Harry Baals
There is a somewhat hilarious situation going on here in Fort Wayne at this time.
Harry Baals was the Republican-- not that his politics has anything to do with his name-- mayor of Fort Wayne from 1934 to 1947 and again in 1951 until his death in 1954. He was considered a very successful mayor and was liked by most everyone. Since I was not here much of that time I have no opinion about his mayoralty ability.
Recently it has been tossed around to name our City County building after him, the Harry Baals Government Center. Some people want it and others say it would make Fort Wayne the butt of jokes.
We already have a street named after him so why, they say, can't we name our city county building after him? I think it would be hilarious to say, "I am going to the Harry Baals Government Center",
Don't you?
They say his grandmother changed the pronunciation of their name from Baals, with short a sounds to rhyme with Bails, or with long As. However that did not stop the jokes and fun with his name. The problem was back when his parents named him. Who would choose such a name? They must have realized what they were doing. It is true, they couldn't change the last name but they could have chosen a different first name to go with it.
I am eager to see what comes out of this. Will we have to go to the Harry Baals government Center--or some other named place?
We will not know the outcome of this controversy until the end of this month--February.
posted by kyra lafain @ 2/17/2011 12:30:00 PM
1 Comments:
Reminds me of the old I.P. Freely and Seymour Butts jokes.
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