Ten Years Ago

Wednesday, Dec. 16, 1998

The Archbold school board budget is $11,592,889, about 11% less than the '98 budget of $12.9 million.

Richard Watkins was sworn in as a new member of the Four County Board of Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health services. His term will expire June 30, 2000.

50th Wedding Anniversary- Lowell and Ardith Schaffner Rupp, Jan. 21. They have five children and 12 grandchildren..... Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Aschliman, Dec. 27..... Melvin and Joan Graber Stuckey, Dec. 15. They have four children and seven grandchildren.

35th Wedding Anniversary- Gus and Herlinde Mueller Goertz, Dec. 14. They have two children and four grandchildren.

Colleen Winzeler, sophomore at Blue Valley Northwest High School, Overland Park, Kan., completed an undefeated cross country season. She holds the Kansas state record in the 1600, at 4:48. It is the fourthfastest time recorded in the United States for high school girls. She is the daughter of Kim and Marianne and the granddaughter of John and Eunice Winzeler, Fayette.

Jamie Selgo committed to play volleyball for Cumberland College. She is the daughter of Jim and Kandy.

Deaths- Lillian King, 90, Archbold; Esther L. Partee, 87, Stryker; Barbara C. Rasey, 65, Wauseon; Terry G. Freeman, 51, San Jose, Calif.; Evelyn Gushman, 86, Archbold; Mildred Short, 89, Archbold.

Colleen Kelly, first grade teacher, and Pat Burkholder, cafeteria worker, will retire.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

Wednesday Dec. 14, 1983

In executive session, the Archbold Area School Board hired Jean Stamm as full-time school district treasurer. She begins in January with a twoyear contract.

Again this year, property owners in Archbold are paying low tax rates. Archbold village has a rate of 45.90, one of the lowest in the county.

Leanna Baus will take a seat on council Jan. 1. She is the first woman to hold a council position. She said, "You have to represent all the citizens, both the businesspeople and the individuals, because one is as important as the other."

The building in Ridgeville Corners occupied by Ridge Market was sold at auction Saturday for $25,000 to Lynn Pierce.

Deaths- Bertha Eicher, 86, Archbold; Cora Gottschalk, 98, Wauseon.

Robert Durbin becomes the new president of Community Commercial Club. Marvin Miller is the outgoing president.

Nancy Rupp, guidance counselor at Archbold High School, told Rotarians Friday of the growth of alcoholism in schools and in the nation.

Even though Doris Arnos has the responsibility of feeding nearly 300 students and faculty every day, she says one of her hobbies is to try new recipes. She cooks every day for 300 students and faculty.

Mary Schlatter is retiring from McLaughlin Memorial Library after 16 years of service.

Mutterings, by Orrin R. Taylor- Rare books bring exceptional high prices. One of ten Bibles printed by Gutenberg sold for $2,300,000 at a New York auction.... Weather watchers are interested in the lack of hurricanes in the Caribbean in the season just ended.... Department store advertisement: "Artifi cial plants, so lifelike they're unreal."

Fifty Years Ago

Wednesday, Dec. 17, 1958

The village of Archbold has gained over 55% in population since April 1, 1950, according to estimated figures just compiled by the Ohio Department of Health, Division of Vital Statistics.

William J. Stanforth was elected president of the Community Commercial Club, Dec. 11.

Firemen were called to the Jacob Mahler home on Brussels Street Monday at 4:30 p.m. to fight a roof fire.

Larry Weber received a discharge as a paratrooper at Ft. Campbell, Ky., and returned home to his wife and daughter Dec. 4.

John R. Rychener, 1st lieutenant, is stationed in Korea. He is in charge of health conditions on his base. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Rychener, Pettisville.

Calvin Buehrer's 40-acre farm, 1 1/2 miles east of Stryker, sold at auction Saturday, Dec. 13, to Jack and Paul Christy for $525 per acre, according to Elias H. Frey, auctioneer.

Mr. and Mrs. Dale Lantz entertained the Pepper Club at a Christmas party Thursday evening.

Paul Allman Siple, Montpelier, the youngest member of admiral Byrd's first Arctic expedition, has been named to the Ohio Teenage Hall of Fame.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

Wednesday, Dec. 13, 1933

On Fulton County CWA projects, 214 additional men were given work Monday, bringing the total now employed in the county to 545.

Archbold retail merchants are ready for holiday shoppers. Stores are decorated for the coming holiday. Show windows are filled with Christmas gift merchandise that will give shoppers many suggestions of what to give friends and relatives.

A Christmas program will be given at the Clair school, 2 miles north and 2 miles west of Archbold, Friday evening, Dec. 15. Ella Short is the teacher.... Stutzman school, 2 miles north and 1 1/2 miles east of Archbold, Tuesday evening, Dec. 19. Grace Short is the teacher.... Edinburg school, 3 miles west of Burlington, Wednesday evening, Dec. 20, at 7:30. Melvin Winzeler is the teacher.

Harry Homan, 50, near Angola, Ind., was buried alive for nearly three hours Wednesday morning in the bottom of a well on his farm, before he was rescued by neighbors. He went to the bottom to clean it when the top caved in. He was discovered by his wife, who summoned help.

The trial of E.F. Bednar, chiropractor, Archbold, on the charge of practicing medicine and surgery without a license, is to be held at Wauseon today. The case has been postponed two times.

Edgerton village has passed an ordinance to start the erection of an electric power plant.

The new 1934 Ford V-8 model is on display at Archbold Sales & Service.- adv.

Visit Stotzer's. Bring the children. See the large assortment of toys at all prices.- Stotzer Hardware- adv.

In three consecutive years the horse population in the United States has fallen four percent annually.

100 Years Ago

Tuesday, Dec. 22, 1908

Business on the Air Line branch of the Lake Shore Railroad has increased one-third because of the quarantine on stock in Michigan, and the same is now shipped over this line. The quarantine regulations are very strict.

Mr. and Mrs. Joel Rupp returned Saturday from a trip to California. They visited the Archbold colony in Arizona and found them prosperous. Some like the place and some do not. Mr. and Mrs. Henry Kleck and Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Fenstermaker intend to return to Archbold in the spring.

Ground has been broken in the Plettner neighborhood, on Walnut Street, for a greenhouse. This is an industry that is always profitable and it will pay some of our young men to learn all they can of the business. There are never too many greenhouses.

The Archbold schools closed Friday afternoon for the holidays. There was an exchange of presents and goodwill between teachers and pupils. In spite of overcrowding, the schools are progressing rapidly.

Sunday night there was a free-for-all fight on a T&I car between Archbold and Bryan. One man was cut with a knife. Milk cans were thrown off at Stryker, but no names have been given.

The Bible Conference held at the Amish-Mennonite Church closed Friday evening. Attendance was large and the services interesting.

The newspapers in neighboring towns are saying things about the rowdiness permitted in Archbold. Some citizens want the statements answered, but we leave it to them to write the answers and we will print them.

Butter will be a dollar a pound in Chicago after Jan. 1, when the new food inspection law goes into effect.

Twenty years from now 40 acres will be a big farm in German Township. Instead of selling out and leaving the farm, young men will farm more land. They will farm it better and make more money than they are making by present methods.

Land in the vicinity of Archbold is worth over $200 an acre for raising milk, as the soil is deep and clover will always bring up the strength, while other land is shallow and must depend entirely upon fertilizers for its strength.

With a judicious use of clover this soil will never wear out. It is strong as far down as clover can reach.

The Yankee farmer is only farming until he can get enough ahead to move to town. He doesn't really like to farm. The German man farms because he likes it. He loves the soil and the peace and independence of the life. His religion makes farming about the only occupation in which he can conscientiously engage.

The land in this vicinity will be populated when the Yankee settlements are deserted.

Married- Jerome Flory and Ona Towns in the St Peter parsonage, Dec. 16....William Spiess and Bertha Daniels, Dec. 18.

Will the person who sent a dollar from Wauseon to subscribe to the Buckeye please send the name and address.

Friday, Dec. 25, 1908

The excitement started at about 4 pm when Minnow Traut's little dog tracked an otter into a hole on the banks of the bifurcated Bean Creek.

Then the slogan was sounded and hardly had the echoes died away when the approaching read of E.H. and Arthur Poorman was announced by the undulating earth. They were followed to the otter mine by W.F. Poorman.

A hasty muster revealed an armament of two shotguns, one revolver, and two shovels and one No. E ax. As the night was extremely dark, Verne Gortner was summoned with a lantern and Mr. Traut brought two more lanterns with which to shame the moon; then the excavating began.

A strip of land lying wholly on the banks of said creek, between Lockport and the north pole, measuring 30x150 feet, was sluced and still no otter. At 9:00 a log heap was fired and a council called.

The enemy's retreat was cut off by sticks placed in holes, and the otter's field of operation narrowed to 20 feet square of the earth's surface.

At 9:34, the enemy was located in a space of ten feet square and the excitement was 106 in the lantern light. Now they have him in a runaway 18 inches wide and 6 feet long, with the ax lost, revolver broken, guns 20 feet away, one shovel buried and only one shovel in hand, and here comes the otter!

"Catch him," shouted Commander Poorman, and into the jaws of death, without fear or favor plunged the faithful henchman. W.F. led the attack and with his good right mitt grasped the unwilling foe just back of the forequarters, then pressing the foe to earth and planting a knee upon the otter's watch pocket, where the hand of Minnow Traut found its throat. Mr. Poorman held its jaws together and in six minutes that otter had given up his ghost.

Shouts of victory rent the air as the procession faced toward home.

The dead: one otter, measuring 44 inches from tip to snout and valued at $12. The injured: Mr. Traut, six bites and some scratches; W.F. Poorman, two bites and one scratch on the arm.

They are satisfied and think everyone else otter be.