This Was Doylestown, 1947

Swartzlander home donated for community use -

The community of Doylestown is the principal beneficiary of the estate of Mrs. Rebecca Hart Swartzlander, widow of Dr. Joseph R. Swartzlander, who died last Friday in the Doylestown Emergency Hospital as a result of injuries sustained in a fall.

The will and codicil was probated Wednesday in the office of the Register of Wills, leaving an estate which was estimated at $120,000.

By the terms of her will, Mrs. Swartzlander placed her Colonial-type residence at the corner of South Main street and Oakland avenue in trust with the Doylestown Trust Company, and provided that her residence is to be used in the future by any organization "for any public charitable, educational or welfare use, purpose or object, or for the general use, benefit or welfare of the public or of the community of Doylestown."

The Swartzlander residence, one of the most desirable in Doylestown, is bequeathed as a memorial to her parents, John Hart and Grace V. Hart.

Mrs. Swartzlander contemplated use of the property by the Village Improvement Association, American Red Cross, American Legion, women's clubs engaged in work for welfare or community betterment, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. But the use of the property is not restricted to these organizations.

To maintain the property, a $40,000 trust endowment fund has been placed in trust with the Doylestown Trust Company.

In addition to a number of friends and relatives remembered in the will, Mrs. Swartzlander bequeathed several articles of interest to the Bucks County Historical Society.

The Doylestown Emergency Hospital is bequeathed $50,000, the income to be used for hospital purposes and known as the "Dr. Joseph R. Swartzlander Memorial Fund."

A bequest of $5,000 is made to , Doylestown. In the event that her residuary estate exceeds $30,000, the Bucks County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals will receive $10,000.

Editor's note - The house, built around 1800 by Josiah V. Shaw, became the Swartzlander Community Building. The Bucks County chapters of the American Red Cross and the American Cancer Society were the principal occupants until after 2000, although the former dwelling was used by other organizations as well over the years. Sold in 2010 to a private owner, the building now is professional offices.

Safecrackers steal $200 from feed mill -

Safecrackers on Thursday night broke into the Thrift Feed Mill, near the intersection of Easton highway and Swamp road, chiseled open a 300-pound safe and got away with about $200 in cash, but missed another $140 that was in an envelope nearby.

Although the mill is located in the township a short distance from the borough line, local police usually patrol that area in the police car every night, at times driving around the mill.

The burglary was reported Friday morning to the Doylestown sub-station of the State Police, who were called to the mill after the burglary had been discovered about 7:30 by a clerk who opened the office. The mill closed Thursday afternoon at 5:15.

There were no signs of fingerprints. According to the troopers, the yeggmen [burglars] in all probability wore gloves.

Entrance to the mill was gained either through a window or a feed chute. The bandits then walked through the mill to the inside office door which was unlocked, as is the custom. The safe, police say, must have been worked on for at least an hour or more, for there was evidence that the door of the safe was chiseled and hammered off.

The $200 in cash was in an envelope, but a second envelope in the same drawer, containing $140, was missed.

The area around the mill is quite dark during the night hours. Over a year ago, an attempt was made to burglarize the same mill.

Doylestown township school holds Spring concert -

With Miss Doris Kratz, supervisor of music, directing, the pupils of the appeared in their Spring concert Monday evening at a largely attended meeting of the Doylestown Township Parent-Teacher Association in the school.

The theme of the concert was "Cavalcade of American Music." Appearing first on the program were the pupils of Rooms 1 and 2, who presented a number of "Raggedy Ann" selections.

Taking part in these were Sally Christman, Betty Fitzgerald, Eleanor Davis, Edward Bennett, Evelyn Walp, Jeanne Piequette and Norman Histand.

Following a piano solo, Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2, by Robert Horn, the pupils in Rooms 3 and 4 presented "Good Morning, America." Numbers included were "We're All Americans," "My Homeland," "The Pioneers," "Wagon Wheels," "O Great America" and "America the Beautiful."

This was followed by a piano solo, "Ride, Ranger, Ride," by Fritzi Flesser and a trumpet solo, "Gaiety Polka," by Robert Horn.

With Jean Walton serving as narrator, the mixed chorus presented "American Music on Its Way." The selections included were the choral prologue "Hail Columbia," "Music In the Air" by the rhythm band, grades 1 and 2; "Pale Moon," "B'angam and the Board," "Sourwood Mountain," "Chloe," "Stouthearted Men,"  "The Hills of Home," "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes," "Without a Song," and "The Stars and Stripes Forever."

Following the concert, the parents viewed the art exhibit arranged by the children.

Editor's note: the township consolidated school is now .

Advertisement -

Doylestown Public School BASEBALL SEASON TICKETS...Good for both Jr. and Sr. High School Games; Transferable. 12 Home Games, $1.25, tax included. Purchase from any student or mail check to: Doylestown H.S....This advertisement sponsored by Gardenville Farm Dairies.

Smoky fire disrupts center of Doylestown -

Smoke, which originated from a fire in the bicycle and sporting goods store of Councilman Justin H. Ely about 7:45 o'clock Thursday evening, threw the mid-town of the County Seat into confusion.

Two East State street stores, the China Shop and the Century Shop, were filled with smoke. Miss Verna Belli, proprietress, who had just purchased a valuable antique shortly before the fire, was overcome by the disaster.

A Doylestown fireman estimated that the damage to the merchandise, caused mostly by water and dense, smoldering smoke, will run between $1,000 and $2,000. Two apartments over both of the shops were considerably filled with smoke. Prompt action by the prevented thousands of dollars of damage to nearby businesses.

The fire was discovered by Thomas A. Holmes, who lives in one of the Ely apartments. Several hundred movie-goers in the were unaware of the fire two doors away.

John F. Gwinner, local fireman, said the origin or cause of the fire was not determined.

John J. Belli, who lives between Plumsteadville and Pipersville, presented the firemen a $100 bill in appreciation of their excellent fire fighting and prevention of further damage.

Doylestown's recreational program praised at dinner -

Exactly 203 boys and their fathers or sponsors Wednesday night attended the first annual dinner of the Doylestown Community Recreational Council, an organization that during the past year served 266 boys in basketball and baseball competition.

The affair was held in the Recreational Hall of the , where the ladies of the church served dinner. Several of the outstanding sports figures of this section of the country were among those who occupied seats at the speakers' table.

Former Lehigh University football coach Leo Pendergast, now coach of the Bethlehem Bulldogs of the American Football League, said: "The fact that you have here tonight the real young men of your community with their dads shows that Doylestown is headed in the right direction. Personally, from what I have seen and heard here tonight, I would classify your Doylestown recreational program as one of the very best in the country."

The main speaker, Coach Birney Crum of the four-time State championship Allentown High School basketball team, also complimented Doylestown's program.

Coach Crum, who is also director of all of the City of Allentown's 16 playgrounds and Summer program, admitted that he had "never seen anything like Doylestown's first annual banquet for the Recreational League winners."

Crum liked the idea of a Fall and Winter basketball program for the young folks. In Allentown, he said, they have basketball only in the Summer season, outdoors. Crum said that he would certainly start the "Doylestown system" next season.

After the dinner and a program of magic by George Fields and his son, gold basketballs and baseballs were awarded to the individual members of the winning junior and senior teams, in addition to other awards to the leading scorers, including autographed baseballs from Connie Mack of the Philadelphia Athletics.

Advertisement -

DOUBLE-RICH "HOME-MADE" BREAD...Our extra-rich bread and rolls are full of that fresh, crusty, "out-of-the-oven" flavor your family loves. Plenty of pure shortening, sugar and milk make them extra nourishing, deliciously good for you...FRYER'S BAKERY, 44 E. State St., Doylestown, Pa....Phone 4748.

Doylestown Town Notes -

For J. Leonard Halderman, superintendent of the Doylestown Public School, taking part in the Kiwanis testimonial dinner to the Doylestown High rifle team Tuesday night at the Fountain House was a costly affair. Someone got away with his grey covert cloth top-coat. What's more, a good many important keys to the Doylestown school were in a container in his coat pocket.

Girl Scout Troop 9 went on a hike and enjoyed a doggie roast Thursday evening.

H.N. Wagner, of State street, who has been sojourning in the South and West for the past four months, has returned to home.

Mrs. Frank E. Brashears, of Pine street, celebrated her 73rd birthday anniversary Wednesday.

Thomas Ettenger, of West Oakland venue, has returned to his duties at the Philadelphia Electric Co. following an attack of the grippe [flu].

Milton Swartz, 15, son of Mrs. and Mrs. J. Lester Swartz, of Doylestown, R.D., is a patient in the Abington Hospital. Swartz, who is a Doylestown High School sophomore, broke his right leg when he fell last week.

Mrs. Carrie Brinker, of East Oakland avenue, announces the engagement of her daughter, Miss Marie Brinker, to John Reshetar, son of Mrs. Katie Reshetar, of Mercer avenue.

The Doylestown Red Men indoor baseball team will play the Darlington Greenhouse team Thursday evening.

Walter W. Smith, of South Clinton street, who underwent an operation in the Abington Hospital and returned to his home on Tuesday, has resumed his duties with the Gardenville Dairies.

Mrs. Casimir A. Sienkiewicz and Miss Kathryn Derstine will be chaperones at the Junior Co-op Dance at the on Saturday evening.

Charles Slotter, who was recently discharged from the Navy after serving for nearly three years in the Pacific and Atlantic, has returned home to Doylestown.

Frank Conti, Cross Keys restaurateur, sailed on the "Queen Elizabeth" Wednesday for Italy, where he will visit friends and relatives for six weeks

From the Doylestown Daily Intelligencer, Week of April 6-12, 1947