A look back
By By Dr. Bill Stewart
Aug. 20, 1959—Pvt. Thomas E. Roberts, son of Mr. and Mrs. Luther E. Roberts has been assigned to company B, 6th battalion, 2d training regiment, at Fort Jackson, S.C., for eight weeks of basic combat training.
Aug. 20, 1959-Famed Hartselle author William Bradford Huie’s newest novel, “The Americanization of Emily,” was published today by Dutton.
Aug. 20, 1959-The county teachers’ planning committee, met for lunch at Woodall’s Bar-B-Q today. Program leaders in specific subject areas include Mrs. Faye K. Parker, Mrs. Beulah Pettey, Mrs. Louise Nicholson, Mrs. Opal C. Stewart, and Coach J. P. Cain.
Aug. 20, 1959-Miles T. Powell, Morgan County solicitor, was the speaker at this week’s Hartselle Civitan Club meeting. He talked about and showed photos of the Cascade Mountains, Crater Lake, and the Snake River.
Aug. 20, 1959-Mrs. Robert Sittason Jr. and her mother, Mrs. Robert Gray, hosted a bridge party today. Guests included friends not only from Hartselle but Decatur, Cullman, Athens, and Belle Mina as well. Winning players included Mrs. Joe Speake of Cullman and Mrs. W. F. Hamilton Jr., of Hartselle.
Aug. 21, 1959-The MCHS football Tigers began practicing in pads at Sherrill Stadium today.
Head Coach J. P. Cain notes that he lost 15 lettermen from last season’s squad. Five are returning-Bobby Foote, Jimmy Speegle, Bobby Harris, Gerry Rollins, and John Warren. The opening game with Falkville will be three weeks from tonight here.
Aug. 21, 1959-Mrs. J. E. Stone, Mrs. C. K. Parker, Mrs. S. L. Sherrill, Mrs. J. P. Simpson and Mrs. Leonard Wallace, all members of First Baptist Church, are currently at the Baptist retreat in Ridgecrest, N.C., attending a Bible conference.
Aug. 22, 1959-Hartselle isn’t the same without Sam Polytinsky. Mr. Polytinsky, who passed away recently, was well known for his complete generosity toward all who knew him and many who didn’t.
He was born in Paterson, NJ, and came to Hartselle as a young man, going into business with his uncle Abe, who was a cotton merchant.
Aug. 22, 1959-The University of Alabama athletic department, under the leadership of director Paul (Bear) Bryant, is giving the University $500,000 for general education purposes unrelated to sports.
Aug. 23, 1959-In a newspaper interview published in a Miami, Fla., newspaper today, Dr. Werner Von Braun, famed Redstone space expert, predicted that man would land on the moon in 10 years (1969).
Aug. 23, 1959-State Rep. Bob Gilchrist of Hartselle appeared on Birmingham TV station WAPI this afternoon. On the program “Alabama Press Conference” he discussed legislation he is sponsoring to restrict usurious rates charged customers of small loan companies.
Aug. 24, 1959-Auburn football Coach Shug Jordan spoke to an Atlanta civic club at noon today and predicted that if pro ball should move into the South it would not hurt college.
Aug. 24, 1959-A Hartselle man got into a fight in Selma tonight. The town is in such a state of turmoil that an 11 p.m. curfew has been put into effect.
Aug. 25, 1959-About 300 Gypsies from all over the United States are coming here to participate in funeral services for palmist Lena Mitchell who had been practicing her art in the Hartselle area until her death a few days ago. Burial will occur on Tuesday at Maple Hill cemetery in Huntsville. Mrs. Mitchell was about 54 and had been reading palms in the Hartselle area for about three years.
Aug. 26, 1959—Morgan County Sheriff Knox McCrae appeared before the governing board to ask for a third car for his department. He explained the difficulties of giving adequate law enforcement protection to a county this large with just two vehicles.
