Do You Remember The Rosman Rocket?

Last week Picturing the Past featured a scrapbook and photograph album created by Selma Morgan when she was a student at Rosman High School in the late 1920’s and early 1930’s.  Along with those items from Miss Morgan’s school days was a copy of “The Rosman Rocket” dated April 18, 1930. 

1929-30 Rosman High School girls' basketball team.

Rosman High School did not have a yearbook until the late 1940s.  “The Rosman Rocket” appears to be an annual publication for the purpose of commemorating the past year.  It cost 25 cents, which would have been the equivalent of about $3.70 today.  School news, photographs of the boys’ and girls’ basketball teams, alumni updates, the upcoming graduation exercises schedule and general articles were featured in the publication.

In addition, there were numerous business advertisements to helped cover the cost.  About half of these were from Rosman merchants.  In 1930, when the town population was 484, Rosman had a variety of businesses.  The Rosman Extract Plant and Gloucester Lumber provided jobs and helped support a busy commercial district. 

Advertisers of groceries and general merchandise included stores owned by D.L. Glazener, James Glazener, Dewey Winchester, Berlie White and Walter Whitmire, as well as the Gloucester Company Store and Rosman Cash & Carry.  Other businesses represented were Mrs. Nath Galloway’s dress shop, Arthur Pharr’s café, Rosman Drug, Rosman Hotel, Rosman Motor Company and Whitmire’s Barber Shop.  Walter Reece, an authorized dealer of Delco lights, pumps, batteries and radios had an ad in the publication. 

If you know more about “The Rosman Rocket” or have other issues please contact a staff member in the North Carolina Room at the Transylvania County Library.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. Visit the NC Room during regular library hours (Monday-Friday) to learn more about our history and see additional photographs. For more information, comments, or suggestions contact Marcy at marcy.thompson@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.