Week of September 6

September 5, 1874 – 150 Years Ago
Rockland County Journal

FLIES AS FOOD

     The season is at hand when the diet of human beings is composed to some extent of house flies. These insects manage to get into soups, stews, puddings, &c., and are unwittingly eaten as a part thereof. No doubt, almost every person eats hundreds of flies each season, and yet does not know how they taste. On this score it is immaterial whether we eat flies or not, if we do not know it. The only question of interest is, Are they healthy? Perhaps not; some of them. It is said that the germs of trichinæ [sic] are deposited in refuse matter by a certain fly, to be partaken of subsequently by hogs. While there may be no good ground for alarm in this, it is calculated to discourage the use of flies as an article of food.

September 4, 1924 – 100 YEARS AGO
Pearl River News

MISS NATALIE F. COUCH PASSES BAR EXAMINATION

     Miss Natalie Couch, who was graduated recently from Fordham Law School with the highest honors of her class, has successfully passed the New York State Bar examinations, it was announced yesterday. The examinations were held last June.

VOTERS PASS FIRE MEASURE - LITTLE INTEREST TAKEN, ONLY SIXTEEN VOTES POLLED

     Little interest was taken in the meeting of the Fire Board held in the Pearl River High School last Saturday afternoon. Only sixteen votes were cast, all in favor of the appropriation of $5,150 for the Pearl River Hook and Ladder Company, No. 1., Inc., and the Excelsior Fire Company to furnish fire protection for the district. John L. Smith acted as chairman of the meeting. Justice of the Peace Charles Haughey was appointed inspector and Mrs. Ella Straut was made clerk of the meeting.

September 3, 1974 – 50 YEARS AGO
The Journal News

DOG SHOW

     Rockland’s 28th annual KC all breed and obedience trial show was held Sunday at the new RCC field house. The photo shows David Rosalsky of Spring Valley checking his dog Bull-eye. Baijais Tara Ling of Mohican, owned by Thelma Hartman of Connecticut, became a champion at the show. Photograph by Warren Inglese.

STRIKES LOOM AS ROCKLAND SCHOOL BELLS RING

     School doors are scheduled to open at all eight Rockland school districts tomorrow, but the threat of possible strikes still hovers over four districts which have failed to reach agreements on new teacher contracts.

     Clarkstown teachers voted almost unanimously this morning to accept a new contract worked out with district officials, but Ramapo, East Ramapo, Nanuet, and Pearl River districts have yet to reach agreements.

     The new contract in Clarkstown establishes a base pay of $10,412 for starting teachers, an increase of 9.7 per cent over the previous year, which Fred Gritmon, administrative assistant to the superintendent, said equaled the rise in the cost of living.

     The three-year contract calls for an increase over the next two years equivalent to each year’s cost of living increase up to six percent, and one-half of one per cent for each full per cent increase in the cost of living after that up to 12 per cent. The contract sets a maximum salary increase in the district at 9 per cent for each of the next two years.

     The increase in the Clarkstown school district was $142 more than the $10,270 recommended in a fact finder’s report presented to the district in mid-July.

     Negotiations in East Ramapo, the county’s largest school district with over 925 teachers, have been stalled while officials await a fact finder’s report which they hope will arrive “sometime in mid-September.”

     Richard Crabtree, chief negotiator for the school district, said he has not had a full meeting with teachers’ representatives since August 14, but “I expect some type of response to continue negotiations from the teachers today or tomorrow.”

     Both sides in the Pearl River School District dispute have charged the other with walking out on negotiations at 2 a.m. this morning. Frank Kokoski, president of the Pearl River Teachers Association, charged that Superintendent Arthur Williamson walked out of the meeting. Dr. Williamson should “make no mistake about it, we are tired of the walkout,” said Kokoski. “We are here for serious business and we intend to negotiate for as long as possible.”

     Dr. Williamson denied he left the meeting first and said teacher representatives walked out of the room.

     “The Pearl River negotiating team is ready and available to sit down and talk with the teachers,” he said.

     Both sides agreed that nearly 25 issues remain to be discussed and settled before an agreement could be reached.

     The Ramapo Teachers Association has decided not to strike the district Wednesday, although no agreement has been reached and negotiations have not taken place since last Friday, according to chief negotiator Stuart Shpetner.

     Nanuet teachers joined their counterparts throughout the county in attending orientation sessions today. District officials were unavailable for comment on the status of negotiations.

This Week in Rockland (#FBF Flashback Friday) is prepared by Clare Sheridan on behalf of the Historical Society of Rockland County. © 2024 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.