Monday, September 15, 2014

Fifty Years Ago This Week in West Rome - 9/14/1964 to 9/20/1964

The on-again, off-again US 27-US 411 interchange was off again this week in 1964 once someone noticed that eight abandoned houses and an empty store were still standing where the road was supposed to be. The state said that Ledbetter-Johnson Construction were supposed to remove them, but the construction company said that was the state's responsibility. While both sides argued, work ground to a halt.

West Rome's JV team defeated Trion 33-7 on Thursday, while the varsity defeated McCallie 26-7. Ronnie Kennedy threw two touchdown passes in the first five minutes of the game, while Dickie Sapp scored a TD on a 62-yard return and Richard Camp ran seven yards to score West Rome's fourth touchdown.

Technologist David Kuhns presented "The Wonders of Liquid Air" at a West Rome High School assembly on September 17th; his presentation involved (among other things) liquid oxygen, solid mercury, and pressured oxygen. Mr. Kuhns was assisted by students Jimmy Cowart, Jack Collum, and Nelson Payne.

The chorus selected its officers for the 1964-65 school year. Barbara Heile was elected president; Janet Scherer, vice president; Billy Avery, secretary-treasurer; and Jacky Lupo & Judy Lloyd, librarians.

The Future Homemakers of America elected their 1964-65 club officers, with Jane Casey being tapped as president; Carole Sewell, vice president; Elmira Hardin, secretary; and Sally Sanford, treasurer.

West Rome's senior class began its magazine sale this week in 1964; the class set a goal of $3500 worth of subscriptions, with all profits slated to go towards the seniors' end-of-the-year gift to the school.

The new television season began this week in 1964--and what a memorable season it was! Several now-classic programs debuted in 1964, including Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (debuted on September 14th), Peyton Place (September 15th), Shindig! (September 16th), Bewitched (September 17th), The Addams Family (September 18th), Jonny Quest (September 19th--and it was the first prime-time animated adventure series), and Flipper (September 19th). And that's not it for the season--there are some more memorable debuts coming up in next week's list... including a few of my all-time television favorites.

The Imperial Service Station at 2205 Shorter Avenue (one of Rome's first 24 hour service stations) celebrated its grand opening this week in 1964 with 94 octane regular for 29.9¢ per gallon and 100+ octane ethyl for 31.9¢--and if that wasn't cheap enough, they offered a penny back for every gallon purchased (not a discount--they just gave you pennies).

Piggly Wiggly had lettuce for 19¢ a head, beef liver for 19¢ a pound, and red grapes for 15¢ a pound. Kroger had picnic hams for 29¢ a pound, Uncle Tom's Brunswick stew for 39¢ a can, and bananas for a dime a pound. A&P had fatback for a dime a pound, JFG coffee for 79¢ a pound, and 5 pounds of white potatoes for 19¢. Big Apple had center cut pork chops for 49¢ a pound, Showboat salmon for a quarter per flat can, and a two pound jar of Blue Plate apple jelly for 29¢ (that's a lot of jelly!). Couch's had Black Hawk sliced bacon for 59¢ a pound, eggs for 33¢ a dozen, and a large roll of Northern paper towels for 29¢.

Moviegoers looking to catch a film during the first half of the week could choose from Robin and the Seven Hoods at the DeSoto and Lady in a Cage at the First Avenue; the West Rome Drive-In resumed its off-season schedule, which meant they were closed only Wednesday through Sunday nights. The mid-week movie switch out brought The Chalk Garden (with Deborah Kerr and Hayley Mills) to the DeSoto, Seven Days in May (with Burt Lancaster & Kirk Douglas) to the First Avenue, and The Moonspinners to the West Rome Drive-In.

Roy Orbison took the number one slot this week in 1964 with "Pretty Woman." Other top ten hits included "Bread and Butter" by the Newbeats (#2); "The House of the Rising Sun" by the Animals (#3); "GTO" by Ronny & the Daytonas (#4); "Remember (Walkin' in the Sand)" by the Shangri-Las (#5); "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" by Manfred Mann (#6); "Where Did Our Love Go?" by the Supremes (#7); "Dancing in the Street" by Martha & the Vandellas (#8); "It Hurts to Be in Love" by Gene Pitney (#9); and "Save It For Me" by the Four Seasons (#10).

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