The Independent-News, Volume 106, Number 30, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 1 January 1981 — Page 4

4

. THE INDEPENDENT NEWS - JANUARY 1. IMI

| editorials L■ - -

IMPORTANT TIMES AHEAD At the end of every year, most people take time to "look back" on the year that is passing. This is well and good . . . but a much more important thing would be to look ahead. This is especially true as 1981 becomes a reality. The past year has had a lot happen, but these happenings are now gone and a future that we will help to shape is what we should be most concerned with. In our immediate area, several things come to mind that will have long-range effects on our area. First of all, it is no secret that the school issue concerning Liberty Township and the possible merger with the Polk-Lincoln-Johnson School Corporation has been the big local news. This came about by virtue of the fact that the South Bend Community School Corporation was forced to make some changes . . . changes that weren’t at all attractive to North Liberty. It simply boils down to the fact that they were going to close the North Liberty High School for what ever reason one wants to believe, too many empty seats in their school corporation, or the integration problem. The combination of both forced the issue with the Liberty Township residents having little to say about it. That one township, Liberty alone, was granted the right by the SBCSC Board to merge with the PLJ Corporation, but that was all. They simply were not released from the SBCSC, they were released only if they would be accepted by PLJ. After a lot of study, information seeking, discussion and straw votes, it was finally accepted by the PLJ Board to continue with the merger. This is the big thing to come about education wise in not only this year, but years to come. This merger will not be easy. There have been more than just idle feeliings about this due to the way it came about and the fact that the Liberty and Greene Townships tried so hard to work together to form their own corporation. Add to this the one element in the PLJ system that strongly opposed this merger for what every their reasons were. This will be a tough problem that won’t satisfy everyone and will not be accepted by some regardless of the outcome. However, we strongly feel this is the greatest step forward for education in our area since the reorganization of the early 60’s forced the many changes all over the state. A much improved situation will result when the job is done and it will be much easier for all concerned if everyone works toward this goal with a positive attitude. Other factors that must take some positive action as we look forward are, the economic situation and unemployment. In Indiana and some surrounding areas out of state, the unemployment has been very high due to the sagging auto industry. For years the area lived by this industry and now they are hurting by the same industry when business is not just bad, it is in serious trouble. However, this is not completely new to this area. It was felt that things might never recover when Studebaker folded up in the mid 60’s . . . and yet the industrial atmosphere bounced back. It takes a lot of things to make this possible, but the opening of two new plants in Walkerton in the past year or so has to be one of the positive aspects of the future. It takes a lot of people and a lot of effort to bounce back from hardships, but that is what this country has been built on over the years. We could go on and on in other aspects, mostly on a more national basis. The people did vote for a change last November and even though it was strongly accepted, this change is not going to come overnight and it is not going to be a bed of roses. A lot of things must happen before the many problems of both the state and nation are worked out and it takes a positive look to the future to do this. We who have chosen this area for our homes for one reason or another, have to be proud of our area. We are here mainjy because we want to be and it will take a concentrated effort to continue to keep our "hometowns’’ what we want. Anything of salue doesn't come easy and that is the future we are looking at. It is pretty hard to look to the future when you are looking over your shoulder and worrying about the past. ^^emember^R WHEN.. (taken From The Files Os The Independent-News)

1971 it is delightful to report that the Walkerton area has gone over the top in contributing to the Christmas Seal sale. Our goal of $1,000.00 has been topped' Leo Mahoney was elected as presient of the Walkerton Chamber of Commerce for 1971 at the or ganizational meeting of the Board of Directors last week Sales galore at Jacob Drugs and Her Pine of Walkerton Mr and Mrs Arthur McKesson

Walkerton, were honored on Sundar. January 3, in celebration of their 50th wedding anniversary with a one o'clock dinner at Heil's I Dining Room 1966 The announcement out of Indianapolis late Monday gave a decid ed change in the area for the Sec tmnal basketball tournies to he held in 1966 With school reorganiza tion clearing more and more schools out each year, the scene changes rapidls for the tournies

This year, both Walkerton and North Liberty arc facing changes again. This is not unusual for Walkerton, the state's most moved school when it comes to sectional tourney sites, but for North Liberty. it w ill be the first time they have been out of the annually strong South Bend sectional, certainly a better position as far as winning a title is concerned for them. Walkerton has been shifted to Knox and North Liberty will go to LaVille. A meeting has been set for Monday. January 10. at 7;30 p.m. in the Walkerton Community Building for the election of the officers to serve on the Industrial Fund Board. The Burger Dairy Store in Walkerton has changed hands as of the first of the year and is under the management of Kelly Mann. 1961 Plans are completed for the Chamber of Commerce program that will feature Bill Veeck on Thursday. January 12. Veeck will speak to the group that will meet in the high school gym that evening for dinner and the program. Veeck is a very popular speaker wherever he appears and his reputation for his experiences in baseball need little explaining. The Walkerton American Legion will again give an evening's entertainment to the teenages of Walkerton. Tyner and Grovertown this Saturday night as their annual teen party and dance will be held at the Legion from 8:00 to 11:00 p.m. The Walkerton License Branch, located at Doll’s Service Station, is operating in full swing now' as the new 1961 plates are on sale Three pieces of the Christmas decorations owned by the Town of Walkerton and displayed at the corner of Illinois and Roosevelt were taken during the night of January 2nd. Two other pieces were found behind the setting and it was believed that this was in the process of being taken when those moving the figures were scared and left. Gone are one of the wise men. one camel and one donkey from the manager scene. Two of the figures were recovered on Wednesday prior to the printing of the paper near the Cell Fouts home. 1956 With the start of the new year the recently elected board of Town Trustees were sworn in to begin the fulfillment of its duties at North Liberty. The group met in the town hall at 12:00 noon on Sunday with clerk-treasurer, Carl Eskridge. performing the legal services necessary to make each person official in office. George Richard Heim, president; Harley Mangus and Dr. W. R. Fetzer, members. Action was taken Tuesday by a special session of the Northwest Indiana Conference of the Methodist Church to purchase a 232 acre tract of land for development of summer camping facilities. The land will cost $23,200 and is located near Pine Village. 22 miles west of Lafayette, on Highways 55 and 26 The Chicago Stock Yards marked its 90th anniversary on Christmas Day. and since that time more than one billion, eight million animals have arrived at the big Chicago market. 1946 The Kingsbury Ordnance Plant located about eight miles west of W'alkerton which brought World War II much nearer the lives of the residents in Northern Indiana, was taken over by the Ordnance Department of the Army last Saturday morning The large plant, which had emploved upwards of 10,000 to 15.000 men and women during the war, had been operated by Todd and Brow n on a contract basis Sam Turnpaugh and J T. Nation have built a new garage, one-fourth miles east of Walkerton on Road 6 and have opened it for business to be known as the Excel Auto Repair Ihe Victory Clothing Collection starts Monday. January 17. Surely every family has some piece of clothing or shoes with value that

can be spared for those unfortunates of the war striken countries. Look it up now and have it readv for next week when you can take it to your local post office and leave it in a receptale provided there. Fifteen foxes have been bagged locally by members of the North Liberty Conservation Club. One bunch of eight hides is now on display at Newcomb's Drug Store, with bounties amounting to $9.00 on each fox and the sale of the hides bringing $3.00 to SSOO the hunters are finding fox hunting to be profitable and also helping the community. 1941 LaMar Stahly. son of Mr. and Mrs. Forest Stahley. Koontz Lake Road. Walkerton, will have the distinction of being Walkerton's first representative in the United States' new defense army now being formed in response to new national legislation. Mr. Jenkins' seventh graders arc the proud possessors of the attendance banner this week. The teacher with the least absence wins. Fifty-eight members of the Youth Organization of the Methodist Church of the South Bend District. met in the Walkerton Church on Monday evening, for the monthly business meeting. There were representatives from Hamlet. Plymouth. Hanna. North Liberty, Sumption Prairie and Lakeville present. 1931 We are nearing the end of the year (written Dec. 27th). and a glance over the weathet chart brings to our mind many extremes of one kind or another. During the year the temperature fell to zero or lower on but 13 days, the lowest being 22 below on the 18th of January . On three days we recorded temperatures above 100, and 90 and above on 24 days. The precipitation has been much below normal. being but 27.25 inches to date against an average of 35 inches for Northern Indiana. On January 14. every state had rain or snow. For the upcoming January it is predicted to be very cold and the month will not be as stormy as was January of 1930. Prior to the close of 1929. a world decline in raw material prices and a‘ collapse of security values ushered in a period of general business un-

You're always in luck with WANT ADS - r Reeds M.nU.l **’** Mork forUMe Building. L-ISa / ■’'tot* e-iii-wk S'!* •* JKTiSo Equipment DI ■eluded *>• u Gnd a . Hay, Feed V" t f uw wdi Ap ******* laC \ fm ihJ”**®* ER 1 wMO c ** »•< mw »■ >•» In The Independent-News 601-03 RooMvait Road WMkarton, Indiana 46674

settlement. In the latter months of the year, production was curtailed, building fell off and industrial employment was reduced A calendar with perhaps more than usual interest centering in the picture, is being distributed by the Silo Company this year. It tells the story of the public test of the World's first reaper, which was the product of the inventive genius of Cyrus H. McCormick, a young man of 22 years. NOTICE TO ALL RESIDENTS OF JOHNSON TOWNSHIP, LAPORTE COUNTY, INDIANA Effective at 12:01 A.M.. January 1. 1981. the Walkerton Fire Department will no longer be responding to fire calls from Johnson Township. LaPorte County. Indiana. due to action taken by the Township Trustee, in conjunction with the Johnson Township Advisory Board. Fire calls from Johnson Township should be made to the Hamlet Fire Department. 86‘ T -2221 effective on the above date, which department has been contracted with bv the Trustee for 1981. All calls from Johnson Township to Walkerton will be routed to Hamlet for response. 3tjl Virginians held the Presidency for 32 of the first 36 years of this nation's existence.

RIALTO

WaHcarton. India’s* - M 43237 Friday, Saturday & Sundiy, January 2, 3 & 4 Back By Popular Demand Up For An Academy Award Coal Miners Daughter COMING SOON CADDY SHACK MOUNTAIN FAMILY ROBINSON PRIVATE EYES