Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

Pages past - April 25: Singing, bands and air raid drills

On this date ...

1941: About 1,000 Boy Scouts from throughout New Mexico were expected for the annual Camp-O-Ral at Bell Park in Clovis.

About 100 adult leaders were also expected to participate.

A “tent city” was set up in the baseball park's outfield, where most activities, including cookouts, were planned.

A parade down Clovis' Main Street was scheduled to kick off the weekend.

1961: Curry County Civil Defense workers were preparing for a national civil defense alert. County Civil Defense Director Mac Ingle said about 50 workers were scheduled to participate.

Six teams would be made up of “a doctor, nurse, radiological fallout man, first aid attendant, policeman and a Red Cross worker,” the Clovis News-Journal reported.

The teams were to man stations at Highland Drug, Pleasant Inn, Ranchers and Farmers Café, B&B Food Market, Highway 70 Café and radio station KVER.

Ingle said the alert would reach the county via the National Air Raid Warning system through the Clovis police station.

Civil Defense units in Melrose, Texico, Ranchvale, Grady, Pleasant Hill, Rosedale, Bellview and Broadview were also planning to participate in the drill.

Ingle said the upcoming alert would not involve area residents beyond those assigned to participate. But he said a late-August drill would ask area residents to “take cover from assimilated fallout.”

Just sing, sing along …

1941: About 2,000 singers from four area counties were expected to participate in the annual State Line Singing Convention in Farwell.

Joe Head of Clovis was president of the group, which included singers from Bailey, Parmer, Curry and Roosevelt counties.

Farwell High School's senior class planned to serve brisket dinners.

And the bands played on …

1981: About 2,000 people came out for the third annual “Battle of the Bands” held at Greyhound Stadium between Clovis and Portales.

Dukecitybop won the competition for the second year in a row. The Philistines of Albuquerque finished second and Voltz of Portales was third.

Pages Past is compiled by David Stevens. Contact:

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