The Mail-Journal, Volume 20, Number 20, Milford, Kosciusko County, 1 June 1983 — Page 4

THE MAIL-JOURNAL — Wed., June 1,1983

4

Editorials

A good week end. . .

In spite of the fact the weather was not the best over the Memorial Day holiday it was a good week end with events taking place in all three Lakeland Communities. Syracuse’s Sagebrush Days brought many people and many activities to that town as the summer season was officially kicked off in western style. The Milford Area Development Council held its annual chicken barbecue and the Youth League bake sale in that community was sold out early. A Youth League tournament was also held. Parades and Memorial Day services took place in all three communities on Monday with large crowds,.,on hand for the parades and at the services which followed at the cemeteries in the respective communities. They payed honor to the war dead and others who have died. The large crowds braved the unseasonably cold temperatures and the threats of rain as they paused to remember. Memorial Day has traditionally become the first holiday, the first long week end, of the summer with the 4th of July and Labor Day yet to come. All too often people fail to remember what Memorial Day really it. It is good to know that people in the three Lakeland communities know that Memorial Day is a time to pause and remember those who have given their lives that we might live in freedom. It was indeed a good week end . . . Colleges and adults The trend of more and more adults returning to, or entering, college continues. The National Center for Education Statics in Washington says 28 per cent of all students enrolled in college in 1972 were 25 or older. In 1980, that figure was up to 34.3 per cent. At the end of this decade, it’s projected the percentage will have climbed to 47 per cent — almost half those in college. • This reflects the growing realization of Americans that education is a continuing process, not something just for the young. It also reflects the necessity being faced by many today, because of a changing society, to retrain themselves for new jobs. Many older students, like younger ones, work while attending college. Some brush up on their earlier education, updating their expertise. Others enlist for complete college programs, many for the first time. Lightning The National Safety Council warns that too few are sufficiently concerned over the danger of lightning. Yet one statistician recently determined that during the April-October lightning season, the average American can expect forty to eighty bolts within half a mile. The same statistician claims more than a third of all fires in rural areas are caused by lightning. The safest places in lightning storms are in homes, steel-framed buildings, or in an automobile. If in the open, seek a low place, such as a ravine or ditch. Gift racket Americans these days are being inundated wtih free-gift “awards”in the form of phony mailed notices — telling them what they must do to obtain the free gifts already set aside for them. The “catch” is that they must listen to a spiel by a salesman trying to sell them a two-week ownership in a Florida condominium, or visit a new housing development, or submit themselves in some way to a sales pitch. If they don’t buy, they usually get — but not always —a gift that’s worth very little but which — in the promotional literature — sounds valuable. The free-gift racket has reached epidemic proportions and much of the mailed-out literature is either fraudulent or bordering oh the fraudulent. As the late editor H. L. Menchken observed, no one in America has even gone broke overestimating the gullibility of the average citizen — or words to that effect. It remains astonishing to see how many still fall for this free-gift hokum, and think they have won something. One outfit even suggests to its thousands of targeted prospects that each has been selected as the finalist from one region of the country. Readers should recall a famous truism — seldom if ever does not get something for nothing.

What others say — Let's laugh Have you ever laughed? Not merely loosened up the muscles of your mouth to emit a dry cackle that would make your grandmother turn over in her grave — but truly, whole-hearted laughed? Some people don’t know what the word means. They go about with such sour, glum faces that Satan, himself, is frightened into hiding. For “He is a bad man who has no power of laugh within him.’’ Sometime when you feel blue and discouraged; when you’d like to go away and hide your face from everyone just because of some foolish mistake that looked big to you, but which no one else noticed because they were too busy with their own mistakes — laugh! Look all around you. There’s always something to laugh at. It may be a funny story or a bitof humor in a friends “Good-day.” What ever it is, see the funny side and laugh. Soon the cobwebs in your brain will clear and you will find that you feel good inside! In olden times when a king’s army mutinied or his lands were devastated and he saw on every side nothing but ruin, he sent for his jester. He wanted to laugh. He knew the healing power of a hearty laugh. And if the jester was a good one he was successful in making his king laugh e’en though his own heart be breaking. After a few jolly explosions of mirth he saw life at a new angle and the jester was dismissed. The king rode forth to battle with renewed strength and captured his enemy just because he was the better man. The power of rejuvinating laughter was still with him. Lincoln always read a funny story when an unusually weighty problem was upon his mind. The great President’s sense of humor saved him in many a trying ordeal. Let’s all be jesters if we can’t be kings and presidents. Let s make the other fellow laugh. It’s good to watch someone grow young again under the influence of a mirthful incident. It is like watching a wilted rose regain its beauty after a summer shower. — Let’s laugh. — THE BOMB, 1922 MILFORD HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK

OR! The Syracuse-Wawasee Drum and Bugle Corps marched in both the Milford and Syracuse parades on Memorial Day. They are representative of all units that paused to remember. . .

Court news

MARRIAGE LICENSES The following couples have filed for marriage licenses in the office of Kosciusko County Clerk Jean Messmore: Howard-Ambruster Leslie Walter Howard, 20, r 3 box 231 D, Syracuse and Laura Jo Ambruster. 21, r 1 box 89, Warsaw Grevenstuk-Miller Mitchell Gene Grevenstuk, 20, r 1 box 643 Milford and Deborah Jean Miller, 17, r 5 box 78 Syracuse Watts-Anderson Roy T. Watts, 83. Glenwood, 111., and Helen Anderson, 70, r 1 North Webster McDonald-Shear Ralph Herndon McDonald, 26, P.O. Box 13 Syracuse and Michelle Lynn Shear, 21, r 2 Leesburg Hoover-Reed James Terry Hoover, 23, Winding Creek Apartments, Milford and Debra Sue Reed, 18, Winding Creek Apartments, Milford Bobeck-Brown Brent Alan Bobeck, 21,11815 S. County Line Rd., Syracuse and Lynn Jean Brown, 20, r 4 Syracuse

Unsung hero —

■■■ . PH W v”' Waffg -- ■ MM I uo Hr I

Willie Duncan feels she is contributing something

WiUie Duncan has served on the North Webster Emergency * Medical Service since 1978, but for the last several years she has been a standby EMT. Through a misunderstanding on recertification classes her certification expired in 1981. “I had everyone trying to get me recertified,” remarked Mrs. Duncan. She is planning on becoming certified once again in the future. “I feel I’m contributing something,” stated Mrs. Duncan, who joined the EMS because of the advantage of being able to help other people and having the availability and assistance to help other people when they need it. It was hard when she has to go to a home and tell someone there is no hope and being able to see some of the things a person goes through when an ambulance is needed. “It carries in your mind for a whole week, especially the families when a patient doesn’t make it and seeing what they go through.” Mrs. Duncan enjoys crafts, reading and listening to music. She is employed at Light and Life Press, Warsaw, and has been

Carr-Traxler Jerry D. Carr, 40, r 1 Leesburg and Robin Traxler, 27. r 5 box 45E Westhaven Estates, Warsaw. Shoem aker-Loetz Richard Acton Shoemaker, 18, r 1 box 87 Leesburg and Sue Ann Loetz, 23, r 1 North Webster Graff-Graff Kenneth J. Graff, 36, P.O. Box 18 Leesburg and Carol M. Graff, 34, P.O. Box 18 Leesburg Rodriguez-Salazar Mario Rodriguez, 25, r 3 box 625 Syracuse and Gudalupe C. Salazar, 21, r 3 box 625 Syracuse CITY COURT The following fines have been levied and paid in the Goshen City Court: Disregarding stop sign — Renee A. Patton, 22, Syracuse, S3B Improper passing (yellow line) — Jerry L. Lehman, 30, Syracuse, S3B Speeding — Gayla G. Eash, 34, Syracuse, S3B Improper turn at intersection — Russell L. Yates, 18, Syracuse, S3B

WILLIE DUNCAN

secretary for the EMS for the past five years. She is originally from Marion and has lived in the North Webster area since August of 1971. Her husband Jay is a member of the North Webster Fire Department and a driver for the EMS. The Duncans have one son, Matthew, two years old. THE MAIL-JOURNAL ‘ lU S P S 3?SBAO> Publishud by The Mail Journal ovary Wednesday and entered as Second Class matter at the Post Ottke at Syracuse. Indiana «*S*TSecond class postage paid at 103 E. Main Street. Syracuse, Indiana 4*5*7 and at additional entry oHices Subscription: Sl4 per year in Kosciusko County, sl* 50 outside county ‘POSTMASTERS; Send change of address forms to The Mail Journal, P.O. Box IM, MMlord, Indiana 4*s*l.

"CRUZIN AROUND 'CUSE" ANOTHER CHAPTER in the history pages. The Indiana Historical Society sought to of Syracuse is being added with the is- hav * preserve these valuable suance of a small, 116-page book written re<ords w,th microfilming, and published by townsman Ronald This wa y Acords can be kept indefinitely. Sharp, a longtime resident Os 406 North Mrs Jones invites anyone interested in the history Huntington Street. Ote Syracuse community to visit the library and see these books mentioned above and to read _ . . . .. j many of the old files on microfilm The book covers a period from 1826 to 1876 and _ o _ is to be the first book of a trilogy on the town's history. The loUowmg tw. b«*s will be: Volume BY ANY stondart. the Sagebrush Days was a I cvertog . l«Wto »lud Votome whw i.g success, This report lr<»» the uumerws 111. covering a period from IWI to ÜBO gnMlps w » ho parti< . l|w , M / Sharp has long had a fascination for unearthing the history of his home town, claiming to .. ,^ anne J enera * chairperson, said have become enchanted with the subject about a re P orts were a resounding A-OK, 1953. As he delved into old records at the Syracuse as wouW .P ut >*• noted in P® r ' Public Library and in the Kosciusko County Court ticular the Sunday morning church service at the House, he gathered authentic materials that are Calvary United Methodist Church on CR 13 south incorporated in the handsome little book. town, where pastor David C. Maish rode up on a horse, m the garb and style of an old-fashioned cirMuch of the research for Volume 11 is com- cuit rider. He delivered his inspirational sermon pleted, he said this week, while reviewing what to the congregation outdoors and was paid for his went into his labor of love. services with victuals. His dress and sermon was . . . . . .. . in keeping with the Sagebrush Days theme. Sharp has had experience at documenting and writing, having worked for a period of the Warsaw rlul . Times-Union, and was ably assisted by his wife holding its'annual chili cook-off in th? Syracuse Joan, an Indiana UniversitySchwloi■Journalism p , rk . «.X hand graduate recently reUred school librarian tor spl , v Kiwob rhlb the La ean coo Corpora ion. p anca h e ant | sausa g e breakfast at the Sharp is retired as director of purchasing for Lakeland Youth Center and reported a record Whitley Products Co. of Pierceton. crowd. A constant line kept the kitchen staff working full time to keep the sausages coming. And the Ron’s book was typed out on a typewriter and Business and Professional Women did well at their the manuscript was photographed for offset prin- hake sale, also at the Youth Center, ting, and the illustrations and hand-written court records are authentically duplicated. On the lighter side, the Lone Star band played off and on to a crowd that came and went, set up at Sharp has his book on sale for $7.00, which “1 the east side of the Youth Center, all three days of hope will cover the cost of printing.’’ he said. the community-wide celebration. Syracuse is better off than most communities Three squares of square dancers rollicked in in having a record of its history on file in the the uptown area, in front of the bank, to record Syracuse Public Library. Librarian Roselyn music but to the tune of a caller who hailed from Jones commented this week that there is not a lot Sidney. One local square dance enthusiast known written about Syracuse, and yet several books to many was Patti Ritchey, waitress at the worth mentioning include a 1979 booklet by Meyer Syracuse Case, and she brought to life the revived Maidenberg, now a Florida resident, entitled “A art of the square dance. Short History of Morrison Island.” Maidenburg ■» had a fascination for the history of Morrison Hardly anyone could miss the sheriff, on duty Island and did what he could through his book to in the person of Bob Troutman. He, too, dressed preserve this history. His booklet is in the public the part and made the rounds “arresting” those library, who failed to display a Sagebrush badge. Troutman wore a large black hat and string tie, vest and Other books include Eli Lilly’s “Early chaps, and had a large flare gun in his belt. His ' Wawasee Days.” Scott Edgell’s “Sketches of Lake outsized cardboard badge sported the words Wawasee.” and “Sweet Memories of Old In- “Sagebrush Sherrif,” his spelling, not ours, dianie,” by Sarah Deßra, now the property of the Historical Society. Deßra was raised in the The town was full of visitors — who got a good Syracuse community after the Civil War and her idea of what a small town can do to tie a business father taught in the public school, and, according promotion in with a little fun. to librarian Jones, “even might have been school —o—principal.” HERB AND Roine Dickerson returned SunHer account mentions a lot of old family day evening to their Wawasee Village home after names that might be meaningful to some older spending the winter at their Englewood, Fla., residents. One such name is Kale after which Kale home. While laying no claims to good Florida Island is named. weather this winter, Herb did report some extra good fishing. Further history of the community can be —o—found in old newspaper files in the library. although they are sketchy. Mrs. Jones states there FAITHFUL SUBSCRIBER Dale Sprague was a Syracuse Enterprise published weekly from writes from Los Alamitos, Calif., “nostalgia January through December of 1875, and the manifests iself in many ways — most of them hapSyracuse Register also published weekly from py, but some of them sad.” he notes in these coiJanuary 1894 through October 1896, with scattered umns the death of Paul Riddle, friend of his issues in the year 1898. parents. He remembered Paul’s basketball days “on the second floor of the old (uptown) school Her files reveal that Syracuse had its house.” Anyone can ask coach Cal Beck about Syracuse Journal in 1908, as part of the microfilm when Paul wore the gold and blue. He added that newspaper files that run spottily from 1885 the sad tidings of the passing of E. W. (“Frogthrough 1904. Mrs. Jones states the weekly gie”) and Dorothy was “another sad shot.” and publication expanded in 1919 to recognize the then recalled “the good times we had in their growing importance of Lake Wawasee, then as house.” The Spragues operated the lumber yard now the largest natural, spring-fed lake in the on South Huntington Street for years, state of Indiana, and changed the name on the _<>_ paper’s flag to Syracuse-Lake Wawasee Journal, and kept that name until 1922. SATURDAY NIGHT will be nostalgia night for Syracuse realtor Joe Todd — he calls it “my The name was changed again in 1923 to simply last hurrah” — when he and many other The Syracuse Journal, and remained that until graduates of the old Wawaka High School gather 1936, when it became the Syracuse-Wawasee Jour- for their final alumni meeting, nal. It kept this name through a succession of publishers until 1961 when the paper was declared Joe is a 1958 graduate from that tiny school insolvent and its assets and second class permit and this last gathering will mark his 25th graduawas sold to Arch Baumgartner of Milford, and tion anniversary, within several months it was combined with The Milford Mall into what became a newer, stronger He is quick to note that he is in a league with weekly newspaper known as The Mail-Journal, a other notables who graduated from Wawaka. name the weekly publication carries today. One being Earl Butz, former secretary of agriculture, who left office under a cloud of an offWhile the public was slow at accepting the color joke and who served “time” for fudging on new, consolidated newspaper, it co-incided with a his income tax returns, consolidation of other local institutions, notably the banks and the schools into what became the Baseball czar Fred Frick attended Wawaka Lakeland Community School Corporation. High but didn’t graduate there. Joe comments that his brother Bill, a Riverside. Calif., physician To the credit of the Syracuse Library Board, who is now visiting at Joe's home, graduated old records of these newspapers have been from Wawaka in 1956, the only graduate to ever go preserved through a system of microfilming their on to become a doctor.

ANOTHER CHAPTER in the history of Syracuse is being added with the issuance of a small, 116-page book written and published by townsman Ronald Sharp, a longtime resident of 406 North Huntington Street. The book covers a period from 1826 to 1879 and is to be the first book of a trilogy on the town’s history. The following two books will be: Volume 11. covering a period from 1871 to 1962. and Volume 111. covering a period from 1921 to 1989. Sharp has long had a fascination for unearthing the history of his home town, claiming to have become enchanted with the subject about 1953. As he delved into old records at the Syracuse Public Library and in the Kosciusko County Court House, he gathered authentic materials that are incorporated in the handsome little book. Much of the research for Volume 11 is completed, he said this week, while reviewing what went into his labor of love. Sharp has had experience at documenting and writing, having worked for a period of the Warsaw Times-Union, and was ably assisted by his wife Joan, an Indiana University School of Journalism graduate and recently retired school librarian for the Lakeland School Corporation. Sharp is retired as director of purchasing for Whitley Products Co. of Pierceton. Ron’s book was typed out on a typewriter and the manuscript was photographed for offset printing, and the illustrations and hand-written court records are authentically duplicated. Sharp has his book on sale for $7.99, which “1 hope will cover the cost of printing,” he said. Syracuse is better off than most communities in having a record of its history on file in the Syracuse Public Library. Librarian Roselyn Jones commented this week that there is not a lot written about Syracuse, and yet several books worth mentioning include a 1979 booklet by Meyer Maidenberg, now a Florida resident, entitled “A Short History of Morrison Island.” Maidenburg had a fascination for the history of Morrison Island and did what he could through his book to preserve this history. His booklet is in the public library. Other books include Eli Lilly’s “Early Wawasee Days.” Scott Edgell’s “Sketches of Lake Wawasee.” and “Sweet Memories of Old Indianie,” by Sarah Deßra. now the property of the Historical Society. Deßra was raised in the Syracuse community after the Civil War and her father taught in the public school, and, according to librarian Jones, “even might have been school principal.” >4. Her account mentions a lot of old family names that might be meaningful to some older residents. One such name is Kale after which Kale Island is named. Further history of the community can be found in old newspaper files in the library, although they are sketchy. Mrs. Jones states there was a Syracuse Enterprise published weekly from January through December of 1875, and the Syracuse Register also published weekly from January 1894 through October 1896, with scattered issues in the year 1898. Her files reveal that Syracuse had its Syracuse Journal in 1908, as part of the microfilm newspaper files that run spottily from 1885 through 1904. Mrs. Jones states the weekly publication expanded in 1919 to recognize the growing importance of Lake Wawasee, then as now the largest natural, spring-fed lake in the state of Indiana, and changed the name on the paper’s flag to Syracuse-Lake Wawasee Journal, and kept that name until 1922. The name was changed again in 1923 to simply The Syracuse Journal, and remained that until 1936, when it became the Syracuse-Wawasee Journal. It kept this name through a succession of publishers until 1961 when the paper was declared insolvent and its assets and second class permit was sold to Arch Baumgartner of Milford, and within several months it was combined with The Milford Mall into what became a newer, stronger weekly newspaper known as The Mail-Journal, a name the weekly publication carries today. While the public was slow at accepting the new, consolidated newspaper, it co-incided with a consolidation of other local institutions, notably the banks and the schools into what became the Lakeland Community School Corporation. To the credit of the Syracuse Library Board, old records of these newspapers have been preserved through a system of microfilming their

K. . Ml mi kv- 4 1 US

WAS IT FUN OR WORK? — What one person calls work, another calls fun. This photo provided an occasion when everything seemed to he fun. It to a group of Klwanis members preparing sausages for their club's annual pancake and sausage breakfast at the Lakeland Youth Center Saturday morning. Shown from left are Bob Farber. Tom Hoover. Terry McDonald and Larry Dull.