Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
On this date ...
1923: Jerry “Bruiser” Nuzum was born in Clovis.
The son of Mr. and Mrs. W. N. Nuzum became the first Clovis High School graduate to play in the National Football League.
The halfback spent four seasons — 1948-1951 – with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
He died in 1997, at age 73.
1952: The Clovis Mattress company was featured in the business review section of the Clovis News-Journal, and noted for having the only felting machine in the city.
"The felting machine felts cotton giving you a mattress free from lumps and thin spots," the article said. Owners Mr. and Mrs. J.G. Vandiver had been in the same location for 18 years.
Customers could opt for same-day service to have an old mattress "worked over." Clovis Mattress Company promised to "re-gin the cotton, make new covers, and return your old mattress looking completely new." All grades and all colors of ticking were available.
1961: R.O. Peterson, president of the Roosevelt County Fair Board, said admission to the fair would be required for the first time.
He told the Portales News-Tribune it wasn’t much - 50 cents per day for adults and 25 cents per day for children.
An additional quarter was needed to park on the fair grounds.
Peterson made it clear everybody had to pay. “There will be no ‘passes’ for anybody,” Peterson told the newspaper. And that included fair board officials, “all of whom serve without pay.”
Exhibitors could receive a discount — $1.50 for a ticket that would be good throughout the fair.
Peterson said he “hopes the public will understand this, and will patronize the fair,” PNT reported.
The four-day fair would be a “barrel of fun for all,” promoters promised, and they encouraged residents to “bring a friend or an enemy but come on out and join the party.”
An old fiddlers contest was advertised as the feature event.
1966: Clovis city commissioners heard complaints from area airplane owners about the lack of hangar space at the airport.
Lonnie Carter suggested the commission allow private builders to construct hangars and then deed them to the city after costs had been paid off.
Mayor Ted Waldhauser said the city was looking into solutions.
1970: Clovis school board members discussed a policy that would allow teachers to take sabbatical leaves.
The proposal, submitted by Assistant Superintendent Davenport Beasley, was in response to a new law passed by the state Legislature.
It would allow teachers with at least six years of continuous service to take a year off, with half pay, to study or travel in a way that would benefit the school.
Superintendent Vernon Mills said he did not expect a rush of teachers to apply for sabbatical leave.
1971: Items from the Clovis police blotter included:
• Austin Downing reported a shotgun valued at $100 was missing from a rack at Surplus City.
• Duane Wise, who lived at 200 Ruth, reported underwear valued at $15 was stolen from a clothes line.
• Postmaster Charles Stanfield reported vandals damaged two glass doors on the Gidding Street entrance to the post office. Damage was estimated at $146.
1972: Non-credit offerings through Eastern New Mexico University's extension office were advertised for those "wanting to shed a few extra pounds gained from too many summer barbecues," as well as anyone interested in becoming "an expert fly tyer or macramé artist," according to a press release from ENMU.
"Slimnastics" was taught by Mary Alice Daniel and "fly tying" was under the tutelage of Don Fueriges; Mrs. Don Trubey was tasked with helping her enrollees "master the basic macramé knots and variations by knotting a sampler in 12 sessions."
1975: A Clovis jury sentenced a Portales man to 10 to 50 years in prison for heroin distribution.
He was required to serve only two to 10 years because part of the sentence was suspended, the Clovis News-Journal reported.
Police said the man sold 2 pounds, 2 ounces of heroin to an undercover narcotics agent; it was the single-largest transaction of heroin in New Mexico, according to state police.
1983: The Curry County Fair was seeking contestants - "young & old" - for its Old Fiddlers Contest.
There was no entry fee, but cash prizes and trophies would be presented winners.
Divisions were for "new beginners," "intermediate" players, "senior" players and "masters," for those 65 and older.
The event was sponsored by K-Bob's Steak House and Salad Wagon at 1600 Mabry Drive and KWKA Radio, 68 on your AM dial.
Pages Past is compiled by David Stevens and Betty Williamson. Contact:
