Above from the top: “Michigan Days” promotion for the summer of 1941, courtesy of the Gratiot County Herald; The Stars and Stripes Forever flies even though parts of Europe fall to the Nazis; Michigan migrant school opens again for the second year at the Washington School in Alma; Three Gratiot boys head a group to the annual Boy Scout “Camporee” in Breckenridge.

After the talk about war preparation, the draft board suggested that there might actually be a pause in calling young men from Gratiot County to the military.

Still, Gratiot men moved from Fort Knox to Fort Leonard Wood. Letters from some of the men showed their travels from rural Gratiot County to faraway military camps in the country, a trip not taken since World War I.

Efforts to contribute to the county’s war preparation were led by the Red Cross, and the need for USO centers was recognized.

The number of Gratiot people involved in the NYA and WPA programs appeared to be leveling off as people found jobs in war plants.

People still needed medical care. Farms need workers.

It was June 1941, and Gratiot residents would not know a “peaceful” month of June for over the next four years.

Could Gratiot County just catch a break?

Gratiot County Continues War Preparations

War news did not stop. The government announced that it needed to recruit approximately 40,000 Michigan citizens to work in the growing war plants. A new bomber plant in Ypsilanti was planned to employ 60,000 workers alone. Fifty Alma workers pushed for an Alma unit of the USO (United Service Organizations for National Defense) and raised $1,200 as part of a national drive to raise over $10,000,000 for recreational centers for those in the military. The government also announced the closing of all German consulates in the country, as well as all German nationals associated with those consulates. Concerns over Nazi interference and potential sabotage floated across the country. At the end of the month, the government announced a 20% cut in rubber use for the next six months. On June 21, the Second World War took another turn as Germany launched a surprise and successful invasion of the Soviet Union, which appeared to be caught off guard. Hitler’s early successes with the invasion had people wondering how long the Soviets would last, but Russia was a very big country.

As the summer started, a new draft registration sounded on the horizon. An estimated 300 Gratiot youths were expected to register who were 21 after October 16, 1940, and before midnight on July 1, 1941. This time, registrations would only take place at Alma City Hall. Aliens between 21 and 36 who came to the United States since the first registration now had to officially register as well. Early in the month, a list of 10 volunteers and 35 conscripts appeared in the newspaper. The Navy also wrote a letter to Alma Schools superintendent F.R. Phillips, inviting young men in Alma to help with national defense. Superintendent Phillips encouraged young Alma men to consider joining the Navy now. Two of nine registered conscientious objectors, Clifford Thrush of Alma and Bruce Meads of Riverdale, were to be sent to the Onekama Camp in Manistee County. However, the camp was not ready to receive them when their order went out. Five more conscientious objectors were sent to Camp Bluffton, Indiana, for training. These included Nathan Benner (Middleton), Clifford Hibner (Ithaca), Judson Hill (Wheeler), George Smith (Ashley), and Emerson Yordy (formerly of Alma, now in Detroit).

The Gratiot County Red Cross sought to support war preparations by sending 229 articles to a Jersey City warehouse to aid war-stricken nations in Europe and Asia. Among them were 76 women’s woolen skirts and 30 women’s woolen dresses, as well as 25 bed shirts. When more yarn arrived in Alma to meet the Red Cross British quota, Mrs. William Ellis called for more volunteer knitters. The county chapter also planned to call 120 people who had passed the standard Red Cross exam to form a first-aid unit.

News from the boys already in training appeared with more regularity in the newspapers. Jay Alverson, who was inducted in Saginaw, Chauncey Bradley of Riverdale, and other Gratiot men, such as Harry Bassett and Russell Snook, gave glimpses of Army life. Changes and modifications to West Coast weather, how to roll a Bull Durham, how Army uniforms and shoes failed to fit properly, or off to see the sights when on leave – all were mentioned in the letters. News also told how Ned McKee of Alma fractured his knee at Camp Davis, North Carolina. Harry “Hap” Jones of Alma arrived at Fort Custer and entertained his fellow soldiers by performing juggling tricks, magic, and comedy. Jones had been a circus performer for 14 years. William Keyes of Elwell appeared in the motion picture “I Wanted Wings,” which was shown at the Strand Theatre in Alma. Keyes was a cadet who completed his training at Randolph Field, Texas, and would soon be on active duty at Kelly Field.

Those men from Alma who had been called to service at Fort Knox continued to send updates on their status. Although the wives and girlfriends of at least six Gratiot men stationed with the Anti-Tank Battery, 2nd Battalion, 177th Field Artillery, received a visit, the unit would soon be on its way to Fort Leonard Wood. Private M. E. Hartig sent letters to the Gratiot County Herald informing readers about what the unit was doing as it went to Fort Leonard Wood. Major Howard L. Freeman designated Hartig to be the official correspondent with the county newspapers since so many men were sending letters to the Herald offices. By the end of June, another 36 men, many from Michigan, joined this group, bringing the total to 92 men and 2 officers. Also, in early June, Alma Mayor Charles R. Murphy was promoted to Major Murphy to create a new group of Michigan State Troops based in Alma. This new group consisted of 46 men to replace the 177th Field Artillery Unit that left for Fort Knox. Major Murphy was now assigned to command the areas of Muskegon, Newaygo, Montcalm, Gratiot, and Saginaw counties.

The NYA, WPA Programs

New Deal programs like the National Youth Administration (NYA) and Works Progress Administration (WPA) continued to offer employment to young and old alike. However, the numbers seemed to drop as people left for higher-paying jobs, now that war preparation meant work in defense plants and other workplaces.

Gratiot County now had 902 NYA youth, ages 16 to 24, employed on out-of-school projects. Shirts and garments, as well as photographs of boys’ handicrafts, appeared in the windows of the Perry Building in Alma on the corner of Superior and Woodworth. Those youth working at Turck Park learned the concessions business and raised $18.75, enough to purchase a defense bond. Approximately 75 NYA workers received free health x-rays as part of a statewide health program. All workers at the Washington School received x-rays, as well as some Alma College students.

In order to accentuate the value of WPA projects in Gratiot County over the past five years, a state WPA administrator cited several accomplishments. The building of 40 blocks of streets, 263 culverts and improvements, and 165 miles of road headed the list. Also, sizeable additions were made to Riverdale and Ashley Schools, as well as to the new Wheeler Field in St. Louis. An average of 300 Gratiot residents were employed by WPA projects. Current work in Alma included ongoing work on streets, curbs, and sidewalks, as well as new shuffleboard courts in Wright Park and wading pools for small children.

Health Problems Require Help

Assessing and treating victims of tuberculosis continued in Gratiot County. In early June, 66 people underwent X-ray examinations at Alma Junior High School with help from the Michigan Tuberculosis Association. Bette Spies, field worker, oversaw the operation. Prior to this, two patch testing clinics were held in Alma on the morning of May 21 and again in Ithaca in the afternoon. Readings of those tests a few days later showed 17 positive results in Alma and 16 in Ithaca. Another 33 people also took tests as recommended by physicians. The entire work was financed by the sale of tuberculosis Christmas Seals.

Another attempt to address health matters in Gratiot County involved providing free dental care to over 1,300 children, from preschool through age 16. Ithaca started the clinic and hosted the program for five weeks, then at Alma High School for four weeks, and ended in St. Louis for three weeks. Those living in the countryside could attend the center closest to their home. Another health clinic later took place in St. Louis involving the immunization of children for smallpox and diphtheria. Dr. A.D. Hobbs and two nurses oversaw these free clinics, which operated for an hour on June 16 & 30.

There was some happier health news. Smith Memorial Hospital installed a new 200-watt fluorescent light in the operating room, equivalent to the one at nearby Wilcox Hospital. This greatly helped with operations at Smith. The Smith Memorial superintendent announced that the staff would honor Miss Georgiana Freuhauf, a nurse at Smith, in honor of her upcoming marriage, and she received a miscellaneous shower, complete with pink ice cream. Also, Miss Ellen Rush offered her home to host a steak fry for the Gratiot County Nurses Association and invited all county nurses to attend.

The Long Arm of the Law Continues in Gratiot

When it came to law enforcement, the resulting news was sometimes hard to read. Still, it revealed some of the social problems that Gratiot County had in 1941. During May, Gratiot County courts recorded 51 convictions, 39 of which were for traffic violations. Fines brought in $687.30, and costs amounted to $241.95. While checking forgeries, assault and battery, and drunk and disorderly routinely appeared in the news, it was a collection of several “sordid” cases that readers found disturbing. Alice Sanders of Ithaca was arrested and sentenced to one to four years in the Detroit House of Corrections for administering drugs for unlawful purposes to a child to procure an abortion. Sanders had 16 children and was arrested as a result of another troubling investigation. This one dealt with a statutory crime against a 15-year-old Alma girl by a Mexican field beet worker, Raymond M. Ortiz, 23, who lived on Euclid Street in Alma. The beet worker got five to ten years in Jackson Prison. As this case continued to be investigated, more young men in the Ithaca area were believed to be involved. Another name involved was Ygnacio Reyes, 21, of Ithaca.

In other cases, Dwight Morris of Ithaca got a $10 fine for using indecent language in front of women and children. Four Breckenridge boys, ages 13 and 14, were arrested for breaking and entering the Pere Marquette Depot in Breckenridge. After entering the building with a skeleton key, they stole a quantity of firecrackers. They each got parole in charge of the Breckenridge village marshal. A Vestaburg truck driver, Earl J. Evans, also made the news as a result of charges and conviction of indecent exposure and received $275 fines and costs, or face jail time. Lyle E. Bearup, 19, of Ashley, was arrested at the county jail for stealing chickens from his father. He had to pay a $30 fine and serve 60 days in jail. If he could not make payment, Bearup would serve 90 days.

Life and Challenges on Gratiot Farms in the Summertime

The summer was hot and dry until rain fell intermittently starting June 12. The rain broke a drought in the county, reviving suffering crops. Sugar beets, which had recently been blocked, were now expected to take off and prosper. The county agricultural agent again warned farmers who had not done enough to combat the corn borer problems of 1940. While many Gratiot farmers pledged to work their previous year’s corn fields more thoroughly, too many still failed to take the corn borer problem seriously. Damages in 1940 due to corn borer resulted in a loss of $400,000 in Gratiot County. Other anticipated farm problems included a perceived shortage of farm labor due to the Selective Service and a shortage of migrant workers.

Those who believed farm life in Gratiot County was easy had another thing coming. During the month of June, several farm accidents occurred, with at least one ending in death. Ervin Hoffer, age 8 of Washington Township, tragically died as a result of lassoing a cow on the family farm west of Banister. After milking the cow that evening, Hoffer took a noose of a rope, looped it around his waist, and then threw the other end over the cow’s head. The 1150-pound cow then panicked and dragged the child 60 rods to the back of the farm to a woodlot. When Ervin failed to show up for dinner, the family searched for him and found his lifeless body attached to the cow. The boy suffered a severely torn scalp, and his waist, surrounded by the rope, was only about four inches in diameter, which caused fatal internal injuries. After summoning the coroner, he decided no inquest was needed. Ervin Hoffer left his parents and four siblings.

Another accident in the county involved Cardwell Hoard, 14, of Pompeii. Hoard received serious injuries when his team became unattached to a drag and ran away, after being spooked by the farm owner’s car, where he worked. When found after being dragged 60 rods, Hoard was unconscious, suffered a fractured skull, and was taken to Smith Memorial Hospital, where he remained in grave condition. Young Howard Comstock of St. Louis was thrown by a horse on his father’s farm and received a serious concussion. Carl Cole of Breckenridge injured his arm when he slipped on a load of hay and fell to the barn floor. He was admitted to Smith Memorial for X-rays. In some other very sad news, Odel Snook, 58, a retired farmer near St. Louis, took his own life in the Oak Grove Cemetery as a result of despondency over his own physical health. He ended his life in the cemetery and was found at his parents’ gravesites.

The anticipated Mexican school in Alma was delayed as improvements continued at the Washington School building. This was the second year for the school, and it was one of only two in the entire state in 1940. When the school did open, it welcomed 48 children on the first day, only to have 60 the following day. Within a week, 75 children attended the school. Miss Merle Farni, Miss Gertude Herman, Miss Nell Zydyk, and Miss Virginia Coldren all made up the staff. All of the women were from outside of Gratiot County, and a few were from out of state. The Gratiot County Council of Churches and Sunday Schools sponsored the school. Mexican families were invited to attend services at the Alma Methodist Church Fellowship Hall on Sunday evenings. Reverend Albert Mareno of Shepherd led the programs. On Monday, June 30, the Washington Center opened for an open house. The school operated from 10:00 am to 3:15 pm daily.

There was also a selection of tidbits of farm news in June 1941. Rademacher Motor Sales of Alma urged farmers to consider buying a Ford Tractor with the Ferguson System for only $695. The “Our Gang” 4H Club at Banister was organized at the Ensign home. Alma Production Credit Association moved its offices to the southeast corner of State and Center Streets in Alma, opposite the post office. The downstairs offered four good-sized rooms and a hall for offices. Sheep dipping in the county ended in early June with the C.V. Tracy farm of Newark was one of the last locations for the season.

And So We Do Not Forget

The Alma Chamber of Commerce held its first discussions about another possible late-summer celebration. Continuing the “Harvest Jubilee” in Alma had been a tradition in recent years in August…Billiroy’s Comedians made another stop in Alma and set up camp across from Leonard Refineries. The vaudeville show on its 18th tour of the Midwest featured eighty people, “most of them girls,” the handbills proclaimed. Tickets inside the tent theatre cost 25 cents for adults, 15 cents for children, and ladies free with a paid adult ticket…The Thrasher Dairy Bar inside the remodeled Goodenough Store Building in Breckenridge featured new frosted malted milk shakes. Generous servings and dancing privileges allowed…The Meteor Café in St. Louis, owned by Rocky and Charlie Piccolo, now plans to serve “Chick-En-Hand,” cooked in its own grease and served in wicker baskets. Customers received half a chicken without silverware…Police announced that the newly paved Michigan Avenue between Alma and St. Louis would be closely monitored following a tragic accident near the CSA Hall. Speed restrictions and zones are now ordered at 20, 30, and 35 miles per hour in different areas.

The St. Louis Lions Club had one of the biggest memberships in central Michigan. Adolph Schnepp served as president of the 41 Lions in St. Louis…The McLean filling station on M-46 in Breckenridge lost two high-test gasoline pumps when two cars crashed into them on a Friday afternoon. An estimated $500 to $600 in damages occurred…The Gratiot County Herald published a special insert on June 9, 1941, entitled “Michigan Days for Michigan Prosperity.” Several pages featured advertisements of county businesses and businessmen…Little Rock Lumber and Coal Company of Alma sold 8x8x16 cement blocks for eleven cents each…A new state bill required Alma to raise its pay for city policemen. Those on the beat for more than a year had to be paid $17,000 annually, up from the previous $15,000…The St. Louis Hatchery sold “Michigolden Ducks” and chicks. See W.V. Hess at the hatchery…Free softball games were held on a Wednesday night, when the Ithaca All Stars defeated Michigan Salt, 14-6. Games were played four nights a week in Ithaca (Wednesdays excluded for church night)…Alma Chief of Police Earl Willert again warned residents to stop chasing fire trucks that took off to fight fires. A state law banned such activity. A recent fire on Valley Avenue caused such disruption that fire trucks had difficulty getting close enough to the building.

Three Ithaca boys were among a larger group from Ithaca that took part in the spring camporee in Breckenridge. Edward Nestle, Jr., Lloyd Young, and Max Plankenhorn appeared in the Gratiot County Herald…Daily Vacation Bible School opened under the leadership of Pastor Kelsie Martin from East Superior Christian Church. The three-week event was sponsored by the Alma Federation of Churches at the Lincoln and Republic Schools… The twenty-third annual Ola Camp Meeting opened courtesy of the Gratiot County Holiness Association, beginning June 29. A new two-story building was built to house the kitchen and dorm rooms to support the growing work at Ola…Eleven Gratiot graduates of Central State Teacher College in Mt. Pleasant joined the ranks of new teachers. Margaret Todd of Middleton (limited certificate) was one of the graduates…St. Louis Police Chief Edward Barnes completed his fifth year of protecting St. Louis young people at the corner of Washington and Mill streets from being hit by reckless drivers. Barnes first came on staff in St. Louis in 1931 and had been a veteran of World War…Melvyn Douglas, Joan Crawford, and Conrad Veidt starred in “A Woman’s Face” at the Strand Theatre in Alma. Admission was ten and twenty cents…Get the new Gibson Freez’R Shelf refrigerator at Clapp Hardware in St. Louis for only $94.95….Art Farnsworth just moved his Chrysler and Plymouth Dealership to 219 West Superior Street in Alma, featuring a new showroom, sales, and service.

The Ithaca High School track team won the Valley C Conference title. Coach Keglovitz led and coached the team…The Michigan Department of Health planned to conduct its second ragweed pollen count in the summer. Hay fever sufferers hoped for relief as the department planned to determine where the lowest counts occurred in the state…Conservation League Park in Alma planned a Paul Bunyan pancake supper complete with syrup tapped from the park’s own trees…The George W. Myers American Legion Post Number 164 presented “Golgotha,” a full-length movie about “The Passion Play,” which was shown at the Alma High School Auditorium on June 17. Four showings were planned and cost 35 cents. This movie was the first to be based entirely on the four Gospels’ account of the last week of Christ’s life. Many firms and businesses in Alma supported bringing the movie to town…George E. Marr continued to improve the St. Louis GEM Theatre by bringing in up-to-date pictures and attracting many out-of-town patrons. A remodeled front was another hope for the GEM…Barkoot Brothers Shows would be in Alma from June 23 to July 2 on the Pere Marequette Lot south of Center Street, between Lincoln and Prospect streets. The American Legion sponsored the rides and shows. A daredevil, death-defying high wire act took place every night…Ladies, want a new type of dress? Rayon clothing, planned to debut in the summer of 1941, was washable, comfortable, and stylish.

L.W. Hartig, the owner of Alma Tire Service, moved into his new location at 614 East Superior Street, which was formerly the Sadie Soul property. The brick building was built by Henry Soule and once served as the Green Fern Hotel. Prior occupants of the building before Alma Tire moved in were the Gratiot County Social Welfare Commission and the Gratiot Social Service Bureau. Both of those occupants moved their work to the Gratiot County Courthouse…Bannister School voters approved a $13,000 bond to build a new school building, which burned down in the spring. However, a measure to raise the tax limitation of 15 mills for the purpose failed by two votes. What would be the district’s next move?… “Ellery Queen’s Penthouse Mystery” played at the air-conditioned Alma Theatre. Viewers got to see the recent serial of “Adventures of Captain Marvel.” All for only ten or fifteen cents…In a surprise, St. Louis residents were told that Detroit Tigers announcer Harry Heilmann may come to town for a rebroadcast of a Tigers game. Somewhere on Mill Street, Heilmann planned to conduct his popular program “Fan on the Street” early in the evening. This was big news for Tigers fans in town…Business at the St. Louis Park Hotel was shut down for a few weeks as owner William Kesl remodeled the north side of the main floor into a new coffee shop. The kitchen also would be moved from the rear of the building to another spot in the hallway between the main dining area and the lobby…

Breckenridge High School graduated 37 seniors in the class of 1941. Over at St. Louis, 61 graduates made the grade and graduated…A couple of ladders and improved lighting at Turck’s Beach in Alma allowed safer swimming conditions. A false alarm at the beach caused the Alma Fire Department to arrive after a call from the beach was over the leader for ladders and light bulbs…Some Alma teachers took off on their summer vacation outside Gratiot County. Hildegarde Empkie took off for her home in Kalamazoo, and Margaret Laage headed back to Grayling. Some teachers planned to remain at home in Gratiot; others, like Melva Giles, were on trips, traveling to Quebec. Finally, six St. Louis fast-pitch softball teams elected new officers for the 1941 season. Wayne Green served as treasurer; Frank Curtiss, president; Wayne Davis, secretary.

And that was Depression and War in June 1941 in Gratiot County.

Copyright 2026 James M. Goodspeed