I have written before that the 1970s was a strange decade — one that featured disco, mood rings, beanbag chairs, leisure suits and the Vietnam War. The sports event of the decade was a tennis match in the Houston Astrodome between a woman, Billie Jean King, and 55-year-old tennis hustler named Bobby Riggs.
Perhaps this week in 1970, the decade’s first year, was the harbinger. For it was on December 21, 1970, that the decade’s strangest photo-op took place. Shaking hands and grinning as a photographer took their picture in the Oval Office were the president of the country for much of the 1970s, Richard Nixon (further proof of the decade’s strangeness), and the “King of Rock ’n’ Roll” himself, Elvis Presley. Nixon is wearing his usual dark suit and forced smile, while Elvis is in his “New Elvis” getup of long hair, longer sideburns, flowery shirt, wide belt and cape. His eyes seem glazed and unfocused.
Which is unsurprising considering that at the time he already had a long history of drug dependence, including both prescription drugs and those of the illegal variety.
When Elvis died in 1977 his autopsy revealed that in his body at the time of death were various amounts of codeine, methqualone, ethinamate, Valium, Demerol, Meperidine and morphine.
Elvis spent a lot of time stoned out of his mind.
Which is ironic, if not amusing, because his visit with Nixon that day was for the purpose of becoming a special drug enforcement agent, complete with DEA badge. Elvis had requested the White House meeting so that he could sign up for Nixon’s war on drugs, and Nixon, whose many shortcomings did not include a blindness to good public relations, immediately agreed. White House aides later suggested that “special agent” Elvis compose an anti-drug theme song with the possible title, “Get High on Life.”
Getting high during his life was certainly an Elvis specialty, at least according to those who knew him best. His ex-wife, Priscilla Presley, says that years of drug abuse made Elvis both impulsive and irrational. Often, for example, if he didn’t like what he was watching on television, he would take out a pistol and blow out the screen. An ex-girlfriend, Linda Thompson, says Elvis took so many drugs that he often fell asleep while eating.
Which arguably makes Elvis the poster-boy — entertainment division — for the weirdness that defined the 1970s. Thompson once noted that Elvis liked to wear around his neck an Egyptian ankh, a crucifix and a Star of David. When asked why, he would reply, “Because I don’t want to miss Heaven on a technicality.”
The general consensus is that if Elvis did miss out on Heaven, it wasn’t on a technicality.
Bruce Kauffmann’s e-mail address is bruce@historylessons.net
Schools
Bruce Kauffman: The King meets Tricky Dick
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Valley educators cautious on Indiana’s ‘No Child’ waiver
Indiana is one of 10 states to receive a waiver from federal No Child Left Behind requirements.
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Driver dies after Illinois school bus crash
“Brace yourself. Brace yourself,” Fay Pickering shouted to her students just before the school bus she was driving crossed U.S. 40 and landed in a ditch Thursday morning.
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Official: Indiana among first 10 states to get ed waiver
President Barack Obama today will free 10 states from the strict and sweeping requirements of the No Child Left Behind law, giving leeway to states that promise to improve how they prepare and evaluate students, The Associated Press has learned.
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Letters from Debs
Cinda May sat with the phone to her ear listening as the auctioneer in New York City said “Holding, holding.”
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ISU presents Sycamore Hoopla; activities kick off Friday
Indiana State University’s Hulman Center will host its sixth annual Sycamore Hoopla Friday and Saturday.
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BRUCE'S HISTORY LESSON: This little-known compromise may have saved the union
When the Constitution was signed in September of 1787 and sent to the Congress that then existed under the Articles of Confederation, Congress was instructed to send that Constitution to the states to be ratified … or not. The message to the states was clear: Accept the Constitution or reject it, but don’t try to change it.
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College plans Prom Expo on Feb. 19
Get the scoop on the latest in prom fashions and services during Lincoln Trail College’s Prom Expo Feb. 19.
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ISU offering tech ed scholarships to VU grads
Indiana State University is offering $1,000 scholarships for graduates of Vincennes University’s technology programs to pursue their bachelor’s degree.
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Fort Harrison State Park to host winter wildlife workshop
Our culture’s most celebrated survivalists are often men with an accent, a trusty knife, and a tagalong camera crew filming their every move.
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Riverton Parke's winter king and queen
Seniors Gary Secuskie and Taylor Mansinne were named King and Queen of the Riverton Parke Winter 2012 Homecoming.
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Four alumni receive GOLD awards from Indiana State University
A former collegiate football standout and a trio known for selling humorous holiday apparel received the Indiana State University Alumni Association’s Graduate of the Last Decade Award this year.
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Indiana State students hear view from Cuba
Carlos Alzugaray, who spent 40 years representing the Cuban government around the world, wishes NBC newsman Brian Williams had asked a different question during a recent Republican presidential debate in Jacksonville, Fla.
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College to celebrate homecoming
Lincoln Trail College will celebrate homecoming on Feb. 18.
- Goals, Pride & Achievements: Feb. 9, 2012
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Valley middle schoolers ready for MATHCOUNTS
Weeks of early-morning and after-school problem-solving sessions for about 100 Wabash Valley middle school students will culminate on Saturday in the regional MATHCOUNTS competition at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.
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Indiana State education major takes teaching to Siberia
Christin Keirn wanted a challenge and she does enjoy winter. So for her, it seemed an obvious choice.
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Lincoln Trail College honors
Lincoln Trail College has released its academic honor lists for the Fall 2011 semester.
- ACROSS THE WABASH VALLEY: Feb. 9, 2012
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Vigo schools see grad rate rise
The Vigo County School Corp. 2011 graduation rate improved nearly 4 percentage points and surpassed the state graduation rate, according to information from the state Department of Education.
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Rose-Hulman to help address need for advancing railroad technologies
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology is stepping back into its past and addressing a need to advance the nation’s transportation system by educating the next generation of railroad engineers.
Chauncey Rose, an entrepreneur and builder of railroads, came to western Indiana in 1817. -
Take the Plunge for Special Olympics on Feb. 11 at ISU
Join Mayor Duke Bennett, Indiana State University Police Chief Bill Mercier, Terre Haute and ISU Police departments, GFS Marketplace, Mix-FM, the men of Pi Kappa Alpha and the ladies of Alpha Sigma Alpha at the Fourth Annual Terre Haute Polar Plunge to benefit Special Olympics Indiana on Feb. 11.
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Valley woman’s recipe featured by Taste of Home
Taste of Home magazine has honored a Riverton Parke Jr.-Sr. High School Foods Services employee for her recipe.
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College Goal Sunday set for Feb. 12 at Ivy Tech
Financial aid professionals will be volunteering at Ivy Tech Community College in Terre Haute and 39 other Indiana sites to help college-bound students and their families open the door to financial aid during College Goal Sunday, set for 2 p.m. Feb. 12.
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College to offer aeronautics classes at Robinson airport
Lincoln Trail College is flying high this spring with two aeronautics classes taught at the Robinson (Ill.) Community Airport.
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Agreement to further college’s international initiatives
Harrison College, a private sector college serving 6,000 students at 12 campuses in Indiana and Ohio as well as online, has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Siva Sivani Institute of Management in Hyderabad, India.
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Otter Creek Middle School to celebrate 50 years
Otter Creek Middle School turns 50 years old this year. In 1962, the newly formed Vigo County School Corp. opened the current Otter Creek Middle School as Otter Creek Junior High School.
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College savings campaign kicks off statewide
Students in Clay, Parke, Putnam, Sullivan, Vermillion and Vigo counties are joining students across Indiana to launch Learn More Indiana’s 2012 Cash for College campaign this week.
Eighty percent of students who attend college receive financial aid.
- Goals, Pride & Achievements: Feb. 2, 2012
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BRUCE'S HISTORY LESSON: Freedom of religion — beliefs and actions
Because religious faith is, arguably, the quintessential example of our right to privacy, to say nothing of its prominent place in our First Amendment, throughout our history court cases involving the free exercise of religion have been handled with great trepidation and with particular care. One of the milestone “free exercise” religion cases, Davis v. Beason, was decided by the Supreme Court this week (Feb. 3) in 1890.
- Across the Wabash Valley: Feb. 2, 2012
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