From The Clarkston News archives

25 years ago – 1998
$90,000 possible for library books: Palace Sports & Entertainment Executive Director Hugh Lombardi presented a check for $30,000 targeted to buy new books for the Independence Township Library during the township board of trustees meeting. The township board then voted unanimously to donate another $30,000 to the pot from the township’s general fund coffers. “We have $60,000 waiting to match your money,” Supervisor Dale Stuart said to the community. “If you give us a dollar, we’ll put $2 with it and buy books for the library to increase the library collection. The effort has the ability to reach $90,000.”
Interpreter brightens the holidays: Inspiration led Clarkston resident Kim Willett to a rewarding career. She earned her bachelor’s degree in sign language studies. It led her to working as a theater interpreter and on Dec. 22 she would sign a performance of “A Christmas Carol” at Meadow Brook Theatre.
Wish Grant-ed: Clarkston High School senior A.J. Grant signed his letter of intent to wrestle for the University of Michigan after graduation, following in the footsteps of his older brother, Corey, and former teammate, Joe DeGain. “I wanted to go where I was comfortable,” A.J. said. “I’ve visited there a lot, and I like the program a lot. Michigan is somewhere I wanted to go since I was little, and now I have the opportunity.”

50 years ago – 1973
A present for teacher: Mrs. Anita Davison’s 48 kindergarteners of Clarkston Elementary School made her a very personalized momento for their classroom project. Each student contributed his or her own Magic Marker drawing and autograph to a skirt for their teacher.
CHS girl cagers finish season 14-0: The girls basketball teams of Clarkston High School finished the season with no losses. The varsity team played its 14th game for their 14th victory with a 73-16 win over Waterford Kettering in the last Wayne Oakland League. The win put the Wolves first in the league, 8-0. The JV squad followed in a similar manner playing its 13th game for their 13th victory with a 39-28 win over Walled Lake Western.
Springing up: The Jennings family on Foster Road was all together for Thanksgiving, but they didn’t eat turkey. Pat shared her son, Rocky, was the hunter in the family and supplied wild duck for the dinner. “They were very good at least the adults enjoyed them,” she said. “The kids didn’t want any so we had ham, too.”

75 years ago – 1948
Local girl in college choir: Miss Patricia Ann Hoyt, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Hoyt of Middle Lake Road, would sing in the soprano section of the 65-voiced Albion College acapella choir at its Christmas concert conducted by David Strickler.
New club organized in Clarkston: The organizing of the Clarkston Farm and Garden Club had been completed. It was a unit of the Michigan Division of the Woman’s National Farm and Garden Association. A constitution was adopted and officers were elected.
The Hilltopper: The fifth grade class had the library book, “New England Colonial Days” read to them. The class was currently studying the southern states and were reading the “Southern Colonial Days.” The class enjoyed comparing the way boys and girls lived then with the way they lived in 1948. But they did not like the old methods of school discipline.

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