'I
t
Xehr. Stat2 T'sttxical Society
VOL. No. XLVI
PLATTSMOUTH, NEBRASKA, MONDAY, MARCH 31, 1930.
NO. 17
I
Chicken Thieves
are Active in the
County Again
Farm of Troy Murdoch, North of
Nehawka Suffers Loss
of Chickens
From Friday's Daily
The farming section north of Ne
hawka has again suffered from the
visitation of chicken thieves, the
first serious offense of this kind since
Sheriff Reed and the Plattsmouth
police rounded up the gang that was
operating in this section and western
Iowa, several months ago.
The visitation of the thieves was
at the farm of Troy Murdoch, north
of Nehawka where some sixty of the
fine fat chickens were stolen on Wed
nesday night. The loss of the
chickens was not discovered until
Thursday afternoon when a check of
the chicks disclosed the fact that a
large part of the flock had been
taken.
The matter was reported to Sher
iff Reed and an investigation of the
case made and from the appearance
it would seem that the parties had
left their truck parked on the road
some distance away from the farm
house so that the family would not
be aroused by the starting of the
truck and then the parties doing
the stealing had apparently gone to
the truck and made their getaway
from the scene. The highway had
been traveled by many cars and
trucks and it was impossible to find
any definite clue as to the direction
in which the car or truck had gone.
The sheriff is urging all residents
of the farming districts in case where
they hear any invaders in the chick
en houses, to send out a general
farm line call to their neighbors to
maintain a watch on the roads, then
call the sheriffs office and pre
pare the only family shot gun and
start out to round up the robbers.
The residents are urged to keep from
making lights or alarming the chick
en thieves and aiding in making it
possible to round them up and catch
them red handed, practically the
only way in which a case of chicken
stealing can be fixed on the- parties
as after they get away it is difficult
to tie them up in the chicken steal
ing cases.
WILL PRESENT MINSTREL
The Dramatic club of the high
school are preparing to present a
delightful minstrel show at the
Parmele theatre on the nights of
Tuesday and Wednesday, April 1st
and 2nd.
This minstrel will have a chorus
and cast of some fourteen black face
artists and interlocutor and who will
present a fine array of solos, dancing
and chorus singing, with the talent
ed young people of the school in the
The minstrel is under the direc
tion of Miss Martha Gorder, talented
musician and who will present the
talented young people in their clever
stio w
In connection with the show there
will be a moving picture, "The Re
turn of Sherlock Holmes."
There will be the motion picture
in the opening show at 7:30 and the
minstrel will follow at once at the
close of the motion picture.
The tickets for the minstrel show
are now on sale and are in the hands
of the members of the high school
dramatic club.
HONOR BOLL OF HIGH SCHOOL
The honor roll of the high school
for the third quarter, composed of
the students making three or more
"A's" for the third quarter, is com
posed of the following:
Seniors Evangeline Craig, Melba
Epler. Bernice Hogue, Beatrice Knof
licek. Earl Koeble, Robt. Livingston,
Ellen Nora Meisinger, Chas. Now
acek, Jeanne Parker, Helen Persing
er, Geo. Sayles, Frank Schackneis,
Mary Swatek. Alice Taylor.
Juniors RIene De Les Dernier,
Rose Ferrie, Ruth Ferrie, Marie
Lutz, Constance Rea, Vestetta Rob
ertson. Sophomores Madge Garnet, Irene
Simons, Eleanor Swatek, Helen War
ge, John Becker, Winnifred Rainey.
Freshman Geo. Adam, Donald
Bushnell, Margaret Lahoda, Stuart
Porter, Marsella Ramel, Mata
Schackneis. Floyd Shanholz, Elea
nore Smetana.
All classes showed an increase in
the number honored except the
Sophomore class. The Seniors had
the highest number with the Fresh
man second.
ENTERTAINS FOR FRIEND
Mrs. Henry C. McMaken was hos
tess Thursday at a very delightful
5:0 tea at her home in the Coronado
apartments, honoring Mrs. S. W.
Bell, who is to leave tl.a first of the
coming week for Fremont to make
her future home. The ladies are
members of a bridge club and the
occasion was made very pleasant in
the playing of this fiscinating game.
In the playing Mrs. Flnke was the
winner of the first honors while Mrs.
T. TCPTihwrcpr wan awarded the
eeond prise.2 Mrs. S. W. Bell was
presented with the guest pruo, a
very handsome remembrance of the
occasion.
VISIT OLD FRIEND
From Thursday's Dally
Last evening'Mr. and Mrs. Thomas
Svoboda and son, Tom, and Mrs
Joseph I liber, Sr., motored to Omaha
where they enjoyed a visit with their
old friend and former Plattsmouth
resident, John E. Nemetz; who has
been an invalid for the past three
years. The event also proved the
birthday of Mr. Nemetz and in honor
of the occasion the Plattsmouth
friends as well us a large group
from Omaha joined in a pleasant
reminder to the genial guest of hon
or. The illness of Mr. Nemetz has
prevented him from carrying on his
usual activities and he appreciates
very much the visits of the friends.
Mr. Nemetz was for many years en
gaged here in the conduct of a candy
store and later was employed as
deputy in the county treasurer's of
fice until removing to Omaha where
he was engaged as clerk in the of
fice of the county treasurer of Doug
las county until his illness struck
him down.
Prepare to
Start Census
of Cass County
Assignments Made to the Various
Enumerators to Carry on the
Check of Inhabitants
The taking of the 1930 census
will be started over the nation on
April 2nd and will cover several
weeks of intensive work on the part
of the men and women who have
been selectde as enumerators and
the coming week will see the work
under way in every part of Cass
county.
The public is urged to give these
census takers every aid and curtesy
in the listing of the residents of the
county as it is hoped to make the
census 100 per cent effective in
getting the names of all of the in
habitants of the towns and country
precincts. This listing of inhabit
ants is important to the towns.
counties and state as the number of
inhabitants in each -political sub
division has a bearing on the gov
ernmental functions of the various
towns and counties who are rated
by their population.
II. O. Parsons of Lincoln, the su
pervisor of the census in this dis
trict, has announced the enumerators
for Cass county who will have charge
of the census taking and who will
comprise the following: Emma M.
Rawalt, Avoca, Avoca precinct; Dag
mar K. Lauritzen, Weeping Water,
Center precinct: Herman J. Hough,
Plattsmouth, Eight Mile Grove pre
cinct; Susie M. Cook, Elmwood, Elm
wood precinct; Claire A. Bornemeier,
Alvo, Greenwood precinct; May L.
Foster, Union, Liberty precinct;
Sarah G. Breeden, Louisville, Louis
ville precinct; James M. Palmer, Ne
hawka, Mt. Pleasant precinct; Har
old A. Dodson, Nehawka, Nehawka
precinct; Mrs. Ella J. Frazier, Mrs.
Delia Hatt, Mrs. Lillian Livingston,
Mrs. Nellie Carlson, Plattsmouth
city; William T. Richardson, My-
nard, Plattsmouth precinct; Charles
D. Spangler, Murray, Rock Bluff pre
cinct; Mildred E. Buckell, Green
wood, Salt Creek precinct; Charles
N. Buell, South Bend, South Bend
precinct; Olive F. Horton, Elmwood,
Stove Creek precinct; Frank Gustin,
Elmwood, Tipton precinct; Emily
Olive, Weeping Water city.
WILL DO GRAVELING
from Thursday's Dally
A number of the residents of the
city are planning on securing some
gravel for themselves on streets in
the residential section and which
will make for a much better highway
for the residents in the sections that
are being prepared for the graveling.
One of the sections that it is planned
to have gravel placed, is on Thir
teenth street from Main to Pearl
streets and hence east on Pearl to
past the residence of County Judge
A. H. Duxbury. It is hoped to be able
to extend the gravel west on Pearl
from 13th to 14th street and thence
south on 14th street to Marble, mak
ing an all season highway in that
section. This will make a great im
provement and the residents of the
locality are paying the freight them
selves to secure the badly needed
road.
A half block of gravel is being
placed on North 10th street from
Main to Vine street and along the
alley that runs east and west through
the block, many of the residents there
having their garages located on the
alleyway.
TIES CATCH FIRE
From Thursday's Dally
This afternoon at 2:30 a pile of
some 125 railroad ties which were
piled long the Burlington, tracks in
the north railroad yards, caught fire
in some manner and created a great
deal of excitement as the clouds of
black smoke from the treated ties
rolled up and gave the impression
in the business section that a ser
ious fire was raging. The fire de
partment arrived on the scene but as
the fire was too far from the water
supply there was little that could be
done.
Iowa-Nebraska
Light Company
Urges Safety
Banquet for Members of Force in
Plattsmouth District Held
Last Night
The officers and employees of the
Plattsmouth district of the Iowa
Nebraska Light & Power Co., with
a number of the invited guests,
gathered last evening at the Amrr
ican Legion community building lor
a very pleasant banquet and to re
ceive some real teachings in the
"S:.fety First" movement that the
company is urging in all lines of
their service for the benefit of the
general public as well as their em
ployes. The repast of the evening was
served by the ladies of the Amer
ican Legion Auxiliary and the mem
bers of the staff of this great utility
company who were gathered around
the table appreciated to the utmost
the fine time afforded them in the
feast.
The subject of the evening, "Safe
ty," was given in a splendid manner
by Edward Kennedy of Lincoln, who
has charge of this work for the com
pany. Mr. Kennedy pointed out that
the teaching of the safety measures
was not purely a selfish motive with
the great corporation, but that they
were trained to avoid accidents that
were trained to avoid accident that
might permanently and surely tem
porarily disable employes or perhaps
result in death. A number of cases
were cited where accidents had re
sulted in permanent injury and the
result that the earning power of the
man had been cut more than half.
Mr. Kennedy had with him goggles
that had been worn by employes and
which had saved the eyes of the men
from accidents from flying steel or
other foreign particles and as well
a piece of steel taken from the eye
of an employe who had failed to
wear the goggles. Mr. Kennedy urg
ed that employes use all of the pre
cautions and safety appliances in
their work in order that greater loss
of.Jife and injuries might be avoided.
The Plattsmouth district was com
plimented by Mr. Kennedy on the
record in the safety movement so
far this year.
Walter Gabriel, who has charge
of the sales department of the dis
trict was then introduced by Fred
I. Rea, district manager, who pre
sided, and Mr. Gabriel gave a short
"shop" talk on the sales of the mer
chandise handled as a part of the
Iowa-Nebraska company's line.
Dale Renner of Lincoln, an as
sistant in the office of President
Brooks, was also heard in a fine talk
on the Safety Work and the cam
paign that has been in force for sev
eral years to reduce to the lowest
possible figure the injuries to the
employes and the losses in time and
money to the individual as wen as
the company. In the past year the
company had paid out some $29,
000 in losses through injuries, an
average of some $25 per employe.
Mr. Renner also cited cases where
the use of safety appliance would
have prevented accidents and urged
the precautions that the company
had provided against accidents be
used all of the time.
Mr. Bodie of the Humboldt offices
of the company talked of the splen
did co-operation that had been
shown in the district, the fine spirit
that all of the employes had felt
and the universal desire of all of
the employes to give their company
the best possible service.
To everyone at the banquet the
work of Mr. Kennedy and his Safety
First team of Lincoln, was one that
held the closest attention as they
gave practical demonstrations of the
First Aid, a most enhghtning show
ing of the things to be done in case
of accident and the proper manner
in which to give the first aid to the
injured until the arrival of a doctor
or surgeon. With speed and dispatch
the team composed of Mr. Ketchera,
Mr. Cunningham, Mr. Baird and Mr.
Shepherd, showed how various cases
of lacerations, scalp or skull injur
ies, should be treated as well as
showing the proper way of dealing
with common as well as compound
fractures. The team also gave dem
onstrations of the manner of restor
ing anyone overcome with gas,
drowning or other accidents where
immediate and practical aid can and
has often saved lives.
W. N. Jackson, head of the con
struction department of the Iowa
Nebraska Light & Power Co., reach
ed the meeting too late to enjoy the
banquet features but gave a very
fine talk along the lines of the safety
movement, urging the adoption and
practice of all safety precautions in
his own department as well as that
of the operating departments. The
speaker took as an example of one of
the most severe accidents that the
company has suffered that of the
Shenandoah, (la.), gas works ex
plosion that resulted in one death
and a great property damage to the
company and the residents of the
community there. Mr. Jackson urged
that ignoring of the safety measures
and devices should be punished and
the employee and officers learn that
their own interests as well as that
of the company required the practice
of the safety campaigns.
As the close of the evening pro
gram a few reels of motion pictures
were shown and among these views
of the Shenandoah explosion as well
as other accidents; and injuries that
had occurred in the company's ex
perience in the past few years and
which gave to the audience a real
appreciation of what an accident
meant to the employee as well as
the company.
MRS. L0HNES POORLY
Mrs. John G. Lohnes, who has been
in poor health for the past winter
as the result of a. very severe cold
that has greatly ' undermined her
vitality, has been confined to her
home for the past three weeks us the
result of a general breakdown and
which has proven very annoying.
The many friends of this estimable
lady will regret greatly to learn of
her illness and trust that she may
soon be up and around again and
able to look after,, her usual activ
ities. Care Necessary
to Raise Standard
of Butter Fat
Nebraska Makes Poor Showing in Late
Reports and Action Urged to
Raise the Standard.
Butterfat prices in Nebraska are
generally lower than the average
price paid in the United States, ac
cording to a survey recently finished
by the U. S. Department of Agricul
ture. Quality of the product is also
lower in Nebraska than in the aver
age state.
There are two practical ways of
raising the quality of cream and get
ting a correspondingly higher price.
One of them is to keep the cream
cool and the other is to keep it clean.
Care of the cream should begin be
fore the cow is miked. Her udder
should be thoroly cleaned before
milking time to prevent dirt from
falling into the milk; The pail should
be of a closed top variety. The milk
er should be clean and healthy and
should milk with -.try hands. All
utensils should be cleaned and aired
out folowing use.
Rapid cooling of the cream after
it is separated is necessary to keep
down the facterial growth in the
product. Several means of cooling
can be used, but for Tebraska condi
tions a cooling tank using circulating
well water for the cooling medium
meets the requirements for good qual
ity cream. This type of tank also
provides a clean, sanitary place for
holding the cream before it is taken
to market. Under no conditions
should cream be held on the farm
more than four days in winter, and
a less time in summer.
CAMPFTRE GIRLS MEET
From Friday's Dally
Wolohese Camp Fire group met last
evening at the home of Mrs. Carl Ofe
for an initiation party.
Almost all of the girls were pres
ent and a committee composed of
Madge Garnett, Emily Lorenz and
Gertrude Vallery Initiated the new
members. We also initiated our new
guardian, Mrs. Ofe, and the assist
ant, Mrs. Theresia Haley.
A short ceremonial meeting was
held afterwards and the membership
cards were given out. Mrs. Oft read
a story about one of our laws, "Seek
Beauty." The candles were lit hy
Winifred Rainey, "Work," Madge
Garnett, "Health," and Irene Si
mons, "Love."
A committee was appointed for
our treasure hunt Tuesdaiy, April
1. They are Helen Virginia Price and
Emily Lorenz. We hope the "weath
er man predicts fair weather for April
Fool's day.
We have story hour Friday, April
4th, and plan to have an interesting
program.
DECIDE AGAINST CHANGE
From Thursday's Dally
Last evening Mr. and Mrs. E. II.
Wescott and Russell Reeder motored
to Nebraska City where they spent
a few hours, Mrs. Wescott as a guest
at the home of Mrs. W. H. Pitzer and
the two gentlemen attending the
meeting of the Nemaha area of the
Boy Scouts of America. The scout
meeting took up the matter of the
consolidation of the Nemaha area
with the Cornhusker area at Lin
coln which has been discussed for
the past several months but after
the full consideration of the several
groups In the area it was decided
that the consolidation would be drop
ped for the present at least and the
Nemaha area in the southeastern Ne
braska district would be continued.
SUFFERS SEVERE ILLNESS
From Friday Daily
Bobbie Beal, the young son of
Mrs. Golda Noble Wiles, clerk of
the district court, is quite ill at the
family home on the farm southwest
of the city. The little lad has been
threatened with pneumonia and his
condition while somewhat improved
is such as to cause a great deal of
apprehension to the members of the
family circle.
Louisville
Citizens to
Block Robbers
Militant Organization of Citizens
Prepare Warm Reception
to Any Invaders
The residents of our neighboring
city of Louisvilie are organized to
do battle with any gang of robbers
that may visit that place day or
night, and frou past showings made
in this line the Louisville people
mean business and how! The Louis
ville Courier of this week tells of
the first practice of the protecting
force and from its machine like oper
ation the robbers that visit Louisville
are going to get all that is coming
to them, as the following shows:
"The Louisville Home Guard is
still on the job. Last Saturday morn
ing at about 3:00 a'clock they were
called out of bed to officiate at a
supposed robbery of Walter Blake's
store.
"A truck had backed up in front
of Herman Kalkpai's hot dog estab
lishment to install a frigid air ma
chine, having been delayed in get
ting it down from Omaha. Someone
called central, who gave the alarm
and soon the place was surrounded.
Mayor Scott McGrew was the first to
arrive with a shotgun that had not
been fired since he was a boy read
ing Diamond Dick novels. He is con
fident, however, that he could hit
an object as large as a truck. He
says it scatters far and wide and
that the driver would be unsafe even
though he aimed at the rear tire.
Next came Fred Osscnkop, the ex-
postmaster who got his man several
years ago when he potted a couple
of robbers who had burglarized the
F. II. Nicholas store, thus gaining for
himself much notoriety besides put
ting the fear of God into the hearts
of law violators.
"Cashier H. B. Koop of the Home
State Bank, who lives just across the
alley, got out his old army musket,
slid on his belly to the wood shed
and lay in wait for the supposed rob
bers should they attempt to escape
through a rear door. The fortifica
tion was complete,, but when the
shotgun brigade closed in and found
the real cause of the alarm the re
lief was general.
"At any rate, this should be a
warning to robbers that they will
find organized resistance should they
decide to pull off a robbery in Louis
ville at any time day or night."
A REAL PLEASANT SURPRISE
From Friday' Dally
Last evening a very pleasant sur
prise was given at the home of Mrs.
W. H. Cocelt, who live on a farm 6
miles northwest of Plattsmouth, hon
oring her on her birthday. Quite a
large number were present to help
her enjoy the occasion.
The evening was spent in playing
various games among which was an
old fashioned spelling contest. Mrs.
Floy Hardison and George Winscott
standing up the longest. Radio mu
sic was greatly enjoyed by all pres
ent.
At an appropriate hour a very de
licious luncheon was served from the
baskets which the different members
brought. Among those to enjoy the
occasion were: Mr. and Mrs. Rus-
sel Todd and sons, Fred, Forrest and
Theodore, Mr. and Mrs. Hardison and
son, Clifton, Mr. and Mrs. C. O. Carl-
burg, daughters, Mildred and Edna,
and son, Glen, Mr. and Mrs. Ruel
Sack and son, Richard, Mrs. Louis
Sack and son, Duane, Mr. and Mrs.
Roy Clark and Baby, Virgie Alice,
Mr. and Mrs. Roy Stine, Mr. and
Mrs. Esper McCleary, Mr. and Mrs.
Will Kelleson and son, Raymond,
George Winscott, Carroll Sutton, Har
old Seay, Wallace Arnold and Miss
Vivian Moore, and the family of the
guest of honor, Mr. and Mrs. W. H.
Coffelt and children, Laurice, Laur
etta, Lloyd and Wayne.
At a late hour all members depart
ed for their homes, wishing the guest
of honor many more happy birth
days. MAKES PROMPT SETTLEMENT
From Friday's Daily
T. M. Patterson of Omaha, repre
sentative of the Bankers Life Insur
ance Company, was in the city to
day en route to Union. Mr. Patter
son had with him the check from
his company in settlement of the
death claim of Clifford McQuinn,
killed in an auto accident at Uniou
last Thursday night. Mr. McQuinn
carried a two thousand dollar policy
of the Bankers Life Company which
provided a double indemity for ac
cidental death. The McQuinn estate
will receive some three, thousand,
nine hundred dollars as the settle
ment in full of their claim.
DOINGS IN DISTRICT COURT
From Friday's Datlj
This morning two cases involving
suits to quiet title were filed in the
office of the clerk of the district
court, one being that of Nellie E.
Topliff vs James Hoffman, et al., and
the other Vera Urwin vs. Minnie
Urwin, et al. In the cases filed At
torney W. A. Robertson appears for
the plaintiffs in both cases of action.
CAR AND TRUCK SMASH
From Saturday's Daily
Yesterday afternoon while one of
the McMaken trucks was engaged in
hauling gravel to the Louisville road
west of the city, the truck and a
Ford coupe crashed near the Louis
Schiessil farm. The truck was com
ing east and the Ford coupe south
and met at the corner. At the time
of the accident the driver of the
truck was facing the sun and unable
to fee the coupe, the drive of which
was also unaware of the near ap
proach of the truck until they struck
in the center of the road. The coupe
was thrown clear off the road and
burst into flames a few seconds after
the impact. The driver of the truck,
Charles Lan.phere, hastened to the
wrecked coupe and rescued the dri
ver, a young man named Holcomb,
who was partially dazed by the force
of the impact. The driver of the
coupe was then taken to the home
of his brother-in-law, Arthur Samp
son, a short distance from the scene
of the wreck. It is not thought that
the driver of the coupe was seriously
injured.
W. F. Evers is
Given Pleasing
Recognition
Selected as the Grand Representative
of the State of Mississippi
. at R. A. M.
William F. Evers, one of the lead
ing and active members of Nebraska
Chapter No. 3. Royal Arch Masons,
a past high priest in the local chap
ter, has been selected as the grand
representative of the grand chapter
of the state of Mississippi at the
grand chapter of the order in Ne
braska. This honor is a very pleasing rec
ognition of the great interest and
effort that Mr. Evers has shown in
the work of the order in this state,
he being a very active figure in all
of the branches of Masonry in the
state and having served as the. head
of Plattsmouth lodge No. 6, A. F.
& A. M., s Nebraska Chapter t No. 3,
Royal Arch Masons and Mt. Zion
Commandery No. , 5, Knights Temp
lar. Mr. Evers is at the present time
the superintendent of the Nebraska
Masonic Home in this city, which
office he has held for a great many
years and in known over the state
for his splendid work for the great
fraternity.
CELEBRATES BIRTHDAY
From Saturday's Daily
Yesterday being the twenty-first
birthday anniversary of Ralph Ma
son, who is a student at the State
Teacher's College at Peru, the young
man was guest of honor at a very
delightful birthday party held at
the home of Mr. and Mrs. Lawrrence
Sprecher. In the entertaining and
serving Mrs. Sprecher was assisted
by her sister, Mrs. W. H. Mason.
The evening was spent in games of
all kinds and cards and at which a
great deal of pleasure was derived
by all of the members of the jolly
crowd and in honor of the event
Ralph was presented with a number
of gifts .
At a suitable hour dainty and de
licious refreshments were served that
aided in the completion of the eve
ning of rare delight.
Those who attended the event
were: Florence Nelson, Vivian Light
body, Eleanor and Mary Swatek,
Germaine Mason, George Sayles,
Ralph Mason, William Nelson, Rob
ert Fitch, Bernard Galloway, Mrs.
W. H. Mason and children, Shirley,
Dona Fae and Billy and Mrs. L. R.
Sprecher.
CHECK ATTENDANCE RECORD
The check of the attendance rec
ord at the hieh school for the third
quarter shows that the sophomores
lead the other classes in the per
centage of attendance as well as in
the size of their class, having an en
rollment of 70. a perfect attendance
of 33 or 47 per cent. The seniors
are the second class in the scnooi
with an enrollment of 60, a perfect
attendance of 28 and a percentage
of 4 3. The freshmen are third in
the school with an enrollment of
68. a Derfect attendance of 26 that
gives them a percentage of 3S. The
juniors are the tailenders with an
enrollment of 68, a perfect attend
ance of 19, or a percentage of s.
SETTLE UP ARGUMENT
From Saturdays Dally
This morning Judge Charles L.
Graves in the police court was called
up on to decide the issues in a case
coming from the south section of
the city where one lady was charged
with having attacked another of the
lady residents in that locality. The
matter was reported to the author
ities and this morning Chief of Po
lice Libershal was called upon to
serve the warrant that brought the
matter into the police court. A plea
of guilty to the charge brought a
fine of $10 and costs, amounting to
$13.50.
Phone your news to the Journal.
Plattsmouth
Students Win
i in Contest
Robert Livingston, Herschel Score
, Firsts, Margaret Shellenbarger,
1 Chas. Nowacek Seconds
From Saturday's Daily
With Robert Livingston winning
first in Extemporaneous, Herschel
Dew winning first in Humorous and
Charles Nowacek and Margaret Shel
lenbarger placing t-econd in Oratory
and Dramatic, the Plattsmouth high
school entries in the Sub-District De
clamatory Contest held at Auburn
yesterday afternoon and evening
made a most enviable record and
one that stands unequaled by any
other school in this section. The
local speakers have been under the
able direction of Miss Mary Jane
Tidball. For the second successive
year, Plattsmouth has taken two
firsts in the Sub-District. Last year
Clelland Retelsdorf won the Extem
poraneous championship and subse
quently the District title and Chris
Bulin was the Sub-District Cham
pion Orator. This morning. Princi
pal R. F. Patterson wired District
Director J. Arthur Nelsr.n at Fre
mont, asking that the District Cham
pionship finals he held at Platts
mouth. The Extemporaneous and Humor
ous sections were held in the after
noon in the Avenue Methodist church
with splendid acoustic facilities.
Each entry in the Extemporaneous
drew for subjects an hour before the
contest was scheduled to start. Rob
ert Livingston drew "The Sugar
Lobby and The President." His pre
sentation of this subject stood head
and shoulders above that of any of
his four competitors. With an ana
lysis of subject matter, keen choice
of words and impressive stage pres
ence that would do credit to a speak
er of maturer years, he was the only
logical choice for first place. Hum
boldt was second and Auburn third.
Herschel Dew had eight competi
tors in the Humorous division. Hi3
clever presentation of the Italian
dialect Section "Just A Iak A Iat."
made a hit with the audience and the
high praise of the Judge for the man
ner in which Herschel handled as
difficult a selection as one demand
ing dialect throughout. Herscke!'3
work stood outclearly above any of
his competitors. Humboldt was sec
ond and Nehawka third.
The evening contests began at
7:30 with the Oratory first. Charles
Nowacek was one of seven young
Demosthenes who were contesting
for the Oratory title. He spoke sixth
and made a profound impression on
the audience with his ease of delivery
and ability to lead his hearers troni
one climax to another In his r-eltc-tion
"If We Break Faith." It was
evident that the awarding of first
place would lie between the Nebras
ka City speaker and Charles. The
judge gave the decision to Margaret
Leidth of that place, who delivered
Wilson's oration "Americanism."
Charles was ranker second.
Margaret Shellenbarger did a mas
terly piece of work in the Dramatic
Division with her beautiful selection
entitled "The Highwayman." Speak
ing last on the program after the
audience had listened to seven other
dramatic selections as well as last
speaker of the entire contest, Mar
garet immediately captured the en
raptured attention of all until only
the steady "tick tock" of the clock
on the wall could be heard above her
voice. Her poise and control of voice
and gesture are seldom equaled by
a high school student. The judge
in her oral decision said. "The High
wayman is a most difficult selection
to read, I have herd it read many
times by amateurs but Miss Shellen
barger's interpretation of it w;;s the
best that I have ever heard. It wa3
a marvelous piece of work." De
spite this, her decision went to Lila
Codington of Auburn, who read "The
Quitters." with Margaret second and
Falls City third.
It would have been very unusual
had Plattsmouth taken first in all
divisions but two firsts and two sec
onds was the best record made by
any other school and clearly Indi
cates that the Plattsmouth was most
ably represented. Too much credit
can not be given to Miss Tidball for
her untiring efforts in making the
local contest possible and preparing
the speakers for the final content.
The school i3 also grateful to Mr.
Sterret and Mr. Kvasnicka for in
valuable assistance which they have
given the winners in sixteen coun
ties of eastern Nebraska by Robert
Livingston in the Extemporaneous
and Herschel Dew in the Humorous.
The following schools participated
at Auburn: Auburn, Falls City,
Honey Cretk, Humboldt. Louisville,
Nebraska City, Nehawka. Platts
mouth and Salem, representing Otoe,
Richardson, Cass and Pawnee Coun
ties. The judge was Miss Ilolcoinb of
the school of Fine Arts at the Uni
versity. Mrs. E. J. Ringwood of Minne
apolis, formerly Miss Laura Puis, of
Murray, arrived here yesterday by
auto, bringing with her the mother,
Mrs. William Puis, who has spent
the winter at Minneapolis with the
daughter and family.
