A Look Back, Feb. 12

50 Years Ago

■Diane Walsh, a senior at Northampton High School, has been named local and district winner of the “Voice of Democracy” writing and public speaking awards, which are sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Miss Walsh received a prize of $100.

■The Northampton School Committee will hold a public hearing tonight on its proposed $6.6 million budget, which represents a 13 percent increase over this year’s appropriation. School board members are seeking public guidance on whether to cut spending for several programs, including athletics, elementary French, high school English, and the academically talent (AT) program.

25 Years Ago

■A Northampton man whose career has been motivated by a simple desire to do good work is being honored for his two years in the Peace Corps this month with an award given in a ceremony in Washington, D.C. George Walker is one of 12 Peace Corps volunteers to be given the Franklin H. Williams Award, which recognizes outstanding community service by African American Peace Corps volunteers.

■Northampton employees whose domestic partners are on the city health insurance plan received notice this month that their coverage will end as of March 1, but the city is poised to replace such coverage as best it can. The Massachusetts Interlocal Insurance Association notified city officials that because of a state Supreme Judicial Court decision handed down last summer, it can no longer offer such coverage.

10 Years Ago

■North Star, a self-directed learning center for teens, will move to Sunderland after it was forced to leave the Russell Street School in Hadley. The learning center signed a five-year lease for the building at 45 Amherst Road and will begin setting up there in June, according to Ken Danford, executive director of North Star.

■A red, black and green flag representing the Black Liberation Movement that began in the 1960s will be raised above the Amherst Town Common Saturday morning as part of the town’s recognition of Black History Month. Judy Brooks, a retired elementary school teacher, organized the flag-raising event.