1956-12-20; Saline Observer

              These Saline Youngsters  Are Representative of   All Members of the   Lollipop & Bubble-Gum   Set Who   Eagerly   Await Santa Claus
8
SALINE:
THE CITY
OF OPPORTUNITY
PHONE
SALINE 37
FOR WANT ADS
A WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEDICATED TO PUBLIC SERVICE, CIVIC. ENDEAVOR AND AGRICULTURAL PROGRESS  IN THE SALINE AREA
VOL. LXXIV No. 46 (Meimtoer of Salin§ Chamber of Commerce)
THURSDAY,   DECEMBER 20,   1956,   SALINE,   MICHIGAN
5c PER COPY
The   Christ    Child    or   Santa   Claus?
f
Neighbor,
To those who are a bit trouble! about the question of whether
Santa Clans is crowding the Babe in tlie Manger out of the true
meaning of Christimas for our children, we like to tell of how this
was settled for us and our two little boys nineteen years ago with
tiie assistance of early Sunday school training and a grandmother
who, even in tlie rush of holiday plans.for family reunions, always found time to real and retell the story of Christ's birth'to
all the grandchildren who clustered around with their endless
questions, which might not otherwise have been fully and carefully answered.
Our 'Almost Four' and 'Almost Five' were watching us
put the final touch, a* haloed angel, on the top of the Chri-t-
nr_s tree. This climaxed a day which had included a visit to
see Santa Claus. Almost Four turned to Almost Five and
asked a blunt question which we had not .aticipated. "Don,"
lie said, "who do you like best, Jesus or Santa Claus?" Almost Five didn't hesitate at all. He knew the answer. "I
like Jesus best, Bob," he said, "because Jesus takes c.»re of
us all the time, aud Santa just helps us celebrate Jesus' birthday."
"Out of the mouths of babes—" How coull we have answered
that all-important question with such perfect faith and simplicity?
To those who are hurt by the loss of a loved one, especially a child, at this time of year, and who "achlngly seek to
find an answer lo that unanswerri-Ie "Why?", we want to tell
ahout these same two, little boys on the Christmas which
followed the abo\:**/iiiVi&>nt.-._. .--, " , .-. --?■*-_-• „
■ "■.   i ■--...*   *t     ■*,-. - ■-. *%**--_.j*.y*_ *-*-."*    -■    -  -'- 4.-':-  *
Eighteen yerrs ago, just two days before Christmas,
four uncles carried the littlest boy, then Almost Five, up a
snowy hill and placed his small white casket down beside
mounds of flowers and one small gaily-decorated Christmas'
tree, brought to the cemetery by a favorite aunt. The.p_4-.t0r
spoke a few words, and we walked back down the hill. The '
last thing we saw, when we looked back, was _>ur littlest
boy's brave little Christmas tree, as bright a^id shining as any
tree lie had had during his four Christmases with us.
*    , *       *
Two morning-, later there was only one rocking horse under
our Christmas tree, and only one Teddy bear in one small rei
chair. Only one small stocking had been left for Santa Claus- Only
one small boy had waited for-Santa's visit and listened while we
real '"Twas the Night Before Christmas—"
^ We tried to make it a. Merry Christimas for Almost Six, but
u was he who took much of the hurt out of the experience for us.
Only once we broke down in front of him and cried, "But Bobby
was so little, and he'll m_ss us so much!"
Almost Six knew the answer. He looked at us amazed that
-Jig People could be so very, very stupid. "But he won't really
miss us much. Don't you remember?" he sail, "Gra-idmia said
that there isn't any night in Heaven, ever, and he'll thirik, when
we get ■there, that we came the ssame day he .did. He can't miss
us much, not for just part of a day!"
Just a few words of perfect faith, and we hope that they
bring a bit of comfort to someone, su they did for us, during
that Christmas season eighteen years ago. ""
During tlie past eighteen years, our Almost Five has run
iiappuy, we know, to welcome many members of '-lis faimily"
irom his loved Grandma to tiny b«.y __gmmy, to his small
comer of Heaven. Someday he'll run to meet us. His halo
mil probably be crooked on his blond .curly head, and his
sandals, as we so well remember, will be on the wrong feet,
and We hope, selfishly that he has missed us just s*< bit and
<<wl Sa>' as he so often -J*1-' when we were away too long;
"hy didn't you come home sooner?"
Services
Of
Obse
rvance
*
*.*
*-,_-. To ^ our rea(3ers we wish the merriest of Christmases and a
naPPy, prosperous New Year.
No Shortage Of Natural
as Forseen For Saline
40 Prizes
For Kids In
CC Contest
* More than $200.00 worth of prizes
will be awarded to 40 wanning
youngsters in the special . Children's Christmas Bonus contest
now being conduced under ^ the
sponsorship of the 'Saline Chamber
of Commerce for the Christmas
shopping season.
-The contest is for children under
ten years of age, and there will be
prizes' awarded to "the 20. girls with
/the most votes^,and -to_20rtpg.b_""j-,
wi'i-aers. The 'contest began -on
December 7 and will close at 9
p.m. Saturday, December 22.
Merchants participating in the
contest are displaying posters in
their windows. Customers making,
purchases' in the sponsoring business places are given ballots enabling them to vote for the -child
of his choice. One 'vote is allowed
for each ten-cents worth of merchandise sold. The minimum number
bf votes on a ballot is five for a
fifty-cent purchase, and 1,000 votes
for a $100.00 purchase. ***
■Ballots are being deposited by
each voting customer in a ballot
box at the southwest corner of
US-112 and Ann Arbor Street.
Top leaders among "the girls in
the contest at the December 16
counting were: D. Sheats, 2,837;
S. Dieterle, 2,652; L. Johnson,
1,076; N. Starling, 1,060; T. Bonich,
1,016; S. Dechert, 997; S. Yuha_,
889; L. Robinson, 862; S. Wacken-.
hut, 741; 0. Gable, 732; S. Seitz,
705; D. Fritz, 628; S. Karn, 610;
I. Rosander, 605; A. Larson, 598;
R. Martin', 586; S. Milkey, 554;
C. Lindemann, 546; A. Beckington,
561 and R. Bernard, 540.
Top winners among boys' in the
contest were: P. Burkhardt; 5,430;
C. Meyers, 4,794; R. Michalke,
1,203; N. Girbach, 1,144; M. Armbruster, 1,117; J. Finkbeiner, 976;
S. Burdick, 891; K. Anderson, 751;
B. Campbell, 725; T. Hollister, 668;
A. Rhodes, 667; R. Rogers, 676;
J. Reid, 596; R. Frey, 595; M.
Green, 530; C. Fritz, 572; S. Hoeft,
521; G. Sloan, 491; D. Feldkemp,
440 and F. Milkey, 410.
A listing of all contestants with
more than 100 votes has been posted in both drug stores.
Merchants participating in sponsoring the contest are Adair Paint
and Wallpaper; A&M Chevrolet
and! Oldsmobile; Anderson's Clothing; Burkhardt Real Estate; Cut
(Continued on Page 3)
Tableau Depicts Christ Child's Birth
The life-size tableau of the Nativity is one of the mafai attractions for both adults and children
at the annual Christmas Fantasy exhibit at the Ford Rotunda, and annually attracts more thara
600,000 visitors during the month the exhibits are open to the public. The Christmas Fantasy
Exhibit, which includes jnany animated characters of fiction _md fairy tale, doll exhibits, trains
and toy displays, will continue through Christmas Eve.
Sermons, Pageants
And Carols To Tell
Of
of Christ
The annual Christian observance of the birth of the Christ \
Child in a humble manager in Bethlehem almost two thousand
years ago will he cbja_memorated and celebrated in all area!
churches in services of _K>_h word and special Christmas music this
week end. .■■•'■*. j
In many churches, ^children's choirs will present special j
hymns of praise in progf-ains in. conjunction with the a ult ob-j
servances. ]
A special invitation has been ex-
tented by the various congregations' and church officals to local
residents who are-not now affilated
jvi^^sY^kT&i^a^T^bvsp^ to _o_S
them at their holiday services. Visitors will be welcomed.
Saline amd the 110 other communities served by Michigan Consolidated Gas Company are .assured of plenty of natural gas for
every present and future heating
"eec* — regardless of how serious
the world fuel shortage may become .as a result of the Middle
East Oil crisis, a. spokesman for
-he Company announced today.
To householders concerned by
shipments of huge quantities of
Americail oil to Europe and rising
°u prices, Fred A. Kaiser, vice
president and general sales manager, made this pledge;
''No one wiE be fprced to go-
without adequate heat in the 110
communities served by Michigan
Consolidated. .   .
The Gas Company is taking
up mediate steps to make sure that
every request for fuel, whether for
homes, industries or commercial
uses, will be met promptly."
To carry out this pledge, the
new American Louisiana Pipe Line
Company which supplies Michigan
Cons'olidaed with natural gas announced that it has purchased an
additional 250 billion cubic feet of
gas on Louisiana to augment its
reserves.
Also work is being rushed to. .increase the delivery capacity of 'the
big pipeline to Detroit from 300
to 260 million cubic feet of gas
daily.   -
At the same time, Michigan Consolidated engineers are, -completing
plans' for a- muli-million dollar
construction program* in 957 to
expand gas service.
"No matter what happens to the
(Continued on Page 3)
Area Home
Displays. Will
Win Prizes
Three homes, in Saline will be
picked, by a judging committee of
Jaycees, Saturday evening, as? winners in the -'.'Make Saline Beautiful This Christmas" contest for
outdoor decorations and displays
at homes of the village.
Three prizes will be awarded.
Winner c_ first place will receive
$15.00, second place winner will receive $10.00 and $5.00 will be given
to winner of third prize.
Judging will be based on originality and .beauty in the outdoor
'decorations in keeping with the
Christmas theme.
Hungarian
Relief Fund
Nears Goal
— The fine response from throughout the county to the American
Red' Cross Appeal * for Hungarian
Relief has achieved more .than.80
per cent of its goal with $3'675
already collected. This is part of
a $5,000,000 National ..Appeal, to
provide the funds needed ;to assist
'refugees m*Austria, and pamp*Kil-
mer and to participate.!-- the International Red Cross program in
Hungary* where limited Red Cross
convoys continue to help stave off
starvation. ".
The chapter chairman; Law-
rence Ouimet, urged that contributions be sent inpromptty. -he;*_,ct
ive appeal is scheduled to end *&-•-•
week,. but-*; additional .contributions are needed^ ',.**'
Mr. Ouimet also announced that
Red Cros's recreation j^nd welfare
staffs will be provided for the
three TJ. S. Navy transport ships
assigned to bring refuged to.'our
country. Red Cross reception teams
at the Brooklyn docks.and'at Mc-
Guire airforce base as well as
welfare teams? at staging areas in
Europe will assist in this gigantic
humanitarian,task.'These services
were Requested by Tracy S. Vbor-
hees, the President's coordinator
for Hungarian Relief.
Saline residents who wish to
contribute .to the drive may leave
their contributions with. Miss Luella Lambarth, local Red Cross
chapter treasurer, at the Saline
Saving Bank, and donations will be
promptly sent to the county headquarters.
Truck-Car Collision
Kills Two Detroiters
Two.' Detroiters lost their lives
Saturday morning in a ihead-on
truck-car .collision on fog-shrouded
US-12 in Saline Township, two
miles west, of Saline.
Driver of the car, Wilfred Cleveland, 48, and his passenger, Rhoda
Fletcher, 51,.were .killed instantly
when their - car hit an automobile-
oarrier driven by Arthur Elkin, 42,
of Coldwater. .Elkin who was unhurt in the accident, told State
police from the Clinton post that
he swerved his rig as far to one
side as he could to avoid the collision. However, the car''hit the
truck almost head-on.
State troopers said that. Cleveland apparently was attempting to
pass another car and could not see
the truck in the dense fog on the
highway. The car was completely,
demolished.
;The two deaths bring the traffic
Xmas Decorations     '
In Business Section
Add Holiday Spirit \
iCongatratulations are due to the
public-spirited SaEnites who have
cooperated in decorating the shopping district of the -village with
greens' roping and red festooning
ori light poles and across the
streets. •
.The roping was furnished by Saline Chamber of Commerce,, the
red streamers- by Katz Brothers
and the village of. Saline furnished
lights and labor'-putting up the holiday decorations. " • •
toll for Washtenaw County ito 56
during the current year. This
equals the mark set in the county
in 1953 for the' entire 12-month
period-.
Women Hurt
When Car
Rams Pole
Mrs. Donna Jean Huffard 22,
of 9910 Stoney Creek Rd. Milan, was slightly injured Saturday
morning at 10:30, when she was involved in an accident on the Saline-
Milan Rd. near the intersection of
Milkey Rd., about two and one-half
miles south pf Saline.
The accident occurred when
Mrs. Huffard, who was traveling
south, attempted to afvoid meeting
an oncoming car on a' narrow
bridge. As she applied the brakes
the car went into a ditch and broke
off a telephone pole. Her husband was summoned to the scene
and transported her to Dr. G. J.
Prout's office in Saline, where she
was treated for facial injuries and
cuts on the leg and released.
The other car did not stop and
the driver is unknown'.-
Saline Police Officer Earl Kirby
investigated the accident.'
. Damage to the car was estimated
al?5W,
METHODIST CHURCH
The pupils of the Church School
including the Junior * Choir will
present a Christmas program at
the Methodist Church on Sunday
evening at 7:30 p. m.
The program will include the
following numbers: Organ' and
Piano Duet - "Christmas Fantacy"
by Sally Stimpson and Pat Johnson. Brass Choir - Christmas Carols -led by Pat Johnson. Vocal
Duet,-"0 Holy Night" Susan and
Carol Coates. Professional by the
Junior Choir - "O Come All Ye
Faithful"'. The Christmas Story
presented in Bible reading, carols,
and tableau. Reader, Mrs. Cecil
•Davenport. Singing iby the Junior
Choir. Song by the Primary Class,
"Away in a Manger". Song, "We
Three Kings of Orient Are", Elwin
Strait. Tableau cast: Mary, Marcia
Struble, Joseph, Donald Jeppesen;
Shepherds, James Struble, John.
Parsons, Stephen Miller; Wisemen,
Allen' Coe, Larty Carr,. Edwin
Strait and Angels, Beth Ann Volz
and Debbie Carr.
The White Gift Offering which is
an annual gift to the Methodist
Children's Home at Redford, Mich,
will be presented at the Morning
Service and in the Church School.
•Following the Christmas program the young people of the M.
Y. F. will go out caroling.
ST. PAUL'S CHURCH
Rev- Alvin Siemsen, pastor of
St. Paul's Evangelical and Reformed Church has chosen the topic
"Silence Before God," as the theme
for the pre-Christmas worship
service Sunday morning at 10
a. m.
•Sunday evening at 7:30 p. m.
the'annual Christmas program
will be presented by the members
of the nursery, kindergarten, and
lower junior departments. John
Miller, superintendent of the Sunday School is in charge of the general program- and is assisted by
department heads, Mrs. Ray Carlton, Mrs. John -Miller, Mrs. Milton
■Finkbeiner, Mrs. Erwin- Sehmid
and Mrs. M. Hartman.-
The Christmas Eve program, will
be presented by the combined
youth groups of the church. Included in the service wil be music
by the choirs, a pageant, on the
Symbolism of the Christmas Tree
and carol singing by the congregation.
A Candlelight service will foe held
at 11:30 Christmas Eve, and music
wOl be provided by the members
of the girls chorus.*"
BETHEL CHURCH
*- The story of Christ's birth will
be the theme of the regular morning services at Betel .Church Sunday, December 23. Worship ser.
-vices'are at 10 a. m. aad Sunday
school   classes-are   at .11  a.  m.
A Christmasi|>ageant, "The Holy;
Nigftt'K-.will the*-presented ,by the,
•yo-l-fe^-ups ' of tlfe church on
Christmas Eve at 7:80 p. m. More
than fifty young people will take
part in the presentation.
Tor his Christmas morning service, Rev. T. W. Menzel, will;
preach on "Christmas Joy". There;
will be Holy Communion at this:
Service.
The adult choir and the junior
choir, under the direction of Mrs,
Menzel, will furnish special pro-;
grams of carols at both services.:
FEDERATED CHURCH
Christmas Worship Services will
bte held at.Federated Church on
Sunday, December 23, at 11:00
a.m., and again at 8:00 p.m., when
the annual Christmas musical by
the adult choir will be presented.1
The. pastor's morning theme will-
be "Earth's Gto-eatest Moment,".
and the Order of Service will include the rites of Baptism for children. The adult choir under the:
direction ol Harold Brown will'
Sing special Christmas anthems'
and Christmas organ music will'
be played by Mrs. Carl Geddes.
Anthems under the direction of'
Mr. Brown will include: "Be Joyous, O Judea!" by Peery; "A Savior is Bona," by Baar; "The" Prince'
of Peace," by Wilson; "Nazareth,"
by Gounod; "What Child is This?",
an English carol; "Sleep of the
Noly Child," by Gevaert; "Gentle
Jesus," by Moats; "As Lately We
Watched," an Austrian carol; "Sing
Ye Noel," XVn Century melody;
and "The Angels' Hymn," by1
Beethoven.
The public is invited to attend.
both of these Christmas Services.
The annual Christmas Eve program presented by the younger
children of the Church School at
Federated Church will hegin at
7:30 p.m. according to announce^
ment of the superintendent, Archii
bald Preston. The younger pupils
will be assisted in the program by
the Junior Choir under the direction of Mrs. Carl Geddes. The
teachers of the Nursery, Beginners
and -Primary departments, led by
Mrs. Arthur Lutz, primary superii*.
tendent, have constituted 'the committee in charge of arrangements
for the program, and will entertain
the pupils from those departments
at a Christmas party following
their final rehearsal on Saturdny
afternoon. -;
■The program consists of a
dramatic presentation entitled
"Christmas Around the World," for
which Ruth Lutz will serve as narj-
rator. The preliminary program
will include' an orchestral ensemble
by members of the Austin families, "Ave Verum Corpus," by
Mozart, carol singing hy -the congregation led by James Austin,
Choral Call to Worship by the
Junior Choir, Invocation by Superintendent Preston, carol by the
Junior Choir, "There's, a Star in
the Sky," orchestra ensemble offertory, "Christian Medley," by
Dalley. ,.