Looking Back

This week, we take a look back at October 1968.
• The local observance of the annual Farm-City Week got underway with a Farm-City Banquet at the Evangeline Club with James D. Graugnard, president of the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation as guest speaker.
• Following an overwhelming vote of approval from the registered voters in Ward One, the Evangeline Parish Police Jury adopted an ordinance which prohibits the roaming at large of livestock on all hard surface roads in the ward.
• Observing the beautiful scenery at the Louisiana State Arboretum at Chicot State Park proceeding the steering committee meeting were Mr. Eugene Turner, Mrs. Eloise Jeanmard, Mrs. Ellis Dupre, Prof. J.D. Lafleur, Mrs. A.G. Lawton, Dr. Robert Reich, Mr. Sam Martin, Mr. Nick Tuzzolino, Mr. A.S. McKean, Dr. R.E. Dupre, Dr. Ramson Vidrine and Mr. Charles Fryling.
• Miss Basile High School Roberta Balfa, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dewey Balfa, was crowned Miss Basile High School by the outgoing beauty, Diane Ortego, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Ortego.
• The 1968-1969 homecoming court of Sacred Heart were students Jeannie Coreil, Lynn Tate, Missy Soileau, Debbie Amy, Carla Morein, Suzanne Ortego, Laura Launey, Debbie Lavergne, queen, and Lydia Launey.
• The Basile Bearcats and Midland ended a football game in a 14-14 tie in a district 4-B contest.
• The Ville Platte High School football team’s defense was lead by David Keith Fontenot, a 190-pound junior middle linebacker, and Johnny Ortego, a 185-pound sophomore defensive guard.
• Pvt. Jerry Lejune was undergoing three week of airborne training at Ft. Benning, Georgia and was to attend two weeks of Special Forces jungle training at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina.
• Janie Fontenot of Houma was the featured vocalist at the Queen Petunia-King Porky pageant at the Basile Swine Festival.
• The Point Blue Water System held its first sign-up meeting in Point Blue, and 30 families signed their water users agreement and paid their $25 connection fee.
• Mrs. Tommy Carroll of Basile was named chairman for the King Porky-Queen Petunia contest at the Basile Swine Festival.
• Liz Reed was queen of the Ville Platte High School Bulldog Homecoming. Maids were Janet Guillory, Suzy Hamlin, Beth Fontenot, Brenda Dale Fontenot, Faye Lafleur and Deanna Rozas.
• Rev. Rich Wilson, ministerial student from Louisiana College at Pineville, was the special speaker for the weekend Revival Services at the First Baptist Church in Ville Platte.
• B.J. Earles, chairman of the committee sponsoring the Testimonial Banquet in honor of Congressman Edwin W. Edwards, announced that the event would be held at the Rice Festival Building in Crowley.
• The Te Mamou Home Demonstration Club, the Evangline Council, met at the home of Mrs. Clabert Lebas for the regular October meeting.
• The Ville Platte Home Demonstration Club welcomed two new members, Mrs. Ralph Welty and Mrs. Murray Ferguson when they met at the home of Mrs. Edna Reed, with Mrs. M.J. Malloy, club president, presiding.
• The Easter Seal Society for Crippled Children and Adults of Louisiana announced that D.M. “Jack” Lafleur was the new Easter Seal representative for the Ville Platte community.
• Sandra Sue Soileau, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Soileau, married James Stacy Fontenot, son of Mr. and Mrs. Dalbes Fontenot, all of Ville Platte, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
• Beverly Perron, granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Eddie Perron, was selected as homecoming queen of Archbishop Rummel Boys High School in New Orleans.
• Sgt. Kern Ortego left for an 18 month tour of duty in the Phillipines. He was in the U.S. Airforce, and he is the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Ortego.
• Vidrine FFA members Landie Thompson and Steve Guillory exhibited cotton bolls, which won the champion four locks and five locks at the cotton festival championship.