MJ - October 2024 Issue by MaturityJournal

Hometown History

Presented by the Vanderburgh County Historical Society

Wendell Willkie in Evansville

by Denise Lynn,

Professor of History, USI

In 1940, Winston Churchill had hoped to get the United States behind its war effort against Nazi Germany, but Franklin Roosevelt and his administration were unable to assist because of a series of neutrality acts passed by Congress. Meanwhile, the Luftwaffe were bombing cities across the UK and by the spring and summer of that year much of western Europe was occupied by German forces. Roosevelt was coming to the end of his second term and custom, not law, dictated that US presidents would serve only two terms. Though there was strong isolationist sentiment in the US, the invasion and occupation of France turned public opinion and more Americans wanted to assist the British. The Republican Party had a problem because so many of its key leaders were isolationists. The top contenders for the ballot were Robert Taft from Ohio or Arthur Vandenburg from Michigan, both outspoken isolationists. In a surprise move, Wendell Willkie, a former Democrat, and unseasoned politician was nominated at the GOP’s convention.

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Willkie was born in Elwood, Indiana in 1892. He completed his degree at Indiana University where he had shown some interest in socialism. He later attended the Indiana School of Law where he gave a controversial speech that almost prevented him completing his degree. After college, Willkie had left Indiana and became more associated with business interests in New York. He was a strange nominee for the GOP given his previous flirtations with radical politics. He had been a New Deal supporter but changed his mind when the administration created the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). Willkie worked as a corporate attorney and became a utilities executive for the Commonwealth and Southern Corporation which had interests in the south where the TVA proposed to create public utilities. While he attacked the TVA, he remained a supporter

of New Deal social legislation and he did not wholly adopt the GOP principles of unregulated business.

Willkie registered as a Republican in 1939 and had never once held a government post. His running mate was Oregon Senator Charles McNary, who supported the public utilities projects that Willkie opposed. They were an odd pairing for the Party who was trying to run a campaign against a popular president at a time when the US’s traditional allies in Europe were under attack. There were several critics of Willkie within the Party, but he at least did not have isolationist baggage. His campaign platform was based on his belief that the New Deal was anti-business, but more important, Willkie had publicly criticized the Nazi regime and its aggressive attacks throughout Europe. He wanted to end the arms embargo in the neutrality acts and send support to Britain. His internationalism was increasingly in line with American sentiment and the growing fears about the fall of the UK and did not substantially differentiate him from Roosevelt.

Roosevelt was chosen on the first ballot at the Democratic National Convention in July. To placate critics of a third term, Roosevelt appointed Republicans to important foreign policy positions – Frank Knox was appointed secretary of the Navy and Henry Stimson became

Continued page 4

The man who doesn’t read good books is no better than a man who can’t read them.

secretary of war. Stimson was the most significant appointee; he had served under Taft and Hoover and he rejected his Party’s isolationism and advocated aid to Britain.

Willkie had a great deal going against him in the campaign. He was a poor speaker, he had a checkered past and his movements were so erratic during his speaking that he would move away from microphones. He also had to navigate a party that was trying to appear interested in helping British allies while placating the isolationist voices that were becoming louder in the GOP. He began his campaign in his hometown in August, and though he did more campaigning than Roosevelt, he was never as popular.

On October 17, 1940, Willkie brought his campaign to Evansville, the first presidential candidate to visit since John Davis in 1924. His talk was part of a train tour and was only meant to be thirty minutes long. When he arrived, he was transported the 40 blocks from the Union railroad station to Bosse Field. He arrived in the morning and the crowds lined the entire 40 blocks. The journalists traveling with him claimed it was the largest

morning crowd in comparably sized cities they had seen on the tour. Inside Bosse Field, 12,000 spectators watched Willkie while some defied police orders and went up to the podium or stood on tables meant for the press. It became the largest political rally Evansville had ever seen to date and some in the crowd claimed it was the most people they

had seen in Bosse Field.

The Evansville Courier described him as “youthful looking,” with “tousled hair,” he waved “good-naturedly” and flashed a big grin “which radiated personality and pleasure.” He allegedly walked to the podium without his hat and some

Continued page 6

Wendell Willkie at a packed parade on Main Street

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women were overhead remarking that he was handsome and so young to be running for president. Maude Tracewell from Kirkwood, Indiana, a former neighbor of Willkie’s, traveled to Evansville to see his talk. Much to the crowd’s surprise, he kissed her on the lips. He opened his speech talking about how happy he was to be back in Indiana, which he had a “deep affection” for. He told the crowd that he was born and married in Indiana, Phillip, his only child was born in Indiana, and both his parents were buried in Indiana. He claimed his “breath came a little bit quicker and his heart beat a little bit faster upon his return” there.

Completely on brand for Willkie, he spoke off script “ignoring completely” what he was meant to speak on. He launched into an attack on the New Deal and claimed that his goal was a job for every household, a phrase that had become a slogan of his campaign and one he claimed his opponents mocked. He believed that the New Deal had done enough and could go no further and that the Democratic Party was not interested in creating jobs or solving the unemployment problem. He promised to work for jobs, and he preached that “there is a future for every boy in America” and a living wage for the “head of every household.”

Willkie claimed that the New Deal was holding US companies back and that he would “release” US power to allow Americans to be productive. He believed that the fall of France was because the country had become stagnant and weak and had embraced defeatism. He also made a nod toward US diversity claiming that like yeast, the US would begin to produce and the country would then expand again. He closed his speech with his fist held up in the air and proclaimed: “I have much

Wendell Willkie with security at left

confidence in industrial leaders, agricultural leaders and labor leaders, and I want to draw them all together, not in conflict but in confidence and cooperation to make this blessed America strong, happy, and free!”

By the time Willkie had arrived in Evansville, he had abandoned his previous support of Britain under pressure from isolationists in the Party. But more than domestic issues, Americans were increasingly concerned about having leader-

ship capable of leading the country during war time. Polls showed that many did not believe Willkie’s promises to keep the US out of war. Roosevelt had also been campaigning on increased production, and the economy had been in gradual recovery which helped the Democrats. The month of his Evansville talk, 6,000 British people were killed in bombing raids, in November that number was 10,000.

Willkie proved to be too inexpe-

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rienced for voters. He won only eight states, including Indiana. Most were in the Midwest except for Maine and Vermont, which were both states with strong GOP majorities. After the election, he became a vocal Roosevelt supporter and urged US support for the British. He supported the Lend-Lease Act and by the summer of 1941 pushed for direct aid to England. In 1941 he traveled to the UK and the Middle East as a Roosevelt representative. In 1943 he wrote a book titled One World, which advocated international cooperation to uphold peace. Though a Roosevelt advocate, he sought the GOP ticket again in 1944, but by then the Party had continued its political move to the right and it nominated Thomas Dewey. In October 1944, at only 52 years old, Willkie died after a heart attack. Eleanor Roosevelt eulogized him in her regular column “My Day” praising his work against racism and his “honest convictions.” MJ

Willkie at Bosse Field, October 17, 1940

A Depression-Era ‘Family Feud’

Part 2 - Investigations Lead to More Questions than Answers

by Peggy K. Newton

Turn on any true crime TV series such as The First 48 or a scripted police procedural series such as Law & Order: SVU, and you get an idea of how today’s television detectives solve crimes in an hour or less with the help of databases, DNA or other research-enhancing tools that lead to the solution of the crime. But the available tools and procedures, as helpful as they are, cannot always do their job alone. Sometimes more is needed: in scripted mysteries it would be the hunch of a mystery writer (Jessica Fletcher, anyone?) or the out-ofthe-box thinking of present-day Elsbeth. In reality it may be something as mundane as the passage of time and as variable as just plain luck.

For the police departments in Evansville and Mount Vernon in 1932, time and luck had to do the job in the absence of databases and DNA. Investigations can go only so far until you reach a stopping

Witness Henry German

point. In late March and early April 1932, investigation of the murder of Clifton Bruce Claibourne or Albert A. Johnson and the disappearance of the survivor of the two was still in its early stages.

First, there was the matter of identifying the body, which was up to the Posey County Coroner John Newmann. George and Cora Claibourne said the body was their son, Clifton Bruce. They based their claim on scars and embedded marks on his body. They identified a patch of ink entrenched on the back of one of Bruce’s hands, the result of an accident from his days as a pressman when his fingers got caught between ink rollers. He had a one-inch scar between his clear blue eyes. Having clear blue eyes meant he was not Albert Johnson, who had a cataract in one eye. The Claibournes had brought in Dr. William E. Jenkinson to examine both eyes; both eyes were “perfectly clear.” And then there was the scar on the victim’s left great toe, which overlapped his next toe, the result of another accident years ago in Kansas.

Continued page 10

Stairs) No Pet Policy

At the Claibourne’s home on Jefferson St., on March 31st, a longtime friend of Bruce wondered aloud to Cora Claibourne why Mrs. Edith Johnson would claim the body if the man didn’t have a cataract and his other scars and marks matched those of Bruce’s.

Mrs. Claibourne replied, “That woman ran after him [Bruce]. Time after time she called him up here. It got so bad I finally had the phone number changed and left out of the book so she wouldn’t call him anymore.

“He went with her all right. I’m not proud of that, but I couldn’t help it. Her husband finally found it out and he killed Bruce. That’s what happened.”

Edith Johnson denied that she was “running around” with or after him. More importantly, before she had a chance to view the body, police in Mount Vernon asked her if she could describe what her husband was wearing the last time she saw him, when he was leaving their home to catch a train to Mount Vernon. She described exactly what the body was wearing. That was one question that George and Cora did not answer correctly. And that’s why, late on Wednesday, March 31st, 1932, Coroner Newmann ruled that the body was that of Albert Johnson, and released it to Mrs. Johnson.

The Claibournes would never be convinced that the body was not their son, even after police talked to Henry Stewart of 509 Fulton Ave. Stewart was a former co-worker with Bruce Claibourne and recognized him as he was walking north on Fulton on Tuesday morning around 9:30, hours after the discovery of the body in Mount Vernon.

“Hello, there, Little Rock,” Stewart called out, calling Claibourne by his nickname, as the Claibournes had moved from their native Arkansas to Evansville ten years before. “What are you in such a hurry about?”

One newspaper account reported that Claibourne replied that he was going to Boston to work on a bridge project there, a fact that was later confirmed by Bruce’s parents. According to another newspaper, Claibourne didn’t say anything, just waved his hand and continued walking to wherever he was going on Fulton Ave.

When police asked if Stewart had any ideas where Claibourne might have been heading, if he had any regular “hangouts,” Stewart gave them some leads where he thought Bruce might be. None checked out, though. He did say that Bruce had offered to pay him $250 “to kill a man” a few days before Johnson’s body was found near Mount Vernon.

Henry German was still talking to police, this time in Evansville, where his car was found the same morning Johnson’s body was discovered. He told them about a 55-year-old man with red hair, who Bruce identified as “a Chicago gangster” who had recently stayed at the Claibourne’s home. German told officers that Bruce identified the visitor as his bodyguard.

Later on, the 31st police force (like the one in the photo on page 11) picked up Harry “Red” Martin, 39, of Columbia St., on suspicion that he was the “gangster.” German was brought in to look at him (probably in a lineup). Martin was not the “Chicago gangster. Martin had told the police he couldn’t have been the gangster because he was an Evansville native, having lived in the city his entire life. He was let go.

In Mount Vernon that Wednesday, March 31st, a Posey County farmer who lived near the scene of the murder reported to police that he and his wife both heard a woman screaming Monday night. This bit of information led to the possibility that a woman may have been in the “murder car” or somehow involved in the slaying of Albert Johnson. The following day Edith Johnson told the police she was home Monday evening because her house was in quarantine because one of her four children had contracted scarlet fever. Somehow

news got around that Edith had been arrested under a $2000 bond. Detective Chief Ira Wiltshire said Mrs. Johnson was not arrested under any bond, and he believed it was unlikely that she would abandon her four small children.

The farmer’s report of hearing a woman scream bolstered a theory the police were already developing, that a woman was present at the time of the slaying. They had the word of another witness who was driving in the vicinity on Monday night where the body was found the following morning. The Rev. Harold Claycamp, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Mount

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Vernon, told police that he had passed a car matching the description of Henry German’s Chevrolet. It was parked at the side of the road, facing west. Two men were behind the car, walking east and looking down into the ditch. A car door was open and the car lights were burning. A mile ahead Rev. Claycamp passed a larger car parked at the side of the road. Two persons, barely discernible, stood behind the car; another person, “apparently a woman,” sat in the back seat. The reverend didn’t think anymore about seeing the two cars until he heard the news of the slaying.

On the first day of April 1932 the body of Albert Johnson was at Ziemer Funeral Home at 819 First Ave. Chief Emmett Bell told the press, “I believe Claibourne was running around with Johnson’s wife and Johnson knew it. The two went to Mount Vernon together late Monday for some purpose and then fell quarreling about this.

“Claibourne killed Johnson in a fight on the Uniontown Road, threw him into the ditch and drove the car back to Evansville. He is in hiding now and we are hunting him as the slayer.”

Next: The case goes cold. MJ

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Presented By NewburghRemembered

A mere six days after their return from the expedition to Meridian, Mississippi, Pvt. James W. Morrow and the 32nd Iowa were ordered on another, more arduous campaign. They left Vicksburg on March 10, 1864, bound for Alexandria, Louisiana onboard the steamer South Wester. They were part of a force of 10,000 men that were to link with Major General Nathaniel P. Bank’s Army of the Gulf for an incursion up the Red River toward Shreveport. James’s health had taken a sudden turn for the worse just before their departure and was unfit for duty for most of the campaign.

March, 31, 1864

Alexandra luizana Red river

Dear wife i take the present operchuenety to Rite you a fue lines. Since Riten to you Before i have Bin very sick. the next day after I Riten to you from vicksBurg, I was taking sick and on the ninth i Resivd a leter from you whitch give me grate plesure to heare from you and lern that you all was well. i am sory that i have not Bin able to ansar your leter Be fore this time. We started on this expidison the same day that i Reseived your leter i taken cold and it setle on my lungs. then after we got up Red river som too hundred mils the mesles Broke out on me and i was very Bad oﬀ for sevril days…

Ryan Rokicki

We had Bad luck a fue days a go. the gunn Boate and stem Boat fleate started up the river to mete the armay that went through by land. Jest as we got a Bord too miles a Bove this place the housepitle Boate Run a ganst somthing and nocked a hole in her. Thay runn her a crose the river as soun as thay could, and she sunk in tenn [minutes] though thay got her tide to the sore Be fore she sunk much so as [soon] as she struck the sore i went oﬀ a Bout as quick as eny of them… i felt for the sick and wounded that was not able to gett out though as good luck wold have it the Boate did not turn over very far and the sick and wounded was all got oﬀ safe and the next day was all Brought Back to this place the arma is all gon a Buve heare thay have had som fighting to do. Thay had a litle fight Below this captured too hunnerd prizners. our Ridgment was in the fight thay fought a Bout too [h]ours… i was very sick the day of the fight… ther was one kild in our Ridgment and sevrel wounded….

So no more at present But i Remain your afectonet husBand till Death

James and his battle-worn regiment returned to Memphis on June 10 after nearly three months of ac-

Continued page 14

tive campaigning. The brief respite afforded James the opportunity to write to his beloved wife. Susan had been suffering through hardships of her own as Confederate activity in western Tennessee and Kentucky had come perilously close to her home on New Madrid Bend (commonly called Kentucky Bend today). She was forced to flee with her two young sons north of the Ohio River where she would settle in Lynnvile, Indiana. James, still convalescing from his illness and ever concerned about his family’s financial state, had yet another worry to add to his troubles. For whatever living arrangements Susan had found in Warrick County, her husband clearly did not approve.

Memphis Tennsee June 21 1864

Diere wiﬀe, i seate my self to answar your leter of the 15 whitch i Resived yesterday and it give me grate plesure to hiere from you all for i had not herd from you all since the 13 of aprile. i am hapy to lern that you are all well and out of the way of the ReBels But i am sory that you had to go to that damed hole of… i dont think it is fitt for eny deasent lone woman to live and you no it as well as I do so you must do the Best you can. i think that we will Be

pad oﬀ to day or to morrow and i will send you som money We never have Bin pad oﬀ But onest cince we have Bin out i will have nerly six months pay coming to us But if we draw now we will only draw fore months pay i will send you nerly all that i get i will expres it to you and i want you to Rite amediatle when you gett it…

i am not in very good helth. The measles and small pox to girther has impard my constitueson very much, though my amBison is groing grater daley. The news of the ReBels driving you all oﬀ only in creast my amBison to fight them the harder. i think i will make it all Rite with the ReBs in madrid Bend. i Believe that i will gett the chance to do so Be fore very long. i am afriead that i wont Be aBle to do much sirvis in infantry But if i cant stand it i will gett a transfure to the Caverlery. i intend to come home every chance i can get. i think meBy i can get to com home Before long if i cant [i] intend to have you to com and see me let it cost what it may…Kiss my litle BaBes for me good By my Deare.

J.W Morrow

WWII BIG BAND BASH

Are you “In the Mood” to “Sing, Sing, Sing” and enjoy a “Moonlight Serenade?” If so,”Take the A Train” and “Begin the Beguine.” The Glenn Miller Orchestra, Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw and the Andrews Sisters will greet you in spirit with a little help from Evansville’s Temple Airs at a World War II Big Band Bash. It begins at 5:30 pm at the Kapperman Post of the American Legion in Newburgh Nov. 16th. The legion will dish-up their mouthwatering fried chicken with all the trimmings. If the spirit moves you, put on your dancing shoes and follow the lead of semi-pro swing dancers to enjoy a real good time. What’s really cool is you’ll be pumping a little cash into the coffers of the Newburgh Museum –which needs the money! Tickets for the music, dance and dinner are just $35. Call 812-518-3533 or log onto www. NewburghMuseum.org/Dinner-and-Dance .

By Glenn A. Deig, Certified Elder Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation

When a loved one is in, or needs to enter a nursing home, the financial and emotional challenges can be overwhelming. Many families, trying to do what's best, often turn to well-meaning relatives or nursing home staff for advice on how to protect their loved one's assets. However, when it comes to something as complex and legally sensitive as asset protection, it is crucial to seek the advice of an elder law attorney instead of relying on informal advice from family members or nursing home employees.

Elder law attorneys specialize in the unique legal issues that affect older adults, particularly in areas such as estate planning, Medicaid eligibility, and long-term care planning. These professionals have the expertise to navigate the complicated rules and regulations regarding asset protection. Although family members may have good intentions, they often lack the specialized expertise needed to provide reliable legal advice. A misunderstanding or misinterpretation of the law can lead to significant financial losses or unintended legal consequences.

Nursing home employees, while experienced in caregiving and understanding the basics of longterm care options, are not legal experts. Their primary responsibility is to provide care, not to advise on complex legal matters. Relying on them for asset protection advice can be risky because they might not be up to date on the latest laws or aware of all the options available. Nursing homes may have their own interests in mind, such as ensuring payment for services, which could conflict with your goal of preserving assets.

An elder law attorney, on the other hand, works solely in your best interest. They can help you develop a comprehensive plan that not only protects your loved one’s assets but also ensures that they receive the necessary care. This may involve strategies

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“There are three plagues of elderhood,” according to author and medical doctor William H. Thomas. And he says, “They are NOT memory loss, arthritis, and stroke.” In his book, In the Arms of Elders, Dr. Thomas declares that the three plagues of elderhood are “loneliness, helplessness, and boredom.”

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For the plague of LONELINESS, connect with someone who needs a friend.

For the plague of HELPLESSNESS, find a way to help someone else.

And, for the plague of BOREDOM, try writing stories from your true life experiences.

And remember, Love never dies – neither should your stories. MJ

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MAKING A LIVING

• I’m beginning to question my butcher’s integrity. The other day a fly landed on his scale. It weighed 4 pounds, 8 ounces.

• Our local TV weatherman was fired. He couldn’t even predict yesterday’s weather.

• His teacher knew he would be a cabbie. He could never find the shortest distance between two points.

ARMY LIFE

• How can any place be good where the bed is a ‘bunk’ and the kitchen is a ‘mess.’

• Master Sergeant: Fellas, I have some good news and bad news. The good news is that you all get a change of underwear. The bad news is – Bobby Joe, you change with Bubba. Billy, you change with Henry…

• It was a brilliant idea to make army food and army fatigues the same color.

Picturing Our Past

by Hannah Thomason,

ora of natural resources in the area. While the lumber and furniture industries are perhaps some of the most remembered, brick manufacturing was another major industry. This image captures how Standard Brick Manufacturing Co. once operated on Upper Mount Vernon Road on Evansville's west side. It was established in the early 1900s upon discovering a large deposit of carboniferous shale at the site. Today, all that is left at the site is Brickworks Supply Center and Brickyard Apartments, whose name continues the site's legacy. MJ

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Cook’s Park roller coaster ride; identified people are Ralph Stevens (second from left), Ed Guyard (standing in car), and “Count” Milan (sitting); c. 1910 (Photo courtesy Willard Library Archives)

Newly-crowned “queen” Kathy Rosborough (center), flanked by Nancy Fischer (left), Miss Evansville of 1960, and Tommye Lou Glaze (right), Miss Indiana of 1960; photo dated 1961 (Photo courtesy Willard Library Archives)

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Good for a Giggle

(Submitted by Judy Stock, MJ reader)

A woman's husband had been slipping in and out of a coma for several months, yet she had stayed by his bedside every single day. One day, when he came to, he motioned for her to come nearer. As she sat by him, he whispered, eyes full of tears, "You know what? You have been with me through all the bad times. When I got fired, you were there to support me. When my business failed, you were there. When I got shot, you were by my side. When we lost the house, you stayed right here. When my health started failing, you were still by my side. You know what?"

"What dear?" she asked gently, smiling as her heart began to fill with warmth.

”I think you're bad luck." MJ

Hometown

History Contest

Presented

by Vickie

Fields, Special Collections Librarian, Willard Library

Study the photo to the right, answer the question relating to the photo, and you’re a potential winner! It’s that easy! Entries may be made by sending a note or card to the address below. Please include your address and telephone number. You can also enter online at: www. maturityjournal.com/contests. Entries must be received no later than the 17th of the month to be eligible, and only one entry per person will be allowed. The winner will receive a $25 gift card from Liberty Federal Credit Union.

Send your Hometown History Contest entries to: Maturity Journal

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Evansville is a town full of industry. While we have a lot of factories today, the numbers were much higher in the past. It should come as no surprise, then, that Evansville is also a city with a strong history of labor unions. As early as 1856, Evansville’s first labor union was formed, and the local labor movement grew quickly from there. By the late 1800s it was not uncommon for the big names in labor to come to town, speaking and encouraging the laborers. One such speaker, surprisingly, was a woman. After losing her dress shop, her home, and everything she owned in the Great Chicago Fire she joined with others to help rebuild the city, ultimately joining the Knights of Labor. She soon moved from actually working as a laborer to organizing strikes. This woman, once dubbed the “most dangerous woman in America” moved on to work for the United Mine Workers. She was an active advocate for child labor laws, and in 1916 she spoke to over 10,000 people at the local Labor Day Picnic. Question: Who was this influential woman?? MJ

SEARCH PARTY

by Ron Eaton

In this letter grid you will ﬁnd thirty words of at least 5 letters each. The words can be found by searching horizontally, vertically, or diagonally in any direction.

The thirty words can be divided into six groups of ﬁve related words. (Ex: planets, baseball teams, U.S. states) After you have found the thirty words, the unused letters, when read from left to right (top to bottom), will spell out ﬁve words of a seventh related group.

IF YOU NEED SOME HELP, turn the next page upside down to reveal the 6 categories for this Word Search.

Solution on page 23

and then some.

ERS BLO CKB UST

By Ron Eaton

Each of the blocks on the right will fit either before or after the letters on the left to create common 7-letter words. Each block will be used only once, so cross them off as you use them. Good luck!

Out of all of the perfect scores, Cedric Farrar of Evansville was selected as our September winner. Cedric has won 2 Buffets & 2 Drinks to Locally owned by Rick Riddle

September Questions SONG LYRICS

According to Jim Croce, who was a "pool shootin' son of a gun"?

(A) Big Jack Thompson (B) Big Jim Walker (C) Big Pete Sanders (D) Big Stew Watson

SPORTS

What sport has a piece of equipment called a sulky?

(A) harness racing (B) surfing (C) cricket D) cycling

AIR TRAVEL

In 1950 the Evansville airport was given the name of a former mayor. What was his last name?

(A) Allen (B) Moses (C) Landon (D) Dress

TV ADS

What company's 1990 commercials said "Twenty years ago young people taught the world to sing?"?

(A) Post (B) Bristol Meyers (C) Campbell's (D) Coke

MUSICAL THEATRE

Professor Harold Hill was the central character in what Meredith Willson musical?

(A) The Sound of Music (B) South Pacific (C) The Music Man (D) Mary Poppins

October Categories:

Search Party Hints

Turn this upside down if you want help solving the Search Party. You will find the 6 categories for this puzzle to the right.

The Cooking Corner

By Jancey Smith Visit janceys.blogspot.com

When the kids were little, I used to make pumpkin cookies from scratch for a change up and so that they were exposed to new things. They all ate the cookies, but only a few really learned to love pumpkin. My oldest daughter absolutely loves pumpkin, so much that she requests pumpkin pie for her birthday every year. Since her birthday is just after Thanksgiving, I learned to make double and save one for later. Why not?

All Things Fall, Spooky and Pumpkin Spice

Now that Labor Day has passed, it’s time for all things fall, spooky and pumpkin spice. To be honest, I’m much more excited in the spring for strawberry season. I love those little red nuggets in pies, on shortcakes, or just chilling in their own juice with a touch of sugar. However, those are dreams of the past and by now, so are our local tomatoes and sweet corn.

Time moves on and we’re at fall harvest. Although I prefer a nice sharp apple cider or apple crisp over squash, gourds, and Charlie Brown’s famous pumpkin, here we are. For the next few months we might as well celebrate the great pumpkin. You’ll find coffees, cookies, breads, and cakes highlighting this flavor.

TESTIMONY:

“This is the best therapy I’ve ever had. It’s not high tech- just a team that is caring and compassionate; it means EVERYTHING.”

When it comes to sweets, some folks prefer pies while others prefer cakes. I’m totally a pie fan. The crust is fairly optional, but a graham crust tends to be more consistent. I consider the crust to merely be a vessel that contains either fruit or fluff to top off a dinner. I never know what I’m going to get when it comes to cake. Some slices can be too dry and others topped with such a rich, sweet frosting that they take your blood sugar to the roof.

However, there is one kind of cake that I enjoy, and it’s one that has added moisture, like a Jell-O cake or a poke cake. Some form of slightly sweet liquid is added to the mix and these cakes tend to be topped with something lighter like a whipped topping. My birthday cake of choice as a kid was a Jell-O cake, preferably strawberry. There is a pattern to me and strawberries if you’ll note. When it comes to pumpkin though, a poke cake is the perfect combination of the fall season and a

Search Party Answers

Diseases: MALARIA, INFLUENZA, TYPHOID, DIPHTHERIA, DIABETES

Indiana Cities: INDIANAPOLIS, MUNCIE, JASPER, PAOLI, JEFFERSONVILLE

Professions: NURSE, JANITOR, TAILOR, JUDGE, JOURNALIST

Making Music: GUITAR, CELLO, CASTANETS, MANDOLIN, HARPSICHORD

Wedding Bells: BRIDE, GROOM, MINISTER, CEREMONY, RECEPTION

Body Parts: SPLEEN. TRACHEA, KIDNEY, LIVER, INTESTINE

Remaining Letters Spell: CHEETAH, COUGAR, PANTHER, LEOPARD, OCELOT

Search Party Solution

BLOCKBUSTERS ANSWERS:

1. KARAOKE, 2. ICEBERG, 3. SPACKLE, 4. CONDONE, 5. CODEINE, 6. SELFISH, 7. DUNGEON, 8. ASPHALT, 9. LIAISON, 10. CONJOIN, 11. LUCKILY, 12. CHALICE, 13. CRUMPET, 14. BRONCHI, 15. PAPOOSE, 16. PROPHET, 17. UNEQUAL, 18. FERRARI, 19. PAISLEY 20. CANTATA, 21. GENUINE, 22. NIRVANA, 23. BLOWGUN, 24. ELIXIRS, 25. DEFYING, 26. GEEZERS

moist, but not too sweet dessert.

Save the easy recipe below in case you have an extra can of pumpkin after Thanksgiving or would like to try something new for a fall family gathering. This one is very simple with only a few common ingredients. Feel free to raid the kids’ Halloween bags for some candy bars to use. It’s also my type of salute to the Charlie Brown’s pumpkin.

Pumpkin Poke Cake

Ingredients:

1 box yellow cake mix

1 – 15 oz. can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

1 – 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1 – 8 oz. tub cool whip

6 fun-size Butterfinger bars, chopped

1/3 jar Butterscotch Sundae Sauce

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine cake mix and pumpkin until a smooth batter forms.

Pour into a sprayed 9×13 baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees according to package directions (about 23-25 minutes).

Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes or so.

Poke holes all over the top of the cake using a wooden or baby spoon.

Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the cake, filling in holes so that it soaks into the cake.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Spread cool whip over top of cake, covering completely.

Sprinkle chopped candy bars and drizzle butterscotch topping over whipped topping.

Cover with foil and refrigerate for 3-4 hours or overnight. MJ