This is part of a series of articles that will continue throughout the Recorder’s 75th anniversary year.  The Recorder will take us through time, from the early 1940s when North Royalton was a small village and through the decades leading us to today, a modern city.  We hope will like reading these stories as much as we enjoy preparing them.  We hope you will share them with your friends. 

In 1964 the nation was still recovering from the assassination of President Kennedy. Lyndon Johnson was president; the nation would soon know about places across the globe. People across the nation would now know words like Indochina, Gulf of Tonkin, and Viet Nam. Like all other places across the globe life goes on. People get up every morning, go to work, go to school, do the laundry, work in the garden, and participate in life as it flows around us.
In 1964 the Royalton Recorder reported on the news in North Royalton; the eight pages of advertising and local current events cost a dime and were delivered to all residents and businesses once a month. In February, Ruth Coates reported on new technology that was being introduced to the elementary schools. Educational TV would provide science programming, the cutting edge of our national push for science education. The cost was just over $8,600. That included all the new wiring needed for installation, the twelve TVs, the programming and maintenance. Half of the money came from the state leaving a balance of just under $5,000. After paying the balance, North Royalton still saved $1,500 over the salary of the former special science teacher.
The community was on moral alert to combat smut that began appearing on the magazine racks of the local drug stores. The Board of Christian Social Concerns of the Methodist Church was working on the problem nationally. The local P.T.A. and JayCees demanded local accountability from shop keepers. When shown the offending magazine, one shopkeeper said he “was not aware of the nature of the material in detail. But, on much closer inspection” he agreed to remove the offending magazine, from the racks. Playboy magazine, the treasure of every high school male was under attack. The Playboy bunnies eventually won out. Their satin bunny suits, fluffy tails and bunny ears look positively demure compared to daily displays that grace the pages of current pop culture magazines that barely get a wink on the racks.
Advertisers from all the local businesses made good use of the Recorder. The March 25 issue was a special business promotion issue. Just about every business within North Royalton had an ad and picture in that issue. Did you know one of the hot spots in North Royalton was Lezan’s Royalton Lanes, 6041 Royalton Road? Twelve lanes, eight billiard tables, snacks, and a pro shop enticed ten pin fans to come from miles around. There were local real estate agents, not national franchises, family-owned pharmacies, and many hair salons where you could get an expensive perm for twelve dollars. Dry Cleaners, service stations, plumbing and heating, diners and dairy establishments were all really your neighbors and friends. The driving force of local economies were the real mom-and-pop establishments.
Breyley’s Inc. Ford dealership on the corner of Royalton and Ridge Roads, where Zeppi’s pizza is now, welcomed in the brand new stylings of the Ford Mustang. In August Breyley’s offered 10,000 Eagle Green Stamps on the purchase of a new Ford ($1,900 to $4,000) and 5,000 Green Stamps on a purchase of a used car at $500 or more.
Green stamps were mighty important. They were similar to cash back customer loyalty points. Merchants gave green stamps when you purchased from them. The biggest merchants were The May Company department stores and Pick-n-Pay Grocery stores; many other merchants participated. You collected the stamps in a book. The completed book was worth three dollars in merchandise from May Company. During the truly once a year, fabulous May Day sale, in May, ladies would go downtown to May Company with hard earned green stamp books in their purses and bags. A thrifty lady could outfit her entire family using those stamps. Or, she might save them for a fabulous family trip to magical Christmas store displays and Christmas shopping.
Speaking of thrifty, North Royalton completely remodeled and updated the City Hall on the City Green for a grand total of $115,000 and change. Not one extra dime came from the taxpayers via levy or bond issue. The entire project was on time, on budget, and paid for by saving within other city departments. An open house was held on June 7 for all to see the remodeled seat of government that just screamed “new development” for North Royalton. However, in July the city council proposed a $2 million bond issue for the city’s needs on the November ballot.
North Royalton was growing indeed. Construction was started on the new $560,000 Royal View Elementary School scheduled to open for the 1965 school year. Saint Albert the Great Parish had completed its first phase of construction and now held Masses in what is now the lower level of the current church. Requests for building permits were up by 35% and the question became, will development be planned or aimless?
Like all good government North Royalton worked on a master plan to keep up with the demand of new industry and business. An industrial park was to be created off of York Road bringing more business and jobs into the city. The industrial park would have the advantage of being midway between the extension of the Willow Freeway, I-77, to the east, and the Medina Freeway, I-71, passing to the west. Royalton Road, SR 82, was barely a three lane wagon track coursing slowly through the city. Any future growth would need to have SR 82 widened to improve traffic.
The October issue had an article encouraging voters to vote YES for progress in the November 3 election. Progress and improvement have always been the intent of the Chamber of Commerce and our local City Government. The December issue ends with holiday greetings to the residents and wishes for a very happy new year. It didn’t get to press in time, back in 1964, but the Browns won the NLF championship beating the Baltimore Colts. Go Browns!

By LINDA KWARCIANY
Contributing Writer