Eric Templeton of Howland found this photograph while going through a box of old family photos. He said the boy in the front row, second from right, is his father, Darl Templeton of Newton Falls, and estimates that the photo was taken about 1942. He is seeking information on what the event was.

Eric Templeton found the crinkled, black-and-white picture of kids with guitars while going through a box of family photographs. He recognized the boy in the front row as his father.

But names of the other players and the circumstances of the photo remain a mystery.

Templeton is asking Tribune Chronicle and The Vindicator readers to help him learn more about this aspect of his late father’s life.

“Hopefully, one of these kids is still alive and can share the complete story about the photo and the why, the when and the where of this event,” he said.

The photograph shows 34 dressed-up youths both seated and standing on risers. At least a dozen of them are holding guitars.

“My Dad, Darl Templeton, is the only boy sitting in the front row holding his guitar and seated second from far right. My Dad, who was born in 1933, appears to be about 9 years old, therefore this photo was taken circa 1942,” he said.

“My guess is that this photograph was taken in the studio of the early Warren Radio Station WRRN. The radio microphone, which is left to the center of this photograph, has the call letters WRRN,” Templeton said.

“I did a little online research and found that WRRN was active in Warren from 1941 to 1948. In 1948, Helen Hart Hurlbert, publisher of the Tribune, purchased this radio station and changed the call letters to WHHH, which reflected her initials.”

Darl Templeton moved to Newton Falls from Pennsylvania as a boy in 1940. He lived there until his passing in 1997.

The Army veteran was an ironworker who helped build the General Motors Corp. Lordstown Complex, Eric Templeton said.

“He applied for a job at the GM plant and was one of the first hired there in early April 1966 and worked there until he took an early retirement in 1987,” Templeton said.

Eric now lives in Howland. He and his brother Bob owned and operated Portage Resources Inc. for 30 years before selling it in 2015.

“I am going to donate the photo to the Warren Library, who has agreed to accept it into their archives.”

bcole@tribtoday.com