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Published on 12/22/1997 All articles from this issue

Pages of the Past

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25 years ago in the Town Crier

The 13th annual Midnight Run, an event co-sponsored by the Town Crier and Runner's World Magazine, was a ritual greeting of the new year, and, each year, it set the first official record in Los Altos.

The Midnight Run was 5.2 miles long, was held at Foothill College and got underway exactly at midnight from beneath the footbridge by the swimming pool. The only requirement was registration with the Amateur Athletic Union and that could be accomplished right up to race time.

In the field in 1972 were 322 runners - 289 of them finished. The group, as always, was fully integrated: Olympic veterans and beginning joggers; men, women and children; ages 7 to 50 years. Long distance running knows no limit, and that was one of the reasons for the run's popularity. David Babiracki, 20, from San Fernando Valley, won the race in 25:01. He finished eight seconds ahead of second place winner, Paul Cummings.

50 years ago in the Los Altos News

The Jan. 1, 1948, issue of the Los Altos News reported that early in 1947, 5-year-old Janie Whempner awoke early one morning and stood looking out the large picture window of her home on Outlook Drive.

From her vantage point, Janie looked down over the tree tops and roads to the railroad tracks over which commuter trains passed through Los Altos twice a day.

As she watched, the 7:15 with its load of early-morning commuters came down the tracks. When the engine reached a point opposite her, Janie waved to the engineer and he waved back.

The next morning, Janie was up early, watching, and then waving to the engineer on the 7:15. From then on, Janie was at the window every morning at the same time. Soon the commuters, all of whom had boarded the train at Los Gatos, noticed the tot at the window, and they began to wave back as they passed by.

The day before Christmas in 1947, a shiny station wagon pulled up before the Whempner residence. The caller introduced himself as representing the Los Gatos commuters on the 7:15. From the back of the wagon, he lifted out an extra large doll house and a beautiful doll and carried them into the home. Every room in the doll house was completely furnished, even to real electric lights.

The house and doll were gifts to Janie from 30 Los Gatos commuters in appreciation of the cheerful moments the sight of the child at the window had brought them as they passed through Los Altos.

-- Ellen Shaw of the Los Altos History House Association