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Published on 10/23/1995 All articles from this issue

25 years ago in the Town Crier

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The October 28, 1970 issue of the Town Crier featured a picture of children in Halloween garb, preparing to trick or treat for the United Nations' Children's Fund.

The pennies, nickels and dimes collected by costumed youngsters were destined to help deprived children in more than 100 developing countries. According to the 1970 Los Altos UNICEF Chairman Mrs. R.H. Nord, a total of some $3.25 million had been raised in 1969.

The 1970 Halloween fell on a Saturday, so it was easier for families to enjoy the 10th annual "Witches' Delight" at the Santa Rita Elementary School.

The event, sponsored by the PTA, featured a costume parade for the children, lots of music and a hamburger supper.

A county long-range park study in 1970 reported a serious deficiency in parks throughout the county. It labeled existing parks in Los Altos and Los Altos Hills as far short of average standards. An exception was Los Altos Hills 55 acre Byrne Park which came close to measuring up to the standard norm. In the neighborhood park category, Los Altos had only four parks providing 16 acres while the standard was 78.2 acres on the basis of three acres per 1,000 people.

However, the inventory failed to take into account the use of elementary school facilities by the city recreation department.

50 years ago in the Los Altos News

The October 25, 1945 issue of the Los Altos News noted that Bay Area residents had the privilege of going aboard one of the Navy's largest and most famous aircraft carriers, the USS Yorktown, at the U.S. Naval Air Station at Alameda on Navy Day, October 27, 1945.

The Yorktown was known to millions as the "Fighting Lady," the part she played in the motion picture with the same title.

Another Victory Loan Drive was launched with a Los Altos goal of $148,000. Chairman Charles McDonald and George E. Martin said this was positively the last war bond drive. They named inflation as the new enemy and said it was a special threat to this community.

Meanwhile, the War Chest drive, scheduled to conclude October 27, 1945, was extended to November 15 in conformity with similar action taken by the state War Chest organization. Only 63 percent of the state quota had been reached and only 68.8 percent of the Los Altos quota of $8,000 had been achieved.

Lt. Cmdr. Francis E. Shoup, WAVE, was home on terminal leave from her post at the Charleston, S.C. mobilization center for the Navy. Lt. Robert W. Clifford was also home on terminal leave after serving with the Navy since June 1942. Cpl. F. W. King was serving with the occupation forces in Japan. His unit was the first to arrive in Japan proper. Lt. John Daly was honorably released from active duty with the Air Force.

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