When I visited Chino’s delightful Cock-a-Doodle for lunch last year before writing about the restaurant’s 50th anniversary, I marveled at the vintage calendars papering the walls in the hallway outside the restrooms. They’re obviously not original to the ‘Doodle since most predate its existence.

Here’s a note from reader Toni Bagley about the calendars:

“At the Cock-a-Doodle Restaurant on Central Ave. in Chino, there are a ton of calendars on the wall. We are all so curious about them! They are small (maybe 7″x9”) annual calendars starting in 1926 going through 1961. A few years are missing, but not many. They were provided by a business called Soper Bros. It appears that Soper Bros. sold most anything farm or house related.

“The calendars are covered with pencil notations. Most curious are certain ‘holidays’ or ‘events’ that no one understands. One is ‘Ember Day,’ and another is ‘Rogation Day.’ What do these things mean?

“I’ve lived here 30+ years, but haven’t run across anyone who can explain the history of the calendars. They’re a real ‘show-stopper’ as you are waiting to get into the Ladies Room! Well, they don’t ‘stop’ anything (!), but they are an attraction.

“Thanks for delving into this, David. Also, while you’re there, delve into the biscuits and gravy!”

Anyone know the story behind the calendars being there (I’m guessing they were donated), the history of Soper Bros. or what Rogation Day or Ember Day would refer to?