Editor’s Note: The column first appeared in the Dec. 9, 2012 edition of the Sunday Dispatch.
Question:
In 1955, why was John Parente, president of the West Pittston Good Will Hose Company, angry over the actions of the borough council members?
1955 – 63 YEARS AGO
Members of the cast of the annual Pittston VFW minstrel extravaganza were in rehearsal for the show entitled “Toast of the Township.” Peggy Keating, pianist, and the Cats ‘n Jammers would provide musical entertainment. Chorus members were Marie Ranieli, Barbara Ranieli, Caroline Corridoni, Peggy Conners, James Chaump, Ray Neare, Mildred Milazzo, Ann Musto, Angela Codora, Arlene Menichini, and Mary Ann Musto. Dance teams consisted of Carolyn Castellani, Alice Reynolds, Maureen O’Malley, Pauline Falcone, Ann Marie Pisano, Mary Salvo, Angela Musto, Angela Pael, Ida Millazzo, Ann Walsh and Mary Oliver.
Miss Cecil Dugan, supervising principal of the Dupont schools, reported that 391 students were enrolled in the borough school system, a decrease from 1940 when there were 1,000 students and in 1950 when there were 550 students. Miss Dugan related that statistics released years prior predicted the slide in enrollment. An audit performed in 1955 showed the cost of education totaled $450.00 for each student.
1965 – 53 YEARS AGO
The battle of who would be chosen for the nine-member interim school boards of the combined Pittston-Northeast School District on the east side and the combined six school districts of the west side was heating up. Twenty-seven directors on the east and 34 on the west were mandated to meet and choose nine interim directors for each of the newly created Pittston Area and Wyoming Area boards. Bitter controversy stirred as members vying for the top spots were accused of “pulling strings” and “political maneuvering.” Both conventions were not expected to be peaceful, but each of the groups was directed by the state to vote and pick a chairman and secretary.
Edward Hart, Rudy Forlenza, Fred Demech, Chris Latona and Carl Quinn, members of the Jefferson Park Playground Association, assembled Christmas stockings to present to “every child in the park area.” Parents with “children confined to the home” were invited to call the association members after which a stocking would be delivered.
Army Master Sgt. Edward J. Bilder, of West Pittston, welcomed Staff Sgt. James C. Pallone back to Pittston from Germany after being stationed there for five years. A 17-year veteran, Pallone was set to take over Bilder’s position as Pittston recruiting officer after Bilder was placed in charge of the Scranton recruiting office. The reunion of the two soldiers was made even more memorable because years earlier Pallone reenlisted Bilder for his seventh hitch in the army.
Created in 1936 and celebrating its 30th year, the annual football banquet was held by the Wyoming Rotary Club. Initially, the banquet was created to establish better understanding and good sportsmanship between the Wyoming and West Wyoming High School football squads. West Wyoming head coach Nick Anselmi and assistant coach Ted Pawloski received the trophy from Joseph Shaver, president of the Rotary, for their team’s win in the annual Thanksgiving football game.
Joseph Michaels, Joseph Zarzecki, Ted Zawila, George Metcalf and Chester Urbanski, members of the West Wyoming Lions Club, manned the Salvation Army kettles at the Midway Shopping Center.
The Sunday Dispatch always anticipated poetic weather banner stated “Milder weather should keep us jolly, while we’re outside hanging the holly.”
The Sunday Dispatch Inquiring Photographer asked, “How do you feel about Christmas gift-giving?” Laura Durkin, of Pittston, answered, “I portray Santa at our factory party and for the neighborhood children. That gives me a good feeling about gift-giving.” Jean McAndrew, Pittston, stated, “The best gifts at Christmas are the gifts to the needy; these are what really bring out the true Christmas spirit.”
1975 – 43 YEARS AGO
Michael Cosgrove, Kevin Dooley, Joseph Pacuska, Bronis Voveris, Joseph Sharkey and Thomas Murtha were six area young men who would perform with the King’s College Men In Red Glee Club. Directed by Bronis Voveris Sr., of Pittston, the vocal group was set to entertain at the Voice of the Valley Concert at the college. Director Voveris studied music at the Kaunas Conservatory of Music in Lithuania. Founded in 1919, Kaunas merged with the Vilnius Conservatory to create the Lithuanian State Conservatory which was renamed the Music Academy of Lithuania in 1992. In 2004, it became the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre. The King’s College Men’s Glee Club was discontinued during the 1980s.
Over 200 West Pittston residents, council members, and local politicians were told by the Army Corps of Engineers that the borough did not warrant federal funds for the construction of a flood protection system based on a cost-benefit ratio set by the federal government. After studies were made in 1954 and again in 1970, the borough was rated less than one on the scale. Previous studies in 1936 and 1942 were not acted upon. Commissioners planned an additional study to enlist another opinion on the cost-benefit ratio. Dr. Nicholas Ruggerio concluded the meeting by stating, “The Flood Action Committee will continue to do everything possible to secure flood protection, but from all indications, as long as our cost-benefit ratio is less than one, it looks like we’re stuck … or wet, and it’s more likely the latter.”
Announcement was made that within a year’s time, St. John the Evangelist Elementary School would close. Factors for the decision included decline in enrollment and the inability of the Sisters of Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Order to continue staffing the school. After the departure of the school, five parochial elementary schools would remain. The school started in September 1864 when St. John’s Academy opened and was staffed by a sister superior and four assistant teaching sisters from IHM order.
1985 – 33 YEARS AGO
Grablick’s Dairy Bar at the corner of Wyoming and Delaware Avenues in West Pittston was purchased by Miners Savings Bank. The landmark dairy and ice cream bar was to close on Dec. 15 and, upon approval, the bank would build a branch bank on the property.
Forty-four years after the Dec. 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, veteran Frank “Fritz” Zyzneski, of Duryea, a member of Foreign Wars Post 1227, remembered vividly how the Japanese pilots tried to shoot down the American flag flying on one of the buildings. “They were shooting at it. You could see what they were trying to do to the Stars and Stripes, Old Glory. The next day it was still there. The Star Spangled Banner. Francis Scott Key knew what he was talking about.” Zyzneski remembered the devastation in an interview with Michael Cotter for the Sunday Dispatch. “Keep in mind, we were all young, only 18 to 20. We were sitting ducks; every guy on Hickam Field during the attack was separated from his unit. People tend to forget we had a full alert over Thanksgiving just two weeks before, but on Dec. 1, orders came from Washington to pull everything in. The wounded and dead were everywhere. Everywhere you went, things were demolished.”
Americans were expected to spend $30.2 billion on Christmas gifts and decorations in 1985, which averaged out to $126.88 for every man, woman and child in the country.
Here’s what was offered for student lunches on a typical day at these three high schools: Wyoming Area – Ziti with meat sauce, tossed salad, buttered bread, fruit, and milk. Seton Catholic – Baked chicken, mashed potatoes, buttered carrots, roll, applesauce cake, milk. Pittston Area – Chicken vegetable soup, kaiser roll or peanut butter sandwich, chocolate cake and milk.
Answer:
In 1955, the newly formed Good Will Hose Company in West Pittston was being treated unfairly, according to hose company president John Parente. In a request to borough council for needed funds, Parente met opposition from council members who felt the hose company unnecessary due to the fact the borough already had the well-established West Pittston Hose Company. Parente and fellow Good Will officers Fred Ciampi, James Condosta and Walter Stocker cited the fact that surrounding boroughs had two, and sometimes three, active fire departments stating, “We are out to protect life and property that is our motto. Many of the younger boys here never had an opportunity to join West Pittston Hose Co. That is why we started the Good Will.”
