Friday, May 19, 2017

Fifty Years Ago This Week in West Rome - 5/22/1967 to 5/28/1967

West Rome announced that 138 seniors would take part in graduation exercises on June 6th at the Rome City Auditorium. Atlanta television announcer Jerry Psenka was chosen to be graduation speaker (I remember Jerry Psenka--or at least his name--but had no idea that he was a speaker at any high school's graduation ceremonies).

The Rome Board of Education reviewed the findings of a special state study committee looking into the school system facilities. The study committee recommended a total overhaul of the elementary school facilities and a phaseout of neighborhood elementary schools in favor of fewer schools housing 500+ students in each school. The plan recommended, among other things, the merging of West End Elementary and Elm Street Elementary into one larger school. If all recommendations had been carried out, the cost would have been $2.5 million (that’s about $18 million in today’s dollars)Thankfully, all of these recommendations were not implemented; the board recognized the value of neighborhood/community elementary schools with smaller student populations and a faculty who knew almost almost all the students in their school.

Rome got almost 3” of rain on May 22nd, causing flooding on Paris Drive near the creek that overflowed into the backyards of homes on Conn Street. Fifteen auto accidents were reported due to the heavy rains, including a six-car accident on Shorter Avenue near Burnett Ferry Road. Fortunately, none of the accidents resulted in serious injuries.

Piggly Wiggly had whole fryers for a quarter a pound, cantaloupes for 33¢ each, and Sealtest ice cream for 59¢ a half-gallon (the first time ice cream was advertised over the 50¢ a half-gallon mark). Big Apple had chuck roast for 39¢ a pound, Southern Maid barbecue sauce for 29¢ a bottle, and Blue Bonnet margarine for 29¢ a pound. Kroger had ground beef for 39¢ a pound, strawberries for 33¢ a pint, and Kroger white bread for 17¢ a loaf. A&P had sirloin steak for 85¢ a pound, Campbell’s chicken noodle soup for 15¢ a can, and whole watermelons for 89¢ each. Couch’s had chicken breast for 39¢ a pound, corn for 7¢ an ear, and Double Cola for 99¢ a case plus deposit,

The cinematic week began with One Million Years BC (with Raquel Welch) at the DeSoto Theatre and the West Rome Drive-In and Casino Royale (with Peter Sellers & David Niven) at the First Avenue. The midweek switchout brought For a Few Dollars More (with Clint Eastwood) to the DeSoto Theatre and the West Rome Drive-In, while Casino Royale hung around for another week at the First Avenue.

The Young Rascals took the number one slot this week with “Groovin’.” Other top ten hits included “Respect by Aretha Franklin (#2); “I Got Rhythm” by the Happenings (#3); “Release Me (And Let Me Love Again)” by Englebert Humperdinck (#4); “The Happening” by the Supremes (#5); “Sweet Soul Music” by Arthur Conley (#6); “Him Or Me—What’s It Gonna Be?” by Paul Revere & the Raiders (#7); “Creeque Alley” by the Mamas & the Papas (#8); “Somethin’ Stupid” by Frank Sinatra & Nancy Sinatra (#9); and “Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon” by Neil Diamond (#10).

A comedy album cracked the top ten this week in 1967 as Bill Cosby’s Revenge climbed to the third slot, behind More of the Monkees by—well, you know—and I Never Loved a Man The Way I Loved You by Aretha Franklin. Cosby’s comedy was already very familiar to many of us—Revenge was his fifth album, after all—but his co-starring role in the television series I Spy had put him in the spotlight, creating an eager audience for a new helping of Cosby’s comedy. This album included the first mention of Cosby’s childhood friend Fat Albert and his signature phrase “Hey! Hey! Hey!"

And while their second album was still holding strong in the charts, the Monkees released their third album, Headquarters, this week in 1967. Other releases this week included the 5th Dimension’s debut album Up, Up, and Away and The Supremes Sing Rodgers & Hart, the last Supremes album before the group was renamed Diana Ross & the Supremes.

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