It’s that time of the year for making New Year’s Resolutions. I thought it might be fun to imagine some of the resolutions some famous Youngstown people might have made. I must stress this was just for fun–no historical accuracy promised! Also, the names are linked to articles about each person that served as the basis for these imagined resolutions.

Judge William Rayen. I ran a tavern and mercantile, a post office, served as judge and as a director on several boards. Hmm, what’s left. I think I’ll start Youngstown’s first public high school!

David Tod. I have these seams of block coal beneath my Brier Hill farm and the river is near by. What if I got some people together and started an iron mill that could use my coal?

Joseph G. Butler, Jr. The 1917 fire at my house has convinced me that my home is not the place for my art collection. Maybe I should build a museum. But will anybody come? I know what I will do, I will make admission free to the public forever!

Volney Rogers. The Mahoning River has become an industrial river and I see signs that people want to do the same along the Mill Creek gorge. I’m going to get the rights to the land around the gorge and see if we can turn it into a park Youngstown can be proud of.

P. Ross Berry. I’m going to bid on building Judge Rayen’s school. The reddish-orange bricks from my foundry would be perfect for that building! Who knows? It might even lead to a few other jobs!

William F. Maag, Sr. I’ve been a newspaper man ever since I came to America but German language papers have a limited audience. That struggling little paper, The Vindicator, has the potential to be the premier daily in Youngstown. I think I will try to buy it!

Charles F. Owsley. I hear Isaly’s wants to expand its plant on Mahoning Avenue. I think an art deco design with a tower that looks a bit like an ice cream cone would be perfect!

Harry, Jack, and Albert Warner. It’s so sad that our brother Sam died so young. Let’s remember him by building a lavish theatre with our name on it in downtown Youngstown.

Esther Hamilton. Sure, I can cover the big news stories, but what a lot of people want to know is what is happening with their neighbors and others around the Valley. I hear some great stories over lunch at downtown restaurants. I’ll start a column of news around the town. Hmm. “Around the Town.” I like that!

And finally, as kind of a sign off…

Boots Bell. Yes, indeedy, doody-daddy. I’m going to have myself a Happy New Year!

I bet you can think of others and make up resolutions for them. I’d love to hear them! And have a Happy New Year!

To read other posts in the Growing Up in Working Class Youngstown series, just click “On Youngstown.” Enjoy!