A look back
By Staff
Researched by Dr. Bill Stewart
April 5, 1957-The Morgan County Board of Education is borrowing $25,000 to help meet emergency school needs here. These funds, along with $20,000 previously designated for Hartselle schools, will make possible both a band room at MCHS and a lunchroom at Hartselle Elementary School.
February 28, 1957-Plant space is to be doubled at Hartselle’s Mitchell Industries. This prominent firm is now manufacturing and fabricating a large number of the metal parts which go into stage construction jobs throughout the country.
April 6, 1957-Purchase was made today of a five-room house at 1005 West Main Street to be used at present for assemblies of the Central Christian Church. Worship services are patterned from New Testament Christianity.
April 7, 1957-Floyd Anderson, Jack Hoffhaus, and Horace Roberts have been awarded honorary memberships in the MCHS chapter of FFA in recognition of their efforts to improve the standard of living of farmers in this area.
April 8, 1957-”Tornado alley,” the name given to southern Morgan County because of the prevalence of storms in this area, was struck again this morning. Two twisters touched down long enough to injure 25-30 people and inflict massive property damage. The greatest losses were sustained in the Roundtop community, Florette, Eva, Lacon, and Center Grove.
April 9, 1957-Power has now been restored in the Eva and Lacon communities following yesterday’s tornadoes.
April 9, 1957-Sgt. W. B. Little of the state highway patrol reports that approximately 400 persons were made homeless in Morgan County by Monday’s tornadoes.
April 9, 1957-Many Hartselle teens were piling into their cars tonight to take advantage of the Sunset Drive-in Theatre’s first “buck night.” During buck nights on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings, each vehicle gets in for $1, no matter how many occupants. There is also a double feature on each of these nights.
April 10, 1957—Shirley Walker has been selected as “Miss FHA” and Saralene Bridges as “FFA Sweetheart” by the groups’ members.
April 11, 1957—The city fathers, in response to numerous complaints, are having the police patrol West Main Street more closely to curb speeding, especially in the area of the locker plant and Piggly Wiggly.
