Jefferson County Online A part of the IAGenWeb and USGenWeb Projects The 'Madegood Family' Ronald C. Norman

"The Fairfield Daily Ledger"
Fairfield, Iowa
Tuesday, May 12, 1925
Front Page and Page 4

NO. 12--RONALD C. NORMAN

Move over a little there, you Isaac Walton chaps, and permit this stranger to sit with you and swap fish stories. Mr. Ronald C. Norman, gentlemen, late of Brigham Young's kingdom out in Utah, but now a resident of Fairfield and, by occupation, manager and part owner of the J. C. Penney store here. This picture was taken in his younger days; since then he has acquired a pair of rubber-tired glasses, which make him much more handsome.

No, Ronald C. doesn't belong in the Fairfield Madegood family--yet. But he's clamoring for admission and has credentials to prove his relationship. He was a member of that branch of the family which went west and settled in Utah, but he likes the Fairfield branch better and proposes to sit in the family councils here as soon as he has been here long enough to establish his identity. Came here from Utah only about six months ago. But don't get excited ladies, he brought only one of his wives with him.

Oh, yes, about the fish. First let it be made clear that the picture here presented does not portray an actual photograph, but was made from a description furnished by Ronald C. himself. You will note that he is a tall man, but, friends, he can gell a fish story taller than himself. Far be it from us to question the veracity of his fish stories--as a comparative stranger he is entitled to the courtesy of our confidence. But we must confess that some of his tales are-- well, amazing, not too startling or marvelous. Seems, according to his own statements, that is was a custom of Ronald C. to stroll out before breakfast, pick up any old long stick of wood he found handy, attach some triple-strength wrapping twine and a bent pin to the pole wander down to a stream and catch a fish or two something like the size we see here. Didn't need any bait; out in Utah--he says--fish like so well to be caught they just bite on the bare hook.

South Dakota had the honor of being the birthplace of Mr. Norman. But as his father's jewelry business didn't appeal much to him, and as he was young he decided to go to Utah where a good-looking chap ought to do pretty well in the manner of securing a wife, or wives. Soon as he got out of school he went to work for the Penney company out there and got so busy he never found time to consider the plural wife question. As they Penney store manager for eight or ten years he made so good that the company sent him to open the new store in Fairfield.

Now the J. C. Penney company has some queer ideas. They think that when a man has made good in one of their stores he is entitled to have a store of his own some place. So we find Ronald C. among us with a store in which he has a substantial interest. Also, the Penney company insists that store managers be a part of the community in which they live--take a part in public affairs, boost for and help build up the town and community, help along any worthy cause just the same as other business men of the town. So if any of you Home Guard chaps have any worthy project in hand for the good of the old town, just drop in and see Ronald C. same as the other business men.

You will gather from this that Ronald C. Norman rather feels himself at home here and wants to break into the elite Madegood society. Not that he wants you to take him on trust. No, the records of the old family Bible--or maybe 'tis the Penney store records--furnish ample proof that he is a blood relative of our own exclusive Madegoods. And the fact that his company places him in charge--absolute charge too, mind you--of one of its very important stores is something we have to take into consideration. His long experience with this company has made him Penney wise, but don't get the idea that he is pound foolish. Not Ronald C.

Don't know what Frank Cummings, Jack White, Fred Spielman and some of the others are going to do about welcoming this chap into the inner circle of the Isaac Walton club. Naturally, these fellows are going to be a bit envious of him, for his fish stories make their exploits sound tame. Also, he offers substantial proof of his stories. "If old Bill Carnes is still living I can prove the size of that fish by him," is the clinching argument he uses as a climax to his tales. Our local talent never offer any such corroborative testimony. Anyway, we're ready to welcome Mr. Ronald C. into our fair city as one of us, because he has already shown us that he proposes that he and his store shall be a part of the community, and he seems to be a pretty fine, upstanding sort of a chap. Piscatorially speaking, we feel somewhat more conservative. We will wait and see what he brings home from Oakland Mills. Also, we'll wait until we find the verdict the Isaac Walton's pass on him; if they accept him as a kindred spirit there's nothing more to be said, for our local fishermen will have nothing to do with a man who can't tell as big ones as they can.