The Independent-News, Volume 106, Number 43, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 2 April 1981 — Page 4

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- THE INDEPENDENT NEWS - APRIL 2, 1981

EDITORIALS - ■ ■

UNDUE CRITICISM With Monday’s bizare afternoon happenings came some undue criticism on a couple of accounts. The attempted assassination of President Reagan and the ultimate wounding of the President, his press secretary and two security men, and the events that happened following, brought undue criticism on a couple of counts. For one thing a lot of heat was put on Secretary Os State Alexander Haig for his comments about being in control, etc., which evidently were taken out of context. First of all, this is a new administration, hardly having their feet solidly on the ground with a lot of new people in key places. Add to it the confusion and excitement of the moment and the fact the vicepresident was in Texas, and Haig’s statement just opened the door for more criticism as he has already been a man who has been looked at from different angles in his brief tenure as Secretary of State. Haig’s background of military life at the top, makes one realize when they stop and give the matter some thought, his personality and acquired instincts have to run on a slightly different line than those from other avenues of public life. At least someone did have the presence of mind and ability to get in front of the country and the world and let the people know things were under control. This is probably more important around the world than here in America where we have faith in our own style of democratic government which may not be that well understood around the world. America is different. This is one country where such attempts on the life of the president as we had Monday, and we have been having for some 17*/i years since the John F. Kennedy slaying in 1963, come from mentally bothered individuals of different sorts, not from direct movements to take over the government as would be the case in most foreign countries. Just as we read about these governmental takeovers in foreign lands which seems strange to us where those in power can be driven out and replaced by a military or other force in a day or so, but in turn, our system of government, proven to be most solid for over 200 years, must seem strange to them. In this respect, a different light is reflected around the world and the fact that it was made quickly clear regardless of how stated, the statement that everything was under control (regardless of who was in charge) was a sound, well-timed statement. The confusion of the matter of succession was again statements made by too many people too quick without checking the facts. There is no way a battle for power would have resulted had the shooting of the president been more serious. If you remember right, Washington, D.C. was not the site of the vice-president when Kennedy was shot also, but again Texas is where Lyndon B. Johnson was and things followed normal procedure in that sad moment of history as well. Also under some fire was the media. The entire situation was one of question almost as soon as the first reports of Reagan not being hit were turned into reports he had been shot some 45 minutes later. This made all media look bad immediately. Then as all the television, radio and news networks sought frantically to get the news to the people, more confusion resulted. Probably the most serious blunder being when the reports came out around 5:00 p.m. E.S.T. that press secretary Brady had died. This was then turned around by a white house spokesman some minutes later, putting another matter of inconsistency in the bizare happenings. Not too much later, one network stated the President was undergoing open heart surgery. This certainly had to cause additional concern in the minds of all who heard. This shortly after proved to be wrong as well. We cannot hold the media, any branch of it guilty. In these times the American public, and possibly a lot of the rest ot the world as well, wants to know and know now. It is not as though CBS was trying to beat NBC or ABC to the punch, or vice versa. It was simply that all three networks, the independent networks, radio, the press services, etc., all were trying to get the news to the people as fast as possible. Add to this fact the relatively new administration, the tremendous confusion of the time, and stories and rumors were coming out of the woodwork and some were picked up and passed on through the media to the public that proved to be wrong. It is only the presentation of up-to-the-minute happenings that we have grown accustomed to that forces such reporting and anxiety to get the news out. What would have been the public’s reaction if ail the media involved would simply have said, “The president has been shot and we will return to our normal programming and bring you the details tonight on our regular news broadcast at 11:00 p.m.’’ A sobering statement like this might just make the people realize once again what a hard job and good job is being done. Oh, it is true that some of the questions asked in the interviews, particularly of Dr. O’Leary, were completely ridiculous and repetitious, asking more than the doctor or anyone could answer, but once again, these people were trying to do their job in their own way to give to you, the public, what they felt should be said. If there is one good to come out of Monday’s happenings, it certainly has to be the fact that the sun did come up Tuesday and things continued along almost normal lines, proving once again that we do have things under control regardless of how much some people want to criticize and try to find negative things in everything that happens. Our hopes and prayers are

1971 Ihe Walkerton Lions Club is sponsoring the Southern Belles allgirl basketball team to entertain vou on Fridas evening and thev will be playing the PIJ Men’s Faculty team In the preliminary game the I ions Club vs ill play the Knights of Columbus The Drama Club of North Liberty High School will be presenting the play. “Rest Assured" on Thursday and Friday evenings. April 1 and 2. A Superior Court jurv Friday. March 19. deliberated about four hours before awarding a former Walkerton girls $25,000 from the Polk-Lincoln-Johnson School Corporation. Vicki Parkinson, now residing in Benton Harbor, was a Tyner School student when she said she suffered a left knee injury on April 7. 1967, while attempting to vault over a “horse" in gym class. 1966 Fifteen students in the North I iberty Elementary School have entered their projects in the South Bend Community School Science Fair. These students were the winning entries in the local fair held on February 3. Jim Boarman. Chery Ie Carbicner. Brenda Clark, Julie Eberly. Tom Fair. Susan Halt, Mike Hartsough. Jack O’Connor, Kita Boarman. Pam Claeys. Jim Donathen, Mike Hiatt. Henry PoL man, Kenny Sprunger and Chris Snyder are the students. The Walkerton Lions Club will have their annual night to honor the athletes of Walkerton High School on Tuesday. March 22 at the American Legion Hall social room. All boys participating in sports will be the guests of the Lions. At the market cooked hams were selling for 59 cents a pound; two pounds of bacon for $1.59. an eight pound bag of grapefruit for 69 cents; a pound box of crackers for 19 cents; five pounds of sugar for 39 cents; an eight pack of hamburger buns for 25 cents; chuck roast at 45 cents a pound; beef stew at b 9 cents a pound; swiss steak at 73 cents a pound and picnic ham at 39 cents a pound. April 22 will be performance night for the Walkerton Junior Class when they present “Jenny Kissed Me”. Members of the cast arc Barbara Wilson. Stephanie Sheaks. Marjean Cole, Paula Jones. Irene Anderson, Margie Lee. Mary Lancaster. Diana Doll. Donna Wolfenbarger. Ken Murphy. Bill Hiatt. Gary Mechling and Joe Spinskv. 1961 Fire which broke out in the home of Clarence Rhodebeck, at 607 Adams Street, Walkerton. Friday night at 8:10 p.m.. did an estimated $3,000 damage while the family was away visiting their daughter. Mrs. James Martin. Walkerton. Faculty members will again be the waiters and waitresses at the PT A Smorgasbord and Bazaar. A fishing booth, fortune telling booth and many more are planned. A group of interested persons met Tuesday night in interest of forming a Walkerton-Lincoln Township Democratic Club. The meeting was to get the concensus of opinion of whether or not such a group could and should be formed. Postmaster Arthur E. Shirley. Walkerton, announced the dedication of the new Post Office, located at Van Buren and Illinois Streets, will be held on Sunday, April 16 at 2:00 p.m. Jerry Hostetter, a 5 foot 10 inch senior ballplayer who paced the Walkerton team in the past season was the recipient of the annual

out for all four victims, their families, etc., and we add to this that some day in some way maybe all this will be something that just cannot happen. There is no way the president or other people of importance are going to be restrained and kept under almost lock and key and as long as deranged minds dream^ up such schemes, events like this will happen.

Walkerton I ions Club Award at the meeting I uesday evening honoring the basketball team. Jerry is the 14th bovs to receive this award. 1956 North 1 iberty's new half million dollar high school was dedicated Sunday afternoon with appropriate ceremonies. “Your work in the field of education is not complete nor should it be lessened at all just because you have a new school building." said Dr. Alex Jardine, superintendent of the South Bend City Schools in addressing the large audience during the dedication ceremony. North Liberty this year was represented in the biggest premium exposition in the world. The 23rd Annual National Prcn ium Buyers Exposition to be held in Chicago at the Navy Pier on March 19-22 was represented by Wells Specialty Company, Inc., manufacturers of Biddie Brooms and Salad Cutters here. Wells was among the 300 manufacturers at the show. Dr. Thomas A. Randall. North Liberty, who has been practicing with Dr. Smith in their present office at the corner of Main and Rupel Streets, is building a new office located on Route 23 at the north edge of town. The officers of the North Liberty High School Alumni Association met for the first time at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Dale Trobaugh to make plans for the upcoming Alumni Banquet. It will be held on May sin the old gym. The 50-ycar class that will be honored is the Class of 1906 and the 25-year class of 1931 will be the honored guests. Richard Pearse will be the toastmaster. C. E. Hovel has leased the Liberty L<kker Plant to Frank N. Patrick, of Jefferson Road. Misha waka. The 4 H Fair in St. Joseph County, which have been held at Playland Park. South Bend, for the past nine years, will have a new home all its ow n by 1958, according to plans set in motion by the Ad visory Board of Directors. A plot of ground containing 40 acres located in Center Township has been purchased for $789.00 per acre for a total of $31,400. The Board of School Trustees of the Walkerton-Lincoln Township Schools announced the appointment of C. Emmet Eiler, presently serving as principal of the AlbionJefferson School Corporation, Albion. Indiana, to succeed T. F. Radmacher, who has been reassigned as a teacher with the local schools. 1951 Mr. and Mrs. E. C. Turner, of Elkhart, have taken over the management of the Expert Cleaners, in Walkerton. Mr. Turner has been connected w ith Hoosier Cleaners in Elkhart for several years and is qualified to give good service to the public. It’s tree planting time at Stuntz Pine Forest, two miles northeast of Walkerton. On Saturday morning (if the weather is good) Mr. Stuntz expects to start planting trees and will continue until 9,.500 more trees arc planted. This will make near 40.000 trees planted on this plot in the last six years. A Junior American Legion Auxiliary composed of young women who have fathers, mothers, brothers or sisters in the American legion was organized last night at the Walkerton Post. 1941 Mrs. Robert Berry, of North liberty, was announced as the lucky winner of a $25.(X) United States Savings Bond awarded in the $1(>O.(X) Super Suds Slogan competition. I he emplovecs of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad will purchase

and give to the British government a large ambulance airplane to be used bv the government in getting their wounded airmen back to government hospitals in order that they might be saved to fight again. A survey of the men who arc employed at the Kingsbury Ordinance Plant and their families who live in Walkerton has been completed this week by the Chamber of Commerce. The survey shows that 12 families have moved into Walkerton and that a total of 102 extra people are living here now. This represents 72 workers at the plant. The survey shows that only 16 local men are employed by the plant. When Mrs. Blanche Smith locks the door of Milady Shoppe Saturday night. Walkerton will have lost one of its oldest stores. Mrs. Smith started in business in Walkerton in January 1923, with a millinery store. Later she added embroidery goods, the dresses and later accessories. Over 785 radio stations in the United States will change their dial positions Friday night at midnight. This change will be made to eliminate all kinds of interference which has bothered perfect reception in the past and consequently, one may expect clearer and better reception in the future. Fifty State Troopers will join the ranks of the Indiana State Police from the hundreds of young men that will be given the opportunity to applv for these positions between March 24 and May 1. inclusive. Trainees while in school will receive maintenance and a ten dollar allowance. 1931 An Easter Bargain Sale planned by the Walkerton Merchants for April 3 and 4 was designed at the meeting held in (he State Bank rooms Tuesday afternoon. The second annual Edward O. Snethen Oratorical Contest conducted among the Walkerton High School students will be held in the U. B Church Tuesday evening. An attempted hold up at the Joe ( ripe home on Liberty Highwav near Riley Road, was frustrated bv the quick thought and action of Mr. Cripe Tuesday evening at 7 o'clock. Mr. ( ripe answered a knock at his front door where he found two men with a revolver who demanded his money. Mr. Cripe hesitated amo ment and then slammed the door shut, extinguished the light and went upstairs for his gun. returned and the would be robbers were gone. Work on the construction of the new Shell Oil Station, located on Avenue F (Roosevelt Road) and liberty Highway (State Road 23) next to The Independent-News Co. building was started this week. Happv Ads Only |1 00 "Rhetoric, the skillful use of words to influence or persuade others, comes from the Greek word meaning "orator." 551 SAVES LIVES ir It works’ Since 1974 the year the 55MPH speed limit began it s been the biggest factor in reducing highway deaths by more than 36.000 I ® D-r Awa.'iu (. (>» Tr VAI 'tabor