SNAP BACK IN TIME – 1966 – Bulldogs win Western championship

Published 4:18 pm Tuesday, March 16, 2021

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SNAP Back In Time takes a look back at newsmakers from yesteryear.

Friday, March 11, 1966

Alcoa

The Aluminum Country of America would build a second 50,000 ton potline at its Badin smelter, Works Manager W.B. Russell had announced.

The new facilities would cost more than $10 million. The new potline would create around 150 new jobs.

In 1964 the Badin smelter had been modernized and the first new potline with a rated capacity of 50,000 tons had been completed. This line had replaced a number of smaller potlines in use for many years.

Young Career Woman

Gail Earnhardt, assistant home economics extension agent in Stanly County and advisor to 4-H leaders in the county, had been selected by the Albemarle Business and Professional Women’s Club as its Young Career Woman for 1966.

Principal

Ralph C. Cole, principal of Oakboro Elementary School for the last four years, had been named principal at West Stanly High School, to succeed Robert L. Garmon, who had accepted a position in Cabarrus County.

New Project

The federally-supported project in Stanly schools under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Title I, got underway on March 9.

The County Board of Education had approved the appointment of most of the workers who would be associated with the program under Joyce L. Reid.

The purpose of the project would be reading improvement and improved physical development for students in schools with substantial numbers of numbers of economically and educationally deprived children. Louise E. Cowan and Josephine K. Avett had been appointed reading coordinators, Margaret W. Coble was appointed library coordinator, Nell Teeter would be audiovisual coordinator, Martha Rogers guidance counselor and Wanda S. Hathcock school nurse.

Air Force

Linda Diane Morgan, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David Morgan of Albemarle, had enlisted in the Women’s Air Force and would go to San Antonio, Texas for basic training.

Victory

Coach Ken Frazier’s Bulldogs had defeated Coach Ed Abee’s Valdese Tigers 60-42 to win the championship trophy in the 1966 Western North Carolina High School Athletic Association basketball finals.

This marked the first time Albemarle had placed first in associational hardwood competition.

Members of the Bulldogs were David Smith and Tommy Smith, co-captains; Tom Webb, Bobby Overcash, Ricky Russell, Bill Trivette, Johnny Little, Bob Townsend, Mark Cain, Bill Harwood, Richard Hathcock and Mark Mabry. Managers were Randy Burton and David Taylor.