Hurry Home
May 1945
THE TOWN TATTLER
Published by
The Arenzvillians
MEMORIAL DAY SPECIAL EDITION
Memorial Day is always a thoughtful
affair in Arenzville--but especially so this year. Probably the fact that we have about
150 young men and women from our community in the armed services, widely scattered over
the entire world, fighting to protect the principles which we all hold sacred, impresses
us with the significance of the day. Then too the fact that there are nine gold stars on
our honor roll, representing nine lives given in the cause which they held to be just,
makes us all feel very humble, very proud, and very solomn on this day. The least we can
do is to convey to the families and friends of these brave men, not by words only, but by
deeds as well, the deep appreciation with which Arenzville cherishes their memory. The
gold stars attach to the following:
Robert Allen, Died at Ft. Lewis, Wash. on Jan.
23, 1943. Brother of Cecil Allen.
Paul Dotzert, Killed in action in Africa on
April 23, 1943. Son of Mr. & Mrs. Henry Dotzert of near Virginia.
Eugene Fanning, Killed in action on Apr. 12,
1945 in Italy. Son of Mr. & Mrs. Rollo Fanning.
Albert Bridgman, Killed on Sept. 8, 1944 in
India. Son of Bert Bridgman.
John Herbert, Killed in action on Jan. 13, 1945
in Germany. Son of Wm. Herbert.
Virgil Hansmeyer, Killed in action in France on
Nov. 10, 1944. Son of Mr. and Mrs. Sam Hansmeier, husband of Mrs. Lucile Peck Hansmeier.
Lewis Kloker, Killed in action in Germany on
Mar. 28, 1945. Son of Mrs. Leonard Bridgman, brother of Mrs. Helen Dodds and Mrs. Robert
Hierman.
Harold Huppers, Killed in action on Luzon on
Mar. 25, 1945. Husband of Mrs. Mildred Gibbons of Virginia.
Kenneth Davis, Killed in action on Jan. 9, 1945
in S. Pacific. Son of Mr. & Mrs. Roy Davis.
May there be no more added in
this war and may you, your sons and daughters NEVER be called upon to fight in any future
war.
Two weeks ago our farmers were
beginning to think that they might have to raise rice this year. Water stood on fields and
frogs croaked in the back yards. Then old Sol came out and the breezes blew and you know
what happened. Yep, everybody rolled up their sleeves and went to work. And when we say
everybody that's just what we mean. Even saw a determined looking old (should say
"elderly") lady driving a bright red IHC "M" tractor, dragging a
tandem disc and a 2-section harrow, in the field the other day and believe me, she -- I
mean the tractor -- was really throwing dirt. I swear that she was at least 60 years old
but she was really getting the job done. Maybe she has a son on Okinawa or a daughter in
the nursing staff of some base hospital, and she wants to be sure that they get their fair
share of food. Then too we know of farmers who run their tractors all night, turning them
over to their son or daughter (kids we would normally call them)--maybe your brother or
sister--at daybreak with orders to "keep 'em rolling." Never have so many
kernels of corn been dropped nor so many acres of ground so well worked in such a short
period of time in our particular community as during the past two weeks. Rest assured that
soy beans have not been neglected either.
Wheat is now heading and looks
swell; "four grains to the mesh" the experts tell us. That means a right good
crop if the chinch bugs don't get too gosh awful thick. Oats, altho not too important, is
looking much better than usual but the acreage is less than normal because it was too wet
for many farmers to get theirs all in the ground. Newly seeded clover is the best we have
seen in years. Strawberries are just at their prime and how we do wish that you could sit
down with us for a great big bowl full--maybe with a little vanilla ice cream underneath.
Not many cherries--but who wants cherries, anyway!
The "Mighty 7th" War
Loan Drive is now roughly half over. Our quota is $104,000.00 a lot of money in any
language. To date the bank and post-office report cash sales in the approximate sum of
$66,000.00 so you can see that the home folks are really digging down deep this time--and
why not? The dollars they can spare are a small item when you compare them to the
sacrifices in time, sweat and blood you folks are making. Our only hope is that these same
dollars will make your job just a bit easier and safer and--above all--shorter!
We have it on good report that
the Hart kids have finally been induced to use the side door--a condition
"Lottie" has been struggling for--for years. Claims that it would keep a lot of
mud out of the front hall. How did she do it? Well Phoebe--a little bird with a deep
understanding of human nature--selected the small ridge over the front door as the most
desirable building site in town and proceeded to stake out her claim--with mud, moss, and
a little grass. She then promptly placed several small, smooth, pearly cream eggs in the
nest and they have now hatched. Exact size of the brood is not known as they cannot
readily be seen but Phoebe devotes all of her time and energy keeping them supplied with
delicious flys and gnats.
Dr. and Mrs. Paul Kloker of
Champaign, Illinois, are the parents of a daughter.
Mart Burrus spent a ten day
furlough at home recently. While here, he took unto himself a wife--the former Jeanette
Sullivan. Mart is still working in the hospital at Fort Meade, Md. but will be transferred
to the Walter Reid General Hospital at Washington, D. C., after June 1st. Jeanette
accompanied him to Maryland.
Before we forget--we have a
correction to make in the 1st paper. (Only the second issue and we make a mistake.)
Anyway--four of the Senior girls names were omitted in the list, due to the failure of the
typewriter to print correctly again. They were Louise Burlage, June Lovekamp, Dolores
Lovekamp, and Evelyn Winkelman. Didn't want you to get the impression that these four
flunked out.
Speaking of Seniors--another
one of the boys has gone sea-minded. Bud Schone took his examination last week for the
Navy. He was one of two that passed out of 10.
Arenzville lost a family last
week but also gained one so we're still even. A. A. Nicol moved his family to Savanna to
make their future home. We are sorry to lose the Nicols as they were all very helpful in
the community. Mr. and Mrs. John Schroeder, Sr. of Chapin purchased the Nicol home and
moved here recently.
Bill Huston arrived home last
week after receiving an honorable discharge from the army. He was discharged under the
point system having 109 points. Bill has been gone a long time, but he didn't forget how
to farm. Seemed to be right at home on his Dad's tractor the other day.
At last we have the bestest
news of all for you in regard to Eldore Nobis. He got home today. Looks swell and
apparently feels fine. He has been in Mayo General Hospital in Galesburg for the past
week. He gained two pounds a day after being released from a German Prison Camp.
Which reminds us of an article
in the Red Cross Courier this month as follows--
"Seeing's believing, but even if you did see a 700 pound cake,
four feet high and the length and width of two small mess hall tables put together, what
would you think?
A bakery in Galesburg, Ill. through the Ellis-Mayo Camp and Hospital
Council gave this cake to the patients in Mayo General Hospital. Four employees of the
bakery spent twenty man-hours assembling 36 two inch layers into the three tiered cake.
Nine thousand helpings were served, and every crumb was eaten in two
days time.
Want to make one? If so, here's the receipe--
1,200 eggs
48 oz. salt
125 lbs. granulated sugar 100 oz. baking powder
119 lbs. cake flour 12 oz. vanilla
100 lbs. shortening 250 lbs powdered
sugar
10 gal milk
1/2 oz.
fruit
coloring,
pink and green
Sgt. Walter Kleinschmidt is a
patient at the Mayo General Hospital in Galesburg. Nice to have him so near home so that
friends can drive up and see him more often.
Alvin Paul is stationed at
Camp Hood, Texas.
Several of the Arenzville
girls have answered the call for help at Passavant Hospital. Maxine Schnitker, Anna
Schone, Glory Beard, and Avalee Schnitker are serving as nurses aides there this summer.
They are learning to do odd jobs that they simply couldn't bear the thought of doing at
home--for instance--scrub false teeth, etc.
The Alumni Reception and Dance
was held May 24th at the High School with over 100 members and guests present.
The following program was
presented with Mrs. Charlotte Engelbach Hart acting as toastmaster:
Song -- "There's a Long Long
Trail" . . Group
Welcome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cora Houston
Response . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Melvin Schone
Piano Solo . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lillian Smith
Blind Trails . . . . . . . . . . . . Nina Crum
Friends Along the Way . . . . . . . . Wilfred Rice
Vocal Duet . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eileen Kemp
. . . . . .
. . . . . . . Wilbur Abernathy
Class Will . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mary Lou Clark
Class Prophecy . . . . . . . . . . . Wib Kleinschmidt
Following the program punch,
ice cream and cake were seved. An orchestra from Jacksonville furnished music for dancing.
Jim Manker returned to
Tompkinsville, New York, Wednesday after spending a 10 day leave with Mrs. Manker and
Marshall.
Several of the home town boys,
including Bill Huffman, Wendell "Red" Peck, Wayne Kolberer were in the States
the past week. Bill and Red called their folks from San Francisco, California.
Bob Saylor is spending his
furlough with Twist Saylors'. He has been at Ft. Knox, Ky. but will report to Ft. Ord,
California.
Two former residents of
Arenzville have volunteered for service in the Navy. Dale McCloud completed his boot
training at Farragut, Idaho and was assigned to an air craft carrier. He spent a short
leave with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Roy McCloud and family of Oakland, Calif., last week
after returning from a trip to the South Pacific.
Norman "Bud" Davis,
son of Norma Davis is taking his boot training at Great Lakes now. Norma spent several
days with him at Maywood, Illinois before he left for the service.
The following was taken from a
letter written by Jack Burrus to his folks in regard to a party he
"enjoyed"--(shall we say) with the Russians.
"To get back to the story
of the party, it started when a Russian walked up to me with his hand extended as though
to shake hands. Right there's where I made my first mistake, because I shook hands with
him. He no sooner had my hand in a grip like a vise than he promptly slapped his other
hand on top of it to apply a little more pressure--just to make sure that I knew he was
glad to see me!
About the time I had resigned
myself to getting a disability discharge because of a mangled hand, he let go and motioned
me into the house where they were staying. My curiosity got the best of me and I went with
him. They were just eating. I don't know what meal it was because it was about 10 o'clock
in the morning. He promptly pulled up a chair for me. They didn't have much. The main
course was some highly spiced meat which was really good. They also had some kind of salad
made from sour cream and some "brittle" bread. They also had a dish on the table
that apparently contained nothing but just plain raw, fat bacon. There was practically no
lean in it at all. Although they really devoured it, my curiosity wasn't quite strong
enough to force me to take a piece.
After everybody finished
eating they brought out the drinks. I was a little "leery" because I had heard
of the potent stuff they carry. However, when they proposed a toast to America and Russia
(the only two words I could make out) I decided for the sake of diplomacy to give the
stuff a try--that was mistake number two! It looked just like water, but there's where the
resemblance ended! I had heard of liquid fire but that's the first time I had ever tried
drinking it! I decided right then and there that I was never meant to be a diplomat, and
that they could take their diplomatic courtesy and politely go to hell!
When I want my tonsils taken
out I'll have a doctor do it, providing of course that part of my tonsils are left. Now I
know why the Russians are such fighters. Just about two shots of that stuff and you'd be
ready to fight your own grandmother! When I saw some of the other fellows later, I
discovered that I had been to the wrong party. Their's had ended by one of the Russians
passing out 10 dollar bills--or rather 100 Mark notes (occupation money) guess everybody
who was there got one!"
In one edition of the
"Town Tattler" it was mentioned who work- here and there but forgot to mention
some of the old "Stand-bys" who have their place of business. Take for instance,
June's Beauty Shoppe. She works hours upon hours to make her patrons look years younger
and is doing a nice job of it. The moral to you boys, who are in service, when you get
home, "Don't whistle at a girl leaving there--she may be your grandmother."
If you have a tongue in the
cheek sense of humor and a discerning eye, you can harvest a hearty chuckle out of this
one. First "Leave me" introduce you to the person--Ensign Mable Jean Peck, who
is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Peck of Arenzville and a group of sailors. Ensign Peck
is serving her country in the capacity of a nurse at one of the hospitals at Great Lakes.
The first week she was on duty, she sat at her desk one evening, making out her
practice charts when some one yelled "Atten-shun!" Thinking it was one of her
superior officers, she jumped up to salute and upon glancing on down the other end of the
room, she found several of her patients just shaking with laughter. Ensign Peck was quick
to realize the joke was on her but told the sailors she might see them some time again for
she has "signed up" to serve on a hospital ship. Sailors Beware!!!!
Since our last edition we have
received several letters from Bob Downs, Cecil Hulett, Fritz Engelbach, Jack Burrus,
Stephen Paul, Jim Manker, and Aldo Torbeck in regard to the Tattler. We are certainly glad
that you are enjoying it and unless something drastic comes up--we plan to continue with
it until you are ALL back home.
We were very happy to see a
former Arenzville boy on the local streets last week. It was none other than Joe Long
whose home is in Jacksonville. Joe was held prisoner by the Germans for 99 days, however,
he has gained back some of the weight he lost and looks fine now.
Frank Sinatra, whose income
tax comes to half a million dollars, told me that when he write his autobiography soon his
dedication will read: "All I am or ever hope to be, I owe."
--Earl Wilson
After being released from a
Jap prison camp in Manila, NBC Correspondent Bert Silen began his first broadcast:
"As I was saying when I was so rudely interrupted three years and a month ago . .
.!"
--Time
Just heard a good one on Paddy
Weeks. While visiting at Weeksies the other day he was told that if he'd pull the parrot's
right leg he'd say the Lord's prayer and if he'd pull the left leg he'd recite the 23rd
Psalm, Paddy's curiosity got the best of him so he tried it and sure enought it worked.
"What what would happen
if I pull both legs?" questioned Paddy.
"I'd fall on my
(CENSORED) you darn fool," pipes up Polly! |