A look back

By By Dr. Bill Stewart
July 16, 1959-Martha Lynn Roberts and Jo Anne Elliott are the initial entrants in the Maid of Cotton contest to be held here on July 25. Martha Lynn’s parents are Mr. and Mrs. E. R. Roberts. Jo Anne is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Elliott of Decatur.
July 17, 1959-The Round Top home demonstration club held its annual picnic today.
July 17, 1959-Parents were alarmed to learn today that Alabama’s state health department has run out of Salk vaccine. Other states are said to be in the same situation Alabama is in. Morgan County still has enough vaccine to administer to children up to age 12.
July 17, 1959-Young Morgan County men can breathe easier. There is no current selective service quota for the county. Lawrence County has a quota of two; Limestone, three.
July 18, 1959-The 3M Company is now formally committed to constructing a $4.5 million chemical plant west of Chemstrand. This facility will result initially in 75 new jobs for Morgan County residents. Guy Roberts, chairman of the county governing board, worked with 3M officials, helping convince them to locate here.
July 19, 1959-Bowes Channell, who has been a patient at Decatur General, is now back at home.
July 19, 1959-Arlin Blackwood of Eva won runner-up prize in the recent Athens fishing rodeo.
July 20, 1959-A VBS began at Antioch Baptist Church this morning under the directions of Mrs. Lloyd Martin, principal.
July 20, 1959-The Morgan County Board of Registrars is signing up new voters at the courthouse today.
July 20, 1959-For local moviegoers who prefer this type of film, Decatur’s Roxy Theatre is showing “How to Make a Monster” and “Teenage Caveman” today only. The double feature is billed as one which “will scare the living yell out of you!” Locally, the Ranch is showing “The Perfect Furlough” starring Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh. This movie claims to have 287 certified laughs.
July 20, 1959-Morgan County sheriff deputies arrested 19 public drunks over the weekend.
July 20, 1959-The Civil Aeronautics Board decided this afternoon to grant air service to Decatur. People can board in Decatur and fly to Atlanta or Memphis.
July 21, 1959-A. B. Lightfoot of the state highway patrol spoke to the Hartselle Civitan Club tonight and urged members to contact their legislators to urge passage of a state car inspection law. As many as 900 people die in Alabama each year in auto accidents and a lot of these could be prevented with mandatory vehicle safety checks, Lightfoot said.
July 22, 1959-The yearly bench show and hunt of the Morgan County Foxhunters’ Association began today at the Cole Springs 4-H Club camp, east of Falkville. It will last four days. Hartselle’s Doug Holloway is secretary of the group while Parks Morgan of Cullman is president.
July 22, 1959-A sensational trial began in Cullman this morning. A former official of the utilities board faced the accusation (which turned out to be false) that he tried to poison other city officials by putting a potentially fatal substance in their soft drinks at a picnic. (Charges were dropped at the end of the trial’s first day.)
July 22, 1959-Mayor John Burleson was in Decatur this morning to discuss possible formation of a planning commission to assist in the further development of the north central Alabama region.
July 22, 1959-Floyd Anderson, manager of Joe Wheeler EMC, spoke to Hartselle Rotarians at their regular meeting today.