Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 8 May 1949 — Page 25

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37 Section Three

Twelve Pages

Mrs. Fred W. Dierdorf indiana Mother, 1949.

B Mis. Pauline VanHook.

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Edwin Dierdor N

. tough on traffic

The Indianapolis Times

SUNDAY, MAY 8, 1949

violators

NI ral n Cork

HOOSIER MOTHER 1949

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SY WwW Dierdorf |

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By VICTOR PETERSON

THERE is a special note of tenderness in the voice of America today for the nation's mothers. Forgotten are the ear and neck scrubbings, those necessary spankings and scoldings. Remembered are the love and comfort given so unselfishly over the years. All the joys and the many sorrows that go with motherhood are known to Mrs. Fred W. Dierdorf, West Terre Haute, recently named the 1949 Indiana Mother by the American Mothers’ Committee of the Golden Rule Foundation. She also knows the sharp pain of deep tragedy which sometimes strikes at the heart of family life. * © IN THE last 38 years, she and Mr. Dierdorf have reared eight children to become substantial and successful citizens. But the family circle is not complete. Twenty-seven years ago diphtheria struck six of the youngsters and an infant son died. Time helped heal the wound and the family had moved from Indianapolis to Brazil to West Terre Haute when a near-crushing blow brought tortured days and nights, Edith Mae Dierdorf was a healthy, sparkling girl of 10. One January day 20 years ago she didn’t come home. The chiid had been kidnaped. ® 2D

ANXIOUS days dragged into sleepless nights for the family. Life became a continuous nightmare as the weeks passed. Rewards were posted. Search parties returned with no news. Winter changed .into spring and the world awoke with new life. But not for Edith Mae. Ten weeks after she disappeared her body was found in a‘creek bottom near Sullivan, Ind: The murderer-kidnaper never has been caught. Edith Mae hasn't been forgotten, but Mr, and Mrs. Dierdorf had eight other children. The children of the Indiana Mother, 1949, are Milburn, 38, Phoenix, Ariz, a pharmacist; Mrs. Pauline VanHook, 36, Chicago, a graduate of Indiana State Teachers College and the mother of three children; Mrs. Wilma Tooley, 34, of 708 Terrace Ave, Indianapolis, a regis-

tered nurse; Mrs. Helen Cork, 32, Evansville, a_

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former teacher and mother of one child; Edwin, 26, South Bend, a pharmacist; Fred W. Jr, 24, Indiana University medical’ school junior and father of one child; Herbert, 22, attending Indiana State Teachers College, and Charles, 21, attending Purdue University. * © o

TODAY Mr. and Mrs. Dierdorf not only have the joy of their children but are experiencing the delight of grandparents. Experts in child care were neither common nor fashionable when the Dierdorf youngsters were growing up. Mr. and Mrs. Dierdorf depended upon their own. decisions to rear their children. S The birth of the first child reflects their attitude. A family cradle on rockers was borrowed and Mr. Dierdorf promptly sawed them off, The grandparents objected. “You can't bring up a baby without rocking,” they said. “If he's never been rocked, he'll never miss it,” Mr. Dierdorf answered. "I don’t intend to spend my nights rocking a cradle.” Le

& IN REARING her children, Mrs. Dierdorf stresses above all else the use of the Golden Rule «+» +» do unto others as you would have them de unto you. : “Just be honest with yourself and everyone and you can't go wrong,” Mr. Dierdorf said. “With that as a start, youngsters easily learn to make their way in life. “We always tried to keep the children busy, It's hard to be busy and in mischief at the same time, I taught the girls everything about the home and Mr, Dierdorf did the same for the boys. * > UNABLE to complete more than the eighth grade themselves, Mr, and Mrs. Dierdorf decided eerly in life that their children should have vo lege educations if they desired. It wasn't to be a matter of compulsion. That is another bit of the Dierdorf philosophy. “We let them make their own decisions, offering advice when we think it necessary. Discipline? There have been times. “We have tried to reason with them for discipline until reasoning would do no good. Then...” the Indiana Mother for 1949 made a slight motion with her hand.

SAFETY A LOE: FULFILLED

Streets of Peru

. safe for man, woman and child. ~

OMETHING can be done to to make Indiana a safe place to drive and walk. Peru, Ind., has proved it, This Miami county seat of 15,000 people is a shining light in the otherwise dark picture of statewide murder on the highway. For a 19048 safety record, Peru has won a National Safety Council award and this past week a grand award for cities under 50,000 population in the American Automobile Association’s 10th National Pedestrian Protection Contest, Shocked by the four deaths in 1947 traffic, George W. Wolf pledged a vigorous safety program if elected mayor. He took offce in January, 1948 and immediately called a conference. ” » ” IDEAS were incorporated into a program which was so effective that last year no persons were killed. Injuries tumbled frem 94 to 76, accidents from 636 to 4. Many of the steps were inconvenient and the public

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grumbled. As the measures paid off, the grumbling stopped. To rule out any cry of favoritism, Mayor Wolf fired himself as city judge and appointed Albert H. Cole Jr. to the post Today convictions follow 97 per cent of the arrests, “You can’t even fix a parking sticker in Peru” Mayor Wolf said. “A number of my best friends have been made very unhappy.” » » . ON. REQUEST, the state studied Peru's traffic situation and reported in a 79-page book: Many of the recommendations have been adopted. Modern traffic lights have been installed and training program conducted for pedestrans in walking with the lights, Increased efforts were set in motion with school children and some 200 new stop school and playground. signe were erected. Police have cracked down on violations and arrests are up 75 per cent. Parking meters were Installed. This has speeded the

76

flow of traffic and ended

- double parking. Two off-street

free parking lots have been opened. City bus routes have been changed from hazardous streets and stops have been redesigned. ~ » - CAR CHECKS by the 19 policemen are common. Several men have attended Purdue University traffic courses. The pro. gram has received enthusiastie support from newspapers and now is headed by a safety director, Robert A. Tillett.

Currently the high school is preparing an intensive course in back-of-the-wheel training for students. This will include actual driving and instruction in dummy cars. More is on thé docket this year, The street lighting system bas been studied and changes promised®®S., entirely new traffic ordinance incorporating a pedestrian section will be enacted. This is Peru, Ind., the city

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that got busy and did some- i

thing about safety. Photo Story by Vietor Peterson.

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Mayor George W. Wolf | |

Editorials ....26 = Science .....28' Politics .....27 Radio ......32 Features ....29 Movies ..34, 35

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