Out of the Past

125 Years Ago

Nov. 30, 1882

Miss Julia Oswald has been placed in charge of the Stone School House, and Misses Jennie Van Pelt and Jennie Green are teachers in the Academy. The two primary departments now have seventy five pupils each and the senior department numbers sixty-two. The scholars of the senior department deserve much credit for deportment, manner of recitation and progress they have made during the last term.

A disturbance occurred Monday evening at the saloon of A. Koehler between Mr. L. Hinkley and the proprietor, which resulted in the demolishment of the lower sash of one of the front windows.

Mr. Andrew Klinglesmith of North Amherst visited friends in the Village last Thursday.

The boys and girls are enjoying new sledding.

To the average citizen of America, there is no feast or fast day that has a more reverential hold upon his affection than Thanksgiving. It is exclusively an Americanism. It is an occasion which the most lowly and most exalted can observe in their own way.

The heaviest storm of the season hereabouts began early last Thursday evening and continued furiously throughout the night. All the elements seemed to be at war simultaneously. There was heavy rain, high wind, a tremendous display of thunder and lightning, followed by lower pressure, sleet and snow.

"A Kentucky woman has married a Mr. Calico - she has married a prints, as it were."

100 Years Ago

Nov. 28, 1907

The Rev. J. F. Bennett, new pastor of the Williamsville Methodist Church, and his wife were honored at a reception at the M. E. parsonage, given by the Ladies Aid.

The new St. Mary's Catholic schoolhouse at Swormville is nearly completed. The furnace was put in last week by Emendorfer, the plumber of Lockport.

75 Years Ago

Dec. 1, 1932

Convinced that the water department in the Village of Williamsville should be self-supporting, Mayor Harry A. Abel announced the first of the week that he was planning to make it so and intimated that there would shortly come a raise in water rates.

From December 5 to December 24, buses leaving Williamsville will run to downtown Buffalo every half-hour. Regular service on Sunday.

Many residents of the town remember well a blind man who traversed the streets here endeavoring to sell brooms, brushes and the like as he called from house to house. This past week, on Monday, November 28, 1932, that man, John Hirz, passed away in Buffalo. His age was 74 years.

Williamsville High School opens its basketball season Friday evening at home with DeVeaux of Niagara Falls furnishing the opposition.

50 Years Ago

Nov. 28, 1957

Teen-age drivers are frequently the targets of "oldster" motorists. They are prone to brand all teen-age drivers as a menace. This is not true, and more and more young people are becoming aware of their responsibility as drivers. In this area there are three such organizations: the Amherst Slo-Pokes, the Getzville Auto Club and the Clarence Street Angelos.

The Smith's Tavern euchre team ended its four-game series with Whitey's Restaurant on Wednesday evening, Nov. 20, overwhelming their rivals by a score of 31 to 18.

25 Years Ago

Nov. 24, 1982

The Williamsville Historical Society will celebrate the centennial of the Main Street bridge over Ellicott Creek at 8 p.m. Tuesday , Nov. 30 in the Amherst Municipal Building. A slide presentation will be shown of artifacts found in the bridge's center stone.

Officials of the Cantalician Center for Learning on Monday started a legal process for acquisition of the old Eggert Road School.

The formal dedication for the new UB Alumni Arena will be held Saturday, Dec. 4.

Sister Pat Russo, O.S.F., has been named second vice president of the Western New York Chapter of the American Diabetes Association.