These century-old historical excerpts were selected from the Looking Backward feature of The Vidette-Messenger newspaper, which are part of the PoCo Muse Collection. Originally, these bits of information appeared as larger stories in the Valparaiso Daily Vidette and The Evening Messenger newspapers.
May 1, 1926
A city school gain of but thirty over last year is shown by the tabulation just completed by Bessie Sisson and Bessie Beach, the enumerators. The total county shows 1,877 children between the ages of six and twenty-one years, as against 1,847 last year. The count, by city wards, is as follows: first, 583; second, 233; third, 602; fourth, 459.
Councilman C. A. Stanton has announced his termination of a long period of service with the Northwestern Indiana Telephone Company and today assumed the position as agency manager for Lake, Porter, and LaPorte division of the Equitable Insurance Company, of Iowa, with offices in Gary. Councilman Stanton will retain his residence in Valparaiso.
May 2, 1926
That Valparaiso is going to cash in on the wide-spread publicity given it last week by the Chicago Daily News and the Chicago Tribune featuring the city as a rising Gretna Green, was demonstrated the last three days when a large number of couples came here to obtain marriage licenses. Several of the couples stated they came here after reading the news articles of the services afforded to couples desiring to wed.
Rev. Father A. Worger-Slade, of St. Andrew’s Episcopal church, surprised members of the Valparaiso Kiwanis Club this Noon at the weekly luncheon meeting. Billed as the speaker, Father Slade instead sang a group of songs. Members declared it was one of the most enjoyable programs yet given.
May 3, 1926
Dr. Raymond Schutz, of North Manchester College, was the speaker at commencement exercises held at Wanatah. A crowd that completely filled the high school auditorium greeted the eleven graduates. “Civilization’s Race With Death” was the speaker’s subject and he made a most effective address warning against “jazz-age” tendencies.
May 4, 1926
As is the custom each year, the faculty of the Valparaiso High School will go to Chicago on Friday of this week to attend the conference of schools associated with the University of Chicago. They will be accompanied by four seniors of the high school who will take a series of examinations. They are Kenneth Oldham, chemistry; Margaret Krull, Latin; Martha Parker, Latin, and Alberta Krudup, English.
May 5, 1926
At Tuesday’s primary election, W. B. Forney was nominated by the Republicans for Sheriff; Mae R. London, clerk; C. A. Blachly, auditor; Clarence D. Wood, prosecutor; C. E. Barrett, recorder; W. E. Morthland, surveyor; Grant Crumpacker, superior court judge; Fred W. Marquart, assessor; Dr. A. O. Dobbins, coroner; A. J. Fehrman, treasurer. Vernon L. Beach was nominated for trustee of Center Township over a field of four rivals, and G. E. Bornholt was an easy winner over three other candidates. James E. Watson and Arthur R. Robinson running for U.S. Senator were given large majorities. John R. Burch was given a 900-vote lead over John W. Scott, of Gary, for joint representative of Lake and Porter Counties, and Congressman Will R. Wood was given a 4,000-vote majority over H. H. Peabody, of Wheeler. Elias D. Cain had a large lead over M. S. Campbell and Glen Goddard for county commissioner, Center district, and Ross M. Crisman easily bested Everett Carver for the nomination in the North district.
Valparaiso will play host Friday to Ford Rush and Glenn Rowell, “Lullaby Boys” of the Sears-Roebuck Agricultural Foundation broadcasting station, WLS Chicago. The boys are scheduled to appear at the Premier Theatre in a program such as brought them their great popularity with the radio audience.
May 6, 1926
On petition of J. W. Whitaker, the Porter County Board of Commissioners was asked to make the extension of East Main Street from the present ending to connect with Lincoln Highway. This step is in line with the program outlined by the chamber of commerce to make ready for the routing of State Road 2 down Lincolnway instead of down Chicago Street as first planned.
Complete returns from Lake County show that John R. Burch, of Valparaiso, who led his rivals in Porter County in the race for the Republican nomination for joint representative of Lake and Porter Counties, lost out in Lake County. The Lake County vote was John W. Scott, 12,734; Burch, 4,935; W. A. Hill, 6,103. Burch had a 900-vote majority in Porter County.
May 7, 1926
Valparaiso High School seniors presented their annual high school play, “A Full House” before a packed audience last night at Memorial Opera House. Inez Mavity directed the production in a high-class manner. Lily Darby’s high school orchestra provided the music. Players taking part were Oscar Dolch, Edith Shedd, Margaret Stinchfield, Ruth Vevia, Charlotte Burk, Jack Zimmerman, Willie Ebersold, Charles Van Buskirk, Vernon Ritter, William Collins, Edward Johnson, Miriam Lamprecht, Lucille Kuns, and Beatrice Bornholt.
Joseph Von Osinski won the Republican nomination for committeeman in Westchester Township over Rudolph Slont when Von Osinski was the lucky one in the drawing of lots. The two men tied with ninety-one votes each.
May 8, 1926
Porter County school are now on a par with any in the state. Superintendent Fred H. Cole today announced receipt from the State Board of Education the confirmation of the report of Inspector J. W. Rittenger, who recently examined the local schools. Nine of the local high schools are accredited and Union Center, a two-year unit, enjoys accreditation for its course. Other schools with full accreditation are Boone Grove, Chesterton, Crisman, Hebron, Kouts, Liberty Center, Morgan, Washington and Wheeler.
The State of Indiana needs 1,000 acres of land in north Porter County for Dunes State Park, Richard Leiber, director of the State Department of Conservation said. Plans for the park call for the acquisition of 2,000 acres of land in Westchester Township, but to-date the department has been able to acquire less than 1,000 acres. A large amount of the land is divided into small lots owned by many individuals, and acquisition of these has been slow and tedious.
May 9, 1926
The greatest tribute, the finest honor that can be paid mothers of the nation, is to so love youth or maiden, ready to make the plunge to the future, can approach the altar morally clean and physically unspotted, Dr. Preston Bradley, pastor of Peoples’ Church, Chicago, told a capacity crowd at Memorial Opera House Sunday at the annual Mother’s Day observance. The services were sponsored by the Valparaiso Mothers’ Club and supported by the pastors of the Presbyterian, Methodist, and Christian churches.
Howard Klein, age 18, of Chicago, was drowned Sunday afternoon at Lake Eliza. Clement Grassl, also of Chicago, is in Christian Hospital recovering from shock of a close escape from a similar fate. A leaky boat was the cause of the tragedy. The boys took a boat after a warning from John Fitzgerald that none had been repaired after the winter tie-up.
May 10, 1926
Reports from Springfield, Ill., are to the effect that Governor Len Small has honored the requisition for the return of Frank McErlane, Chicago gangster, to Lake County, in connection with murder indictments charging him with the murder more than a year ago of Attorney Thaddeus S. Fancher, of Crown Point, stirred Valparaiso interest today. In all probability the return of McErlane will result in his being lodged in Porter County Jail and his subsequent trial here. Johnny O’Reilly and Alex McCabe, members of the McErlane gang, were tried here for the slaying of Fancher during the Halfway House holdup near Cedar Lake in May 1924. O’Reilly was given a life sentence, and McCabe was freed after three trials.
May 11, 1926
Flames of unknown origin, starting in the residence of John Conrick, in southeast Wheeler, opposite the Pennsylvania Depot, for a time this morning threatened the entire town of Wheeler with destruction. Only the assistance of the Hobart Fire Department, which despite a delay on the road, arrived in time to check flames which several times periled the adjoining residence, owned by Miss Rebecca Taylor, averted a general conflagration. The Conrick home was totally destroyed, although volunteers, augmented by high school youths, dismissed from school to assist, were able to save most of the furnishings. Fanned by a brisk wind, the flames many times seemed certain to get the best of the volunteer fire fighters who formed a bucket brigade. It was their service that saved the residence of Miss Taylor and others nearby.
May 12, 1926
Three hundred ninety-five boy scouts of the scout area comprising LaPorte and Porter Counties will again join the South Bend scouts in summer camp, according to a decision reached at the area meeting at the Rumely Hotel at LaPorte Tuesday afternoon. The committee is composed of W. B. Brown, Michigan City, chairman; Earl V. Smith, Valparaiso, and J. V. Dilworth, of LaPorte. South Bend’s Camp Bryan is located near Wakaklee, Mich.
Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce, through its board of directors today, took action to assist the city administration in bringing about a solution of the pressing and disconcerting downtown parking problem. A committee was appointed to look into the feasibility of purchasing or renting a centrally located lot for parking purposes, and two or three were submitted for consideration. The chamber is committed to some program that will afford accommodations to motorists. Through the new parallel parking ordinance affecting the north side of Lincolnway through the business section, the congestion problem has become even more annoying.
May 13, 1926
Discharge of several sticks of dynamite having failed to release the body of Howard Klein, of Chicago, victim of Sunday’s drowning in Lake Eliza. Sheriff W. B. Forney today directed another dragging program. A special drag fashioned at the McGill Manufacturing Company has been placed in operation. Yesterday, the drag picked up one of the sticks of dynamite which failed to explode. The dragging crew was given a scare until the dynamite was rendered harmless.
Porter County Superintendent of Schools Fred H. Cole, today, announced that ninety-four boys and girls would be graduating from the high schools of Porter County beginning with the graduation exercises at Crisman on May 19. Of the ninety-four, Chesterton will furnish thirty-one graduates.
May 14, 1926
The body of Howard Klein, Chicago youth drowned in Lake Eliza five days ago, was recovered at Noon today when the drag line in the charge of Jay Blachly caught the body and brought it to the surface. Klein’s father, who has been assisting in the search, was present when the body was found. Klein was drowned when he and a companion named Grassl took a boat out onto the lake after being warned that it was leaky, and the craft sank in the middle of the lake. Grassl managed to stay on top until rescuers arrived.
Summer band concerts will be the rule in Valparaiso this summer if present plans are carried out. A petition has been presented to the Valparaiso City Council by local businessmen guaranteeing to raise $500 if the city will contribute a similar amount.
May 15, 1926
Valparaiso City Council on Friday night decided to have the city statutes codified and brought up to date. Not since 1890 have the city’s laws been reviewed. Recently, City Attorney William Daly told the council it was like looking for a needle in a haystack to find out what city ordinances were in effect, so messed up were the statutes and records. It is expected the work will require an outlay of $2,000.
Attorney Grant Crumpacker’s campaign for the nomination on the Republican ticket for circuit court judge cost him a two-cent stamp, the cost of mailing his declaration to the secretary of state. As Crumpacker is unopposed for election, the two-cent stamp expenditure will be the extent of his campaign fund.
May 16, 1926
Contractors today began work on the $15,000 modernization improvement program approved by trustees of the Methodist Episcopal church. Excavating operations are now being pushed. A new heating plant will be installed, and the entire structure modernized.
Valparaiso authorities are planning to install stop-and-go lights in the downtown business section. At present, the city has a flasher operating at Lincolnway and Franklin. Under the new arrangement, signals will also be installed at Washington and Lafayette.
May 17, 1926
M. D. Silvey, in South Bend, completed arrangements with Scout Executive C. H. Barnes for the boy scouts of Valparaiso to go to summer camp at Camp Bryan, Wakelee, Mich., between June 20 and August 17. Scout Executive Barnes is camp director at Camp Bryan.
May 18, 1926
In one of the most surprising business announcements of Valparaiso record, directors of the Farmers’ National Bank and Herman E. Sievers, president of the Specht-Finney Company, announced termination of negotiations, whereby the imposing and spacious mercantile business property is to be divided, so as to afford the bank a permanent home on the Lincolnway and Franklin corner, and, at the same time, provide quarters for the housing of the Specht-Finney institution.
May 19, 1926
The campaign by the local chamber to acquaint Valparaiso citizens with Valparaiso industries was started yesterday in the series of visits to the Lewis E. Myers and Company. During the six hourly periods beginning at 9 o’clock in the morning, Superintendent John A. Hauff was kept busy guiding parties of visitors through the plant and explaining the various operations. In the afternoon, the directors of the chamber, schoolteachers, and the commercial class at Valparaiso University attended in a body.
Chesterton’s doctor scrap, involving Dr. W. H. Parkison and Dr. C. O. Wilfong, will come up for hearing Friday before Judge H. L. Crumpacker in Porter Superior Court. Dr. Parkison is seeking to have the home of Charles Bradley released from scarlet fever quarantine, and Dr. Wiltfong, deputy health officer, refuses to lift the quarantine. An interesting hearing is expected if the case comes to trial.
May 20, 1926
The ball bearing plant of the McGill Manufacturing Company has just scored in making its first shipment of ball bearings to the Rolls Royce Company on May 15. Ground was broken for the ball-bearing plant on February 8, but three weeks of bad weather made it impossible for the building to progress rapidly as planned. However, trade journals declared it was exceptionally fast work, as six months to a year is the usual time for such a program. Orders for the product have been received from other companies besides Rolls Royce.
Complete justification supported unqualifiedly by state health department enactments, and Porter County Medical Association policy, is to be the be the one and only answer of Dr. C. H. DeWitt, county health officer, and Valparaiso physician, and Dr. C. O. Wiltfong, Chesterton health officer, to the mandamus action filed against them by Dr. W. M. Parkison, of Chesterton. The latter demands that the two health officials lift the scarlet fever quarantine at the Bradley home in Chesterton, which Dr. Wiltfong refuses to do so until it has been determined that there is no danger of spreading the infection.
May 21, 1926
Announcement of the deal by which the Specht-Finney Company this week sold the west half of their business building to Farmers’ State Bank was accompanied by the statement that Herman E. Sievers, president of the Specht-Finney Company, has purchased the stock owned by Grover Hinkle. Hinkle will retire from the firm in thirty days. He has been a director and secretary of the company for the last eight years. Mark L. Stoner has been elected to fill Hinkle’s position as director, and Ernest J. Cotterman will fill the position of secretary.
This afternoon in Porter Superior Court made possible by the cooperation of Judge H. L. Crumpacker, issues were properly joined in the Chesterton quarantine fight by setting aside all former pleadings and decision to test the case by the presentation of a writ of habeas corpus for the body of the Johnson youth. This will decide the question as to whether he is illegally held as claimed by Dr. W. S. Parkison. The town board of Chesterton, John Sheeley, Charles Kline, and Arthur J. Rader, as members of the health board, will be summoned, as will Dr. C. O. Wiltfong, secretary of the board.
May 22, 1926
Dr. George Henry Mundt, son of Kate Mundt, and brother of J. W. Hisgen, of Valparaiso, has been elected president of the Illinois Medical Society at the three-day session of the society held at Champaign, Ill. Dr. Mundt is an eye, ear, nose and throat specialist of Chicago.
A writ of habeas corpus was filed yesterday by Attorneys Clarence D. Wood, of Chesterton, and Daniel E. Kelly, of Valparaiso, to compel Dr. C. O. Wiltfong, Chesterton health officer, to show cause why he is holding the Bradley home, where the Johnson boy is quarantined, under the ban. Hearing on the issue will be held Monday before Judge Harry L. Crumpacker. The habeas corpus writ takes the place of the mandamus action filed by Attorney Wood and Kelly.
May 23, 1926
Johnny O’Reilly, who came from Michigan City under heavy guard to testify in the McCabe case and asserted that McCabe was not in the Halfway House in May 1924, when Attorney Thad Fancher, of Crown Point, was killed by a holdup gang, thereby aiding McCabe to gain his freedom, is expected to tell all he knows about the case when Frank McErlane, Chicago gangster, is forced to defend himself for the same murder. In the McCabe trials, O’Reilly intimated that if he told too much, it might be bad for his family. It is expected O’Reilly will name McErlane as the killer in a deposition to be filed in Judge McGroarty’s court in Chicago, where a hearing is to be held on McErlane’s extradition from Illinois to Indiana.
Valparaiso High School baseball team closed its season Saturday at Michigan City and were defeated by a score of 7 to 4. Buck Fyfe pitched for Valparaiso and Flotow for Michigan City. Coach Brown was well pleased with the showing of the local squad. It was the first time in many years that Valparaiso has had a baseball schedule, and some of the strongest teams of the section were played.
May 24, 1926
The largest class in the history of Valparaiso High School, sixty-five in number, received diplomas at the annual graduating exercises held at Premier Theatre. Dr. W. P. Dearing, president of Oakland City College, delivered the address. His subject was “The Fine Art of Appreciation."
May 25, 1926
Dr. C. O. Wiltfong, Chesterton physician, and secretary of Chesterton’s board of health, was the main witness for the defense in Porter Superior Court today when he took the stand to refute claims of Dr. W. N. Parkison, Chesterton physician, that Dr. Wiltfong made a wrong diagnosis of the Bradley boy’s case, pronouncing him ill with scarlet fever when there was no manifestation of the disease. Dr. Wiltfong declared that the Johnson boy was not a safe person to be allowed his liberty. Dr. Parkison is attempting to force Dr. Wiltfong to lift the quarantine ban by a habeas corpus action against the health official.
May 26, 1926
An echo of Porter County’s most famous murder trial was heard in the circuit court of appeals in Chicago today when it held that Joseph and Esther Diamond, of Gary, were entitled to the $10,000 life insurance estate left by Harry Diamond who was tried and convicted of first degree murder in Valparaiso two years ago and executed in Michigan City. The action was brought by James Allen, administrator of the estate of Nettie Diamond. Shortly before Diamond killed his wife in one of the most brutal murders in northern Indiana history, he had taken two life insurance policies in her name. Later, it developed that he changed the policies substituting his father and mother as beneficiaries. Then followed the slaying of his wife on a lonely road between Gary and Hammond.
Even with Coach Andy Anderson as umpire, Valparaiso University baseball team met a crushing defeat at the hands of St. Viator College, 24 to 7, at Brown Field yesterday. The umpire from Chicago failed to put in an appearance, having missed his train.
May 27, 1926
City Engineer A. R. Putnam, Street Commissioner Jacob Edelman, and the division crew of the Pennsylvania Railroad have battled for two days to discover the cause of a sewer break at the foot of Indiana Avenue and Campbell Street, which threatens to wash out the Pennsylvania right-of-way. Already eight or ten carloads of fill have been torn away from the south track embankment, and a steady torrent of water, charging unchecked through its course under the railroad bridge, threatens still further damage. So severe was the washout that a great timber had to be placed under the Pennsylvania tracks to ensure safety for rail traffic.
That the dawn of a new day for Valparaiso University is something more tangible than promise – something more real than speculation and financial hope was definitely established today when Acting President John C. Baur authorized the exhibition, for public view, at the university library, of an impressive schedule of plans and specifications for the proposed building program. They were submitted by George & Zimmerman, of Indianapolis, and comprise a series of designs and drawings anticipating nine new structures for the new university campus which will front on LaPorte Avenue.
May 28, 1926
A feature of the opening exercises at Gardner school this morning was the presentation of silk flags to honor pupils who have maintained perfect attendance for the school year. The ceremony was followed by a parade through the various rooms. This parade was headed by George Baker, bearing a larger and more impressive flag than the others. The distinction was conferred on George because he carries the remarkable record of perfect punctuality and attendance throughout his six years at Gardner school. Others honored besides George were Mildred Pearce, Lenore Wells, Gerald Urschel, Ralph Baker, Hyland Fulton, Jeanette Struve, Doris Perry, Harold Keehn, Billy Warner, Harriet Struve, Robert Wise, Darwin Whitesell, and Rosemary Blaese.
Announcement has been made that Chauncey S. Boucher, son of Prof. C. W. and Lizzie Boucher, of Valparaiso, has taken the place of Ernest Hatch Wilkins as the new Dean of the University of Chicago.
May 29, 1926
Lewis E. Myers and Company received a check this morning from the United States Government for $3,661.30 as a refund on taxes illegally collected from the company in the years 1921 and 1922. The Treasury paid the local company $509.69 interest on the transaction.
Winifred Sutter, Porter County’s contestant in the Northern Indiana Bible Memory Contest, held at the Christian church last night, was awarded first place in telling the story, “Feeding the Five Thousand.” Lucille Ringenberg, of Marshall County, was second, Frances Reed, of Pulaski County, third, and Charles Thomas, of Marshall County, fourth.
May 30, 1926
Roscoe Woods, Hammond banker and real estate dealer, has purchased another lot in Graceland Cemetery. Woods said the local cemetery is one of the most beautiful in the entire Chicago district. S. B. Sink, manager of the local cemetery, said many lots are being sold.
May 31, 1926
Edith Weems today took up her duties as Porter County Girls' Club leader. She will hold meetings in all townships. A total of 150 boys and girls are enrolled in the county.