Twenty years ago — 1998

The annual St. Lucy Day breakfast was held today at Chautauqua Day Care on the Fredonia State campus. This holiday program is based on the Swedish holiday traditionally celebrated on Dec. 13 in which the oldest girl in the family awakens family members at daybreak with a breakfast treat. St. Lucy Day reminds Swedes that it will not be long before Christmas, after which days will lengthen and bring joy to all. At the day care center, hot cocoa and sweet rolls were served by the “Lucy Girls,” the two oldest girls in the class, assisted by the “Star Boys,” the oldest boys at the center.

Thirty years ago — 1988

Holy Trinity School in Dunkirk will become the home of the proposed regionalized Catholic school in the area next fall, pending an enrollment of 150 students. Four of the 11 parishes in the Northern Chautauqua County area — including St. Hyacinth’s in Dunkirk – will not be included in the proposed regionalized school. The other parishes are Immaculate Conception in Cassadaga, St. John Bosco in Sheridan and St. Rose of Lima in Forestville. St. Hyacinth’s School will continue to operate by itself. As a result of the 1518 positive votes versus 271 negative responses cast in the survey by the parishes to be included in the Catholic school plan, a regionalized school named Northern Chautauqua Catholic, will become a reality if 150 students are enrolled by the Dec. 14 registration deadline.

Forty years ago — 1978

Lori A. Jones of 6 Burton Ave., Ripley jumped from her car moments before it was struck by a freight train on a Conrail crossing in Ripley at 10:30 a.m. today. Miss Jones said she hesitated while on the crossing, then tried to back off the icy grade after observing the westbound train. Her car, demolished in the collision, slid sideways onto the track. She ran from the car before the train struck. The train’s engineer said he applied the brakes when he saw the car on the crossing, but could not avoid the collision.

Fifty years ago — 1968

The 99-year-old Welch Grape Juice Co. will enter its centennial year in 1969 with a new corporate name, Welch Foods Inc. The company that pioneered the bottled fruit juice industry in America has changed its name to reflect its broad marketing base and diversified product line. Dr. T. B. Welch, the Vineland, N.J., dentist who developed unfermented Concord grape juice back in 1869 and founded the famous “Welch’s trademark,” could not have imagined how successful his business venture would become. Last year, Welch’s net sales exceeded $65,000,000.