It is a new year, just as it was this time 50 years ago in 1965. It is strange that so many things change but remain the same from year to year.
In January of 1965 construction was a theme that seemed to be going around. Plans were completed and construction was ready to begin on buildings on the campus of the Jefferson Davis Junior College.
Plans were made to build a new stadium at T.R. MIller High School. A new medical center was planned by Dr. Herman C. Wood; First Baptist Church of Brewton was nearing completion of a new addition and First United Methodist was dedicating a new building. It was announced that a new type of lights were to be installed within the city on four streets, Belleville Avenue, Douglas Avenue, Sowell Farm Road and Alco Drive.
It seems with all the new building around town we must have had a boom, but I must have missed it someway.
At this time 50 years ago I was living in Union Springs, but the time was fast approaching when we would pick up and make one more move before settling down in Brewton. It seems so long ago and yet, it seems as if it was only yesterday.
The first baby of 1965 had been born at D.W. McMillan Hospital. Mr. and Mrs. James Taylor Jr. welcomed a new daughter, Charlotte.
It has become a tradition to spotlight the first baby born in the new year. Many of the traditions have changed somewhat, but this one has lasted for a very long time.
I always like to look at the advertisements in the newspaper. It is amazing to see just how much the price of everything has changed. Kwik-Chek was selling chuck roast for 39 cents a pound. Burgess Super Market had thee dozen eggs for 99 cents and two fryers for $1.
A&P had a 10 pound bag of potatoes for 69 cents and cabbage for 10 cents a pound. In addition you could earn Plaid Stamps.
Compare those prices of 50 years ago with the prices of today and it is a real shock.
So far as transportation is concerned, 50 years ago Fuqua Motor Company (don’t remember them) offered a Plymouth Valiant for $2,004. Almost 50 years ago when we first moved to Brewon, we had a lady offer to sell us her house for $17,000. Now that seems like a bargain, but we didn’t have the money, so we passed on the good deal. I remember someone telling me a few years later that I needed to buy a new car. My response was that a car cost as much as houses did when we moved to town.
Across Murder Creek, Coach Jack Akins, from W.S. Neal High School was named District All-State Coach.
When we first came to Brewton, football was the king of sports, just as it is today, and W.S. Neal was on a streak of wins, some of them very big.