A Look Back, Oct. 20

50 Years Ago

■Northampton High School will hold its annual Booster Day on Saturday. Although various activities have been going on for the past two weeks in the high school, Booster Day will culminate in the NHS-St. Michael’s soccer game and the Hamp-Waconah football game on Saturday, with the Victory Dance that evening.

■The City Council last night unanimously approved the purchase of 12 acres of land adjacent to Look Park. Mayor Dunphy said trustees of the park as yet have no definite plans for the new land. Some ideas expressed for use of the land have been to expand the picnic grounds, and expansion of parking and restroom facilities.

25 Years Ago

■Applewood at Amherst and the Loomis Communities of South Hadley and Holyoke, representing more than 400 housing units for the elderly, announced their intent to merge Monday. “By combining assets and revenues, we will be a stronger organization,” said Apple executive director Robert Woolrich.

■Forget phone calls and postage stamps, e-mail, the cyberspace postal service, has come to many municipal offices in Northampton. Though still in its infancy, in the future, city residents with computers will be able to register for recreation programs and fill out a variety of applications for permits and licenses by computer.

10 Years Ago

■Kevin Burke, who has been serving as acting assistant principal of Easthampton High School since February, has been hired permanently for the post. Burke has been with the district since 2008, when he was hired as a math teacher.

■Over the objections of city officials, including Mayor Michael Tautznik, the state has approved moving the Hilltown Cooperative Charter Public School to Easthampton. The request to move the school from Haydenville to its new location in Easthampton was approved Oct. 10 by the state Department of Elementary and Second Education.