COLD AS ICE

The area’s first major snowfall of the winter arrived steadily throughout Thursday, visible here on Shelby Street, looking south from Hendricks Street in Shelbyville. Indianapolis had 4.4 inches of snow by Thursday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service. There is a chance of light snow showers throughout the early morning today. Temperatures are expected to be in the high teens and low 20s. | photo by JOHN WALKER

NOTEBOOK:

Wintry road conditions led to several vehicle accidents yesterday. All lanes of westbound I-74 were closed near State Road 9, just north of Shelbyville, due to a crash at 5:45 p.m. last night. Earlier in the day, at 9:56 a.m., Indiana State Police reported a jackknifed semi closed eastbound lanes of I-74 between Fairland and Shelbyville. Just an hour later, at 10:50 a.m., Indiana State Police reported a second semi had jackknifed on I-74 between Fairland and Shelbyville. This time the crash was on the westbound side of the Interstate. Both directions of I-74 in the area were closed from exit 109 - 113 for a time.
Shelby County Republican Councilman Ben Compton announced he is running for re-election in the 2nd District. Compton, a Shelbyville High School Class of 1990 alumnus and graduate of Lincoln Trail College in Illinois, assisted with managing his family’s business, Compton Dairy, until its closure in 2001. He now works as store manager and industrial sales consultant for Builders Lumber and Hardware in Shelbyville. Compton lives in Shelby County with his wife, Lisa; daughter, Jacqueline; and son, Mitchell. Also running in the May Republican primary for the 2nd District seat is Kyle Barlow.
A public hearing will be held in Morristown concerning the annexation of 466 acres that is generally bound by CR 1200 N to the north, in Sections 2, 3, 10 and 11 of Hanover Township. The hearing will be held Feb. 23, 7 p.m., at Morristown Town Hall, 418 W. Main St., Morristown.
All “non-essential” Shelby County offices will be closed today, Friday, Feb. 4, which includes the courthouse, Annex I, Annex II, Community Corrections and the Professional Building. Given the closure, per IC 3-5-4-1.5, the candidate filing deadline has been moved to noon, Monday, Feb. 7, 2022.
The Joseph Boggs Society’s free quarterly meeting is set for Wed., Feb. 16, 7 p.m. After a short business meeting, Society member David Champa will present on Indiana’s Six Vice Presidents. 2616 N Sand Creek Road in Boggstown.
Major Health Partners plans to revise the Main Entrance (No. 2) door schedule beginning Monday, Feb. 7. Sliding doors will be unlocked at the following times: Monday through Friday, 5:30 a.m. - 7 p.m., and Saturday, 7 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Also, the MHP Lab Drop-Off program will resume Monday. This program allows patients to come through the circle drive of the Main Entrance, call a number posted outside the entrance and drop off lab specimens with a courier, valet or navigator, who will take it inside for processing. Note: while most specimens can be accepted through the drop-off program, 24-urine collections and semen specimens cannot be accepted through the program.
All public school systems in the county are on e-learning today.
An Advantage Shelby County student group is hosting “Shelby Feud” - a game show format on Tuesday, Feb. 22, at The Strand Theatre. The preliminary round is at 5 p.m. The final round is at 9 p.m. Admission is two toiletry items (laundry detergent, shampoo/conditioner, razors ot feminine hygiene products). Proceeds benefit Turning Point.
Yesterday, the state reported 82 new positive coronavirus cases from the previous day in Shelby County, and 52 new tests. The number of deaths for Shelby County remained the same, at 153. The State lists the fully vaccinated number for Shelby County at 23,122, an increase of 11 from the previous day.
HOOSIER NEWS: A bill to tighten voter access to absentee ballots passed the Indiana House 66-28, with zero Republican members voting against the legislation. Rep. Timothy Wesco, R-Osceola, said the bill would move up the date for verified paper audit trails for voting machines to July 1, 2024, rather than Dec. 31, 2029, and requires counties to enter into a security agreement with the secretary of state’s office by the end of 2022. The bill would also make it more difficult for Hoosiers to vote absentee by mail. Under House Bill 1116, voters must attest that they are unable to vote during all of the days available for early, in-person voting and on Election Day. Previously, absentee ballots were permitted for those who had conflicts with Election Day and didn’t inquire about early voting days. Counties vary on how many days they offer early voting and at what locations but may offer up to 28 days of early voting. The bill passed the House on third reading and moves to the Senate for further consideration. (Anderson Herald Bulletin)

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LOCAL HISTORY: The Smith Literary Society School

from the files of David Craig

From the earliest days in Shelby County well into the 1920s, children attended one-room schools. The Smith schoolhouse, located at the intersection of the Columbus Road and Road 250 South, was a typical one-room school. Smith School served district 16 and was located in section 18 of Addison Township. The name Smith was taken from the Smith family that owned the ground around the schoolhouse. The 1880 Atlas of Shelby County gives the name T. J. Smith as the owner of the surrounding land.

My connection with the Smith School is in the form of a journal. This journal is a record of the meetings of the Smith School Literary Society. Many of my great-uncles on the Parrish side taught in the one-room schools of Shelby county. I am not sure which one was teaching at the Smith School in 1903 and 1904.

According to the opening notes written by the teacher that afternoon, the students wanted some activity outside normal schoolwork. Some amount of brainstorming occurred and the Literary Society was born. Perhaps it should have been named the "Social Society" since socializing seems to have been predominant. The first order of business was to write a constitution. The preamble is as follows: "We the students of Smith School in order to make us better citizens, to promote the interest of school work, and to secure the blessing of education to ourselves and those who follow in our wake do ordain and establish this constitution for the Smith School District Literary Society."

There are some interesting rules written into the constitution. The meetings were to be held bi-weekly. Anyone not performing assigned duties was to be fined two cents total fines not to exceed five cents. Slackers could be expelled from the society by a two-thirds vote of the members. The first meeting was to be held Nov. 6, 1903 at 3 p.m.

The society listed 27 members. They were Mryel Smith, Pearl Cherry, Robert Cherry, Sanders Hendrickson, Herbert Courtney, Henry Hey, Walter McFerran, Mamye Purcell, Grace Cherry, Ada Bruce, Loeusa Adams, Willie Oldfield, Lizzie Hendrickson, Dalton Bruce, Virgil Stainbrook, Clyde Purcell, Lenord Smith, Cyrenus Hey, Eddie Deavers, Alonzo Cherry, Harry Hughbanks, Lowell Purcell, Mary Hey, Vernie Adams, Violet Worden, Oral Henry.

Topics were chosen to be debated each meeting. The first meeting saw the following resolution debated: "resolved, the white man has treated the American Indian worst than the Negro." The affirmative side won the debate. "Is art more beautiful than nature” was another topic debated. The students voted for nature. One last question debated: "Intemperance has caused more sorrow than war.” The affirmative side ruled the day.

Spelling bees were another activity of the little group. At the Oct. 23, 1903 meeting the team captains were Pearl Cherry and Myrl Smith. In the journal, it states both sides did well until they reached the letter X. At this point "...quite a swath was mowed down." Pearl Cherry's team emerged victorious, as they were more familiar with the dictionary.

It was voted to have an apple-bobbing race among the boys. However, at the next meeting the supply of apples was not sufficient to hold the contest. At the following meeting, apples were abundant and the contest began. The journal entry states: "From the beginning, the race was between Masters Eddy and Walter for second money. Master Henry was a good eater and easily won first place."

Discipline problems did occur. One entry states that "Master Dalton was contrary and would not act his part, by such actions he did not gain any favor with his playmates." At another meeting Ada Bruce refused to sing with the group and fell into disfavor.

During the February 6th meeting, a subtraction race was held. The first place winner was Sanders Hendrickson. Second place went to Robert Cherry.

Some other persons mentioned in the notes were Lula Gray, Carrie Oldfield and Otto Lee. These were young people living in the area and assisting the teacher.

The journal stopped with the sixth biweekly meeting held Feb. 5, 1904. I do not know if the society was dissolved or the minutes were recorded in another journal.

Math races, debates, apple bobbing, singing and spelling. I am sure it is difficult for today's grade school students to understand the fun in these activities. They have the computer and joystick to occupy their free time.

The children of District 16 were sent to the "new" Shelby Township school in the late 1920s. Today the old brick schoolhouse still stands. The original building has been remodeled into a private residence.

This Week in Shelby County" works by George L. Stubbs Sr. are owned by the Shelby County Historical Society (Grover Center) and used with permission.

THIS DAY IN SHELBY COUNTY HISTORY

News around Shelbyville and the surrounding area as reported on or about this date in history. Selections are curated from the Shelby County Public Library Genealogy Department.

20 YEARS AGO: 2002
A Woodland Village man was arrested after striking another man on the head with a club in a fit of jealousy over a woman. The object used was a stick between 3 and 4 feet in length. The victim was not seriously injured, although he did sustain redness and swelling on his temple. “He must have a pretty hard head,” Shelbyville Police Officer Bryan Cole said.

30 YEARS AGO: 1992
Ryobi Die Casting announced plans to nearly double its Shelbyville operation with a $27 million expansion, adding 123 employees. About 80 percent of its employees were Shelby County residents, Steve Schrumpf, an attorney for Ryobi, said.

A Shelbyville restaurant worker admitted to stealing more than $8,000 while unsuspecting co-workers took a coffee break nearby. The Bavarian Haus employee, who had worked there only three weeks, had used a screwdriver to pry open a locked security filing cabinet to get the money while his co-workers drank coffee nearby.

40 YEARS AGO: 1982
After nine weeks of classes in law enforcement training, Shelbyville’s reserve police department sat through their last class. Capt. Bill Cole was class coordinator. Kehrt Etherton was patrolman instructor. Participants were Bob VanNatta, Alton Adkins, Kenneth Keel, Sam Moore, Mike Harms, Henry Williams, John Cole, Jim Johnson, Elmo Kessler, Bob Brant, Bob Stevens, Ron Bush, Tom Wainscott, Jesse Reed, Paul Crafton, Roger Carey, Bill Dwenger, Mike Haehl, David McClanahan, Ike Sadler, Rosey Hardin and Vince Hall.

Public schools were closed after over five inches of snow fell. It was the second day off in the week for Shelbyville schools.

50 YEARS AGO: 1972
The temperature was zero with a wind chill factor of 30-below.

Shelby County Fair President Elmo Hanahan announced a new livestock building would be built to replace two old structures in the south portion of the fairgrounds. Another livestock building had been built the year before.

60 YEARS AGO: 1962
A large barricade was erected at the north end of Tompkins St. at the levee, a board of works initiative to prevent motorists from driving off into the river.

Goodbye to “the twist” and hello to “the fly,” The Shelbyville News reported regarding the latest teenage dance craze. A photo of lunch period at Waldron High School showed Harold Myers, Penny Suitor, Donna Royel and Bob Hines “buzzing” around the cafeteria. “It is reported parents of the ‘roaring twenties’ didn’t see much sense in the ‘Charleston’ either,” the paper said.

70 YEARS AGO: 1952
Lee Hoop, former mayor of Shelbyville, died at the Smith Convalescent Home in Waldron. He was 72. Hoop was elected mayor in 1917 and served two terms. He had held the office of recorder prior to that time. He was active in Democrat party affairs for many years. His only immediate survivor was his widow, Katherine (Stewart) Hoop. The casket was closed at his private funeral at Ewing Mortuary and friends were asked to “omit flowers.” He was interred in Temple Hill Mausoleum.

80 YEARS AGO: 1942
Shelby County’s latest contingent of inductees left for Fort Benjamin Harrison. They included Ronald W. Cooley, Earl T. Smith, Paul Hoban, Phillip Scott, Robert Cochran, Ralph Bowman, John Conger, George DeBaun and Paul Betty.

90 YEARS AGO: 1932
A 60-year-old man, labeled “a former Kentuckian” by The Republican newspaper, was arrested at his home near the “swinging bridge” north of Flat Rock for attacking an 18-year-old disabled woman. “Residents in the vicinity of the girl’s home are greatly aroused over the outrage,” the paper said.

100 YEARS AGO: 1922
The male teachers at Shelbyville High School hosted a dinner for the female teachers. The women were not informed until after dinner that they had eaten groundhog, in commemoration of Groundhog’s Day. George Meltzer, high school assistant principal, had killed the groundhog on his farm east of Shelbyville. The women also had to take a quiz on groundhogs, prepared and scored by the men.

Drawings and models were submitted before the fountain committee regarding a fountain to be erected in the center of public square in honor of Julius Joseph, who left $5,000 for the purpose. “The local committee will endeavor to make a selection that will appeal to the public and one that will also stand for ages as a deed to one who most certainly is deserving of notable distinction,” The Republican said.

INCIDENTS

An attempted burglary was reported in the 7000 block of U.S. Hwy. 52, Gwynneville.
JAIL BOOK-INS: Elisabeth E. Adkins, 56, probation hold, trafficking with an inmate, possession of marijuana, meth, paraphernalia; Kevin J. Adkins, 39, probation hold, driving while suspended, possession of meth; Brandi L. Plymate, 39, probation hold, probation violation; James C. Wickham, 39, failure to appear on felony charges; Casston M. Glassman, 29, possession of hypodermic syringe or needle

OBITUARIES

None today

The Addison Times

Friday, February 4, 2022