20 YEARS AGO — 1997
Four Lake-Lehman High School students scored in the top five percent of students in the nation taking the PSAT test, one of them in the top one percent. The scores have earned them honors in the National Merit Scholarship program. Michael Casey was named a National Merit Scholarship Semi-Finalist while Joann White, Ryan Mahle and Samuel “Dusty” Rhodes were named Commended Scholars.
The Gate of Heaven PTB held its annual auction last Saturday evening, and the bidding was “spirited.” A school spokesperson said the event would probably net about $12,000. The decorations committee brightened the gym and entrances with flowers, carved pumpkins and other fall features. Participants included Meg Karwaski, Maureen Lehigh, Lynn Gionta, Bernadette Lawler, Denise Galeano, Theresa Supzenski, Theresa Ryan and Arlene Feleccia.
The fifth grade students of Westmoreland Elementary School recently had the opportunity to be filmed by local news station WNEP-TV 16. The students were recognized as part of the “Good Morning Pennsylvania” aspect of the television morning broadcast which will be aired this week. Several of the participants are Jacquelyn Bren, Cassandra Backes, Johnathan Baker and Brian Ziller.
30 YEARS AGO — 1987
The importance of bus safety was stressed to the students of Dallas Elementary School last week when Bob Garritano, Hempfield Senior High guidance counselor, presented his Terrible Fan and Terrible Teddy safety program. Terrible Fan used his gold black magic “gold and black costume” to teach the students a safety jingle sung to the tune of the Pittsburgh Steelers fight song, assisted by the Terrible Teddy, who demonstrated how a student will go flying forward when the bus stops short.
For the fifth year, the Lehman United Methodist Youth Fellowship is preparing a haunted barn. Located behind the Lehman Post Office, the haunted barn will benefit the Lehman United Methodist Youth and the Wyoming Valley Children’s Aid Fund. Planners are Earl Weidner, Kim Weidner, Shawn Clark, Jamie Moyer and Sheryl Clark.
Coach Robin Cummins of Kunkle will be working with three Back Mountain residents on the King’s College women’s basketball team when practice gets underway this month. She will be working with Angie Kern, Kim Rinehimer and Rhonda Hudzik. Kern and Rinehimer are Dallas Area High School graduates, while Hudzik hails from Lake-Lehman High School.
40 YEARS AGO — 1977
John R. Reish of Sweet Valley, a project superintendent at the Mountaintop Sewage Treatment Plant, will be honored by the Keystone Building Contractors for his efforts in achieving an outstanding job site safety record. Reish’s employer, Raymon R. Hedden & Co., a Dallas contracting firm, nominated him to receive this award for compiling an excellent safety record for 1976-1977.
Back Mountain Jay-C-ettes are sponsoring a Craft ‘n Cash Game party next Friday night at the Dallas American Legion. There will be cash prizes as well as craft items provided by the club members and their families. There will also be a drawing for a handmade afghan and refreshments. Planning committee members are Dyan Simpson, Carolyn Bulford, Rose Schmid, Charis Bachman and Margaret Dwinchick.
50 YEARS AGO — 1967
Miss Hannah Culp, a teacher in Lehman Elementary School, will be the guest speaker at the meeting of the Durbin Class Tuesday night in the social rooms of Dallas Methodist Church. Miss Culp recently spent several weeks abroad. Some of the places of interest she visited were India, Cambodia, Thailand, Burma, Hong Kong, Vale of Swat and Nepal.
M.Y.F. of Lehman Methodist Church met for their first fall meeting on Sunday evening in the church. Kathy Lyons was elected president; Peggy Disque, vice president; Kendy Cosgrove, secretary; David Eddy, treasurer. Committee chairmen are Glenda Brown, refreshments; Carole Eddy, publicity; Nancy Ashton, historian; Sandy Ashton, activities, assisted by Linda Tough, Barbara King and Dona Ashton.
Sisters of the Skillet and Brothers of the Hill plan a pancake breakfast Saturday morning in Lehman Fire Hall, as one of the featured attractions of the Dallas Sesquicentennial. The menu will include juice, eggs or sausage, home fries, toast and coffee, plus all the pancakes you can eat. Servers are Janice Ehret, Warren Mekeel, Hazel Bogart, Florence Davenport, Suzanne Hudak, Cindy Oncay, Paul and Vera Hoover, Lewis and Emma Ide, Marguerite Dubill, Jessie and Billy Hagenbaugh, Eliot and Beverly Ide and Bradley Ide.
60 YEARS AGO — 1957
A Shavertown girl, Betsy Rowlands, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Rowlands, played a part in the dramatic operation that separated Siamese twin girls last Saturday morning at Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia. A medical team of fourteen experts accomplished the rare feat in two hours and 35 minutes. Betsy, a student nurse at Wyoming Valley Hospital, is taking a three months special course at Children’s Hospital, as part of the local hospital’s advanced training program. She fed and held the twins while they were still joined and likewise held and fed them after they were separated.
Ruth Darbie of the Luzerne County Agricultural Extension Association will be at the Idetown Methodist Church House Monday afternoon to acquaint Back Mountain women with adult courses that are available for the winter months. A majority vote of women present will decide whether courses in canning, furniture refinishing, chair caning or what have you will be given.
70 YEARS AGO — 1947
Four local men have recently passed their examinations and been qualified by the Pennsylvania Bureau of Mines to act as mine foremen and assistant foremen according to an announcement made public by Henry Owens, State Mine Inspector, of Trucksville. Qualified as foreman is Boyd A. Meade of Birch Grove; as assistant foremen, Henry Blank, Hillside; Walter Davis, Davis Street; and John Griffith, Harris Hill Road.
Robert Grose, shortstop with Dallas Legionnaires for the past two seasons, has signed a contract with the Philadelphia Athletics and will be assigned to a class D farm club early in the spring.
Under the leadership of Jane Brown and Charles Nuss, Jr., Lehman Township High School went $78.30 over its announced goal of $1,500 in its recent magazine subscription campaign. The school will receive $577 for its effort. Gertrude Frantz answered the $64 question as individual high salesman by turning in that amount. Howard Meade, with $63.75, was a close second.
