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Community Corner

This Was Doylestown, 1939

A look back at Doylestown, 72 years ago this week.

From the Doylestown Daily Intelligencer, Week of May 14-20, 1939

Speaker discusses dictatorship in Austria -

[Editor's note - In the March 1938 "Anschluss," Germany sent troops into Austria in a bloodless invasion, took over the government and annexed the country. The Nazis imposed a ruthless dictatorship, including harsh anti-Semitic laws against the Jewish population.]

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Mrs. D. Robert Yarnall, of Philadelphia, spoke about the situation in Austria before the Bucks County Women's International League at the American Legion Home in Doylestown on Friday. Mrs. Yarnall, whose husband was a Quaker emissary to Germany last Winter, has her own background of knowledge from her work last year at the Friends' Center in Vienna.

"It is thrilling to go to a meeting as you can here," said Mrs. Yarnall. "In Vienna, not more than eight can meet together. No one who has not lived under a dictator can conceive what it is like. Anyone expressing a criticism of the government is in danger of his life. People are utterly subservient to the state.

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"The persecuted people of Vienna are hungry for talk, starving for companionship." said Mrs. Yarnall. "It is extremely dangerous to talk to them. There is a terrible atmosphere of fear and suspicion which becomes fantastic. Substantial bribes are offered school children to inform on their families' attitudes, making for an awful situation.

"In the German program for 'purity of race,' people who have been secure find their lives completely changed when the blow falls. Their jobs are gone. People can be turned out of their houses without notice. There is an overhanging fear of being sent to a prison camp, a ghastly fear of never knowing what a day may bring forth. Some member of the family may be taken away without any explanation. There are innumerable suicides," the speaker said.

"It is not a simple and obvious matter to being these oppressed people out, but needs the best and calmest thinking and planning, not prejudice, We must exercise restraint, yet fulfill our responsibility," concluded Mrs. Yarnall.

 

Scholastic meet winners awarded medals -

Nine Doylestown Junior High School boys and girls, who competed in the Bucks County Inter-Scholastic Meet last Saturday in Quakertown, were presented medals and ribbons during the junior high school program Wednesday by J. Leonard Halderman, supervising principal [superintendent] of the Doylestown schools.

The three first-place winners include Lois Le Worthy, grammar; Luelle Ambler, silent reading; and Louise Olmstead, spelling. The trio received gold medals.

The two pupils who received silver medals include Enoch Moore, who placed second in oral reading; and Virginia Hendricks, who placed second in spelling.

For placing third in writing, Charlotte McKinstry received a bronze medal.

The two blue-ribbon winners include Jean VanBuskirk, who place fourth in writing; and Doris Jane Hobensack, who placed fourth in arithmetic.

Perry Bisbing, who placed fifth in arithmetic, received a red ribbon.

Military funeral held for National Guard sergeant -

Sergeant Robert C. Cooper, who was injured fatally on Sunday in an automobile accident, was given a full military funeral by members of Company D, 111th Infantry, Pennsylvania National Guard, on Wednesday afternoon. Sergeant Cooper was a member of the company for 14 years and one of its most faithful and admired officers.

The Rev. Alexander B. Davidson, pastor of the Methodist Church, was in charge of the services held at Sergeant Cooper's home, on South Lafayette street.

About 300 friends and relatives attended the impressive military ceremonies held in the Doylestown Cemetery. About 50 Guardsmen, under the command of Lieutenant William F. Polk, attended the service. The pall bearers included Guardsmen Hardel Griffiths, Charles Dillon, Francis Mayers, William Smith and Norman Brinker.

A color guard and rifle squad paid tribute to the late officer. Frank Walton, 16-year-old Doylestown school bugler, sounded taps.

 

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Soroptimists hear about Bucks county notables -

Declaring that about 150 writers, representing every classification, compose Bucks county's literary colony, Miss Grace Chandler spoke on "Bucks County Writers" at a dinner-meeting in Doylestown Monday evening of the Soroptimist Club of Bucks County. About 20 members attended.

"They include, of course, novelists, short story writers, poets, mystery story, children's and moving picture scenario writers, humorists, columnists, playwrights, biographers and historians," said Miss Chandler. "The darlings of the columnists are Pearl S. Buck, Dorothy Parker, George S. and Beatrice Kaufman, Moss Hart, Bella and Sam Spewack and S.J. Perelman."

Dorothy Parker was described as "three-in-one" because she is a wit, poet and short story writer. "Miss Parker's real fame lies in her short stories. One of the drawbacks, I think, is that she makes her readers do some of the work," said the speaker.

She mentioned the visibility of George S. Kaufman, who is one of the greatest figures in the American theatre, as a playwright, director and collaborator with Moss Hart.

Miss Chandler paid tribute to Mrs. Josephine Herbst, who lives near Erwinna, and has written such novels as "Nothing Is Sacred," "Pity Is Not Enough" and "Rope of Gold." Mrs. Herbst "is almost the forgotten woman of Bucks county although she has lived here longer than many others. Her books are serious social studies and are not popular with those who only read to be entertained."

 

Cattle auction held in Doylestown -

Breeders paid close to $18,000 for about 60 bovine aristocrats at the Eastern Pennsylvania sale of Guernseys held Friday at the Doylestown Fair Grounds [located on a site bounded by East Court Street, Swamp Road, Maple Avenue and East Street].

Between 200 and 300 people attended the sale, which was in the charge of H.M. Pate, manager, Harry Pate read the pedigrees. Walter Andrews, of Beach City, Ohio, was the auctioneer, and Earl Spunger, of Columbus, Ohio, was the assistant auctioneer. E. Newlin Brown, of Doylestown, also was one of the assistants.

Two cows, which were bought by the Brian Bori Farm, Inc., of Harlingen, N.J., brought the top price of $650. One was "Wonder's Foremost Edna," which was consigned by A.P. Irwin, of Chadds Ford Junction. The other was "Valleywood Borie," which was consigned by George C. Klauder, of Penllyn.

"Ultrawick," a prize bull, was sold for $600, the top price for bulls, to E.B. Smoak, of East Jewett, N.Y. The bull was consigned by Henry W. Leeds, Locust Grove Dairies, Westville, N.J.

"Greenfield Lorene," which was consigned by J. Howard Cliffe, of Ivyland, was sold to Ralph T. Crowell, of Buckingham, for $200.

Among those who consigned animals to the sale was Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States Owen J. Roberts, of Kimberton [Chester County].

 

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Doylestown Town Notes -

Nate Gorelick, of Doylestown, who was a member of a fishing party on Sunday at Anglesea, N.J., caught 56 fish, including flounders, weakfish, croakers, shadporgies, long seabass and whitings. The fishermen experienced unusual luck because a storm at sea aroused many of the species which are hard to catch.

Harry Nelson and Jesse Goss, members of a Hatfield bowling team, on Monday evening defeated Earl LaRue and Lewis Worman, of Doylestown, by a score of 131 points on an alley in the Doylestown Bowling Center.

Doylestown High School seniors will be measured for their caps and gowns in the office of the principal, M. Elizabeth Lamb, on Thursday afternoon at 2:15 o'clock.

Mrs. William Cooper will be in charge of the children's hour in the Melinda Cox Free Library on Saturday afternoon from 2 until 3 o'clock.

One of the most beautiful wisteria vines in Doylestown is the one which decorates the residence of Judge and Mrs. Calvin S. Boyer on West Court street. The wisteria, which is believed to be at least a half-century old, forms a perfect loop resembling a huge bow of a ribbon of purple blooms. It entwines about the porch, windows and the peaked roof.

Mr. and Mrs. Aloysius O'Donnell, of Doylestown R.D.1, announce the birth of a daughter at the Emergency Hospital.

Joseph R. Ruos has been confined to his home on Belmont avenue since Friday because of injuries sustained while testing the compression of a dismantled tractor in the Doylestown Agricultural Works. He is improving nicely and expects to resume his duties on Monday.

Mrs. W. Leon Leister, of the ladies auxiliary of the Albert R. Atkinson, Jr. American Legion Post No. 210, announced that a number of girls have been appointed to sell poppies on the streets in observance of Poppy Day on Saturday.

C. Herbert Haldeman, Ray Martindell and George Kohl, employees of the Acme Store in Doylestown, on Wednesday afternoon visited the Perfect Food, Inc. plant in Lansdale, where they saw the making of pretzels.

There will be a meeting of the little gardens and exhibit committees of the Doylestown Nature Club at the home of Mrs. Lewis Sigafoos, on West Court street, next Monday at 2:30. The topic for discussion will be "Southern Flower Gardens."

Jack Biester, son of District Attorney and Mrs. Edward G. Biester, returned home Wednesday from the Emergency Hospital, where he was desperately ill with pneumonia for several weeks. He is convalescing nicely.

M.J. Toomer, of Buckingham, and Charles McKinstry, Jr. and Joseph Bensinger, of Doylestown, on Wednesday were the first persons to take a swim in the Fanny Chapman Memorial Swimming Pool for this season. The temperature of the water at that time was 62 degrees.

 

Illustrations courtesy of Spruance Library/Bucks County Historical Society, Doylestown, Pa.

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