Here’s a look at some stories happening the week of July 30-Aug 5.
July 30, 1932: Woman occupies judicial bench for first time in Dayton history
Judge Robert Martin took a vacation. During his absence, he assigned various attorneys to take one-day turns assuming his spot on the bench.
Ernestine Breisch was one of those lawyers. It was the first time a woman had ever presided over a court in Dayton.
Breisch was also president of the Dayton Women Lawyers’ club.
July 31, 1941: Firemen demonstrate new 100-foot ladder
An audience of several hundred people showed up at the municipal building to witness a demonstration of Dayton’s newest piece of fire fighting equipment.
It was a mammoth truck equipped with a 100-foot steel ladder. The cost was $18,000.
Spectators were impressed by the maneuverability of the huge extension ladder as it was swung on a platform into many positions alongside the seven-story building.
It took less than 30 seconds to for the tip of the ladder to reach above the roof of the building.
Another demonstration was to reach high up windows in a rescue situation where those trying to escape could climb down the ladder, which was equipped with guard rails.
July 30, 1957: Centerville faces new ‘pains’ with annexation of 329 acres
With the annexation of 329 acres to the south of the village, the Centerville population jumped to well over 2,000 in 1957. It was 827 in 1954.
The newly acquired area included 225 homes, with room for a total of 500. Several large plats were not ready to be developed because they still lacked sewer facilities.
Mayor Omer Jackson said Centerville was going through growing pains, which included the need for new equipment, like a maintenance truck, a snow plow and a salt and sand spreader.
Centerville had also just acquired a new fire department first-aid truck and it’s one police car was equipped with a new two-way radio to connect with the State Highway Patrol.
In six years, school enrollment increased from 591 pupils to 1,618, which required the building of a new high school.
Mayor Jackson said, “It is going to take more than the closet in the mayor’s office to store the new equipment and it is going to take more than a pickax to do the job...we expect Centerville will grow a lot more in the years to come.”
Aug. 3, 1969: First basket at new UD Arena
Construction workers decided to have a little fun while taking a break from working on the new University of Dayton arena.
The workmen put up a makeshift basket after completing the pouring of the concrete floor and concrete seating bases for the bottom half of the arena.
University of Dayton basketball coach Don Donoher sank the first basket.
The workers were all given sweatshirts by UD with the inscription “University of Dayton Sports Arena.”
July 31, 1977: Once upon a time, new home here cost $4,750
Stanley Swango Jr. claimed he was the first builder to use drywall in Dayton-area homes.
He also claimed his father, Stanley Swango Sr., was the first to use marble-chip exterior stucco in 1923.
Swango Sr. first came to Dayton in 1916 from Lexington, Kentucky, and started out by building barracks at what is now Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
From that time to 1977, when the story was written, Swango, his son and his grandson had built around 6,000 homes in the Dayton area. That included large sections of Kettering and neighborhoods in Centerville.
The family held on to an advertisement from 1928 that had two Swango homes listed for sale. The larger one sold for $5,650 and the economy model sold for $4,750.
A Swango home at the 1977 “Homearama” was valued at $140,000 with swimming pool.
Aug. 4, 1989: A Reds record-breaker
The Cincinnati Reds made the front page of the Dayton Daily News because of their record-breaking 18-2 win the day before against the Houston Astros at Riverfront Stadium.
Major League records included:
Most players getting two hits in one inning: 7.
Most hits in one inning: 16.
Most singles in one inning: 12.
Most consecutive hits given up by one pitcher: Houston’s Bob Forsch, 9.
Reds records included:
14 runs in one inning: One short of Major League record.
Nine consecutive hits: One short of Major League record.
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