A look back
By Staff
Researched by Dr. Bill Stewart
Nov. 15, 1957-A scientist who is working on the Jupiter-C rocket being developed at Huntsville’s Redstone Arsenal says that the U.S. could shoot the rocket right now and hit the moon but would be unable to bring it back given the present level of technological development. Solving the re-entry problem is at least five years off.
Nov. 16, 1957-Mrs. Adlai R. (Lineta) Patterson has sold her home in Falkville and is now at to a new residence on Haig Street in Hartselle.
Nov. 17, 1957-Torrential rains tonight precipitated an earth sinking that fractured the water main used by the city of Hartselle to supply water to the TB sanitarium and Flint City. Until the main is repaired it will be necessary to use tank trucks to get critically needed water to both the sanitarium and the adjacent Flint community.
Nov. 17, 1957-All Hartselle phone numbers changed today. In preparation for direct long distance dialing (still several years away) there will be a uniform telephone number system. Hartselle’s prefix will be Spruce, Decatur’s Elgin.
Nov. 18, 1957-Unknown thieves entered Bean-Smith Drugs here in Hartselle tonight and stole highly addictive narcotics (Dilaudid and Demerol).
Nov. 18, 1957-Anna Ruth Freeland, 14, Falkville 1, drowned while trying to cross a rain-swollen creek on her way home from school.
The tragedy occurred about two and one-half miles southwest of Eva High School where Anna was enrolled in the ninth grade.
Nov. 19, 1957-Michigan State pulled ahead of Auburn to take first place in this week’s AP football poll. Local War Eagle fans were obviously disgusted with this since their team is undefeated while M.S. was defeated by Purdue earlier in the season.
Nov. 20, 1957-Famed Hartselle author William Bradford Huie has agreed to pay a $750 contempt of court fine assessed against him by Suwanne County, Florida. Officials there were incensed because Mr. Huie strenuously objected to the prosecution of a poor black woman accused of shooting a prominent white physician.
Nov. 21, 1957-”You Have a Date,” a locally produced show on Decatur’s Channel 23, aired for the first time tonight. Mary Orr, president of the senior class at MCHS, was one of those featured on this new program.
Nov. 21, 1957-Judge George C. Wallace spoke to students at the Tennessee Valley State Vocational Trade School this morning in observance of National Education Week. The school at which Judge Wallace spoke was originally established as a result of the Wallace Regional Trade School Act which was enacted by the 1947 Legislature.
