25 Years Ago (Week of July 6-12, 1969):

* After months of discussion, the Howard County Board of Education stood by its original position that smoking by students on school property should be forbidden. Student leaders had contended that smoking by students would continue, whether forbidden or not.

50 Years Ago (Week of July 9-15, 1944):

* The Ellicott City Fire Department responded to two fires in a single afternoon. One fire was on the roof over the ticket booth of the Earle Theatre on Main Street. The second was in an awning on Blank's Bargain Store.

* The Women's Civic Club of Ellicott City held a discussion of "recreational possibilities" for young people in the area. The women were enlisting the support of area youth groups for their project.