A Look Back, March 20

50 Years Ago

■Business leaders in Northampton gathered Saturday to affirm that they are “1,000 percent” behind downtown urban renewal but cannot act themselves until the city gives them direction. The business community’s response came in the wake of City Council criticism of downtown merchants at a recent meeting.

■Northampton’s float entry into the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Holyoke yesterday won first prize in the parade’s religious category. The prize-winning float depicted the hanging of two Irishmen, James Halligan and Dominic Daley. The two were found guilty of murdering Marcus Lyons of Woodstock, Conn.

25 Years Ago

■Organizers of the Northampton Film Festival say they hope they will come out winners at a special broadcast of the Academy Awards this weekend at The Depot restaurant. To help underwrite future work of the annual festival, held in November, movie lovers from all over have been invited to eat, drink and watch the award ceremony, as well as have an opportunity to participate in a silent auction.

■“Off to See the Wizard,” a Broadway revue style show written by JFK Middle School teacher George Eastman, will be performed tonight and Saturday at the school auditorium. Last year’s show was also written by Eastman, who is the author of published plays.

10 Years Ago

■Though city schools have been directed to launch a later start time for Northampton High School this fall, school officials have yet to figure out how. After reviewing a consultant’s report for a “hub” busing plan that would allow the high school to move its start time from 7:30 a.m. to 8: a.m. in September, members of the School Committee’s Budget and Property Subcommittee unanimously recommended against the plan.

■Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School students were standouts at last month’s regional Skills USA competition. Students in 11 of the Vocational High School’s 12 shops participated in the competition, and a third of them earned medals for their work in front of the judges.