Helsel, Lida [Yarlett] - 1943

Tribute To War Governor

To the Bellwood Bulletin:
A tribute to Andrew G. Curtin, Civil War Governor of Penna.

Governor Curtin established the Soldier’s Orphan Schools of this state, which I am told is the only state in the Union which took care of its soldiers orphans.  In these institutions the pupils are clothed, fed and educated.  Those who reached a certain standard of scholarship were given a diploma which entitled them to any State Normal which they might choose.

The writer was at McAllisterville school when Ira Wentzel was principal, his son Eugene was born there.  My choice of the Normal School was Millerville, Lancaster County, the principal of which was Edward Brooks, A. M. Ph. D., from which Normal Wentzel graduated, as did his daughter Bertha some years later.

From McAllisterville came C. Day Rudy, of Pittsburgh, who with his sons were interior decorators of the Bellwood Methodist church for the first time, where Ollie Williamson sat admiring it and would say, “I hate to leave, it looks so beautiful.”

One of our boys was Dr. Albert Spanogle of Altoona, and a prothonotary of Dauphin County whose name I have forgotten.  These schools turned out some of the finest men and women of the state.

Thanks to “Uncle Andy Curtin” as we call him.

Lida Yarlett Helsel

~ Bellwood Bulletin, 25-Mar-1943, Page 1, Column 6

You can visit the memorial page for Lida L. [Yarlett] Helsel.