OREGON HISTORICAL SOCIETY
PUBLIC AUDITORIUM
TLAND. ORE.'
ADJUDGED OREGON'S BEST WEEKLY NEWSPAPER SIGMA DELTA CHI CONTEST 1931
Volume 48, Number 41.
HEPPNER, OREGON, THURSDAY, Dec. 24, 1931
Subscription $2.00 a Year
fames
FACULTY PLAY NETS
575 TO RELIEF FUND
"Home Town Mystery"
Given Before Large
Audience.
COMEDY IS RIOTOUS
All Farts Well Taken by Tecahere;
Local Businesses Contribute Ser
vices; Boy Sells Many Tickets.
"The Home Town Mystery," pre
sented Tuesday evening by the
school faculty, not only proved to
be an evening of hilarious enter
tainment, but it netted $75 for un
employment relief, the purpose for
which it was given. A comfortably
filled house greeted the play and all
proceeds over expenses were turned
over to the central committee for
unemployment relief at Heppner.
Expenses were light, as all that
was charged against the play was
the cost of wigs and a few access
ories. Case Furniture company
contributed the use of furniture,
the Gazette Times contributed the
advertising, Andrew Baldwin did
the hauling free, and the local tel
ephone office furnished the tele
phone. Notable work In making
the play a financial success was
done by Scott McMurdo, who, sin-le-handed,
sold 76 tickets. The ad
mission price was 25 cents. Be
sides taking a part In the play, J.
T. Lumley acted as stage manager.
His job, complicated by the neces
sity of much manipulation of the
lights, was taken care of without a
hitch.
Gram Does Antics.
Providing an unusual comedy
character was W. R. Poulson,
school superintendent, in the role
of grandmother, otherwise known
as Gram, octogenarian head of a
household that is completely upset
by the mysterious Black Terror. A
personage who enjoyed ill health
and who was addicted to the use of
every new patent pill that came
along, Gram stayed In her wheel
chair most of the time, except on
such occasion as seeing a mouse
when she jumped nimbly up and
out and onto a chair, bringing an
uproar from the audience.
Gram's valuable jewels were a
matter of concern when news of
the Black Terror reached the
houshold. Matters, were compli
cated when three members of the
family bethought the opportunity
ripe for accomplishing their own
ends. Edith, interpreted by Doro
thy Straughan, who wrote stories,
sought to find out how people act
ed in the face of danger. Her
brother Art, played by Paul Mene
gat, wished to have the family
know that he bad grown up and
was entitled to the place of a man
about the house, while Gramp, done
by Harold Buhman, sought to be a
hero to show Gram and the rest
that he was still entitled to some
consideration in the management
of affairs. Hence each conceived
a black terror of his own, wiht Ade
lyn O'Shea, Charlotte Woods and
Jessica Palmlter taking the re
spective parts. Evelyn, mother of
Edith and Art, assumed the lead in
affairs when she hired a detective
to protect the household.
Girl Solves Mystery.
Consternation prevailed when a
beautiful slip of a girl reported for
the detective duty, one Kay, played
by Miriam McDonald. However,
the three culprits confided their
stories in her, telling how each had
been partly responsible for disap
pearance of the telephone, tamper
ing with locks, throwing bricks
with messages tied about them thru
the window queer action of the
lights and other mysterious things,
but there still remained other un
explained things which led them
to believe the real black terror was
at work, too.
Kay climaxed the situation when
all the black terrors visited the
house the same evening, by fath
oming the disguise of the real crook
who attempted to Impersonate the
sea captain, head of the household,
and called the members of the fam
ily for Identification. The crook,
played by Neil Shulrman, was
handcuffed, and held In submission
when the real captain, with Ted
Lumley in the role, arrived home,
bleeding and bruised from having
been attacked by the crook.
Gram's pills, Gramp's "lizzie,"
Art's affection for Kay, furnished
hilarious comedy throughout. All
parts were well portrayed by the
cast.
HAVE DOUBLE WEDDING.
Mrs. Ellen Buseick of this city
and Mrs. Helen McCullough of
Portland and formerly of Heppner,
were married recently In Portland
In a double ceremony to George E.
Schwartz and William A. Morse,
both of Portland. Details of the
event had not been learned by rel
atives here, Mrs. Schwartz has
made her home at Heppner for sev
eral years, owning residence prop
erty here, and has a wide circle of
friends who will wish her happi
ness. Mrs. Morse was a resident
of the county for many years, and
will also have the well wishes of
many Heppner friends.
Eastern Star and Blue
Lodge Masons Install
Joint Installation for the newly
elected and appointive officers of
Ruth chapter No. 32, O. E. S., and
Heppner lodge No. 69, A. F. & A.
M., was held at Masonic hall on
Saturday evening. A banquet, of
which roast turkey was the prin
cipal item on the menu, was spread
at 6:30, and a large number of
members of both orders participat
ed. A short program followed,
with numbers being offered by the
mandolin quartet composed of J.
O. Turner, L. L. Gilliam, Frank
Turner and Jas. T. Lumley; duet
by Mrs. Raymond Ferguson and
Mrs. Chas. Latourell; reading by
Mrs. Paul M. Gemmell; and piano
duet by Mrs. J. O. Turner and Mrs.
W. R. Poulson. The decorations
were in accord with the Christmas
season, beautiful cut flowers and
evergreens being strongly in evi
dence. With Charlotte Gordon, past wor
thy matron as installing officer and
Eppa Ward, marshall, the ceremon
ies for the chapter were carried
out in a very creditable manner,
many interesting and attractive in
novations being introduced to
brighten the usual routine of in
ducting the newly chosen officials
into office. Those installed were
Florence Hughes, worthy matron;
E. R. Huston, worthy patron; Ger
trude Parker, associate matron;
Earl W. Gordon, associate patron;
Vivian Ball, secretary; Nellie An
derson, treasurer; Balor Huston,
conductress; Hazel Vaughn, asso
ciate conductress; Virginia Turner,
chaplain; Alice Pratt, marshall;
Lenore Poulson, organist; Mary
Patterson, Ada; Gladys Goodman,
Ruth; Faye Ferguson, Esther; Oma
Cox, Martha; Lena Cox, Electa; An
na Wightman, warder; Chas. Cox,
sentinel. Gifts were tendered Sara
McNamer and Spencer Crawford,
outgoing worthy matron and wor
thy pas-on, and also to Mrs. Gor
don as installing officer.
The new officers for Heppner
lodge No. 69 were Installed by
Frank S. Parker, past master, C. J.
D. Bauman acting as marshall. The
lodge will be served the coming
year by E. R. Huston, worshipful
master; L. L. Gilliam, senior war
den; E. E. Gilliam, junior warden;
F. S. Parker, treasurer; Spencer
Crawford, secretary; W. C. Cox,
senior deacon; John Lawther, jun
ior deacon; Stanley Reavis, senior
Stewart; Marvin Wightanan, junior
Stewart; H. A. Duncan, chaplain;
W. E. Pruyn, tyler. A past master's
jewel was presented by the lodge
to Earl W. Gordon, outgoing mas
ter. Program Closes School;
To Take Up January 4
Christmas exercises in both the
grade and high schools featured
the closing of the Heppner schools
yesterday for the Christmas holi
days. School will be reconvened on
Monday, January 4, allowing just
11 days recess from activities until
the beginning of the new semester
which will start with the opening
January 4.
All the faculty with the exception
of Mr. and Mrs. J. T. Lumley have
announced plans to spend the holi
days either at respective homes or
elsewhere outside the city. W. R.
Poulson, superintendent, will at
tend the convention of the Oregon
State Teachers association to be
held in Portland during the holi
days, and will stay with James M.
Burgess, assistant state superin
tendent of public instruction and
former superintendent here.' Paul
Menegat, high school principal,
will also take in the convention.
TEARING DOWN BUILDINGS.
- The McMurdo building and the
Heppner bakery building, both of
which were badly damaged by re
cent fires, were attacked by razing
crews early in the week and are
well on the road to demolishment
No rebuilding plans have been an
nounced by owners. The recent
rampage of the Are demon has left
several gaping vacancies on Main
street, and additional store and of
fice space is now at a premium.
THREE DEERSLAYERS FINED.
Complaints against three men for
killing deer out of season were
made in the court of Justice Hus
ton by State Policeman Francis on
Wednesday of last week, resulting
in conviction of each. Harvey
Hamilton, charged with killing doe
out of season, was fined $100, and
Wm. Rolph and Richard Schoon
over each charged with having
deer meat in their possession, were
each fined $50. Costs of $2.50 wore
assessed each.
ERECT ILLUMINATED TREE.
Heppner post American Legion,
which last week distributed small
flr trees along the curb for the dec
oration of Main street, added to the
attractiveness of the display by the
rection of a large tree the first of
th week on the vacant corner lot
across from th First National bank
which they have illuminated with
many colored electric lights, help
ing to shed the Christmas glow
over the business district.
Jon Condor, teacher of piano at
Pendleton, is spending the Christ
mas season with his parents, Mr.
and Mrs. J. P. Conder.
Mrs, Josephine Mahoney expects
to leave Sunday to spend a portion
of the holiday season in Portland.
Cantata Ushers
"The Christ Child" Given by High
School Chorus; Community
Treat Today; Programs Set.
Opening the Christmas season
last Sunday evening, the chorus of
Heppner high school under the di
rection of Miss Charlotte Woods,
supervisor, presented the cantata,
"The Christ Child before a large
audience at the school auditorium.
Pleasingly given, the music por
trayed incidents of the life of
Christ
Numbers Included recitatives by
the various divisions of the chorus,
with solo parts sung as duets. Miss
Anabel Turner and Miss Jessie
French sang the soprano numbers,
and Miss Nancy Cox and Miss Phyl
lis Pollock sang the contralto parts.
Songs included "He Shall Feed His
Flocks," "How Beautiful Upon the
Mountain," "My Soul Doth Magni
fy the Lord," "Sing O Heaven,"
"Adeste Fideles," "The Plains of
Bethlehem," "Glory to God," and
"Holy Night, Peaceful Night" The
with "Adeste Fideles" sung by the
in Yule Season
cantata was given in two parts
chorus and audience at the close of
the first part
This afternoon a throng of .kid
dies are honored guests of the Elks,
Lions, American Legion and Busi
ness and Professional Women's club
at a free show and treat at the Star
theater, given as a community
treat "Father's Son" is the fea
tured talkie, and is popular with
the kiddies, depicting, as it does,
many of the institutions and situa
tions incident to childhood.
Yesterday evening at 7:30 the
young folks of the Episcopal
church were remembered by a treat
and presentation of a lovely pag
eant, "Suppose a Real Shepherd
Came," was given in commemora
tion of the birth of Christ
Tonight "In Old Judea," a Christ
mas pageant, will be given at the
Methodist church, at which time
the church will celebrate Its annual
Christmas customs.
The Church of Christ will hold
its Christmas service next Sunday
evening, with a program of music
and recitations commemorative of
the Christ child, and a treat for the
young folks.
No Mail Christmas Day;
Business Equals Year Ago
No mall, excepting the daily pa
pers and special delivery letters
and packages, will be delivered
through the local postoffice Christ
mas day, announces W. W. Smead,
postmaster. This rule is in ac
cordance with postal regulations
aimed to give potsal employees
Christmas as a holiday.
Business so far this season has
been only slightly under that of a
year ago, and employees expected
that it might yet be equalled as the
last few days before Christmas are
always heavy. Last year a record
business was established for the
local office. Monday's stamp sales
exceeded $100, putting it among the
heavy days of record, It was said,
i
STORES HAVE LIVELY TRADE.
Heppner has been the mecca for
a large number of Christmas shop
pers from over the county for the
last week and local stores, many
with augmented sales forces, have
been enjoying a lively trade. Stocks
of holiday goods have been attrac
tively displayed, and the many
beautiful windows have been the
cause of much favorable comment
Frank Elder, Native Son,
Passes Following Illness
Frank Elder, 57, died at the home
of his daughter, Mrs. David A. Wil
son, in this city Monday morning,
following an illness caused by a
bursted blood vessel in the brain,
which had kept him confined to his
bed for a little more than a week.
Funeral services were held at 10
o'clock Tuesday morning at the
Episcopal church, Joel R. Benton,
Christian minister, officiating, and
interment was in Masonic cemetery.
A large concourse of friends and
relatives were present and the floral
offerings were many and beautiful.
Benjamin Franklin Elder was
born on the old home place up Wil
low creek, now owned by Bruce B.
Kelley, February 23, 1874, being the
son of Mr. and Mrs. John N. Elder.
He spent his boyhood days in this
county and attended the Heppner
public schools. He was married In
1895 to Miss Jennie Jayne, and to
this union seven children were
born, all of whom, with the widow,
survive. For many years Mr. El
der engaged in sheep raising in
this county, and for a number of
years the family home was made
in Heppner to give the children ad
vantage of attending school. Mr.
Elder removed the family home to
Ritter for several years, where he
engaged in ranching, moving from
there to Umapine where the family
lived until they returned to Hepp
ner two years ago. Mr. Elder had
been employed as clerk in Wilson's
store for about a year and was pop
ular with the patrons of that store.
Besides his widow, Mrs. Jennie
Elder, he is survived by the follow
ing children: John N. Elder of
West Fir, Ore., Mrs. David A. Wil
son, George, Shirley, Maurice, Eli
zabeth, and Mary Elder.
College Students Home
For Christmas Holidays
The annual pilgrimmage of stu
dents homeward bound began last
week end and continued into the
early part of this week with the
expected arrival yesterday of sev
eral, detained by distance or visits
elsewhere. Always th spirit of the
season is heightened by the pre
sence of these young folks.
Miss Margaret Notson, accom
panied by her sister, Mrs. Vernon
Sackett, arrived Saturday from Sa
lem where Miss Notson is a student
at Willamette university. By train
that morning came Roderick
Thomson and Clair Cox, students
at Oregon State college; Vawter
Parker, Ellis and Earl Thomson,
Miss Katherine Bisbee, Miss Jean
ette Turner and Miss Teresa Bres
lin, University of Oregon students;
Homer Hayes from Albany college,
and Miss Evelyn and Joe Swindig
from Portland business college. Ar
riving at other times were Stephen
Thompson from O. S. C, Miss Mary
Beamer from Portland business
college, Gordon Bucknum from Mt
Angel college, Glen Casteel and
John Parker from U. of O., and
Delmar and Lowell Casteel from
Portland.
Expected to arrive yesterday
were Orrin Bisbee from Stanford
university, and Harry Wells from
O. S. C.
District Deputy Visits
Heppner Lodge of Elks
Nearly a hundred members of
Heppner lodge 358, B. P. O. Elks,
were present at the meeting last
Friday evening to greet the district
deputy exalted ruler, W. A. Ekwall
of Portland. A turkey dinner was
served at 6:30 followed by regular
lodge and initiation of candidates.
The district deputy paid tribute to
the local lodge as having a fine rep
utation over the state, in a spirited
talk on Elkdom.
Accompanying the district dep
uty from Pendleton, where he
spoke the evening before, were Ted
Larsen, exalted ruler of Pendleton
lodge, Will M. Peterson, Bruce El
lis, J. Folson and Art Goodwin.
Two entertainments are planned
by the lodge during the holiday
season. Tonight a Christmas eve
dance will be staged, and another
dance will be given New Year's eve,
both for Elks and ladies only.
Black Christmas Certain
As Wind Sweeps Heppner
As the Gazette Times was put to
bed yesterday afternoon that all its
county readers might be greetetd
with its holiday sentiments at least
by Christmas morning, a warm
southwsterly wind prevailed with
an overcast sky which threatened
rain, making almost certain that
Heppner residents would have to
be content with a black Christmas.
The Chinook fo last week destroyed
the last vistage of snow and ice
which held the city in a wintry
grip for the three weeks previous,
and spring-like weather prevailing
most of this week has caused the
grass to grow rapidly, and signs of
trees budding are to be seen in va
rious places.
This morning for a time the wind
was more from the east and a few
akes of snow were in evidence dur
ing a light rain storm. Predictions
were made by several that snow
was again on the way, and should
these seers be correct In their judg
mnt, there is yet a possibility of a
white Christmas. Residents know
from experience that it Is possible
for nature to pile up a goodly
amount of the beautiful on mighty
short notice.
SERVICE CLUBS TALK
ICE
Lions Host to Women's
Club at Luncheon;
Projects Cited.
EACH OFFERS HELP
Margaret Notson Describes Journey
Through Mammoth Caves; Mr.
Notson, Mrs. Rodgers Speak.
Community helpfulness was the
theme of the Lions club Monday
noon luncheon, when the city's two
service clubs proffered each other
wholehearted cooperation in foster
ing the projects of each. The one,
the Lions club, was host to the oth
er, the Business and Professional
Womens club. Fifty service work
ers were present at I. O. O. F. hall
with the clubs about equally rep
resented. Organized under similar princi
ples, and having like objectives of
community service, the clubs might
fittingly coordinate efforts of a civ
ic nature, speakers from each of
the clubs believed. S. E. Ntoson,
who spoke for the Lions, and Mrs.
Lucy E. Rodgers, spokesman for
the women, each conveyed this
message in short talks in which
they also reviewed some of the ac
tivities of their respective organi
zations. Projects Are Varied.
Mr. Notson cited the Lions club
as being international in scope. The
youngest of service clubs, It has
made a phenomenal growth to hold
a Btrong relative position to other
service clubs of the country. While
non-sectarian and non-partisan, it
teaches patriotism of a kind that
will eventually establish world
peace. It fosters education and en
terprises intended for community
betterment either of moral or civio
nature. Projects fo the local club,
in line with the tenets of the Inter
national organization, have Includ
ed good roads work; charity and
relief work; assisting work of the
Red Cross, 4-H clubs, Eastern Or
egon Wheat league and state cham
ber of commerce; sponsoring of
spelling contest; cataloguing city
with street signs and house num
bers; backing swimming pool; ob
taining services for a year of a
county health nurse; aiding in es
tablishment of a fire-fighting force;
assisting with community Christ
mas; helping in sponsorship of Boy
Scouts.
Mrs. Rodgers said the Business
and Professional Womens club had
not been in existence in Heppner
long enough to thoroughly orient
itself, though it is an old and well
established roganization. Such pro
jects as it has so far attempted are
generally known, she said, and sev
eral other contemplated projects
would become known as they are
carried out She expressed appre
ciation for the opportunity of meet
ing with the Lions club and hoped
the women might be able to return
the hospitality at a later date. She
asked that her club be notified at
any time of projects in which they
might be of assistance. Mrs. Rod
gers is chairman of the health com
mittee of the state association.
Chas. W. Smith, Lions president,
presided at the luncheon and greet
ed the women in behalf of the club.
Hugeness of Caves Impressive.
An interesting entertainment fea
ture was provided by Miss Margar
et Notson, home for vacation from
her school work at Willamette
university, who described a trip she
made to Mammoth caves, Ken
tucky, while attending school at
Wilmore in that state last year.
Most impressive was the size of
the caves, Miss Notson said. Of
the five routes at different levels,
her party took the lower route
which carried them 800 feet below
the opening at the surface, and a
distance of eight miles in making
the round-trip journey under
ground. Points of interest inside
the cave of which she told were
Echo' river, to which point echoes
return as distinct and clear as the
original sound; "Fat Man's Mis
ery," a narrow hall which fat men
have trouble getting through, and
the "Corkscrew," a winding pass
ageway upward, through narrow
openings. Always pitch dark, the
limestone corridors, apertures and
gaps were explored by means, of
kerosene lamps, and at places' the
guide tossed torches up or down to
reveal an enormity of space above
or beneath. Stalagmytes and stal
actytes were not seen on the lower
route. There were many lakes and
rivers inhabited by blind fish. On
the trip to the caves Lincoln's
birthplace near Harrodsburg, a
very humble log cabin now encased
in a marble monument, was visited.
Miss Notson's informal description
of incidents of the journey enliv
ened her vivid portrayal of the
famous caves.
Group singing was enjoyed as an
additional feature.
Guests besides the ladles Included
W. P. Mahoney, Dr. C. W. Barr, L.
E. Bisbee, Earl Eskelson, and State
Policeman Huston from Pendleton,
To Trade Duroo boar for what
you have. Frank Mason, lone. 42
C0I11IN