Municipal Building New Vienna Ohio 1939

Dedication for the new Municipal Building was held June 13, 1939.  Cost $32,000 with C.J. Uible as general contractor, with $13,000 received from the Public Works Administration of the Federal Government.

Municipal Building Completed June 1939

Municipal Building Theatre/Auditorium 1939

Construction of the Municipal Building 1938-39

After the site was cleared in the fall of 1938, construction began on the new Municipal Building for the Village of New Vienna Ohio and was continued, weather permitting, through the spring of 1939.  The entire process took approximately 9 months.

Municipal Building under construction 1938-39, CJ Uible in 3rd picture from top

Municipal Building Site, septic tank installation 1939

Municipal Building Site 1938 - Prior to Construction

In August 1938 voters in New Vienna went to the polls and voted for a new municipal building on the corner of Main and Third Streets.  These pictures show the property just prior and during the demolition.

Municipal Building Site rear view, buildings torn down Fall 1938

Municipal Building Site rear view, buildings being torn down Fall 1938

Municipal Building Site front view, building demolished Fall 1938

Sign says "Wrecked by P.L. Murphy & Sons, [wreckage] For Sale"

Voter Pamphlet FOR the Municipal Building 1938 - New Vienna Ohio

In August 1938 voters in New Vienna went to the polls to vote for or against a new municipal building.  Here's the pamphlet urging voters to vote FOR the bond issue.  Transcription follows.

Voter Pamphlet for Municipal Building Bond Issue - August 9, 1938 front & back

Voter Pamphlet for Municipal Building Bond Issue - August 9, 1938 inside p.1

Voter Pamphlet for Municipal Building Bond Issue - August 9, 1938 inside p.2-3 with floor plan

[Front:]  A Message to the Voters of the Village of New Vienna, Clinton County, Ohio.  --Issued by the Village Council

[Back:]  Vote "YES" for the bond issue Tuesday, August 9, 1938

DO THESE THINGS:

1. Discuss the needs of the new Municipal building with your Village Council.
2. Understand the facts.
3. Save the taxpayer approximately 1/2 the total cost of the building by taking advantage of this Government gift of $13,000.
4. Maintain a community center for various organizations of this community to meet.
5. Provide New Vienna with this much needed improvement.  Let us make the Village of New Vienna a community to be looked up to by its neighbors.

Expenses incurred in printing and distribution of this pamphlet are being paid through private contributions.

[Inside Page 1:]

Facts pertaining to the building of a new

Municipal Building at New Vienna, Clinton County, Ohio

It has been proposed to the Village Council of New Vienna that a new Municipal building be erected.  This being the case, it is wise and necessary to issue this pamphlet that through this medium public opinion will be enlightened concerning the outstanding facts and questions in connection with this matter, and in general, the importance of this issue may be placed before the voters of this Village.  Before arriving at a conclusion it is always wise for an individual to weigh both pros and cons in connection with the construction of a new Municipal building.  Inasmuch as the desirability of a new building is apparent to everyone, the proposition in this case revolves itself into this question.  Why is it advisable and sensible to construct a new Municipal building in the Village of New Vienna at the present time?

The Village of New Vienna has passed the century mark and during this time a great historic background has been built up by this Village.  Before the year 1912, this town had a central meeting place in the old opera house.  However, in 1912, this opera house was demolished by fire and has never been replaced.  Seeing the great need for an auditorium in this Village where community activities could be given, for various meetings and clubs holding forms of entertainment, it is deemed wise by the Council of this Village to propose a bond issue for the erection of same.  In this new building there is to be composed an auditorium to seat approximately three hundred people, mayor's office, fire department, and the other various rooms necessary for a Municipal Building.

The Mayor's office at the present time [1938] consists of nothing more than a small brick building, which was erected only as a temporary measure at that time.

The total cost of this complete project, including heating, electric, plumbing, equipment, etc., is to be $30,000.  However $13,000 of this amount will be donated to this community by the Federal Government in the form of a gift.  It is the policy of the Public Works Administration of the Federal Government to lend assistance to various communities where worthwhile projects are being fostered.  Furthermore, and so far as possible, local workers will be hired and material bought from local dealers, thus stimulating business in this district for approximately eight months.

[Inside Page 2-3:]

To make use of this donation of $13,000 from the Federal Government, it is necessary that the Village of New Vienna pass a bond issue of $17,000.  To maintain a fine community spirit it is necessary that a common meeting place be erected in order that the community as a whole be held together.  Therefore, let us maintain our fine community spirit in the futures as we have in the past.

Questions and Answers pertaining to the 

new municipal building of New Vienna

Q.  Of what is the new Municipal building to be composed?

A.  The new Municipal building will be composed of an auditorium, which will be rented out to a theatre company thus bringing a very desirable form of entertainment to our community.  By renting the auditorium to a theatre company this will maintain the overhead expenses and also help pay on the principal of this new structure.  Other units in the building are the fire department, mayor's office, jail, and in other words, a modern up-to-date Municipal Building.

Q.  How much will this new proposed building cost the taxpayers?

A.  The total estimated cost of this new project will be $30,000, of which $17,000 will be voted upon in the August Primary election.  To raise this, a tax levy of 2.50 mills will be necessary.  The remainder, named $13,000 will be given as an outright gift by the Federal Government.

Q.  Would you refuse an offer of $13,000 to bring about such a much needed improvement in your  Village?

A.  ?  ?  ?  ?  ?

Q.  How will this building affect the employment of our Village?

A.  By providing work for the unemployed, and materials being bought as much as possible, from local dealers.  It is the intentions of the Federal Government that this labor be given to local people and every capable and available man needing employment will receive work on this project, thus keeping this money all, or as nearly as possible, in our local community.

Q.  How will a new Municipal building at New Vienna benefit the people of this Village?

A.  By providing an auditorium where community activities might be held.  Also this new Municipal building

Q.  Can all the statements in this pamphlet be verified?

A.  Yes, any member of the Village Council or the Committee, or anyone connected with the operation of this Village will be glad to go over the matter with any interested person.

Therefore, let us continue in the future as we have in the past in maintaining a fine community spirit by providing a modern Municipal Building of which the people of the Village of New Vienna might rightfully be proud.

Voter Pamphlet AGAINST the Municipal Building 1938 - New Vienna Ohio

In August 1938 voters in New Vienna went to the polls to vote for or against a new municipal building.  Here's the pamphlet urging voters to vote AGAINST the bond issue.  Transcription follows.

Voter Pamphlet against Municipal Building Bond Issue - August 9, 1938

ABOUT THE BOND ISSUE

At the present time there exists in our village considerable agitation sponsored by a minority group for the placing of a bonded indebtedness against our village in the amount of $17,000 which means the mortgaging of our homes for the next 17 years, for many of us the balance of our lives.  This money is to be spent for the construction of a municipal building.  Now the questions is are you willing to mortgage your homes for the balance of your lives for the construction of a building, or anything else nonessential and of no value to our town save and except to stand as a monument to the sponsors thereof.

We have a building that is adequate for all the needs of the village.  It contains rooms for council meetings, storage for fire equipment and a jail.  What else do we need?  The sponsors say we need a room for a picture show.  Who needs such a room?  Has our town constructed any buildings for the conducting of any other line of business in our town?  The picture business is the same as any other line of business.  It is a business for someone to conduct to gain something for himself.  Our town won't gain anything from its operation.  Where is there a town in the state of Ohio the size of New Vienna that has spent $31,000 for the sole purpose of housing a picture show?

There are things that our town needs and thins that are essential.  For instance we have a city water system that is badly in need or repair and new equipment, in order to give us a sufficient supply of pure and wholesome water.  This we must have and the time is at hand when we must spend several thousand dollars for the repairing of and equipment for our municipal water plant.

The sponsors say this bond issue will not raise your taxes.  How untrue this must be, when we know it means an additional expense to our village of approximate $1,600 per year and this must be assessed against your homes.  The statements herein made are facts.  Now how can any man or woman vote such indebtedness against the home owners of New Vienna for the construction of a building that is not essential for either the moral or material upbuilding of our community?  This huge sum of money wold raise our taxes almost to the limit of our ability to raise money by taxation as the law places a limit upon the voting of bonded indebtedness of municipalities.  Now if we vote for the issuance of the $17,000 debt against our town how are we going to raise the money for things our village must have?

The sponsors of this project are mostly men of wealth, men who care little for the extra taxes they must pay.  They also care little for poor men or men of moderate means, who are trying to provide themselves with a modest home, or the renter who is toiling every day to pay his rent and provide himself and his family with the necessities of life.

A vote against this big bond issue is a vote to save our village from a hopeless debt, preserve our municipal water plant and our street lights.

On Tuesday night of this week a man from Cincinnati made a speech in New Vienna telling you how you should vote on this bond issue.  What interest has this man in the welfare of our village?  I would say none, but he does have a selfish interest in the promotion of this project.  Should the people of this town approve the bond issue, this man already has a signed contract wherein he is to get $1,800 of our hard earned money and he will do very little work to earn it.

Vote AGAINST the Bond Issue

[Issued by] The Citizens Committee, James R. West, Chairman

New Vienna Ohio Cemetery

Did you get to the cemetery during the last few weeks?  Here are some past views of the New Vienna Cemetery.  I like the stairs over the fence in the first picture.  Not sure of Georgia Dodd's era or how old she might have been in the second picture but her husband, Bill [William Roy Dodd] was a member of the NVHS Class of 1955 and she survived him when he died in 2010.  Was their a previous Georgia Dodd?  The woman in this picture does not look especially young and the picture appears to be old.  Any ideas?

Cemetery New Vienna Ohio postcard c1910?  Image Courtesy of Mike Whited.

Georgia Dodd at the New Vienna Cemetery, unknown date.  Image Courtesy of Mike Whited.

1958-59 Fourth Grade (Class of 1967)

4th grade 1958-59 New Vienna Ohio Class of '67. Front Row: Laura "Weegie" Hughes Page, Sybil Gano Allen, Shirley Bernard Haeuptle, Nancy Henderson Hamilton, Marilyn Vanzant Cooper, Sandra Nischwitz, Carolyn Vanzant Brown, Patty Walker Ryan, David Schwering, James Storer, Greg Linkhart, Larry Mitchell, Larry Strevel, Keith Collins, Lonnie Stewart Back Row left to right: Greg Schamaun, Unknown, Carolyn Collier Taubenheim, Catherine Uible Morgan, Cheryl Cluxton Mongold, Gary Orebaugh, Alice Fisher Symons, Linda Eltzroth Compton, Pete Walls, Pamela Purtee, Mike Whited, Susan Deck, Linda Sweeney, Karen Haynie, Mrs. Hildebrant. 

Not pictured: Linda Brooks. 

Image courtesy of Mike Whited.

News reports from Mrs. Hildebrant's 4th Grade:
Thanks to Carolyn Collier Taubenheim (and her mother who saved such items) for the two class reports.

FOURTH GRADE
Mrs. Hildebrant [November 1958]

We have been making pictures of the southern English colonies.  We hope to make some of the Pilgrims before Thanksgiving.  We are really enjoying our Social Studies Books.

In arithmetic we're busy with our multiplication and division facts.

Patty Walker, Catherine Uible, Larry Mitchell, Carolyn Collier and Linda Brooks are the only ones that have all 100's in spelling for the past five weeks.

Catherine Uible and Linda Ann Eltzroth have handed in the most book reports.

We wish to thank all who helped make the Halloween Carnival a success and especially our home room mothers, Mrs. Paul Linkhart, and Mrs. Donald Bernard who helped in place of Mrs. George Henderson.

*****

Grade 4
Mrs. Hildebrant [January 1959]

The fourth grade would like to thank the Board of Education for making our rooms more desirable places for school work.  We really do appreciate it.

We are beginning the new semester with resolutions to work harder.

Most of us know all of our multiplication and division facts, and we are enjoying our new game Quizmo in which we use these facts.

Larry Mitchell was the only one to receive all 100's in spelling the past six weeks.

Laura Louise Hughes, Catherine Uible, Carolyn Collier, Linda Eltzroth, and Larry Mitchell made the highest grades in our class this six weeks.

Linda Eltzroth has handed in the most book reports for the girls and David Schwering for the boys.

We are all enjoying our flutophones.  Most of us can play Jingle Bells.

We hope to see you at the tournament.