Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 256, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 October 1916 — FOR A SAFE AND SANE HALOWE’EN [ARTICLE]

FOR A SAFE AND SANE HALOWE’EN

Public Masquerade is the Popular Form For Cutting Up On Ghost and Goblin Night. In many of the cities and towns that are neighbors to Rensselaer, the spirit of rowdyism and vandalism that had heretofore marked the observance of Hallowe’en, has just about disappeared, due to the present safe and sane manner for celebrating the date in the calendar that is popularly supposed to beldng to the young folks and that its name spells “pranks.” These cities and towns have taken the matter in hand, through commercial or business organizations and while the young folks are permitted to do . the celebrating the older folks help them and at the same time see to it that they don’t have too good a time, that no one is offended and that there is no property destroyed. We are of the opinion that Rensselaer ought to do something along this line, and all get behind some sort of an orderly Hallowe’en celebration by which the young folks will not be deprived of any fun, which will furbish an evening’s entertainment for everybody and prevent the possibility of a rowdy and lawless observance of the occasion, it would be a good thing. The masquerade idea is usually carried out where a regular program is observed and small prizes are awarded those who go to the most trouble or who show the most taste and skill in getting up a disguise.. The affair brings everybody down town and there is no need of extra police to watch the residence districts to see that the kids don t carry, away some citizen’s house and lotand with it add another story to the school house. The kids will be so busy either -watching or taking part in the masquerade festivities that they will forget all about the rough stuff that they have been in the habit of pulling. What do you say about having a big public masquerade on the downtown streets Hallowe’en ?

George P. Daugherty returned today from a several months’ visit in the west with friends and realtives. He left Rensselaer in July, going to Longmont, Colo., where he visited with Charles and Gaylord Nowels and families and from there he went to Ten Sleep, Wyo., for a visit with his uncle, Paris Daugherty.