Flashback to Our Senior Year
There were so many things happening in 1960 and 1961 that it’s very difficult to remember it all. So your Reunion Committee has compiled some of the highlights. If you have any event or photo you would like to contribute to this page, please send it to contact@mchs61reunion.com.
Click on the Jukebox to hear songs from 1961 while you’re flashing back to events from the year.
JUNIOR YEAR
Class Officers: George McAtee – President; Phil Vayhinger–V.P.; Phyllis DeVeary–Secretary; Marvin Reul-Treasurer
– Juniors capture Presbyterian Church steps from seniors – for one day
– Bud Ritter comes up with large canvas ball to take place of church steps; Juniors win first round by throwing Joe Robbins over the top of the ball, knocking down the “opponents” front line
– Charlene Johann has a big blast at her house; Russ has police looking for certain students; interfering with the U.S. Mail is a federal crime
– Carolyn Heiderman named Miss Cub
Cubs basketball eliminated in Semi-state by Muncie Central 72 – 64
SENIOR YEAR
Average Annual Income – $5,113
Average Price of Homes – $12,500
Average Automobile Price – $2,850
Gallon of Gasoline – 27 cents
* 20 different songs made number 1 during 1960 with the top five being:
1. A Summer Place – Percy Faith Orchestra
2. He’ll Have To Go – Jim Reeves
3. Cathy’s Clown – Everly Brothers
4. Running Bear – Johnny Preston
5. Teen Angel – Mark Dinning
SEPTEMBER – 1960
– The Twist by Chubby Checker is the number 1 song
– First day at the new school, construction still going on
– A Tuesday, first MCHS football game in modern history was played at Hanover College because the Madison field was not ready; Salem 37 – Madison 0
– Just 3 days later, Batesville 32 – Madison 14; Jack Taylor scores the first Madison touchdown in the modern era
– Robert Kennedy appears in Madison on behalf of his brother, John, who is running for President of The United States; he spoke from the courthouse steps
– North Vernon 12 – Madison 6; Dwight Shelton scores Madison’s only touchdown
– Edinburgh 32 – Madison 0
– Student officers elected: President, Marvin Reul; Vice-President, Dick Stringfellow; Secretary, June Disch; Treasurer, Dwight Shelton
– Seniors elected to the Student Council were: Sharon Everitt, Bill Henderson, Carolyn Cooke, John Burch, Lavita McQueen, Don McKay, Frank Taff and John Wurtz
– Russian Premier Nikta Krsuhchev pounds his shoe on the table at the U.N.
– Jeffersonville 46 – Madison 6
OCTOBER
*My Heart Has A Mind Of Its Own by Connie Francis is number 1 song
– Bill Muncey, driving Miss Thriftway, wins the Indiana Governor’s Cup
– Franklin 55 – Madison 12; Jack Taylor and John Wurtz score touchdowns
– Mobutu defeats Lamumba in the Congo; George Reul can’t pronounce either name and calls them “Mo” and “Bimbo”
– Madison Courier reports student complaints about the food at the MCHS cafeteria
– Bill Mazeroski of the Pirates hits a walk-off home run in the 9th inning of game seven to defeat the Yankees in the World Series
– Band officers elected: Carolyn Cooke, Mike McCoy, Barbara Lane, Calvin Deveary and Judy Phillips
– Mahisco officers selected: Pat Young, Editor Lavita McQueen, Asst. Editor; George McAtee, Business Mgr.; Carolyn Cook,Circulation Manager; Margie Sachleben,Subscriptions Mgr.; Jeff Hanson, Art Editor; Linda Wilson, copy writer; Sharon Hensler, copywriter; Sharon Stiver, Album Editor; Frank Taff & John Burch, sports; Manfred Braun, Photographer; Phil Vayhinger, sales; Marilyn Cosby, sales; Patti Burke, sales; Bill Henderson, sales
– Stringfellow, Bentz, McKay, Taff, Sherwood and Vayhinger scale the exterior of the school to soap George Reul’s windows; get wrong room
– Sunshine Society officers elected: Marjorie Sachleben, President; Marilyn Cosby,Vice President; Elaine Willis, Recording Secretary; Janet Sachleben, Corresponding Secretary; Treasurer, Betsy Meese; there are 241 members
NOVEMBER
*Georgia On My Mind by Ray Charles is number 1 song
– Nixon wins mock presidential election at MCHS; Kennedy wins at Shawe
– Madisonian reports that new student teacher, Rosalind Bristow, will be teaching under Mr. Manaugh
– School play, Our Town by Thornton Wilder, presented
– John F. Kennedy elected 35th President of The United States
– Madison plays first game ever in Salm Gym, defeating Vevay 68 – 31
– Official dedication of the new school attended by State Superintendent of Public Instruction, William E. Wilson (cousin of Madison teacher Nathan Wilson who referred to him as “Wee Willie”)
– Madison defeats Greensburg 67 – 44
– Madison defeats Batesville 74 – 35
– Madison defeats Connsersville 69 – 62
DECEMBER
*Are You Lonesome Tonight by Elvis Presley was number 1 song
– Samuel F. DuPont donates his unlimited hydroplane, Nitrogen I, to the city and it becomes the first Miss Madison
– Madison defeats North Vernon 84 – 57
– Madison defeats Vincennes 76 – 43
– Madison ranked 7th in Associated Press basketball poll
– Madison defeats Columbus 69-59
– Dog ‘N’ Suds opens on Clifty Drive
– Madison defeats Aurora 90–73; the 31st consecutive regular season win going back to the previous season
– Madison defeats Salem 73–62; temperature – 5 degrees
– 1957 Madison graduate and Purdue junior, Bob Orrill, named Rhodes Scholar
– Madison ranked 4th in Associated Press basketball poll
– IHSAA moves sectional back to Madison to new 5,100-seat Salm gym from Scottsburg gym seating 3,500 where it had been held since 1957
1961
*22 songs made number 1 during 1961 with the top 5 being :
1. Tossin’ and Turnin’ by Bobby Lewis
2. I Fall To Pieces by Patsy Cline
3. Michael by The Highwaymen
4. Cryin’ by Roy Orbison
5. Runaway by Del Shannon
JANUARY
*Wonderland By Night by Bert Kampfert was the number 1 song
– Madison drops to 7th in AP poll due to holiday lay-off; Kokomo was 1st, Attucks 2nd, Muncie Central 3rd, Indianapolis Manual 4th, Michigan City 5th and Indianapolis Cathedral 6th
– Conn Organ Co. announces that it is moving all organ operations from Elkhart to the Madison plant
– Madison 91 – Scottsburg 51, Humes scores 46; Jack Taylor intercepts Scottsburg in bounds pass in mid-air and scores; officials refuse to count it because they didn’t see it happen
– Larry Humes leads all Jefferson County players at 26 points per game; Phil Sherwood is 6th at 13 ppg
– Mickey Mantle will make $75,000 in 1961
– New sign put up in front of the school
– Madison beats Jeffersonville 82–63 for 11th win of the season; rises to 6th in AP poll
– Outgoing President Eisenhower gives his “military-industrial complex” speech
– Popular Madison barber Clifford “Bud” Smith dies suddenly at age 51
– Madison 75, Franklin 64
– Latest census lists population of Madison at 10,488; 2010 census is 11,875
– Five Main St. businesses burglarized in past four days
– Southwestern beats Vevay 62–51 to win Jefferson County Invitational Tourney
– President Eisenhower allegedly orders assassination of Lamumba of the Congo; George Reul can pronounce Eisenhower, but still not Lamumba
– Cubs rise to 4th in AP poll behind Kokomo, Attucks and Muncie Central
– John F. Kennedy inaugurated as 35th President
– Madison defeats Shelbyville 82–59
– Muncie Central loses to Indianapolis Tech
– Police arrest 3 (including one MCHS student) for Main St. break-ins; a safe is recovered from the Ohio River
– Lamumba arrested in Congo; you know the rest
– Madison defeats New Albany 80–73; Humes, Sherwood and Cheatham foul out
– Madison DeMolay team loses to Columbus in state tournament; Gary Wells scores 29 points for Madison
– U.S. Air Force plane with nuclear weapons aboard crashes in North Carolina, killing all 3 crewmen; weapons recovered without incident
– JFK holds first ever live presidential news conference
– Madison firefighters fight 4 overnight fires in 5 degree temperatures
– Madison School Board accepts final construction of new high school and is searching for a new superintendent
– Semi loaded with cigarettes brings down bridge on Ind. 256 in Kent
– Ice in Ohio River threatens Markland Dam project; temperature is -2
– Madison 86, Brownstown 48; 15 straight wins this season
– 40-year old truck driver who killed wife with hammer executed at Michigan City prison
FEBRUARY
*Will You Love Me Tomorrow? by The Shirelles was the number 1 song
– C.O. “Poodle” Manaugh named MCHS Athletic Director
– NASA launches chimp named Ham into orbit, returns safely next day
– Madison 82, Seymour 57; 39th straight win over 2 seasons
– Madisonian staff appears on the High Teen program on WHAS radio in Louisville, but does it from Madison due to bad weather
– Madison teens commit suicide, one by self-inflicted gunshot, the second by jumping from the Madison – Milton Bridge; both were former MHS students
– MCHS students Robert Stanton and Elaine Willis win first place medals at music contest at Franklin College
– School evacuated due to fire in lobby at 11 a.m.; some students forgot to come back in; fire caused by workers applying lacquer to paneling that got into a light switch
– Madison 70, Evansville Bosse 69; remember the adventures at the hotel, Frank Taff ?
– Dick The Bruiser heads the wrestling card at the Brown Gym
– U.S Olympic figure skating team killed in Belgian plane crash
– Jaycees sponsor debate over proposal to consolidate all county school systems
– Lamumba escapes prison, etc.
– Thursday; fans lined up outside Salm Gym for tickets to Madison v. Lawrenceburg next day; both teams undefeated; former Madison athlete Ron Kinnett plays for Lawrenceburg; later played at University of Kentucky
– Madison 76, Lawrenceburg 68; 1,500 fans turned away at door
– Lamumba murdered, George Reul not a suspect, but somewhat relieved
– Construction to begin on new hill road
– Cincinnati may get pro football franchise; instead, they got the Bengals
– David Meese is playing in the band at Mercersburg Academy, PA
– Dr. Harold Rothert, music director of the Madison school system, received a distinguished teacher award from the Indiana State Teachers’ Association
– Two Madison men arrested in North Vernon Kroger store at 2 a.m. (one was a former cheerleader)
– Sectional scores – Madison 96, Lexington 36; Scottsburg 59, Southwestern 58; Madison fans criticized in Madison Courier for booing Lexington players during warm-ups and throwing paper wads onto the floor
– Madison struggles to beat Shawe 73 – 67; Paris Crossing over Dupont 57 – 51
– Heavy snow and high winds develop during Saturday afternoon sectional semi-finals; Madison defeats Paris Crossing 85-44 and Austin upsets Scottsburg 61-46; cars stuck leaving games and the final game postponed until Monday
– Madison 89, Austin 61 for sectional championship
– 7 tons of onions spilled on Michigan Hill road when semi overturns
– TWA, Eastern and American airlines grounded by pilots’ strike
MARCH
– *Pony Time by Chubby Checker was the number one song
– 22 miners die in coal mine explosion near Terre Haute
– Columbus Regional – Madison 72 North Vernon 58; Columbus 76 Greenwood 41; Columbus 63 Madison 59
– Ohio River over Vaughn drive; body spotted in river could not be recovered
– Reliance Electric buys property to build a factory expected to employ 300
– Madison State Hospital to hire 56
– Former Cub Kenny Harrell scores 32 for Gautier Insurance in industrial league game
– Purdue’s Golden Girl majorette dies from stroke
– Columbus loses to Muncie Central 77 – 66 in Semi-state
– Nitrogen hydroplane arrives in Madison to become first Miss Madison
– Former Cub Bob Orrill closes out career at Purdue with 26 points against Iowa
– Madison Bank & Trust to build drive-through bank at Third and Jefferson Sts.
– University of Cincinnati basketball team stops at MCHS enroute to the mid-east regionals at Louisville; MCHS graduate Larry Shingleton was a member of the team that went on to defeat Ohio State 70 – 65 for the NCAA championship
– Kiwanis banquet at Claypool Hotel in Indianapolis for senior players of “Sweet 16” teams from state tournament; Madison players attending were Marvin Ruel, Hank Bentz, Jack Taylor, Kenny Harrell and Don McKay
– Kokomo wins state over Indianapolis Manual 68 – 66 in overtime
– Beatles first appearance at the Cavern Club in Liverpool where they began
– Carroll “Tuffy” Hamilton to coach track at MCHS; Hamilton later joined the Secret Service and was assigned to protect President Lyndon Johnson
– MCHS chemistry teacher Paul Denson named to head IU summer chemistry program for incoming freshmen
– Bula’s women’s store opens at Main and Mulberry streets
– Historic Madison is founded
– MCHS basketball coach Julius “Bud” Ritter given 3-year contract extension and annual salary raise from $7,500 to $8,200
– MCHS basketball coach Julius “Bud” Ritter announces plans to build bowling alley on Madison hilltop
– 4 MCHS students earn firsts in regional academic contest: Sharon Wilson – algebra; Court Davis – comprehensive math; Pat Young – Spanish; Joe Cline – Spanish
APRIL
*Blue Moon by The Marcels was the number 1 song
– Van Arsdale twins from state champion Indianapolis Manual will share number 1 on Indiana All Star team
– First track meet of season canceled because track has not been “rolled” and the runways for broad jump and pole vault have not been constructed
– First baseball game of season against Silver Creek cancelled due to weather
– Russian Yuri Gagarin becomes first human to orbit Earth in space
– 39-year old George Cook named Superintendent of Schools
– Nathan Wilson asks Vincent Harrell “what’s the deal here, Vincent ?” for what was believed to be the 50th time that semester
– Tennis and boys’ wrestling to be added as sports at MCHS in the fall of ‘61
– CIA trained and financed Cuban refugees land at Bay of Pigs and are captured
– Madison to get cable TV beginning in June
– North Vernon defeats Madison in golf; Marvin Ruel leads Madison with an 80
– Scottsburg and Austin beat Madison in track; Don McKay had the Cubs only individual first place, winning the pole vault
– Kentucky Department of Education orders integration of Carrollton schools
– Phil Sherwood accepted to pre-med program by David Lipscomb College at Nashville, TN
– Bud Ritter name “Coach of the Year” by the Southeast Indiana Coaches Assn.
– Madison baseball opener postponed 3rd straight week due to wet weather
– High winds tear off the roof and knock down the awning at Dog N Suds; damage to other nearby buildings
– Marvin Reul awarded scholarship to pre-med program at DePauw
– Senior play, Flight Into Danger: George Spencer, a man with minimal experience flying small planes, takes control of a commercial airliner when the crew becomes disabled by food poisoning:
Vernon Cook – George Spencer
Frank Taff – Captain
Dick Stringfellow – First Officer
Vicki Shepherd – flight attendant
Dwight Shelton – controller
Sandy Kendall – switchboard operator
Sharon Stiver – ticket agent
George McAtee – Dr. Baird
Bill Herring – Mr. Foster
Cynthia Bohn – Mrs. Foster
Boone Lodge – Mr. Maine
Sharon Hensler – Ms. Williams
Nancy Wilson – Margo
Phyllis Wilson – Cathy
Pat Young – Jane
Marjorie Sachleben – Helen
Ann Beetem – May Spencer
Bill Henderson – Harry Burdick
John Wurtz – radio voices
Charles Judkins – Captain Treleaven
– Madison wins baseball opener over Greensburg 1 – 0. Gary Wells pitches a 5 hitter and Larry Ellis goes 2 – 3 at the plate
– Ritters have twins, a boy and a girl
– Senior prom; theme is Isle of Golden Dreams; Prom King – Dick Stringfellow, Prom Queen – Janet Sachleben; Sticks Hildreth Band from Louisville keeps playing “Mashed Potatoes” because Tony Steinhardt keeps asking them to; Connor K. Salm is quoted in the Madison Courier as saying “ there will be no parties or entertainment of any kind after the prom.” He didn’t go to any.
– Electric toothbrush patented
MAY
*Runaway by Del Shannon was the number 1 song
– Jeffersonville beats Madison in track; individual winners for the Cubs were :
Dave Peddie – low hurdles
Don McKay – pole vault
Chuck McCoskey – 100 and 220
John Perry – long jump
Jim Stahl – shot put
– Cubs defeat New Albany in baseball 6 – 1; Gary Wells pitches a 2 hitter
– E.O. Muncie retires as Superintendent of Schools after 41 years
– Madison, 9 – Vevay, 1; Larry Ellis goes 3-4 at the plate
– 50th annual Custer Oratorical Contest won by Marjorie Sachleben; other contestants were Marvin Reul, Darrell Rose, Phil Sherwood and William Herring
– Truck overturns in front of JPG entrance, spilling 75 new clothes washers and new refrigerators
– MCHS teacher David Remley writes book about riverboat captains
– Stroh’s Beer now available in Jefferson County
– Marion Cooper named to drive Miss Madison hydroplane
– Bobo Brazile heads wrestling card at Brown Gym
– Rotary Club hosts awards banquet for Madison and Shawe basketball players; Marvin Reul wins free throw award for Madison, Bill Jones for Shawe
– Carry Back wins Kentucky Derby
– Nine seniors (following Jeff Hanson’s lead) ask air force recruiter at career day program why a Sidewinder missile was accidentally launched over California; Al Thom calls a halt to it.
– MCHS teacher Brooklyn Cull wins fellowship for 3 years of summer graduate work in history at IU
– SENIOR DAY – morning was a skit titled “TV Spectacular” starring : George McAtee, Phil Sherwood, Frank Taff, Jeff Hanson, Vernon Cook, Vicki Shepherd, Charles Judkins and Edgar Hearne
– SENIOR DAY – afternoon awards were given: Highest GPA – boys, Darrell Rose; Highest GPA – girls, Mary Lynn Young; Other winners:
Marvin Reul – Rotary Scholar
Phil Sherwood – Elks Scholar
Margie Sachleben – Elks Scholar
Phil Sherwood – activities
Marvin Reul – athletics
Darrell Rose – English
Calvin DeVeary – music
June Disch – top commercial student
Frank Taff – Hi Y
Shirley Barnes – citizenship
Sharon Hensler – drama
Sue Bohn – home economics
Pat Young – language
Pat Young – journalism
Tunisia Jordan – art
Mary Lynn Young – science and math
Nancy Wilson – social studies
Pam Eckerty – choir
Carolyn Cooke – band
Diane Clapham – typing
Sharon Stiver – typing
Shirley Barnes – typing
Sue Bohn – typing
Margie Sachleben – bookkeeping
June Disch – shorthand
Pat Disch – shorthand
Perfect Attendance: Diane Clapham, Sharon Stiver, Shirley Barnes
– Rotary banquet for 44 Madison and 14 Shawe honor graduates
– Baccalaureate Services; sermon by Rev. Don Weston titled “Wanted – A Man;” The Choral Club performed several songs
– Commencement for 128 seniors in first graduating class from new school; largest class in history; guest speaker was Dr. John Horner, President of Hanover College: Valedictorian – Darrell Rose; Salutatorian – Marvin Ruel
– A.J. Foyt wins the first of his 4 victories at the Indianapolis 500
JUNE
*Travelin’ Man by Ricky Nelson is number 1 song