The Mail-Journal, Volume 11, Number 23, Milford, Kosciusko County, 3 July 1974 — Page 1

_ U ifv/ K dk SJ# Jfjf ' '■ i ' ' 1 ■ ' •=- The Mail 457-3666 a / / Contolidatibn of THE MILFORD MAIL f£rf. IMS) and THE SYRACUSE - WAWASEE JOURNAL (Ett. 1907)

VOLUME 11

Fireworks Thursday at dusk — Stage set for Wawasee Flotilla

Weather permitting, this week end is scheduled to be a gala one in the Syracuse area, with events being planned from Thursday, the Fourth of July, through Sunday. July 7. when the revived Wawasee Flotilla will take place on the big lake General Flotilla chairman Ted Rogers, who has had organizational responsibilities for the activities, says. ".All we need now is good weather Start With Fireworks The weetk end will start with public fireworks at Syracuse citypark, an annual event sponsored by the chamber of commerce which draws many thousands to the area by auto and boat The first flare will go up at dusk The Wawasee Ski club will present a ski show on July 5 at 6 p m at the fish hatchery location with all kinds erf skills on Lake Wawasee waters Dr Logan Love is chairman for the ski show . The Cromwell fire department s is sponsoring the fireworks display at the _ fish hatchery location at dusk on Friday, July 5 A sailboat regatta is planned at 11a m on July 6 with registration at That Sailboat Place in Syracuse Persons in charge are Larry Baumgardt. John Call and Paul Penn There will be five classes.in the regatta, covering every type sailboat with a first, second and third prize to be awarded in each of the five classes The Flotilla dance is set for Saturday. July 6. m the Wawasee Prep school dining room with a limit of 250 tickets due to space, a first come basis Tickets are available at Tom Socks or Thornburgs The Bob Snowball orchestra will be on hand for the dance and b known in this area having

Career Award* w j 1 *3 a ' i J Al a n KT B i* i • !■ UM - p JKSi ■gE, \

BIG SPORTS BRASS — With the exception of International Palace of Sports founder J. Homer Shoop oa the left, this photo represents the hugest array es sports “brass” ever to assemble in tbe lakeland area. Next to Shoop from left are lakeland citizen and ABC sportscaster Chris Schenk el: bowling star Dick Webber: 1«M Olympics ehampl*" In tbe Held of track Jesse Owens: O. J. (Orange Juke)

performed for the Spink-Gala at the Prep school - ~ Parade Plans A mass parachute jump of 12 to 19 parachutists from the armyreserve Green Berets will junip from tw o Indiana National Guard choppers, after taking off from Wawasee Airport, and parachute Over the lake at I p m . making the start of the grand parade" of boats around Wawasee. The parachutists will touch down in the waters near Wawasee Prep and the Eli Lilly estate where the lake will be marked off by patrol boats from the conservation department and sheriff’s department, and no other boats will be allowed in that area Flote boats with scuba divers will pick-up the jumpers. The Fort Wayne Power squadron will be responsible for control of the parade in the lake waters Commodore Pull Conservation officer Earl Money will be parade marshal. Commodore this year is Frank Putt of Syracuse Lake The parade will start in Conklin Bay (Oakwood Park' and as tn years past, travel completely around Lake Wawasee There is .no entry fee Persons interested in participating are encouraged to pickup and return entry blanks few the event. Blanks are obtainable in most businesses m town with a Flotilla poster However, a spokesman said this week that if your entry is not returned in time, entries will still be accepted as long as you have anything that floats and can make 10 mph. Trophies will be awarded for first, second and third m the four categories of commercial, industrial. residential and in-

stitutional In addition, a commodore’s trophy will be given for the best overall entry. Awards presentation will take place at Waco Beach following completion of the Flotilla. Apocolypse are talent winners The Apocolypse from the North Webster area-won the Mermaid Festival talent show last Thursday night. Other winners are as follows: Second — Good News Sensations, Milford • Third — New Orleans Nine. Decatur Fourth — Percussion Ensemble. Warsaw Fifth — Soul Seekers. Milford Sixth — Camelot Squares, Lakeland area Seventh — Sound of Tijuana. Decatur Eighth — Ted and Jim. Leesburg and Warsaw , Ninth — Gregg Gant, North Webster 10th — Carla Eastlund. North Webster LICENSE SUSPENDED The follow ing persons have had their driver’s license suspended according to the latest report received from the Bureau of Motor Vehicles at Indianapolis: James W. Downing. 55, 718 South Mam St., Syracuse, from .April 20. 1974 to .April 20, 1975 for drunken driving Leonard T Kaufman. 52. box 541 Syracuse, from April 10, 1974 to April 10. 1975 for drunken driving

Simpson of the Buffalo Bills who was crowned the second International King of Sports: and Pancho Gonzalez, famous tennis champion. The photo was taken at the press conference at Camelot Hail Saturday night, just prior to tbe dedication of the all new International Palace of Sports.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 1974

Flotilla . . . how it all began in ’6l

The Wawasee Flotilla, to be held in revived form on Sunday. July 7, had its roots in appreciation and tragedy. The first and one of the most successful Flotillas was held on Father s day 1961. =and according to a story substantiated by conservation officer Earl Money, it followed a drowning on two successive Father <s days in the lake area. Officer Money’ said the late clothier Tom Socks said to some close friends. "Let's do something to offset this kind of bad publicity for our lake area Let’s organize a massive flotilla on Father 's day and get everyone with a boat to turn out for a day of real fun." The words may not be exact. Money allows, but the idea is the same. Tom Prickett, who worked at the Tom Socks Sportswear at the .time and now owns that business, recalls that and more. He said the late Mr. Socks was appreciative of the summer trade at his store. Prickett said. “I heard Tom more than once say let’s d >

Fry replaces Craig — Billy Little school board president

In a re-organization meeting of the Lakeland school board at the administrative building last night. Billy G. Little was elected the new president of the board. Little represents district two in the Lakeland school district, which comprises Van Buren township and the east half of Jefferson township. John F. Kroh was dected vice president of the board. Redected were the following: Floyd H. Baker, board secretary; Marion L. Lantz, treasurer; Mrs. Philip (Evelyn) Fawley. recording secretary; and Robert E. Reed, attorney.

something nice for the people who come to our lakes that doesn’t cost them anything. Prickett said the drownings were no doubt a catalyst to the first Flotilla, but the appreciation side should not be overlooked. In those days a number of likeminded Syracuse men were approached by Socks and they formed a loose-knit committee that met at the Pickwick Lounge on a weekly basis to outline plans for the first Flotilla. Some 100 craft participated in the event, and it was hailed as a huge Other Flotillas followed, also successful, then interest waned, and, finally, the idea was dropped for lack of interest. The years are not clear in the minds of most, but there appears little doubt that the interest is at a high peak for this year’s event. Some of those pioneers in the Flotilla included, besides Socks, Robert Rule, James McCulley, Harold Kitson and Robert Schacht, all now deceased, and Jack Wells, “Short” McCormick, Larry Griffith and Dale Butt.

Photo of the new Lakeland school board appears on page 13. Appoint James E. FryJames E. Fry. vice president of the State Bank of Syracuse, was appointed to the board to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of board president Robert A. Craig. Fry has been associated with the bank for the past 94 years, prior to that he was employed at the Syracuse post office for 54 years. . He is a member of the Syracuse American Legion Post 223, the St. Andrews United Methodist church, and immediate past president of the Syracuse Lions dub. He served in the air force for four years during the Korean conflict. Fry, a native erf Columbia City, is married to the former Cynthia Frevert, and they have four sons. Kevin. 18. Mark, 16. Matt. 13. and David. 10. He is a Syracuse high school graduate with the class of 1951. Other Business In other business, the board voted to purchase a $50,000 bond for its treasurer, and set their attorney s salary at S4OO for the year, same as it was a year ago. The board set its official meeting time and place as the second Tuesday of each month, at 7 p.m.at the administrative building. They approved the certificates of balance in lakeland banks as of May 31.1974. The board acted favorably on a recommendation that Mrs. Betty Sombronsky fill the girls’ physical education vacancy at the Milford elementary and junior high school for the 1974-75 school year. FINED IN CITY COURT The following persons were assessed fines and costs when they appeared before city judge Robert Burner recently: Mary Lininger, S7B for hindering law enforcement Dean Speicher. S7B for hindering law enforcement

will ■, If I Zkl I. B4r v / /■ ' . /O jrfc \// 'A ■B jOB B Hr Ito B'AJK nJ B I f* 1 W*j ■ V T I 13| r’ I » hHHHHHi ■■ •QL EE\ AND COURT' — Miss Terri Branson, 1974 “Queen of the Lakes” at the North Webster Mermaid Festival, is shown here with her full court moments after being crowned Queen night. Clockwise from front left are Princess Angie Mock of North Webster as “Miss Beta Sigma Phi; Janie Peckinpaugh of Muncie as “Miss Ski Bee.” first runner-up; Queen Terri; Debbie Minear of North Webster as “Miss Mariner,” second runner-up; and Princess Jodi Davenport of LaPaz as "Miss Farmers State Bank of LaPaz.”

Crown Queen Branson — Festival attracts " . 1; sports luminaries

The 29th Mermaid Festival at North Webster is now history. It was certainly the best by almost any standard of measurement. The weather was near-perfect for the Saturday parade which lasted three and a half hours and was approximately four and a half miles long. The list of dignitaries that came to the tiny community of 487 people to ride in the parade and take part in the dedication of the International Palace of Sports was unprecedented in the Midwest. The list of dignitaries was laced with luminaries of the sports world, including special guest of honor O. J. Simpson, professional football figure, and by the internationally popular ABC sportscaster Chris Schenkel who makes his home on Tippecanoe Lake/ J. Homer Shoop, originator of the Mermaid Festival and founder of the International Palace of Sports, was at the beight of his glory to see most of his dreams come to glorious fruition. Shoop is also president of the Counting House Bank which is housed in the new International Palace of Sports building , t A New Queen The highly successful week of activities was climaxed Saturday night with the crowning of a new • Queen of the Lakes,” Miss Terri Branson” of Yorktown, simultaneously with the program of dedication on the mall before the Palace of Sports. ‘‘Queen Terri,” expressed surprise to be picked as the Festival’s new Queen of Lakes and strode down the lengthy walkway before an admiring audience at the North Webster

junior high school gym with her clean brown eyes dripping with tears bf joy. First runner-up in the contest was Miss Janie Peckinpaugh of Muncie as "Miss Ski Bee,” while second runner-up was Miss Debbie Minear of North Webster as “Miss Mariner.” The two princesses were Angie Mock of North Webster as "Miss Beta Sigma Phi and Jodi Davenport of LaPaz as “Miss Farmers State Bank. Sports Luminaries The list of sports luminaries from the various major sports was staggering. The list was topped by professional football star O. J. (Orange Juice) Simpson. who plays with the Buffalo Bills. He was inducted as the second King of Sports before a large crowd on the mall Saturday night, and made the perfect honored guest. He proved the favorite of the day, as young and old. alike swarmed around him for pictures, a handshake or an autograph. At the press conference in Camelot Hall most all questions were directed at Simpson and he answered with directness and easy facility. Last year’s King of Sports was Olympic swimming star Mark Spitz. If was the first King of Sports induction. Other sports luminaries included such well known names as Jesse Owens, track star of the 1936 Berlin, Germany, Olympics who saw Adolph Hitler walk out on him as the Aryian watched an American Negro walk off with top honors there. Jesse admitted to being 61 years of age and ‘ A little tired,” and said he operates a public relations firm on the West Coast. He said Chris

NUMBER 23

Schenkel is his favorite sportscaster. Johnny Weismuller, the Olympic swimming star who became "Tarzan” on the screen to millions of theater-goers, was in the long parade and was repeatedly exhorted to give hr famous Tarzan jungle cry un his booming voice becar hoarse. He was hot at the prt conference or dinner, howev* Dick Weber, bowling champk who has gained his wide audienc through television, was present, as was Pancho Ganzalez, tennis star, and Jeff Meckstroth, scholarship king of bridge; Easley Blackwood of the American Contract Bridge League; Rolla Anderson, U.S. Lawn Tennis Association; Wjlliam Smith, executive director of the United States Auto Association; and Second District Congressman Earl R-Valparaiso. Also attending dedication ceremonies were Reginald Merridew, executive secretary of Kiwanis International'; Flavian Myers, Indiana governor of * Kiwanis; Loren Badskey, immediate past president of Kiwanis International and a resident of the North Webster community. Parade Winners Thefull list of parade winners follows: Wabash, a regular favorite of the Mermaid crowd, again won top honors, taking the $125 first prize and trophy in the commercial and municipal float divisions. Schacht Rubber <rt Huntington was second and Yogi Bear s Volunteer Fire Departmen. The Good News Sensations (Continued On Page 12)