Seen and heard

Laughter as medicine

A young student used her science exhibit entry at the Alameda County Fair to test the adage that laughter makes good medicine.

Brittany Bates, 14, a student at San Ramon Valley Christian Academy in Danville, measured participants' blood pressure before and after they watched a funny video. Sure enough, their blood pressure went down after a few good laughs.

Bates won first place for her entry.

-- Denis Cuff, staff

Past times

Top stories of the Valley Times July 27, 1951

Headline: "Petition Protests Permanent Pleasanton Prison Farm, but Supervisor Says Plans will Proceed"

The petition, according to its sponsors -- Mr. and Mrs. Roy E. Mayo (the former Ernestine Mohr) and Orrin Crowe, property holders adjacent to the now-purchased

The petition addressed to the board "respectfully submits ... our strong objection to the use of said property as a penal institution by the Alameda County Sheriff's Department or other body."

Signers said "the present institution on Navy property at Santa Rita has been looked upon with tolerance because of the existence of those quarters for use as a more or less temporary measure ...."

But, they continue, "In the event of loss of use of these quarters to the county, we do object strongly to the establishment of a penal institution in our twin valleys ...."

Petitioners expected to present their case to the supervisors in the near future.

Headline: "One of One Thousand" Rifle Dating Back to 1873 Located in Pleasanton"

A rare old rifle that may have traveled to California by covered wagon is owned by William Thiessen, of Pleasanton. It is a treasured "One of One Thousand" Winchester Model 1873, scarce mates of which are valued by collector-owners as high as $5,000, that has been passed down as a family heirloom.

Only 33 of these rifles have been rediscovered in a yearlong nationwide search. The Winchester Model 1873 is known in American history as the "Buffalo Bill Rifle," and "the gun that won the West."

"The Jackson family," Thiessen said, "was originally from England ... They settled in Wisconsin, then later came by covered wagon train to California."

Real Estate: Rustic cabin-type home. Large living room, kitchen, bedroom, bath, glassed-in sleeping porch, garage, wooded lot, swimming pool and clubhouse privileges. Full price $4,950 -- $1,250 cash balance, $24.24 per month. Chas. C. MacGonegal, broker, Kilkare Road, Sunol.

At the Movies: Valley Drive-in, "Samson and Delilah" with Hedy Lamarr and Victor Mature.

Compiled by Louise Hartman, staff