This was the first installment of Morris Rote-Rosen's new "Main Street" column; he had last written for the Granville Sentinel in August of 1946. Starting with the column below, he would write this column until c. 1975, and for the Sentinel until his death in 1983.
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By Morris Rote-Rosen
Several of the nearest-of-kin of the Granville boys who died overseas fighting in World War II have filed applications with the Quartermaster General, to have their remains returned for burial in Granville cemeteries.
OUR BOYS ARE COMING HOME!
Hear that melancholy whistle,
Sounding in a said refrain,
As it mourns for its cargo,
On that slow approaching train.
Silence meets the flag-draped caskets,
There's no music, noise or cheers,
Their returning home is greeted,
Only by their mothers' tears
Is there no other way to peace?
Is this the victory we have won?
Is this returning home triumphant?
In wooden caskets one by one?
Surely there's another way
In stopping bloody wars and strife,
Than demand such sacrifices,
From our youth in prime of life.
There's no need in asking questions,
If our cause was right or just,
We are thinking of the living,
Coming back to us as dust.
In the name of these departed,
Let us pledge ourselves again,
As we stand before their caskets,
That they did not die in vain.
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"Can you stop for a moment to say hello? You always seem so busy," we heard a voice, while on our way to the office. "You don't know who I am?" said a lady's voice. "No," we said. "I am Mrs. Bevan and I have never had the pleasure of meeting you," and then continued, "I am formerly from Middle Granville and a sister of the late John A. Williams." We immediately recognized the family resemblance and a pleasant chat ensued. It is pleasantries like this that make the daily routine of life a little brighter.
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Then we ran into Mr. and Mrs. David Rawson of Ilion. They were visiting Granville. We haven't seen "Dave" since 1919 - twenty-eight years. "Dave" Rawson laughed when he told that he called on Harry Weinberg who didn't recognize him. To break the ice "Dave" said to Harry, "Do you want to buy a duck?" "No," replied Harry, "I don't want a duck." Said "Dave": "But this is a nice little duck, better buy it." Still not recognizing "Dave", Harry turned to Fred Davison in the Weinberg store and said, "That fellow is crazy, he insists on selling me a duck." And then Harry's mind cleared and he recognized a boyhood friend in "Dave" Rawson whom he hadn't seen in many years. The two had a good laugh.
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The thief who stole more than 100,000 gallons of water daily from the village reservoir and for whom an alarm had been out for several months, was found hidden underground, near the Church street bridge, with a broken water main. Fred Roberts, water commissioner, detected and captured the culprit wastefully emptying a full stream of village drinking water into the Mettowee river. Now the reservoir is again full within a few feet to the top.
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There is enough public spirit in Granville to make a success of the campaign for funds to install a more modern lighting system in the Pember library. The present old and obsolete lights, which were installed in 1908, are inadequate for the present needs of the library. The plan for a tag day, and for a door to door solicitation campaign, should bring enough funds which would not only beautify the library but would give ample light to the many readers in the library [on] winter evenings, particularly our young people.
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"Larry" Hayes wondering why he had to spend money for plans for remodeling the Freydberg building when there are so many onlookers offering him free advice ... Within two weeks representatives of several business organizations and chain stores were looking for vacant stores to locate in Granville ... Is Granville slipping? ... "Bill" Smith's unique response to a greeting: "Can't complain a bit, Sir!" ... Who dropped that monkey wrench in the machinery to obtain the annex school building for an American Legion home ... Hmmm?
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E.R. (Dick) Evans, who died last month, was one of the few survivors who were closely associated with the Pember Opera House during its 30 years existence. By handling the advance sale of tickets all those years, "Dick" came in personal contact with some of the greatest living stars of the American stage of that period, who, interested in the kind of a crowd they were to play for, checked on the advance sale as their business barometer. Among them were such famous names as Denman Thompson, James O'Neil, Neil Burgess, Lewis Morrison, Thomas Jefferson and others.
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On one of these occasions we were in the company of Harry Kellar, at that time, the most famous magician in the world. The two of us entered the drug store to look at the advance sale. "Dick" Evans produced a box containing the money and reservations. Suddenly the box became empty. "Dick" looked bewildered to have the contents of the box disappear right under his eyes. He looked at the floor, ransacked the desk, then at the floor again. Suddenly the cash and tickets reappeared in the box. "Shake hands with Kellar the Magician," we said to "Dick" Evans, and as they both did, smilingly, Kellar said to "Dick": "Mr. Evans, nothing up my sleeve I assure you."
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