Stories in The Lincoln News Messenger from 1950

Do you know how the three items pictured above are connected? If you know the answer, please email carolf@goldcountrymedia.com by Tuesday. Last week's Out of the Museum question asked what the paper's front page probably looked like in 1950. Although it's 71 years later, some topics of The News Messenger today look familiar to those in the 1950 Lincoln News Messenger issues. News in 1950 included the Rotary's weekly programs and VFW and American Legion activities; newly-installed officers of clubs such as the Native Sons of the Golden West and the Native Daughters of the Golden West. Sports news sometimes had an article on the front page. The new high school on 6th Street between J and L was completed in 1950 with Richard E. Lee, "Mr. Education," as the principal. Editor Trott started the year off with an editorial telling the public that they needed to do something if they wanted a gym in the new school. Petitions were drawn up and circulated by students. The petitions demonstrated to the school board that there was enough backing to call for a bond to build a gymnasium. Lincolnites took on the task of paving the way for a gym at the high school. In March 1950, the remodeling and enlarging of the Lincoln Veterans Memorial Hall was completed and an open house was held to show off the updated hall. A new school on L Street was built for kindergarten through fifth-grades. The two kindergarten rooms were spacious with lavatories. Glen Edward, the school's namesake, had been killed when a plane he was evaluating went down. Mary Beermann's name was also popular so the school board decided to rename Lincoln Elementary to Mary Beermann School to acknowledge her years on the school board and her activism for children. Mary Beermann School became the primary school. Glenn Edwards School became the middle school. Later, the schools switched grades. A Farmers Page in the 1950s papers carried pictures and news of what was happening with various ranches and farms, new machinery and methods, animals and raising of crops. The paper also carried short articles mostly about who visited whom and who traveled elsewhere. Sometimes it was who had a birthday party and gave the guest list. In 1950, Gib Webber was the volunteer fire chief and he and other volunteer firefighters were instrumental in having a new fire house built to house a new fire truck. That same year saw the closure of the Moore Theater, which John Moore ran for 25 years and after his death, Mrs. Moore and their son. It was at the north side of the Carnegie Library where the Bank of old America building now houses offices. Prior to the theater it was an aerodrome built after the blacksmith shop was torn down. The theater was sold to Placer Theater Company, the same owners of the New Lincoln Theater that was mid-block on G Street (now Lincoln Boulevard) between 5th and 6th streets. This theater gave way to a bowling alley and is today the site of the Emmaus Church. Many stories tucked inside the paper were very interesting, one of which was the roller hockey teams of Lincoln and Mt. Pleasant. James and Odell Kimbrough had recently moved from Richmond to Lincoln. Playing roller hockey in their former town, they soon joined the Lincoln Roller Hockey Team and played at the Mt. Pleasant Hall, which had become a roller-skating rink. When the Mt. Pleasant Team was short a member for a game with Rocklin or San Francisco, Odell Kimbrough filled in. The rink did not last long and, without a rink, the hockey teams became nonexistent. Articles covered live music, which was played at McBean Park and the Civic Auditorium by Pappy and the Playboys. Lincoln Rotary had a bowling team that used the bowling alley in Roseville. Cy Sergis was the captain with the other members being Carlin Coppin, Jerry Jansen and Jim Mason. According to other articles, there were a men's golf team and a women's golf team. The golf range was in what is now the Foskett Ranch area off the present O Street and Nicolaus Road. If someone wanted a ride, a cab was available by calling 264. The cab was based at the Sportsman's Club. Weekly articles by Mabel Adams Ahart were called "Past, Present and Future." Toward the end of 1950, the paper ran large ads explaining that the cost of the paper would be increased from $2 to $3 a year. Just as the news repeats itself, as demonstrated by newspapers from 71 years ago, so does history repeat itself from 71 years ago. To see the similarities of Lincoln's previous residents and businesses and today's residents and businesses, visit the Lincoln Area Archives Museum at 640 5th St.