181. More Meaningless Winchester Shorts

  The Winchester city council held a short, routine session on its regular monthly meeting. Principal topic of discussion was traffic lights.
  Mayor Ralph WEST explained to the council that a stop light has been put at the intersection of Union and Fourth streets to protect elementary students going to Morton school from the increased traffic caused by the opening of the new high school on Union street. The traffic light is at the swimming pool intersection.  September, 1967.
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  Reed Pharmacy's new owner, Fred STOTELMYER, will have a Grand Opening July 12, 1946.
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  The Peoples Loan & Trust Bank has bought the old Youth Center building on North Meridian street and the Jim GROVE Company has started tearing it down.
  It was operated for many years as the city Youth Center, but was gradually abandoned. Reasons given by the city were difficulty of obtaining supervisory personnel, lack of adequate use, high cost of maintenance and the poor condition of the building.   July, 1967.
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RAINBOW RESTAURANT   FIRST ANNIVERSARY  NOVEMBER 20th, 1944
  Everybody Welcome   FREE  Coffee and Donuts  Roses for the Ladies  Cigars for the Men
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Letter to the Editor;
  When are the people of Winchester going to do something about the teenagers roaming the streets between the hours of midnight and dawn! They ride bikes and drive their cars at breakneck speeds through the streets and alleys at all hours. At other times they travel on foot in groups of three or more, noisily going down alleys and streets, across lawns, knocking down or tearing up whatever they see fit. Waking up people with their noise, some people will say that they haven't heard of any serious damage. That may be true but what's to stop them from going farther. The women of this neighborhood, who have husbands who work at night, have awakened many times recently to hear these boys and are afraid.
  How do these boys get out without their parents knowledge?
A Worried Mother and Property Owner.   June 29, 1954.
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  A young Winchester man narrowly escaped being hit by a Pennsylvania freight train at the crossing a half mile south and two miles east of Ridgeville at 12:30 Sunday morning.
  The Randolph county sheriff's department said that Larry O'BRIEN, 18, Winchester, crawled out of his overturned auto, righted it, but then quickly moved from the tracks as a northbound train smashed into it.
  Before his crash, O'Brien had driven his eastbound car on Ind. 28 through a barricade set up at the crossing where track repairs are underway.
  Sheriff Jack COX said today that there are flasher signals at the crossing and that the barrier had been set up a week and the road blocked from Ridgeville to Deerfield because of the crossing work.
  O'Brien's car crashed through the barricade, drove onto the tracks, slid south a hundred feet and overturned onto the driver's side. The youth crawled out of the auto and was just able push it over onto its wheels before the train demolished it.
  O'Brien sustained a cut on his left elbow and damage to the barricade was minor.   July. 1967.
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1956 "Twirp" Dance At The Youth Center.

  The Youth Center held a "Twirp" dance where the girls get to invite the guys. Dancing lessons, taught by Jeanine McHOLLAND, also were included in the dancing session. Refreshments were provided by the Youth Center.
  Those attending were: Linda Kay HOLDEMAN, Carol Jean RAMSEY, Evelyn WHITACRE, Olivia Dee RUNKLE, Donna Jean SPEED, Ruth Ann ODLE, Roberta CANADA, Linda BRUMLEY, Betty LAWSON, Janet PINGRY, Judy ELDER, Roberta CLOUSE, Brenda PFLASERER, Sheila SIMMONS, Mary Alice BOOMER, Kathie SIMMONS, Linda WOLFE, Stephanie BARNES, Alayne FITZMAURICE, Donna KAUGHER.
  Linda COCHRAN, Sue Anne, HUNT, Patty MURRAY, Mary Lou CEJNAR, James OZBUN, Bill FISHER, Terry HOLADAY, DONALD KELLY, Michael ROMACK, Jack WOOLF, Mike METZ< Steven RECTOR, Tim COCKERILL, Pete LASLEY, Stephen CONKLING, Mike DURBIN, Douglas LOWE, Hollis COCHRAN, Thomas CROYLE, Russel OZBUN, Jerry CAMPBELL, Jerry LOGAN, John COCHRAN.   March 27, 1956.    (If my memory is correct we had a Twirp dance at ol' WHS about this time, 1955,'56.)
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  Louis NAROTSKY, iron, metal and coal dealer, is in his thirty-fourth year of continuous business in Winchester, having opened his first yard in 1913 at the rear of the Max ROMIZER blacksmith shop on West Franklin street with L. HINSHAW and Merl CHENOWETH as partners.
  At that time the business was known as the Narotsky Iron and Metal company. The three men continued in business in that location until 1925 when they moved to the present site at the corner of Railroad Ave. and North West street and went into the coal business. Two years later, in 1927, Mr. Narotsky  bought his partners out and continued in business alone.
  Bookkeeper for the organization is Maybelle CONYERS, who has been with Mr. Narotsky 14 years this month.
  Mr. Narotsky and his wife Gladys, live at 548 West South street.   April, 1947.
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Indiana & Michigan Electric Co.  NOTICE TO OUR CUSTOMERS  We will be in our new building, located at 200 N. Meridian St., across the street from the Post Office, Monday Jan., 23rd, 1956.
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Dr. D.C. LIND has opened new dental offices on Ind. 32 at Ind. 27 at the east edge of Winchester.
Mrs. Lind, the former Jane Marie THOMPSON, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Thompson, 608 W. South Street Winchester, will be employed until the end of January in the Home Economics department of Indiana University.
The couple has now purchased the former ZALTSBERG home at 605 W. Franklin St., Winchester.  December, 1967.
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  The city officially welcomed Wal-Mart this morning when the nation's largest retailing chain held it's grand opening ceremony in Winchester.
 Dignitaries from Winchester and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. were on hand for a spirited celebration of local officials, store managers and more than 100 employees.   October, 1991.
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  Patrick S. RADY has been employed as physical education teacher and varsity basketball coach in Winchester Community high school, Randolph Central Supt. Edward GLENN announced.
  Rady has been varsity basketball coach at Bainbridge High School for the past five years where his teams have won two Sectional Championships, two Regional Championships, Conference Championships, County Tourney Championships and a Holiday Tourney. His teams in Bainbridge have established the record of eighty-four wins and thirty losses. Rady coached Larry STEELE who played on the Indiana All-Star team and was a starter as a sophomore for the University of Kentucky for the past season.
  The new WCHS coach is a graduate of Hanover College in 1963. His teaching majors are Physical Education and Social Studies. He has completed most of the work for the Master's Degree at Indiana State University.   June, 1969.
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THANKS!  Having sold Sullivan's Drive-inn Restaurant to Mr. and Mrs. Laverne SUMWALT, we wish to take this opportunity to express our sincere thanks to our many loyal friends for their patronage during the past thirteen years. POP & EDYTHE SULLIVAN.   July, 1960.
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Cable TV Has Arrived In Winchester.   SIGN UP NOW for this limited time offer and we will install Cable TV service in your home free. You pay only the regular monthly rate of $5.00 and you save the regular $15 installation charge. If you are not completely satisfied you may cancel your order at any time during the first 30 days of service and your money will be returned in full. See more TV stations than you ever saw before and see them perfectly. You will say Goodby Ghosts, So Long to Snow, Farewell to Flip, Flop and Flutter.  GTEC Cable TV.   July, 1967.
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The Brown Street Market by the High School has sold to W.E. (Gene) STUDY, now a resident of Stone Street. Mr. Study is updating the store very successfully.   1955.
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Local Girls In Crash.  Linda MOORE, 18, has been removed from the intensive care unit at Ball Memorial hospital but is still in serious condition with severe head injuries which required surgery.
The driver of the car, Margaret WYATT, 18, was treated at Jay County hospital for head and face cuts, including a forehead laceration requiring 25 stitches.  December, 1967.
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Increased postal rates go into effect January 7, 1967. The new cost for a First Class stamp will be six cents.
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Maora's Grocery.  Roy F. (Sonny) McKIBBEN, 32, Winchester, is recovering at his home from a broken leg suffered in a fall on icy pavements several days ago.
He fell in front of the McCOY grocery at 327 Union st. in Winchester and splintered his ankle bone and broke the main bone in his leg.
McKibben is employed at the grocery as a delivery truck driver. Married to Ann PARTRIDGE, he has three children, Anna Mae, Roy and Melanie.
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180. Sorghum Mills, Divorce, WW II Soldier Killed, Etc.

Recent Donations to the Museum:

Abstract beginning with the sale by the U.S. Govt. of 160 acres in Randolph county to David CONNER, July 10, 1817. This was on the Mississinewa River near what would be Ridgeville. It lists these owners after Conner up to 1891;  Thomas BALOW, Jeremiah COX, William DOTY, Aquilla LOVALL, Jessie MAXWELL, Joshua ALBERTSON, Ephriam JELLISON, John SIPE, George SIPE, Morton Sipe, Robert COLLINS, William H. PATTERSON.

A large certificate, 14" x 17", from the U.S. Post Office dated Jan. 8, 1889 appointing Columbus R. CARTER as Postmaster at Snow Hill, Randolph County.

1952 McKinley Senior picture. 21" x 27", framed.

A framed, 17" x 22", High School Diploma, dated April 19, 1922, Monroe High School, Monroe Township, Randolph County, Indiana. It was issued to Georgia Mae FRAZEE.

A collection of WWII military papers belonging to Paul E. DODD were copied for the genealogy files. Paul was wounded by artillery fire on the Anzio Beachhead, March 1, 1944 during the Allied invasion of Italy. He received the Purple Heart medal, the Bronze Star and Combat Infantryman Badge.
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THORNBURG Monument dedicated.   The dedication of a monument recently erected to the memory of Isaac and Rebecca Thornburg will take place Sunday one mile east and three miles south of Windsor, Randolph County.
  The program will consist of group singing led by Marceil Thornburg, a talk on early life in Randolph County by Philip KABEL and the original poem, "In Memorium," by Mrs. Bert Thornburg.
 The dedicatory address will be given by Joe Thornburg.
 The program will be announced over a public address system.   Win. J-H, Sept. 26, 1942.
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WW II.   Union City Soldier Killed in France.   The first death message regarding a member of the United States armed services who went into the army while living in Union City, Ind., came yesterday morning to Mrs. Alva CRAWFORD of 218 South Walnut street and was as follows:
  "The Secretary of War desires me to express his deep regret that your son, Staff Sergeant Robert L. Crawford, was killed in action on June thirty in France. Letter follows. Signed, ULIO, the Adjutant General."
  Except for a few kind neighbors the mother bravely bore the terrible news alone for several hours. The father, who worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad Co., did not reach home until evening and the other children of the family were out of the city.
  Sgt. Crawford was born Nov. 9, 1919, at 218 South Walnut street which was his home until he left for army service. His parents are Alva and Mary KEAGY Crawford.
  Entering the military service in December, 1941, the month of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, he received his training at Camp Croft, S.C., Camp Polk, La., Camp Pickett, Va. and Indiantown Gap, Pa. His last visit home was in June, 1943 and he went overseas soon after that time. He was a member of Co. G, 36th U.S. Armored Regiment, one of the units actively engaged in the invasion of France at Normandy which began June 6, 1944. His last letter home dated June 16 does not state his location or his activities, but his reported death on June 30, according to the message from the War Department, clearly indicates that in a strange land, 3,000 miles from home, he gave his bright, promising young life "in performance of his duty, in defense of his country." No higher tribute can be paid to any American.
  He leaves his parents, five sisters and six brothers.   July 28, 1944.
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Sorghum Time, 1942.   There's a current of activity around Randolph county's two cane mills for it's sorghum time and wartime sugar rationing has given new incentive to production of the golden syrup.
  Older and larger of the two mills is WEIMER's Sorghum mill, located three miles northwest of the courthouse. It was located there 14 years ago and is managed by Alva Weimer whose family has been operating a sorghum mill in the county for nearly a century.
  The other mill is north of Carlos and is managed by O.W. ALBERTSON of Lynn. Much of the work done here is on a co-operative basis or is custom work.
  The run at the Weimer mill began September 1 and probably will last until the middle of November this year because of the unusually heavy crop, Mr. Weimer said. Farmers as far away as Berne, Celina, Ohio, Marion and Connersville are served by the mill.
  Cane is brought in by the growers, stacked in the yard and carried to the crusher on a small truck running on rails. Since payment is for the gallonage produced and not for the amount of cane brought in, each farmer's production of syrup is recorded separately. Heavy rain has kept the gallonage down this year, Mr. Weimer said, and 15 gallons is the average production from one ton of cane. Production on the acre basis amounts to about 100 gallons for an acre of cane, although in other years the amount has been 125 to 150 gallons.
  The capacity of the plant is 300 gallons daily on eight to ten hours of work and storage capacity is 1,000 gallons.
  The cane first is fed into a crusher and the juice extracted there is piped into one of four vats on the second floor of the mill. From there it descends successively into five boiling vats. The color gradually fades from green to golden brown and finally is drained into cans or jars and packed for distribution.
  The Albertson mill, established in 1904, is producing 25 to 30 gallons of syrup each hour. It is running 12 to 14 hours daily and seven or eight men are employed steadily.   October, 1942.
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MONROE.   Alonzo (Lonnie) Monroe, Winchester roof painter, yesterday in Randolph circuit court filed complaint for divorce against Lulu Monroe, charging cruel and inhuman treatment. William A. GUTHEIL, Winchester attorney, represents the plaintiff.
  Judge John W. MACY issued a court order restraining Mrs. Monroe from molesting her husband pending final action of the case. The plaintiff seeks to recover personal property, included in which are four hens and 60 small chickens, and claimed that his wife had threatened him with bodily harm.  July 3, 1942.  (She was a mean old girl. Two weeks later she was arrested for assault and public intoxication. Judge Macy gave her 60 days in the Indianapolis Women's Prison.)
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   It's official now, there's a Guard Unit in Winchester, Co. K, 151st Infantry, Indiana National Guard.
  The unit comprised of three officers and 28 enlisted men, was awarded federal recognition in ceremonies in the Knights of Pythias lodge hall in Winchester.
  The guidon carried by Co K in combat was presented to Captain Roy BARNES, commanding officer of the unit, by Lt. Col. Kenneth MARLIN of Farmland, commander of the Third Battalion.
  Of more than usual interest: Winchester Mayor Harry FRAZE, lieutenant in World War II, now a buck private in the N.G., privates Med STULTS and Omer RAISOR, clothing store owners, were plying their trade by taking measurements for uniforms; Bill HUNTER, a lieutenant colonel in the last war, looking on; Cecil BOLINGER, a navy man, associating with the army, now a private; Bob Cox, the County Recorder, taking pictures and Earl FLATTER on hand to see his son Bobby become a private in the unit.   March, 1948.
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Harrisville Grocery Closes.   The voice of the auctioneer dictated a new chapter in the history of Harrisville as the goods of the Ashton WICKERSHAM grocery were sold on the block. When the sale was over and the store ceased to exist it marked the first time since 1851, 91 years ago, that the community has been without a grocery. Job HARRIS was the man who opened the first store and shortly thereafter laid out the town.
  Thus within a week residents of two Randolph county pioneer communities, first Deerfield and now Harrisville, have become doubly handicapped....no grocery stores and little gasoline available due to wartime rationing to go to markets.   December, 1942.
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Lance Cook 1950-1968.   Lance Cook, 18, died from injuries received in an automobile accident July 20, 1968. Lance, son of Mr. and Mrs. Russell Cook of Winchester, was born May 30, 1950. He was a June graduate of the Winchester Community high school and was one of Winchester and Randolph county's most outstanding distance runners of the past decade, holding WCHS records in the mile and the half-mile. He was his schools top cross country man during his junior and senior years, in both of which he advanced to the IHSAA cross country regional meets.
  Lance played trumpet in the high school band, was a four-year member of the Student Council, was an Eagle Scout and a member of Explorer Post 57. He was an officer in the DeMolay, was a member of the Winchester United Methodist church and was an officer of its Methodist Youth Fellowship.
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Want to learn more?
Visit The Museum.
     Hours vary with volunteer availability. Check the website or Facebook for current open to the public hours or call/message/email to arrange an appointment.
Facebook group: Randolph County Indiana Historical and Genealogical Society

Visit the website.
     Here is a link to the cemetery database.  https://rchsmuseum.org/cemeteries-database

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     Scroll to the right or below the article to click "FOLLOW" to get email updates as soon as a blog is uploaded.  This is a great feature to share with family and friends who are not active on social media.

179. Early Winchester Schools

Bob KIST and Phil KABEL talking Winchester schools in 1946. Bob was with the Winchester Journal-Herald, Kabel was head of the county Welfare Dept, with an office in the courthouse and also the county historian.

Kist:  In rambling around I dropped in to have a chat with Phil Kabel. In his reminiscing he told about the old schools in Winchester:
  First was the little log cabin school that stood at the northwest corner of the intersection of North East and East Washington streets where Dr. BRENNER's clinic now stands. (103 North East St. is the School Superintendent's office today, 2020.)
  Then the little one room school house on the back lot where Aunt Hannah MARLATT lived on East North street. (133 East North, the northwest corner of North East and East North, across from the library.)
  Then the little building that stood on the lot later occupied by Aunt Lou WAY on South Main street where the Summers mortuary is now located. (313 South Main street, a private residence now. Behind and close to this brick house is a huge Oak tree. This has to be the largest Oak in Winchester if not the county.)
  Then the little brick building that until recently stood on the lot on Will street back of the Walter PARRY home.
  Then the brick school house on North Main street, the home of old Doc HIATT, (Terry and Nikki ALFREY today), the man who built the little colored church many years ago where the Perry BAKER hatchery now stands. ( The hatchery was on the north side of the Union City pike just as you start around the curve between what is now Goodrich Park and the horse track where race horses were trained. WCHS High School is there now. I think John HOUSEL's son lives in the house today. One of the buildings is still standing, the brown, glazed block brooder house north of their home.)
 The little school house is now used as a residence, and the old church now stands west of Winchester and is occupied as a home by one of our progressive young farmers. (The church was on the grounds where Troy PUCKETT's dairy and house were. All were torn down when the Japanese auto parts plant was built.)
  Then the Old Seminary that stood on the south side of West Franklin street. (The seminary was on a large lot on the south side of W. Franklin just as you start the curve towards the Village Pantry. The building was a one story brick, measured 35 feet by 45 feet and cost $2,300. It was built in 1841 and was closed and sold in 1851. There was a CARTER Bros. Woolen Mill and then a Wagon company there for awhile.) Telling about the Old Seminary girls, Kabel said that they were some of the finest old ladies of our community, Aunt Belle EDGER being the last of these.
  Then the old Central school which was erected in 1867 and was dismantled when the Carnegie Library was built, about the first graduating class in 1875 consisting of one boy, Will MONKS, and one girl, Alice KIZER, and their course of study, two of the subjects being "Evidence of Christianity" and "Navigation." Phil said they probably needed to study navigation as the east side of the public square on down to Salt creek was a swamp. (If you are at the Washington & Meridian street intersection and look in all four directions, the streets run downhill towards either Salt creek, Sugar creek, White River or south to the Wildcat Ditch that runs thru the golf course. All of the area around Winchester was low and wet. South Meridian was known as the "Mud Road.")
  Then the old South Ward and North Ward. The South Ward school was on the northwest corner of S. Main and Orange street. A small city park is there now. The North Ward school was on the southwest corner of N. East street and Third street. John and Jason MYERS have a garage there today.
  Then the high school building that was destroyed by fire on the site where our present high school is located (1946.)
  Then the Francis E. Willard and the last one, the Morton school in 1916.
  Phil said their old swimming hole was the big Willow tree in White River just north of the old colored church, and the one thing he recalls was the big sign that stood in front of the church ; 'Cease to do evil and learn to do good."
  Phil thinks that Percy GOODRICH will remember this sign, as he spent many of his boyhood days on the farm just across the road from this old church. He also opined that he went to school in the third story of the old Central school and "when the wind blew it rocked like a boat." (Who remembers the swaying hallways in the old Winchester High School?)

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Randolph County, Indiana 1818-1990
Commonly referred to as "The Red History Book"
Compiled by the Randolph County Historical Society, 1991, Second reprint 2003.

Read page 303-374 to learn about "School History."

Read page 304 to read the article "Oldest School Record" as submitted by Philip Kabel. It is details of the file found in the Randolph County recorder office.

Read page 323 to read the article "White River Township" which is a list of school names and addresses.  Also read the article "Winchester Public Schools" for a list of school names and addresses.

Read page 324-326 to read the article "Winchester Schools" that includes photos of early schools. It is noted the article was originally written by Oscar R. Baker in 1934.

Read page 326 to read the article "Old Settlers Girls Reunion" to learn more about the school located west side of Winchester.

Read page 184 to read the article "Records of Physician's License Law 1897 Randolph Circuit Court." It is noted to list Brenner, Andrew Max. It is noted to list Hiatt, John A.

To obtain your own copy of "The Red History Book" stop in at The RCHS Museum Shop or send an email to arrange placing a mail order.

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Want to learn more?
Visit The Museum.
     Hours vary with volunteer availability. Check the website or Facebook for current open to the public hours or call/message/email to arrange an appointment.
Facebook group: Randolph County Indiana Historical and Genealogical Society

Visit the website.
     Here is a link to the cemetery database.  https://rchsmuseum.org/cemeteries-database

Follow the blog.
     Scroll to the right or below the article to click "FOLLOW" to get email updates as soon as a blog is uploaded.  This is a great feature to share with family and friends who are not active on social media.