Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
On this date …
1936: C.V. Steed Undertaking was “serving Clovis since Clovis began,” according to its newspaper advertisement.
Anyone needing ambulance service or funeral service could reach Steed at phone number 14.
1954: Fourteen floats were entered in the upcoming Christmas Pageant Parade in downtown Clovis.
The parade route was set to begin at West Seventh and Mitchell streets, then proceed down Mitchell to West First, over to Main Street and then to Ninth Street, where it would end.
All of the floats were sponsored by area churches.
After the parade, residents were encouraged to gather at the Clovis High School band shell at Seventh and Main for singing of Christmas carols.
1956: FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover had written a letter of recognition praising two Clovis police officers for their work in helping nab a federal fugitive.
Lt. Russ Miller and Sgt. Robert Sutton had assisted an FBI agent in arresting Sidney Austin Davenport three weeks earlier in Clovis.
Davenport, who had been wanted in multiple states on a variety of charges, was described in FBI bulletins as “dangerous.” But Hoover said the man was arrested without incident because of the “teamwork” between federal and local agencies.
1960: The State Board of Education had approved almost $3 million for operations at Eastern New Mexico University.
Officials had approved $29 million in all for 10 state colleges and “special schools,” United Press International reported.
The University of New Mexico was to receive the bulk of the money, about $10 million.
The schools were to receive $8 million more in capital outlay for new buildings and improvements.
1960: Portales elementary school teachers had compiled a list of 65 families that needed and would appreciate help at Christmas.
Floy Wood was organizing the assistance drive, and said arrangements had already been made to help about half the families.
1961: A 6-year-old Clovis boy, hit by a car in the 800 block of Grand Avenue, had been released from the hospital.
Larry Trujillo suffered abrasions on his head and body, but was not otherwise seriously hurt.
The driver of the vehicle said the boy ran into the street and then ran into the car before the driver could stop.
1966: Funeral services were being planned for Mamie Hockenhull, wife of former New Mexico Gov. A. W. Hockenhull.
She had died in Clovis’ Memorial Hospital after a weeks-long illness.
She was 88.
The Hockenhulls moved to Clovis in 1909. They had celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary a month earlier.
The former governor died in 1974 at age 97.
1969: Clovis city commissioners rescinded their actions of a week earlier that set 13th Street as the northern boundary line for liquor outlets.
Mayor Chick Taylor, who previously cast the deciding vote in a 3-2 decision, made the motion to rescind. Taylor said he changed his mind after realizing it would not “carry any weight whatsoever” if the matter went to court.
The most recent vote was 3-1 with one abstention. Only Don Bonner continued to support the boundary line.
1970: Plans had been finalized to build Barry Elementary School in Clovis, the third and final elementary facility included in a $3 million bond issue passed in the spring.
The school was to have 12 classrooms, a multi-purpose room, offices and a kitchen.
Construction time was 235 days, and it was scheduled to open in the fall of 1971.
Construction on Cameo and Lockwood elementary schools — also approved in the spring — was already under way.
1972: Any time was party time at The Boothill Saloon in Clovis.
A “special party” was planned each Monday, from 8:30 p.m. to midnight, according to an advertisement in the Clovis News-Journal.
The first drink was free.
1973: Gibson’s Discount Center, at 1200 W. 21st St. in Clovis, was open nights until 10 p.m. and open Sundays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Holiday specials included a Lionel Cannonball electric train set for $17.77.
“The beginning of something great for the young engineer,” a promotional advertisement claimed.
1979: A Roosevelt County jury hearing a murder trial was told of a bomb threat that had been received that morning.
The caller simply said, “Judge (Fred) Hensley has a bomb in his court,” County Sheriff Sonny Carter told reporters.
Jurors were told officials had searched the courthouse and courtroom and the threat was a hoax. The trial continued.
The defendant’s attorney asked that jurors not be told of the threat because “it could prejudice the case against the defendant” the newspaper reported. Judge Hensley said he wanted jurors to hear the information from the court rather than from family members who might be expressing safety concerns.
A day later, Gilbert Chavez was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to two-to-10 years in prison.
Pages Past is compiled by David Stevens and Betty Williamson. Contact:
