Looking Back

Through the pages of the Wapakoneta Daily News

100 YEARS AGO, SEPTEMBER 19, 1920

 Jasper Newton Porter, Union Township Civil War veteran, passed away at the home of his daughter and son-in-law on September 17. Mr. Porter was a life-long resident of this county. He was aged 77 years, 9 months, and 8 days at the time of his death. He served 100 days in the Civil War as a member of Co. 7, 156th Ohio Volunteer Infantry.

 PEACHES—TWO (train) cars fancy Yellow Alberta Freestone Peaches. These are the best caning peaches that grow. They are for sale through your groceryman and we are sure that they will more than please you. Buy while you can get them. Palmisano & Co., Wholesale Commission Merchant

75 YEARS AGO, SEPTEMBER 19, 1945

 The Auglaize District Scouters’ get-together was held at the Harmon Field park here. A committee composed of Otto Stienecker of St. Marys and Ferald Ritchie and Cletus Zofkie of Wapakoneta handled arrangements and refreshments for 26 area Scouters. The Fall Court of Honor for Auglaize district was later held in Elks Home. Emmett Lusk of Wapakoneta present Ned Kuhns, 609 West Pearl street of Troop Four with the Eagle Scout award, the highest rank in scouting. He introduced MM M.T. Kuhn, parents, and C.C. Zofkie, Scoutmaster. Dick Vossler, a member of Troop 4, was also congratulated by Mr. Lusk, who presented him with the Eagle Scout Bronze Palm award. Harry Knost of Wapakoneta presented the 2nd Class Scout award to Gerald Harrison, Troop4;and Bill Davidson, Richard Gossett, Fred Puschel, and Don Steveley, Buckland Troop 73. First class awards were presented by Howard Craig of Wapakoneta to Lee Harmony, Don Sharp, Billy Reed, Harold Harjehausen, John Ahlers, and Don Lampsher, all of Troop 61, Buckland. Scouts who received Merit Badges as awards from Ferald Ritchie were: Jim Meier, Mark Doorley, Dick Vossler, and Ned Kuhn, Troop 4; Norbert Rohrbaugh, Charles Preaar, John Chapman, and Paul Schnell, Troop 14.

 The annual Bethel homecoming near St. Johns will be held on Sunday. Sunday school will be at 9:30 a.m. and church service will be at 10:45 a.m. The speaker for the morning service will be Professor F.L. Burger, Ohio Northern University. Afternoon speaker will be the Rev. Tennyson Guyer of Celina. A basket dinner will be served at noon by the Bethel Ladies Aid hall. Everybody is welcome.

50 YEARS AGO, SEPTEMBER 19, 1970

 Girl Scouts of Wapakoneta Troop 49 performed a public service for the community this week when they cleaned up the park behind the downtown parking lot. The girls were at the park for a picnic as part o their work toward a backyard fun badge. Following their picnic. They picked up six grocery bags of litter which had accumulated at the park. Girls participating in the clean-up were: Brenda Burkart, Theresa Hibner, Cindy Hines, Susan Lietz, Karen Schweitzer, Amy Spencer, Toni Veit, Marsha Yost, and Diana Brown. The girls were supervised by Troop Leader Mrs. Robert Lietz and Mrs. Frances Spencer, substituting for assistant Troop leader Betty Burkhard.

 At a recent meeting held at the home of Mrs. Frank Fetter, 505 W. Pearl Street, promotion plans were made for the annual Women’s Retreat of St. Joseph Parish, which will be held at the Maria Stein Retreat House. Committee members include Mrs. Robert Wahrer, Sr., Mrs. Anthony Dorsten, Miss Judy Jurosic, Miss Catherine Berg, Miss Catherine Culleton, Mrs. Russell Loyer, and Moss Anna Strominger.

25 YEARS AGO, SEPTEMBER 19, 1995

 Letters to the editor were submitted by Dill Dellinger, a civics teacher at Wapakoneta High School….

 TO THE EDITOR: I’m a student at Wapakoneta High School and I totally disagree with the policy against our rights as students to be free at our home football games. At last week’s game I was sitting in the visitors’ bleaches when I was forced to sit in the section fenced in for students. I have been attending football games for as long as I can remember. I watch the game. I don’t cause trouble and most everyone I know obeys the rules set by the Wapakoneta City School System. Never have I been so violated, or constructed in this way. This is not only against regularly set school policy; it’s also in violation of our 14th amendment right. The illegal acts against the students of Wapakoneta should and will be stopped before it turns too cold for students to wait until half time to use the rest room…..so I call all students to join in our quest for freedoms, and tell the people of Wapak exactly how you feel.—randy Fisher