Halloween is coming up, so let's travel back to 1973 to see what people did for that holiday in Romeo.
The November 8, 1973 issue of The Romeo Observer covered a Halloween party that was hosted by Mrs. James Welbes and Mrs. Mike Verellen. It took place at the home of the former, and many children, mostly from Crowell Elementary, attended. According to the article entitled, "Halloween Party Keeps Children Off Muddy Roads," the kids had cider and cookies as well as played Halloween games.
And of course, there was a costume contest. The judges included John McPartlin, news editor for The Romeo Observer, and Mary Lou Witzke, the treasurer for Bruce Township. The picture taken was after the winners were announced. Those who won are in the center of the photograph. These included Bobby Quinn who got the most unusual costume prize, Maureen Grace who received the prettiest, Cindy Welbes who had the funnniest, Joyce Gutt who won the most authentic. Runners-up for each category were Erin Grace, Beth Jones, Jenice Gutt, and Denise Grace. However, the judges found "'serving on the bench' a painful business," so they gave honorable mentions to all the other guests, which included Jackie, Dawn, and Doug Welbes; Nicky Verellen; Eric Burton; Tommy Haskins; Connie, Petie, and Paul Schraudt; and Bonnie Gutt.
Now, you're probably thinking that this Halloween party could've been held today. And, you would be right if it wasn't for the reason behind it. Mrs. James Welbes and Mrs. Mike Verellen held the party "to replace the traditional Tricks or Treats marching."
While the traditional marching wasn't described in the article, the first sentence offers some insight into how people felt about Halloween in Romeo at the time. It states, "There are lots of way to observe Hallowe'en and not all of them are destructive."
It's most likely that the hostesses wanted a safe and clean place for kids to celebrate Halloween, which is completely understandable. During the mid-twentieth century, there were problems with vandalism since pranking was common during the Halloween season. According to the History Channel, by the 1950s, the town leaders were able to limit that issue, and the holiday became more geared towards young children. Also, parties that were once held in town civil centers were moved into the classroom or home, where they could be more easily accommodated, during that period.
No matter what the reasoning, it seems like the kids in the photograph had a good time celebrating Halloween in 1973.
I hope all of you have a great Halloween next week regardless of how you celebrate it or spell it.
Source: The Romeo Observer, November 8, 1973, p.5-C and History Channel