Lititz Record Express

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S E R \ / W, T H E W A RW IC K A R E A FO R M E A R IA A C EM T l R Y
lOOth Year ESTABLISHED APRIL. 1877. AS THE SUNBEAM
| CONSOLIDATED WITH THE LITITZ RECORD. 1937| Lititz, Lancaster County, PA 17543, Thursday, March 17,1977 15 CENTS A COPY; $5.00 PER YEAR BY MAIL
WITHIN LANCASTER COUNTY 22 PAGES—No. 51
Funeral Services Today Directors Battle in Stony Session
Lewis Sturgis, Famed Pretzel School Board To Continue
Maker- _DLes M Career Funds for Lititz Rec Center Funeral services will be
held today (Thursday) at 2
p.m. for Lewis Brown
Sturgis of Lititz, America’s
oldest pretzel baker, who
died Monday at 7:30 a.m. at
the age of 93.
Sturgis died at Moravian
Manor, where he had been a
guest for the past 18 months.
Until September 1975, when
he fell and broke his hip, he
was actively engaged in the
art of pretzel bending and
telling the prayer history of
thepretzel to visitors at The
Pretzel House Museum on
East Main Street, the
historic Sturgis Pretzel
House that was founded by
his father, America’s first
commercial pretzel baker.
He lived at 307 E. Main St.
.until he became a guest at
Moravian Manor.
Sturgis was bom July 10,
1883, one of 14 children of the
late Julius and Sarah Oehme
Sturgis. He was their last
surviving child. The family’s
living quarters and the
bakery were located in the
old stone building that has
since become the museum,
and Sturgis was born in the
section of the building that
later was turned into the
Pretzel House Restaurant.
He is survived by his
widow, Edna Sloat Sturgis,
who also resides at Moravian
Manor, and by nieces and
nephews. His first wife, Ada
Peters Sturgis, died March
26, 1950.
Sturgis started making
pretzels With his father when
he was four years old, and
used to tell visitors how he
was able to “twist as fast as
any of the men” by the time
he was five.
The factory was turning
out pretzels as early as 1861,
and by 1900 its daily
production was 5,000 hand-twisted
pretzels. It continued
in operation until 1951,
almost all the original
equipment being maintained
in the house.
Sturgis sold the business in
1948 and the building
changed hands a number of
times, with the bakery
remaining closed until 1964.
Then it was restored and
reopened as a bakery
museum, and Sturgis
returned to demonstrate
pretzel bending to the
visitors. He was the highlight,
of the tours through the
museum, with people
coming from hundreds of
miles away to talk with him
and watch him deftly twist
pretzels. He always
presented visitors with an
“official pretzel twister’s
certificate” signed by him
after they completed a
pretzel under his instruction.
I F * * 1 A)
m
>
t X .
Lewis Sturgis, famed pretzel maker
of Lititz who died Monday, is shown
teaching a young tourist at The
Pretzel House, Todd Bachtal of
Jefferson, Ohio, how to bend a
pretzel. Picture was taken in 1973.
Sturgis, who was just
about five feet tall himself,
was a great favorite with
youngsters who toured the
museum and listened
fascinated as he told the
ancient story of how monks
first bent pretzels as a
prayer symbol, crossing his
arms on his chest to show the
syiriboIiSiri of the shape of
the pretzel. With his
penetrating blue eyes fixed
on his little visitors, he
always stressed the im­portance
of living a clean,
moral life.
A fisherman, Sturgis used
to take Monday’s “off” from
his job to go fishing. He used
to tell about once catching
“three catfish on two hooks
down at Conewingo Dam.”
At 90, he was still driving
his own car and had his
license up to 1975.
He loved to tell people
about his youth, and how he
and his brothers and sisters
would write their names on a
big blackboard by the front
door when they came in at
night. “The last one in put
the key away,” he would
explain, and then chuckle
and add, “Sometimes it was
five o’clock in the morning
till the last one got it.”
On Sturgis’ 90th birthday,
he was guest of honor at a
birthday party and luncheon
at the museum, attended by
the mayors of Lititz and
Lancaster, the executive
director of the Pennsylvania
Historical Commission, and
the president of the National
Pretzel Bakers Institute.
The party had been kept a
surprise from him by the
museum owners, Clyde and
Barbara Tshudy, and even
as reporters and
photographers surrounded
him, he remained un­perturbed
and went right on
instructing his notable
guests in the art of pretzel
bending.
On that day he received
letters of congratulations
from former President and
Mrs. Nixon, from Governor
and Mrs. Shapp, and from
Mayor Rizzo of Philadelphia.
On behalf of the borough of
Lititz, the mayor at that
time, Russell Templeton,
signed a proclamation
declaring the day “Lewis
Sturgis Day.” Also on that
day, the congregation of the
Lititz Moravian Church, of
which he was a member,
honored him by singing a
special hymn for his bir­thday.
Bishop James C. Hughes,
pastor of the Moravian
Church, will officiate at the
funeral services which will
be held at 2 p.m. today
(Thursday) from the
Richard H. Heisey Funeral
Home, 216 S. Broad St. In­terment
will be in Moravian
Cemetery. Friends may call
at the funeral home from
noon until the time of the
service.
By Peggy Frailey
In a stormy session during
which Board President Bill
Owens had to use his gavel to
restore order several times,
Warwick School Board
Tuesday night voted to
continue financial support
for the Lititz Rec Center,
decided to allow a non-voting
student to sit on the Board
next year, discontinued
busing for students in Sutter
Village, and approved a
social studies curriculum for
next year.
All of these measures were
taken with split votes by the
Board. Several of the
n u m e r o u s h e a t e d
discussions centered more
around school directors’
attitudes toward Board
President Bill Owens’ new
c om m itte e s tr u c tu r e -
function setup than on the
issues themselves. Directors
Roy Yeager and Wallace
Hofferth in particular
challenged the recom­mendations
by committees,
especially the Education
Committee and the Student
Activities arid Related
S e r v ic e s C om m itte e ,
frequently calling for
recommendations from the
superintendent instead.
It appeared that bat­tlelines
were being in­tensified
between those who
had supported the renewal of
the superintendent’s con­tract,
and objected to the
new committee set-up, and
those who had voted against
renewal of the contract and
s u p p o r t e d O w e n s ’
restructuring of committees.
Rec Center
In a 7-2 vote, the Board
approved continuing its
financial support of the Rec
Center for another year,
without committing itself to
how much subsidy would be
given.
The vote was called for by
Director Bill Dussinger in
order to establish the School
Board’s official stand on
continuing this support.
Members of the Rec
Center Board have been
asking municipalities in the
district to budget support for
the Rec Center in the fear
that the school district would
drop out of the recreation
program next year.
Although the School Board
had not discussed the matter
at any of its own public
meetings, the question had
been raised by individual
school directors at joint
meetings with officials of the
borough of Lititz, and
Warwick and Elizabeth
Townships.
Directors David Buck-waiter
and Wallace Hofferth
cast the two votes opposing
continuing this financial
support.
Buckwalter objected that
the Rec Board has not
submitted a formal request
School Board Calendar
The following School Board calendar for the next few
weeks has been released by Board president, Bill
Owens. All committee meetings are open to the public,
except those of the Personnel Committee.
March 22 - Budget meeting, full board, 7:30 p.m.,
Board Room at high school.
March 24 - Student Activities and Related Services
Committee, 7:30 p.m., Board Room.
March 28 - Inservice education program for teachers
(early dismissal for students), 1:30 p.m., Middle
School auditorium.
April 4 - Committee of the Whole meeting, 7:30 p.m.,
Board Room
Rural Vs. Residential in Warwick Twp.
In This Issue
Business Directory
Church News
Classified Ads
Editorial Page
Sports Section
Women’s
By Bonnie Szymanski
Following a public hearing
Monday night on the possible
rezoning from rural to
residential of an 85 acre tract
of land south of Lititz
Borough, owned by James E.
and Lucille Buckwalter,
Lititz R3, Warwick Township
supervisors approved a
motion to defer a decision for
45 days, until April 28, at
which time their decision
will be announced at a public
meeting.
Residents of the area,
whose property adjoins the
Buckwalter tract, were
packed into the Warwick
Township municipal building
on Clay Road to express
their opinions about the
proposed rezoning.
Charles Herr, attorney for
the Buckwalters, presented
the rezoning petition, in
which the request was make
that the land, bounded by
West Woods Drive, Wood-crest
Avenue, West Millport
Road, and Hess Lane, be
rezoned from rural to
residential R-2 to permit the
construction of homes on
20,000 square foot lots.
Houses may be built on rural
land, but on lots of no less
than 45,000 square feet.
The attorney had noted
that though rezoning was
being requested, the owners
had no immediate plans to
begin development of the
land.
One resident, Walter
Bowder, 217 W. Woods
Drive, questioned the reason
behind the rezoning petition
when there were no im­mediate
plans for land
development.
James Witmyer, chairman
of the board of supervisors,
explanied that property
owners may request
rezoning at any time and
need not submit plans for
development. But, he
cautioned, if rezoning is
granted, the petitioner is
under obligation to abide by
the township zoning
regulations designated for
that particular area. Wit­myer
stressed that approval
does not mean unrestricted
development will be allowed.
Land Rights
Browder told those
gathered at the hearing that
he moved to Warwick
Township four years ago
from Florida. He said he was
told then that there probably
wouldn’t be much change
in the area for a long time
and that it would remain
basically rural.
“Now,” he said, “we’re
not only gong to see it
chopped up but chopped up
in tiny, little 20,000 square
foot lots.”
He warned that another
housing development in the
area could increase the
population by hundreds,
adding to the traffic
problems and the tax bur­dens.
“We don’t own the land,”
he observed, “we just have
the right to use it. That’s
been established for hun­dreds
of years.”
Stating that from ail ac­counts,
the birth rate in this
country is steadily declining,
he added, “There’s no great
need (for another housing
development); I think we
need it for farming.”
Drainage
Several residents voiced
concern over water and
sewage problems that might
arise if a development were
approved for the 85 acre
tract.
“Where’s all that water
going to go?” asked Betsy
Shreiner, 710 Woodcrest
Road. Mrs. Shreiner, a
school bus driver whose
route takes her through the
Becker Development, ad­jacent
to the Buckwalter
tract, told supervisors that
residents there are plagued
with smells and other
problems from poor
drainage.
“Can they correct these
problems?” before they
arise if another housing
development is approved,
she wanted to know.
Paul Minnich, Water Edge
Road, said he thought more
development would increase
the drainage problems in the
area from “ 500 to 1000
percent.”
Said Minnich, “All those
driveways and roofs. . . The
Becker Development and
this one could create a flood
plain.”
Smaller Lots
Lary McCowan, 740
Woodcrest Drive, noted that
if rezoned, lot sizes could
possibly be reduced to 15,000
square feet in the event that
water or sewage were in­troduced
into the area.
Marv Feiler, chairman of
the Warwick Township
Municipal Authority, said
that present sewage plans
for the township indicate the
natural drainage area ends
before the Buckwalter tract.
“Should we go into another
drainage area,” explained
Feiler, “the developer would
bear the cost.”
Paul Fahnestock, 736
Woodcrest Ave., admitted he
had nothing against the idea
of development in the area, -
“. . .if it coincides with the
Becker Development, I’d be
heartily in favor if it.” - but
he complianed that he
already has trouble with his
water supply and is afraid
that further devevelopment
would only aggravate that
problem for his and others.
“I have a well in short
supply,” he explained. “We
have just enough for us, and
when our son comes home
with friends, we run out.”
Fahnestock contended that
more wells in the area would
mean a lessening of all water
supplies nearby.
“A Real Loss”
Philip Trimble, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Robert Trimble,
West Woods Drive, told the
crowd that he had lived on
his parents’ farm for almost
25 years, enjoying its rural
atmosphere. He said he
realized that changes would
eventually take place, but he
felt residential zoning of
such prime farmland would
be “a real loss.”
Trimble reminded the
group that people tend to
gravitate toward un­developed
areas for
vacations and trips,
preferring the beauty of the
country life to the irurban
and suburban homes.
He submitted that soon
even that escape will no
longer be open to us because
of the growing shortage of
gasoline.
“We have to plan our
beautiful places right here at
home,” he stressed.
Decision Forthcoming
Before the final motion to
defer the decision until
recommendations may be
studied, Chairman Witmyer
reminded the audience that
though they all were con­cerned
about the loss of
farmland from a food supply
basis, as decision - makers,
they had to consider the man
who owns the land as well as
[Continued on Page 2]
or a budget to the School
Board so far this year, and
also noted that the school
district has given up realty
transfer taxes amounting to
$96,000 to the municipalities.
He commented that he did
not know what the
municipalities were going to
do with this money, and that
he didn’t think some of them
needed it.
Dussinger replied that the
municipalities do need the
realty transfer tax, and said
he thought “it would be a
shame to drop the Rec
Center just like that.”
Explaining the history of
school district support of
local recreation, Superin­tendent
H. Dale Winger said
that in 1948 a state law was
passed making it per-missable
for schools to
o p e r a t e r e c r e a t io n
programs, and reimbursing
them $2.50 an hour for every
employee involved. The law
was rescinded in 1966, he
said, and many school
districts found themselves
“rather deeply involved.”
However, many of them
continued to “contribute” to
the recreation program, like
Warwick has been doing,
although some dropped out.
Miss Pat Neuroh, former
Rec Board president, who
was in the audience,
responded that a lot of school
districts do support
recreation programs, and
said the Rec Center is not
asking for total funding. She
said of the approximate
$60,000 Rec Board budget,
the Rec Center raises about
$40,000 itself, but will need
about $20,000 from other
sources next year.
Asked by Owens just why
the Rec Board was raising
the question of the school
district discontinuing its
funding this year, Miss
Neuroh said, “There seems
to be some misun­derstanding.
The question
came up at a joint meeting at
the Middle School. This was
discussed.”
She pointed out that
although the School Board
doesn’t have to make a
decision until June 30 (final
date for budget adoption) the
Rec Board’s budget year
ends at that time.
“If it was going to happen,
we wanted to know if others
would pick it up,” she said.
In an effort to get an of­ficial
stand from the Board,
and in compliance with
Board President Owens’
constant requests for
“ p o s it iv e m o t io n s ,’’
Dussinger moved that the
Board continue financially
supporting the Rec Center.
This is the motion that
passed 7-2.
In another motion, again
positive, to determine if the
School Board wanted to take
over complete or partial
funding of the Rec Center,
Dussinger moved that the
School Board fund it com­pletely.
It was at this point that
Hofferth said such a move
I Continued on Page 2|
Record Express Sponsors
Easter Coloring Contest
The Lititz Record-Express
will sponsor an Easter
Coloring Contest for four
consecutive weeks beginning
with this Thursday, Mar. 17.
The contest is open to all
children four to 10 years of
age. Crayons, paint or
watercolor may be used to
paint the pictures.
Five Lititz Shopping
Dollars will be awarded for
the best entry received each
week and another Five Lititz
Shopping Dollars will be
awarded by drawing from all
the entries received each
week.
In addition to this week’s
pictures, other pictures to
color will appear in the
record on March 24, 31, and
April 7.
Entries should be mailed
to the Lititz Record-Express
office and be received by
Monday, Mar. 21. All those
entering should be sure to
include their names and
addresses.
Contest rules and the first
pictures to color can be
found on page 12.
Winners will be notified
and names published in the
Record-Express.
Return entire ad and fill in
name and address form.