A look back

By By Dr. Bill Stewart
Sept. 25, 1958-A local grocery is currently offering four bars of Sweetheart soap for 31 cents.
Sept. 26, 1958-Students at Morgan County High have long awaited the construction of a new gymnasium as a vital solution to overcrowded conditions which prevail at the school. The contract will be let today and it is expected that the gymnasium will be in use before the end of this school term.
Sept. 26, 1958-John E. Guier, Sr., age 92, died at his Decatur home this morning. He was the father of John Guier Jr. who moved to Hartselle in 1952 where he was heavily involved in purchasing the old Hartselle hospital and doubling its bed capacity.
Sept. 26, 1958-”Homecoming-1958” was undoubtedly the best MCHS has ever had. With the enthusiastic participation of every student at MCHS-the parade, the game (MCHS 22, Boaz 0), and the dance-were all tremendous successes. Leading the parade was our mayor, John Burleson, driving the firetruck.
Sept. 26, 1958-Auburn, ranked number one in the SEC, opens
its football season in Birmingham Saturday against Tennessee. The game will be nationally televised. (Auburn won 13-0.)
Sept. 27, 1958-Several of the most avid local Crimson Tide fans made the long trip to Mobile today to see the first Bama game with Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant in charge. Unfortunately, the Tide lost 13-3 to an impressive LSU team (which would go undefeated and win the national title). Late in the first quarter a section of wooden bleachers in the north end zone collapsed, unseating about 1,500 spectators. No local people were among the 70 injured. The game resumed about five minutes after the bleacher debacle.
Sept. 27, 1958-Standard time returned early this morning, much to the satisfaction of many local people who never got used to “fast time.” Hartselle schools had been operating on standard time since they opened on Sept. 2.
Sept. 28, 1958—Joe Speake, recently appointed central office foreman in Cullman, started his Bell system career in 1947 as a division equipment installer in Birmingham. He later transferred to Talladega as a switchman in 1950 and to Decatur as a central office repairman in 1951. Mr. Speake, at present located in Decatur, will resume his duties in Cullman as soon as the equipment is installed in the new dial office building. Mrs. Speake is the former Elizabeth Peck.
Sept. 29, 1958-Franklin Penn is the choice of his senior classmates at MCHS to be their president. Barbara Young will be the vice-president and Linda O’Bar the secretary.
Sept. 30, 1958-Thirty seniors at MCHS went to the State Fair in Birmingham today as guests of Wolverine Tube Division. Their task now will be to write essays on “What Industry Means to Alabama.”