First Baby of 1963

Many of us still remember when the Journal sponsored a contest in which the first Lorain baby born in St. Joseph's Hospital was awarded a variety of prizes. 

The earliest example that I've ever posted was the First Baby of 1947. The gifts received by the baby and its parents were quite extensive (see below).

Fast forward to sixty years ago, and we have the contest surrounding the arrival of the First Baby of 1963. The prizes were still pretty good (see below). By then, it was no longer specifically the first 'Lorain baby' since the parents needed only to be residents of Lorain County.

And who was the winning baby in 1963? Tanya Yvette Randleman, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Franklin Randleman of Lorain. 

She's appeared on this blog before (back in 2016 when I apparently was jumping around a bit time-wise when creating content) but this time I have the whole Journal front page and a little better image of Tanya and her mother.

Journal from January 2, 1963

(Her mother, Dolores Y. Randleman passed away in August 2020.)

Next: Onward and upward to 1973

Journal Front Page – January 1, 1963

 

Sixty years ago, this was the front page of the January 1, 1963 Lorain Journal. There's a lot going on, both around the world and right here in Lorain County, and how all of it is covered is interesting. 

The large headline refers to the ongoing crisis in the Congo. It's complicated (I took a peek at a Wiki page about it) and I think it would be unlikely today that the Journal would allot so much of its front page to something going on in that part of the world. People in the U. S. just don't seem to be that interested in another country's internal problems. Similarly, the war between India and China is big news, but I'm not sure just how much coverage it would get today.

Other news items: another victim of the Boston Strangler; a three-car collision on Lorain's icy west side roads; a terrible winter storm with below zero temperatures that continued to hammer the Northeast; a wedding performed by Mayor Mathna; and a relatively low traffic death toll for the holiday.

There's also a nice photo of some Lorainites celebrating New Year's Eve at Oak Hills Country Club and of course, the much-missed (by me) "Today's Chuckle."

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Next, the blog will take some baby steps in the direction of all those 'first babies.'

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to everyone out there! Here's hoping that it's happy and healthy for you and the people you care about.

It's hard to believe that it's actually 2023, which for years has been one of those far-off expiration dates listed on credit cards and batteries that went dead early anyway. Speaking of expiration dates, I'm just happy to still be around – so it's a good year already.

As usual, I'd like to wish my older brother Ken a Happy Birthday! I know he lives in a foreign country (Texas) now, but I hope they recognize his celebrity status down there as Lorain's First Baby of 1958. I've written about it many times, including the newspaper account of it here, his list of free goodies here, and the Journal's follow-up story on him a year later here.

Here's Ken at 4 months. I like the design of his bedding, which includes some kind of cowboy-hat-wearing, bewhiskered critter – which I guess pretty much describes Ken now.

I hope to get some more blog contributions from Ken this year, as his two-part reminisces about working at U. S. Steel are still a much-visited post.

I'll be turning my attention to other Lorain 'first babies' in the days ahead.

We'll also celebrate the New Year on this blog by posting one of those full-page ads that ran in the Journal. This one – with an astronaut theme – ran on Dec. 31, 1962 and welcomed 1963.

As usual, just about all of the companies from sixty years ago are gone, with the exception of Rebman's Recreation, still going strong in the 2000s. 

New Year's Eve 1962 "Don't Drink & Drive" Ad

Well, it's New Year's Eve – and readers of this blog know what that means, heh-heh.

It's time for another ghoulish, vintage 'Don't Drink and Drive' ad that appeared in the Journal in years gone by. Today's classic selection is from December 29, 1962 – sixty years ago. It's appeared on this blog before, but it's a classic in my opinion.

I like the grinning guy wearing the fedora that Death (or the Grim Reaper, if you prefer) has his bony arm around. He looks like your basic Madison Avenue advertising executive circa the 1960s, which means he was probably drinking at work as well.

The ad lacks the gruesome or shock element that others have had (such as the crumpled automobile or more menacing depiction of the Grim Reaper) but it still packs a punch, albeit a tamer one. 

And the roll call of sponsors – viewed in 2022 – is (as usual) a list of long-gone companies, with the exception of Lucas Plumbing.

Anyway, have a safe New Year's Eve.

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I've been posting these types of ads (some creepy, some not) for years, when I find them, including 1950; 1955; 1956; 1960; 1961; 1968; 1969; 1971; and a whole collection with 1953, 1957, 1959, and 1967.

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.

 

Happy New Year From the Ontario Store – Dec. 29, 1962

The Ontario Super Mart (or Ontario Discount Department Store, as it was later known) seems to be fondly remembered by many. Not just in the Lorain area – where the chain started out at 1922 Broadway in 1958 and later moved to Elyria Avenue and State Route 254 – but in Cincinnati, Columbus and Cleveland as well, thanks to expansion. 

Click here to read a nice history of the chain, and its acquisition in 1964 by the organization that would become Cook United. For the local angle, here's the article that appeared in the Journal on Sept. 22, 1964. (Note that Cook also owned Pick-n-Pay, the subject of yesterday's post.)

But that was still a few years away, when the full-page New Year's themed-ad below appeared in the Lorain Journal on Dec. 29, 1962.

It's a great ad, designed to keep the store in the minds of Lorainites despite the move outside city limits, halfway to Elyria.

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My original post on the Ontario Store in 2011 continues to be a popular online destination for people who remember Ontario and the various rebranding it went through here and around Ohio. By 2020, there were more than 40 great comments left on the original 2011 blog post; currently there are more than 60, and there's no sign of slowing down.

Lorain used to be a great place to launch a business, as it was the home of several original stores that led to the creation of regional chains. Besides Ontario, there was Muir's, and Kline's. 

Of course, that made their eventually closings even more bittersweet.

Pick-n-Pay New Year's Eve Ad – Dec. 26, 1962

Does your menu for New Year's Eve (or Day) include special items in honor of the occasion?

In the Brady household during the 1960s and 70s, shrimp cocktail (with the horseradish sauce of course) was the once-a-year guilty pleasure at our little family party. But I don't remember the New Year's Day fare consisting of pork roast and sauerkraut, which is a tradition for many.

You won't find pork and sauerkraut in this Pick-n-Pay ad that ran in the Journal on December 26, 1962 either. It stresses 'party foods,' including various lunch meats, cheese, Vienna sausage, egg nog, sardines and – appropriately enough – Alka-Seltzer.

I like the clip art of the celebrants, with their party hats and noise makers. 

Mom and Dad used to keep some of those on hand for my siblings and me when we were kids. The plan was to keep us occupied (and awake) during the evening by working on an elaborate puzzle. At midnight, we let loose with the noisemakers as the ball dropped in Times Square on TV, but shortly after that it, it was off to bed with us.