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Published on 10/02/1995 All articles from this issue

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25 Years Ago in the Los Altos Town Crier

As reported in the Oct. 7 1970 edition of the Town Crier, Foothill Aquatic Club's 11th year in Los Altos was off to a splashing start. It's dedicated swimmers, ranging in age from 6 to 20, began with a practice schedule of one hour a day, five days a week. As endurance was built, the practice time was gradually increased to as much as four hours a day.

Head coach for the club was Nort Thornton, aquatic coach at Foothill College. Thornton had coached many national championship junior college teams and had been chosen several times as National Junior College Coach of the Year.

Paul Mehew, an 18-year-old student at St. Francis High School, was achieving fame in a statewide horsemen's competition.

In late August 1970, Paul won the state championship in the Open Gymkana Division. He held the all-time state record for the flag race and was also the winner of the Reserve State Championship.

Hoping to enroll at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 1971, Paul planned a future combining horse training with veterinary medicine.

Three award-winning films were brought together at the De Anza and Foothill colleges in a series honoring the international October 1970 observance of the 25th anniversary of the United Nations.

The films were "High Noon," "Lord of the Flies" and "Dr. Strangelove," and were coordinated with a program of study and discussion of the problems of war prevention.

50 Years Ago in the Los Altos News

As reported in the Oct. 4 1945 issue of the Los Altos News, the 1945 War Chest drive was underway with a town quota of $8,000, of which $3,500 was targeted as funds for local Girl and Boy Scouts and the remainder for national and international needs.

Chairman Guy Shoup said it was important to keep in mind the fact that the starving and needy of liberated countries, the returning veterans and local organizations needed support as badly in 1947 as they did during the war years.

Pete's Taxi Service and Yellow Cab announced in October 1945 plans to maintain a taxi stand in the vicinity of First and Main streets in Los Altos.

The operation offered a direct telephone line to its main office in Mountain View, according to owner Peter Giannini. He also planned to have additional taxi service available when the town finally acquired its theater on Main Street.

A 200-year-old tankard, or flagon, formerly used on the altar of an English church, was discovered and given to the local Union Church by Captain Henry Helser in honor of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Helser, who lived on Summerhill Road.

The antique tankard had been in the possession of an antiquarian in Cambridge, England, and Helser found it while encamped with his company nearby.

Compiled by Ellen Shaw of the Los Altos History House Association.