Subscriber memories
I have enjoyed the paper for 70 years. First I looked at the pictures, then I learned how to read from the print. Its arrival at our home was always something to look forward to. Our sons, David, Daniel and Darren, delivered the paper faithfully for 10 years, in our Clarence Street neighbourhood, getting to know the neighbours, collecting the money, banking, paying the bill and earning extra cash for recreation. When the boys were sick or unavailable I delivered the papers. I am retired now and still look forward to the paper each morning. Leone Schuett
My family spent the summer of 1941 on Poison Ivy Island. At end of June, my sister and I watched in great excitement as our father rowed out for the weekend, bringing the all-important issue of The Record that listed schools, grades and names of the children who passed. Unloading took forever but we finally got to the paper and discovered my sister passed from Grade 5 to 6. But nowhere could they find my name. I had failed Grade 3! Dona Paul Massel
My family has always gotten The Record. My mom saved the newspaper on Oct. 6, 1970 — the day I was born, in the middle of the October Crisis. My younger brother’s newspaper was not as interesting. Even though I myself travelled much in my 20s, I was always interested in what was happening at home when I returned. Since then, I have read The Record at the University of Waterloo and every day at my work in a school. I have used the newspaper to teach Civics to 15-year-olds and have enjoyed every special feature you have published (including some pictures and stories that included my family). Elinor Snell
Back in the 1950s we lived near the end of Dearborn Street East; Louise, our carrier, would leave it neatly rolled up and tucked into itself, in a rustic wooden mailbox. Six evenings a week my sister and I would trek out to the end of a long farm lane to pick up the paper and the two of us kids would come to some sort of agreement on who got to read the comics first. Dick Tracy, Lil Abner, and Dagwood — those characters gave us our daily dose of graphic literature. Then we’d peruse page three to satisfy our curiosity about local events; there wasn’t yet a TV in our home. Karl Dick
We have subscribed to The Record continuously for 50 years. For two months before moving to Waterloo from Toronto 50 years ago we received The Record by mail. Through well-written reports, pictures of neighbourhood events by talented local photographers, through commercial advertising and personal ads The Record allowed us a glimpse of our future home. We became familiar with some street and family names, with manufacturing enterprises, a budding university and successful retail stores. Many names hearkened back to a German presence, others pointed to Scottish roots. The Record fulfilled the function of a local history book. It directed us to thriving businesses and introduced us to peaceful farming communities. Dorothea Snell
I moved to the area in 1960 and subscribed to The Record. Have been receiving the paper for 58 years and would be lost without it. It is so informative. Isabel MackIntosh
My parents subscribed in the 1950s before I was born. My mom is 95 and must read her morning paper with breakfast or her day is not complete. Two of my favourite memories: 1) being a TV critic with Bonnie Malleck for a day. What an inspiration she was. Her job was definitely not as easy as I thought before I spent a day watching new TV shows. 2) being an editorial commentator for The Record one year. Learning how to edit articles, how to be less wordy and still get my point across — priceless. Thank you to all the commentators and editors and background people for making this paper wonderful. In an age when creating a newspaper is becoming a dying art, I am so glad we still have The Record. My mother and myself could not get along without it. Ruthann Fisher
I have been a subscriber of The Record for over 45 years. My greatest memory was becoming a regional finalist in
Today magazine’s super brain contest, compiled by MENSA which originally ran
Oct. 25, 1980. (Today magazine came with Saturday Record back then.) The article about myself appeared on the front page of the Dec. 8, 1980 Record, the same day the headline article was John Lennon’s death. I have been quoted in several “Flash From the Past” articles. I have also responded to Letters to the Editor. On Saturday mornings the first thing I read in the paper is the comics, my favourites being Pickles and Blondie. I still prefer to read The Record paper copy rather than reading it online. Greg Koehn
“The paper’s here,” is our morning ritual. My husband and I have enjoyed reading The Record for over 50 years and we still look forward every day to see the interesting capture of so many news events, both local and around the world. The births and deaths announcements, along with the sports section, keep us informed. My husband faithfully does the puzzles to keep his mind sharp as a tack. I am more interested with the opinion page, the cartoon of the day, and am often surprised reading the strange things that happen around the world. Congratulations on 140 years of hard work, talent and dedication. You have made our morning coffee so much more enjoyable. Mary and Ted Braun
My family have been longtime subscribers of The Record. In the 1930s when living on a farm near Chicopee, the paper — wrapped in brown paper — was delivered by car and thrown off at the end of the laneway at about the same time each afternoon, except Sunday. We had a dog that fetched The Record on cue when seeing the car come down the hill at a distance. Eighty years later I’m still a home subscriber and would miss it if I did not receive The Record. It is a lifeline to community and daily living. Alice Roeder
I don’t have a computer like most people. I read a lot, watch information shows and get the newspaper as part of my keeping up with what’s going on. I start my day with The Record and my tea. It is good to have one certain event every day — The Record is that one thing. I have been receiving The Record for 12 years. Simone McComb
My family has subscribed to The Record since 1982 — 36 years of brilliant articles, world and local news. Our two sons, Craig and Carl, were newspaper carriers in 1989, under the tutelage of Carl Vosatka, who did an amazing job, by accompanying them on their route and providing outstanding direction and guidance. When my kids were going to be on holidays, a substitute would shadow our sons, so that they were familiar with the homes and the route. Dave Elliott and Karen Rotar have done a wonderful job, in seeing that our concerns are addressed immediately and to our entire satisfaction. Horace Coelho
Bonnie Malleck watched everything on TV ahead of us, the best and the worst so that we could choose what to spend our precious time watching. Before PVRs, time shifting and streaming, when people watched appointment television, readers knew to check for Bonnie’s daily recommendations. She ventured beyond her own personal tastes to give suggestions for everyone. She did not shy away from telling us when she thought something was not worth our time. With references to “the man in the next chair,” her column reflected her witty and positive personality, and we all felt we were checking with a good friend about what to watch on TV that night. I have been a subscriber for over 20 years myself, but The Record was a huge part of growing up in my family, so 46 years. Mary Diemert
The Record has been a musthave in my home for most of my adult life. I start by catching up with the local and national news, then the commentaries and the reader opinions, followed by the posted coming events, and the comics. I prefer the actual paper to the website — it is there waiting for me when I am ready to read, I don’t have to remember a blessed password and if I spill coffee on it, nobody cares. Over the years, I have read things that brought me joy and sadness, comments and opinions that gave me pause to think of a situation in a different way and some things that caused me to say to myself, “Really? You call this news worthy?” — but, all in all, I do love seeing my paper in my mailbox each morning. Happy 140th. Joan Geisel
Back in the early ’70s, I was approached by a Record photographer for a picture of me leapfrogging over a fire hydrant to celebrate the end of the school year. The man must have taken 10 pictures to get the shot without me face-planting or stumbling into traffic. I would love to see that picture again. Allan Mills
As far back as I can remember, The Record has been part of my life. When I was young it was usually my job to fetch the paper from the end of lane, where the carrier had tossed it rather accurately from a moving car. Occasionally, it would turn into a game of hide and seek, finding the paper from out of the ditch or kicking through the snow banks. We also admired dad’s practised stop ’n’ scoop as he turned into the laneway. My clearest memory, though, was when The Record came wrapped in blue plastic. Mom loved blue and white and silver Christmas decorations; she saved the plastic wrappers for ages, until she had enough to cut them into strips which she tied around a wire clothes hanger formed into a circle to make a lovely blue wreath — which came with its own hanger! Linda Humphrey
In the late 1970s, our son had a paper route between Weber and Simeon streets. Some days he had no time after school because of hockey practice, so I delivered the newspapers for him. I remember one day when the wind was whistling around my face as I stomped through the snow banks to get to the next house where some people were waiting for their beloved Record. Since that time, I have a lot of respect for these delivery people doing such a wonderful job with their prompt deliveries. There are so many unsung heroes in this blessed land. Henry Zuber, subscriber for 50-plus years
My earliest memory about The Record is when it was delivered to Hanover by an aircraft. It would fly low over the south end of town near the agricultural show grounds and out the window a bundle of papers would come and land on the ground. It was great fun to watch this when we were kids, from a distance. Gary Rahn
Imagine this. You have a major event taking place and you have no idea how you’re going to get your message out. You call your local newspaper and they welcome the opportunity to share your story with the community and beyond. They even offer to send a representative to sit on your organizing committee. This volunteer rallies behind your cause, graciously providing invaluable input. She helps you market your event and encourages cash donations and silent auction items from individuals and businesses. Well, this is what The Record did for our schools’ foundation. Let’s all celebrate this outstanding award-winning newspaper! SHARI SIMPSON subscriber for 40-plus years