Peekin' into the Past

Five Years Ago — April 9, 2015

A room full of concerned community members, parents and child care professionals discussed the need for additional child care options in Holyoke at a community meeting March 31. While it’s clear there is a need, it’s still unclear how to address that need.

Holyoke High School senior Luke Stewart, son of Troy and Mardi Stewart, was recently awarded the Daniels Scholarship. He is one of 239 new Daniels scholars to be selected from the rigorous application, interview and selection process.

Holyoke Police Department is back up to full force as of April 6 when it welcomed Mark Werts to its ranks as a senior officer.

Ten Years Ago — April 8, 2010

St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Amherst will celebrate its 100th anniversary April 11. The church used now was built in 1931. The original building still sits just to the north and was used as a school until 1957.

A resolution extending the moratorium on the review of applications for medical marijuana dispensaries within the city of Holyoke was adopted at the April 5 city council meeting. Council members voted to extend the moratorium, previously established to expire July 20, up and through Jan. 20, 2011.

Twenty-Five Years Ago — April 13, 1995

Most of the discussion at the April 4 Holyoke City Council meeting centered around options for repairing or replacing the tennis courts at City Park. Responding to a request by Holyoke’s Parks, Recreation and Pool Committee, tennis enthusiast Thad Scholl presented council members with information on various methods of tennis court repair and their costs.

Snow received Sunday and Monday was the second major snowstorm to hit the area in two weeks. According to official weather reporter Dale Anderson, 8 inches of snow fell during the two weeks.

Fifty Years Ago — April 9, 1970

Swedish Medical Center in Lakewood has become the first big hospital in the Denver metropolis area to accept osteopaths to its medical staff. Dr. William Jobe, Swedish Medical staff president, said the change is one of several forward-looking moves by Swedish in an attempt to provide better medical care for the entire community.

Dr. Myrlen Chesnut and Dr. Frank Roark administered the new rubella (German measles) vaccine to approximately 382 preschoolers and kindergarten children through sixth grade students at the clinic held in the grade school gym Tuesday. The countywide immunization effort was conducted in hopes of saving mothers from exposure to the disease and preventing future births of children with multiple abnormalities. The vaccine was furnished free by the Colorado Department of Health.

Seventy-Five Years Ago — April 12, 1945

One of the most important projects arising out of the war is the current National Clothing Collection which is being organized in every state and presumably  in every community for the purpose of collecting unused and surplus clothing and clothing materials which may be worn by the peoples of war-ridden countries. The principal collection day will be April 24 in Holyoke, and the American Legion Hall will be the assembly and sorting place.

A large barn burned to the ground Monday on the ranch known as the O’Connor Ranch, 12 miles southeast of Holyoke, after children had started a fire in the building with matches. The ranch is owned by the Waters family, who was able to get the livestock and a saddle out of the building. The hay and stacking machinery which were stored in the barn were destroyed.

Residents of Phillips County can supply enough waste paper for 16,483 “suits of armor” for 105 mm shells if they will buckle down and save an average of 10 pounds of newspapers, wrapping paper and boxes for a month. For each ammunition container, or “paper suit of armor,” used to protect the shells from salt, water, dents, nicks and corrosive dirt, approximately 3 pounds of waste paper is required.

Samuel Norton of Sterling is now official manager of the Holyoke Municipal Airport and is in charge of instruction in flying. Those interested in learning to fly in this community should contact Mr. Norton.