The Press-Dispatch
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The Press-Dispatch School Wednesday, March 20, 2019 C- 11 Third grader Keysha Padgett passed all her multi- plication facts from 0-12. Students compete in the three throw contest against the 1969 champions. Fifth grade student Corbin Traylor was the winner! Pictured are, front row (l to r): Jaelynn Miley, Ryder Troutman, Corbin Traylor, Tyler Mason, Keysha Padgett, Taylor Uppencamp. Back row: Tim Garland, Mike Vaughn, Rick Weisman, Andy An- derson and Steve Meadows Mrs. Hartke's second grade scientists enjoy coding and exploring with LEGO robotics. 1969 Otwell Basketball Coach Andy Anderson shows the students how to shoot a free throw! Donavin Amburgy, Ella Winchell, Haley Wood- hull, Olivia Bruner and Lillian Christmas play Jenga during inside recess. Tim Garland speaks with the students about growing up in Otwell back when he was their age. OMA's third, fourth and fifth graders do a cheer for the 1969 Otwell basketball champions. Otwell Miller Academy that is too severe keeps people from leaving their bed and spreading it to others. The Spanish Flu vi- rus of 1918 mutated in re- verse. It went from a less severe illness to something much more severe. World War I is probably the rea- son why this version of in- fluenza acted abnormal- ly. In the armies of World War I, it found millions of potential hosts in the Summer of 1918. Because of the need for manpower in the trenches, a soldier with a mild illness usual- ly remained at his post. Only soldiers with severe illness would be evacuat- ed out of the front lines for medical treatment and con- valescence. In other words, for this virus to spread, it needed to be a violent vi- rus to make it out of the trenches and into the gen- eral population. This dead- ly strain of the Spanish Flu emerged in August of 1918, in both Boston, Mass., and Brest, France. People who had contracted influenza in the Spring were immune to the deadly version spread- ing in the Fall. In Pike County, Ind., the lethal wave of the Spanish Flu would arrive in ear- ly October 1918, with the death of Roscoe Ross on October 7. Twenty-three people in the county would die, with influenza listed as the primary or secondary cause of death before the month was over. Seven peo- ple in Lockhart Township, five people in both Madi- son and Washington town- ships, two people in both Patoka and Logan town- ships and one person in both Jefferson and Mon- roe townships. November 1918 would be the deadliest flu month for the county, with 24 deaths attributed to influenza. Nine people would die in Washington Township, eight deaths would occur in Patoka Township, three deaths in both Marion and Lockhart townships and one death in Clay Town- ship. The Petersburg Press, in their November 29, 1918, edition, would announce a flu ban had been issued by T.W. Basinger, the Pike County Health Commis- sioner at the time. This ban closed "all public schools, churches, pool rooms, pic- ture shows, lodges and all places of amusement where many people con- gregate" in the Town of Petersburg. This ban al- so announced all public meetings, public funerals and public gatherings were forbidden. Parents were or- dered to keep their school age children on their own properties. Groups of more than five people upon the streets of Petersburg were also forbidden. "Churches, lodges, so- cieties and associations of every sort were limited to meeting of 5 -7 people." All shop and restaurant own- ers were informed not to allow anyone to "loaf" in or about their businesses and to allow no more than 4-6 customers to remain in- side their business at any one time. The physicians of the county were urged, not or- dered, to report each day all cases of influenza and were asked to quaran- tine every family afflict- ed with the flu by attach- ing an influenza card upon the houses of those diag- nosed with the flu. It was al- so announced that all quar- antined must stay in their houses unless given per- mission to leave by their attending physician or of- ficial health officer. Flu deaths continued to be a problem in December, with it being listed as a fac- tor of death 18 times. Pa- toka Township had 10 flu deaths, Washington, Mar- ion and Clay Townships with two deaths each, and Madison and Monroe Township both having one flu-related death. January and February saw a decrease in deaths from influenza, as life ap- peared to get back to nor- mal, with the flu bans be- ing lifted throughout the county. The months of Jan- uary and February both had four deaths linked to the flu outbreak. Six deaths occurring in Patoka Town- ship and one each in Wash- ington and Logan town- ships. March 1919 however saw a drastic increase, with 17 deaths between March 4 and March 25 being attrib- uted to influenza. Wash- ington Township experi- enced seven deaths, Logan Township four, Clay Town- ship three, Monroe Town- ship two, and Jefferson and Marion each having one. With the coming of Spring, the great flu pan- demic of 1918 -19 appears to have left Pike County al- most as suddenly as it ap- peared. April 1919 saw on- ly three deaths linked to influenza. Two deaths oc- curring in Logan Township and one death in Madison Township. May 1919 only had one death in the coun- ty linked to influenza. This death of John Whitney, 42, of Petersburg, was the final fatality officially linked to the Spanish Flu outbreak in Pike County. Between the months of October 1918 and May 1919, the flu was either the primary or secondary cause of death of 95 peo- ple in Pike County. Typ- ically, influenza is most deadly for the very young and very old because their weakened immune sys- tems are unable to fight off the virus. The Spanish Flu, however, was very different from the typical flu. This flu was much more deadly to people aged 18 -45. It is theorized that an immune system response, known as cytokine release syndrome (or a cytokine storm), led to many of the deaths from PANDEMIC Continued from page 1 & GARDEN Wednesday, April 10 Spring Home & Garden is a great way to reach your customers with Spring home improvements in mind. With your 1/3 page ad, we'll include a photo of your business. A 2/3 page or larger ad includes a photo and a story about your business. A full-page ad receives FREE spot color, a $50 value. DeaDline is WeDnesDay, april 3 See Cindy, Pam or John to place your order today. Phone: 812- 354-8500 E-mail: ads@pressdispatch.net the flu outbreak. In effect, to kill the unfamiliar virus, the immune system killed the person. Those with weakened immune sys- tems, while still becoming ill, usually had a less severe form of the Spanish Flu. The following list con- tains the name and ages of the people of Pike County whose death records list influenza as the primary or contributory cause of death during the outbreak of 1918 -19. OCTOBER 1918 Arthur Crecelius, 34 Jennie Arnold, 35 Unnamed infant Arnold, stillborn Carrol Arnold, 2 James Toler, 29 Edward Traylor, 18 Earl Green, 18 Dora Green, 14 Mary Green, 3 months Etisue Higdon, 28 Rosa Anna Beard, 3 months Elvis Osborn, 25 Ruby Colvin, 24 Ruth Ann Robinson, 19 Buford Parks Drew, 3 Dorcus Francis New- ton, 25 Orba Simmons, 26 Mary Allie Higdon, 2 months Nellie Risley, 14 Harry Elkins, 32 Mary Chambers, 5 months Roscoe Ross, 22 Mamie Whitelock, 21 NOVEMBER 1918 Vesper Sullivan, 1 Harry DeLaney, 1 Hovey Jones, 29 Anna Chappell, 36 Irene Ault, 7 Mary Charles Hunter, 2 Helen May Thompson, 5 Genieva Spradley, 9 Hazel Everly, 2 Rosa Belle Miller, 25 Dee Fine, 18 Julia Willis, 36 Ruth Hager, 31 Geniva Ferguson, 2 Martha Jane Humes, 68 Suzie Miller, 27 Mable Reed, 1 Anna Reed, 31 Henry Hayes, 71 Charles Jerrell, 1 month Margaret Erwin, 3 months Milburn Barrett, 2 months Otis Coleman, 33 Emma J. White, 41 DECEMBER 1918 Florence Roberts, 32 Livia Tolbert, 20 John Lewis Knight, 1 Bertis Harris, 26 Mildred Harris, 1 Gertrude Jones, 23 William Abbott, 65 Anna Luttrell, 29 Georgia Allstatt, 8 months Hazel Roberts, 2 Joseph Cooper, 6 Moran Riley, 14 Kenneth Mason, 2 Rosa Bell Couts, 24 Charles Willis, 26 Dortha Marie Flint, 19 Grace Hall, 32 Doris Detar, 26 JANUARY 1919 Marvin McCandless, 9 months Levi Simmons, 67 Florence Heacock, 23 Susan R. Jackson 67 FEBRUARY 1919 Sarah Bright, 33 Maggie McGillem, 24 Lena May Beard, 31 David Boger, 17 MARCH 1919 Ellen Anderson, 5 months Elmer Anderson, 1 Thomas R. Johnson, 66 Evaline Young, 41 Avie Sills, 38 Henry Kellems, 35 Lawrence A. Arnold, 31 Justine Stewart, 2 months Ethelbert Young, 33 Hosea Willis, 7 Claude Johnson, 36 Forest Abell, 16 Otis Paul Willis, 9 Nina Couts, 2 William Milbourne, 65 Mabel Miley, 13 Lizzie Hoffman, 38 William Jordan Kinman, 3 APRIL 1919 William Robling, 11 months Athel Edward Smith, 1 Emma Willis, 33 MAY 1919 John Whitney, 42