Nov. 20: Orlyn Lutyen is opening a new coffee shop in the Barth building, on the southwest corner of 5th and Walnut Streets, formerly known as the Arlington Hotel.
Nov. 27: A group of about 120 Minonk people met at the grade school Monday night and voted to form a parent teacher association here.
The Minonk firemen voted to move the little old Chevy truck (the 1928 truck used in fighting fires in the country) back to the firehouse and park it between the two big trucks there. It will be crowded but it is reported they will have 19 inches of space.
Dec 4: Route 51, from Minonk to Rutland, was officially opened as a through route Wednesday Dec. 3. The barricades and detour signs have been removed and Minonk is once again on a through traffic route.
A Minonk dance club has been organized with 54 couples as members and the organization's first dance has been scheduled for Wednesday night Dec. 17.
Five dances have been scheduled for the current season, all to be held at the American Legion hall with music by Gail Brannon and his orchestra.
Minonk's annual Christmas program is now in full swing and the town took on a more "Christmasy" aspect this week as the Chamber of Commerce decoration committee completed its work.
The program includes three free matinee movies for the children and visits by Santa Claus and treats.
Only eleven more shopping days until Christmas. Minonk merchants' shelves are loaded with high quality and reasonably priced Christmas merchandise, but don't wait until the last minute.
Dec. 18: "Back on the Map" promotional campaign after the first of the year. It will be a special celebration on the occasion of the opening of the newly repaved Route 51, north out of Minonk. The promotion will include a great deal of advertising and the 13 week program in which the donating merchants will give away a sizable cash prize every Saturday night.
The Santa Claus from the Princess Sweet Shop visited all the Minonk schools Tuesday and distributed treats to the children and their teachers.
Dec. 25: The massed voices of more than 500 Minonk and Dana grade and high school students presented a Christmas choral festival at the gym Monday night before a full capacity crowd. Miss Janet von Soosten is the vocal music instructor.
The annual Christmas band concert of the Minonk-Dana band was present at the high school gym Sunday under the direction of Donald Smith.
The Minonk community choir, under the direction of Miss Janet von Soosten, gave a sacred Christmas program at the Presbyterian church last Sunday afternoon.
Downtown Minonk merchants with advertisements in the December 25th, 1952, issue of the Minonk News-Dispatch include: The Chocolate Shop, Bud's Royal Blue Store, Vissering's Super Market, Cicciarelli Hardware, Schmidt Drug Store, A&P Store, Hayes Drug Store, Princess Sweet Shop, Van Doren Jewelry, Meierhofer Clothing, Kroger, Gamble Store, Taylor Radio and Appliances, Hewitt's Firestone Store, Gay Day Dress Shop, Chicago Butchers, Leslie's Shoes, Minonk Cleaners, Leiken Motor Sales, Gardener Hatchery, and Kent Lumber and Coal Co.