Decatur History Center Lunch & Learn for March – Walt Drake Presents “Decatur 202″
Decatur Metro | March 13, 2013
Melissa Forgey sends along this announcement…
DECATUR – The DeKalb History Center’s Lunch and Learn Lecture Series continues in March with a presentation by Walt Drake. “Decatur 202” is a continuation of the Decatur 101 lecture he gave to the History Center in September 2010. Walt will focus on businesses, events and politics during the period of 1950-2000. He will also present profiles of some of the leaders, merchants, educators, sports figures and general characters who made their mark on Decatur. How did Decatur get to where it is today? Drake will continue exploring that “forty year overnight miracle!”
Walt Drake is a long-time resident of Decatur, and the senior partner of McCurdy & Candler law firm in Decatur. He served two terms on the Decatur City Commission, and two terms as Mayor of Decatur in the 1970s. He was the youngest Mayor in Decatur’s history at age 30. Over the years he has been active in numerous Decatur organizations, and currently serves as a Trustee of Agnes Scott College and of Columbia Theological Seminary
He is also a Director of the Decatur Education Foundation. He lectures frequently on Decatur topics, and is working on a history of Decatur from 1900 to 1999. He is a graduate of Davidson College and of the University Of Virginia School Of Law.Free! Bring your lunch.
Tuesday, March 19, Noon – 1:00 p.m.
Historic DeKalb Courthouse, 101 E. Court Square, Decatur GA 30030, Second Floor, Superior Courtroom
Photo Caption: The Decatur Girls’ and Boys’ High Marching Band on McDonough Street. Photo by Guy Hayes, 1947
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Neat picture. Check out the streetcar tracks. Bring back the streetcar in downtown Decatur! I wish I worked downtown so I make Mayor Drake’s talk.
You can buy that picture as a blank greeting card at the DeKalb History Center. And if you haven’t been in there to see the Guy Hayes exhibit, go ASAP.
I say again: BRING BACK THE STREETCARS!
Do you have a route in mind?
A friend who owns a restaurant on Edgewood is not real happy about the disruption in business that the construction of the street car line has caused.
As the reworking of the MARTA station on the square has taught us – you have to take the long view on these things. Whatever the route, will there be businesses hurt during the build? Yes. Would it be good in the medium, long, and longer term? Yes. Same for Edgewood. It would have been a shame to not do the Edgewood streetcar because the of the short term issues it’s causing. Because in the long term, it’s going to be a real blessing for the area.
Bring back those tasteful cheerleader outfits!
It doesn’t exactly look like the precision marching band, does it?
No, and who is that young lady running up from behind? A featured baton twirler? Or a Mom running after her offspring who forgot his uniform cap? (Doubt the latter. I believe that dowdy housedresses and aprons were required for all Moms then.)
The cheerleaders are probably walking behind the band.
I think a mom running all the way to town to bring her teenager’s forgotten cap would be pretty unusual in 1947. Parents of that era (and into the ’60s and ’70s, in my experience) were more inclined to let kids suffer consequences when the stakes were low, in the belief that it helps youngsters learn responsibility and figure out how not to be such knuckleheads.
It bears a slight resemblance to the Mayberry marching band. I believe that is Mayor Stoner watching from his perch on the park bench. I think I see some new members in the band.
Aunt Bea would have run after Opie to give him his band cap! I’m positive that I remember that episode!
Donna Reed would have brought fresh from-scratch Brownies for the rest of the band. Lucille Ball would have worn the cap and tried to join in the band without anyone noticing.
And yet I have never known anyone whose actual real-life childhood was like those depicted on mid-century TV shows.
Can’t wait to see the looks on their faces when they see that new building across from the high school!
THAT made me giggle out loud.
Alls I can say is, Walt better not turn this into a Scott rally.
I’m sure he won’t. He’s a class act. I watched the video of the candidate’s forum and Scott never mentioned that his dad used to be mayor. He talked up his mom’s PTA involvement and in passing said something about his dad but nothing about being mayor.
No surprise there. I was just being (surprise) silly.