Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
On this date ...
1937: A "brief but brisk downpour" increased Clovis' rainfall total to 2.43 inches for the year, the Clovis Evening News-Journal reported.
Rainfall to date was "near average" for the previous 25 years of record keeping, the newspaper reported.
While Clovis measured .15 inches of rain this evening, other communities fared better.
Grady recorded an inch of rain, while the Melrose area saw a half inch.
1946: A nationwide railroad strike had ended after about 48 hours.
Union workers had agreed to return to work for a pay increase of 37 cents an hour, The Associated Press reported.
Employees in Belen accepted radio reports as proof that they should return to work, but Clovis workers declined to return until they were notified by union representatives.
1950: Drake’s, at 117 State St. in Portales, held a 5-cent shoe sale.
A promotional ad reported the store had 1,500 pair of shoes:
“You buy one pair at regular price and get the second pair for only 5 cents.”
1951: Furnishings for Portales’ new Hotel Cal Boykin had arrived, with crews to install them expected within the week.
Boykin had not set an official opening date, but hotel board members said the 60-room, $500,000 facility could begin receiving guests by June 15.
Each of the top three floors in the four-story building contained 20 bedrooms -- one 24 x 14 feet, one 10 x 16 feet and 18 that were 13 x 12 feet.
Each bedroom had an adjoining bathroom with tub and built-in vanity case and each bedroom featured a built-in writing desk and luggage rack.
Boykin, a Texas hotel operator, had leased the property from stockholders.
1951: The Dora FFA Club raised $304 from its annual spring barbecue.
The Portales Daily News reported 150 people attended the gathering.
In addition to the food, they enjoyed music by a string orchestra and watched movies about gun safety and fishing.
1957: The La Fonda drive-in theater in Clovis was showing "Friendly Persuasion" starring Gary Cooper.
The movie co-starred Dorothy McGuire.
Pre-movie food options included steakfingers at Foxy Drive In or sea food at the Silver Grill.
After the movie, Bob's Cafe was "always open."
1961: Clovis High School had graduated 234 seniors.
Ceremonies were held at Marshall Junior High School’s auditorium before a “standing-room only crowd,” according to the Clovis News-Journal.
1965: Clovis city commissioners had tentatively approved a $333,725 budget for the police department — a $123,000 increase from the year before.
A $3,800 “recording machine requested to monitor incoming calls,” was not approved, the Clovis News-Journal reported.
1968: Eastern New Mexico University was expecting 500 students - enough for four bands, two orchestras, and a choir - at its upcoming Sunshine Music Camp.
The participants could look forward to private lessons, participation in different musical groups, classes, and multiple public performances.
The staff for the two-week long camp included Floren Thompson, director of bands at ENMU; Louise Burkel, assistant professor of music at Eastern; Norvil Howell, Clovis High School band director; Harold Van Winkle, Alamogordo High School band director; George Umberson, director of choirs at Eastern; and Arthur Welker, director of symphony at Eastern.
Thirty orchestra, choir, and band directors from high schools in eastern New Mexico and west Texas were also assisting with the camp.
1969: Clovis police arrested a 45-year-old man and confiscated “various gambling devices” in a “small gambling raid,” the Clovis News-Journal reported. The raid occurred at 320 Upsilon. Police said no one was gambling when they arrived at the home.
In other local police briefs:
• A home at 207 Ross was ransacked and the following items were reported stolen: a television set, stereo, lawn mower, pots and pans and clothes. Value of the stolen items was estimated at $1,585.
• A man reported an undetermined amount of clothing was stolen from his car parked in the 1200 block of Yucca.
• The Frostee Freeze at 1608 N. Main was burglarized. “Intruders made off with a wrist watch, some sunflower seeds and one package of cigarettes,” the CN-J reported.
1971: Portales High School had graduated 156 seniors, including 76 that maintained a B or better average through high school, according to Superintendent L.C. Cozzens.
Four students spoke to their classmates, including Carolyn Brown, whom the Portales News-Tribune described as “a vivacious young lady with the enthusiasm of success in her endeavors up to date.”
“Only through hopes, plans and dreams will we make tomorrow,” she told classmates. “Without dreams, our tomorrows will make us.”
1975: More than 500 Clovis students participated in graduation ceremonies at Leon Williams Stadium in an afternoon ceremony.
Commencement speaker Mark Lansford talked about America’s turbulent past and its destiny.
“There are many problems in our economy today, stemming possibly from our political setbacks,” he said.
“Richard Nixon was a man who did a great deal for our nation ... but he deceived the public for what he thought was the public good.”
1983: The Clovis police auxiliary group, known as the "Five Watt-ers," was gearing up for a Memorial Day tradition: setting up a trailer and meeting incoming motorists at the New Mexico border with free coffee, soft drinks, and doughnuts.
Nancy Hamlett was president of the group, and Bob Free was captain. Local merchants donated the drinks and doughnuts. The idea, according to an article in the Clovis News-Journal, was to "give Memorial Day travelers a bit of rest in order to reduce the possibility of accidents caused by fatigue."
The group's name referred to the power output of the police radio equipment used for communication.
Pages Past is compiled by David Stevens and Betty Williamson. Contact:
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