Robert, USMC
IT'S NO LYCEUM, BUT...
by Robert Stebbins, Guest Writer
CHS '51
CHS '51
Inclined as I am to rummage back through my mental filing cabinet, I was recently reminded that on May 17, 1951, our senior class of 126 members graduated from Clovis High School. We then scattered to the winds.
After graduation, I enrolled at Eastern New Mexico College (ENMC), now ENMU, the university down the road in Portales, a few miles from Clovis. I don't recall ever attending a movie in Portales. In fact, I don't even remember if Portales had a theater during my one semester there. But being close to home, it was only a short drive to Clovis in my black (was there any other color except black or maroon?) 1939 Ford Coupe to the Lyceum, State, or Sunshine if I wanted to see a movie.
After fulfilling my agreement with my dad that I would attend college for at least one semester, as I had wanted to enlist in the Marine Corps, I rode the train to San Diego in February of 1952. After April graduation from boot camp, I was assigned to Camp Pendleton, the 125,000 acre base, adjacent to and just north of Oceanside, California. The Korean War was going full tilt, and there were probably more sailors and marines in the San Diego-Camp Pendleton area than any other place in the United States.
Weekends were for "liberty" to go off base. To go south toward San Diego, there were thousands more sailors and marines lining the two-lane highway. To go north toward Los Angeles on Hwy. 101 also meant to try to hitch-hike. Motorists picked up hitch-hikers in those days, especially those in uniform. However, the numbers, competition, and availability of motorists never seemed to match. I soon realized that if I wanted to ever enjoy liberty, I needed wheels.
My sister lived in Long Beach, near Los Angeles. As luck would have it, her neighbor had a son in the army who had just returned from Korea with a pocket full of combat pay. He wanted to buy a new Mercury, and he had a 1932 Ford 3-window coupe he wanted to sell for $300.00. I telephoned my dad, told him to sell my 1939 for whatever he could get for it, and send me the money. Soon $300.00 arrived, and I was the proud and happy owner of my new set of wheels. The previous owner and his dad had rebuilt and modified the car....it had a 1940 V-8 engine, hydraulic brakes, high-speed rear end, custom made stainless-steel dash, red and white leatherette upholstery, radio, and 1940 Ford steering....but, no fan. It didn't need one as they only ran it near the ocean, and the Pacific Ocean breezes provided adequate cooling.
Well, every weekend that I had liberty, a full tank of gas, and $5.00 in my pocket, I headed north, away from Camp Pendleton and points south. As a result, I only went south to San Diego once or twice during more than a year at Camp Pendleton and knew little about the area to the south, including Encinitas (meaning "little oaks") located between Camp Pendleton and San Diego and where we now live. And, I knew nothing about the little gem, the "La Paloma" theater located on the old Hwy. 101, where it has stood and shown movies since 1928.
La Paloma is still in operation in Encinitas. Of course, there are no 35 mm. arc light projectors like they had in all of the Clovis theaters in our day, but they have an upgraded sound system which is excellent. Seats are original, if a little worn, but who among us is not a little worn after 80+ years. There is even a little dog who belongs to the owner or manager, and it roams outside the front of the theater and in the lobby, greeting the customers and wanders throughout the rows of seats during the movie keeping an eye on things.
A few nights ago my wife and I attended an independent film entitled "Virtuosity", sponsored by the local Italian Film Club. It was about the most recent Van Cliburn piano competition that is held every four years in Fort Worth. It was a truly outstanding film, and I recommend it highly if you have a chance to see it. You might be able to find it on PBS or possibly Netflix.
There is a lot of ornate interior design in the La Paloma like we remember from the Mesa and the Lyceum, especially in the corners and around the lights. There are heavy timbers stretching across the ceiling, Mexican or Indian style, but there is no balcony. And, I missed most the newsreel, cartoons, serial/s, the extra feature show, and the chance on a bicycle, not to mention the old price of 10 cents for kids. It was $10 per person, just to show you how the value of your money has deteriorated over the years. Dad-gum it, things just aren't like they used to be...
For MIL'S PLACE
by Robert Stebbins
5/21/16
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