davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1956-12-30

4 ECTURER, world traveller, social worker,
IL fashion designer. mother and diplomats
lady-Meherangiz Munsiff, wife of the
Second Secretary of the Indian Embassy,
is all these
Nine. Munsif, who lives in Bethesda has
travelled through India. the Middle East.
Africa. Europe, the British Isles and the
United States. studying various cultures
and speaking on the Bahaf faith, a world
wide religious movement which teaches
that all religions and all peoples are essen
TALLY the same. She has lectured in Eng
land with her infant daughter in her lap.
and lived alone in an African village
At IA, she spent school holidays touring
India, speaking on the Bahai faith and
the equality of women Il put on high
heels and Sari," she says, land no one
thought was too young But how shocked
they were at the things l said-I was
notoriouS!"
Because her father diSapproved of her
public appearances, she spoke under
assumed names And since her father
refused to pay for her tours, she financed
them by designing sari fabrics selling
insurance and real estate. and acting in
radio dramas
When classes curtailed her travels, she
set out to improve the lot of the poor in
her native Bombay. Il, who wouldn't lift
a finger in my fathers house, went into the
Evening star., 1956-12-30
By ADELE CHIDAKEL

slums and scrubbed floors and ,bathed
babies The people learned from me, and
when the city council saw that the lower
castes were trying to clean up their homes,
they put in better roads and more
plumbing"
Nine. MunSiff met her husband Eruch at
a lecture she gave when she was Is. Five
years later they we're married, and after
India won its independence from Great
Britain, Mr. Munsiff was one of the first
Indian diplomats to be stationed at the
new High Commission in London.
From her London home Nine. MunSih
made trips all over the British Isles to speak
on Bahaism India and the status of
women. Her daughter Jyoti, months old
when the family moved to England, often
accompanied her. She went occasionally
to Europe to fulfill other speaking en-
gagementS.
two-year tour of Africa-in 1883 Nine
months of this time she spent in NADIA
gascar, living among the MalgaSh natives
to study their beliefs and tell them of the
Bahai faith. This stint left her so ex-
hausted that she was flown back to England
on a Stretcher and spent four months
convalescing.
Shortly after Nine. Munsiff'S recovery,
her husband was transferred to the En-
bassy here. Her reputation followed her.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-12-20
Mrs. W. Steiner
Heads Polio Drive
In Six Townships

Mrs. Wilford Steiner, Route 2, Bluff
ton, has been named March of Dimes
chairman for six townships in Allen
county in charge of recruitment of
workers in the annual campaign
which will be conducted throughout
the month of January.
The Bluffton woman's territory
will include Richland, Sugar Creek,
Monroe, Bath, Auglaize and Jackson
townships. Because of the widespread
area which must be covered in rur-
al solicitations, Mrs. Steiner said her
workers will be given the entire
month in which to complete their
task.
She is presently seeking township
campaign chairmen and assisting in
mobilizing an army of volunteer So
licitorS.
In Bluffton, the Lions club will be
in charge of the campaign with Ger
aid Swank as chairman, and Beaver
dams town chairman is Mrs. Walter
Beck.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-12-20
College Expansion,
Improvement Fund
Hits 100000 Mark

Bluffton colleges 10-week-old Ex-
pansion and Improvement Fund
campaign for $3.50, 1000 has reached
the first 100000 mark, it was re-
ported this week by the Rev. Harry
Yoder, general chairman of the drive.
The drive which began the first of
October has yielded $27,722.91 in
cash and $73,295.59 in pledges.
Rev. Mr.. Yoder credits the success
of the drive thus far to three primary
factors. One, the monthly and quart
erly payment plan has proved to be
very popular with many people.
Secondly, the fund total was boosted
substantially by the $4,000 gift
from T. R. Schoonover, president of
The City Loan, Lima. Thirdly, the
response from alumni and former
students has been exceptionally good
for the opening period.
The drive chairman is making
plans now to contact the churches
of the constituency. At present he
is contracting business firms and in
dividuals in and around Lima.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-12-20

Outdoor Christmas lighting of
homes in Bluffton and vicinity must
be in place by p. m. Friday, De
cember 21, if they are to be included
in the contest for the most attractive
ly lighted homes sponsored by the
Junior Chamber of Commerce. Store
windows are to be judged either on
Friday or Saturday night and outdoor
church decorations next Wednesday
evening after Christmas in contests
sponsored by the Bluffton Business
Mems association.
Cash prizes totaling $40 will be CIV
en- by the Jaycees in the residential
lighting contest, and another SIS in
prizes will be awarded by the BuSi-
ness Mems association in their phase
of the town decorating events.
In the residential contest top prize
will be a SIS savings bond for the
best home decorations with $40 in
cash as second prize and S. as third
prize. The judges will be the Rev.
G.. T. Soldner, Wilhelm Amstutz and
Mrs. Ralph Diller. They will make
their tour of the village Friday eve
ming after Z p. m.
Any residence is eligible for entry
in the contest except winners of the
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-12-20

CHRISTMAS Eve program Monday
night, and another has services
Christmas morning.
Sunday Evening Programs
The program Sunday evening al
1880 in the First Methodist church will
present nearly all of the church
school children from nursery through
high school age in an original attempt
to illustrate the central act of wor-
ship in Christian sharing. Theme of
the program is, He Worketh Through
Us, Too. Nearly rs youngsters will
sing in the Cherub, Junior and Youth
Choirs. An offering will be taken for
Ohio Conference projects.
The Junior choir, Ladies' chorus,
Male chorus and Mixed choir of the
Ebenezer Mennonite church will pre-
sent musical program Sunday eve
ming at 7:45. The combined choirs
will conclude the evening by singing
selections from 1.-THE Messiah" under
direction of Mrs. Milo Lora and with
Miss Mabel Amstutz, pianist, and
Mrs Vinton Bucher, organist.
The Characters of Christmas Meet
Christ" is the title of a program to
be presented by the Sunday school
and youth group of the Evangelical
Mennonite church Sunday evening at
Z 80. The service is under the direc-
ton of Paul Steiner, Mrs. Adella
Oyer and Mrs. Ruth Steiner.
A Christmas program of Carols,
recitations and readings by young
sters of the Evangelical Lutheran
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-12-20
Record Mountain
of Mail Moved
By Post Office

Bluffton postal clerks and carriers
moved the largest mountain of mail
in the history of the local office Mon
day and Tuesday according to Acting
Postmaster Ralph Stearns.
Cancellations of 16, go pieces of
outgoing mail Monday was nearly
equalled by another 15,705 pieces
Tuesday for a two-day total of 81 ,935.
This compares with 26,694 for the
same two days last year and 25, 1924 in
1854.
And while the local clerks were
dispatching record breaking amounts
of mail the carriers were equally
busy toting record amount of in
coming mail to local homes. Monday
there were 157 bags of mail for dis
tribution here and on Tuesday, SO
bags.
Long lines of customers formed in
front of the lobby windows at times,
and Monday there was a total of
10000 two-cent stamps and 4,500
three-centers sold at the Bluffton
office.
Added to the high number of cam
Continued on page 12)
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-12-20
Christmas Morning
Residential Holiday Decorations
Will Be Judged Friday Evening

contest last year. This is a new rul-
ing in this years outdoor lighting
event.
Basis of Judging
Winners are selected on the basis
of originality, ingenuity and lighting
techniques. Displays best exemplify-
ing the spirit of the season viii re-
ceive consideration by the judges re-
gardless of the size or elaborateness.
Local winners will be eligible to
compete in national outdoor light
ing contest to be judged from photo
graphs submitted by the local spon-
sors.
Merchants Contest
In the merchants window decorat-
ing contest, a $40 cash award will
be offered to the first prize winner.
Ken Cove, editor and publisher of
The Vidette, Columbus Grove news
paper, will be chairman of three
man committee to do the judging.
A SIS cash award will be offered
by the Business Men for the best out
door church decorations, and this will
not be judged until the night after
Christmas to give the churches as
much time as possible to get their
decorations up.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-12-20

Russell Stratton, Bluffton high
school graduate of 1922, is among the
62 persons aboard the giant Trans
Canada airliner reported missing a.
mong the mountains of British Cor
umbia.
The big ship disappeared during a
violent storm shortly after it left the
Vancouver, B. c., airport on Decem-
ber 9. 1t apparently came down in
the same general area in which a
Canadian Pacific Airplanes plane
vanished without a trace several
years ago.
Stratton, travelling troubleshooter
for the Mergenthaler Linotype Co.,
which supplies typesetting equipment
for newspapers. was on a business
mission.
Although Stratton was graduate
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-12-20
142 Have Chest
.X-ray Check-Ups

A total of 142 persons had chest
check-ups last Wednesday and Thurs
day when the mobile chest X-ray unit
of the Allen County TB and Health
association was stationed on Mair
street. Confidential reports on the
check-up will be mailed those having
x-rays made within the next few
weeks.
The X-ray clinics are sponsored by
the annual sale. of Christmas Seals
and the current drive has yielded 8
total of S15, ,591 81 thus far, according
to Ray Henson, executive secretary
of the association. Approximately
$4,000 is still needed to equal last
years Seal sale,
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-12-20

ised to get his fingers back in the
ink occasionally when the News gets
in "a jam.
Fritz" as he has been known by
his colleagues in the shop to keep
from confusing him with the late
Fred Gettles, former shop superinten-
dent is regarded as an artist in type
composition, the trade he began as
10-year-old youngster in knee pants.
He broke into the business as a
printers devil under Frank Ward on
the Columbus Grove Vidette at a
bout the turn of the century. Fritz
recalls the early days in printing
when his presses were operated with
gasoline engine and when the inly
forms were cleaned by dousing them
with lye water.
OF course, a 1O-year-old began the
printing business by building the
fires, sweeping the floors and gener-
al errand running.
But it was only four years later
that young Fritchie applied and was
accepted for a job of editing news
paper in Ottoville owned by jew
eler, name of Wannamaker. His ed
itorship was short-lived, however
when young F'ritchie, always accus-
toned to speaking his mind forth
rightly, had too much to say right
off the bat in his first issue to suit
the unjournalistic proprietor and his
readers.
Continued on page y
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-12-20

Fresh blood can be kept only q
days, said Mr.. Vercler, and since
only a small amount of blood is us
ually required locally it is not prac
teal to maintain large stocks o.
blood. Several pints of blood will be
kept for emergency use, but the ma
jor share of the blood needed viii
come through the walking blood
bank.
Blood from Ft. Wayne Noao
At the present time blood is OBJ
tanned from Lima Memorial Hospital
and Blanchard Valley Hospital ir
Findlay. These hospitals receive their
supplies from the Red Cross distri-
button center in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.
The walking blood bank plan will
make fresh blood available almost
Immediately at any time it may be
needed.
Local doctors and Miss Sylvia Bic
derman, hospital superintendent will
be working with Mr.. Vercler on de-
tails of the plan. Although arrange
ments have not been completed it is
hoped to put it into operation during
the early months of next year.
Sirty Laboratory Tests
A testing service for area doctors
win be another of the new features
through the laboratory recently in
stalled in the basement of the hos
pital. Where the hospital could form
erly handle only the basic tests such
as blood counts, blood sugar tests and
urinalysis, they win shortly be equip
ped to handle more than sixty diff
ferent examinations.
Electro-cardiograms, basal metab-
olism tests, spinal fluid examinations,
tests for typhoids, malaria and cul-
lures for antibiotic sensitivity are a
mong the many services offered at
the new laboratory.
Test ''Womder Drugs"
Perhaps the most interesting of
these is the anti-biotic sensitivity cul-
ture which shows which of the won
der drugs" will have the greatest eff
feet on any infection. In this test
fluid is removed from a cut or alb
scess and treated with small amounts
of the various drugs. After watching
the reaction, the technologist is able
to report which of the drugs has
been most successful in each case.
These services will be offered to
patients of all area doctors and will
Continued on page 12)
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-12-20
Venezuelan Govt
Buys BIuftOn Bull

Bluffton Brown Swiss breeder
Maurice Criblez recently sold an
other prize bull, Criblez Bashful,
to Venezuelan Ministry of Agricul-
ture.
The Criblez bull will be used i'm
national program of artificial
breeding. The Venezuelan govern
men is conducting a program of
crossing the American bulls with
their native cattle as part of the
rapidly expanding cattle business
i'm that South American country.
Twelve bulls, from various parts
of the country were included in
this shipment according to Mr..
Criblez.
Earlier this year a CribIez bull
was priced SO highly by its
Venezuelan buyer that the bull
was flown to South America so it
could be put into immediate
service.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-12-20
Stanley Vertner
Named Director
Of Citizens Bank
Beaverdam Pipeline Contract
or Fills Vacancy Left BY
Fred Gettles' Death

Appointment of Stanley M. Vertner,
Reaverdam pipeline contractor, to the
board of directors of the Citizens
National bank was announced this
week by Elmer c. Romey, president.
Mr.. Vertner was appointed by the
directors at a recent meeting to fill
the vacancy left by the death of Fred
Gettles, retired mechanical SUPER
intendent of The Bluffton News.
Mr.. Vertner does most of the pipe
line work and other construction
work for West Ohio Gas company and
has been one of their principle con-
tractors for the last 20 years. Prior
to that, he operated a gasoline filing
station at the intersection of the old
Dixie highway and the Lincoln in
Beaverdam for about Il years.
A graduate of Bluffton high school
in 1872, he studied engineering at
Ohio Northern university.
ne ndS Deen dcuVe In BeaVerdam
community affairs serving as a men,
Der of the village council and as
mayor. He was also member of the
board of education and clerk of the
board for ID years, and served as
Richland township trustee.
At present he teaches a Sunday
school class of young adults at the
Church of Christ and is an active
member of the Grotto, Masonic
at Lima.
His predecessor on the bank board,
the late Mr., Gettles, served for a
period of seven years before his
death.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-12-20
Nominations Open
For @OutStanding
Young Farmer

Nominations are still open in the
Junior Chamber of Commerce Out
standing Young Farmer project, and
forms for making your recommends
ton are now available.
The farmer" project is aimed at
honoring the young agriculturallsts
of the community who have made out
standing progress in farming, and
contributions to soil conservation
practices and the betterment of their
communities.
All farmers; 21-35, are eligible to
be entered, according to James
Daley, Jaycee chairman for the pro-
ject.
The local project is part OF a
nationwide program to select and
honor the nations four outstanding
young farmers of 1856. Nationally,
the program is co-sponsored by the
u. S. Junior Chamber of Commerce
and the American Petroleum Institute
committee on agriculture.
The local winner will receive many
awards and will be Buttons entry
in the state elimination. State win
ners will receive an all-expense trip
to the national awards program in
Durham, North Carolina April 15 and
16.
Nomination forms are available
now at the Smith Barber Shop or at
Koontz Sinclair station. They are to
be filed out and returned to either OF
these places.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-12-20
Former BLuftOnite Aboard
MISSING Canadian Airliner

of Bluffton high school he left here
shortly after his graduation. He set
tied in st. Petersburg, Florida, where
he was production manager of the
st. Petersburg Times and manager
of the st. Petersburg radio station,
WTSP, for number of years before
joining the linotype firm.
He will be remembered locally as
the son of Steven Stratton, who was
the Nickel Plate Railroad agent here
for many years. Steven Sratton built
the home which is now occupied by
Gilbert Fett and it was in the family
for a number of years.
Stratton served with the U. S. Navy
as an intelligence officer from 194l
through 1943 in the South Atlantic
Continued on page I'D
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-12-20
Births

The following births were recorded
at Bluffton Community hospital dur
ing the past week:
Mr.. and Mrs. Richard Nienberg,
Columbus Grove, a boy, Timothy
Richard, born last Wednesday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Dale Parlette. Bluff
ton, boy, Richard Dale, born Fri
day.
DR.. and Mrs. Wayne Lutz, Bluffton,
boy, Timothy Alan, born Saturday.
Mr.. and Mrs Dwight Baumgartner,
Pandora, a girl, Rebecca Jane, born
Sunday.
Mr.. and Mrs. ROLAND Reichenbach,
Pandora, girl, Sheree, born Sunday.
Mr.. and Mrs. John Schmutz Esther
Mathewson), Bluffton, boy, Ronald
Lee, born Monday.
MIR. and Mrs. Maurice Umphress,
Bluffton, girl, born Tuesday.
Mr.. and Mrs. George Ford, Hoyt-
vile, girl born Tuesday.
Mr.. and Mrs. James Gratz, Avon
Lake, Ohio, girl, Wendy Jane. born
December IL at Cleveland hospital.
Grandparents are Mr.. and Mrs. ].
L. Gratz and MIR. and Mrs. w. A.
Howe, both of Bluffton.
Mr.. and Mrs. Aldine Wiess, Jr., a
boy, Kim Adair, born December l at
Kenton hospital. Mr.. Wiess is the son
of Mr.. and Mrs. Aldine Wiess, Sr.,
Riley street.
Mr.. and Mrs. Darrell Yoder, Bay
side, New York, boy, born Decem-
Der Is. Mrs. Yoder is the former
Mary Locher, daughter of Mrs. Sam
Locher of Bluffton.
MIR. and Mrs. Dale Huber, Rt. fl,
Bluffton, a boy. Jack Berdell. born
December Is at Lima Memorial
hospital. MIR. Huber is son of Mr..
and Mrs. Russell Huber of Bluffton.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-12-20
Next TUO Issues Of
NelUs To Be Day Late

Because of the observance of
Christmas on Tuesday, and to
permit The News Staff to enjoy
the holiday, the next issue of The
Bluffton News win be one day
late. The paper win be delivered
in the mail ON Friday, December
%, instead Of the customary
Thursday delivery. The issue of
New Years week will likewise be
one day late, and the regular
schedule win be resumed from
that point.
Display advertising deadIine for
these issues will be Monday and
news will be accepted Wednesday
and until $50 a. m. Thursday
morning, whiehFis also the dead
line for clasaiffed advertising.
The forebearance of our readers
will be sincerely appreciated.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-12-20
Fred Fritchie,
Veteran News
Printer, To Retire
Learned Trade AS Printers
Devil At Age Of 10
In Columbus Grove

After more than half century in
the printing business, including the
last 81 with The Bluffton News Pub.
fishing & Printing Co., Fred Fritchie
is retiring from active work on the
News staff at the end of this week.
The veteran compositor will lay
down his printers Stick, following
completion of one of the largest issues
of The News in its history this week,
and pack his bags for visit with
his son in Florida. Upon his return
to Bluffton, Mr.. Fritchie has prom
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-12-20
Basinger Installed
AS Head OF District
Funeral Directors

Stanley Basinger, Bluffton funeral
director, was installed as president
of District Z, Ohio Funeral Directors
association, at the organizations an
nual Christmas party Thursday eve
ming of last week at the Fostorla
Country club. More than 100 attend
ed the party.
Basinger succeeds Duane Harold,
Fostoria, retiring president who was
toastmaster at the banquet. Other
new officers installed were Louis
Nemuth, Tiffin, vice president, and
Richard Huffman, Tiffin, secretary.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-12-20
| COry-RawsOn Farmers
To Study Soil Bank

The Cory-Rawson adult farmers
short course class will meet tonight
Thursday to discuss the soil bank pro-
gram according to vo-ag instructor
Franklin Deeds.
County agent Charles w. Wenner
will be in charge of the program.
Refreshments will be serve6.
Mr.. Deeds urged all the farmers In
the district to be present since plans
will be made for next weeks meet
ing, tour of machinery manufac-
turing plant in this area.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-12-20
Fireman Answer Alarm
At J. BenrOth Home

Bluffton fireman answered can
Tuesday evening about $50 at the
James Benroth home on West Elm
street when 10-year-old Jan Benroth,
who was at hime with his grandfather.
Roy Berry, sounded the alarm after
seeing smoke in the basement.
Arriving at the house, firemen made
an investigation and were of the
opinion that the smoke was probably
caused by lint in a clothes dryer
blowing onto a heating element and
catching fire. There was no damage.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-12-20
Walking Blood Bank Planned To Serve
Limited Needs OF Local Hospital Patients

being considered to give Buffton Community
Hospital its first fultme locally available blood supply
The walking blood bank plan which has been used
fully at many hospitals will be the basis of the local pan
according Vercer medical technogist at the
hospital In this plan individuals willing give blood will have
their types recorded in the hospital files they be
duhan ic ed
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-12-20

Sunday School will be presented al
that church Sunday evening at 7:3C
p. m. And the program of the Sunday
school children of the Missionary
church is also set for 7:30.
A Christmas cantata, The Angels
Message" will be presented at p. m.
by the Presbyterian Sunday school
children at that church, and tire
Rockport Presbyterian church pro-
gram is scheduled at 7:30.
Christmas Eve Program
A choral program by the senior
choir of ST. Johns Evangelical and
Reformed church is planned Sunday
evening at 7:30 Mrs. Paul Greding,
Miss Shirley Derringer and Thorne
Lauriat will be featured soloists.
Gene Wollenhaupt of Bluffton college
is the choir director and Miss
Margaret Groman, organist.
There will also be a special program
at St. Johns church Christmas Eve
beginning at 7:30. A special offering
will be taken for the Children's home
and white gifts will also be received
AT Emmanuels E. & r. church, the
Christmas program will be at s
o. clock Sunday evening.
Christmas Morning
Bluffton's only Christmas morning
service will be at the First Mennonite
church at $50 a. m. The Sunday
school will conduct its program Sum-
day evening at 7:30.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-12-20
Jenera Youth Takes
Army Physical

Earl Allen Rettig of Jenera was
among seven Hancock county men
who have been notified to report for
their physical examinations. snl