May 2023
1960. John F. Kennedy was president and Lyndon B. Johnson was vice president. Edmund G. “Pat” Brown was Governor.
The 1960 Winter Olympics were held at Squaw Valley, California. The chairman of the Pageantry Committee was Walt Disney, who was responsible for producing both the opening and closing ceremonies. The opening ceremony was during a blizzard and included 5,000 entertainers, the release of 2,000 pigeons, and a military gun salute of eight shots, one for each of the previous Winter Olympic Winter Games.
The Organizing Committee decided to sell television broadcast rights to CBS for $50,000. During the Games, CBS broadcast 15 and ¼ hours of television focusing on ice hockey, speed skating, figure skating, alpine skiing, and ski jumping. During the men’s slalom event, officials who were unsure if a skier had missed a gate asked CBS if they could review a tape of the event. This request gave CBS the idea for what is now known as “instant replay”.
The 1960 Summer Olympics were held in Rome. These Games were the first to be televised, the first to have the Olympic Anthem, the first to have an Olympic champion run in bare feet, the first commercial endorsement, and the first doping scandal.
1959 and 1960 were years of excitement at Countryside Community Church, for fundraising, discussion and approval of architectural plans, consideration of the purchase of the Howard property to the west of the church for the placement of the new building. It was decided not to purchase the property for $7,500.00 which included a house. A new proposal to move the Howard house to another lot, then enabling the church to have the additional property for less money. The Howards agreed and a new lot was found for the house. However, the County Building Department would not approve the move because of inadequate construction. Instead, it was decided to build a two-story building on the existing church property. Mr. Nicholson, the architect, explained the building is to be of wood construction with steel girder support. The exterior of the building will be finished with stucco and the interior with sheetrock. All the rooms will be insulated, a restroom between the kindergarten and nursery will be installed and water will be piped upstairs for a sink. When the construction bids were opened, they ranged from $71,811 to $72,444, all too high. It was decided to contact retired contractor, John Knapp from Sacramento, who had done a great deal of church construction. Mr. Knapp’s bid was $62,506, close to the Architect’s estimate. The committee awarded the contract to Knapp.
A Congregational Meeting was held on May 8th to borrow money for the Education Building and again on September 4, 1960. The Congregation gave approval to borrow up to $45,000.00 for the Education building.
May 28, 1961, was the date set for the dedication services for the new Education Building. Invited to speak were: Dr. E.G. Williams, Dr. Davis, Richard Penalung, Mr. Follansbee, Ray Squire, and Jack Thomas. A $15.00 honorarium and 5 cents per mile would be given to each speaker.
May 15, 1961, Session met in the Fireside Room of the new Christian Education Building, for the first time.
January 28, 1962. “Mr. Irvine reviewed moral developments in the community. He read a letter from Mr. Kennedy, superintendent of schools, reviewing a morals committee action and requesting a resident county deputy sheriff. Everett Parker moved that the clerk draft a letter to the Board of Supervisors requesting a full time resident deputy sheriff for the Esparto area. It was seconded by Roy Wyatt and carried, unanimously.”
February 25, 1962, the treasurer of the building campaign reported that there is still $32,000.00 owing on the new building loan. After a long discussion, elder Schaupp moved a three-year pledge campaign to pay off the indebtedness. The motion was seconded and carried. A committee was formed with Paul Stephens as chairman and elders Schaupp and Emmerton members as well as deacons and committee members to conduct the campaign. Three months later $12,000 had been raised and pledged.
April 8, 1962, Mr. Irvine reported that Wyatt’s General Store wanted to loan the church a color television set, and asked that Session approve the purchase of an antenna for $20.00 and an additional $10.00 for the installation material. Motion carried.
