First Posted: 3/10/2014
Question:
In 1989, for what themed event were residents asked to don their prettiest or most unusual hat?
1949 – 65 YEARS AGO
The State Department of Public Instruction recommended Pittston High School end half-day sessions, after receiving praise for its organization, maintenance and instruction policies. Junior pupils attended afternoon classes for four hours and 15 minutes while senior pupils grades 10 to 12 attended a four hour and 45- morning session. Abbreviated sessions were put in to effect 18 years earlier due to the overwhelming enrollment that numbered over 1,000 juniors alone. A study was recommended by a representative of the department to decide whether existing school buildings had enough classrooms and resources to allow all students a full 6-hour day.
Hoping to give teenagers a place to gather, Chester Swantkowski, Joseph Lapinsky, John Grabowski, Joseph Wasta, John Loughney, Anthony Bulavich and Joseph Cherky, officers of the Brennan-Regan American Legion Post 585 in Duryea petitioned the Liquor Control Board to ease sanctions in order to conduct a “Teenage Night.” State law forbids establishments holding liquor licenses to accommodate teens. Determined, Legion officials devised a way to isolate the bar from the area in which the teens would conduct, dances, movies and game night. Teachers volunteered to chaperone.
In 1949, it was written in the Sunday Dispatch, “It has been a goodly number of years since the Irish of Greater Pittston held a parade. Many of us have never had the pleasure of witnessing these marching creations of Irish descendents and the old timers tell us, we really missed something.”
It was reported in the “Town Topics” column of the Sunday Dispatch, “This is where your money goes. It costs the city schools $200 monthly for electricity and $44 for telephones, $23,000 for teachers and $1,800 for janitors. The water bill is $30.36 a month. The water company investigated thinking that was definitely wrong, however it was determined the proper care of plumbing was resulting in a savings.”
1989 – 25 YEARS AGO
With the recent passing of Mae McHugh, who for many years served as president of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union and was well known in Greater Pittston for her union advocacy group Mae’s Raiders, it seems fitting to focus on a letter she sent to the Dispatch congratulating the paper’s owners, the Watson family and their employees for being a lifeline to her and the union membership as well as residents of Greater Pittston. In a letter from March 1989, she writes, “Each and every town in the U.S.A. should be as lucky as we are to have a friendly, informative newspaper as the Pittston Dispatch.” Thank you on behalf of my people and myself for starting our week with the best in reading material. You have become a legend to many.” According to her recent obituary, McHugh began working at the age of 14 for Wyoming Frocks, where she remained for 27 years. She was state president of the Elective Council of Retirees of the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union. As president of ILGWU, her focus was to improve working conditions. Northeast AFL-CIO Alliance named McHugh “Woman of the Year” in 1993.
Labeled as the largest crowd ever to attend, the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick celebrated the 25th anniversary of their annual banquet. Over 500 Irish Americans enjoyed the music of the Donegal Weavers and dinner held at Convention Hall in Pittston. Then, Governor Robert Casey addressed the crowd, saying, “There is not an area in this state that is more responsible for me being governor.” Major Michael Coyne Jordan, Area II commander of the Pennsylvania State Police, was named Man of the Year by Society president Kevin O’Brien.
1999 – 15 YEARS AGO
Pittston Mayor Michael Lombardo announced that, after receiving a private donation of $285,000, the city was prepared to go ahead with plans to build a $1 million library. A capital campaign chaired by Sam Insalaco hoped to garner additional funding. Applications for grant money had also been sent to Harrisburg. Lombardo commented, “Our game plan is all state-of-the-art technology,” To read more about what’s currently happening at the Pittston Memorial Library, log on to www.pittstonmemoriallibrary.org
Answer:
Residents of Greater Pittston were asked to use their imagination in 1989 by creating decorative chapeaus to wear during the “Mad Hatter” themed West Pittston Cherry Blossom Festival that was set to start May 7.
“St. Patrick’s Day is an enchanted time – a day to begin transforming winter’s dreams into summer’s magic.” – Adrienne Cook
