Sep. 3, 2014: Editor's note: Below John Corry recounts events happening twenty-five years ago in September of 1989 based on articles appearing in the Review Press-Reporter.

The Bronxville School: The Bronxville School began its new year with an enrollment of 922 students, 48 more than the previous year. The increase marked the start of a long-term trend that saw high school attendance grow from fewer than 300 to more than 450 twenty years later. Students and faculty were beginning to benefit from the first major renovation of the school's 1920s plant, including a cafeteria and high school library. Concordia's Kevin Cook thus found it particularly appropriate to announce that the college's 1989 award for outstanding community service was being awarded to school superintendent William Greenham, who had supervised the $4.5 million renovation project.

Electric Power Cable: Bronxville's two-year effort to prevent construction of an electric power cable ended unsuccessfully when New York's highest court refused to hear the case, which had been brought by the village, Eastchester, and Tuckahoe. Bronxville's portion would run from Kensington Road to Avon Road and out under Midland Avenue. Drilling a manhole under Avon commenced immediately.

Sodium Lighting: The trustees voted to prohibit the use of sodium lighting on village streets. Mayor Sheila Stein commented that villagers didn't like their streets to have "a honk-tonk look." The decision marked the success of a six-year-long campaign spearheaded by village residents Dorothy Brennan and Dee Bertine.

Kensington Road Property: The village's long-term use of the Kensington Road property, previously the plant of Lawrence Park Heat, Light and Power, remained uncertain. It had planned, at least initially, to turn the site, together with two adjoining lots to be purchased from Lawrence Hospital, into a parking area. It had deferred action on discovering that this would cost up to $100,000, which trustee Nancy Hand called "much higher than expected." In what a Review Press-Reporter editorial called "beating a dead horse," members of the parking commission strongly objected but to no avail. (Today, 25 years later, the property will be devoted to luxury apartments.)

Lawrence Hospital: Lawrence Hospital raised $100,000 from an 80th anniversary ball at the Glen Island Casino. The ball committee was chaired by villagers Elinor Urstadt and Jane Elliott. The hospital also announced a $14,000 first-half-year surplus; the annual budget was $49 million. It was only one of three Westchester hospitals to show a profit.

Community Fund: The Community Fund set a $300,000 campaign goal, $25,000 more than the preceding year. Sixty-two players participated in its fourth annual golf outing, which took place at Lake Isle on a cool overcast but dry day. (The Community Fund's grants for 2014-2015 will total $543,570.)

Bronxville Adult School: The Bronxville Adult School announced that a three-lecture lunchtime series on foreign policy would take place at the Bronxville Field Club. The first, on October 11 on US Soviet relations, would be especially timely, as the Berlin Wall was to fall only a month later.

Taxicab Service: Citing sharply increased operating costs, the local taxicab company asked the trustees for permission to increase its charge for a trip within the village from $2.50 to $3.00. Trustee Donald Sharp indicated approval, but William Staudt and Nancy Hand were concerned by the size of the increase. A public hearing will be scheduled. (The rate is now $4.85.)

Pictured here: Writer John A. Corry.

Photo by N. Bower