100 YEARS AGO – 1908

Sylvester Crowther, better known as “Dick,’’ a motorman on the Chester Traction Co.’s Darby line, was not recognized at first by his fellow employees when he reported for duty. Even his conductor James McClain failed to discern that he was Dick and not somebody else. It was at first thought that a new motorman had entered the company’s employ but when Dick exclaimed “hello boys, what’s making you all look so surprised,’’ they recognized his voice. It was the change in Dick’s facial appearance that fooled the trolley men as he had his flowing moustache shaved off the night before. Regular passengers kept Conductor McClain by asking him who the new motorman was.

75 YEARS AGO – 1933

A Lansdowne man, 33 years old from Plumstead Avenue, returned home after being missing three days. He told his wife he was unable to remember anything when he found himself in Washington, D.C. He called his home and family members brought him home. The wife said her husband apparently had walked for many miles. His feet were sore and his shoes scuffed. The man works at a meat packing plant in Philadelphia but after work he disappeared. He is under the care of a physician for amnesia.
Don’t delay for lack of money says Dr. Mallas, 616 Edgmont Ave., Chester. At the children’s clinic he does painless extractions for 25 cents and does fillngs, the kind that last, for $1 each.

50 YEARS AGO – 1958

Latin students at Media High School participated in a Roman festival with 400 other young people at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. Among students participating were Mary Lou Palmer, Ilse Duks and Gail Whitaker, all of Media.
Helen Abramchuk of Eddystone was elected president of the newly organized Delaware County Association of Educational Secretaries.

25 YEARS AGO – 1983

Four juveniles were arrested in connection with two thefts at the Gimbels Store at the Granite Run Mall in Middletown. Police said the youths had attempted to take cash from registers in the store.
A Darby youth who forged his mother’s signature on $1,700 worth of stolen checks received five years probation by the county court. Judge Clement J. McGovern Jr. also ordered the youth to enroll in a drug treatment program.

10 YEARS AGO – 1998

The Laboratory Schools for Languages withdrew its application to operate a charter school in the William Penn School District because it is having difficulty finding a building within the school district.

— LEN CASTERLINE

To contact Len Casterline,

email: lencas1038@verizon.net

or lencas1038@yahoo.com

or call (610) 565-4298