Front-page headlines in the Mentone News newspaper on May 1, 1941: “Jack McClean Takes Bride,” Mildred Elizabeth Parker whom the article described as an attractive brunette and which gave considerable details, including who wore what. “Mill Creek Canyon residents Protest Higher Light Rates,” by the Nevada-California Electric Corporation. Some six months before Pearl Harbor and the U.S.’s involvement in World War II, “U.S. Defense Savings Bond and Postal Savings Stamps Go on Sale at Mentone P.O.”
“Opening of Wabash Avenue Tops List of Road Work which was performed from the Boulevard to Capri. “E. T. Torrence Dies Suddenly Sunday; Funeral Monday.”
“Proposed Mentone Lighting District Strikes a Snag,” in which someone had quoted a price per hundreds of assessed valuation, when the price was actually per thousands, so local residents were asked to fill out a questionnaire whether they wished to proceed and return it to the Chamber of Commerce. “Mrs. Jack Fox Suffers Painful Burns In Accident at Home,” in which her husband accidentally dropped a flaming skillet of bacon grease, which splattered her head and arms [Ed.’s note: ouch!]
“Maguets Sell Two Parcels of Land In Zanja Villa Tract,” on the south side of the Zanja and naming the new owners but not the addresses. [Ed.’s note: the Maguets were early developers in Mentone.] “Cecil F. Kitchen Home After Long Stay in Hospital” described a poultry farmer’s fall from a 30-foot ladder, his seven-week stay in the hospital and his and his wife’s enforced sale of his farm on the Zanja.
The Mentone News carried ads for Mentone businesses, such as the W.E. McMillan Mercantile Store, Alma B. Fox’s Violin Studio, Dr. R.M. Finfrock, osteopath, Steve’s Barber Shop, the Mentone Pharmacy, the Mentone Beauty Shop, American Dry Cleaners, and Lehmann’s Market next to the Post Office.
The March 19, 1942 Mentone News contained somewhat different stories: “Bob Hallett Leaves For Service in U.S. Air Corps,” [Ed,’s Note: that was later to become the U.S. Air Force]. He was described as a “Mentone boy” who “has the stuff in him to make a fine aviator,” etc. “Several from Mentone Included in Third National Draft Lottery” described 99 Mentone men and their serial numbers. “Mrs. Wright Making Improvements on New Property” described changes to the Flower building on the Boulevard; no address was given but the changes included access to a ground floor apartment in the rear of the building and the garage was stuccoed. “Juyn Neeley to Become Senior Typist at Washington” described a local girl from Tourmaline Avenue going to work at U.S. Government headquarters. A box contained “MENTONE, the Most Healthful Spot in California.”
The column “Here and There,” described “Harold M. Price signing 30 questionnaires giving the life history of the Mentone air raid service block wardens. They are to be filed with the sheriff’s office,” and “Miss Edna Renwick assisting thet (sic) Redlands draft board in compiling the thousands of names of men who registered in the call for men between 20 and 44 years.” “Hertel Aids Local Chicken Men in Efficiency Methods” detailed a meeting at a poultry plant on Turquoise Avenue, in which local poultrymen were educated as how to increase production by 20%, “requested by the government as a wartime measure.” A back-page article was headed “Defense Council Gives Information On Bomb Shelters.”
Other articles detail children’s having recovered from mumps and measles, new tables at the Woman’s club for Husband’s Night, a unique strawberry bed (in a barrel), and the closing of Clark’s Grade by snow and in the summer later by the board of supervisors in an attempt to forestall sabotage leading to fires.
Back-page ads touted Sunshine Jersey dairy, McKee’s Market, Buying United States Defense Bonds and Stamps, and the Mentone Chamber of Commerce, who promised “Sunshine, Health, Opportunity,” in the “Fastest Growing Community in the County” because of “no fog, no city taxes, no smudge, cooler in summer, warmer in winter, cheap acreages, unlimited water.”
Only one of the business ads in either paper gave a physical address!
A pithy bit of wisdom in a filler stated “When God created man, he gave him two ends–one to sit on and one to think with. Ever since then man’s success or failure has been dependent on the one he used most. It has always been and is now a case of heads you win–tails you lose.” MM