Have you ever wondered what life was like in Jacksonville half a century ago? It was a different era of history, culture and politics but there are often parallels between the kind of stories that made headlines then and today. As interesting as the differences may be, so are the similarities. These are some of the top stories from this week in 1962. The items were compiled from the Jacksonville Public Library’s periodical archives by Staff Writer Max Marbut.
• Jacksonville’s own Miss Florida, 19-year-old Gloria Brody, was preparing to depart for Atlantic City, N.J., to compete in the Sept. 3-8 Miss America pageant.
She would be taking with her a complete wardrobe, tailored and designed for every facet of her trip and appearance in the pageant.
As the only young woman from Jacksonville ever to compete for the title of Miss America and the state’s official entry, Brody’s wardrobe was of paramount importance to the 15-member Jacksonville Miss America Committee, headed by Mayor Haydon Burns. Brody’s fashion designer was Richard Lewinson, assisted by Sara Melville.
“It has been quite a challenge. We have had just 30 days to coordinate everything,” Lewinson said.
Attention was paid to every detail, especially the accessories – hats, gloves, shoes and handbags – for Brody’s dresses and gowns.
“Every item has been chosen to show off Gloria’s beauty without calling attention to her clothing. We want her to look her very best. Clothing should make you notice the girl, not what she’s wearing,” said Lewinson.
To ensure that no other contestant showed up in the same model, Brody’s ball gowns were original designs from New York couturiers, he said.
“It is a terrific compliment to us in Jacksonville that one of our citizens will represent the great State of Florida in the Miss America pageant. We cannot know the outcome of the pageant but we may all have the satisfaction of knowing we have done our best. The whole community is proud of Gloria for her part in the many events in which she has participated during the past months. We will all be cheering for her in Atlantic City,” said Burns.
“I’m getting so excited about the pageant, I don’t even know what day it is. This morning, somebody asked me which of the six girls (Miss America contestants) who visited here last week I liked best. And I said ‘Oh, I was just wild about Miss South Pacific,’” Brody said.
• Registration began for fall classes in the day and evening divisions at the Central Adult School.
High school credit courses in day and evening divisions were offered in English, mathematics, science and social studies. Other courses included typing, shorthand, bookkeeping and business machine operation.
Other evening classes included conversational Spanish, French, Russian and German, speed reading, public speaking, creative writing, English speaking for foreign-born, clothing construction, industrial arts, oil painting and water colors.
Evening school Principal T.A. Delegal said several thousand adults were expected to enroll during the year.
• Two former City employees were each sentenced to two years in County jail for grand larceny of 2,362 City-owned electric meters valued at $41,098.80.
Criminal Court Judge A. Lloyd Layton imposed the sentences upon Samuel Mansell and Willard Mills.
Mansell, former superintendent of the City Meter Department, pleaded no contest July 16 to the grand larceny charge. Mills, a former City electrician, was found guilty July 18 by a jury.
The defendants were charged with larceny of the meters on numerous occasions between March 5, 1960, and July 14, 1961.
The prosecutor, County Solicitor Edward M. Booth, said the stolen meters were taken by truck to Fort Lauderdale and sold to small rural electric cooperatives and independent power companies in Florida and Georgia.
• The new Americanism vs. communism course for Duval County public schools was endorsed by Fred Turner, the state’s education consultant.
The course, mandated by the state Legislature, would be taught to 5,000 high school seniors via educational television.
Turner was asked if he thought it was advisable to televise the course, which had not yet beenthrough the trial-and-error experimental process.
He agreed that some risks were being run, since any inadvertent mistakes would be subject to public criticism, but in view of the controversial subject matter, it would be best to make the material public. He said it was better to not keep people in the dark and guessing what was being taught in public schools.
Gaining public understanding and support of the course was a “vital step,” Turner said, and one that had to be taken in order to achieve success of the course.
He said the objective of the course was to teach Florida high school seniors, rationally and unemotionally, what makes the Communists tick.
“We hope to have some understanding of what we’re talking about when we discuss the enemy of freedom. What they say and what they do are two different things and we hope the students will learn to differentiate the two,” Turner said.
• The general ad valorem tax rate for 1962 for Duval County was set by the Board of County Commissioners at 47.5 mills, a decrease from the 49.13-mill levy set for 1961.
The general tax rate applied to nonexempt property within the city limits. It was one of 15 tax rates applicable in the county.
In addition to the cost of general government, there were special taxing districts for such purposes as hospitalization and mosquito control. Residents in unincorporated areas also paid taxes to cover the costs of volunteer fire departments.
• State Rep. John E. Mathews issued a challenge to local civic, business and cultural leaders to seek public office.
Mathews, who was the Democratic senator-nominee from Duval County, issued the challenge during an address about reapportionment to members of the Rotary Club of Jacksonville at the group’s lunch meeting at the Mayflower Hotel.
“No court, no legislative body will solve the reapportionment problems of Duval County or the State of Florida. They will be solved only when members of the Rotary Club and the other fine civic organizations quit complaining about the quality of legislators elected and get out and run for office themselves,” he said.
Mathews said there was not a man among the nearly 300 present who had ever run for the office of state legislator and that, “I can count on the fingers of one hand those of you who have ever run for any office.”
Following the release of a reapportionment formula devised during a special session of the Legislature, Duval County would have eight representatives in state government instead of three, which Mathews said had caused quite a bit of conversation.
“I have heard many complaints that it is hard enough to get three good men for the office, much less eight. If that is the way you feel, you might as well just give up now,” he said.
He then delved into history to make a comparison between the prevailing local attitude and that of ancient Rome.
“When Rome started hiring mercenaries to fight its battles, guard its borders and do battle in the arena, Rome started to slip. It was the beginning of the end for the Roman Empire,” he said.