Reunion Reports

For the visiting public, the ‘Old Time Threshers’ had
many new and different attractions for their enjoyment. In addition
to the many for which the show is well known, there were added to
this year’s show a shingle mill, veneer mill, Hurdy-Gurdy organ
etc.

One attraction of special delight for the visitor were two
parachute drops made directly over the show grounds by Mr. Brad
Parlin of the Cole Bros. air circus. Mr. Parlin made his jumps from
an altitude of about six thousand feet and each one was perfectly
performed. In each of his performances, he fell free for a couple
of hundred feet before opening his parachute, much to the delight
of the large crowd.

Once again the ‘Old Time Thresher Show’ was co-sponsored
by Westinghouse radio station WOWO Ft. Wayne, Indiana, and its farm
service director Jay Gould. Mr. Gould is known by millions of
listeners in the Tri-State area, Michigan, Indiana and Ohio, for
his ‘Little Red Bam and Dinner on the Farm’ programs. On
Saturday, Mr. Gould brought a surprise visitor to the show. He
introduced ‘Charley The Weatherman’, who gave an
interesting talk on the ways in which weather data is gathered and
forecasted. The show this year, in addition to being co-sponsored
by radio station WOWO, was covered by interviewers and
photographers from two Ft. Wayne television stations.

Gas engine row, gasoline alley or put-put corner, call it what
you will, we had them. From 1? H. P. to 25 H. P. in single cylinder
models and up to 30-60 H. P. in large four cylinder gas tractors.
Half of one side and one end of the show grounds was necessary for
all of these engines and tractors to be displayed. Each and
everyone were in actual operating condition and wonderfully
restored by the owners. One young man in particular trucked his
10-20 Titan from Erie, Pennsylvania to Ft. Wayne, Indiana, in order
to attend the show and display his very fine tractor.

For the steam engine admirer and fan there was the threshing of
wheat and oats, plowing with the eight bottom prairie plows brought
in from North Dakota, sawing of lumber with the large sawmill,
operating four Baker fans at one time and furnishing steam for the
flour mill.

Every visitor to the show enjoyed the hill-climbing act
performed by Harry Woodmansee and the balancing of a large steam
engine on the teeter-totter by Melvin Lugten. One very interesting
act of the show was the tug-of-war between a steam engine and the
big 30-60 Aultman-Taylor gas tractor. It was indeed a sight to see,
these two, giants in their own right, holding and pulling the
other. One man brought in a flour mill, powered by steam, and
milled whole wheat flour so that once again people could enjoy
those home-baked whole wheat products.

On Sunday morning, as is done every year, church services were
held in the WOWO hospitality tent. The singing of hymns and a
special message given by Mr. Robert Price of Logansport, Ind. His
subject, ‘ The Power by Which We Live’, began in the early
biblical days and ended with the Scriptures. Mr. and Mrs. Jay Gould
are to be thanked for the loan of their Lowery organ which
furnished the beautiful music.

The wiring system on the show grounds was completely re-wired
and more floodlights were installed so that a program of events
could be held each evening of the show. This was for the benefit of
the late comer and the factory worker who couldn’t attend
during the day.

For each evening’s program the different events scheduled
were: sawing with steam power on the big mill, the making of
shingles with the shingle mill, threshing and baling with the model
thresher and baler built by Fermen Bloom, balancing of an engine on
the teeter-totter and operation of the Baker fans, etc. As soon as
it became dark enough, movies brought down from Wisconsin by Mr.
John Achey, were shown in the big tent. The night’s
entertainment was completed by a square dance.

Everyone concerned is to be thanked for their very hard work
that has to be done before, during and after the show.