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Editorially Speaking:
Seein’ Things At Night
This newspaper has just received a campaign card,
designed apparently to further the candidacies of Floyd
W. Chamberlain and Thomas S. Moore for School Direc-
tor in Dallas Township.
BOX SCORE
Back Mountain Highway Deaths and
Serious Accidents Since V-J Day
7 Hospitalized Killed
DALLAS {90 ras
DALLAS TOWNSHIP 5.1 3
ps ; LEHMAN I 7 | 1
: ; : KINGSTON TOWNSHIP 2 | 3
% ; ; a & __ JACKSON TOWNSHIP 2
_ MONROE TOWNGHIP 3 1
ROSS TOWNSHIP 2
MORE THAN A NEWSPAPER, A COMMUNITY INSTITUTION LAKE TOWNSHIP 2 i
FRANKLIN. TOWNSHIP . ag
Vol. 61, No. 28 FRIDAY, JULY 13, 1951 8 Cents Per Copy—12 Pages orsL ali
The card carries the slogan: “Save Our School From
The Dallas Borough Land Grabbers.”
We question whether Mr. Moore, who conducts a busi-
ness in Dallas Borough, and who is dependent to a con-
siderable extent upon Dallas Borough citizens for patron-
age, was a party to the publication of this slogan.
If he
was he is a poorer businessman and school director than
we had suspected.
We hope that neither Mr. Chamberlain nor Mr. Moore
had anything to do with it for it is another example of
the warped thinking that has attempted in the past to
put a wedge between Dallas Borough and Dallas Township.
In itself the slogan is a sort of red herring to confuse
the issues in the coming election of school directors. The
issues are much larger and not so sirnple as the slogan
would indicate.
Actually the issue is whether Dallas Township School
District is going to be the only district in the Back Moun-
tain Area that refuses to face facts and do something
about them.
On the basis of accomplishment the present Township
School Board has failed completely to show broad vision
or foresight in matters of education.
It has done only
those things which it has been forced to do by the pres-
sure of a growing community. ]
It has been pushed to some accomplishment,
them late.
but it hasn’t once actually led the way.
Even then it has done
So place the
credit for any progress in the township schools where it
belongs—not on the directors.
The Board has steadfastly refused to cooperate with
other districts or to conduct a survey to determine what
its own needs are or will be within the next few years.
And in matters of educational policy it has been prone
to listen more intently to tavern keepers and politicians
than it has to sincere parents, educators and neighbours—
and probably with more understanding.
Aside from school matters, Mr. Chamberlain through
his petulance and attempt to bully Natona Mills into pay-
ing excessive taxes has done irreparable damage to the
cause of community unity in the Back Mountain Area.
Tt was he, unfortunately, who started the ball rolling that
finally wound up with Natona Mills applying for admis-
sion to Dallas Borough.
While this newspaper did not approve this step on the
part of Natona Mills, it cannot forget that Mr. Chamber-
lain played no part in bringing this industry to the Back
Mountain Area; sidestepped any commitment on taxes
which if given would have materially aided in encourag-
ing the plant to settle here; and finally attempted to ex-
ploit the firm when it did build here.
And why did Mr. Chamberlain do this?
Dallas Township Schools?
To improve
Emphatically No! Mr.
CRamberlain was out to further his own ambition to drive
a deeper wedge between Dallas Borough and Township
because of certain political rebuffs he had received earlier
in his own township—and that rankled in his soul.
FROM.
PILLAR TO POST
By Mgrs. T. M. B. Hicks, Jr.
The goose that battled his way to the auction block, hissing and
struggling, feathers flying, neck weaving back and forth like a striking
snake, brought down the audience by nipping everybody on the block,
ending up by taking a choice chunk of Harry Ohlman’s elbow. Harry's
howl of anguish could ‘have been heard in Shavertown without benefit
of public address system. He swung
ha
at the goose, but the goose neatly
sidestepped and came in again,
murder in his eye.
Among the livestock offered for
sale at the Library Auction, the
old grey goose and the black sheep
took top honors in entertainment
value.
Kicking rabbits, covering puppies,
ruffled ducks, indignant chickens,
faded into the background before
the acknowledged stars of the
show.
It was the black sheep who took
over the loud-speaker system and
registered disapproval of each suc-
cessive bid with a prolonged BAAA
of disdain.
“What do you think of ten dol-
lars?” inqiured Harry Ohlman.
‘“‘Baa-aa’’, said the black sheep,
flirting his tail.
“Have to have another bid. The
lamb says it isn’t enough”.
“How about twelve dollars?”
“BAA-AA.”
“Still not enough.”
Just about then it occurred to
the lamb that he wasn’t in his
usual pen, that he had been rudely
roused from sleep in the back of
the station wagon, and’ that he
ban go home now. .
He closed his eyes, stretched his
neck, and gave tongue, practically
shattering the loud-speaker and
making Bert Hill’s best efforts from
behind the scenes pale in com-
parison with the real article.
“BAAA-AAA-AAA”.
Harry massaged his ear, the
crowd rocked with delight, and the
bidding took a spurt for the bet-
ter, with C. A. Miller, Harveys
Lake, bringing home the lamb
chops.
If the brisk traffic in moustache
cups and shaving mugs is any in-
dication, the Back Mountain is go-
ing to spend its spare time this
winter raising moustaches and
shaving them off again. There
were some elegant jobs in gold and
blue, with and without saucers.
If there are never enough benches
to go around at the auction, it is
by intention. After a stout matron
has shifted from one foot to an-
other for an hour, she is delighted
to buy a decrepit kitchen chair
from the auctioneer, upholster it
with a board, and collapse on it
for the rest of the evening. She
usually abandons her utility ‘piece
at midnight, whereupon it is col-
lected and returned to circulation.
It is like renting a chair for the
duration, with the added advan-
tage to the customer that if she
wants to, she can take it home
and throw it in the attic, ready
for collection for next year’s auc-
tion.
Well,
year.
The Committees are going around
holding their heads, just as they
always do after an auction. All
chairmen are vowing never again,
but all chairmen will forget the
headaches by next year, and be
raring to go again.
There's nothing quite like the
Library Auction.
it’s all over for another
Candy Booth Turns
In $191 To Auction
The Candy Booth, Mrs. Robert
Fleming and Mrs. Peter Clark, co-
chairmen, turned in $191 to the
Library Auction. The booth, in-
advantageously placed on Friday,
with no lighting facilities for eve-
ning, did a land-office business
nonetheless.
On Saturday, with less. mer-
chandise to sell, the booth was
moved to a vacant space in the
Baked Goods area, and more candy
could have been sold during the
evening rush than there was on
hand. Lollipops and candy bars
were sold as well as home-made
candy.
Harry Allen Is Back
In Circulation
Harry Allen, Harveys Lake, who
lost a leg some six weeks ago at
General Hospital, is a new man
after the operation. According to
his daughter, Mrs. Fred Swanson,
he is hale and hearty, tanned like
a sun-worshipper, and very frisky
on his crutches.
Harry has been fishing every day,
he weeds the garden, he tends the
fires. He wishes now that he had
had the leg off months ago, and
is delighted that he is back in cir-
culation. He's been putting on
weight, too. Folks who clucked
distressfully over his chances .in
advance of the operation, are now
congratulating him on what seems
almost a miracle.
Flanagan Buys
Acme Building
On Main Street
Will Open Furniture
Store There After
Extensive Alterations
Ralph Flanagan of Harveys Lake
has purchased the former Acme
Market Building at the corner of
fain Street and Huntsville road
from Irving Karp of Wilkes-Barre
and will shortly open there a furni-
ture and household appliance store.
Completion of the transaction was
announced this week by James F.
Besecker, local real estate man.
The large two-story building with 1
a frontage of fifty feet on Main
street and a depth of 133 feet ai
Mill street, has been unoccupied
ever since the Acme Market moved
to its present location.
In discussing his purchase, Mr.
Flanagan said, Tuesday, that archi-
tects are now drawing up plans
for renovations which will include
the installation of a complete new
heating svstem, new floors, and a
new front. Germick & Friar of
Luzerne have the contract for the
new floors and the new front. Dod-
son and Hudack have the general
carpentry contract.
Mr. Flanagan said both floors of
the building will be used for sales
and display of furniture and that
when the store opens about Oc-
tober 1, it will be second to none.
Mr. Flanagan has been a resi-
dent of this area for the past four
years originally came here from
Norfolk, Va. He is the owner of
Flanagan’s Cut Rate at Harveys
Lake and general manager for
Jones Bingo concession at Sunset.
Service Club to Meet
Trucksville Service Mothers and
Wives Club will meet Monday night
at 8 at the Fire Hall. Mrs. Albert
Williams will preside. Hostesses
will be Mrs. Edward Staub, Mrs.
R. D. Shepherd, Mrs. Asher Weiss,
Mrs. Herbert Williams and Mrs.
Dale Zimmerman,
Construction At
Lehman School
Booms In June
Drainage Ditch Dug,
Concrete Poured,
Gym Remodelled
Construction work at Lehman-
Jackson High School is booming.
Since the first truck and bulldozer
got going on June 4, all concrete
has been poured for locker and
shower rooms under the stage in
the new gymnasium; all footings
of concrete poured; partitions rip-
ped out between shop and home
economics rooms; partitions in-
stalled in the old gymnasium, with
ceiling in place to convert to class-
rooms; boiler being assembled for
the new wing; and cinder block
work about to begin.
Digging the drainage ditch was
a heavy job. An unsuspected ledge
of rock with a high backbone had
to be blasted in the evenings after
work. The drainage ditch ranges
in depth from 6-10 feet and the
rock ledge in some places measured
4% feet. It took two weeks of
evening blasting to get through the
barricade.
There is a usable space above the
old auditorium, measuring 70x37%
feet, 8% in height between the
steel girders, 7%" over all, well
lighted because high windows in
the auditorium were left in place.
This will provide excellent storage
space.
Fire escapes will be installed in
the old building. When Lester
Squier became Supervising Princi-
pal two years ago, he asked for a
survey, feeling that the situation
was dangerous. Work will be car-
ried out in conjunction with the
building program.
The furnace room is being re-
novated.
The new boiler for the addition
is the same capacity as the one al-
ready in use, and arranged so that
either or both of the furnaces can
handle the load, depending on the
weather.
Lehman Fire Company will do-
(Continued on Page Eight)
Big Local Stand
Green Tomatoes
Centermoreland ‘Men
Plan Migrant Help
Prospects for the green tomato
crop in the Back Mountain area
are excellent this year, according
to James Hutchison, Luzerne Coun-
ty Agriculture Extension ‘Agent.
Between 700and 800 acres have
been planted, and there has been
sufficient rain to promote ' rapid
growth. Now all we need, says Jim,
is a good spell of sunshine and hot
weather.
One large field of Frank Heits-
man’s, Center Moreland, is already
blossoming heavily, with promise of
a huge crop. Frank has more than
twice last year’s acreage, 70 as
against 26. He plans to sell pinks
and ripes as well as green toma-
toes, though the main crop will be
green.
The other large grower in Cen-
ter Moreland is Carl Sickler, with
20 acres, also an increase over last
year’s planting. Whether the crop
will be all green or partially ripe
and pink, depends on how fast the
tomatoes come along and how
many pickers can be procured.
Heitsman will use negro help
this year, housing thirty in a con-
verted wagon shed with cooking
and sanitary facilities, Local School
child help is not satisfactory, he
says, because at the height of the
season, early in September, the
children have to return to school.
The Sicklers already have three
Puerto Ricans in residence, and ex-
pect more, perhaps twenty or
thirty, when picking starts. The
present trio are batching it in a
converted brooder house, with a
double electric plate for cooking.
Auction Notice
Those who left dishes, pots
and pans at the refreshment
booth during the Library Auc-
tion may pick them up at the
office of he Dallas Post. Any
one who contributed any ar-
ticle to the Auction which was
not sold may also obtain it by
calling at The Dallas Post.
PERFECT WEATHER PREVAILS
FOR FIFTH ANNUAL AUCTION
Perfect weather prevailed for the
Library Auction, both for the two
scheduled days on Friday and Sat-
urday, and for the unscheduled
Monday night repeat performance.
Folks who dripped through last
year’s supplementary session with
their neighbors’ umbrellas sluicing
down their necks relaxed in com-
fort Monday night.
With a large crowd in attend-
ance, prices held up until eleven
P. M. when they took a swift to-
boggan. From then on, until the
weary auctioneers dropped their
hammers at one A. M,, it was a
bargain hunter’s paradise.
By Tuesday morning the Barn
was a shambles, with the barn
committee, headed by Charles
James, stirring through the litter
to locate salable articles, and con-
signing the rest to the flames.
There were tremendous crowds
both Friday and Saturday nights,
satisfactory crowds Friday and
Saturday afternoon, and twice as
many people as expected on Mon-
day. “
Kenny Rice, who won the play-
house built and contributed by
Raymond Hedden, was on hand
to collect it at Six A. M. Sunday,
accompanied by a crowd of excited
children who had roused him at
dawn to transport the treasure.
It was Mrs. William Smith, Mill
street who got the corner cup-
board, Mrs. R. B. Wall, Kingston,
the rosewood melodeon.
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Howell were
successful bidders for the brand-
new Anthra-Flo contributed by
Paul Gross.
The spool cradle went to Mrs.
John Robinson; Mrs. Thomas Rob-
inson got four half-back chairs;
Mrs. Howard Risley a brass warm-
ing pan, a collector’s item.
Mrs. John Blackman, Jr., bid in
a side chair for needlepoint; Henry
Jones, in addition to a set of cold-
frames and a load of manure from
Mary Weir, bid in a set of four
ancient prints of Wilkes-Barre.
Joseph MacVeigh, a solid citizen
and staunch supporter of the Li-
brary, got stuck with his usual
line of unusable articles, including
a modern picture which looks as
Sixth Annual Library Ruction Surpasses All Others
well . upside down as right side
up, and best with its face to the
wall. Contents of his surprise box
will be found listed, with comment,
in Barnyard Notes.
Mrs. Stefan Hellersperk bought
the ancient car for $45; the surrey
with the fringe on top Herman
Thomas.
Dr. Sherman Schooley came in
for his annual ribbing, but folks
who were expecting him to buy
back his coonskin coat again, as
he has done for the past two years,
were disappointed. This time it
was a shaving mug with “Schooley”’
printed on it in gilt that turned
the popular doctor's wallet inside
out. His nephew, David Schooley,
bid against him.
Harry Ohlman’s voice held out
for two days of the auction, but he
had some help on auctioneering.
The clergy were pressed into ser-
vice, Rev. William Williams, Rev.
Robert D.- Webster, and Rev.
Frederick Moock, Jr., taking the
stand for a brief session apiece.
Bert Hill tried his hand at it, and
the old reliables, Howard Risley
and Al Gibbs, filled in the gaps.
On Monday it was Howard and
Al alone who held the fort, taking
turns on the block with runners
supplying them with materials for
auction.
Three antique cord beds brought
a surprisingly low price, antique
glass and china the exact reverse.
Many chests of drawers were auc-
tioned, most of them for good
prices. There was brisk bidding
for two cedar chests, Two settees
brought satisfactory figures, a day-
bed a good sum.
The only thing that was lack-
ing to make the announced goal of
ten thousand dollars an actuality,
was the time. There was enough
merchandise, both old and new,
antique and modern, but not en-
ough time to get it over the block.
But records show that total receipts
came within a few hundred dollars
of the mark.
Some lesser antiques were mark-
ed and placed on the trestle table
for direct sale Monday night. The
refreshment stand was open again,
Ki tinned on Page Eight)
When all accounts are in from
the Library Auction receipts will
run between $9,500 and $9,600
within a few hundred dollars of the
$10,000 goal set by the Auction
Committee. Last year's receipts
were about $6,500.
Shown in the upper left is part
of the crowd to the left of Auc-
toneer’s Block on Friday evening.
Immediately below, Harry Ohl-
man, auctioneer, sells a shaving
mug to Dr. Sherman Schooley on
Saturday night. Dr. Schooley,
leaning against the pole, is bidding
against nephew, David Schooley.
Bottom left, shows a part of the
crowd on Saturday night as Auc-
tioneer Ohlman sells a used Chev-
rolet Sedan contributed to the
Auction by Ralph Davis of Pioneer
Avenue.
Top center, D. T. Scott, chairman
of the new goods committee; Rob-
ert Bachman, clerk; Herbert Hill,
assistant auctioneer, and Ray
Evans of the Transportation com-
mittee are amused as Auctioneer
Ohlman sells a goose held by How-
ard Risley, general chairman. The
goose took a nip at all af them
before it finally went over the
block.
Center: Paul Gross, head of Coal-
O-Matic Steker company congratu-
lates Mr. and Mrs. Fred Howell of
Shavertown, who purchased the
Anthra-Flo heating unit given by
him for $480. Mrs. Howell was
chairman of the antiques commit-
tee and Fred was general utility
man doing everything he could to
put the Auction over.
Bottom center: Mr. and Mrs. Asa
Day buy a Coke at the refresh-
ment stand from Mrs, Daniel Robin-
hold, chairman. Mr. Day contri-
buted all of the Coca Cola used at
the booth. Evans Rexall Drug
Store contributed the Breyer’s Ice
Cream and scores of merchants and
innkeepers contributed the ham-
burgs and hot dogs.
Upper right: Part of the first
day’s crowd on Friday afternoon.
Center right: The fellow on the
far right with the big yawn is
‘Norti Berti. No one worked harder
on all committees at all hours than
Norti. Without him and his boys,
Billy and Jackie, no auction could
be a success.
Lower right: This overall shot
shows a part of the big crowd on
Friday night. That fellow to the
left at the rear of the auction block
is John Tibus, another without
whom no auction could be a suc-
cess. John, too served on all com-
mittees, the most important being
the committee that cleans up after
the committee on clean up has
cleaned up.
—Photo By James Kozemchak