Turning Back the Pages

100 years ago —
January 1924

In the award of prizes to the school children last Friday morning for the collection of tent caterpillar egg masses, care was taken to thank the children for their services to the town and to express the hope that their interest would be kept up so that the collection might continue until the hatching season.

Martin Merriman this week received a very valuable bird from a friend in Albany.

Ice measures 9 inches and the ice men are soon to begin drawing it.

Grandma Lorch has been ill the past few days.

The following committee has been appointed to consider the matter of abolishing the rental of church pews: Messrs. Walter W. Norton, Hiram J. Bissell, and Charles L. Warner. The committee is to report to a specially called meeting of the Church and Society called later in the year.

The series of revival meetings which have been held nightly during the past two weeks came to an end on Sunday. The meetings were well attended and resulted in much spiritual benefit for many.

It is reported that whistling swans have been seen at Twin Lakes recently. This is an arctic bird and has been often seen in New York state but never later than Christmas.

50 years ago —
January 1974

The Lakeville Journal won first place for the best editorial page among weekly newspapers of its circulation class for 1973 in the annual contest conducted by the New England Press Association. “Spring Tonic,” the Journal’s annual homes, furnishings and decorating section, won third place for supplements among all the entries.

Arnoff Moving and Storage Inc., one of the oldest moving firms in the Berkshires, is entering its Golden Anniversary year with a major expansion program. President Richard Arnoff announced the opening of new offices and the promotion of key personnel. The new offices are in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and Great Barrington, Mass. Richard Arnoff’s grandfather Abraham founded the business. In the years before 1924 he ran a cartage operation, hauling loads of freight by horse and wagon between New Haven, Canaan and Lakeville. “He never drove anything but a horse and wagon,” Richard recalls of his grandfather, “even after the business was established here in the 1920s. He was in a way the last of the peddlers.”

North Canaan town officials were notified last week that an application to restrict through truck traffic on North Elm Street has been approved by the State Traffic Commission. The Canaan Selectmen requested permission from the state to post the road last fall, when it was learned that signs put up locally could not legally prohibit the trucks. The State Police can only enforce restrictions imposed at the state level.

25 years ago —
January 1999

Although hospitals usually have more patients during the winter than any other time of year, a recent increase in overnight patients has Sharon Hospital getting creative to find space to put people. Ken Roberts, director of community relations at the hospital, said they have had an average census of 60 patients. When the census reached 63 last week, he said a waiting room was converted back to its original use as a patient room and chairs were put into the hallway for people who would use a waiting room.

The approximately 200-foot covered bridge over the Housatonic River on Route 128 in West Cornwall will once again be renovated. Gordon Barton, principal engineer and bridge designer for the state Department of Transportation, said the project will replace the roof covering, the timber wearing surface and the siding. The bridge will also be stained instead of painted for increased durability. The cost – between $300,000 and $400,000, with the DOT paying the bill.

These items were taken from The Lakeville Journal archives at Salisbury’s Scoville Memorial Library, keeping the original wording intact as possible.