Flash Backs

Gleaned from the Howard County News

September 1951

Around the Town Pump

   For the first time in many years the business district of Greentown is without a “town pump.”
   In this modern age of an ample supply of hot and cold water faucets in almost every home, a community hand pump doesn’t seem of much importance; yet, that bright yellow pump at the main intersection had practically become a land mark in this area.  More than one dear soul has been known to reply, “Greentown!  Oh, yes, that’s that pretty little town with the tree-lined wide streets and pump right in the middle of town!”
   There was a day, however, when a pump wasn’t just an obstruction on a state highway, but a necessity to the townspeople.
   More than three-quarters of a century ago, when Greentown was in its early growing stages, there was a “public” pump located on the Billy Sims’ corner just west of the present Hudson Grocery store.  The late Walter Hamer remembered this well as being practically the only well in town at that time, so many citizens were dependent on it for their water.
   Mr. Sims, being a grocer and eager to keep his customer happy, was quite generous with the well, and as a result, on Monday mornings the “town pump” was a bee hive of activity.  Even so long ago, women were doing the family laundry on Monday and Sims’ well furnished most of the water for the wash tubs.
   The procession seemed almost endless.  Numerous citizens appeared in the early morning carrying tubs or buckets which had to be filled and returned to the scene of the washing.  Many times it was necessary to make more than one trip.
   But times changed, wells became more numerous and the supply of water more plentiful.
   Still the town pump was an important item.  Town and country folks alike depended many times upon public wells for watering their horses, and when the period and scene changed once more, it was the horseless carriages that needed to be watered—and in those early days there weren’t service stations on every corner.
   The location and color of the “town pump” hasn’t always been the same, but there seems to have been one somewhere or other downtown for all these many years.
   Although a little unhandy as a drinking fountain, many a youngster as well as old-timer had depended upon the pump for a cool refreshing drink of well water, so even today, the old town pump hadn’t altogether outlived its usefulness.
   But it was an obstruction on a busy state highway, and officials saw fit to remove it, so the corner is now a little bare but much safer (although how many can recall an accident at that particular spot?).
   The removal seems quite permanent at this time, but the well was capped so it can be used again if ever the need arises.
   In the meantime—pardon the expression, “Around the Town Pump!”

Legion Auxiliary Unit Presents Local Home Town Musical

   The whole town will be going places on September 21 and 22 when the American Legion Auxiliary will present “Going Places,” a full evening of musical fun and laughter at the Civic Center.  Miss Nyla Ann Jester, a professional stage director, has started rehearsals, and from all reports, this production will be grand entertainment for young and old.
   Listed among the featured players are Marion Ayers as “Uncle Billy;” Bonnie Bagwell as “Miss Mary Margaret;” Everet Boerrigter as “Al Jolson;” Ralph Trott as Professor Quiz, Nellie Hiatt as Major Domo with Mildred Shoemaker as pianist.
   Members of the Kitchen Queens Band are Burcha Richer, Ruth Neyhart, Adah Armstrong, Naomi Currens, Dagmar Currens, Bertha Stepler, Ethel Mullen, Nell Keyton, Dorothy Hunt, Bess Warnock, Maree Seagraves, Afton Kingseed and Lucy Mayfield.
   A bevy of beautiful chorus girls will find such talented young ladies in the line as Martha Jo Ross, June Kennedy, Marilyn Rominger, Jeanette Shirk, Susan Fetters, Wanda Fox, Ann Streeter, Joan Myler, Sue Sheridan, Lorena Bennett, Helen Bontrager, Sandra Hunt, Janet Turner, Hilda Brooks, Rosalie Fawcett, Sonya Brown, Sue Little, Deanna Freeman, Sherrie Wilson, Judy Buckley, Barbara Jean Wagner, Margie Lamb, Diane Buckley, Phyllis Jarrett, Francis Marie Waggoner, Marcie McCaskey, Barbara Armstrong, Becky Sparling, Patricia Lamb, Carol Sue Keyton, Marilyn Miller and Kay Stoter.
   A scene with lovely models will see such well-known ladies of our community as Betty Currens, Helen Elliott, Eileen Roberts, Phyllis Martin, Rosemary Trott, Frankie Denton, Jean Hudson, Molly Ball, Helen Carr, Katherine Zook, Sue Dryer, Dorothy Condon, Marjorie Hendren, Betty Jo McCann, Martha and Belle Rody, and Virginia Miller trodding the boards in “Going Places.”
   The male members of the cast will include Phil Sheridan, Oren Zook, Walter Hiatt and Bob Kaufman.
   Everyone is joining in on the fun, and from the enthusiasm already shown by the members of the cast, we would say that “Going Places” will be tops in entertainment on either night.

September 1971

Don’t Get ‘Taken’
Cheap-Sounding Jobs Often Cost a Bundle

   An elderly Greentown woman was “taken” the other day.  Not taken to a particular place, but “taken” in the way it hurts most—her pocketbook.
   According to Merrill Shrock, town marshal, the woman was approached at her home by two men wanting to repair her roof.
   After quoting her a price of $7.50 per gallon for a “sealer” and telling her it would take only two gallons to do the job, the lady told them to go ahead and perform the service.
   After about five minutes on the roof, the men came down and handed her a bill for $245.  The lady was apparently a little surprised, and the men “came down to only” $85.
   They did give her a “guarantee” that will most likely be awfully hard to collect on in the future.
   The lady finally called the law, but was unable to give the officers any description of the men.  She did say they were driving a red pick-up truck and had a younger boy with them.
   Shrock urges people to be cautious about dealing with strangers—check out the nature of the job and deal with reputable people.
   If you do want the job done, go ahead and let the stranger do it—but at least get a license number or a description of the persons involved—especially if the circumstances are like these and they’re in a red pick-up truck.

State Champ

   Bob Englin, 755 US 35 West, Greentown, took first place in the Indiana State Seniors Golf Tournament held August 5 and 6 at Harrison Lake Country Club, Columbus.
   Englin shot back-to-back rounds of 75 to win the tourney by seven shots.  This is the fourth year he has competed in the state tournament, and he finished third in 1970.  He was awarded the winner’s trophy and the “traveling trophy” at the Association dinner held last Wednesday at Lafayette Country Club.  The “traveling trophy” changes hands from winner to winner from one year to the next, and dates back to 1936.

Doctor Committee Reports $50 Received

   The first public contributions of money to the Doctor Committee Fund are beginning to come in.
   Donald Wright, a member of the committee which is leading the search for a new doctor for this area, reports that $50 has been turned in in the committee’s name at the State Bank of Greentown.
   Wright said $22.42 of this amount came from a collection at last week’s Eastern-Southwood football game.
   Committee officials said the collection box would be used again this week at the Eastern-Western homecoming football game at Cogdell Field.
   The committee announced last week the need for funds to help handle expenses that arise in the search for a doctor to replace Dr. L.D. Denton, who retired from private practice Sept. 1.



Greentown Gems

   LOTS OF WATER fell on Greentown last Monday, but the football surface at Cogdell Field received a little extra moisture.  John L. Harper noted the sprinkler system there ran full force during the downpour.
*****
   SOMEBODY MUST HAVE really been hard up for some cash.  Last Sunday morning the offering collected at the First United Methodist Church in Greentown disappeared from the altar sometime after morning worship ended and Sunday School classes were dismissed.  Sources say there is no way of determining how much was taken.
*****
   A GREENTOWN LAD made a big hit on Cincinnati and Midwest television last week, according to reports from those who were tuned to the Paul Dixon Show on Channel 13.
   Star of the impromptu performance was Gary Surface, a senior at Eastern High School and son of Mr. and Mrs. Virgil P. Surface of 219 W. Grant St., Greentown.
   Dixon asked if there were anyone from Indiana in the audience and Gary stood up and said he was from Greentown and did impersonations.  Dixon invited him on stage to do his stuff.
   Gary led off with his “famous” police siren.  If you have ever been around when he turns his “siren” loose you know it sounds like the real thing.  Then he did some bird calls that fascinated Dixon and closed with an impression of Crazy Guggenheim.
   He really scored a big hit, according to our informant, who was tuned in at the time.  Dixon praised him highly and even remarked the next day on the show that the “boy from Greentown, Ind., was a big hit.”
   Gary apparently has ambitions in show business and everyone in this area wishes him good luck.  His performance on the Dixon show may have been the boost to get him started.


September 1981

To Move or Not to Move?
Festival Plans Uncertain

   As a result of a Greentown Business Association decision last week, at least four petitions are circulating in town about whether the Greentown Glass Festival should remain in the downtown area.
   The GBA motion, which was passed unanimously by eight members at the group’s Aug. 24 meeting, was to send a letter to the town board requesting that the annual festival be moved out of the downtown area.
   One of the petitions is being circulated by the GBA, which is trying to decide whether the decision made by eight members Aug. 24 is what the majority of the association’s 45 members desire.
   Another is in Norris Insurance Agency on Meridian Street.  Larry Hinesley, who operates out of that office, was the festival chairman this year and is asking for support to keep the festival downtown.
   The final two petitions are being circulated by Greentown Lumber Co.  Lynn Sullivan, owner of the company and president of the museum board, is circulating one petition for GBA members and another for townspeople.
   As of Tuesday, 15 GBA members had signed Sullivan’s petition supporting the continuation of the festival in the downtown area, and about 25 Greentown residents had signed another similar petition.
   The GBA petition, which is being taken to downtown businesses by Secretary Mary Bentley, had about a dozen signatures Tuesday afternoon, most which favored moving the festival.
   The earlier GBA decision was made because some members complained the festival interfered with their businesses.  During the three day festival which has been downtown since it began in 1970, a 1 ½ -block area on Meridian Street is blocked off to local traffic.
   “It’s hard for the regular customers to get in here.  They can’t get to the downtown area,” said Hutto’s Drugs Manager Betty Ellis, who was one of the GBA members who made the decision.
   Those persons who want the festival to remain in town are worried that a festival move, possibly to the fair ground or school grounds, will end the annual event.
   “If it’s moved from downtown, it wouldn’t be the end of the festival, but it would be the beginning of the end,” said Lynn Sullivan.  Museum Board member Merl Ross, said “If you took it out of town, nobody would be there to see the museum.  If the festival wouldn’t be in town, there wouldn’t be any use having it.  You don’t hurt a town by having people in it.”
Jameson Wins

   W.H. Jameson, 504 S. Meridian St., won awards in several categories at the Indiana State Fair.
   Jameson had the first place 1981 draft pony foal, first place mare and foal, second place stallion (two years and over, between 50 and 56 inches), and fourth place six-pony hitch.

Monday’s Mess was Memorable

   Monday was a memorable day for Greentown residents, who sloshed through the town’s third flood this summer and waited for the results of a tornado warning.
   Fortunately, the latter had no impact in this area, as the tornado passed over Howard County after being first sighted around Lafayette at 2 p.m.
   The flood, though, probably was the worst of Greentown’s big three this summer, dumped 3 ½ inches of rain in the area and clogging up a good part of the town streets, including U.S. 35 in at least two places.
   LMK Enterprises, just north of the railroad tracks on Meridian Street, was one of the hardest hit businesses.  More than 2 feet of water swarmed outside LMK’s front door, but employees were able to keep the water level to 16 inches inside the building, thanks to the help of four pumps.
   Owner Melvin Wagler had no estimate of damages to the business or its contents Tuesday, but said the building’s interior was damaged.
   Two of the women working in the store, Barb Roesner and Alta Wagler, were “rescued” by Hulce Supermarket owner Gary Hulce and his boat after being trapped inside for about two hours.
   Wagler said employees worked until 10:15 p.m. Monday to get the water out of the building.
   Other persons reported water in their basements in addition to water blocking several main streets.  Meridian Street was closed north of the railroad tracks until late evening.
   Greentown’s two earlier floods this year were June 30 and Aug. 5.