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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (March 1, 1956)
Half Hour Show! “Voice of The Frontier” TEN pages 1 I >g< This Issue North-Central Nebraska’s BIGGEST Newspaper Volume 75.—Number 44. O’Neill, Nebraska, Holt County, Thursday, March 1, 1956. Seven CenU , - . -. — Judge Donohoe . . . native O’Neillite. James A. Donohoe, 78, Federal Judge, Dies - Youth Center Group Selects Officers Funds Needed for Completion O’Neill’s new youth center moved forward this week as in terested adults met and perfect ed an organization and steps were taken to raise funds. Site of the center is the main floor of the Knights of Columbus building. Space Is being provid ed rent free for one year by the KC’s. L. D. Putnam, general chair man of the renovation commit tee, has been directing interior work. The Kansas r Nebraska Natural Gas company donated and installed a $450 space heat er; Gillespies supplied a refrig erator; Johnson’s Jewelry an electric clock. Items . still needed include booths, some furniture items, and a piano. Some flooring will be replaced and the interior will be redec orated. Lavatories are being pro- I vided. Adult officers elected are: Ce gil Laursen, and Allan Van Vleck, vice-presidents; Jerome Gallagher, secretary; Mrs. H. J. Lohaus, treasurer; Dr. Edward M. Gleeson, Fred Heermann, Robert Moore, Robert Kurtz, Norman Gonderinger, Herman Renze and Leigh Reynoldson, directors. Judge 1?. R. Mounts will be the committee’s liaison officer with the Boy Scouts and Mfs. Charles Beilin, 4-H and rural youth groups. Plans call for opening the cen ter each Tuesday, Friday and Saturday evening, 7 until 10:30 o’clock, under adult supervision. A snackbar will be provided. Angelaires Next in Concert Series A harp quintet known as The Angelaires will conclude the 1955 ’56 O’Neill Community Concert series Thursday evening, March 8. For sheer delight and exquisite pleasure, the quintet is the most unusual attraction now appearing on the American concert stage. The five lovely young harpists have been highly successful dur ing their tours of the past three seasons. By popular demand, they have been booked for six months dur ing the 1955-’56 season through out most of the country. In O’Neill they will present a comprehensive program de signed to please concert-goers of the most varied musical tastes. Music from nearly every period and of every style will be includ ed—from Bach, who will be rep resented by a charming and gay “Suite” originally conceived for harpsichord, through favorite pieces by Debussy, Spanish dances by Granados and Lecuona, and several compositions for the harp by Salzedo, to special arrange ments of contemporary music by George Gershwin, Richard Rod gers, Vincent Youmans and Har old Arlen. The Angelaires were organized five years ago by producer How ard Lanin and since then have won widespread recognition in the music world in many recitals, appearances in a variety of con certs, and on television where they have been featured on such programs as Ed Sullivan’s “Toast of the Town” and Steve Allen’s “Tonight.” The Angelaires have also appeared in shows and con certs with such important stars as James Melton, Kate Smith, (Continued on page 2) i 0 James A. Donohoe, 78, a native of O’Neill and chief judge of the federal court for the district of Nebraska, died about 5 a.m., Sun day, February 25, in St. Joseph’s hospital, Omaha. The veteran jurist complained to his wife of not feeling well af ter his meal Saturday evening. His physician ordered him to the hospital about 9 p.m. A rosary rite was held at 8 o’clock Tuesday evening and funeral services were conduct ed at 10 a.m., Wednesday, Feb ruary 29, from Christ the Ring Catholic church in West Om aha. Burial was in Calvaiy cemetery at Omaha . The late Judge Donohoe was bom northwest of O’Neill August 9, 1877, the fourth child of John and Mary Biggins Donohoe, who were pioneer settlers. He was reared near O’Neill, educated here and attended Fre mont Normal. He was chief clerk in the of fice of the Holt county treasurer between 1897 and 1899. In 1903 he entered the M. F. Harrington law office where he commenced intensive reading and studying of law. Two years later he was ad mitted to the Nebraska bar. Between 1911 and 1933 he conducted an independent law practice and during World War I he served as government ap peal agent in the county. On September 8, 1911, he mar ried Flora M. Lowrie of O’Neill. The nuptials took place in Om aha. The late Judge Donohoe trav eled extensively in Europe, Africa and Asia. His hobby was travel and horticulture. Judge Donohoe was known for his plain speaking while presid ing on the bench. He was equal ly well-known for his efforts to streamline court procedure. He was credited with institut ing the pre-sentence investiga tion plan that has spread through out the federal judicial system. He refused to sentence anyone without first determining the of fender’s background, previous offenses and motive for commit ting a crime. I He also instituted a staggered system of calling jurors, de signed to save time and money. The late Judge Donohoe was the first to expire among the sons and daughters of the pioneer John Donohoe family. Oldest is John B., 86, and Thomas J. is 84. Survivors include: Widow — Flora; sisters — Mrs. Elizabetn Grady of Omaha, Mrs. Mary Mac Leod of O’Neill and Mrs. Marga ret Agnes of Norfolk; brothers— John B., Thomas J. and Patrick C., all of O’Neill, Hugh E. of Cne halis, Wash., and Eugene D. of Detroit, Mich. Among those from here at tending the funeral were Mrs. Mary MacLeod, Thomas J. Don ohoe, P. C. Donohoe, Mr. and Mrs. H. J. Lohaus, Harry Dono hoe, Catherine Donohoe and Julius D. Cronin (who was an honorary pallbearer). Anoka Man Takes Own Life with Gun ANOKA — Richard Klinger, about 71, who lived alone in the northeast part of town, was be lieved to have taken his own life early Tuesday, February 29. His lifeless body was found in a chair by Elmer Kinzie and John Knipping. A 16-gauge shot gun was nearby. County Attorney William Bren nan and County Sheriff Claude Collins theorized Klinger had fired twice. The second shot went through the man’s head and into the ceiling. An empty shell lay on the floor. Money in three billfolds amounted to $1,046.94. One bill fold, which contained $370, con tained a note: “This Mother.” Stuifbergen Dies at 39; 111 2 Weeks Heart Illness Claims Young Businessman; Funeral Saturday John G. Stuifbergen, 39, own er and operator of the O’Neill Beverage company, died about 9 p.m., Tuesday, February 28, in St. Anthony’s hospital. He had i suffered a series of three heart I attacks between February 11 and February 15, and was in critical condition from the latter date un til the time of his death. However, he showed signs of slight improvement. He had been out of the oxygen tent since Sat urday, and until a few hours be fore his death he had registered signs of gaining strength. Funeral services will be con ducted at 2 p.m., Saturday, March 3, from First Presbyterian church with Rev. J. Olen Kennell, church pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Prospect Hill cemetery. Pall bearers will be Virgil Laursen, Verne Reynoldson, John C. Wat v M: > , y ' ** : John G. Stuifbergen . . . taken prisoner in Germany during World War n. son, Elgin Ray, Dr. Rex W. Wil son, L. A. Becker, Robert E. Ev ans and William McIntosh. The remains will lie in state at Biglin’s chapel from 2 until 9 p.m., on Friday, and on Sat urday from 9 until 11 a.m., at the church. The late John Gerard Stuif bergen was bom May 15, 1916, at Orangeville, Mich., a son of Nick and the late Mary Van Lueewen Stuifbergen. His parents were na tives of Holland. He was reared in Michigan and attended Michigan State college at Lansing one year where he was a member of the football squad. Later, he transferred to the University of Nevada where he played varsity football one season. He was noted on the grid iron for his powerful physique and athletic ability. After entering military service at the start of World War II, he was commissioned a second lieu tenant in the infantry. He fought in France and Germany and was captured by the Germans, spend ing a number of months in a prisoner of war camp. One of his fellow prisoners was a son-in-law of the late General Patton. The general boldly dis patched a task force to penetrate behind the German lines to lib rate the imprisoned Americans. The effort failed. The story of the liberation try was later told in the Saturday Evening Post. The prisoner diet and harsh work conditions had a telling effect on Mr. Stuifbergen’s physical condition. However, he quickly recovered. He married Marjorie Marie Blinn at Crookston on Septem ber 20, 1944. His wife formerly lived with her parents at Valen tine. Mr. Stuifbergen became man ager of the O’Neill Beverage firm, a wholesale beer distributorship, in 1946, coming here from Shel byville, Mich. In 1951 he served as command er of Simonson post 93 of the American Legion. He was a mem ber of the Chamber of Commerce, Junior Chamber of Commerce and the Nebraska Wholesalers’ association. During the past year he ex panded his business operations to include railway freight delivery service in O’Neill. Survivors include: Widow — Marjorie; daughter — Linda Lee, 9; sons — John Richard, 6, and Robert Earl, \Vz\ father — Nick Stuifbergen of Allegan, Mich.; brothers—William of Kalamazoo, Mich., Peter of Augusta, Mich., Anthony of Kalamazoo and Rich ard of Allegan; sister—Mrs. Ann Weeks of Ewing, I1L Simonson post will provide a firing squad at the grave and military burial rites will be con ducted. Miss Patty Krotter visited from Friday until Sunday in Spencer wth her grandparents. Chambers District Loses 48 Sq. Miles The proposed Chambers rural fire protection district had 48 square miles and approximately two million dollars in tax valua tion shaved off Wednesday after noon in a hearing before the Holt county board of supervisors. Or iginal Chambers plan embraced all of Lake and McClure town ships in addition to others. The board moved the eastern boundary from the east edge of the townships to a point feur miles west. Because the town ships are six miles deep (north south), the area amounts to 48 square miles, which become a part of the Ewing district. Officers for the Chambers dis trict will be elected Saturday, March 24, at Chambers. George Pongratz, Wife, Wed 50 Years Both Are Natives of Germany By MRS. N. D. ICKES, SR. Feature Writer Mr. and Mrs. George Pongratz celebrated their 50th wedding an niversary Sunday, February 26, with an open-house observance at their home two miles east and three miles north of Emmet. The weather was fine, perhaps a bit colder than it was a half century ago when Miss Mary Babl, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Babl of Stuart, became the bride of George Pongratz at the St. Boniface Catholic church at Stuart. Father Biehoff officiated. Max Babl and Miss Mary Wallin ger, brother and cousin of the bride, were attendants. Their golden wedding day started off with the entire Pon gratz family attending high mass at 10:30 a.m., at the Church of the Epiphany in Emmet with Rev Francis Price celebrating the mass. Following mass, Mr. and Mrs. Pongratz renewed their mar riage vows and received the papal blessing. A breakfast was served to the members of the immediate fam ily and close relatives at St. Mi- . chael’s hall. The open - house observance was attended by 230 guests who signed the guest book. Mrs. Pongratz was bora at Ob enried, Bavaria, September 28, 1884. She accompanied her par ents to Plattsmouth two years later. Mrs. Pongratz is the oldest of eight children, all of whom are living. Mr. Pongratz was bom February 2, 1882, at Die borg, Bavaria. He crossed the At lantic with an aunt from Ameri ca, who was visiting her fathtr land. He accompanied her to Chi cago, 111. From there he proceed ed alone to the home of an uncle at Plattsmouth. The understand- : ing was that other members of the family were to follow the ; coming year. But the mother of the family died and their coming was delayed from year-to-year ; and never was accomplished. The Pongratzes are the parents i of six children—Joe of Emmet, ; Margaret Troshynski of Page, i Teresa Givens of Stuart, Bernard of O’Neill and Alda GiveDs and Armella Kramer, both of Stuart. There are 21 grandchildren. The question was asked of Mrs. Pongratz where she first met her husband. She replied that his - uncle was married to her aunt. She was spending the night with her aunt when George stopped off enroute from Germany to Chicago, 111. She was sleeping by the fire i and her aunt routed her out of a warm bed in the middle of the night to finish the night in a cold room. Since coming to America, George has dreamed of crossing the Atlantic for another glimpse of the old home. Many things in terfered as the family expanded. Mr. Pongratz decided to per suade his brother, Sebastian, to come to Nebraska. This was the plan that was fi nally worked out at George’s ex pense and Sebastian came from Geratzkirchen, Bavaria, for the months of July, August and Sep tember, 1954. Most of the time was spent with George. Of George’s family of six, only he, Sebastian and one sis ter, Mrs. Mike Hausladen of Plattsmouth, stiH survive. Sis ter Gereona of the St. Francis hospital, Grand Island, died in August, 1955. In a letter from Sebastian re- ! ceived last week, he reported the ! birth of a pair of twin boys to his j son and daughter-in-law and ! spoke of next month’s pilgrimage to Rome on Pope Pius XII’s 80th birthday anniversary. Among the gifts was an un usual one from Switzerland—a cake baked and decorated by che son of a sister of Mr. Pongratz— ] sent here for the golden wedding jj Bouquets of mixed flowers in ; gold shades graced the breakfast j tables and were a part of the home decorations. 1 Mrs. Pongratz wore a pair of (Continued on page 8) Duane Carson (left), teacher in the two-grade Amelia high school, and pupils: Jerry Homolka, Phyllis Fullerton, James Carr, Rochelle Sammons and Kamphaus. Amelia School Won’t Close By a Staff Writer AMELIA— Three members of the Amelia public school board of education Tuesday appeared be fore State Education Commission er F. B. Decker and members of the state board of education in the capitol at Lincoln. Clyde Widman, Lloyd Waldo and Glen White had to read the morning papers to learn the re sults of the hearing — and the news wasn’t good. The state education office turn ed down a plea for continuing the two-grade Amelia high school. The board also voted to with hold state approval from eight other high schools and granted reprieves to four others, including Bristow. State education chiefs point to a state law (fostered by school administrators) which declares that any high school with fewer .♦’■an 10 pupils for three consecu tive years must discontinue pro vided the community is accessible by “reasonably improved high way” with another school within 15 miles distance. Amelia residents testified that at least 2 V2 miles of the Am elia-Chambers road is impass able because of mud and snow during certain periods. They further pointed out the | community (and parents in three school districts) are unanimously in favor of keeping the two-grade high school in operation. They further pointed out the present enrollment is at low ebb and that a school census proves the enroll ment will increase in the years ahead. The attorney-general had ruled the 10 !£ - mile-stretch constituted a reasonably improved road. Widman and Waldo insist none af the state officials has person ally inspected the road—certainly not when in impassable condition. On occasion, Waldo says he has used his own equipment in winter to clear the road of snow. Mr. Widman explains his per sonal feelings this way: “We are criticized and penalized at the capitol because we lack numbers. We have five high school pupils this year and their rights are being denied them. “Money is no problem,” he de clared. “We have spent five thou sand dollars for repair in the past six years in anticipation of keep ing the high school going. We pay the bill and certainly we’re en titled to send our children to high school where we wish. “If the state withdraws ac creditation, as the officials have indicated they would, then our decision will be determined by relative value. We will decide whether two extra years of home training and home influence are more important to our children than the arbitrary value of ac creditation. “In these days of alarming juvenile delinquency, we’ll choose the method that keeps these teenagers home two more years! Some of the larger schools come in for criticism in connection with the alarming increase in delinquency. “I can’t speak for the entire board because we have not met since Tuesday’s hearing in Lin coln. But my guess is we’ll con tinue to operate the two-grade Amelia high school with or with out the accreditation status and we’ll invite comparisons of our children with those who are trained in the socalled accredited schools. “No Amelia graduate has ever been jailed and most of them are above average when they enter other high schools. Records prove it. Our school has produced four priests, several other church workers, many college students, military officers, a college pub licist and dozens of solid citizens. “We have no alternative now but to turn to the courts. “Meanwhile, we’ll proceed on the idea that democracy still works and, with or without ac creditation, Amelia students and future students can look forward to freshman and sophomore years in their home community.” Mr. and Mrs. George Pongratz . . . entertain 230 guests on their golden wedding day.—The Frontier Photo. YVidman . . . democracy still works.—The Frontier Photo. I",s “ "f T”*** Segment of Amelia-Chambers road . . . impassable during certain periods of the year. St. Anthony’s Gets $2,000 Bequest St .Anthonys’ hospital recently received a bequest of $2,000 from the estate of the late Albert Otte of Winner, S.D. Mr. Otte was a patient in St. Anthony’s hospital from June 19, 1953, until his death on June 13 1955. Although he was paralyzed as thq result of a cerebral hemor rhage, his mind remained keen and he took an interest in hos pital activities. Mr. Otte showed his gratitude for the care he received by other gifts to the hospital as well as by his last bequest. During his ill ness he made a donation of $1,000 to pay for furnishing a room and another of $500 to purchase a new gas range for the hospital kitch en. “Although definite plans have not yet been made for the use of the bequest, it will be expended in some way which will provide a suitable memorial for a kindly man who will long be remember ed at St. Anthony’s hospital,” Mother M. Coronata said. Frontier for printing! Relocation of U.S.281 Soon Told Ress Says Important Seven-Mile Gap Set for Hardsurfacing U.S. highway 281, a north south international highway * 0 crossing Holt and Boyd counties, will be the object of widespread interest during March. State Engineer L. N. Ress last Thursday advised State Sen. Frank Nelson of O’Neill that the seven-mile gap on 281, north of O’Neill, will be hardsurfaced this summer. Re told Senator Nelson the department will advertise for bids during March and will accept bids on March 29. When the gap is closed the route will be hardsurfaeed viri tually all the way from the Chambers junction north through O’Neill to the Nebras ka-South Dakota line. Closing the gap will be a long awaited reality. U.S. highway 281 north of O’ Neill accommodates in excess of five hundred vehicles per day. Meanwhile, on March 26 the state highway commission will announce a decision on rerouting of 281 from the junction with state highway 12 (in Boyd coun ty) toward the Ft. Randall (S.D.) dam. Since South Dakota has relo cated 281 across the dam, that state now wants to build a road to the state line to connect with a o new, more direct Nebraska route for 281. From Nebraska’s standpoint and for economic reasons in volved in construction, Mr. Ress said it would be best to route 281 over state highway 18 north from Spencer. However,. he said this would take U.S. 281 travelers several miles out of their way. Nature of most of the 281 travel is of local and regional character, according to hignway department surveys. Fewer than 50 vehicles per day are of trans continental nature. Supporters of the west route (through Spencer) point to the normal flow of traffic from northwest to southeast. They say trafic bound southeast will funnel into Nebraska if the west route is improved. However, they say travelers wi’l stay on South Da kota highways if they’re routed as far east as Ft. Randall before turning south on 281. • Proponents for a direct, angle route between the 281-12 junction and the state line near Randall claim a shorter distance. Schaffer to Vie . with Marceiius It was evident this week there would be one or more contests in the municipal election to be held Tuesday, April 3. On Saturday petitions were be ing circulated simultaneously for a full slate of city and school of ficers headed by Dewey C. Schaf fer, who is a candidate for mayor. Others on the slate include: For city council—J. J. Berigan, First ward; Leigh Reynoldson, Second ward (full term); James ' Earey, Second ward (to fill va cancy of Marvin Johnson, who will resign effective May 1); Nor bert Uhl, Third ward. For police magistrate — Ralph Walker. For board of education—H. J. Lohaus and Elgin Ray, both in cumbents. Present councilmen whose terms expire are L. M. Merriman, First ward: Joe Stutz, Second ward, and Emmett Crabb, Third ward. None have publicly announced whether or not they will seek reelection. On Monday a petition was placed in circulation in behalf of Alva Marceiius, who was elected last April to fill a one-year va cancy. Time limit for conducting a formal caucus has lapsed. 350 Baby Chicks Destroyed by Fire INMAN—A brooder house con taining 350 baby chicks burned early Sunday morning at the Justin Butterfield farm east of Inman. . . ® The blaze was discovered by Mick Gallagher, who saw smoke at the Butterfield place and rush ed over to give the alarm.* The blaze was thought to have start ed from a heat lamp or an electric heater that was being used . to brood the chicks. MARRIAGE LICENSES John I. Plessel, 25, and Mavis ° Kay Strong, 18, both of O’Neill, on February 17. Karl Leonard Keyes and Miss Elsie Krueger, both of Inman, on February 23.