100 YEARS AGO – 1908

The Chester Industrial School located at 1814 W. Second St. opened its dressmaking and ladies tailor making departments with 10 people in attendance. Mrs. Mary J. Robinson, the teacher, instructs by the natural art system on which she has a patent and also a copyright. Other departments have not opened.Ground has been broken for the Garrettford Baptist Church in Drexel Hill. The new building will be ready in the spring. Trustees of the church are Harry Shape, George E. Burnley, Fred Gretz, John Dewess and Elmer Burton.

75 YEARS AGO — 1933

Ronald Chipman, 11, of Ridley Park was struck in the head by a quoit and had to have four stitches to close the wound.The Sears Store in Chester is selling two gallons of motor oil for 79 cents.C. William Craft, assistant county district attorney, has asked the court to revoke the beer licenses of beer gardens that are selling liquor.

50 YEARS AGO – 1958

James P. Bullock, son of Mrs. Mabel M. Bullock, 511 Bartlett Ave., Ridley Park, completed three weeks of air indoctrination training at Pensacola Naval Air Station, Fla. Bullock is a second class midshipman at the U. S. Naval Academy.Nick Perakis Automobiles at Fourth and Price streets, Trainer, is selling a 1951 Buick Riviera with a radio, heater and Dynaflow transmission for $169.50. Terms are $5 down and $10 a month.

25 YEARS AGO – 1983

A young woman who been beaten and possibly sexually assaulted and dumped on Concord Road near Green Street, Chester Township, disappeared from her hospital room at Sacred Heart Medical Center, Chester.The Marple Public Library has a new 54K RAM Apple II microcomputer thanks to the Broomall Rotary Club that donated it to the library.

10 YEARS AGO – 1998

Chester’s first bicycle police patrol has hit the streets and residents are glad to see them. Members of the Police Bicycle Patrol are officers James Collins, Jim Carr and Gordon Cottman. About half the police departments in the county now have bike patrols.

-- LEN CASTERLINE

To contact Len Casterline,

e-mail lencas1038@verizon.net

or lencas1038@yahoo.com

or call (610) 565-4298