Looking back

August 25, 1958

Sponsors of the Jaycees Air Show held at Huntingburg Sunday afternoon said the show broke all records for attendance. This was the fourth year it had been staged by the Huntingburg Jaycees, who estimated yesterday afternoon’s crowd at more than 17,000. Only one minor mishap occurred. A wheel was broken on a helicopter in landing. The huge throng of spectators saw aerial acrobatics, parachute jumps, wing walking and air races, and many types of planes. Included in the planes present yesterday were 78 privately-owned planes, 14 Army, Navy and Air Force Craft and a number of antique and experimental planes. Yesterday morning owners of private planes had a fly-in tour and breakfast, and later went for a motor tour of Santa Claus Land.

August 26

Superintendent of Schools Bernard J. Gallagher of Jasper has announced the names of new teachers in the Jasper schools for the coming school year. There will be six new teachers on the Jasper High School staff. They include Mary Ellen Adams (Commerce), Richard Hutchison, (English), Shirley Kaiser (Home Economics), Janet Kirk ( English), Robert Steward, (Vocal Music), Lloyd Scott, (Bookkeeping and Physical Education). He will also be the head basketball coach. There will be three new teachers at Tenth Street (St. Joseph’s School). They are Cecilia Beuligmann, Frances Moran and Carol Verkamp. Also Phyllis Hoffman will teach speech therapy at all three schools and Mrs. Jim Hoffman will be the city health nurse for all three schools.

August 27

James T. Frick and Donald Kunz of Jasper have bought out the Twin Front restaurant and tavern business in Jasper from E. J. Krodel. They will specialize in steak and chicken dinners, and will serve short orders, beer, wine and mixed drinks. Jim Frick has been employed in restaurants and taverns for the past ten years in Evansville, Louisville and the American Legion Club in Huntingburg. Don Kunz has been working at the Twin Front since he was released from the Army about a year and a half ago.

Final plans were being completed this morning for the sixth annual Daily Herald-JHS football clinic that is scheduled for this evening at Recreation Field starting at 7:30. Coach Tom Stokes announced the division of his Jasper Wildcat football team for tonight’s scrimmage. Stokes believes the two squads are pretty even “on paper.”

August 28

Charlie Lasher’s long drive to the center field fence scored Bob Wagoner from second base with the winning run last night in the 13th inning to lift the Huntingburg Merchants over the Jasper Redlegs, 2-1, in a tight pitcher’s duel. It was the last regularly scheduled I-K League game of the season and lifted the Merchants into a three-way tie for second place with Sunbeam and Tell City. The three clubs have identical records of 13-8. The defeat left the Reds with a season’s record of eight wins against 12 defeats. They finished in sixth place. It was the second straight marathon contest that the Redlegs have been involved in. Sunday afternoon they battled 18 innings before beating Rockport, 4-1.

August 29

The Schroder’s Express trucking firm, which is owned by Paul Schroder of Cincinnati, has bought out the Checker Express Company of Vincennes, it has been announced by Conrad Raab of Haysville, who is the manager of the Schroder office at Jasper. The transfer will become effective Sept. 2.

Some of the cities served by the Schroder line are Louisville, Jasper, Evansville and Cincinnati. The Schroder hauling business was started by the present owner’s father, who opened a horse-drawn hauling service in Cincinnati in 1880. The firm now operates 160 units, including tractors, trailers and pick-up trucks. “Coon” Raab has been with the Schroder firm for 20 years, starting as a truck driver.

August 30

Pictured in this issue is Mr. Wallace Wibbeler, Mill Foreman for the Holland Planing Mill, Inc. He is shown enjoying a rest in the chair he won at the annual picnic on August 9. The Holland Planing Mill & Turning Mill Inc., celebrated its 20th year of service to the community of Holland and vicinity at the Huntingburg Municipal Park. The celebration consisted of a picnic for all employees and stockholders. 95 persons attended the celebration, and the annually enjoyed softball game brought on many stiff muscles for the workers. Prizes were awarded to many of the employees and their families. The company is now set up to construct homes from the basement to the roof, and carry a large stock of building materials at all times. The many business affairs are taken care of by Arnold C. Miller, manager of the firm.

August 27, 1973

Julius Giesler, 81, a former Jasper city clerk-treasurer and restaurant operator, died at 9 p.m. Saturday in Good Samaritan Hospital in Vincennes. He had resided at the Northwood Good Samaritan Center in Jasper since July 25, 1972, when he was admitted to Memorial Hospital in Jasper last August 5. On August 14 he was transferred to the hospital at Vincennes. Mr. Giesler was born at Jasper on March 29, 1892, the son of John and Catherine Hochgesang Giesler. On October 8, 1919, he was married to Margaret Heldman, who preceded him in death on February 23, 1945. Mr. Giesler was a brother-in-law of George A. Heldman, who died Sunday night.

August 28

Pictured on the front page of this issue is Mayor Dale W. Helmerich as he poses with Indiana State Fair Queen Beth Buening after presenting her a bouquet of red roses during homecoming ceremonies Monday evening on Fourth Street in Huntingburg. “It’s good to be back home,” were the only words that came to Miss Buening as she tried to address the crowd of several hundred persons, but was overcome with emotion. The program of brief speeches was held following a parade in the downtown area. Among those taking part were the Huntingburg City Police and Fire Dept., the Dubois Co. Sheriff’s Dept., the Southridge High School Band, the Dubois Co. Shrine Club, an antique fire engine provided by Buehler’s IGA, and a bus carrying what a sign noted were the “Queen’s St. Henry Friends.” Paula Buening, the queen’s sister, spoke briefly on behalf of the family, expressing their pride in her sister’s accomplishments.

August 29

Pictured on the front page of this issue is a demolished car that is resting in the flower bed of the Leo H. Hochgesang home along State Road 162 in Maltersville after the car hit the house earlier today. The southbound car left the highway on the curve shown in the upper right portion of the picture, ran between the two trees on the right crossed the lawn and slammed into the house. A 19-year-old Kansas resident was admitted to Memorial Hospital early today after the car he was driving southward in State Road 162 left the road and slammed into the north side of the home of Leo H. Hochgesang, manager of the Dubois REMC, and his family. The driver of the 1969 Pontiac was Chester R. Williams of Iola, Kansas, who is employed on a pipeline construction project north and west of Ferdinand.

August 30

The dental practice of the late Dr. Gilbert E. Metzger of Jasper has been purchased by Dr. James Finot, a native of St. Louis. Dr. Finot, a captain in the Army Dental Corps, is presently stationed in Ft. Devens, Mass. He plans to begin the practice dentistry in the Metzger building in Jasper after he is released from military service next spring. Dr. Metzger had practiced in Jasper for thirty-six years prior to his death last May 22. Dr.Finot received a B.A. degree from Westminster College at Fulton, Mo., and in 1972 he earned a D.D.S. Degree from Washington University in St. Louis. He and Mrs. Finot, the former Marilyn Turpin of Princeton, are the parents of a two-month-old daughter, Jamie.

August 31

Pictured on the front page of this issue is “Welcome Back,” a two-year-old fine harness stallion owned by Alvin C. Ruxer of Jasper and driven by trainer Martin Mueller. “Welcome Back” won the World Championship two-year-old fine harness title last week at the Kentucky State Fair in Louisville. Another of Ruxer’s horses, a weakling filly named “Soft Music,” won the Breeder’s Stake. The Jasper show horses, winners in Wisconsin and Illinois futurities earlier this season, moved on to the Ohio State Fair Futurities at Columbus before returning to Indiana and the Indiana State Fair Futurities this week at Indianapolis. In Ohio, Sultan’s Lovely Lu won the yearling filly division while High Stakes ACR was first in the yearling colt division. In the grand championship stakes, Sultan’s Lovely Lu was the blue ribbon winner. High Stakes ACR took third. Thursday night, Sultan’s Instant Replay won the Indiana Futurity Yearling class, with Sultan’s Lovely Lu in second place.

September 1

An elderly St. Meinrad couple died in a head-on crash of two cars Friday night near Santa Claus and a short time later two persons were killed in a traffic accident in Evansville to raise the state’s 1973 traffic toll to 1,001 in the first few hours of the long Labor Day weekend. According to the state police Hilbert Egler and his wife, Verena, both 73, were killed around 8 p.m. on State Road 162 at a point 2.8 miles north of Santa Claus. The police reported that the Egler car crossed the center line and was struck head-on by a car driven by Michael Gelarden, 22 of Evansville. Gelarden suffered a knee fracture and lacerations of his mouth and one elbow. He was taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Huntingburg and later transferred to Welborn Baptist Hospital in Evansville. The accident was investigated by Sgt. Bob McGowen and Troopers Mike Schmitt and Bill Symon of the state police.

August 24, 1998

Jasper’s new defensive coordinator, Brian Balsmeyer, crouched like a catcher on the visitor’s sideline and stared cross field at the corner of Enlow Field’s empty north end zone. He appeared to be waiting for an opportunity that had already passed, and no matter how many times he replayed the game-breaking blow, the scoreboard at the other end of the timeworn field never budged: Evansville Memorial 20, Jasper 19-final. Meanwhile outside the 4A eighth-ranked Wildcats’ locker room, Jerry Brewer shared Balsmeyer’s expression of discontent as he tried to explain how Jasper dropped its first season opener in 15 years. In 1973 Jasper suffered a 6-0 loss to Southridge, the team’s next opponent. “ We just made too many mistakes,” Brewer said.

August 25

The Greater Jasper school board on Monday agreed to begin making improvements to Ruxer Field at a cost of $69,000. The board also decided to enter into an agreement with the City of Jasper to acquire a maintenance building and some additional property near Tenth Street School and the city tennis courts. The first Ruxer Field expenditure, of $14,000, will be paid to Krempp Lumber to do foundation work for moving four fence poles farther out. The current location of the fence doesn’t meet regulation standards, according to administrative assistant Jerrill Vandeventer. From left field to center field, the fence is straight; the fence in left center field will have to be moved out about 35 feet, superintendent Larry Riggs said. When the fence is moved, some lights will have to be relocated as well, Vandeventer said. The board agree to pay E&K Electric $55,341 to install all the new electrical fixtures, to tear down the existing light towers and dispose of the old transformers, to reset four new poles and to relocate the scoreboard. Vandeventer said he intends to get the work done as soon as possible. Board attorney Art Nordhoff added that the Providence Home has agreed to give the school corporation some additional land west of the Ruxer Field press box.

August 26

The holiday season is a long way off, but the Jasper Community Food Bank can really use some gifts now. Wooden pallets that should be creaking under the weight of stacked cases of foodstuffs sit empty, their wooden slats resembling ribs on an emancipated body. It’s a summer downturn that’s part of an annual cycle, says Anne Heeke, manager of the food bank in Jasper. “In the summer, we’re always down,” Heeke says. “People remember us over the holidays. “We’re very lucky around Thanksgiving and Christmas. We get a lot.” What the public fails to realize is that the food bank’s needs are constant, and are magnified during the summer when children are at home and eating more. Donations of food and money have not kept pace with drawdowns. School is back in session, but the Jasper food bank’s shelves are a long way from being replenished.

August 27

With two starters watching from the stands, Jasper coach Ed Yarbrough was forced to dig deep into his tennis pockets and pull out a pair of replacements Wednesday night against Terre Haute South. Out came freshman Neil Giesler and sophomore Jeff Braun. Terre Haute South coach Bill Blankenbaker wasn’t put up against such odds. He just reached for his wallet, took out the usual seven bucks and watched his veteran team pull of its first victory of the season. Terre Haute South (1-0), which features five seniors and returns six of seven starters, took advantage of Jasper missing two pieces of its puzzle: All-State sophomore Ross Schitter, who has poison oak, and junior singles player, Jeb Brown, who is out with a neck injury.

August 28

A U. S. 231 bypass alignment tentatively recommended through Dubois County drew fire from farmers Thursday, and environmentalists joined in when criticism focused on I-69. More than 60 people were on hand as the Indiana Department of Transportation took public comments and presented the latest on upcoming big resurfacing and bridge projects during a “road show” at the Huntingburg City Office. Jasper Mayor Bill Schmitt prodded INDOT to resurface existing State Road 162, which will be turned over to the city and the county once the Southside Connector is completed. At that time, the Southside Connector, running from U. S. 231, past South Newton (formerly called Link Road) to the county highway garage, will be designated the relocated State Road 162.

August 29

First, the tie came undone. Then it was out with the shirttail, and after that it wasn’t long before the baseball cap came off. Though eventually he lay face down in the wet turf of Raider Field as his running back Kurt Kuczynski trotted into the end zone on the decisive two-point conversion attempt, disheveled, dirty and sweaty, Brad Hanner never looked quite so good. After all, it was he who masterminded 2A 9th-ranked Southridge’s 14-13 victory over 4A 10th-ranked Jasper, which hasn’t lost on the horde that gathered around the Raider coach as they all celebrated the first win over their cross-county rivals in 15 years and gazed upon Hanner as if he’d invented the forward pass. The victory was only the Raiders’ third over Jasper in the 27-game series. “This is the greatest victory I’ve ever had in my coaching career, and I’ve been with teams that have won state championships,” said Hanner, now in his fifth season at Southridge after serving as an assistant at Blackford for several seasons.

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