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 then 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 the week of March 30 - April 5, 1959. The items were compiled from the Jacksonville Public Library’s periodical archives by Staff Writer Max Marbut.
• Jacksonville’s two municipal golf courses were ordered opened to African-Americans for unrestricted play. It was noted that the order issued by U.S. District Judge Bryan Simpson would mark “the first breach of segregation here if the order is followed.”
The order and permanent injunction prohibited the City from refusing to allow the four African-American golfers who brought a federal civil rights suit and all others “similarly situated to use the said, City-owned golf courses upon the same basis and upon the same conditions as white persons are permitted to use the same.”
Prior to Simpson’s order, African-Americans were only allowed to play at Brentwood Golf Course on Mondays and at Hyde Park Golf Course on Fridays.
• In 1959, Easter Sunday was on March 29 and it was reported that “A leaden sky greeted the rising sun as approximately 4,000 people who had braved chilly breezes gathered in the Jacksonville Baseball Park to celebrate Easter and the miracle of the Resurrection.” The Rev. Robert John Gisler, pastor of the Snyder Memorial Methodist Church, conducted the service and said, “Death is an inevitable reality but don’t forget Easter and its great themes of forgiveness and immortality. God has done all He can to make these possible for you. If you have been living in open or secret fear, if you’re ashamed of the mess you’ve made of your ideals and dreams, if you have become difficult to live with, then Easter is for you. It has a message you want.”
• A plan to establish a “home for elderly people” was announced with issuance of a charter by the Circuit Court to the Jacksonville Methodist Home, Inc. as a nonprofit corporation. Start of construction would entail a capital campaign to raise $5 million, site selection and planning by architects. The home would be financed by an FHA loan of 90 percent of the building’s replacement value plus endowment fees paid by residents of between $3,000 and $5,000 plus an additional fee of $175 per month.
President of the corporation was E.W. Gentry, Vice President M.R. McGehee, Secretary George Surrency and Treasurer, P.W. Fisher.
• Financier Edward Ball came to Jacksonville to be honored by the Newcomen Society of America at a dinner held at the George Washington Hotel. The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Francis P. Gaines, president of Washington & Lee University. Gaines was introduced by Roger L. Main, president of the St. Joe Paper Company and chairman of the board and president of the Florida National Bank of Jacksonville. Prior to the dinner a reception honoring Ball and Mrs. Alfred I. duPont was hosted by W. Thomas Rice, president of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad.
• Proposed pay raises for several County officials were approved by the Duval Legislative Delegation, but a request for a law increasing the number of Juvenile Court counselors and their pay was rejected. Officials to be granted increases included the five County Commissioners, the two judges of the Criminal Court of Record, Supervisor of Registration Fleming H. Bowden, Criminal Court Probation Officer Bedford Wright, First Assistant State Attorney Nathan Schevitz and County Detective Sidney Hurlbert.
Turning down the bill offered by Juvenile Court Judge Marion W. Gooding concerning the court counselors, the delegation pointed to an existing section of the law setting forth that “the court shall fix the number of counselors and their salaries.”
• Two crewmen from an Italian freighter were sent to prison for their parts in smuggling an alien into Jacksonville’s port.
U.S. District Judge Bryan Simpson sentenced Antonio Brecciaroli, a steward aboard the vessel Francesco Barbero, to six months and Mario Mainardi, a ship’s cook, to four months. Both would be turned over to immigration authorities for deportation at the conclusion of their terms.
• It was announced Jacksonville had been designated as a site for an “intercontinental airport” capable of accommodating jet aircraft – providing suitable airport facilities could be furnished by the City in time to meet standards set forth by the Federal Aviation Agency.
Under FAA standards, the runways would have to be 8,700 feet long, but the existing runways at Imeson Airport were only 7,046 feet in length. According to the FAA, the shorter runways would not serve the turboprop and jet aircraft that were expected to be used generally by commercial aviation by 1962.
Airports Commissioner Lou Ritter said the City planned to designate a firm “within the next few months” to study whether it would make more sense to lengthen the runways at Imeson or build another airport on a different site.
• The City Commission voted to earmark $65,000 to purchase playground equipment for the “8th Ward” which included Avondale and part of Riverside. Finance Commissioner Dallas Thomas made the motion to appropriate the money and said the project would be financed by issuance of certificates of indebtedness to be retired by general fund revenues other than ad valorem tax.
Councilman Ralph N. Walter, who represented the 8th Ward, said he and Thomas would work together to select a committee to decide where to locate the recreation facilities and added he hoped to have an “Olympic-type” swimming pool built.
In answer to a reporter’s question, City Auditor John W. Hollister Jr. said the City-owned Southside swimming pool cost $170,000 – nearly three times the amount designated for the 8th Ward facilities.
On the motion of Thomas, who was also parks commissioner, the commission appointed a 17-member committee to advise City officials on plans for development of a park on City-owned land on the Southside riverfront between the Acosta and Main Street bridges.