Fifty Years Ago This Week in West Rome - 4/29/1968 to 5/5/1968

West Rome didn’t just win their four-way track meet against Cherokee, Pepperell, & Coosa on April 30th, they demolished their competition, taking ten first place wins in the course of the meet. Ultimately, the Chieftains won with 113 points (the next highest point total went to Cherokee with 56). Two Chieftains were double winners; Mike Johnson in the hundred-yard dash and the 22-yard dash, and Xavier Smith in the high hurdles and the high jump. Single winners included Jimmy Trotter (low hurdles) Charles Smith (triple jump), Wayne Worsham (pole vault), and Johny Rimes (broad jump). In addition, West Rome won both relays. 

Anita Smith and Robert Watson, both seniors at West Rome, were named recipients of National Merit Scholarships; all winners (more than 1500 from 14,000 finalists) scored in the top half of one percent of graduating hig school seniors in the state on the Merit test and met other grade and activity requirements.

West Rome’s physical fitness team (comprised of Wayne Worsham, Jeff Rogers, Billy Bray, Mike Westbrook, Sam Tucker, and Ronnie Holbrooks) headed to Macon on Friday to compete in the state physical fitness meet. The test was set up according to US Marine Corps standards, featuring two minute situps, pushups, squat thrusts, pullups, and a 300-yard shuttle run. Scoring was set according to the performance of each individual, and then combined to create the team standing. (And I’m sure I’m not the only Chieftain who remembered the days when we all had to participate in this test to determine just how physically fit--or unfit--we were.)

Galloway’s Gulf Service Center opened at 2221 Shorter Avenue (at the corner of Redmond Circle across from West Rome High School) this week in 1968. The service station celebrated with free lollipops, Cokes, and balloons; a free set of four antique auto glasses with the purchase of ten gallons or more of gasoline; and a free five-day vacation for two in Maggie Valley, North Carolina for one lucky winner. 

A statewide sales tax increase from 3% to 4% became a topic of conversation this week in 1966, with many county commissioners (including those from Floyd County) urging that the sales tax be raised and the funds be used to reduce property taxes. Oh, how little foresight these commissioners had: the tax would indeed be raised a few years later, without any accompanying property tax reduction. Seems like someone forgot to insert the last part of that tax change into the final bill, huh?...)

Piggly Wiggly had beef liver for 39¢ a pound, Blue Plate mayonnaise for 39¢ a quart, and cucumbers for a dime each. Big Apple had chuck roast for 39¢ a pound, pole beans for 23¢ a pound, and JFG coffee for 55¢ a  pound. A&P had sirloin steak for 99¢ a pound, yellow squash for 12¢ a pound, and Pet Ritz frozen cream pies for 25¢ each. Kroger had fresh whole fryers for 25¢ a pound, strawberries for 25¢ a pint, and Irvindale ice milk for 39¢ a half-gallon. Couch’s had pork chops for 49¢ a pound, large eggs for 39¢ a dozen, and green onions for a dime a bunch. 

The cinematic week began with Stay Away Joe (starring Elvis Presley) at the DeSoto Theatre, The Graduate (starring Dustin Hoffman & Ann Bancroft) at the First Avenue, and Attack on the Iron Coast (starring Lloyd Bridges) at the West Rome Drive-In. The midweek switchout brought The Secret War of Harry Frigg (starring Paul Newman) to the DeSoto, Walt Disney’s The Jungle Book to the First Avenue, and Psychout (with Susan Strasberg) to the West Rome Drive-In.

Fifty Years Ago This Week in West Rome - 4/22/1968 to 4/28/1968

Daylight saving time went into effect for the second year in a row on Sunday morning, April 28th, much to the dismay of most Romans. A local survey showed that 72% of Romans were opposed to daylight saving time; the survey also showed that 28% of those who were opposed also had no idea that daylight saving time had actually gone into effect!

Mike Johnson and Xavier Smith picked up three first places each in Monday’s track meet against Berry Academy, which was enough to secure West Rome’s 85-51 win. Johnson not only took first place in the 100-yard dash and the 220-yard dash, but he also took first in the shot put—and that wasn’t an event he normally participated in, but he was filling in for an absent teammate! Smith took first in the high jump, the high hurdles, and the low hurdles. Johnny Rimes took two first places, in the triple jump and the 440-yard dash. 

Two days later, the West Rome track team racked up another win in a three-way meet against Dalton and Cherokee. Mike Johnson and Johnny Rimes were the only double winners for the Chieftains; Johnson won in the 100-yard dash and the 220-yard dash; Rimes won in the broad jump and the triple jump. 

West Rome lost against crosstown rivals East Rome in a region baseball game on April 23rd in a 3-0 game. The team performed much better in Saturday’s region game against Wills, which the Chiefs won 4-1. Gerald Tucker pitched the winning game, giving West Rome a 5-4 record, with a  4-2 record in region play. 

Berry College hosted an Up With People concert on April 22nd. The concert, organized by a non-profit group called Moral Re-Armament, used popular music as a tool to stress positivism. “We believe in the four moral standards of love, purity, unselfishness, and honesty,” Larry Moudy, a member of the group, said. “We try to apply the four standards to our daily lives. We are trying to create a society that not only believes in these standards but actually put them to work.”

Russell Field airport officials were taken by surprise when the federal government approved a grant of $16,500 for improvements, rather than the $288,000 that the airport officials had requested. “We are very disappointed,” federal programs coordinator Richard L. McCullough said. “There is a pressing need for improvements at Russell Field. I think they only granted us what they thought was the most pressing need at the airport. This amount is only a drop in the bucket.” McCullough pointed out that the entire amount that had been requested was necessary to implement improvements that had previously been recommended by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Big Apple had baking hens for 29¢ a pound, corn for 7¢ an ear, and Irvindale ice cream or sherbet for 49¢ a pound. A&P had pork loin for 59¢ a pound, Parkay margarine for 25¢ a pound, or iceberg lettuce for 19¢ a pound. Piggly Wiggly had beef roast for 39¢ a pound, cucumbers for a dime each, and strawberries for 39¢ a pint. Kroger had sirloin steak for 99¢ a pound, a 16-ounce jar of Peter Pan peanut butter for 49¢, and Morton frozen pot pies for 14¢ each. Couch’s had lamb roast for 49¢ a pound, cantaloupes for 33¢ each, and the ever-popular Couch’s custom-ground country sausage for 49¢ a pound.

The cinematic week began with Walt Disney’s Blackbeard’s Ghost (starring Peter Ustinov) at the DeSoto Theatre, The Graduate (starring Dustin Hoffman & Ann Bancroft) at the First Avenue, and Eight on the Lam (starring Bob Hope) at the West Rome Drive-In. The midweek switchout brought Stay Away Joe (starring Elvis Presley) to the DeSoto and Sergeant Ryker (starring Lee Marvin)  to the West Rome Drive-In, while The Graduate was retained at the First Avenue.

Bobby Goldsboro held on to the number one slot for another week with the sentimental ballad “Honey.” Other top ten songs included “Cry Like a Baby” by the Box Tops (#2); “Young Girl” by Gary Puckett & the Union Gap (#3); “Lady Madonna” by the Beatles (#4); “(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You’ve Been Gone” by Aretha Franklin (#5); “I Got the Feelin’” by James Brown and the Famous Flames (#6); “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding (#7); “Dance to the Music” by Sly & the Family Stone (#8); “Tighten Up” by Archie Bell & the Drells (#9); and “The Ballad of Bonnie & Clyde” by Georgie Fame (#10). 

The Monkees released their fifth album, The Birds, The Bees, & The Monkees, this week in 1968; while it made it to #3, it was the first Monkees album not to make it to the number one slot. 

Fifty Years Ago This Week in West Rome - 4/14/1968 to 4/21/1968

The Board of Regents finally gave into local pressure to build a junior college in the Rome-Floyd County area, agreeing to let Rome and Floyd County voters make the final decision. Since local funds would be required to assist in construction, the voters would have to approve the $1.25 million expenditure. Rome saw the approval as a victory, since survey showed significant local support for the school. 

After several months of burglaries that involved using tools to break into the back door or the roof of a business, thieves took things to the next level on April 15th when they broke into the JAG store on Hwy 27 North by driving a truck through the side door of the business, causing considerable damage to the door and to the surrounding wall. The thieves made off with a significant quantity of clothing, which they apparently loaded into the truck before driving away.

The Chieftains garnered ten first place wins on Monday in a three-way track meet against Armuchee and Cedartown, leading to a 111-45-12 victory for West Rome. Roger Weaver won two first places as a sprinter, and also ran a leg on West Rome’s relay team. Xavier Smith was also a double winner, taking first in high jump and high hurdles. The Chiefs did less well in their Wednesday match against Lafayette, however, losing 69-67. Mike Johnson hurt has back in the hundred-yard dash and had to be scratched from the 220; had he been able to run, he was expected to pick up the win, which would have made the Chieftains victorious. 

West Rome’s baseball team had an inauspicious week, losing 5-0 to Calhoun. Billy Bray and Richard Wood were the only Chieftain players to get a hit in the game, with each getting a single.

The next evening, thieves cut off phone service to Summerville when they stole hundreds of feet of copper phone line near Taylors Ridge. The phone company estimated that the thieves made off without about $25 worth of copper, but caused about $10,000 worth of damage in doing so. 

Coosa Valley Book Shop, a favorite of mine since I first discovered their cache of Edgar Rice Burroughs books in 1965, completed the move from their old Tribune Street location to East Third this week in 1968. I loved the store because they were so much more than an average used bookstore; Mrs. John Grigsby, the driving force behind the store, had an amazing array of 18th and 19th century hardcover volumes in stock as well as the usual array of more recent used paperbacks and a large assortment of used comics for half-price. The move more than doubled the store’s square footage, which meant that they were the largest bookstore in Rome. It also meant that, for a brief while, the square block on Broad Street between East Third and East Fourth was Rome’s bookstore haven, with Liberty Newsstand, Reader’s Den, and Coosa Valley Books all within a few hundred feet of one another.

Kroger had round steak for 89¢ a pound, strawberries for 33¢ a pint, and a five-pound bag of sugar for 35¢. A&P had grond beef for 45¢ a pound, Dinty Moore beef stew for 55¢ a can, and oranges for a dime each. Piggly Wiggly had picnic ham for 33¢ a pound, corn for 6¢ an ear, and Bama jelly for a quarter a jar. Big Apple had chicken breasts for 47¢ a pound, Luzianne coffee for 49¢ a pound, and carrots for a dime a bunch. Couch’s had lamb roast for 49¢ a pound, Nabisco saltines for 37¢ a box, and locally-sourced medium eggs for 33¢ a dozen. 

The Donut Shack expanded to three locations in Rome: on Shorter Avenue across from the Burger King, on Martha Berry Highway near the underpass, and on North Broad Street. (Owner Liilian Crane spent a few years working at Conn’s, home of the best donuts in Rome, prior to launching her own donut shops.)

The cinematic week began with Walt Disney’s Blackbeard’s Ghost (starring Peter Ustinov) at the DeSoto Theatre, The Graduate (starring Dustin Hoffman & Ann Bancroft) at the First Avenue, and Texas Across the River (starring Dean Martin) at the West Rome Drive-In. Blackbeard’s Ghost and The Graduate hung around for another week, while the West Rome Drive-In brought in Five Million Years to Earth (starring James Donald & Andrew Kerr). 

Bobby Goldsboro took the number one slot this week in 1968 with “Honey.” Other top ten hits included “Young Girl” by Gary Puckett & the Union Gap (#2); “Cry Like a Baby” by the Box Tops (#3); “Lady Madonna” by the Beatles (#4); “(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You’ve Been Gone” by Aretha Franklin (#5); “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding (#6); “The Ballad of Bonnie & Clyde” by Georgie Fame (#7); “Dance to the Music” by Sly and the Family Stone (#8); “I Got the Feelin’” by James Brown & the Famous Flames (#9); and “Mighty Quinn (Quinn the Eskimo)” by Manfred Mann (#10). 

The three-season run of I Spy, the show starring Robert Culp and Bill Cosby as spies who used professional tennis as their cover, came to an end on April 15th. The show was well written and had a first-rate cast, but it never managed to appeal to the spy audience who loved James Bond films and The Man from UNCLE.

Fifty Years Ago This Week in West Rome - 4/8/1968 to 4/14/1968

West Rome students had a very short school week—one day long, in fact. (The week was less short for athletes, since both the baseball team and the track team had games/meets scheduled during the week--the idea of giving all students and coaches a holiday was apparently unheard of in the 1960s.) Students were out on Tuesday while teachers went to in-service training, and Easter holidays (they didn’t call them spring holidays back then!) started on Wednesday. Which leads me to wonder if it’s really worth having a one-day school week, since a lot of students undoubtedly failed to make it so that they could have a nine-day holiday…

The West Rome Honor Society presented senior Maria Perez with a $700 scholarship at the Honors Day program held on Monday, April 8th. Maria planned to use the money to help cover expenses at Berry College, where she planned to study after graduating from West Rome. The funds for the scholarship were raised by Honor Society members through bake sales, a dance, and sponsorships raised from Rome businesses.

The Rome City Board of Education budgeted $40,000 for summer Headstart programs, summer school scholarships, and summer vocational programs. Harold Brock was chosen to oversee the elementary school program and Mrs. J.N. Finley was chosen to head the vocational programs. 

A plane that took off from Russell Field on a flight to Charlotte never made it. As a result, the Eastern Aerospace Search and Rescue Center launched a four state search that included Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and part of Tennessee (just in case the plane got off course). Alas, the plane was found just north of Ellijay, where it failed to clear a ridge and crashed into the mountainside; three passengers and the pilot were killed in the crash. The Search and Rescue Center said that flights from Rome were particularly challenging because of the number of mountains along every major flight route to other cities.

The Chieftains won 11-6 over Wills in a region game on Tuesday, April 9th. The win was particularly important, since this was a region game against a team that was the 6-AA champion a year before. Danny Fricks hit a 330-foot grand slam homer in the seventh inning.

The week didn’t end quite as well for the baseball team, however, as the Chiefs lost to Chattooga 6-4 in another region 6-AA game. West Rome had a 2-0 lead going into the third inning, but a series of costly errors allowed Chattooga to pull ahead 3-2. Chattooga scored three more runs in the fourth inning and the Chiefs were never abe to close the gap.

West Rome didn’t fare as well in their track meet against South Cobb either, losing 72-64. The Chieftains posted seven of sixteen first-place finishes in the meet. 

Piggly Wiggly had pork roast for 79¢ a pound, eggs for 29¢ a dozen, and strawberries for 33¢ a pint. A&P had 4 pound Armour canned hams for $2.99, Eight O’Clock coffee for 49¢ a pound and Cool Whip for 29¢ a tub. Kroger had roasting hens for 39¢ a pound, cantaloupes for 39¢ each, and Sealtest ice cream for 79¢ a half-gallon. Big Apple had sirloin steak for 89¢ a pound, a five-pound bag of oranges for 59¢, and Angel Flake coconut for 39¢ a bag. Couch’s had hickory smoked hams for 49¢ a pound, lettuce for 15¢ a head, and red potatoes for 6¢ a pound. 

The cinematic week began with Don’t Just Stand There (starring Robert Wagner and Mary Tyler Moore) at the DeSoto Theatre and the West Rome Drive-In, and The Graduate (starring Dustin Hoffman and Ann Bancroft) at the First Avenue. The midweek switchout brought Walt Disney’s Blackbeard’s Ghost (starring Peter Ustinov) to the DeSoto and Did You Hear the One About the Travelling Saleslady? (starring Phyllis Diller) at the West Rome Drive-In, while The Graduate was held back another week at the First Avenue.

Bobby Goldsboro took the number one slot this week in 1968 with the syrupy and somewhat maudlin “Honey.” Other top ten hits included “Young Girl” by Gary Puckett & the Union Gap (#2); “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding (#3); “Cry Like a Baby” by the Box Tops (#4); “(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You’ve Been Gone” by Aretha Franklin (#5); “Lady Madonna” by the Beatles (#6); “The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde” by Georgie Fame (#7); “La - La Means I Love You” by the Delfonics (#8); “Valleri” by the Monkees (#9); and “Mighty Quinn (Quinn the Eskimo)” by Manfred Mann (#10).