MARY BRASWELL: 40 years ago, the first females were allowed to enroll in the Coast Guard Academy | QUIK QUIZ

Each week Albany Herald researcher Mary Braswell looks for interesting events, places and people from the past. You can contact her at (229) 888-9371 or [email protected]. Follow @ABH_MBraswell on Twitter.

In October 1975, the median income (in current dollars) was $11,800 and a postage stamp cost a dime. See what else defined the time, 40 years ago.

— The manager and the projectionist at the Broad Avenue Cinema were arrested and charged with distributing obscene material. Albany police officers sat through the entire length of “Teenage Party Girls” before obtaining search and arrest warrants. Both men were released on $2,000 bonds.

— Thirty acres at the northwest corner of Gillionville and Westover were rezoned from C-4 to C-2 to allow for lots smaller than four acres to be sold.

— Herbert Phipps, an independent candidate for Albany mayor, expressed the need to lower the city’s utility bills. Phipps went so far as to label Albany utility rates as “almost extortion.” Note: Phipps is now Presiding Judge Herbert E. Phipps of the Court of the Appeals of Georgia and utility rates are still a point of contention in local politics.

— The Albany State College Rams recovered six of Tuskegee’s seven fumbles and won the game 17-10. This was the fourth game of the season and the first win for the Rams.

—After finding it impossible to move an original brick cotton warehouse to the Georgia Agrirama in Tifton, it was decided that one be built. Modeled after a Bulloch County 1890 warehouse, the structure was the only one planned for the Agrirama that was not moved from another location in Georgia. Plans were still moving ahead to hold the grand opening of the Agrirama for July 1976.

— The superintendent of Public Works in Lee County asked the Lee County Commission to make a formal request to the Georgia Department of Agriculture to be reinstated to the list of counties on the fire ant eradication program.

— Harold Todd, then director of the Dougherty County Library, spoke to Rotarians with despair regarding the reading levels of local students. Todd reported that 52 percent of the students enrolled at Albany Junior College (now Darton State) were not proficient enough in reading skills to do the course work. Those students were required to take non-credited remedial courses. Many did but others were giving up.

— An open house and ribbon cutting was held at Alice in Wonderland Nursery School and Kindergarten. Located at 700 N. Cleveland, the facility offered a hot breakfast and lunch, field trips, diaper service, after-school pickup, dance lessons and more. Care was available by the hour, by the day and/or by the week. for ages 6 weeks and up.

— The Albany City Commission repealed an ordinance which banned the sale of alcohol in the city on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Because both were to fall on a weekday, alcohol by the drink would be available in bars and nightspots. Package stores, however, were to remained closed on the two days.

— Harper’s Appliance on South Slappey Boulevard held a contest to round up the oldest range (oven/stove) in the Albany and surrounding areas. The person who owned and could present proof of purchase of the oldest range would win a brand new gas or electric continuous clean Magic Chef Range.

— A massive Pitch-in Progress Day was planned for Tift County. Plans were to build a trash mountain at the landfill from the day’s work. Trucks were available to do the hauling. Any and every item was accepted, including appliances and junk cars.

— Blue Cross/Blue Shield announced a rate increase for federal workers. An employee accustomed to paying $154 per year could expect to begin paying $208 in 1976. While that amount seems extremely low in 2015, the increase was about 35 percent.

— Two belly-dancing demonstrations were held in the Cubbyhole at the Downtowner Motor Inn. Classes were to be offered starting in November and registration was available for interested attendees after each demonstration.

— The United Way of Dougherty County reached 42 percent of its goal in the first three weeks of its annual drive. The goal was set at $480,583 to support 15 community service agencies in the coming year.

— A 30-hour-long dance marathon was held at the gymnasium at Albany State College. The event was open to anyone but most couples were students from ASC and Albany Junior College. The event was a fundraiser for Easter Seals. Much to everyone’s surprise, at the 30-hour mark, 16 of the original 19 couples were still on their feet. A drawing was held to determine the winners. An AJC couple won the top prize drawing of $200, a high school couple took second with $100 and an ASC couple won the $50 third-place prize.

— The U.S. Supreme Court ruling to allow corporal punishment was much the same as already practiced in the Dougherty County School System. All efforts were made to contact a parent before issuing punishment, a second adult witness was always present and the punishment was always administered in private. Used for such punishment within the DCSS was either a leather strap or a paddle.

— As a part of the statewide newly instated early release program, 13 very happy inmates were given the green light to go home from Lee State Prison.

— A second bomb threat was received at a Dougherty County school in less than 24 hours. The first call went to Westover High. The second was to an unnamed elementary school. Police stated the phones at the schools are being tapped and the culprit would eventually be caught.

QUIK QUIZ answer: (a) $50,000. The organization’s application for United Way funding was turned down.