locher
New Law Director
For Cleveland
Former Blufft0n Man Re-
signs As Secretary
To Governor Lausche

Ralph S. Locher, whose political
career as executive secretary to Gov
Frank j. Lausche has been watched
with interest locally because of his
status as a former local resident and
graduate of Bluffton High school
and Blluffton college, Monday after
noon. was appointed Cleveland Law
Director by Mayor Anthony j. Cele-
breeze.
In his new post the 3S-year old
nephew of the late u. S. Senator
Cyrus Locher, becomes the No. man
in the Cleveland city governmental
setup, and is seen by some political
observers as heir-apparent to Mayor
Celebreeze.
In the event of the death or res
ignatisn of the Cleveland mayor, the
Law Director succeeds to the top
post, Under provisions of the Cleve-
land city charter.
Mayor Celebreeze, who had become
acquainted with the former Bluffton
man while working on the governors
legislative program as state sen
ator declared he ''has the highest
regard for Locher's legal ability, the
manner in which he has conducted
his office as the governors secretary,
his deneanor in meeting the public,
and his knowledge of government /"
Leaving the governors office this
weekend to take up his new position
next Monday, Locher left his asso-
citation with Gov Lausche with the
following recommendation from his
chief: "a very able, hard-working
man while in my office
integrity above reproach."
Born in Roumania on July "a,
1915, of American parents, Locher
lived there until he was 13, when the
family moved to Bluffton. In Rou-
mania, his father, Ephraim (now
dead), worked as an oil field driller.
His mother, Natalie, was native of
Roumania, although of German an
cestry.
After graduating from Bluffton
High school in 1882, Locher attended
Dayton university two years, then
took up his studies in Bluffton col
lege, graduating in 1886. In the
same year he moved to Cleveland,
where he began legal studies at
Western Reserve university.
From 1889 thru 1945 Locher was
practicing attorney in Cleveland,
then went to Columbus to become
secretary of the state industrial COM
mission. On Nov. /, 1945 he was ap-
pointed secretary to Gov. Lausche.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-12-03
November Rainfall
Less Than One Inch

Following pattern established
by other months through this year,
November with rainfall of only
.78 of an inch was the sixth driest
November in the past so years in
the Bluffton area.
Last months precipitation was only
SO per cent of the normal fall of
2.41 inches.
According to the records of Ray
Burkholder, area weather observer,
the total rainfall for the year now
stands at 1929 inches, or 9.12 inches
below normal.
The month also brought the years
first snowfall of consequence. Snow
recorded on Burkholder's instruments
totaled 3.8 inches, two inches more
than normal for November.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-12-03
Santa Claus Due
Here Saturday
Aboard Fire Truck

Santa Claus, the celebrated
gentleman who has ridden to
towns on pre-Christmas visits in
various cities on most every i'm
aginable cOntraption from sleigh
to helicopter, will make his Bluff
ton debut this Saturday at 2:30
as visiting fireman" aboard
the towns fire truck.
With siren screaming, the
country's No. | citizen of the sea-
son, will roll up to the Town Hall
where he will establish head
quarters for the afternoon.
His visit, as usual arranged by
the Button Business Mems as
sociation, will be for the purpose
of interviewing the small fry on
their most pressing needs, and
for passing out treats provided
by the association.
Because of other engagements,
Mr.. Claus will leave Bluffton at
4:30 p. m. He extends a cordial
invitation to all youngsters to be
on hand at the Town Hall.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-12-03

an alternate in the national scholar
ship awards of 1949, and is receiving
her belated award this year.
Miss Benroth and Miss Wilkins,
students at the Cory-Rawson high
school, won county and state honors
in their respective Al work. Their
projects and records were submitted
to national committee several weeks
ago.
The girls went to Chicago as dele.
gates to the Congress and did not
know until they were there that they
had been acclaimed winners.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-12-03
College Home &c
Club Launches
Annual Candy Sale

The Bluffton College Home
Economics club began to prepare
this week for its operation
Candy Time" when members
join forces i'm the kitchen to pre-
pare college-made goodies for the
annual sale to residents of the
community.
Members of the club will take
orders for the candy from Decem-
Der 3 to 9, and deliveries are to
be made on December IL. Fam
lilies who might be missed in the
house toulouse sales campaign
may order by calling Lincoln
hall.
Proceeds of the annual candy
sale are used by the club for
laboratory equipment, conference
expenses and other activities.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-12-03
TB X-ray Unit |
Here December rs

Residents of this area were re-
minded this week of the scheduled
visit in Bluffton next Monday and
Tuesday of the mobile chest x-ray
unit of the Allen County Tubercu-
losis and Health association.
The truck will be stationed in
front of The Bluffton News office,
and a technician will be on hand
to take free X-ray pictures from
10 am. until | pm. and from 2 pm.
to pm. each of the two davs.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-12-03

to Miss Sylvia Beiderman, hospital
superintendent.
additiorf to the gifts of food,
the children pntinued their custom
of filling surprise bags for the Lima
ChildreH's homo andscellected ss1.77
for tbe pnrchass of Korean Bibles
and Gospels. ~
Mrs. Charles Lauby, religious ed
ucation instructor, said that the
pupils Thanksgiving program dates
back many years. Exactly when it
started, she does not know, but
the tradition goes beyond the mem
ories of the older teachers.
Thanksgiving without giving is
rather meaningless, and the chill
dren are quick to appreciate the full
meaning of the observance" Mrs.
Lauby said.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-12-03

looked it in the rush of business
Excite ment was in the air
as the colorful Christmas decora-
tons began to make their appear
ance on the streets. They will break
into a blaze of color as the holiday
shopping season officially opens with
Fridays big event.
The Treasure Hunt will begin at
700 O'Clock then the business firms
put their prizes on display in store
windows together with the winning
numbers. Shoppers finding that
they have the matching stubs, may
claim their treasure Immediately.
All store owners will deposit their
stubs in the giant mixer in front
of the Bluffton News office at B
o'clock, and no tickets vii lbe passed
out to shoppers after that time.
BY Z o'clock, if other Treasure
Hunt nights are criteron, Bluff
ton streets will be jammed by hund-
reds of hunters gathered in good
natured groups before each window.
Stores will also be open and shoppers
are invited to look over the huge
assortment of Christmas gifts.
A holiday atmosphere will prevail
on the streets as the Christmas dec
Grafton lights are turned on. Forty
two evergreen trees attached to
the street light standards will
make a long row of Christmas trees
from the Post Office to the Town
Hall. Each tree will be strung with
the traditional colored lights a n d
cleaning plastic Santas and bells
viii be suspended from the boulevard
lights. At each end of the business
district the greeting, merry Christ
mas" in plastic globes will welcome
residents and strangers alike.
Treasure hunters are reminded to
look in every window of business
places not only on Main street, but
also those located on Cherry street,
as far east as the Steinman Bros.
Lumber Company, and on other side
streets just off business section.
Hunters are also advised to keep
their stubs since all unclaimed prizes
will receive new numbers at 8 o'clock
the next morning. This will give
everyone additional opportunities of
winning prize.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-12-03

board of Christian service; DIR. Paul
Shelly, board of education and pub
lication, and chairman of the edit
orial committee; Carl Lehman, ex-
ecutive committee, board of trustees
and finance; Ella Suter, advisory
council of the board of trustees and
finance.
John Bauman, Bluffton, is presi-
dent of the Middle District Young
Peoples union, and John Bohn, Pan
dora, represents the Student Christ
ian Association of Bluffton College
at the Young Peoples sessions.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-12-03

Waldo Wilkins; and Miss Rosemary
Montgomery, daughter of Mr.. and
Mrs. Frank Montgomery, Gold Star
club adviser.
Miss Benroth will receive saw
ings bond as her prize for an out
standing job in the field of health
betterment. Miss Wilkins is to be
awarded the Allis Chalmers. scholar
ship for her club work in gardening,
and Miss Montgomery, now a junior
at Ohio State university will receive
a $50 scholarship awarded by Gener-
al Motors.
The last named winner was chosen
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-12-03

co oIsSi s1dHl support haQ greeted
a proposal that the controversy be
referred to an outside, non-interest-
ed group of arbitrators, with local
officials committed to decide the case
according to recommendation of the
arbitrating panel.
Presented by vyrl A. Neeper, the
arbitration proposal was a sugges-
tion of the two newly-elected men,
bers of the board of public affairs.
Neeper and James Benroth, as
possibility in speeding a decision on
the matter which has been hotIy
debated pro and con since it was
initially broached by the board of
public affairs last July.
In his presentation, Neeper point
ed out that outside advice, which
would be unbiased, could greatly
speed decision, should all parties
agree in advance to abide by the
panels recommendation.
1t was the Neeper-B -Benroth sug-
gestion that a panel of three be
named. Each of the opposing fac
tions in the power controversy could
name one man, and those two then
would select the third, it was
suggested.
If council, the board of public
affairs and others involved in the
controversy would decide in advance
to act according to the recommends
tion, without recourse in referendum
procedure, the entire matter could
be quickly disposed of, the group
attending the meeting was told.
Informal discussion of the proposal
indicated majority sentiment that
the arbitration panel procedure would
not result in decision which could
speed eventual solution of the PROB
lem, for Goubt was expressed that
outside recommendation would be ac-
ceptable to those involved in the
heated controversy.
What may happen after the first
of the year when new council
takes office still remains in the con-
lecture stage. Two of the newly
elected councilmen, Gerald Swank
and Arden Baker, indicated their
views are unchanged with respect to
town-wide election, and that they
feel any action by council should be
predicated on vote of those who
own the electric system.
In discussion of the possibility of
any election being held on the matter,
it was the suggestion of Paul Diller
that each faction might present its
story at separate public meetings,
without debate from the floor, so
that voters could obtain information
which might be helpful to them in
making decision.
1t was further suggested by DR..
B. w. Travis and Councilman Everett
Sutermeister that newspaper ex-
planation of conflicting views would
De neiplul.
Attending the meeting in addition
to present councilmen were newly
elected councilmen. and board of
public affairs members, the present
board of public affairs, and DR..
B. w. Travis, Clair B. Fett, Ray
mond Conrad and Paul Diller.
Action on the matter by the pre-
sent council was prevented last week
by an opinion from City Solicitor
John Romey that the outgoing legis-
lators are prohibited by state code
from enacting legislation to either
sell out the plant completely or pur-
chase power wholesale for distribu-
tion through town-owned lines.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-12-03
DEDICATION SERVICE

A new communion table made by
the Rev. Robert King and an altar
cross provided by the family of the
late Ross Bogart in his memory are
to be dedicated at the Sunday morn
ing worship service of the Methodist
church
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-12-03
Three Bluffton Area Girls Win
National All Honors At Chicago

Three Blufton girls all members of the Orange Town
shin Gold Star will receive national honors at the All
Club Congress Chicago announced this week by the
Agricultural Extension Service in Columbus
The girls Miss Joyce Benroth daughter of Mr. and Mrs
1ooy Ranroth. Miss Maee Wilkins daughter of Mr. and Mrs
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-12-03
Window Shopping Mite Opens
Season Friday
Treasure Hunters Search For Prizes
In Store Windous Begins At O'Clock

Buon treasure hunters With eye nearly 100 valu-
able prizes to awarded this Friday evening Window Shop
ping Night were beginning step up their collection of little
orange tickets any which might be lucky number
the large tags asking customers
mind them to pass out ckets the they
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-12-03
Propose Settlement OF Power Question
BE Based On Opinion OF Unbiased Panel
Nfeper-Benroth Suggestion Receives
Sfant Support From Council Members

following special meeting of municipal Monday
g also attended by the board of public affairs newly
yofca appeared oregone conclusion that nothing
thef will be done until after the the year with Buttons
electric power situation. mi .s.. $50
Indications the exisino saenae oon