New Year's Eve Edition of the Journal – Dec. 31, 1962

Sixty years ago, this was the front page of the Lorain Journal on New Year's Eve 1962. I like the cartoony 'Happy New Year' banner, with the wizened 'Old Year' at the far left, and top-hatted Baby New Year on the right.

There's not a lot of big news in this edition. Probably the biggest story in retrospect is the report of the latest victim of the man later known as the Boston Strangler.

Nationally, the merger of the Chesapeake & Ohio and the Baltimore & Ohio (B&O) was authorized by the Interstate Commerce Commission.

Locally, Lorain City Council had just enacted 'revised salary schedules' for all city employees, as well as authorizing the addition of six firemen, four policemen, an assistant building inspector, three sanitation workers, and one worker each for the health and park departments. The sad passing of Rev. Jerome N. Rohner, pastor of St. Joseph Catholic Church for 33 years, was noted.

Of great interest to Journal readers was the announcement of the welcome gifts for the "First Baby of 1963." Some of the gifts included a floral arrangement from Zelek Flower Shop; two barbecued chickens from Dewey Road Restaurant; portraits from Michaels Studio; a savings account from Citizens Home and Savings Association; and a baby scale from Kline's Department Store.

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I noticed several stories and items on that front page had a personal connection to my father. 

Dad's Grandpa Esterle became a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church upon his arrival in this country in the early 1900s. Dad's father was a brakeman on the B&O in the 1930s, and his mother worked at Kline's for her entire adult working career.