70 Years Ago
December 17, 1953
Maj. C. E. Corley, Jr., officer in charge of Marine corps recruiting in Louisiana, has announced that one girl will be selected for enlistment in the Marines from the state during the month of January. S-Sgt. Florena M. Sauviac, stationed at the recruiting headquarters in New Orleans, is Louisiana’s only woman Marine recruiter and is always on hand to interview and give information to any young woman who may be interested in the Marine corps. Upon completion of a period of indoctrination at Parris Island, S. C., women Marines are given a 10day leave and an assignment to a duty station. Women Marines are eligible for duty at all major Marine bases and major cities in the United States. Lady Leathernecks may also volunteer for foreign duty in Hawaii, France, Munich, Germany, and Naples, Italy. Young ladies who are interested in knowing more about the Marine corps may do so by contacting their nearest Marine recruiting station or writing the Marine corps recruiting station, Room 109, U.S. Customhouse, 423 Canal Street, New Orleans.
Queen of the highways, the Pontiac Star Chief Custom Catalina is bigger, longer, more beautiful. On a new 124-inch wheelbase and eleven inches longer over-all the Star Chief Custom Catalina has new performance with the increase horsepower eight-cylinder engine and Dual-Range Hydra-Matic, new bright color combinations and new lovely top grain leather or a Custom and a Deluxe Catalina in the 122inch wheelbase Chieftain series with its distinctive styling.
The movies at the Strand included “El Paso Stampede,” “Yukon Gold,” “East of Sumatra,” “Sabre Jet” and “Houdini.”
60 Years Ago
December 19, 1963
From the Service Division of International Paper Company comes a warning concerning the use of milk cartons in making Christmas candles. For a long time, it has been a practice of many housewives around Christmas time to make large candles by pouring melted paraffin into milk cartons and allowing it to solidify. This worked very well in the old wax type carton since the side seam and bottom was sealed by glue, but with the new plastic-coated carton this could turn out to be disastrous. As you know, the side seam and bottom are heat sealed and the hot paraffin will reactivate the plastic, causing the carton to disintegrate. This could result in serious burns to the person, or if the carton is sitting in a sink the hot paraffin goes into the drain where it solidifies and stops up the drain.
“People sending Christmas cards today at the five cent first class rate pay the same to mail Christmas greetings as Americans did well over a century ago,” Postmaster Philip C. Girlinghouse said today. “Research shows that in 1847 the Post Office department issued its first stamps, including a nickel stamp for the basic prepaid letter rate,” he said. “And, of course, in those days a nickel could buy a meal where it usually can’t even buy a cup of coffee today. Since 1932,” the postal executive observer, “While living costs for the American family have skyrocketed considerably more than 100 percent the cost of mailing a first-class letter has only increased by two cents or two-thirds.” The Postmaster’s comments were made in connection with a recommendation to Jena area residents to use the first-class five cent Christmas stamps on their Christmas cards. “In recent years, people have been buying better and more expensive greeting cards- and it seems a shame, when only four cent third class postage is paid and the addressee has been moved that we normally cannot even forward the card, “Girlinghouse commented, “It is poor economy to try to save a few pennies and lose several dollars’ worth of cards in the bargain.”
On Christmas the KCKW channel played Christmas specials such as songs by Bing Crosby, Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” “The Messiah” and “Lullaby of Christmas” from 9:45 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
50 Years Ago
December 13, 1973
Maria DeKeyzer, ten-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jerome DeKeyzer of Alexandria, had a Grand Champion in Shreveport received the hog on a bid of $13.50 per pound. The hog weighed 240 pounds for a total of 3,120. Maria is a 4-H Club Member at Prompt Succor School. She is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Tingle and great granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Homer A. Tingle of Trout.
Navy Hull Maintenance Technician Third Class George S. Bradford of Nebo Route, Jena, returned to his homeport here on board the attack aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy after a seven-month deployment. During the cruise he participated in training exercises from the Mediterranean to the Artic Circle. Port visits included a stop in Edinburgh, Scotland.
M. W. Fife, Cire Chief of the Tullos Volunteer Fire Department, received a check in the amount of $500 from LaVerne Ingram, representing Woodmen of the World No. 1157. The Town of Tullos will match this gift with another $500, giving the Fire Department a total of $1,000 which will be used to purchase firefighting suits and equipment. Mayor Ethel Doyel, the Town of Tullos and Fire Department expressed their appreciation to the Woodmen of the World for their concern in helping to provide firefighting equipment for the Town of Tullos.
40 Years Ago
December 14, 1983
Eighteen fires burned 102 acres in LaSalle Parish during October, according to the monthly report of the Louisiana Office of Forestry. The October total brought to 50 the number of fires in LaSalle Parish this year which have burned 246 acres, the report shows. In all, 300 fires burned off 1,814 acres statewide in October, the report shows. They bring to 3,389 the number of fires this year which burned 27,366 acres.
Members of the Jena High School FFA and Parliamentary Law team won first place in an inner- parish contest held early this month between the JHS and LaSalle High School teams. The first-place winners will advance to district competitions. The team includes Jeff Gurie, Kevin Allen, Rob Wood, Brent McDowell, Scott Windham, Mike Williams and Dan Clark.
At Walmart you can buy a wall rotary phone for $36.84, an iron hair curling system for $12.97 and albums and cassettes for $5.96.
25 Years Ago
December 16, 1998
LaSalle Sheriff’s Department Juvenile Officer Connie Zeagler handed out Christmas Bells to the children gathered for a special program at the parish courthouse last Tuesday night. Hundreds of parish children were on hand to hear about the true meaning of Christmas. The first of what promises to be an annual event.
Local gospel music singer, Spanky Neal, has just completed his first album entitled “Just One Man.” This country-gospel album features many talented musicians, along with backup vocals Vickie Neal and Joyce Montpelier. Five of the ten songs are originals, inspired or written by locals Deborah Mayo, Mark Leland Cockerham, and Spanky Neal.
The Catahoula Christmas Bird Counters will join more that 50,000 other volunteers nationwide in the National Audubon Society’s 99th Annual Christmas Bird Count. The Catahoula Bird Count began 11 years ago and continues to gain popularity. As many as 30 volunteer birdwatchers from Central Louisiana will conduct the count within the designated area. The Christmas Bird Count is the longest running ornithological database and continues to grow in importance to monitor the status of resident and migratory bird populations across the western hemisphere.
10 Years Ago
December 18, 2013
The LaSalle High Choir were recently filmed performing Christmas songs as part of a special High School Choir Christmas special. The performance will air on December 24 on KARD Fox 14 at 10.p.m. and on December 25 on KTVE NBC 10 at 5 a.m.
The Victory Riders, Jena Chapter of Christian Motorcyclists Association, held a food drive to benefit the senior citizens of the parish. Drives were held at both Mac’s Big Star in Jena and Mac’s Fresh Market in Olla. Approximately six grocery carts of non-perishable food items were collected at the two sites and donated to the LaSalle Council of Aging, who are filling bags and delivering them to families as they see a need.
Jena High School junior Bryttanye Erwin was chosen as the winner of the recent Most Beautiful Pageant, sponsored by the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) club at JHS. Bryttanye is the daughter of Ellis and Stacye Erwin of Jena. In the pageant, she represented the Anchor Club.
