This Was Hatboro-Horsham, 1956

From the Public Spirit, Week of April 5-11, 1956

Two Hatboro councilmen, burgess resign -

The independent Republican-Democratic coalition of Hatboro gained almost complete control of Borough Council this week, when three members of the "old guard" suddenly resigned. The resignations of Council President Robert J. McLaughlin and Councilman George E. Hoffman came during Monday night's council meeting after a debate over amendments to the borough's plumbing code.

Burgess [Mayor] A. Harvey McCall also submitted his resignation at Wednesday night's meeting, a continuation of the Monday night gathering. Following the vote at which the amendments were passed, Councilman Edmund Haigler, leader of the coalition, called for a reorganization of Council.

It was this action that prompted the resignations of the two Councilmen. When Haigler made his motion, Hoffman stated that he was "shocked by the action" and submitted his resignation. McLaughlin also resigned, saying he was not surprised by Haigler's action and that "such action typified him (Haigler)."

The resignations were accepted and Mrs. Nellie Howard, Democrat in the coalition, was appointed temporary president. The meeting was recessed until Wednesday night, at which time permanent officers were elected. The resignations of McLaughlin and McCall were expected by local political observers as a result of the year-long battle over the hotly contested sewer controversy and recent events which split the thinking of Council into two distinct channels.

The action Monday night gives the coalition almost a free hand in the government of Hatboro. Only Norman Wisler remains of the Council in power prior to the election of November 1955. Wisler was appointed to fill the vacancy created when Norman Wilson resigned from Council last October. Other members of Council now are: Haigler, Havard Jones and Mrs. Howard, swept into office last November; and Raymond Coran, appointed to fill the unexpired term of William Ford, who resigned last January.

It is expected that the two Council vacancies will be filled within the next few weeks. 

Horsham passes zoning ordinance -

The new zoning ordinance for Horsham was passed unanimously by the Township Supervisors at their regular meeting Tuesday night. The ordinance was prepared by the Horsham and Montgomery County planning commissions, and was adopted with several minor changes.

A number of residents protested the downgrading of an area in the northwest section of the Township from Residential A to B. It was brought out that a petition against the change was signed by 70 percent of the property owners in the affected area, and it was mentioned that the petitioners were prepared to go to court in an effort to fight the change.

The area in question is in a predominantly B classified section of the Township, which the Township and County planning commissions felt would be a proper area in which to concentrate building development because of the present density of population. Such concentration of population would make it more advantageous to facilitate water and sewer services when such services become necessary.

It was felt that the upper [western] portion of the Township is lightly developed. Because of the relative inability to supply services, the thinking was that area of Horsham should remain in larger lots.

William Keller, a real estate broker, claimed that it was illegal for Supervisor Eugene Parks to vote on the measure as he was one of the affected property owners in the lower section. Solicitor Menges said, however, that his opinion was that Parks was perfectly within his rights.

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High school music teacher dies -

Manderville Bartle, director of instrumental music at Hatboro High School [later ] for over 25 years, died Tuesday at his home on Moreboro road, Hatboro. He was 56 years old and had been in ill health for several months.

Mr. Bartle was born in Wellsboro and attended high school in Mansfield [both in Tioga County]. He was a graduate of Mansfield State Teachers College, where he specialized in music, being an outstanding violinist. He married Carmen Milliren of Reynoldsville [Jefferson County], also a graduate of Mansfield State Teachers College.

He did exceptional work with the high school band and orchestra. He built up the orchestra to between 50 and 60 members composed of string and brass instruments. He spent a great deal of time in developing his programs so that his music would be of interest to all who played and all who listened. He was particularly interested in individual students and saw that they were directed in their special fields.

Mr. Bartle was a member of the Bux-Mont Band Association and was on the advisory board of the Hatboro Boys Chorus. He was a member of the , serving on the music committee. He was also a member of the Masonic Lodge of Mansfield, Coudersport Consistory.

He is survived by his wife, Carmen; a son, Timothy, who is serving with the Navy in the Mediterranean; twin sons, Bruce and Barton, who are pupils in the seventh grade in Hatboro; and a sister, Mrs. Doris Neary of Pearl River, N.Y.

Horsham School Board to conduct township census -

The Horsham Township School Board, at its regular meeting Monday night, decided to have a complete township census taken this summer in connection with the annual enumeration of children. With information obtained from the census, the Montgomery County Planning Commission will be able to work out projected school enrollment figures and to recommend future school sites and attendance areas.

Current school enrollment figures will be studied before the next Board meeting to discover whether purchase of an additional school bus will be necessary. Five buses are being operated at the present time. The Board approved the proposed budget for 1956-57 and directed that it be advertised as required by law. It will be ready for adoption at the May meeting.

The budget proposes receipts and expenditures of $510,315, based on an assessed valuation of $7,800,000, and a real estate tax rate of 37 mills. This represents a raise of four mills to help pay one-half (estimated at $37,000) of the annual rental of the new Keith Junior High School to be constructed in Horsham [ opened in February 1959].

The budget also includes the Board's share of the land purchase and other expenses in connection with the Junior High building program.

The Board has received word from Harrisburg that the state's school lunch reimbursement will be reduced in April from 5 cents to 4 cents for each meal served. The Board expressed a desire to keep the price of the student platter at 25 cents for the remainder of the term. Consideration will have to be given to ways to increase cafeteria income for the next term.

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Hatboro and Horsham Happenings -

Horsham kindergartners and their teacher, Mrs. Florence Poole, made an interesting and educational trip to the National Agricultural College [now Delaware Valley College] in Doylestown. The children were taken to several barns and saw cows and calves, pigs, sheep, lambs and finally the huge Perchon horses. The class then visited the Wallace Hy-Cross Hatcheries at Cross Keys, where baby chicks were just being hatched.

Howard Wells of West Moreland avenue, Hatboro, is enjoying the fruits of voluntary retirement after 46 years with the U.S. Post Office, mostly at Sears Roebuck and 30th Street Station in Philadelphia.

Den No. 6, under the leadership of Mrs. Julie Crim and her assistant, Mrs. Marie Echenhofer, won the Den of the Year Award at the fourth annual Blue and Gold banquet of Cub Scout Pack No. 106, Horsham. George Meyer, president of the Horsham Lions Club, presented the cup to Mrs. Crim and her boys.

Terry Whitbeck of Linden avenue, Hatboro, celebrated her 11th birthday last week.

The Ways and Means Committee of the Woman's Community Club of Horsham held an Ice Cream Social at the Horsham Fire Hall on Wednesday.

Representatives of the Sealtest Company demonstrated many interesting ideas for dressing up ice cream dishes to be even more appealing.

With an entirely male cast of forty-three fathers, the Hatboro-Loller P.T.A. will present "Womanless Wedding" in the Hatboro-Horsham High School auditorium on April 20 and 21 at 8:15 p.m. The cast will impersonate many well-known celebrities of radio, TV and movies.

Mrs. Eleanor Burkhardt of Easton road, Horsham, and Mrs. Jane Fulton, of Horsham road, have both recovered from their cases of measles.

The monthly meeting of the Ladies Auxiliary of the , Hatboro, was held Tuesday evening with 26 members present. It was announced that the dish cloths are again being sold by the members.

On Wednesday evening, the Morgans of County Line road, Horsham, visited at the home of Mrs. Elmira Wrigley in Norristown, and then went to Port Indian to visit Mr. and Mrs. Charles Goshow.

Mrs. Anna Ford has been named chairman of this year's poppy campaign, to be held in May by the Hatboro American Legion Auxiliary Unit 271.

A new feature has been born in the Prospectville elementary school. The fifth grade, of which Mrs. Jones is the teacher, are publishing and editing a school paper, "Tricky Leaves," to be published once a month. The editors are Jack Detweiler and Bill DeVoll.

Donald Jacobs, president of the Hatboro Junior Chamber of Commerce, recently received a letter of thanks from a Yugoslavian who was sent a CARE food package by the Jaycees. Kis Zvonimir, of Gajevo, wrote: "I am a TB patient and handicapped in addition to being unable to do a full-time job. I have an eight-year-old son and thus you can imagine how much this gift meant to me."