Friday, September 14, 2018

Fifty Years Ago This Week in West Rome - 9/16/1968 to 9/22/1968

The 20th annual Coosa Valley Fair kicked off its six-day run-on Monday, September 15th; the vocal group the Ink Spots took part in the opening ceremonies (one of three performances by the Ink Spots scheduled for fair week).  Attendees cold look forward to a livestock judging, a flower show, a Miss Floyd County beauty contest, an Officer Don show, a Happening Times concert, a football kicking contest, a Willis Brothers concert, a Bob Brandy show, a horse show, and a Num Num Hunky concert. And of course, it wouldn't be a Coosa Valley Fair without a West Rome Band concert, which was scheduled for Thursday at 6:30pm.

The State Department of Education surprised the Rome City Schools system with $1.75 million in unexpended funds from a 1967 state bonds issue. Superintendent MS McDonald said that, if the system received the unexpected fund, they could begin building new classrooms "between now and Christmas" without having to wait for the passage of a local bond issue. Elm Street and West End were both slated for new classroom construction to relieve overcrowding caused by rapid residential growth in the West Rome area. The Board also unveiled plan for a measles vaccination program set to begin in the Rome City Schools system on September 30th. All primary grade students were required by state law to have a measles vaccination unless they had doctor's certification explaining why they should not be vaccinated.

Coosa defeated West End 20-90 in the opening game of the Pee-Wee football season on Tuesday evening, while Elm Street posted a 27-0 win over Glenwood. In the opening Mite games, West End defeated Garden Lakes 13-12 while Armuchee edged out Elm Street 7-6.

West Rome took on Carrollton in a home game on Friday, September 20th. Readers may remember that Carrollton trounced West Rome 26-0 in their 1967 face-off, so the Chieftains were looking to settle a year-old score. And that's just what they did--not with a 26-0 score, but a 10-7 win was still a win, and that's what the Chiefs wanted. Mike Johnson scored a touchdown with a 77-yard run, Mark Brewer kicked the extra point, and Roger Weaver kicked a 40-yard field goal to rack up the Chieftains' ten points.

The West Rome Baptist Church announced a youth fellowship to be held immediately after the West Rome-Carrollton game. All young people were invited to attend.

With the new television season just about to launch, Sears had a 23" Silvertone console color TV for only $369 and a 20" Westinghouse color TV for only $249.  Home Mart had a Zenith 23" TV for $379 and a Zenith home entertainment center with TV, AM/FM radio, and turntable with built-in stereo speakers and an oak console cabinet for $549.

Kay's Kastles launched their football season special: a deluxe hotdog for only 25¢ on Friday and Saturday (that was a 2¢ discount off the regular 27¢ price). They also offered 25¢ off a half-gallon of Kay's Kastles ice cream on Friday and Saturdays as well.

Piggly Wiggly had chicken livers for 49¢ a pound, grapes for 19¢ a pound, and Kellogg's corn flakes for 21¢ a box. Kroger had Hormel bacon for 49¢ a pound, iceberg lettuce for 19¢ a head, and Banquet pot pies for 15¢ each. A&P had sirloin steak for 89¢ a pound, Eight O'Clock coffee for 49¢ a pound, and Bartlett pears for 19¢ a pound. Big Apple had whole fryers for 27¢ a pound, sweet potatoes for 15¢ a pound, and tall cans of salmon for 69¢. Couch's had lamb roast for 49¢ a pound, Jif peanut butter for 39¢ a jar, and ten pounds of russet potatoes for 49¢.

The cinematic week began with Five Card Stud (starring Dean Martin) at the DeSoto Theatre, Gone With the Wind (starring Clark Gable & Vivien Leigh) at the First Avenue, and Valley of the Dolls (starring Susan Hayward) at the West Rome Drive-In. The midweek switchout brought With Six You Get Egg Roll (starring Doris Day) at the DeSoto and The Green Berets (starring John Wayne) at the West Rome Drive-In, while Gone With the Wind hung around for a fifth week at the First Avenue.

The Beatles took number one with "Hey Jude" this week in 1968. Other top ten hits included "Harper Valley PTA" by Jeannie C. Riley (#2); "People Got to Be Free" by the Rascals (#3); "Hush" by Deep Purple (#4); "Fire" by the Crazy World of Arthur Brown (#5); "The Fool on the Hill" by Segio Mendes & Brasil '66 (#6); "1,2,3,Red Light" by the 1910 Fruitgum Co. (#7); "I've Got to Get a Message to You" by the Bee Gees (#8); "Girl Watcher" by The O'Kaysions (#9); and "Slip Away" by Clarence Carter (#10).

Diahann Carroll's sitcom Julia--the first network sitcom to star an African American woman in a non-stereotypical role--premiered on NBC on Tuesday, September 17th. Adam-12, the popular police series, premiered on NBC on September 21st (yes, a Saturday--back in the 1960s, Saturdays were actually big TV nights, with a number of major series on the Saturday night schedule). And the short-lived-but-fondly-remembered Land of the Giants made its ABC premiere on Sunday, September 22nd.

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