Economic good times continued in Rome in the last quarter of 1964: all of Rome's department stores posted an increase of 4%+ above sales levels for the same period in 1963, while charge account balances dropped by 3% or more. That meant that Romans were spending more money, but were able to pay for their purchases in cash rather than financing them--two signs of a growing economy. And even those who charged purchases were paying their bills off more quickly--in an average of 62 days, which was 4 days shorter than the average finance period in 1963.
The West Rome Junior High Library Club was organized under the direction of Mrs. Martha Hurst, school librarian; the club members, who called themselves the Book Worms, were involved in several service projects to benefit the library. Club officers included Edwin Dodd, president; Tommy Horton, vice-president; Robert Smiderski, secretary-treasurer; and Celeste Green, reporter.
This was the final week that students could place orders for their very own copy of the 1965 Watanyah, the West Rome yearbook. (Wish I could find a record of how much a yearbook cost in 1965... my guess, trying to retro-calculate from today's prices, would be $10, but I'm just not sure.)
Meteorological history repeats itself: on November 20th, a strong cold front moved through Rome, dropping temperatures from lows in the mid-40s to lows in the low 20s.
Did you remember that I-75 was far from complete back in 1964? This week in '64, the state announced that three more sections of I-75 were slated to open before the end of the year: 10 miles from the Tennessee line to Ringgold, 16 miles between Dalton and Georgia 53, and 9 miles from US 41 above Tunnel Hill to US 41 north of Dalton. From there, travelers were routed back onto US 41, which remained a major north-south route in Georgia through the 1970s. (Anyone remember the Christmas season backups from Cartersville to Marietta during the Christmas season? Hundreds of cars would make a rest stop at Stuckey's in Acworth every day, just to get a break from the traffic.)
Piggly Wiggly had 10-14 pound turkeys for 35¢ a pound, 5 pounds of Dixie Crystals sugar for 29¢, and a quart of JFG mayonnaise for 39¢. Kroger has Wishbone turkeys for 38¢ a pound, pumpkin pies for 33¢ each, and bananas for a dime a pound. Big Apple had Butterball hens for 39¢ a pound, grade A large eggs for 47¢ a dozen, and ice milk for 39¢ a half-gallon. A&P had pork loin for 43¢ a pound, five pounds of grapefruit for 33¢, and a one-pound box of saltines for 31¢. Couch's had whole or half hams for 33¢ a pound, JFG coffee for 69¢ a pound, and Double Cola for 89¢ a case plus deposit.
The cinematic week began with the Hank Williams Sr. biography Your Cheating Heart (with George Hamilton) at the DeSoto and It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (with a true all-star cast) at the First Avenue. The midweek movie switch-out brought Send Me No Flowers (with Rock Hudson, Doris Day, & Tony Randall) to the DeSoto and The Notorious Landlady (with Kim Novak, Jack Lemmon, & Fred Astaire) to the West Rome Drive-In, while It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World continued at the First Avenue for another week.
The Shangri-Las' "Leader of the Pack" took first place this week in 1964, bouncing the Supremes "Baby Love" down to the number two position. Other top ten hits included "Come a Little Bit Closer" by Jay & the Americans (#3); "She's Not There" by the Zombies (#4); "Ringo" by Lorne Greene (#5); "Mr. Lonely" by Bobby Vinton (#6); "You Really Got Me" by the Kinks (#7); "Time Is On My Side" by the Rolling Stones (#8); "Last Kiss" by J. Frank Wilson & the Cavaliers (#9); and "Mountain of Love" by Johnny Rivers (#10).
Huh?..."Piggly Wiggly had 5 pounds of 10-14 pound turkeys for 35¢ a pound"
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