Fifty Years Ago This Week in West Rome - 8/5/63 to 8/11/63

Even before West End Elementary opened, the Rome City School Board confirmed that the school would not have adequate classrooms for the incoming students. As a result, fifth and sixth grade classes would have to be scheduled in the junior high end of West Rome High School while additional construction was underway to prepare more classrooms. (I remember this quite well, since I was one of the 5th graders who attended in the lower end of the high school in 1963-64.)

Conn's Supermarket, a vital part of West Rome in the 1960s (and the store with the best bakery in Northwest Georgia!), suffered a break-in on Wednesday night, August 7th. A large amount of merchandise was boxed up for removal, but the thieves were apparently spooked by the early arrival of a delivery truck, leaving with only a few dollars in cash.

The county and the city school systems continued their talk of a possible merger--a merger that we now know was not destined to happen.

The National City Bank was touting its 4% interest rate on savings accounts, with the added benefit that savings deposited by the 10th earned from the 1st. Rome Bank and Trust countered with 4 1/8% interest… if only we could find those rates today!

Advertising gimmicks were as wacky in 1963 as they are today: Murphy's on Broad Street was advertising "Mr. Atomo," who was making a two-day appearance on August 9th and 10th. "It could be a man from outer space, but it isn't… Is it wax, human, or a machine? If it smiles at you, you receive a new 1963 Impala Chevrolet… and $1000.00 cash."  I did not make the trip downtown to see Mr. Atomo… is there anyone reading this who did?

Here's an idea whose time never quite arrived: Merita was advertising their new Golden Circles sandwich bread, which featured round slices of bread in cylindrical package. While that might work out fine with bologna or other round sandwich meats, square cheese was going to be a bit more problematic, wasn't it?  Not sure how long the product lasted, but I DO remember seeing it at Piggly Wiggly at one point…

Goodyear was promoting their affordable frost-free refrigerators for only $15 a month for three years or $319 cash price for a 12.9 cubic foot model, or $15 for for years or $399 cash price for a 13.6 cubic foot model. As I've pondered previously, I still can't imagine how a family got by with only 13 cubic feet of refrigerator/freezer space!

Couch's was running a special on tomatoes for a dime a pound, ground steak for 69¢ a pound, and bananas for a dime a pound. A&P had bell peppers for 7¢ each, pears for 19¢ a pound, and sirloin steak for 89¢ a pound. Kroger had canned tuna for 29¢ a can, eggs for 33¢ a dozen, and five pounds of sugar for 59¢. Piggly Wiggly had lamb shoulder roast for 29¢ a pound, lettuce for 15¢ a head, and fresh whole fryers for 23¢ a pound. And Big Apple had pork roast for 39¢ a pound, lemons 2 for a nickel, and 10 pounds of flour for 89¢.

Jerry Lewis continued his Nutty Professor schtick at the DeSoto for the first part of the week in 1963. The First Avenue was showing Drums of Africa, while the West Rome Drive-In was showing Follow the Boys. For the weekend, The Nutty Professor moved over to the First Avenue to make room for Walt Disney's Savage Sam at the DeSoto, while the West Rome Drive-In brought back The Courtship of Eddie's Father.

Spider-Man first fought the Lizard this week in 1963 in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man #6, while Auggie Doggie starred in the first issue of his very own comic and Marvel tested the return of Captain America (or at least a villainous imposter wearing a Captain America costume) in the pages of Strange Tales #114... a test run that proved so successful that the real Cap would return a few months later in Avengers #4.

The number one song this week in 1963 was "Fingertips (Part II)" by Little Stevie Wonder. Other top ten hits included "Blowin' in the Wind" by Peter, Paul & Mary (#2); "You're the Devil in Disguise" by Elvis Presley (#3); "Wipe Out" by the Safaris (#4); "Judy's Turn to Cry" by Lesley Gore (#5); "Candy Girl" by the Four Seasons (#6); "Hello Muddah, Hellow Fadduh" by Allan Sherman (#7); "So Much in Love" by the Tymes (#8); "More" by Kai Winding (#9); and "My Boyfriend's Back" by the Angels (#10).