Remember The Year 1956

The Cold War....... Eisenhower.... Desegregation

Hungarian Revolution

Students in Budapest stage an uprising. The rebellion is eventually put down by the Russians. Many students find refuge in the United States.

Israel - Egypt Sinai War

In July 1956, Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal, threatening British and French interests in oil supplies and western trade. On October 29, 1956, Israel began its assault on Egyptian military positions, capturing the whole of the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula. On October 31, France and Britain joined the fray. Hostilities ended on November 5.

Interstate Highway System

On June 26, 1956, the Senate and House approved the bill creating the Interstate Highway System. President Eisenhower signed the bill in his hospital room at Walter Reed Army Hospital where he was recovering from an attack of ileitis. His primary reason for supporting so expensive a project was defense, but the Interstate Highway System made the suburbs possible and Americans took up traveling in station wagons and motor homes.

Desegregation

In the fall following our graduation, the first schools in Louisville were desegregated complying with the Supreme Court Brown vs. the Board of Education ruling of 1954. Public parks and swimming pools were already desegregated.

Negroes boycott buses in Montgomery, Alabama

Womens Rights

The Louisville Parks and Recreation announced they would hire women (girl) lifeguards. Lakeside Swim Pool refused to follow suit citing that girls would be unable to handle physical work such an emptying garbage cans. Classmates Melinda Morton and Emmalee Bowers worked at Crescent Hill Pool. A few years later the city decided not to hire any more female lifeguards. The city and Lakeside both hire many female guards today.

Sports

The summer Olympic games were held in Melbourne, Australia in November.

Kentucky Derby won by D. Erb riding Needles

Boxing: Floyd Patterson KOs Archie Moore and Rocky Marciano retired undefeated

Heisman Trophy Winner: Louisvillian Paul Hornung playing for Notre Dame

Golf : U.S. Open won by Cary Middlecoff

World Series of Baseball : New York

Music

American Louis Armstrong played in Ghana
Top Tunes: Blue Suede Shoes; Friendly Persuasion; Hot Diggity; The Happy Whistler, Whatever Will Be, Will Be
Elvis Presley recorded Don't Be Cruel.

Entertainment

Best Motion Picture: Around the World in 80 Days

Best Actor Yul Brynner The King and I

Best Acress Ingrid Bergman Anastasia

Prince of Monaco married Actress Grace Kelly

Prices

Average Income $4,454.00

New Car $2.050

Median price of a house was $11,725

Loaf of Bread .18

Gallon of Milk .97

Silver per Ounce .90

Minimum Wage was 1.00/hour

Technology

The first trans-Atlantic telephone cable was laid.

First interactive computer developed. (Interactive computers allowed the user to type into terminal and test results online rather than submitting a punched tape or deck of cards.) At M.I.T. the first interactive computers were so popular that some students began cutting class to sit around playing with them. The computer geek was born. Many of the original geeks are todays millionaires.

Ampex Corp. perfected the first videotape recorder,

Died

IBM founder Thomas Watson Sr.

Born:

Larry Bird

1956 Ford Truck Did any member of the class of '56 have a pickup? Did you know anyone who owned a pickup truck in 1956?

1956 Chevy Malibu