April 27 and 28, 1962:
At 11:30 on a Friday morning, gardeners gathered in the auditorium of the Scranton Chamber of Commerce Building on Mulberry Street for the opening of the annual Chamber of Commerce/Laurel Garden Club Garden Show.
Herman Kerber, former Scranton superintendent of parks; Pauline Poinsard Kiley; Mrs. Harold Phillips; Charles Stockel and John Wanger served as judges. Organizers presented the awards during the opening ceremony. Laurel Garden Club took home top honors in the non-commercial division, while Savage’s Gardens was best in the commercial division.
The Scranton Bird Club, DeSandis Greenhouse, Lackawanna County Agriculture Extension Service and the Lackawanna County Beekeepers Association also received honors. The Pennsylvania Game Commission and Dan Rankin, Gravel Pond nurseryman, each received a blue ribbon for their entries.
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- Here are the principals of the third annual garden show of the Scranton Chamber of Commerce and the Laurel Garden Club to be conducted April 27 and 28, 1962 at the Chamber of Commerce Auditorium. Seated from left: Phil Fischer, Mrs. Harold Breed, Roy Webb, Mrs. Clyde Coccia. Standing: William Lange, Milt Hughes, Jess H. Landenberger, Gilbert LaCoe and Nicholas Holowatch. TIMES-TRIBUNE ARCHIVES
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- Mayor William Schmidt and John S. Davidson, president of the Scranton Chamber of Commerce, join with C of C Agriculture Committee and Laurel Garden Club in third annual Garden Show. From left: Mrs. Clyde Coccia, president of the Laurel Garden Club; Davidson, Roy Webb, show chairperson; Gilbert LaCoe, chair of the C of C Agriculture Committee; Schmidt, Jesse Landenberge, William Lang and Clyde Coccia and Nicholas Holowatch. TIMES-TRIBUNE ARCHIVES
The show was open Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 5p.m. and 7 to 9p.m. and on Saturday from noon to 5p.m. Visitors had a chance to win door prizes each hour.
In the upper part of the county, meanwhile, the Greater Carbondale Chamber of Commerce held a home show April 26 to 28 at 5p.m. at the Crane Armory. It included educational displays from area businesses such as Eastern Wood Products, Pennsylvania Gas & Water Co., Century Brick Co., Bloxham Building Materials, Bell Telephone, Carney’s Drug Store and the Globe Fashion Shop.
The home show also featured live entertainment. On April 27, the teens of Carbondale were invited to come to the armory and participate in a “Twist” contest. The people who danced the best to the wildly popular Chubby Checker cover of the song won awards.
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
