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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (May 8, 1952)
North-Nebraska s Fastest-Growing Newspaper VOLUME 72.—NUMBER 1. O'NEILL. NEBRASKA, THURSDAY. MAY 8. 1952 _PRICE: 7 CENTS. — Mill P Hill III ^ iAH.*, I ¥ x'u ’* * —The Frontier Photx^ & Enxravinir ANOTHER DIPLOMA FOR DONNA MAE ... Miss Donna Mae Fuhrer, 18 (above), well-known O’Neill polio victim, on Thursday, May 15, will receive her diploma during O’Neill high school com mencement exercises. Miss Fuhrer, who received nationwide at tention in 1947 when she graduated from the eighth grade, will have earned a high school diploma without having spent a day in high school. All of her studies have been by correspondence with the state department of education: A perfect examination paper recently netted for her a commendation note from the state department. Miss Fuhrer is the eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ed Fuhrer. For several years the family resided two miles east of O’ Neill on U.S. highways 20-275. Now they live on the Simmons farm, two miles southeast of O’Neill. A tape-recorded interview with Donna Mae, conducted by George Hammond, “Voice of The Frontier” announcer, will be broadcast on Saturday, May 10 (WJAG, 780 kc, 9:45 am.) Infant Drowns inStock Tank Horse Leads Father to Scene of Tragedy; Rites Today Thomas Leroy Slattery, jr., 18 month-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas L. Slattery, drowned at 10 a.m. Monday, May 5. The tragedy occurred at the the Slattery home, 21 miles northeast of O’Neill, located on L. D. Putnam’s Mule Shoe ranch. The young father had been talking to his son immediately before he went to get his tractor. He had been gone about 10 min utes when he missed the child and noticed that the gate was opened to where the water tank was located. A riding horse was acting peculiarly, the father noted. He followed the horse to the watering tank and there found the little boy. Efforts to revive the boy were futile. Dr. E. J. Bild, of Page, was summoned. Thomas Slattery, jr., was born October 27, 1950. Survivors include: Parents, sister—Marsha, 5-years-old. The funeral rites will be held today (Thursday) at the Biglin funeral chapel where there will be a short prayer service at 1:30 p m. and at the Bassett Metho dist church at 3:30 p.m. Rev. Hicks, of Bassett, will be in charge. Burial will be in the Bassett cemetery. Visit McGraws— INMAN — Mrs. Kuhn and daughter, Effie. of Neligh, spent Monday, April 28, in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Harry McGraw. Friendly Doe Delights Pupils AMELIA—It was a memora ble day Wednesday, May 7, in the Inez school district, 20 miles south of Atkinson, for the teacher, Mi® Norma And erson, and her eight pupils. A friendly deer dropped >in about noon and frolicked in the yard during the lunch hour. The deer—a full-grown doe— evidenced fondness for apples and petting but disliked salt and boisterous play. After Miss Anderson reas sembled her brood for the af ternoon classes, Mrs. Deer de cided to enter the school room. The visitor marched up to the teacher’s desk, nibbled the flowers, ate orange peels out of the coal pail and delighted the youngsters for half an hour. At recess time the deer went for more play. This time, however, she didn’t file Pack into the school room with the children but disappeared over the hills into the west. ESCAPES INJURY EMMET—Miss Maureen Mur phy escaped serious injury Fri day afternoon at Amelia while she was driving a motor bike belonging to Donnie Atkinson, of Chambers. The motor bike, go ing out of control, ran through a ditch into a barbed wire fence and a group of willow trees. Frontier for printing . . prompt delivery! ILLNESS FORCES PASTOR TO RETIRE Rev. V. R. Bell, 67, a Builder During 4 Years at O’Neill Rev. V. R. Bell, 67, pastor of the Methodist church, O’Neill, will retire June 1. He and his wife will live at Sargent, where they own their own home. Reverend Bell delivered his farewell message by tape record ing Sunday, May 4. He was stricken March 10, 1952, with a heart ailment after serving the O’Neill church for four years. Other pastorates which he has served are at St. Paul, Stuart, Sargent and Twin Falls, Ida. Reverend and Mrs. Bell have three sons — Robert, of Grand island; Rev. Joseph, of Nashville, Tenn., and Franklin, of Torring ton, Wyo. When Reverend Bell came to O'Neill, the membership was relatively low. On the Sunday before he was stricken, a rec ord attendance mark was es tablished in the history of O' Neill's Methodist church, ex cepting Easter and special ser vices. Reverend Bell’s retirement will became official at the annual Ne braska Methodist conference Rev. Bell . . record turnout. which convenes in early June. Besides his church activities, Reverend Bell was active in Boy Scout work, the Parent-Teachers’ association, and the Masonic lodge. He is convalescing at the home ! of his son, Robert, 1821 West Charles Street, Grand Island. Mrs. Bell and Rev. Joseph Bell were in O’Neill Monday packing the family’s personal effects pre paratory to moving to Sargent. A successor will be appointed at the June conference, according to Rev. J. LaVerne Jay, O’Neill district superintendent. An annex was built onto the church last year. Additional space was needed to accommodate the expanding Sunday-school. City’s Schools to Graduate 77 /£s 42 O’Neill High Seniors Will Hear Former / Superintendent Graduation exercises will be held Thursday, May 15, for 42 O’Neill high school seniors. Mem bers of the class are: Joellvn Backhaus, Clayton Baumeister, Dale Beilin, Barbara Bennett, John Bowen, Eddie Bridges, Virginia Burrell, Don Calkins, Russell Closson, Betty Dailey, Paul Fetrow. Don Godel. Veldon Godel. Mary Graham, Ar dis Grenier, Donald Ha.gensick, Phyllis Harmon, Carolvn Hiatt, Claryce Johnson, Harold John son. Linda Johnson. Robert Knepoer, Gordon Lorenz, Diane McAdams, Jav McConnell, Bruce McElhanev, Jim McKennv, Wil ma MeKim, Marlene Malcom, Bill Malloy. Arnold Miller, Mel vin Miller. Lois Murray. Beverly Norman, Verle Ralya, Gene Se eer. Donna Stowell, Dale Strong, Eddie Tomlinson, Ramona Wayman, Junior Worth, Helen Young. Class officers are: Eddie Bridg es, president: Joellyn Backhaus, vice-Dresident: Donna Stowell, secretary: Claryce Johnson, treasurer: Joellyn Backhaus, class reporter. Ira George, of Omaha, super intendent of the O’Neill school at the time this class entered kindergarten, will be commence ment speaker. Mr. George head ed the school for 12 of the 13 years many of the class were in school. Rural Choruses to Sing at Promotion Holt county eighth graders will meet at 1 p.m. on Monday, May 12, on the steps of the county courthouse in O’Neill where a picture will be taken. At 2 p.m. they will meet in the O’Neill high school auditori um for graduation exercises. A two piano processional will be played. » Diplomas will be presented by Miss Alice French, county super intendent of public instruction. The rural school choruses will sing. The first group, including be ginners, first, second and third graders, will sing “Three Little Kittens,” “Daddy’s Little Cow boy,” “Peter Cottontail” and “Teddy Bear’s Picnic.” They will be directed by Mrs. Etha Walters, of Chambers. The second group, which will include pupils in the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh grades, will be heard in “I Love Little Wil lie” and “Home on the Range.” They will be directed bv G* Welch, music director, Norfolk iunior college and Norfolk high school. The eighth graders, also under Mr. Welch, will sing “Down in the Valiev,” Skip to My Lou” and “Cindy.” DELOIT—Mrs. Cratty dispav ed her collection of over 23,000 buttons at the hobbv show held in Neligh Wednesday, April 30. i Shirley Leahy Wins Top Honors at St. Mary’s Father Burke to Speak Baccalaureate and commence ments exercises for 35 St. Ma rv's academv seniors will be held Thursday. May 29. Rev. Peter Burke, of St. Peter’s Catholic church, Ewing, will deliver the sermon. Class roll: Christine Baum. Donovan Becker. Lavonne Boham. Elaine Boyle, M. Lois Cavanaugh, Joan Racker, Tom Donlin, Donald Coash. Mina Connot. James De Donohoe, Dorothy D o n o h o e, Tean Fahrenholz, Donald Gra ham, Robert Hynes, Jerrv How ard, Shirley Jardine, James Kel lv, Shirlev Leahy, Carolyn Lee. Maureen Mahoney. Bernard Mohr, Suzanne Moss, Patricia Mullen. Henry Murphv, Rose Anne Schaffer. Marv Schmitz, Joann Smith Mary Ellen Steele, Geraldine Thiele, Joanne Thoen del, Winnie Vandersnick. Don aldeen Vinton. Mary Frances Vitt. Sharon Wagnon. Hieh class averages were at tained bv Bernard Mohr, Chris tine Baum and Shirlev I^eahv, first, second and third, respec tively. Miss Leahy has been chosen valedictorian, being the only one of th" three with a high average who has attended the academy fo” four years. The class officers are: Bernard Mohr, president: Maureen Ma honpv, vice - prsident; Winnie Vandersnick, secretary; James DeBacker, treasurer. CLASS OF 1964 . . . This is a preview of the O’ Neill high school graduating class of 1964. These little men and women received their kindergarten diplomas at a “graduation” rite Friday evening. Supt. D. E. Nelson made the presentation. Mrs. 'Harry Petersen is the teacher. Left-to-right: Don —The Frontier Photo & Enjrravlnic aid Hollenbeck, Donald Crook, Connie Sullivan (peeking through), Marlene Colfack, Cheryl Clyde, Verna Butterfield, Richard Brinkman, Michael Boyer, Arlene Barr, Lois Anderson, Mar lene Alton, Gary Alton, Dennis Wells and Ron ald Walton. Vic Halva Remembers Titanic | 4 On a sunny day In April, 1912, Victor Halva, together with 2,223 other passengers and crew mem bers, stood at the railing of the ship Titanic and enjoyed the an- i tics of children below. The ship I lay at anchor in Southampton | Harbor, England, preparatory to I its much-heralded maiden voyage, j Suddenly one of the spectators fell overboard. Immediately a sailor loosened a life preserver and threw it into the water and the drowning man was saved. This impressed young Halva, who had boarded the ship for passage to America to escape 20 years of service in the army of Austria. He asked the sailor who had used the life preserver if there would be any need for one during the voyage to New York. Well,'* replied the sailor, "It’s a handy thing to have around in case anything should happen.’’ Little did the youthful immi l grant realize how valuable this experience would prove to be for him. He had never seen a life preserver before, and would not have known its use. It was April 15. It had been a nice day at sea and an unevent ful voyage. All was quiet. The night lookout in the crow’s nest reported an iceberg ahead, but no concern was shown by the offi cer in charge. Shortly after 11 p.m., says Mr. Halva, who is a longtime resi dent of O'Neill, there was a rending crash and he was knocked from his chair in the ship's lounge. At first he did not realize what had happened. Nor did the other passengers. “A few in night clothes came on deck and thought a minor accident had occurred. Some went back to their beds,” Mr. Halva remembers. "The men in the engine room knew differ ently. Lifeboats were being filled as an explosion roared. Of ficers with drawn pistols ordered only women and children into the boats.” Mr. Halva said, "The ship was tilting bow first and very short ly after the crash it began to sink. As the last two life boats were lowered there came a terri fic explosion, and a real panic started. "People started jumping into -the water, and so did I,” said Halva. “But I had first untied a TEACHER SIGNED Mrs. Harold Seger has been signed to teach the fourth grade in the O’Neill public school sys tem for 1952-’53. She succeeds Mrs. Alice Fritton, who asked the board of education not to consider her for reelection. HIGH BIDDERS DELOIT — The Huffman cor poration was the highest bidder on the school land lease Thurs day, May 1, at Bartett. The cor poration’s bid was $7,000. --- life preserver like the one used • by the sailor back in Southamp ton. There was another explo sion and the huge waves threw me aganst a floating piece of fur niture. I saw several who were clinging to it let loose and sink. "After about an hour in the water I saw a boat and swam toward it and was exhausted when I was pulled aboard. As the night passed cries for help could be heard from all sides— cries that were never an swered" "At about 5:45 o'clock in the morning.” Halva recounts, “a ship was seen in the distance heading in our direction with all the lights brightly shinning. It was the Carpathia. "There has been 16 lifeboats and some had 65 persons in them. The Carpathia picked up 720 persons in all and landed them in New York in fbur days. Mr. Halva was in the hospital for 314 weeks as a result of the plunge in icy water and later ex posure. He came to Boyd county immediately after being released from the hospital. Later he settled in O’Neill, wl%ere he has operated ah electri cal repair shop for many years. The sinking of the Titanic stands as one of the greatest sea tragedies of all time. The 40th an niversary of the fateful sinking was observed last month. The maiden voyage had been heralded around the world. The ship’s oTmers and captain were anxious to break a trans-Atlantic speed record and Mr. Halva thinks carelessness is to blame for the accident. Builders of the Titanic said she was unsinkable —S ship of all ships. “Yes, Mr. Halva said, “except for that lesson in use of a life pre ' server, back in Southampton, I’d have been a dead duck.’’ PHILLIP KEATING, ATKINSON, DIES Ex - Banker and Retired Implement Dealer 111 Long ATKINSON—Phillip J. Keat ing, farmer banker and a retired Atkinson implement dealer, died early Saturday, May 3, in At kinson Memorial hospital where he had been a patient. He had been ill many months. Funeral services were conduct ed at 10 a.m., Monday, May 5, in St. Joseph's Catholic church with Rev. R. J. Parr, church pastor, officiating. Burial was in St. Jo seph’s cemetery. Survivors include: Widow — Carrie: sons—Robert and John, both of Atkinson; Patrick, who is studying for the priesthood in Kansas: daughter — the former Mary Ellen Keating, a Catholic nun at Beatrice; father—Frank M. Keating, of Atkinson. Youthful Band Director Dies ATKINSON—Arlen Haney, 25, band director here since last summer, died unexpectedly Fri day, May 2, in Atkinson Memor ial hospital. He had been a hos pital patient two days. Mr. Haney complained of a se vere headache while teaching earlier in the week. Funeral services were conduct ed at 2 p.m., Monday, May 5, at the Methodist church with Rev. E. G. Huehes, church pastor, of ficiating. The remains were for warded to Viola, 111., for burial. Survivors include: Widow, mother, twin sister. Fishing (in Road) Good Enough ______ 4 CHAMBERS — How's fishing down Chambers way? Just one mile east of town on state highway 91 the followers of “Ike” Walton are catching them by virtually sitting in the car and throwing the line out of the window. Ed Wink was seen Sunday pulling out some mighty big bullheads as he stood along the roadside. The word around here is: “What’s the sense of going to the land of the thousand lakes when you can catch fish in any pond or ditch along the road side?” Besides, Holt county appears to have more than a thousand lakes. The main topic of conversation these days is fishin’. And there’s a variety of fish, too. Bullheads, sunfish, pickerel, pike, catfish, bass, and carp by the sackful. What more could one ask for? And the fish are bitin’. Listen to this: Bill Rieck caught 75 bullheads and sunfish Sunday af aftemoon alone! The old timers are beginning to wonder how long it will last. The way the fishermen and fish erwomen are turning out en masse it appears that the fish soon will be outnumbered. WEEK'S WEATHER SUMMARY The weather summary for the past seven days follows, based on 24-hour periods ending at 5 p.m., daily: Hi Lo Prec. May 1 . 77 52 .07 May 2 . 82 54 .11 May 3_ 85 56 May 4 91 58 May 5 - 82 53 .02 May 6 .. 73 45 May 7 - 70 47 .50 Total .70 I NAME 10 MEN TO FILL MAY QUOTA Selective Service Group Will Report May 14 for Induction Ten Holt county selective ser vice registrants have been order ed to report for induction on Wednesday, May 14. They are: David L. Durre, of Ewing; Vincent L. Rotherham, of Ewing; Ralph E. Kramer, of Stuart; Clif ford E. Clemens, of Amelia; Har old F. Spinar of Redbird; Dickie Jr. Fernau, of Redbird; Donald P. Schaaf, of Atkinson; Ivan D. Roth, of Atkinson; Harmon M. Grunke, of O’Neill; Dean A. Van Every, of O’Neill. Meanwhile, 25 men have been ordered to report for preinduc tion physical examinations on Monday, May 12, Included in this group, accord ing to Mrs. W. H. Harty, of O’ Neill, chief clerk of the draft board, are; James Sicheneder, Bernard D. Janzing and Robret C. Lemmer, all of Atkinson; Daryl M. Beck with. of Emmet; Donald H. De Groff, Dean H. Prewitt and John N. Kamphaus, all of Amelia. Lewis G. Latzel. John D. Mc Clenahan and Freddie S. BoD witt, all of Ewing; Norman K. Trowbridge and Richard F. Mc Intosh, both of Page. Leo L. Radcliff, John K. Tiel ke, Alfred E. Stracke, Francis J. Clark II and Joseph Walnofer, all of Stuart; Richard G. Read Ond Robert J. Koci, both of Chambers. Clyde A. Wabs and Loren G. Whetham, both of Spencer; Johnny C. Boham, Larry J. Hop kins, Mervyn E. Asher II, George E, McCarthy, William K. Shaw, Robert E. McNiehols, Otto R. Bartos and Patrick E. Hickey, all of O’Neill. Dynamite Caps Stolen; Create Stir About four hundred dynamite caps were stolen Sunday after noon or evening from a truck parked near the Foree Tire & Supply company in West O’Neil. These were dynamite caps that had been used in REA construc tion for clearing right-of-ways. “Six or seven boys ranging in age from eight to 13-years-old are under investigation in con nection with the theft,” accord ing to Holt Sheriff Leo S. Tom jack. These caps got into the hands of a number of O’Neill public and St. Mary’s academy school boys Monday and Tuesday, and authorities were concerned that some one might be permanently injured. Some of the boys had the mistaken idea they could be play ed with like firecrackers. Sheriff Tomjack said Wefiiies day most of the unspent dyna mite caps have been recovered. They were found in obscure places in the class rooms, culverts and in some homes. No one has been injured, ac cording to the sheriffs office and city police who cooperated in recovering the caps. McCarthy Elected State K.C. Chief George McCarthy, of O’Neill, was elected state deputy of the Nebraska council of the Knights of Columbus. The council met at North Platte Sunday and Mon day, May 4 and 5. Mr. McCarthy moved up from the state secretary position. He succeeds Cyril P. Shaughnessy, of St. Paul. Mrs. McCarthy and Mrs. Fran cis Gilg accomnanied Mr. McCar thy to North Platte for the meet ing. Rev. Thomas S. Bowden, pro fessor of education at Creighton university, Omaha, addressed the 275 persons attending the state dinner. Shaughnessy was toastmaster. Bishop John L Paschang, of the Grand Island diocese, gave the invocation I Mrs. Johnson ... on same ! farm since 1881. (Story paqe 5.) Hardluck *Burl’ Back in Business ' > The Burlington railroad was back in business Friday after an enforced shutdown imposed by the mighty Missouri river. Flood waters in the vicinity of Crystal lake, near South Sioux Citv. halted traffic on Saturday, April 12. An eastbound freight train from O’Neill reached Ferry Junction that night. Because of •he historic flood in the Missouri vallev. traffic could not be re sumed along the O’Neill branch until Friday, May 2. Washinn of the road bed be tween Leketou and Ferry Junction, the eastern terminal, reused the ^rouble. Holes were ♦o be f«und in the road bed leroe enouah to accommodate a box car. Approximately five miles of road bed had to be rebuilt before traffic could be resumed. When rail officials learned that a big job of repair lay a head, the agents in the towns a long the route were told to “take-off on their vacations.” Whereupon the O’Neill agent, G. W. Squires and his wife de parted for Great Falls, Mont., where they visited their daughter, C. Richard Coder, and fam Rv until April 24. They return ed to O’Neill, found the line would be tied up still another "TOpk or so and then went to Omaha. The first post - flood train reached O’Neill late Friday and the first post-flood train to be dispatched from O’Neill left Sat urday morning. Agent Squires promptly announced: “Business is good.” He was quite correct. A back ing of shipments had piled up and the thrice-weekly incoming trains were straining to catch up . It was the “Burl” that exper ienced heavy losses during the Recurring Blizzards of 1948-’49. ^ steam locomotive pushing a wedge-tvpe snowplow left the track while bucking a giant drift ^VA-m T,lles east of here- Traffic to O Neill was suspended almost six weeks before the line could be reopened for through traffic.
