Sixty Years Ago This Week – 1954
The Southside Youth Activities Council sponsored Christmas dance at Garfield Park for couples only.
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The Mutual Milk Co. offered home delivery of nonalcoholic egg nog.
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Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Flick were opening their home to all friends and relatives for Christmas for the 27th consecutive year. 
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Wolf’s Sportswear, 1107 Shelby St., opened it doors to men only from 8:30-10:30 p.m. the day before Christmas Eve.
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Indiana Bell reported that the Hoosier State had more telephones (1,297,000) than Africa and about as many as Spain and Austria combined.

Fifty Years Ago This Week – 1964
The Garfield Theater was hosting a Christmas show for children. In addition to free movies, the kids would be treated to candy and fruit.  
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Some members of the Southport Lions Club were given new Fords to drive for a week by Smart & Perry Ford. Shown receiving their keys from dealership owners Jack Smart and Earl Perry were Dexter Baker, Don Engle, Frank Hunter, Bill Quebe, Russ Abdon, Don Kautsky and Paul Shigley.
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G.C. Murphy’s in Fountain Square was staying open until 8:50 p.m. Christmas Eve.
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Manual’s Glee Club was presented a 3-foot trophy after singing during halftime of the Indianapolis Warriors’ football game at Victory Field. 

Forty Years Ago This Week – 1974
Center United Methodist Church, 5445 Bluff Road, was staging its annual live Nativity. To enhance the presentation the church was using donkeys and sheep for the delight of younger viewers. 
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Industry experts reported that more than 1 million children and adults were hurt annually while riding bicycles. In 1973 about 420,000 people received emergency room treatment for such injuries. 
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John Swink was named Toastmaster of the Month by the Southside Toastmaster Club. 
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Ace Exterminating Co., 925 E. Southern Ave., advertised a “Christmas roach special.” The ad content also read, “You don’t want these guests for Christmas dinner.”
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Jennifer Sims, a junior physical education major at IUPUI and the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wallace S. Sims, was installed as honored queen of Bethel No. 4, International Order of Job’s Daughters. Other officers were Peggy Green, Gala Perdue, Tina Hociaga and Cheryl Clay. 

Thirty Years Ago This Week – 1984
Marion County Sheriff James L. Wells was named Indiana Policeman of the Year.
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Leotards were a hot Christmas item at $4.96; Cabbage Patch poseable figurines cost $3.99.  
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Sanders Cleaners ran a quarter-page ad to wish all of its customers a merry Christmas. The ad, shaped like a wreath, featured the pictures of the company’s employees from the stores on Madison Avenue, Meridian Street and in Greenwood. 
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Roncalli’s girls basketball team defeated Manual 59-43 for the city title. The Rebels were led by Susan Hoerth, Mary Penddick and Kathleen Haigerty.
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Identical twins Brent and Brad Bell, Mike Campbell, Grant Fears, Don Vondrak and Ajay Ahuja were honored as Eagle Scouts – the highest rank attainable in Boy Scouts – during a court of honor at Christ United Methodist Church. Their parents were Mr. and Mrs. Barry Bell, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Campbell, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Fears, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Vondrak and Dr. and Mrs. Girdhar Ahuja, respectively. 
 
 Twenty Years Ago This Week – 1994
Perry Meridian High School’s girls basketball team upped its record to 10-1 by defeating North Central 63-52. The Falcons were led by Katie Douglas with 22 points and Jennifer Backer with 13. Beech Grove’s girls were faring equally well, having improved to 9-1 after defeating Mooresville 64-41. The Hornets were paced by Cathy Clements, Kelly Williams and Kellie Harmas.  
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Registration was under way for the 11th annual Hangover 10K, which would be held bright and early Jan. 1, regardless of rain, sleet or a blizzard.
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Winners in the Marion County wrestling tournament included Beech Grove’s Nathan Challis, a 106-pounder, Steven Bradley, 112, and Tim Bradley, 126. Perry Meridian 119-pounder Bryant Marion also was victorious.  
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Ground was broken at the corner of Maryland and West streets for the $18 million Victory Field for the Indianapolis Indians. 
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Kellie Harmas became the all-time leading scorer for Beech Grove’s girls basketball program with 974 points. 

Ten Years Ago This Week – 2004 
“May the dove of peace descend upon your home this Christmas season, and someday soon, perhaps upon the entire world” was the Yuletide greeting that adorned the front page.
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Editor Jerry Cosby and his better half, Carol Cosby, were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary with a Christmas trip to the Potowatami Inn at Pokagon State Park, site of their honeymoon. The Cosbys had seven children, Jeff, Michele Shaw, Sharon Miller, Sheila Stewart, Lisa Carter, Erin Mock and Ben, eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
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The Beech Grove Masonic Lodge installed its new officers: James Greer, Roger Newman, Harry Morris, Joseph Benek, Aubry Wad, Stephen Nohlechek, Robert Conger, D. Christopher Bass and Robert Blackburn.  
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Benjamin Quebe, a senior at  Perry Meridian and the son of Annette and Michael Quebe, earned the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest attainable honor in Boy Scouts. He restored the nature trail at Burkhart Elementary for his service project.
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Members of the Fighters Against Drugs Everywhere Club at Rosa Parks-Edison Elementary decorated their “mitten Christmas tree” with  gloves, hats and scarves that they had collected for needy families. Pictured putting their special touches on the tree were Sunny Alerding, Thatcher Gee, Alexis Gearheart, Alexis Carpenter and Terria Harris.
Merry Christmas, and thanks for reading
The Southsider Voice.

Sixty Years Ago This Week – 1954
An active campaign against litterbugs was launched in Perry Township. If litterers were clearly identified, they had the choice of cleaning up the mess or going to court to face charges.
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Ron and Dave’s Grill, 1728 S. East St., offered a one-day special of five hamburgers for 30 cents.
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Mama Duroc, a hog on Alfred Henderson’s farm in Iowa, gave birth to 22 piglets, three times a sow’s normal litter.
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In conjunction with his store’s huge demonstration of the latest Sunbeam appliances, Leo Scherrer was serving free coffee and pancakes at his hardware shop, 1247 Madison Ave.
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The Southside chapter of the Chiropractic Laymen’s Association held its Christmas party at the home of Dr. Ralph Agnew, where there was a 50 cent gift exchange, entertainment, refreshments and games for the children.

Fifty Years Ago This Week – 1964
The building that housed Shelby Library, 2349 Shelby St., was bought by Indiana National Bank, which planned to level the facility for a new banking center. The library would be temporarily located at 2041 Shelby until construction was completed on the new branch at 2450 Shelby.  
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American Fletcher National Bank broke ground for its $1 million operation center, which would occupy a quarter block at Market and East streets. The facility would be the first in Indiana to house computers and related electronic data processing equipment.
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Indiana Bell was adding 36,570 miles of telephone lines to properly serve its Indianapolis customers. The cost of $400,000 amounted to about 11 cents a mile.
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Members of the Southside Florists Association were Geo. Buescher & Son, Elsner-Roberts Floral, Heidenreich and Schwomeyer florists and Madison Ave. and Geo. L. Steinmetz flowers.
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A 5-pound canned ham cost $2.99 at Safeway Quality Foods, 1202 Prospect St., where a pound of Brach’s chocolate-covered cherries were 49 cents. A gallon of milk was 59 cents, and two rolls of toilet paper cost 19 cents, which was enough to buy a 1-pound box of crackers. 

Forty Years Ago This Week – 1974
The “Big Cat” perched atop Crossroads Lincoln-Mercury in the 4000 block of South East Street made its debut. The inflated feline was one of only 12 in the country. 
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The five choirs of Friedens United Methodist Church presented a candlelight Christmas concert. 
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Celebrating their 50th wedding anniversaries were Mr. and Mrs. Morgan D. Martin, Mr. and Mrs. Edward R. Bowles and Mr. and Mrs. Ervin Richery. 

Thirty Years Ago This Week – 1984
It was either a slow news week or Jerry Cosby slacked in his editorial duties (I’d bet on the latter) as noteworthy content of the paper was minimal. Highlights were the report on NFL player Ken Ellis addressing the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the lady Rebels defeating Manual for the city basketball title.  

Twenty Years Ago This Week – 1994
Vera Timpe’s remark in Jerry Cosby’s “Coz’ Corner ...” was clever. She said, “God put me on this earth to do so many things, and I’m so far behind I’ll probably never die.” 
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A birthday greeting for Tom Oberting, who turned 43, was published.
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All three football teams at St. Barnabas Grade School won city titles in the Catholic Youth Organization’s tournament. Although no records were kept, the achievement was believed to be a first in the CYO.  
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Bryan Bowman, a 1991 graduate of Southport, helped to lead Rose-Hulman’s soccer team to a second-place finish in the Indiana Collegiate Athletic Conference. 
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The National Headache Foundation reported that hangovers could be avoided by eating some honey before imbibing, drinking fluids that contain minerals and salts (such as broth or bouillon), drinking a cup of coffee, taking ibuprofen and eating greasy food. 

Ten Years Ago This Week – 2004 
Burkhart Elementary Just Say No Club members Abi Corbett, Drake Capps and Keegan Caughey sold cookies at the school’s Christmas party to raise money for a needy family.
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A two-day Marilyn Monroe exhibit was coming to the CMG Legends Museum, 10500 Crosspoint Blvd. The display would feature a large collection of never-seen-before artifacts.
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The Franklin Township Education Foundation chose its board members: Dr. Jon Mandelbaum, president; Larry Walker, vice president; G. Jean Kitley, secretary; Leroy Compton, treasurer; Ann Hansen, Stephen Richwine, Sam Gray, Tracey Myers, Geoff Horen, Diane Burns, Rosalie Hawthorne, Elisabeth Good, John Carreon, Cheryll Smith and Janet Shaffer.  
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Brittany N. Hartkorn, a 2004 graduate of Southport and the daughter of Laurie Layton and Michael Hartkorn, completed basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas; Army Pvt. Scott P. Rushton, a 2003 grad of Southport and the son of Larry A. and Selina E. Rushton, finished the Unit Supply Specialist Advanced Training course at Fort Lee in Virginia; and Navy Seaman Recruit K. Syberg, a 2003 graduate of Roncalli, completed basic training in Illinois.