1947 – 70 YEARS AGO
Communities of the Greater Pittston area were set to receive $8,649 in grants as a one month allocation from the State Motor Fund. The money to be received was a share of the tax levied on gasoline and was based on the miles of highway in a particular community. The money could only be used for road, street and bridge maintenance or construction. The communities and amounts received were Pittston, $1,329; Avoca,$273; Dupont, $695; Duryea, $804; Exeter, $1,017; Hughestown, $174; West Pittston, $1,245; West Wyoming, $513; Wyoming, $594; Yatesville, $88; Jenkins Township, $254 and Pittston Township, $475. In January 2017, the Pennsylvania gasoline tax, one of the highest in the country, rose from 50 cents to 58 cents per gallon. Monies collected are used to fund road and bridge construction in the state. Pennsylvania’s road system is among the largest in the country.
1948 – 69 YEARS AGO
The Joseph P. Kelly store in Pittston encouraged young newly engaged couples to purchase a Lane Cedar chest for a special price of $49.95. Lay-away plans were available. At J.C. Penney’s, back-to-school skirts and dresses were on sale for $2.98.
Pittston High School named various coaches for sports teams and adopted an expanded athletic program. In order to encourage coaches and aid in the success of the program, it was decided to pay each coach extra money. Cyril Gallagher was renamed football coach and given an annual salary of $500. Arthur O’Malley and Charles Zambetti were named assistants to the coach with a salary of $250 each. James Clarke was to continue as basketball coach and given $500 annually, Charles Zambetti would serve as his assistant for $50. Arthur O’Malley served as baseball coach for $300. Thomas Hennigan, secretary of the school board, hoped the increase in sports offered in school would “tire youngsters in the evening to keep them from running the streets. They will retire early and stay out of trouble. If one child is kept out of trouble and out of harm’s way, it will be worth the extra expenditure.”
Lightweight boxer Mickey Doyle and Johnny Attardo, both of Pittston, planned to open a boxing training center on the second floor of Lattore’s Smoke Shop. In his career from 1921 to 1932, Doyle, a southpaw, had 71 bouts 37 wins with 19 knock outs. Doyle passed away in 1962 at the age of 56.
1949 – 68 YEARS AGO
The Sunday Dispatch Inquiring Photographer asked Pittston residents, “Do you believe there is any truth in the statement that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach?” Philip Cutler answered, “Yes, sure, that’s most important thing in life is eating and good food. Mary Marko added, “The average man is not content with just having his stomach full. A nice little loving once in a while is needed.” Helen DeVirgilio stated, “I think that after a man eats a good meal he is inclined to forget about his girlfriend and her cooking. What is a girl who doesn’t know how to cook supposed to do? I don’t know how and I’m not going to learn until after I get a fellow.”
In an effort to bring about a broader and better organized education for the schools in Pittston, Supervising Principal Martin Mattei offered to transfer children from the Wilson School in the Cork Lane section to the Sheridan and Barry Schools in the Browntown section of Pittston. Mattei believed the transfer of students would afford them a full school day and would bring about the fullest development mentally, socially and physically as art and music along with basic elementary subjects would be offered to all children. Reading skills were to receive special attention. Although Mattei and the Pittston Township School Board believed the move would enhance the children’s education, the parents did not agree and converged on the school grounds to protest the change. After seeing the amount of disapproval of the plan, the school board cancelled the transfer.
1950 – 67 YEARS AGO
The Sunday Dispatch Inquiring Photographer visited the headquarters of Pittston’s Heavy Mortar Company, 109th Infantry Regiment of the Pennsylvania National Guard as the troops returned home from an interrupted summer training program with the 28th Division at Indiantown Gap. With the Korean War just beginning, the photographer asked how the guardsmen felt about their upcoming service during the Korean War.
Staff Sgt. John Gorzkowski, 22, Avoca said, “I’m leaving a lot. I just got in the hardware business and made out good during the past year, so it’s kind of tough to have to leave. But I have to do what everybody else is going to do. We now have actual experience as a unit and we know we have a good company.” Cpl. Matt Kashuba, 18, West Pittston, stated, “I was going to college in the fall but this breaks it up, but the situation may be cleared up over there before our division is ready for combat. Our training at the Gap showed that we are prepared to serve as a unit.” Pfc. Joseph J. Joyce, 20, Avoca, added, “It’s better to go as a group instead of individuals in the draft. We can work better as a unit. Training at the Gap, we learned that we were a complete outfit capable of doing the job well.” Pvt. Martin J Novak, 18, Dupont, said, “We’ll have to go sometime. The only difference now will be that we will be in the regular army serving full time. We will still have the same bunch of fellows to work with. Cpl. Richard B. Carpenter, 19, West Pittston, stated, “I think it’s a lot better to go with a gang of guys you know. We’ll have a better hometown spirit and that will keep us together better, “ The Korean War began on June 25, 1950 when North Korea backed by the Soviet Union and China invaded South Korea. The war ended on July 27, 1953.
Meanwhile, Mr. and Mrs. Edwin H. Brown of Pittston received good news that their son Pfc Earl A. Brown, who had been reported missing in action, was okay. The couple received a letter from their son written on a plain piece of paper folded three ways like an envelope and sealed with chewing gum. In the letter, Pfc. Brown explained the reasons for his missing status. “We were just on the front lines four days when the enemy cut us off from our own men and had us surrounded. A lot of boys got killed and wounded. How I got out, I will never know. I never prayed so much in all my life. I was missing in action for five days. A lot of our buddies thought we were dead. We were trying to break through to our own troops and expected about 50 enemy troops in front of us but instead there were thousands. We had to run into the hills and I mean run. I expect to go back on the front lines, but I don’t think I’ll get into trouble like I was in before. I didn’t have any envelope, so I just made one up. Just keep on writing and every letter you write put in an extra envelope.”
Anthony “Piccolo” Argo, of Pittston, owner of a gas station on the Pittston/Dupont Highway, was tired of getting stiffed by patrons who failed to pay their gas bills. Argo decided to make the situation public by erecting a bulletin board outside his station listing the names of those who owed him money. Stating the results were good, Argo collected 12 bad accounts, including $59 that had been due him for 18 months. According to the US Inflation Calculator, $59 is equivalent to $599 today.
1974 – 43 YEARS AGO
The volunteer firemen from Wyoming Hose Company #1 began erecting stands for their first-ever bazaar. Rev. Gerald Hughes of Our Lady of Sorrow Church donated the wood for the stands. The firemen who donated their time were Gene Raymond, Jeff Malloy, Jack Kroski, Tom Loftus, Roger Nisky, Paul Furner Sr., Jimmy Randazzo, Gil Atherholt, Steve Janiga, Joe Herbert, Joe Toma, Jimmy Dennis, Danny Gadomski, Leonard Tarreto Jr., Leonard Tarreto Sr.
Sandra Clarke, Angelo Lanunziata, Lisa Lanunziata, Cathy Ondek, Janine Oliveri, Robert Henson, Karen Serino, Karen Drobenak, Ann Marie Ferraro, Tina Massara and Thomas Jackett worked as aides, assisting students with first grade summer programs held at St. Anthony’s Hope, Summer Camp. The aides used their talents as artists, musicians, recreation leaders, hostesses, mass lectors and Bible readers during the summer program.
This date in history:
1923 — US Steel Corp. initiated an 8-hour work day.
1934 — The satirical comic strip “Li’l Abner,” created by Al Capp, made its debut.
196 — The first two-way telephone conversation by satellite took place with the help of Echo 1, a balloon satellite.
1967 — The movie “Bonnie and Clyde,” starring Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway, had its US debut on Aug. 13. On the fifth anniversary of a bull market, the Dow Jones industrial average closed at 2,691.49 after briefly surpassing 2,700.
1992 — President Bush announced that Secretary of State James A. Baker III was leaving his diplomatic post to be White House chief of staff in a shake-up designed to energize Bush’s re-election campaign.
1992 — Comedian, actor and director Woody Allen began legal action against actress Mia Farrow to win custody of their three children. A judge later ruled against Allen.
“Volunteers are the only human beings on the face of the earth who reflect this nation’s compassion, unselfish caring, patience, and just plain loving one another.” ~Erma Bombeck
