Fear lowers the vitality

It's fascinating to go back and watch a news story develop. Two stories appeared in the Monday, Feb. 2, 1925 edition of the Lancaster (Ohio) Eagle-Gazette as the story developed.

First to be laid out was this tiny brief, way back on page 10:

Son of Eugene Huls Dies At Ohio State

    Charles Huls, 22, son of Eugene Huls, for many years State Factory Inspector and editor of the Logan Republican, died Saturday night, following the extraction of an ulcerated tooth Friday. Young Huls was a senior in the college of commerce and journalism at O. S. U. and edited the Makio in 1924.

    His death occurred at the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity home where he was a member. The Huls family is very well known in Lancaster. 

Then the front page was laid out. The front page is always laid out last to make sure the latest news and updates get attention. This front page is a nightmare. It didn't stack the separate headlines like most newspapers did in 1925, but it split them down the middle. I don't care if the left is sans serif and the right is serif -- it's a mess:

Sudden Death Of Two O.S.U. Students Causes Alarm

Order Friends Of Dead Men Be Isolated

(By The Associated Press)

    COLUMBUS. Feb. 2--Further precautionary measures to prevent a possible outbreak of cerebro meningitis at Ohio State University, and where to [sic] students have died suddenly and under mysterious circumstances were taken today when Dr. H. Shindle Wingert, university physician examined six personal friend [sic] of one of the deceased students and ordered them isolated.

    Charles E. [sic] Huls of Logan died Saturday in a fraternity house, of what was thought to be tetanus. Davis [sic] Puskin of Canton, a junior in the college of journalism died suddenly yesterday after circumstances similar to those surrounding the death of Huls.

    To determine whether both students died from the same cause, local health authorities asked Logan officials to perform a post mortem over Huls. Information received here today, however is to the effect that the student's family objects to the procedure.

    In the midst of his examination of other students, Dr. Wingert issued a statement urging students "not to be scared about the present flurry. 

    "There is little to cause general eoncern," he said. "Individuals, however are urged to keep their general health at a high level, observe regular hours, keep in good physical condition and keep the face and hands scrupulously clean. Fear lowers the vitality and besides, there is not much occasion for it."

    Puskin, the second student to die arose yesterday morning, apparently in good health. He went to the bathroom to shave was seized with convlsions [sic] and died within 20 minutes.

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My spirit rejoices

Stephanie Tingler

I have been so moved by the actions of an online friend that I had to write about it.

I first "met" Stephanie about 10 years ago when I was doing random research on Uncle Charley and Margaret Speaks. I found a mention that Stephanie Tingler's dissertation had been about Margaret, so I reached out hoping she might know something about the family stories about their relationship at Ohio State.

Sadly she did not, but we have remained in touch over the years just in case either one of us discovered something new.

Stephanie very kindly reached out to me after I started this blog to say she would soon be home visiting her family and could she put some flowers on my family's graves. She even refused payment!

How many years has it been since they had flowers? Decades?

Thank you Stephanie. They have not been forgotten and that brings me both joy and peace.

We pray for the dead because we still hold them in our love.

Episcopal Catechism

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Grave concern

courtesy of Find a Grave

Uncle Charley was buried on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 1925 in Lancaster, Ohio at Forest Rose Cemetery in his mother's family Troxel plot.*

FUNERAL SERVICES HELD IN LOGAN FOR CHARLES H. HULS

SIX FRATERNITY BROTHERS ARE PALLBEARERS FOR DECEASED SENIOR.

Many University Students Attend Ceremonies—Burial Is Made at Lancaster This Afternoon.

Charles H. Huls was buried today in Lancaster. 

Ceremonies attended by many Ohio State University students, preceding his interment, were held in Logan at 1 p. m. 

His death, caused by tetanus, threw a gloom over the large group of University students with whom he was acquainted. 

The pall bearers were all Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity brothers of the deceased student. They were John N. Heed. Darrel D. Loeblein, Lester W. Taylor, Arthur E. Davis, Joseph M. Downs, and Leroy W. Hendershott. 

The fraternity members attended the services in a body. There were also representatives of Sphinx, Bucket and Dipper, Pi Delta Epsilon, Sigma Delta Chi, and the Makio staff present; all organizations of which Huls was a member while in school. 

Y. M. C. A. and Boost Ohio sent representatives to the funeral services, while a number of social fraternities, friends of Huls were present to pay their last respects to their lost friend. 

The services were held at the Huls' home in Logan, with the Rev. G.W. Blair of the Logan M.E. Church conducting them.

When authorities asked to perform on autopsy on Charley after his burial, my grieving great-grandfather said,

"We do not wish to take any part in the investigation," Huls declared, "we are satisfied that an infected tooth led to his death."

Great-grandpa quickly changed his mind, but the autopsy was never performed.

*Charley and their deceased infant sister were moved in August 1934 (same cemetery, new location) when their parents, A.E. and Anna Huls, died from car accident injuries. Charley's brother Fred moved them to a new Huls plot.

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