Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
A Clovis woman brought several old newspapers into the Clovis News Journal office last week.
She didn’t want to throw them away, and thought someone might enjoy the look back in time.
Six of the papers were from Clovis High School in the 1959-60 school year.
Here are a few of the highlights:
n The top story in the Nov. 10, 1959, edition was about a sock hop.
“A school sock hop will be held in the Rock Staubus Gymnasium Friday night ... for the first time in the history of CHS. Featuring the ‘Sparkles,’ the dance will begin immediately after the Alamogordo game and has been set to end at 12 p.m. ... Fifty cents per person will be charged. As guests are entering, they must check in their shoes since only socks will be permitted on the gym floor.”
n From the Nov. 24, 1959, edition:
“Jan Felton, CHS senior, has been selected by Gov. John Burroughs as a delegate to the 1960 White House conference on “Children and Youth,” which will be held in Washington D.C. May 27-April 2, 1960.
“These conferences are held every 10 years by the president. ... There will be 7,000 participants from all parts of the U.S. in 1960. New Mexico is sending 29 delegates this year.”
n In the Oct. 27, 1959, edition, senior students were asked for their thoughts on college.
Connie Osborne: “I believe college is of importance to girls as well as boys. A year of college life should be a must for everyone.”
Tommy Krattiger: “A person without a college education is lost in today’s complex world.”
n The Jan. 19, 1960, edition included advertisements from The Vohs Co. at 418 Main, the Village Record Shop and the Thunderbird Drive In.
The “Hits of the Week,” according to the newspaper, included: “Livin’ Doll,” “Bull Dog,” “Teen Angel,” “El Paso” and “Big Hurt.”
n The Oct. 12, 1959, edition included a short story on school annual sales.
They sold for $5 or on the “installment plan,” which was “$3 now, $2 later.”
Other reports in that edition included:
CHS band members took a trip to the South Plains Fair in Lubbock.
Juniors Nick Rowley and Jimmy Gee were the “Wildcats of the Week.”
And Norman Petty, “a local recording artist,” was special guest on the local TV show “Make it or break it,” which featured CHS students rating records.
n Doug West and Bobbye Harden wrote letters to Santa Claus in the Dec. 22, 1959, edition.
West’s letter read in part:
“Since I’ve played it real cool this year, I’d like for you to bring me the few things on my list: one black, two-door, super-charged ’57 Chevy hardtop ... (and) a real cool doll with dark hair and plenty of money. ... I think this ought to keep me going for a little while.”
And from Harden:
“The very first thing I would like to have for Christmas is a luscious blue convertible. It doesn’t matter what kind it is, just so it’s new and isn’t a Studebaker.”
From the Editor’s Desk is a weekly memo to CNJ readers. David Stevens can be reached at 763-6991, extension 310, or by e-mail: