| YEARS GONE BY ARCHIVES |
| The Call of April 5, 1918 MANY APPLICANTS FOR SCHOOLS The fears of the board for teachers for the ensuing term have been obviated during the past two weeks. A large number of students from college who were home for the Easter vacation, personally interviewed the members of the board for positions. True not all of these candidates were from Schuylkill Haven but from towns in this and the surrounding counties. One of the candidates is taking a special course in French and will graduate in June. One or two of the present corps of teachers has studied the French language and should she be retained another year, will devote her summer vacation to still further study on the subject. No less than a dozen names of young ladies were mentioned as applicants for positions for teachers, together with about a half dozen male applicants. The board took no action on the applications until it is first ascertained how many of the present corps of teachers will be applicants for their old positions. ONLY NECESSITIES FOR SOLDIERS Postmaster John Ebling this week received instruction from the department at Washington that only necessary articles would be sent to the soldiers abroad. These articles will only be sent upon the written request of the soldiers and before the articles are accepted for shipment at the local post office, the written request must be displayed and likewise be placed in the package. The same ruling also applies to express and freight shipments. The new ruling went into effect on the first of the present month. The above action was prompted by military necessity and must be rigidly enforced. PUBLIC SCHOOL NOTES The present week found one of the present farm plots plowed and placed in shape for immediate planting. This plot is located on Haven Street. Should the weather conditions continue favorable, one or two of the other plots will be plowed before the close of the week. It has been decided to make each of the farm garden plots this year ten by fifty feet or a little larger. This is considered of sufficient size to keep the average individual busy the entire summer months. Apparently Congressman Heaton has heard of the efforts of the School Board to promote farming and of their earnestness and this week forwarded additional seeds for distribution. SHOP EMPLOYEES SUBSCRIBE FOR STAMPS The employees of the Reading car shops displayed the patriotic spirit on Tuesday afternoon when they were visited by Assistant Postmaster Frank Gehrig and the members of the letter carrier force. The visit to the shops was made for the purpose of interesting the employees in the War Savings Stamps. The employees responded gallantly and nearly $500 worth of stamps were sold and subscribed for. Quite a number of the employees were unable to subscribe at the time but will do so at a later date when they will be visited by the employees of the post office. The Call of April 12, 1918 LESS DRINK FOR A NICKEL Spring Garden hotel keepers were notified on Wednesday that the price of beer and porter hereafter would be $12 a barrel. This means that less drink will be served by the hotel keepers for a nickel. It is also understood that the price of branded whiskey is to go up and no surprise would be sprung if fifty cents a glass were charged. It is estimated that only a sufficient amount of whiskey is in bond to last until the middle of summer and no more is being manufactured. GO TO LAW, AGREE EACH TO PAY HALF COSTS The early history, condition and residents of that portion of the town known as the Dutch Flat was reviewed in court this week by a number of the town's older residents. The occasion was an action of law brought by Mrs. Amanda Bautsch brought against John Sirrocco to restrain the latter from using the driveway between the Columbia Hotel and the Schuylkill River. The case opened Tuesday morning before Judge Bechtel and would have continued possibly the entire week but for the compromise agreement reached late Wednesday afternoon. By the settlement Sirrocco or his successors are granted the right to use the driveway in question as long as a coal washery is in operation. Each side agreed to pay one half the costs. The plaintiff was represented by George M. Paxson of town and J. Moyer of Pottsville. J. A. Noecker of town and A. D. Knittle of Pottsville represented the defendant. POTATOES IN GROUND ALL WINTER Mrs. Ellen Straub of Union Street, while preparing her garden this week, dug up nearly half a peck of potatoes that had been in the ground all winter. These potatoes had been overlooked last fall and were in an excellent state of preservation. It simply proves that although the past winter was a severe one, the frost did not enter the ground to a great depth. GYPSIES WERE ENCAMPED NEAR LONG RUN A band of gypsies were encamped near the Long Run school house the early part of the week. They were given more than ordinary attention by the farmers of the locality. Only last year a band encamped near Friedensburg and it was necessary to invoke the aid of the law in order to make them restore missing articles. Tuesday they left for parts unknown. About a half dozen wagons and a score of men, women and children composed the outfit. $70,000 LIBERTY BONDS SOLD The Third Liberty Loan Campaign was officially launched in Schuylkill Haven, Saturday evening last, with a street parade and mass meeting in the high school auditorium. The parade was participated in by a larger number of persons then was expected and the auditorium was comfortably filled, showing that the public is enthusiastically interested in the loan campaign. According to the estimate given by the Liberty Loan Committee, Thursday as to the amount already subscribed here, Schuylkill Haven is going to "Go over the Top," this time sure. Not including the Thursday subscriptions the amount subscribed was $70,000. The solicitors all report meeting with greater success with this loan then they did with the first and second campaign drives, indicating that the public of Schuylkill Haven is going to stand by her two hundred boys she has in the service. As the government will give a large sized Honor Flag to the town subscribing its full quota by ten percent pf the population, every effort is being made to secure the flag. During the week an Honor Roll was placed in the Post Office. On this honor roll will be placed the names pf persons purchasing bonds. The Call of April 19, 1918 A GARDENER AT 86 YEARS Few communities can boast of a gardener at the age of 86 years. Spring Garden, however, has one in the person of Benjamin F. Gehrig. Mr. Gehrig has passed his 86th birthday anniversary. Unaided he has dug a large patch of ground and has planted the same. Besides the cultivation, he personally attends it and shows it with considerable pride. The garden would do credit to a person considerably younger than Mr. Gehrig. NINETY SCHOLL CHILDREN WILL HAVE WAR GARDENS Seeds were planted in a number of the farm garden plots this week and before the close of the ensuing week, the majority of the ninety school plots should be under cultivation. Superintendent Hoover is more than pleased with the interest already manifested in the plots. The rain and snow of last week interfered considerably with the planting. A surprisingly large number of early cabbage plants will be placed as they are being offered for sale at the local markets. THIRD TRACK TO POTTSVILLE The Reading Railroad Company has awarded the contract for the construction of a third track between Schuylkill Haven and Pottsville Junction, although the third track may not reach Schuylkill Haven proper for the time being. However, it will reach the Mine Hill Crossing. The contract for the same was awarded this week to the H. Deanberger Construction Company. This company will also do the masonry work. Work will be started the first of next week. EMPLOYERS LIVING UP TO THE LAW Deputy factory inspector James Hunter, paid a visit to Schuylkill Haven this week and paid the town a great compliment. He stated that all of the employers are living up to the law to the best of their knowledge, and that this is one of the greatest towns on the state for manufacturing establishments. Schuylkill Haven has just reason to be proud of her industries. The Call of April 26, 1918 BOYS BREAKING WINDOW PANES A crowd of boys, residing in the vicinity of Berne Street, are finding great amusement in throwing stones and breaking window panes. Sometime Saturday or Sunday they broke several in the Bast factory, the stones on the floor being evidence. Manager Samuel Bast of the mill stated this makes the fifteenth pane broken by stone throwing and he intends to have placed under arrest the first boy caught. Not contented with this, the boys have nailed wire across rear gates and stable doors. JACKSON WORTZ ROBBED OF JEWELRY Jackson Wortz, caretaker at the Unique Theatre, is lamenting the loss of a gold watch and chain and several pieces of jewelry. An entrance was forced to the rear of a building a strong box containing his few valuables, rifled. A small sum of money secreted nearby was overlooked. Mr. Wortz could place no amount on his loss but claimed that the watch was over fifty years old and an heirloom which he valued more than money. His suspicions rest upon several well known youth. PUBLIC SCHOOL NOTES At the next meeting of the school board several heads of families will be notified to appear and explain the absence of their children and their not furnishing of proper excuses. It appears that there are four or five families in town who have no fear of paying a five dollar fine and costs of prosecution. That the Schuylkill Haven school district is not behind in the line of study given scholars of towns and cities elsewhere in the state, was demonstrated this week when two new scholars, aged 12 and 15 years, were admitted, the parents but recently moving here. Both children could read capital letters and pronounce words like "ate" but some words did not know whether it spelled book or trolley. It is said that the boys were in some institution until but recently. One working certificate was also issued this week. |
| ADS FROM THE CALL NEWSPAPER IN APRIL OF 1918 |