Friday, June 02, 2017

Fifty Years Ago This Week in West Rome - 6/5/1967 to 6/11/1967

Two fifteen-year-old juveniles were arrested and charged with larceny after they broke into newspaper racks at the Johnny Reb Food Store on Shorter Avenue. The youths successfully made off with a total of $9.20 in cash. Based on statements made by one of the boys, the police were also looking at them as likely culprits in recent break-ins of vending machines at East Rome High School, which netted the criminal masterminds an addition $6.20. Seems like a lot of work and risk for fifteen bucks, doesn't it?...

Much like May of 2017, May of 1967 was a cool, rainy month—and as a result, Floyd County’s cotton crop was hard hit. More than 500 acres of cotton had to be plowed under because of weather damage, reducing the  Rome area’s cotton production by almost a third. (And back in 1967, when Floyd County and northwest Georgia had a number of textile mills who relied on that cotton crop, that was a big financial hit for the area.)

Those students who spent too little time focusing on their schoolwork had a chance to atone for their scholastic sins: registration for summer school took place on Friday, June 9th, from 8am to noon at East Rome High School, with classes starting on Monday, June 12th. Summer school students were required to pay $50 per unit for high school courses (junior high courses were only $25 per unit--which seems only fair, since junior students only pay half as much attention as high school students).

Piggly Wiggly had chicken breasts for 28¢  a pound, watermelons for 99¢ each, and Sealtest ice cream for 59¢ a half-gallon. Big Apple had round steak for 79¢ a pound, Southern Maid barbecue sauce for 29¢ a bottle, and Blue Bonnet margarine for 29¢ a pound. Kroger had smoked ham for 39¢ a pound, strawberries for 33¢ a pint, and five pounds Dixie Crystals sugar for 59¢. A&P had sirloin steak for 89¢ a pound, Campbell’s chicken noodle soup for 15¢ a can, and cantaloupes for 35¢ each.Couch’s had stew beef for 33¢ a pound, butter beans for 15¢ a pound, and Showboat pork and beans for a dime a can.

The cinematic week began with Eight on the Lam (starring Bob Hope & Phyllis Diller) at the DeSoto Theatre and the West Rome Drive-In, and A Man for All Seasons (starring Paul Scofield) at the First Avenue. The midweek switchout brought The War Wagon (starring John Wayne & Kirk Douglas) to the DeSoto Theatre and the West Rome Drive-In, while A Man For All Seasons stayed around for another week at the First Avenue.

Aretha Franklin’s “Respect” took first place yet again this week in 1967. Other top hits included “Groovin’” by the Young Rascals (#2); “I Got Rhythm” by the Happenings (#3); “Release Me (And Let Me Love Again)” by Englebert Humperdinck (#4); “Him Or Me—What’s It Gonna Be?” by Paul Revere & the Raiders (#5); “Somebody to Love” by Jefferson Airplane (#6); “She’d Rather Be With Me” by the Turtles (#7); “Little Bit O’ Soul” by the Music Explosion (#8); “All I Need” by the Temptations (#9); and “Creeque Alley” by The Mamas & The Papas (#10). 

The first pop festival was held at Mount Tamalpais in Marin County, California, this week in 1967, beating the more famous Monteray Pop Festival by a week. Performers included The Byrds, Jefferson Airplane, The Doors, Country Joe & the Fish, Canned Heat, and more.

Back in the 1960s, TV had usually reverted to reruns by June—but CBS went against the trend and aired a brand-new Peanuts special on June 10th. You’re In Love, Charlie Brown had a spring theme—so while a June airing seemed a little bit late, it was still spring according to the calendar, so there you go….


Spider-Man met the X-Men in X-Men #35, on sale this week in 1967. Marvel knew which character was going to sell the book, too: while it was the X-Men’s book, Spider-Man is more prominently featured on the front cover, and is positioned just below the logo, where part of his costume would still be visible on spinner racks and waterfall racks that were so common in grocery stores and drugstores in the 1960s.

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