Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

Pages past — April 1

On this date ...

1976: Christmas lights were hung on Clovis’ Main Street, and it wasn’t an April Fool’s Day joke.

The Christmas Lighting Committee of the Clovis Chamber of Commerce decided to give the city a preview of some of its newly arrived decorations.

The committee also took the opportunity to remind residents they needed more money to pay for the decorations.

Cost for 16 new decorations had been estimated at $3,760.

1971: A decorated Vietnam veteran and an Eastern New Mexico University student had organized a petition drive asking the government pardon Lt. William Calley Jr.

Calley had been convicted of murdering 22 unarmed South Vietnamese civilians and sentenced to life in prison.

Richard K. Barnard, who received two Purple Heart medals for injuries suffered in Vietnam, and ENMU student George L. Prothro launched the petition drive throughout Clovis.

“Calley’s conviction is a blight on the nation,” Barnard said. “Every American should be ashamed by the decision.”

President Richard Nixon ultimately pardoned Calley after he served 3 1/2 years of house arrest at Fort Benning, Georgia.

1941: Norman Petty, a Clovis eighth-grader, learned he was the winner of a statewide essay contest.

Norman’s essay was called “Why National Unity is Important to My Country.”

He was to be awarded a gold medal.

Pages Past is compiled by Editor David Stevens. For more regional history, check out his weblog at:

www.highplainsyesterdays.com