What was your post office box number? What was the combination?
Box 224. I don’t remember the combination in DeSoto Manor, but it was j,ab,j at the new post office
Who was your principal at Bynum Elementary School?
Mrs. Carmichael
Who were your elementary school teachers for each grade?
Ms. Payne, Ms. Hulsey, Ms. Thornton, Ms. Carmichael, Ms. Patrick, Ms. Williams. I cheated and looked at Shelia Slaten’s answers since we were both in the great class of 1956 and I did not remember them.
What shows were on TV on Saturday morning and in which order?
I don’t remember all of them. There was Buster Brown, the Andy Devine show with screaming kids, and Howdy Doody.
Twang your magic twanger? What is a twanger?
It was “Pluck your magic twanger, Froggy”. A twanger is a thing that goes twang, of course.
How much was admission to the movies at the theater?
I don’t remember. I just remember that we liked the Westerns and acted them out on Saturday taking turns being the good guy.
Who was the barber in Bynum? What was special about the mirrors in the barber shop?
Mr. Hayes. The mirrors were set up so that you saw an infinite repeating image of yourself where you kept getting smaller and smaller; I was fascinated with it. Mr. Hayes knew everything about everybody and made sure he passed the gossip along.
What time did work stop at the Depot and then we had depot traffic?
It was around 4:00 PM. When Bynum traffic started, they turned the blinking light on Highway 78 in a real stoplight.
What color was your family car? Make and year?
We had a 47 Chevy. Then a brand new 1951 Chevy, dark green on top, light green below, and it had powerglide, one of the first true automatic transmissions. Then we had a 55 Chevy, white on top, blue below, which became my first car. I loved it; it was like a tank and ran forever.
Did your mother drive?
Yes.
How old were you when first ate a pizza?
I was 16. In New York City on way to Scope’s graduation from West Point
Who was on your party line? How many rings for your phone?
McKendrees. Ours was one ring. My one wish in life was for a longer phone cord.
What was your phone number?
Adams 7-5412
What was your apartment or house number?
I don’t remember the number in DeSoto Manor, we lived on the first row, second from the left. Our house on Ayers Drive next to the school never had a number.
What happened to the color of the houses in DeSoto Manor when it rained?
It turned dark grey when it got wet. Often the bottom part of the houses would turn dark grey while the top part of the walls remained the lighter Bynum color.
Who lived next door to you?
I don’t remember in Desoto Manor. In our house, the Melton’s, Crokett’s and the Wallace’s.
Who worked at the post office?
Killgore?
What was Mr. Carrs first name?
Did he have a first name?
What brand of coffee did Carrs Store sell?
I don’t know. Unlike today, there was only one brand, so my mother could send me to the store to buy a pound of coffee and I would get the right one because there was only one choice. Much simpler.
Did Carr’s Trading Post sell on credit? How did it work?
I think he did. I remember going to the store to buy something on account and just telling him to charge it. He just wrote it down and my parents paid later.
What was the baseball field area near Terrace Homes called?
Victory Valley. There were two fields and the outfields blended together. If you played outfield, you could get balls from either field.
What brand was your first TV?
Sylvania. It had a lighted band around the picture tube. We got the antenna first so people would think we had a TV.
Who was the sponsor for The Lone Ranger?
Merita Bread. Remember the field of waving wheat at the beginning of the show?
Hey kids, what time is it?
It’s Howdy Doody time!
Who is Red Rover?
Don’t know, but we would say “Red Rover, Red Rover, send Gary right over”
What kinds of fences did we have in Bynum? How did we get through fences?
There were fences to keep animals in, normally barbed wire. Other fences indicated government property and had signs saying not to trespass; we did not pay much attention and found ways to climb through the wire. There were fences around the pool etc. that seemed to have a purpose, so we left them alone. There weren’t any fences between houses in Terrace Homes or Desoto Manor, so we just wandered from yard to yard. Last time I went to Bynum, there was a huge chain link fence around the whole school property, why? We always played on the playground and never damaged anything; why would you want to keep kids out. Sad.
Who was Santa?
Mr. Bruce Walker
Did the hill with the ball field behind the Community Center in DeSoto Manor have a name?
I don’t think it had a name.
What was the closest restaurant to Bynum?
Pete’s Barbecue. That was my dad’s idea of dining out.
What was Shotgun?
The dirt road behind the theater that connected with Highway 78. Great parking place.
Who was Snake?
Larry Payne
Who was Scoper?
My brother, Raymond Gorden Canant. My dad was Raymond Gideon Canant, so he was not a Jr. My dad loved nicknames and called me Squirrel, I am glad that one did not stick.
Where was John Hardy Hill?
On Highway 78 on the way to Anniston.
Georgia overdrive came standard on which cars?
To use Georgia Overdrive, you took the car out of gear to coast going downhill so all cars had the feature. Truckers still call it Georgia overdrive, and it can be dangerous if you lose control.
How much was gas per gallon? How much would you put in at a time?
I remember 25 cents per gallon, and I would get a dollars worth. Since I let other people borrow my car, and they did not always put gas in, I kept a gallon gas can in the truck; dangerous.
Who was the first mayor of Bynum?
There was never of mayor of Bynum because it was never incorporated. My parents were always proud that we did not have zoning restrictions until some build a chicken house downwind; then they thought zoning might not be so bad.
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