History
50 YEARS AGO: Bollenback, Mark and Hapke are hired

Apr 10, 2008

The Board of Education hired Dirk Bollenback as a high school social studies teacher, Robert Mark as a high school physical education teacher and Cynthia Hapke as an elementary school teacher for the 1958-59 academic year, the April 10, 1958 Press reported.

After studying an analysis of the distribution of the elemen-tary school population and of children not yet in school, the School Building Committee directed its site committee to look for a place to build a new elementary school in the Ridgebury district near Bennett's Farm Road.

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Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Welsh, the new owners of the Cannonball House (now the Keeler Tavern), thought they had become familiar with all of the historic house's nooks and crannies but they missed one, which became a source of embarrassment. After not being able to locate their eight-year-old son, Matthew, who had been playing near the swamp behind their home, they called the State Police barracks on East Ridge. After a search party, which included officers from the state police barracks, several state police auxiliary members, members of the town police, Fire Department Chief Mario Frulla and 30 members of the Volunteer Fire Department, spent more than an hour and 20 minutes of searching for the boy, he was found by his parents asleep on an unused stairway in the home.

Mr. and Mrs. Donald Cairns of East Ridge announced the birth of their second child, Bonnie Lou.

The St. Mary's parochial team won the state champi-onship in the Pee Wee divi-sion following a victory over Branford. The young champs included Harry Pierandri, Paul Carboni, Jim Pambianchi, Chet and Gary Zawacki, Robert Santini, Dave Carboni, Richard Polverari, Joey  Casazza, Jim Bacchiochi, Robert Mulvaney, Joe Egan, Mike McGivern and Joe Korczynski.Rex Gustafson, Teddy Nash, Tommy Sykora, Billy Wygant and Randy Nicklas played gob-lins in Miss Kilcoyne's sec-ond grade presentation of “The Pink Fairy and the Goblins.” Jane Blumgarten, Anne Nelson, Debbie Jones and Roberta Baker played fairies.

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Mr. and Mrs. Harry Bennett and Mr. and Mrs. Faust Verna headed the dance committee of St. Mary's Cana Club and planned an Italian-style chicken dinner featuring the Hugh Golden Orchestra. Other committee members included Gino Torcellini, John Wahl, Frank Warner, Paul and Dick Venus, Paul Verpillot, Dr. Peter Yanity, Einar and Rodney Anderson, James Bacchiochi, Enzo Bartolucci, Geno and Primo Bassett, Silvio Bedini and Charles Belardinelli.

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Craig's Jewelry Store agreed to sponsor the Community Center basketball team, which competed in the Danbury Gold Medal Invitational basketball tournament. Coached by Fibber Biagiotti, the team included Don Ligos, Mel Makowicki, Art Keeler, Fred Mazzi, Tom Mitchell, Pat Vozzo, Bob Leary, Gene Lavatori, Andy Montanari and Bob Tulipani.

Robert Salvestrini was home on leave from Fort Dix. He enlisted in the Army after graduating from Clarkson University. Frederick J. Romeo of New Street volunteered and was inducted into the armed services along with fellow Ridgefielder Mariano Riccardi.

Kellogg-Theiss Pontiac-Cadillac-Vauxhall dealer on Danbury Road (now the site of Party Depot) advertised a 1956 Pontiac Star Chief convertible coupe for $1,995, a 1952 Buick convertible coupe for $595 and a 1957 Cadillac Sedan de Ville for $4,395.

Gristede's Market on Main Street, which accepted phone orders and offered free deliv-ery, advertised leg of lamb for 63 cents a pound, two pounds of fresh asparagus for 49 cents, three seedless grapefruits for 35 cents and alligator pears for 19 cents each.