December 1966
Saturday’s big Santa Claus Parade proved to be a huge success with the druggists and their cold remedies reaping the biggest rewards. It was somewhere around 15 to 20 degrees outside, although the sunshine made it seem more pleasant. But one doesn’t put on a parade with some 1,000 participants without a hitch.
On Saturday morning, the parade co-chairmen, Fred Weaver and Harold Pepper, received a phone call saying that the girls’ precision marching unit, the Taylor-Maids from Royal
Oak, were not going to show.
All but three of the girls were sick, the caller reported. But to everyone’s amazement, including the co-chairmen, a girls’ precision unit was in the parade after all.
The Rae-Vens, the precision marchers from Pontiac who have marched in past years, showed up. They had not notified the parade chairmen of their intentions to enter the parade— but were indeed welcomed.
After the parade, the participants reported to the new Kiwanis pavilion in the Civic Center. The Chamber had surrounded the no-sided pavilion with plastic to keep it snug inside. They served up 40 gallons of hot chocolate and 90 dozen donuts— and ran out.
Only a couple of ponies were seen in this year’s parade. Horses, it seems, present a problem. For obvious reasons, horses are placed at the ends of parades. But in a Santa Claus Parade, Santa is always the last in line and is often surrounded by kiddies running up and trying to shake hands with the old fellow. With horses around, it was felt that it was too risky.
Maybe Santa will have to remember to bring his own steeds next year— you know., Rudolph and the gang.
Maybe Santa will have to remember to bring his own steeds next year— you know., Rudolph and the gang.
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THE DEATH of Mrs. Bessie Harvey at the age of 93 brings to mind a question that some people have often wondered about, especially around graduation and homecoming times. Mrs. Harvey is believed to have been the oldest graduate of Rochester High School. She graduated in 1892. This means that she graduated 74 years ago. We would be interested in hearing if there are any others who can now claim this title.
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THE CLARION was hardly off the press last week when one reader called to say that our “Clarion Salutes” feature gave a “bouquet of roses,” instead of a “bouquet of poison ivy,” to those who scattered dozens of beer bottles on the high school lawn. And sure enough, the wrong engraving had been inserted, but the mistake was discovered after a few thousand papers had been printed the correct one inserted.
To those who received the “bouquet of roses” copies, we want it known that we definitely do not heap praise on those who litter the community with beer bottles— or anything else.
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IN CASE YOU don’t think it pays to advertise, remember that there are 26 mountains in Colorado higher than Pike’s Peak.
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: Your hometown is the place where people wonder how you got as far as you have.
