Jan. 2, 1941: Stroke of Midnight Is Greeted By Brief But Noisy Spree Downtown

Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on January 2, 1941.

Stroke of Midnight Is Greeted By Brief But Noisy Spree Downtown

(BY HERB STEINBACH)

At a misty midnight hour Tuesday night Valparaiso’s downtown sector broke forth in its salute to the new foundling, 1941, it smashed an earlier silence. For the most part it was a noisy but orderly demonstration.

Ten minutes before 1941 made its midwestern bow there was scarcely any activity on the local courthouse square. There were few cars moving down the wet thoroughfare. A solitary figure could be seen walking down the avenue, and here and there several couples laughed boisterously, but little else was happening outside. The police squad car piloted by Capt. Jerome Frankes, who was accompanied by Patrolman Jim Doran, circled the square, but there was no need for the “strong arm of the law” to round into action.

Then factory whistles rent the midnight air, and church bells tolled in the distance. Somewhere down on East Lincolnway a youngster exploded a  fire-cracker, and a throng of people poured out from the theatre where they had attended the New Year’s Eve attraction.

Cars began streaming out on Lincolnway, seemingly from nowhere tavern revelers joined the moviegoers, and shouts of “Happy New Year” added with the blasts of auto-horns, gave vivid assurance that another new year had begun Noise-makers and horns provided additional squawks of merriment and flash crackers shot into the sky.

For 15 minutes Valparaiso continued its demonstration, but then the crowd thinned out and disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared. Several cliques of younger men remained standing around the street corners, and a near-fight broke out between a former Valparaiso high school athlete, who said his girl had deserted him, and another youth sporting a Wheeler athletic award. Friends effected an appeasement before blows were struck, and an apology was extended and accepted by the rural youth.

Earlier in the evening joy-bent Valparaiso folkーboth young and oldーinfiltrated into the city;s various taverns. Several gas station attendants reported a brisk aftersupper business, as many members of the younger set bundled themselves in cars for points outside the county. There were still others who joined in private home parties. But wherever people gathered there was one main objectiveーto forget the cars of 1940 for one brief night of reveling.

Bartenders were busy until one a.m. providing customers with beer and liquor. Crowds jammed most of the local “night spots” and hours before the stroke of midnight horns and noisemakers were distributed and paper and novelty hatsーhats that put the modern woman’s headpiece to shameーadorned the locks of Mr. and Mrs. Valparaiso. Nickelodeons and small orchestras struck up popular airs for dancers, but only occasional strains could be caught above the jabbering and joking of the merry-makers. “Auld Lang Syne” enjoyed its usual midnight prominence.

Dec. 11, 1940: Help Offered To Family Left Destitute By Fire

Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on December 11, 1940.

Help Offered To Family Left Destitute By Fire

Several movements were afoot today in an effort to extend aid to the Dunklebarger family of Wheeler after fire Tuesday had left a widow and four children homeless.

Mrs. Ethel Dille of the county welfare department announced that an immediate investigation of the situation would be conducted by that office to determine the amount of aid needed. She said the Wheeler unit of the Red Cross would no doubt offer some assistance since the loss of a home by any family in dire circumstances could be considered “an emergency.”

At the same time an appeal was issued by Mrs. E.F. VanNess from the relief room of the Valparaiso Woman’s Club for clothing which might be given to the mother and youngsters. The mother, Mrs. VanNess said, wears a size 44 dress. In addition there is one girl of high school age, one girl in the eight grade, and twin boys who are sophomores in high school.

Persons having clothing that could be used are urged to send it to the Woman’s Club building by Saturday noon. Those having bedding and furniture which might be contributed are asked not to send these articles to the club building, but instead to call 932R, telling what items are offered.

In the third instance of proffered aid, a local man called at The Vidette-Messenger office this morning early, volunteering $10 to a fund for the family if the newspaper would act as an intermediary and accept other cash donations. For those who wish to contribute, The Vidette-Messenger will assume the responsibility of seeing that the money is placed in the hands of the mother.

Meanwhile, it was assured today that other needy families of Valparaiso and vicinity will be remembered on Christmas with baskets of food and other articles.

This was revealed today with the meeting Monday night of representatives of some 23 local organizations at the office of the county welfare department in the court house. Other groups not represented signified their intention to cooperate in making this Christmas one of joy for those in distress.

Mrs. Ethel Dile, county welfare director, was elected permanent chairman of the Christmas Basket Clearing committee, and Miss Betty Lou Nichols, also of the welfare department, was named secretary.

Among those present at the meeting was Major Harry Strissel, Gary corps commander of the Salvation Army. He announced that his organization will assist the local groups this year. Last year the Salvation Army provided 35 baskets in Valparaiso. At a single kettle in Valparaiso last Saturday, more than $17 was obtained. The kettle will be put out again next Saturday and maintained from that date until Christmas eve, Major Strissel said.

This is the fourth year Christmas baskets have been distributed under the supervision of the Christmas Basket Clearing committee. The Porter county welfare office serves as a clearing committee to prevent duplication of gifts. The organization giving away baskets are in sole charge of the distribution.

In the main the baskets contain food articles, but some organizations will give toys and clothing in addition.

Dec. 9, 1940: Schools Put On Carnival To Boost Athletic Fund

Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on December 9, 1940.

Schools Put On Carnival To Boost Athletic Fund

BY HERB STEINBACH

(Photographs by Paul Pattee)

The old fashioned “carnival spirit” pervaded Jackson township one night last week as the populace of that north Porter county area milled around the small gymnasium trying their skill at various improvised boothsーand incidentally helping the high school athletic fund out of narrow financial straits.

Because of a small seating capacity and comparatively small number of families dwelling in Jackson township, athletics at that high school have a hard uphill struggle to meet expenses. Three years ago school officials devised a community carnival to help the cage and diamond sports pay their freight, and it has since become an annual institution.

Last Thursday afternoon the pupils left their textbooks early to erect their stands and decorations for the night’s big “shindig.” Each class was responsible for its own concession, which it had previously devised and hastily constructed several hours before the carnival opening. Enterprising merchants from throughout the count donated suitable prizes for the various games of skills, and other knick-knacks were purchased in gross lots. For their part in aiding Jackson township the contributing merchants had their names boldly listed on the south wall on a large “honor roll.”

Armed with paper hats of all descriptions, balloons, horns and various noisemakers the students sold their wares to their parents and friends as they joined in the evening of merrymaking. The blaring of horns, and screechings of noisemakers, and occasional bursting of balloons helped put the crowd in jolly mood as they made the rounds.

In 1938, when the idea of an indoor carnival first took hold in the Jackson school, the athletic fund realized a boost of $75 from the night’s entertainment. Last year the “take” was upped to a top of $98. In those two years a night shortly before Thanksgiving was chosen, but because of conflicting events in the community this year the carnival was not held until the first week of December on a night when the thermometer hovered around the five-degree mark. As a result attendance dropped and the receipts fell to the level of the first endeavor.

Despite the raw lake breezes which were stirred up outside the goodly crowd on hand did manage to warm up, once inside. Piping hot coffee and red hots were sold to aid the cold and hungry patrons. The usual line of pop and ice cream bars were also served.

One of the busiest individuals present that night was The Vidette-Messenger photographer, who pressed his way around the crowd, as he sought suitable subjects to help the readers get a pictorial view of what transpired at the carnival in Jackson township. The results are shown above.

To the left in the above series of pictures is a general shot of the gymnasium as caught by the camera’s eye from atop the stage. Along with a portion of the crowd present some of the concessions can be noted here.

The photograph to the right of the general shot shows a fair young coed trying her skill at putting. She is bending over a golf club and ball, preparatory to “sinking a putt” in the “cup” located by the wall at the end of the uphill runway. Curious onlookers are making the studious Miss Muriel Youngkin, a junior in the high school who resides on Valparaiso route one, extremely nervous. P. S. ー She missed the putt!

The young man with the air gun at the extreme right, trying his luck at the shooting gallery, is Don Metzner, an eighth grade pupil. The fellow attacking a boiled “puppy” with vigor and delight is the school’s head man, Principal Clarence Olinger. (The photographer says Mr. Olinger’s apparent delight is due to said photog’s spending a nickel for the hot dog as his contribution to the athletic fundーMr. Editor please note).

The eagle-eyed fivesome appearing in the left bottom picture are awaiting the outcome of Lady Luck’s spin. As the cameraman perched his lens at the rear of the wheel the group intently looks on to see whether their number has “come up.” The man with the smileーwhose name was not obtainedーholds Card No. 23ーthe winner!

Among the other concessions not photographed here were a fish pond, ten-pin game, dart ball contest, dodge-’em baseball in which the customer tried to smack a baseball mask hiding a youth’s face, a “guess your weight” contest and several other entertaining features. There was also a free show, in which the crowd was presented with a half-hour musical program provided by the newly organized school quintet.

Dec. 7, 1940: Born Before ‘84? It Will Be Hard Thing To Prove!

Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on December 7, 1940.

Born Before ‘84? It Will Be Hard Thing To Prove!

Porter county residents born before 1884 will find it impossible to get statistical records in Valparaiso and Porter county to establish their age in event it is needed for old age assistance grants or employment purposes.

An investigation made by a Vidette-Messenger reporter Friday revealed the fact that Porter county records on birth go back only fifty-six years, and in some of the years the records are incomplete, due to improper recording.

In the case of Valparaiso citizens the records are available from only 104 and part of the statistics covering the period from 1914 to 1926 are embraced in the Porter county records, the health officer during that time being in charge of both city and county recordings.

At the office of Dr. George R. Douglas, county health officer, it was ascertained that about 35 persons, mostly those seeking employment with factories and other firms, apply monthly for duplicate birth certificates. The number who applied at the office of Dr. J.C. Brown, Valparaiso city health officer, was reported to be considerably less.

Both offices now issue birth certificates to parents of new born children as soon as a birth is reported by the attending physician to the health official. In years gone by this practice was not followed.

The health officers are constantly besieged by persons seeking old age assistance for proof of their age. Sometimes the request is made to the county clerk. The Vidette-Messenger has also received letters from former residents living in all parts of the United States asking for information to include in affidavits so their ages may be established. The family Bible, if one is available, or affidavits from persons who have known the persons and can swear they are old enough to obtain old age assistance are often resorted to when birth records are not available.

At one time during the regime of Dr. M.B. Fyfe, the county birth records were turned over to the county clerk for safe-keeping, but when a new health setup was devised by a recent legislature the records were taken over by the county health official.

Nov. 25, 1940: Horse Case In Seventh Round Now

Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on November 25, 1940.

Horse Case In Seventh Round Now

Another chapter in Porter county’s celebrated “horse case” is being written in Porter superior court today when the case of Cora Peterson, administratrix of the estate of the late Ben Anderson of Chesterton, versus Ben and Vernon Kuehl, of Washington township, was called for trial before Special Judge Homer Sackett, of Gary, and a jury in Porter superior court.

Today’s hearing marked the seventh trial of the case which had its inception in March, 1933, when the Kuehls purchased a mare from Ben Anderson at an auction sale held in Chesterton.

The mare proved to be defective, according to the Kuehls, and they refused to pay a promissory note of $100 given in the purchase. Anderson started to recover. A short time later the mare dies and Anderson brings an action to obtain a colt she left behind.

Then Anderson was killed in an automobile accident and the estate decided to carry on the litigation. Although the original animal was valued at $150, the litigants have incurred between $600 and $700 in costs to date.

Six previous trials of the case have resulted in one disagreement and five verdicts in favor of the Kuehls. However, errors and irregularities in the proceedings have kept the case “up in the air.”

Oscar Strom of Gary is representing Mrs. Cora Peterson, the administratrix, and James J. McGarvey is attorney for the Kuehls.

Nov. 20, 1940: Turkey Dinner To Cost About Same As In 1939

Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on November 20, 1940.

Turkey Dinner To Cost About Same As In 1939

BY UNITED PRESS

John Q. Public, the average American citizen who is the head of a family of four, will pay about $4.32 for his Thanksgiving dinner if he lives in one of the 32 states where the holiday will be celebrated tomorrow, a United Press survey showed.

The average price for the meal in 1939 was $4.46.

As in 1939, there are again two schools of thought on the celebration of the annual feast day. Governors of 16 states clung to the traditional last Thursday of the month, the others abided by the proclamation of President Roosevelt which for the second successive year moved the holiday up one week.

If Mr. Public lives in one of the states where tomorrow will be Thanksgiving, he can travel next week to Maine, New Hampshire Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, North Carolina, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Iowa, Kansas, Arkansas, Nevada or Idaho and have another feast. Those are the states which retained the traditional date. Kentucky will celebrate both days.

The average market basket which Mrs. John Q. Public carried after she had gone shopping for the family’s dinner contained an eight-pound turkey costing $2.26; one bunch of celery worth nine cents; a large jar of olives which cost 30 cents; four pounds of sweet potatoes, 18 cents; one-fourth peck white potatoes, eight cents; one pound of mince meat for a pie, 21 cents; four pounds of squash, 14 cents; two pounds of cranberry for sauce, 58 cents; two pounds of pumpkin for another pie, 22 cents and five pounds of apples for stuffing and baking, 27 cents.

Turkey prices generally were lower this year despite heavy losses in flocks during the severe cold weather recently. At New York, where the traditional bird cost 37 to 39 cents last year, the price was down to 29 to 31 cents per pound in 1940. In San Francisco the prices were 16 to 27 cents this year compared with 27 to 31 in 1939. But in Minneapolis, Minn., where turkey farmers suffered some of the most extensive losses, the price was up three cents per pound over the 1939 price of 30 cents.

At Omaha, Neb., provisioners reported the price of an average turkey was 28¼ cents compared with an average of 30 cents last year, all other staples for the meal were at approximately the same levels as last year except cranberries which were ip one to five cents depending upon the proximity to markets and pumpkin which was down slightly in most localities, seldom more than one cent.

The survey determined the cost of the meal only on the basis of the ordinary menu composed of the foods contained in the basket Mrs. Public brought home from the market. The “fixin’s” which may be added to this basic meal would increase the cost in proportion to the amounts considered necessary to make the meal complete.

However, some provisioners recommended that six cents be added to the total cost of even the basic mealーthe average price of a box of bicarbonate of soda.

Nov. 13, 1940: SUCCESSIVE STEPS THROUGH WHICH A SELECTEE PASSES WHILE BEING TRANSFORMED FROM A CIVILIAN INTO A TRAINED SOLDIER IN THE ARMY OF THE U.S.

Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on November 13, 1940.

SUCCESSIVE STEPS THROUGH WHICH A SELECTEE PASSES WHILE BEING TRANSFORMED FROM A CIVILIAN INTO A TRAINED SOLDIER IN THE ARMY OF THE U.S.

Homes of Selective Service Men from which they leave to go to Register

Steps taken by a civilian subject to selective service from the time he leaves home to register, October 16, until he becomes a soldier are pictured in this accompanying chart prepared at Fifth Corps Area headquarters, Fort Hayes, Columbus, O.

All selective service trainees coming from Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia and Indiana will follow these steps. They include:

1. Men report to their nearest registration board, October 16, complete registration and again return home.

2. Some time later一after first prospective trainees are selected by civilian boards一those called report to their local boards. They are placed in charge of a group leader and are taken to an induction center.

3. Upon arrival at the induction station一similar to a recruiting station一prospective trainees meet army personnel for the first time. Heretofore civilian personnel have been in charge exclusively but now the shift to army supervision begins.

4. The selectees are checked in at the induction station, given a standard army physical and mental examination. Some prospects are rejected because of physical or mental disqualification and are returned to civilian life. Qualified selectees are sworn into the military service for the first time, again are placed in charge of group leaders and sent to a permanent reception center.

5. At the permanent reception center, and hereafter until they complete training, the recruits are under control of army personnel. The selectees are checked in, housed, classified according to abilities, vaccinated and immunized against smallpox and typhoid, offered opportunity to take out government insurance and make allotments to dependents, clothed and equipped, and finally assigned to a unit of the army of the United States. Then they are sent out to join their units.

6. Men who arrive at an induction center too late to accompany their group to the permanent reception center may be sent to a temporary reception center instead. Here they undergo the same processing as that followed at the permanent reception centers.

7. Upon reaching their regular tactical divisions or training units the recruits begin their year’s training as a soldier.

8. After original tactical divisions or training units are filled with their initial quotas, remaining recruits will be sent to replacement training centers. These men will join newly formed tactical units or will join the original divisions. Others will be sent back to reception and induction centers to fill posts vacated there by the original army personnel.

9. Completing their year’s service and needed no longer for an emergency, the selective service soldiers will be given full physical examination and returned to their homes. For 10 years thereafter they will remain members of the army of the U.S. Reserve. If they desire to remain in the active army longer they may enlist as one-year or three-year volunteers.

Oct. 18, 1940: Doubt Draft Needed Before 1941一 EXPECT FIRST QUOTA FILLED VOLUNTARILY

Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on October 18, 1940.

Doubt Draft Needed Before 1941一 EXPECT FIRST QUOTA FILLED VOLUNTARILY - Only 30,000 Wanted by Army On Nov. 18; Over 17,000,000 Register Throughout Nation. - STIMSON CHARGES WILLKIE “MISLED”

BY JOHN A. REICHMANN

(United Press Staff Correspondent)

WASHINGTON, Oct. 18.一The first contingent of 30,000 conscripts一an average of less than five per local board一wanted by the army on November 18 probably will be obtained from volunteers, draft officials believed today.

They were also sure of meeting the army’s demand for 800,000 men by conscription well in advance of the war department’s schedule. Present plans call for that many one-year conscripts to be inducted into the army by June 15, 1941.

Registration returns from states swelled the probable number of registrants for the draft well over 17,000,000一nearly 1,000,000 more than pre-registration estimates.

Dr. Clarence A. Dykstra, director of the draft, inaugurated his regime a few hours after being sworn into office by announcing a policy of leniency for persons who failed to register Wednesday. He directed all state headquarters to register such persons, if they present themselves before the national lottery, and not to consider them delinquents. The law provides a penalty of five years in jail and a $10,000 fine for willful failure to register. The lottery date has not been set but probably will be between October 26 and November 2.

A new schedule for induction of conscripts into the army was announced by Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson, a life-long republican, after he had criticized Republican Presidential Candidate Wendell L. Willkie who, he said, had been “misled into making statements about delays in the progress of housing the men.”

He said that far from being a “ghost program,” as Willkie charged, the housing program was ahead of schedule. When questioned about the plan to call only 150,000 men by the first of the year instead of 400,000 as previously planned, Stimson replied,” insisting that it was not due to lack of housing.

In a prepared statement designed to answer criticism of the housing program, Stimson said that the slowness “came from the simple fact that the people of the United States were not ready through their congress (last summer) to take the steps necessary to give this authority or to provide this money.” This long debate in congress over conscription, he said, was evidence of the truth of this statement.

Some observers, however, regarded the new induction schedule as indication of the army’s inability to provide adequate winter quarters, since more than half of those to be called will be inducted after the severe weather months.

Induction dates have been revised twice since the conscription law was introduced in congress. Last summer it was planned to call 800,000 men by the end of this year. By early to call 400,000 men by the end of February and another 400,000 in April. Now the date for the last of the 800,000 has been set back to June 15.

The schedule announced by Stimson is as follows: Nov. 18一30,000 men; Dec. 2一60,000 men; Jan. 3一60,000 men; Jan. 15一90,000 men; Feb. 10一160,000 men; March 5一200,000 men; June 15一200,000 men.

In addition 130,000 national guardsmen will be mobilized between January 3 and February 3, 1941.

Asked if any further plans had been made, Stimson replied:

“Only God and Hitler know what will happen to the United States by then.”

Conservative estimates of draft officials indicate that no compulsory inductions will be needed until January. They expect about 200,000 volunteers, and some expect as many as 500,000. The law allows acceptance of volunteers as young as 18 years of age.