VHS CLASS REUNION: Will be held August 26 and 27, 2016, for the VHS Class of 66....they need addresses,email, etc. Folks can email Carolyn Hill or call her @ 440.967.2821.

THE HARDY INN: The Hardy Inn (pic c. 1936) was located on the south side of Liberty Avenue on the site where Vermilion’s former Post Office was located. Currently (2016) the site is occupied by the Weld-Master (window) Manufacturing company. It was owned and operated by a Cleveland couple named Archie and Ethel Hardy.

In July of 1936 Archie died after an illness of several months. Afterward their son, Herb, ran the place – but he died two years later. Then, for a time, Mrs. Hardy had a fellow named Eddie Perrault manage the restaurant. But by 1939 she had hired a Vermilion gal named Betty Harris to help her. And in early January of 1940 after Betty married a fellow named Worthy Kemmerer, Betty her husband took over the operation. Not long after the Hardy Inn became the Riverside Inn.

THE BEST DARN SCHOOL: On Monday October 13, 1947 an article appeared in the Sandusky Register-Star News announcing the formation of a committee to support a new bond levy for the Vermilion local school district. The proposed levy was to be initiated to fund an expansion of South Street School – the only school in the growing village. Initially the building was intended to house 500 to 550 students. But due to the steady growth of the community and the closing of Vermilion’s State Street school in 1939 the student population at the South Street facility swelled to over 700.

One ancillary effect of the Great Depression in our nation during the late 1920s and early 30s had been the closing of rural schools. It became more practical, not to mention economically prudent, to consolidate educational facilities. In Vermilion this automatically meant that the number of students attending the schools would be increased. Initially the old State Street School had been used for the primary grades. But it was soon found to be inadequate to the task and this population was added to the newer building on South Street. As a consequence the building was quickly filled to well beyond its intended capacity.

Fortunately, voters approved the aforementioned levy and in January of 1949 construction by the T.J. Hume Co. of Lorain began and the building was ready for business when the school year opened on September 13th. On November 10, 1949 the Register ran another article along with a Richard Koontz photograph of the new addition announcing the dedication of a $200,000 wing that added six regular classrooms and one kindergarten room for the still growing population of the school. [It may be of passing interest to note that the original building cost $240,000 to build in 1928.] In any case, by the time the new matching wing of the school was added the number of students in attendance had grown to nearly 900 students in all; elementary, junior high and high school. In the meantime WW2 had ended; the troops had come home; started families; and the village and school population continued to grow. Soon thereafter (1953) a new high school on Decatur Street would be built to effectively respond to that growth.

The larger photograph accompanying this essay presents an interesting portrait of the South Street facility while it was still under construction in 1928. The snapshot to the right was taken when the west wall of the building was removed to make way for the 1949 addition to the school. That snap is not an especially good picture. However, it is both rare and unique. It’s rare because there are perhaps no photographs of the building with the wall gone and the interior exposed in circulation. And it’s unique because of the fella bent over (the arrow points to him) sorting through the bricks lying on the ground. While I am most certainly guessing, I believe he was actually cleaning the bricks so they might be reused on the new addition. Such participation by a member of the community would, today, not only be unique – it would probably be illegal.

The Register report went on to note that the yellow brick exterior of the addition perfectly matched that of the older part of the building. It also reported that “the ‘blackboards’ are green, the seats are ‘correct-posture’ individually adjusted to each child. Floors are of asphalt tile, and each room features built-in lockers and book shelves.” It went on to say that “The artificial lighting is another exceptional feature; each room has several rows of fluorescent lights; these are of especial interest to Vermilionites as they were manufactured by the A.F. [sic] Wakefield Co., the leading local industry.” The building was, in short, state-of-the-art – in 1949 that is.

Currently we have another “state-of-the-art” building. And one might rest assured that in another 50 years or so we’ll have another. But, speaking for myself, this was, and will forever remain, the best darn school building in the world, with the best darn teachers; janitors; and cafeteria ladies that ever were – in my Vermilion of a yesteryear.

_{Ref: Published in the Vermilion Photojournal 04/07/2016.Sunday.}

Vol. XI, No. 45. - VERMILION, OHIO, THURSDAY, April 16, 1908 - PHONE 19

COURT NOTES

With liabilities more than double the amount of the assets, the Duplex Stamping Co., of Vermilion was declared insolvent last week by Judge Reed. The liabilities of the concern are $7607.02 while the assets consist of a piece of property in Vermilion valued at $3000. C.M. Ross holds a real estate mortgage against the company for $7384.97 and is the heaviest creditor.

That the building belonging to George Fischer juts into Sandusky Street in Vermilion was decided by the circuit court.

George Taylor who resided near Vermilion, attempted to provide by will for the division of a farm on the Ridge Road and the legality of the instrument is questioned.

The case of Percy Jackson against the Lake Shore Electric is now being heard. Jackson claims that because the railroad company did not provide a good gate his mare escaped from the field and ran onto the track where it was killed.

The first action taken in Huron County under the search and seizure act was that of Sheriff Snyder, last week, who, armed with a warrant issued, as a result of an affidavit made by Rev. J.F. Elliott of Wakeman, a "dry village" to the effect that Samuel Martin had been selling intoxicating liquors there, went to Wakeman and seized 110 gallons of hard cider which he found in Martin's cellar. Martin was put under arrest and gave bonds.

ASHMONT MAN DEAD

_{Ben Goodsell Died Suddenly This Morning}

Ben Goodsell, an aged and well-known resident of Ashmont died at about 9 o'clock this (Thursday) morning at his home. He complained of feeling rather badly this morning about half an hour before his death but was only quite sick for about 10 minutes before he died. He was 70 years of age. Funeral will be announced in another column.

SEVERE FALL

While W.E. Bailey, Joe Stone and Charles Derr were at work Saturday repairing the front of the building in which L. Englebry clothing store is located, the scaffold gave way and Mr. Bailey was thrown to the sidewalk striking on his back. The others were fortunate enough to grasp a pipe, which prevented their falling. Mr. Bailey was so severely injured that he had to be taken home. While no bones were broken the shock has laid him up. He expects to be able to be out again soon. Fortunately he has competent help in his shop and is able to direct the work.

A LIVE SOUVENIR.

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Bellamy and little daughter returned from Florida this week after spending some time in the "land of flowers". Among the souvenirs of the trip is a live "gator" which has been placed it in the show window of Mr. Bellamy's Billiard Parlors on liberty Street. While this specimen is yet in its infancy it meets everyone with an "open countenance" and cheerful smile. Mr. and Mrs. Bellamy went to Florida on account of the health of their two-year-old daughter whose condition was serious when taken away. The child's health has been greatly improved by the trip.

RUGGLES BEACH

Every Friday evening commencing April 24th Dancing Parties will be given at Ruggles Beach. Music by Theo Talbert's Dancing Academy Orchestra of Sandusky. Don't fail to attend the opening.

Special Trolley service. The 6:51 limited out of Vermilion and the 10:28 limited arriving at Vermilion will stop at Ruggles Beach.

CS Ruggles – Prop. Mgr.

Correspondence

AMHERST

Mrs. Alonzo Keneigh is reported very low.

Mrs. George Walton died last week after a lingering illness.

Born to Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Cotell Wednesday, a son.

George Gore was operated on at Lorain Hospital for appendicitis last week.

A fire in the Manhattan restaurant made things lively for a short time Monday evening. Mrs. McGhee was lighting the gas in the front when a taper fell setting fire to a bunch of excelsior. The contents of the window consisting of Easter novelties was destroyed.

A fight in real earnest is on over the town dump and main force was used last week by Henry Weshecher in dumping a load of rubbish one day last week. The property is owned by Mrs. Ackerman and it seems she signed an agreement to let the town use a certain lot for a dumping ground for a term of years. However she caused a gate to be nailed and refused to allow garbage to be dumped there this spring.

Marshall Wilford tore the gate open.

The funeral of Mrs. George Walton was held Friday afternoon, Rev. Harding officiating and interment in Crown Hill Cemetery.

Helen J. Parsons was born in Canada, September 10, 1840. With her parents she moved to Portland, Ohio, and was married to George Whitmore in 1863. Three children were born to this union: F.H. Whitmore of Amherst, E.G. Whitmore of Berea, and Emma who died quite young. Mr. Whitmore died in 1870 and 1878 she was married to George Walton who survives. Two children, Charles Walton and Mrs. Jesse Alheit of Vermilion were born of this union.

HURON

The catch of fish is reported light.

The work of removing the old pier will begin this week.

Gust Boomer has purchased the tenement property of Mrs. Mary McQuillen occupied by George Lavoo.

RUGBY

Manuel Ladrach of Axtel is hauling the milk again this season.

Mr. T.C. Peasley went to New London to purchase him a horse one day last week.

Mr. Brown is again able to be around after having been laid up with an injured ankle.

BROWNHELM

Mr. Henry Kane purchased a fine horse of Mrs. Henry Merthe in Amherst for $150.

Parker Baird is ill with typhoid pneumonia he is under the care of Dr. Foster he is much better at this writing.[sic]

The store of Cooper and Moulton at Brownhelm Station was broken in Wednesday night a pair of rubber boots and several other articles were taken amounting to about $15.

Mr. Albert Kenerium was taken to St. Joseph Hospital in Lorain for treatment. Mr. Kenerium had his foot cut accidentally the 4th of March. Dr. Hall found it necessary to remove him to the hospital he is getting along fine he expects to come home this week.[sic]

Mr. Forrest Derhi has gone to work for Mr. Otto Knott.

Mr. W Lipp and Mr. Sweet were over to Bert Bacon’s to get strawberry plants.

Mr. Otto Knott bought some barley of Mr. Fred Morse, which he expects to sow.

Friday, "tomorrow" is Arbor Day.

Mr. and Mrs. Jack London have read assumed their world’s cruise on the yacht Snark.

A Chicago beauty specialist says that to remain beautiful a woman has but to have pleasant thoughts, but how is it possible for her to do this when she meets at every corner another woman with a hat as pretty or prettier than her own.

Columbus is in the throes of a typhoid fever epidemic, and over 200 cases have developed since 1 April. There have only been a few deaths so far, but it is feared there will be a different story to tell soon. The trouble is caused by pollution of drinking water. Over 100 dead chickens were found in the Scioto River north of the city, and it was also discovered that the rains had washed a cesspool into the river.

School Notes

The first grade pupils held their spelling contest last Friday. William Moody had the honor of spelling down.

In the second grade spelling test Charles Haber, Lizzie Leidheiser, Kathryn Ackerman and Audrey Troxell spelled every word correctly.

_{[NOTE: We have Audrey Troxell’s 1918 VHS Class ring on display at the print shop museum.]}

Mr. Wolcott gave the school children's a free show on Tuesday afternoon – Historic scenes of Paul Revere's ride. It was much appreciated. Thanks Mr. Wolcott.

Miss Marguerite Bogart, class of ‘08 received a teacher’s certificate. Of the class of ‘07 Misses Bessie Sherod, Edna Trinter and Grace Risden received certificates to teach.

The State Fire Marshal was here last week. He approved of the plans of the Board of Education relative to fire escapes.

In a fire drill last week every pupil was out of the building in one minute.

OBITUARY

Frank Caldwell Hatch was born in Vermilion, July 3, 1884; died April 11, 1908. He contracted pneumonia while working in Norwalk and came home on the 11th day of June 1907 and began a brief struggle for his life; but getting no better a change of climate was advised, and on September 30, he started for Phoenix Arizona where he remained for six weeks, and was again advised to return home with all that that skill in loving ministrations could do was done, but he steadily declined until the summons came to lay off the Mortal and enter into the "Life Beyond."

When Frank was 13 years old united with the Methodist Church and remained a member to the day of his death, although as he confessed to his pastor while on his sick bed, he had sometimes forgotten his vows, but in the long months of sickness he turned to God and sought him in the pardon of all his sins, and left a testimony behind that it was "well with his soul". He said on his return from Arizona whether "I live or die," I'm going to be a Christian.

He was a member of the "Modern Woodmen Of The World," and these brothers joined with a host of others to minister to his every need in the long months of his sickness.

He was engaged to be married to Miss Phila Witzlaben of Lorain and the marriage was set for June.

The funeral service was held from the Methodist Church on Monday. Rev. Merrill read the Scripture lesson and Rev. J.W.H. Brown preached the sermon from the text: What I do ye know not now, but ye shall know thereafter." Rev. Brown said that this text was prompted by a question that Frank asked one day as he sat by his bedside. Why must I suffer? Why must my parents have always been good – why must they suffer?" The pastor replied in the words of Jesus to Peter: "I do ye know not now, but you shall know hereafter." There is a mystery about suffering we cannot always tell why - and yet to the finite mind there are some reasons for it:

1. Through suffering souls are brought closer to God.

2. Suffering gives us the grandest lesson in this world, of unselfish love and devotion. Place Frank’s sufferings on the one hand and the devotion, night and day through long and weary months, of the father and mother, and it was worthwhile! We think more of the race to which we belong to such illustrations of life.

3. Suffering worth while for manifestations of sympathy on the part of friends and neighbors. How many times Frank's heart was cheered by a bouquet of flowers, by a dinner sent in, by some little token of sympathy!

4. We must measure suffering by light of certain eternity. What of a little suffering here compared to an eternity with a promise; "There shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain."

In the light of that better world to which Frank has gone he has received an answer to his question, and has already commenced to learn "That these light afflictions which I but for a moment, work out a far more exceeding weight of glory." The presence of so many people – the beautiful flowers, all express the regard in which Frank was held. The sympathy of the entire community goes out to Mr. and Mrs. Hatch, the two sisters and to Miss Witzlaben, but all rejoice that these know that in an hour when death was has taken a loved away, the Christian finds his greatest comfort in the God he lives in worships.

Those present from neighboring towns were: Mr. Henry Wright and Miss Jesse Wright from Wellington. Mrs. Tillar, Mrs. T.A. Saurr and Miss Phila Witzlaben from Lorain, and Mr. George D Nicholas form Elyria. Mrs. H.L. Stark and daughter of Conklin, N. Y. Mr. and Mrs. I.W. Nicholas of Elyria.

Locals.

The Vermilion Telephone Company expects to issue a new directory about 1 May.

Mrs. A.L. Irey and children of Berlin Hts. were guests of friends here at the first of the week.

Mr. Houseman of Toledo was a guest of the home of E.T. Bottomley the first of the week.

Paul Leimbach, who is been so severely ill with typhoid fever is reported to be some better this (Thursday) morning.

AXTEL

Rev. J.W.H. Brown called on Mr. M. Foster please been quite ill for a few weeks.

Mr. Charles Lardach [sic] of Tuscarawas County is working for the diamond cheese company.

150th ANNIVERSARY OF THE “BATTLE OF THE HUNDRED SLAIN”: 3 miles from Fort Phil Kearny near Story, Wyoming will be held this year. (See Wikipedia.)

Late Vermilion resident, Matilda Louis Grummond was the sister of 2nd Lt. George Washington Grummond. Grummond and 81 of his fellow soldiers were killed by an overwhelming force of Lakota, Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians in one of the worst military disasters suffered by the US Army on Great Plains.

If you are a descendant of Matilda please email John Horton or call him at 1.586.549.2471.

DEVIL WITH A BLUE DRESS: The best word I can think of to describe it is dive. Fresh out of the Army in February of 1967 it was the type of sleezy joint where I felt quite at home: It was dark, dank, smoky and often very loud. People didn’t just get drunk there – they got DRUNK. And that was just fine with me. I’d dodged a bullet or two in Vietnam and though it was cold in Ohio when I got back I was still in a sweat – and would stay that way for at least the next 24 months. But that’s another story: One that no one really wants to hear anyway. So let it suffice for me to say that I just liked DRUNK and Gino’s Lounge was the perfect place for it.

How many nights I got wasted there is something I can’t recall. [I was DRUNK.] But I do have memories of being there in the crowd with friends talking, laughing and watching what seemed to me to always be the same Go-Go girl dancing on the bar in a two-piece bathing suit to (it also always seemed) Mitch Ryder singing Devil in a Blue Dress. To this day every time I hear that song I think of Gino’s and that bleached blond girl (who, incidentally, was the mother of 8 children) dancing on the bar.

Today the place is an upscale restaurant pretending that it was once some sort of romantic “Speakeasy” where men and women danced to the Charleston and guzzled bootleg whiskey while the “Feds” chased their tails up and down the Lake Erie coast. I don’t know anything about that, but speakeasy would’ve been a major upgrade from the place I once frequented. As I said it was a dive – there’s nothing very romantic about married people trying to pretend they’re not married, closet homosexuals making passes at handsome young men and pretty girls and / or a crowd of drunk people trying to dance around pool tables spilling beer on one another, the floor and the pool tables. If and when a fight broke out in that chaos nobody even noticed let alone cared – except, perhaps, the owner of the place.

Most folks thought of him as Gino. After all that was the name of the place. But his real name was Floyd – Floyd Koehnle. He was hardly Italian. And that’s good, because he didn’t look Italian either.

Gino was a diminutive figure – not really small – but slight. He might’ve weighed 140 pounds. His hair was dark. But it was hard to tell the color exactly because he didn’t have much of it. The one thing I would give him, however, is that there was no question about his being the boss / owner of the place. I don’t have a picture of him, but I can see him now just as clear as when I first walked into the bar sober. The place fit his persona. If ever on earth there was a shady character he was it. I didn’t, however, know precisely how shady he was until just recently.

Everyone (including myself) thought Gino was running some heavy card games in the basement of the bar. And that was, in truth, no big deal because the area – once known as “The Village” of Vermilion-On-the-Lake was commonly known to be a place where games of chance were being held with some frequency. But that, I later learned had not been Gino’s real vice. He had apparently been peddling pornography in the basement of his dive. In retrospect the whole thing was (to my way of thinking) very apropos.

On September 3, 1968 State Liquor Agents raided Gino’s Lounge and confiscated 33 reels of obscene 18mm movie film, numerous sets of playing cards depicting lewd sex acts and sexual stimulators. They also seized a movie projector and screen that were apparently used for private parties.

In an article that appeared in the Sandusky Register on September 21, 1968 Floyd (aka Gino) told a reporter that, “…the material came from his private collection and was not generally available to customers of his establishment.”

He told the reporter that the raid took place without a search warrant, and went on to explain what happened, “A fellow came in and after a while, he said he was going to have a party and would I sell him the stuff. He seemed like a nice enough fellow and I let him have some of my own merchandise. Shortly afterwards, the rear door burst open and two other men came in and said the place was being raided. They told me the money used to make the purchase was marked. I sold the man one strip of film and some cards (playing cards said to have lewd pictures on the backs). The liquor control board men went to my desk and found the other film strips and cards."

Koehnle further stated that merchandise, such as he had sold the agent, could be purchased at many places in Lorain. "Why, I can show you any number of places along Broadway where the same kind of stuff can be bought," the lounge owner said. Koehnle said he had a "party room" in the basement of the establishment but it is infrequently used. "I have always run a legitimate place," Koehnle emphasized, "Why, I can get a petition signed with hundreds of names stating that I am not that kind of a guy. The newspapers are crucifying me."

Koehnle was in a panic because a temporary order had been requested by Lorain County Prosecutor Paul J. Mikus to padlock the bar. In addition to that an October 7 hearing had been set to consider permanently closing the place.

I guess I can’t really blame him for being upset about his circumstance. He likely had invested a good deal of money in the place. So it really didn’t seem fair for authorities to go the to extreme of putting him out of business for selling a dirty movie and a few lurid playing cards. Moreover, he was right about there being more than a few other places in Lorain County where similar items could be purchased – and he likely knew they knew it. Nonetheless his pleas for such consideration were unlikely to be answered. But as things turned out they never had to be.

Indicted on two counts of the possession and sale of obscene materials he was slated to go on trial in Lorain County, Ohio on November 26th to answer to those charges. But he never made it.

On Wednesday October 23, 1968 a barely conscious Koehnle was found by a carpenter working nearby lying in a field off Foster Park Road just east of Amherst’s (Ohio) Main Street. He was reportedly suffering from pneumonia and had apparently gone without insulin for his diabetes for perhaps two days. He was taken to Amherst Hospital. The report said that the carpenter who discovered him (his name was Ted Griffore) after hearing his moans told authorities that Koehnle told him he had been kidnapped. He was only wearing a light knit shirt and pants. Both his shoes and socks were missing and they were never found.

His barmaid, Ruth Henry, had filed a missing persons report with the Vermilion Police the previous day. The report said that Koehnle had left the bar on Monday evening with an unidentified blond woman and drove away in her car. He died on Friday, October 29th and was buried the following Monday in Woodlawn Cemetery in Norwalk, Ohio – his hometown.

Exactly what happened to Gino was never determined. The Vermilion Police never followed up on the case because whatever happened to him it appeared to have happened out of their jurisdiction. The Amherst police were waiting to get a statement from him when he died. The coroner ruled his death the result of failed kidneys. No trace of the car he left from the bar in or his shoes and socks were ever found. And no one ever saw the blond gal he left the bar with again.

…”Wearin' her perfume, Chanel No. 5
Got to be the finest girl alive
She walks real cool, catches everybody's eye
She's got such good lovin' that they can't say
goodbye
Not too skinny, she's not too fat
She's a real humdinger and I like it like that
Devil with a blue dress
She's the devil with the blue dress, blue dress,
blue dress,
Devil with the blue dress on.

_{By Shorty Long and William “Mickey” Stevenson
Recorded by Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels}

Written 04/14/2016 – © 2016 Richard Neale Tarrant.

DISCOGRAPHY - WALTER DALTON: This recording of The Two Gun Cowboy was a Pathe recording made on 04/10/1929 by Walter Dalton and His Guitar. The piece was composed by Frank Marvin.

Dalton made 41 recordings in 1928-29 and I’ve not found much else about him. I just picked this record arbitrarily from a stack of records. I doubt that the record is rare. It just lacks popularity.

It’s hardly an astounding piece of music and runs more like an old western movies; melodramatic and predictable.

If I ever find out more about either Dalton or Marvin I certainly will share it. But for now that’s all I have.