LETTERS
MAHONING VALLEY
Objects to new Ohio redistricting maps Dear Editor,
In May 2018 Ohio citizens voted on Issue One, amending the Ohio Constitution, to adopt new procedures for drawing legislative districts that will not favor one party over the other. Of all Ohio voters that year, 74.9 percent marked their ballots in favor of ending partisan gerrymandering. That statistic assures us that a majority of Ohioans approved the amendment, regardless of party affiliation. The people of Ohio just wanted it to be fair. Unfortunately, the Ohio Redistricting Commission has not lived up to that expectation. The people on the Commission don’t care about what’s fair. They listened politely to all the comments by citizens and then they drew their map revisions but ultimately, they did not care what anybody said. Now at the end of the process, the Commission has decided to eliminate comments from any more citizens. They simply don’t care what voters want. For our 99 house districts and 33 senate districts, plus the 16 districts that send representation to Washington, how do we determine the correct proportion of Republicans to Democrats? We determine that proportion by referring to our past votes. In 2020, Trump beat Biden in Ohio in a vote of 53.3 to 43.3 percent. In 2018, Mike DeWine beat Rich Cordray, 50.4 to 46.7 percent. In 2016, Trump beat Clinton in Ohio, 51.3 to 43.2 percent. Considering those statistics, no more than 54 percent of our legislative districts should be Republican-dominant, with 43 percent as Democratic-dominant and 3 percent reflecting minority parties. Unfortunately, over 70 percent of the districts are now dominated by Republicans. As an Ohio voter, I am chastising the Redistricting Commission for blatantly ignoring the voice of the voters who spoke in 2018, producing new district maps that are even worse than before. The Commission members should universally resign from public office. Sincerely, Linda Cocuzzi Richter
Niles
ELECTRONIC IMAGE COURTESY OF JOHN HARRIS
Strouss’ Christmas windows in an undated image
Christmas window magic at Strouss’ downtown n Editor’s note: Joyce Lynn Farrell of Youngstown recalls when Christmas displays at Strouss’ delighted young and old in the Mahoning Valley. Joyce, who had a particular interest in the theaters of downtown Youngstown, died in 2018. BY JOYCE LYNN FARRELL
T
he night before Thanksgiving, after Strouss’ Department Store had closed for the day, all the display windows on the West Federal side were covered and would remain that way overnight while window dressers put together the most beautiful Christmastime displays. There were six large display windows to decorate, and the window dressers had to be done by Thanksgiving morning for they knew that there would be a crowd waiting outside for the grand reveal. Two windows would draw the most attention: the window with the Nativity scene and the Toyland display. The Toyland window was a favorite with both adults and children, and almost everyone agreed that the window at Strouss’ was superior to McKelvey’s. A team of window dressers worked all year preparing for the displays, while tending to their weekly windows, for the policy was that no Christmas dis-
A team of window dressers worked all year preparing for the displays. play should be repeated. Window dressers were posted at each window on Thanksgiving morning – ready to open the curtains – and all six were opened simultaneously, to the cheers of onlookers outside. It was official as far as the people were concerned. Many burst into singing “White Christmas” as the countdown to Christmas began. Tucked away in one of the windows was a small easel stand with a “Countdown to Christmas.” The display would mark the days until Christmas Day, with the last card reading “MERRY CHRISTMAS.” Other stores counted remaining shopping days, but not Strouss’. In that same window was a “Keep-Christin-Christmas” display, which was sponsored by the Council of Churches. In the days leading up to Christmas week, the display windows at Strouss’ would remain unchanged – until the last five. Then, the display window that I remember as the Nativity window, went dark once again as the curtain was closed and window dressers worked to transform
it into a thing of pure beauty. This window was Strouss’ annual Christmas card to all of Youngstown, a spiritual card of the purest beauty – and the Nativity scene was front and center. It was a work of art, worthy of the Butler Institute of American Art. There was one rule for this display: no commercial message. And it must be worthy of a place in any church. Of all the stores downtown, this was the only window that had such a display of sublime, spiritual beauty. As if by some signal, another large crowd gathered outside to see the display on the morning of the window’s unveiling. Afterward, the crowds made their way into the store for last-minute shopping. Indeed, after all the stores moved out of the downtown area, there would never again be that kind of response to Christmas window displays. An era was gone, but not forgotten. Visit www.thedepartmentstoremuseum.org/2010/11/strouss-hirshbergco-youngstown-ohio.html to see for a floor-by-floor listing of the downtown store. The directory is courtesy of The Department Store Museum.
DECEMBER/JANUARY 2022 METROMONTHLY.NET 7
