April 12, 1951: Local Fibre Firm Uses Airport Facilities

Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on April 12, 1951.

Local Fibre Firm Uses Airport Facilities

FACILITIES AT the county municipal airport are being used by the Continental-Diamond Fibre company to receive and transport rush orders and supplies to and from Indianapolis. The firm Wednesday afternoon received a shipment of synthetic rubber from there and dispatched delete parts for condensers and transformers used in high altitude bombers. In the photo above workmen for Ferguson Transfer, Inc., are shown loading the outgoing shipment. It is the opinion of local C. of C. officials that if more firms would use the airport facilities for feeder service the Civil Aeronautics board would certify the airport for direct feeder service by plane for mail, passenger and cargo between Chicago and Indianapolis. A recent petition made by the local group to that effect was turned down by the CAA because of lack of existing use of the facilities.

April 8, 1971: Expect To Top Member Goal

Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on April 8, 1971.

Expect To Top Member Goal

First New C-C Member

James C. McGill (left), member of Chamber of Commerce Contact Club, presented membership plaque Wednesday to WIlliam WHeeland of Jess Bowman Associates as Chamber’s first new membership drive.

Preliminary reports indicate that the Greater Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce membership drive will exceed the goal of 40 new or renewed memberships, according to Contact Club Chairman Ronald McGuire.

McGuire said over 30 paid memberships were received in Wednesday’s drive with others still coming into the chamber.

Chamber President Art Malasto, who hosted a victory party for the volunteer workers in his home Wednesday afternoon, said, “We are deeply grateful to the volunteers and businessmen who made this victory possible. Our Chamber of Commerce faces unusual challenges as the largest businessmen’s organization in Indiana’s fastest growing county. The support and participation of every business and interested individual is vital, if we are to meet these challenges successfully.”

McGuire urged anyone who has not yet been contacted to call the chamber office, so a Contact Club representative can arrange to personally discuss the Chamber action program.

McGuire pointed out that the chamber “is only as effective as its members make it ー and like all human endeavors it is subject to errors.” But, he said, “Excellence is our primary goal. We now have nearly 30 chamber committees working together for a better community. And, the partnership between the chamber, local governmental officials, and private citizens is becoming much more effective in solving community problems.

March 8, 1951: Instructions On Business Are Praised - Local Teachers Find Plant Tour Is Educational

Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on March 8, 1951.

Instructions On Business Are Praised

Local Teachers Find Plant Tour Is Educational

Valparaiso’s public and elementary grade teachers had high praise today for “instructions” in business and industry they received Wednesday afternoon from representatives of various factory and business establishments in the community.

And businessmen said they are looking forward to the time when they will sit in on academic proceedings at the local schools.

The whole program was initiated by the educational committee of the Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce, with the cooperation of the Valparaiso city, St. Paul’s Catholic and Immanuel Lutheran school administrators. It is planned to hold similar meetings, either at business houses or in the schools, in each of the next two years.

Some 80 teachers of the community toured, in small units, five industrial plants, Continental Diamond Fibre company, McGill Manufacturing company, Indiana Steel Products company. The Robert L. Miller Laboratory and Urschel Laboratories; three stores, J. Lowenstine and Sons, Stambaugh Farm Equipment company and J.C. Penney company; two financial institutions, Farmers’ State and First State banks; Hotel Lembke; and The Vidette-Messenger, Indiana Associated Telephone company and Northern Indiana Public Service company plants.

Spends Entire Afternoon

The teachers reported at their assigned tour place at one o’clock and spent the entire afternoon inspecting the facilities and learning of some of the problems of conducting the particular business that they were visiting.

Climax of the day came when 120 teachers and businessmen attended a banquet at Hotel Lembke sponsored by the C of C. Lester Milne, chairman of the education committee, served as master of ceremonies.

Representatives of the 14 firms who acted as hosts during the afternoon were introduced, as were members of the city school board, committee members who arranged details for the day and James Patricn[sic], C of C secretary-manager.

Featured speaker of the evening was Dr. Virgil M. Rogers, superintendent of schools, Battle Creek, Mich. He was introduced by G. Warren Phillips, superintendent of the local city schools.

Stake In Schools

In his address, Rogers reminded the businessmen that they have a stake in the public schools, which he labeled as the nation’s greatest enterprise today. He said all people in a community have a direct or indirect part in the school, and he warned that if America permits public education to die, democracy will die with it.

He pointed out that the growth of education has aided America to build more cars, more homes, more radios and similar advantages than exists in any other nation.

Rogers advised that the schools should furnish their pupils with a more dramatic meaning of American citizenship, that they must appeal to community leaders to help keep the academic standards on a high level.

As a closing warning the speaker asserted that if totalitarianism ever strangles the American way of life it will because education has lost its objective.

TWO OF THE PLANTS toured Wednesday afternoon by local teacher groups during the Business-Industry-Education event sponsored by the Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce were that of The Vidette-Messenger and the Continental Diamond Fibre company. In the upper photo teachers are viewing the teletype and morgue operations in the editorial department. In this group were the following teachers: Emma R. Food, Mary Miller, Mary Stoner, Mary Phillips, Francis May and Verna Randert. Shown in the mica press room Burton Conklin, Glen Gierke, Milton Marten, Sister Miriam Loretto and Sister M. Juliette. George Nelson and D.K. Appleby were in charge of the tour there.

Feb. 24, 1966: City 'Self-Sufficient'

Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on February 24, 1966.

City ‘Self-Sufficient’

“Valparaiso’s economy is pretty self-sufficient as a result of expansion by local industries,” directors of the Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce were told Wednesday night at their monthly meeting at Wellmans.

Speaker was Don Reynolds, member of the urban planning consulting firm which for the past 11 months has been engaged in preparing revisions to the city’s master plan.

Also present were Everett Lembke, president of the Valparaiso Planning commission and Paul Fisher, Porter County Planning commission executive vice president.

30,000 By 1990

Based on an economic study of the city, planners believe that Valparaiso’s population will reach 30,000 by 1990, Reynolds said.

He described Valparaiso as “rather unusual” in several respects. He noted that the suburban areas outside of the city are well developed, which he said, is a situation generally only found around larger cities; and that there is relatively little land available for development within the city limits.

Reynolds pointed out that there are attractive sites outside the city including lake and timber areas. Inside the city he said much of the vacant land is not suitable for development.

Industries Stable

He noted that the local industries are “very stable” and that they are closely tied to the community as to their needs for supplies and the products they produce.

The 30,000 city population figure, the speaker said, assumes that there will be “fairly aggressive annexation of land development”.

Future growth is seen primarily to the north and the west.

The revision will call for numerous road changes and implementation of bypasses around the city, it was noted.

Reynolds said that the success of the city’s master plan will depend upon its close integration with the county’s master plan.

Future of industry is foreseen east and south of the city, due to its excellent highways, expanded municipal airport and railroad facilities.

Councilman Lembke, following Reynold’s talk, invited interested residents of the community to attend planning meetings the second Tuesday of each month, “We need your help,” he added.

Meanwhile Chamber President Max Dickey reported that airport runway expansion dedication ceremonies were discussed Wednesday afternoon at a meeting at Wellmans. Tentatively it is planned for “early June”, but details are still to be finalized.

Jan. 4, 1951: 3-Man Board To Operate Opera House

Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on January 4, 1951.

3-Man Board To Operate Opera House

By ENG ZIMMERMAN, Sr.

A three-man board will be invested with the authority to operate the county-owned Memorial Opera House, memorial to veterans of the War of the Rebellion, and long the storm center of fractional fights among various organizations.

This plan was announced by the board of county commissioners Wednesday at the group’s concluding session of its January meeting.

The commissioners’ decision followed recommendations made early in December by special committees of the Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce and Porter County Farm Bureau which spent much time in investigating the matter.

Only one man was named to the board by the commissioners at yesterday’s session. He is Edward F. Sebens, of RFD. 2, Valparaiso. Sebens operates a farm in Porter township.

The commissioners sought James Patrick, secretary-manager of the Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce, to act as a member and fill the office of custodian, but he was unable to take the post because of press of chamber business. The custodian would be in charge of all funds received. He would account to the county commissioners. His salary could not exceed $25 per annum.

To Name Two More

The other two members are expected to be named within the next week. Their names will be made public when the commissioners hold a joint meeting with the county fair board at the office of County Agent M.A. Nye on Wednesday night, Jan. 10, to discuss 1951 fair plans.

In announcing its decision to turn control of the building over to a three-man board, the commissioners liberalized the recommendations submitted by the chamber-farm bureau committees.

The commissioners approved the committee’s suggestions that the building be kept as a memorial to the veterans of the War of the Rebellion, and that it be made available to a reputable non-subversive Porter county organization, association, group or individual for the purpose of holding meetings, gatherings, patriotic celebrations and home talent performances, school functions, symphonies, community concerts lectures, debates and uses of like kind. No meeting, however, will be permitted that is not in the best interests of the county, state and nation.

The hall will not be allowed for use in competition with other industries, though the commissioners said they felt that organizations desiring to bring in outside entertainment should not be barred.

While the new board will be authorized to deny use of the building where they deem the venture not justifiable it cannot deny the people of Porter county the right to use Memorial hall, the commissioners ruled.

Members of the joint committee which submitted the recommendations for the new setup were Paul Carmichael, Tom Womacks, James Patrick, Gale Corley, Vernon Dinse, Alva Jones and Walter Sievers.

The opera house which has been under lease to the Shauer interests for a number of years, is now ready to be taken over by the new board, the Shauer lease having expired Jan. 1.

Recently the county replaced the old heating apparatus in the building with a new one at a cost of around $2,000.

The new board when it takes over will be faced with the problem of no funds. Last fall a $1,500 appropriation for 1951 was eliminated by the county council when it was pointed out that as long as it was not known whether the building would be used an appropriation was unnecessary.