New Year's Eve 1943

Eighty years ago, the year 1943 was drawing to a close. The United States was still engaged in World War II, and this was reflected in the way New Year's Eve was observed in the Dec. 31, 1943 Lorain Journal.

The ad above, "Saluting the New Year with a Pledge to Victory," is the only full-page ad with sponsors to be found in that particular edition. The roll call of Lorain businesses contains many well-remembered firms.

Our old pal Reddy Kilowatt was featured as a gun-totin' patriot in an Ohio Public Service Company ad. (Ohio Public Service Company wouldn't become part of Ohio Edison until 1950.) In the ad, the company pledged to "continue to keep flowing a dependable supply of power to all homes, stores and war industries in the area served by our company, to the end that the war shall be terminated as speedily as possible." 

So was there the traditional "First Baby Born in Lorain" contest at that time?

There sure was, as noted in the full-page ad below.

Note that the parents both had to be residents of Lorain, and the baby must have been born within Lorain city limits.

And in the next edition of the Lorain Journal, the January 3, 1944 front page revealed the winner: Baby Girl Stanziano, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dominick Stanziano of 318 W. 23rd Street.