Herald and Review from Decatur, Illinois • Page 3

Decatur, Iilinois, Monday, July 23, 1956. DECATUR HERALD 3 Mound School Plans Ready This Week Plans for the new Mound School, third of four projects in a $1,300,000 Decatur school building program, probably will be submitted to school officials this week. Raymond E. Newtson, coordinator of the building program, yesterday said he expects the Mound School plans and specifications to be ready for inspection within a few days. Engineering Service Corp.

is the architect. The plans first will go to the school engineering advisory committee for study and recommendation. The Board of Education probably will consider the committee's report i in its next regular meeting Aug. 14. If the Mound school plans are approved, the board will ask.

for bids on the project. The new 11-room school will be built on the west side of Route 51, north of Decatur, near the present Mound School. said plans for the final project in the school building program, a six-room addition to Oak Grove School, also will be ready soon. S. A.

Clausen Associates are the architects. Construction contracts already have been awarded for the first two projects in the building program, a 13-classroom South Shores school and a six-room addition to Southeast School. Grading work has started at the South Shores school site and the site of the Southeast addition has been staked out. Meanwhile, work is progressing satisfactorily on several other Decatur school buildings included in a 1953 bond issue building program. Newtson said the three-weekold nationwide steelworkers strike could delay progress in the new program, but no delays are expected in the buildings which have been under construction for some time.

PROBST, MURRAY TAKEN BACK TO STATE PRISON Two Decatur men were returned to Joliet state prison by Parole Officer John Koch yesterday to face charges of parole violation. They are Forrest Delane Probst, 19, of Rural Route 6, and Floyd Lyle Murray, 28, of 1745 N. Monroe St. Probst was arrested July 8 on charges of participating in a fight at 22nd and Cantrell Streets. The charge was later dismissed for lack of evidence, but he was nonetheless returned to prison as a possible parole violator.

Probst was sentenced to a one to 10-year term on May 20, 1955, for the burglary of the Triangle Cafe here. Murray was arrested July 14 on charges of disorderly conduct and resisting an officer. He had been on parole since 1953 after serving seven years and seven months of a one to 20-year sentence for car theft. LEADS STATE IN OIL WELL ACTIVITY Douglas County was the scene of greatest oil activity in the state last month as the Illinois Department of Mines and Minerals issued 23 permits to drill oil and gas wells there. The county has been consistently near the top of drilling activity since the discovery this vear of the Cooks Mill North and Bourbon oil pools.

Other permits issued by the department were: Coles 5 Christian 4 Fayette 1 Moultrie 3 Shelby 2 HEARING ON IPC STEAM. HEAT RESUMES TODAY An Illinois Commerce Commission hearing on the Illinois Power petition to abandon steam heating service in Champaign will be resumed today. The hearing session is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. in Champaign. Driver Charged Richard Rambo, 26, of 1577 N.

Calhoun was charged with driving a car without a driver's license after his car was struck by an Illinois Central switch engine at the Garfield Avenue crossing about 6:28 p.m. yesterday. Wheel Stolen Larry M. Redmon, 645 S. Stone told police a spare tire and wheel were stolen from the trunk of his car while it was parked at his home Saturday night.

Pastor Urges Men to Follow Christ's Steps Follow His steps. That was the message the Rev. W. Vern Longenbaugh delivered at the Union Church Service in Fairview Park last night. The Rev.

Mr. Longenbaugh is pastor of the First Evangelical United Brethren Church. The Rev. Harold W. Peterson, pastor of the First Methodist Church, presided.

Christ's walk while on earth was a holy walk, the speaker said. "He never walked in wrong patches and if we place our feet in His steps, we are sure to go right." The Rev. Mr. Longenbaugh pointed out that Christ did not sin and was not deceitful. Christ also made a humble walk and, "We are not walking as He if we indulge in proud actions or think of ourselves higher than we ought to," the Rev.

Mr. Longenbaugh stated. Another point made was that Christ's walk was a serviceable If we are to walk as He, we must live lives of service. The Rev. Mr.

Longenbaugh said we must not fail to recognize the fact that His walk was one of close fellowship and communion with God the Father. "If we would walk as He, we must practice the presence of God." "He spent much time apart from hurried throngs in prayer," the pastor said, and added, "So should we do." The Rev. Mr. Longenbaugh said if we are to walk as Christ we must follow Him to "the wilderness of temptation. As Christ was tempted so it is impossible for us to escape, but as He overcame His, so He would have us to do." We must also follow Him "In prayer, in the field of service, in the garden of sorrow and to the tomb of death," the Rev.

Mr. Longenbaugh said. He concluded, "We must follow Him into resurrected life where there will be one of two verdicts, 'Well done' or It is for each of us to decide, the Rev. Mr. Longenbaugh said, "for He pleads, follow thou RAY FRANKLIN HELD AFTER AUTO ACCIDENT A Decatur man was jailed yesterday on charges of driving a car while under the influence of intoxicating liquors after a two-car collision in which two persons were slightly injured.

Ray S. Franklin, 48, of 309 W. Prairie was held in jail on the charge last night. Franklin was the driver of a car which collided about 12:30 p.m. yesterday with one driven by John Britton, 21, of Mt.

Zion. The collision occurred on Route 121 at the north entrance to Spitler Woods state park. Britton's wife, Marilyn, and Fred Jewell, 47, of Rural Route 6, were treated for minor injuries at St. Mary's Hospital after the accident. Jewell was a passenger in Franklin's car.

Trial to Be Aug. 9 Robert Lee Smith, 31, of 339 S. Franklin charged with being disorderly at that address by his landlord, Jasper Jones, pleaded innocent yesterday and was released from jail on. $100 bond pending trial Aug. 9 before Police Magistrate E.

A. Schroeder. Fun Day at Nelson Park Give It a Chance! A rod- and reel fisherman casting from a boat on Lake Decatur got some free advice from a little girl on shore. "Hey mister," she shouted, "if vou'd leave that line in a little longer you might catch a fish." Second Profession Building boats is getting to be a habit with Kirby Yeakel, Waynesville rural mail carrier. He's on his fifth, now, to go to his son, William C.

Yeakel of Clinton, a state police officer. It's a 14-footer which normally would cost $850, he estimates. Yeakel builds the parts in the basement and puts them together in his garage. Plans Revised A Decatur man was talking last week of selling his car and applying the proceeds toward the purchase of a house. "It's a good car," he said.

"I should get $1,000 for it easily." A few minutes later he got in the car to go inspect the house he proposed to purchase. The car ran about a block before stalling. It had to be pushed to the side, of the road by two friends of the driver. Mass Production If you'd like to be a judge other county official, Dewitt County's Barnett Township might be a pretty good place to live. The township, with less than 1,000 population and without an incorporated town or village in its limits, has produced nine county and city judges, three circuit clerks and a sheriff.

Well, It Is! One of Decatur's younger residents, exercising her vocabulary, has a new description for wave action on Lake Decatur, her proud parents report. "It's all rumpled up," she savs. Fit For A King C. W. Patridge, Olney gardener, recently grew a cucumber which weighed in at almost three pounds.

Woman Hurt; Crumble Held A Decatur man was charged yesterday with assaulting a woman and causing injuries which caused her to be confined in St. Mary's Hospital. He is Ethel Andrew Crumble, 22, of 462 E. Decatur who was held in county jail on an assault and battery charge last night. The charge was filed by Miss Florence Abernathy, 19, of 832 E.

Roger Ave. Miss Abernathy is in St. Mary's Hospital receiving treatment for facial injuries. She told police Crumble struck her several times while they were returning with another couple from a visit to Springfield Saturday night. Driver in Jail Jack J.

Conley, 36, of 215 E. Marion was held in jail last night on a charge of driving an automobile while under the influence of intoxicating liquors. He was arrested by police about 6 p. m. yesterday, after his car collided at Cantrell and Jackson Streets with one driven by John William Lappen, 19, of 821 S.

Maffit St. Monday's Notebook Small Boy, Giant Radish Michael Dean Reagan, 8- vear-old son of Mrs. Raymond Pannek of Rural Route 8, Western Avenue, holds a giant white radish from his garden. The radish is about nine inches long and weighs seven ounces. "It just grew," Michael explained.

(Herald and Review Photo) Decatur's Link With 'Greatest Show On Earth' Becomes Part of the Past By Norman J. Puhek Of The Herald Staff The closing of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum Bailey Circus apparently ends Decatur's association with the "greatest show on earth." A week ago today it was announced that the circus was canceling its tour and returning to winter quarters in Sarasota, Fla. Decatur has circus history of more than 100 years. During 1855 two circuses played here according to newspaper accounts.

In 1866 a circus used Decatur for its winter quarters. In 1912 Ringling Brothers Circus reportedly considered the city for its winter headquarters. On V-J Day, Aug. 14, 1945, the Bailey Bros three-ring circus canceled its scheduled shows here as a "precautionary measure to insure the safety" of the circus and the townspeople. It was feared a "victory-mad" crowd could easily create panic among the animals.

The owner also was concerned about damage to his new tent. The Ringling Bros. and Barnum Bailey Circus last played here in 1954. Ten thousand persons saw the show. Included were 65 handicapped children from Camp Seymour.

They each had a dime to spend but show prices for treats were higher than that. Plight Ended The circus management, informed of the plight, took the dimes and gave 60 cents worth of refreshments to each child. Last Monday, Board Chairman John Ringling North announced the end of the tented Circus and said in his opinion it is "a thing of the past." The 1957 presentations will be $272,985 In Farmer Loans Farmers Home Administration loans of $272,985 were made during the year ended June 30 to farmers in Macon, Christian, Sangamon and Shelby Counties. Repayments on loans outstanding during the fiscal year totaled $232,603, according to Ralph E. Adkins, Taylorville, area supervisor for the federal credit agency.

Adkins said the agency advanced credit to buy feed, seed, fertilizer, livestock, equipment and other farm operating items. Farmers Home Administration loans are made to farmers who cannot obtain credit from other sources. Service Station Burglarized Traffic Arrests The Lanman Standard Service Station, 1096 W. Main was broken into Saturday night and $25 in change and three books of trading stamps valued at $42 stolof Tool en. an emTractor Traffic Arrests Deca- Fred H.

Fanning, 27, of St. first an- Louis, was fined $23.20 for imPark. proper passing on Route 48 south Photo), of Decatur. Hickory Point Values Show 2 Million Gain NO The Rev. Joseph Johnston, right, dean of the 19th annual Presbyterian Leaders' conference at Millikin University is shown with other conference leaders.

The Rev. Joseph Laugh- Services Tuesday Funeral services for Mrs. Vernie P. Beck, 73, of 1344 N. Gulick will be at 10 a.m.

Tuesdav in Brintlinger's Funeral Home. Burial will Graceland Cemetery. Mrs. Beck died Saturday in Decatur and Macon County Hospital. Friends may call at the funeral home.

9 Arrested On Gaming Charge Nine men were arrested on gambling charges in a police raid on a home in the 1500 block East Sangamon Street about 2 a.m. yesterday. Officers charged Lewis Ward, 36, of 245 E. Marion with operating a dice game in the rear of 1562 E. Sangamon St.

Ward pleaded innocent to the charge and was released from jail on $400 bond pending trial Aug. 9 before Police Magistrate E. A. Schroeder. The eight other men arrested were charged with being inmates of a gambling house.

Two pleaded guilty and were released after paying fines of $31.40. They are Ozzie Bolden, 41, of 1111 E. Marietta and U. B. Foster, 47, of 1466 E.

Sangamon St. The other six pleaded innocent and pusted $100 bond each pending trial Aug. 9 before Police Magistrate Schroeder. They are: Henry Thomas, 38, of 1604 E. Sangamon St.

Emerson Mann, 30, of 829 N. Illinois St. Robert Lee Ballard, 37, of 1004 N. Railroad Ave. Leonard Underwood, 55, of 1668 E.

Marietta St. L. C. Blue, 24, of 1015 S. Jackson St.

Logan Brooks, 35, of 525 N. 17th St. FINED $23 Charles J. Bienvenue, 32, of 2625 E. Logan arrested Saturday night on a charge of being disorderly on Pershing Road, was released from jail yesterday after pleading guilty and paying a fine of $23.20.

Out Of Jail Charles Harlow Clark, 32, of 1212 N. Monroe arrested Saturday on a charge of assault and battery filed by his wife, Mary, pleaded innocent yesterday and was released from jail on $100 bond pending trial Aug. 10 before Police Magistrate E. A. Schroeder.

lin, left, is director of the conference laboratory school, and the Rev. Emerson I. Abendroth, standing, former Millikin dean of chapel, will teach a Bible course. 200 at Millikin In Presbyterian Leaders' School About 200 persons registered yesterday for the 19th annual Presbyterian Leaders' Conference at Millikin University. The conference, a training school sponsored by the Presbyterian Synod of Illinois, will continue through Saturday.

Total attendance at sessions beginning today is expected to reach 300. The conference includes educational and boarding facilities for children and adults. The Rev. Joseph Johnston of Geneseo is dean of the conference school and the Rev. Joseph Laughlin of Urbana is director of the laboratory school to be conducted each day from 8:15 to 11 a.m.

Other morning sessions will include sections for women, for senior high school students and teachers and for junior high school, students and teachers. The Rev. Roland T. Kamm, formerly of Decatur and now pastor of the Morrison Presbyterian Church, will lead the junior high section. The Rev.

John Foss of Fairbury will lead the senior high section. Other conference leaders and teachers will include: The Rev. Russell F. Rice, Clinton The Rev. H.

B. Sissel, Philadelphia The Rev. Emerson I. Abendroth, Manhattan, formerly of Decatur The Rev. Vernon Smith, Phila, delphia Mrs.

Ruth Hunter, Chicago The Rev. Elra Key, Danville Mrs. Vera Murphy, Danville, Va. The Rev. Calvin Marcum, Nameoki, Ill.

The Rev. Kermit Petersen, Galesburg. Boats Travel To Monticello Boat traffic was reported yesterday on the Sangamon River between Decatur and Monticello. J. R.

McGiffin of 105 N. Calhoun a boating enthusiast, said the traffic is a result of the higher level of Lake Decatur and the Sangamon River above Decatur. McGiffin made two trips to Oakley and back in his boat, "the first in several years." He said he saw at least 25 other motor boats on the river. MASKALICK PAYS FINE AFTER FIGHT IN STREET Joseph Felix Maskalick, 35, of Jersey City, N.J., was from jail yesterday after paying a fine of $26.90 on a disorderly conduct charge. He was arrested by police who said he was fighting with man in the 100 block South Main Street.

Dog Bite Reported Kay Boyer, 5, of 960 E. Prairie was treated at St. Mary's Hospital yesterday afternoon for a dog bite wound on her face. Held for Trespassing Percy Sterling, 33, of 844 E. Condit was held in jail last night on a charge of trespassing on Wabash Railroad property.

Assessed valuations in Hickory Point Township this year are more than 2 million dollars higher than in 1955, assessment books in the office of Howard Boughn, chief tax extension deputy, show. Total valuation for the township, where there is extensive suburban growth, is $12,691,153, compared with $10,297,933 set by the Board of Review for 1955. Nearly all of the increase in on improved lots, $4,715,475 this year against $2,416,225 a year ago. Personal property assessments are up to $1,604,443, compared with $1,487,273. Platting of subdivisions in the township is reflected in the decrease of unimproved land valuations from $6,394,435 a year ago to $6,371,235 this year.

In five other townships whose assessment records have been turned in, the trend of lower personal property valuations continues. The overall valuation of three are down slightly. The largest drop is in Maroa Township, down $826,903 to 581,422. The valuation last year was $10,406,325. Valuations are lower in lands, lots and personal property.

These are the valuations for the townships other than Hickory Point, with 1955 Board of Review figures in parenthesis: -lands $7,170,920 lots $1,134,030 personal $1,276,472 Milam lands $3,958,200 personal $324,300 total $4,282,500 Oakley lands $3,513,760, lots $46,490 640), personal $533,287 323), total $4,093,537 313). Pleasant View -lands 190 lots 300 personal 087,325 total 935,815 South Macon lands 205 lots 300 personal 087,325 total 820,815 in air -conditioned arenas "all over the United Decatur, has no large indoor arena, much less, an air-conditionled one. Probably circuses or wagon shows of some type played Decatur even before 1855. One of the 1855 shows was the Great Western Railroad Circus. It had two clowns, an equestrian troupe and a "famous rope dancer" who was "from the amphitheater of Paris." The second 1855 show was the Van Amburgh Co.

combined show. One of the advertised features Smith, "Pocahontas rescuing Capt. Terrible scalping scene." The circus which spent the winter here in 1866 was "Yankee" Robinson's troupe. It had wintered in Fairview Park and although accounts do not dc say why Robinson picked Decatur, they point out that this location "was as good at least as Baraboo, Wis." The Ringling Brothers Circus originated and quartered in the off season in Baraboo. When "Yankee" Robinson's circus left Decatur a crowd lined the streets.

The band wagon was pulled by 40 horses according to newspaper records. A "sag" in West Main Street was covered by boards and was safely used by everyone but the lone elephant in the show. Detour Necessary It refused to cross the bridge and had to be detoured to West Wood Street. There was not a single boy who watched the circus leave town who would not have changed places with one Pete Sells, who drove the 40-horse band wagon, the news storv said. The Ringling Brothers Circus played here in 1903 to a reported crowd of 22,000.

When it returned in 1905 a pneumatic stake driver commanded almost as much press notice as the show itself. In 1918 the same circus came, but only partially unloaded before canceling its performances because of bad weather. En route to Decatur in 1931 a small fire, a minor train accident and removal of a sick horse, delayed the afternoon performance. In 1938 the Ringling Bros. and Barnum Bailey Circus went back to Sarasota in mid-season because of a strike.

In 1945 the big top burned and 160 persons died in the fire at Hartford, Conn. The circus returned to Sarasota but was back on the road in 28 days, playing in ball parks and stadiums without a big top. Now the show is again in Sarasota. And although the "greatest show on earth" may never play Decatur again, tented circuses are still on the road. The Oren L.

Davis Post, Veterans of Foreign Wars, wants to bring the Hagen Bros. Circus here Sept. 4. The application for a circus license has been referred to the City Council. St.

Paul's Church Sets Endowment Fund for Gifts Creation of an endowment and memorial fund for investment of gifts and legacies has been authorized by St. Paul's Lutheran Church. The endowment is designed to assure congregation members, that such gifts, and the income derived from them, will be wisely managed. To start the fund, the congregation authorized transfer of $50,000 from the estate money left by late Mrs. Rose W.

Scovill to the church. Mrs. Scovill's will left two-sevenths of her estate to St. Paul's and an equal amount to Valparaiso University. The National Bank of Decatur, designated as trustee of the trust fund, estimates the church will receive about $200,000 from Mrs.

Scovill's estate when it is settled. "The fact that Mrs. Scovill left no directions for the expenditure of either the principal or interest places a heavy duty and responsibility on members of St. Paul's who are now entrusted with the wise use of an extraordinary amount of money," said the Rev. A.

W. Mueller, pastor. "To assure that Mrs. Scovill's and any other gifts which may come to the church in the future will be a blessing to the local congregation and the church at large, months of study led to the decision to set up what will be known as St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church Endowment and Memorial Fund." This is the second large gift from Mrs.

Scovill to her church. Six years ago she gave $100,000 toward construction of the new building. At that time she stipulated that hearing aids be installed and the building be free of debt after her gift was made. Trustees of the church who presented the plans for the fund are E. L.

Kleimeier, Dr. J. B. Waller, Arnold Tebussek and Henry H. Bolz.

Treated for Dog Bite David Allen Cummings, 3, of 1516 Ravina Park was treated at Decatur and Macon County Hospital about noon yesterday for a dog bite wound on his arm. 1 wo-year-old Michael Schlacn- of the American Society ter, son of Mr. and Mrs. Engineers. Schlachter is Ravmond Schlachter of Mount- ploye of the Caterpillar Pulaski, gets some help from his Co.

plant here. The new daddy in blowing up a balloon tur organization held its at yesterday's family fun day for nual in Nelson members of the Decatur chapter (Herald and Review Wife Files Charge James Gregory, 26. of Rural Route 8, was held in jail last night on assault and threats charges filed by his wife, Lucille..