50 years ago - Feb. 18, 1960

From The Smyrna Times,
Feb. 18, 1960

Successful jayvee cagers brighten varsity outlook

All residents of this Kent County town are buzzing this week about the overwhelming success being experienced by Smyrna High’s junior varsity basketball quintet. The junior Eagles, possessors of an impressive 9-2 log, have won eight straight contests since dropping two of their first three games.

Coach Ebe Joseph, in his initial year at the helm of the jayvee squad, has nothing but praise for his cagers. “A lot of people have contributed to the success of the team,” says Joseph. “This year’s team is an experienced one and the boys have improved a lot, especially (Brandy) Jones.”

Joseph, a former star athlete at Smyrna where he was a first team All-State basketball choice, says that two factors are most responsible for the team’s overall 1960 success: (1) team height; (2) team experience.

Few teams are fortunate enough to have three big boys filling starting roles. Eddie Sterling (6’2”), Brandy Jones (6’1”), and Bob Pritchard (6’0”) easily give the Eagles a height advantage over every team on their schedule. Gary Harvath, the number one reserve, stands 6’1” and has used his height to best advantage under the boards.

Coach Ebe Joseph’s jayvee courtmen continued their victory skein this week with successive wins over Middletown and Chestertown. Paced by Bob Pritchard’s 21 points, the Little Eagles romped over hapless Middletown, 55-19, Friday night, and then improved their record to 9-2 Tuesday with a 35-25 decision over Chestertown.

Five games remain on the 1960 schedule. In addition to the tests with Caesar Rodney and Georgetown, away games also remain with Lewes and Seaford before the season finale at home with the Georgetown five.

Smyrna Council informed of sewer problems

Among the many matters considered by Smyrna Town Council during a session which lasted until midnight Friday was a report by Town Manager Rex D. Gilmore of work done recently at the sewage treatment plant. Colored slides of draining of the digester at the plant were shown by Mr. Gilmore, pointing up his report.

The draining was necessitated by the accumulation of sand, oil, lint, and hair, and required two crews working around the clock from Tuesday morning to Saturday noon, 340 man hours.
Letters will be sent to all filling stations and garages requesting that sand traps be cleaned regularly, and that crankcase oil not be dumped into the sewers. Beauty parlor operators will be instructed to deposit hair clippings in trash containers instead of being disposed of in town sewers.
It was agreed that the town manager purchase gas re-circulating wells in the digester cover at the sewage plant at a cost of $630.

Smyrna High senior wins DAR Citizenship Contest

Susan Price, a senior at the John Bassett Moore High School, has been notified that she is one of the three winners in the Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizens contest. She has been invited to attend the luncheon which will be held in connection with the annual state conference of the DAR to be held Saturday, Feb. 20 at the Hotel DuPont, Wilmington….
Miss Price was the local winner for a theme on the subject “Faith of Our Fathers, Living Still,” and her theme was entered in the state contest. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry T. Price.

‘Varieties of 60’s’ musical March 9

The Young Married Couples Group of the First Presbyterian Church is at work preparing another of their colorful, fast-moving musical shows, “Varieties of the 60’s,” which is scheduled to be presented at the John Bassett Moore High School on Wednesday, March 9 at 8 p.m. Gordon Miller is general chairman, and all members of the group will participate in some way in the production.