50 Years Ago
- President Ford, speaking in Springfield yesterday, said that the most important achievement of his administration has been to restore credibility in the presidency. Ford said he had gotten enormous satisfaction from the results of a recent Gallup poll which indicated that 74 percent of the American people felt “that credibility in the White House had been restored.”
- A special Gazette report from Boston yesterday found that area state legislators are generally dissatisfied with Gov. Michael S. Dukakis’ performance in office. Interviews with state senators and representatives from Hampshire County cited numerous criticisms. The main complaint was that the governor has failed to provide strong leadership.
25 Years Ago
- Ruth J. Simmons, who made history when she was appointed president of Smith College in 1995, will do so again when she leaves the college in July to assume the presidency of Brown University. With her appointment as Smith’s ninth president in 1995, Simmons, 54, became the first black woman ever to be named president of a top-ranked U.S. college or university. She will now become the first black president of an Ivy League school.
- The recount of presidential balloting in Florida has resumed, with disputed Palm Beach County results helping Al Gore substantially trim George W. Bush’s lead. While Bush gained 346 votes Wednesday, the vice president gained 1,189 votes, helping him cut Bush’s lead by more than half. Gore has now trimmed the Texas governor’s lead to 941 votes.
- Easthampton could soon see new bars and restaurants after the City Council last week took the first step in making eight new liquor licenses available for the taking. Now officials will petition the state Legislature to act to create the additional licenses, which are referred to as over-quota.
- Nurse, scientist and educator Susan Bauer-Wu was chosen this week to head the Mind and Life Institute in Hadley, an organization dedicated to building a scientific understanding of the mind as a way to reduce suffering in the world. Bauer-Wu, 53, has been connected with Mind and Life for about eight years, attending workshops and volunteering for the organization.