The Sixties
Cost of Living
Average Income $6,450; Average Cost of New House: $13,600; Average Monthly Rent: $118; Average Cost of New Car: $2,650; Cost of a Loaf of Bread: 21 cents; Cost of a Gallon of Gas: 31 cents; Cost of a First Class Postage Stamp: 5 cents
US Statistics
US population 194,302,963, Life expectancy 70.2 years, Federal debt 322.3 billion, Unemployment 5.2%,
Dow Jones High 969 Low 867
Sports Winners
World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers; NFL: Green Bay Packers; AFL: Buffalo Bills; NBA: Boston Celtics; U.S. Open Golf: Gary Player; U.S. Tennis (Men/Women): Manuel Santana/Margaret Smith; Wimbledon (Men/Women): Roy Emerson/Margaret Smith; NCAA Football: Alabama and Michigan; NCAA Basketball: UCLA; Kentucky Derby: Lucky Debonair; Ladies Senior Figure Skating: Peggy Fleming (age 16)
Other Winners
Time Magazine man of the year: William Westmoreland; Miss America: Vonda Van Dyke (AZ); Miss USA: Sue Ann Downey (OH); Best Film Oscar Award: The Sound of Music
Popular Movies
The Sound of Music, Mary Poppins, Dr. Zhivago, Thunderball, That Darn Cat, Finger, My Fair Lady, What’s New Pussycat, Cat Ballou, The Sons of Katie Elder
Popular Toys
Super Ball, Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots, GI Joe, Barbie, Fisher-Price Chatter Phone, Operation (game), Mystery Date (game)
Popular TV Shows
Bonanza, Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C, The Lucy Show, The Red Skelton Show, Batman, The Andy Griffith Show, Bewitched, The Beverly Hillbillies, Hogan’s Heroes, Green Acres, Get Smart
Billboard Number One Songs
1965 Billboard Number One Songs: December 26, 1964 - January 15, 1965: I Feel Fine - The Beatles; January 16 - January 22: Come See About Me - The Supremes; January 23 - February 5: Downtown Petula Clark; February 6 - February 19: You've Lost that Lovin' Feelin' - The Righteous Brothers; February 20 - March 5: This Diamond Ring - Gary Lewis & The Playboys; March 6 - March 12: My Girl - The Temptations; March 13 March 26: Eight Days A Week - The Beatles; March 27 - April 9: Stop! In The Name of Love - The Supremes; April 10 - April 23: I'm Telling You Now - Freddie & The Dreamers; April 24 - April 30: Game of Love - Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders; May 1 - May 21: Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter Herman's Hermits; May 22 - May 28: Ticket to Ride - The Beatles; May 29 - June 11: Help Me Rhonda - Beach Boys; June 12 - June 18: Back In My Arms Again - The Supremes; June 19 - June 25: I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) - Four Tops; June 26 - July 2: Mr. Tambourine Man - The Byrds; July 3 - July 9: I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) - Four Tops; July 10 - August 6: (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction - Rolling Stones; August 7 - August 13: I'm Henry VIII, I Am - Herman's Hermits; August 14 - September 3: I Got You Babe - Sonny & Cher; September 4 - September 24: Help! - The Beatles; September 25 - October 1: Eve of Destruction - Barry McGuire; October 2 - October 8: Hang on Sloopy - The McCoys; October 9 - November 5: Yesterday - The Beatles; November 6 - November 19: Get Off My Cloud - Rolling Stones; November 20 - December 3: I Hear A Symphony - The Supremes; December 4 - December 24: Turn! Turn! Turn! - The Byrds; December 25 - December 31: Over and Over - The Dave Clark 5
1966 Grammy Winners (based on 1965 music)
Record of the Year - "A Taste of Honey" Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, Album of the Year - Frank Sinatra for September of My Years, Song of the Year - "The Shadow of Your Smile" Tony Bennett,
Best New Artist - Tom Jones, Best Country/Western Female Vocal - Jody Miller for "Queen of the House", Best Male Country Vocal - Roger Miller for "King of the Road", Best Country Single - Roger Miller for "King of the Road", Best Country Album - Roger Miller for The Return of Roger Miller, Best New Country Artist - The Statler Brothers, Best Female Vocal - Barbra Streisand for My Name is Barbra, Best Male Vocal - Frank Sinatra for "It Was a Very Good Year", Best Performance by a Vocal Group - The Anita Kerr Singers for "We Dig Mancini", Best Instrumental - Herb Alpert for "A Taste of Honey" performed by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, Best Female Contemporary Vocal - Female Petula Clark for "I Know a Place", Best Male Contemporary Vocal, Male Roger Miller for "King of the Road", Best Contemporary Group (Vocal or Instrumental) - The Anita Kerr Quartette for "I Really Want to Know You", Best Contemporary Single - Roger Miller for "King of the Road"
Miscellaneous
James Russell invented the compact disc and Joseph Licklider set up the first internet – but the public didn’t see the benefits of either until years later.
This was the first year the following warning was put on cigarette packages: "Caution: Cigarette Smoking May Be Hazardous To Your Health" – US Surgeon General
Pope Paul VI was the first pope to visit the U.S.
The war in Vietnam continued to expand - as did the protests against it.
Garnett was incorporated in 1861. It is the county seat of Anderson County. The population has not changed much in my lifetime. In 1950 the population was 2,693 and in 2010 it was 3,415. Some of the photos below were taken before or after the sixties but the locations look very much the same as when I was in high school.
Hotel Richart, image from an old postcard
Franklin's Drugstore - interior
Gene's Photos (formerly Strain's Studio) where we had our senior pictures taken.
The People's Theater in 1938. I saw many movies there in the fifties and sixties.
The People's Theater - interior.
The People's Theater coming attractions for July, 1965.
Photo of the courthouse that I took during a class reunion in 2000.
Photo of the bandstand the town square that I took during a class reunion in 2005.
There are photos from the races in the 60s here.
