Have you ever wondered what life was like in Jacksonville half a century ago? It was a different era of history, culture and politics but there are often parallels between the kind of stories that made headlines then and today. As interesting as the differences may be, so are the similarities. These are some of the top stories from this week in 1962. The items were compiled from the Jacksonville Public Library’s periodical archives by Staff Writer Max Marbut.
• The calmest one of all at the opening of WJCT Channel 7’s auction was Sweet Rosie O’Grady, an expectant mother.
While others were running back and forth with auction items, bid slips or microphones, Sweet Rosie stood unperturbed in the middle of the confusion, awaiting her new master.
Sweet Rosie was a 4-year-old Shetland pony and expected to foal in the spring. She sold for $250 and was among some 100 items auctioned in the first night of the educational television station’s second annual auction to raise operating funds.
Almost 500 volunteers were working the four-night televised auction at Phillips Highway Plaza, including 100 who were serving as auctioneers in one-hour stretches.
Some of the items sold the first night were a football autographed by the Pittsburgh Steelers, which brought $30, and a Donald O’Connor dancing cane, which brought a high bid of $11.
One of actress Kim Novak’s purple handkerchiefs went for $2 and a portable stereo record player hit a high bid of $78.
Among the corporate donations to the auction were the proceeds from the ninth race of Orange Park Kennel Club’s final day of racing, said Ed Volkwein, auction chairman.
Other items auctioned were a 1962 automobile for $2,279, a saddle horse for $130, a ship’s bell with Baltimore spelled “Beltimore” for $75 and at least four cats, two of which were seal point Siamese.
Pamela Mathews, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James T. Mathews Jr. of Jacksonville Beach, donated the two Siamese kittens. They brought $75 from bidder L.W. Duffy, who purchased the pets at $55 and later called to tell auctioneers he would pay $75 for the pair.
Preliminary collection figures indicated the auction raised more than $8,000.
“It’s been a madhouse, but a wonderful one,” said Volkwein.
• Jacksonville was one of eight Florida municipalities recognized for outstanding accomplishment in traffic safety by the National Safety Council.
The City would receive a certificate of achievement for “maintaining high levels of performance in traffic engineering, including administration, control and planning for safe and efficient movement of traffic,” the safety council said.
Mayor Haydon Burns said he was pleased with the national recognition given to City Traffic Engineer Harry Howard and his department.
A total of 238 cities and towns, 30 states and Puerto Rico received citations in 1962.
• A psychiatric examination was ordered for Robert Beigay, who slashed his throat May 23 in Criminal Court.
The examination was ordered by Circuit Judge A. Lloyd Layton, who also withdrew Beigay’s plea of guilty to breaking and entering pending the report on the defendant’s mental condition.
Assistant County Solicitor Louis Frost said that before the suicide attempt, Beigay, 46, had pleaded guilty to burglarizing merchandise worth $1,050 from a store.
Beigay was in Layton’s court on May 23 for sentencing on the offense when he cut his throat in view of the judge, prosecutors, defense attorneys, court attendants and spectators. He was taken to the hospital, where 40 stitches were required to close the wound.
• Volvo automobile dealers from Florida, Georgia, and North and South Carolina attended a sales and promotion meeting at the Robert Meyer Hotel.
William Kelly, southern regional manager, said that in addition to being the sales office for Volvo, Jacksonville was one of four major ports of entry for the Swedish-manufactured vehicles.
Hans Larsson from Newark, N.J., president of the Volvo importing company, said the meeting was the first in a series of dealer meetings scheduled throughout the United States. He said the company was increasing the newspaper advertising program for Volvo cars.
• The Duval Board of Public Instruction voted to take a “revolutionary step” in its
senior high school construction program, declaring that all new such schools would be air-conditioned.
Near the conclusion of an eight-hour meeting, an architect representing the firm of Hardwick and Lee, designers of two high schools that were on the drawing board, proposed the innovation.
That drew an immediate reaction from School Superintendent Ish Brant.
“I recommend that all new high schools in the future be designed with air conditioning with the idea in mind that these schools will henceforth be used year-round,” he said.
The schools would be operated year-round, either with the normal summer school program or with a trimester schedule that was under consideration, Brant said.
Board member Ned Searcy moved that the board approve Brant’s recommendation, which was seconded by board member Martinez Baker.
The motion was approved 4-1 with Chairman A. Eugene Stokes dissenting.
Ironically, the first school that would be designed and built with air conditioning, Joseph Stilwell Junior High School, was in Stokes’ district.
Brant later said Stokes had been in favor of air conditioning for the Stilwell school, but had been defeated in his attempt for it months ago. Brant said that was behind Stokes’ “no” vote.
• The Port of Jacksonville in 1961 handled a greater volume of exports and imports than any other deep-water port in the state, according to a business review by the Florida State Chamber of Commerce.
Jacksonville’s cargo volume for the year was 2,568,500 tons, an increase of 8 percent over 1960.
Behind Jacksonville in volume figures were Port Everglades at 1,318,100 tons, up 31 percent; Pensacola at 173,900 tons, up 24 percent; Boca Grande at 403,100 tons, up 28 percent; and Panama City at 272,400 tons, more than double its 1960 volume.
The five ports handled 44 percent of the state’s total of 10,773,600 tons of waterborne commerce, a gain of 2 percent over 1960.
• Jacksonville insurance executive William Hamrick was elected governor of Rotary District 694 and would take office July 1.
Hamrick was senior vice president of the Gulf Life Insurance Co. He would serve the Northeast and West Florida areas, which had 36 Rotary Clubs with 2,000 members.
He had been a member of the Jacksonville Rotary Club since 1944 and served as the club’s president for the 1960-61 Rotary year.
Hamrick was president of the Boys Home Association, a member of the executive board of the Boy Scouts of America, a director of the YMCA, a director of the American Red Cross and a past president of the Jacksonville Sales Executives Club.
• J.J. Daniel, president of Stockton, Whatley, Davin & Co., addressed the 1962 graduates of The Bolles School. He said he disagreed with those who said that outer space was the final frontier.
“Man is,” Daniel said.
Sixty-eight senior cadets were on campus to receive their diplomas and hear the commencement address.
“When man has conquered himself –– his selfishness and greed –– wars will no longer be necessary,” said Daniel.
“Wars will not only become unnecessary but unthinkable. How do we dare dream of conquering the stars until we are able to come to grips with our own flickering light?” he said.