Fifty Years Ago In Stoughton (February 11, 1961)

News items from Stoughton Chronicle and News Sentinel on February 9, 1961:

Local News about town:

Local Highway and Fire Departments Busy in Latest Storm. The town like all in the area spent Sunday digging out from the worst snowstorm in years.  Church services were cancelled at the First Parish Universalist and Faith Baptist; Trinity Episcopal held one service; Methodist, both services; Immaculate Conception cancelled four masses at St. Mary’s Chapel and two at St. James, North Stoughton due to lack of parking facilities and with no place to put the snow from the church parking lot.  Extra afternoon and evening masses were held in the main church, Our Lady of the Rosary held regular masses and three extra masses at 4-5:30 and 7 p.m. 

Supt. of Public Works James Williams had his 40 employees of the public works department, aided by some part-time employees and extra private trucks, start plowing streets at 4 a.m. Saturday, and plowing operations were continued until 8 p.m. Sunday evening.  All main roads were opened and widened while small side streets are open and being widened.  All Department of Public Works employees worked vigorously to keep all roads open during the height of the storm, but were seriously hampered by parked cards. 

Despite the hardships of the severe storm, Stoughton Square was in excellent shape Monday morning and the highway department is to be commended for their excellent work.  Wyman Street, as well as other streets leading to the Square were cleared and crews were still busy Tuesday morning removing caked ice from the sidewalks and getting things back to normal. 

The fire department answered two box alarms Saturday, the first for a house fire at 5 a.m., at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Milton Bishop, Jr., 948 Pleasant Street, that caused considerable damage.  The Bishops and their two children Dale, 10, and Diane, seven, were taken in by friends, Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Fernald, 624 Pleasant Street. 

The fire ruined a combination laundry and rumpus room, and caused considerable smoke damage to the entire home.  Saturday morning the department was called to Harry’s Men’s store in the square, where a water pipe had burst on the floor above and caused extensive water damage to the store below.  Firefighters placed salvage canvass and cleaned up.  The store is operated by Sarah Marcus, 229 Stoughton Street.  Box 125 was sounded at 3:25 p.m. for a roof fire caused by an improvised heater at the J.P. Plastics Co., 1779 Central Street. Slight damage resulted. 

Chief Fred Pye and the Public works department urge all residents to co-operate in near their home [something officials in the present day continue to ask].

Junior High PTA open house tonight. The first meeting of the Stoughton Junior High School PTA will be held in all classrooms from 7 to 8:25 p.m.  A general meeting will be held in the auditorium at 8:30 p.m.  The nominating will report and election of officers will take place.  Following the election, Joseph H. Gibbons, superintendent of schools, and Robert O’Donnell, principal, will address the parents of this new PTA Unit.

New Americans.  Mr. and Mrs. Robert DiMatteo, 78 Birch Street, are parents of a daughter born February 7, at Godard Memorial Hospital.  Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Graves, 360 Pleasant Street, are parents of a daughter born Feb. 7 at Brockton Hospital.  Mr. and Mrs. Peter Calcaterra are parents of a second son, born Feb. 1 at St. Margaret’s Hospital, Dorchester.  Mrs. Calcaterra is the former Anne Crowley of this town.  Maternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. James Crowley, Canton Street, and Mr. and Mrs. Paul Calcaterra of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Stoughton Woman’s Club Book Club meeting, scheduled for Monday at the home of Mrs. Joseph W. O’Neill, O’Neill Street, was cancelled and will be held in March.

Monthly communion of the Holy Name Society of Immaculate Conception Parish, will be at the 7:30 mass Sunday.  A breakfast will follow at the , with a tour by the Supt. of Schools, Joseph H. Gibbons, and Principal Robert G. O’Donnell.

K. of C. Dance.  San Salvador Council 200, K. of C. Stoughton will sponsor a Valentine’s Dance on Saturday evening, February 11 at the Council Hall on Porter Street. Music will be provided by an orchestra and dancing will be from 8 to 12.  Refreshments will be served.  Robert Lockhead, who is chairman of the dance will be assisted by Robert Morgan, Joseph DeAndrade, James J. McCormick, James Dellelo and Charles Ahern.

The final meeting of the members of the Peter Lucas Fund committee was held at Rogers’ office in Stoughton Square Tuesday at 8 p.m.  The fund drive was for Officer Peter Lucas, who was injured by a hit-and-run driver while on duty early September.  He returned to his home from the Goddard Memorial Hospital last week, and is still confined to his home.

Obituaries in Brief:

Mrs. Florence M. (Hulbig) Buker, of 44 Kinsley Street, widow of Harry G. Buker and mother of Florence E. Buker, died Tuesday morning after a sudden illness.  She was 79 years old.  Born in Jamaica Plain Oct. 23, 1881, Mrs. Buker was a daughter of the late Christian Marcus Hulbig of Germany and Catherine (Eslinger) Hulbig of Montreal, [Quebec], Canada.  She had resided in this town for more than half a century and attended First Congregational Church.

Frank H. Capen.  Services for Frank Herbert Capen, 64, of 29 Walnut Avenue, Stoughon, who died Sunday, January 28m in Winter Park, Fla were held here Saturday Feb. 3.  Rev. Robert J. MacLeod, pastor of the First Congregational Church, with which the deceased was affiliated, officiated at funeral service in the funeral home, 115 Monk Street, and a committal service in Evergreen Cemetery.

Miss Mary A. Myers, of 844 Pleasant Street, Bridgewater, a former resident of 36 West Street, Stoughton, died Tuesday at the Brockton Hospital after a short illness.  Born in Stoughton, she was a daughter of the late Edward and Mary A. (Russell) Myers.  She was educated in the local schools and was a communicant of the Immaculate Conception Church for more than half a century.

Mrs. John F. (Lenora Murphy) Crowley, 43 Atherton Street, died at her home Tuesday morning after a brief illness.  Although she had been in failing health for some time her deal was unexpected.  Born in Stoughton May 10, 1897, daughter of the late John and Annie (McCarthy) Murphy, she was a graduate of St. Mary’s School and Stoughton High School.