Staff Writer 1. U. S. ends its involvement in the Vietnam War after the signing of the Paris Peace Accords.
2. Supreme Court of the U. S. rules on Roe vs. Wade, making abortion a constitutional right. 3. U. S. inflation rate runs at 6.16%.
4. The Watergate Hearings begin in the U. S. Senate.
5. Classic film, American Graffiti, premiers in the U. S.–also Live and Let Die– Serpico–The Sting.
6. Vice-President, Spiro T. Agnew, resigns.
7. NASA launches Mariner X Spacecraft Mercury Probe.
8. World Trade Center becomes tallest building in the world.
9. Average cost of a new house is $32,500.00.
10. Average income per year is $12,900.00.
11. Average cost of a gallon of gas is $0.40.
12. Price of a new Ford Galaxy 500 is $3,883.00.
13. One dozen medium eggs—$0.25.
14. Popular songs: Elton John’s “Crocodile Rock,” Rolling Stones’ “Angie,” Paul McCartney and Wings’ “My Love.”
15. Popular television shows: “The Odd Couple,” “The Partridge Family,” “Columbo,” “M*A*S*H,” “Sanford and Son,” “The Waltons.”
16. Barcode and Optical Fiber come into use!
17. Born in 1973: George Floyd, Tyra Banks, Neil Patrick Harris, Dave Chappelle, Tori Spelling.
18. Michael and Jennifer were popular names.
19. Minimum wage–$1.60 per hour.
Rick Townsend (*Themer note* Senior of ’72 as I remember), an old-timer compared to you Seniors of 1973, recalls this information about OLD FORNEY. “My Dad, James Townsend, was born in the Forney area in 1916, and was able to grow up with some of the original settlers of our community. He related to me that when he was a little boy, some of the ‘old-timers’ told him that the first time they came to Forney country, the prairie grass was so thick they could hardly ride a horse through it. This prairie grass would later be used for the famous FORNEY HAY that our area would be known for around the turn of the century.”
Back in the late 1960s and early to mid-1970s (the good ol’ days), “many of the teen-aged boys in Forney would haul hay for local farmers each summer to get extra spending money. It was hot and dusty work, but the summer time was when the hay grew and was cut, baled, and hauled to the barn for storage, so that was just the way it was!”
Rick says, “I consulted with some of my fellow ‘hayhaulers’ from long ago— (*Themer note* 1973 and that time period)—trying to remember how much we were paid. Randel Dobbs and Micky Rouvaldt recalled that the ones who loaded and stacked the hay bales were paid more than the one who just drove the truck. If you furnished the truck and drove, you could make more!”
“One of them recalled making three cents per bale if they just drove the truck, and the ones who were the ground loaders and stackers made between eight and fifteen cents, depending upon the size of the barn the hay had to be stacked in!”
(*Themer note*) And before the complaints pelt me, I do remember that some Forney Girls also took part in hay-haulin’, and two or four of you could “out-do” some unidentified boys!
“The hay-hauling process consisted of loading the hay bales onto a pickup truck or flat-bed truck in the field, transporting them to a barn, and unloading and stacking them in the barn. The bales usually weighed from around 50 to 75 pounds, depending on what type grass was used, how dry it was, and how tightly it was packed. Randel, Micky, and I were all in agreement that it must have been a local hay-hauling regulation stating that you could only haul hay when the temperature was 100 degrees, and every barn had to have the hay stacked on the 2nd story floor. The barns were also not allowed to have any windows or ventilation while unloading! Well, that’s the way we remember it–but our memories could have faded a little over the years!”
“On that note, I think I need to go get a quart mason jar full of sweet iced tea and relax. All of this hayhauling has tired me out!”– Ricky Townsend *Themer note* Thank you, Mr. Townsend, and I am “sprized y’all di’n’t say TARD ME OUT” instead of being so proper!
And now, let’s take a look at some 1973 JACKRABBIT ANNUAL photos as we remember and honor this year’s “50 YEARS SENIOR CLASS” from half a century ago!
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