Profane Language on the Streets

William H. Rifenburg was the Union Sunday School superintendent who, on September 23, 1877, had to lecture "the Boys on the disgrace some of them brought on the school by using profane language on the streets."


(Click on image to enlarge)
Image courtesy of the Hobart Historical Society.

William was then a vigorous man in his 40s, a Civil War veteran, former township trustee and justice of the peace,[1] so I imagine he was pretty impressive to these young people. Maybe he got them to stop using profane language for a week or two.


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[1] See his biographical sketch in the Lake County Encyclopedia: http://www.archive.org/stream/encyclopediaofge00ball#page/494/mode/2up