Golden Notes Of Archbold's Memorable Past

Ten Years Ago

Wednesday, Dec. 3, 1997

Pay hikes for village employees will cost about $44,500, council members were told Monday night.

Municipal income tax set a record, topping $3 million for year-to-date collections, and that was at the end of November, with another month to go.

Council approved the sale of bonds to purchase about 200 acres of land on the southeast side of the village for the proposed new reservoir.

First day of classes opened smoothly at the new elementary school, said Jim Selgo, principal.

Phil Rupp, who finished fourth in the three-way race for board of education seats, is not asking for a recount. Rupp finished 15 votes behind Cheryl Storrer, who ended third in the race with 1,013 votes.

Chuck Rychener, mayor, and Rick Hodges, state representative, will speak at the dedication service of the new elementary school Dec. 7.

Ken Cline, district superintendent of schools, told chamber members, imagine the most challenging home remodeling project you've undertaken, then multiply it by 50, and you will get some idea of the scope of work involved in updating the old Archbold school complex, which is now the middle school on Stryker Street.

A photograph shows volunteers Jerry Rohrs, Roger Roth, Greg Walker, John Poulson, Jack Spotts, and Todd Nafziger constructing a new Lions Club picnic shelter in Memorial Park.

Roland Alvarado and Brady Lantz recently took part in the vocational school chef training classes during the fall culinary classic.

Seventh grade students at Pettisville taking part in the Defiance College Power of the Pen district writing competition Dec. 12 are Jessica Beck, John Borton, Erin Cole, Rashel Meck, Danielle Rupp, and Cole Weber.

Deaths- Elvira S. Flores, 76, Evansport; Marvin J. Miller, 56, Defiance

50th Anniversary- James and Grace Stamm, Nov. 16

Gene Grime, Archbold High School teacher, attended a Bowling Green State University alumni chapter meeting, Dec. 15. The group attended a BG drama following the BGUniversity of Toledo football game and tailgate party.

AHS football players picked for first team all-league honors are Kevin Bostelman, Wade Schnitkey, Lucas Bosco, Clark Forward, and Justin Grime. Second team honors went to Chad Patterson, Eric Grieser, Shem Ringenberg, and Jeramey Perez.

Returning varsity girls basketball letterwinners are Kacy Stevens, Jana Crossgrove, Kylie Ruffer, and Cara Yoder.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

Wednesday, Dec. 8, 1982

Good news for village employees. All will receive a 3 percent across-the-board wage increase.

Plans are to expand Sauder Village in 1983, according to Erie J. Sauder, founder. Opened in 1975 and dedicated as part of the community's centennial celebration, it attracts thousands of guests each year.

Todd M. Grisier has passed the Ohio State Board of funeral directors examination. He is a graduate of Cincinnati College of mortuary science of Xavier University.

Deaths- Justin David Bell, 3; Retha Schlonegar, 60; Donald R. Rupp, 63

Frederick D. Rychener, Air Force staff sgt., re-enlisted after 12 years of military service.

Andy, son of Mr. and Mrs. Tony Wolken, Ridgeville Corners, graduated from basic training at Great Lakes Naval Base.

Headline- Arthur, Coressel, Galvan, Walker All-Ohio

Ohio has 500 Christmas tree growers.

Mutterings, by Orrin R. Taylor- Of the 7 billion greeting cards marketed last year in the U.S., one-third are Christmas cards.... Statistics indicate 85 percent of Americans are righthanded.... Over 500,000 pounds of fish are sold in New York City every day.... In Japan, a nation smaller than California, there are 115,000,000 people living, about half the number living in the United States. Count your blessings.

Fifty Years Ago

Wednesday, Dec. 4, 1957

Shirley Wyse, senior, Archbold High School, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Leland Wyse, won a $1,000 scholarship to any accredited college of her choice, when she was adjudged unanimous winner of the Lasalle Westinghouse "Shape of Tomorrow" scholarship contest.

Camp Palmer, 4-H camp at Harrison Lake, has reported a profit last year of $4,500, according to Lyle Spiess, Wauseon, secretary-manager. Of this total, $3,000 was placed in a reserve account for capital improvements. Last year's depreciation was listed at $4,500.

Headlines: Blackbirds Lose On Archbold Floor; Streaks Have Surprise Win Over Liberty Center Team; Elementary Christmas Program Coming

Yoder & Frey To Celebrate 10th Anniversary: Yoder & Frey, Inc., will celebrate their 10th Anniversary on Friday, Dec. 13, when their annual Christmas Sale will be held, also observing the 7th anniversary of these sales.

Elias H. Frey and Tim Yoder formed a partnership and started the Yoder & Frey Implement Auctions on Oct. 26, 1947, using a field at the north edge of Archbold where they sold about $35,000 worth of farm machinery, new and used. The succeeding sale was held a month later and the gross jumped to about $70,000.

Sales were continued monthly until in 1948 when they moved to their present location where they erected a 40x100-ft. quonset building and held sales twice a month.

Elias H. Frey, president of Yoder & Frey, Inc., is an auctioneer and also a licensed real estate broker. Tim T. Yoder, formerly of Denver Colo., is secretary-treasurer of the company.

For the third year in a row, Zone has produced a winning combination under its coach, Don Hoblet. Zone now has won 44 of their last 48 games. They are heralding a win streak of 13 games. Their last loss was to Elmira by two points in the 1956-57 season.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

Wednesday, Dec. 7, 1932

Lewis Wonser kills mother and son, shoots and wounds brother, then turns on radio, and kills self. Funeral services Tuesday.

J.C. Liechty is proceeding rapidly with the construction of his new gas station at the corner of S. Defiance and Mechanic streets. Last Wednesday morning, carpenters started work and in a short time had all scaffolding in place. The building is roofed, and the first siding placed. Mr. Liechty expects to have the new station ready within a short time.

The average Ohio farm family spends 3.7 cents per person per meal for food.

Mrs. Grover Merillat cracked a bone in her right wrist Wednesday afternoon while cranking her sister's car, when the latter visited the Merillat home.

Another encouraging note for farmers is that four of the leading companies buying milk from farmers have increased their prices 20 percent.

There are many people in the world with odd hobbies. The Archbold Exchange Club has heard from 2,075 of them. Anyway, that many letters with stamps attached have been received by the club from catchet letter fans in all parts of the country.

Archbold High School lost the opening basketball game to Metamora in a bitter uphill battle 22-21. Coach Farber started Bowers at center, Short and Barger at forward, and Lauber and Schlatter at guard.

Since the streets of paradise are to be paved with gold, there will be no difficulty getting a street commissioner to work them.- Oak Harbor Exponent

100 Years Ago

Tuesday, Dec. 10, 1907

Eddie, son of Simon Nofzinger, lost a finger Saturday while he and his brother were playing with a hatchet. Clarence was chopping on the fence and Eddie was laying his finger on the fence and taking it quickly away.

The funeral of C. S. Stuckey, minister, will be held Wedsnesday at the Amish-Mennonite Church at ten o'clock.

Alva Grime had the misfortune of receiving serious eye wounds while shooting Friday. Pieces of an exploding cap entered his left eye. He is being treated in Bryan.

A spelling was held at the Graber schoolhouse Thursday evening.

Jacob Fenstermaker has sent for his wife to join him in Arizona. She will sell her household goods and start west. Jacob says he thinks Arizona is the best place he ever struck.

Bible conference at the Amish-Mennonite Church starting Dec. 16 and ending Dec. 20.- adv.

Arthur Siegel visited the Joint District School Friday afternoon.

100 Years Ago

Friday, Dec. 13, 1907

Mrs. William Vaus, 65, Stryker, is in critical condition at her home from injuries received while rescuing her aged sister from being run down by a T&I electric car.

Two children of Clarence Geesey, living three miles southeast of West Unity, are heroes in the discovery of an attempt to wreck a train on the Wabash Railroad near their home. As a result of their timely discovery, a tramp is under arrest at Wauseon and will have to answer to the charge of obstructing a railroad track.

Harry Nicholas, revivalist, who once held forth at the M.E. Church in Archbold, is holding big meetings in the skating rink at Napoleon. He is converting the Napoleon sinners in large numbers.

The famous Twentieth Century train over the New York Central lines will be abandoned as an eighteen-hour train and replaced by a nineteen-andone half-hour schedule between Chicago and New York.

It is now seventy-five years since the Amish-Mennonite Church was established in German Township. It still is the largest congregation in Fulton County.

Law was originally intended to father justice. If one watches closely you may discover the law is twisted to perform injustice.