On February 3, 1959, a plane crashed outside Clear Lake, Iowa, after a Winter Dance Party featuring four of the top recording artists of the time. The crash claimed the lives of three of recording artists- Jiles Perry Richardson, Jr. (better known as The Big Bopper), Buddy Holly, and Ritchie Valens. The day then became known as “The Day the Music Died.”
The following is a look at the top stories which appeared in the first edition of the Ville Platte Gazette following the Iowa plane crash:
Evangeline votes Health
Unit tax by close margin
Take away the voting at the Courthouse Poll in Ville Platte, and the one mill Health Center property tax election Tuesday would have failed to carry. As things turn out, however, final unofficial figures compiled by Police Jury Secretary Tanzay Veillon indicate a popular vote of 4-to-1 for the tax and an assessed property valuation majority of $285,027 in favor of additional Health Center support. It was a tight squeeze.
Blacktopping of more
streets is council proposal
Ville Platte’s Mayor and Board of Aldermen will meet Tuesday night, February 24, to hear such objections as may be made to the latest street improvement proposals calling for the hard surfacing of 4 1/2 miles within the corporate limits.
These are the streets on which blacktopping is proposed:
1. East Jackson Street, from west side of Tate Cove Road, to east side of N. E. R. R. Avenue.
2. East Beauregard Street from west side of Tate Cove Road to east side of Latour Street.
3. East Wilson Street, from west side of Tate Cove Road, to east side of N. E. R. R. Avenue.
4. North East Railroad Avenue, from north side of East Jefferson Street to north side of East Beauregard Street.
5. East Beauregard Street, from west side of North Chataignier Street to east side of N. E. R. R. Avenue.
6. Latour Street, from north side of East Jefferson Street, to north side of East Beauregard Street.
7. West Long Street, from east side of Laran Street to east side of North Coreil Street.
8. DeRouen Street, from north side of West Beauregard Street to north side of West Long Street.
9. West Long Street, from west side of DeRouen Street to east side of North Soileau Street.
10. Reed Street, from south side of West Wilson Street to south side of Lincoln Street.
11. West Wilson Street, from west side of Reed Street to west side of DeRouen Street.
12. West Jackson Street, from west side of Reed Street to east side of Fontenot Street.
13. Fontenot Street, from north side of LaSalle Street to Dead End.
14. Ortego Street, from north side of West Jefferson Street to Canal on Dead End.
15. West Beauregard Street, from west side of Reed Street, to east side of North Soileau Street.
16. South Soileau Street, from south side of Cotton Street, to north side of Hickory Street.
17. West Cypress Street, from west side of Court Street, to east side of South Soileau Street.
18. West Pine Street, from west side of Court Street to east side of South Soileau Street.
19. West Beech Street, from west side of Court Street to east side of South Soileau Street.
20. West Oak Street, from west side of Court Street to east side of South Soileau Street.
21. Calcasieu Street, from south side of West Oak Street to north side of West Cypress Street.
22. Young Street, from south side of West Oak Street to north side of West Cypress Street.
23. East Beech Street, from north side of East Pine Street, to east side of Evangeline Street.
24. Morgan Street, from east side of Evangeline Street to east side of Canal Bridge.
Parking meters will be
installed by Mamou Council
The Mamou Town Council unanimously approved a resolution proposing the installation of parking meters on 6th Street (Highway 13) at its regular meeting Tuesday night.
The meters will be installed on both sides of 6th Street from LaFleur’s Service Station, to the Post Office and one block east and west of 6th Street on Main Street.
Town seeks bids on sewage
plant, swim pool pumps
The Town of Ville Platte will receive bids on February 24th for improvements on the sewage disposal plant pump station and also for improvements of the swimming pool pump, according to advertisement for bids elsewhere in this newspaper.
Trojanettes and
Demonettes face
showdown Friday
Basketball lovers will see the beginning of a veritable basketball Armageddon tomorrow (Friday) night when the Trojanettes of Sacred Heart clash once more with their arch rivals the Demonettes of Bayou Chicot for the District championship.
Cotton Queen
Attending the Louisiana Mardi Gras Ball and other festivities at the National capital is Miss Sandra Lynn Lemoine, reigning Louisiana Cotton Queen, who hails from the appropriately named town of Cottonport.
VPHS Bulldogs nip OHS
Tigers
The Ville Platte Bulldogs won their first district ball game in the 4-AA race Tuesday, as they defeated the Opelousas Tigers in a loosely played contest that lacked fire until the final three minutes of play when the Tigers overcame a 14 point deficit to tie the game with 20 seconds to go only to have J. W. Smith take a handoff from Joe Lasseigne with 7 seconds remaining and calmly toss the ball through the net for the victory.
Stephens shocks Dunbar
Eagles, hand Washington
first loss, 54-51
The James Stephens Tigers of Ville Platte avenged last year’s one-point defeat at the hands of the Dunbar Eagles Saturday when their riflemen handed the Washington crew its first defeat in 22 games, 54-51.
Beta Club Group attends
State Meet at Capital
The Mamou High School Beta Club attended the State Beta Convention held in Baton Rouge over the weekend as a group.
The group left Mamou by private automobiles Friday morning, were lodged in the Capital House headquarters for the State Beta convention and returned to Mamou Sunday. The trip to Baton Rouge included a sight-seeing tour of the city in addition to the business and social session of the conventions.
Ville Platte High Beta
Clubbers attend state meet, win citations
Some 42 members of the Ville Platte High School, representing the largest Beta Club in the state, attended a two-day convention in Baton Rouge this week.
Ville Platte High School has 75 members in the club and its representation was the largest at the convention held at the Capitol House.
Officers attending were Joe Lasseigne, president; Judy Fusilier, vice president; and Claire Fusilier, secretary.
The club received a special citation for installing the Beta Club at Academy of the Immaculate Conception in Opelousas and for having the greatest number of members.
Ina Claire Rougeau weds
Bobby Soileau at Sacred
Heart Church Sat.
Sacred Heart Catholic Church was the scene on Saturday, January 31st, for the marriage of Ina Claire Rougeau, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dudley Rougeau, to George Williard (Bobby) Soileau, son of Mr. and Mrs. Emery Soileau. Rt. Rev. Msgr. J. M. Bourgeois officiated at the double ring ceremony.
Nuptial music was furnished by the Sacred Heart Choir. Arrangements of white carnations and ferns were used on the altar.
The bride, given in marriage by her father, wore a ciel blue dress maker suit of light blue wool with a straw hat in matching blue, her other accessories were black. She carried an orchid on a white missal.
As maid of honor was Jane Roberie who wore a navy suit with black accessories, and bridesmaids were Annette Soileau, wearing a beige suit with tangerine accessories and Barbara Jean Morein in a turquoise blue suit with matching accessories. As best man was the groom’s brother, James Verdun Soileau of Jackson, and grooms men were Jimmy Reed and Jacques Coreil.
A reception was held at the Veterans Home where a profusion of Pink Perfection and Purple Dawn camellias were used in attractive arrangements.
The bride’s table was laid with a white lace cloth and a pink and white theme was carried out with the pink camellias and fern garnered around the three tiered bride’s cake. Pink candles in crystal holders completed the setting with the crystal punch bowl. Mrs. Tillman Buller served the punch while Mrs. Walter Buller served the bride’s cake.
Serving home made cakes and punch at other tables were Mrs. Mayner Fontenot and Mrs. Elson Fontenot at the punch bowls and Mrs. Louis Brignac and Mrs. Dewey Thibodeaux, cousins of the groom, were at the cake service.
After a short trip, Mr. and Mrs. Soileau will be at home in Ville Platte where Mr. Soileau is assistant coach at Sacred Heart.
Mrs. Soileau is a graduate of Ville Platte High School. Mr. Soileau finished at Sacred Heart High.