Wilhelm: News of 40 years ago has a big impact on today
Forty years ago on this date there was some interesting news in The News-Messenger — news that was treated differently by the years that followed.
A sidebar to a story about the state budget bill announced “Satellite money in budget.” According to the story: “The Seneca County branch of Vanguard Vocational School should be a reality soon, according to State Rep. Dwight Wise Jr., D-Fremont.
"Money for the satellite school was included in the Ohio budget passed by legislators early today and on its way to the governor for signing.
“The school, which will be called Sentinel Vocational School, will serve students from Tiffin, Seneca East, Hopewell-Loudon and Bettsville school districts and possibly others.
“With the state’s help, Vanguard officials will now have all the money they need to build the estimated $6.2 million facility.”
Today, of course, the Vanguard-Sentinel schools serve students from a wide area, offering a wide variety of programs.
Another story deals with the primary election. According to a Gannett News Service story, “The Ohio House, without debate, voted 79-13, on Thursday to move next year’s presidential primary election from June to May.
“Although his name was never mentioned by supporters in the one floor speech given in support of the measure, the bill is seen as a move to better Sen. John Glenn’s chances for the presidency by allowing him to sew up an early win in his home state next year.”
“There also has been an attempt by both Democrats and Republicans to advance Ohio’s primary election to an earlier date as part of a move for a Midwestern regional primary election. While Thursday’s action does not accomplish that, it does match Ohio’s primary with the primary date in neighboring Indiana.”
Ironically, Glenn never really even made it to the primary. Although extremely popular personally and a strong vote-getter in Ohio, after failing to do well in the first dozen political tests of 1984, Glenn withdrew in March of 1984 from the race for his party’s presidential nomination.
That day's newspaper also reported that the “City of Fremont may have to tighten its belt a notch or two yet this year if income tax collections continue to be as paltry as they’ve been through the first half of 1983.”
Mayor Richard Maier said that cutting of workers or services would be “the absolute last thing … Hell, we’re down to skin and bones now.”
Meanwhile, Murphy’s Mart — remember? — was greeting the July 4 weekend with some holiday discounts. The Fremont Plaza store was offering Polaroid instant one step 600 cameras for $18.97 and Kodak disc 4000 camera outfits with two film disks for $42.97. And five-function LCD watches in men’s or women’s styles together with a plastic case strap and replaceable battery for $3.47.
All this was in the newspaper 40 years ago.
Roy Wilhelm started a 40-year career at The News-Messenger in 1965 as a reporter. Now retired, he writes a column for both The News-Messenger and News Herald.
This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Wilhelm: News of 40 years ago has a big impact on today
