Taking a look back at February and March 1978

By: HEATHER
BOGARD
Lifestyles Editor

This week, we take a look back at February and March 1978.
•Paul R. Sandau, a native of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was named as the new editor of the Gazette.
•The original tower of the old Evangeline Parish Courthouse was placed in front of the new courthouse and efforts to have it restored to its original condition were underway.
•Francis Reed was named top Ville Platte fireman at the annual ladies night and awards presentation.
•Lab technician Tony Attilio was named Employee of the Month at Ville Platte General Hospital.
•Kathleen Frank became the first woman police officer in the history of the Ville Platte Police Department and Chief Harry Vidrine praised her for her work over the past month.
•Former 13th Judicial District Court Judge Joe Rosamond Vidrine died at the age of 54.
•The Ville Platte Police Department sought vandals who broke the glass window fronts of 15 businesses.
•Veillon Motor Company celebrated its 50th year of business.
•Plans were finalized to have a mass televised from Our Lady Queen of All Saints Catholic Church under Associate Pastor Father Herbert deLauney.
•The first social studies fair held in Evangeline Parish was deemed “an academic triumph.”
•Spring enrollment at LSUE was at a record high of 989 students, which was up nine percent from the previous spring enrollment of 909.
•Governor Edwin Edwards came to Ville Platte to dedicate the Ville Platte Vocational/Technical School, which was under the direction of Charles Coreil.
•The Evangeline Parish School Board was pleased with the reading test scores, which showed that the parish was ahead of the state average in some areas.
•Three Evangeline Parish teachers, Sheila Ardoin, Carleen West and Penny Berthelot, attended a 10-day inservice for gifted-talented educators in Baton Rouge.
•Larry Vidrine was named principal at Sacred Heart High School.
•The Ville Platte Rotary Club joined forces with area entities, such as the schools and police department, to help keep the community clean.
•Father Joseph Brennan, Pastor at Our Lady Queen of All Saints, received two honors from the American Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge. The first honor was for a public address he gave in New Orleans, and the second was for his community, religious and patriotic activities. He was nominated by the Evangeline Parish Farm Bureau. Brennan also received the Louisiana Farm Bureau Freedom Award.
•Msgr. Irving DeBlanc, pastor of Our Lady Queen of Heaven in Lake Charles and a former pastor in Ville Platte, celebrated the 40th anniversary of his ordination.
•Johnnie Allan’s song “Promised Land” was chosen by BBC One, the top music rated radio station in London, England, as the “Hit Pick of the Week.” The song was originally a regional hit for Allan on JIN Records in 1971 and was originally recorded by Chuck Berry in the early 1960s. The song was also recorded by Elvis Presley and became a huge hit. However, Allan’s version resurfaced to become a hit. The original Gazette article began, “Some call him the ‘Swamp Fox,’ others, the ‘Cajun Tom Jones.’ To students at Acadiana Elementary School in Lafayette, he’s Assistant Principal Mr. John Allan Guillot.”
•First Federal Savings and Loan Association held its grand opening on March 29.
•Jack Miller was crowned King Corinth X for the Krewe of Corinthians Mardi Gras Ball. His queen was Melinda Purser.
•Lola Attales, the 18-year-old daughter of Mrs. Wilson Attales, was crowned as Louisiana Tournoi Queen out of a field of 18 contestants.
•The Cotton Cloth court was selected during a pageant held February 18. The girl’s court consisted of Kimberly Darbonne, princess; April Shea Lejeune, lady; Desarae Fontenot, countess; Tobie Fontenot, duchess; and Melissa Lavergne, alternate. The boy’s court consisted of Jared Lavergne, prince; Joey Adam Fontenot, lord; Scott Doucet, count; Michael Fontenot, duke; and David Guy Fontenot, alternate.
•Christy Lavergne, the nine-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs Sylvan Lavergne, was named most photogenic in the nine-12 year old division of the Little Miss Eastbank Pageant held in Metairie.
•Sale items at G. Ardoin’s included at 25-inch RCA Colortrak television for $699.95 and Whirlpool under counter dish washer for $299.95.
•Sale items at Brown’s Furniture included a Maytag washer and dryer combo for $488, a 23-inch Magnavox color television for $278 and 36-inch gas ranges for $162.
•Sale items at Winn Dixie included baking hens for 49 cents per pound, WD US Choice chuck roast for 99 cents per pound and various Del Monte canned vegetables for four for $1.
•Sale items at Goodyear included all traction radial tires for $39 and lube and oil change for $5.88.
•Movies showing at the Jan Theatre included “The Gauntlet” starring Clint Eastwood and “Staying Alive” starring John Travolta.
•Popular songs of February and March 1978 included “How Deep is Your Love and “Staying Alive” by The Bee Gees, “Baby Come Back” by Player and “If I Can’t Have You” by Yvonne Elliman.