“HILLBILLY DAY”
Hot on the heels of the Tennessee State Fair each year comes
Madison’s annual “Hillbilly Day.” I don’t know that there was
ever an official poll taken, but my guess is that Madison’s
Hillbilly Day would win out over the State Fair as Madison’s
favorite event. It was just that great!
This year, hillbillies found the weather crisp and invigorating.
The high was not quite 70 degrees. There were sunny skies
tempered with a cool northerly breeze. And, residents of Madison
and many visitors dressed the part, with beards, high-buttoned
shoes and sun bonnets.
“Hillbilly Festival Draws 100,000”
By Sarah Taylor (“The Nashville
Tennessean”)
September 30, 1962--Colorful, noisy, foot-stomping fun
was given free reign yesterday as about 100,000 people flocked
to "Madison Hillbilly Day." "This is the biggest crowd we've
ever had," said Clarence England, president of the Madison
Hillbilly Association. "And they came early. When I got to town
at 8 a.m. the people were already gathering." The festivities
officially got under way at noon with ceremonies at Gallatin
Road and Madison Street, but the thickest crowds came just
before the parade at 2 p.m. and stayed.
Traffic was backed up for blocks and Gallatin Road was lined
with spectators as the parade formed. It started promptly at 2
p.m. at Due West Avenue and, at 3 p.m., it was still streaming
up Gallatin Road, a colorful assortment of more than a dozen
high school bands led by the Madison High Band complete with
Daisy Mae costumed majorettes; the Miss Hillbilly contestants
wearing formals and riding atop convertibles; a wagon drawn by
two enormous bulls; floats, mules, antique cars, horses and most
of all, hillbillies.
After the parade, the Miss Hillbilly contestants gathered on a
platform in the middle of the road and smiled prettily as their
pictures were auctioned off by Madison auctioneer Billy Howell
(Hugh’s father). An enormous crowd milled around Madison. And
last night, after all the votes had been counted, Miss Mary Kay
Raynier was crowned the new "Miss Hillbilly."
A big carnival was set up in the Madison Square Shopping Center
parking lot, and the shrieks of teen-agers whirling around on
the rides could be heard all over town. Sidewalk booths sold
hamburgers, hotdogs, luscious-looking home-baked chocolate cake
and pecan pies and old-fashioned molasses cookies. Others were
selling books, records, jewelry and do-dads.
The Madison Civitan Club offered hot boiled corn on the cob,
drenched with butter and harpooned on sticks for easy eating.
"Fresh corn on the cob, picked in the field this morning," the
baker shouted.
Three Madison High girls, Pam Dowell (15), Carol Hester (18),
and Frieda White (14) devoured hamburgers, keeping their eyes
glued to the auction sale of Miss Hillbilly pictures. They
gasped with excitement when one contestant’s picture brought
more than $100.
Raymond F. Riggs, of 909 Vantrease Ave., captured the prize for
the best beard and most authentic hillbilly costume. Riggs said
he started growing the big bushy beard in June. "It took four
months," he said." “Four pretty rugged months, I might add, in
all that hot weather.”
Proceeds from Madison Hillbilly Day are donated to five schools
In the Madison area and to the Madison Community Park.--The
Tennessean, 30 September 1962, Page 1
“SPOTLIGHT ON THE AVERAGE NASHVILLIAN”
[Warning: This may be too tedious a read for some of your
tastes, but I think many will find it pretty interesting.]
Most of us are now pretty familiar with Madison and think we
know a great deal about the sort of persons who live here. But,
do we really? And, what about other areas of town? Or even
Nashville as a whole?
On October 9, 1962, an article appeared in The Tennessean which
sheds some light on what the ‘average Nashvillian’ is like. In
her article, Julie Hollabaugh cites Nashville statisticians,
sociologists and planning commission personnel who have compiled
some revealing statistics on his education, income, and mode
living based on 1960 census figures.
If he is an average white man over 25, he may live in Old
Hickory, Madison, West Nashville or the Antioch Pike area. He
has completed two years of high school, is married, works in
sales in the central city and earns $5,332 a year. He rides to
work in a car pool and is paying off a mortgage on a five-room
house valued at $10,800.
If he is an average non-white, he has completed little more than
eight years of schooling, is a household or service worker, is
married and earns $2,788 annually. He rides to work in a car
pool, is paying rent on a five-room house and works in the
central city.
Both probably have moved since 1955, and both live in houses
that could be less than 10 years or more than 20 years old. And,
no matter what the argument, women are in the majority by
16,765. They outnumber men in the metropolitan area by 208,254
to 191,483. These observations are based on averages of figures
as a whole in the city's 89 census tracts.
Areas of densest population are concentrated east of the
Cumberland River in Old Hickory, Donelson and Madison, in the
Antioch Pike area, Woodbine and West Nashville. The population
is 80.8 percent white, 19.2 per cent non-white. Of the 284,492
residents 14 years old and over, two-thirds (66.4 per cent) are
married, 21.8 percent are single, 8.6 percent are widowed and
only 3.2 percent are divorced.
There are 94,957 persons between the ages of 5 and 34 enrolled
in school, with 1.5 percent in kindergarten, 65.8 percent in
elementary school, 20.2 percent in high school and 12.5 percent
in college. The densest school population areas are from 37th
Avenue North, to Fisk University and Meharry Medical College;
and in the Woodbine, Murfreesboro Road and Franklin Road
sections.
The majority of white persons 25 and over have completed
elementary or high school, with 22.2 percent completing high
school, 18.6 percent finishing one to three years of high school
and 16.6 percent completing elementary school. Another 10 per
cent have completed seven years of school, and 7.5 per cent have
completed only one to four years. About 8.5 per cent have
completed one to four years of college.
Non-whites 25 and over average 8.3 years of schooling with the
largest percentage (23.4) completing five to seven years of
elementary schooling. Of the total of 40,665 persons in this
category, 10.4 per cent have completed high school, 6.3 percent
have finished college and, 4.4 have no schooling at all.
Men account for nearly two-thirds of the total labor force of
159,634, with 25.6 percent employed in sales and clerical work.
Other job classifications and the percentages of workers they
employ rank in order: operatives (including factories),
household and service jobs, crafts, government work, the
professions, executive positions, the self-employed and
laborers.
A total of 23.1 percent of the labor force is involved in the
manufacturing of goods, followed closely by wholesale and retail
trade and professional services. --The Tennessean, 09 October
1962, Page 4
MADISON HIGH NEWS:
“Majorette Brenda Bradley Is ‘NIL Sweetheart of the Week’”
October 14—If the Madison football team is playing
"to beat the band" it looks like the gridders are in for a rough
year. Pretty Brenda Bradley, 15-year-old sophomore, is one of
the high-steppers who performs with the Ram band and is The
Nashville Tennessean’s “NIL Sweetheart of the Week.” –The
Tennessean, 14 October 1962, Page 44
“Madison Senior Paul Teasley Working in the Briley Campaign”
October 15—Madison senior Paul Teasley is working in the
Beverly Briley campaign for Metro Mayor. He was pictured in
today’s Tennessean passing out Briley bumper stickers to
motorists on Gallatin Road. County Judge Beverly Briley
yesterday announced his schedule for this week, which will
include a reception in Madison at the Teasley home on Vantrease
Drive. –The Tennessean, 14 October 1962, Page 16
FRESHMAN FOOTBALL
“Litton 20, Madison 14”
October 16—Litton’s freshman team edged Madison 20-14 on
the Rams’ field. Tyrone Cutrer scored one touchdown for the
freshman Lions while Mike Williams tallied twice. Madison's Alex
Beavers had a hand in both Ram TDs, scoring one and passing to
Bob Chaffin for the other. Litton's Tyrone is a brother of
former Lion star Richard Cutrer, now a standout at Castle
Heights. –The Tennessean, 17 October 1962, Page 16
VARSITY FOOTBALL
“MBA Only Mid-Stater In Top 10 of AR”
Unbeaten Montgomery Bell Academy is carrying local and Midstate
colors all alone this week in the top 10 of the Nashville
Tennessean’s state Action Ratings. The 7th ranked Big Red was a
7-6 winner over Father Ryan last week. Chattanooga Central's
Purple Pounders, now with a 5-0 record, held first place while
Jackson's Golden Bears, a stunning 19-7 winner over previously
unbeaten Madison, moved from fifth to the runner up spot.
Madison, which last week had a 22-game unbeaten string and a
perch in fourth place, fell all the way to 13th, just behind
Father Ryan. The only Midstate team joining the NIL trio in the
top 15 is 14th-ranked Springfield, a 19-0 winner over Litton.
MBA now with a 3-0-1 mark, will go into this week's NIL Big
Eight headliner against Madison a three-point favorite at Ram
Stadium Friday night.
“The Tennessean’s Action Ratings” (Week of September 30)
1 Chatt. Central 97.8
2 Jackson 87.8
3 Oak Ridge 86.0
4 Chatt. Brainerd 85.9
5 Morristown 85.3
6 Kingsport 84.8
7 MBA 84.0
8 Millington 83.3
9 E. Ridge 82.5
10 Mem. East 82.2
11 Bradley Co. 82.1
12 F. Ryan 82.0
13 Madison 81.9
14 Springfield 81.8
15 Bristol 80.9
--The Tennessean, 02 Oct 1962, Page 21
“Loss Stirs Ram Line”
October 4—“We’re shaking things up at Madison,” Ram
coach Bill Brimm said yesterday. “Last week our line couldn’t do
anything with Jackson,” he went on. “With MBA coming up, I’m
looking for someone to deliver a blow, regardless of size.”
The Ram head man, true to his word, has made three moves this
week, inserting "lightweights" into the middle of the Madison
line. Wade Joyner, 160, and Ronnie Sloan, 152, have been shifted
from guard to the starting tackles and Sidney Hinkle, a 5-7,
145-pound Junior, has been promoted to the first team as a
guard.
“We had to do something,” Brlmm said, reflecting on the 19-7
loss at Jackson which ended a 22-game non-losing string for the
Rams. “MBA is bigger and faster in the line and we'll have to
scrap for our lives.”
MBA still hasn’t beaten Madison with their football series going
into the third year and the Rams haven't lost a home game since
October of 1959 when Dupont turned the trick. But, Brlmm says
this is another year entirely.
“I told people as early as the Coaching School last summer in
Cookeville that MBA would be tough this fall,” he said. "Their
line is sound and they have exceptional depth in the backfield."
"I was Impressed with the Husband boy (Hunter) at fullback
against Ryan and if De Thompson is any better, he’s a real
horse,” the Madison head man added.
Brimm says the Rams are in good physical condition with
exception of end Bill Swain, who will undergo knee surgery
today, and fullback Butch Cartwright. Cartwright, who teams with
quarterback Chuck Boyd as the big Ram offensive threats, is
expected to be ready. John Reynolds will replace Bill Swain in
the Rams’ lineup. –The Tennessean, 04 Oct 1962, Page 27
“MBA, Rams Vie in Title Bid”
–By Jimmy Davy
October 5—Undefeated Montgomery Bell Academy attempts to
clear another big hurdle in its run on the Big Eight football
title tonight, journeying to Madison for a collision with the
rebounding Rams. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. and a victory is almost a
"must" for both teams, each saddled with a tie in the Nashville
prep league's Class AAAA standings. The game has particular
championship significance for the Big Red, ranked seventh in The
Nashville Tennessean’s state Action Ratings.
A victory for MBA (3-0-1) tonight would leave the Harding Road
club unbeaten with the meat of its Big Eight slate (Glencliff,
Donelson, Ryan and Madison) behind. The Big Red will be favored
over Litton, Franklin and Hillsboro, in remaining loop
opposition.
Madison (2-1-1), normally a high-scoring team, is in a slump.
The Rams have tallied only seven points in a tie with Litton and
the Jackson loss. MBA, meanwhile, has been stingy defensively
(19 points in four games) and De Thompson, John Stephens, Tom
Scarborough and Co. have tallied 98 points in four tilts.
Both coaches look for a real head-buster tonight. "We, of all
people, know that Madison is a fine football team," MBA coach
Tommy Owen said. "We've played twice and MBA hasn't won yet.
Boyd is probably the best quarterback we'll face."
"They (the Big Red) have fine line play and tremendous backfield
depth," Madison head man Bill Brlmm emphasized. "We've shaken up
our lineup, trying to keep MBA from handling us the way Jackson
did last week." –The Tennessean, 05 Oct 1962, Page 25
“MADISON 20, MBA 19”
October 5—The night of October 5 saw the Madison Rams fight for
a 20-19 comeback from their unfortunate loss to Jackson Central.
The Rams’ scoring machine of Chuck Boyd and Butch Cartwright
showed up ready to play. Cartwright made all three touchdowns
and one extra point. Boyd kicked one extra point. Both teams
fought hard all the way to the final gun.
Madison coach Bill Brimm praised the work of end Bobby Sloan,
tackle Danny Fisher, and tackle Bobby Cartwright in addition to
Butch Cartwright and Chuck Boyd in the big MBA win. In addition,
the Downtown Optimist Club selected Butch Cartwright as its Big
Eight player of the week.
Madison players presented end Bill Swain, in St. Thomas Hospital
after knee surgery, with the game ball used in the 20-19 win
over MBA. –The Tennessean, 07 October 1962, Page 39
“Action Ratings Top 10 Lists 3 From Midstate”
By Jimmy Davy
October 9—Madison’s Rams, beginning a new unbeaten
string, leaped into seventh place in THE NASHVILLE TENNESSEAN'S
state Action Ratings this week, joining' Mid-staters Springfield
and Montgomery Bell Academy in the top 10. The Rams, now 3-1-1
for the season, tumbled MBA out of seventh place and jumped into
that spot with a 20-19 Big Eight win last Friday night.
Powerful Chattanooga Central continued its way toward the Action
Ratings state crown by bombing Bradley County 25-2 this past
week. The Pounders' 99.0 rating is 7.0 better than second place
Oak Ridge.
The top 10, in order, is Chattanooga Central, Oak Ridge,
Kingsport, Jackson, Chattanooga Brainerd, East Ridge, Madison,
Springfield, Millington and MBA. --The Tennessean, 09 Oct
1962, Page 18
“MADISON 39, FRANKLIN 7”
October 12—Madison, ranked seventh in the state,
celebrated homecoming with Franklin's Rebels the opposition. The
Rams were hitting on all cylinders as the Franklin team was
literally crushed by the onslaught. The Rams’ offense rambled
for a total of 444 yards.
Quarterback Chuck Boyd scored three touchdowns and kicked two
extra points to lead the surge over Franklin. Butch Cartwright,
Dicky Davis, and Ronnie Buchanan each scored once, with Butch
scoring an extra point. Madison coach Bill Brimm played Ronnie
Smith at defensive end, relieving fullback Butch Cartwright the
Rams' big offensive gun so he could rest for his running chores.
The Rams are now 3-0-1 and tied with Litton for top spot in the
Big Eight. The rams play next at Lewisburg on Friday night.
–The Tennessean, 13 October 1962, Page 12
CHATTANOOGA FOOTBALL—BRAINERD HIGH SCHOOL
“Brainerd 26, Red Bank 7”
Oct. 5—Red Bank was the first road game for Brainerd
after a 4-0 start at home. The Rebs spoiled the Lions Homecoming
(Christine Richards was HC Queen) before 5,000 fans at Rankin
Field. Gary Tucker scored on a 55-yard punt return and Jim McCoy
raced 85 yards to pay dirt in the fourth quarter. The Redbank
Lions would go on to win the Nashville Exchange Bowl.
"Brainerd 33, @ Meigs Co. 7”
Oct. 12—The highlight of this game was Brainerd’s Joe
Abercrombie scoring on a punt return of 72 yards against Meigs
County.
“Action Ratings”
October 16—Nashville's once-beaten Madison Rams managed
to stay in the state's top 10 teams as powerful Chattanooga
Central made another bold step toward the 1962 championship with
a 35-0 win over East Ridge. The Ridgers were ranked No. 6 last
week and tumbled to 10th. Madison, currently tied for the Big
Eight lead with Litton (2-0-1 in loop play), dropped from
seventh to ninth.
1. Chattanooga Central 102.0
2. Oak Ridge 93.4
3. Kingsport 90.9
4. Jackson 90.6
5. Springfield 90.1
6. Chattanooga Brainerd 85.8
7. Bristol 85.6
8. Brownsville 84.5
9. Madison 82.6
10. East Ridge 81.7
11. MBA 81.5
12. Father Ryan 81.4
--The Tennessean, 16 October 1962, Page 20
MADISON HIGH ALUMNI NEWS:
“Margaret Maddox (MHS ’62) Picked as Homecoming Attendant at
Austin Peay”
October 14—It has been announced that Margaret Maddox (MHS
’62) will be part of the Homecoming festivities at Austin Peay
State University the weekend of October 27 when the Governors
will face Jacksonville State. She will be representing her
freshman class as one of the Homecoming attendants.
While at Madison High Margaret was a member of the National
Honor Society, Top 10%, and was elected Miss Madison, President
of the Student Council and “Best Looking Girl.” –The
Tennessean, 14 October 1962, Page 37
“Ann Sory Betty (MHS ’62) Pledges to Vanderbilt’s Kappa Delta
Sorority”
October 15—Ann Sory Betty (MHS ’62) has pledged to Kappa
Delta sorority on the Vanderbilt Campus. Sorority rush ended
yesterday as 155 freshmen coeds and transfer students were
pledged by the school's eight sororities. At Madison High, Ann
Sory was a member of the Top Ten Percent and the Honor Society,
Senior Band, All-State Band and All-Star Band. She was also a
winner in the Math Contest. She attends Vanderbilt University on
scholarship. –The Tennessean, 15 October 1962, Page 13
“In/Around Madison During October 1-16, 1962”
October 16—A possible full house crowd will see the
“Holiday on Ice of 1963” show tonight, first commercial venture
in the Nashville Municipal Auditorium. One of the
lavishly-costumed acts is an interpretation of the Tchaikovsky
ballet, "Sleeping Beauty," performed on ice for the first time.
–The Tennessean, 16 October, Page 1
October 16--Paul Bracey, member of the Davidson County
Court, announced yesterday his candidacy for councilman-at-large
in the new metropolitan government. "I favor the expansion of
vocational education for all our people. If elected I will
support legislation to create four new vocational schools," he
said.
“ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD DURING OCTOBER 1-16,
1962 [FROM WIKIPEDIA]”
October 1—Johnny Carson took over as the permanent host
of NBC’s The Tonight Show, a position that he would hold for 30
years. After being introduced at 11:30 pm by Groucho Marx,
Carson and his sidekick Ed McMahon would share the stage with
the first guests, Joan Crawford, Rudy Vallee, Ned Brooks (of
Meet the Press), Tony Bennett, the Phoenix Singers and Tom Pedi.
Carson would host his last Tonight show on May 22, 1992.
October 1—U.S. Army General Maxwell Taylor became the new
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
October 3—Wally Schirra was launched into space from Cape
Canaveral, and returned to Earth after six orbits. Schirra was
the fifth American astronaut, and ninth person to travel into
outer space.
October 4—The first nuclear missile in Cuba was installed
by the Soviet Union, as a warhead was attached to an R-12
rocket.
October 5—Dr. No, the first James Bond film, premiered in
UK cinemas.
October 5—The Beatles released their first single, Love
Me Do.
October 6—The U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy suffered
their first helicopter fatalities in Vietnam when a Marine Corps
UH-34 Seahorse crashed 15 miles from Tam Ky, South Vietnam,
killing five Marines and two Navy personnel.
October 11—The Second Vatican Council opened, under Pope
John XXIII. The 2,500 bishops in attendance walked in a
procession through St. Peter's Square and into the Basilica as
part of the opening ceremonies. Pope John would pass away the
following year, and the last session of the Council would be
closed by Pope Paul VI on December 8, 1965.
October 13—Edward Albee’s first full-length play, Who’s
Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Opened on Broadway, starring Uta Hagen
as Martha and Arthur Hill as George.
October 14—Flying a U-2 spy plane over the area around
San Cristobal, Cuba, Colonel Richard S. Heyser took 928
photographs in the space of six minutes. The pictures would
reveal that four mobile Soviet missile launchers, capable of
firing the SS-4 medium range nuclear missile, had been placed in
western Cuba. Other flights would eventually locate 42 nuclear
missiles at ten sites in Cuba.
October 15—The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)
debuted a new children's television program on its nationwide
affiliates, Mister Rogers, described initially in CBC's fall
schedule preview as "a 15-minute puppet show" shown three days a
week. Hosted by Fred Rogers, the show would soon be described as
"one of the freshest, most intelligent puppet shows to come
along in quite a while."
October 16—The New York Yankees beat the San Francisco
Giants, 1-0, to win the seventh and deciding game of the 1962
World Series.
“GLORY DAYS”
Fellow class member Dwight Moore has suggested adopting “Glory
Days” as a theme song for our Madison High School—Class of 1966
blog. He thinks we might want to listen to it while reading
about our Madison High glory days. Why not?
Bruce Springsteen – “Glory Days”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvUOgIgLqOQ
---------------------------------
Submitted: Jerry Armour (MHS ’66)
On October 28, 2020
REFERENCES:
In addition to my own memories as well as those from other
former classmates, material for this project is borrowed from
the following:
American Graffiti Movie:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069704/
Billboard Charts Archive:
http://www.billboard.com/archive/charts/1966/hot-100
Brainerd Rebels Were New Kids on the Block in 1962—Posted 11-0-0
Football Record, Friday, August 10, 2012 - by B.B. Branton –https://www.chattanoogan.com/2012/8/10/232002/Brainerd-Rebels-Were-New-Kids-on-the.aspx
Chattanooga High School Football:
https://chattanoogahighschoolfootball.com/football/1962-the-greatest-year-ever/
History: www.history.com
Madison High School Alumni Association (MHSAA) Archives: Ram
Pages, yearbooks, trophies and photos
MHSAA Website:
http://www.mhsaa-rampage.com/
Movies of 1962:
https://www.the-numbers.com/movies/year/1962
NASHVILLE MEMORIES FROM THE 1950's, 60's & 70's:
http://www.nashlinks.com/remember.htm
On This Day:
https://www.onthisday.com/
The People History: What Happened in This Year--Important News
and Events, Key Technology, Cost of Living and Popular Culture:
http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/1965.html
The Tennessean-Archives: Newspapers.com
https://www.newspapers.com/image/111875363/
The Tennessean Nashville Then:
http://www.tennessean.com/picture-gallery/news/local/2015/06/03/nashville-then-june-1965/28422303/
Wikipedia-World Happenings (By the Month):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October_1965#October_20.2C_1965_.28Wednesday.29
Wikipedia—Year in Music:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1965_in_music#December
Weather Underground:
https://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KBNA/1966/1/22/DailyHistory.html
The Wonder Years-TV Episode & Music Guide:
www.wonder-years.tv/episodeandmusicguide.html
Bruce Springsteen - Glory Days (LP Rip)
About this website
YOUTUBE.COM
Bruce Springsteen - Glory Days (LP Rip)
this is Bruce Springsteen's "Glory Days" off his "Born In The
U.S.A." album, enjoy
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