Monday, March 31, 2014

DAY 132 - COUNTING DOWN TO THE 50TH



Good Morning, Class of '64 



Untitled poem

unknown author

Today I started to school
I learned some words and a number of rules
I drew some pictures with colored chalk
The teacher said I mustn't talk

At recess we played some games
I learned most all the children's names
Most of them seemed to be all right
But one big boy tried to start a fight

It makes me tired to sit so still
I don't like school and I never will
But the little boy that sits in front of me
 
In the fall of 1956, we are in the fifth grade. We are preteens, tweeners, but we probably didn't use those terms for ourselves. We were just "5th graders" to anyone who might have asked.

In our weekly reader we learn about the Suez Canal and other timely events. We divide, we multiply, we learn some history.
 
We catch each others colds, and we've probably already had the chicken pox or measles. Maybe a wart has reared its ugly head, and there might be a callous where we hold our pencil to write.

We're not "little kids" anymore, and we're not "big" ones, either. We are in between the two and anxious to move on. Wishing our life away, as usual.

 


 
EVENTS
Jan 6th - Federal court bars former Little League Commissioner Carl Stotz from forming a rival group
Jan 30th - Martin Luther King Jr's home bombed

Feb 6th - University of Alabama suspends African-American Autherine Lucy on the grounds that it can no longer provide a safe environment for her
Feb 25th - Khrushchev denounces Stalin at 20th Soviet Party Conference
Feb 29th - Islamic Republic forms in Pakistan

Mar 9th - Archbishop Makarios of Cyprus arrested & exiled to Seychelles
Mar 26th - Medic Alert Foundation forms
Mar 27th - US seizes US communist newspaper "Daily Worker"

Apr 2nd - Soap operas "As the World Turns" & "Edge of Night" premiere on TV
Apr 16th - 1st solar powered radios go on sale
Apr 28th - Last French troop leave Vietnam

May 1st - A doctor in Japan reports an "epidemic of an unknown disease of the central nervous system", marking the official discovery of Minamata disease.
May 2nd - US Lab detects high-temperature microwave radiation from Venus
May 2nd - US Methodist church disallows race separation
May 28th - Eisenhower signs farm bill allows government to store agricultural surplus
May 30th - Bus boycott begins in Tallahassee Florida

Jun 13th - After 72 years, Britain gives up Suez Canal to Egyptian control
Jun 17th - Golda Meir begins her term as Israel's foreign minister
Jun 21st - Anti-protons detected in the atmosphere
Jun 29th - Federal interstate highway system act signed

Jul 16th - King Faisal of Iraq begins visit to England
Jul 16th - Last Ringling Bros, Barnum & Bailey Circus under a canvas tent
Jul 19th - US refuse to lend Egypt money to build Aswan Dam

Aug 9th - 1st state-wide, state-supported educational TV network, Alabama
Aug 22nd - Pres Eisenhower & VP Nixon renominated by Rep convention in SF
Aug 24th - 1st non-stop transcontinental helicopter flight arrived Wash DC
Aug 30th - White mob prevents enrollment of blacks at Mansfield HS, Texas
Aug 30th - Lake Pontchartrain Causeway opens.

Sep 3rd - Tanks are deployed against racist demonstrators in Clinton, Tennessee
Sep 10th - Louisville Ky public schools integrates
Sep 14th - 1st prefrontal lobotomy performed, Washington DC
Sep 24th - 1st transatlantic telephone cable in use (Newfoundland-Scotland)

Oct 17th - England's 1st large scale nuclear power station opens
Oct 23rd - Thousands of Hungarians protest against the government and Soviet occupation. (The Hungarian Revolution is crushed on November 4).
Oct 24th - Soviet troops invade Hungary, Imre Nagy becomes PM of Hungary
Oct 31st - Britain & France begin to bomb Egypt to reopen Suez Canal

Nov 2nd - Hungary appeals for UN assistance against Soviet invasion
Nov 2nd - Israel captures Gaza & Sheham
Nov 5th - Israel liberates Sharm-el-Sheikh, reopening Gulf of Aqaba
Nov 6th - Pres Eisenhower (R) re-elected defeating Adlai E Stevenson (D)
Nov 8th - UN demands USSR leave Hungary
Nov 13th - Supreme Court strikes down segregation of races on public buses in Alabama
Nov 14th - Hungarian revolt put down by Soviet invasion

Dec 6th - Nelson Mandela & 156 others arrested for political activities in S Africa
Dec 12th - Commencement of the Irish Republican Army's Border Campaign.
Dec 18th - Israeli flag hoisted on Mount Sinai


 Year 1956 In Review


The Hungarian uprising 
and the Suez crisis 
sparked the 
rise of the Soviets 
and the 
end of the British empire.

Time Man of the Year 1956
Hungarian Freedom Fighter

TRIVIA
Apr 21st - Elvis Presley's 1st hit record,
"Heartbreak Hotel," becomes #1
Jun 15th - John Lennon (15) & Paul McCartney (13)
meet for 1st time as Lennon's rock group
Quarrymen perform at a church dinner
Jun 19th - Jerry Lewis & Dean Martin
end partnership after 16 films
Jul 9th - Dick Clark's 1st appearance as
host of American Bandstand
Sep 28th - RCA Records reports Elvis Presley
sold over 10 million records
Oct 16th - "Love Me Tender" with
Elvis Presley premieres
Oct 29th - Chet Huntley & David Brinkley,
NBC News, team up
Dec 3rd - Wilt Chamberlain's 1st collegiate
basketball game (scores 52)



 Actress Marilyn Monroe married
playwright Arthur Miller.

1956 was Elvis Presley’s first big year.

He had charted 17 songs,
five of which went to number one,
spending 25 weeks there,
16 of them consecutive.
He made 11 U.S. National Television appearances
and starred in a major movie, Love Me Tender.

New Toy
At a Fourth of July family barbecue, 
Milton Levine dreamed up the idea 
for the first Ant Farm, 
complete with live ants.

QUOTES
 That'll be the day
John Wayne, in The Searchers


You’re in good hands with Allstate
Allstate 


We will bury you.
Nikita Khrushchev

 

Live fast, die young, leave a good-looking corpse
James Dean


 
 
Takes a licking and keeps on ticking
Times (watches)


Away go troubles down the drain
 Roto-Rooter


You'll wonder where the yellow went
when you brush your teeth with Pepsodent 
 Pepsodent commercial

PRICES

How Much things cost
in 1956

 
Yearly Inflation Rate USA              1.52%
Average Cost of new house           $11,700.00
Average Monthly Rent                   $88.00
Average Yearly Wages                   $4.450.00
Cost of a gallon of Gas                   22 cents Average
Cost of a new car                          $2,050.00
Ground Coffee per LB                   85 Cents
Sirloin steaks                                69 cents a pound
cantaloupes were                         19 cents each
lettuce                                         15 cents
grapefruit                                     31 cents for four
Bread                                           $0.18
Gallon of Milk                               $0.97
Stamp                                           3 cents
The price of delivered milk went up 1 cent,
from 23 to 24 cents a glass bottle quart.
 


AUTOMOBILES 


 

BOOKS


FASHION

MAGAZINES

Marilyn Monroe First Time Magazine Cover


MOVIES
Top movies of 1956:
 The Ten Commandments
Around the World in 80 Days
Giant
Bus Stop
Friendly Persuasion and 
Love Me Tender
The price of an adult movie pass was
 50 cents for a matinee performance
 and 75 cents for an evening show.
  

POP MUSIC
November 26, 1955 - January 13, 1956:
Sixteen Tons - Tennessee Ernie Ford

January 14 - February 17:
Memories Are Made Of This - Dean Martin

February 18 - March 2:
Great Pretender - The Platters

March 3 - March 23: Rock And Roll Waltz - Kay Starr
March 24 - May 2:
Poor People Of Paris - Les Baxter

May 3 - June 15: Heartbreak Hotel - Elvis Presley
June 16 - August 3:
Wayward Wind - Gogi Grant

August 4 - August 17:
I Almost Lost My Mind - Pat Boone

August 18 - September 14:
My Prayer - The Platters

September 15 - November 2:
Don't Be Cruel/Hound Dog - Elvis Presley

November 3 - November 16:
Green Door - Jim Lowe

November 17 - December 7:
Love Me Tender - Elvis Presley

December 8 - December 21: Singing The Blues - Guy Mitchell
December 22 - December 28:
Love Me Tender - Elvis Presley

December 29, 1956 - February 8, 1957:
Singing The Blues - Guy Mitchell


The Poor People of Paris

Les Baxter

A number-one hit on the Billboard Singles Charts
 in the US in 1956: 
for four weeks on the Best Sellers in Stores chart, 
for six weeks on the Most Played by Jockeys 
and Hot 100 charts, 
and for three weeks on the 
Most Played on Jukeboxes chart.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Poor_People_of_Paris
 
This song followed Nelson Riddle's  

"Lisbon Antigua"
into the number one position,
the only time in the history of the rock era
that two instrumentals have reached
number one back to back.
The Poor People of Paris - Les Baxter - 1956

 LISBON ANTIGUA
Nelson Riddle
Lisbon Antiqua topped the Billboard magazine
 chart on February 25, 1956 and 
remained there for four weeks.
LISBON ANTIGUA - Nelson Riddle - 1956
 


COUNTRY MUSIC
http://www.dullist.com/2010/11/what-are-top-country-songs-of-1956.html 
001   Crazy Arms                                          Ray Price

002   Heartbreak Hotel                                 Elvis Presley

003   I Walk The Line                                    Johnny Cash

004   Blue Suede Shoes                                 Carl Perkins

005   Searching (For Someone Like You)        Kitty Wells

006   I Want You, I Need You, I Love You       Elvis Presley

007   Don't Be Cruel                                      Elvis Presley

008   Why Baby Why                                     Red Sovine & Webb Pierce

009   I Forgot To Remember To Forget          Elvis Presley

010   Singing The Blues                                 Marty Robbins

011   Hound Dog                                           Elvis Presley

012   You And Me                                          Red Foley & Kitty Wells

013   Sweet Dreams                                      Faron Young

014   So Doggone Lonesome                          Johnny Cash

015   Sixteen Tons                                        Tennessee Ernie Ford

016   Love Love Love                                    Webb Pierce

017   I Don't Believe You've Met                     Louvin Brothers

018   I Take The Chance                                Jim Ed & Maxine Brown

019   Blackboard Of My Heart                        Hank Thompson

020   Be-Bop-A-Lula                                      Gene Vincent

021   Yes I Know Why (I Want To Cry)            Webb Pierce

022   Eat, Drink And Be Merry                        Porter Wagoner

023   Blueberry Hill                                       Fats Domino

024   You Are The One                                   Carl Smith

025   I've Got Five Dollars                              Faron Young

026   Little Rosa                                            Red Sovine & Webb Pierce

027   I Was The One                                      Elvis Presley

028   Conscience I'm Guilty                            Hank Snow

029   Why, Baby, Why                                   George Jones

030   What Would You Do                              Porter Wagoner

031   Love Me Tender                                    Elvis Presley

032   Folsom Prison Blues                              Johnny Cash

033   Mystery Train                                       Elvis Presley

034   Honky Tonk Man                                   Johnny Horton

035   My Lips Are Sealed                                Jim Reeves

036   'Cause I Love You                                  Webb Pierce

037   Just Call Me Lonesome                          Eddy Arnold

038   You're Free To Go                                 Carl Smith

039   How Far Is Heaven                                Kitty Wells

040   You Don't Know Me                               Eddy Arnold

041   Beautiful Lies                                       Jean Shepard

042   For Rent                                              Sonny James

043   Any Old Time                                       Webb Pierce

044   The Green Door                                   Jim Lowe

045   Boppin' the blues                                 Carl Perkins

046   These Hands                                        Hank Snow

047   I Feel Like Crying                                 Carl Smith

048   I've Changed                                        Carl Smith

049   My Baby Left Me                                   Elvis Presley

050   I'm A One Woman Man                         Johhny Horton
Crazy Arms
First #1 hit for Ray Price
Reached #1 on each of the Billboard magazine 
 country music charts 
 (jukebox, best sellers and radio airplay) 
in June 1956 
and has been credited with spending 
20 weeks atop the chart; 
only three other songs spent longer at #1. 
In addition, Billboard named the song its 
#1 country single of 1956 
in its year-end issue.
Crazy Arms - Ray Price - 1956
  
TELEVISION
1. I Love Lucy (CBS)
2. The Ed Sullivan Show (CBS)
3. General Electric Theatre (CBS)
4. The $64,000 Question (CBS)
5. December Bride (CBS)
6. Alfred Hitchcock Presents (CBS)
7. I've Got A Secret (CBS)
8. Gunsmoke (CBS)
9. The Perry Como Show (NBC)
10. The Jack Benny Show (CBS)
 
Gunsmoke 
 The radio version ran from 
1952 to 1961.
The television version ran for 
20 seasons from 1955 to 1975.
Season 2 Episode 01 
Cow Doctor
 
RECIPE
 Apple Dimplings (1956)
Total Time:      1 hrs 35 mins
Prep Time:       1 hrs 20 mins
Cook Time:      15 mins
(Spelling is correct)
3rd place winner in the 
Pillsbury 7th Grand National senior contest, 
created by Mary Suciu. 
Adapted from the 
Pillsbury 7th Grand National Cookbook, 
from 1956. 
Shortening may be substituted
 for half the butter. 
Prep time includes chilling time.
Ingredients
 
Filling
  8 apples, peeled, 
cored and sliced in horizontal rounds 
( similar to pineapple slices)
1/2 cup dark corn syrup, divided
4 tablespoons brown sugar, divided
 
Pastry
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 cup cold butter
2 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
 
Additional
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup red jam, any flavor ( or jelly)

 
Directions
Sift flour, salt and nutmeg together.
Cut in butter until particles are 
the size of small peas.
Combine eggs, milk, and almond extract.
Sprinkle egg mixture over flour mixture, 
a little at a time, while stirring lightly with fork.
Add just enough egg mixture 
to make a dough that will hold together.
Reserve remaining egg mixture for top.
Wrap dough and refrigerate about 1 hour.
Heat 1/4 cup corn syrup in skillet.
Place half of apple rounds in skillet.
Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons brown sugar.
Cook, uncovered, over low heat until tender, 
turning to brown both sides. 
Keep intact if possible.
Remove and cool.
Repeat with remaining corn syrup, 
apple rounds and brown sugar.
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Divide dough in half.
Form each half into a ball and 
flatten to about 1/2" thickness. 
Smooth edges.
Place one portion of dough on a 
lightly floured board and 
roll out to 1/16" thickness.
Cut out circles 1/4" larger than apple rounds.
Place on ungreased baking sheets.
Top each circle of dough with an apple round.
Combine sugar and cinnamon.
Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon on top of each apple. 
Reserve remainder.
Roll out remaining dough and 
cut in circles 3/4" larger than apple rounds.
Cut a round out of the center 
of each circle so that it resembles a doughnut.
Place "doughnuts" over apple rounds.
Crimp edges with fork to seal.
Place about 1 teaspoon of jam 
in center of each top circle.
Brush with remaining egg mixture 
and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon sugar.
Bake until golden brown, 10-15 minutes.


Remembering - Island Diary - Jay Jusuf