Once upon a time in Ada
Things you didn’t know about your own hometown
By Lee Crouse
[email protected]

 March 1911 - Prof. Frank B. Willis of Ohio Northern University was the newly elected Congressman from the Eighth Ohio district, is to be retained on the faculty and will teach economics and law.

March 1911 - high school boys organized an athletic association “to promote better and purer athletics.” First officers were Russell Meyer, president; Eugene Ewing, vice president; Claud Neiswander, secretary; and Von Spellman, treasurer.

March 1911 -  an electric clock, the first to be shown in Ada, was a feature of the engineering exhibit at the university.

April 2, 1911 - Billy Sunday, the great evangelist, spoke at Ohio Northern University.

April 1911 -  the city council passed an ordinance requiring permits to erect buildings.

July 1911 -  the first Boy Scout troop was being formed here through the efforts of Dr. C.B. Beckes and Clinton Dobbins. The scout laws were announced; a scout is trustworthy; a scout is loyal; a scout is helpful; a scout is friendly; a scout is courteous; a scout is kind; a scout is obedient; a scout is cheerful; a scout is thrifty; a scout is brave; a scout is clean; and a scout is reverent.

July 1911 - a motor was installed to operate the pipe organ at the Presbyterian Church. Many a youth had qualified there since 1890 for the “National Association of Pipe Organ Pumpers.”

July 1911 - the new Jockey club of Ada, of which C.W. Clayton is president, and Fred Bentley, secretary-treasurer, will hold its first meeting on the Ada fairgrounds on Friday August 1. Admission is 10c. A number of good races are announced.

October 1911 -  the first airship flight over Hardin county was made by Rodgers the aviator on Saturday September 26 at Alger and Harrod, along the Erie tracks, which he followed, the people had a fine view of the flying craft. Rogers was attempting a coast to coast flight but cracked up at Riveria, Indiana.