Saturday, November 22, 2014

Fifty Years Ago This Week in West Rome - 11/23/1964 to 11/29/1964

it was a short school week for Rome City Schools students: students attended school on Monday, November 23rd, then took the rest of the week off for Thanksgiving. Teachers weren't quite as fortunate--they had to endure all-day teachers meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday, which undoubtedly made them particularly thankful once Thanksgiving day arrived!

The West Rome Junior High Student Council, under the guidance of sponsor Miss Kitty Alford, decorated the West Rome cafeteria on Monday. The annual Thanksgiving meal was served in the lunchroom after a blessing was given over the intercom at the beginning of each lunch period.

The day after Thanksgiving marked the beginning of the Christmas shopping season in 1964 just as it does today. The term "Black Friday" wasn't used back then, however; instead, Rome marked the beginning of the shopping season with a two-day "Rome Days" event in which almost every merchant offered sales to launch the holiday season. 23" black and white console TVs for $218.88 at Western Auto, a seven-piece living room suite for $149.95 at Harper Nichols, an electric hand mixer for $9.88 at Enloe's Rexall Drugs, a Philco stereo radio-phono for $99 at Economy Auto, all-wool sport coats for $19.97 at Wyatt's, women's high heeled shoes for $5.99 at Higgins, a 45-piece Melmac dinnerware set for $15.84 at Murphy's, a box of 25 shotgun shells for $1.59 at Doc Elliott's Discount House... all this and so much more!

Talk of Floyd Junior College began anew this week in 1964, although some civic leaders said it was premature to discuss too many specifics. "The Board of Regents is moving as rapidly as possible to provide colleges in every community where the population economically justifies it," Dr. Harry Downs of the Board of Regents said.  He assured Romans, however, that Rome was in the running for a new junior college, and decisions would be made "very soon."

Kroger had Swift's butterball hen turkeys for 39¢ a pound, canned biscuits for a nickel a can, and coconuts for 15¢ each. Big Apple had tom turkeys for 33¢ a pound, celery for a dime a bunch, and fully cooked cherry pies for 39¢ each. A&P had rib roast for 69¢ a pound, apples for 6¢ a pound, and 3 pounds of JFG coffee for $1. Piggly Wiggly had whole hams for 39¢ a pound, Coca Cola or Tab for 89¢ a case plus deposit, and pumpkin pies for 33¢ each. Couch's had smoked hams for 49¢ a pound, sweet potatoes for 12¢ a pound, and Ocean Spray cranberry sauce for 19¢ a can.

The cinematic week began with Send Me No Flowers (with Rock Hudson & Doris Day) at the DeSoto and It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World at the First Avenue. The midweek switch out brought Roustabout (with Elvis Presley) and Bikini Beach (with Frankie Avalon & Annette Funicello) to both the First Avenue Theater and the West Rome Drive-In. Apparently theater owner had low expectations for Thanksgiving weekend...

Bonanza star Lorne Green took the number one slot this week in 1964 with his Western ballad "Ringo." Other top ten hits included "Mr. Lonely" by Bobby Vinton (#2); "Leader of the Pack" by the Shangri-Las (#3); "She's Not There" by the Zombies (#4); "Baby Love" by the Supremes (#5); "Time Is On My Side" by the Rolling Stones (#6); "You Really Got Me" by the Kinks (#7); Come See About Me" by the Supremes (#8); "Mountain of Love" by Johnny Rivers (#9); and "I'm Gonna Be Strong" by Gene Pitney (#10).

1 comment:

paul howley said...

I'm not trying to be a nit-picker...I'm just trying to be a little helpful...
"23" clack and white console TVs "