Look Back ... to passage of the school property tax, 1948
Mar. 17—March 17, 1948, in The Star: The vote was light but decisive yesterday in Anniston and Calhoun County as eligible residents chose to enact a 5-mill school tax, the income of which will be used remodel antiquated, overcrowded and hazardous school structures. Anniston voted 1,641 for the tax and 452 against it, while the county favored it by a vote of 1,550 to 456. Sample precincts include Oxford, 272 to 18, and Friendship — where the turn-of-the-century school gets by with only well water to drink and outdoor pits for sanitation — with a favorable vote of 64-2. In Anniston, the vote means school officials can continue toward constructing a new junior high school on Alabama Military Institute property, and that Anniston High School can get a new gymnasium. The tax will be in effect for 30 years and will charge 50 cents on every $100 of assessed value of property. Also this date: The Anniston City Commission yesterday directed the city engineer's office to commence construction of a new concrete-and-steel structure at the airport to house the Anniston Weather Bureau in spacious, efficient facilities. Meteorologist P. M. Hannum said that new, modern equipment, either already on hand or requisitioned, would be installed along with instruments already in use. Construction of the new building began this morning and will be completed in about 10 days — weather permitting.
March 17, 1998, in The Star: Malcolm Street Sr.'s love for high school sports, and his dedication shown through broadcasting football and basketball games, earned him the honor of induction into the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame last night in Montgomery. "High school football is football at its best. In high school you are dealing with people you know — the boy down the block, the girl cheerleader across the street," said Street, 81, who began his career in 1937 and kept at it for 52 years, eventually becoming the "Voice of the Gamecocks" at Jacksonville State University. Also this date: All high schools in Calhoun County are set to receive a new computer program that will allow students to learn algebra at their own pace. State Sen. Doug Ghee says he has acquired $150,000 in this year's education budget to establish the program for Algebra I in the county's five school systems. He hopes the initial grant will be used to buy a license for the program, certain hardware and teacher training.
