A Look Back, July 29

50 Years Ago

■Mayor Sean M. Dunphy has been named vice-chairman of the national Mayors’ Committee for the Bicentennial in preparation for the nationwide celebration in 1976. As vice-chairman he will help direct and encourage Bicentennial projects in Northampton and also meet with other elected officials in nearby communities to stimulate interest among cities which have not yet begun Bicentennial activities.

■Twenty-three year-old Edward M. Mair of Northampton will be one of 80 students assigned as observers and reporters at a United Nations conference on population in Bucharest, Rumania, next month. Mair, a graduate student at UMass, is being sent to the conference by the Population Institute of Washington, D.C.

25 Years Ago

■The Amherst company that designed the controversial teacher test for new educators has released a 1,700-page report saying the exam is both reliable and valid. The teacher test drew fire from educators after 59 percent of test-takers failed the first administration in April 1998.

■The Lilly Library in Florence has begun a search for a new director, following the resignation this month of Joyce P. Neal. Neal, 67, submitted her resignation to trustees July 1, citing health concerns, ending 13 years as director, assistant director and part-time staffer.

10 Years Ago

■For the vendors, artists, and families who filled the streets of downtown this weekend, Sidewalk Sales is more than a shopping event. All weekend long, downtown sidewalks were filled with clothing, entertainment, food and more for the Northampton Business Improvement District’s annual outdoor event.

■Northampton resident Rachel Simpson is a new agent at Goggins Real Estate in Florence. Simpson, a former journalist and communications professional, grew up in Northampton. She previously worked at the Daily Hampshire Gazette, the Northampton Council on Aging, Wondertime magazine, and as a freelance writer and editor.