School keepsakes and family notices from 1940 through 1958.
Related childhood photographs:
- A photograph of three boys outdoors has a reverse naming Dick Roling, Bob Roling and Jim Widmer. Their individual positions are not specified; date and place are unconfirmed.
- The reverse of a sledding photograph naming Jim, Bob and Carol names Jim Widmer, Bob Roling and Carol Roling. Its partly obscured date begins “Feb. 194”; the last year digit is unreadable. Individual positions and location are unconfirmed.
A keepsake from Bob’s school days
A May 1950 newspaper report places Robert Roling among eight graduates of St. Joseph High School. Read beside the family’s preserved salutatorian keepsake, it gives Bob’s school years a firm place in the newspaper record. The article also lists Virginia Lee Roling, without explaining their relationship.
Source: “Eight Graduate St. Joseph High,” Moberly Monitor-Index and Moberly Evening Democrat, May 27, 1950, p. 4. The newspaper confirms the graduation; the medal’s identification as Bob’s follows the family collection.
About this keepsake
The front reads “SALUTATORIAN”; the school and year follow family identification. The metal, maker and exact award date are unconfirmed. The original black bands are retained. Photograph credit remains unconfirmed.
Newspaper stories
These short accounts add details about childhood, family gatherings, work and service. The dates identify the newspaper issues; planned events and later recollections are noted separately. Boy Scout articles have their own page. Some original-page links open Newspapers.com, where an account or subscription may be required.
1940 · Bobby’s eighth-birthday party
The July 26 notice describes Bobby Roling, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Roling, celebrating his eighth birthday with ten friends at the family home on West Second Street. Ice cream and cookies were served. The article gives Sunday as the party day, but supplies neither a numbered birthday date nor a house number.
Source: “Bobby Roling Has Eighth Birthday”, Salisbury Press-Spectator, July 26, 1940, page 1. Read the original newspaper page.
1949 · An advertised comedy
An advertisement for The Gang’s all Here lists Bobby Roling as Upson Downes, Rita Roling as Pinky Herring and Jeanie Roling as Mrs. Olden Young. Performances were advertised for February 13 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. in a high-school auditorium; the school is not named. These are announced cast credits, rather than confirmation that the performances took place.
Source: “The Gang’s all Here”, advertisement, Salisbury Press-Spectator, February 11, 1949, page 9. Read the original advertisement.
1952 · A visit to Long Beach
A short May notice reports that Mr. and Mrs. Bobby Roling had left Sunday to visit Mr. and Mrs. Charles Williams and family in Long Beach, California. It calls the journey a visit and gives no duration, route or relationship to the Williams household. The notice does not identify this May trip as the February wedding trip.
Source: Untitled local notice beginning “Mr. and Mrs. Bobby Roling”, Salisbury Press-Spectator, May 9, 1952, page 8. Read the original newspaper page.
1952 · Remembering Marvin Joseph Roling
Under its “20 Years Ago” heading, the newspaper remembered Marvin Joseph Roling, the young son of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Roling, and reported that he had died of scarlet fever. This is a 1952 retrospective pointing to approximately 1932. It does not provide his exact death date, age or place of burial.
Source: “Yesteryear in Salisbury,” “20 Years Ago” section, Salisbury Press-Spectator, December 12, 1952, page 2. Read the original newspaper page.
1953 · A family reunion between training and travel
The July 24 newspaper reports a Sunday reunion at the home of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Roling, with all their children home for the first time in about two years. Its guests included the Charles Williams family of Long Beach, the Forrest Ward and Maurice Tebbe families, Helen Roling, Bob and his wife, Dick Roling, the Walter Brand and Al Monnig families, and Carol Roling.
The article says Pvt. Bob Roling had recently completed basic training at Fort Riley and was on furlough en route to Trieste. S.A. Dick Roling had completed boot training and was on leave before a planned forty-week fire-control course in Washington, D.C. It does not establish their later arrival or Dick’s course completion, and it does not identify any surviving July 1953 family photograph as a picture of this reunion.
Related photographs: The Roling family group is inscribed “Roling Family July ’53” on another surviving capture, and the photograph of Dick, Bridget and Bob is marked “July 53.” The family confirms the people and setting at Joe and Ida’s Salisbury home. These photographs are likely associated with this reunion, but neither inscription names the occasion or supplies an exact day.
Source: “Family Reunion Held at J. H. Roling Home”, Salisbury Press-Spectator, July 24, 1953, page 3. Read the original newspaper page.
1954 · St. Joseph alumni work
An April report names Mrs. Bobby Roling as secretary of the St. Joseph Alumni Association. The officers had voted to hold a banquet in the school hall on May 29, with the Altar Sodality to serve the meal. The secretary role is reported as current; the banquet was still a future plan.
Source: “St. Joseph Plans to Have Banquet May 29”, Salisbury Press-Spectator, April 30, 1954, page 1. Read the original newspaper page.
1955 · Home from Camp Rucker
In its service-news column, the newspaper reports that Cpl. and Mrs. Bobby Roling arrived home Sunday from Camp Rucker, Alabama, where he had been stationed and had received his discharge Friday. The notice gives relative weekdays rather than numbered event dates and does not identify the home address. The official Army papers discussed above supply the separate active-service chronology.
Source: “News Of Service Men,” notice beginning “Cpl. and Mrs. Bobby Roling”, Salisbury Press-Spectator, March 18, 1955, page 1. Read the original newspaper page.
1955 · A College Street purchase
The April 8 paper reports that Mr. and Mrs. Bobby Roling had purchased the Delbert Kruse property on College Street. This fits the broader family account of Bob and Bridget’s College Street home, but the notice itself gives no street number, closing date or move-in date. The family’s identification of 407 S. College remains a separate source.
Source: “Purchase Kruse Property”, Salisbury Press-Spectator, April 8, 1955, page 1. Read the original newspaper page.
1958 · Easter guests at the Roling home
The April 11 newspaper reported that Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Roling entertained guests on Easter Sunday. Those listed included Dick Roling of Columbia, Mr. and Mrs. Bob Roling and family, and the Ward, Tebbe, Monnig, Jarvis and Brand households. Mrs. Monnig and Mrs. Jarvis of Kansas City stayed for a visit. The notice preserves the hosts’ initials and does not spell out the guests’ individual relationships.
Source: “Guests in Home of J. H. Roling Sunday,” Salisbury Press-Spectator, April 11, 1958, page 10. Read the original newspaper page.