PAGE TWO
Cries Of lamar Interrupted
A Staid County Teachers’ Institute
Tim McCarthy Recounts The Story
And Its Sequel Of World War Days
One of the outstanding events in Luzerne County annals
of education is the County Teachers’ Institute, conducted at
the time this article deals with, by the late Superintendent
Frank P. Hopper.
It was one of the largest gatherings and
the dynamic force of Prof. Hopper made it the mecca for not
only the 1800 teachers, but legions of their friends.
Frank P. Hopper had been at the helm for nearly a score
of years, establishing an excellent name for the calibre of his
speakers, and for the variety of the evening entertainments.
Many outside of the realm, which
would include school directors, press
men and politicians, were anxious
to have a contact with Prof. Hopper
and sought a means of getting a few
“Annie Oakleys’ for admission to
one or more of the sessions which
jammed Irem Temple. Mr. Hopper
had the happy faculty of remember-
ing his friends. Little wonder then,
that he was never defeated for re-
election to the lucrative post in the
County, the third largest in the
State.
This was a period of war while
today we are engaged in a period
“short of war”. It is meet to recall
a particular institute session in the
Fall of 1917 when the country was
actually in the throes of the thrust
and everybody's actions and speech
were watched with scrutiny, to de-
termine how good a patriot you or
I could be. y
After noon-day luncheon our
group wended its way to the Temple
for the afternoon discourse of mid-
week. The Hopper Institute was in
full bloom with favorable comment
from the press as to the prominence
and ability of the visiting speakers.
Nearly all of the speakers were
imported from some state or section
within the Union and had some
kind of National or at least sec-
tional fame, skilled in his particular
branch of learning, whether it be
geography, economics, civics, trav-
el, etc.
One of the invited guests, we shall
call him Prof. Alexander Halleck had
just begun his lecture on Civil gov-
ernment after a suitable introduc-
tion by Prof. Hopper, who was quite
pleased with the manner in which
his annual program was being re-
ceived; at least it was on par with
any others in his prolific career.
Prof. Halleck described the vast
amount of money that was being
expended on armaments for men to
“kill each other”. He cited that
we had over two million men under
arms at the time, with more on the
way: in the process of training, and
that was correct. Then he proceed-
ed to delve into the reasons for our
entry into the war and the disin-
tegration of civilization and ques-
tioned the wisdom of all of the tur-
moil. All the while the teachers
were absorbing the information with
complacency and of course there
was the usual quota who did not
pay much attention to what any
speaker was trying to portray to the
audience. That little group fall in
our category of those who were
there “because they were there’.
In the rear of the building stood
a stocky built, intelligent appearing
man, later proven to be a physician
and also a County school director,
Dr. Wilbur J. Davis, middle age,
with prominent handle-bar mustache
and a careful listener to what was
being said. He was not a city man
but he was not a “country doctor’
either, in the sense that he had no
interest in County and National af-
fairs.
Dr. Davis was a family man, with
a daughter at the institute at that
time and vitally interested in what
his country was doing. He was
drinking in all of the stuff dissem-
inated by Prof. Halleck and turning
it over in his mind.
Finally, and quick as a flash, Dr.
Davis concluded that he had with-
stood the attacks or biting criti-
cism against our foreign, or was it
our domestic policy, long enough
and entered the situation by a terse
interruption of the speech, from
the rear of the hall.
He challenged the speaker to
prove his assertions and shouted,
“I am inclined to believe you are
a Propagandist and a Pro-German
judging by your remarks”.
Everyone stood aghast, in awe,
at the audacity of anybody daring
to, interrupt a Hopper Institute
speaker. “The very idea,” said one
school marm. “Who is that man?”
asked another as Prof. Hopper and
likewise Prof. Halleck grew red in
the face. As far as known, it was
the first incident of its kind in the
reign of Prof. Hopper and he took
charge of the debacle as best he
could. The Superintendent had hired
the speaker but he himself was also
hired by the vote of the inquisitor,
Dr. Davis, which placed Mr. Hopper
in a rather neutral but delicate sit-
uation.
“This is no soap box affair,” yell-
ed an irate old timer among the
teachers.
These are samples of the cross
questioning that went on from the
first blast of Dr. Davis. He was not
a heckler, he was too intelligent for
that. Meanwhile Prof. Halleck soft-
ened his tempo and began to an-
swer Dr. Davis who by now was in-
furiated, with the applause being
“with” his adversary. Of course
few of the teaching body were aware
that the interrogator was a phy-
sician and also a school director.
Prof. Hopper knew all school direc-
tors in his sphere and some say he
could name by sight each and every
schoc} director on his roster,
The set-to continued with Prof.
Hopper exercising due discretion in
THE POST, FRIDAY, MAY 2, 1941
EE ————
enabling the two men to understand
each other. Distance separated
them, one on the huge platform and
one in the rear of the hall.
The intervention of Prof. Hopper
served to allay some of the bitter-
ness engendered in the questioning
and answering. Prof. Halleck en-
deavored to substantiate his position
by volunteering to offer for exam-
ination his record of patriotism as |
compared with that of Dr. Davis]
Such a boast naturally won some
favor from the audience.
The teachers obviously were not
going to turn their back on a Hop-
per speaker, no matter who he
might be. This patriotic challenge
was to be kind of a vindication for
the purport of his remarks and
again he was applauded. A daugh-
ter of Dr. Davis was in the audience,
a beginning teacher. She fainted at
the bitter argumentation going on
but was quickly revived. Perhaps
she was more embarrassed or mor-
tified than ill.
A few people felt for Dr. Davis,
but good order had now been re-
stored and the speaker continued
with the remainder of his speech.
Next morning the Wilkes-Barre
Record reported the affair and said
at the conclusion that Dr. Davis con-
tacted Prof. Halleck in the evening
to apologize for his interruption.
Relatives, in fact the daughter of
Dr. Davis, who is now deceased, but
the children are still living, refute
this phase of the Record’s report,
claiming their father did not call
up for any apology.
Now we come to a portion of the
embroglio that the public of Luz-
erne county never heard about.
It was revealed that two men of
unknown identity approached Dr.
Davis after the incident in the Tem-
ple and encouraged him in the stand
he had taken. It was only made
known lately that such a thing hap-
pened. These men said at the time,
“We have been following that fel-
low around the circuit waiting for
the proper time to bring him in”.
These supposedly unknown men
later proved to be Secret Service
agents or F. B. I. as they are now
called. They had been apprised of
the Pro-German slant given by Dr.)
Halleck to his speeches just as Dr.
Davis construed them to be.
That ended the Wilkes-Barre
flare up, but more follows:.
Three months afterwards, while
we were still at war the F. B. I. or
Secret Service men made a visit to
the Dr. Davis home in Newport and
informed the family of their pres-
ence and identity. Also of their
findings. They said that finally in
a public statement Dr. Alexander
Halleck went off on a tangent,
stuck his chin out too far in his
preparedness criticism and his ar-
rest was caused, and later a prison
sentence. He had made one too
many false or inopportune state-
ments about the Government's war
policy.
Some years later Dr. Davis’
friends realized that he was on the
right track when he livened up
the County Institute by his chal-
lenge to Prof. Halleck. His con-
cern for his country was uppermost
in his mind and he figured that the
speaker was inculcating in the
minds of the youth of our coun-
try a doctrine inimical to the gen-
eral welfare.
In the light of present day af-
9 Bodies Found—1 1-Year-Old Mystery Solved
-
On Dec. 12, 1930, David Lee, his wife and three children were reported missing. A nation-wide
search for the family was instituted, but to no avail, until workmen drained a pond near Springfield,
Mass., and found the answer to the eleven-year-old mystery. Submerged in the pond was found a battered
automobile containing the skeletons of the missing family. Police are shown retrieving the car.
Arnold Praises
Convention Aims
Local Post Will Send
Delegation To Altoona
National defense and the critical
condition of international affairs will
hold a vital place on the convention
agenda and undoubtedly will make
the Twenty-third Annual Convention
of the Pennsylvania Department,
American Legion, to be held in Al-
toona, August 14, 15, and 16, one
of the most important meetings ever
held by the State Legion, said Com-
mander H. B. Arnold of Post Dad-
dow Isaacs.
Five resolutions aimed at sabo-
tage and anti-American activities
have been proposed by the Execu-
tive Committee, said Commander
Arnold.
He said that, according to word
received from Commander William
Cole of Charles R. Rowan Post, No.
228, Convention Host, Altoona is
making arrangements to entertain
one of the largest crowds in the his-
tory of that convention city and
world-famous railroad center.
With Americanism and the Le-
gion’s own long-supported National
Defense Program dominant in the
Nation, interest in the Altoona Con-
vention is expected to be so keen
this year that plans are being made
and rapidly being pushed toward
completion to provide accommoda-
tion far in excess of 50,000 Legion-
aires at the Convention, Commander
Arnold said.
Commander Cole extended an in-
vitation to members of Dad-
dow Isaacs Post to attend the con-
vention sessions at Altoona, and
gave assurance that adequate provi-
sion will be made to take care of
all who attend.
“Altoona’s Jaffa Mosque, where
some of the convention sessions will
be held, has one of the largest audi-
toriums in the State,” said Altoona
Commander in his communication to
the Local Post, “ and everything is
being planned on a grand scale for
what Altoona expects to be the most
enthusiastic and active convention
on record in that department.
“It is certain that there is much
to be accomplished, and it is equally
they will be labeled with the stig-
ma of Pro-German, such as Dr.
Davis referred to Prof. Halleck at
the County Institute which resulted
in a few tense moments for well
nigh two thousand people.
Editor's Note. Dr. Davis, who
died 15 years ago, was the father-
in-law of Fred Pritchard, Luzerne
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certain that, along with the Conven-
tion work to be done, the Altoona
Post and the State Committee have
planned a program that will suit
every Legionaire and make the 1941
State Legion Convention at Altoona
as momentous as this year may
prove to be in national as well as
Legion history.”
Commander Arnold said indica-
tions point to a large delegation
attending from Back Mountain Re-
gicn. y
Noxen Tabernacle
Evangelistic meetings will be held
in the Tabernacle at Noxen Tues-
day, May 6, through Sunday, May
11, at 7:45 every evening. The Lan-
caster brothers will conduct the ser-
vice. The public is cordially in-
vited.
Lead Tournament
Mrs. Nicholas Cave of Huntsville
Road and her partner, Cal McHose
are leading in the Sandy Beach
Bridge Tournament being conducted
at the lake.
Huntsville Chosen For
Tri-County Convention
Tri-County Missionary Conven-
tion of the Disciples of Christ will be
held Friday, May 9, in the Hunts-
vpille Christian Church. Columbia,
Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties
will be represented. Huntsville
Ladies’ Aid Society will serve the
noon luncheon. Afternoon session
will be in charge of Mrs. David
Reese of Kingston.
Mrs. Murray Dies |
At Parents’ Home
Young Matron Had
Been Ill 5 Months
Mrs. Edith Meyers Murray, 35,
wife of Roswell T. Murray of Pioneer
avenue, Dallas, died Friday night at
6 at the home of her parents, Dr.
and Mrs. W. E. Meyers, Tilbury
Terrace, West Nanticoke, following
a five month’s illness of a heart
ailment. Until December, when she
was stricken seriously ill, Mr. and
Mrs. Murray made their home at
Lehman Heights and prior to that
time lived for two years in the Wil-
liam's apartments at Fernbrook.
Mrs. Murray was born at Stair-
ville, Salem Township, and was ed-
ucated in the schools at Nanticoke.
After graduation she assisted her
father in his dental office for a num-
ber of years. She was a young
woman of gracious personality and
wags well known throughout Nanti-
coke where during young woman-
hood she was active in the First
Presbyterian church and Young
Wcman’s Missionary Society. Al-
though not physically strong, she
had a deep appreciation of nature
and the out-of-doors and was an
ardent lover of birds.
She was married March 14, 1936
and for a time lived at Tilbury Ter-
race, West Nanticoke, later moving
to Dallas. Besides her parents, she
leaves three sisters, Mrs. Lloyd Col-
vin, New York City; Mrs. William
Walker, Plains; and Mrs. Albert
Davis, Tilbury Terrace,
Funeral services were conducted
by Rev. Joseph G. Kane, pastor of
the First Presbyterian Church of
Nanticoke, from the home of her
parents. Interment was in the
Stairville Cemetery. Profusion of
floral tributes and the huge num-
ber of friends who attended the
services spoke highly of the esteem
in which the young women was held
both in her home and adopted com-
munity. Pall bearers were: Clyde
Garrison, Grant Barral, Harry My-
ers, cousins of the deceased, and
George Turn, Ray W. Turner and
Lehman Will Have
All Steel Busses
Seven Are Awarded
Three-Year Contracts
First school district back of the
mountain to require all-steel-bodied
busses for the transportation of
pupils under the provisions of a re-
cent act of the Pennsylvania Legis-
lature is Lehman Township.
"When school opens next fall sev-
en new buses will be in service. Five
of them will be of 48-passenger ca-
pacity and two will be 60-passen-
ger capacity. Orders for the buss-
es have all be placed by the drivers
who were recently awarded threes
year contracts by the Board of Di-
rectors at its April 8th meeting.
Included among them are White,
International, Chevrolet and Dodge
makes.
Those awarded transportation
contracts are: Elmer Hoover, Lans-
ford Sutton, Carl Brandon, Albert
Ide, Loren Keller, Russell Ide and
Jack Graham. Graham and Russell
Ide will have routes requiring 60-
passenger busses. Loren Keller and
Albert Ide are new contractors as
the result of the recent competitive
bidding replacing Raymond Sear-
foss, Oliver Whitesell and R., L.
Dingle. The latter two did not bid.
MEEKER
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Brown of
Thompson, Pa. and Miss Thelma
Summers of Wilkes-Barre spent the
week end with Stephen Wolfe on
their way back from Florida.
Mrs. Edith King and Kenneth and
granddaughter, Virginia, called on
friends at Larksville Sunday.
* * x
Mrs. and Mrs. Benjamin Franklin
and daughter, Mrs. William Thomas
and children of Wilkes-Barre spent
Sunday with Mr. and Mrs. Charles
VanBuskirk.
Mr. and Mrs. James Davenport
entertained for a few days this week
Mrs. Clara Thompson and daughter,
Oliver Williams.
Helen of Highland, N. Y.
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