Monday, March 03, 2014

Fifty Years Ago This Week in West Rome - 3/2/1964 to 3/8/1964

West Rome began spring football practice this week in 1964; Coach Paul Kennedy said that he expected about a hundred potential players to show up for practice, with key lettermen returning, joined by "some fine prospects from the junior varsity team. There's no sense in being pessimistic... I'm very optimistic about this team," Coach Kennedy said on Monday. By the week's end, however, he was a bit less optimistic. "Our defense looks terrible," Kennedy lamented, "particularly our defensive line play. I'm very disappointed with the progress; we're just not getting as much accomplished as in the past."

West Roman Jean Smiderski placed third in Bacteriology at the Seventh District Science Fair, held over the weekend at the Ford Gymnasium at Berry College. Other Chieftains who placed included Paula St. Clair, who took fourth in Experimental Psychology; Bob Bicker, who took fourth in Zoology; and Billy Owenby, who took honorable mention in Zoology.

Sophomores Sara Whitworth, Charlene Lamb, Tom McMahan, Jane Cox, and Yvonne Housch were inducted into the Honor Society during a candlelight ceremony conducted by President Leigh Whittenburg, with the full membership of the group in attendance.

Shorter College announced plans to purchase the 125-room Greystone Hotel on East Second Avenue with the intent of converting it into a men's dormitory. The hotel had closed down on August 10th, 1962, and was still sitting empty, so no business would be displaced by the conversion.

Turbulent weather brought 60mph winds to West Rome on March 4th, damaging roofs, downing a few trees, and bending TV antennas (a common problem in those pre-cable-TV days). There were tornadoes reported in northwest Georgia, but none in Rome.

Floyd Hospital continued to expand with the announcement of a new sixty-bed addition, which would be financed from a bequest made to the hospital from the estate of the late Helen H. Rogers. Mrs. Rogers was the daughter of Dr. Levi Hammond, who treated many patients at Floyd Hospital during his lengthy medical career.

Rome's junior college prospects continued to improve as state senator J. Battle Hall reported that the junior college steering committee had given Rome and Floyd County leaders a "definite commitment and a  firm promise" that a junior college would come to Rome.

Grocery specials for the week included eggs for 39¢ a dozen at Piggly Wiggly, as well as cubed steak for 89¢ a pound and tomatoes for 19¢ a pint. Kroger had Double Q salmon for 49¢ a can, Kraft mayonnaise for 39¢ a quart, and a dozen red delicious apples for 49¢. Big Apple had Heinz ketchup for 19¢ a bottle, Cudahy Bar S bacon for 49¢ a pound, and lima beans for a dime a can. A&P had chuck steaks for 45¢ a pound, Marvel ice milk for 39¢ a half-gallon, and Green Giant Mexicorn for 21¢ a can. Couch's had sirloin steak for 79¢ a pound, Bama strawberry preserves for 39¢ in an 18-ounce drinking-glass container (I still remember Mom washing all the jelly residue out of the Bama glasses so that we could add them to our drinking glass inventory).

The first half of the week brought moviegoers a choice between The Brass Bottle (with Tony Randall, Burl Ives, and Barbara Eden) at the First Avenue and Soldier in the Rain (with Jackie Gleason and Steve McQueen) at the DeSoto. The weekend brought The Prize (with Paul Newman and Elke Sommer) to the DeSoto; Mail Order Bride (with Buddy Ebsen, Keir Dullea, and Lois Nettleton) to the First Avenue; and a weekend showing of Man's Favorite Sport (with Rock Hudson and Paula Prentiss) to the West Rome Drive-In.

The Beatles scored a trifecta this week in 1964, taking the top three places with "I Want to Hold Your Hand," "She Loves You," and "Please Please Me" respectively. Other top ten hits for the week included "Dawn (Go Away)" by the Four Seasons (#4); "Java" by Al Hirt (#5); "Navy Blue" by Diane Renay (#6); "Fun, Fun, Fun" by the Beach Boys (#7); "California Sun" by the Rivieras (#8); "See the Funny Little Clown" by Bobby Goldsboro (#9); and "I Love You More and More Every Day" by Al Martino (#10).

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