Twentieth Century Club discusses the 1960’s

Submitted by Lana Sue Jones

The Twentieth Century Club met on April 14, at the home of our hostess Evelyn Boyle with Sue Jones serving as co-hostess. President Glenda Ware called the meeting to order. Evelyn, secretary, read the minutes of our last meeting. There was no treasurer report.

Old business was to confirm the date and time of our luncheon at the Rustic Duck in Appleton City for our May meeting.

New business was the selection of officers for 2025-2026 year. They are Evelyn Boyle, president; Sue Jones, vice president; Georgia Detwiler, secretary; Jean Wernel, assistant secretary; Kay Sewell, treasurer; and Sheryl Henry, assistant treasurer.

The opinion was given by Evelyn Boyle. She started with an amusing reflection, the more you weigh the harder you are to be kidnapped, stay safe, eat cake. The topic switched to traffic today, the drivers, speeders and how easy it is to go over the speed limit when the cruise is not used.

The program was presented by Jean Wernel on the 60’s. This was the Hippy and Beatnik generation. The feeling of the time was somber, violent and desperate. Jean gave a timeline of the happenings of that period.

1960 – the first time protester held “sit in’s” and the Food and Drug Administration approved the pill as a contraceptive; 1961 – the beginning of the Civil Rights movement; 1962 – Marilyn Monroe dies 36; 1963 – Martin Luther King gives his “I have a dream” speech in Washington and John Kennedy is killed in Dallas. Johnson is sworn in as President. Two days later Lee Harvey Oswald is gunned down by Jack Ruby; 1964 – the Beatles appear on the Ed Sullivan show and the most far reaching civil rights bill is passed; 1965 – Selma march and Malcolm X killed; 1966 – the Vietnam War escalates from what was started as a limited effort on our part under president Johnson; 1967 – a group called hippies appear, the space craft with Grisson, White and Chaffee, explode in space in flames, and the Beatles perform their song, “All You Need Is Love.” Most popular film is “Cool Hand Luke.; 1968 – Robert Kennedy is killed, Jackie Kennedy marries Aristotle Onassis, Martin Luther King is killed causing turmoil and the chant of ?black power,” and the Fair Housing Act is signed by President Johnson; 1969 – Apollo II lands on the moon. Astronaut Neil Armstrong steps out onto the moon, and 400,000 attend Woodstock of the rock generation. Society had the pill to lower births and it changed the nations morals. The smell of pot drifted across the land. College parental rules faded out and gave way to coed dorms and live in roommates. Sports saw the Mets have a World Series triumph. Clothes were the popular mini skirt, paisley shirts, bell bottom pants and day-glow ties. The most popular movie was “Cool Hand Luke.” Celebrities were the Beatles, Tiny Tim and his song “Tiptoe Through the Tulips,” model Twiggy and Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali). The dance called the Twist became popular created by Chubby Checker and the music back then was rock and roll. The decade had good things that painfully become opposites but there was some pleasures and victories. The meeting was adjourned to enjoy refreshments.

Our May meeting was the luncheon at the Rustic Duck in Appleton City. The group enjoyed lunch and a time of visiting. The club will begin its new year in August with our brunch at the home of Kay Sewell, hostess.