On Easter weekend 1960, members of the Altoona Skin Divers Club were scuba diving in the Tyrone Quarry Hole. The hole was 45 feet deep. Shown are (from left): John C. Miller, Darwin Kyle (deceased) and Jim Foor (deceased). The photo was submitted by John Miller of Hollidaysburg.

Readers are encouraged to send or deliver old local photographs of general interest for use in Yesteryear. Information about people and places should be included. Photos must be 30 years old or older and should be sent to Yesteryear, Altoona Mirror, P.O. Box 2008, Altoona, PA 16603, or emailed to community@altoonamirror.com. For more information, call Brenda Carberry, community news coordinator, at 814-946-7459.

Local news on this date

Nov. 15, 1950

The Altoona School of Commerce, J. Howard Tobias president, and Zeth Business School, Mary I. Kyle president, held a joint graduation ceremony at the Penn Alto Hotel, followed by a banquet. The schools were soon to merge into one institution.

Nov. 15, 1975

Harry Jacob Anslinger, 83, the first U.S. Commissioner of Narcotics and U.S. Representative to the United Nations, died Nov. 14 in Altoona. Anslinger held a law degree and began government service in the War Department during World War I and saw service in many foreign countries.

Nov. 15, 2000

Keith Junior High School, Terry Ianuzzi principal, was to receive $21,641 for its students having improved test scores on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment Test. Williamsburg Community High also received $4,968 for improved scores. They were the only two to do so locally.

Nov. 15, 2015

A Penn State Altoona Housing complex named Nittany Pointe at 200 Campus View Drive, known as the site of noisy parties, was sold to a State College firm called NPRE Limited Partnership. It was to be managed by the Keystone Real Estate Group.

Nov. 16, 1950

The Heidelberg Country Club, John Regna president, celebrated its seventh anniversary with a banquet at the Frankstown Clubhouse. Members of the Heidelberg also headed the local Red Cross blood drive and the Altoona Hospital Fund drive.

The Altoona Optimist Club, Robert W. Anthony president, in a radio address over station WVAM, announced David M. Langkammer of the Altoona Park and Recreation Board for outstanding service. He was presented with a framed copy of the Optimist Creed.

Nov. 16, 1975

The 150-year-old Furry’s Mill (1837) at Waterside was completely destroyed by fire yesterday with damage estimated at $300,000. It was once famous for making Furry’s White Wonder Flour. In 1875, a water turbine was installed to harness power.

About 550 employees of the Penn Central Transportation Co., both union and non-union, surprised Congressman Bud Shuster with a testimonial banquet at the Sheraton Motor Inn. for his work on saving the Altoona rail shops from being closed and also for his work on the railroad retirement system.

Nov. 16, 2000

At least six sporting and environmental groups were appealing a federal judge’s decision to dismiss their lawsuit against the construction of a section of I-99 between Tyrone and Port Matilda. The groups had named environmental reasons for stopping construction.

Norfolk Southern Railroad, Rudy Husband spokesman, said that the Juniata Shops may soon close with the loss of 385 jobs, switching jobs to smaller shops, saying the facility was only operating at 30 percent of capacity and bills like electricity were $140,000 a month.

Nov. 16, 2015

The local Home Nursing Agency Foundation, Pam Seasoltz director of development, was to feature the “Lights of Love” on trees at its Sheraton Drive Office grounds, white representing hospice and blue representing services for clients.

The Lakemont Figure Skating Club and the Galactic Ice Learn to Skate Program were holding a “Holiday on Ice” program at Galactic to benefit the Central Pennsylvania Humane Society.

World news on this date

Nov. 15

In 1864, late in the U.S. Civil War, Union forces led by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman began their “March to the Sea” from Atlanta; the campaign ended with the capture of Savannah, Georgia, on Dec. 21.

In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt laid the cornerstone of the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C.

In 1966, the spaceflight of Gemini 12, the final mission of NASA’s Gemini program, ended successfully as astronauts James A. Lovell and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin Jr. splashed down safely in the Atlantic after spending four days in orbit.

Nov. 16

In 1907, Oklahoma became the 46th state of the union.

In 1914, the newly created Federal Reserve Banks opened in 12 cities.

In 1973, President Richard Nixon signed the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Authorization Act into law, authorizing the construction of an 800-mile oil pipeline from the Alaska North Slope to the port city of Valdez.

In 1982, an agreement was announced in the 57th day of a strike by National Football League players.

In 2001, the first film in the Harry Potter series, “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” (U.S. title: “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”) debuted in theaters around the world.

Local news compiled by Tim Doyle. National, world news from The Associated Press.