Week of May 9
May 8, 1875 – 150 YEARS AGO
Rockland County Journal
THE SPELLING MATCH
The spelling-match last Friday night was very satisfactory to all who attended it, and was highly successful financially. A good audience was in attendance, and an interest was exhibited in the exercises by all. The class formed was of good size and was made up of a number of those who were in the other match, with a few additional new ones. Rev. N. B. Thompson gave out the words, and his list was excellently made up. Miss Hargrave, one of our public school teachers, won the prize—a large dictionary. In the “Josh Billings Match,” which followed the other, Dr. Wright gracefully bore off the palm—a modest little bouquet about the size of a half-bushel, made up of the sweetest exotics to be found on the top of Mt. Blank.
May 9, 1925 – 100 YEARS AGO
Rockland County Times
BISHOP’S BUSY DAY — Visiting Prelate While in Haverstraw Exhibited Much Activity
[Image: St. Joseph’s Church, Grassy Point, ca. 1920. This church was located on the south side of Main Street in Grassy Point. Courtesy of the John Scott Collection of the Historical Society of the Nyacks, via NYHeritage.org.]
That Bishop Dunn is entitled to the recreation and rest that his trip across the Atlantic, on which he is now engaged, will afford, is absolutely necessary if the stamina, speed and energy of so active a man in his official duties is to prevail.
As an illustration of this activity, Bishop Dunn, with his assistants on his visit to Haverstraw last week, where big classes were confirmed as well as at Grassy Point, Tomkins Cove, Letchworth. Village and the hospital for cripple [sic] children at West Haverstraw, discloses that men who rise to prominence and great leadership in their chosen profession do not get the honors without the penalty of energetic activity.
There was an aggregate of 567 who received the rite of confirmation in the several visits and locations during the day’s activity. Of these 261 were confirmed in St. Peter’s Church, 15 adults, 130 girls, and 116 boys. Besides there were 17 children from the West Haverstraw Hospital confirmed in the Church, 12 girls and 5 boys.
In addition the Bishop with his staff visited the Hospital and confirmed 9 bedridden children patients, 5 girls and 4 boys; later visiting Letchworth Village home for defectives where an aggregate of 200 girls and boys were confirmed. These were included in the statistics pertaining to the Stony Point Parish as the office of the Letchworth Village establishment is in that town and comes under the jurisdiction of the Stony Point Pastorate.
Twenty were confirmed at St. Joseph’s Church, Grassy Point and 49 were confirmed in the Church of the Immaculate Conception at Tomkins Cove making an aggregate of 556 in the two parishes and indicating that Bishop Dunn well earns his recreation and vacation if this is a sample of the general activity employed by the reverend gentleman.
May 7, 1975 – 50 YEARS AGO
The Journal News
MOTHER, DAUGHTER SENTENCED
A Piermont mother and her daughter tried for attempted murder and convicted of third-degree assault were sentenced Monday to three years on probation.
County Judge John A. Gallucci told the women that they were “very lucky to be convicted only of a misdemeanor.”
“In my opinion, the evidence was overwhelming that you committed a serious felonY,” he said. “I believe you know how fortunate you are.”
Gallucci presided over their two-week trial in March.
Kathleen Kunz, 29, and Dorothy Kerr, 58, both of 49 Ash St., were charged with beating a Massachusetts woman with an iron skillet and a hammer at their home on Oct. 24, 1973. The victim, Penelope Belknap, had been having an affair with Mrs. Kunz’ husband, Peter.
They could have been sent to jail for a year and fined $1,000.
This Week in Rockland (#FBF Flashback Friday) is prepared by Clare Sheridan for the Historical Society of Rockland County. © 2025 by The Historical Society of Rockland County. #FBF Flashback Friday may be reprinted only with written permission from the HSRC. To learn about the HSRC’s mission, upcoming events or programs, visit www.RocklandHistory.org or call (845) 634-9629.
