Items selected from past issues of the Winthrop Sun, The Winthrop Review, The Winthrop Visitor, The Transcript and The Sun-Transcript
10 years ago
October 28, 2004
Town Clerk Claire Sheltry is predicting a turnout of close to 90 percent for Tuesday’s hotly-contested Presidential election between Republican incumbent George W. Bush and Democratic challenger John F. Kerry, the U.S. Senator from Massachusetts.
The new elementary school at Ft. Banks was rededicated Sunday in the memory of long-time elementary teacher and administrator William P. Gorman. The school now will be known as the William P. Gorman-Ft. Banks Elementary School. Gorman served as the school’s first principal before he passed away.
With the School Committee having completed interviews of the four finalists for the new School Superintendent, the committee has scheduled a meeting for November 4 at which the committee may take a vote on the question of whom they will hire.
The annual WCAT E. Arthur King Squash Raffle telethon is set for November 18.
An art auction of their work conducted by Middle School students raised more than $1600 for a fund to benefit Winthrop soldier James Crosby, who returned from Iraq with serious wounds.
WCVB-Channel Five reported Susan Wornick will be the guest speaker at the Chamber of Commerce November Business Breakfast.
20 years ago
November 3, 1994
Town Clerk Paul Dawson is predicting a voter turnout of 70 percent for Tuesday’s state election that features incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Edward M. Kennedy facing Republican challenger Mitt Romney and Republican Governor William Weld facing Democratic challenger Mark Roosevelt.
A 70-pound blue hubbard squash has been delivered to the home of E. Arthur King just in time for the annual WCAT Squash Raffle fundraiser. The raffle drawing is set for November 10.
The selectmen have appointed a committee to determine where the town compost pile should be located and who should operate it.
The town has received two grants totaling $602,000 for the rehabilitation of housing for low and moderate income residents. Some of the funds also will be used to purchase a van for the Senior Center and for a study of the best re-use of the old Rapid Transit bus barn on Crest Ave.
30 years ago
November 7, 1984
Winthrop bucked the national and state trend by giving a small margin of victory to Democrat Walter Mondale, 4790-4585, over Republican incumbent Ronald Reagan in Tuesday’s Presidential election. Reagan carried the vote nationwide in a landslide. Winthrop voters also strongly supported Democrat John Kerry for U.S. Senate over Republican Ray Shamie, 5388-3912. In the local State Rep. contest, incumbent Democrat Alfred Saggese was unopposed.
The town has appropriated $11,000 to hire a consultant to advise about the best re-use of the now-vacant Chase elementary school on Shirley St.
Dr. Joh Crandon will be honored as the recipient of the Ernest Bentley Award by Winthrop Hospital at the hospital’s annual dinner next week.
Police were kept busy chasing youths who were hurling eggs about town on Halloween.
40 years ago
November 6, 1974
Local political newcomer Alfred Saggese was the big winner in Tuesday’s section, defeating Republican challenger Dick Dimes, the chairman of the Board of Selectmen, for the State Representative seat from which 10-year incumbent Ralph Sirianni is stepping down. Sirianni won by 1619 votes. In the contest for Governor, Winthrop voters favored Democratic challenger Michael Dukakis by 678 votes over Republican incumbent Francs W. Sargent. Winthrop voters also favored Democrat Francis X. Bellotti in his political comeback by a 141 vote margin over his GOP rival.
The State Street Bank has announced plans for the construction of its new office on Putnam St.
Dr. Benjamin Barton has been elected the new President of Temple Tifereth Israel.
The annual ball of the Winthrop Community Hospital was a huge success, with more than 300 persons on hand for the event.
George Segal and Elliott Gould star in California Split at the Kincade Theatre.
50 years ago
November 5, 1964
A large turnout of voters in Winthrop marked Tuesday’s Presidential and state election. In the contest for President, local voters favored Democratic incumbent Lyndon B. Johnson over Arizona U.S. Senator Barry Goldwater by a huge margin, 7631-1847. Local voters also gave a wide victory margin to Edward M. Kennedy, brother of the slain President, 7071-1847 over Whitmore, his GOP challenger. However, Republican former governor John A. Volpe reclaimed that office, defeating Democrat Francis X. Bellotti both across the state and locally, 5126-4317. In the local State Representative contest to succeed 10-year GOP incumbent Fred Baumeister, who was not seeking re-election, Democrat Ralph Sirianni defeated Republican Mel Carver, the Chairman of the Board of Selectmen, 5188-4049.
Winthrop High School has introduced a new program of studies known as the Humanities Series, which will consist of lectures by college professors from the Boston area. Prof. Steven Worth of Northeastern gave the first lecture last week on the subject of politics.
Elvis Presley and Barbara Stanwyck star in Roustabout at the Winthrop Theatre.
60 years ago
November 4, 1954
Winthrop voters turned out in record numbers for an off-Presidential election in Tuesday’s state election, as 8697 voters, 81 percent of Winthrop registered voters, went to the polls. The big winner locally was Republican former selectman Fred A. Baumeister, who defeated Democratic selectman Andrew Benson in the contest for State Representative, 5015-3035. Baumeister will succeed former State Rep., Republican Thomas Key, who was named to the District Court bench by Gov. Christian Herter. Winthrop voters also gave a big show of support to State Senator Andrew P. Quigley, 5443-2886, who won a third term, defeating his GOP rival from Revere. Quigley, 28, a Democrat, also is Mayor of Chelsea and is Publisher of the Winthrop Transcript. Winthrop voters chose incumbent GOP Governor Christian Herter over Democratic challenger Robert Murphy; Republican U.S. Senator Leverett Saltonstall over Democrat Foster Furcolo; and Republican Fred Fingold over Democrat John Collins for Attorney General.
Winthrop Police Sgt.John Van Dalinda has been named by Suffolk County D.A. Garrett Byrne as an investigator for the D.A.’s staff.
The public is invited to attend the reception in honor of St.John’s Episcopal Church pastor Rev. Ralph Harper, the esteemed local clergyman who is stepping down from that post in which he has served for 40 years.
Randolph Scott stars in The Bounty Hunter at the Winthrop Theatre.
70 years ago
November 4, 1944
Polls for the Presidential election will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday.
James E. Wallace of Revere has taken over the duties of Superintendent of the local Post Office. He succeeds Andrew T. Cullen, a Chelsea native, who has been named the new Superintendent of the Chelsea Post Office.
Memorial crosses or stars are being placed in Winthrop Cemetery in honor of our boys who have given their life for our country in the current war.
The Halloween pranks this year bordered on hoodlumism, according to reports from all quarters across the town, keeping police busy. Plate glass windows at Newman’s Drug Store and at businesses at Magee’s Corner were smashed and a portion of the bleachers at Ingleside Park were broken up and burned. There also were the usual broken windows and writings on walls and cars.
Frederic March stars in The Adventures of Mark Twain at the Winthrop and State Theaters.
70 years ago
November 3, 1934
One of the most dignified rallies ever held in Winthrop, according to those in attendance, was the Republican rally held in the Odd Fellows Hall Friday evening.
The state election next week will be highlighted locally by the State Representative contest between Democratic incumbent Daniel J. Honan and Republican challenger Leonard C. Atkinson.
New Police Chief William Pumphret says that the key to the success of the Winthrop Police Dept. will be efficiency, which he says will become the watchword for all members of the department.
Marlene Dietrich stars in the Scarlett Empress at the Winthrop and State Theaters.
90 years ago
November 8, 1924
An unprecedented turnout of 88 percent of Winthrop voters gave overwhelming support to the Republican standard bearers, incumbent Pres. Calvin Coolidge, Governor Alvan Fuller, and State Rep. Edgar Power.
100 years ago
November 7, 1914
Winthrop voters in the state election turned out in goodly numbers and cast a fair vote, as usual supporting the Republican candidates, as did voters across the state.
More than 300 persons, including guests from all over Greater Boston, turned out to greet Rev. Ralph Harper, the new pastor of St. John’s Episcopal Church, and his wife at a reception Friday in the parish house. A ladies orchestra played throughout the evening and several beautiful solos were presented.
Inspections by the Health Department have found that all of the town’s ice cream parlors are within state regulations, though two were close to the limit for bacteria.
110 years ago
November 5, 1904
Winthrop voters are expected to give a strong vote of approval for President Theodore Roosevelt, who is seeking re-election Tuesday.
The selectmen have awarded the contract for the construction of surface drains on Winthrop St. Extension (Thornton) and in the area near Thornton St. The cost of the project will be 46 cents per linear foot for the laying of the pipe, $17 for each catch basin drain, and $4.50 per cubic yard for concrete set in place. Charles C. Craib was awarded the contract at an overall cost of $570.
The mock trial held in Wadsworth Hall for the benefit of the Unitarian Church was a rousing success, with the hall filled to overflowing and many laughs and local “shots†given on both sides.
120 years ago
November 3, 1894
The political rally held last week by the Democrats must have been highly gratifying to our fellow citizens of the Democratic party. Appropriate music was furnished throughout the evening by the East Boston Cadet Band, an organization of 45 comely ads, handsomely uniformed.
Whether Winthrop should become a member of the Metropolitan Park Commission is a subject of much debate these days among our citizens.
130 years ago
November 7, 1884
More than one half of the town’s registered voters had made their way to the polls by 11 a.m. for Tuesday’s Presidential election. There were six tickets on the ballot, including the Prohibition ticket with Henry Cabot Lodge running for Congress. In the vote for President, Democrat Grover Cleveland received 137 votes, Republican James Blaine of Maine received 111, and all others seven votes. The results from New York still need to be tabulated and the outcome holds the balance between Cleveland and Blaine