A look back
By By Dr. Bill Stewart
Feb. 18, 1960-Classes at all Hartselle area schools were closed today as snow returned to make roads virtually impassable. There has been more snow this year than in any winter in recent memory.
Feb. 18, 1960-Roy Hammond, 66, a Hartselle native, has passed away at the veterans’ hospital in Johnson City, Tenn. In addition to the widow, Hartselle survivors include Mrs. A. R. Patterson and Mrs. W. B. Allen (sisters) and Fred B. Hammond (brother). At his funeral on Saturday the pallbearers will be Carl Pattillo, C. D. Springfield, Merrill Doss, William Stewart, Raymond Tidmore, and Bobby Cooper. The Rev. Warren Hamby will officiate.
Feb. 19, 1960-Hartselle Mayor John Burleson is loaning Falkville the equipment it needs to install new pipe that will bring water closer to the school in case it should be needed to fight a fire.
Feb. 20, 1960-Gail Sims and Robert Peck were married tonight at Westside Presbyterian Church in Decatur. Parents of the couple are Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Sims of Decatur and Mr. and Mrs. Elliot Peck of Hartselle. The bride was attended by her sister, Nancy. Robert’s best man was his father. Ushers were David Sims and Frank Stewart. Servers at the reception following the wedding ceremony included Mrs. Joe Speake of Hartselle.
Feb. 20, 1960-Priceville beat MCHS 60-57 in a basketball game played here this afternoon. Cash was Hartselle’s leading scorer with 13 points. King and Speegle followed with 11 points apiece.
Feb. 21, 1960-Hartselle Mayor John Burleson is currently in Montgomery, attending the annual winter conference of the Alabama League of municipalities.
Feb. 21, 1960-The WMS of Lebanon Baptist Church held a reception this afternoon in honor of Rev. Darryl Harris and family. The Harris family will leave soon for Old Hickory, Tenn., where Rev. Harris will serve as pastor for Temple Baptist Church.
Feb. 21, 1960-MCHS’s fall 1960 football schedule has just been announced by head Coach J. P. Cain. It includes six home games and four away. For the first time in several years the Tigers will be playing Russellville (here, October 21).
Feb. 22, 1960-Citizens Bank of Hartselle was closed today in observance of George Washington’s birthday.
Feb. 22, 1960-L. M. Hatcher, age 73, passed away at Hartselle Hospital early this morning. His widow, Mrs. Edna Hatcher, survives him.
Feb. 22, 1960-The new garment plant is now connected to city sewer and water lines and should be able to open in a few days. Employees who are currently taking aptitude tests in the old armory will work at 50 sewing machines.
Feb. 23, 1960-Father Aloysius, O.S.B., Ph.D., was the principal speaker at tonight’s meeting of the Hartselle Kiwanis Club. The guest, who is head of the history department at St. Bernard College, talked about the Ave Maria Grotto.
Feb. 23, 1960-Lt. Gov. Albert Boutwell says, “Proration of the school appropriation is inevitable.” Tax collections for education are running about $13 million short of the Legislature’s budgeted amount. This would be the third straight year of proration.
Feb. 23, 1960-A 1,000-gallon moonshine still was destroyed near the Wheeler Wildlife Refuge by Morgan County sheriff’s deputies this afternoon.
Feb. 24, 1960-Charlie Stewart has completed his service as foreman of the Morgan County grand jury. The jury returned 58 indictments and also reported on the condition of the jail which it found to be basically good except for some windowpanes that need replacing.
