TimesLeader.com

Peeking into the past

February 22

St. John’s girls b-ball team no. one in ‘76

With Joanne Dahms Dispatch Intern

Question of the Week: Who owned the First Auto in Dupont? What Year ?

53 years ago – 1956

The Junior Catholic Daughters assumed control of Pittston City Hall Saturday morning. The front page of The Sunday Dispatch, February 26, 1956 featured four girls taking on city government jobs for a day. Mayor for the day was Frances Marinetti (Dupont);

Police Chief was Karen Keenan (Pittston); Treasurer was Mary Murphy (Pittston); and City Clerks were Jackie Leonard and Patricia Scoda (Pittston).

High school seniors were counting down the 45 days to graduation. Some senior career choices and predictions were: Avoca - Sally George – nurse- prediction – to be the Head Nurse at a Naval Hospital. Mary Janet Gilroy – business college – prediction – to be the tallest secretary in the office. John Golden – Air Force – prediction – to be the President of a bus company.

Hughestown – Elli Frati – to be a nurse. Pittston Twp.- Paul Lombardo – to enter business with his father. Andrea Lori – to have a career as a singer and a dancer. Joseph Spiccioli – Marines. Exeter - Anne Folmer – nurse. Amelia Ninassi – to go into business for herself

In the 50s each high school had two reporters who sniffed around their high schools for school happenings. The results were what high school students might be text- messaging today. Any of this sound familiar? Betty Ann’s new haircut…Louis’ watch…JoAnn’s diamond…Jackie’s new girlfriend…Joey’s pink shirt…Earl has a crew cut…Len just can’t make up his mind…Benny is daydreaming again...Jimmie’s sporting suede loafers…Billy’s flat top is grand…The only way Step will get a driver’s license is by finding it in a Cracker Jax box…Why is Jim allergic to the name Margo recently…Marie has a picture of James Dean on her locker door…Lynn started a fad with her swordpins from Florida…Red trying to get a picture out of a certain wallet…

An area Mom wrote to the editor asking him to write an editorial about school dances during Lent at the YMCA.

“Editor, I do wish you would put in a word about stopping the dances at the Y during Lent. I know that Lent is seven weeks (that’s seven Saturday night dances). I know that if the dances aren’t stopped, my son will go to them anyway – contrary to my regulations.”

43 years ago – 1966

A Brotherhood Service took place at Temple Aguidath AChim on Broad Street with all faiths represented.

James Richards, James Narvid and Furry DeRome were seniors on the last Pittston High basketball team. Louis Tribbet, Charles Turco, John Howley, Louis Loquasto, Daniel Slasi, Charles Graziano, Bill Howley, Bob Nanni, Edward Booth were under classmen. Bob Barbiere was the coach

The team and fans expressed great hope that the new Pittston Area High School would have a reasonable size gym. The current Pittston High gym was called a masterpiece in nonsensity. Pittston High basketball fans in the balcony were jammed behind a screen. When a player went in for a lay-up shot, his hand was above the bottom of the balcony. Everyone is anxiously awaiting the new design when the merger with Northeast is complete and the new gym opens.

Players for the last West Pittston Rams team were: Larry Ditoro, Ed Burke, John Williamson, Mike Sepsick, Mike Aquilina, Steve Williams, Jim Devers, Tom Billenge, Anthony Salerno, Billy Langan, Robert DePasquale.

The last Exeter Maroon and Gold Panthers: Dave Supeys, Jim Snyder, Joe Monka, Fred Cicacci, Michael Cassetori, John Chmarney, George Bunes, Bill Yurkon and Tom Sadowski.

Support was asked for the Chamber of Commerce’s 1966 Industrial Fund Drive. The Industrial fund for luring new businesses started in the days when coal, the region’s major industry, was a fading business. There was a day when Pittston was literally “on its ear” economically. The goal of the Industrial Fund was to get people back on the payroll. To accomplish this many new plants were invited to the area:

Topps Chewing Gum, Atlas Chain and Cable, Lasko Metal, Celotex, Swanee Paper, Garwood, T.P. Printing, Wipco Corp., Intercities Distributing and Packing.

Diskay Discount Mart hosted Monday night specials for shopping in town on Monday nights.

Dupont Borough Council passed the ordinance for Cable TV in Dupont. 1,000 residents signed a petition to oppose it. Eddie Twardowski was President of Council. Barney Snopkowski was the President of the Dupont Taxpayers Association. Dupont was the only town where there was a complaint about Cable TV.

Cas Kizis, Jr. became a fourth generation funeral director.

Walter Sefjack journeyed 11,000 miles from Brisbane, Australia, to be at the bedside of his critically ill mother. Sefjack entered the service in 1940 and arrived in New Guinea with the 1st Evacuation Hospital. He served as Assistant Adjunct of Officers Training School, Brisbane, Australia. He was affiliated with Massey and Ferguson – dealers in agricultural equipment.

While in the area, he visited with Duryea Mayor John Salek, his classmate from the 1940 graduating class of Duryea High School.

Madras bags were the craze at the Gilded Cage Gift Shop. Perms cost $6 at Gerald’s Hair Fashion. Be a two TV family – Radio City advertised portable TV sets for $129.88.

Ten lbs. of potatoes cost 39 cents and four cans of tuna cost $1 at Detato’s Super Market. Grablick’s advertised pineapple cream cottage cheese for Lenten meals.

33 years ago – 1976

Jamy B., proud mother of 15 Irish Setter pups, rested after a 20 hour delivery. Owners Ed and Elaine Brennan gave a helping hand by bottle feeding half while Mom took care of the others. All pups were AKC registered,.

54 Pittston Area High School students attained a perfect 4.0 average for the second marking period.

Nardone’s Restaurant advertised old fashioned home cooking at modest prices – homemade soup (made fresh daily) and a sandwich for $1.25.

NE Cable expanded its programming to offer 12 channels to its subscribers.

Men were sporting leisure suits - $24.95 at Main Pants.

Parishoners of St. John the Baptist were planning a testimonial to honor their pastor, Father Super, for his 25th anniversary to the priesthood. He was born in Czechoslovakia and arrived in the US at the age of 5.

Two Kulik sisters from Harding Street in Dupont announced their engagement. Patty to be married in May and Susan to be married in July. Both graduated from Marywood College.

Pittston Area had an Ecology Club under the direction of Jack Tetlak. One of their activities was collecting paper for recycling.

Judge Pierantoni was a senior at PA and in his senior interview he stated that he plans to be a lawyer. His favorite saying in 1976 was, “Give me a break.”

Dupont VFW Post 4909 had a youth group. Ed Zielinski was chairman of the group. He was assisted by: Joe Brostock, Francis Timek, August Rodala, Peter Lazowsky, Paul Vargo, Joe Casper, George Cerulla, Stanley Cwiek, and Frank Konicki. Programs offered to the youth included: “Lite a Bike,” “Voice of Democrats Contest,” “Buddy Poppy Art Contest,” “Little League Team,” and “Christmas Party.”

Avoca’s operating costs kept skyrocketing mostly due to the price of utilities. The budget for 1976 was $200,000 with aid coming from the federal government via revenue sharing and reimbursements from the state.

17 Boy Scouts of Troop 302 in West Pittston attended the Polar Bear Weekend at Camp Acahela. Scouts participated in all types of winter events including camping outdoors in tents.

West Pittston increased parking tickets from $2 to $5 and decreased sweeping tickets from $2 to $1.

John Licata, Wyoming Seminary’s outstanding wrestler from Pittston, copped first place in his weight class at the Girard Bank Tournament in Philadelphia and walked off with trophies for Most Outstanding Wrestler of the Tournament and for Most Pins in the Least Time.

Distance Learning began as a new service from Penn State Worthington Scranton Campus. “Pennarama” could be accessed by cable subscribers for college and non-college credits. It offers courses daily from 9:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. and offers alternatives to television viewing by giving viewers the opportunity to enhance their education without having to go to a college campus,.

The Johnniettes were no. 1 again – the St. John’s girls basketball team copped their second consecutive championship title in the Wyoming Valley “B” Division. The local cagers slipped by the female Grenadiers of GAR 46-45 in the play off game. The game went basket to basket throughout the entire first period. Sue Brown scored 19 points; Maureen Finnerty, 10 points; Karen Mikita, 8 points, Anne Tierney, 4;the Pace sisters, 5; and Mary Kay Boos, 2.

St. John the Baptist won the Division II of Wyoming Valley Catholic 8th Grade Basketball. Wyoming Seminary captured first place in Division I. The play-off game will be March 7th at St. John the Evangelist gym.

Answer: John Benedict who operated a blacksmith shop at 606 Main Street drove the first car in 1896. Other pioneer residents prior to 1920s that owned gas automobiles: Strucke Family – 1912 Model T Ford; Peter Kulik – 1913 Maxwell; Guisseppi Iannuzo - Model T Ford Truck, and Maurice Keefe, Anthony Slezak, and Pete Lokuta. Pete Sefchik owned a Harley Davidson with a side car.