Looking Back
100 YEARS AGO, JUNE 14, 1922
⬛ Closing exercises were conducted in each of the grades at the St. Joseph parochial school on the 9th, marking the end of the school term. Twentyone students were passed from the 8th grade into high school. They may attend either Blume High School or the St. Joseph commercial high school.
⬛ Harry Riley, 27, Western Ohio conductor, who was injured in a collision on the interurban near Piqua a week ago, has improved sufficiently so that he could be brought to his home. The Siferd ambulance went to Piqua to remove him to the Riley residence on Dearbugh Avenue. He continues to improve, though he has lapses of consciousness at times.
75 YEARS AGO, JUNE 14, 1947
⬛ Factory workers, business men and others who have had experience in driving tractors should help farmers get their plowing and fertilizing done, if and when the weather breaks, according to Clarence Brown, county agricultural agent. “If the weather clears up, farmers will wear themselves out driving their tractors,” states the agent. “Fortunately power equipment will operate 24 hours a day if operators can be secured and there are many men in town who can help out a few hours each day during off hours. If any city man can do this work I urge him to contact some farmer or let the County Extension Office know about it,” states Brown.
⬛ The third birthday of the Wigwam will be celebrated Friday night with a dance at the recreation center. The doors will open at 8:00 o’clock with dancing from 9 to 12 to the music of Quincy Dray and his orchestra. A floor show is scheduled at 10:30 with a cake contest later in the evening.
⬛ Reverend and Mrs. R.J. Loew and Ella Loew of St. Louis, have returned to this city from Cleveland accompanied by Miss Hildegarde Loew, who graduated from Elmhurst College, receiving a Bachlor of art degree. She also received a degree in bachelor of science from the Library School of Western Reserve University. Miss Loew will visit with her parents until July 1 when she will accept a position as assistant county librarian in Warren.
50 YEARS, JUNE 14, 1972
⬛ About $200 damage to the wood frame on the Schneider’s IGA building, 512 S. Blackhoof, resulted after a discarded cigarette started a fire at 10:07 yesterday. Fire Chief Ed Osborne said someone had flipped a cigarette in the window well near the building and it ignited some leaves.
Firemen were at the scene for about one hour.
⬛ Durg indictments filed against nine area youth and young adults were dismissed yesterday morning by Common Pleas Court Judge Gerald Rone at the request of prosecuting attorney H. Mchael Moser. The youths faced charges for purchase, use, possession, or control of hallucinogens, which stemmed from a November 1971 raid at a local residence. Moser clarified the fact that the prosecution would not tolerate cases such as these in the future. In conclusion, he said that a valuable lesson was learned and the community was made aware of a drug problem in Wapakoneta.
⬛ Miss Laura Jane Siferd, daughter of MM Charles Siferd of 307 W. Mechanic Street, will be graduated from the Toledo Hospital School of Nursing on June 15.
⬛ Dan Howe, son of MM Frederick Howe of 310 Stinebaugh Drive, has been accepted by the Youth for Understanding exchange program. He will live for two months this summer in Acapulco, Mexico. A 1972 graduate of Wapakoneta High School, Dan is planning to attend Ohio State University in Columbus this fall.
⬛ Vic Amato, who graduated from BGSU last week with a major in Journalism, has joined the editorial staff of the WDN. He and his wife, the former Susan Bedder, live at 801 Gardenia Street, Apartment 5. Interestingly enough, Vic is the grandson of Ben Fogt, a former manager of the WDN and Spencerville newspapers.
25 YEARS, JUNE 14, 1997
⬛ Amid growing speculation, the owner of Fitness World, Inc., has announced the exercise facility will permanently close, effective today. Lori Schroer said the fitness center, located at 1201 Defiance Street, will transfer the approximately 400 existing memberships to the Auglaize-mercer YMCA. Schroer withheld news of the closing from several of her employees until yesterday. Philip Schlenker, president of Schlenker Developments, which owns the building, said the facility will close, in part, in an effort to support the future Wapakoneta YMCA.