Hall Talk - City Government in 1979
Hall Talk was a City Publication that ran from 1971 to 1984 and discussed the goings on in City government from a light-hearted perspective. City Archives & Special Collections holds a complete set of Hall Talk in its City Documents Collection, and they are available to view by appointment. This exhibit offers a collection of highlights from the first half of 1979’s Hall Talk.
January 1979
Cover Image: Charles Mo, Registrar at the New Orleans Museum of Art, supervises the unpacking of the “Peru’s Golden Treasure” exhibition. In this photograph he is holding a Chimu tumi (a ceremonial knife).
In the Memo: From the Mayor column, Mayor Dutch Morial noted that:
As you well know, we are in the midst of a financial problem right now. … We are seeking solutions through revenue measures we introduced to the City Council in November. We do not want to lay off employees, but we want New Orleanians to support revenues to pay for the services they demand. … Hopefully, the New Year will hold better days for our urban areas.”
In the Out to Lunch column, Leonard Lassalle (Civil Service) reported on Eat No Evil, a health food restaurant that once served good salads and sandwiches at 405 Baronne St.
NORD’s great tennis coach, Nehemiah Atkinson, was pictured and cited for receiving the Sportsmanship Award at the Gulf States Tennis Tournament in Baton Rouge.
Marina and Doug Kahn (CAO’s Office) remembered their recent nine-day vacation in the Virgin Islands.
Employees of a number of agencies located on the first floor of City Hall–“Where People Meet People”–were also highlighted in the January, 1979 issue of Hall Talk.
February 1979
Cover Image: Edward Richardson, an employee of the Streets Department Sign Shop, putting up a special no parking sign along one of the city’s parade routes.
In the Memo: From the Mayor column, Mayor Dutch Morial reported on the appointment of Errol Williams as director of the Finance Department. Hall Talk announced that employee pay raises would appear on checks during the month. The $14 million city-wide salary increase was funded by, among other things, a property service charge.
In the Out to Lunch column, Leonard Lassalle (Civil Service) reported on the Hobnobber Cafe (312 Baronne St.) where you could get a good meatball po-boy for $1.65!
When asked Has Mardi Gras Changed Since You Were a Child? Ted Kirn (Assessors’ Office) replied: “It’s changed more with regards to the celebration. Instead of being a local celebration, it’s more of a national celebration.”
The city’s two Dunbar Award winners, Earl Conravey (Purchasing) and John Hughes (NOPD) were profiled.
Councilman Jim Singleton and his colleagues were pictured in their athletic gear at a volleyball match against the Jefferson Parish Council members.
March 1979
Cover Image: E. J. Lattimer, Manager of the New Orleans Municipal Employees’ Credit Union (NOME) reigned in 1979 as King of Thoth, and Hall Talk photographer Joe Davi captured the excitement of the Thoth Ball, which took place on February 13 at the Municipal Auditorium. The Krewe’s theme that year was “Famous Explorers and their Discoveries” and Mr. Lattimer, who had been with the city government since 1966, ventured into this new territory with the gusto of Christopher Columbus.
In the Memo: From the Mayor column, Mayor Dutch Morial apologized for inconveniences caused by added security at City Hall during the recently-ended police strike.
In the Out to Lunch column, Leonard Lassalle (Civil Service) reported on Chifici’s Restaurant (404 Magazine St.) where the daily special (entree, salad, soup, and bread & butter) could be had for $3.45
When asked Would you like to see legalized gambling in New Orleans? NOPL librarian Erskine Barbarin responded, “At the moment, I’m against it. I think we should do further studies to see if the pluses would outweigh the minuses, as a means of generating revenues for the city. We should take a wait and see attitude as to how legalized gambling will do in Atlantic City, New Jersey.”
NOPD Officer Nat Kruebbe was announced as first place winner in the annual Hall Talk Photo Contest. His photograph captured an “appealing moment” between his young son and the family dog.
April 1979
Cover Image: Norman Jones, a laborer with the New Orleans Aviation Board, was one of the employees who helped to see that the grounds around the New Orleans International Airport were clean and well-maintained in April, 1979. Then, as now, Jones’ job was an important one, since the airport often provides the first, and last, impression of New Orleans that visitors to the city receive. Jones was featured in an article, Keeping Up With the Joneses, which pictured five other city employees named Jones, all unrelated. Included was Julie Jones, a page at NOPL’s Napoleon Branch (now the Children’s Resource Center.)
In the Memo: From the Mayor column, Mayor Dutch Morial reported that they city was able “to prevail upon the National Football League owners to bring Super Bowl XV on January 25, 1981, to New Orleans and the Superdome.” The Mayor also apologized ahead of time to “you football widows'” who might not think his news was good news.
In Employee knows “Who Shot the La La” But, he’s not telling, NOPD’s Building Services Supervisor Oliver Morgan stayed mum about that great mystery of rock and roll. Morgan’s recording of “Who Shot the La La” sold nearly a million copies in 1962.
Employees of the Sewerage and Water Board were busy microfilming all of their house connection records, dating back to 1904. The microfilm was later transferred to the City Archives at New Orleans Public Library, where it is often used by patrons researching the history of their houses or other buildings in the city.
Leonard Lassalle’s Out to Lunch column reviewed Mother’s restaurant where, in those long-ago days, the Ferdi Special cost $2.50. “On any given day, you will find the whole spectrum of the New Orleans work force there–,” Mr. Lassalle wrote, “from longshoreman to Councilman–plus a large tourist trade.” These days, the tourists tend to outnumber the workers, and the Ferdi costs $7.50!
Gas prices were on the rise in 1979, just as they were in April 1999. The Hall Talk Asks roving reporter and photographer visited the Sewerage and Water Board’s Billing Section with the query, “How high will gasoline prices have to go before you give up driving?” Employee Carol Stratton answered, “It’s high enough now but if it would go up to more than a dollar a gallon, I would get a good may with lots of money to pay for my gas.”
May 1979
Cover Image: In May 1979, Hall Talk celebrated its eighth year in publication by breaking its tradition of featuring a photo of City Hall on its anniversary covers and beginning a new tradition of highlighting various other city-owned public buildings. On this cover is Gallier Hall, which served as the seat of municipal government for more than 100 years. Twenty years ago, Gallier Hall was being used as office space for various city agencies and for a number of semi-public agencies. The venerable old building, Hall Talk admitted, was “a bit on the shabby side.” But the city had just received federal funds, partially matched by Community Development monies, to renovate the interior of the building. The city’s additional plans to make Gallier Hall into a ceremonial and reception hall were successfully carried out during the next few years.
In the Memo: From the Mayor column, Mayor Dutch Morial thanked city employees for their “excellent service” during his first year in office. He also commented on the number of CBD workers enjoying Duncan Plaza during their lunch hours and reminded city workers to help keep the park litter free.
The Hall Talk Asks column visited Manpower’s Bureau of Monitoring and asked “Who’s your favorite T.V. Weatherman?” Nash Roberts got two of the nine votes, Al Duckworth got two, Dallas Raines got one, and Bob Breck won the poll, with three votes (one respondent didn’t have a preference). All of the Breck fans liked his sense of humor and his attire: ” How does he keep his hair so slick and shiny,” Ursula Morgan asked. Marilyn Dixon said, “His weather scene is colorful. His clothes are bright and colorful, too.” And Laverne Dunn said, “He dresses real loud, and I think he does it on purpose.”
The Out to Lunch column featured two restaurants in Le Pavillon Hotel, at 833 Royal Street, and recommended the $5.50 daily lunch buffet in the Le Centime restaurant and the sandwiches (and sumptuous decor) in the Cafe Trianon.
The Civil Service Commission announced that a new method of computing annual and sick leave for city employees had gone into effect–what we city employees know as the “old plan” (for employees on the payroll as of December 31, 1978) and the “new plan” (for employees hired after December 31, 1978).
Administrative Analyst Sharon Robinson (CAO) was pictured checking the propeller of a Cessna-152 for birds and debris as she began to fulfill a lifelong dream of getting her private pilot’s license.
The May issue featured photographs highlighting Mayor Morial’s first twelve months in office, including the introduction of RAMS (Resource Allocation Management System), the city’s new payroll system; the purchase of 185 new city buses; the creation of the Office of Community Development; and a massive program to repair the city’s public buildings.
June 1979
Cover Image: Firefighter Gus Ysaguire of the New Orleans Fire Department’s Flying Squad was so proficient with the famous fire pole that he could even climb UP it if necessary. He admitted, however, that after the pole’s weekly washing navigation up or down could be rather tricky.
In the Memo: From the Mayor column, Mayor Dutch Morial lamented the proposed congressional budget cuts to a variety of programs designed to assist urban population centers. At the time, 32% of the New Orleans operating budget came from federal government sources.
The Hall Talk Asks column visited employees of the Parkway and Park Commission with the question, “Do you think joggers are ruining the appearance of our neutral grounds?” Julio Dumas responded by comparing joggers favorably to the Police Department’s horses which tend to leave behind unappreciated offerings when they use the neutral grounds.
The Out to Lunch column featured the Original Ditcharo’s Sandwich Shop at 1116 Tulane Ave. with their large roast beef sandwich for $1.90 and their Tuesday special of liver, baked macaroni, and string beans for $1.75.
David Grant, editor for the New Orleans Public Library, announced the upcoming summer session of the Free University of New Orleans. FUNO offered classes in finance, dance, languages, karate, writing, and more, all for a $5 registration fee.
The May issue featured photographs of then city councilman Sidney Barthelemy riding a bike, District B councilman Jim Singleton playing volleyball, Mayor Dutch Morial jumping rope (Double Dutch, of course), Mike Doyle (Civil Service) giving blood, and the firefighters of Engine #2 going about their daily routine.
July 1979
Cover Image: NORD dance instructor Melna Martin of Guste Summer Camp, one of many NORD employees who devoted their summers to keeping school age children creatively occupied. The July 1979 issue included photographs of NORD instructors.
In the Memo: From the Mayor Mayor Dutch Morial announced the annual “Saints Contest.” The person who came closest to guessing the final record of the Saints received a $50 gift certificate from D.H. Holmes. The Mayor, although he was ineligible for the contest, picked the Saints to finish with a 10-6 record and have their first winning season ever. He was a little off; the Saints finished 8-8 that year, not quite the coveted winning season, which finally came in 1987.
The Hall Talks Asks question for the month was “What’s your favorite New Orleans bar?” Several people chose Flamingos on St. Charles Ave. and several chose The Bull, just off Elysian Fields, both of which have since closed. Joe Peyton, Clerk of Family Court, said, “I go to the ice cream parlor, now. I’ve reformed.”
The Out to Lunch column featured The Dividend, a deli/sandwich shop at 740 Gravier–“a little of New York in old New Orleans.” Not a seafood po-boy in sight!
In 1979, the city conducted “the most extensive review of its disaster and emergency procedures ever undertaken,” and on July 3 staged a mock disaster (a hurricane with a spin-off tornado that created a hazardous gas leak) to practice the city’s response to emergency situations.
The July issue saluted Claude J. Bean, a Municipal Development Specialist in the Office of Manpower, for his efforts in getting the St. Peters African Methodist episcopal Church (at the corner of Cadiz and Coliseum) added to the National Register of Historic Places. Bean was a member of the congregation and also submitted the application which resulted in the building’s historic designation.
The Mayor also honored four city employees during Vietnam Week: Joseph Givens, NORD and Ron Gardner, Mayor’s Office (who received Presidential awards for outstanding community achievement by Vietnam-era veterans); and Oliver Walker, Human Services, and Cecil McFarland, Sanitation (who received Hubert H. Humphrey awards for service).
The images and some descriptions used in this exhibit previously appeared as the Fact Finder “New Orleans City Government: Twenty Years Ago” in 1999. Reformatted and edited into an exhibit by Amy DeNisco in 2024.