Nappanee Advance-News, Volume 134, Number 1, Nappanee, Elkhart County, 5 January 2012 — Page 4
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1 Advance News • Thursday, January 5,2012
Indiana native son: Bill Holman
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Photo* by Mlk» Boy* Bill Holman’s drawing of Smokey Stover and Chief Cash U Nutt hurrying to a fire. Note the sign with the words Notary Sojak which in Gaelic means Merry Christmas.
Who is Bill Holman, you ask? Man, I thought you would never ask. You may not recognize his name but I know some of you uh, older folks will remember his comic strip "Smokey Stover." That cartoon was one of my favorites. Bill was as nutty as his cartoon character Smokey Stover, except he was of medium build, balding and smiled a lot His other famous cartoons were: "Spooky the Car and "Nuts and Jolts." Unfortunately, I do remember those cartoons and how much I enjoyed them. Here's the scoop on Bill Holman for those of you who want stats. Bill Holman was bom March 22, 1903 in Crawfordsville, and lived as a child in Nappanee where five other famous and successful cartoonists lived when they were children. Those five were: Merrill Blosser, who drew "Freckles and His Friends." Harry Maust and Francis "Mike" Parks who drew editorial and political cartoons, Fred Neher who drew "Life's Like That' and Max Gwin who drew "Slim and Spud" for the Prairie Farmer magazine. Wow! Nappanee seems to be, the home of cartoon greatness. Moving right along Bill's
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NAPPANEE LIBRARY ‘ARTFUL QUILTERS’ TO MEET NEXT JAN. 12 The "Artful Quilters," a guild for those interested in new quilting techniques, meets on the second Thursday of each month at the Nappanee Public Library. Members will meet at the library next Jan. 12 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Membership for the "Artful Quilters" is open to anyone. Join the fun and fellowship with other quilters while keeping up to date with new activities and techniques in the quilting world. Bring projects to share, check out planned
Continuous Publication Since 1879 AdvamceJSfews Published Weekly • (USPS 370-960) Periodical postage paid in Nappanee, IN 46550 POSTMASTER: Please send address corrections to P.O. Box 220, Plymouth, IN 46563 Accounting Manager Jerry Bingle Managing Editor Maggie Nixon ~ _ pILZ Angel Perkins U.**%%%%, Nril Coaello ProductiorVTT Manager £mdy Stockton Advertising Sales Hildebrand Angi Rodriguez CLASSIFIED Ca " 1 -800-933-0356 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ADS *** dassifteds must be pre-paid. Deadline: Monday at 11:30 a.m. ADVERTISING Cal And Rodriguez at 1-8009350366 lor rale information or to place an ad. Deadline: Thursday at 5 p.m. LEGAL Deadaie: Wednesday at 5 p.m. NOTICES (Weekprio ° SUBSCRIPTIONS Annual aubeoplon price (52 iseuee) is s2l toetato and $26 outoMate. Tb renew or alart a new subscription, or to soto defcery pro Mama, cal tie OcutaSon Departnent e 1-8000350356 l NEWS Email news Kerns and photos to advanoeOnpcc.net. or drop them off at the Bremen office, 126 E. Plymouth St. For posstoie story ideas, contact Angel Perttins, editor, at ttie office at 574-546-2941 or cel. 574-2094X704. Daadne: Friday at noon. Publisher rooonsa the right to reject, edff or cancel any advertising at any tone withqut HaMNy. PuNahar* labMty for error ia tonffad to the amount paid tor advertising.
dad passed away when he was young. Bill developed an interest in art and began drawing at age 12. While working at a Nappanee five-and-dime store, running a popcorn machine he decided he wanted to be a cartoonist. I guess that is why his cartoons had a certain "corny" touch. After high school, at age 16, he and his mother moved to Chicago where he took night courses at the Academy of Fine Arts and learned more about cartooning. Bill, like most boys, wanted to be a fireman and drive a big red hook and ladder fire wagon. He quickly changed his mind when he found out that those fire horses didn't harness themselves. In 1920 Holman landed a job as a copy boy at die Chicago Tribune for $6 a week. Now that was a lot of money back then. This gave him an opportunity to "hang-out" with the top Tribune cartoonists where he learned some practical experience from the best. Holman was a great patriot as he made many visits abroad with the U.S.O. during WWII and Korea. He appeared in Europe, South Pacific, Japan and Korea also visiting veteran's hospitals. Bill retired in 1973 and the comic strip retired with him.
programs for the coming year, and sign up for trips. Yearly dues are sls and are used for the benefit of the guild. Those interested may attend two meetings to get acquainted before becoming members. For more information, contact the Nappanee Public Library at 574-773-7919, or visit www.nappanee.libin.us online. MAKE A SNOWMAN CRAFT JAN. 14 Color your own snowman and play a "catch game" at the Nappanee Public Library during the next Crafts for Kids day Saturday, Jan. 14. Materials for this make-
Community
SMOKEY STOVER Bill loved firemen and was heard to say: "I admire the couraeeous work the firemen do and hoped to be one of them." He never became an official fireman, but working hard, he finally sold the concept of "Smokey Stover" to die Chicago Tribune Syndicate in 1935 as a Sunday strip. Then in 1938 Smokey Stover was launched as a daily strip. Smokey Stover was a fireman wearing a huge fire hat with a hinge on the front and was a crazy sort of a guy working for his boss Fire Chief Cash U Nutt This strip appeared in newspapers across the nation. Smokey drove the two of them to fires in their two-wheeled fire truck known as die Foo Mobile. Smokey had a wife "Cookie" and a son "Earl." What does FOO mean, you ask? Well as Holman explained: "The wand Foo in Chinese means good-luck." Bill used that word many times in his strip. He also used visual puns and local jokes throughout his strip. Now some other words that appeared regularly in his strip were: "Notary Sojak" (In Gaelic means Merry Christmas) and "1506 Nix Nix" was a hotel room number and a private joke between Bill and a bachelor fellow cartoonist friend, A 1 Posen, warning girls to stay away from Al's room. Holman used these and many other puns and gags some of which were really groaners. NAPPANEE SMOKEY STOVER FIRE DEPARTMENT I visited the Nappanee Fire Department this week and talked with Fire Chief Don Lehman, a 33-year veteran firefighter and Firefighter/Facility Manager Patrick Neibert and found them to be very gracious and warm individuals. They were so helpful in giving me information about Bill Holman. In the mid 1960 s the fire department asked permission and received it from Bill to use the
ment from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. during the city's Second Saturday activities. For more information, call 574-773-7919 or visit www.nappanee.libin.us online. LIBRARY TOUR JAN.I6 New cardholders and* those interested in learning more about library services are invited to a guided tour of the Nappanee Public Library Monday, Jan. 16 at 7 p.m. In addition to discovering where to find current best-sellers, a favorite cookbook, or the daily news, participants will be introduced to many special services. These include NapCAT (the library's computerized catalog); computers and copiers for use in the library; art prints, CDs, DVDs and many other materials for loan. Learn how to check out a portable die-cut machine or electricity use monitor, or craft
and-take craft will be available in the children's depart-
V World’s Famous ~ BUTCHER ftpßH | shop SMOKED PORK CHOPS - $4.79 LB. CHICKEN BREASTS $2.79 LB. NEW YORK STRIP STEAK • $6.99 LB. HAM SALAD $3.59 LB. 1 Holiday Gjfi Cerljficmtes • Discount to Churches \for: Pet Lucks A Funeral Dinners A Fund-Raisers 158 N. Main Street ‘ Nappanee, Indiana 773-4632 -Open-Monday-Frfday 7:00 a.m.-5:30 pan. K Saturday 7:00 p.m.-12:30 p.m. A
ABOVE: Nappanee Fire Chief Don Lehman (standing) and Firefighter/ Fadttty Manager Pat Neibert are shown with the Foo Mobile which is situated In the Nappanee Center. BELOW: Mike Boys (right) was honored by Chief Lehman with a Smokey Stover patch.
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Smokey Stover logo. The firefighters call themselves the "Smokey Stovers." Today, the department has 11 trucks each witn just a little different painting of Smokey Stover and the Foo Mobile. Most of the paintings were by a local artist Eric Parrow. One great thing that happened, well, actually there were two great things that happened when talking with them about the Foo Mobile. Don said: "We have the Foo Mobile at the Nappanee Center. Do you want to see it?" "You bat* 1 said. And we went over to see that two-wheeled car. The Foo Mobile
patterns or jigsaw puzzles. The library, located at 157 N. Main St., holds the tour the third Monday of every month and by appointment. For more information call 574-773-7919, or visit www.nappanee. lib.in.us online. WAKARUS A LIBRARY AFTERSCHOOL SPECIAL THEME SELECTED "And the Winner i 5..." will be die theme for the Afterschool Special to take place Jan. 10 at 3:30 p.m. Participants will discover how the 2011 Caldecott Award winner was created and will hear it read aloud. Some of the possible Caldecott and Newbery winners for 2012 will be available for review. Registration is required for students in grades Kindergarten through fifth wanting to attend.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO MEET JAN. 13 The Wakarusa Library Board of Trustees
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with choice: Juice or Coffee $3.99 #1 -2 eggs, hash browns, toast #2 -Eye Opener (2 eggs, 2 inks, 2 bacon) #3 - 2 cakes with choice of topping #4 - 2 eggs and potato cakes 95 - Half and Half (hash bromts and beads a gmvy) IL /*! The White Dove Jemuyfystawunt mmmi
was made by Peter Schlatter, has a gas engine and really runs. There were only three made one in Francesville and the other in Nappanee. They didn't know where tne third one was. The Foo Mobile has appeared in many parades. The other great thing was they honored me with an official Nappanee Fire Department Smokey Stover Patch. I guess that makes me an honorary Smokey Stover. Wow! What an honor. Bill Holman died Feb. 27, 1987 at the ag* of 83 la New Yfcrk Ota, N.Y. He would have been m March 22.
will meet Jan. 13 at 7:45 a.m. This meeting will take place in the library meeting room. TAX FORMS AVAILABLE 2011 Tax forms will be available on the table in the library lobby. The forms will be placed there as they are received. DIAL A STORY TITLE SELECTED "Three Spinsters" is the Dial A Story selection for tluS week. This is the story of a lazy girl that tricks her prince. Hear this tale at 574-862-4441. NEW BOOKS OFFERED "Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match" by Monica Brown "Doodleday" by Ross Collins "The Boy From the Dragon Palace" by Margaret Read MacDonald "Elmer's Christmas" by David McKee "The Money We'll Save" by Brock Cole
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