Have you ever wondered 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 differences. These are some of the top stories published in the Florida Times-Union 50 years ago this week. The items were compiled from the Jacksonville Public Library’s periodical archives by Staff Writer Max Marbut.
• First, some national news to give some perspective to the week of Feb. 2-8, 1959: The Soviet Army blocked a U.S. military convoy that was attempting to leave “isolated Berlin” on its way to West Germany. American soldiers were forced to sleep in their trucks in freezing weather for several days until the dispute was finally resolved. In Virginia, 21 black children were admitted to seven public schools that had previously been segregated. Local police officers were on the scene in case of violence. A bomb threat that was determined to be a hoax was phoned in to one of the schools, but the only civil unrest reported was when three boys threw firecrackers out of a window. They were sent home. Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and J.P. “Big Bopper” Richardson were killed in a plane crash in Mason City, Iowa.
• Locally, a public hearing concerning local bills filed by public officials and private citizens was held at the County Courthouse on Bay Street. Present to hear comments were State Sen. Wayne Ripley and State Reps. John E. Mathews Jr., Harry Westberry and George B. Stallings Jr. Proposed bills concerning services provided by the County Commission included authorizing the creation of a special tax district to provide fire and police protection, water, streets and sidewalks, drainage, street lighting and “any other special facility or service.” The tax district would include all of Duval County outside the municipal boundaries and would not exceed 10 mills. Another proposed bill would authorize building sidewalks anywhere in the county where more than 50 percent of the property owners requested them with the cost to be assessed against all property in the block receiving the improvement.
• Several proposed bills authorizing pay raises for public officials were also aired at the hearing including: County Assessor, Tax Collector, Sheriff and Clerk of the Court from $12,600 to $15,100 annually; Criminal Court judges from $12,600 to at least $15,000 or equivalent to the Civil Court judge of $15,200 or the County Judge of $16,200; and Supervisor of Registration (now Supervisor of Elections) from $9,900 to $13,500.
• What was described as a “long-standing feud” between the Jacksonville Bar Association and a group of lawyers who were not association members over a lawyer referral service was resolved by the Florida Supreme Court. The high tribunal amended its rules to provide that no local bar association or other groups of attorneys could form a lawyer referral service without first receiving approval from the board of governors of the Florida Bar. The Supreme Court action stemmed from the creation of a Jacksonville Bar Association-sponsored referral service that had been created to assist persons with legal problems by referring them to lawyers who could assist them. The service was opposed by a number of lawyers who were not on the rolls of the referral service. They went into court to challenge the ethics of advertisements calling attention to the service. Although a local court declared such advertising violated the canons of the bar, the Supreme Court reversed the local decision and the referral service continued to operate.
• Dr. Selman A. Waksman, who discovered streptomycin and won the Nobel Prize for medicine in 1952, was awarded an honorary degree at Jacksonville University. Prior to the ceremony, Dr. Franklyn Johnson, president of the university, spoke briefly to stress the need for accreditation for the institution. He said “even greater emphasis would be placed on standards in the next three years” and announced that 220 students had been dropped from the rolls at the end of the fall semester, most of them by suspension due to low grades.
• The County Solicitor’s Office dropped embezzlement charges against a U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer who was also president of a local auto sales company. Two informations against Harry A. Bennett, last reported on active duty with the Navy in Norfolk, were passed to the absentee docket in Criminal Court on motion of the solicitor’s office. The charges alleged Bennett had embezzled $1,245 from Nash of Jacksonville by recording auto sales on the company’s books at an amount less than the price received. Assistant County Solicitor Hans Tanzler told Judge A. Lloyd Layton the cases would be brought back to the active docket if some evidence which had turned up missing was ever located. The company’s books, which were subpoenaed by the prosecutor’s office and then turned over by Assistant County Solicitor John L. Briggs to an auditor for completion, could not be found. Tanzler said the auditor had moved out of the state and the sole stockholder in the dealership other than Bennett and his wife was on Navy duty in Cuba and could not be located to testify.
• Sidney Anvoots, chef at the River Club, married Miami Beach fashion model Joan Hudson in a ceremony held in the chapel of the Dutch aircraft carrier Karel Doorman which was berthed at Mayport Naval Station. Jones Bryant, a Jacksonville attorney and notary public, offered a brief prayer then performed the ceremony which was witnessed by the bride’s mother, a few Dutch seaman and the news media. River Club manager Hendrick. J. Antonisse served as best man.