70 Years Ago November 5, 1953
From far-off Madrid, Spain, has come a request for a copy of the Jena Times and subscription rates. Senor F. R. Melgar says he wants to learn more about the U.S.A.
Several Jena High School students, including Johnette Moses, Louise Walker, Cordialea Hester, Tommy Collins and Allen Simmons, spoke before the Jena Chamber of Commerce Monday night, November 2. These students told of their experiences at Boys’ State and Girls’ State at LSU the past summer. These experiences in government for young people are sponsored by the American Legion and Legion Auxiliary.
An ad for an Electric Range reads: Electricity makes housework easier for busiest wives. In the kitchen, the general headquarters of the farm wife, electricity is making housework easier. The electric kitchen, with a modern Electric Range, is adding extra hours of freedom- hours for other productive work today, hours of rest and relaxation tomorrow. The time and labor required to carry fuel and build fires can well be devoted to other work, when you have an Electric Range. No “pot watching”- most modern Electric Ranges are amazingly automatic. You can put an entire meal in the oven to cook, set the controls, and forget it until ready to serve.
The movies featured at the Strand included “Spoilers of the Range,” “Africa Screams,” and “War of the Worlds.”
60 Years Ago November 7, 1963
“Gospel Singing at its Best,” featuring the Florida Boys quartet, was presented at the Jena High School auditorium on Tuesday, November 24 at 8 p.m.
Miss Barbara Hollis, Louisiana Power and Light’s area service representative, demonstrated flameless electric washers and dryers soon in various stores in Jena and Olla.
On Tuesday, October 1, near Zenoria, a pulpwood truck crashed into a ditch. Driver John Longmire tried to avoid hitting a dog in the road, steering a truck off the pavement where it turned over on him. He landed in soft mud and was not injured.
Chevrolet releases the new Chevelle. The car comes in three series with eleven models- convertibles, sport coupes, sedans, and wagons. It has four engines- two sixes and two V8’s- with the output of up to 200 horses.
At Saveway Supermarket you could buy a dozen eggs for 39 cents, 10 lbs. of red potatoes for 35 cents, and 3 lbs. of Vegetole shortening for 49 cents.
The Strand played “The Gun that Won the West,” The Gathering of Eagles,” and “Play it Cool.”
50 Years Ago November 1, 1973
At the Dedication of the Outdoor Amphitheater, local artists exhibited their paintings in an outdoor locale on a beautiful Sunday. The Artists were Mrs. Maxing Whatley, Minnie Lou Fallin, Mrs. Lorena Dobbs, Mrs. Jean Stelle, Mrs. Dorothea DeMars, and Mrs. Louise Windham. The November 8th meeting of the Lasalle Art and Historical Association featured a film showing decorations made called “Sugar and Spice” and Mrs. DeMars gave a demonstration of how to mat watercolor paintings and different methods of framing artwork.
Humphries Motors of Jena delivered to Jena High School a new automobile to be used in the driver’s education program at the school. Humphries Motors has furnished cars for this program for the past seven years, with the School Board furnishing insurance and maintenance. Joe Peace, driving instructor, spoke of the advantages of a driver’s education program for a school, pointing to safety and the fact that insurance is 10-percent lower for people who have had driver’s education. The course includes 30 hours if classroom work, 12 hours simulator driving and 3 hours observation. A total of 140 students are enrolled in five classes at Jena High School.
At Kendrick’s, sirloin steaks were on sale for $1.39, a ½ gallon of ice cream was 73 cents, and a gallon of bleach cost 39 cents.
40 Years Ago November 2, 1983
The Bibestones Quartet of Gulfport, Mississippi were the featured singers at a gospel singing held at the Jena High School auditorium on Saturday, November 5th at 7:30 p.m. Also on the program was the Sounds of Victory and Gospel Harmonettes of Jena.
Gregg Humphries, new vehicles salesperson and copartner of Humphries Motors, Chrysler- Plymouth dealer, Jena, received an award for individual performance in selling Chrysler-Plymouth vehicles. A resident of Jena, Humphries has reached the Silver level of recognition in Chrysler- Plymouth’s unique Sales Professional Club. Specifically designed incentives and awards are provided for outstanding product knowledge and sales achievement at three performance levels- Bronze, Silver, and Gold. Membership in each level is determined by points and earned for sales of new cars and trucks.
$1,512.75 was collected through pledges to students at Good Pine Middle School who participated in a “Jump Rope for Heart” campaign last week. The students, all volunteers for the special fund raiser, jumped rope in teams in their regular P.E. classes Tuesday and Wednesday, and as a group Thursday. Approximately 75% of the student body joined in the effort to raise funds to be given to the American Heart Association.
At Walker’s, a 2-liter cokes costs 97 cents, a lb. of cabbage costs 17 cents, and Community Coffee costs $2.17 per lb.
25 Years Ago November 4, 1998
Members and guests gathered at East Jena Baptist Church on Sunday, October 25th, to dedicate the beautiful new sanctuary. The dedication service was combined with the annual homecoming of the church, which was established in 1935. The new sanctuary has a seating capacity of 551, compared to 300 for the old sanctuary which was torn down to make way for the new facility.
In recognition of all LaSalle Parish veterans, the Times-Signal presented the a feature on one LaSalle Veteran who sacrificed dearly for his country and our freedoms. James S. “Jim” Ellard, U.S. Air Force Major-Retires, was recently honored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Whatley- Flaherty Post 5002 of Jena and presented a plaque in appreciation if his outstanding service as Post Quartermaster from 1997 to 1996.
The Shreveport Chapter and the Dorcheat-Bistineau Chapter, Minden, of the National Society of the American Revolution marked the grave site of an American Revolutionary Soldier, Shadrack McClendon, at the Summerville Cemetery near Jena, Sunday, October 18 at 2 p.m. Among those in attendance at the ceremony to mark the grave site are three Honorary State Regents of Louisiana State Society, NSDRA: Mrs. Henry F. Butts from St. Joseph, Mrs. Norbert Johnson from Shreveport, and Mrs. J. Pollard Sealy, Jr., From Shreveport.
10 Years Ago November 6, 2013
The town of Jena celebrated a new portion of the Jena Trail opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Saturday at the Jena City Park. The trail’s construction is due to funding from the Live Lively LaSalle Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation grant. The ceremony was held after the LaSalle Parish 4-H Family walk on the trail.
The Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women and Louisiana State Penitentiary put on an open-air production of The Life of Jesus Christ. This unique, truly unforgettable performance depicts Jesus’ birth, miracles, crucifixion, and resurrection. The public performance was held at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola on Saturday, November 16 and Sunday, November 17 at the multi-purpose arena located in the heart of the state maximum-security prison.
