50-year-old news highlights from The Monroe Journal from August 1964

Monroe Journal Publisher Bill Stewart

The Monroe Journal newspaper in Monroeville published four editions 50 years ago during the month of August 1964. Those papers came out on Aug. 6, Aug. 13, Aug. 20 and Aug. 27. Bill Stewart was the newspaper’s publisher, Fred Nall was editor and Merrill Bankester was news editor. What follows are a few new highlights from each of those papers. Enjoy.

AUG. 6, 1964

Joe Kelly To Play in All-Star Game: Joe Kelly, Frisco City High quarterback, will be a member of the South All-Star team in the annual North-South State All-Star football game at the University of Alabama Friday night, Aug. 14.

Joe, who did his playing under Leon Jackson last year, is the heaviest quarterback on either squad weighing 190 pounds.

He is considered a strong runner and an accurate passer and is also a good defensive halfback and safety man. His offensive statistics from last season are outstanding.

He gained 977 yards rushing and seven touchdowns and completed 68 of 115 passes for 12 touchdowns. He was cited on All-State, All-Conference and All-District football teams. He also lettered in basketball and baseball.

He has been signed to a football scholarship at the University of Mississippi and will report after the All-Star game.

Mary Aline Culpepper, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A.V. Culpepper of Monroeville, is one of the 26 of the state’s most beautiful and talented contenders for the coveted Miss Alabama Crown.

Finalists were chosen Saturday by the judges after two weeks of intensive competition by 150 girls from 65 Alabama towns and 35 different colleges.

The first cotton boll of the year brought to The Monroe Journal was grown by Leon Eddins of Peterman.

Mr. Eddins, who owns a farm about two miles from Peterman, said the boll opened about Monday and he picked in Wednesday. It was brought to The Journal Thursday morning.

AUG. 13, 1964

WORK ON STADIUM STARTS – Work started last week on the new concrete bleachers at Vanity Fair Park. Monroe County High School coach James Allen said the stands will include two dressing rooms and a press box. They are expected to be completed for the opening of the football season this fall. Coach Allen said tickets are now being sold for reserved seats for all the MCHS home games.

Monroe County’s first reported cotton bale was ginned last Friday at the Kelly Mill at Dottelle.

Steve Dailey at Mexia has the distinction of owning the bale, which according to the cotton gin officials weighed 568 pounds.

Registration of students will be held Fri., Sept. 4, with the first full day of classes scheduled Tues., Sept. 8, in Monroe County’s schools, it was announced this week by R.H. Vickery, superintendent.

MCHS Football Players To Report: Boys who are going to play football at Monroe County High School this year have been asked to report at the school Wed., Aug. 19, at 3 p.m. by Coach James Allen.

Coach Allen said equipment will be issued and the team will go over practice plans at this time.

The coach said the players should report in shape at the Wednesday meeting.

The Monroe County entry in the Conecuh Amateur Baseball League split a double header with league-leading Damascus Sunday in Monroeville.

Roy Black took the loss in the first game as Monroeville went down, 3-0. The locals could collect only two hits in a seven-inning game.

In the second game, the locals came from behind, and won, 4-3, in seven innings. A hit, sacrifice and two passed balls accounted for the winning run in the bottom of the seventh. Winning pitcher was lefty Gary Downs.

Monroeville’s record is now 7-3 while Damascus is 11-2. Thus, Monroeville remains one game behind the league-leaders in the loss column. Monroeville is in second place. Paul, the third-place team, has lost four games, one to Monroeville.

AUG. 20, 1964

Six streets were resurfaced in Monroeville during the last two weeks by the State Highway Department under the state’s municipal bond issue.

The streets, South Mount Pleasant, Johnson Avenue, Bigger Street, Academy Boulevard, Golf Drive and East Claiborne Street, were all resurfaced without cost to the city, according to Mayor W.H. Hines.

Four new teachers have been approved by the Monroe County Board of Education, it was announced this week by R.H. Vickery, superintendent.

They are James G. Mosley, Charles K. Branum and Miss Janice Loy Copeland, all employed at Frisco City High School, and Charles Fulton, who will teach at Monroe County High School.

Two Charged With Repton Bank Robbery – Brewton Men Arrested Last Friday For $16,386 Hold-Up: Two men charged with robbing the Union Bank at Repton about two months ago waived preliminary hearings in Mobile last Saturday.

Lawrence Earl Vonderau, 20, and Junior Wesley Bernard, 39, both of Brewton were bound over to a federal grand jury.

The two men were arrested last Friday in Brewton by the FBI in connection with the $16,386 robbery of the Repton bank June 20, according to Earl Dalness, special agent in charge of the Mobile FBI office.

Mr. Dalness said both were charged with violating the federal bank robbery statutes. He said Mr. Vonderau is accused of the actual hold-up and Mr. Bernard with driving the get-away car.

The $34,049 robbery of the Repton bank July 9, 1963 by a lone bandit is still unsolved.

Registration Set For Kindergarten: Mrs. Charles McNeil announced that registration for kindergarten pupils will be held Fri., Sept. 4, from 9 till 11 a.m. at the First Baptist Church in Frisco City.

Groundbreaking services were held Sunday for the new educational building of the Monroeville Presbyterian Church.

W.P. Dennis, the oldest member of the church, turned the first shovel of dirt at the ceremonies. Rev. V.O. Titterud, pastor, then gave prayer and blessed the undertaking.

Construction started Monday morning and is expected to be completed in about six months.

Lazenby Electric Co. of Monroeville is the contractor.

AUG. 27, 1964

McCrory Is Named Bay Minette Coach: Vance McCrory of Frisco City has been named assistant coach and science teacher at Baldwin County High School in Bay Minette, it was announced this week by C.V. Daniels, principal.

A pretty, brown eyed Excel girl was named winner of the Monroe County Maid of Cotton contest Monday night at the Community House in Monroeville and will represent the county in the district elimination in Montgomery, Sept. 10.

Named the choice of the three out-of-town judges was Miss Gloria Jean Blanton, a dark brown haired beauty, who is a senior at Troy State College.

Named runner-up was Miss Nancy Merriwether of Perdue Hill.

Col. R.C. Marshall, U.S. Army District Engineer at Mobile, announced this week the award of a $75,489 contract to H.W. Caldwell and Son, Inc. of Nashville, Tenn., for building an access road to the construction site of the Miller Ferry Lock and Dam on the Alabama River, about 10 miles northwest of Camden.

The house numbering committee of the Frisco City Chamber of Commerce has completed the house numbering project, according to W.P. Albritton, president of the chamber.

Monroe County Tigers Face Season With Rebuilding Job: The 1964 edition of the Monroe County High School Tigers, big and strong but weak experience-wise, will be facing a lot of problems this fall.

With the loss of 11 top regulars from the county and Pine Belt champions last season, Monroeville will have a tough rebuilding job on their hands. Only four boys off last year’s team have plenty of game experience.

The backfield will average about 170 pounds with two-year letterman Coy Tatum (185) and Mike Segers (205) being the heaviest. The rest of the backs who will see plenty of action will be Seth Watkins (150), Tommy McMillon (165), Melvin Middleton (150) and Frank McCreary (150).

The line will average about 170 pounds also with David Falkenbury (175), Dickey Rumbley (170), Ronnie Martin (170) and Curt Wideman (200) being the heaviest. Others that will see plenty of action will be Philip Gregory (170), Greg Szpak (155), Bobby Colquett (150) and Tony Grantham (150).

(Other players on that year’s team included George Dunkin, Glenn Dunkin, Kirk Frederick, Charles Lathram and John Sawyer.)

Outlook Bright For Frisco City With 19 Returning Lettermen: With 19 returning lettermen back from the 8-1-1 team of last season, Frisco City High School Whippets look once again to be right in the “thick” of things this fall.

Coaches Leon Jackson and Ed Bowling are starting their second football season at Frisco City and if this one is like the one last season, it will make many a Frisco City fan mighty happy.

Returning linemen include ends Gordon Brown (155) and Larry Ikner (170). Tackle will be one of the bright spots for the Whippets with three lettermen back. They include three-year lettermen Bill Wiggins (165), Jack Kelly (185) and Larry Hines, a junior 150-pounder.

Guard will also be a strong spot with five lettermen back in that position. They include senior Herbert Broughton (145), Mike Johns (200-pound junior), junior Cecil Baily (155), Don Bowen (140) and sophomore Don Wiggins (140). One returning center, Larry DeWise is back.

The backfield should be strong this year, according to Coach Jackson. Back are seven of the nine lettermen from last year’s squad, averaging approximately 159 pounds. They are strong runners Larry Eddins, a 195-pound senior at fullback, and Johnny Mack King, a 195-pounder at halfback.

Sam Weeks and Pat Boothe will be calling signals this season with both seeing plenty of action.

Halfback will be another strong point with King and Larry Gene Jones (145-pound senior) the other probable starter. Others include senior Allen Wiggins (140) and sophomore Ricky Bailey (130).

(Other players on that year’s team included Dick Boothe, Darrell Browning, Jesse Boatwright, Bill Brooks, Tommy Burkett, Doug Crum, Levon Enzor, Jim Kelly, Rex Ryder and Danny Ray Sigler.)