davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-12-29

dowment gift from the Ford Founda-
ton.
But the gifts also focused the
spotlight on the plight of Bluffton
college faculty members who have
not shared the general prosperity of
the community. Average salaries at
the college, DR.. Ramseyer reported
were $4,000. The gifts would be a
help, but not enough to keep profess
sorial heads above the rising level
of living costs.
A similar plight Of public school
teachers was aided some by action of
the school board early in the year
to provide five per cent pay in
creases.
Political Changes
In town politics, the year saw
Mayor w. A. Howe determine to
bow off the stage after Is years
of service as chief executive. 1t saw
OCiuOtlab lave nloScTy COuItCllIIldIl,
emerge from a primary contest with
Jackson Koontz and win in the reg
ular election against Republican Jo-
seph Urich.
Other highlights of the news down
through the parade of months may
be seen in the following summary:
Parade OF Months
January-Ronald Ray Dukes edges
out his twin brother, Donald Dean,
to win the New Years baby derby.
They are sons Of Mr.. and Mrs. Carl
w. Dukes.
February-Prolonged cold weather
made ice skating and ice fishing
popular sports, and sectional Edu-
cation Association meeting was held
at the school.
March-Pirates advanced to the
district tourney but were eliminated
by Wiltshire. More than $500 at
the $4,000 Mennonite Memorial
home was dedicated.
Continued On Page 10)
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-12-29
W. TripIett Is
New President OF
Triplett Company
72-Year-Old Founder
Steps From Presidency
To Board Chairmanship

R. L. Triplett, 72-year-old founder
Of the Triplett Electrical instrument
company, who has guided the firm
through half century to build it to
one of the largest in it's field, has
stepped from the presidency to be-
come chairman of the board, it was
learned this week as a new year APP
preached.
Heading the firm now as president
is his son, w. R. Triplett, who has
been serving for number of years
as general manager of the company
and grooming for the task ahead.
In assuming the reins of the CON-
pany, the founders son will be guild
ing an organization geared to doing
business on an international scale
with sales representatives in the 48
states and in six foreign countries.
Founded in 1904 by r. L. Triplett,
who was then young man of 21, the
company had its beginnings in sec
ond-foor backroom of a store build
ing located where Urich's IGA Mar
ket now stands. Under his guidance
it came to occupy the present sprawl
ing air-conditioned buildings as Bluff
tons No. l industry.
'FWe have seen some great changes,
some great developments, and
think they are only the beginning.
There is great future ahead for u.s."
the founder of Triplett's said in May
of 1854 on the occasion of the COM
pany's golden anniversary.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-12-29

The elaborate outdoor lighting dis
play of the Allan McCluer home at
154 E. Jefferson street, larger and
more beautiful than ever, was award
ed first place in the annual Christmas
lighting contest sponsored by the
Bluffton Junior Chamber of Com
merce and the Bluffton Business
Mems association.
The McCluers were presented with
a $50 savings bond by Harley Steiner,
contest chairman, after the judges
reached their decision last Friday
evening. The McCluer display has
been winner in previous years, and
last year was judged third.
The entire front of the jefferson
street house is framed in gay pat
tern of light as well as shrubs in
front of the house. Over it all is a
large star attached to the television
antenna.
Second place this year went to the
same family as it did last year, the
Ray Reichenbachs of 508 West Elm
street. The prize was a Sunbeam fry
pan. The Reichenbach display includ-
ed large bells framed in colored lights
which blink on and off to give the eff
feet of movement.
Two displays, those of the Nelson
Hers at 139 North Lawn and
Kenneth Bracy on South Lawn ave-
nue. were tied for the SIS third prize.
The Herr display featured three
figures of carollers standing beside
a lighted tree. A spotlight throws
shadows against the residence,
and a phonograph sounds the songs
of the carollers.
The Bracy display has Santa and
his reindeer prancing across the
front lawn of the home.
Judging the contest this year was
a committee appointed by the Bluffton
Mems Garden club. Bernard Schiffke
served as chairman with the Rev.
James Heininger and Joel VIM. Boehr
as committeeman.
Most decorated street in town, the
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-12-29
Green Christmas
Is Third In ROW

For the third year in row,
Bluffton's Christmas was
green One-aimost a Florida
Christmas with the mercury ris-
ing to So degrees Christmas Eve
and staying around Al through
Christmas Day. This brings the
score to 20 green Yule days in
the past As years.
The warmest Christmas Day
the Bluffton area has known,
according to Ray Burkholder Of
fetal weather observer, was in
1910 when the mercury went, up
to 63 degrees. The coolest was
in 1924 when the reading fell to
IL below zero.
Snow and near zero weather
came a week too early this year
just as it did last year. Several
inches of snow covered the
ground a week ahead of Christ
mas and cold temperatures rang
ing down to one degree below
zero kept local streams and
ponds frozen for skating.
Christmas day, however,
youngsters who received skates
from Santa were unable to try
them out.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-12-29
Dick Urich Takes
Coaching Post At
Northwestern u.

Richard Urich, son of Mr.. and Mrs.
Joseph Urich, has been named end
coach at Northwestern university at
Evanston, H., it was announced this
week.
In taking the post, Urich will ac-
company his old friend and former
college teammate Ara Parseghian to
the Illinois schools athletic depart
ment. Parseghian was named head
coach there earlier.
Urich holds similar post under
his friend now at Miami university.
The pair played together at Miami
in 1850 when the Redskins went to the
Salad Bowl. Earlier than that, in l947
they were on the Miami eleven which
played in the Sun Bowl game OF that
year.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-12-29
Burning Of Greens
Ceremony Set For
Friday Mite, Jan. 6

For the third year, Blufton Girl
Scouts and Brownies will observe the
medieval custom of the Burning of
the Greens" on the Twelfth Night
after Christmas, when they gather
round blazing pyre of burning Yule
trees Friday, January 6, to sing car
OILS and bring to close the holiday
festivities.
The great bonfire will be lighted at
7.O0 o'clock on the Homer Gratz lot
on 4South Lawn Avenue near Kibler
ST let.
The pre-Elizabethan custom o f
Burning of the Greens" on the
Twelfth Night" was celebration of
the church of that period known as
the Epiphany" held in remembrance
Of the coming of the Magi to Bethle-
hem.
Another phase of the custom hand
ed down by the English is that of
.placing a bean or coin in cake and
passing the cakes out to the celeb
rants. The person receiving the bean
or coin then becomes the reigning
monarch of the festivities.
Last year Donna May McCluer,
daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. Allan Nc
Cluer of jefferson street, found the
bean in her cake and reigned over the
festivities.
Families of Girl Scouts and Brown
les are asked not to discard their
trees, but to keep them protected
from the weather so that they will
burn brighter the night of the cele-
bration. Mrs. Robert E. Barnett,
neighborhood counsellor, is in charge
of the program.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-12-29
Births

The following births were recorded
at Bluffton Community hospital dur
ing the past week:
Mr.. and Mrs. Perry Spence, Nc
Comb, boy, Eurple Lee, born last
Wednesday.
Mr.. aand Mrs. Rex Shafer, Dupont,
a boy, Calvin Leroy, born last We'd
nesday.
Mr.. and Mrs. John P. Inniger, Jen-
era "a boy, Andrew Karl, born last
Wednesday,.
Mr.. and Mrs. William E. Shower
man, Findlay, a girl, Teresa Ann,
born, last Wednesday. E
Mr.. and Mrs. Dean Sommers Oar
lyn Garmotter) Beaverdam, boy,
William Dean, born Friday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Noel Steinman MARY
Lou Schimdt), Arlington, boy, Alan
Ray, born Saturday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Alva Mapes, Hoyt-
vile, a girl, Christina Mae, born Sat-
urday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Laurence Burkhal-
ter, girl, Ruth Eileen, born Monday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Russell Downey, De-
troit, boy, Bradley Allen born Dec
ember 16 in Detroit.
Mr.. and Mrs. Wayne w. Yerger,
Lima, boy, Kelvin Willard, born Dec
ember 10 at st. Rita's hospital. Mr.
Yerger is the son of the late Mr.. and
Mrs. Clyde Yerger of Bluffton.
Mr.. and Mrs. John Triplehorn, Mt
Vernon, Ohio, girl, Debra Jean, born
December % at Mercy Hospital, Mt
Vernon. Mrs. Triplehorn is the for
mer Mildred Tenney of Bluffton.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-12-29
Buckeye Lunch
Re-Opens Under
New Management

The Buckeye Lunch, completely re-
modelled and redecorated, will be re-
opened Monday by son Of the origl-
nal operator, it was announced this
week.
Mr.. and Mrs. Elmer Anderson,
Vanghnsvilla, will take over the res
taurant operation January 2. Mr..
Anderson is a son of Mrs. Verda Leh-
man, who originally operated the
sandwich shop with her late husband.
The Andersons are not new to the
restaurant business having operated
a company restaurant at the Sugar
Beet refinery in Ottawa several sea-
sons, and having worked for a
Vaughnsville restaurant owner.
They have done extensive remodel
ing and redecorating at the Buckeye.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-12-29
CarOling, Watch
Parties Will Mark
Advent OF 1856
Old Swiss Songs To Echo
Thru Village Again
On New Years Eve

Bluffton residents will bring the
Yule season to a merry close and get
the New Year off to a gala start as
they salute 1866 and hail 1856 with
merry making on the eve of the New
Year Saturday.
Among the many celebrations plan
ned here will be the Watch party at
IL p. m. Saturday at the First Metho-
dist church. The youth fellowship of
the church will assist in the celebra-
tion.
Getting off to an early start the
Bluffton Saddle Horse club and the
Findlay Buckeye western horse as.
sociation will hold a square dance
party at the Legion rooms in the
Town hall tonight, Thursday. Other
entertainment is planned Saturday
night at the old Town hall from
where the huge clock will signal the
advent of the New Year. Members of
the American Legion and their guests
will enjoy round and square dance
and hail the beginning of 1856.
Throughout the community the OBJ
servance will be marked by informal
gatherings of old friends in the
homes, by theatre parties. and some
will spend the evening viewing tele-
vision programs or listening to radio
broadcasts.
The annual caroling of German
songs by members of youth groups of
the st. Johns Evangelical and Re-
formed church will again be one of
the features of the pre-New Years
celebration. Other bands of carolers
representing various groups in the
community will also be active during
the evening.
With the New Years Day falling on
Sunday Bluffton's business places,
industries, the bank and the post Of
flee will suspend operations on Mon
day giving employees an extra day to
recover from the joyous festivities.
Tuesday will not only mark the
passing of the holiday season but will
bring to an end Bluffton's decorations
on Main street and in the homes. 1t
will also find the village waste col
lection crew making aa special col
The public schools will end their
holiday recess Tuesday, with college
students due tdreport to their class
es the same day.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-12-29
Social Security
Reminder Issued
To Area Farmers

A warning to area farmers not to
neglect filing a statement of social Sc
curity taxes on cash wages paid to
farm workers was issued last week
by G. C. Hooks, Toledo District direc-
tor of Internal Revenue.
Mr.. Hooks stated that fling such
statements must be completed on or
before January 81, 1856. Such state
ments, listing taxes of two percent
for employer and two percent for en-
ployee apply only to cash wages.
They should be filed on Form 943.
Registration Form SS-4 can be OBJ
tanned at the Social Security office,
4O4 Colonial Building, or the Internal
Revenue office, 2O5 w. Market street,
Lima.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-12-29

NAAO NAAAOSOs
"One of Bluffton's most urgent
needs" he recently told council, ais
that of zoning regulations"
Mayor Howe points out that if a
new industry should come to town
there are no adequate plans for hous-
ing additional people. Real estate de-
velopment would be enc,uraged if
Bluffton could protect the developers
by zoning of the town a.cprding to
best land usage.
at is job for experts, when it is
finally undertaken" Mayor Howe
said.
After Is years at the head of the
city, Mr. Howe states that the lack of
playground space and parking around
the high school are things which
might have been remedied years ago
by the purchase of more land when
the school was built.
He looks upon the towns decision
to construct sewage disposal system
as one of the most important accom-
plishments of the community during
his tenure Of office. He had long been
active in mosquito control of the po-
luted, Riley creeks.
The battle to pass bond issue for
the sewage system was lost in 1886
and 1889, and finally passed. in 1850.
He was also happy that the bond
issue for the new swimming pool
passed at the last election.
In addition to serving as mayor,
Mr.. Howe teaches history and civics
in high school and fills his lectures
on municipal government with plenty
of first-hand experience. He also finds
time to still be active in tennis, aand
has reared family of four children.
Roger Howe is superintendent of
schools at New Washington, Ohio;
Mrs. Mary Thomas is a physician in
Cleveland, as is her husband; Mrs.
lives at Avon Lake, and James Howe
is football coach at Glenwood Junior
high school in Findlay.
AS the "old" mayor prepares to
turn over his gavel to his successor,
he is receiving the plaudits of his
fellow citizens for a job well done for
the past 10 years.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-12-29
Mt. Cory Mans
Stolen Car Is
Found In DelphOs

An auto stolen from the garage at
the home of Ralph Waltz, Main
street, Mt. Cory, Wednesday night or
early Thursday morning of last week
was recovered Friday in Delphos by
Hancock county police.
Theft of the auto was noticed at 2
a. m. Thursday morning when Mrs.
Waltz awakened to care for the baby.
She saw the garage doors open and
the auto missing. The key had been
left on the car visor.
Mr.. Waltz is custodian of the grade
school building in Mt. Cory.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-12-29
High School And College Cagers Return
To The Hardwood Wars Next Thursday

record was a 69-63 win over Heidel-
berg.
/ The Pirates return to action week
from tonight when they entertain the
lowly Celina Bulldogs in a Western
Buckeye League game at the high
school gymnasium. Celipa stands 90
in the WBL and Is on the season.
Buttons only loss going into the
Holiday tourney was 56-44 setback
to the highly toured st. Marys Rough
riders. The Riders share the lead in
the WBL with Van Vert. Both have
10 marks in the loop.
The college mentors hopes of re-
turning to the winning side of the
ledger were not too bright, at least
in their next encounter. A week from
tonight the Beavers travel to Xenia
to do battle with the powerful Central
State club. Earlier this season the
downstaters handed the Findlay Oil
ers their first defeat on their home
floor in % games.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-12-29

Coaches Joe Harris of Bluffton
high school and Ken Mast of Bluffton
college were hoping that the new
year would bring their cage teams
plenty of good fortune and that the
Christmas layoff would not hamper
their chances. However, they were
hoping along dissimilar veins.
Harris, whose Pirates went into the
Junior Chamber of Commerce Holi-
day Tournament this week with I'll
mark, had hopes that the short layoff
from the cage wars would not send
his boys into a slump. They boast one
of the best records in the area cur
rently.
Mast, on the other hand, was hop
ing that the respite from action
would aid the Beavers to find the
range and enable them to shake off
the jinx which has plagued them
throughout the first part of the sea-
son. Their only victory in their 1-3
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-12-29
Tool Shed Burned
On Agner Farm

A tool shed at the rear of the
Wayne Agner home on the Putnam
Hancock county line road was des-
troyed by fire last Thursday after
noon, but the residence and other
farm buildings were saved by action
of the Bluffton fire department.
The blaze was noted first by a
neighbor, Ezra Amstutz, who called
the Agners. They, in turn, called the
Bluffton fire department.
The farm is the same one on which
Don Edie lived approximately 10
years ago when fire destroyed the
residence. The farm is identified on
the Bluffton fire as h-32.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-12-29
Yule Lighting Display At McCluer Home
On Jefferson Avenue Acclaimed Winner

judges declared, was Garmatter
street. Although short, every home on
the street had some form of outdoor
decorations. Lawn avenue, one of the
longest streets in town, was also well
decorated, the judges said.
Judging was on the basis of 40
per cent for artistic merit; 20 per
cent, originality; 25 per cent ingenu-
ity; and Is per cent on lighting tech
nique.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-12-29

tags issued as compared with 2,222
in 1854.
Other signs of continued prosper
ity was the town decision at the
polls in November to construct a
$4,000 swimming pool for recrea-
tional purposes. At the college DR..
Ramseyer and his board of directors
were looking forward to a day in
not too distant future when the COL
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-12-29

lege enrolment will be doubled -
looking forward to the need for a
new dormitory.
And it was good year for the
college insofar as gifts from in
dustry are concerned. From the
Ohio College Foundation industrial
gifts amounted to $15,216 this year
and then as the year came to close
came announcement of S61,8O0 en-
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-12-29
Zoning One OF Towns Urgent
Needs, Says Retiring Mayor
Village Lacks Plan For Orderly GrolDth
1t NeD Industry Should MOUe In

Sometime on New Years Day outgoing Mayor Wilbur A.
Howe and incoming Mayor David Rsser will get together prob
ably the office the hail. the retiring mayor
will administer the oath of office to his successor.
From then the of municipal government and Justice
in the mayors court will be in hands,
Mayor Riser will face the multitude that occupied
the time of his predecessor years. he will inherit
some of the village problems Chief among these Mayor Howe
believes lack adequate for the future orderly growth
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-12-29
Many Gifts AWait Area's s
First NeW Citizen Of '56

Bluffton Meat Market, $500 ir
trade to parents; The Charles Co.,
baby bottle sterilizer; Swank Bros.
Meat Market, $500 merchandise GER
tifcate; Stauffer Pure Oil Station,
fiashlight to father; Community Mar
Continued On Page 10)
Evening star., 1955-07-10

our house." Depra confessed.
There sit with a skinny
lamb chop in front of me while
mother is digging into a big
plate of spaghetti"
rs weight really a big prob
lem to you?" I asked.
Actually, no." she replied.
whenever I go a few pounds
over the line l have a wonder
full diet that takes care of it.
My doctor gave it to me and ]
can drop Q pounds a day
with it. He recommended that
! shouldn't stay with it longer
than four days, though.
I'm against dieting without
supervision" Debra continued.
often it isn't even effective.
have a friend who made up
her own diet consisting mostly
of fruit. "She found after a
week or so that she hadn't
lost a pound. What she didn't
know is that some fruits have
a high calorie count.
II think health is too pre-
cious to take any ch noes
with"
Is Debra's shrewd observation.
had to agree that Debra's
comment was good.
Evening star., 1955-07-10
Continued From Page d.


Undersecretary of State Rob-
ert Murphy fly up to the re-
sort. but an event took place
last night that hasn't been
witnessed in Is years.
For the first time since she
gave her daughter, Sylvia. now
the Countess Anthony Szapary,
a coming g-out ball. Countess
Szechenyi opened The Break
ers, the most magnificent OF all
Newport residences, for a bril-
liant and gala evening. The
affair was a benefit for the
Preservation Society Of New
port, which for the past 2 or
8 years has benefited from the
proceeds of the museum on
The Breakers first floor. The
Countess (now in Europe) and
her family still use the upper
floors.
Low Tax Times
Seeing this castle cottage
in Newport lingo) by the sea
alight and alive with an ex-
citement of past days, stirred
memories of the incredibly Law
ish, low tax times Of yester-
year. Even if the Rhode Island
realm of the rich were to open
it's arms to some of that revolt
ingly abundant Texas billion
aire" money of today. it could
never again hope to see these
sights:
Another white Ball" such
as Mrs. Hermann Oelrichs
once gave at Rosecliff and
which Cleveland Amory des-
cribes in 1.-The Last Resorts"
Everything was decorated in
white, all the guests came in
white, but the white marble
: balustrade of Rosecliff over
looked the sea. not the harbor.
So what did the hostess do?
Mrs. Oelrichs promptly
remedied this defect by order
ing a dozen full-sized skeleton
ships with white hulls. She
had these anchored out in
the water in front of the bal
ustrade; brilliantly illumi-
mated at night, they gave the
illusion of a full white fleet
at anchor"
Or another such imaginative
party as Mrs. Stuyvesant Fish
gave at Crossways when the
ballroom was filled with live
butterflies.
Teatime
Or tea in any home the way
Mrs. William K. Vanderbilt
served it at Marble House.
Her special tea setting was q
red and gold lacquered tea
house on the Cliff Walk
where "footmen in full livery.
squatting in miniature cars
holding silver tea trays over
their heads" were carried from
house pantry to cliffside by a
miniature railroad constructed
for that purpose.
The Newport hostess who so
years ago used to bar from
her dinner table people who
had less than IS million, could
find plenty of guests to enter
tain today. They have it but 1t
doesn't go as far as it used to.
It's also taxed to the point
where they can no longer
maintain a Newport palace in
the turmoil -the-century style.
That's why the Goelet place
on Ochre Point is now a Cath
olic convent: why Mrs. James
Dukes estate, where Doris
made her debut is now a hos
pital; why Crossways is closed,
and the Bradley place and
dozens Of others. That's why
Frazier Jelke converted the