EDITORIAL
Sunday, April 6, 2008
MOMENTS IN TIME
The History Channel
e On April 7,1776, Navy Captain John Barry, commander of the
American warship Lexington, makes the first American naval capture
of a British vessel when he takes command of the British warship
HMS Edward off the coast of Virginia.
e On April 11,1917, composer Scott Joplin, the “King of Ragtime,”
dies in New York City. His “Maple Leaf Rag" of 1899 launched a na-
tional craze for ragtime music, and he composed many other popular
ragtime songs, including “The Entertainer.”
* On April 9,1939, black contralto Marian Anderson gives a free
open-air concert at the Lincoln Memorial. She had been scheduled to
sing at Washington's Constitution Hall, but the Daughters of the
American Revolution denied her the right to perform because of her
race. :
e On April 12,1954, Bill Haley and his band, the Comets, record
“Rock Around the Clock.” Two years later the song became a hit
when it was used as a theme for the movie “Blackboard Jungle,”
becoming the first rock 'n’ roll song to reach No.1.
e On April 10,1963, the USS Thresher, an atomic submarine, sinks
in the Atlantic Ocean, killing its entire crew. One hundred and twenty-
nine sailors and civilians were lost when the sub unexpectedly
plunged to the sea floor 300 miles off the coast of New England.
® On April 13,1970, disaster strikes 200,000 miles from Earth when
oxygen tank No. 2 blows up on Apollo 13, the third manned lunar
landing mission. Mission commander Lovell reported to mission
control on Earth: “Houston, we've had a problem here."
e On April 8,1990, director David Lynch's surreal series, “Twin
Peaks,” premieres. The show, with its bizarre characters and baffling
story line, became an instant cult hit. Kyle MacLachlan starred as
Dale Cooper, an FBI agent assigned to visit a small town in the Pacific
Northwest to try to unravel the mystery of the murder of resident
Laura Palmer.
KIDS CAN HELP MAKE QUILT
| Lo L
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Be a part of auction history by attending a special, first-time
event to learn about the Back Mountain Memorial Auction and
to color swatches of fabric that will be incorporated into a col-
orful children’s quilt to be auctioned on the block this summer.
This special children's program is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. on
Wednesday, April 23, in the Children’s Room of the library and is
geared to children in grades kindergarten through fifth grade.
Lois Noble, above right, a talented quilter in the Back Moun-
tain, has volunteered her time and creativity to transform the
colored squares of fabric into a beautiful quilt. Each child who
participates will have his or her name sewn under the colored
picture on the quilt. The finished quilt will then be auctioned on
the block during the 62nd Annual Auction scheduled for July 10,
1,12 and 13 of this year.
Clarence Michael, above left, auction chairman, will be on
hand to read to the children and long-time auction volunteer
Ernie Ashbridge will talk to the children about why the auction is
held, how it works and some of the items that where auctioned
years ago. Mrs. Noble will then have the children select a picture
on fabric they would like to color and become part of the quilt.
The finished quilt will be on display in the library before the
auction so that all participants will be able to view it or have their
picture taken by it before the auction. Children who would like to
take part in the making of the quilt are asked to register by call-
ing the library at 675-182.
STRANGE BUT TRUE
By Samantha Weaver
* In the small Asian country of Bhutan, nestled in the mountains
between China and India, there was no access to TV until 1999, and
the capital city (if you can call it a city) still has not a single traffic
light.
* |t was Rwandan humanitarian leader Paul Rusesabagina who
made the following sage observation: “There is no greater gift to an
insecure leader that quite matches a vague enemy who can be used
to whip up fear and hatred among the population.”
* Other than the fact that they were all famous writers, what did
Charles Dickens, Edgar Allen Poe, Mark Twain, Louisa May Alcott,
James A. Michener and Leo Tolstoy have in common? They were all
adopted.
* The medical journal Pediatrics conducted a study of 38 animat-
ed films, including “Sleeping Beauty,” “Dumbo,” “Beauty and the
Beast,” “Pinocchio,” “Fantasia” and “Peter Pan" and its finding were
somewhat surprising for films created for children. The films studied
showed an average of 42 seconds of alcohol use.
* |f you live in the South, you're very familiar with that plant
known as Spanish moss. You might not realize, though, that it didn't
come from Spain, and it's not even a moss. In fact, Spanish moss is
closely related to the pineapple.
* You may not have realized it, but record producer, musical ar-
ranger and Academy Award-winning film composer and trumpeter
Quincy Jones has a somewhat unusual middle name: Delight.
& ®
BEAST
Jack Turner is a six-month-old
créme miniature Dachshund who
is ready for Trick or Treat in this
photo. Jack belongs to Katie
Ruiz, of Forty Fort, but visits Ka-
tie's grandparents, Ann and Jo-
seph Dunn, of Second Street in
Harveys Lake. :
SUBMITTED PHOTO
SHARE YOUR PET PICTURES WITH OUR READERS
Who's your best friend? If your very best friend in the whole wide world is your pet, we want to know about it.
Send us a picture of your pet - whether it be a lovable puppy, a slimy iguana or a parrot with an extensive vocabulary - and we'll share it with
readers of The Dallas Post.
Tell us your name and address, your pet's name, his or her age, his or her breed and anything else you'd like everyone to know about your
pet. Be sure to include your telephone number in the event we have questions.
Send everything to "Man and Beast," c/o The Dallas Post, 15 N. Main St., Wilkes-Barre, PA 1871 or e-mail the picture to us at news@mydal-
laspost.com.
If you send a picture and would like to have it returned, be sure to include a self-addressed/stamped envelope.
We'll publish the pictures in the order in which we receive them.
Visit other countries without leaving Back Mountain
We all look forward to getting away and
making travel plans, but if your vacation is
still too far in the future, the Back Mountain
Memorial Library may have a solution. We
even have a way for you to “visit” another
country without leaving the Back Moun-
tain.
You are invited to join us on a mystical
trip to Ireland as the library presents an Eve-
ning of Irish Storytelling at 7 p.m. on
Wednesday, April 9. Richard Marsh from
Dublin, Ireland will entertain us here at the
Back Mountain Memorial Library, veiled by
dimmed lighting, with his authentic Irish
tales of myths, legends and international
stories.
Richard is a member of the Dublin Yarn-
spinners and Storytellers of Ireland. His per-
formance receives rave reviews as he travels
throughout several countries performing a
variety of Irish legends.
Admission and light Irish-themed refresh-
ments are free, however, pre-registration is
requested. Please call 675-1182 for more de-
tails.
Luncheon with a Special Author
There is another type of travel that many
of us take for granted...the difficulty of im-
migration.
~The Friends of the Back Mountain Memo-
rial
Library cordially invite you to the 20th an-
nual “Luncheon With a Special Author”
which will be a discussion of this very topic.
The luncheon, which be held at 11 a.m. on
Thursday, April 17, at the Appletree Terrace
at Newberry Estates will feature speaker,
author and entrepreneur Sanford J. Ungar
who will discuss his book, “Fresh Blood -
The New American Immigrants.”
Mr. Ungar has been the host of several
programs on National Public Radio, includ-
ing the award winning “All Things Consid-
ered.” He has spoken frequently around the
United States and other countries on issues
of American foreign policy, domestic poli-
tics, free expression, human rights and im-
migration.
The cost for the luncheon is $23 and must
be paid at the time a reservation is made. It
is requested that reservations be placed at
the library by April 7.
Babysitting course offered
As anyone who travels (or just wants an
occasional night out on the town) knows, if
you have children, you need a babysitt
And if you have a pre-teen or teenager, th&”
need to start earning money now for their
summer trips.
With this is mind; the Back Mountain Me-
morial Library is once again offering its pop-
ular American Red Cross Babysitting
course. Because last month’s program was
filled, we are holding another class from 10
a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 26.
The cost is $40 and must be paid at the
time of registration. All reservations and
monies must be paid to the library by 8:30
p.m. on Wednesday, April 23.
Keep our ‘Wish List’ in mind
And lastly, while you are out and about in
your travels, please keep the library’s “Wish
List” in the back of your mind. We are look-
ing for someone who would be willing to
repair and seal our parking lot blacktop with
a coating... as a donation to the library. We
are also wishing for a small wooden, narrow,
Jelly-Jar style cabinet for use in our Commu-
nity Room kitchen. |
If you can help us with either of these
items, please contact the library at 675-1182.
The Dallas Post
Community Newspaper Group
THE TIMES LEADER
15 N. Main St., Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18711 ® 570-970-7440
news@mydallaspost.com
Richard L. Connor Dotty Martin
PUBLISHER EDITOR
829-7202 970-7440
rconnor@timesleader.com dmartin@mydallaspost.com
Christie Delicati
ADVERTISING
970-7111
cdelicati@timesleader.com
70 YEARS
AGO
To show
A judge Ar-
J} thur James
that Dallas
and its vi-
cinity are
behind his
candidacy for Governor of Penn-
sylvania, a group of local men
donned straw hats and overalls,
climbed aboard Judge Bulford’s
hayrig and, to the accompani-
ment of fiddle and accordian, pa-
raded in Plymouth’s Old Home
Night celebration, in honor of
Judge James, last Wednesday
night.
Scholastic, a national school
magazine published in Pitts-
burgh, printed a poem by Jane
LeGrand of Dallas High School
in its current issue. Miss Le-
Grand is the girl who won the
Luzerne County Oratorical Con-
test for girls last week.
YESTERDAY
60 YEARS AGO
Harvey;s Lake will have a new
drive-in motion picture theatre
that will accommodate 500 auto-
mobiles and 300 seated patrons
according to an announcement
made by Sam Slomowitz, a
Wilkes-Barre grocer who has
purchased approximately 785
feet of Sandy Beach from Marga-
ret Pugh of Edwardsville. The
purchase price was not dis-
closed.
T.R. Jones, of Shavertown,
forecaster for Wyoming Valley
Chamber of Commerce for the
last year, has been named Forest-
ry Educational Supervisor of the
Pennsylvania Department of
Forest and Waters.
An old and new hat show will
be the feature of the meeting of
the Dallas Junior Woman's Club
Tuesday night at Lundy’s. Mrs.
Alva Eggleston, first vice presi-
dent of the club, is in charge.
Models will be: Lois London,
Eleanor Montross, Janet Nash, .
Audrey Rogers, Adria Jones, Be-
tty Varker, Roberts Yeisley, Julia
Richards, Bettyanne Clark and
Alice Stevens.
50 YEARS AGO
Months of planning and con-
struction will have their culmi-
nation next Wednesday night
when the Miner’s National Bank
in Dallas plays host to the Back
Mountain community at an in-
formal house warming from 6
until 8 p.m. to permit leisurely
inspection of its enlarged bank-
ing quarters. There will be spe-
cial music and an opportunity
for fellowship.
At Lehman Fire Hall Wednes-
day evening under guidance of
Mrs. T. Stuart Williams, presi-
dent of Luzerne County Federat-
ed Women’s Clubs, and Mrs. Fay
E. Hopkins, the Lehman Wom-
an’s Club was organized. By-laws
were adopted and the following
officers elected: Mrs. Sherry
Nulton, president; Mrs. John
Chesnovitch, first vice presi-
dent; Mrs. Herbert Kemmerer,
second vice president; Mrs. Carl
Graham, recording secretary;
Jane Cave, treasurer; and Mrs.
H. Clinton Meyers, correspond-
ing secretary.
Winner of the Barton’s Way-
side Furniture first prize in the
Easter coloring contest was Eu-
nice Oney, daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Elwood Oney of Harvey’s
Lake, who was awarded a beauti-
ful RCA record player in the
twelve-year old competition. In
the eleven and twelve-year old
class, the huge chocolate rabbit
went to Linda Gail Davies,
daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Carlton
Davies, Machell Avenue.
40 YEARS AGO
The 41st Anniversary of the
founding of the Dallas Rotary
Club was observed on Thursday
at Irem Temple Country Club.
The highlight of the program
was the comments by Jack Stan-
ley as he gave the past history of
the Rotarian who was honored.
After he told that this Rotarian
once wrestled two men at the
same time, everyone knew it
could only be Red Ambrose. The
award Red received was a trophy
with the figure of a wrestler. The
inscription read: “The Dallas Ro-
tary Club proudly honors Fran-
cis L. Ambrose for his many un-
selfish club and community ac-
tivities.”
Dick Williams was named
Man of the Year by the Harvey’s
Lake American Legion. He will
be honored at a dinner at Casey’s
Hill Top Inn, Warden Place, to-
night. Dick, who has been a life
long resident of Harvey’s Lake,
has been recognized for his tre-
mendous civic work in the com-
munity. Among other accom-
plishments, he is Fire Chief of
Daniel C. Robert Fire Co., Fire
Inspector for the new Harvey’s
Lake Borough and chairman of
the Planning and Zoning Com-
mission.
30 YEARS AGO
Members of Trumpet Quartet
of the Lake-Lehman Symphonic
Band will be featured at the
band’s concert to be held in the
high school auditorium this Fri-
day and Saturday evenings. Ma-
ry Sue Rish, Gary Tough, Dan
Long and Doug Nichols will lead
the concert.
Lisa Lutsik, Lori Gaylord,
Gayle Kirk, Julie Durkin and Ali-
son Davis, all students at Dallas
Senior High School, are making
final preparations for the
school’s production of “Anything
Goes” which will be presented
this weekend in the school audi-
torium. Musical director is Mrs.
Florence Sherwood.
Mrs. Rena Rothschild, chair-
man of the 1978 Back Mountain
Memorial Library Auction,
nounced that Jay Borton and RF
rold “Sonny” Smith will serve as
her co-chairmen for this year’s
auction. The dates for this year’s
auction are July 7, 8 and 9 and
area residents are asked to keep
the auction in mind as they do
their spring cleaning. ;
20 YEARS AGO
Soon the countryside will be
glowing with the fresh colors of
spring flowers. But only if the
hardy little plants can force their
shoots up through the blanket of
roadside litter that has accumu-
lated over the winter months.
The Pennsylvania Department
of Transportation is again work-
ing to make the area litter-free by
heading up the annual “KEEP
AMERICA BEAUTIFUL” cam-
paign.
“They called my name...I was
surprised, stunned really, and at
first, I couldn’t move. The other
four girls motioned to me to
come over with them. Someone
crowned me but I didn’t remem-
ber who it was at the time,” said
Judy Fitch Monday afternoon at
her home, two days after she was
crowned Miss Wilkes-Barre-
Scranton in the pageant held at
the FM. Kirby Center for the
Performing Arts. The 20-year
old blue-eyed blonde, daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Fitch, Jr,
of Dallas, said she entered @
pageant hoping to win the schol-
arship and for the added experi-
ence she hoped to gain and did.
Judy will move on to the Miss
Pennsylvania Pageant.
Information for “Only Yester-
day” is taken from past issues of
The Dallas Post, which is 119
vears old. The information is
printed here exactly as it ap-
peared in the newspaper vears
ago.
r