The Pointer from Riverdale, Illinois • Page 1

-V- BUY U.S. WAR BONDS THE POINTER SERVE YOUK COUNTRY VoL XXXVIU No. 34 R1VERDALE, ILL. (P. O.

DOLTON, ILL.) THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1943 $1.50 PER YEAR Services in Local Churches will Mark Christmas Season Nativity Story to be Theme of Children's Programs. Music, and Sermons In music and song, in verse and prose, the old and ever beautiful story of the first Chrsitmas will be repeated in services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in the churches of the community. Pupils of the day and Sunday schools of St. Paul's Lutheran church will present a Christmas program, "And It Came to Pass," on Christmas Eve at 7:30 p. m.

Services Christmas Day at St. Paul's will be in German at 9:30 a. and in English at 10:45. Using the Christmas gospel message as his theme, the pastor will speak on "Christmas 1 Contrasts." Sunday school pupils of Our Savior's church will present their annual Christmas program at 7:30 p. m.

Friday. Morning worship services on Christmas Day will begin at 9:30 o'clock. At the Open Bible church on Christmas Eve classes of the Sunday school also will present a Christmas program at eight o'clock. Will jionor Servicemen Among the programs planned to mark the Christmas season at Immanuel Evangelical and Reformed church is a special candlelight sex- vice on Sunday, Dec. 26, at 8 p.

m. in honor of the members and friends of the congregation who are away in their country's service. New stars will be added to the service flag and communion will be administered. The church school program will be presented on Christmas Eve at 7:30. Worship services will be held at 10 a.

m. on Christmas morning. During the annual Christmas Tree program Iby the Sunday school of the First Methodist church of Dolton, at 7:30 p. m. Christmas Eve, the Junior Department will present the play "Christmas Everywhere." 'Pupils of the other departments will also participate.

The Christmas theme and Christmas music will be employed during the regular morning service on Sunday, 26, at 11 a. m. The Sunday school of the Sandridge Methodist church will present a Christmas program Christmas Eve at 7:30 p. m. On Sunday afternoon at o'clock the Philathea club of the Sandridge church will give the cantata of the Holy Night." The public is welcome.

The services at St. Mary's church in Riverdale are given elsewhere on this page. Candlelighting Service This evening members of the Epworth Youth Fellowship will have their annual caroling -party. Last Sunday evening the leaguers participated in an impressive candlelighting service at the church. Four choirs participated and a Christmas story was read by Mrs.

Milton J. Younker. The Sunday school of the Ivanhoe Community church presented its Christmas program last Sunday afternoon with the "Youth choir providing appropriate music. The program by the Sunday school consisted of the following numbers: pre-school, Christmas Time is Here, So Glad, Joyce Mix, and Christmas Story. First and second grades, dialogue, Christmas Stocking.

Third and fourth grades, selection of Christmas prayers, poems, and stories. Fifth and sixth grades, class exercise, Christmas is Coming. Special music consisted of a duet, "Glory Sang the Angels," Eva and Lorraine 'Bennett; Holy Night" by the choir; and a solo, "Jesu, Bambino," by Betty Brown. Dolton Board Calls 49 for Induction The names of forty-nine men were included on the list of inductees released this week 'by 'Local Board No. 12, now located at 14231 Chicago Dolton.

Lorenz Elmer Koartge, Victor Francis 'Larson, Abel Doornbos, Walter Ernest Town, Alfred Edward Peters, Richard Carl Warner, Richard James Brund, and Edmund Paul Kip- ey were Dolton men named. South Holland registrants called included Delphia C. Burden, John Martin Spoolstra, Harry Van Drunen, Peter Van Milligen, James Harrison Quinn, and Wayne De Young. Alfred W. Thirion, Clarence LeRoy Baldwin, Henry Yonker, Burton Davidson Wright, John Kortenhoven, and Herman Koenes are Lansing men called.

Others "named are: Aloys Jacob Moeller, Renald Clair Biesboer, and Allen Wilbert Dommer, of Oak Glen; Paul Kimbro, Joseph John Maka, Harry Kasprzak, Walter John Banaszak, Eula Wesley Brooks, Edward Stanley Bielecki, and Anthony Bruno Japcon, Phoenix. Joe Oscar Berglund, Richard Leslie Hoffman, Thomas William Berkley, Paul Conboy Smith, Robert Wright Bartlett, Otto Julius Frost, William George Berry, Russell Norman Nystrom, Raymond Douglas Taylor, Marshall Stewart Jensen, of Home wood; 'Robert Maxwell 'Keller, Charles Newell Naylor, of East Hazelcrest; Richard William Head, Genotte Berry, of Hazelcrest. Everett Pitts of Markham; Lucien Alfred Galloy and James Edward Bailia, of Harvey; George William Paulton of Thornton, and Frank John Portz, of Munster, Ind. Son of Ivanhoe Residents Commands Blimp in Battle How a navy blimp, commanded Lt. (s.g.) Nelson Grills, son of Mr and Mrs.

-Garner R. Grills, 14411 Wentworth Riverdale, engage( in a battle with a surfaced Nazi submarine off the east coast last July was disclosed 1 this week after the de tails had been kept the past five months by navy orders. As revealed in a story appearing in Sunday's Hammond Times, the enemy craft had been sighted an unannounced distance from the coastline when the blimp under Grill's command was on coast patrol. A spectacular running battle ensued, with the blimp dropping depth charges while the jerman U-boat crew responded by shelling the flying ship. Several of the shells struck the blimp, forcing it into a crash landing.

All but one of the men aboard gained shore. It was not made known whether the depth charges materially damaged the submarine. Lt. Grills attended' Columbia University in New York where he received a doctor's degree in law. He entered the service two years ago after passing his bar examination.

He and his wife and newborn son, are now stationed at Coral Beach, Fla. His parents and two sisters came to five years ago from Hammond where they had lived for 18 years. Mr. Grills is employed as foreman of the car ship repair crew in the Blue Island yards of the Indiana Harbor 'Belt railroad. About three years ago while he was attending university, Lt.

Grills and his wife were the subject of one of a series of articlesi appearing in the Ladies Home Journal picturing typical American families, and entitled, "How Americans Live." Fire in Basement Results in $500 Damage to Home Riverdale firemen extinguished a fire in the basement of the home of August Markus, 13829 Edbrooke at three o'clock last Thursday morning. Damage was estimated at $500. The exact cause of the fire could not be determined. Riverdale firemen were also called to the William J. McKinney home, 14524 Wallace Wednesday morning to extinguish a fire started from the motor of the refrigerator.

'The refrigerator was destroyed, Don't overlook the page 5. V. Aijjf 3 FR OWN cojjMmlnity, like the rest SoMhe werMTnas been shaken by the fer of guns. This thunder echoes celebrate Prince thisliewsEaper sees no irony in message of hope For hone of Christmas makes a vital force in purjives: That hope is one of a nev er ending period of on Earthr While is paper since last Christmas have effects of the ar fords on ouKnormal waybi that the peace-loving "little" 1 IV 4 Sailor Missing in Houston Sinking is in Jap Prison Camp Mr. and Mrs.

Peter Krass Hear from Son Raymond After Two Years men of goodwill far outnumber the evil. These "little" people We this community and other communities like uxAnd it was for th'ese sam Cmdst came into this world u943 So Christmas belongs to them andoiot to those who plunge the orld infy Let this true spirit of Christmas dominate your thinking and you can say to all your friends as we now say to you-- A VlteMto ChtfohnOS St. Mary's to Have Yule Midnight Mass Saint Mary's Catholic church begin its celebration of God's birthday on 'Christmas by the offering of Solemn High Mass in the quiet midnight hours. The Solemn High Midnight Mass will ibe offered by the Reverend Matthias Hoffman, assisted by the Reverend John Kleinz-as Deacon and the Reverend Joachim Smet, 0. as 'Subdeacon.

Following the Mass, Solemn Benediction with the Most Blessed Sacrament will be given. During the half -hour preceding Midnight Mass, St. Mary's choir, under the direction of Peter Kern, will sing Christmas carols. They will assist at the Solemn High Mass by the singing of the regular music for the Mass. On Christmas morning itself, there will be Mass offered at 6:00, 6:30, 8:00, 8:30, 9:00, 10:00, and 10:30.

The Reverend John Kleinz will offer the High Mass at 11:00 o'clock. During the Masses at 8:00, and 9:00 the Children's choir will sing. There will be opportunity for all the parishioners to receive the Sacrament of Penance during the day on Christmas Eve from 10:00 to 12:00, from 3:00 to 6:00, and from 7:00 to 9:00. Semi-Annual Dividend Is Announced by Harvey Fed. Dr.

A. H. Anderson, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Harvey Federal Savings and Loan Association, announced Monday, Dec. 13, the declaration of a semi-annual dividend of 3 per annum, for the six months period ending Dec. SI, 1943.

"The dividend will amount to approximately $36,468.65, and will be distributed to 3,583 investors," states Dr. Anderson. On June 30, 1943, the sum of, $35,686.04 was distributed, making total dividends for the year of $72,154.69. Dividends paid during the calendar year 1942 amounted to $65,670.35, reflecting an increase for 1943 of $8,484.34. Mrs.

George Kingsland, Riverdale, was hostess to the Varsity club last Monday evening at a Christmas party. 13 Fires in a Day Keep Firemen on Jump An unusual number of prairie fires have kept the local firemen on the jump the early part of this week. Tuesday was a record day when the Riverdale fire department answered no less than nine calls Tuesday afternoon and Dolton firemen were called to extinguish four prairie fires. On Sunday evening the Dolton firemen answered four alarms. Three were for prairie fires 1 an auto on fire at l'39th and Kanawha ave.

accounted for the fourth. A prairie fire at 144th and Eggleston ave. was put out by the Riverdale fire department last Sunday evening. The firemen were also called to extinguish a prairie fire at 138th and Racine near ihe'I. H.

B. railroad, Saturday afternoon. The sudden outbreak of this unwarranted number of prairie fires have set local police and firemen to wondering whether the fact that the school children are having their Christmas vacation, has anything to do with it. As a precaution, parents are being urged to warn their children against the danger of using matches and of starting ftres in the prairies. Pvt.

Arthur C. Mullen, son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Mullen, Riverdale, was graduated Dec. IS from the armament school at (Lowry Field, to a release front the field's Public office.

Probably the happiest home in the entire community this Christmas season is that of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Krass, 13305 Calumet who received a message on Saturday noon from their son Raymond, a second- class Petty Officer, of whom they had not heard since he was reported missing in the sinking of the U.S.S. Houston in the South Pacific in Feb. 1942.

Survey Contract Let on River Project A contract to make the necessary soundings and complete survey of the Little Calumet river from the Sag canal to the mouth of the Thorn Creek was awarded the engineering firm of McCoy and Mulford Engineers of Chicago Heights by the State De partment of Water Ways, Wm. H. Winterhoff, supervisor of Thornton township, announced this week. He was informed by Walter Allsweet, the Water Ways Division representative here, that the 'State had let the contract after bids had been received from local engineering firms. Allsweet also informed the local committee that approximately sixty days will Ibe required to complete the work connected with the survey as required toy the state, and that two separate crews of engineers will foe assigned at full time on the project, beginning at once.

The dredging on this section of the river already has been completed. In a report to the Thornton township Board of Auditors, submitted last week, on the activity and progress of the local Flood Control Committee, Winterhoff stated that on his last visit to Springfield, where he met with the Water 'Ways committee, an appropriation of $10,000 was made to the Water Ways Division for the purpose of making this preliminary survey. Winterhoff added that the awarding of the contract for the -survey work to a local firm would seem to indicate that the general contract also would be let by the state as soon as the engineers' work is'completed. "I believe," he stated, "that with the project progressing to this point, we are well underway to seeing the day when our flood condition will be improved and the people of this township will be greatly benefited." Raymond Krass The message which was on a form postcard provided by the Japanese for prisoners of war, carried the address: Prison Camp No. 5, Moulmein, Burma, and contained besides the printed statements that he "was well" and "among friends," the words "Let me know about the family," in Raymond's own handwriting.

The signature, too, was his. Raymond who is 23 years old, enlisted in the Navy in 1938," and after months of basic training at jreat Lakes, was assigned to the louston, a unit of the Asiatic fleet. Jaymond's last visit home was on a from Pearl Harbor in May, 1940. His last previous message was a written postcard dated Jan. 6, 1942.

The sea battle in which the Houston, a 10,000 ton heavy cruiser, and L2 other Allied ships were reported was a fierce three-day naval engagement between units of the United. States fleet and Japanese war fought between Feb. 27 and March 1, 1942, near Surabaya, the Java naval base, and the island of Bawean. It was on March 15, 1942, that Raymond's parents were informed by the navy department that their son was missing in action. This was the last word they had heard of him until they received his message Saturday.

During the long period of silence, Mrs. Krass kept the blue star hanging in a window of her home for never once, she declared, did she swerve from the belief that somewhere her son was alive. Advised by the Amer-. ican Red Cross that she was allowed to send him a twenty-word message every day, she prepared and sent him her first letter on Monday. Hours of Riverdale Ration Board Announced The Riverdale ration board announces that the hours during which its office in the Riverdale village hall is open are from 9 m.

to 12 noon, and from 1 p. m. to 5 p. Mondays through Friday; and from 9 a. m.

to 12 noon on Saturdays. Dolton '44 Vehicle Tags are Now on Sale Vehicle license stickers for 1944 are now on sale at the clerk's office in the Dolton village hall. The lee for vehicle licenses for passenger cars and light trucks is $3.00: but beginning February 1st the lee will be $5.00. 31tf Rites will be Held Saturday for Mrs. Emilie Wesse Mrs.

Emilie Wesse died Wednesday morning at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Axtel Pierson, 13336 Prairie avenue, at the age of 74 years, 7 months. She was born in 'Germany on Aug. 22, 1869, and had been a resident of this community for the past 3 years. She leaves to mourn her passing her daughter, Cora, Mrs.

Pierson; a granddaughter, Ruth Pierson; and two sisters, Mrs. Harry Luken of Riverdale, and Mrs. T. J. Thompson of Detroit, Mich.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, Dec. 25, at 2:30 p. m. from St. Paul's Lutheran church, Dolton.

Interment will ibe in Oakland cemetery in Dolton. The Bachmann funeral home is in charge of arrangements. 'i William M. Lambert, son of Mr. and Mrs.

John L. Lambert, 13724 Leyden Riverdale, left Monday, Dec. 13, for training in the Army Air Corps and is stationed at the Army Air Force Training Center at -Greensboro, N. C..