Browse archives: 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997 | 1996 | 1995

Published on 07/28/1997 All articles from this issue

Pages of the Past

printer friendly version

25 years ago in the Town Crier

As reported in the Aug. 2, 1972, edition of the Town Crier, Dominican Priest Jerome S. Becker, in residence at St. Nicholas Church in Los Altos, was named alcoholism coordinator for Santa Clara County. He was one of just three people in the United States in 1972 who obtained a master's degree in the study of alcoholism.

Becker had been serving on the staff of the Santa Clara County Alcoholism Council for a year and worked with four major area industries on educational programs to reduce alcoholism among their employees. As a result of his studies and involvement, he estimated there were 20,000 alcoholics in the county in 1972, and that 8 percent of the adult population in the country were alcoholics.

Los Altos Police Department Captain Richard Brannan returned from a 12-week course in law enforcement at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) National Academy in Washington, D. C. His class of 100 ended an "era" as the National Academy planned to hold its future classes in Quantico, Va., where the FBI had just built a $25-million complex.

Brannan, in Washington at the time of J. Edgar Hoover's death, reported "a very depressed atmosphere among the FBI ... He set up one of the world's outstanding police organizations." Hoover had been director of the FBI for 47 years.

50 years ago in the Los Altos News

The July 31, 1947, issue of the Los Altos News reported that local photographer Charles W. Miller, whose work had appeared frequently in "Life," "Time" and "Fortune" magazines, left by air on a 16,000-mile photographic mission to Honolulu, Guam, the Philippines, China and Siam.

Miller and his family were living in the Philippines at the outbreak of World War II and were among the American civilians captured and held prisoner for three years in the notorious Santo Toma prison camp in Manila. After their release by American troops, the Millers returned to California in 1946 and chose Los Altos as their home town. Miller called his place of business "Studio d'art."

Several homes along Arastradero Road were threatened by a large brush and grass fire on July 23, 1947, and the prompt response and efficient work of the Los Altos Fire Department were credited with averting potential disaster. A strong wind had aggravated the brush fire and it spread into the undergrowth of an old orchard.

Members of the Los Altos Union Church gave special recognition to the Rev. Thomas D. Lantels, pastor emeritus, on his 85th birthday. The church extended its appreciation for his 22 years of service to the local church.

-Ellen Shaw of the Los Altos History House Association.