Looking Back

By: CLAUDETTE OLIVIER
Lifestyles Editor

This week, we take a look back at November 1969.
• Workmen began pouring concrete at Veillon Motor Company’s new Chevrolet headquarters in Ville Platte. Completion of the $150,000 structure was scheduled for the summer of 1970.
• Drouet Vidrine, president of American Security Bank of Ville Platte, spoke to Hasker Garland, a member of the board, during construction of the new civic meeting room and other additions to the bank.
• Principal speaker at the Farm-City Week Banquet at the Evangeline Club was Dr. Clyde Rougeau, president of the Univeristy of South Louisiana in Lafayette.
• Judge Albert Tate Jr. was the principal speaker for the Mamou Veterans Day celebration.
• Construction work began on the first new metal buildings of the Evangeline Academy in Vidrine.
• Dean Tom Arceneaux, head of the College of Agriculture at USL in Lafayette, was the guest speaker at the Evangeline Parish Cattlemen’s Association annual Ladies Night banquet.
• Rene Tate, of Ville Platte, was the men’s division winner at the Mamou Jaycee skeet shoot. Judy Brown of Eunice was the women’s division winner, and Wayne Lejeune was the junior division winner.
• The top salesman in the Sacred Heart PTA’s cake sale was Rachel Crooks, a sixth grade student. Runner up was Susan Shipp, a seventh grade student.
• Patricia Gayle Fontenot, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Elvin A. Fontenot Jr., was a candidate for the office of District IV President of the Louisiana Association of Future Homemakers of America.
• Specialist Four Donald Crawford, son of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert H. Crawford of Ville Platte, received the Army Commendation Medal while serving withthe 815th Engineer Battalion near Pleiku, Vietnam.
• Craig Olivier was the leading tackler during the Sacred Heart Trojans’ 36-0 win over Midland High School. Olivier had eight individuals and five assists.
• George Ortego, a local carpenter and bus driver, harvested eight squirrels on a hunting trip.
• The Evangeline Parish Farm Bureau elected new board members. The new board members were: Ward One - Herbert Fontenot Jr., Joseph C. Lafleur, Harold Morein and J. Leroy Soileau; Ward Two - Morrel “Black” Fontenot and Aubrey Manuel; Ward Three - Elden Brunet, Bobby Foret, Otis Fontenot and Jake Ardoin; Ward Four - Aleak Ortego; and Ward Five - George Helmer and Herman Andrus.
• Wayne Soileau, Vidrine High School freshman, was the high-scoring individual in the eighth annual soil judging contest in Bunkie.
• Barbara Lynn Ventre, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ventre of Opelousas, was named queen of the Louisiana Swine Festival. Kurt Keller, son of Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Keller of Eunice, was named King Porky.
•Home Demonstration Council leaders were busy learning the art of making decorative and useful items for the family and home as therapy for the young and old during a leader training event at the Cooperative Extension office in Ville Platte. Leaders at the event included Mrs. Hackdaus Fontenot; Mrs. Voicy Guillory; Mrs. M.M. Morton; Mrs. Aurelia Jack; Mrs. J.D. Hargroder; Mrs. Dallas Bertrand; Mrs. Everett Deville; and Mrs. Alice Teddlie.
• Patty Vidrine of Ville Platte High Shcool received a plaque from Chester Lormand of Lormand’s Potato Shed of Ville Platte for being an alternate to Evangeline Parish’s winner in the 4-H Sweet Potato Grading and Marketing Contest.
• Participants in the Swine Clinic at the American Legion Home in Mamou were Red Trullos, Cleco Farm Department director, Dr. Auttis M. Mullins with LSU Extension, Mrs. Alice Lasseigne, Evangline Home Demonstration agent, Dr. Steven Nicholson with LSU Extension, Mr. A.D. Fitzgerald, swine specialist, and Newty A. Jeansome, Evangeline Parish Farm Management Specialist.
• Mr. and Mrs. Nelson J. Miller of Vacherie announce the engamement and forthcoming marrige of their daughter Carolyn Ann to Mr. John Winston Veillon, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Tanzay Veillon of Mamou.
• Mr. and Mrs. Elin Pitre of Ville Platte vacationed in Puerto Rico as guests of Autolite-Ford Parts Division of Ford Motor Company. Pitre, a dealer at Pitre Ford Company, was one of 900 winners in a nationwide “Run for the Sun” sales contest conducted by the division.
• Mrs. Lee Vidrine was hostess to the Te Mamou Home Demonstration Club, Evangeline Parish Council.