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Donald A. Broome of Moultrie brought some old Moultrie Observers by my
office the other day. They aren’t really that old…but are fascinating
still!
For those of you who wish to come and see this paper
on microfilm at The Odom Library, it’s Tuesday, February 20, 1962. (Don
wants his original papers back!)
The headline is “Astronaut Glenn Orbits World!”
The story begins, “Astronaut John H. Glenn, Jr., scoring a stunning space
triumph for the United States today became the first American to orbit the
earth.”
Local front page news includes a little
story about Georgia hunters being given an extra day to hunt quail and
rabbit!
Director of the State Game & Fish Commission
announced that a one-day extension of the season would include Monday,
February 26. The story said the commissioned acted because it is illegal
to hunt on Sunday.
On the front page were notices that The
American Legion and auxiliary would meet that night at the Teabeaut
Restaurant with C.D. Ellis of the High School faculty speaking on
“Columbia.”
Virginia Lou Miller was been elected to head the
4-H Club’s farm-business team which toured local business and plants.
Charles Eaton was been named secretary. Other
members of the team included Martha Culpepper, William Smith, Marilyn
Alvia and Larry Dean Redmond.
Walton S. Gay, of the Moultrie area, was one of the
18 purebred Aberdeen-Angus breeders in Georgia had been elected to
membership in the Aberdeen-Angus group.
There was a photograph and story about the Little
River rising. The caption to the picture said the floodgate at Little
River State Park was closed Monday at 10:45 AM and by 3:30 PM, there was
more than two feet of water covering the lake area. The water level of
the lake was rising fast yesterday afternoon and by the time the photo was
taken, had risen above the second row of sandbags. The spillway floodgate
was closed to prevent clogging and damage to the newly constructed dam.
The closing of the gate was temporary and was
necessitated by the rush of water from recent rains.
There was a front page mention of Dr. R.C.
Gresham having surgery at Emory University Hospital. The story said a
report received in Moultrie stated Dr. Gresham was in the recovery room
“doing nicely.”
Dr. Gresham was pastor of the First Baptist Church
in Moultrie for more than 20 years, was then associated with Norman
College.
Other than the news of John Glen orbiting the earth,
the national news included stories about President Kennedy urging a salary
hike for US employees and a story of US Defense Secretary Robert S.
McNamara warning that guerilla warfare in South Viet Nam could continue
for years. There was a story about the United States planning to attend
the 18-nation Geneva disarmament conference even though French President
Charles de Gaulle had called for a nuclear disarmament meeting by just the
Big Four atomic powers.
The weather was fair and cool with a low of 64.
Wednesday was forecast as partly cloudy and mild with a high of 72.
The Moultrie Observer in those days was “Price five
cents.”
Do you remember where you were when John Glenn
orbited the earth? Mmm. I was the Rush Verbal “girl” at The Credit
Bureau of Jacksonville, working and going to school! We listened to the
historic flight on the radio and all business stopped for the entire time
Mr. Glenn was in orbit!
We’ll browse some more in Mr. Broome’s papers next
time! |
