Published: September 29, 2006 08:26 pm            

HISTORY: What happened in Grand Island the week of Sept. 30

Here is a look at history the week of Sept. 30.

50 years ago

"Condemned" movies playing at Buffalo-area drive-ins felt the wrath of the Rev. Msgr. Edward Schwegler, who was also pastor of St. Stephen’s Church on the island. "In some places, the drive-ins have become veritable cesspools of objectionable entertainment," Schwegler said in the Sept. 27, 1956 edition of the Island Dispatch. Such establishments, however, were in the minority in the Buffalo area, he said.

The assessed valuation of Grand Island for 1956-57 was $9,418,852, an increase of $1,005,580 or about 10 percent. The school tax was estimated to be $26.66 per $1,000, which was an increase of $1.58 per $1,000 compared with the previous year.

Preschoolers were encouraged to have fun together, cooperate and develop initiative and "constructive imagination," according to Mrs. David Kinton, director and teacher of the Grand Island Cooperative Nursery School.

25 years ago

Island Cable Inc. hooked up its first customers. That area got MTV and HBO first, with Phase 2 including the northeastern portion of the town, according to the Oct. 2, 1981, edition of the Island Dispatch. Island Cable initially offered 23 channels.

The GI school district employed 40 bus drivers with four regular substitutes. The high school used 24 buses; 24 for the private and public elementary schools; and 16 for the middle school. Also, seven buses were provided for 25 nonpublic schools off the island.

10 years ago

The "frustrated" Southpointe developer demanded a public hearing nearly six years after first hatching the idea, according to the Sept. 27, 1996, edition of the Island Dispatch. Plans were to include in the "Adult Lifestyle Community" of townhouses, a grocery store, recreational facilities, retail shops, extensive walkways as well as bike paths. At that time, the developer had already spent $3 million on the project, the article reported.

        

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