Some great local, national photography features in ‘The Roto’

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

One of the best-remembered sections of The Vindicator was its Rotogravure section.

The section was called “the Brown Section” because sepia tone was used to print it. Sepia toning was used by newspapers across the country as a specialized treatment to give a black-and-white photographic print a warmer tone.

Nov. 7, 1926: The Vindicator printed its first Rotogravure section.

1936: The Rotogravure becomes one of the featured sections of The Vindicator’s Sunday paper.

April 8, 1945: Rotogravure featured pictures of Mahoning Valley residents attending or leaving Easter Sunday services. The also was a photo essay on the battle of Iwo Jima during World War II’s Pacific Theater.

May 16, 1954: A feature on the fight for control of the New York Central Railroad; several photos on the sixth anniversary of the nation of Israel; and photos of a USO show at Youngstown Municipal Airport.

July 15, 1956: A feature on NBC Television spending six days in Youngstown to film a segment for its “Home” show of people living and working in the city, a symbol of “American in transition.”

Aug. 23, 1965: Photo essay of the historic Harvey S. Firestone homestead on state Route 14 east of Columbiana. There also were several photos of highway construction along Interstate 80 south that will carry traffic between Youngstown east to Akron and the sprawling General Motors plant at Lordstown in the west.

Oct. 6, 1968: Photo essay on construction work on a 4.8-mile section of state Route 11 east to the south of Lisbon. Route 11 runs north-south from Lake Erie in Ashtabula County to the Ohio River in Columbiana County.

1970s: The Rotogravure begins printing color pictures. The section is now called the Pictorial Section.

May 6, 1973: Photo essay by Vindicator photographer Lloyd R. Jones on Youngstown police handling a burglary-in-progress call. United Press International sends a photo feature on the public life of Academy Award-winner Marlon Brando.

May 13, 1973: Photo essay by Vindicator photographer Edward A. Shuba on the world’s largest “can opener” invented by Mike Ramun, owner of Allied Erecting and Dismantling on Poland Avenue in Youngstown. The patented device, suspended from a tall boom on a crane weighted with a wrecking ball, could cut and sheer tall metal containers, such as storage tanks, where the metal could be removed by ground crews.

Jan. 8, 1978: Photo essay by Jones of American artist Alfred Leslie when he arrived as the first artist-in-residence at Youngstown State University. The section also featured photos of Jennifer Hanuschak of Austintown and her parents. Jennifer was the local March of Dimes poster child.

Jan. 15, 1978: Photo essay on Nigerian clothing and artifacts by Martha McSwain of Farrell, Pa., a former Youngstown teacher. McSwain brought to the area a Nigerian woman, Francisca Alama, who helped local residents learn more about African customs.

June 9, 1985: Photo essay on Canfield’s Cynthia Irene Peters and her reign as Ohio’s Junior Miss. She would go on to compete in Mobile, Ala., that year for the America Junior Miss title.

Feb. 16, 1986: Photo essay on bridal designer Demetrios James Elias, who came to Warren 15 years ago from Greece. He was the name behind Ilissa Bridal of New York, with several outlets in the U.S. and Canada. He attended Warren Harding High School and then YSU.

July 1986: The last Rotogravure section is printed, featuring how The Vindicator is put together. It features photos of personnel in the newsroom, mailroom, press room and advertising department.