The first of Pennsylvania’s “little WPA” projects was to get underway around the beginning of Sept., 1941, with the highway department as the sponsor, H. H. Davidson, administrator of the PA work relief program announced.
Davidson reported that several hundred inquiries had been received already from governmental agencies relative to sponsoring projects under the program, which was authorized by the 1941 general assembly. Only relief labor could be used on these projects.
All sponsored projects, none of which could enter into competition with the national WRA, would receive state financial aid for labor costs to the extent that not more than 50 percent of the relief allocation paid by the state to relief labor employed.
Plans were made to form a Tyrone High School alumni association. John Fitzpatrick was named chairman, with Gertrude Pollack secretary. Other members of the general committee were Mrs. Florence Ginter, Berniece Isenberg, Ralph Hazzard, Beatrice Pollock and Charles Fink.
Regulations to curb installment buying were to become effective on Sept. 1, 1941. America’s lower classes, educated for the previous three decades in the tradition of a dollar down and a dollar a week, were asked to curtail installment buying as a contribution to the defense aide to Britain program.
Regulations increasing down payments and limiting the time to which credit payments must be paid for 24 durable consumer goods were made public.
The effort was designed to forestall inflation by controlling purchasing power at a time when productive facilities of industry must be diverted to the manufacture of defense materials. In addition, the federal reserve board explained that this check on consumer demand, accomplished through the program of making it more difficult to buy on time, would free much-needed raw materials and labor for use in the defense program.
Credit purchases for all articles listed, included automobiles, radios, refrigerators, home furnishings and other items would have to paid off in a maximum of 18 months. Installment loans of $1,000 or less by individuals from backs or personal finance companies would also have to be paid off in 18 months or less.
The Tyrone Daily Herald presented a serial story, one chapter each day. During the first weeks of the 1941 football season, the selection was “Barnacle Bill” a story by Gertrude Gelbin. Later it would be “Blossoms in the Dust,” written by Beatrice Faber. Many of the serials were adopted from MGM films.
There was usually only a small sports section, which often shared a page with other news items and stories, such as the serial, Church notices on Saturday and continuation of stories from other pages.
Often on Page Three, you could check out what was showing at Tyrone’s two downtown movie theaters, which stood side-by-side, with only a small store usually selling tobacco products, in between. Movies generally stayed in town for a few days, there were usually two or three different ones in any given week. Sometimes there were two at the same theater at the same time, along with news, cartoons and coming attractions. At the Wilson Theatre for the week of the Tyrone/Bellwood-Antis football game, was “West Point Widow” with Anne Shirley and Richard Carlson, Richard Denning and Frances Gifford. Later in the week, it was Jack Benny, Kay Francis and James Ellison in “Charley’s Aunt.”. Finishing the week, was Ginger Rogers appearing in “Tom, Dick and Harry.” At the El Patio, which more often featured what was known as “B” pictures, because they were made on a lower budget with not-yet, or never to be big stars, was “I was a Prisoner on Devil’s Island, and “Trail Blazers,’ with Bob Livingston, Bob Davis and Rufe Davis. Later in the week, Jane Frazee and Robert Paige starred in “San Antonio Rose,” along with Lon Chaney Jr., Eve Arden, sometimes Three Stooges member Shemp Howard, and the Merry Macs. Finally, Freddy Bartholomew, Jimmy Lydon and Billy Cook starred in “Naval Academy.”
A snappy and well-drilled crew from Bellwood-Antis invaded Gray Memorial stadium, was the way the Daily Herald writer opened the story about the Tyrone/Bellwood-Antis football game that was played on Friday, Sept. 19, 1941, at 8:30 p.m.
Snap or no snap however, Tyrone scored three times in an 18-7 win for the Orange and Black over the Blue Devils.
A series of costly fumbles paved the way for the first Tyrone score. Elmer Parker galloped 25 yards for the touchdown. Red Thomas had back-to-back gains of six and 12 yards and Parker was just short of moving the sticks for a first down with a nine-yard pickup to key the short drive.
Tyrone also scored once each in the third and fourth quarters, while Bellwood-Antis scored after Tyrone coach Steve Jacobs had put the reserves in. This was the very first B-A score in the series, which had began in 1939. Both in ‘39 and ‘40, Tyrone had won 32-0.
A Steve Hatfield fumble was recovered by the Eagles at the T-43 in the third quarter. Thomas had a 15-yard jaunt and Parker went around end for 12 yards to highlight the nine-play drive, with Thomas going the last five yards for the score.
The final Tyrone TD came on a Raymond Robinson run around end for three yards. Charles Foust had the big play, running an end-around for 18 yards to the BA-20, and a 10-yard gain by Thomas put the ball at the BA-five.
The Blue Devils TD came on a Joe Garman one-yard plunge, the fourth straight time Garman had his number called, after Bellwood-Antis got to the T-27. Garman tacked on the PAT kick.
