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.
• An appellate court ruling that it was illegal to exclude African-Americans from the Hyde Park and Brentwood golf courses was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court.
The courses were owned and operated by the City until 1959, when efforts were made to integrate them. The facilities were declared surplus and sold to private operators, who continued the segregation policy.
In ruling in the case, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit in New Orleans said the new owners became agents of the state by the terms of the sale agreement and therefore could not exclude African-Americans from the courses.
In the sale agreement, a reverter clause was included to provide that the properties would be returned to the City if they ceased to be used for golf courses.
The Hyde Park Golf Course was sold to Fred Ghioto for $615,000 with a $15,000 down payment and a 40-year mortgage with annual payments of $34,966.
Roland Hurley purchased the Brentwood Golf Course for $600,000 with a $10,000 down payment and a 37-year mortgage with annual payments of $35,285.
• Six pilots from Cecil Field Naval Air Station received the U.S. Navy Distinguished Flying Cross award for achievements in low-level surveillance flights over Cuba.
All were members of Light Photographic Squadron 62, based at Cecil Field.
The awards were presented for "extraordinary achievement in aerial flight" on behalf of President John F. Kennedy by Rear Adm. Joseph Carson, commander of Fleet Air Jacksonville and Naval Air Bases, 6th Naval District.
The low-level flights by the VFP-62 pilots were among the first over Cuba and revealed the presence of Russian missiles and launch facilities on the island. Photographs made during the flights were cited by Kennedy on Oct. 22 when he ordered the naval quarantine of Cuba.
• The expansion of a two-mile section of University Boulevard moved a step closer when the State Road Department opened bids for the project at a meeting in Orlando.
The apparent low bidder on the project was Seaboard Construction Co. of Brunswick, Ga. The bids were to be reviewed by department engineers before the contract was awarded.
The contract called for expanding the section of roadway from two lanes to four lanes and providing curbs, gutters, sidewalks and parking strips on each side of the roadway. The improvements would extend from the expressway to a point 500 feet north of Merrill Road.
• The Jacksonville Beach Rotary Club hosted its first charitable ball. Proceeds from the event at The Inn at Ponte Vedra Beach were donated to the Beaches Aquatic Club to help finance construction of a junior Olympic swimming pool facility in Atlantic Beach.
The pool was completed, but the swimming club had plans to build a bathhouse, a youth clubhouse and a child's swimming pool.
• Roosevelt Broxton was sentenced by Criminal Court Judge A. Lloyd Layton to four months in the County jail on a conviction for assault and battery.
The prosecutor, Assistant County Solicitor R. Hudson Oliff, brought the 45-year-old Broxton before the court on a charge of assaulting Laurane Bailey, 40, with a broom handle Sept. 1 with intent to murder her.
Broxton waived trial by jury and Layton found him guilty of the less serious charge of assault and battery.
The victim testified she and Broxton had maintained a common-law marriage for eight months before Sept. 1. She said a few days before the attack, she sustained a broken leg in a traffic accident and was hospitalized.
Bailey said she went home Sept. 1 in a cast and since it was a Saturday, Broxton was not working and was at home drinking moonshine whiskey.
Oliff quoted the victim as saying when Broxton told her to bring him some lemonade, she replied her leg was bothering her and she didn't feel up to it.
Oliff said Bailey testified that Broxton then walked up behind her and hit her in the head with the broom handle. That knocked her to the floor and then Broxton left after a parting kick, Oliff said.
According to Oliff, Broxton told Bailey to "call the law," which she did, and a warrant was issued the next day.
In his defense, Broxton denied ever mistreating Bailey.
• The Swisher Library at Jacksonville University was considered as a branch in the City's library system.
JU President Franklyn Johnson suggested the possibility in an address before the Friends of the Public Library Inc. at the Seminole Hotel. The group was active in obtaining voter approval of a $3.9 million bond issue to finance construction of a new library Downtown and other facilities.
Johnson referred to a Jacksonville Area Chamber of Commerce report on requirements for further expansion of the library system to meet the needs of the growing population. He said the improved education of young people was listed as a priority in the report.
The library at the university opened in 1956 with 8,000 volumes. It had increased to more than 70,000 volumes by November 1962.
• County Tax Collector Clyde Simpson said 5 p.m. Dec. 3 would be the deadline for motorists to apply for reserved 1963 vehicle license plates.
Simpson said most motorists wishing to reserve a number selected one that was easy to remember, such as their telephone number or street address, a low number or what they considered their "lucky" number.
In 1962, motorists reserved 2,861 numbered plates.
• Bill Stott, City Recreation Department supervisor, said the annual yo-yo contest preliminary rounds were scheduled Nov. 26-30 at City parks.
Semifinals were scheduled Dec. 6, with the final round set for Dec. 15 in the Gator Bowl. Prizes for the final round included a television set, a bicycle, a record player and yo-yos.