The target date for the new Tyrone High School remained Feb. 1, 1962, with interior work going on in the late fall of 1961, consisting of application of finished surfaces to classrooms, cafeteria, gymnasium and the swimming pool. Subflooring for the auditorium and electrical equipment had been placed and partially installed. Subflooring for the gymnasium was to be soon installed. Installment of finished flooring in the auditorium and gymnasium as well as several other areas was to be completed when the building was heated and moisture reduced to normal levels.
Doors and windows were in place, permitting the general contractor to prepare for heating the building during the coming winter months.
The heating system was ready for operation, except for the control units, which were to be installed in the next few days.
Outside, the paving of sidewalks and drives were being paved. Curbs and sidewalks had been completed and the general contractor was building the drives and roadways that circle the building.
Tests were to be run to check the operation of the boilers and controls before they were placed in operation.
Temperatures were to be increased gradually to avoid cracking plaster on floors through sudden temperature changes.
F & F Drycleaners, at 120 West 10th Street, made everyone an offer to store those summer garments with their Special Box storage plan-Have them dry-cleaned and stored-cottons resized and $50,000 insurance and you paid only for the dry-cleaning. The Villa celebrated its 25th anniversary the first week in Nov. 1961, with the Playboys Trio providing the music. A free anniversary or birthday cake was provided if reservations were made a day in advance. Their regular spaghetti and meatball platter was priced at 35 cents, the same price they charged 25 years earlier when they first opened.
In trying to stop refugees from fleeing Communist East Berlin, Communist police fired hundreds of shots into the American sector of West Berlin, narrowly missing five U.S. military policemen. The shooting was the biggest outburst of gunfire, since the Communists sealed the border on Aug. 13, 1961.
The Communist Peoples Police first sprayed the U.S. sector with from 250-300 shots from rifles and submachine guns in an attempt to stop nine East German refugees, who crashed a truck into the Communists’ barbed-wire border barrier.
The refugees managed to escape under the hail of gunfire/
As soon as this shooting stopped, the American military police and a detachment of West Berlin police appeared at the border and the Communists fired again. According to the West German police, the Communists fired a few bursts from submachine guns and rifles for a few seconds after shouting at the western forces, “get back or we will shoot.”
America’s largest missle-firing nuclear submarine, launched its first Polaris rocket from the Atlantic Ocean’s depths about 200 miles south of Cape Canaveral.
The 6,000-ton USS Ethan Allen, sixth member of the nation’s growing fleet of Polaris submarines, conducted the shot under stiff secrecy imposed by the U.S. Navy.
The Polaris, an earlier model, now being used with nuclear warheads in groups of 16 aboard five nuclear subs, burst through the surface with a geyser of water and hurled its dummy payload to the edge of space.
At Edwards Air Force base, in California, pilot Joe Walker set a new speed record in the X15 rocketplane of 3,920 mph and was convinced the plane would fly faster than its design goal of 4,000 mph. Walker put the brakes deliberately on to keep the speed down, but still went 35 miles per hour faster than he was supposed to as it was.
On Friday, Nov. 3, 1961, the Tyrone football team had their second lesson in the frustration of losing a game by a single point. The Golden Eagles lost a heart-breaking 13-12 decision to unbeaten Lock Haven at the victors’ field.
Only the second loss of the season for Tyrone and head coach Ron Corrigan, and the second by a point, Tyrone won the game hands down in two of the three most important statistical categories. Tyrone had a 16-11 advantage in first downs, and rushed for 212 yards to the Bobcats 130 and were only outpassed 114-88. Chet Wolford was again the individual rushing start of the game, picking up 107 yards on 27 carries.
An estimated crowd of 4,000, believed to be the largest of the season at Lock Haven, watched the game in pleasant summer-like weather.
The Eagles put the first points on the scoreboard, putting the ball in play at their own-21 after limiting Lock Haven to one first down and then punting to begin the contest. Tyrone punted and Lock Haven again moved the sticks once before punting to Tyrone.
After two running plays netted two yards for the Eagles, a Tom Miller-to-Gary Greene pass moved the ball out to 49 on the 23-yard connection. In five plays, Tyrone marched to the LH-34, from where, Miller team up with Greene again, a sharp spiral caught by Greene near the left corner, and Greene made the over-the-should catch and stepped into the end zone. Wolford tried to rush for the extra point, but was stopped short.
Lock Haven came right back to score a TD of their own and added what would become the all-important PAT kick.
Tyrone bounced right back, marching all the way to the LH-1, but stalled after having a first-and-goal at the Bobcat-5 and coming up a yard short four plays later. Wolford led the drive with gains of seven, 10 and 12 yards, but Tyrone turned it over to Lock Haven with 2:15 left in the first half.
Carl White took the Lock Haven kick to begin the third quarter and with some shifty running and good blocking returned the kick to the LH-49, a run of 36 yards, where he was tripped up by the last Lock Haven defender. Tyrone controlled the ball for 26 plays in the quarter, to just five for Lock Haven, but each team scored a TD.
Tyrone drove to the Bobcat-12 with Miller and Ron Cramer ripping off the big plays, but the drive bogged down.
On the first play following a Tyrone punt, the Lock Haven quarterback threw up a long pass, which Miller appeared to bat away, but the football dropped into the hands of the intended receiver, who ran unmolested down the sideline for the 40-yard TD. The PAT kick hit the upright to leave the score 13-6 Lock Haven.
With 4:47 to play in the quarter, the Eagles moved right down the field to score. Sandy Naylor returned the kickoff 12 yards to the T-37, before Wolford sprinted 21 yards on the first play to the LH-41. Miller picked up 10 on the next play and Miller and Wolford drove the Eagles to the LH-7 with a first and goal. On fourth down, Miller jammed a pass over the right side, past two defenders and into the clutches of Greene to make it 13-12 with just nine seconds remaining in the third quarter. Miller attempted to rush for the PAT, but was stopped short of the goal line.
Neither team was able to score in the fourth quarter, with Tyrone getting as close as the LH-38, only to take a five-yard penalty and give up the ball on downs four plays later. Lock Haven marched to the T-1, but the Eagles defense held.
