September 2002                                                   The Megaphone                                                                Page 2

Memories #12

by Bob Hinshaw

  As the spring of my memory clock slowly begins to unwind, I realize that over the past year of writing memories, I have left out names, events and places, not on purpose but because of Senior Moments.

  Elwood will always be my home town, a statement I am very proud to say. Elwood, where I was born, educated, fell in love and married Mary Ruth Ackerman, who, by the way, will be celebrating along with me, our 60th wedding anniversary, October 4, 2002. This marriage was blessed with a daughter, who we lost in March 1993.

  Elwood is also the town, where upon my graduation from Butler College of Pharmacy in 1943, I joined my father and mother in Hinshaw’s Drug Store. My father was the energy behind me to become a member of the Quincy Masonic Lodge, for which I'm now a 50+ year member and also to join the Elwood Kiwanis Club. I was inducted into Kiwanis on October 5, 1944. I served as president of the Club in 1952 and was elected Lt. Governor in 1954 of the old 7th (Flying) Division of Indiana Kiwanis. We added the word Flying because John Moore of the Elwood Club, Art Darlington of the Anderson Club and Bob Cooper of the Muncie Club were all pilots and owned their own planes. In Kiwanis, the term inter-clubing means that four members of one club join in a meeting with another Club at its meeting site and at its meeting time. At the time I was Lt. Governor, the 7th Division consisted of Clubs from Elwood, Alexandria, Anderson, Muncie and Winchester and I think there were two other towns in that Division, but due to having a Senior Moment I don't remember. Each plane held four people so we had 12 members making inter-clubs to Lima, Ohio - Detroit, Michigan - Louisville, Kentucky - and to Chicago, Illinois, where the International Office of Kiwanis was located at that time. This office is now located in Indianapolis, IN. The flights to Chicago were the most fun – we would  land at Meigs Field, on the shore of Lake Michigan, and be picked up by limos and given a police escort to the headquarters in downtown Chicago. Boy, were we VIPs.

  Upon moving to Warsaw , I joined the Warsaw Kiwanis Club in April 1969, serving as secretary from 1970 until 1979. Elected to Life Member status May 14, 1979. After 45 years of perfect attendance, serving both Clubs, I asked for and received Honorary Status so I could pursue my work with the Seniors of  Kosciusko County.

  Another reason I am proud to call Elwood my home town are all the memories that I was privileged to acquire during the 1950’s and 1960’s. I served on the board of The Elwood Chamber of Commerce and also served as its President, and during that year I had the privilege of having Clarence (Bud) Beller to serve as the director, and that year turned out to be a productive and enjoyable year. Bud and I decided that since the Indy 500 was not only hosting an auto race but they were hosting a P.G.A. golf tourney in the in-field of  the speedway, it would be a great publicity stunt if we could have one or more of the pros to come to Elwood and sample some of the wares of our city, having the occasion covered by television and other news media. The tourney was well attended by the professionals of that time, but they were very unhappy with all the noise that came from the race track and I think that that was the last time the tourney was ever held at the 500. We were able to interview several of the players and all agreed the idea was a good one, but since traveling from tourney to tourney was done by automobile and not fancy airplanes like they have today, it would be impossible to rearrange their schedule on such a short notice, but if the tourney was scheduled again for next year they would get in touch. Bud and I and our wives returned home, feeling not all was lost, because we four pale faces were very sun-burned.

  Another memory I have of Elwood was the year I served as President of the Elwood Country Club during the year 1964. I remember the old Club House with upstairs living quarters for the professional, Chuck Almony, his family and his dog, a Basset Hound with the largest feet I ever saw. In the old Club House, the indoor stair- way to Chuck's living quarters was on the west side opening up into the lounge area. Many a night Mary Ruth and I had the pleasure of playing bridge with Drs. Marion (Bud) Drake and Martin Hanson. Chuck's dog would come down those stairs creating a noise with those large feet, the likes of which stopped all activity. I remember the good times we had with Earl and Bobbie Huff, Les and Ruth Squire and many others who thanks to a Senior Moment that I'm now having will have to remain nameless, but with all it was fun and very enjoyable.

  All of this enjoyable fun and entertainment came to a screeching halt in December of 1964, when at 3 A.M. I received a phone call from the local fire department stating that if I wanted to take a last look at the Club House, I had better get out there real quick because it was on fire. Upon arriving we watched, with tears in our eyes and questions in our hearts, the flames moved from East to West and when it reached the kitchen storage area, the number 10 cans of juice and fruit began to explode and for a while it sounded like a war zone. This brought back memories of the late 1930's when Leeson’s buildings were on fire, especially when the fire got to the hardware area and the paint cans started to explode. Since my term as President was ending, it was up to a new board and a new President to make plans to rebuild, and this they did.

  We now had a beautiful new Club House. One memory I have of the Country Club, especially the golf course, was the 5th fairway. It ran from the south east corner of the course, with a wrought iron fence separating the course from the Seller's property, to a green 500 yards plus from the  tee. That fence was a mental hazard to me and to others. Two shots with a five iron, a wedge and two puts, you shot a par. Take a driver and it would either slice or hook and I'd end up with a big fat 7 or 8. But after all, it was just a game.

  That's all from the old pillroller for this month. I may return next month, who knows? "The Shadow" -- he knows !!!!

Bob Hinshaw '40

Warsaw, IN