Friday, April 15, 2016

Fifty Years Ago This Week in West Rome - 4/18/1966 to 4/24/1966

Think how large West Rome’s student body might have been if this had come to pass: a public opinion poll regarding the annexation of all of Garden Lakes into the city of Rome was launched this week in 1966. If the annexation had gone through, all students in the Garden Lakes area would have become Chieftains.

West Rome defeated North Whitfield 16-3 on Monday; racking up sixteen hits in the game, while pitcher Mike Souder only allowed three hits; Jimmy Edwards was the Chieftain’s leading hitter with three hits.

West Rome’s track team continued its winning season with a 121-37-21 win over Main High and Calhoun on Monday; the Chieftains took twelve first places in the track meet, thanks in part to Arbie Lovell’s three first place wins (high hurdles, low hurdles, and triple jump), while Lane Warner and Benny Padgett each posted two wins (880 and mile run for Warner, shot and discus for Padgett). Then the Chiefs defeated Dalton 77-59 in a two-way track meet on Tuesday, claiming ten of the eighteen first places, with Arbie Lovell again taking three first place wins (again with low hurdles, high hurdles, and triple jump).

West Rome’s golf team was having a tougher time of it; the team came in third in a three-way match with East Rome an Cedartown.

McDonald’s was the site of a grease fire on Monday, April 18th, but they were able to clean the store up, replace damaged equipment and fixtures, and re-open for business on Friday, April 22nd.

If you’ don’t remember the Postal Savings System, that might be because it was abolished as of March 27, 1966 and it ceased paying interest as of April 20th, 1966. Up until that time, the US Post Office sold postal savings certificates that paid a monthly interest rate. The system was created way back in 1911 to appeal to immigrants who were accustomed to saving at Post Offices in their home countries; it also served as a depository for people who had lost faith in banks, since the certificates could be purchased in cash, did not require identification, and had no limit on the amount of insured savings that anyone could own. The Saving System were discontinued because its then-meager 2% interest rate was far lower than banks were paying; today, of course, people would gladly line up at the Post Office for a chance to buy a guaranteed certificate that paid 2% interest!

Piggly Wiggly had five pounds of Colonial sugar for 39¢, Downy Flake frozen waffles for a dime a box, and two pounds of frozen french fries for 33¢. Kroger had Spotlight coffee for 39¢ a pound, pork roast for 29¢ a pound, and bananas for a dime a pound. A&P had sirloin steak for 89¢ a pound, Campbell’s pork & beans for 16¢ a can, and green peppers for a dime each. Big Apple had baking hens for 37¢ a pound, Gebhardt chili for 33¢ a can, and Aunt Jemima grits for a dime a box. Couch’s had ground beef for 39¢ a pound, cabbage for a nickel a head, and Coca Cola, Tab, or Sprite for 99¢ a case plus deposit.

The cinematic week began with Frankie & Johnny (with Elvis Presley) at the DeSoto Theater and Shane (with Alan Ladd) at the First Avenue. The midweek switch out brought Harper (with Paul Newman & Lauren Bacall) to the DeSoto and Hold On (with Herman’s Hermits and Shelley Fabares) to the First Avenue, while the West Rome Drive-In offered a weekend double feature of War Drums (a 1957 oldie with Lex Barker—but in the days before home video, it wasn’t that uncommon for years-old films to make the drive-in circuit) and The World of Suzie Wong (a 1960 drama with Nancy Kwan & William Holden).

The Young Rascals took first place this week in 1966 with “Good Lovin’.” Other top ten hits included “You’re My Soul & Inspiration” by the Righteous Brothers (#2); “Monday Monday” by the Mamas & the Papas (#3); “Sloop John B” by the Beach Boys (#4); “Secret Agent Man” by Johnny Rivers (#5); “Kicks” by Paul Revere (#6); “Time Won’t Let Me” by the Outsiders (#7); “Bang Bang” by Cher (#8); “Daydream” by the Lovin’ Spoonful (#9); and “Leaning on a Lamp Post” by Herman’s Hermits (#10).

The Academy Awards aired in color for the first time on April 18th; even as late as 1966, some television programming was still presented in black and white, believe it or not!

Poison Ivy made her first appearance this week in 1966 in the pages of Batman #181, courtesy of Robert Kanigher & Sheldon Moldoff (and most definitely not Bob Kane, whose only conribution to Batman at this point was his name).

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