Editorially Speaking: Gutters Of Blood This community made its first payment on the new State highway this week with the death of Melvin Mosier; and we shall pay many such installments unless we be- come immediately aware that the new road is not a high- way but a revolution in our midst. There is little excuse for the tragic accident that robbed this community of one of its best known citizens; a man whose conservative manner of life would belie any thought that he was heedless or taking chances when death struck through the medium of a motor accident. Is life so cheap that we can afford to open a new high- way before proper safety regulations are installed? En- gineers planned months to make this highway reasonably safe; extra money was appropriated to eliminate danger- ous curves; but not one cent has yet been spent for the erection of stop signs, traffic lights or extra police pro- tection. If there has been any thought of a concerted plan for traffic regulation’ in Dallas Township, Dallas Borough and Kingston Township, we haven’t heard of it. We suppose it will take many such deaths as Melvin Mosier’s to stir us out of our lethargy. We've come to expect crippling and killing accidents on our highways and streets; a child is maimed on Pioneer Avenue, a pedes- trian has her limb torn off, a cautious citizen is killed, while we pretend that the State Highway Patrol will be our St. Christopher. For a long time this newspaper has advocated cen- tralization of police protection in the Dallas area. For a long time we have hammered for the reduction of speed on our highways with the admonition that automobiles under control seldom kill. Five weeks ago in this column we asked for uniform traffic control before these high- ways opened. Had we acted then, Melvin Mosier’s life might not have been sacrificed to make this editorial necessary. If we haven’t a vital interest in this new highway, we'd like to know who has. If we're willing to sit by and take it, while irresponsible youth, drunks and speed maniacs make its gutters run with blood, then we deserve the sneers and contempt they have for us. FROM. PILLAR TO POST We were pretty sure the All-Back Mountain program at Lehman was going to be a success early Thursday morning when our mother-in- law remarked at the table, “That stuff makes your fingers sticky doesn’t 627 marmalade on her toast, we caught Looking up from the morning paper to see if she meant the Our our wife swallowing a snicker. mother-in-law had got into some colored nail polish the night before and carefully administered a shine of carmine” to her finger tips. Since nobody had noticed, the offhand re- mark at breakfast made two of us startlingly aware that Memorial Day at Lehman would be a success— our mother-in-law was going along, pink finger nails and all. That was the first omen; but best of all the sun streamed through the plants in our eastern window onto the favorite spot on the floor where both the wire-haired “ter- rors” slumber in anticipation when we're home after seven-thirty. After much useless tailwagging and a couple of defiant yelps from Mike —the smart one—we decided to leave the dogs home and wipe their week-old muzzle marks off the windows of the car for the day at least. That was how we knew that the All-Back Mountain program was going to break all records—even before we saw A. J. Sordoni grin- ning beneath his sombrero astride the favorite horse he had ridden from the Lake to Lehman, or before we saw Lewie Deal in wild-western chaps riding a spotted cow pony over everybody's lawn. That was even before we saw “Doc” Body- comb in his militant outfit lining up his contingent of Odd Fellows for the parade and long before Jim Besecker arrived in front of Corey Major's house with the Dallas fire truck and as hardy a delegation of Laing Fire Fighters as we've seen at many a brush fire. It was a pretty sight along the State road as we jumped out of the car to let our wife take care of mothers-in-law for the rest of the day while we helped to organize the parade—our only excuse for being on a committee. There was the Dal- las Township Band in bright red and white uniforms waiting by the road- side and being kept patient by their director, Evelyn Knappmann, while back of them in the ditch was Fred Swanson with the Harvey's Lake pumper and further backs Francis McCarthy with the Trucksville out- fit. Mrs. Stanley Davies was ar- ranging her forest green clad Girl Scouts in orderly files as Lehman band with martial music led by Joseph Clouser marched down the road behind a whole front row of whirling Dervishers and high-step- ping drum majors. George Stolar- ick’s two mules in a nearby meadow pointed their ears straight toward the north star as two of his horses pranced and pawed the earth in time to the music. The parade was beginning to take form. Paul Shav- er and Brook Arnold, both out of breath and followed by Charles Stookey, Dominick Dodder, Clare Williams and other Legionnaires jumped out of a belated car to form their division just as the Dallas High School Band came up in squads looking “for their leader, Howard Hallock. Earnestly the Townsend Club got in line; “Pop” Covert and his minions of the law, Leonard Harvey and “Jimmie” Gansel threw a guard of honor around the Pack- ard loaned by Jim Oliver to. give character to the members of Dallas Borough Council who headed the parade. H. Austin Snyder, general chairman gave the signal, drum ma- jors’ whistles sounded down the line, the All-Back Mountain Memor- ial Day parade was under way. WILL DIRECT CLINIC . . . Dr. Robert M. Bodycomb, Dallas dentist, who will direct the dental clinic for school children sponsored by Dallas Woman’s Club. Woman's Club Sponsors Ne Dental Clini Dr.R. M.Bodycomb Will Direct Work Among School Children As a part of their service pro- gram, Dallas Junior Womans’ Club is completing plans to open a dental clinic for school children from the Back Mountain area in September under the direction of Dr. Robert M. Bodycomb. Children in grades 1 to 4 in Kingston Township, Dallas Town- ship, Dallas Borough and Lehman school districts will receive dental care at the clinic. Dr. Bodycomb is not only giving his services free of charge but is taking an active part in outlining the program and help- ing the club organize the new project. Committee members in charge: Dallas Township, Mrs. John Yaple, Mary Jackson, Mrs. Sheldon Fahr- inger, Mrs. Raymond Elston, Mrs. Kenneth Oliver; Dallas Borough, Mrs. Robert Bodycomb, Mrs. Joseph Schmerer, Mrs. Peynton Lee; Leh- man, Mrs. H. Austin Snyder, Mrs. Frances Lewis, Mrs. Clyde Cooper; Kingston Township, Mrs. Kenneth Adams, Mrs. Della Thompson, Mrs. William Jones, Mrs. R. J. Breslin and Mrs. William Connor. Service Station Redecorated Larry Lee’s Service Center on Main street, Dallas, has been re- decorated with an attractive coat of white and green paint and new lettering by Sev. Newberry. MORE THAN A NEWSPAPER, A COMMUNITY INSTITUTION 1. 2. 3. 4. vey’s 5. Vol. 51 s FRIDAY, JUNE 6, 1941 No. 231 o> markings and numerals on all homes in Dallas, Shavertown, and Trucksville. which will train men and women in national defense measures. Dallas Borough. er highway between Dallas and Har- tion in the Dallas area. THE POST WANTS: Permanent and legible street Emphasis locally on activities The installation of fire plugs in The construction of a new, short- Lake before 1942. Centralization of police protec- More sidewalks. Seven Local Men Pass Army Tests Board Will Send 46 Men During June Seven boys from this area were among 46 selectees accepted for mil- itary service Monday out of 59 men sent to the Wilkes-Barre examining station by Draft Board No. 1. Under the new selective service set-up all of the 46 men will leave the Draft Board Headquarters in Wyoming at 7 a. m. Monday, June 16, by D., L. & W. train for the army reception center at New Cum- berland, Pa. Among those accepted from this area are: James Glen LaBar, Dal- las; Thomas John Makravitz, R. D. 3, Dallas; Herbert Hill, Jr., Shaver- town; Richard James Trudgen, Shav- ertown; Douglas William Ridell, Trucksville, and John Maxwell Carle, Trucksville. When the call comes for their services all will be inducted into the army direct from Draft Board No. 1 headquarters at Wyoming with the knowledge that they will not be rejected during any subse- quent physical examinations, as might have been the case under the old system of sending men to the Wilkes-Barre Induction Center for physical examination and in- duction on the same day. One of the principle purposes of the new induction plan being test- ed in Pennsylvania is to give the selectee a “breathing spell” at home between the time he is approved for the general military service by the U. S. Army and his actual induc- tion. Total number of men accepted for military service from Draft Board No. 1 in all previous calls has been 100 men, with an average of two calls a month, none of the monthly calls exceeding 40 selectees. Of the 3,960 men’ registered with Draft Board No. 1 about 1,500 have received questionnaires and been placed in their respective classes for immediate service. or deferrment. Among those originally registered 2,460 yet remain to receive ques- tionnaires and be called for exam- ination or deferrment. This reserve will be increased by anticipated reg- istration on July 1 of 250 to 300 young men who have reached the age of 21 since the last registration day. Drunken Driver Given Hearing Highway Patrol Stops Zig-Zagging Trucker William L. Powell, 43 S. Landon Ave., Kingston, was given a hearing before Justice of the Peace John Q. Yaple last night on charges of driving through Dallas Borough on Wednesday afternoon while under the influence of liquor, Powell was picked up by a detail of State Motor Police while zig- zagging a G. M. C. truck through Main street, narrowly averting col- lisions with other automobiles. When stopped by patrolmen he be- ~4 came antagonistic and at first re- fused to accompany them. He was given a medical examination by Dr. G. K. Swartz and pronounced “drunk” after which he was con- fined to the Harvey's Lake police station. Powell will either be given a hearing before a Luzerne County Judge this morning or put under $500 bail for appearance before the Grand Jury. Want Bus Line Extended Residents of Goss nor ha filed a petition with Wilkes Barre Railway Corporation to have inter- urban bus routes extended to in- clude service in that area. fighting for vital points. Nazi Tank Blaste! Out Of Action British soldiers examine a German tank after it was blasted out of commission somewhere in the African desert, probably in.the northwest of Egypt, during the see-saw battles the British and Nazis have been (Central Press) High School. Excavation Will Open New Section Forty Lots Brought To New Street Level The high dirt bank along the easterly side of the new State high- way, from the Lehigh Valley cross- Ex near the Y intersection with Dallas spur highway, is being re- moved by Banks Construction Com- pany for a distance of 500 feet, opening an entirely new business building section. More than 20,000 cubic feet of earth removed from the high point will be used as fill for a distance of 500 feet along a lower adjoining section of the highway, and the whole area for a distance of 1,000 feet will be brought to street level with the roadway, thus opening forty new building lots from Cem- etery St. to Fairfield St., near the Lehigh Valley crossing. It is expected that the work of excavating, filling and grading will take from three weeks to a month. Lots in the area are owned by L. A. MacHenry, Kingston realtor, and Joseph Banks. The dirt being removed is equiv- alent to the excavation of 200 cel- Ilars. Harvey Kitchen Suffers Painful Eye Injury Harvey Kitchen of Alderson suf- fered painful and probable serious injury when a piece of gravel flew through the ventilator of his car and lodged in his eye last Friday. Mr. Kitchen consulted a local physi- cian who removed the particle, and when inflammation persisted, ad- vised him to seek further help at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia. Monday he underwent examination and treatment at the hospital and is now on the road to recovery. BROTHERS MEET AGAIN AFTER BEING APART FOR 27 YEARS There was a happy reunion in Shavertown this week when Horton M. Averett entertained his younger brother, James K. Averett, of Iola, Kansas, whom he hadn’t seen for 27 years. Mr. Averett drove in from the west with his children, Mr. and Mrs. Luther Watkins of Wichita on Friday. Asked how he liked the Pennsylvania mountains as com- pared with the flat lands of Kansas the younger brother said he hadn't seen a thing since he struck the east “except up.” Both men were born in Illinois and have an older brother in Okla- homa that they haven't seen for 27 years when they were all to- gether in Kansas when their father died. When Horton Averett was eight years old the family moved to Illi- nois where his parents bought land along the 25-mile right of way given the railroads in- those days. The railroads sold the land for $5 an acre and there the boys helped their father till the big and fertile farm. They recalled how as youngsters they fought the racing prairie fires that threatened their buildings, with burlap sacks saturated in pails of water. Although Horton Averett came to Pennsylvania 32 years ago he un- derstands his brother’s reaction to Pennsylvania hills. He recalls how he used to wonder in those days what was on the other side of every mountain = he passed, but soon learned to throttle his curiosity be- fore he wore himself to pieces find- ing out. Melvin Mosier Is Killed In First Fatal Accident On New State’ Ro Four Occupants of Other Automobile Ere Also Injured—One Seriously Melvin Mosier, Sr., of Kunkle was fatally injured in the first serious automobile accident on the new Trucksville-Beaumont highway early Saturday night when his light delivery truck figured in a collision with an automobile driven by Daniel Murray Edwards of Alderson at the inter- section of the old Dallas road and the new highway near Dallas Township Mr. Mosier was returning home alone after making deliveries of farm products in Dallas and had apparently gained the right side of the new highway when the two ma- chines came together throwing him out of the truck and onto the high dirt bank on the eastern side of the roadway where he was picked up unconscious. In the other machine which overturned were five youths returning to Allentown after spend- ing Memorial Day at Harvey's Lake. Lee Groninger, Laureldale, a pas- senger in the Edwards automobile, had his left ear badly sheared and suffered deep lacerations of the face and head and possible bone frac- tures. He was taken to Nesbitt Memorial Hospital by Marion Powell and Gertrude Kintz, who arrived shortly after the accident in the Powell station wagon, and upon reaching Dallas with the injured man asked Timothy LaBar to drive for them. Three other occupants of the Ed- wards machine, Robert Plummer of Reading, Carlton Wood of Allen- town and Richard Wisniewski of Spring City, were hurt. Groninger and Plummer were admitted to the hospital and Wood and Wisnieski were treated. A Mr. Dailey of Tunkhannock took Mr. Mosier to the hospital where he remained unconscious until his death Monday night. Edwards, whose mother conducts a tap room at Alderson, was com- mitted to Luzerne County Prison Tuesday morning at a hearing be- fore Alderman S. Miles Barber of Wilkes-Barre on a charge of ‘invol- untary manslaughter ‘but was later released on bail furnished by Charles Lord of Harvey's Lake. Prosecutor in the case was H. A. Nyman of the State Motor Police, Harvey’s Lake substation. Trooper F. A. Miller was his witness. In the accident Mr. Mosier re- ceived a fracture of the skull, con- cussion, contusions of the head and face and shock, his injuries re- sulting in complete paralysis. The location of the accident is one of the most dangerous spots along the new highway being at the in- tersection of the Irem Country Club Road, Old Dallas Road and Kunkle Highway. A rise in the new high- way just beyond the intersection obscures the vision of motorists ap- proaching from Kunkle and con- ceals on-coming automobiles from drivers entering the new highway either from Dallas or the Country Club road. There are no stop signs, traffic lights or other protective devices. ~ COPIES OF SCHOOL ISSUE PRINTED ON NEWS STOCK MAY STILL BE OBTAINED a The supply of 1,000 extra copies of last week’s Dallas Post school issue printed on enamel stock has been exhausted. There still remain, however, a limit- ed number of copies printed on news stock for those who were unable to get the special issue at their news stands. These copies may be obtained at the office of The Post on Lehman Ave, ay KNOW YOUR NEIGHBOUR 3 H. AUSTIN SNYDER Snyder Directs Lehman Schools Clergyman’s Son Has Showman's Instincts The tall young man in white linen suit who calmly directed activities Memorial Day in Lehman was H. Austin Snyder, supervising principal of Lehman school for the past six years. To his foresight and energy goes credit for the inauguration of a civic program which will do much to cement the loyalty of Back Moun- tain citizens with each passing year, and to his ability as an executive and administrator goes credit for the excellent school system that is now being evolved at Lehman. H. Austin Snyder is no martinet, he has no sensitive ego that is dis- turbed by the enthusiasm or zeal of his subordinates. He works well in double harness and gets results without appearing to drive or tram- ple over others’ rights. That's why he is a natural leader and why boys and girls swear by him, while still giving him their respect and obeying the rigid discipline that makes his school outstanding. The son of a Methodist minister father and a school teacher mother, Austin Snyder comes from a line of educators. His father, Irving Lott Snyder, served charges many (Continued on Page 8) Senior Classes Bid Farewell To High School Days Kingston Township And Lehman Programs Are Scheduled Next Week Scholastic activities in the rural region will come to a close in ail high schools with Commencement exercises at Lehman on Monday night followed by those at Kingston Township next Friday night, June 13. Traditional exercises were held at both Dallas Borough and Town- ship Schodls last night. Dallas Borough The program at Dallas Borough High School where 23 Seniors were graduated, opened with a proces- sional by the High School Band and was confined for the most part to addresses by members of the Senior Class. The program: Invocation, Rev. Francis. Freeman; “What Can I Do,” salutatory address, Claire Ralston; selection, “Long Road” and “Alma Mater,” by Class of 1941; “Opportunities for the Graduate of 1941,” address, William Carroll; sax- ophone solo, by John Jewell; man- tle oration, Robert Niemeyer; re- sponse of the class of 1942, Louis Kelly; selection, “Come to the Fair,” and “Deep River” by Glee Club; “Ed- ucation for Defense,” valedictory address, Eloise Hunt. T. A, Williammee gave brief re- marks after which diplomas were presented by Clyde N. Lapp, mem- ber of the school board. The pro- gram closed with benediction by Rev. Mr. Freeman and recessional by the band. Dallas Township At Dallas Township exercises, Thomas M. Lewis, former District Attorney, addressed the 34 mem- bers of the graduating class. The program opened with the invoca- tion by Rev. David Morgan of Al- derson Methodist Church. Student addresses were : “The' Value of a Liberal Education,” by Marie Poad, and “Never Retreat,” by Ethel Har- ris. The High School Band fur- nished selections and the girls’ chorus gave two numbers, “The Mill Wheel” and “Song of the Danube.” Diplomas were presented by S. N. Goss, member of the school board. Lehman Class Night activities will be held at Lehman High School tonight with Baccalaureate sermon by Rev. F. K. Abbott at Lehman Methodist Church Sunday night. The Commencement program for the 21 members of the Senior Class will be held Monday night in the High School auditorium with Dr. George F. Dunkelberger, of Susque- hanna University, as speaker. The valedictory will be by Nancy Parks and the salutatory by Victoria Niez- goda. Presentation of the American Legion Flag will be by Jessie Bon- ning, fourth honor student, to the Junior representative. Special music will be by the girls’ chorus. Kingston Township Baccalaureate services at Kings- ton Township will be Sunday after- noon at 4 in the high school audi- torium. Rev. Harry Savacool will use as his sermon topic, “This is Our Father's World.” Mrs. Benja- min Jenkins, soloist, will give two numbers, “Thanks Be To God’ and “The Living God.” At the final auditorium program of the schools at 1 p, m, Friday, June 13th, athletes in all sports will receive letter awards. The Ameri- can Legion award to the outstand- ing citizen, boy or girl in the eighth grade, will be given by Kingston Township Veterans’ Association. W. C. T. U. contest winners will receive awards. Notice will be given to the students having perfect attendance during the year. The last assembly is as important to the student body as Commencement is to the gradu- (Continued on Page 8) Dr. Henry M. Laing Fire Company has appointed a committee com- posed of James F. Besecker, John Roberts and Burgess H. A. Smith to work with other citizens in an ef- fort to secure a new postoffice build- ing and village mail delivery in Dallas. The committee was heartened this week after conferences with Con- gressman J, Harold Flannery who promised he would make every ef- fort to have a new postoffice build- ing for Dallas placed in the Fed- eral budget but who warned at the same time that local postoffice volume has a great deal to do with favorable consideration of such pro- jects by postal authorities in Wash- ington. — BS} volume in the Dallas office has in- The committee pointed out that BUY YOUR STAMPS IN DALLAS IF YOU WANT NEW POSTOFFICE creased steadily during the past seven years, reaching a point last year where it merited a change of classification to second-class rating. This change, according ‘to Post- master Joseph Palocky, will mean further conveniences to local pat- rons because stamp windows will be open at all times and the office will remain open Saturday after- noons. After the conference with Mr. Flannery, the committee urged a campaign to have all local resi- dents buy their stamps from and transact postal business with the local office. They believe increased receipts from now to the first of July will have great bearing upon the favorable reaction of postal authorities when efforts are made to include a new postoffice building for Dallas in the Federal budget.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers