As reported in the Oct. 10, 1973, edition of the Town Crier, both local high schools opened the 1973 football season with outstanding success in their league games. Awalt, now Mountain View High, crushed the defending Santa Clara Valley Athletic League champion, Peterson, in a 41-0 romp. Los Alto High rolled over the Santa Clara Panthers with a 32-7 score.
Los Altan William E. McGlashan was one of 18 White House fellows who had been picked from throughout the United States to spend one year in Washington, D.C., learning how the federal government functioned. An extensive testing and screening process preceded the selection of the fellows and political persuasion was not considered. The main areas of assignment for the fellows were the cabinet and its various departments or the White House staff. McGlashan worked in the office of George Shultz, then Secretary of the Treasury and assistant to the president for economic affairs.
The year's activities included momentous events - the election, Watergate and economic controls - McGlashan said. The fellows met with political figures, including the president, and with representatives of the press and the arts. It was "an incredible experience," McGlashan said, and he came away with a tremendous sense of obligation to repay the nation.
50 years ago in the Los Altos News
As reported in the Oct. 7, 1948, issue of the Los Altos News, local Boy Scouts were "cleaning up" when they spent Saturdays in the village park, clearing underbrush, deadwood and pruning the shrubbery.
The projects were the Scouts' contribution to their community. They felt it was their responsibility to do a project each year.
The 230 registered Girl Scouts in Los Altos were treated to a new and fashionable look from head to toe in 1948. Created by Mainbocher, a famous American fashion designer, both uniform design and color were updated in the first change in 20 years.
The uniform cost $6.50, the beret cost $9.50 and the sweater, $5.25. The official tie sold for 60 cents.
The Los Altos Fire Department observed the 1948 Fire Prevention Week on a vacant Main Street lot with a graphic display of fire damage. The exhibits were objects gathered from the scenes of local fires. One item, a piece of chimney pipe, was still hot from a fire that had burned on Oct. 5, 1948.
Fire Chief Beck warned residents not to burn rubbish in violation of ordinance. Burning could not be done within 25 feet of buildings or property lines.
- Ellen Shaw of the Los Altos History House Association