June 9, 1959
Vandals hit junior high school
Over the course of a month, 197 windows were broken by vandals at South Scranton Junior High School. In response to this staggering amount of broken glass, the Scranton School Board moved to hire a special policeman to patrol the area around the school. Cyril Moran, chairman of the school board’s building committee, reported that it costs $6.20 to replace each broken window at the school.
He said the vandals were using all sorts of items to smash the windows, such as rocks and milk bottles, or they were using slingshots or air rifles.
Another issue that arose at the school board meeting was requiring students to use mouth guards while playing certain sports. Director Douglas Jenkins said Philadelphia schools found that the mouthpieces reduced tooth injuries and concussions. Board President Thomas Hogan said he would recommend to the superintendent that the mouthpieces be made mandatory for student athletes.
Hot, hot, hot
The Weather Bureau’s station at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Airport reported that the high temperature reached 90 degrees. The forecasters believed the fair and hot weather might be turning to humid conditions with showers the following day, with temperatures in the mid-80s. The previous day, the mercury reached 91 degrees — just 2 degrees shy of the record high of 93, which was set in 1925.
At the movies
“Alias Jesse James” at the Comerford,
“Thunder in the Sun” at the Strand,
“The Hangman” at the Riviera,
“Compulsion” at the West Side,
and “That Naughty Girl” and “Hells Canyon Outlaws” at the MidValley Drive-In.
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
