1943 :: No Holiday Street Lighting This Year

As was the case last year there will be no holiday street lighting in downtown Rockdale this year, in compliance with requests of the War Production Board. The WPB is again urging communities to forego extensive illumination displays in order to conserve vital energy and materials. The Rockdale Reporter and Messenger (Rockdale, Tex.), Vol. 71, No. 45, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 9, 1943

1942 :: Smaller Homecoming

Gas, tire rationing 
cause for smaller 
1942 Homecoming

By Lucile Estell

The minutes of the Rockdale Homecoming Association for June 14, 1942, read as follows:

Do you recall how very hot were June 12th and 13th, 1942, but on the evening of June 13 a lovely breeze blew up and Sunday, June 14th, the day for the ninth annual meeting of the Home Coming Association was wonderfully cool and comfortable.

On account of restrictions of travel because of rationing of gas and tires and necessary conservation of same, most everyone feared the crowd would not be up to former meetings. 

The crowd began to gather around 11 o’clock and by 12 a fair representation of the membership was present and the number continued to increase. Though the crowd was smaller yet not less enthusiastic.