MILLIANS: News from the ’60s

Published 8:00 am Saturday, July 27, 2024

Back in the day, when newspapers were almost a yard wide and some days as thick as a Sears Roebuck catalog, you could get some real information. 

For instance: You could buy a new Plymouth Valiant with radio, heater and automatic transmission from W.E. Robinson, Jr. Motors on McIntosh Street for monthly payments of $57.50.

Or: You could go to Nelson’s Appliance Co. and buy a Hotpoint Electric Range for $168. 

I know this because Jeff Owens and his son Tom were kind enough to bring me a stack of newspapers from the early 1960s that Jane (Owens) Stone had saved. 

Jane, who recently passed away, was a star basketball player at Baldwin High around that time. She also served as the sports editor of Smoke Signals, the Baldwin student newspaper.

Jane had saved copies of Smoke Signals, The Union-Recorder, The Red and Black (The University of Georgia student newspaper) and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

I enjoyed catching up on the news from the ’60s. 

What I found the most fascinating was the slice of life in the newspaper advertisements.

There were Christmas greetings from businesses all over town in a December, 1960, issue of The Union-Recorder.

Big companies (J.P. Stevens) and small businesses (Mack F. Alford’s Radio and TV service) all wanted to say “Merry Christmas” to the good people of Milledgeville.

Town and Country Pharmacy, Central Georgia Gas and Appliance, and Braxley Tire and Recapping did, too.

The Exchange Bank, Merchants and Farmers Bank, Chandler’s Variety Store, Knight’s Sporting Goods, Bacon Chevrolet, Old Capital Motors and Boyer Motors also sent Christmas best wishes.

As did J.C. Grant Co., Morgan’s Jewelry and Walter R. Thomas Jewelers.

The Diana Shop, Eberhart’s Studio, Brookins Market, Katy May’s Barber Shop, and L.H. Stanley Plumbing and Heating said, “Merry Christmas to All.”

And, D&G Auto Sales (that’s Cecil Davis and Mark Godard) sent season’s greetings.

Local ministers wrote short essays on “The Real Meaning of Christmas.”

Meanwhile, around town the movie “Swiss Family Robinson” was playing at the Campus Theater. Admission for adults was 75 cents.

John Wayne’s “North to Alaska” was a coming attraction.

The King Brothers Circus was putting on shows at the Old Fairgrounds.

Freddie Wilson and the Heartbeats were playing at the Ebony Lounge.

The Union-Recorder, the “Old Reliable,” was having a circulation push, giving away a new 1962 Corvair (purchased from Bacon Chevrolet) and a 19-inch TV (purchased from Hattaway Sales and Service.)

In the news of the day in Milledgeville and Baldwin County:

— City leaders were moving toward eliminating dead-end streets;

— Bids were being asked for a new 500-bed treatment building at the State Hospital;

— County officials were dissatisfied with airport operations.

In sports, the Baldwin boys’ and girls’ basketball teams won the “Middle Six” basketball tournaments. The boys’ team was coached by Milton Moore, and the captains were Comer Gheesling and J.C. Dooley. Mrs. Lola Teague coached the girls, whose captains were Margie Harper and Jackie McCullar.

And, the annual birthday party for native son Wally Butts was scheduled for Feb. 16, 1961, at the Country Club. Butts had recently moved from head football coach to athletic director at the University of Georgia. 

Butts brought new coach Johnny Griffith, other members of the UGA coaching staff, and a group from the Dixie Redcoat Band to help celebrate.

But, the really big news came in Smoke Signals. The staff in 1962 included Dan Winterbottom, editor; Nancy Patterson, news editor; Jane Stone and Gerry Mills, sports editors.

Lyn Sibilsky got a huge scoop when she interviewed Francis Gary Powers, the U-2 spy plane pilot who had been shot down over Russia. Released from prison, he was in Milledgeville visiting his wife, whose mother lived here.

In other Baldwin High news:

— Polynesian Paradise was the theme for the 1962 Junior/Senior Dance;

— “Oklahoma” was the spring concert;

— In the football spring intrasquad game, Rusty Kidd was the quarterback for the White team with Chet Danuser, Wayne Hammock and Bill Harrington in the backfield. Ricky Smith quarterbacked the Red team, which featured backs Larry Burgamy, Danny Spears and Pete Bailey.

I love reading old newspapers.

You can learn a lot.

—Rick Millians is a 1970 Baldwin High graduate and former sports editor of Smoke Signals and the Red and Black. Reach him at rdmillians@aol.com.