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By Clarene Evans
The pool at Latimer Park is gone, but this grainy old photo shows a once-thriving place to swim and cool off in the summer heat.
This was a beauty contest (swim suit contest, presumably) at one point in the career of the pool.
The lovelies are: L-R Roberta Haynes, Becky Gentry, Judy Prather, Cynthia Houston, Mary Ellen Cole, Linda Bedford, Gina Prentiss, Judy Skelton, Linda Gail White, and (22) unknown.
The winner was, as best remembered, Gina - number 18.
The picture quality isn't the best as the caption indicates, but, number 22 looks a lot like Becky Hamblin! I remember that she worked as a life guard a couple of summers during the time period this picture had to have been made.
ReplyDeleteThe material to make swim suits in those days sure did cost much more than today.......... a shoe string is very inexpensive today.
ReplyDeleteThose girls are all winners!
ReplyDeleteI don't think you've got the correct year on this one! If it were the summer of '62 then Roberta Haynes, Cynthia Houston, Regina Prentice, Linda Gail White, and Becky Hamblin would be just getting ready to enter 9th grade. The girls in this picture didn't just finish the 8th!
ReplyDeleteOh yes, and I think that's Judy Bedford, not her little sister Linda!
ReplyDeleteI had that photo and another of Gina with the crown and the alternates, and it was 1963 or 64. No later I am sure. 62 is close, but not too far off after trying to remember for all these years.
ReplyDeleteThis photo and story line was circulated among a few folks to try to get the IDs and when/where.
ReplyDeleteLooks like we got "close enough for government work". After all, it's been 44 or so years ago.
Thanks to all for the corrections!
I can only guess why the pool was closed - and possibly not for economic reasons.
I don't think 22 is Becky Hamblin I may be wrong but the name palmer comes to my mind.
ReplyDeleteOk gang, the pool opened in late summer of 1961. Dale Gardner, Linda Weatherford, Robert Coggins and myself were the first life guards at the new pool. I had just finished my freshman year in college in 1961. I continued to work there every summer until I finished college in 1964,and even one summer after I finished college. There was never a beauty contest while I was at the pool. The girls in the picture were in about the 8th grade when I was life guarding at the pool. So the picture has to be in the time frame of 1966-67.
ReplyDeleteJim G
GALE GRISHAM WON THE SWIMMING SUIT CONTEST ONE SUMMER AND SHE GRADUATED IN '62
ReplyDelete