Medford
Tribune
Second Section
MEDFORD, OREGON, FRIDAY, JUNE 2, 1950
Pages 1-6
JXH-;-a- Vis
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DEAF, BLIND GRAD WINS COLLEGE HONORS-RobT'ph
S.nithdas (right), first deaf and blind man known to have completed
a four-year course in an American college or university, is shown in
New York with his "eyes and ears." John Spainer, who is explaining
to him, by hand signals, the operation of a moon-type press.
Smithdas, 25, who will graduate from St. John's College with honors,
became deaf and blind after an attack of spinal meningitis just
before his seventh birthday.
Deaf, Blind Man Completes
Four-Year College Course
The Grange
Central Point Grange
Lecture's program at the Cen
tral Point Grange hall Friday
evening is open to the public.
New York. June 2 ill ? Rob
ert Joseph bnuthdas, 25. who
ha? not seen the sun nor heard
the voice of a friond since he was
six years old. will graduate from
St. John's college. Brooklyn, with
honors next week, the first deaf
and blind man known to com
plete a four-year course in an
American college or university.
A slim, good-looking young
man with a pipe and a pleasant
smile. Bob Smithdas plans to
spend the rest of his life work
ing for the deaf-blind. He already
has recruited another worker.
Because of his college record, a
permanent scholarship has been
founded for the education of oth
er doubly-handicapped students.
And nexe fall, after summer
courses including additional
speech training. Smithdas will
become a member of the staff of
the Brooklyn Industrial Home
for the Blind, where he has lived
while he went to college.
Led Good Life
"I think I've led a pretty good
life." Smithdas said.
He is an expert swimmer and
wrestler and a writer of some
promise. One article and a num
ber of his poems already have
been published. His autobiogra-
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fill is now being read by a pub
isher. "I like parties," Smithdas
said, answering questions spelled
into his hand by a friend. "I don't
believe you have to sec and hear
to feel the fun and commotion of
a party. I like to dance.
"I like fishing. It gives a feel
ing of the sense of peace. I like
the feel of the ride on a boat and
the actual fishing. And there is
always the fun of pulling the
fish in.
"But the fish don't like me,"
he added ruefully. "I've only
caught two that were big enough
to eat."
Illness Cause
Smithdas, son of a Pittsburgh
steel worker, became deaf and
blind after an attack of spinal
meningitis just before his sev
enth birthday. He finished high
school at the Perkins Institute,
Watertown, Mass.
Officials of the industrial home
and of the Catholic college where
Smithdas, majoring in English
and philosophy, has hit the honor
roll every semester, said he was
the first blind-deaf person to
complete a college education
since Helen Keller.
He sat in classes for four years
with a fellow student, John
Spainer, 22. translating lectures
into his palm with the manual
alphabet. He has conversed with
his classmates and professors by
placing his hand on their faces.
i hearing through the move-
ment of their lips and the vibra
jtions of their voices.
' Spainer has made notes for
1 them both, transcribing them in
to Braille for his classmate. He
won't graduate himself this year
his assistance to Smithdas has
taken too much of his time.
Spainer, who became eyes and
ears for the deaf-blind boy to
help work his own way through
college, now plans to devote his
life to work, with his friend, for
the similarly handicapped.
"J. don't think I've done any
thing that you would call diffi
cult in school," Smithdas said.
"I've probably spent about the
same time studying as the ordi
nary student does."
Before entering college, he re
ceived industrial training at the
home and is one of its most
highly skilled workers.
"But I like to use my mind as
well as my hands." he said. "I
was just determined to get ahead.
That's what motivates most peo
ple, except that some people give
in too easily to their failures."
And like every other boy in
the world, Smithdas is anxious
to be through with college and
on to a job with more time for
enjoyment of life.
"I like being with my friends
and ray family. After all. what
difference does it make? Every-
, body has some handicap. It
doesn't matter when you are in
society."
I The smallest shoe stocked by
the U. S. Army for soldiers in
i Japan is size 3 and the largest
' 15 ',i EEEE.
Table Rock
Table Rock June 2 Mr. and
Mrs. Bert Pierce returned Wed
nesday from San Bernardino,
Cal., where they attended the
funeral of G. A. Grogan, Mrs.
Pierce's uncle, who passed away
suddenly at that place.
Bob Vanderpool, who under
went an appendix operation at
a Medford hospital, Saturday, is
doing nicely and expects to be
home in a few days.
Mr. and Mrs. Harold Sharp
of Portland spent the week-end
holidays here with relatives.
The Francis Russell family
moved last week to the Gore
ranch west of Medford which
Mr. Russell has leased.
High school students from the
district attending the prom at
Ashland Friday night were Mar
sha Doran, Harriet Morris, Co
leen Reisinger and Clyde Baker.
Rattlesnakes are more numer
ous here this spring than usual.
They are especially noticed in
fields where sprinkler irriga
tion is carried on.
Among Central Point high
schpol students spending the
week-end holidays at Lake o'
Woods was Miss Jean Hamilton
of this place. Miss Hamilton
was one of the seven Jackson
county high school students re
ceiving tuition scholarships to
attend Oregon State college dur
ing the next school year.
Small flocks of sheep belong
ing to Table Rock farmers wore
shorn last Saturday by the
Neausbaum and Grissom shear
ing outfit of Lake Creek.
The fight with Jack Frost has
come to an end here after one
of the longest smudging seasons
on record. The present warm,
dry weather is drying out the
ground rapidly and late sown
grain is needing rain badly. Ir
rigation of all types is being
used night and day on orchards,
gardens, alfalfa and clover fields
and other crops.
A birthday party for O. A. Wil
liams was given Sunday at the
Ray Doran home by his daugh
ter. Mrs. Ray Doran, with many
friends and relatives in attend
ance. Sunday visitors here from
Mtdford were Norma Miller and
son, Danny, and N. R. Mattcson,
who joined a party here and
drove to the top of Lower Table
Rock, where a wonderful view
of the valley was enjoyed.
Table Rock Community club
will meet Thursday night, June
1, with the program being in
charge of the Teen-Age club.
Each lady is asked to bring a
pie.
Cutting and baling of alfalfa
is progressing here with some
fields showing more weeds than
usual.
According to reports received
here alfalfa weevil is doing con
siderable damage to alfalfa in
.some sections of the county.
Two of Table Rock's well
known and beloved citizens have
recently passed to the great be
yond. Mrs. Nettie Green, whose
death occurred in Berkeley,
v. .o -aw. lli m f 1 av
" V.vV-V - ''--.vnNsvnNwxsWN,'
YEP! All the gang, here at Edgerton Motor Company, are mighty
proud of the record of the past ten year . . . it's been ten year of
pleasant, friendly dealing with folk here, and we've made a heap
o' friends among the many Oldsmobile owners and other. We've made
these good friends by offering the very finest service that we possibly
could, and by selling the finest cars on the road, we're going to keep on
pleasing forks in these parts, too, and we've an experienced staff and most
modern, up-to-the-minute equipment to do it!
College Graduates
Will Have To Hunt
Jobs, Survey Says
Minneapolis, June 2 Four
out of every five job-hungry
June college graduates will be
employed by October 1, though
many will have to hunt harder
and longer than did the class of
'49. This is an average of the
estimates of placement officials
reporting recently in a survey
of 128 colleges and universities
made by Northwestern Life In
surance company.
Actually 1950 will be a good
year for the job-seeking college
graduates not as good as 1H4H,
but much better than was con
sidered normal in pre-war ' ears
the report says. In spite of an
other record "crop" of seniors,
61 schools, nearly half of those
covered in the survey, estimate
that from 90 to 100 per cent ot
their available June graduates
will be employed by October 1;
another 34, or more than one
fourth, expect from present in
dications that 70 to 90 per cent
of their graduates will have jobs
by autumn.
Smaller Firmi Active
Placement officials report as
many or more large concerns
represented on college campuses
this sprirtg, but taking on fewer
new employees per firm. A sharp
increase, however, has been not
ed at many schools in the num
ber of smaller concerns seeking
college graduates this year.
Four out of every five schools
in the survey 102 report that
starting salaries are as high this
years as in 1949; a few find the
average slightly higher. Most of
the 26 schools which show lower
average salaries this year than
last state that the drop is very
slight; that the large employers
arc generally maintaining the
same salary levels as in '49. but
that some of the smaller com
panies are paying a little less.
Initial salaries for business
school and liberal arts seniors
generally range from $175 to
$275 a month; for engineering
and other sciences, $225 to $350.
A few outstanding seniors get
higher offers, of course, ranging
up to $400 a month for outstand
ing advanced-degree men, the
survey found.
Lutheran Ladies' Aid
Conference Conclude
Ashland. June 2 The annual
meeting of the Lutheran Ladies
aid conference, comprising south
ern Oregon and northern Califor
nia, was held at Grace Lutheran
church here last Sunday.
A business session was con
ducted in the afternoon at which
Mrs. Lydia Guctzlaff presided
and the Rev. Carl Eggers, Grants
pass, acted as pastoral advisor.
This was followed by a short ves
per service conducted by Pastor
Paul Harms, Ashland, with Pas
tor Victor Schulze, Klamath
Falls, as speaker. The banquet
was held in the Women's club
house where Mrs. Blair of Port
land spoke on her experiences in
a Japanese prison camp in China
at the time Hongkong was taken
over by Japan.
Attending the conference from
St. Peter's Lutheran church,
Medford, were Mesdames G. J.
Wolff, Susie Pech, Hugo Froh
reich, Lottie Bowman, John
Hueners. Rex Danner, E. Lud-
wig, L. Guetzlaff. Myrtle Morti
mer, Homer Pleyer, A. F.
Jahnke, H. Hidalgo, R. E. Kun
kel. Reimer Peterson. Vera
Wright and Pastor H. H. Young.
Cal., came with her family to
this community back in 1908
and lived on what is now the
Orville Hamilton farm. After
the death of her husband she
and her four daughters moved
to Central Point and then to
Ashland. She was always active
in church and community work,
a good neighbor, devoted mother
nd wife.
In the death of Margaret D.
Lydiard recently in Medford,
those who have lived here long
est can more accurately appraise
the loss to the community. The
Lydiard family in 100B pur
chased a farm from D. D. Sage
and moved into the house now
occupied by the Iverson family,
where Mrs. Lydiard lived almost
continuously until the last few
years. She was deeply in love
with the Rogue river valley.
Each sunrise was to her the be
ginning of another glorious day
and those who met and con
versed with her went away
feeling that life was more beau
tiful than they had realized. Al
ways optimistic, with a cheerful,
pleasant disposition, she was en
deared to all who knew her.
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Phoenix School
Baccalaureate Sunday
Phoenix, June 2 Baccalau
reate service for the Phoenix
Presbyterian church, with the
Rev. E. J. Clark bringing the
message. The 'pastors of the oth
er two churches, Christian and
Nazarene, also will participate
in the service.
The girls' choir of the high
school will render "The Lord's
Prayer." and a mixed chorus will
sing "Dear Land of Home." The
sermon topic will be "Better
Equipped for the Task."
The service will be held from
11 a.m. to 12 noon. All in the
community are invited to attend.
The Ryukyus Islands now have
more firef ighting equipment
than at any other time in their
history, due to the $147,000
GARIOA program.
Uu Mail Tribune Went Ad
ANNUAL JUNE
BLANKET SALE
NOW IN FULL SWING
The Blanket Event that shoppers from all parts of Southern Oregon and Northern
California look forward to, here in all their warmth and glorious colors are Amer
ica's Finest Blankets Blankets nationally advertised as leaders in quality, beauty,
and long life. Pure Wools, and Combinations of the Finest Yarns. Yours on
Mann's Easy-to-Buy Lay-Away Plan.
BEACON'S "WOOLAIRE
Here's a Supreme Blanket Value
The 3'4 lb. Woolaire by
BEACON. A big 72x84 inch all
wool cover in rich shades of Rose,
Green, Blue, Geranium, Wine,
and Hunter's Green.
$6
.49
Ea.
say the million
happy people now sleeping
under General Electric
Automatic Blankets.
You, too, will say that you never knew what
tlerping comfort was until you relaxed un
der a G-E Automatic Blanket. The gentle
war nil h the blanket gives li automatically
maintained at the mime temperature all night
long by the G-E bed tide control. When
room temperature dropi, the control tends
more wnrmth into the blanket. When room
temperature risen, lens warmth goes into the
blanket. Thus, YOU are kept at the always
even sleeping temperature you like best,
during normal channel in room tempera
turel No more shivering nights ... no more
piling on extra blankets.
Don't wait! Make sure that this winter
you'll slrep in automatically controlled
sunny warmlh . . . under a wonderful Gen
eral Electric Automatic Blanket.
The Automatic Rlnnket h carefully mtufa.
to meet rigid General Electric safety stand
ards, and is approved by Underwriters' Lab
oratories Inc. It U certified washable by
the American Institute of Laundering,
--V
AVAILABLE IN THREE MODELS
Tw.-b.d CSfi5 $39 95 i
On.-conlrol 46 lo 86 Inches ff
' Double-bed
One-control 72 to 86 inches
Double-bedJ '".ya m
Two-control 72 by 86 Inchec I
Cofors! ROSE-BLUE-GREEN-CEDAR
THE FAMOUS TEXTRON
Texrron Electric Blanket. Approximately 5 pounds of downy-dtep comfort.
(50 o rayon, 25 wool, 25 cotton.) Yet it envelops you in absolutely
even warmlh. You choose your own
temperatures. Perfectly washable, perfectly I
to fit all beds, with a 6-inch rajron sati
control . . maintains even warmth regardless of room temperaturt.
y 5 pounds of downy-deep comfort.
i.) Ytt it envelops you in absolutely i A y"V &
favorite warmth from 8 different (k J I Jk
ctly beautiful full 72"x84" size P dmL . J J
latin binding. Automatic thtrmostat faaW I pju
igardless of room temperaturt.
EXTRA SPECIAL FOR THIS SALE
BATES SPREADS
Extra Special for the June
Bedding Sale Famous Bates
Spreads in both twin and full
bed siies at Greatly Reduced
Prices. Discontinued patterns
in regular $6.50 to $10.50
Spreads On Sale for Just
$4.98 and $5.98. 40 Beau
tiful Spreads to select from.
SALE PRICES
$4.98 &
$5.98 Ea.
EASY PAY PLAN
Your choice of Several Purchase Plant Available during this Bedding Sale Mike
your selection, and pay V down and the balance in 3 equal payment! or place
you; purchase in Will Call and pay as little ai SOc Down Per Blanket and a little
each week until your purchase it completed Or use your regular charge account
Any way you with And in no time all the lovely bedding you select will be
yourt and you have hardly mined the money.
"'"'"1 FU f "'mH r7"'"'m,m-
BEDDING SECTION LOWER FLOOR