Banner Graphic, Volume 14, Number 156, Greencastle, Putnam County, 8 March 1984 — Page 1

Vacated railways for park? By BARBARACARHART Banner-Graphic Staff Writer Greencastle Park and Recreation Board president Dr. Dale Oliver had the luxury of being in the driver’s seat at the regular monthly meeting of the board Wednesday evening. Both board secretary Paul Wilson and member Don Alspaugh were absent. During the 15-minute meeting, no official business could be transacted due to lack of quorum, although Oliver was able to announce that the board is seeking a Department of Natural Resources grant for the upcoming year to reconstruct new shelterhouses at Robe-Ann Park. “PAUL (WILSON) IS pursuing that,” Oliver explained. “If we get approval, we’ll come up with an amount to request.” The board president was also informed by the Department of Natural Resources that the closing of the railroad lines running from Greencastle to Limedale provides on opportunity for the park board to develop additional recreational land. ‘‘He (grant coordinator David Lynch) said the abandoned railroad would make an ideal branch for multi-use pathways for biking, horseback trails and that type of thing,” Oliver said. THE BOARD PRESIDENT added, “I know the Planning Commission has their eyes on it but we’ll get our nose in it too.” Pool manager Steve Paquin told Oliver that he will wait and see what type of damage the pool has sustained after the recent snows. “I’ll get an estimate on concrete repairs,” Paquin said. “It shouldn’t cost that much.” The pool manager explained that approximately 35 feet along the seam of the pool has to be repaired. In addition, some coping tiles have to be replaced and cracks plastered. “THIS IS THE YEAR to paint,” Paquin explained. “I have already paid for the paint and have it stored.” By the board’s April 4 meeting, Paquin said he should have hired the guards for the upcoming season and have determined the status of his assistant manager. Presenting the park report, park superintendent Eddie Dean told Oliver that he has not assessed the damage the winter may have caused to any of the facilities. “I don’t know yet if anything has frozer Col. 1, back page, this section

Tipton Democrat for District 44 position

John W. Tipton, Route 2, Center Point, has announced his intention to seek the Democratic nomination for state representative of District 44. Tipton, a retired teacher and coach from Chancey-Rose Junior High School, Terre Haute, served as the treasurer of the Indiana State Teachers Association for seven years. AS A MEMBER OF FIRST Baptist Church, Terre Haute, Tipton has served as a church school teacher, deacon and trustee. He is a past president of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Terre Haute and also served as a naval aviator in World War 11. Tipton currently works part time for the Vigo County Federal Credit Union. The issues for Tipton’s fall campaign include criticism of current state Rep. John Thomas and the Indiana Republican Par-

Expletives deleted A chance of flurries and very cold overnight. Low in the mid teens. Mostly sunny but continued cold on Friday with high in the upper 20s. Indiana Extended Forecast Cold with a chance for flurries Saturday. Partly cloudy with a warming trend Sunday and Monday. Lows mostly in the teens Saturday. 20s Sunday and 30s Monday. Highs in upper 20s and 30s Saturday warming to the mid 40s to low 50s by Monday. Abby A 4 Calendar A 4 Classifieds 84.85 Comics A 7 Crossword B 4 Obituaries A 8 People A 7 Sports 81,2,3.4 TV A 6

Banner Graphic Putnam County, Thursday, March 8, 1984, Vol. 14 No. 156 20 Cents

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A sectional champioship seems to bring out the zaniness in Indiana high school students, witness South Putnam's Darrin Lewis, who came to school Wednesday decked out in boxing gloves. Lewis, of course, hopes the Eagle basketball team can deliver a knockout punch to

New theater eyes mid

By BECKY IGO Banner-Graphic Area News Editor While your at the home or office, sitting quietly while the outside becomes buried in snow, think of summer nights, hot buttered popcorn, comfortable surroundings and a good movie or two. The latter is what Mike and Becky Varvel will offer, once construction is completed on their 400-seat twin movie theater to be known as Ashley Square Cinemas. The facility is under construction at the northwest corner of Indiana and Seminary streets in Greencastle. THE VARVELS HAVE the background in knowing what theater-goers want. Currently, they own and operate Scene One Cinema (formerly the Cooper Theatre) at Brazil. The move to Greencastle just seemed logical, according to Mike Varvel. “We’ve really thought about moving over to the Greencastle area for some time,” Varvel said Thursday morning via phone from Brazil. “With everything that we have been doing here in remodeling Scene One, we felt like it was time.

ty. Tipton has criticized Thomas’ votes on education, which he says had a two out of nine record of support in the last session of the legislature. Tipton also criticized Thomas and the Republicans of not acting on public utility issues despite continuing rate hikes and the construction of the Marble Hill nuclear plant, which has been discontinued. IN ADDITION, TIPTON accused Thomas and the Republicans of not acting to reform Indiana’s license branch system. Tipton and his wife Dorothy have lived in Sugar Ridge Township for nine years. They have four children and four stepchildren, of which four have become teachers. They also have 12 grandchildren. DISTRICT 44 INCLUDES all of Putnam County.

Putnam Patter

School consolidation born of turmoil

By DAVID BARR Banner-Graphic Civic Affairs Editor After a prolonged period of controversy which, no doubt, often approached namecalling status, Greencastle City and Greencastle Township agreed to bury the hatchet and consolidate their school systems. Evidence that time had come to resolve the squabbling came in mid-summer 1917 when the Herald-Democrat Newspaper carried a top headline which read: “School Board Determines to Build at Once.” THE HIGH SCHOOL problem had been festering for a number of years with the earlier bone of contention related to tuition costs township pupils had to pay before they could enter Greencastle High School. Consolidation approaches met resistance as township residents weighed tuition costs against what such a move would do for their taxes under such a merger. Eventually, there was a meeting of min-

the Rosedale Hotshots in Friday night's regional Hulman Civic Center, Terre Haute. Paying the part of a not-so-fortunate Hotshot for the photographer is Brian Pickens. (Banner-Graphic photo by Bob Frazier).

“We know our community and have always felt that there was a lot of good potential there,” he added. Contact with Leonard Newman, a Greenfield-based developer connected with Ashley Square in Greencastle, proved to be the catalyst. “I REALLY DON’T know how we got together, but we did and things took off," Varvel said. “We’re really glad we could work things out.” The biggest obstacle the Varvels are facing now is the weather in what appears will be a continuous battle to get the movie theater finished by spring. “We’re still shooting for mid-April,” Varvel said of the planned opening. “Of course, the weather will be the main factor in that. “We just got the concrete foundation poured yesterday (Wednesday). We were very lucky to get that done,” he determined. “Extra crew workers are being brought in to lay the block foundation. All of our necessary movie equipment has been ordered and is due to be delievered at any time. So we are moving along.” ASHLEY SQUARE CINEMA will offer two 200-seat theaters with a different film

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JOHN W. TIPTON District 44 candidate

ds on consolidation, but then there arose the move to build a new high school building adequate for both city and township students to attend on an equal basis. AT AN EARLIER TIME, the high school facilities had moved several times to various areas of the city before a more permanent location on the area now occupied by Ridpath Elementary School was selected. According to the 1966 History of Putnam County, a 1915 attempt to sell bonds for a new high school building was blocked, but two years later obstacles were overcome. What resulted was a new high school building on a lot at the corner of Walnut and Spring streets. This structure served until a new high school was built on East Washington Street. The 1917 building was then converted to Greencastle Junior High School and still later to Greencastle Middle School, its use today. THE NEWS RELEASE ON May 25,1917,

April start

scheduled for each side. “They will be fir-st-run movies and we will try to have a good combination,” Varvel pointed out. “If we have an ‘R’ (restricted for those under 17 who must be accompanied by an adult) showing at one theater, we’ll probably have a ‘PG’ (parental guidance suggested) playing on the other. ’ ’ The theater is planned to be in operation seven days a week with matinees on Saturday and Sunday. Four or five people are expected to be hired. As far as the exterior of the building is concerned, Varvel said it is designed to blend with the Ashely Square shops at the corner of Seminary and Vine. “It will be something along those lines with brick siding put on and landscaping,” the theater owner said. “It will have one of the prettiest lobbies in the state. We hope it will be a showcase.” WHEN ASHLEY SQUARE Cinema does open, there will be a grand opening, according to Varvel. The theater will be the second such business in Greencastle as the Chateau theater operates on the east side of the square in the city’s downtown area.

Snow shuts county schools again

From Staff, Wire Dispatches For the second time in two weeks - and without a sectional to blame it on this time - Putnam County got a real dose of winter medicine. Four to six inches of snow blanketed most of the county with all four school corporations calling off classes Thursday for the sixth time in nine days. Many of the outlying roads, still restricted to one lane by the foot of snow that fell last week, were made impassable for school buses by the additional snowfall that began Wednesday night. Slick and hazardous road conditions were blamed for several accidents, the most serious of which occurred on U.S. 231 at the Putnam-Owen county line. A 45-year-old Cloverdale woman, Beverly A. Padgett, Route 3, suffered internal injuries in a collision between her car and another vehicle driven by Gary L. Vardamam, 32, Indianapolis. Police said

announced that plans were under way to select an architect for the new building and added that the State Board of Education had recommended that the building should be started without delay. As a starter, city and township representatives visited Brazil and Terre Haute to inspect recently-completed high school buildings. A Mr. Bass was selected as an architect. In a progress report, the HeraldDemocrat on July 13, 1917, wrote that specification plans would be open for public inspection at the public library and bids for bonds would be received on July 21. THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL which would have a Spring Street main entrance would be 186 by 116 feet and would be a two-story structure with a basement for a gymnasium and manual training (shop) area. Seating would be available for about 500 students and facilities would include

Barr brothers held in robbery of Shell station

By BARBARA CARHART Banner-Graphic Staff Writer Two Greencastle teen-agers have been arrested and are being lodged at the Putnam County Jail after they allegedly robbed the Greencastle Shell Service Station, 701 N. Jackson St., at gunpoint early Thursday morning. DURING AN INVENTORY of a gray 1979 AMC Spirit, belonging to one of the suspects, Indiana State Police Technician Chuck Rairdon recovered $2,200 in cash, $1,124 in checks, a pellet gun and a maul reportedly used by the suspects during the robbery. Chris A. Barr, 18, and Ernest Cielle Barr Jr., 19, both of Route 4, Box 194, Greencastle, are being held on preliminary charges of armed robbery and theft. They were expected to appear in Putnam Circuit Court Thursday afternoon for an initial hearing on the charges. An extensive manhunt, involving what Greencastle Police Chief Jim Hendrich termed “excellent cooperation” between law enforcement officials, culminated in the arrests of the brothers approximately three hours after the 2:30 a m. robbery at the northside station. THE SUSPECT’S VEHICLE, which police say had been parked on Indiana Street during the alleged robbery, was impounded by police Thursday morning as part of the investigation. Wearing ski masks, the brothers allegedly entered the Greencastle Shell Station just before 2:30 a m. Thursday and announced the robbery to attendant Dennis Rumley, city police said. The two suspects were carrying a pellet gun designed to look like a revolver and a maul, police said. Rumley was then reportedly tied up near the coolers in the convenience mart but was unharmed. The station was not ransacked as the suspects allegedly broke into the cash boxes and fled on foot. “A PASSING TRUCK driver who stopped for directions at the station notified police,” Hendrich told the BannerGraphic. Sgt. Larry Huffman and Officer Terry Kendall were the first to respond as Huffman initially stayed at the station and

Vardamam lost control of his vehicle on the ice-covered roadway and crossed the center line, striking the Padgett car headon. The injured woman was expected to be transferred from Putnam County Hospital to Methodist Hospital, Indianapolis. (For further details, see Putnam scanner, page A 8). Near blizzard conditions occurred in northeast Indiana today as blowing and drifting snow reduced visibilities to near zero in many areas, the National Weather Service said. The weather was blamed on a collision between two trucks that left three people dead on Interstate 65 just south of Rensselaer in northwest Indiana. Names of the victims were not released immediately. Troopers say the collision between a United Parcel Service truck and a tanker truck carrying flammable materials occurred before daylight. No leakage was

classrooms, auditorium, recitation rooms, laboratory, agriculture room and a domestic science room. The estimated cost would be $85,300 with the city contributing $44,300 and the township $41,000. Bonds were to be sold at the library for this total amount. July 27, 1917: “Work on High School Today.” So read the Herald-Democrat headline. General contractor was low bidder A.E. Kemmer of Indianapolis. Lane & Pike of Lafayette was awarded the plumbing contract. The paper fails to list any other sub contractors. THE CONSOLIDATION OF Greencastle City and township schools called for a reorganization. On Aug. 3, 1917 a new board came into being to represent both city and township. Board officers included: Ed Bicknell, president; Arthur Hamrick, secretary; and Harry Talbott, treasurer.

Kendall patrolled the immediate area, Hendrich said. “Within about two minutes, he spotted a vehicle with its lights out southbound on College Avenue,” Hendrich explained. “He (Kendall) turned around in the Central National Bank parking lot and started the pursuit.” THE POLICE CHIEF SAID the vehicle fled across Columbia Street southbound on Jackson Street, heading out of Greencastle when Officer Kendall tried to force the vehicle off the roadway to no avail. It was at this time that Sgt. Huffman joined the pursuit, Hendrich said. The vehicle was pursued south of Limedale on Cement Plant Road where it was involved in an accident approximately one mile south of Lone Star Industries, according to the report. The manhunt began as deputy Jim Baugh of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Dept, arrived along with Huffman and Kendall who called for assistance from the Indiana State Farm K-9 unit, Hendricks County K-9 unit with deputy Larry Dockery. Additionally, Det. Lt. Charles Wood, Det. Sgt. Rodney Cline, Sgt. Ken Hirt and Hendrich, all of the Greencastle Police Department, Trooper Investigator Dick Rice and Rairdon of the Indiana State Police and Sheriff Gerry Hoffa were called out.

IT WAS APPROXIMATELY 4 a m., Hendrich said, that police received a call from the Putnam County Hospital advising officials that a subject was spotted running across the parking lot heading toward Greencastle. Hendrich said he and Cline observed footprints on U.S. 231 by Butler Skelgas and started tracking. “Hirt, Baugh, Hoffa and Cline stayed in the cars while I tracked north past the Skate Place, through the park (Robe-Ann) and into the residential area west of Wood Street around Anderson Street,” Hendrich explained. It was near the intersection of Seminary and Arlington streets that Hendrich and deputy Baugh apprehended Chris Barr at approximately 5 a.m., the police chief explained. Chris Barr was transported to the Greencastle Police Station where he reporCol. 1, back page, this section

reported from the tanker. Materials from the UPS truck were scattered along the interstate, and one lane of 1-65 was closed. Wind-blown snow created near blizzard conditions and nearly zero visibility in the Fort Wayne area. “I can’t see out my window," said Glenn Williams of the weather service office in Fort Wayne, which had 3 inches of snow this morning. Snow totals from the late-winter storm were generally 2 to 4 inches across the center of the state from Clinton to about Muncie. Further north amounts were 1 to 3 inches and south of Indianapolis to near Bedford 1 to 2 inches. The snow tapered off to the south with Indianapolis receiving only 2 inches. However, 4 inches collected at Noblesville just northeast of the capital city. Visibilities improved in central and western Indiana as the storm headed east.

Roundup at Jones School now T uesday The third and final session of roundup for Greencastle Community Schools’ incoming kindergarteners has been postponed until Tuesday, March 13 at Jones Elementary School. The final session had been slated for Thursday, but was canceled because of the snowstorm and subsequent school closings. Roundups were held earlier in the week at Northeast and Ridpath schools. Children in the Greencastle district five years old on or before Sept. 1, 1984 are eligible for kindergarten. The roundup session begins at 8:30 a m. and parents and children should plan to stay until at least 10:45.