A Look Back, May 15

50 Years Ago

■A technical squad from the University of Massachusetts Security Division today is continuing to investigate how a 21-year-old junior was able to climb atop the UMass library late yesterday afternoon and plunge almost 300 feet to his death. As many as 1,000 students, some of whom chanted, “Jump, jump,” watched as the young man leapt from the world’s tallest library.

■Hampshire County Head Start joined thousands of other local programs throughout the country yesterday in celebrating the 10th anniversary of the founding of Head Start nationwide. The local program is sponsored by Hampshire County Action Commission, Inc.

25 Years Ago

■For the first time, 20 parking spaces at Veterans Field will be leased as a way of solving a parking crunch in the West Street area and raising funds to better maintain the park. The leases, at $30 each per month, will allow parking Monday through Friday.

■Café Calvin, the Calvin Theatre eatery whose name was chosen in a public contest, has closed and reopened as “Bar 19,” a drinks-only establishment and site for private parties. Eric Suher, who owns the Calvin, said that the restaurant couldn’t support itself with only a seasonal all-alcohol liquor license, which prohibits selling alcoholic beverages between Jan. 16 and March 31.

10 Years Ago

■Two members of the Forbes Library’s board of trustees who have served for more than a decade each are not seeking reelection, which has library supporters trying to drum up interest in serving on the board. Peter Rowe, who is vice president of the board, and Bonnie Burnham, will not run for reelection.

■It’s the end of the road for Northampton’s bid to be Outside magazine’s “Best Town” 2015. Northampton fell to Annapolis, Maryland, in the magazine contest’s latest round of voting. In the first round of voting Northampton defeated Red Bank, N.J.