EDITOR’S NOTE: Looking Back features past articles from The Tidewater News with commentary by local historian Clyde Parker.

by Clyde Parker

THE TIDEWATER NEWS — SEPT. 7, 1962

The Franklin School Board expects to announce the hiring of a school superintendent in the very near future.

Several men have been interviewed for the job.

“We are pleased that all applicants seem to be highly qualified,” said School Board Chairman Jim Henry.

F.H. Christopher, principal at Franklin High School, was the first considered, Henry said.

“I am happy in my present position, and enjoy working with the students and teachers,” Christopher said. “I am 60 years old and do not feel I should take on a new position at this stage in my career.”

Serving on the Franklin School Board with Henry are Joseph P. King Jr., Dr. E.B. Gatten Jr., Daniel K. Peak and William Thomas Jones.

BRONCOS PREPARE FOR SUFFOLK

The Franklin High School Bronco football team is putting forth a lot of effort to get ready for its opening game of the season next Friday against the Suffolk High School Red Raiders.

Last Friday night, the Broncos played a scrimmage game against Emporia.

During that game, Coach Perry Pearson liked the speed shown by some of the Bronco linemen, the running of some of the backs and overall team spirit. But, he was disappointed with the Bronco’s aerial game.

“Quarterback Dwight Blythe is shaping up for the season,” Pearson said. “He made a touchdown during the scrimmage. And, Blythe looked good as an outside linebacker against Emporia.”

Pearson said halfback Jimmy Councill, who played mainly on defense last year, got off the Bronco’s longest run, a 45-yard scamper.

“He is running real good,” Pearson said.

Coach Pearson made reference to fullback Tommy Pearson.

“He played guard as a sophomore and was out last year with a knee injury. Pearson played extremely well in the scrimmage game,” Pearson said.

“Ends Eddie Jones and Tres Bradshaw are both good defensive players,” Pearson continued. “They can block well.”

He was pleased with the performance of Andy Appleby and Ricky Carter as guards.

“They’ve got determination,” he said. “Their attitude is good.”

Dan Forbes, a transfer student from Savannah, Ga., and Earl Blankenship played center during the scrimmage.

“Both are good, but Forbes has the inside track,” Pearson commented. “Blankenship and Donnie Blythe are shaping up as defensive linebackers”

Pearson also noted that “Billy Underwood, a young player up from junior varsity, runs well at offensive halfback along with Jimmy Councill, and Jerry Allmond, a defensive back last year, reported for practice Monday and is a contender for the offense.”

JONES, BRIGGS ELECTED

Dr. Darden W. Jones was re-elected mayor of Franklin Saturday by members of the City Council.

Incumbent J. Floyd Briggs, who received the most votes among the nine candidates in the June 12 Council election, was elected vice mayor.

Joining Jones and Briggs on the council are incumbent Carl Steinhardt, and newcomers Dr. John Murray and Robert Pretlow.

Jones, a Franklin dentist, has served on the Franklin Council since 1946 and has been mayor since 1957.

Briggs, a native of Suffolk, is the state licensed agent in Franklin. He was a former owner of B.B.H. Motor Co., a Chevrolet dealership on Fourth Avenue in Franklin.

Steinhardt is co-owner of G. H. Steinhardt & Co., a hardware store on Main St. in Franklin.

Pretlow, a lifelong resident of Franklin, is president of Pretlow & Co., a distributor of chemicals and farm machinery. He previously was President of Pretlow Peanut Co., which was recently sold to Birdsong Peanut Co. of Suffolk.

Murray, a native of West Virginia, has been a pediatric physician in Franklin since 1953.

(NOTE: In 1962, the positions of mayor and vice mayor were filled by vote of the five-man City Council from among their ranks. Back then, all council members were elected at-large. There were no precincts.)

SANDWICHES ARE BIG BUSINESS IN BOYKINS

The American taste in pre-packaged sandwiches hasn’t changed much in the last 15 years. So says L.P. Clary Jr. who, with his father, owns White Way Foods of Boykins.

White Way Foods makes and wholesales about 50,000 packaged sandwiches a week. Fifteen trucks distribute their products from Washington, D.C., to Charlottesville to Rocky Mount, N.C.

Service stations handle about 75 percent of their retail business. Other retail outlets include grocery stores, drug stores and schools.

“Types of sandwiches include chicken salad, the biggest seller, followed by ham salad, and ham and cheese,” Clary said.