Each week, we’ll bring you a selection of notable stories that happened this week in Dayton history, chronicled by the same newspaper that continues to serve the community today.
Here are some headlines from the week of Feb. 1-7, 1976.
Feb. 1, 1976: NCR headquarters goes for top efficiency
In the time of recession and soaring construction costs, not many corporate headquarters were being built in 1976. Two were going up in Dayton, however — the NCR World Headquarters in Old River Lagoon and the Mead Tower downtown.
The NCR Corp. building was to cost only about three-fourths as much as other corporate structures its size. That was because a fast-track construction system was being used.
Faced with rapidly rising costs and a long lead time for steel in 1974, NCR turned to the more economical and immediately obtainable pre-cast concrete structural column, beam and floor systems manufactured by Dayton’s Price Bros. Co. That type of construction could be accomplished in bad weather, another advantage.
The result was a massive 200,000-square-foot building of five floors and a basement, shaped a lot like the bridge of a World War II battleship. The building had a functional beauty, looping around groves of maple and sycamore trees, preserving the natural beauty of the site.
The building was rising on an island, described by Larry A. Anderson, partner in the architect firm that designed the structure, as “possibly the most unique site in the city of Dayton.”
The exterior of the building featured double-pane bronze reflecting glass set off by red quarry tile. The special PPG insulating glass, the second installation of its type in the country, was designed to reduce heat gain in the summer and heat loss in the winter.
William S. Anderson, chairman and president of NCR, wanted a structure reflecting an aggressive, forward-thinking organization while achieving efficient, effective use of space. The old headquarters building that was to be replaced was 70 years old and not completely air conditioned.
The new World Headquarters, designed initially for 750 people, was mostly open space, allowing uniform air conditioning and lighting systems. It was to be possible for an employee to stand at his desk and survey an office expanse as large as a football field.
There were to be seven elevators, an auditorium seating 150 on the first floor, two conference rooms per floor and a dining area that could accommodate 650 people at one time.
A glass arcade walkway ran along the back of the building, and from the front of the building occupants could see the city’s skyline and University of Dayton Arena.
Feb. 2, 1976: Is a microwave in your future? What it will do — and not do
In 1975, one out of every five cooking appliances sold was a microwave oven. And the “mysteries” of this wonder-of-the-kitchen had an increasing number of consumers wondering if is worth an investment of several hundred dollars.
To help curious consumers know more about microwave ovens, the newspaper published a story about some things microwaves would do and some things they wouldn’t do.
First, a microwave oven wouldn’t replace a kitchen range. “People think of using it for a whole menu, but you really can’t do that with a microwave oven. It’s another kitchen appliance, not a range,” explained Virginia Stacey, local home economist at Frigidaire.
It was written that a microwave cooks food in up to 75 percent less time than the time needed to cook it in a conventional range. For instance, a 20-pound turkey is done in about 2 hours compared to 7 hours of roasting in a regular oven.
In addition to speed, there were also other advantages to this way of cooking. You can use glass, paper, china and heavy-duty plastic containers for cooking in a microwave oven. It was reported that even food in plastic wraps could be in the oven for a short time. So can food in a straw basket—buns in a basket, for instance.
Never before had timing been so important in cooking than when using a microwave-oven, emphasized experts. Overcooking by mis-timing meant it was almost impossible to rescue food. It cooks so fast! Yet, under-cooked food could always be popped back into the oven for a few seconds or more.
For more answers to questions about microwave ovens, home economists were available at Frigidaire’s Winters Lobby kitchen weekdays to demonstrate its use.
And, Dayton Power and Light Company home economists, who also use microwave ovens regularly, were available to answer questions about using these ovens. New owners of the ovens could also call for a home visit to learn more about the care and use of the oven as a free service.
Feb. 3, 1976: Salt Walther sponsored, set for Daytona 500
The first time Salt Walther stood at the base of the 31-degree turn at Daytona International Speedway and looked up, the top towered as majestically as Pikes Peak.
In 1976, however, the top didn’t look as high and unnerving. He had been there and liked the view.
Until 1975, Salt had never driven in a stock car. Before the season was over, he qualified for Michigan, Daytona and Talladega.
In his Daytona International Raceway debut in 1975, Walther blew an engine in practice, but later qualified 24th for NASCAR’s Coke Zero 400.
Running as high as seventh, Walther exited after 62 laps with a broken water pump.
In 1976, the 28-year-old Indianapolis 500 veteran left for the Daytona 500 with new sponsorship from one of the nation’s leading Cessna dealers, and an air of optimism.
He had planned more races, but their schedule was cut short as a result of injuries from a Talladega crash. A broken fan belt punctured the radiator, causing Walther to skid in his own water.
Since then, his car had been completely rebuilt and updated to conform to the latest NASCAR Grand National specifications. “It cost $10,000-$12,000 to get it ready for this year,” said Walther.
Salt finished 12th in the Daytona 500 that year, and continued to call Trotwood home until his death in 2012.
Feb. 4, 1976: ‘Mini-mall’ planned: Federation Theater target in Xenia Ave. project
Plans were underway in 1976 to turn the then 48-year-old Federation Theater at 328 Xenia Ave. into a “mini-mall.”
Sherwood (Woody) Manuel, chairman of the Neighborhood Development Council of the Southeast Priority Board, said the project would be a big step toward a number of improvements in the Xenia Ave. area.
At a community meeting held at St. Mary’s Church, across from the block-long Federation building, “there were no negative responses,” according to Manuel.
Manuel said plans called for turning the 700-seat theater, which had been closed for some years, into a shopping mall with room for six shops downstairs and six offices above.
The plans also called for sprucing up the exterior of the building, and acquiring half of Noel Court, a service street behind the building, for additional parking space. The service street would be made one-way.
Feb. 4, 1976: DeWine seeks prosecutor job
In 1976, long before he was the Governor of Ohio, Mike DeWine was seeking the office of Greene County Prosecutor.
DeWine, who accused then Greene County Prosecutor Nicholas Carrera, a Democrat, of “bugging” his office when he was an assistant prosecutor, was after Carrera’s job.
DeWine announced he was seeking the Republican nomination in the June 8 primary for the prosecutor post.
It was expected to be one of the hottest political battles in the county.
DeWine said he was running because there was a “loss of respect for the law in our county.”
DeWine was a partner in the law firm of DeWine & Rose in Xenia at the time.
“We must restore basic respect for the law if we are to have any serious chance of solving the crime problem,” he said.
DeWine served as assistant prosecutor for two years. He resigned after he charged Carrera with planting a listening device in his office. The bug was alleged to have been planted in a dictation machine.
“In my judgment, the prosecutor must set an example by his commitment to the basic principles of morality and common decency which form the basis of our law,” he said.
DeWine went on to win the election, receiving 27,356 votes to Carrera’s 15,178.
Feb. 7, 1976: Thomas Cloud’s death leaves county business adrift
The man for whom Thomas Cloud park in Huber Heights is named for died in 1976.
Montgomery County commissioners were shocked by the death of Administrator Thomas A. Cloud, and planned to meet to decide how to keep county government operating until a replacement could be found.
Cloud, 41, was the third administrator in Montgomery County government’s history. He was stricken by an apparent heart attack while at a luncheon meeting with three other local government and business figures.
Cloud had been administrator only since Dec. 1, when he resigned his elected commission seat for the higher paying — $31,000 compared to $20,000 a year — appointed post.
Dudley P. Kircher, director of the Greater Dayton Chamber of Commerce, found Cloud at about 1:45 slumped over unconscious in the men’s room of the plush Racquet Club restaurant on the 29th floor of the Winters Bank Tower in downtown Dayton.
Cloud had met with Kircher, Dayton city manager James A. Alloway and Dayton Power & Light board director Robert Killen to discuss reviving plans to build a combination city-county courts building.
Kircher said that while eating his salad, Cloud got up, excused himself and went to the men’s room. When he failed to return after about 15 minutes, Kircher and Don Wilson, maitre d’ at the restaurant, found him.
“Someone had asked him a question and he said, ‘Jim (Alloway), why don’t you deal with that,’” Kircher said. “He never came back.”
Cloud had been the target of a resolution passed by county commissioners joking about his weight. Several news stories followed along the same line, apparently angering Cloud, who said his weight has been “a lifelong struggle with me.”
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