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Published on 12/25/1995 All articles from this issue

In The Past...

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25 years ago in the Town Crier

The Los Altos Town Crier claimed that its annual New Year's Midnight Run was the world's first sporting event of each new year.

The 11th annual New Year's Eve 10,000-meter race took place again on the Foothill College campus promptly at midnight on Dec. 31, 1970, and was co-sponsored by Runner's World magazine.

The turnout of runners was close to 250, more than double that of the previous year. Another record was bettered, too, when Bill Scobey (from Arcata) ran it in 30 minutes, 50 seconds, besting the record set in 1969 by Chris Miller. Winner of the previous eight years in a row, Miller did not enter again.

The midnight run was an AAU-sanctioned event, and all contestants were amateurs with valid AAU registration cards. Temperatures on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 ranged from a low of 39 degrees to a high of 57 degrees.

Los Altos Hills equestrian Terryl Reed was awarded a High Point Senior Horsemanship silver cup in the North American Trail Ride conference for her performance in competitive trail rides throughout California.Reed also rode in the 100-mile endurance race over the Sierra Nevada range, known as the Tevis Ride, and earned her silver belt buckle as one of the few to finish the ride.

An animal husbandry major at Foothill College, Reed had also participated in competition trail rides outside of California.

50 years ago in the Los Altos News

The Thursday Dec. 27, 1945, issue of the Los Altos News quoted a San Jose newspaper editorial that read, "Hats off to Los Altos." The editorial praised the community for passing its E War Bond sales quota, the only town among 39 in the central coast counties division to accomplish this.

New business was coming to California according to the figures issued by the state department. In the months of October and November 1945, there were 1,013 articles of incorporation filed in the state. This figure did not include the companies outside of California who came here to incorporate, about 80 in the same period.

It was also estimated that about $9.5 million was expected to be spent in Santa Clara County over a period of five years on home repairs and remodeling.

Although it was the 1945 Christmas vacation for the school children, work proceeded on schedule on the elementary school's building and remodeling project. During this period the library was completed, lighting and heating equipment installed and painting accomplished.

Life at the Los Altos Country Club was one continuous round of parties during the 1945 holiday season, including luncheons, bridge parties and the annual children's Christmas party.

The festive week was topped off with a New Year's formal dinner-dance.

- Compiled by Ellen Shaw and the Los Altos History House Association