A Look Back: Jan. 20

200 Years Ago

■David Judd has on hand at his warehouse on South Street a large assortment of elegant cabinet furniture, manufactured by the first-rate workmen, and of the best materials, consisting of sideboards, sofas, card tables, breakfast and dining tables, bureaus, bedsteads, ladies’ work tables, etc.

■On Wednesday last, a meeting was held in Northampton for the purpose of adopting some measures to aid the efforts to improve the condition of the Jews. A society was formed called the “Northampton Society for Meliorating the Condition of the Jews,” the object of which is “to promote the conversion of the Jews to Christianity in such methods as shall from time to time appear most expedient and practicable.”

100 Years Ago

■The Northampton Coolidge Club will be organized tomorrow evening at a meeting of all citizens interested at the Draper Hotel at eight o’clock. The organization of the proposed club of Northampton boosters of Calvin Coolidge for President of the United States this fall will be effected and a rousing turnout of citizens is looked for.

■The board of public works has abolished the custom of sanding sidewalks after a storm, and in the future abutters will have the responsibility of safeguarding pedestrians by putting sand on the walks running in front of their own property. The city will sand only those walks which its property abuts, in the future.

50 Years Ago

■Claiming “absolutely no irregularities” at the McCallum’s going-out-of-business sale, Forbes and Wallace vice president Harvey Sanford said yesterday the store “has not done anything other than that which is ethical.” McCallum’s came under attack this week when the Northampton Consumer Advisory Commission chairman, Eileen Mahar, criticized the store’s sale tactics after receiving complaints from local consumers.

■Painters Janet Fish, Donald Perlis and William T. Williams will join critic Emily Genauer as participants in Amherst College’s Copeland Colloquium Sunday through Jan. 26. A selection of recent works by these artists will be on display in the Mead Art Building throughout the Colloquium week.