A look back
By By Dr. Bill Stewart
Oct. 1, 1959-Possum and coon hunting with no bag limit (until February 20) began today. Rabbit hunting started in south Alabama. The bag limit is six a day.
Oct. 1, 1958-A total of 970 Morgan Countians purchased their new 1960 auto tags on the first day they were available at the courthouse. Buying a tag necessitates standing for hours in three lines at the tax assessor’s, tax collector’s, and probate offices.
Oct. 1, 1959-Falkville beat Addison tonight 13-7. Mack Bramlett, a 175-pound halfback, was clearly the key to the Blue Devils’ come-from-behind victory.
Oct. 1, 1959-The MCHS Tigers practiced light today, prepping for their third straight TVC game. This time they go on the road to face Deshler in Tuscumbia. Jimmy Speegle, John Warren, Wayne Compton, Ken Gray, Gary Rollins, Doug Turney, Joe McAbee, Paul Beard, Bobby Foote, Mickey Wiggins, Wayne Brown, Bobby Harris, David Norwood, and Wayne Griffin are all strong candidates for starting positions tomorrow night.
Oct. 1, 1959-Decatur High’s auditorium was packed tonight for the Wally Fowler all night singing. Appearing on the program with Wally were Happy Edwards and the Harmoneers, the Chuckwagon Gang, the Oak Ridge Quartet, the Johnson Sisters, and Smitty Gatlin.
Oct. 2, 1959-Deshler beat MCHS 19-7 in a game played there tonight. Quarterback Wayne Brown was responsible for the Tigers’ lone touchdown just as the second quarter got started.
Oct. 3, 1959-Jeannie Clemons, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Billy Clemons, was injured in an accident at the Kayo service station near Deer Spring this morning when she ran in front of a car while her parents had stopped to get gas.
Oct. 3, 1959-Johnny Hill of the Neel community is currently a patient at University Hospital in Birmingham. Meanwhile, his corn and cotton crops have gone unharvested. That is until today. This morning Mr. Hill’s neighbors, men, women, and children, assembled at his place to pick cotton and gather corn.
Oct. 3, 1959-Auburn beat the Hardin-Simmons Cowboys on the plains this afternoon by a decisive 35-12 score.
A new War Eagle mascot, “Aubie,” appeared for the first time on the game program. He was created by Birmingham Post-Herald artist Phil Neel.
Oct. 4, 1959-Dial telephone service began in Falkville today. All numbers will begin with ST 4-. W. A. Partlow is the owner of the phone company. When Massey joins the system next year it will have the prefix HO 2-.
Oct. 5, 1959-Congressman Bob Jones spoke to the Union Hill PTA tonight on the subject, “Federal Aid for Education.”
Oct. 6, 1959-College student Herbert Stempfel testified before Congress today that he was given both questions and answers in advance before he appeared on the then-popular but now defunct TV quiz show, “Twenty-one.”
Oct. 6, 1959-The new 1960 auto license plates are being sold at about the rate of only about 500 per day. It is expected that about 24,000 tags need to be sold to accommodate all vehicles operated in Morgan County.
This means there are going to be some very long lines people will have to stand in before the Oct. 31 deadline. Obviously, as usual, many are waiting until the last minute to buy their tags.
Oct. 6, 1959-Proration of education funds will probably be necessary before this fiscal year is over. The Legislature appropriated $120 million but it looks like only $116 million will be collected.
Oct. 7, 1959-Today is America’s National Day of Prayer for 1959.
