Monday, October 31, 2011

Halloween in 1958

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This is what it was like on Halloween in 1958

This is a reprint from the Atlanta Journal dated Oct. 31, 1958
BEWARE, ATLANTA! TONIGHT THE WITCHES COME CALLING
BY Laura McGregor

ATLANTA BEWARE!
Tonight the witches take to the air.
Bubbling brews will steam from black kettles,
witch-ridden brooms will swoop across the sky.
Ghosts will flutter overhead and for a few shorth hours Atlanta will become an eerie city filled with the supernatural from on high.
Halloween with all it's magical powers will capture the children turning them into frightening little creatures, punching doorbells and screeching loudly "Trick or Treat".
Bright orange pumpkins hollowed and carved into a variety of contorted faces will brighten porches and shine from windows.
And the howl of a lone black cat and the smell of burned autumn leaves will put a hypnotic spell in the crisp night air.
Amid the dancing neon signs downtown will roam the celebrants-blowing horns, rattling noise makers and belive bones.
While out from the city lights, little clowns, gypsies, skeletons and ghosts will douse their heads in washtubs filled with red apples and eat marshmellows from a string.
But at the stroke of 12 trick or treat bags will be empty again.
The last of the candied apples will be washed from dirty little hands and the last of the witches will point their brooms toward the land of spirits to await another magical night of Halloween.
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Pranksters prepare for Halloween in 1958 and include cat "P.J"
Rhonda, left and Charles Robinson are dressed for the occasion.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Very Nice. Love the simple costumes.
Question: Where are ghosts in Decatur most likely to be seen tonight? Here are my top pics 1. Across the street from Chik-fil-A where the old jail and the hanging tower was located, 2. All along N. McDonough where hundreds of Confederate troops died during the Battle of Decatur, 3. The service staircase at the old courthouse, 4. The alley next to the Brick Store (Ghosts are known to hang out on one lane dirt roads), 5. Near the old depot where a Union soldier fired a rifle from a passing train and killed a young girl sitting at her home, and finally 6. The attic of the Mary Gay House (or Swanton House).
Keep up the good work. Don't let the Decatur Carpetbaggers get you down.
Your Devoted Visitor,
Mr. Chris Billingsley

Next Stop...Decatur said...

Thanks Chris