HERITAGE: Flu forces county schools to close in 1966

Journey back through the archives of The Erwin Record and see what made the pages of Unicoi County's own weekly newspaper in past decades. Seventy Years Ago1956East Tennessee State College advertised tickets for an ice-skating show titled "Ice Vogues" featuring 24 acts and an international all-star cast.•••The Capitol Theater advertised a Saturday double feature of "It Came From Beneath the Sea" and "Jessie James Vs. The Daltons." They also reported in "coming soon" would be a run of "All That Heaven Allows" starring Jane Wyman, Rock Hudson and Agnes Morehead. Sixty Years Ago1966Unicoi County Superintendent of Schools Hassel Evans made a decision to temporarily close county schools after consulting with local physicians during a severe flu outbreak. The decision, he explained, was made to prevent the spread of the flu. •••The Love Chapel Elementary School Lions finished the basketball season with a perfect 9-0 record, winning the Unicoi County Elementary Basketball League. Tied for second were Love Street Elementary and Rock Creek Elementary. Fifty Years Ago1976County teachers requested a 16% salary increase during a called meeting of the Unicoi County Board of Education. Superintendent of Schools Henry Clouse noted that the request would require $148,000 in local funding should it be approved.•••The Capitol Theater advertised "The Legend of Bigfoot" and "Sundance Cassidy and Butch the Kid" starring John Wade and Karen Blake. The Holiday Drive-in promoted "Pick-up." Attendees could also get a hotdog and a drink for 40 cents at the drive-in. •••The Blue Devil boys basketball team lost 58-56 in the first round of the District 1AAA tournament to Tennessee High. Forty Years Ago1986Maj. Gen. Carl D. Wallace announced that a new National Guard Armoury would be established in Erwin. The new company will be designated Company "H" of the 2nd Squadron, 278th Armoured Calvary Regiment with headquarters in Kingsport.•••Sherry Bailey and Steve Wilson were named the Dari-Ace Drive-in and Jim Rule Chevrolet Blue Devil Players of the Week. Thirty Years Ago1996The Town of Erwin's Board of Mayor and Aldermen unanimously agreed to provide financial assistance for the cost of building a new county high school.•••A powerful top-ranked Knox Fulton survived a comeback attempt. The Blue Devils, hosting the game, forced an overtime before losing 72-70. Twenty Years Ago2006Walmart was scheduled to open in June in Unicoi, according to Store Manager Gary Taylor. "This is a beautiful county with a real townhome atmosphere," Taylor said. "Everyone is really friendly. I am excited to be here."•••Unicoi Ruritan President Michael Riddle made a donation toward the purchase and renovation of the Unicoi County Care and Share on Carolina Avenue in Erwin. Ten Years Ago2016A full-service American Job Center was scheduled to open in Erwin in March. The center was to be housed in the former Mountain Commerce Bank location on South Main Avenue. •••Unicoi County native Shannon Parkey was chosen for a summer internship at John Hopkins University in Baltimore. He was a second-year student in the Gatton College of Pharmacy at ETSU when he received the scholarship. — Compiled by Managing Editor Bryan Stevens.