A Look Back, March 24

50 Years Ago

■Home construction in Hampshire County has come to a virtual standstill because of the economic recession, and there are few signs that the industry will pick up during spring or summer. In Amherst and Northampton, only three building permits for new homes have been requested and issued in each community over the first three months of 1975.

■Northampton’s float depicting the Molly Maguires won first prize in the Irish category of the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Holyoke yesterday. Northampton was represented by Grand Marshal Luke Ryan, Mayor Sean M. Dunphy, and a large group of other citizens.

25 Years Ago

■Within six months, Northampton will have high-speed Internet access available to all city departments and, for a price, to private citizens and city businesses. The effort is backed by Mayor Clare Higgins, who ranks technological improvements as a priority. One City Hall staffer calls Higgins “our techno-mayor.”

■The Kiwanis Club, the international service organization, is testing the reception in Northampton this week to creating a chapter here. The club says it has sent letters to community leaders, business owners and residents with information about the Kiwanis and will be making visits to prospective members.

10 Years Ago

■Sunnyside Childcare Center in Northampton celebrated its 40th year as an early education center with an open house and party Friday. Started in 1975, it has operated as a parent-cooperative pre-school serving area children 18 months to kindergarten.

■With its last winner crowned just four months ago, Distinguished Young Women of Greater Easthampton’s chairwoman Jennifer Lawton said there are monumental changes afoot during the scholarship program’s 50th anniversary show Sunday. In addition to moving the program up by eight months, the competition will now feature junior girls as part of an overhaul to align it with the national competition.