March 25, 1981: Four students win best of show in county art contest

Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on March 25, 1981.

Four students win best of show in county art contest

Porter County area students’ art work was judged Friday for the Seventh Annual Arts-A-Budding show sponsored by the Porter County Arts Commission. Judges were (from left) Doris Myers, art instructor at Kankakee Valley High School; Jo Fran Bennett, art instructor at Michigan City Area Schools; and Fred Frey, Valparaiso University Department of Art. Winners were announced during a reception held Sunday at the Chapel of the Resurrection where the art work is being displayed through noon April 4.

(V-M: Jan Aikens)

“Arts-A-Building” winners were announced during a reception Sunday at the Chapel of the Resurrection, Valparaiso university.

Best of show winners who received a $25 cash prize were Eric Brant, Jeff Wolf both of Valparaiso High School; Jim Burge of Chesterton High School; and Kent Amber of Portage Central Elementary School.

Certificate winners who received a $25 award were Karen Hollenbeck, Andy Diaz both of Ben Franklin; Brad Whitmore, Karen Raye both of Kouts; Sherri Hubbs of Boone Grove, Eric Brant, Tim Vandergriff both of Valparaiso; Patty Andrews of Hebron; Kim Janowski of Westchester; and Kent Amber of Central Elementary.

Certificate winners who received $10 awards were Chris Bennett, Ben Utley, Linda Wiencken all of Ben Franklin, and Cheryl Nelson and Keith Ludwig both of Valparaiso.

First place winners who received ribbons were Tom Hallenberg, Jay Lavanaway, Brad Whitmore, Jon Herma, Kathy Ambers and Karen Raye all of Kouts; Chris Archer, Steve Schwartz, George Mangos all of Union Center; Tim Harding, Matthew Potchict, and Kathy Schroeder all of Porter-Lakes; Jeremy Strickland and Aaron Stevens both of Liberty Elementary; Joe Kasl of Jackson Elementary; Chad Dzierba of Bailly Elementary; and James McKean and Sherri Hubbs both of Boone Grove.

Other first place winners were Wendy Child of St. Patrick’s; Doug Gray, Jody Wilson, Patty Anderson of Hebron; Ben Utley, Andy Diaz, Chris Bennett, Laura Sperry and Danielle Urschel all of Ben Franklin; Mike Niloff of Westchester; Eric Brant, Cheryl Nelson, Trent Albert, Suzie Philips and Jeff Wolff all of Valparaiso; Kent Ambers of Central Elementary; Craig Will, Jim Burge and Peyton Grizzard all of Chesterton; and Scott Scarbrough and Tim Vandergriff both of Portage.

Second place ribbons were awarded to Kris Marich, Roslyn Racowisz, Kathy Loomis all of Porter-Lakes; Brian Thomas and Chrissy Wingrath of Union Center; Kevin Gaff of St. Patrick’s Leslie Morrow and Scott White both of Hebron Elementary; Eric Barbus and Sandy Norberg both and Bailly Elementary; Michael Miller of Jackson Elementary; and Charles Popovich and Deb Esteb both of Morgan.

Other second place winners were Kent Ambler of Central Elementary; Chad Casbon of Boone Grove; Kim Janowski, Jon Marshall, Kristy Ochoa and Cindy Mattson all of Westchester; Shawn Nuest, Wendy Werner and Amy Landsdown all of Kouts; Jon Woodyard and Bobby Hickle both of Chesterton; Cary Bolinger of Hebron High; Trent Albert and Ben Fuller both of Valparaiso; Linda Wienken of Ben Franklin; and Scott Scarsbrough of Portage Adult Education.

The “Arts-A-Budding” show is sponsored annually by the Porter County Arts Commission and is open to all students in the county. The show will be on display at the Chapel of the Resurrection through April 4.

Jan. 27, 1941: V-M Photographs Boone Grove High School Band Practice

Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on January 27, 1941.

V-M Photographs Boone Grove High School Band Practice

By HERB STEINBACH

Photography and Engraving by Paul B. Batter Staff Photographer

Only six years old, but already holding a string of district, state and national awards, Boone Grove’s high school band has been busily engaged since September in preparing for new distinctions to post this coming spring.

In an effort to see what makes this musical infant “tick” The Vidette-Messenger recently dispatched a photographer and reporter into the Boone Grove band workshop to secure a photo-word pictorialization.

The press representatives found there an efficient, cooperative group of student musicians, and learned they are backed by a hardworking Band Mothers’ organization which foots most of the bills. The records achieved ー including two invitations to appear in national band contests ー are sufficient evidence that in their director, Harold Luhman, the Boone Grove band has a capable, hard-working chieftain.

Photographer Paul Pattee presents on this page several cross-section views which put together make up the chief workings of this organization. He depicts a portion of the group as they gather at the practice period’s beginning, shows cornet, trombone and drum sections in action. Then he branches out to such “side” featuresーwhich nevertheless are an integral part of the wholeーas the officers of the Band Mothers organization, the student band officials and the baton twirlers in rehearsal.

Organized in 1934

DIRECTOR HAROLD LUHMAN

A band was first organized at Boone Grove in September, 1934, under the direction of Harold Rogers, Valparaiso high school band director at the present time.

Luhman took charge at Boone Grove in 1936 and has been there ever since. He is also in charge of the Washington township school band.

The Boone Grove director formerly resided in Belvedire, Ill., and after receiving his academic training at the University of Kentucky, Luhman graduated in 1936 from the Vandercook School of Music in Chicago. From 1930-35 he directed the Boone (Ill.) County Farm Bureau band.

In the spring of 1935ーunder the leadership of Rogersーa Boone Grove band first appeared in competition with other bands. Classed as a “D” band (for first year groups only) the Grove musicians won first division honors in the state meet at Evansville.

Since that time there have been but three national band contests, and Boone Grove has competed in two of these. In addition solo and ensemble groups have participated each year since 1937 in district, state and national contests. The band contests are held nationally every other year, but solo and ensemble competition is conducted annually.

Long List of Awards

A list of awards won by the Boone Grove bands in the past six years follow:

1935 (class D)ーDirected by Harold Rogers, won first division honors in state at Evansville.

1936 (class C)ーDirected by Harold Luhman, was awarded first in district, first in state and third division in national meeting at Cleveland.

1937ーWon first in district, first in state.

1938ーAwarded first division honors in district, first in state, second in national contest at Elkhart and also won third place in marching at Elkhart.

1938ーFirst in district, first in state.

1940ーFirst in district, first in state. Didn’t compete in national contest.

In the light of the small enrollment of 70 students in high school the achievements listed above are all the more remarkable. Most of the organizations with which Boone Grove competes have larger student membership, class “C” including high schools with enrollments up to 250 pupils.

Effort Is Costly

ABOVE ARE THE Band Mothers’ officers and School Principal Ray Alishouse working over some of the financial problems. Seated at the table in the school library are Mrs. A.E. Rampke, president, reading a report, and M. Alishouse. Standing from left to right are Mrs. Charles Marshal, treasurer; Mrs. Pearl Alyea, vice-president, and Mrs. Ray Williams, secretary.

Conducting band classes is always a costly proposition for any school to undertake, and competing in the district, state and national contest means an added burden on the purse strings. Like many another school the band is backed by their mothers’ organization, but unlike most other groups these Boone Grove mothers do not press the school patrons directly for their funds.

To secure money to meet expenses for instruments and to send the students for instruments and to sent the students to the various contests this wide-wake mothers’ group sponsors dinners, concerts and parties. The band plays at special functions, including political parades in season and thereby adds to the bulge of the coffers.

To send the band to Cleveland in 1936 the band mothers raised $450 by these means. Expenses to the Elkhart national contest in 1938 were of course considerably smaller.

Direct donations were requested but once in six years. That was to purchase 45 new uniforms for the band. The band mothers during the course of these years have accumulated an imposing list of instruments, which cost approximately $2,500, according to Director Luhman. This includes three base horns, one base drum, three snare drums, a set of cymbals, one timpani, two baritone horns, a base trombone, b flat trombone, bassoon, oboe, base clarinet, alto clarinet and three French horns.

Club Offiers

Current head of the band mothers’ group is Mrs. A.E. Rampke. She is assisted by Mrs. Pearl Alyea, vice president; Mrs. Ray Williams, secretary, and Mrs. Charles Marshal, treasurer. The group was organized in 1935. There are approximately 35 members.

The advisory board, which is headed by its trustee, Charles Quinn, in its budget allots the school music department $75 a year, which is used to purchase music for both the band and vocal groups.

At the present time the regular band numbers 40 students. There is also a junior band which has 20 student members. Band officers, are Jeanne Williams, president; Isabelle Dye, secretary, and Jim Bennett, treasurer.

Rehearsals are held on the stage of the gymnasium-auditorium. Instruments and the long collection of plaques are housed in a special band room, which also is used as an office by the director.

THESE THREE LITTLE maids from the Bone Grove high school band form the trombone section. They were caught in action by the Vidette-Messenger photographer during the course of one of the band’s regular triweekly practice sessions. The shot is strictly a “candid” oneーthe lassies not having been tipped off that they were to be the subject of the camera's lens. Photog Pattee lends a little touch of added diversion by shooting this one from an “angle.” The three little maids? They are from left to right, Martha Cooper, Ella Clauss and Jeanne Williams.

BEATING OUT THE rhythm for the band are these drummers threeーElizabeth Kreiger Isabelle Dye and Donald Breitzke (reading from left to right). When marching the band uses a school-owned base drum which has the school name printed upon it.

PLAYERS ARE INSTRUCTED to begin practice sessions orderly and immediately. As they gather the students assemble their instruments (as seen above) and a student director, Miss Jeanne Williams, checks the roll. Below are the school’s baton twirlersーand they begin to train them young. Drum Major Adaline Moench, senior, here demonstrates the art to the younger members, who from left to right are Bonnie Bennett, second grade; Marjorie Lee Casbon, third; Grace Marshal, fourth; Shirley Albertson, eighth; Miss Moench; Edward Pullins and Ruby Strumble, both seventh; Virginia Foster, sophomore, and right from Peggy Ann Graeber, third grade.

THE HIGH STEPPING miss, who wears the tall bearskin hat and shimmering uniform and struts at the head of the Boone Grove high school band when it parades down the street or on the field is Miss Adaline Moench. She is a senior. During the summer months this marching band participates in various activities and last fall was summoned frequently to go on parade at political rallies. Money secured from such performances helps pay for school instruments and for contest expenses.

ANOTHER VITAL PART of any band is the cornet section. At Boone Grove a sextet of boys manipulate the valves. They are pictured above and from left to right are Ronald Baird, Ralph Graeber, Lawrence Miller, Robert Kenworthy, Max and Carl Graever.

IN THE ABOVE photo at the right are the student officers of the band. President of this group is Jeanne Williams. She is shown here standing between her aides, holding a first division plaque presented the school in 1940 at the Whiting state contest. To the right of Miss Williams is Isabelle Dye, secretary and senior snare drummer. At her left is Jim Bennett, treasurer and junior baritone player. The trio are in the band room which houses the school instruments and the numerous plaques collected in the last six years, some of which appear here.

Oct. 1, 1955: This Is the Story of The Vidette-Messenger

Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on October 1, 1955.

This Is the Story of The Vidette-Messenger

There Are 8 Departments In Operation

By ROLLIE BERNHART

What do you know about your newspaper today?

As a kick-off to spotlight National Newspaper Week, Oct. 1-8, here are some pertinent facts about The Vidette - Messenger and the departmental organization which daily provides a steady information and advertising source for its more than 7,100 subscribers and their families.

It should be significant during National Newspaper Week to know the various departments of the organization, which unifies itself into a cooperative system to eventually produce your daily Vidette-Messenger.

The Vidette-Messenger is now in its 28th year of operation, more than a quarter century since the merger of The Daily Vidette and The Evening Messenger on July 5, 1927. The publisher is Mrs. L.M. Whipple, and Avery B. Weaver, is the general manager and treasurer.

More than 7,100 of the current total net paid circulation of 7,208, are in the Valparaiso retail trade area.

There are eight full scale departments, all of which directly and indirectly aid in the production of the newspaper. They are: executive, editorial, office, composing room, press and stereotyping departments, display advertising, classified advertising, and circulation department.

The Vidette-Messenger employs 28 full time and five part-time employees throughout the various departments.

In addition to the six-man editorial staff, managed by Herbert Steinbach, there are 11 county and area correspondents, who contribute news regularly to appropriately headed sections of the newspaper.

Members of the editorial staff, in addition to Steinbach, are: Karl Henrichs, city reporter; Miss Betsy MacFie, county reporter; Charles Zulich, sports; Mrs. Irene Bosstick, society; and Rollie Bernhart, reporter-photographer.

County Reporters

County correspondence is received in the editorial rooms from: Boone Grove, Union Center, Wanatah, Wauhob Lake, Wheeler, Chesterton, Boone Grove, Kouts, Hebron, Liberty township, Crocker, Lake Eliza and East Porter.

Two special photographers, Arthur E. Anderson, Chesterton; and Chet Dynewski, Boone Grove, contribute photos on special or spot assignments.

Ever-mindful of the importance of the school as a news source, the V-M has Miss Karen Angle, currently a VHS senior, as its school reporter. James McGill, a VHS junior, and a part-time V-M photography and engraving department employee, doubles in brass as school photographer.

The three employees in the advertising department headed by Robert L. Bibler, make all store contacts, layouts, run proofs and check all copy for the myriad of advertisements which appear in the daily run of The Vidette-Messenger. The assistants are Leo Kinman and Miss Lou Rohr.

No observance of National Newspaper Week would be complete without the recognition of one newspaper section which serves hundreds of readers all over the city and county, the classified section. This department is in the capable hands of Mrs. Wilbur Rothmann, aided by various members of the office force.

Business Department

In the business department, Mrs. John Robertson is the head bookkeeper, with the general department functions under the direction of Weaver. Mrs. Phyllis Voiles aids in this department, and serves as general switchboard operator.

Holding down perhaps one of the “roughest” jobs in the newspaper business is Mrs. Cleve Panter, who proof-reads the majority of the daily news copy eventually printed in The Vidette-Messenger. Miss Jo Anne Muster does this chore Saturdays and is part time assistant in the office.

At the five linotypes there are: Mrs. Robert Muster, Ivan Larson, Paul Reibly, Ward Williamson and Robert Randall.

In the composing room (those experts who can read better up-side-down than some persons can read right-side-up) Jack Allett, superintendent, Joseph Reibl and Kenneth Graham hold forth.

James Mull manages the press and stereotype departments, capably aided by John Parks and Art Wooten.

As reported by Vince Anderson, circulation manager, the net paid circulation of The Vidette-Messenger today, is 7,208. The distributed circulation figure is 7,425. Circulation department assistant is Mrs. Hazel. Russi. Part time employees are Paul Brown, Floyd Turner and Delmar Graham.

65 News Carriers

To carry and distribute these papers throughout the city and county, the V-M has 43 carriers on routes in Valparaiso, and 22 of “the nation’s youngest businessmen” on the out-of-town routes.

In addition to Valparaiso, newsboys deliver the daily V-M to Hebron, Kouts, Chesterton, Porter, Wheeler, Wanatah, Boone Grove, Boiling Springs, Lincoln Hills and the lake areas north of the city.

The Vidette-Messenger is also distributed and delivered by motor route to Liberty and Westchester townships. There is also one contracted motor delivery to dealers, and five special paper pick-ups for neighboring town distribution.

These thumb nail sketches merely brush the surface of the departments and personnel, who undergo a sometimes distracting but efficient daily “deadline” as the gamut is run in order to produce The Vidette-Messenger.

For as an editor of a southern publication recently wrote, “the staff that can survive the dull prosaic nature of day-to-day newspapering, then rise to whatever the challenger might be and perform it brilliantly, boldly and without regard to hours or to self, with nothing more than public service in mind, can really make a newspaper great.”