Pushing Over Outhouses in Franklin

With such a bunch of livewires as lived on Mission House/Lakeland College's campus, Halloween could not go uncelebrated. A bunch of guys decided to pay a visit to Franklin, where some outhouses just waited to be tipped over. They piled into an old fliver and, reaching Franklin, they scrambled out of the car and went to work. It was going well until a homeowner caught them upsetting his privy. He was a bit upset himself and came after the guys with a shotgun.

Since the game was over, the guys decided it would be prudent to get out of town. They took off running in all directions. Ruben Grosshuesch '43 and Frank Grether made for the dam. The river was shallow below the dam. They could cross and return to campus by following the river to the woods. However, they forgot that there was a mill race that also needed to be crossed. It must have been a dark night because they didn't see the mill race until they were in it and up to their chins in water! At that time of night the mill was not running, so there wasn't much danger, but they were soaked!

By the time they reached the woods, they were freezing. Once in the dorm, they shucked off their wet clothes, ran for a hot shower and went to bed. But someone had taken the license number from the car and reported it to the Sheriff's Department. The number was traced to the campus.

Dean Ley had no trouble figuring out who was likely to have been involved and he confronted them. He closed his lecture saying, "And to think some of you hope to become clergymen."

It seemed fair punishment to require that the outhouses be placed back on their foundations. Everyone on campus became interested in the turn of events--so much so that the culprits decided to share the fun. They asked “Lippy" Lehman if his band would escort the student body (as many as they could get to go along) to Franklin to take care of the matter. When “Lippy" went along with the idea, it seemed a shame not to recognize the event. So the Sheboygan Press was called and they sent a reporter.

The band played, the students marched, the outhouses were replaced and the owners were appeased. I have it on good authority that the band played "The Star Spangled Banner."

Eventually we moved to Sheboygan. During that time, the Sheboygan Press carried reprints of the article in their 25 years ago and 40 years ago columns. Ruben held his breath, lest his parishioners would find out what a rascal their pastor was.