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Newspaper
Shafter Press
Location
Shafter, California, United States of America
Date
Apr 29, 1952
Page
1
Railroad cars and freight trucks move 4324 acres of White Rose potatoes as harvest begins in Shafter. Workers arrive to reap the crop despite weather delays and ice stabilization issues. A noted battle between Army and housewives over first access to spuds stirs local competition and potential profits for growers.
Vets from Wasco and Shafter plan a joint Memorial Day observance with the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars. Government offices and banks will close. services begin at Wasco Cemetery at 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. at Shafter Cemetery with firing squads participating.
Reverend Klaudt and his wife depart Ebenezer Reformed Church after more than 13 years of service in Shafter. He will be replaced by Reverend Walter Grossman of Hosmer South Dakota in August. Grossman, married with two sons, comes from Nebraska and South Dakota roots and previously served in Manitowoc Wisconsin. The Klaudts have three children including Mrs Harold Schnaidt of Bakersfield.
The Richland School District trustees named Ernest McCoy as official architect, following approval of plans by Ernest Kumpf of San Francisco who drafted the new primary building and 12 classrooms. Kumpf completes service as trustees file a notice of completion and insurance for the new units remains with the current campus until renewal.
Flood waters spread through Buttonwillow area for a week, covering highways and ranch lands. Highway 178 east of Buttonwillow near Tony Wegis Ranch remains affected as Wegis and other local ranches brace for continuing flood conditions. Creeks and drainage efforts shift water to unused land, with widespread disruption ongoing.
A post on a get-out-the-vote campaign reports service club workers and Boy Scouts will tag each voter with an I Have Voted badge as they exit polling places. Rotarian Dr. John Revell led a house-to-house drive that added over 500 voters for the June 3 primary, with races for county supervisor and the 14th district congress attracting most attention.
Shafter High School will award diplomas to 67 seniors at a skyward commencement on the athletic field next Friday night. A Sunday baccalaureate at the Mennonite Brethren Church begins at 8 p.m. with Rev. Waldo Wiebe delivering the address Fountain of Life. Speakers include Kay Roberts Wayne Horn Ida Koenig and Layton Lynch with the theme Shafter High School in Our Time. The program opens with a processional by the band conducted by Ernest Graf and includes an overture by Ketelbey and vocal selections by the Girls Glee Club.
Eighth graders at Richland School will graduate June 5 with 178 students receiving diplomas. Student speakers include Trene Bradshaw Barbara Wilcoxon Carol Cartnal and Bobby Vignolo, while Royce Eslick serves as master of ceremonies. The program features a band processional and a girls glee club performance plus the class address by Vignolo and a diploma presentation by Superintendent Bruce Crawford.
Buttonwillow Union Elementary School will honor eighth graders at graduation next Thursday night with student speakers Joan Ghilarducci and Jesus Vasquez. Judith Nelson will deliver the principal address on Learning to Live Together. Ceremonial roles include Robin Blomquist as master of ceremonies and Rev. L H White delivering the invocation.
Thousands of adults and youths are expected for the annual Shafter summer recreation program starting June 9 led by Director Roy Farrell. Activities include playground crafts swimming and softball with a no charge swimming program for ages 6 to 16 and six week sessions.
Three graduating seniors at Shafter High School were named scholarship winners by Principal Grant W. Jensen. Layton Lynch receives 300 from the Shafter Kiwanis Club and holds a 2.75 Aminus average. plans architectural engineering at UC Berkeley. Kathryn Roberts gets 150 from Shafter 20-30 Club, intends to study nursing at Bakersfield College. Baby Bair earns 250 from Shafter Young Farmers and plans to attend California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo.
Softball managers and sponsors will meet at Richland School next week to outline summer plans. Recreation Director Roy Farrell says the first meeting at 8 p.m. Monday covers the Low Pee Wee and Junior leagues, followed by a Tuesday night session for the Men's League. Schedules and rules will be outlined.
Kern County potato industry faces an unexpected labor shortage, says Don Maupin of the Kern County Potato Growers Association. He cites a two week harvest lag and notes wages near ceiling level as not the cause, warning the shortage could worsen this season and limit shipments from the Kern District.
The Shafter chamber of commerce plans its June annual membership drive to expand rural grower outreach. President A G Mortimore says efforts will focus on increasing rural membership and highlights the chamber’s work for local growers, starting with an introductory letter and followed by a personal committee visit.
Final services were held Monday for Christina Roscamp 58 of Shafter who died after a lingering illness at 252 Golden West Ave She was active in Union Congregational Church and the Wednesday Afternoon Club and had lived in Shafter 15 years Her husband preceded her in death Survivors include two sons Earl Bakersfield and Robert Shafter a daughter Agnes Muttart Los Angeles five grandchildren two brothers Jack Mehrer and John Mehrer North Dakota four sisters Katie Mueller are Wei denbachk Sarat Volland Anna Gering South Dakota Interment was in Shafter Cemetery with Armstrong Mortuary in charge
J W Parnell a 29 year old potato shed worker was killed instantly when his motorcycle crashed into a pickup driven by Garland Crawford 21 in Lerdo eastbound traffic last Saturday. Parnell came from Texas to Kern County and was taken to Armstrong Mortuary in Shafter for shipment home for services. No citations were issued.
Sergeant James D. Ferrell, now a stock control clerk in Japan Central Command, received the Good Conduct Medal in Tomioka Japan for three years of exemplary behavior and efficiency. He enlisted in 1948 after a year in the Navy, served on Okinawa 1948 49, and arrived in Japan for his current duty in 1952. His father Elmer T. Ferrell resides in Bakersfield and his mother Eva Lee Stewart in Shafter.
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