This Was Doylestown, 1941

Governor marries Doylestown widow -

Pennsylvania got a new First Lady at noon Wednesday when Doylestown's pretty widow, Mrs. Emily Radcliffe Case, became the wife of Governor Arthur H. James at a simple but impressive ceremony in the Doylestown Presbyterian Church.

Close to 200 people, including the highest political dignitaries of Pennsylvania, members of Governor James' cabinet, friends of the bride from Ithaca and other places in New York State, and a number of Doylestown folks, most of them friends of the bride since girlhood, attended the ceremony.

Admission was by card only, and a long line of Pennsylvania Motor Police saw to it that no locals "crashed the gate." Two plainclothes men at the entrance to the church did the rest.

The ceremony was performed by Rev. William E. Steckel, retired Presbyterian minister from New Ipswich, New Hampshire, who some years ago married Mrs. Case the first time she became a bride, to Dr. Claude Case, who died January 27, 1934. Rev. Steckel was assisted by the pastor of the church, Rev. Meyer M. Hostetter.

The silvery haired and attractive bride wore a plain blue silk Jersey dress, v-necked, with a jeweled belt and hat to match. Mrs. Case also wore the Governor's gift corsage of white orchids. The 58-year-old Governor, a widower, wore the conventional cutaway and striped trousers.

Rev. Hostetter opened the impressive wedding ceremony concerning the nature of the occasion and followed with a prayer. Dr. Steckel then followed with the main part of the ceremony, including the speaking of the vows. In the Presbyterian wedding ceremony, the "obey" has been eliminated.

After the ceremony, about eighty of the persons who witnessed the ceremony attended the reception at the home of the bride's mother and sister on East Ashland street, where Attorney General Claude Reno gave a toast to the bride.

The Doylestown Public School let out about 15 minutes before the ceremony got under way at noon, and many of the thousand boys and girls in attendance got what perhaps is their first and last glimpse of the Governor and his bride as they entered and left the church.

Pearl Buck speaks on origins of war -

Mrs. Pearl S. Buck, celebrated writer, spoke on the origins of the present war to 300 women at a meeting of the Village Improvement Association on Monday evening in Doylestown.

Mrs. James M. Shellenberger, a past president, presented Mrs. Buck, who looked lovely in a white, long gown and wore a beautiful corsage.

The internationally known novelist, who has been living near Dublin, Bucks county, for about seven years, said the war began in the Far East in Korea, which was the stepping stone to this tremendous worldwide struggle we are now in.

"Korea, sensing that 'somebody' wanted some of her land--and that 'somebody' was Japan--made treaties with anyone who would make a treaty with her," said Mrs. Buck. "In 1905, the treaty which had been made with the United States prior to that for help in case she needed it, was broken thoughtlessly by us when Japan swept down into Korea.

"That was the beginning of the peculiar tyrannical war we are now facing. China, much like Korea, sensed that some day Japan would fall against her just as she did, and China is fighting and struggling for her life today.

"The rise of tyranny in the world began from the 16th century on, and just as nobody came to Korea's aid although she had treaties with nearly every country, so China realizes that no one comes to anyone's aid unless it is for his or her own good," said Mrs. Buck.

"The leaders of Japan, Germany and Italy are more alike than you would imagine. They visit each other socially, they read the same books and made the same plans for the world.

"When historians look back at this period in history, they will say of our age that it contained the greatest period of war, human destruction and the breakdown of national barriers, but they will also say that it is the first time in the history of the world that human beings came nearest to understanding other peoples," said Mrs. Buck.

"Today, people are not only fighting people in other nations, but they fighting their own people within their own nation. There are tyrants in every land, and some of the people in Germany are waiting to be free to fight the tyrants in their own land."

Bikes jam borough school grounds -

With more and more bikes being ridden to school, the Doylestown Public School is experiencing a parking problem, which has threatened to become a headache for the bicycle commuters unless the pupils cooperate.

Supervising Principal [Superintendent] J. Leonard Haldeman said Wednesday that the school is not equipped to handle nearly 100 bicycles, although the school board has provided individual bicycle parking stalls.

He suggested that the parents cooperate with the school authorities and ask their children, particularly if they live within three or four blocks, to walk to school rather than hop on their bikes and ride.

"I think it would show the right spirit if the boys and girls who live within three or four blocks of the school grounds would walk to school and allow those who really live a longer distance from the school to use their bicycles and have a place to park there," said the County Seat school head.

There just isn't space enough on the school grounds [at East Court and Broad streets] to park 100 bicycles, nor are there stalls enough to go around. Several years ago, the school board, expecting the bicycle riding vogue, did have a number of new stalls built and placed on the school grounds.

Advertisement -

DOYLESTOWN JUNIOR WOMAN'S CLUB DANCE...Date: Oct. 11, 1941. Time: 10 'till 2. Place: Doylestown Country Club. Admission: $1.50 Couple..."Bob" Leighton and His Royal Esquire Orchestra.

Blackout to be held in Doylestown -

Bucks county's first blackout will take place in Doylestown on Friday night for a quarter of an hour.

Earl D. Blair, Air Raid Warden for Bucks county, said the blackout is being arranged by the Doylestown Defense Council in conjunction with the Emergency Police and local Air Raid Warden Dr. William H. Fluck.

Cooperating the the local Defense Council are Dr. John J. Sweeney, Burgess [mayor]; Councilman G. Thawley Hayman, representing Doylestown Borough Council; and A. Russell Thomas, Intelligencer reporter, who has been named publicity chairman.

Air Raid Warden Blair said the blackout will take place at 10 o'clock Friday and last for 15 minutes, until 10:15 o'clock.

Warden Blair also explained that while the electricity for the houses, business places and other establishments in the County Seat will not be turned off, an effort will be made to have the local men and women turn off the lights as part of their own cooperation in the blackout.

The street lights will be turned off for the 15-minute interval. Details concerning the handling of traffic and other problems will be announced before Friday.

Doylestown township school holds fair -

Sponsored by the Doylestown Township Parent-Teacher Association, the third annual school fair was held Friday evening in the consolidated school [now Paul W. Kutz Elementary School].

Several hundred parents and friends of the children were in attendance. The exhibits were made mostly by the parents, and the prize winners were awarded ribbons.

According to Paul W. Kutz, principal of the school, the floral display was unusually good in spite of the dry weather. In addition to flowers, fruits, vegetables, cakes, pies, jellies, jams and candy were displayed.

A feature of the fair was a pumpkin carving contest, in which 15 of the children took part. Joanne Childs, whose carving was considered the best, was awarded a cash prize.

At the conclusion of the fair, an auction was held. This netted approximately $60, which will be used for various activities of the parent-teacher association. Elwood Cope served as auctioneer.

Judges were Miss Evelyn Sigafoos, Doylestown; Mrs. Elisha W. Brinker, Tradesville; and Russell Weaver, National Farm School [now Delaware Valley College].

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Doylestown Town Notes -

Mrs. William R. Mercer, of "Aldie," who has been attending a convention in St. Paul, Minnesota, arrived at LaGuardia Airport in New York on Friday afternoon.

Mrs. and Mrs. John Rimmer, of Edison, announce the birth of a son at the Emergency Hospital.

Attorney Wilbur H. VanDyne has moved his law offices from 104 North Main street to the Lehman Building, 29 East Court street. Miss Betty Cosner has taken a position as secretary to Mr. VanDyne.

Mr. and Mrs. Russell B. Gulick, of Shewell avenue, entertained their bridge club on Friday evening.

Patricia, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Lightcap, of Cross Keys, is in the Abington Hospital, where she is receiving treatment for an attack of rheumatic fever and complications. Her condition is as good as can be expected.

Mr. and Mrs. George Guffy, of North Hamilton street, left Wednesday for Buffalo Springs, Virginia and Roxboro, North Carolina, where they will spend several days.

Eighteen Hereford calves went through town Tuesday morning in the latest cow style. Riding in an enormous deluxe trailer, they were packed in like sardines--head to tail.

Dr. and Mrs. Allen H. Moore, of East State street, and Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Blair Jaekel, of "Glen Echo Farm," Doylestown township, sailed on Friday on the "Santa Paula" for a South American cruise of about 15 to 20 days.

Mrs. Carol Wendte, of Linden avenue, who underwent an appendicitis operation in the Abington Hospital on Saturday, is convalescing nicely

The Mohawk Group of the Campfire Girls met at the home of Margaret Gunagan, West Oakland avenue, on Friday evening.

Miss Virginia Nash, who is employed in the office of the County Commissioners, is on her vacation this week.

Mrs. J. Harold Kelly will be the reader during the children's hour in the Melinda Cox Free Library on Saturday afternoon from two until three o'clock.

From the Doylestown Daily Intelligencer, Week of Oct. 1-7, 1941