It's Not Your Grandfather's Valentine's Day

Earlier this month, Lynnfield Patch ran its latest look at the town's past as reported on the pages of the former Village Press newspaper, which ran for a short period around the World War II era.

While that last article took a look at one specific event - , this follow-up piece takes a broader look at Valentine's Day as recorded in the town's press during this storied time in our history.

First, the Village Press issue from February 15, 1942 ran a page one story about a major snowstorm that hit town that Valentine's Day. The snow reportedly started slowly in the afternoon and by early evening, gale-force winds and several feet of snow were "practically paralyzing all traffic." Snowplows were said to have worked through the night, and in part because of those efforts, no major accidents occurred.

A page two report of that newspaper bore the headline "Married Couples Have Valentine Party." I'm pretty sure a few unmarried couples in town had a Valentine Party or two that night as well, but I digress. This particular headline was referring to a party at the Center Church by the "recently organized Married Couples Club." Some 30 couples joined Reverend and Mrs. Ward Fellows at the event. "Games, dancing, delicious refreshments made up the program of an enjoyable evening," said the newspaper.

In other local Valentine's news from 1942, the Campfire Girls from South School made button valentines for family members at their previous meeting.

The Feb. 8 edition of the Village Press added a note about the Lynnfield Woman's Club's Valentine's party, hosted at 14 Courtney Terrace by Mrs. Victor Michas (apparently none of the women in town had first names in this era). Miss Bess Bartlett of Lynn was the guest speaker, and the ladies went home with prizes for prettiest, funniest and most original Valentine's costumes.

The News

Valentine's Day or not, there was also plenty of town business as well as World War II. The Feb. 5, 1942 newspaper reported that Lynnfielders Albert G. Marston and Granville Hooper were stationed at Wheeler Field in Hawaii and had witnessed the recent attack over Pearl Harbor. Back on the home front, a Rural War Action Committee was getting started to help the populace meet its needs in area like agriculture and nutrition. There was also concern about whether the bell on top of Chemical House #1 had enough range to warn against an air raid. Speaking of air raids, sand was available for emergency uses at the rear of town hall.

At the nearby Wakefield Theater, the Gary Cooper classic "Sergeant York" was back in release. For anyone who hasn't seen that movie, I can highly recommend it. (Suddenly, he stopped writing and started humming 'Gimme That Old Time Religion.')

It also happened to be town meeting time in Lynnfield at this point in 1940. Voters were set to consider 47 warrant articles at the upcoming March town meeting that year, and the newspaper noted that town spending had actually declined somewhat - from $127,341 in 1939 down to $126,942 in 1940. And yes, that was the entire town budget.

Finally, the town was starting to debate a possible re-zoning for business on Route 1, but the fledgling weekly apparently declined to take a position on the matter, in part because it had existed for so little time.

The Advertising

One thing that struck me about these newspapers was that there was actually very little Valentine's Day advertising, although there was also a major war going on. A Feb. 5, 1942 ad for Boothby's of Wakefield reminded readers to "Remember her with a Valentine's gift Feb. 14," with some sale items including "dainty Valentine aprons" for 69 cents, with matching mother-daughter aprons available. The ad also suggested "undies, costume jewelry, gloves, bags, hankies, scarfs, and hose" as other gift ideas. And this was actually quite helpful, because those poor guys needed all the help they could get in order to be steered away from bringing home those dainty Valentine's aprons.

Elsewhere, Elliott's Jewelry Shop was selling Bulova watches for $24.75 and up, with payments for as little as 50 cents down and $1 per week.

In other advertising in February, 1942:

I'm pretty sure this had nothing to do with Valentine's Day, but either way, Mr. Richard Townsend had an ad in the paper stating "See me for Colonial Chicks." No word on what Mrs. Townsend (or the Historical Society for that matter) had to say.

The Edgerley and Bessom Funeral Home definitely knew that death takes no holidays. Right in there with stories about Valentine's Day parties and whatnot, you've also got ads for this business declaring "service anytime. Distance no objection."

Ship's Haven Restaurant had a special going all winter - 75 cents for a broiled lobster or chicken dinner. Luther Witham caterers offered chicken pies for $1.50, chicken pie with potato for $1, and other specialties like roast chicken and beefsteak pie, which sounds like it could be either utterly delicious or utterly horrendous.

Finally, Malden Brand fancy red salmon was 47 cents for two cans at Kahn's General Store, 793 Main Street.