Neb. State Historical Society
VOL. LIX. O’NEILL, NEBRASKA, THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 1938. No. 3
Graduation Exercises
For St. Mary’s Will Be
Held Friday Morning
St. Mary’s Academy will gradu
ate thirty-six tomorrow morning,
they being members of the class
of 1938. During the past week
the seniors and juniors have been
busy with various entertainments,
incident to the graduation, and to
morrow morning the seniors will
step aside for the other class and
enter the field of business activity.
Many of them w'ill go to college
while others expect to get started
in the business world.
Following is the class roll of the
class of 1938:
O’Neill—Inez Benson, Rose Mary
Biglin, Ruth Anne Biglin, Nadine
Coyne, Harry Grady, Harriet Ham
mond, Mary Harty, Marie Hynes,
Francis Kubitschek, Joseph Lan
gan, Margaret Martin, Lanone
Miles, William Miller Theresa Mo
ler, Rita Moore, Louise O’Donnell,
Edward Quinn, Dorothy Reardon,
Edward Stein, Elaine Streeter,
Rose Marie Stuart, Francis Valla,
Evelyn Norris.
Chambers—Monica Held, Tere
sa O’Malley.
Emmet—Armella Pongratz and
Mary Ann Winkler.
Atkinson—Mary Bruder
Stuart—Rita Higgins
Janesville, Wis.—Patricia Dowd
Dorsey—Phyllis Farran
Bartlett—Rachael Genereux
Ewing—Genevieve Morris
Valentine—Virginia Nollette
Spencer—Anthony Rohde
Clearwater—Lillian Thiele
Veterans Conduct '
Memorial Services
Memorial day was properly ob
served in this city last Monday.
Most of the busines places closed
at ten in the morning and remain
ed closed until 5 in the afternoon,
while others remained closed all
day.
A few moments before 10 a. m.
the O’Neill High school band head
ed a parade of the Legion members
and Veterans of Foreign Wars,
which started from the A & R ser
sice station on east Douglas street,
and marched to the K. C. Hall
where the exercises of the day
were held. The following program
was rendered at the Hall:
Selection, O’Neill School Band;
Invocation by Rev. A. J. May;
Salute to Colors, Pledge of Allegi
ance, in Unison; Selection, O’Neill
School Band; Reading, “In Flan
ders Field,’’ Nadine Kilpatrick;
Vocal Solo, “Sleep, Soldier Boy,
Sleep,” Charles Yarnall; “Ameri
ca,” Audience accompanied by the
Band; Introduction of the Speaker
by Commander Lewis of the Veter
ans of Foreign Wars; Address by
Rev. C. A. Beyersdorfer; Song,
“Your Comrades and Mine,” by
Ira B. Wilson, St. Mary’s Glee
Club; Mixed Chorus, O’Neill High
school, “To Thee, O Country”;
Benediction, Rev. A. J. May; “Star
Spangled Banner,” Audience, ac
companied by Band; Taps.
Father Byersdorfer of St. John’s
was the speaker of the day and he
delivered a splendid address, one
that touched the hearts of his
listeners. He was introduced by
Commander William Lewis of the
Veterans of Foreign Wars as one
of the ablest speakers in the state.
After the address Bill said that he
had made a mistake in his intro
duction as he should have said
he was the best in the state of
Nebraska. Father Byersdorfer has
many friends in this city and he
added to the number with his able
and patriotic address last Monday.
Former Lumber Dealer
Here Dead At McCook
Over the radio at noon we heard
of the death at his home in Mc
Cook, Nebr., of A. Barnett, one of
the prominent business men of that
section of the state. Mr. Barnett
was a resident of this city in the
latter eighties, being the head of
the lumber firm of Barnett & Frees
who had a chain of yards in this
section of the state, and Mr. Bar
nett was the active head of the
yard here.
They disposed of their yard here
along about 1890 to O. O. Snyder
and Mr. Barnett then went to
McCook where he engaged in the
lumber business and his firm had
many yards in that section of the
state. He was very successful in
a financial way and amassed a
comfortable fortune. He was one
of the real boosters for his home
town and was one of the main
stockholders in the new hotel they
erected in that city about fifteen
years ago. He built one of the
finest Methodist churches in ^he
state in that city as a memorial to
his mother. He was always liberal
with his wealth and assisted his
city and community in many ways.
He was a fine gentleman and one
whose passing will be keenly felt
by the citizens of McCook. He was
about 78 years of age at the time
of his death.
Reunion Of St. Mary’s
Alumnae Held At The
Gymn Sunday Evening
The Annual reunion of the Alum
nae Association of St. Mary’s Aca
demy was held on Sunday evening,
May 29, at six thirty o’clock. The
banquet was held in the gymna
sium, which was beautifully deco
rated in the colors of this year’s
senior class, the largest class in
the history of the school.
Following the banquet a pro
gram, which was presided over by
Miss Grace Connolly as Toastmas
ter, was given. The program fol
lows: Our Clergy, Geraldine Cro
nin; Tap Dance, Bennett Heriford;
“Give A Man A Horse He Can
Ride,” George Hammond and Bob
Parkins; Alma Mater, Estelle Mc
Nichols; “Some Day My Prince
Will Come,” Nancy Froelich, Bar
bara Birmingham, Lou Birming
ham, Joan Simonson, Alice Stein,
Patti Reiser and Alice Biglin; Sis
ters of St. Francis, Bernadine Pro
tivinsky; “Just Singing Along,”
Matt Beha, Mike Harty, Edward
Quinn and Bardy Rubitschek;
“Mother’s Kisses,” Catherine Ann
Golden; Welcome, Class of 1938,
Josephine Pribil Stewart; Respone,
Rose Marie Stewart; Federation
Hymn.
Dry Weather Permits
Work In The Fields
It has been a little dry in this
immediate vicinity during the past
week, but farmers have taken ad
vantage of the dry weather and
have been busy in the corn fields.
Most of the corn is planted and
some of it is up nicely. Farmers
complain that grasshoppers are
very numerous in some sections of
the county.
While we had only .02 of an inch
of rain here during the past week
other parts of the county received
a good soaking. Decoration day it
rained nearly all day in the west
end of the county and Atkinson
had another good rain of about
half an inch Tuesday night. In
the southern part of the county
they had several good showers dur
ing the past week. It was dry just
north of here, but in the north
eastern part of the county they
had a couple of good showers.
Following is the weather chart
for the week:
High Low Mois.
May 26_ 81 50
May 27 _ 76 47 .01
May 28 _ 79 46
May 29_ 77 55
May 30 __ 66 56
May 31 _ 73 55
June 1 __ 74 52 .01
Total rainfall since Jan. 1, 1938,
9.94 inches.
Mrs. Nellie Bryan
Dies In Ohio
Mrs. Nellie Bryan died at the
home of her daughter, Mrs. Paul
Martin, in New Concord, Ohio, last
Friday night. The remains were
shipped to this city and the funer
al was held at Page Wednesday
afternoon, burial in the Page ceme
tery.
Mrs. Bryan was a member of one
of the pioneer families of the Page
section of the county and made her
home in Page for years until the
death of her husband a few years
ago, since which time she had made
her home most of the time with her
daughter in Ohio. Mrs. Bryan was
nearly 75 years of age at the time
of her death. She leaves to mourn
her passing three children, Howard
Bryan of New York state, Mrs.
Lowell Murphy of Page, and Mrs.
Martin of Concord, Ohio, as well
as several other relatives living in
the vicinity of Page.
CARD OF THANKS
To our neighbors and friends, we
extend our heartfelt thanks for the
untiring aid rendered us during the
illness and death of our husband
and father. We also wish to thank
the members of the choir for their
comforting selections, and extend
thanks for the beautiful floral
offerings.—Mrs. Hallie Crippen and
children.
Enrollment In County’s
4-H Clubs Is Up To 200
For This Years Work
Two hundred Holt county boys
and girls are to date enrolled in
22 4-H clubs carrying a variety of
projects. The project having the
largest enrollment is the Stocker
Feeder Calf club which already has
about 80 boys and girls learning
to raise quality feeder calves for
the market.
Among the other projects being
studied are farm forestry, sheep,
baby beef, farm accounts, sewing,
cooking and home decorating.
Many valuable prizes, trips and
scholarships are earned by out
standing members of our 4-H clubs.
Any boy or girl between the
ages of 10 and 20 is eligible to be
a member of a 4-H club and receive
the valuable training in leadership
and practical learning of agricul
tural and home economics subjects.
Any information concerning or
ganizing a local 4-H club may be
obtained by writing or seeing the
local county agent. Lyndle Stout.
Woman’s Club Elects
Officers For New Year
The O’Neill Women’s Club held
their final meeting of the year
1937-38 at the club rooms in the
library Wednesday afternoon. At
this meeting officers for the new
year year elected as follows: Mrs.
C. J. Malone, president; Mrs. J. D.
Osenbaugh, vice president; Mrs.
M. C. Penisten, secretary-treasur
er; Mrs. George Robertson, auditor,
and Mrs. L. A. Carter, custodian.
The first meeting of the new
club year will be held the third
Wednesday in September. Meet
ings of the club have been held
the first Wednesday in the month,
but hereafter they will be held the
third Wednesday.
New members who pay dues now
will have the privilege of reading
the twelve books now belonging to
the club which will be turned over
to the public library at the first
meeting next fall.
Rains Have Made Blue
Grass And Hay Thrive
Holt county will be able to
furnish seed for several states from
its blue grass fields this year. From
present indications there will be
more blue grass seed harvested in
this county this year than for sev
eral years past. Buyers are ex
pected to be in the county the
coming week to look after the 1938
crop.
Ranchers from the south country
tell us there will be a bigger hay
crop harvested in the county this
year than there has been for sev
eral years. In fact the crop will be
so large that many figure it will
hardly pay to put in into the stack,
but there will be abundance of
feed.
Bruised In Auto Mishap
Last Sunday morning, about
5:30, Mrs. Frank Oberle, while on
her way to the farm to get her
husband, picked up a large spike
in the road, which caused the tire
to go down so quickly that she
lost control of the car, which turned
completely over twice and then was
back on its wheels headed in the
direction she had been coming
from. Mrs. Oberle’s niece, Miss
Beatrice Oberle, was with her at
the time of the accident, which oc
cured about seven miles north of
the city, but fortunately neither
of them were badly hurt, suffering
only severe bruises. The car was
badly wrecked.
BUSY HOUR CLUB
The Busy Hour club met at the
home of Alvin Wayman on Thurs
day, May 26, with all members
except one responding to roll call.
Mrs. Lizzie Pelcer and Irene Her
shiser were visitors. The after
noon was spent in embroidering
tea towels for the hostess and play
ing games on which Clara John
son won the prize. A delicious
luncheon was served by the hostess
consisting of sandwiches, pickles,
dessert and lemonade. The next
meeting will be held at the home
of Josie Lorenz on June 30.
Give Senior Class Play
On Tuesday, May 31, at the
K. C. Hall in this city, the Seniors
of St. Mary’s academy presented
a three-act play entitled “The
Mummy and the Mumps.” An ap
preciative audience witnessed the
entertaining and well rendered
comedy, Mrs. F. J. Kubitschek di
rected the play and the young
Thespians deserve commendation
for their apt performances. Be
tween the acts a chorus of Senior
girls sang “Have A Smile,” and
Genevieve Morris played a clari
net solo.
The witty dialog and amusing
plot coupled with convincing por
trayals of the characters of the
play, held the interest of all. “The
Mummy and the Mumps’ will be
remembered as one of the cleverest
plays presented by a Senior class
in some time.
Will Attend Project
Club Meeting June 8-10
The second annual meeting of
the Nebraska Council of Home
Demonstration clubs is to be held
in Grand Island on June 8, 9 and
10. Holt county will be repre
sented at this meeting by Mrs. J.
A. McMahon of Inman, past chair
man of the womens project clubs,
and Mrs. Vern Sageser of Amelia,
present chairman of the women’s
project clubs.
These ladies and others in the
county who may attend will enjoy
a program headlined by such
speakers as Dr. A. B. Graham of
Washington, J. E. Lawrence of the
Lincoln Star, and Elton Lux of the
Extension service.
Marriage Licenses
The following marriage licenses
have been issued from the office
of the county judge during the past
week :
Lloyd Knox of Bliss to Miss
Dorothy Schulz of Ewing, May 28.
Theodore Schank of Denison,
Kans., and Miss Mary Mitcheel of
Atkinson, on May 30.
Lawrence Barnett and Miss Eli
nore Alderson, both of Chambers,
on May 31.
Leo Tunender of Atkinson and
Miss Marbel I. Campbell of Stuart,
on May 31. ,
Paul Hoehne of Emmet, a*id Miss
Helen McCaffrey of Atkinson, on
June 1.
Congress
I** as seen by
I KARL STEFAN
Proposal To Aid Movie Exhibitors
The other day the senate passed
a bill to prohibit the trade practice
known as compulsory block book
ing and blind selling in the leasing
of motion picture films in inter
state and foreign commerce. This
legislation is scheduled to pass the
House although the “big Eight”
motion picture trust is in Washing
ton opposing the legislation. If
and when passed, this will will
effect every motion picture theater
in the country. One of the objects
of the bill is to obtain for the ex
hibitor freedom to choose the pic
tures his patrons desire to see, in
stead of accepting those which the
trust insists he shall buy in blocks
if he buys at all.
Children Patronize Motion Pictures
The records show that 77 million
American people witness at least
one motion picture every week in
the year. Twenty-eight million
two hundred and fifty thousand of
these people are under 21 years of
age. Eleven million American
children who are 13 years of age
or younger, see at least 62 motion
pictures every year. In the con
gested area of one of our greatest
cities 17 per cent of the patrons of
moving pictures houses are child
ren under 7 years of age. Inde
pendent movie people and many
organizations say there is a great
need for local freedom in the choice
of the films that our children are
to see.
Study Shows Pictures Feature
(rime
One big reason for that is dis
closed in the findings of the Motion
Picture Research Council. In one
Midwestern town the Council
checked the showing of 115 films on
the screen of a single theater, from
week to week, and found that in
those 115 pictures the heroes alone
were responsible for 13 murders;
the villains and villainesses for 30.
In all 54 murders were committed;
50 cases of felonious assaults; 17
hold ups, 21 kidnappings to
say nothing of numerous other
crimes. The total deaths by vio
lence was 71. In short, in 115 pic
tures 406 crimes were actually
committed and 43 additional ones
(Continued on page 5, column 3.)
SOUTHWEST BREEZES
By Romaine Saunders
Two inches of rain the past few
days, the week ahead probably
having additional showers.
Albion is a town of church goers,
requiring six churches to accomo
date a population of a little over
two thousand.
Art Doolittle and family spent
Sunday at the home of Art’s par
ents, Mr and Mrs. Tom Doolittle,
near Amelia.
The ends of the earth are search
ed for speciments of antiquity.
Reach to the ground at your feet
and get a handful of dirt. That
dates back to creation.
Mrs. Louise Lawson of Albion, a
sister of Mrs. Fannie Riley, ac
companied by her two daughters
in-law, Mrs. Roy Lawson of Den
ver, and Mrs. Raymond Lawson of
Albion, spent one day last week at
the Riley home.
More girls are employed in
liquor establishments than are en
rolled in all the colleges and uni
versities. Girls—and boys—were
no saints a half century back but
they made wide detours to avoid
passing a saloon.
—
Word has been received of the
death of Mr. Ferrick, a resident of
this community for a short time
after removing from the Carter
ranch in southern Wyoming pre
cinct. He had gone to the Burwell
neighborhood from here.
Enroute to Burwell last Satur
day Alfred James was taken vio
lently ill and committed himself to
a doctor’s care upon arriving in
Burwell. Mrs. James went to
Burwell that night and by Sunday
morning he was reported no better.
Lloyd came out to the ranch Sun
day morning and on to Burwell to
take his brother to a hospital.
Nearly one hundred friends at
tended the shower given in the
town hall at Amelia Saturday in
honor of the approaching nuptials
of two prominent young ladies of
the community, Miss Mirdie Doo
little and Miss Mildred Waldo. The
former is to marry Harold Ful
lerton, residing in the vicinity of
Emmet, Miss Waldo to marry
Kenneth Warner of Atkinson, now
employed in Elgin, where they
will make their home.
Those exalted to high estate by
the soverign voters of the nation
say things that later rebound.
Amid the flush of floating bubbles
blown by the first pump priming
the president gave wing to words
he fain would now dodge. The in
dustrial slump with cities like
Cleveland, Ohio, dragging on by
virtue of one out of every three
persons receiving public relief,
there are those so unkind as to
remind the harrassed Franklin D.
that “we planned it so and don’t let
any one tell you different.”
From time to time, either by
letter or in person, friends ex
press their pleasure derived from
the Breezes. Most of us feel on
occasion, in whatever the under
taking, what’s the use? And then
we learn the things we felt were of
little consequence had touched an
other to impart some pleasure. In
behalf of himself and his mother
such word comes, in a friendly
letter from Edward M. Gallagher
of the First National Bank at
O’Neill, with cordial greetings.
And, too, on occasion a paragraph
rasps on some brother’s* nerves;
then comes a word of resentment.
And I suppose one is as fair as the
other.
In wild profusion, spots in the
southwest are gay this season with
a floral bloom of exquisite beauty.
The predominating shade is deep
blue, with a few blossoms of the
same flower touched slightly with
red. These set among the clusters
of the prominent color add to the
fascinating loveliness. From the
center of the group of three deli
cately formed and delightfully
tinted petals, six stamens in a silk
en fairy web and tipped by a touch
of gold dust extend their bejeweled
charm. Late afternoon the flowers
fold their petals and open with the
dawn of another day. At this hour,
the morning dew sparkling as
crystal in a field of blue, the scene
is at its best and it would be worth
the trip to Frank Souchy to come
out and see it.
Judge Roberts was a character
of an earlier day in O’Neill. Those
remembering him will recall he was
unable to bend the first finger on
the right hand. That stiff finger
is the occasion for writing this
paragraph. At a social function
one night at the McClure home I
had been honored with a place on
the program. My number was a
selection pointing to the evil of
intemperance. Judge Roberts was
among the guests and if there was
anything that interested the judge
it wras such a subject. In drama
tic cadency I was reeling off line
upon line when my eye caught the
finger of the judge sitting directly
in front and that stiff finger aimed
straight at me. Instantly I was
struck speechless, forgetting the
remainder of the story and in utter
mortification, humiliation and dis
tress, dove for an open door. That
finger, pointing in steady aim,
haunted me thru a sleepless night.
The only memorial I know of in
Holt county of historical signific
ance is that in the rotunda of the
court house. I recall as a boy the
settlers of the Michigan settlement,
Carrol, Shea, Kelly, O’Connell and
others of our own more immediate
neighborhood referring frequently
to Custer’s trail. This was a dim
wagon trail not in use meandering
across the north boundry of that
settlement and was reputed to be
the route of Custer’s command on
its way westward where in the
Little Big Horn the Sioux made
the historic slaughter of the entire
force. I plan some day to ascer
tain if the Nebraska Historical
Society can verify what was com
monly accepted as a fact with re
spect to this trail by the early
settlers. Previous mention has
been made herein of the military
trail across this county from the
south. Perhaps something might
be done toward establishing a
memorial for one or both of these
old army routes.
Incidents of interest arise from
unexpected quarters. Thruout the
morning noise like that of a wood
pecker on the roof of the house
was heard but nothing could be
located on the roof. At last the
sounds pointed to a stove bearing
a plate upon which is the exalted
title of “Art Parlor Heater,” as
the location of the disturbance.
Opening this a woodpecker was dis
covered therein. There had been a
fire in the stove twenty-four hours
previously which may have left
hot ashes for the bird to dance in,
but the unusual surroundings and
remarkable occurance had so con
fused this creature of the air that
the open stove did not invite its
flight. Mrs. Saunders came to the
rescue and retrieved from soot and
ashes the frightened bird, now
voicing violent vocal alarm, and
set it free. Exploring the black
ened depths of the chimney or seek
ing refuge from the night’s storm
it got into a worse spot than Poe’s
famous raven. There is one wood
pecker that probably will fly high
from house tops.
Reason For Dog Poisoning
A reader of The Frontier, who is
evidently a lover of plants and
flowers, sends us the following
from the reader’s letters section
of the Sunday World-Herald, en
titled “Why People Poison Dogs,”
with a request that it be printed.
“Omaha: A writer asks, ‘Why
do people persist in poisoning
children’s pets?’ I would say keep
the children’s pets in your own
yard.
“Surely, if people didn’t want
their dogs they wouldn’t buy tags
for them; but on the other hand,
why should the people that put
many dollars in plants, grass,
shrubs, etc. (say nothing of the
time spent) have to put up with
the dogs destroying these things?
“A dog with a tag on can do just
as much damage as one without a
tag. The cost of a license is noth
ing compared to the cost of land
scaping a yard.
“If people love their dogs so
much why don’t they keep them in
their own yards?”
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Dishner,
Mrs. Pete Morgan and Jimmie
Golden left Thursday morning for
Hampton, Iowa, where they will
visit Mr. and Mrs. John Robertson.
Shipment Of Bran Is
Received; Will Soon Be
Ready To Distribute
Holt county farmers are getting
ready to distribute poison bran. A
shipment of federal bait has been
received in Holt county and will
be ready for distribution in a few
days.
Farmers are advised by authori
ties to spread bait at the rate of
20 pounds per acre for one applica
tion. Heavier spreading of bait
wastes the material and does not
increase the kill. If bait is thoro
ly spread by mechanical means
such as endgate seeders or mechan
ical spreader, 10 to 15 pounds per
acre is sufficient.
Farmers cannot be cautioned too
much about the danger of careless
handling of the bait. Heavy spread
ing in lumps, bunches, or piles, is
very dangerous to poultry and live
stock and kills less hoppers than
when done properly. It is also
against the State law to spread
poison bait in piles or ridges.
Plans are being made for mix
ing the bait in O’Neill from where
it will probably be trucked to
points in the county where there
is sufficient demand to warrant the
expense. No charge will be made,
for federal material except the
cost of sacks, mixing and distribu
tion and the addition of materials
not furnished by the government.
This will be about .35 cents per
hundred pounds.
O’Neill High Graduates
Forty-Four Seniors At
Exercises Last Week
The alumni of the O’Neill High
school added forty-four to its mem
bership last Thursday night when
the class of 1938 graduated, with
appropriate exercises at the K. C.
Hall.
The following program was giv
en: Processional, O’Neill High
School Band; Invocation, Rev. A. J.
May; Sing Along, by Penn, O’Neill
High School Glee Club; Address,
H. E. Hosman, Omaha, who was a
resident of this city when a boy;
Song, “Give A Man A Horse He
Can Ride,” Charles Yarnall; Pre
sentation of High School diplomas,
Dr. H. L. Bennett, president of the
board of education; Presentation of
Eighth grade diplomas, Superin
tendent R. W. Carroll; Benediction,
Rev. A. J. May.
The list of graduates of 1938
was published in The Frontier in
its issue of April 21, 1938.
Krugman-Burglund
Marriage rites were performed
at the Lutheran parsonage at Wal
nut, Nebr., Wednesday morning,
May 25, when Harvey Krugeman,
son of Mr. and Mrs. Ed Krugeman
of Opportunity, took as his bride
Miss Emma Berglund, daughter of
Mrs. Linus Berglund of Oppor
tunity. The double ring ceremony
was performed at ten o’clock by
Rev. Walters.
The attendants were Miss Ella
Eisert, cousin of the bride, and
Fred Krugeman, brother of the
groom.
The bride was beautifully at
tired in a white celenese rayon chif
fon with satin stripes. He brides
maid was dressed in light blue
taffeta.
After the wedding the parents
and close friends assemebled at the
home of the bride’s parents for a
1 o’clock dinner.
The bride is a graduate of the
O’Neill high school and has been
teaching the past seven years. She
is an attractive and well liked
young lady. The groom is a fine
young man with a promising fu
ture. They will make their home
on a farm near Opportunity.
The friends of this young couple
with for them all the success and
happiness possible.*
Howard Bauman moved his beer
parlor Wednesday to the new build
ing a few doors west, just erected
by Mrs. W. H. Stein and sister,
and will be open for business Fri
day morning. Howard has in
stalled new fixtures, including a
new bar and back bar and when he
gets going will have one of the
niftiest and most attractive parlors
in the city.
Miss Inez O’Connell left Tues
day night for Omaha, where she
will attend the graduating exer
cises of Creighton university, as
her brother, Hugh, will receive his
degree from the school of medicine.