Sixty Years Ago This Week – 1956
Hundreds of Easter eggs and more than 700 pounds of candy were hid at Garfield Park for the annual Easter egg hunt presented by the Madison Avenue Businessmen’s Association.
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Charles Koehring & Son was phasing out its appliance department. The company had decided to concentrate its energy in the heating and air-conditioning field, where it enjoyed an enviable reputation. 
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A photograph of America’s biggest family, Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Degolier of New York and their 20 children, was published. 
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An ad for Thompson’s Tavern, 2280 Meridian St., boasted that customers would never find grease on their silverware. However, the ad said, “You might find lipstick on a glass once in a while. If that happens, blame the bartender – not us.” The “us” referred to owners Maury and Mary Thompson.

Fifty Years Ago This Week – 1966
Kennedy Tank & Manufacturing had designed a tank to hold 250 gallons of gas, the allotted amount in pit road for each team racing in the Indianapolis 500.   
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Martha Benge and Dennis Limpus were married at Christian Church of Ben Davis.
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The Glow-Glow Girls were named the top chorus at the Manual Redskin Review. The ensemble featured Nancy Mussmann, Ruthann Surber, Karen Lowe, Sue Fouts, Linda Stegemaller, Phyllis Pierson, Eva Shurman, Ruth Ellen Oates, Susanne Browne, Sandy Wagner, Barbara Masscoe and Sally Pullen.
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Sacred Heart Church was hosting a style show and a fish fry. 
 
Forty Years Ago This Week – 1976
The Perry Township Ministerial Association was busy preparing for its 39th annual Easter Sunrise Service at Southport Fieldhouse. Among the organizers were Jayne Lewellyn, Donna Miller, Joy Johnson and Roger Gale.
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Norman Beplay, voice of the Indianapolis Indians since 1942, announced his retirement from Indianapolis Power & Light. However, Beplay would continue to serve as the team’s public address announcer. It was estimated that he had announced more than 5,000 starting lineups.   
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Southport High School graduate Ted Pollard was named captain of Dartmouth College’s swim team. 
   * * *
Keith Stucker, Leesa Wilson, Paul Walker, Jane Gilbert and Brad Wonning had lead roles in Perry Meridian High School’s production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”  
  
Thirty Years Ago This Week – 1986
Mascari Cleaners opened the state’s first drive-though dry-cleaner at 703 Main St., Beech Grove, where milk and bread could be purchased.    
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Wallace “Walt” Whitman and Urban J. “Duke” Renner, charter members of the Southside Exchange Club, were on hand to help celebrate the organization’s 35th anniversary.
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Holly Hyche, Cortney Wheeler, Karen Birdwell, Lisa Enderle, Andy McGee, Elizabeth Scott, Jim Moore and Melinda Griesemes served as pages in the Indiana General Assembly. 
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Groundbreaking ceremonies were held for Indianapolis International Airport’s $73 million expansion and renovation. Improvements would include a new concourse, parking garages, pedestrian sky bridges and a 10,000-foot runway.
  
Twenty Years Ago This Week – 1996
Despite dissent and disappointment, educators in Perry Township Schools ratified a contract – one that contained no salary increase for the current year and a 2.5 percent pay raise for 1996-97. Perry Meridian High School science teacher Greg Harveth called the contract a slap in the face.   
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Southport High School’s Brain Game team defeated Cathedral 74-52 to win the central Indiana title. Team members were Karen Lee, John Montgomery, Damian Iseminger, Kirsten Eamon, Jacob Harris and coach Barbara Jablonski. The reserve squad featured Scott Bomkamp, John Schilk, Julie Patterson, Ben Ruyack, Candace Pettit, Heather Harris, Brandon Kivett and Greg Bradley. 
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St. Roch Grade School’s musical ensemble of Lauren Graphman, Maria Elsener, RaeAnn Staab, Nicole Upano, Lacey Chernovsky and Monica Shaw took first-pace honors in the Catholic Youth Organization music contest. Their support crew featured Anne Elsener, Susie Schott and Jenny Kocher.
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St. Jude Grade School’s cadet A volleyball squad won the CYO title by defeating St. Pius. Team members were Megan Crist, Megan Tinder, Kelly Bedwell, Christy Utenage, Lisa Duncan, Shawn Kortzendorf, Lauren Holbrook and coaches Pat Duncan and Cindy Maude. 

Ten Years Ago This Week – 2006
The archives from 2006 are missing.

Sixty Years Ago This Week – 1956
An estimated 5,000 children were expected to converge upon Garfield Park to participate in the Easter egg hunt sponsored by the Madison Avenue Businessmen’s Association.
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Heiskell’s Garden and Gift Shop, 3850 S. Meridian St., advertised peach, apple and cherry trees for $2, grass seed for 39 cents a pound and rose bushes for $1.25.
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Members of Manual’s straight-A honor roll were Paul Brink, Eleanor Carter, Mary Ellen Craig, Urve Kask, Carolyn Winstead, Judith Foster, Carolyn Geier, Mike Steadham, Josephine Amato, and Gladys Carey. 
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Model Paint & Supply Co. was celebrating its grand opening at 1058 Virginia Ave., where a gallon of Glidden’s Spred satin paint cost $5.98.
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The Madison Avenue Flower Shop advertised Easter lilies of breathtaking beauty. 

Fifty Years Ago This Week – 1966
Ranking members of the Perry Township Volunteer Fire Department were Chief Walter Schaler, assistant chief Bill Riesner, Capts. Ray Busald and James Board, Lt. Ron Tanner and quartermaster Carroll Hawn.   
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Baxter YMCA’s girls gymnastics team won the state YMCA meet. The squad featured Sue and Jo Ellen McFall, Debbie Prather, Mollie Phillips, Janet and Marcia Gunnion, Becky Wagner, Sara Harrell, Sherri Stringer, Jayne Thompson, Janet Byrd and coach John Prickett.
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A 10-foot tall Easter bunny greeted visitors to Southern Plaza, 4302 S. East St.
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Ginger Davis was crowned queen of Manual High School’s Military Ball. Her court featured runner-up Martha Taylor and second runner-up Nancy Kidd. 

Forty Years Ago This Week – 1976
Delores Todd, Bettie Keenan, Ruby Thomas, Carol Miller and other members of the St. Francis Hospital Auxiliary were busy making more than 1,000 Easter baskets to sell in a fundraiser.   
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Edith Trinkle and Mary Ann Shine were the new owners and managers of Don Shine Realty Co. Don Shine was being retained in a consulting and advisory capacity. 
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Roncalli’s production of “The Wizard of Oz” starred Kay Mazzoni as Dorothy; Mark Sullivan, the Lion; Kevin Murphy, the Scarecrow; Dave Dicks, the Tinman; and Robert Hurley, the Wicked Witch.  
   * * *
Indiana Central University baseball coach Bill Bright and former Indiana State mentor James Rendell were conducting a clinic for 8- to 13-year-olds at Baxter YMCA.
 
Thirty Years Ago This Week – 1986
Sherry Moore, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Moore and a National Merit finalist, was named Perry Meridian’s valedictorian after earning a 4.0 GPA through seven semesters.  
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Perry Meridian graduate Kathryn A. Vondrak and Southport grad Laura A. Tardy made the dean’s list at Indiana Central University.
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Judith Lynn Malcom, a representative with Avon Products, was treated to a five-day, all-expenses-paid trip to the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Honolulu for her outstanding sales achievements. 
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Keenan-Stahl Boys Club, 1949 E. Troy Ave., named Chris Sanders as its Youth of the Year. He was honored because of his participation in club activities, leadership potential and academic achievements at Southport High.
  
Twenty Years Ago This Week – 1996
Lutheran High was named a Blue Ribbon school in just its 20th year of existence. The recognition was for excellence in teaching and instruction, student achievement, a safe and drug-free environment and parental involvement.  
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Claude Dodson, 92, was the oldest student enrolled in Manual Evening School. He was taking a class in computer literacy. A widower for nearly 14 years, he lived with his daughter, Brenda Linn, but still cooked, cleaned and mowed grass. 
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St. Roch Grade School’s Chris Erazmus, Jamie Cook, Jon Simpson, Liz Elsener, David Martinez, Dan Thompson, Melissa Baker, Lisa Kocher and Matt Mahin won a number of medals and ribbons during Roncalli’s Quest for Excellence academic competition.
* * *
James J. Louzon hit a hole-in-one at Sarah Shank. Playing with Edward Diekhoff, Lawrence Steeb and Ralph Anderson, the 65-year-old Louzon used an eight iron to ace the 151-yard, par-3 seventh hole.

Ten Years Ago This Week – 2006
The archives from 2006 are missing.

Sixty Years Ago This Week – 1956
Starring Donald O’Connor and Ann Blythe, “The Merry Monahans” was showing at the Oriental Theatre, 1105 S. Meridian St., where anyone with the last name O’Connell was admitted free on St. Patrick’s Day.
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Manual High School’s ROTC was hosting its seventh annual Military Ball. Queen candidates were Barbara Acton, Bonnie Clark, Jane Clark, Felice Fallowfield, Sandra Rollings, Phyllis Taylor, Beverly Rich, Nadine Brehob, Sherry Dyer, Nancy Foster, Janet Jones and Ricki Rowles. 
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Several Golden Glove boxers put on an exhibition during the meeting of the Sacred Heart Holy Name Society.
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Whole tom turkeys and chickens cost 40 and 50 cents a pound, respectively, at Marschke Farm, 6104 S. Harding St. 

Fifty Years Ago This Week – 1966
Contracts were awarded for the expansion of MacArthur Elementary. The 12-room addition would make the facility the first elementary school in Perry Township to have 24 rooms. The cost was around $275,000.   
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Anita Deckard, a graduate of Southport High School and a freshman at DePauw University, won a second-place plaque at the state oratorical contest. She was the daughter of Mildred T. Deckard.
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Martha Y. Burnett, a former state senator with eight years of service, announced her intention to run for Marion County recorder. 
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Porter Paints opened a new store at 7025 Madison Ave.
 
Forty Years Ago This Week – 1976
Tom Sanders of Sanders Cleaners & Laundry was running a special on replacing torn pockets on blue jeans for $1. Sanders said he started the promotion because there were plenty of jeans that needed pockets replaced to keep up with the popularity of faded denims. “We won’t make much at $1 a pair, but we will make up for it in the volume we do.”   
* * *
Mr. F.B. Miller’s cat, Sam, had a run-in with a younger feline and wound up at the Southside Pet Clinic. Sam had to undergo surgery with skin grafting from one side of his back to the other. The procedure required about 35 stitches. 
   * * *
St. Mark students Christine Lee, A.J. Ratz, Mary Jo Boyce, Tracy Hoggs, Kim Vodde, Jim Kern, Charlie Bowling, Amy Obergfell, Judy Townsend, Mary Beth Scheuth, Denise Powers, Martina Brown and Mike Marien received awards at the school’s annual science fair.  
* * *
Among the nominees for “Who’s Who Among Music Students in American High Schools” were Southport’s Cyndy Love, Lisa Dye, Martha Butts, Greg Stevens, Cindy Scheib, David Marshall, Beth Rutherford, Bill Laut, Randy Scott and Diane Huckleberry.
 
Thirty Years Ago This Week – 1986
Retired Southport High School band director Bill E. Schmalfeldt announced his candidacy for trustee of Perry Township. A Republican, Schmalfeldt pledged to work for the people, not the party.
* * *
Southport Library administrator Barbara “BJ” Juday was retiring after  17 years of service at the branch.
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Manual senior Lori Hayes received the Circle of Valor Award and $200 from the Kiwanis Club of Indianapolis during its recognition banquet. 
* * *
Area students Sara and Dan Richwine, Matthew Poe and Jeremy Sheehan served as pages during a session of the Indiana General Assembly, where they performed a variety of clerical tasks.
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Roncalli’s Rick Herbetz, Matt Reese and Erika Persson had lead roles in the school’s production of “Bye Bye Birdie.”
  
Twenty Years Ago This Week – 1996
The girls basketball team from Southport High School defeated Fulton to win the Marion County tournament. The squad featured Nicole Perry, Karma Moss, Leah Boyce, Katie Campbell, Heather Rayburn, Kelly Floyd, Jenny Bridgewater, Jeanette Eads, Julie Barrett, Stephanie Goans, Kori McNamara and coach Haley Dennis.  
* * *
Top finishers in the Quest for Excellence academic competition at Roncalli included Nativity Grade School’s team of John Harrell, Paul Bohnert, John Agresta and Tony Hollowell, which took top honors in the quiz covering the history of the Olympics; St. Roch’s Jaime Cook, Lisa Kocher, David Martinez and Dan Thompson, the second-place finishers; and Our Lady of the Greenwood’s Sarah Davis, Chris Manley, Jessica Shepherd and Brandmier, who placed third. 
* * *
Perry Meridian High School’s mock trial team took third-place honors at the state meet at Purdue University. Perry junior John Waymire won an award for being one of the 10 best “attorneys” among the 200-plus participants. Fellow team members were Chris Bush, Eric McAfee, Greg Hasecuster, Julie Frye, Mindy Brunning, Laura Blanford and coaches Linda Burdine and Ted Blandford.
* * *
Construction was underway on the Indianapolis Indians’ new ballpark in Downtown. The $18 million facility – scheduled to open July 11 – would accommodate 13,500 fans in seats and 2,000 spectators on the lawn. 
* * *
Homecroft Elementary third-grader Alexis Tullos devised the “purfect” invention for cat owners – a “kitty-cat comb home”  – which won top honors at the school’s Invention Convention. The house had special bristles around the doorway, and they provided Alexis’ cat a good brushing every time it entered or exited the doorway.

Ten Years Ago This Week – 2006
The archives from 2006 are missing.

Sixty Years Ago This Week – 1956
Higgins Restaurant, 2206 Shelby St., featured daily luncheon specials for 50 cents.
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As a special get-acquainted offer, Gartner Radio & TV Services, 5349 Madison Ave., was selling $3 ice cube trays for 89 cents. 
* * *
Margaret Ann Goebel, the 8-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred G. Goebel, won a cruise for three to the Virgin Islands for her entry in the Billy & Ruth catalog coloring contest, which was locally sponsored by Fronnie & Ruth, a variety store.
* * *
Sacred Heart High School senior Alice Wehlage lost her class ring and put a notice in The Spotlight. She was hoping that the ad would be as successful as the one placed when she lost her pet rabbit – which was returned the next day. 

Fifty Years Ago This Week – 1966
Jerry L. Cosby was elected president of the Madison Avenue Businessmen’s Association. Also elected were Howard Kehlbeck, vice president; and Roy Gorton, secretary-treasurer. The club’s directors were A.H. Jensen, C.B. Kendall, Dave Halcomb and Charles Possman.   
* * *
Southport High School seniors Sue Congleton, Mary Lynch, Pat McDaniel, Alice Mendel and Mary Parmeter were finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program.
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Eileen West played the piano every Friday and Saturday night at the Southern Inn, 2280 Meridian St., which was known for its fine food and good drinks.
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Safeway Quality Foods, 1201 Prospect St., was selling T-bone and porterhouse steaks for 99 cents a pound. A dozen oranges cost 49 cents, and a head of lettuce was 29 cents.
 
Forty Years Ago This Week – 1976
St. Mark Grade School’s Christine Lee, A.J. Ratz, Mary Jo Boyce, Tracy Boggs, Kim Vodde, Jim Kem, Charlie Bowling, Amy Obergfell, Judy Townsend, Mary Beth Schueth, Denise Powers, Marnita Brown and Mike Marien were honored for their outstanding science fair projects.
* * *
Airman Kenneth D. Potter, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ivory Potter Jr. and a 1975 graduate of Roncalli, was selected for technical training at the Air Force aircraft maintenance field at Chanute Air Force Base.   
* * *
On its way to becoming a historic museum, the old Moore Schoolhouse on Gray Road was scheduled to be moved to a new locale on Main Street in Southport. 
* * *
Armando O. Diaz, owner of Diaz & Co., named Dale Deerberg and Larry Tuttle as managers of his Greenwood and Southport residential offices, respectively.
 
Thirty Years Ago This Week – 1986
St. Barnabas Parish was dedicating its new church. The celebration would be led by the Most Rev. Edward T. O’Meara, archbishop of Indianapolis; the Rev. John Sciarra, pastor of St. Barnabas; the Rev. Michael Fritsch, associate pastor; and the Revs. James Farrell, Robert Klein, Robert Sims and Paul Shikany, former associate pastors of the parish.  
* * *
“Old-fashioned prices like grandmother paid” described the one-day sale at the Colonial Bakery Store, 2625 Madison Ave. 
* * *
Becka and Jilda Vargus, Dawn Hendricks, Amy Garland and Monet Weddle were among those performing at Stage 1 Dance Academy’s annual revue.
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Greater Southsider Inc. was going to honor Frances Harman, Don and Jewell Resener, Larry J. Barrett, Jerry Sargent and John Head for their outstanding community service.
  
Twenty Years Ago This Week – 1996
The United Way Center for Human Services opened in Greenwood. The facility housed offices for Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Gateway Services, Goodwill Industries, Indianapolis Speech & Hearing, Noble Centers and Turning Point.  
* * *
Keith Brady was named vice president of production at Schuster’s Building Products’ patio products plant, 901 E. Troy Ave. 
* * *
The Decatur Central boys basketball team defeated Southport 49-44 to win the Southport Sectional. The Cardinals reached the championship game by pummelling Perry Meridian 62-33.
* * *
Perry Meridian Middle School eighth-grader Zach Harveth completed his three-year wrestling career with a 30-0 record. He planned to join his brother, Josh, on Southport’s wrestling team next season. 
* * *
Roncalli’s junior varsity basketball squad won the city tournament and completed its season with a 17-5 record. Team members were Brent Elias, Ryan Grothe, Jerod Nelis, Nick Childers, Adam Stephenson, Jeremy Cromer, John Lecht, Evan Murray, Matt Dillon, John Miles, Jim Collins and Dave Gervasio.

Ten Years Ago This Week – 2006
The archives from 2006 are missing.