May 2

April Wettest In Memory

The month of April kept its record to the very last day, of being an unusually wet and cold month for its place on the calendar.

The week ending April 30, was the most favorable of the crop season to date. It was characterized by sunny weather, which was favorable for drying out the soil, for plowing, and for general farming activities. Much plowing was done. Temperature for the week average normal.

Wheat and rye crops are in good condition, except poor to fair in lowlands. Grasses are fair. All are improving, but making slow growth. Ryes are beginning to head. Early sewn oats are also coming up.

Apple tree buds are now showing and continue to swell in the northern part of the counties. They are ready to open, or opening. Peach, pear, plum, and cherry trees are in full bloom. Strawberries are also coming into bloom.

Planting of early potatoes, of peas, and truck crops, made good progress during the week. In some localities planting of early potatoes and peas have been finished. Early potatoes, planted in March that failed to come up, as a rule, are rotting or have rotted. Tomato seeds are being sewn, early sewn tomatoes are up.

The season continues fully two weeks behind the normal. Warm and continued sunny weather is needed.

Some Little Newspapers Need Killing

The other day, a daily newspaper, in commenting on the advent of radio, said it might kill some "little newspapers", and so much the better – "they need Killin – but worthwhile papers would not be hurt."

This is worth telling to those who think their hometown should have a "little newspaper". It is an open statement that ought to cause home folks to see what they are doing when they cut out the home paper.

If the "little newspaper" is wanted; if it is perhaps only a necessary evil; if the home neighborhood would be worse off without it, then it must be kept alive by proper support.

For many years, or since the advent of rural delivery, "some little newspapers" have been hard hit by the strenuous efforts of daily newspapers to cover the wider field opened up. The fact that most of them have refused to be "killed", must be very objectionable to "worthwhile papers", and now, if radio will help do it, "so much the better."

No doubt "some little newspapers need killin", just as some big ones deserve the same fate – is the opinion of some. But, lots of people and things do not get what they "need."

Men Teachers And Boys

A school principal is reported as having said it is unfortunate that more men teachers cannot be employed in the schools. He has a school with many children, whose parents are un-naturalized aliens. He said that the boys from many of these families need a man teacher very much. Apparently in the countries where their families came from, the women are regarded as inferior, and the boys catch something of this contempt.

While the native boys do not seem to object so much to be controlled by women, that they were often more lawless than the children of the aliens. The democracy and sense of freedom of American life goes so far that children are allowed to manage their own affairs entirely.

There is a certain age when most boys have some contempt for womankind. Creatures that don’t know the baseball rules look like an inferior of beings to them. They get well over that point of view in due time. But at that period of savagery in their lives of these young barbarians, a man teacher is a wholesome force.

Some men will always go into public school teaching because of their love for the profession, or because they use it as a steppingstone to college work or other positions. But to attract more of them into the ordinary run of teaching positions, salaries would have to be raised considerably; men should be paid at least twice as much as women teachers.

Perhaps more fellows would go into this work if they realize that the men who entered it are regarded with unusual respect and affection. They may not get wealth in money, but they are rich in friendship of the countless young people whom they help to raise in life.

Charlie Bream Returns From California

Charlie Bream of Fairfield, who left for California on October 10, returned home. Mr. Bream spent the winter in California with his son. He visited friends and relatives on his trip to and from California. "With the exception of California, all things taken into consideration, the west has nothing on old Pennsylvania, with its mixed farming, fruit, well equipped farms, and improve methods of agriculture," Mr. Beam declared.

May 9

Harney Civil War Veteran Dies

Sunday morning, William Forney, an aged veteran of the Civil War, died at his home, from the affirmatives of old age. He was in his 91st year, and is survived by his wife and two daughters.

Camps For Young Men

The Record has not given publicity to numerous request received to encourage military training camps for young men between the age of 17 and 24, to be held between July 1 and the 30th, for the reason that we think the average young man can be better employed, and because, especially at this season of the year, young men are needed to help busy farmers.

Unquestionably, these camps will furnish exercise, and perhaps valuable training for young men – give them a good healthy vacation – and perhaps most of the young men who may respond, but not, in any case, help out with the summers important work; but just the same, we feel that it is not a job that should be encourage by the county press.

it would be a fine thing, we think, if young men in the cities and larger towns, would seek employment on the farms during the summer. It would do them as much good, physically, as well as represent reasonable, financial income, and be a benefit to the whole country in relieving the scarcities of help for ordinary farm labor.

We are paying greatly too much attention to vacation and camping jobs, and not enough to using our time and effort where it is most needed. We do not, therefore, intend to promote the announced advantages of wonderful opportunities of these "Young American" camps.

Methodist Approved Ordination Of Women

The ordination of women as local pastors in the Methodist Ministry was approved by the Methodist Episcopal general conference by a decisive majority. Their admission to the itinerary and membership in the annual conference however was unanimously defeated. "It’s one thing for a women to led a local parish, but the leadership of the church requires thoughtful decision making that only a man can do," said one church Elder.

Horse Killed As Auto Crashes Into Team

A horse driven by Frank Arnold was killed Friday night on the Emmitsburg Pike when a Buick machine struck the team. The buggy was demolished. Arnold was pinned beneath the buggy, and John Brenton, who was with him, was thrown out and considerably bruised. The radiator of the Buick was damaged, the lights were broken and the fender bent. The driver was cut about the face by flying glass from the broken windshield.

Emmitsburg Burgess Reelected

42 votes were cast in the Emmitsburg election on Monday. Harry Stokes, was reelected Burgess by that number, and Charles Keilholtz, getting the same number as the new commissioner, succeeding Cyril Rottering, whose term expired. The other two commissioners are William Morrison and Francis Matthews.

May 16

Barn Burned After Lighting Strike

The first real thunder gust of the season occurred shortly after midnight, Tuesday night, and was a severe one for a starter. The lightning was sharp, following a very hot day, but the rainfall was slight.

Lighting from the storm hit the barn on the farm of Harry Freet, near Taneytown, around 1 o’clock on Wednesday morning, and it was entirely destroyed with its contents, the horses and cattle were saved, except one calf. A lot of feed of different kinds, and all of his farming, implements, except a manure spreader, and a plow that was outside were burned.

Mr. and Mrs. Freet were awakened by the strike, and it was only by quick work on their part that the stock was rescued, as the fire burn very rapidly. Several adjoining buildings narrowly escaped, the rain, no doubt, helping to confine the loss to the one building.

Bible Reading Required In Kentucky Schools

That "the teacher in charge shall read, or cause to be read, a portion of the Bible daily in every classroom or session, in every room of the common schools of the state of Kentucky in the presence of the pupils that are assembled," is the grist of a bill recently signed by the governor of Kentucky. No pupil will be required to read the Bible against the wish of his parents or guardians. Failure of any teacher to carry out the provisions of this bill will be caused for revoking his certification.

1923 Honey Crop In Adams County

A report on the number of beehives and honey production in Adams County, during 1923, is given in a report just issued by the State Department of Agriculture. According to the report, the county possessed 2,077 hives, valued at an average of four dollars each, the total value being $8,308. The honey produced was 23,225 pounds, the average price received for the crop being $.26 per pound, for a total value of the crop was $6,038.

The number of beehives and the production of honey in the state during 1923 was less than for the proceeding years. The reduction is attributed to the reduction in hives as a result of the Foul Brood Disease, for the control of which a law was passed requiring beekeepers to house bees in modern hives with movable frames.

Reports on the outlook for beekeepers in the county for the present indicate that the cold spring has depleted the food stores of the bees. It is declared that some losses to beekeepers will follow unless they provide honey or syrup for the bees until warm weather sets alls the bees to produce food through natural resources. Feeding now, it is declare, will carry the bees along and keep up their food, rearing activities.

Hives that were wintered in cellars, and in winter crates are in better condition than those, which went without protection on summer stands, and in single wall hives.

May 23

Methodist Vote For Church Union

By a vote of 842 to 13 the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church voted for a union with the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The General Conference of the Methodist, Episcopal Church, South, will now be called into general session, and is expected to approve the proposition with similar unanimity and enthusiasm.

The united church will have 8,270,704 members, estimating constituents on the basis of three to every two members, Methodism will be able to claim that one American in every five is a Methodist. The Methodist Church counts in its membership only those who are actual and active members of the church.

Army Leases Land For Air Corps

The U.S. Army Aviation Service has leased land from George Sauble outside of Taneytown to be used as an aviation camp, and expects to begin its use of it the last of this month. The plan is said to require eight camps, likely extending from Gettysburg to Washington. The object will be observation and landing practices for planes and balloons, and will be part of the training required for airplane army service.

It’s likely that the use of the field represents a part of Army War College instruction, including a wireless station, and if so, will be of considerable importance.

The advanced quota of army occupants of the Sauble field arrived on Wednesday. They represent a detail of southern enlistments of the War College, and will have practice in a portion of the maneuvers of the College’s field course. Three tents have been erected for officers, and four for the men. In all, they will be about 10 officers and 30 men and the camp will continue for about 10 days.

The camps are part of a large field plan, made up of over 30 like camps, representing an imaginary battlefield covering a wide area, contemplating part of an emergency plan of national defense.

The principle purpose of the camps is to demonstrate means of communications among the various camps. Part of the communications will be worked out by the use of airplanes of which there will be between 15 to 18 maneuvering between Gettysburg and Walkersville. After communication has been established among the various camps by the Signal Corps, the theoretical armies will maneuver into positions sent out by the staff officers from their headquarters in Gettysburg.

Rain Continues

This was the third week of rain nearly every day, and practically no corn has been planted. At places where there has been some plantings that have "come up" the growth looks very sickly. Beans and some other seeds have rotted in the ground in gardens.

Decoration Day

Decoration Day will be observed next Friday in Taneytown. The parade will form at the Square at 1:30. All World War, Civil War, and Spanish War veterans and fraternal orders are asked to join in. The parade will proceed to the cemeteries and decorate the graves. Please bring your flowers to the schoolhouse in the morning. After decorating the graves and the Soldiers’ Memorial, there will be a service in the opera house.

Decoration services will be held in Harney on Saturday evening. All are requested to meet at the school ground promptly at 5:30 where the line of march will be formed and proceed promptly to Mountain View Cemetery, then to the United Brethren Cemetery, then proceeded to the Lutheran Church where the services will be continued.

In Thurmont, Memorial Day exercises will not only ensure the graves of the soldiers are strewn with flowers, but also those of the departed brothers of the several fraternal orders that will take part in the exercise.

In Fairfield, Memorial Day services will be held on Saturday starting at 2 o’clock. All citizens of the town and surrounding communities have been invited to participate in the ceremonies and parade. The parade forms at 1 o’clock. Grand Army members will be given the post of honor in the parade, the automobiles in which they will ride being followed by a number of other cars, all highly decorated.

Class Of Two At Fairfield High School

One of the smallest classes to be graduated from any high school in Adams County, if not in the state, will be set forth from the Fairfield High School, when commencement exercises are held for the two members of the Class of 1924.

On Tuesday evening, commencement exercises will be held for the two graduates in the auditorium of the high school. Mary McCleaf, one of the two graduates, and valedictorian of her class, will deliver the valedictorian address and present the history of the Class of 1924.

John Kittinger, the other member of the class, and salutatorian, will give the address of the second highest member of the class, and also a paper on the "Flag Of The Free."

Part Of Catoctin Furnace Tract Sold

Lancelot Jacques, of Smithburg, has sold 350 acres of the Catoctin Furnace track to the Thurmont Water Co. and given an option on the remaining 9,500 acres to Baltimore men for a game and fly-fishing preserve for $50,000.

The entire track was offered to the state as a game preserve for $30,000. A bill passed by the General Assembly for the purchase of the track was vetoed by Governor Ritchie. That portion of the track purchased by the Thurmont Water Co. is at the north end, while the remainder is said to contain ten miles of the finest trout streams in the state. The Baltimore men contemplate stocking the tract with game.

Baseball Club At Emmitsburg

The Emmitsburg Frederick County League baseball club has been re-organized for the coming season. Louis Mundorff, proprietor of the Hotel Slagle, being reelected manager. It was then moved that responsibility for the management of the team be left entirely in his hands, members of the Board Of Directors of the Emmitsburg Ball Club keeping hands off.

Plans for raising money with which to finance the club during the season was also discussed. It was announced that arrangements had been made with the Reverend Hayden, proprietor of the movie picture house, where pictures are shown weekly, to show Dickens‘s famous novel "Oliver Twist" the evening of May 29. The proceeds from this picture will be given over to the Emmitsburg ball club. A strawberry festival for the benefit of the team will also be given on May 30, and a game a ball will be played on the same date. The county league season will open the middle of next month.

May 30

Fire Company To Hold Carnival To Raise Funds

The fire company realizes the need of an up-to-date, fire engine, not only for better and quicker town service, but for the protection of out-of-town property. Various plans are being considered for raising the funds for the purchase, to which citizens of the town and local community should liberally respond. A carnival company, that makes a business of operating in conjunction with fire companies, has been engaged for the week of June 16, more about which will be given in the next edition.

Methodists Repeal Ban On Amusement

The Committee on Amusements of the Quadrennial General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church adopted a report which provided for repealing the rule that a Methodist cannot dance, play any games of chance, or attend theaters, horse races, circuses, dancing parties, nor dancing schools, and leave it with the individual conscious of a Methodist, to take only such amusements, as can be used, in the name of the Lord of Jesus.

The report included a "solemn warning" against a widespread form of amusement which heretofore has not received an official rebuke from the church – the movies. It does not propose to prohibit attendance at theaters and movies, but lifts up a note of warning, particularly against attendance upon immoral, questionable and misleading, theatrical and motion picture performances. The report is taken to mean that Methodist can go to good theatrical plays and movies, but not too immoral, questionable and misleading ones.

Telephone Rates To Be Increased

The C&P Telephone Co. will increase rates by 10%, which will be evenly applied to the various branches of the service. This action has been indicated for sometime, by various announcements, and claimed to be based on the needs of the company in order to pay fair dividends, and to maintain the physical value of the company at a high standard.

The new rates are expected to go into effect sometime this fall. The increases expected to add from $800,000 to $1 million to the company’s revenue. The question involves a great deal of figuring and estimating a fair inventory of the value of the company’s property, over which there may be widely differing opinion.

No one ever welcomes an increase in expenses, without a corresponding increase in service, and there is always sure to be a ready opposition to advances made in charges by large corporation; but, in this particular instance, the company makes a very strong case, indeed, and as the C&P provides vendors such excellent service, and the very recent, tremendous storm and flood disasters, substantiated by it, will help very materially towards making the proposed advances in rates, justifiable, if not, altogether palatable.

The company statement, in brief, will be found in a very large advertisement in this issue, which we earned a lot of money from for carrying.

Read Prior '100 Years Ago this Month'