1961-08-17; Clare Sentinel

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Established 1878
Ten Cents Copy
THE CLARE SENTINEL, CLARE,. MICHIGAN,
.AUGUST 17,-1961
New Series, Vol, S9, M&,4$
-'A
"You're telling me.'"— A "pavement narrows" warning to southbound, drivers at
the top of Vernon Hill Monday meant
what ii said as traffic was reduced to. a
single one-way-at-a-time trickle. The tern-
parary bottleneck was caused when paving crews laid concrete in the lanes of
new expressway business route coming
into Clare. Sentinel photo.
Free Tes
or Hearing
Offered
Dr. Irwin C. Sweet, director of
the Gladwin, Clare and Arenac
Public Health District, announced
today that dates have been set to-
provide a free hearing testing
program for adult residents ot
these three counties. Dr. Sweet
reported that the health department is working with the Michigan Association fo Better Hearing to bring that Associaion'J?
mobile testing unit to the area.
All residents over 18 are eligible
for this free service. The program will start August 23, and
continue through September 9.
The program schedule for
Clare county*is as follows: Hai*
rison, Wednesday and Thursday,
August 23 and 24; Farwell, Friday, August 25; and Clare, Saturday and Monday; August 26
and 28.
"Hearing loss is one of the major health problems of the
country, affecting more than 12
million adults and another 3 million children. In terms of incidence, hearing problems constitute our second greatest health
concern", says Dr. Sweet.. "Approximately one person in ten has
some degree of hearing impairment."
Early detection of slight hearing loss is the most important
factor in preventing serious,
handicapping  deafness.
Modern testing equipment
makes it possible to detect a hear?
loss in its early stages and allows
preventive measures to be taken.
Because hearing loss frequently
has a gradual onset, many people
are unaware of any impairment
or fail to do anything about it
until it reaches a handicapping
degree. For this reason, local residents are urged to avail themselves of the free hearing tests.
Dr. Sweet announced that the
Michigan Association for Bettei
Hearing, a Michigan United Fund
agency, will provide a mobile
testing unit and a professional
hearing therapist for the testing
program. It was emphasized that
this is to be a "screening" program, aimed at finding those
people who have some degree of
hearing loss. If a hearing loss is
found, appropriate recommendations will be made. A complete
schedule of testing sites and testing hours will be issued soon.
Dies In
Accident
Tough To Pick Winner
In Lake Name Contest
Arnold Dennison, 37, of Clare,
was killed early Monday when
his pickup truck went out of control and hit a bridge abutment.
Some 62 feet of guard* rail passed
through the truck, striking Dennison. •
State Police of the Mt. Pleasant Post said Dennison was riding alone on the Stevenson Lake
Road in Isabella county shortly
after midnight,. They believe he
fell asleep. His wife, Edna, ahd
stepson, Milo Dingman. were
following in a car and witnessed
the mishap. Mrs. Dennison said
her husband, a mechanic at the
Fisher Sand & Gravel Co, at Mt.
Pleasant had been working and
was tired*        . .
Dan White, son of Mr. and
Mrs.. Dale White of Clare, has
been named the winner of a local
"Name Clare's Lake" contest,
sponsored by the committee on
building the lake. Dan will receive a $25 bond from the com-
imittee for submitting "Shamrock
Lake" as his suggestion for the
name.
He will be given his prize soon
during a ceremony which will be
held on the day when ground is
broken to begin construction in
the lake basin.
Approximately 100 to 150 suggestions were turned in from
people ranging in age from first
grade to college age. The names
submitted varied as much as the
people themselves.
These entries were sent to the
State of Michigan Tourist Council in Lansing to be judged. The
panel chose "Shamrock Lake"
for first place, and gave "Colleen
Lake", "Gateway Lake", and
"Clare Lake" as other preferred
choices. The panel stated that
when the most recent Michigan
Lakes and Streams Directory
was produced by the Conservation Department in 1952, there
Were no lakes in Michigan that
bore any of these four suggested
names.
"Lake Clare" was probably the
most popular name chosen, because of the name of the town.
Others ideas- concerning trees,
such as "Pine Lake", "Birch
Lake", and "Tree Lake" were
common, because of the wooded
area surrounding the lake.
Small children in the first
through third grades used mugh
imagination in determining their
choices to be entered. The following were given with no reason
for their choice. "Ride Lake",
"Yellow Lake", "Glowing Lake",
"Water Lake", "Fun Lake",
"Michigan State Lake", "Lake St.
Clare II", "Little Lake Superior", "Lake 16", "Drop Deep-
Lake", and "Lake Grand Waves."
Some with reasons were "Hilltop Lake", because of the Hilltop
Bar; "Doherty Lake", in honor
of the Doherty Hotel; "Mud
Lake", because there is no bottom to it; "Lake Kennedy," in
memory of our new president;
and "Pipe Lake", because the
river (Tobacco) is right close to
It. ,
Tricky names entered with no
explanation were "Lake Homo-
sassa", "Lake Weeki Wachi",
and "Lake Colletdale."
Suggestions sent in with names
relating to the town included
"Lake Pioneer", "Gateway Lake",
because Clare is called the "Gateway to the North''; and "Crossroads Lake."
Amusing' submissions from
grade'school students seemed to
curve in the fantasy side of naming a lake. "Gold Springs", "The
Way Down Lake", "Paradise Island," ' "Palm Beach", "Hot
Springs", "Duck Lake, Jr." and
"Clartabac", because the name
Would combine the sounds of the
town's name and the Tobacco
River, were just a few,
Historical or Memorial names
seemed to require the most
thought and research, and were
very worthwhile suggestions
Those with reasons were "Lake
'Strange", because in honor of
the man on Halloween; "Lake
Fettit", in honor of Robert Pet-
tit, who was the first person
from this community to give his
life in action during World War
II, for his country; "Lake May-
napd",. in honor of Dr. Maynard,
the first doctor to practice north
of Mt. Pleasant; "Lake Calkins",
in memory of John Calkins, the
first white child .born in Clare;
and "Lake Emerald", because our
town and Clare county were
named after Emerald Islani
Ireland.
Police Free
Pair Held
Hostages
A young Clare mother of two,
Mrs. L. G. Thompson and her
brother, Neil Clark, 14 were victims of a kidnapping and terror
ride in a stolen car Wednesday
night of last week when a paio
of escaped inmates from the
Ionia State Hospital held them
hostage for nine hours. State Police from the Brighton Post finally closed in on the fugitives and
released the pair.
The two men, James Gordon
Styes, 33, of Clare, and John
Thomas Auld, 42, formerly of
Toledo, were captured near Pontiac.
Badly frightened by- her ordeal as a hostage, Mrs. Phillis
Thompson, 184 was hospitalized
under sedation.
Officers said the pair drove lo
Clare and took a rifle from the
home of a relative of Styes.
Then they went to another relative's home at Farwell, where
Mrs. Thompson was staying with
her husbaod and brother.
Thompson said they were not
suspicious of the pair at first
"because Styes,, an uncle of Mrs.
Thompson, told them he'd been
released from the hospital two
months ago.
But Auld eventually got impatient, got the gun from the car
and the two of them tied up
Thompson, took $20 and his car.
They left after warning him not
to call police.
Thompson waited two hours
after they left with the two hostages before calling police.
Get School
Contract
At the regular School Board
meeting on August 14, bids were
considered for supplies needed
during the coming school year.
The Board accepted Schaeffers'
Dairy's bid for milk, which will
include schoolroom milk at .0575
per Vs pint, and vending machine
milk at .07 per % pint; Standard
Oil and Cities Service's identical
bids for gasoline to be used lor
buses, at .14 per gallon, with each
company supplying gas for one-
half year; and Dan McDonald's
Eord offer on a 66 passenger
school bus at $6,263.82.
"K" Was There
The Clare Kiwanis Club was
given mention in the "Kiwanis In
Action - 1961" publication which
lists accomplishments by various
groups of Kiwanians during i960.
The Clare Club was listed und-
ed Agriculture and Conservation
for their sponsorship of the
county's entry in the state Dairy
Princess contest.
Increase In
Fair Crowds
Threatening, rainy weather,
and cooler temperatures on Tuesday dropped the number in. attendance at the Isabella County
Youth and Farm Fair this week,
but clearing skies and a balmy
breeze on Wednesday seemed perfect, fair weather for the crowds
on the midway.
The fair opened its five day
stand Tuesday, with Skerbeck
concessions and rides on the midway, and a new idea for this area
in the grandstand show. Good
local and area talent is providing
audiences with their grandstand
entertainment, instead of big
name shows brought in from
other parts of the country. This
year is the first time it has been
tried, but from the great interest
shown, it seems that local talent
shows will become a tradition at
the Isabella County Fair.
Tonight, spectators will see the
annual Livestock Parade in the
grandstand at 8 p.m., and * the
Livestock Auction at 8:30
Friday the Livestock and Dairy
Judging Contests will be held in
the forenoon, and at 1 p.m. the
Tractor Pulling Contest for .Class
B and C. Later in the evening,
thrill seekers can watch the Ro-
troff All Girl Auto Thrill Show
in action with their death defying acts. They will be in -the
grandstand at 8 p.m. ,
The "Heart of Michigan Holstein Sale" will highlight Saturday's program of events, and
will take place in the riiornlng.
From 10 to 2, owners will present
Central Michigan's Largest Pony
Show for all to watch. Pony Pulling Contests, from 2 to 4, will
conclude all shows at the fair
except that night's grandstand
finale. The week's entertainment
will be brought to an end with
the 1961 All Star Review, in the
grandstand at 8 p.m.
Eldership
Called To
Meet Here
The Michigan Eldership of the
Churches of God in North America will meet in annual session
Thursday 1:30 p.m., 1961. at the
Arthur Center Church of God m
Arthur Township, Clare county.
The organization will consist ot
the ministers of the Eldership,
the officers, the Board of Education, two laymen, two lay women
and a youth delegate from eacn
church. Morning sessions are
from 9:00 - 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 -
4:00 p.m. Saturday afternoon will
be the State Missionary Meeting,
and the State Missionary Society
will have charge of the service
Saturday night. Miss Nancy Hull
will show pictures of her work
in Africa.
Thursday night 8:00 p.m. Alvin
Rockey, member of- the host
church and will be a graduate ot
Winebrenner Seminary next
spring, will bring the message.
He will be ordained in a special
service. Sunday night. The Eldership Youth Rally will be held
Sunday afternoon at 2:30, the
youth in charge and selecting
the speaker. Unless there are visiting ministers from a distance,
Rev. Roy Miller will preach Friday night and Rev. John Turnei
will bring the message Sunday
morning.
All sessions . are open to the
public, and a special invitation is
given to the people of the community and area churches to at
tend the evening services.
Sunday, all from our local
churches who can do so are invited to attend at Arthur Center.
The Arthur Township Hall is expected to be available for younger
ages Bible School, and for junioi
church. Dinner is "pot-luck" and
will be served in the church basement. All who can do so are invited to spend the day, remaining for the Youth Rally at 2:30
and the Ordination Service at
8:00 p.m. according to the host
pastor, Rev. Elza Beery.
Little Boys
Ball Tourney
A Little Boys baseball tourna
ment will be held all next week
starting Monday. August 21 |in
the City Park for boys nine
through twelve years bf age,
Games will start each night at
5:30.
Teams already entered are
from Clare, Harrison, Coleman
and Farwell. It is hoped to include teams from Beaverton and
Rosebush. A trophy will be presented to the winning team,
amroc
Reporting the most encouraging progress to date in the
Clare Mill Pond Development Assn., President Ken Barnes
said Monday that sale of residential building lots has already
commenced and the lake bottom will be cleared and the dam
built this fall. Actual flooding is expected to take no more
than 15 days or so next spring. %
.In a spirit of quiet elation anticipating that a contract
can be signed today for the $50,000. work package, the Association has promised:
-    1. Groundbreaking to start the cleanup of the dry lake
bottom as soon as ten lots are sold. Cash from the sale of the
first ten lots" would provide   $25,000. — enough to   assure
adequate financing   and a firm agreement   with   the   contractor.
2. Construction of an entirely new dam, larger and vastly improved oyer the original dam that stood from 1892 un-
til'1944. Rebuilding and'strengthening of-the dike across the
east end of "the lake-to-be. Flooding probable early in the
spring of 1962.
Giving final approval io the plans for
Clare's Shamrock Lake project, are (from
left) Bernard Wyman, Chamber: of Commerce president; Jim Cole, Builder who
plans io sign a contract today for ihe construction;   Ken Barnes, president pf   ihe
Heart Attack Fatal To
John R. Hall, Sunday
John R. Hall, Sr., city assessor for the City of Clare for a
decade and veteran member of
the Clare County Board of Supervisors was stricken by a fatal
heart attack Sunday at his home,
314 John R. street, Clare. He
passed away shortly before noon.
Mr. Hall's very sudden death
came as a grevious shock to
scores of friends in many circles
of fraternal and public life. He
had been active and well known
in associations of local government and held membership in the
Knights of Columbus, Clare Kiwanis, the American Legion,
Clare Chamber of Commerce.
He had fulfilled many important assignments on committees
and special Boards while a member from Clare "on the Board of
Supervisors.   .
In other public service,- Mr,
Hall was named manager of
Clare's municipal sewage treatment plant when it was newly
opened. He had held that position ever since. His passing
leaves vacant posts of responsibility and trust that will be difficult to fill in city and county
government.
Mr. Hall moved to Clare and
brought his family here in 1938
to become an accountant for the
Hanchett Livestock Yards. Later
he was employed ih Midland after the Hanchett ^ firm sold its
business in Clare.
He was born January 27, 1896
in Elkton, Michigan, the son of
George and Mattie Hail. He mar-
ried Mrs, Hall in 1920 and their
children, are John R. Hall, Jr.,
now of Farmington, Michigan,
and Mrs. John Hodges, of Ithaca.
Both of the children were raised
in Clare and attended school
here.
Mr. Hall's survivors are his
wife, Cecilia with the two children,-and a- sister, Mrs. Fay Sm,ith,
of Mio. He also is survived by
seven grandchildren.
The funeral was at 10:00 Wed-
nesday morning at St. Cecilia's
Catholic'Church where he was a
member, A Requiem Funeral
Mass. was said before a large
gathering of friends and relatives. Burial was in Sacred
Heart cemetery in Merrill, Mich-
gan.
A Knights of Columbus Rosary
was recited in the Doherty Funeral Home Monday at- 9:00 p.m.
and a Family and Friends Rosary
was Tuesday at 8:00 p.m. Flowers, messages, and thoughtful
gifts in profusion bore testimony
to the great esteem in which Mr.
Hall was held by fellow townsmen and friends in wider circles.
Buys Coin
Laundry
•Harry Dice, of Clare announced this Week that he has purchased the coin-operated laundry business known as the Econ-O-Wash
at *716 North McEwan and has
taken over management and operation of the business.-
The laundry is located one
block north of the Doherty hotel
and features agitator type auto-
matic washers, dryers, and extractor service. The service is
open 24 hours daily and parking
is , provided; ■ The Econ-O-Wash
was: the first coin-operated commercial laundry in Clare.
3. A planned subdivision of choice residential sites, all
within the city limits of Clare and mostly fronting on the
120-acre lake. City sewer, water and street grading all provided in the purchase price.
4. Full development of the recreational possibilities in
the project with Michigan Conservation Department cooperation in creating good fishing. Reservation of an area
for a city park with water front facilities and tourist attractions.
The lake is to be known as Shamrock Lake. Dan White, son
of Mr. and Mrs. Dale White of Clare submitted the name in
a contest sponsored by the Association. His prize is a $25.
Savings Bond to be given to him in special ceremonies at
ground-breaking time.
Location of the residential sites will be on rolling shores
just north of Wilcox Parkway and across new US-27 (Interstate 75) expressway to the west of the Clare Airport. One-
hundred foot frontage is planned for each lot and the depth
is 180 to 190 feet.
Offshore, the plans call for a
sand and gravel bottom slowly
deepening to a five-foot depth ;30
to 50 yards from the water edge.
In the middle of the lake the
depth will be an average nine
feet of water.
With plans in advanced detail
and nearly complete, the Association and Jim Cole, lake-building
contractor expected to agree on
terms and sign a contract Monday evening. Some late improvements recommended by the Conservation Department's Jack
Hammond, supervisor of the
Gladwin District made a new
map necessary and delayed signing until tonight (Thursday).
If no further delays occur,
work,may be completed as early
as November this year in time
for flooding during the spring
breakup next March or April.
When work begins, it will climax 28 years of organized effort
to make the lake and surrounding area into park and recreational assets for Clare. The city
leased the property in 1934 and
later purchased it outright after
Consumers Power abandoned it
as a power source. It had been
built in 1892 to power a grist
mill and later purchased' by
pioneer Peter Galium.
The lake bed has been dry
since 1944. Efforts in 1950 by the
late James Clute and the Clare
Rod and Gun Club to rebuild the
dam were unsuccessful because
the U.S. Waterways Commission
could not offer aid in what seemed to be a sportsmen's project.
In 1957 a civic organization
was formed with members from
clubs, lodges, churches, and businessmen. They re-organized in
1961 as a non-profit Clare Mill
Pond Development Association,
Inc. and named Ken Barnes as
their president, Earl Baumgarth
and Ben J. Burdo, vice presidents,
Bernard Wyman treasurer, and
Esther Gilson secretary.
Jim Cole of Pontiac, with the
experience of seven successes in
man-made lakes has been consulted frequently in the various
stages of the project, and has
been in almost continuous demand for advice. His work has
the endorsement of the Conservation Department whose people
have worked with him in many
similar projects.
The ideas of active members of
the association with those of
Cole have been adapted to recommendations from the Department
of Conservation to finally present a works package far superior to the old mill pond being re-
placed.
About five feet of muck and
undesirable deposit will be removed from the bottom of the
new -lake. A water level will be
established at 822 feet of elevation above sea level. This is some
three feet lower than the elevation of the old pond, but can be
raised in the future if desired,
and if it does not threaten damage to nearby sewer and water
lines or dwelling basements.
The association has been assured that full control of water
use and building restrictions
rest with local authority, since
the entire lake and residential
area lie within Clare city limits.
On the urgent recommendation
of Hammond, speaking for Conservation, the working plan of
the new dam will allow the complete "drawdown" of the lake.
This is for the purpo'se of emptying the lake at intervals of several years to control rough fish
species, weedy growth and to
permit benefits from lake-bottom
aeration. Refilling of the lake to
the established level after these
drawdowns would take,only ten
days to two weeks; the association learned.
The new dam; itself, is to1 be
ninety feet long hi three reinforced bays. The concrete spill*
Continued on Page 8
Development Association sponsoring ihe
project; Clarence Gum, Clare city manager. A meeting of interested members
heard of ihe plan's readiness ai a meeting
Monday ai Barnes Town and Country
Lounge. Sentinel photo.
Hayseeders
Colorful
Hoedown
The fourth annual Clare Hayseeders Hoedown was held Saturday evening, August 12, in the
High SchooLGym. Twenty-five
sets were on the floor most of
the time. This included a group
of teen-age square dancers from
Cadillac, making theiffirst appearance.
Guest callers were Lou Drake
of Midland, Chuck Olson of Flint,
John and Marie Jarema of Zil-
waukee, also Clare's caller, Miss
Phyllis Pearson, and two Clare
members Robert Clute and Nelda
Davis. Dick Hales, president of
the Hayseeders presided as master of ceremonies, and welcomed
the guests.
Clubs represented were from
Harrison, Cadillac, Dearborn,
Berkley, Grayling, Ann Arbor,
Houghton Lake, Saginaw, Midland, Alpena, Kawkawlin, Bay
City, Mesick, Flint, Grand Blanc,
Manton,' Tustin, Detroit, Lake
City, Six Lakes, Zilwaukee and
Evart.__
Many round and square dances were enjoyed, and the beautiful costumes of the ladies were a
most colorful sight, as they
whirled and whirled around ihe
floor. There wgre also many spectators watching the performance,
including a gentleman from
France.   ^
In charge of tickets and' "arrangements wer;e Ed and Marion
Strouse, Russ and Ruth Sanders,
Forest and Hildegarde Sogge, and
Norris and Mary Lou Phillips.
Dick and Dale Corsaut and Sue
Sogge took care of the concessions stand,