(Writer’s note: I’m going back a decade later than normal because I ran across this poem while perusing through some old Spotlights.)
My, Am I a Mess
When God gave out brains, I thought he said trains and missed mine.
When he gave out looks, I though he said books and didn’t want any.
When he gave out noses, I thought he said roses and ordered a big red one.
When he gave out legs, I thought he said kegs and ordered two big ones.
When he gave out ears, I thought he said beers and ordered two long ones.
When he gave out chins, I though he said gins and ordered a double one.
My, am I a mess!
Sixty Years Ago This Week – 1955
Southport High School wrestling coach Chauncey McDaniels led the Cardinals to their second straight consecutive state title and their third in five years. Fred Redeker and Bob Hersog were state champs.
* * *
The Indiana Heart Foundation issued a warning for parents to familiarize themselves with the symptoms of strep throat, an ailment that could lead to rheumatic fever, which caused more heart damage and crippling in young people than any other disease.
* * *
Fish and brain sandwiches (usually calves and pigs) were served on Fridays and Saturdays at Joe’s Tavern, 2849 Shelby St. Pigs feet were on the menu every day at Sebree’s Tavern, 2536 S. Meridian St.
Fifty Years Ago This Week – 1965
“Nutcracker” columnist and Publisher George Cafouros reported: Carl and Betty Risch laughed heartily about a year ago when learning that an invited guest to their daughter’s wedding at St. Mark Catholic Church had mistakenly sat through the wrong service at St. Roch. The Risches found out it could happen to anybody – including themselves. They recently went to a wedding reception at St. Roch and didn’t recognize anybody except for the bartender, George Weber, who informed them that the reception they were looking for was at Monsignor Downey Knights of Columbus.
* * *
Groundbreaking ceremonies were held for St. Barnabas Church and School. The parish, the 44th in Marion County, was expected to have about 300 families as charter members.
* * *
L. Strauss & Co. announced its plans to build a retail outlet in Greenwood. Founded in 1853, the company had strong ties to the Southside as the late Arthur Strauss was a graduate of Manual.
* * *
McDonald’s introduced its Filet-O-Fish sandwich, which cost 24 cents.
Forty Years Ago This Week – 1975
Seems hard to believe, but Scottie Annee made the B honor roll at St. Roch Grade School. He was joined by cousin Michelle Annee, Jeff Hillan, John Jansen, Michael Bauer, Jim Landwerlen, Tom Egenolf, Tommy Miller, Scott Toler, Kathy Meith and many other fine pupils.
* * *
J. Ned Loos was appointed to replace retiring Southport Elementary Principal Don Small. Loos, a graduate of Indiana University, had been serving as assistant principal at Keystone Middle.
* * *
Mrs. Duane Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. William Menges and Mr. and Mrs. Jay Nowacki were honored by Meals on Wheels for delivering meals to shut-ins.
Thirty Years Ago This Week – 1985
The Rev. Frances B. Dooley, co-pastor of St. Jude Parish, celebrated the 40th anniversary of his ordination to priesthood.
* * *
The girls freshmen basketball team at Southport defeated Perry Meridian 49-47 for the Marion County championship. The Cardinals (11-5) featured Natalie Harrington, LaShanna Hill, Lisa Jones, Lisa Buchanan, Laura Hurrley, Tina Rumple, Tracy Bowman, Jennifer Johnson, Nicki Ross, Natalie West, Jennifer Fields, Shannon Banister, Angie Muller, Lisa Rutherford and coach Dennis Dodd.
* * *
Southport’s boys basketball team defeated Manual 56-54 to win the Southport Sectional for the first time since 1977. The Cardinals reached the championship game by defeating Perry Meridian on Todd Hottell’s last-second shot.
* * *
Brian Moebs, a senior at Roncalli and the son of Dave and Betty Moebs, earned the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest honor attainable in Boy Scouts. Moebs was a member of Troop 118, whose previous Eagles were Jim Madden, Jim Lyles, Marty Meyer, Mike Humes, Mark and John Montgomery, Steve Tummers, Mike and Steve Holzer, Joe Drury, Jay Matthewson and Bill Joyner
Twenty Years Ago This Week – 1995
Perry Meridian’s color guard took second-place honors with its performance to the Moody Blues’ “Nights in White Satin” at the Indiana High School Color Guard Association competition at Franklin Central. The squad featured Monica DesJean, Amy Marshall, Nicole Parks, captain Angie Doty, Christie Wimmenauer, Carrie Amt, Tasha Walker, April Tucker, Tricia Anderson, Brandi Ponsler, Kerri Davis, Amy Plageman, Missy Doty, Sara Cruse, Krista Salyers, Marcus Allen and director Debbie Powell-Sachs.
* * *
Indianapolis was waging its annual war against chuckholes ... and losing as usual. But officials said the problem wasn’t as prevalent as in past years because of the amount of streets that had been resurfaced or reconstructed.
* * *
Indianapolis Indians Assistant Manager Cal Burleson was scheduled to speak during the opening program in the Lenten breakfast series hosted by United Methodist churches.
* * *
Mike Herbig’s pet peeve was not having a touch-tone phone. “I have to listen to a recorded voice to tell me to ‘punch one for ...’ all the way through ‘punch nine ...’ for several minutes before getting a live person to answer my call.”
* * *
Although late in arriving, the flu season packed a powerful punch and was spreading like a wildfire, as evidenced at St. Jude Grade School, where the absenteeism rate had tripled from an average of 15 to 45, with a high of 60. “It’s been awful,” said secretary Pauline Koehler. “The kids have been vomiting, and we’ve been sending them home. They’re not just sick for one day; it’s more like three or four.”
Ten Years Ago This Week – 2005
The archives from 2005 are missing.