MARY BRASWELL: Looking back at January 1955

In January 1955, the Korean War was over and it would be another decade before the first Marines landed in Vietnam. At the request of a reader, here is a look at news from the pages of The Albany Herald.

—Among the variety of meals served to school children in Dougherty County, here is one example: Spaghetti with meat sauce, fresh or frozen collards, spiced beets, cornbread, butter, grapefruit sections and milk.

— The Department of Defense announced it would move forward with desegregation of all schools on military posts, regardless of any delays the Supreme Court may allow. Two military schools had already integrated, and the 17 remaining would do so by of Sept. 1, 1955, the initial deadline set by the Supreme Court.

— New salaries were set for the county clerk and the sheriff of Dougherty County. Rather than the previously controversial fee system, the two positions were capped at $9,500 annually.

— Following Christmas break, nearly 400 students were relocated to the all modern Northside Elementary School from the 48-year-old McIntosh School. Note: Students are still attending Northside Elementary 63 years later.

— Police officers were cracking down and seriously enforcing the new Albany ordinance which limited parking at any meter to two hours. On the first day of enforcement, 150 tickets were issued.

— Running a magazine stand in the Albany Post Office was Louise Willis. Although blind, she was a diligent worker and a friend to many. When it was discovered that someone had stolen $54 from her cash box, friends and total strangers pitched in to replace the hard-earned money. The collection surpassed the loss with a gift of $115.

— Phoebe Putney Hospital Administration announced plans for a $1.8 million expansion. Plans would increase the number of beds from 134 to 174. At the time of the announcement, Phoebe had 40 physicians and 200 additional staff members.

— For families expecting a baby in the new year, Sears had hardwood cribs with mattresses for just $26.88. Cribs had teething rails along both sides.

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QUIK QUIZ

The Albany Herald received dozens and dozens of phone calls because which comic strip was missing from the Jan. 23, 1955 Sunday edition?

a) Snuffy Smith

b) Alley Oop

c) Dick Tracy

d) Blondie

The answer is at the end of the coluumn.

— — —

— The Albany Chamber of Commerce announced the program for its 43rd annual meeting. The principal speaker was out-going governor Herman Talmadge. Comical skits were provided by the noted entertainer “Deacon” Andy Griffith.

— In one 16-hour period, Albany police officers responded to an ax murder, an arson, a car theft, two safe burglaries and a burglary at a physician’s office. Except for the burglary cases, suspects were in custody almost immediately. The murder was witnessed by a bystander and the man responsible for “chopping” a woman to death was on parole at the time for killing his wife.

— Hudson Malone, a prominent Albany citizen, told Rotarians that desegregation would “eventually result in a mongrel race of people, which would virtually wipe out both the white and Negro races to the detriment of both.”

— A series of fires were obviously intentionally set in the Redbone District near Chehaw State Park. C.W. (Buck) Geer of Albany offered a $250 reward for information leading to the arrest of the “fire bugs.”

— New Georgia Gov. Marvin Griffin apparently had but one surprise up his sleeve as he took office. Gov. Griffin was a supporter of pre-paid state taxes much the same as federal taxes, a move that was not popular with most citizens.

— The Albany Police Department purchased a special “parking meter motorcycle.” The driver had a piece of chalk on a long stick (much like today) and would mark tires without dismounting. This was yet another element of the strictly enforced two-hour parking limit in the downtown area. Violation tickets carried a $1 fee.

—Before the year ended, Albany residents would have the choice of natural gas. The contract for the actual pipe was awarded to The Engineering and Equipment Co. of Albany at a cost of $286,798. The low bid for installation went to a Macon company at $517,641.

— Albany’s plans to build yet another new elementary school were finalized when the contract went to A.C. Samford, a local businessman, for the construction of Magnolia Elementary. Located in the western part of the city, the new facility carried a bid of $215,233.

— Showing at the Albany Theatre was “Young at Heart” starring Doris Day and Frank Sinatra, together for the first time.

— The first snow to “stick” in nearly a decade, enough fell and struck across Southwest Georgia for building snowmen on Jan. 23.

In other news…

— Johnson & Johnson first marketed “No More Tears” baby shampoo.

— Minimum wage jumped from 75 cents to $1 an hour.

— “Captain Kangaroo” made his debut on CBS. “The Mickey Mouse Club” made its debut on ABC.

— This was the year the Salk polio vaccine was declared safe and effective. Children began getting vaccinations in schools.

— Coca-Cola began selling its product in cans.

— Nationally, unemployment stood at 4.4 percent.

— Already a popular radio program, “Gunsmoke” came to television for what turned into a 20-year run.

— Average monthly rent for a two-bedroom house was $87. The average price of gasoline was 23-25 cents per gallon.

— The first Waffle House opened just outside of Atlanta in Avondale Estates. The first McDonald’s also opened in 1955 with 15-cent hamburgers and 10-cent French fries.

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

QUIK QUIZ ANSWER: a) Snuffy Smith