The Independent-News, Volume 102, Number 31, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 6 January 1977 — Page 1

THE INDEPENDENT-NEWS

VOLUME 102; NUMBER 31

Dedication Os School Addition Set For Sunday The Board of School Trustees of the Polk-Lincoln-Johnson School Corporation will hold Dedication Services for the new addition to the Walkerton Elementary School on Sundav. January 9. at 2:00 p.m. The school board cordially invites all patrons to attend this thirty minute ceremony. After the conclusion of the services. the public will be encouraged to visit the new addition and remodeled areas at their own leisure. Refreshments will be served in the cafeteria by the room mothers. LaSalle Expedition Celebrates New Year Here The second LaSalle Expedition had a wonderful New Year's Eve celebration with their sweethearts, wives, parents, brothers and sisters from Elgin and Chicago, Illinois and Los Angeles. California. The adventurers club from South Bend arranged this reunion so they could have their New Year's Eve celebration in a remote place, all the plans were laid out in secret, even the Stunt/ and Hochstetlers told no one that it would be in their council house. All 23 of the LaSalle Expedition were so thrilled that they could have this night together with their loved ones. Their wet feet with swollen and bandaged legs didn't dampen their spirits. Rene R. Cametier. who roled Sieve de LaSalle, plated his part so well. The Father Loren Fuchs, who roled Father Pent Zinobe Meucbre walk ed so tall and had the respect of everyone. The 64 relatives and sweethearts including Hamt Platz (who plays the policeman on TV's Sanford and Son) brought baskets of food with lots of roasted chicken. As they toasted in the New Year 197*’ with their own string band playing Auld lang Syne they wished the LaSalle boys the best of luck all the way to New Orleans. It should be said that their group has walked pushing and pulling their canoes most of the way from Chicago following the lake to St. Joseph. Michigan, to the Kankakee. They see much of the same ahead as the Kankakee is now frozen over. There was much less ice and snow when the original expedition went through in December of lb "9 at least the streams were open. As of this writing they arc in the Crumstown area. UONETTES TO MEET The Koontz Lake Lionettes will meet for their first session of the new year on January 10. at the Lions Building in Lions Memorial Park at 7:00 p.m. C.S.T. Mrs. Allen Scaholm is the hostess. NOTICE The Oregon Township Homemakers Club will hold their next meeting on Tuesday. January II at 12:00 noon, slow time, at the Koontz lake Conservation Club. Ladies last names beginning with G thru M bring in a covered dish, think calorics when making the dish. The New Years aim, less calorics, more glamour You all come.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR THURSDAY, JANUARY 6 3:45 p.m. — Urey basketball team to play at North Liberty. 6:00 p.m. — John Glenn wrestlers to host Jimtow n 7:00 p.m. — North Liberty wrestlers to travel to New Prairie. 8:00 p.m. — Walkerton Masons to meet. 8:00 p.m. — Epsilon chapter of Tri Kappa to meet at the Walkerton Nursing Home. 8:00 p.m. — Walkerton American Legion Auxiliary to meet. FRIDAY, JANUARY 7 1:00 p.m. — Walkerton Woman's Community Club to meet at the Community Building. 7:00 p.m. — The John Glenn Falcons basketball teams to travel to Oregon Davis. SATURDAY, JANUARY 8 10:00 a.m. — North LibertyFreshman basketball team to travel to Manan. 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. — Story hour at the Walkerton Public Library. 6:30 p.m. — John Glenn Falcons basketball teams to travel to Triton. 6:45 pm. — North Liberty Shamrocks to travel to Argos for a couple of basketball games. SUNDAY. JANUARY 9 2:00 p.m. — Dedication of the new addition to the Walkerton Elementary School. MONDAY, JANUARY 10 4:00 p.m. — St. Patrick’s basketball teams to play Urey. b:3O p.m. — North Liberty girls basketball team to travel to Bremen. 7:00 p.m. — John Glenn girls basketball team to host Knox Pl J Athletic Boosters to meet. TUESDAY, JANUARY II 6:30 p.m. — North Liberty wrestlers to host LaLumicrc. b:3O p.m. — John Glenn Freshman basketball team to host North Liberty. Lions board to meet in Walkerton. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12 6:30 p.m. — John Glenn girls basketball team to travel to North Liberty. 6:30 p.m. — North Liberty Freshman basketball team to travel to Argos ATHURSDAY, JANUARY 13 12:00 noon — Walkerton Chamber of Commerce to meet. 6:30 p.m. — North Liberty wrestlers to travel to Fairfield. 6:30 p.m. — John Glenn wrestlers to host New Prairie 7:30 p.m. — Walkerton Masonic EA Degree at the Temple. Walkerton American Legion to meet. 4-Way Freshman Tourney at N.L. North Liberty High School will host a freshman basketball tourney on Saturday. January 15 with John Glenn. LaVillc. New Prairie and North Liberty participating. Draw - ing of the pairings for the tourney will be held on January II at the North Liberty and John Glenn freshman game in Walkerton. The tourney will get underway at 9:00 a.m. with admission of 75 cents being charged for adults and 50 cents fix students. The second game will be at 10:15 a.m. and the consolation game in the afternoon will begin at 1:30 The champion ship game is slated for 2:45 p.m.

WALKERTON, INDIANA THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 1977

1976 Indiana Farm Picture

(Editor's note: Purdue University extension agricultural economists Lee Schrader and Michael Sands review the Indiana farm picture of 1976. a period of price variations and uncertainty.) High uncertain crop conditions re- '’*»d in considerable price variations during 19’6 for the Indiana farmer's products. On the livestock scene, larger beef supplies maintained a downward pressure on prices through the year, while pork prices, which were well ahead of 1975 early in the year, declined in the final half — expecially during the last quarter. Blessed with a fortunate rainfall pattern in a generally dry season. Hoosier farmers produced excellent crops. But prices of most major farm products, except for soybeans, milk and eggs, ended 197 b lower than they began it. Com Corn prices began the year under the influence of large supplies and with a substantial acreage increase in prospect. At mid-year prices increased rapidly as growing conditions deteriorated and exports exceeded earlier expectations. Cash corn in Chicago topped $3 in June and July. With the 1976 crop surviving the season better than many in the trade expected. Chicago corn prices slumped to the $2.25 range by mid November. The feed grain crop in western Europe was cut by drought, but good crops in Eastern Europe and Asia removed the urgency of export buying. Soy beams Soybean prices fluctuated widely but ended the year w ith substantial gain. Soybeans were trading around $4.50 per bushel (Chicago cash) early in 197 b. This price reflected a large supply and an expeeled increase in carryover into the 1976-77 crop year. In response to the lower price, farmers reduced 19"6 acreage 8 per cent. The smaller acreage and poor growing weather coupled with a heavier demand for crush and exports look the price over $7 per bushel in July and again in September. When September s crop report indicated crop damage was not as extensive as anticipated and stocks at the end of August were larger than expected. price fell below $6 per bushel before a return Io the $7 range bv vear-end. Wheal Wheat prices continued an irregular slide from the unusual high levels of early 1974. Chicago soft wheat price began 197 b around $3.40 per bushel and ended near $2.60. The price reached $3.95 in mid February when drought conditions in the Southwest were thought to have damaged the crop substantially. But rains came in lime. Although exports were at near record level, an increased carryover from 1975. added to the largell76 crop.9 7 6crop. drove wheat prices toward the feed grain level by midSeptember. Uvcatock Following a slide from record highs in fall 1975. hog prices were generally stable during the first half of 197 b. Prices averaged near S4B 50 per hunderweight during this period. Hog slaughter averaged nearly five per cent under 1975 with p<xk production down about four percent. Hog prices reached an earlier than normal peak, near ssl. in late June as slaughter declined seasonally. A reported 16 per cent larger

spring pig crop, however, increased marketings and pushed hog prices down to the mid s3o’s bv carls October. Slaughter during the third quarter averaged nearlv 18 per cent above the extremely low levels of 19"5. Hog slaughter continues well above year earlier levels during the fourth quarter, averaging over 25 per cent above 1975. A4O per cent increase in weekly pork production pushed hog prices downward to the low s3()'s during late October More moderate slaughter increases late in the year and seasonally strong demand caused hog prices to top S4O per hundredweight in mid-December. Fourth quarter prices ranged from the low s3o’s to the low s4o's and averaged near $34 per hundredweight, about $lB under 1975. Overall, pork production averaged about 7 per cent above 1975 levels, raising per capita consump tion from the 40-year low of 54.8 pounds (per person) recorded in 1975 to about 58 pounds in 19" b Hog prices averaged about $43.50 in 19’6. compared with the record $48.32 in 1975. A 10 per cent increase m beef production during the first half of 19’6 mixe than offset the decline in pork output. Beef output continued to expand during the last half; however, the rate of increase moderated to three per cent over the fourth quarter of |9"5. Led bv a 20 per cent increase in fed cattle marketings, commercial cattle and calf slaughter reached nearlv 43 million head, up five per cent from 19’5. Nonfed cattle and cow and bull slaughter was relatively high but below |97s's record. Fed cattle accounted fix nearly 60 percent of commercial slaughter in 1976. up from about 52 per cent in 1975 but still below 1972 73 s 75 per cent. After peaking near 132 million head on January I. 1975. cattle numbers are continuing downward. Cattle and calf slaughter totaled over 48 million head in Wb. about three per cent above 1975 and 20 per cent above the 19’0-’4 average. The comparatively heavy slaughter m 1976 suggests a furth er decline in inventories, to about 121 million head on January I. 19"7 — nearly five per cent below a year earlier. Beef consumption increased ab<Hit seven per cent, to a record 129 pounds per capita, compared with 120 pounds in 1975. Larger beef supplies maintained downward pressure on prices throughout the year with ihoice steer prices averaging near $39 per hundred weight, about $5 under 1975. Poultry and Egg* Broiler traded in the 41 43 cent range (wholesale ready-to-cook) during the first seven months, dropping to around 34 cents in late 1976. Production averaged nearly 13 percent above 1975. This in crease plus lower pork prices kept broiler prices lower. Turkey output was also up substantially. Prices, generally disap pointing to producers, increased somewhat near year-end. Egg supplies were tight and prices were at record levels in late 1976. Consumer demand was strong with stocks of egg pnxlucts at very low levels, (lass I grade able nest run eggs were selling at 75 cents a dozen in late 1976, 10 cents above a year earlier. (xnend Economy The vrar was one of economic

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Basketball Teams Return To Action This Week End she John Glenn Falcons and the North Liberty Shamrocks will both return to action in high school basketball this week as the final tune ups prior to the annual BiCounty tourney face the two teams. The Falcons of Glenn, now 5-4 after the Culver Holiday tourney, will travel to Oregon Davis to plav the winless Bobcats They have dropped all seven of their decisions this season. B learn action will start at TOO Walkerton time. On Saturday night, the Triton Trojans will host the Falcons in the big Triton gym. The Trojans, also in the Culver tourney and also a loser to Tippecanoe Valiev and winner over Culver, have a 4-3 record and are paced by the muscular Jeff Brunk. The Shamrocks. three weeks without action, return to the scene of their last appearance, the Argos gym. to plav the host Dragons The Shamrocks were in the Argos tournev and broke their losing streak of six games in the consolation game with a win over Kewan na I hev are now 2-6 for the season. Ambulance Membership Drive Set I he Walkerton area ambulance family membership drive is set for Januarv 22 29 with interested citizens and township trustees canvassing the area for sponsors 1 ami Iles will be registered who contrib ulc $25.00 to the fund Ihts en titles anv member of that fannlv free service for one vear that the new ambulance is in operation. An educational briefing meeting will be held on Wednesday. Janu an 19 at 8.00 p.m. in the Walker ton Community Building with the ambulance committee. Represcn tatives from civic groups and or ganizations are invited to attend and help in the planning of the up coming drive Information and in strut lions will be- provided bv the committee Plan on attending and helping Use the classified ads. growth with increases in real gross national product, employment and income. However, the growth was not a* rapid as expected earlier in the year. In November. 8.1 per cent of the labex force was unemployed. This was an improvement over the 8.5 per cent in 19’5 but still a hardship fix many. Consumer prices continued to increase at the rate of five per cent in spite of almost no increase in the food price index during |9"6. Cost of food eaten awav from home increased about six per cent, reflecting rapid increase in coat of services. Business investment in invcnhxits and fix plan! and equipment has been increasing And investments in residential housing have continued upward since reaching a low point in earlv 19’5. Government vpending at nation al. state and local levels increased slightly more than the general price level. Although the federal budget exxitinucs in deficit, size of the deficit is below the year earlier level.