Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
On this date ...
1946: The Clovis Kiwanis Club celebrated its 25th anniversary with testimonials about the club’s value from charter members and past presidents.
The club’s original charter was presented to Charlie Scheurich, its first president.
Eight charter members were still active, according to the Clovis News-Journal: Scheurich, U.S. Sen. Carl Hatch, Joe Wilkinson, Cash Ramey, Dr. Charles O. Warriner, Armand Mandell, E.W. Reagan and Ed Manson.
1955: La Fonda Drive In Theatre offered a double feature — “Fallen Angel,” starring Alice Faye and Dana Andrews, and “Key Largo,” starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. Adults were admitted for 50 cents.
1956: Clovis police had responded to a report of a man begging at Grand and Thornton streets.
The man from Thomasville, Ala., was arrested for vagrancy.
1958: Eastern New Mexico University’s “Swanee” production was being staged at Marshall Auditorium in Clovis as a fundraiser for the Clovis Kiwanis Club.
Forty musical acts were on the program, featuring a number of local students.
Sandra Bevell and Sue Evans of Clovis were “Swanee girls,” and Susan Stanfield, also of Clovis, was lined up for a fast tap-dance number.
Other students with local roots who were on the program included Gail O’Rear of Clovis, Jimmy Slone of Causey, Rosanna Hamilton of Tucumcari, Duane Blakely of Causey, Bill Blackstone of Friona, and Bill Clark of Portales.
The $1 tickets were available from Kiwanis members and at the door.
1959: Clovis city officials claimed at least 500,000 people visited Hillcrest Park and zoo annually and that 70% of cars at the park had out-of-state license plates.
Efforts were under way to improve the zoo’s animal pens, which had been built in 1932 with Works Progress Administration assistance.
1961: In local crime news:
Five people were in Clovis police court on charges of being drunk. Each pleaded guilty; they were each fined $15.
Two traffic fines of $5 each were imposed in Clovis police court — one for running a red light and one for illegal passing.
A Clovis man told police someone stole two transistor radios he’d left in his vehicle.
1965: The Water Rights for New Mexico Landowners Association was preparing to fight the Portales Valley Project, which desired to drill 197 wells on 96 sections of land northeast of Portales.
Some of the land in question was owned by ranchers and farmers in Curry and three other New Mexico counties, the Clovis News-Journal reported.
1966: Folk music was being used by the Communist Party to undermine the morals and patriotism of Americans. That was the message recently delivered by Rev. David Noebel at Clovis’ Holiday Inn.
Noebel, author of the pamphlet “Communism, Hypnotism and The Beatles,” listed some of those he believed were anti-American singers: Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie and Joan Baez.
According to an article in the Clovis News-Journal:
Seeger once said, “The guitar could be mightier than the bomb,” and was involved with communist front groups, Noebel claimed.
Guthrie had appeared before the House Un-American Activities Committee and was listed as a communist, according to documents Noebel shared.
Baez had recently marched into the halls of schools, strumming her guitar and singing, “We shall overcome,” Noebel reported.
Noebel told those gathered that America “will fall from within,” unless songs and rhythms are changed.
1966: Cannon Air Force Base construction projects totaled $2.19 million the previous year, officials reported.
An engine shop, new squadron operations building, fuel storage facility, children’s playground and arts and crafts shop were among projects completed.
The base library and swimming pool were among facilities that were remodeled or repaired.
1967: An attempt to stage a “who’s staying and who’s leaving showdown” had fizzled at a meeting of the Eastern New Mexico Inter-Community Water Supply Association.
The group had a long-range plan of constructing a pipeline from the Ute Reservoir in Logan to 17 eastern New Mexico communities.
Estimated cost for the 400-mile project was $85 million.
Twelve community representatives said they planned to stay.
Representatives from Logan, Jal, Artesia, Elida and Roswell expressed concerns, but ultimately said they would stay - at least for the moment.
“There are still some problems to thresh out, but we’ll stay in until you kick us out,” one representative from Jal told the Clovis News-Journal.
1967: A Clovis school board member expressed concern about a deluge of federal programs infiltrating the Clovis school system. “Every time a federal program comes out we jump on it … one of these days they’re going to own us,” said Dan Hardisty.
His remarks came after the school’s cafeteria director asked the board to approve a pilot project under the Child Nutrition Act to serve breakfast to “economically deprived” students in three Clovis schools. The federal government had approved $37,000 for the project in New Mexico.
“When are they going to serve supper?” Hardisty asked. Then he made a motion to approve the program, which passed unanimously.
1971: Richard Ross, Allen Paul and Dick Hunsaker were among starters on the Clovis Wildcats basketball team. Ronnie Hubby and Wesley Banks rounded out the starting five. The team was coached by Brooks Jennings.
1972: Fire at a gin north of Muleshoe had destroyed four trailers full of cotton and two towing tractors.
Officials estimated damages at $4,000.
Fire investigators said lint and cotton residue were ignited by a spark near the gin’s burr pile.
1974: Clovis city commissioners took steps toward acquiring additional land for expansion at Clovis Municipal Airport and appointing an airport zoning board.
Lack of zoning at the airport was holding up funding from the Federal Aviation Administration, city officials said. Area property owners had opposed zoning because it would set limits on heights of obstructions.
1977: Texico was preparing for a Western Jamboree with local talent ranging from The Runaways to Mattie Young and the Senior Citizens Band.
Other scheduled performers included Robin Walling, Freddy Chandler, the Gaddis Family and Marie and Willie Wall.
Admission was $1.50 for adults, 75 cents for students.
Proceeds would be used to purchase a stuffed wolverine from a taxidermist in Dallas.
The Texico school mascot has been Wolverines since at least 1934, the Clovis News-Journal reported.
1983: More than 400 people attended a ribbon cutting for newly constructed facilities for the Clovis Senior Citizens Center at Baxter-Curren Hall, located at Ninth and Hickory Streets.
Clovis city commission Vice Chairman Cleo Carpenter cut the ribbon.
Other officials on hand included Curry County Commissioner Shorty Burkett, Executive Director Floe Copeland, City Commissioner Lynn Martin, Senior Citizens President Albert Matlock, and City Commissioner Pat Sandoval.
1991: Portales public schools were experiencing an annual growth rate of 3% and district enrollment was at its highest since 1976.
A task force assigned to study facilities needs had reported all of the district’s major buildings were more than 25 years old.
“The buildings are in remarkably good shape as far as their age and vast amount of use they’ve had,” said task force Chairman Bob Wood.
But Wood said many of the buildings did not meet modern safety and health guidelines for construction.
“We need a great deal of upgrading on handicapped facilities, particularly in bathrooms,” he said.
Pages Past is compiled by David Stevens and Betty Williamson. Contact:
