The Way It Was … a half-century ago in Euclid

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Editor’s note: The following news, sports, and other items were culled from the pages of the 1966 editions of the Euclid News-Journal, the city’s former weekly newspaper.

March 31 – Councilman-at-large Edward Eckart is named general chairman of a campaign to promote passage of a city charter amendment to initiate bi-partisan elections in Euclid. The “honorary” chairmen are Judge William Burns and Paul Torbett, a former city law director.

The plan was announced by Democratic leader Joe Whalen at a kick-off rally held at the Charterhouse Motel on Euclid Ave. Whalen displayed a campaign organization chart that included ward chairman Willard Schutt (Ward 1) Max Gerl and Genevieve Potts (Ward 3), and Frank Chukayne and Mike Gonakis (Ward 4).

(Introducing bi-partisan elections enabled the Democrats to field a slate of election candidates to challenge the long-dominant Coalition Party on a head-to-head basis rather than lumping all candidates together, without noting party affiliation, on the November ballot.)

A second member of the Krippner family of Bad Mergentheim, West Germany – 17-year old Gudrun Krippner – arrived in Euclid as a foreign exchange student. And like her older sister Barbek, she was hosted by the Holloway family. Previously, the Holloways had sent daughter Jane to Germany to spend a year with the Krippners.

(Jane is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Holloway, who served as principal of Euclid Central Junior High and later became superintendent of the Beachwood School system.)

After her first day at Euclid Senior High, Gudrun Krippner remarked” “It was confusing, but very interesting. There are so many students!”

The Krippners decided to continue the family exchange program after Bob Holloway visited Bad Mergentheim while on an educators’ tour of Europe and Russia.

King Cole drive-in restaurants offers “complete” seafood dinners – including shrimp, blue pike, haddock, and “seafood plates” – for just one dollar of Fridays…. Meanwhile, Smith’s Restaurant at East 222nd and Lake Shore advertises its Easter Sunday breakfast buffet for $1.95 from 9 a.m. till noon. The menu includes hickory smoked ham, roast turkey, savory “disjointed” chicken, and roast round of prime beef.

The Euclid Panther baseball team prepares to launch its 30-game schedule as it travels to Rocky River to take on the Pirates in a double-header. “That’s if it doesn’t rain or snow,” says Panther Coach Bob Addis.

In its ad, Mr. Grapevines Euclid Lounge at 1361 Eat 260th St. notes that “Dara” a beautiful Moroccan belly dancer, will be performing four nights a week –along with a Greek bouzoukee orchestra.

Bell Rambleer in Willoughby runs an ad offering 1966 Volkswagens for just $1,728 – in the customers’ choice of colors … And Lou Trotter Ford at 495 East 185th St. and Lake Shore offers Mustang convertibles and hardtops for “as low as $1,788.”