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 1963. The items were compiled from the Jacksonville Public Library's periodical archives by Staff Writer Max Marbut.
• It was announced repairs to the storm-damaged seawall and strand at Jacksonville Beach would be completed within 45 days.
B.B. McCormick and Sons Inc. was awarded a $1 million contract by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to repair seawalls and ramps in Jacksonville and Neptune beaches and replenish sand that washed away in a series of winter storms.
J.T. McCormick, spokesman for the contractor, said more than 400,000 cubic yards of sand needed for the replenishment would be trucked in from the beach near Mayport.
The contract included repairs to 6,600 feet of seawall. Walls that had been destroyed would be replaced with walls made of granite blocks.
The federal government financed the cost of repairs, which were being made under the direction of the U.S. Office of Emergency Planning.
"We are most happy. We are looking forward to completion of the project before the summer season gets under way," said Jacksonville Beach City Manager Walter Johnson.
• Before the first performance of "Holiday on Ice" began at the Coliseum, Jacksonville University basketball player Roger Strickland was presented a trophy from the Associated Press, which named him to its small-college All-America team for the second consecutive year.
Proceeds from the performance were donated to the JU Athletic Department.
• Robert Jones, who beat his wife to death with a bed post, was sentenced to 18 years in state prison for manslaughter.
Jones was indicted for second-degree murder but pleaded guilty to the lesser offense. He was sentenced by Criminal Court Judge A. Lloyd Layton.
The victim was Georgia Elizabeth Jones, who suffered fatal injuries the night of Nov. 16, 1962, at her home.
Assistant County Solicitor R. Hudson Oliff, who prosecuted the case, said the evidence showed that Jones and his wife had been heavily drinking during the day of the incident.
Oliff said the couple were in an argument at their home at 1437 Lee St. over Robert Jones' failure to buy his wife some sardines for the evening meal. Oliff quoted Robert Jones as saying his wife came at him with a lamp and he hit her twice over the head with the bed post. She was found dead in bed the next morning and Robert Jones called police.
• Another Jones – Herman O. Jones Jr. – received the Jacksonville Junior Chamber of Commerce Award as Outstanding Young Farmer of the Year for Duval County. He was manager and vice president of Oak Crest Hatcheries.
Jones lived at 5800 Ricker Road, was a graduate of the University of Florida and would be entered into the state Outstanding Young Farmer honor.
• George Paul Cook, Tallahassee grocery chain owner, was sentenced to life in the state prison for the murder of Jacksonville gambler William James Arnold.
A Circuit Court jury Jan. 25 found Cook guilty of first-degree murder of the 69-year-old Arnold. The jury recommended mercy, automatically decreeing life imprisonment under Florida law.
Judge Marion Gooding imposed the sentence after denying a motion for a new trial and also a motion to reduce the conviction to an offense less serious than first-degree murder.
• The Duval County Patrol was the recipient of 4,500 hours of volunteer service provided in 1962 by the Duval County Auxiliary Patrol, comprised entirely of military veterans.
The volunteers rode with the sworn officers, worked traffic in congested areas and assisted in special duties including hunting fugitives.
Each member of the auxiliary patrol also was a member of a local Veterans of Foreign Wars post. Other requirements were that volunteers had to be between the ages of 25 and 45 when they joined the group, be a minimum 5 feet 8 inches in height and weigh at least 160 pounds.
"Our men are civic-minded. We feel we are performing not only a good but a much-needed service. All of us contributed our service during wartime and we are fortunate that we can continue to do our part for our fellow citizens during peacetime," said William Lewis, commander of the auxiliary unit.
• Gov. Farris Bryant warned that Florida would "lose her place in the sun" if the state did not begin to build an educational system "to meet the needs of tomorrow."
Speaking before The Jacksonville Bar Association at the Roosevelt Hotel, Bryant pleaded for support from the state Cabinet to finance the state's educational needs with a $100 million certificate of indebtedness issue.
"We have been on a pay-as-you-go plan in our educational development program for many years, but we haven't gone," said Bryant.