Rome City Schools submitted a revised integration plan this week in 1970, hoping to get final approval from the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. While the state and federal governments had mandated that at least 75% of all minority students had to be placed in integrated schools by the 1970-1971, Rome City Schools only had 73% of all minority students in integrated schools. Rome City Schools superintendent Milton S. McDonald pointed out that the reason for the discrepancy was that 27% of the minority students had requested to remain at Main Elementary and Anna K. Davie Schools rather than transfer, and the only way to meet the 75% mandate was to force these students to go to school that were further away from their homes.
Did you know that, prior to 1970, Rome traffic ordinances allowed left turns on red after a full stop so long as no traffic was approaching? Well, that law went away this week in 1970. The new traffic ordinance said that led tturns on red were legal only where traffic controlled devices with turn arrows were installed.
The calendar said that spring was pretty much here, but the thermometer reminded Romans that winter hadn't left yet. The temperature fell to 20° on Monday morning and held in the 30s all day. Monday night brought little bit of snow, but the temperatures remained above freezing Monday night, so there were no travel problems or school cancellations.
Super Discount Stores opened their expanded location in Alto Shopping Center (at 436 Shorter Avenue) this week in 1970. Specials included ladies blouses for 88¢, 24" x 30" framed pictures for $1.99, and a 4 ounce bottle of Vitalis for 33¢. And with every $5 purchase, customers could be a 12-ounce can of Coca-Cola/Tab/Sprite for a nickel!
Piggly Wiggly had sirloin tip roast for $1.19 a pound, Uncle Tom's Brunswick stew for 59¢ a can, and Bama apple jelly for 29¢ a jar. Kroger had fresh whole fryers for 29¢ a pound, Morton TV dinners for 32¢ each, and watermelon for 49¢ each. Big Apple had center cut pork chops for 79¢ a pound, cream cheese for 29¢ a package, and Libby's fruit cocktail for 38¢ a can. A&P had chicken breast quarters for 39¢ a pound, fresh baked peach pies for 39¢ each, and celery for 19¢ a bunch. Couch's had ground chuck for 79¢ a pound, Maxwell House instant coffee for 29¢ a jar, and Aristocrat ice milk for 39¢ a half-gallon.
The cinematic week began with Downhill Racer (starring Robert Redford) at the DeSoto Theatre, The Sterile Cuckoo (starring Liza Minelli) at the First Avenue, John & Mary (starring Dustin Hoffman & Mia Farrow) at the Village, and Doctor Doolittle (starring Rex Harrison) at the West Rome Drive-In. The weekend switch out brought The Secret of Santa Vittoria (starring Anthony Quinn) to the DeSoto, Fanny Hill (an X-rated Scandinavian film with a cast no one in the US had ever heard of) at the First Avenue, They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (starring Jane Fonda) to the Village, and Those Were the Happy Times (starring Julie Andrews) to the West Rome Drive-In.
Simon & Garfunkel continued their grip on the number one slot this week in 1970 with "Bridge Over Troubled Water." Other top ten hits included "Let It Be" by the Beatles (#2); "Instant Karma (We All Shine On)" by John Lennon (#3); "The Rapper" by the Jaggerz (#4); "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)" by Edison Lighthouse (#5); "ABC" by the Jackson 5 (#6); "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" by the Hollies (#7), "Spirit in the Sky" by Norman Greenbaum (#8--but did anyone ever turn that single over and listen to the B-side, "Milk Cow"?); "Give Me Just a Little More Time" by the Chairmen of the Board (#9); and "Come and Get It" by Badfinger (#10). That's three Apple records in the top ten! (And personally, I am grateful that Sly and the Family Stone finally fell out of the top ten, because I got so tired of having to override spellcheck every time I typed out "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)."
David Bowie married Angela Barnett this week in 1970. Few people remember Angela Bowie, ,but a lot of people remember her as the inspiration for the Rolling Stones song "Angie."
No comments:
Post a Comment