Ever wonder what stories made headlines in Jacksonville 50 years ago? It may have been a different era of history, culture and politics, but there are often parallels between the kind of stories that made the news in 1958 and today. As interesting as the similarities may be, so are the vast differences. The following are some of the top stories published in The Florida Times-Union 50 years ago this week. These items were compiled from the Jacksonville Public Library’s periodical archives.
• The 24th Annual Southeastern Shrine Association Convention was held in Jacksonville with more than 6,000 nobles and their ladies expected to attend. Seven special trains arrived at Union Station filled with conventioneers and every hotel room had been reserved by those in town for the event. Delegates staying in hotels at Jacksonville Beach were allowed to park free at meters providing they had a special sticker issued by the City on their windshield.
• At the Meninak Club luncheon at the Mayflower Hotel, Judge Warren L. Jones of the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals related the story of the Shrine. He was a past potentate of the Morocco Temple in Jacksonville.
• More than 3,000 public school teachers reported for duty to start the 1958-59 school year. It was the beginning of a two-week preplanning period that would prepare the instructors for the 90,000 pupils who would report to class Sept. 2. The teachers gathered in several schools to view a 45-minute orientation film that was televised on Ch. 12. It was noted the broadcast was “the first time that such a program had been presented in the South and would be available for public viewing rather than on a closed circuit.”
• The County Commission declined to act on a request to bring salaries of County plumbing inspectors in line with those of City inspectors. The proposed pay increase would bring the County inspectors’ pay up to $450 a month compared to the current $363. The Chief inspector would be paid $560 a month, up from $400. At the same meeting, commissioners voted to name the park at the corner of 18th and Melson streets after their colleague Joe Hammond, who was serving on the commission at the time.
• What was described as “a big step toward deepening the St. Johns River channel from 34 feet to 42 feet” was taken into consideration in Washington, D.C. A joint House and Senate committee voted to support appropriations of $23,000 for a feasibility survey of Jacksonville’s harbor and $7,000 to study drainage in McGirt’s Creek. “The President will undoubtedly approve the appropriations and both surveys will be underway during this fiscal year,” predicted U.S. Rep. Charles Bennett.
• The Downtown Council’s Projects & Planning Committee released its latest findings as to “What’s wrong with Jacksonville and what should be done about it.” The list included the need for a metropolitan or urban master plan with related zoning, an advisory board “having real power to act,” zoned areas of modern apartment houses located with a view of the river, a coordinated plan for facelifting and rebuilding Bay Street, planting trees and flowers along sidewalks and construction of an “attractive yacht marina” on the Southside between the Main Street and Acosta bridges. The suggestions were the result of two weeks of meetings and after deliberations, it was decided that since the ideas fell into two major categories – building and planning and promotion, safety and beautification – two additional subcommittees should be formed.