Acquisition of Tamagotchi in 1997; aerial photography in 1922 [Lancaster That Was]

 Acquisition of Tamagotchi in 1997; aerial photography in 1922 [Lancaster That Was]

Excerpts and summaries of stories from the former Intelligence Journal, Lancaster New Era and Sunday News focusing on regional events of remarkable, interesting or bizarre past.

25 years ago

Every so often, there comes a crazy toy that seems to replace pop culture overnight.

In May 1997, that madman was Tamagotchi.

The small oval-shaped keys, which allowed owners to mimic a pet size with a small LCD screen and a few buttons, had arrived in Lancaster County a few weeks before the New Age of May 15 featured a front page feature about insanity. .

Tamagotchi flying on store shelves - Toy R Us manager Don Arungwa said the store sold 72 Tamagotchi in a single day and sold out. The real pet toys were not Japanese, and Arungwa said local customers who had learned about the fashionable Tamagotchi request it before the store received its first shipment.

Pets came up with their part of the argument - as pets could "die" without regular care, the kids took them to school, where their endless screams interrupted.

Although Tamagotchi hysteria passed quickly, real pets have been on the market in various ways since then. They left their mark on pop culture in another way, too - the term "Tamagotchi effect" is used to describe the tendency for people to develop emotional attachment to robots or software pieces.

In articles:

Shuttle explodes with Mir repair kits

Famous celebrities as graduation speakers

'Friends' wrapped up the third season tonight

See May 15, 1997, Lancaster New Era here.

50 years ago

A 15-year-old boy was admitted to hospital on May 15, 1972, after falling 75 meters from Prince Street Parking Garage.

Dennis Hain was believed to have been playing on a garage ramp when he broke and fell concrete on the six floors below.

A spokesman for the Lancaster Parking Authority said a group of boys were chased upstairs from the garage that day. Hain's friend Tom Parker, 16, said he was in the garage with Hain at the time of the incident and heard Hain "screaming for help."

Police said Hain fell to the ground in concrete. He was taken to St Joseph's Hospital, an intensive care unit, where he was pronounced "in intensive care".

In articles:

Amish high court rules can drop out of school after 8th grade

The U.S. returns Okinawa to Japan

Nine people were killed over the weekend of Ulster violence

See May 15, 1972, Lancaster New Era here.

75 years ago

A Lancaster woman discovered her Mother's Day flowers from as far back as 1947.

Jennie May Carmitchell was the recipient of two orchids sent by air mail by her daughter, Margaret Hoover, who lived in Honolulu.

Hoover's husband, Harold, had been serving in the U.S. military for three years. Hawaii. Margaret Hoover had lived there with her for about five months.

In articles:

The Germans called for a strike in Stuttgart

Synthetic liquid may form the basis of a vaccine for tuberculosis

Explosives shook Palestinian territories

See May 15, 1947, Intelligencer Journal here.

This 1922 aerial photograph depicts the West End of the city of Lancaster, with the prominent Lancaster Theological Seminary, as well as part of Franklin & Marshall College - including the former exhibition center.

100 years ago

In 1922, Lancaster Intelligencer published a series of Lancaster aerial photographs.

The youthfulness of these images was evident in the accompanying text of the May 15 model, which was the ninth in a series.

This photo was taken by someone called "Major Maxwell," this photo shows the grounds of Lancaster Theological Seminary, surrounded by residential streets of the West End city, with a view of the Franklin & Marshall College campus also visible, including the former viewing area.

"The good order of the (seminary) reasons is clearly shown," said the Intelligencer. Many of the surrounding villages were newly built, making the west one of “the most beautiful parts of the city.”

In articles:

The United States has asked to speak with European diplomats to resolve the Russian question

A new American ambassador to Germany visited General Allen in Coblenz

See May 15, 1922, Lancaster Intelligencer here.

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