Week of March 21

March 20, 1875 – 150 YEARS AGO

Rockland County Journal

AROUND HOME

  ☞  Owing to the severity of the Winter which prevented ladies from traveling, the receipts on our railroad have fallen short nearly one hundred dollars per month.

  ☞  The Cadets of Temperance will hold a meeting in the S. of T. room next Monday evening, at half-past seven o’clock. Every member is requested to be present.

  ☞  Joseph Chambers, of Haverstraw, was seized by epilepsy on Tuesday last while conversing with Denton Fowler. He was in a critical condition when last heard from.

  ☞  We are kept in perpetual Summer in our office by the almost constant singing of some of the best song-birds in the country. Birds and flowers make sunshine in the most dreary and cloudy weather.

  ☞  An intelligent youth on DePew Avenue took a part of his mother’s under-clothing to make a tail for his kite, one day this week. The old lady found it out, and now that boy says he has no interest in kites or anything else, for it hurts him awfully when he runs or sits down.

March 19, 1925 – 100 YEARS AGO

Nyack Evening Journal

NEW ROUTES LEADING TO NEW SPAN OVER HUDSON

       A sign of spring is the activity of the sign men of the New York State Highway Department who this year have the assistance of representatives of the Bear Mountain Hudson River Bridge Company. The company endeavoring to acquaint the public by road signs with some of the new routes which are now open to the motorist for the first time through the opening of the new bridge.

       During the winter the bridge company has been marking many main highways in New York, Connecticut and Northern New Jersey with highway direction signs, black and white signs being used in New York and Connecticut and orange and black signs in New Jersey, the standard colors of the last named State.

March 21, 1975 – 50 YEARS AGO

The Journal News

ORANGETOWN WOULD KEEP BINGO

[Image: St. Margaret’s church, Pearl River, undated. Courtesy of the Bob Knight Collection of the Pearl River Public Library.]

       Orangetown would continue to hold bingo games even if a proposal to scuttle the state Bingo Control Commission is passed, Supervisor Americo di Francesca said Thursday

       Under Gov. Hugh Carey’s tentative budget, local governments would take over the control and administration of all bingo games, doing away with the state-wide control agency.

       “We do want the state to maintain the present commission, but even if it doesn’t the town could definitely take over the operation,” di Francesca said.

       Raymond Delo, town clerk, said that if his office is to handle the supervision of bingo, and audit all the material necessary for the games, he would require two to three additional employees.

       The supervisor, however, doesn’t agree. “I really think the town clerk’s office can handle the extra work. There is a little bookkeeping that would be necessary, but I strongly question the need for additional staff.”

       At most, one part-time employe would be needed, di Francesca said.

       Bingo games are now operated in Orangetown by St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Church, Nyack; St. Catharine’s Roman Catholic Church, Blauvelt; St. Margaret’s Roman Catholic Church, Pearl River, and by the Orangetown Jewish Center, Orangeburg, Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, Tappan, is now applying for a bingo permit which will be granted at Monday’s town board meeting, di Francesca said.

       At St. Margaret’s, bingo games provide $60,000 per year for the operation of the parish school which instructs 615 regular students and 750 public school pupils that attend religious classes. Father John McKenna, pastor said.

       The church has been circulating a petition for some time protesting the possible change in bingo control. “We’re asking Carey to reverse a bad decision. Putting responsibility for bingo on the town level would greatly increase the cost of the operation,” said John Slattery, chairman of St. Margaret’s bingo committee.

       A permit must be issued for each bingo game held, with the town collecting $5 of the $12.50 fee, and the remainder goes to the state, Delo said.

       The state budget is to be formed by April 1.

This Week in Rockland (#FBF Flashback Friday) is prepared by Clare Sheridan for the Historical Society of Rockland County. © 2025 by The Historical Society of Rockland County. #FBF Flashback Friday may be reprinted only with written permission from the HSRC. To learn about the HSRC’s mission, upcoming events or programs, visit www.RocklandHistory.org or call (845) 634-9629.