Charter book
William F. Ohde's ticke
Band Procession
The school's uniformed band proceeded through the business district heralding
the honored guest's arrival and citizens got a glimpse of the visiting notable
as he rode in a car immediately be-hind the band. A short reception was held
for him east of City park where John R. Hansen
officially welcomed him home as the band went through a few maneuvers.
After acknowledging the reception with sincere thanks Mr. Brunnier went to the
home of his cousin, Mrs. William Ohde, for a rest until the evening festivities at Firemen's hall.
A crowd of slightly more than 300 was on hand to witness the official ceremony
which welcomed Manning's Rotary into the International organization, with
President Brunnier making formal presentation.
Ceremonies get underway with community singing led by Clifford R. Bloom,
executive secretary of the Des Moines Rotary. The Rev. Harlan Kruse of the
Presbyterian Church gave invocation and the dinner, prepared and served by the Presbyterian Guild, followed.
Letter From Rogers
Bert Lockhart, president of Carroll Rotary, acted as presiding officer.
Douglas Rogers, local attorney, who was a classmate of Paul Harris, founder of
Rotary in 1905, was to be given special recognition, but he and Mrs. Rogers
were unable to attend. Mr. Rogers had sent a letter of well wishes which was read by Mr. Lockhart.
Peter F. Hansen, director of the new club, extended greetings to all guests,
after which Clarence R. Off, North English, governor of District 193 Rotary
International, introduced visiting Rotarians as well as past and present officers of the organization.
President Brunnier's presentation followed. The
honored guest spoke with feeling when he said, "This is without doubt the
greatest pleasure in my life, to give Manning, my home town, a charter in
Rotary International. William F. Ohde, local president, accepted the charter with thanks.
In his address, Mr. Brunnier outlined the history of Rotary. Telling how it
was formed in Chicago by Paul Harris in 1905 and that he was instrumental in
forming Charter No. 2 in San Francisco three years later. Today, Rotary is
found in 83 countries with 7,600 clubs comprising some 360,000 members.
Mr. Brunnier dwelt on the four major points of service for which Rotary was
noted.
1. Club service,
2. Vocational service,
3. Community service,
4, International service.
Standing Ovations
Upon introduction of Mr. Brunnier by Governor Off, the
diners gave a standing ovation to its distinguished guest, and repeated this
gesture at the conclusion.
Fred W. Lentz, Beatrice, Nebraska, governor of District 177 Rotary
International, gave a short talk on "A Child is Born,"
and predicted great things for the Manning club. He said "This is a club
of destiny, being given the privilege of carrying out the precepts of Rotary as
exemplified by your favorite son."
Gifts of various kinds to the Manning club were then given by representatives
of clubs from Odebolt, Carroll, Atlantic, Adel, North English, Ames, Perry,
Boone, Jefferson and Council Bluffs.
To Elmer Mueller, a local director, went to assignment of introducing 24
charter members of the Manning club, all of them being present but Leo Iddings,
secretary, a victim of polio. Chairman Lockhart then introduced the Hon. Guy M.
Gillette of Cherokee, (Democrat), who addressed the group on "Rotary as it applies to world conditions."
President Responds
William F. Ohde, took the rostrum at this time and gave a sincere talk in
appreciation to all those who joined in welcoming Manning into Rotary
International and promising, "With the swell; group of members I know
we're going to do great things." Singing concluded the program.
Charter members of the Manning club include its officers W. F. Ohde president,
Eugene Zerwas vice president, Leo Iddings secretary, Henry E. Meyers treasurer,
Ralph Grundmeier sergeant-at-arms, directors Henry J.M. Hansen, Elmer Mueller,
Peter F. Hansen and C.T. Bennett; John R. Hansen, A.H. Sanders, Dr. John Hornberger,
Ben D. Joens, Max Detlefsen, Dr. William P. Chandler, Alfred Paulsen, L.F.
Knudsen, W.O. Thetford, Paul Vollmer, Barney Neubaum, Eddie Johnson, Richard Crandall, and Dr. Bruce D. Fenchel.
Senator Gillette Points To Destiny Of Americans
Speaking at the Manning Rotary charter presentation dinner at Firemen's
hall Friday evening, U.S. Senator Guy M. Gillettee
(D. Cherokee) reminded 300 listeners, "We forget that we are one of the
few people left on earth who have a choice in the matter of our future."
Leading up to that statement the famed Iowans stated that our foreign policy
has failed as he warned that "We cannot build simultaneously for peace and war."
Senator Gillette, who has been a Rotarian for 15 years, pointed out various
aspects of the modern trends of armaments, mobilizing, and taxation.
"If we devote our time and resources to military preparations entirely, we
will gradually be compelled to abandon our plans for development of a better
and more abundant way of life at home and the expansion of free competitive capitalism abroad."
He mentioned the same question at the Rotary dinner that he has on the senate
floor, of whether or not the United States is pursuing the right policy, knowing
where it will take the nation. The current arms race, he said, will end where all arms races end.
"An armaments race must inevitably result in total mobilization, even
though one may temporarily postpone total war. Total mobilization in a
peacetime democracy means finally both the parts to contain Communism. We have
put arms in the hands of any and all who promise to take a stand against the
expanding doctrine. In the larger sense this policy of improvisation has been a failure as evidenced in China.
Never-the-less, it is a policy to which we are committed and which we are following."
Senator Gillette said Americans should give serious consideration to the
military assistance program "and think solemnly and prayerfully of the
towering responsibility which our country has had thrust upon it by the century in which we live."
Those who have survived the wars of the past half century regard them, he
pointed out, and correctly, as the worst holocausts that men have ever brought upon one another.
"So profound and so far reaching have been the upheavals throughout the
world in the 20th century, that our own country, young as it is, now appears as
one of the oldest and most stable form of society in the world, the only land
on the face of the earth today, where monstrous and unpredictable crimes do not
menace the people and their governments day and night, year after year."
These are the things, he continued, that Americans sometimes tend to forget.
"We, almost alone among the peoples of the world, can decide what kind of
a world we want for the second half of the 20th century - and in deciding know that our decision will stand whatever others may think
of it. For we have the power and sources of power to make our decision stand."
"We Have The Power"
If we so chose, he warned, we could tomorrow destroy every city on the map of
the world. No physical power anywhere in the world could prevent it, if that
were our decision. He added, "we shall, of
course, never, never, dream of taking such a step, but it is enough that we have the power."
On the other hand, he emphasized, we can apply the gigantic power at our
disposal, the methods of social and economic advancement that we have
developed, and the energy and intelligence that have brought us to our position
of eminence, to world into the next epoch - out of the presence of bloody and
violent transition into a new age of peaceful progress for all men everywhere.
Bud Stahl & LaVerne Olsen - bartenders on the east end of the balcony during the 1956 Diamond Jubilee celebration
Gerhardt "Gabby" Lamp on left - maybe Leo Daeges next to him
Labert "Bud" Stahl on right
1964 Phil Zerwas, William F. Ohde, Julius Hoffman
Standing in front of 1962 GMC firetruck
New fire station
New fire station
Flag raising for new fire station
March 1965 Merlyn Irlbeck, George Peters, Allan Grage, Phil Zerwas
In front of the "Iron Lung"
1952 Rural No. 2 firetruck - June 5, 1953
1963 Lawrence “Cy” Nickum - Firechief
The first rural fire truck 1939
On top is a 40 foot wooden ladder which took 6 men to raise.
This ladder was also mounted on the 1928 La France
Phil Zerwas nephew to Francis Zerwas, Julius Hoffman on right
Tom Wurr, Dave Souter, Lynn Stein, Dale Reinke, John Ohde, Dan Lorenzen, Alan Fara
2000 firemen