davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Farmville herald and farmer-leader. (Farmville, Va.) 1934-1957, 1954-03-02
EAGER BEAVER AT III

ST. Joseph Mo = When county
commissioner decided 10 Ftraigh-
ten Bee Creek. they didn't count
OF the objection Of the beavers.
Workman dug q new channel the
next morning, they found the
beavers had built a dam across it,,
forcing the stream back into the
old channel the dam. but not for
long Within a week the beavers
had built a new one with the same
result After a tug-of- war with
the eager beavers, the commits
sicners blasted away not only the
dam but part Of the bank on each
side as well. That ended the fight
I IS hoped
The Farmville herald and farmer-leader. (Farmville, Va.) 1934-1957, 1954-03-02
Double Check

Taxes are still the top sketch
WNh the lawmakers Evidently
they would reduce taxes ifn' they
knew where TO reduce and still
get the saline revenue 10 carry on
the fun operation OF government
that the people request. VIII you
please tel en- HOW worried
bunch these lawmakers
/ Only the decent and honest
guys get taxed If they could only
tax the crooks the lawless. but
that's 4 fine.
We still have the greatest
county the best government
and the finest people there is. W.
must continue to strive to keep It
that way Its takes 4 real Chris
tan TO live right these days =
as if il wasn't always that way.
Spring fashions arrived before
March the 18TH - so they now
want to put of the final tax date
TIL Ap1l II may make the yeai
seem longer that's all
Had nice card from Nj. anc
Mrs MILFORD Hedrick down al
Port Orange, Florida Must b
wonderful to travel in the lane
What knows no Winted we get il
mixed here Cumberland County i.
still the garden spot Of the world
Thanks for the remembrance
/ Had a visit by Cary Smith, Jr-
always enjoy the chats inspiring
too People what read the Farm
vile Herald seldom get lowdown
Thanks for reading.
7 Yours. J MARVIN brown
The Farmville herald and farmer-leader. (Farmville, Va.) 1934-1957, 1954-03-02

Or, I can tell you about a rea-
SOnably prep school where the
headmaSter d g C d to teach
some of the boys how to read
After all they had reached the
tenth grade and it was time they
knew howl Well. believe it or not,
the headmaSters failed to show up
about half the time: the boys did
not make it the other half. The
program Just fizzled out These
are symptoms Of a problem. and
it IS more widespread than you
realize. I have said before this
column, and I will say it again:
If delinquency is on the increase,
and our young people are hard
and callous. it is becauses their
teachers and parents are getting
soft and careless.
Then Some Basic Fundamentals
These magazine articles suggest
that the brain ti-uSters Professor
III Soho Is Of Education, I as
sumo have sold the schools
down the river. When our kids
graduate. not only from public
high school. but from our many
Of our preparatory schools. they
cannot properly read or write.
They cannot do eighth grade
arithmetic. I am told Of batch
Of test given this fall to college
freshman from widely divergent
parts of the country to prove my
points. Yet. these kids were ad-
nlitted to college because the
principals recommended them as
being web qualified.
Many of these boys have al
ready flunked out of college. Both
father and son have been Short
changed by the public and pri-
vate schools When a son is grad
uated from secondary school.
both father and son are made TO |
The Farmville herald and farmer-leader. (Farmville, Va.) 1934-1957, 1954-03-02
and 1888 are Negro.
Projected and Completed

Percentage of members CONF
pleting projects also was up. The
counties with over 900 memebr
are Augusta. Bedford. fIanklln.
Halifax. Henry Rock ing IA u
IlazrNen and Washingt ton FRANK
lin leads with 2l05.
For The nation in 1853, 2.0ld.-
1873 boys and girls were members
of 1000 All clubs under the
guidance Of 10000 local volun-
teer club leaders.
Dr. SHELTON says i'll addition 10
tangible achievement in home
making and agriculture projects.
many intan%ihles results Wet e
noted. "A heSe phases Of All wolik
reflect development in character.
leadership qualities. cooperation.
and the undertaking OF RESPONSE
bilities as citizens. he says
The Farmville herald and farmer-leader. (Farmville, Va.) 1934-1957, 1954-03-02
National All Week
Set For March GA

A steady upward trend III en-
rollment and In number Of pro-
ect carried is reported by Vir-
glnia 4-H'erS as they prepare to
observe National All Club Week
March ella.
DR. W, r. Shelton. state All
agent. says the observance is de-
signed to report All achievements
TO the public. and that special
programs are being plann e d
throughout the state General
theme for the week will be Work :
ing Together for World Under
standing.
In 1858 state enrolment jump
ed l.525 TO reach an all time high
of 60.279. and eight counties top
ped the 1000 mark. OF the total.
44.766 are white club members
The Farmville herald and farmer-leader. (Farmville, Va.) 1934-1957, 1954-03-02

chanacters; are not being used for any such
purpose as they conceive them, but it must
be admitted that the comic strips charac-
ters with all Of their fantastic antics have
been far ahead of scientific discoveries. We
recall at the beginning of World War II a
comic strip projected an anti-aircraft bomb
which, when fired into the air, would be
attracted to an aircraft by some magic
force to seek it out and destroy it. The idea
appeared far-fetched at the time, but be-
fore the war was over the device had reach
ed some degree Of actually and perfection
1t is perfectly possible that many of
Flash Gordons fantastic activities may be-
come realities at some future time. All
progress is achieved by dreamers and often
practical application of the laws of physics
and chemistry make them possible.
If the Russians find any soace in pro-
pagandizing the comic characters they have
our hearty permission.
The Farmville herald and farmer-leader. (Farmville, Va.) 1934-1957, 1954-03-02
Babson Discusses
The School Problem

Babson Park. Mass. February
25 Don't miss the series of arti-
Giles starting in Golfers about our
schools. These well documented
articles offer proof that our
schools need overhauling I am
glad to have the gocd company
OF THIS magazine for the reform
which I have been urging for
some time. If I understand the
educational progress at all it
seems only logical that before a
teacher can teach any body any
thing he must command respect
Discipline Comes First
I can take you into classrooms
in one of our larger eastern cities
where last year several teachers
had nervous breakdowns. sub
stitute teachers stayed a day OF
Two. then left. The problem -
poor discipline Finally. one deter
mined. old fashioned substitute
took over The principal urged
her to send the misbehavers to
him. She felt any such action on
her part would be an. acknowledge
ment of her own inadequacy Fin
ally, in despair. she did send
dozen pupils a day to the prin-
cipal who in turn logged them
enc by one But it was too late.
They had gone too far too long.
Even the good disciplinarian could
MT take it, She bowed out too
because she had TO spend all her
time trying to MAINTAIN SEM
blance of order and never did get /
around to teaching anything
The Farmville herald and farmer-leader. (Farmville, Va.) 1934-1957, 1954-03-02

b i ieve son was somebody he
really was not at all-----and all
because the school Worshipped too
long before the false shrine Of
mediocrity Schools. and colleges
TOD need to taxa a closer look at
their standards and values. This
IS a national problem. How can
e develop good leaders in bust
ness, or how can we even hope
to hold orr own. internationally.
If all we have to offer is med
iocrity?
And Finally Competition
l have been shocked to discover
the number Of school principals
and superintendent who seem to
think there is something heather.
something I'm : Christian. some
thing damaging about individual
competition. They develop report
cards that ATTEMPT to tell par
ent how the child is doing in
terms OF his own ability. but
hush hush his relative standing in
the group. Schools also too often
measure their teachers in terms
of extra summer courses taken
or advanced degrees. and not Of
ten enough do they use the yard
stick Of classroom discipline.
I ask you. what spurs an indi-
vidual on to do his best? Is it not,
fundamentally, the struggle for
recognition and achievement?
The individual wants to prove he
is a man among men. that he
counts, whether he be a teacher
or preacher doing for others, an
n o / conQuering technical
frontlers, or a salesman satisfy
ing our wants and needs. We need
TO reklndle this spirit of COM
petition in the classroom. Suepr-
ntendent Philip j. Hickey of St.
Louis has made a good start in
this direction.
The Farmville herald and farmer-leader. (Farmville, Va.) 1934-1957, 1954-03-02
Medical Distribution

Perhaps the weakest, or most dlScour-
aging part, of the report is DickenSonS
figures pertaining to communities OF 100
to 200 population. Only tWenty-one per
cent Of them have resident physicians. To
the person living inAa town Of 700 or 800
population, the fact that the community
has no doctor is often serious matter. It
could be a matter Of life or death in some
cases.
AS serious as this situation might be,
it has been the same, or worse. since the
beginning of the country. Moreover. there
is no way to force doctor to live in any
community nor would the American people
support such a proposal if it We're advanc-
ed. Doctors like other human beings, will
generally 60 where they can make decent
living and where the surroundings are nor
mally pleasant. They cannot be expected
to move into communities where they can
hardly make living. And, considering
the adequacy of doctors in towns Of a few
thousand population and up, the present
distribution is about as good as one might
expect in an unregimented society.
The Farmville herald and farmer-leader. (Farmville, Va.) 1934-1957, 1954-03-02

THREE psychologists at Purdue Univer-
sity say that despite the old theory, one
does not need small hammer to drive
small nails. The three psychologists did
a bit Of research on this issue recently in
an effort to disprove the line of some hard
ware statesmen
They came to the conclusion that the
salesman is not necessarily correct when
he says small hammer is best in driving
small nails After much objective research,
the psychologists came to the conclusion
that u large hammer is best for large nails
but that it is also good for small nails.
The Farmville herald and farmer-leader. (Farmville, Va.) 1934-1957, 1954-03-02
Miss Ida Ransom

Though full four score and seven yeors
She hos seen come and 40,
| o her mail box, to get the roi
Each morn walks to and fro.
Though old in years, her eyes are BRIGHT,
OF glasses have no need,
With vision thot is unmpored
She still can sew and reod
So many things her eyes have seen
In all the years now gone;
And filled with thoughts Of vanished days,
Her dear old heart beots on
Around her friends hove come and gone
Like actors on q screen,
And when LIES SORROWS come to her
She bears them like O queen.
Vcissitudes Of posing years
Have not mode her despair
And often when LIES skies grow dark,
For comfort kneeIs in proyer
She's seen the winters os they posed
And spring come like q bride,
Watched wovng fields in summer sun,
And oLtumn's countryside
Though pain and sorrow she has known
Which to her heart brought grief,
She's kept her kindly humor ond
Her smile and her belief
BY kind deeds done for other folks
On earth much good she's done,
And for this God will reward her
When her Ife's course is run
By friends who know this Iody we'll
1t has been told to me
Thot poems Of mine she oft rectes
To them from memory.
Today she sits with aspect kind
A lady sweet and wise;
And with q smile she looks at life
With understanding eyes.
NeghborIy yc
t D Whtoke
The Farmville herald and farmer-leader. (Farmville, Va.) 1934-1957, 1954-03-02
Red Propaganda

THE latest nonsense from Moscow is a
= Communist attack on such American
stalwarts as Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers.
and Captain Nideo. These characters, so
the Russians claim. are weapon Of AM
erican Imperialism. designed to convince
Americans that the United States must 90
out and conquer outer space.
The Soyiets also charge that these comic
characters, and television players, are sup
posed to scare Americans out of their wits
and convince them that high taxes are
necessary for defense, and outer-space ex-
ploration
A recent article in a Soviet cinema
periodical claims that Hollywood is also
guilty of attempts to brighten the Ameri-
can taxpayer so that he will not object to
paying the high cost of armament
The Russians are only partly correct
AS every American knows comic strips and
The Farmville herald and farmer-leader. (Farmville, Va.) 1934-1957, 1954-03-02

AN official OF the American Medical AS
"A ISOLATION reported recently on the dis
tribution Of physicians in the United States.
Frank G. Dickinson, A. M. A. Bureau OF
Medical Economic Research director, re-
ported that physicians are practicing III
ninety-six per cent of the communities with
a population Of between $500 and 5000.
He says doctors are practicing in eighty
eight per cent Of the communities of 1000
to $500 population and in only twenty-one
per cent Of communities with 100 to 1000
population.
DickinsOns figures are based on the 1850
census, and. therefore, the distribution Of
doctors to citizens could have changed
slightly since that time Dickinson divided
the county into 757 nledical-service areas
and found that the number of doctors per
100 prospective patients varied from over
5 900 IN a region in Utah to less than 500
in q Minnesota community. In these areas,
Dickinson found that every community of
5000 population. or more, had at least one
physician. and usually more. He called this
a good distribution
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1954-12-10
Auto Association
Backs LinzeII In
Access Question

Trustees of the Ohio State Au-
tomobile Association have agreed
to back so-called limited access"
to highways in Ohio, according to
report from a meeting held at
Cleveland Wednesday. The group
decided to join in a case being ap-
pealed in the Ohio Supreme Court.
1t was pointed out that limited ac-
cess to highways may have a bear
ing on state participation in the
federal highway program now peg
ged at 50 billion dollars.
Pointing out that limited access
road features will be a require
ment for federal aid, the trustees
said they would support State
Highway Director S. o. Linzell in
a fight to limit the number of en-
trance to major arterial highways.
The association announced il
would file a brief with the Su-
preme Court backing a 1850 order
by Linzell making an improved
portion of u. s. Route 40 between
West jefferson and Madison Coun-
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1954-12-10
Gas Refund Due
In II Ohio Cities

Residents of Columbus and II
other Ohio communities will pay
less for gas bought from the Ohio
Fuel Gas Company after March l,
1855 after a refund was ordered by
the Federal Power Commission.
The Ohio Fuel Gas Company re-
Gently asked the city council here
for an approximate 20 per cent in
crease in local rates.
Company president Allen w.
Lundstrum said the gas company
has received a S498,000 refund
from the Panhandle Eastern Pipe
Line Co. This company has been
collecting on an increased rate
since 1852. The FPC order, effec-
tive last May, reduced the rate.
Gas Co. people will deduct the
refund from the cost of gas in 1854
and schedule the 1855 rate so as to
pass on the saving. Other commu-
mites affected include Upper Ar
lington, Grandview, Bexley, Mar
BILE Cliff, Hanford, Riverlea, Val
leyview, Whitehall, Worthington,
Toledo, Lorain, Springfield, Mans
field, Gallon and Wellston.
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1954-12-10
Former Jefferson
Resident Dies

Charles w. Ogilvie, age II, re-
tired carpenter and former resi-
dent of West Jefferson, a resident
of 368 South Ludlow Street, Co
lumbus, died in st. Francis Hos
pital, Thursday night.
Surviving are his wife, Alice; a
daughter, Mrs. Helen Busic of the
Ludlow Street address, one grand
son, OrVille Busic; three step-sons,
Raymond, Lawrence and Oscar
Pemberton and one step-daughter,
Orpha Wiley all of Columbus, and
a number of nieceS and nephews.
Funeral services Sunday after
noon at two o'clock in the Blauser
and Baker Funeral Home, West
Jefferson, the Reverend Harley
Hart, officiating minister. Inter
ment in Dennison Chapel Gene
terry.
Friends may call at the Blauser
and Baker Funeral Home in West
Jefferson.
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1954-12-10
Police Say Sleep
Cause OF Crash

James D. Newkirk, Route 3,
Buckrus, Ohio, was killed when
thrown from his car just outside
the city limits on State Route 38
Tuesday night at about TOO pm.
Mr. Newkirk was travelling
north on the Marysville road when
he fell asleep, police theorize. His
1854 model car missed the curve
just outside of town, went off the
right side of the road, hit a road
marker 195 feet away, hit a fence
65 feet further on, struck a tele-
phone pole, rolled over and came
to stop 400 feet from where he
left the highway.
Mr.. NeWkirk was thrown from
the car, and state police found him
lying in the ditch. He was appar-
emily the only passenger, and
there were no witnesses to the
accident.
According to the coroner's re-
port, death was caused by a skull
fracture and cerebral contuSions
and decorations.
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1954-12-10
County Schools
Have Two Meets

The annual banquet for superin-
tendents, principals and coaches,
was held at Lafayette Monday, De-
cember 6.
Plans and arrangements for the
county basketball season and tour
nament were made by the group.
Mr. George Robinson gave the re-
port for the athletic commission.
Mr.. Dale Porter, Superintendent
of the Jefferson Local Schools, and
president of the Madison Co.
Teachers Association, outlined the
program for the coming teachers
meeting December 10.
The meeting of the Madison Co.
Music Teachers was held at Choo-
mans restaurant Wednesday, De-
cember 8. The date for the Mad
ison Co. Music Festival at London
was set for April 27.
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1954-12-10
DAUGHTER BORN TO
Supreme Court Suit Puts
Madison County In News

ty and the Clark County line
united access highway.
A property owner, J. Frank
RothweIl, sued in Madison County
Common Pleas Court. He contend
ed that his, property rights were
violated and that to issue such an
order. Both Common Pleas Judge
James F. Bell and the Second Dis
trict Court of Appeals upheld the
objection.
Linzell has appealed to the Su-
preme Court. Both he and the Ohio
State Automobile Association con-
tend that unlimited access to ma
jor arterial highways-entrances
from business places and private
propertleS-creates traffic hazards
and reduces efficiency of the high
ways in quickly moving a high
volume Of through traffic.
We're not seeking to make all
highways limited access" ]. Rus
sell Lloyd of Columbus, state ex-
ecutiFe secretary, announced after
the meeting. What we're concern
ed with is the 1%o of our highways,
the main arteries which carry 20qo
of traffic volume.
An adverse decision in this test
case could very we'll imperil Ohio's
receiving billions in federal high
way funds. Probably two or three
million dollars are involved in this
Madison County case"
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1954-12-10
$4,000 Asked In
School Judgment

Dairl Sifrit, as Clerk of the Mad
ison South Board of Education has
filed a declaratory judgment suit
in the Common Pleas Court again.
st John Joe and all persons hav-
ing or claiming to have any OBJ
lection to, or interest adverse to
the relief sought by the petitioner,
the name and place of each being
unknown"
The purpose of the suit is to free
money obtained from the voters on
a bond issue last year. Range
Township, which at that time had
its own school, voted favorably on
the S158,OO0 issue to repair and
build their facilities. The bonds
were issued, sold to the j. A.
White Co. of Cincinnati for $148,-
900, and the proceeds deposited in
the Central Bank.
On July l, 1854, Range Local
School District, Madison Rural Lo-
cal School District, and the Stokes
Local School District effected a
consolidation which formed the
Madison South Local School Dis
trict. This year, the voters of these
combined district joined to ap-
prove a $500,OO0 bond issue to
build an adequate school and to
refurnish the existing facilities.
Now comes the suit, to free the
ready cash, thus giving the Board
Of Education S648,000 to accomp-
liSh their ends.
The petition, filed this week,
states that:
/. The monies obtained by the
said bond issue cannot now be
gainfully expended for the pur-
pose as set forth in the .aforestat-
ed ballot in that an addition to the
school building set forth on the
ballot is unnecessary.
2. That said monies are needed
and are necessary for construction
and administration of a school for
the Madison South Local School
District.
3. That the electors who approx
ed the bond issue from which said
monies herein are derived will be
directly benefited by the expendi-
ture of said monies as herein pc
titioned for.
A. That according to law the as
sets and liabilities of the political
subdivisions involved in and being
a part of the consolidation are to
be assessed by the newly conSoli-
q dated district; and finally that
equity will be done if the court or
ders said monies to be transferred
from Range Local school district
to Madison South school district.
No difficulty is foreSeen in the
favorable outcome of the suit for
the board, thereby benefitting the
newly-formed school district with
a substantial Christmas gift.
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1954-12-10
Hit-Skip Victim
Now Recovering

Miss Margaret Peggy Sullivan,
IA, the daughter of Mike Sullivan,
East Center ST, is recovering at
Mt Carmel Hospital, Columbus,
after injuries sustained when she
was struck by a car in front of
her home December 2. She suffer-
ed a severe head laceration, cuts
on the leg, bruises, and shock.
Doctors expected to release Miss
Sullivan on Wednesday, but decid-
ed to hold her until Friday for
more x-rays and treatment.
Harold Stevens, accused driver
of the car which struck Peggy,
has been released on $1,6O00o
bond. He is charged with leaving
the scene of an accident, $4,000
bondD, driving while intoxicated,
(S50000 bond), and displaying a
fictitious license plate on his We
hicle, $4,000 bond). Stevens has
pleaded not guilty to all three
counts, and has been bound over
to the next session of the Common
Pleas Court.
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1954-12-10
Winter Hits City
Thursday Evening

Winter came to Madison Coun-
ty last night, with winds and
blowing snow making driving haz-
ardous. Despite the unfavorable
condition, no accidents were re-
ported in the area.
Road crews were out early in
the evening, sanding those roads
which had become most dangerous.
Most traffic moved very slowly,
and motorists demonstrated ex-
treme caution in dealing with this
first taste of winter weather driv-
ing.
City streets were snow-packed
by $50 pm, and remained so FRI
day morning. Traffic had thawed
the paved county roads by 1000
pm. Thursday.
The snow was general over Ohio.
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1954-12-10
Accident Victim
Receivers Slowly

Mr.. Dana Fell, Rte, 2, London,
is recovering slowly at st. Vim
cents Hospital, Erie, Pennsylvania,
after a hunting accident which oc-
Cured December 4 near Keene,
Pa.
Mr.. Fell and his son, Harold,
were preparing to come home
when a rifle was accidentally dis
charged, sending the ball through
Mr.. Felrs knee. He was taken to
the hospital, where doctors remov-
ed his kneecap Sunday.
According to reports received
here, doctors believe that the
wounded leg may be saved, al
though the shot severed a large
blood vessel.
Mr. Fell has had a siege of hic-
coughing since last Sunday, and
has been hiccoughing at the rate
of 16 times a minute.
Mrs. Fell is in Pennsylvania
with her husband at the present
time. His room is 427, st. Vincents
Hospital, Erie, Pa.