It’s 50 years since this photo was taken on January 29, 1960.  Right at the start of what many claim was the biggest change in culture ever seen. It was also a time when a freeman of Maybole was the President of the United States of America. Dwight D Eisenhower was in his final year as president and U.S. Senator John F. Kennedy had just announced that he would be a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination. He won the election in November that year.

President Eisenhower, had been the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces during the Second World War. He spent holidays at Culzean with his family and friends and enjoyed a rest when he could shoot and golf and be free from the cares of his busy life. He was a frequent visitor to Maybole which he always considered, as he said, "his Scottish hometown", and on Saturday, 5th October, 1946, the Freedom of the Burgh was conferred on him by the townspeople. President Eisenhower, in his remarks after the ceremony, said he would "always consider himself a true Minnieboler, if not by birth, at least by adoption".

This is a photo of Carrick Academy’s class 2A.

Back Row: Mr Benny, Malcolm Morrison, James Blackwood, Robert Barr, David McFarlane, David Shearlaw, Keith Robinson, Tom McCubbin, Middle row: Alex McCrindle, John McCreath (hope he got a discount!), Mary Woodburn, Sandra McDill, Joyce Edgar, Frances Dunn, Richard Parker, Walter Miller, Alasdair Benny. Front row: Elizabeth Wilson, Jean Rodger, Kathleen Ross, Heather Anderson, Morag Munro, Maureen Howatson, Ann Clark, Janet Sharp, Joyce Lough

The photo was sent in by Malcolm Morrison.  Larger image