1944
J. Parr Godfrey Publisher
Jan.6 A.C. Bouck sells his store to L.F. Stueck, former butter maker of Royalton. A.C. Bouck too over from his father C.W. Bouck in 1914. He ran a hardware and implement store. He closes the implement business and then in 1927 turns the whole store to a groceries, meats, and dry goods.
Jan.6 George Armstrong’s Log Bar is broken into. Unopened bottles and cigarettes and all the copper pennies are stolen.
The Palace Theater tickets go up to 25 cent from 20 cents due to a federal tax. The children will still pay 9 cents.
Feb. 10 “Rationing Reminders” special note: Token program begins Feb. 27. One point red tokens will be given in change for red stamps and one point blue tokens for blue stamps. Stamps will be worth 10 points each.
Feb. 17 Study Club purchases for $90 the “Banners” from A.W. Swanson. The years 1885-1907. They will be going to the new library.
Feb 24 Staff Sgt. Thomas E. Lasota was will killed in action on Jan. 21 over the Tarawa Island.
S.A. Hagerty is manager of the Morrison County Lumber Company in Royalton.
Mar. 9 “100 men in Draft call last week” then it went on to list the names and towns. This is seen many times in the paper this year.
Mar. 23 Ralph E. McGonagle Buys Store: Ralph E. Mcgonagle has returned to Royalton and purchased the grocery, meat, and general merchandise business from L.F. Stueck. Mr. Stueck, who purchased the business Jan. 1 from A.C.Bouck, has retained the hardware business and will operate a modern hardware store in the eastern half of the Bouck building. Mr. McGonagle has returned after living 22 years in Seattle, Wash. He was assistant postmaster with his father, W.L. Mcgonagle from 1913-1916. He was employed with the Royalton Mercantile Co. from 1920-1922 with William Anderson as owner.
Apr. 6 A new ticket window will be added to the bottom of the east side entrance to the gym for ticket taking events. The ticket office will be recessed under a stairway, in what is now a wasted space.
Apr. 20 Mrs. Pat Dezurik plans to open a restaurant in the Dr. Mcgonagle’s building, formerly known as the Grahm block, about May 1. The restaurant will occupy the same quarters formally used by Bob’s Café.
Apr. 20 School will be dismissed at 2:30 p.m. so that the large number of farm students enrolled may reach there homes in time to devote several hours of daylight to field work. When field work is finished school will go back to regular hours.
May 4 Peter Kasella Jr. purchases the hardware store from L.F. Stueck. Mr. Kaslla has a Case Machinery dealership on his farm and plans to expand that line of equipment as fast as it becomes available.
May 4 During the first part of the war, a number of businesses closed. Hardest hit were the filling stations. There are only 3 now. We lost a beauty parlor, the tin shop, one of our groceries, one restaurant. Other places may still have to close as older men inducted. Many have left non-essential jobs for war work. Ralph McGonagle is now the owner of the former Bouck Store, and Peter Kasella Jr. has a hardware store just next door. Dr. McGonagle has bought the Graham block in which the Banner is located. A restaurant is to occupy the corner that formerly was Bob’s Café. (This is an editorial by the publisher to the boys at war. )
June 1 The Banner has a new size, gone is the 4 pages of “ready print” pages bought from Minneapolis paper. Now there is more room for ads and more “home town stories.”
June 22 Legion Auxiliary plans recreation center for young people in the former grocery store location. The Juvenile Joint has elected Harvey Kowitz president and Roddy Grell secretary-treasurer. All young people ages between 13-18 are welcome. Members will pay 10 cents to join and will receive a membership card.
July 20 The Desurik Sisters, Carolyn Gill and Mary Jane Klein, sang for the first time in ten years at the band stand. They first sang here and there and then won an amateur contest at Little Falls which led to a radio contract with WLS Barn Dance, Chicago. They will leave to sing in New Jersey for the first time.
Aug. 10 The POW Wow draws nearly 5,000 persons. It was the largest crowd in 15 year history.
Aug. 17 Jerre Logan is back home after navigating 50 missions in 8 months over Europe in a B-24 Liberator.
Aug. 17 Cpl. Willard Dezurik is reported wounded in France on July 28.
Aug. 17 CBM Robert L. Berry, 31, is on the Navy list among killed. He was reported missing since D-Day. His destroyer was 7 miles off Caen, France when it was sunk.
Aug. 31 Mike Wollak, 28, killed in France July 31.
Aug. 31 Sale of the Grell Mill and Elevator, former Albrecht Elevator, to P.A. Wielinski, Little Falls, and Julius Kornmann, Princeton, was accounced this week by J.A. Grell, who has operated the elevator for the past 4 years, Robert Johnson, Wadena, will be manager.
Sept. 14 Cpl. Willard J. Dezurik died July 29th from his wounds he received July 28th in France.
Oct. 19 When someone gets a brand new car these days its news. Dr. A.M. Watson, after wading through all the necessary government red tape, took delivery of a new car this week, and it looks as if Royalton’s physician will keep rolling for the duration.
Nov. 9 F.D. Roosevelt wins his 4th term as president of the Untied States.
Nov. 9 Billig Station is robbed. Two new first grade tires, between $4-$5 worth of pennies and a flash light were taken.
Nov. 30 Word was received the Pvt. Sylvester Kaiser died in action on Oct. 30 in France. Pvt. Kaiser had twice been wounded, once on June 1st and Aug. 15. He was awarded the Purple Heart.
Dec. 21 A New Grocery Store Opens. M.H. Dimitch is the proprietor of “Shorty’s Market”. The store is located in the Lichy building. Royalton now has 3 grocery stores. Mr. Dimitch was the manager and then the owner of the Gambles Store.
Dec. 28 Sgt. Harold J. Valley was killed in action Nov. 24th at Leyte, Philippine Islands.