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July 29th, 2014

7/29/2014

Sixty Years Ago This Week – 1954
The Indiana Highway Department was considering building two overpasses (Raymond and Morris streets) on Madison Avenue as part of a multimillion dollar project.
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Foxworthy Ford, 2635 Madison Ave., was selling 1-year-old cars for $1,295 and 3-year-old ones for $895.
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A national radio and television report rated “Blinkey,” “Campus Farmers,” “Fran and Ollie” and “Contest Carnival” as excellent children’s shows.

Fifty Years Ago This Week – 1964
The new coliseum at the Marion County Fairgrounds was to be dedicated when the 34th annual fair opened.
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Southport graduate Ed Orme was named to head the new Indianapolis Life Insurance Agency at 401 E. Hanna Ave. A two-year veteran in the industry, he previously worked in the flooring business.
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Judith Peters, Stephen Spencer, James Gillock, Janice Boomershine, Stephen White and Carol Rotroff, all recent graduates of Southport except Peters – a Sacred Heart product – spent two days at Ball State for an orientation program and to enroll in classes.
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Larry Lammert, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lammert and a member of the Lakeshore Swim Club, broke the Central Indiana Swimming Conference’s record in the 100-meter freestyle with a time of 1 minute, 3.7 seconds.

Forty Years Ago This Week – 1974
Antifreeze had steadily jumped from $2 to $7 a gallon over the past five months.
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Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Thompson won the new Ford Pinto that was raffled during Southern Plaza’s Mardi Gras.
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A sharp decrease in 1- to 4-year-olds inoculated against polio prompted the Marion County Health Department to open free vaccination clinics. Health officials feared an outbreak would result in the paralysis of many children.
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Construction on Expo Bowl was due to start any day. The 40-lane center (later expanded to 80) would provide a nursery, a pro shop and a billiards room. The target completion date was August 1975.

Thirty Years Ago This Week – 1984
Perry Meridian baseball coach Jim Roach resigned after an 11-year career at the high school. He led to the Falcons to a runner-up finish in the state tournament just a few months ago and left behind a trophy case full of powerful memories.
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Heather Johnson, Jenny Kappes and Shannon Alvis were voted the Most Outstanding Dance Trio at the Regency National Talent Championships in St. Louis, where they performed a jazz routine to Billy Joel’s “Uptown Girl.”
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Mother Nature rocked the area with a severe thunderstorm, which left downed trees and power lines everywhere.
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The July 7 wedding announcement of Terri Lynn Beaver, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Beaver, and Clark Ronald Mayfield, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Mayfield was published. The ceremony took place at St. John’s United Church of Christ, where Lavonna Davis served as maid of honor and Joe Cummings as best man. Ronda Meyers, Marla Cummings, Pam Bryant and Jill Collins were bridesmaids; Eddie Beaver, John Meyers, Brian Kight and Dennis Martzler were groomsmen.

Twenty Years Ago This Week – 1994
Indianapolis Power & Light Co. presented its Golden Apple Awards to teachers Patricia Beier, Marsha Bird, Kristine Beyers, James Keating, Barbara Hamilton and Kevin Koer, all of whom received $2,000 while being recognized for attaining outstanding achievements in their classrooms through the use of math, science and technology.
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Kyle Musick, the 14-year-old son of Lee and Denise Musik, took top honors at the Perry Township 4-H Fair for his entry in the model car competition. He also took first-place in the watermelon seed splitting contest after launching a seed nearly 28 feet.
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Ray Shelburn, son of Connie and Mike Shelburn, won a $1,000 scholarship from Indiana Golden Gloves.
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After a disappointing 5-8-1 regular season, the Cubs from the Edgewood Athletic Association rebounded to win their minor league baseball tournament. The team consisted of Jesse Wilson, Tommy Muse, Matt Miller, Ben Jansen, Marty Merkel, Tony Prizevoits, Robbie Cox, Jonathan Koener, Ross Baron, Cody Bell, Brian Collins, Billy Sering, coach Bob Cox and manager Maynard Bell.

Ten Years Ago This Week – 2004
Donna A. Kamish, assistant principal at Kitley Intermediate School in Franklin Township, was named principal of the township’s new and yet-to-be named elementary school under construction.
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The Smith Valley Community Center, 5157 W. Old Smith Valley Road, received some tender loving care from area Scouts, particularly Dennis Snell and Andrew Seaman, both of whom completed major undertakings at the center as part of their Eagle Scout service projects. A new flagpole and swings were installed; a swing set was repaired; grass was cut; a garage was painted; and the grounds were cleaned.
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Drs. Greg and Chris Hardin, a father-and-son team of dentists, opened a practice at 7855 S. Emerson Ave. Greg, who had been in practice 27 years, and his wife, Linda, had two other sons, Bret and Ryan.
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Boy Scout Troop 92 from St. Mark Catholic Church returned from their camping trip at Haliburton Scout Reservation in Ontario, Canada, about 750 miles from Indianapolis. The Scouts and their chaperones enjoyed fishing, swimming, snorkeling, canoeing, archery and rappelling off a 60-foot cliff. Participants were Kyle and Owen Jones, Tom Gregory, Owen Morarity, Rod and Jimmy Andrews, Ryan Jackson, Kent Austin, Alex and Ron Mayers, Aaron Jackson, Jake and Mike Hash, Victor and Andy Risch, Mike Finke, Joe Jackson, Nick Jackson and Chris Bishop.
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The 74th annual Marion County Fair was winding down.
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Beech Grove Mayor Donald “Joe” Wright outlined the harsh economic facts of the city’s financial dilemma to about 200 residents at Hornet Park Community Center. Wright revealed the city budget had a negative balance of $207,000 and that there had been no adjustment in the tax rate for more than 12 years.

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July 23rd, 2014

7/23/2014

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Sixty Years Ago This Week – 1954
A 1947 four-door Pontiac was advertised for $300.
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Seven large rabbits, a cage and some food could be purchased for $12.
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Publisher George Cafouros reported that a lady living at 12 Kansas St. had a comforter draped across her lap as she sat on her porch in 102-degree heat.
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St. Roch Parish, 3603 S. Meridian St., was hosting a outdoor jukebox dance.

Fifty Years Ago This Week – 1964
Lake Shore Swim Club member Con Largey won four trophies in the 9- to 10-year-old division at the Fort Wayne swim meet. He placed in the freestyle and butterfly events and two relays. Larry Lammert competed in the 13- to 14-year-old group and won three trophies.
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Doc Gainey was extremely proud of the air-conditioning equipment that he installed at his tavern, 3652 S. Meridian St. “The customers really like it, and you know me, nothing is too good for my customers,” he smirked.”
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Ed Harnishfeger celebrated his first year in business at the Driftwood Lounge, 3151 Madison Ave.
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Canned vegetables cost 10 cents a can at Safeway Quality Foods, 1201 Prospect St., where lean and meaty spare ribs were priced at 29 cents a pound.

Forty Years Ago This Week – 1974
Southern Plaza was celebrating its 13th annual Mardi Gras. Featuring a raffle for a new car, sidewalk sales, free helium balloons, strolling clowns, prizes and carnival rides, the three-day extravaganza was billed as the biggest sale of the year in Indiana.
(Yours truly remembers the Mardi Gras quite well, especially the Haystack Jamboree of Free Coins. It was an event where the center’s public relations director, Jerry Cosby (in his pre-Spotlight days), would toss $10 worth of change into a haystack for children to seek. The contest was divided into three age groups, but some of us jumped in for all three – not to be unnoticed by the “tall man with the money,” as he pulled us out of the pile by the seat of our britches and informed us of the rules. That warning fell on deaf ears, and we jumped in for all age groups later in the day – again being yanked out by our pants. Those were some great times.)
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Walnut Ridge, a par-3 golf course on Morgantown Road in Greenwood, was opened by Carlis Inabnitt and Melvin Chuffleberger.
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Led by Ed Hellenbergh, a group of divorced fathers united in an effort to propose changes to Indiana divorce laws concerning the custody of children. The petitioners were circulating a flyer that labeled the laws as outdated and unfair. “We feel that custody should be based on character and ability instead of sex,” the petition cited. “Since equality is a big step forward in our nation, then what about the equality of men?”
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Dr. Charles W. Kelley, a podiatrist, was installed as grand knight of Monsignor Downey Knights of Columbus Council 3660, 511 E. Thompson Road, by Raymond P. Massing. The council was the largest in Indiana with more than 1,900 members.

Thirty Years Ago This Week – 1984
Concord Center officially dedicated its new building at 1310 S. Meridian St., where Mayor William H. Hudnut and representatives of the project’s major backers – Lilly Endowment and the Indianapolis, Inland and Griffith foundations – took center stage during the ceremony. The community center had previously been located at 17 W. Morris St. for 110 years.
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In a weight-loss challenge to benefit the American Diabetes Association, the team of Deborah Paul from “Indianapolis Monthly,” Doug James of WNAP-FM, Doug Rafferty of WTTV Channel 4, Lou Gerig of Merchants bank, Ray Compton of the Indiana Pacers and Bob Collins of The Indianapolis Star lost 53 pounds over a four-week period to earn $5,300 for the association.
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Kim Melick was named Swimmer of the Week by the Perry Township Swimming Association. The 11-year-old daughter of Phil and Karen Melick attended Southport Elementary.
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Virginia Daily, a long-time English educator at Southport and Perry Meridian high schools, retired. She had been recognized by the Indiana Council of Teachers of English as Hoosier Teacher of the Year in 1981.
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Julie Bandy, a graduate of St. Barnabas Grade School, was one of five finalists selected to participate in the Fred Astaire International Tap and Jazz Championships.

Twenty Years Ago This Week – 1994
Marian Hasse, labeled by many as “Mrs. St. Roch,” retired from the school after 24 years of service. Although her official title was that of an administrative assistant, she was also known as the resident “nurse, cook, grandma and psychologist.”
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Jason Simmons and Andy Roell, 2014 graduates of Roncalli, represented the South in the annual North-South All-Star football game at Carmel High School. Simmons and Roell helped the Rebels to win the 1993 3A state title and were looking forward to playing at Miami of Ohio.
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Sandi Stanfield was named principal at St. Roch Grade School.
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Local television stations and two cable networks launched a $250,000 AIDS awareness ad campaign. Channel 8 declined to run two of the ads because management deemed them too bold and controversial.

Ten Years Ago This Week – 2004
Felicia Hutchison, Mary Beth Arnold, Dystany Riley and Beck Jaggers were competing in the world rope jumping championships in Australia.
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Samantha Morris and Ian Elliott were crowned Little Miss and Mister, respectively, of the Johnson County 4-H and Agricultural Fair.
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A one-carat round diamond at Page & Co. Jewelers, 4200 S. East St., was marked down to $3,188 from $4,595.
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Janelle Page, a Roncalli graduate and a freshman at Purdue, and Southport senior Brittney Miller were candidates in the Marion County Fair queen contest. Meredith Dolk, a Franklin Central graduate and a freshman at Indiana University, was the reigning queen.
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Adam Heavrin, Amanda Chevalier, Derek Norcross and Maggie Hyde, all lifeguards at Garfield Park Aquatic Center, took first-place honors in the Great Lakes Regional competition of the International Ellis Lifeguard Championships. The finals were about a month away in New Jersey.

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July 16th, 2014

7/16/2014

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Sixty Years Ago This Week – 1954
Annie Lawrie won top honors in the bathing beauty contest at Garfield Park. Margaret Lawrie, her cousin, took second-place honors, and Carol Frisbie place third. All three of the 15-year-olds received a jewelry box and a string of pearls.
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The Indiana Employment Division cast a call for qualified women to fill factory jobs. Women 18 to 35 who weighed between 100 and 160 pounds were eligible for steady jobs with good pay.
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Residents of the Garfield Park area were complaining about the offensive odors emanating from the city dump. Officials contended they were doing everything in their powers to remedy the situation.

Fifty Years Ago This Week – 1964
July 11 was a day for lovebirds as five Southside couples exchanged nuptials: Marilyn Niehaus and Gerald Schuster, Kathleen Kern and Donald Beck, Donna Baldridge and Thomas Everts, Sharon Darko and Roger David, and Charles Hoovler and Kathleen Young.
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The Lake Shore Swim Club defeated the Olympia Swim Club 101-37.
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Sue Hiatt was re-elected secretary/treasurer of Indiana Central University’s German Club.
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Three half-gallons of Borden’s milk cost 89 cents.
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Garfield Park continued to be the hot spot for music as Paul Burton and His Wranglers were performing as part of the park’s Sunday Concert Series.

Forty Years Ago This Week – 1974
Tony Lenox and Dennis Fillenworth, recent graduates of St. Mark Grade School, were awarded $500 scholarships to Cathedral, where they planned to put their athletic abilities to work.
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Doug Burton, a freshman at Rockford College and a graduate of Southport, received his swimming letter. He was the son of Donald and Thelma Burton and posted a personal best time of 2 minutes, 12.8 seconds in the 200-yard butterfly.
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A sampling of the classified ads: three-bedroom house, 1 1/2 baths, $5,000; living room suite, $40; 1973 Pinto wagon, red, mag wheels, clean, $2,700; and a 3-year-old three-bedroom home in Perry Township, $15,000.
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The Giants from the majors in the Garfield Y Little League finished their season with 21-0 record and outscored their opponents 257-61. Team members were Bob Clayton, Bill Engleking, Tony Connors, Jim Beagle, Tom Mattingly, John Miller, Steve Dantz, Bernie Kleeman, Mickey McGuire, Bob Parks, Tony Cardwell, coach Mike Shelburn, manager Bill Engleking and coach Dick Thompson.
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A new gas mileage record was set by a modified Chevrolet Vega, which got 47 miles per gallon.

Thirty Years Ago This Week – 1984
Baseball legends such as Mickey Mantle, Joe Dimaggio, Brooks Robinson, Harmon Killebrew, Hank Aaron, Enos Slaughter, Ernie Banks and Willie Mays confirmed that they would play in an all-star game July 27 at the Hoosier Dome, where tickets cost $10.
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Due to an increase of teen loitering along the Madison Avenue Strip (between Sumner and Southern avenues), the Indianapolis Police Department beefed up its patrols. “Rolling Stone” magazine reported in 1982 that the area was the third hottest youth-gathering place in the country. Previous attempts to rid youths of the area only drove them to Garfield Park, where they were driven back to the Strip by area residents.
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The Perrywinkles Homemakers Club was planning its 30-year reunion.
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Indiana Central University golfer Steve Gale was named the team’s Most Valuable Golfer.
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Low Cost Pharmacy opened its second store, which was located at 8375 Madison Ave. Owner Terry Cole was pictured with Shirley Corhn and Anna Marie Heidenreich.

Twenty Years Ago This Week – 1994
C. Calvin Leedy, who was principal at Southport High from 1940-1962, was honored for leading the school through turbulent changes that greatly affected the curriculum. As part of the school’s yearlong centennial celebration, he was presented a copy of “A Century of Pride and Progress,” a history of the school’s first 100 years, by Principal Lloyd L. Bodie.
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Laura Green and Jade and Zensho Yamamoto were cast in Buck Creek Players’ production of “How to Eat Like a Child and Other Lessons in Not Being Grown-up, which celebrated the spirit of youth through Broadway-style songs and an imaginative script.
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The state began to officially recognize ostriches, rheas and emus as domestic animals.
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The most popular movie rentals were: 1) “Carlito’s Way,” 2) “Mrs. Doubtfire,” 3) “The Return of Jafar,” 4) “The Three Musketeers” and 5) “Malice.”

Ten Years Ago This Week – 2004
For the first time in the history of the seven-member Perry Township School Board, six women served on the board. Susan Adams, Gayle Houchin, Jo Ellen Buffie, Rubie Alexander, Marsha Hicks and Traci were joined by Bob Willsey.
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The former site of Lake Shore Country Club, 4301 Carson Ave., was being developed into a small apartment complex.
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“Gardening on My Mind” columnist Georgia Hottell wrote about the joy of picking her first ripe tomato of the season. “My mouth begins watering for them in June, and by July I start salivating for their sweet, meaty flavor,” she penned.
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Atlantic Records recording artist Jewell performed before a packed house at the Murat Shrine Theatre.
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Samuel Rund, Breeanna Bongayan and Melanie Wilson, all 2014 graduates of Beech Grove, received Hayes Fairchild Memorial Scholarships.

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July 09th, 2014

7/9/2014

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Sixty Years Ago This Week – 1954
The Patricia Stevens of Indianapolis Finishing School was holding a search for the most beautiful and talented girl in the city as part of the Miss America Pageant.
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Plans were made to streamline traffic at Fountain Square by removing the fountain, which would allow for better walkways.
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Carol Frisbie and cousins Annie Lawrie and Margaret Lawrie, all high school sophomores, were winners in the preliminary round of the Indianapolis Parks and Recreation Department’s bathing beauty contest at Garfield Park.
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Indiana Central Little League hosted an ice cream social, and St. Mark Catholic Church sponsored a square dance.

Fifty Years Ago This Week – 1964
Charles E. Orme was elected president of the Perry Township School Board.
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More than 10,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses descended upon Indianapolis for a four-day district assembly.
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As part of the Happy Homemakers and Nights 4H Club meeting, Debbie Winslow demonstrated the correct way to set a table, and Norma Paugh illustrated the proper way to sift dry ingredients.
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Manual High School announced that it would offer a complete line of night classes in the fall. Except for a nominal materials fee, the courses would be free for students working toward a diploma.
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The annual talent contest for 4- to 18-year-olds at Garfield Park featured competitions in four age groups for vocal/instrumental and dance/novelty.
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Punch and Judy, 8-month-old lion cubs, were the newest denizens of the Indianapolis Zoo. They weighed between 80 and 100 pounds.

Forty Years Ago This Week – 1974
Guy, 19, and Greg De Boor, 16, sons of Mr. and Mrs. Donald De Boor, pedaled 1,030 miles over 14 days to Clearwater Beach, Fla. The boys called home every night with a progress report from wherever they were staying. Guy was a sophomore at IUPUI, Greg a sophomore at Manual.
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Kings Island cut its Sunday admission price from $7 to $3.50 for seniors.
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Erich Wild, a 14-year jeweler who had been associated with L.S. Ayres and Zales, took his talents to McCarrell’s Jewelry, 2610 Madison Ave. He and his wife, Roselyn, had three daughters, Sandra, Cynthia and Katherine.
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Beech Grove Bowl owners Darlene and Glenn Gossage announced that they were going to build a 42-lane facility at 400 E. Churchman Ave.
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An open house was hosted for Dr. Ainslee A. Hood, who retired from his family practice at 910 E. Markwood Ave. so he could take a position in St. Francis Hospital’s new emergency room. Well-wishers included Etta Dixon, Effie Stephens, Mary Stephens, Martha Shobe, George Young and Earl and Doris McCormick.

Thirty Years Ago This Week – 1984
Stephen Battiato and David Strack, both Roncalli graduates and former Spotlight carriers, were named Eagle Scouts, the highest honor attainable in Scouting, after completing their service projects.
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The Holiday Inn South, 520 E. Thompson Road, broke ground for a $2.5 million Holidome, and Olive Markle, an employee at the hotel since its opening in 1963, participated in the ceremony. Innkeeper Joe Dora said the expansion would feature indoor and outdoor pools, recreational and physical fitness facilities and banquet and meeting rooms.
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Educational research analysts had reported that the top five offenses in public schools in 1940 were talking, chewing gum, making noise, running in the halls and getting out of turn in line. Forty-four years later the list changed to rape, robbery, assault, burglary and arson. Ah, for the simpler days.
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GPC cigarettes were 65 cents a pack or $5.75 a carton at Dinner Bell Markets, 2824 Shelby St., where two cases of Budweiser, Miller or Miller Lite were $15.

Twenty Years Ago This Week – 1994
Bryce Johnson of Center Grove Middle School, Stuart Rogers of Clark-Pleasant Middle School, Jon Berry of Greenwood High, Jacob Harris of Southport High and Matt Ward and Kevin Noone of Center Grove High were among 116 Indiana math students honored during a ceremony at the Statehouse.
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The following quip was published: “If you have money, you are not a dirty old man; you are a dignified, elderly gentleman.”
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A new state law made it illegal to use beepers and portable phones on school property.
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Greenwood Park Mall adopted a smoke-free policy.
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Coors Brewing Co. sponsored a cleanup project at Garfield Park.

Ten Years Ago This Week – 2004
The Rev. Julius Armbruster celebrated the 60th anniversary of his ordination into the priesthood. Although officially retired, the Indianapolis native still assisted with maintaining the grounds at Blue Cloud Abbey in Marvin, S.D.
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Coached by Nikki Glover, the Indy Air Bears took third-place honors at the U.S. Amateur Jump Rope Championships in Orlando, Fla. Jessica Evinger won a silver medal in freestyle, and she teamed with Alex Green to win a silver in pairs freestyle.
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Soldiers at Camp Taqaddum in Iraq celebrated Independence Day over a two-day period with activities that included a comedy show, a blues concert, several sporting events and a barbecue.
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Nancy Smith, Victoria Balser, Marge McMahon, Betsy North, Carolyn Miller, Joan Davidson, Karen Fudge, Mary Kenworthy and Dottie Bowman, all members of the Baxter YMCA Quilting Group, made 45 quilts for premature babies at Methodist Hospital.

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