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Published on 12/04/1995 All articles from this issue

In The Past...

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25 years Ago in the Town Crier

The Dec. 9, 1970 issue of the Town Crier reported a $10 investment in the production of a four-minute super eight color movie, "The End" paid off for teenager film-makers Donald Carrol and Eric Lake, Awalt High School freshmen. They won an honorable mention award in the junior category of the 1970 Eighth Annual Kodak Teenage Movie competition.

The melodrama, filmed on location at a dump in Mountain View, also utilized black-and-white still photographs in presenting a desolate earth and a lone survivor. The judges cited the "good social understanding of basic human problems" as a reason for the award.

Santa Claus walked the downtown streets of Los Altos in December 1970. Mrs. Santa Claus was on hand, too, dispensing cookies, candy canes to children and coffee to adults at the San Francisco Federal Savings and Loan on Second Street.

At Rancho Shopping Center, Santa arrived in a real old-timer, a 1944 Seagraves fire engine, loaned for the occasion by Do and Dutch Lumkes, owners of the Rancho gift shop.

Santa also appeared at the San Antonio Mall, where he offered free rides to children in his beautiful sleigh wagon.

Gary Silva received his Eagle Scout award at the Court of Honor held by Los Altos Troop 36 in November 1970. Gary, a sophomore at Awalt High School where he played basketball and participated in the Latin Club, listed extended bicycle trips and rock climbing as favorite activities.

50 years ago in the Los Altos News

According to the Dec. 6, 1945 edition of the Los Altos News, one of the oldest buildings in town had been sold that week by William Roy Eschenbruecher built the first store in town on the west side of Main Street between First and Second Streets where he opened his hardware business. One corner of the store served as the post office and he was the postmaster. After his death, his widow Lillian, and son Roy continued operation of the store and she assumed the duties of post mistress. Today the building is designated as a Los Altos Historical Landmark and is currently occupied by Down Home Gifts and Jewelry.

The last week of the last national war bond drive found Los Altos a long way from realizing its quota. Campaign officials appealed to the patriotic instincts of Los Altans by reminding them that Dec. 7 was the fourth anniversary of Pearl Harbor.

Santa was expected in Los Altos Dec. 8, 1945 at the PTA bazaar at Payne's Furniture Store. Parents were urged to finish their Christmas shopping at various booths featuring white elephants, aprons, towels, plants, food and a fishing pond of toys. Most of the profits were destined to go into the local school cafeteria fund.

Researched by Ellen Shaw of the Los Altos History House Association