Pages Past — Dec. 26

On this date …

1972: Nineteen people were killed, most of them high school students, in a bus-truck crash on a narrow bridge 10 miles east of Fort Sumner. The victims were all associated with Woodlawn Baptist Church in Austin, Texas. They were on a holiday ski retreat, headed for a resort near Taos. President Lyndon Johnson attended the memorial service for what remains one of the worst traffic accidents in New Mexico history. A memorial granite stone remains at the church today.

1964: Dr. George W. Prothro, a Clovis pediatrician, was preparing to close his private practice to join the staff of the New Mexico Department of Public Health. He had established his medical practice in 1948.

1934: Clovis Chamber of Commerce officials had published a new pamphlet, “nicely illustrated,” covering data related to local highways, railroad facilities, agriculture, oil prospects and schools. The publication, under the direction of Secretary-Manager A.W. Anderson, was intended to target tourists, but also “those seeking opportunities in business and agriculture,” the Clovis Evening News-Journal reported.

Kitchen upgrade …

1954: Clovis Linoleum Shop at 201 W. Grand promised customers, “Your kitchen floor can shine, too.” It had a “wide selection” of linoleum “priced to meet all budgets.” The phone number was 6742.

Not feeling well …

1964: The Curry County Health Department was reporting 22 cases of the flu in the past week. It also reported five cases of pneumonia, four cases of tonsillitis, two cases of diarrhea and one case of measles.

Pages Past is compiled by Clovis News Journal Editor David Stevens. Contact him at:

[email protected]