March 25, 1946: Why Can’t We Get Facts?

Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on March 25, 1946.

Why Can’t We Get Facts?

There are times when it’s a little difficult to understand just why so much misinformation should get around to confuse and worry the public. We made an observation last week about the “cosmopolitan atmosphere” in Valparaiso and about how the world is certainly getting smaller and smaller.

The next day a local mother picked up the receiver of her telephone and talked to her son in Tokyo, another proof, if any more were needed, that the farthest point on the globe can be brought to your living room in a matter of hours.

Mr. Henry W. Sauter, district manager of the Indiana Associated Telephone corporation, tells us that, to his knowledge, the call from Japan’s capital to Valparaiso was the longest circuit ever carried here, and the fact of the matter is, that unless we start contacting the moon, we can’t cover much greater distances on this old earth.

But the point is this: If GI’s can get in touch with the home folks for a conversation even though they are separated by thousands of miles, it strikes us as strange that there should be any justification for nations to flounder around in a welter of misunderstandings which seem to arise out of conflicting reports of what’s going on and what isn’t.

One explanation is that censorship is perhaps still keeping the world’s efforts for establishing a sound basis of peace hog-tied. Censorship and deliberate misrepresentation on the part of enemies of good-will.

March 8, 1951: Instructions On Business Are Praised - Local Teachers Find Plant Tour Is Educational

Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on March 8, 1951.

Instructions On Business Are Praised

Local Teachers Find Plant Tour Is Educational

Valparaiso’s public and elementary grade teachers had high praise today for “instructions” in business and industry they received Wednesday afternoon from representatives of various factory and business establishments in the community.

And businessmen said they are looking forward to the time when they will sit in on academic proceedings at the local schools.

The whole program was initiated by the educational committee of the Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce, with the cooperation of the Valparaiso city, St. Paul’s Catholic and Immanuel Lutheran school administrators. It is planned to hold similar meetings, either at business houses or in the schools, in each of the next two years.

Some 80 teachers of the community toured, in small units, five industrial plants, Continental Diamond Fibre company, McGill Manufacturing company, Indiana Steel Products company. The Robert L. Miller Laboratory and Urschel Laboratories; three stores, J. Lowenstine and Sons, Stambaugh Farm Equipment company and J.C. Penney company; two financial institutions, Farmers’ State and First State banks; Hotel Lembke; and The Vidette-Messenger, Indiana Associated Telephone company and Northern Indiana Public Service company plants.

Spends Entire Afternoon

The teachers reported at their assigned tour place at one o’clock and spent the entire afternoon inspecting the facilities and learning of some of the problems of conducting the particular business that they were visiting.

Climax of the day came when 120 teachers and businessmen attended a banquet at Hotel Lembke sponsored by the C of C. Lester Milne, chairman of the education committee, served as master of ceremonies.

Representatives of the 14 firms who acted as hosts during the afternoon were introduced, as were members of the city school board, committee members who arranged details for the day and James Patricn[sic], C of C secretary-manager.

Featured speaker of the evening was Dr. Virgil M. Rogers, superintendent of schools, Battle Creek, Mich. He was introduced by G. Warren Phillips, superintendent of the local city schools.

Stake In Schools

In his address, Rogers reminded the businessmen that they have a stake in the public schools, which he labeled as the nation’s greatest enterprise today. He said all people in a community have a direct or indirect part in the school, and he warned that if America permits public education to die, democracy will die with it.

He pointed out that the growth of education has aided America to build more cars, more homes, more radios and similar advantages than exists in any other nation.

Rogers advised that the schools should furnish their pupils with a more dramatic meaning of American citizenship, that they must appeal to community leaders to help keep the academic standards on a high level.

As a closing warning the speaker asserted that if totalitarianism ever strangles the American way of life it will because education has lost its objective.

TWO OF THE PLANTS toured Wednesday afternoon by local teacher groups during the Business-Industry-Education event sponsored by the Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce were that of The Vidette-Messenger and the Continental Diamond Fibre company. In the upper photo teachers are viewing the teletype and morgue operations in the editorial department. In this group were the following teachers: Emma R. Food, Mary Miller, Mary Stoner, Mary Phillips, Francis May and Verna Randert. Shown in the mica press room Burton Conklin, Glen Gierke, Milton Marten, Sister Miriam Loretto and Sister M. Juliette. George Nelson and D.K. Appleby were in charge of the tour there.

Feb. 28, 1946: Phone Strike May Be Felt Here, Report

Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on February 28, 1946.

Phone Strike May Be Felt Here, Report

Walkout Over Indiana Set For Next Week; No Local Grievance

Valparaiso and Porter county’s telephone system of communication may be affected unless conciliation efforts to forestall a March 7 strike of two unions against the Indiana Bell Telephone company are successful, Henry W. Sauter, of this city, district manager of the Indiana Associated Telephone Corporation, which operates in Porter and Lake counties, and today.

The strike would shut down all manually-operated telephone exchanges throughout the state, it was announced by Mrs. Mae Mann, South Bend, president of the Indiana Telephone Traffic union, who is in Indianapolis for a meeting with telephone company officials. Mrs. Mann said that ITTU switchboard operators, although not members of a striking union, would honor all picket lines set up in the threatened communication stoppage.

Long Distance Affected

Also affected by the traffic union action will be long distance calls in all exchanges, she added.

Dial services would not be affected, but maintenance workers who normally keep dial systems in repair would be on strike.

Strike notices have been filed with the Indiana Bell company by the Indiana Bell Accounting Department Employes' association and the Indiana Telephone Workers Union. Both are members of the National Federation of Telephone Workers, which has called the strike.

In Valparaiso telephone workers have no grievance, according to Manager Sauter. However, the union may call on the workers here for aid. Just how far the situation will go, Sauter was unable to say. He anticipated a walkout where employees have a grievance, and this may affect other exchanges.