Our generation's fast food was a sandwich at Woolworth's 5 & 10 on Third St., Troy. 

About once or twice a month, I managed to weedle $2 out of my father to go to Troy to buy material for a new dress. If I walked down (through the RPI Approach) from THS, I saved my bus fare and was able to buy an ice cream soda at Woolworth's. Can you imagine I had enough to buy material, a zipper, and maybe thread if needed, plus my soda....and have enough left for bus fare back up to Sycaway -- all on $2!

I lived the country, so I didn't get to Troy very often, but I loved the 5 & 10's. Back then it took three yards of material to make a dress because they had full skirts, and a yard of material was usually 36" -- maybe we could find some bonus material that was 39" across! They were the fun days, and we all made out pretty well!

Barbara Bonesteel - Balascio (1/7/10)

Several members of the Class of 1958 made news in the April 14, 1958 issue of Life Magazine.  How many people can you identify?

All Americans were shocked when the Russians put up a satellite before the U.S.

Everyone wanted to do his part to correct the situation.

Remember the New York State scholarships began to give a bonus for those who would promise to major in math, science or engineering.

R.P.I. decided, for a public relations move, to have a series of Saturday science demonstrations for high school age youth.

We were invited to the RPI Field House. A rocket was fired on a wire across our field of vision. At one point on the wire the rocket triggered a pistol with a blank. Then the camera was triggered. The pistol shot was to get our attention at the proper time. It was all a setup.

The subsequent Saturdays became less interesting and the attendance dropped off, but some of us had our 15 minutes of fame in this issue of Life Magazine.

-- Thanks to Alan Borthwick for the photo and background story. --