June 11, 1969
Sickout in Dunmore School District
Schools throughout the Dunmore School District were dismissed at 9 a.m. because 93 teachers called in sick.
The sickout came after the Dunmore School Board refused to meet with the teachers union representative to discuss salary increases following a vote by the state Legislature to increase the minimum pay level for teachers statewide to $6,000.
The teachers were seeking to maintain the district’s pay scale of $500 above the state minimum. Dunmore Superintendent William Redesco canceled school for June 12 in case the teachers called off again. The school board called a meeting with the teachers union to discuss the salary issue. After the meeting, the teachers said they would be at school June 13.
City mayor’s office to supervise planner
Scranton City Council passed an ordinance that moved the supervision of the city planning office to the mayor’s office.
The ordinance also moved funds in the 1969 budget to pay the $16,000-a-year salary for a city planner. Prior to the new ordinance, the planning office was supervised by the city planning commission.
Two previous city planners, Sam Boyd and Einar Finnson, supported the move because they felt that the planner’s office would work more efficiently under the supervision of the mayor’s office than it did under the planning commission.
Portion of a Globe Store advertisement – June 11, 1969 – The Scranton Times
Sale at the Globe
Bicycle with training wheels for $29.99 with trade-in; Hi Rise bicycle for $34.99 with trade-in; three-horsepower lawn mower for $37.99; backyard swing set with slide for $28.99; all-purpose steel backyard shed for $86.99; charcoal grill with electric rotisserie for $9.99.
Brian Fulton has been the librarian at The Times-Tribune for the past 15 years. On his blog, Historically Hip, he writes about the great concerts, plays/musicals and celebrity happenings that have taken place throughout NEPA. He is also the co-host of the local history podcast, Historically Hip. He competed and was crowned grand champion on an episode of NPR quiz show “Ask Me Another.” Contact: bfulton@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9140; or @TTPagesPast
