The Mercedes Enterprise (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 46, No. 34, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 24, 1961 Page: 1 of 11
eleven pages : ill. ; page 23 x 19 in. Scanned from physical pages.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
MERCEDES PUBLIC LIBRARY
BOX 866
CITY XXX
SINGLE COPY
PRICE
101
The Merce
nterprise
SINGLE COPY
PRICE
m
VOLUME NO. XLVI ‘ — NO. 84
Mercedes, Texas, Thursday, August 24, 1961
$3.00 Per Year In The Valley
$142,560 Saved In Past Five Years
On Fire Insurance In Mercedes
Mercedes property own-
ers saved $142,560 in in-
surance premiums during
the last five years because
of a good fire record and
an efficient volunteer fire
department.
These figures were com-
piled by Joe Fogaley, deputy
civil and fire defense co-
ordinator for Hidalgo
County.
Annual saving, based on
actual premiums paid dur-
ing 1960 of $41,000, will
be $29,520.
This is based on a .28
cent key rate as compared to
100 per cent of the state
charge. The low key rate
was brought about because
of provisions made by the
city administration for water
supply, reservoirs, mains,
hydrants, equipment, train-
ing, efficiency and leader-
ship in the department. It
also takes into consideration
work done by the fire mar-
shal, and the laws and reg-
ulations adopted and en-
forced for fire safety, with
forced for fire safety with
construction, electrical and
' plumbing codes.
Texas is the only state
with the key rate system
for computing premiums.
The system means that Mer-
cedes does not have to pay
a penalty for losses in other
towns, or vice-versa. The
good credit fire award is
another exclusive for Texas.
A maximum of 25 per cent
off is allowed from premi-
ums whenever the fire loss
~KC Bar-B-Q
To Feature
History
The opportunity to mix
history with fun is being
offered to members, families
and friends of the Mercedes
Council of the Knights of
Columbus, at the giant sum-
mer barbecue and picnic on
Sunday, Sept. 3, at the
historic, old Toluca Ranch,
near Progreso.
Oscar Torres, Grand
Knight, said the best of old-
fashioned “pit barbecue’*
will be prepared by top hands
in the business-working with
the finest cuts of beef availa-
ble. Serving will be from 12
noon until 2 p.m. and from
5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Price for
the barbecue is $1.25 per
person.
There will be supervised
games for the children and
will leave the adults free to
visit concession booths and
other points of interests, Mr.
Torres said.
Toluca Ranch was one of
the first missions estab-
lished by the early Oblate
Fathers, and much Valley
history will be in the air for
those who attend.
The ranch is located one
mile east of the Progreso
Bridge, and the route will be
well marked with signs.
A big “Baile Ranchero”
will climax a fun-day for
members, families and
friends. Tickets are availa-
ble at C. R. Anthony Company
or the O’Shea Furniture
Company in Mercedes, and
from all council members.
Lauderdale Named
To State Bar Panel
Henry D. Lauderdale,
Mercedes Lawyer, has been
named to a key committee
of the State Bar of Texas.
Appointment of Lauder-
dale as vice chairman of the
Committee of Nuclear Ener-
gy Law was announced by Bar
president William L. Kerr of
Midland.
is less than 24 per cent of
the premiums paid over a
period of five years.
“The good fire credit is
more important than reduc-
tions in the kev rate,** Mr.
Fogaley said.
Public To View
New Buildings
Of PAC Sunday
Some 2,500 Rio Grande
Valley citizens are expected
to view Pan American Col-
lege’s new million-dollar
west campus during open
house ceremonies at Edin-
burg Sunday, from 2 until
5 p.m., according to Dr.
Ralph Schilling, president of
the college.
Three completed and al-
ready occupied buildings will
be on display for inspection
by the general public. These
include the Engineering
Building, constructed at a
cost of $354,820 by Brasel-
ton Construction Company
of Corpus Christi; the $165,
315 Library Building, also
built by the Corpus Christi
firm; and, the College Center
Building, erected by Andis
and Brunson of McAllen at a
cost of $224,566. The archi-
tect was R. Newell Waters
of Weslaco.
The three buildings are
the first phase of a moderi-
zing program at the college.
It is hoped that Pan American
College will have a $5 milli-
on plant by September 1963,
and truly will be known as
“the pride of the Rio Grande
Valley”.
Two new dormitories are
planned for the northwest
portion of the campus at a
total cost of $365,000. One
of the two-story structures
will house men, the other
women.
The west campus is
located north of State High-
way 107 near the western
city limits of Edinburg.
There will be no formal
ceremonies at the open
house, but refreshments will
be served, Dr. Schilling said.
Faculty and members of
the Board of Regents as well
as other college officials
will be on hand in the three
buildings to guide visitors
and answer any questions,
Dr. Schilling pointed out. As
the cafeteria is inspected,
each guest will be served
with refreshments.
Student service organiza-
tions of PAC will assist in
parking of automobiles and
will aid in guiding the
visitors between buildings.
The public is invited.
The open house will be the
initial activity at Pan Ameri-
can College on Aug. 27. That
evening at 8 p.m., in the
McAllen Civic Center, com-
mencement ceremonies will
be held for 122 prospective
summer graduates.
Homa S. Hill of Fort
Worth, a member of the
Texas Commission on High-
er Education, will deliver
the main address.
TO RECEIVE DEGREE
Lynn Evans Mitchell, Jr.,
Abilene Christian College
senior from Mercedes,
Texas, is a candidate for the
Bachelor of Arts degree in
Bible, to be awarded at ACC
commencement exercises in
Abilene Friday. Mitchell is
the son of Mr. and Mrs.
Lynn Mitchell. He graduated
from Mercedes High School
in 1958.
HI
—Enterprise Staff Photo
QUARTERBACK CLUB ticket sales were being pushed this
week by officers of the club. Bill Savarino, right, sells a
membership to Morris Hogue. The membership fee of $5.00
admits two persons to the annual barbecue which will be
held at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Stock Show Coliseum. Team
members will be introduced and a program of entertain-
ment will be provided. Mr. Savarino, new president of the
club, said he urged every Tiger fan to purchase a member-
ship in advance and to attend the barbecue as well as
regular meetings each Tuesday.
Teacher Workshop To Feature
Top South Texas College Personnel
The beginning of school
plans for Mercedes faculty
members include a rather
extensive pre-school work-
shop, concentrating on some
of the major items that are
outstanding in the minds of
teachers and students, ac-
cording to C. C. Norris, di-
rector of cirriculum.
Prominent resource per-
sonnel from major colleges
in south Texas and from the
Texas Education Agency
have been secured to develop
these areas and to provide
the teachers with a fresh
approach to these problems.
These plans are a part of
a yearly program to have
outstanding personnel come
to the Mercedes Schools at
irregular intervals to plan
with the teachers in im-
proving standards, evalua-
tion and organization.
Theme is Educational
Needs Demand Growth.
The workshop schedule
follows:
Aug. 28, Monday — 9:00
a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Adminis-
trative Staff Meeting at The
El Sombrero Cafe.
Aug. 29, Tuesday — 9:00
a.m. Orientation of Teachers
New to the System at The El
Sombrero Cafe. 1:30 p.m.
New teachers meet with their
Principal on the respective
campus.
Aug. 30, Wednesday
9:00 a.m. General Faculty
Meeting at Travis Auditori-
um. 1:30 p. m. READING
WORKSHOP. Grades 1-2-3,
Junior High Library; Grades
4-5-6, High School Study
Hall; Grades 7 thru 12, High
School Music Room. Drs.
Phillips, Ferguson and Gil-
more Pan American College
F acuity.
Aug. 31, Thursday—9:00
a. m. Elementary Science
Workshop. Grades 1 thru 6,
North Elementary Auditori-
um - Mr. Severino Gomez,
Texas Education Agency,
Assistant Director of Divi-
sion of Instruction. Second-
ary Workshop - High School
Study Hall. GOOD STUDY
PRACTICES, BUILDING
WORD POWER, SPELLING-
Dr. Paul Barlow, Professor
of Education, Texas A&I Col-
lege. 1:30 p.m. Individual
Faculty Meetings on respec-
tive Campus with respective
Principal. 6:30 p.m. All
Faculty Party (And Dates)
TRAVIS SCHOOL PATIO.
Sept. 1, Firday -8:00 a.m.
School is in session. Regis-
tration—Classes—Planning.
3:00 p.m. Individual School
Faculty Meetings, Re-
emphasize organization and
planning.
Local Men To Be
Honored At Banquet
Two local men, O. E. Van-
Berg and James Dollery, will
be honored at the annual Area
10 Future Farmers of
America awards banquet
scheduled for 7:00 P. M.,
Thursday at Corpus Christi’s
Driscoll Hotel.
Seven South Texas leaders
who have been active in con-
nection with the FFA pro-
gram and seven teachers of
Area 10, including VanBerg
and Dollery, will receive the
Honorary Lone Star Farmer
Degree, the highest state
FFA award.
Also to be given are
a number of special awards
of the National FFA Founda-
tion, awards to FFA public
speaking contestants,
chapter ratings and awards
to 65 Lone Star Farmers.
GARBAGE CAN SALE
The Lions Club met for
their luncheon dinner Wed-
nesday. Plans were made to
sell trash cans in coopera-
tion with the city’s drive.
The cans will be $3.95 and
have lock down lids. These
cans will be on display down-
town in Mercedes in the near
future. Coach Milton Hild
spoke to the club on the Mer-
cedes football team.
Mercedes To Get *127,032
For Teacher Raise Funds
The Mercedes Independent
School District will receive
an additional allotment of
funds from the state totalling
$127,032 for teacher salary
raises, officials said this
week.
The increase was author-
ized in a teacher pay in-
crease bill recently enacted
by the state legislature and
will put the total local school
budget over the $1,000,000
mark for the first time in
history.
Every teacher under the
minimum foundation pro-
gram not already receiving
more than the state minimum
salary will be granted a $90
per month salary increase
as a result of the new bill.
The local fund assignment
(local contribution) has been
increased a total from
$18,796 to $40,211, although
all this difference is not
limited to teacher salaries
alone, it was pointed out.
Effect of the bill is ex-
pected to be that at least
$100,000 in additional pay-
roll will be circulated in
Mercedes beginning with the
new school term Aug. 29.
The local board must de-
cide whether it will grant
any raises to teachers or
supervisory personnel
already drawing as much as
$90 over the new state
minimum. Several staff
members get extra pay for
specific duties or super-
visory responsibility.
Under the proposed over-
WALTER COLLIER
SERIOUSLY HURT
IN AUTO MISHAP
Walter Collier, long-time
resident of Mercedes and
local auto supply dealer, was
injured seriously early Sun-
day when his car went into
a ravine near Sonora.
According to reports
reaching here, he was
driving alone returning to
Mercedes when a front tire
blew out. In pulling to the
outside lane to avoid an on-
coming vehicle, the car
swerved into the soft
shoulders caused by heavy
rain, went out of control and
lurched down a ravine, over-
turning several times. It was
reported a total wreck.
Mr. Collier was thrown
from the vehicle and suffer-
ed a broken shoulder and a
broken arm. He was taken to
a Sonora hospital. Occupants
of the other car, which was
not involved in the accident,
stopped for aid and sum-
moned an ambulance.
Mr. Collier had been to
Pecos to return his daughter,
Mrs. C. T. Carpenter and
her three children who had
been visiting in the Collier
home the past two weeks.
He was returning to Merce-
des when the accident
occured about 8:15 a.m. Sun-
day.
Plans are for Mr. Collier
to return to Pecos to remain
with his daughter after he is
released from the hospital
until he is sufficiently re-
covered to return here. Mrs.
Carpenter’s address is Box
1191, Pecos.
WEATHER
High
Low
Prec.
Aug. 16
92
73
.13
Aug. 17
86
76
.05
Aug. 18
88
76
.95
Aug. 19
86
76
.65
Aug. 20
88
75
Aug. 21
l Aug. 22
94
94
71
70
all Mercedes school budget
for next year, on which a
public hearing was scheduled
Wednesday night, expense
was estimated at $871,357
while it will total $993,858
with the teacher raises in-
cluded. Income originally
was estimated at $909,858
but now will go to$1,037,550
—Sterling Prince Photo
HERE S HOW to grip the ball for a forward pass, Mercedes
Tiger Head Coach Milton Hild, left, shows Quarterback
Grady Herold. Grady weighs 168 pounds and will be playing
his third year. The Tigers will open their 1961 season
Sept. 1 against the Edcouch-Elsa Yellowjackets there.
30 Trallic Deaths For Labor Day
Weekend Predicted By Official
Col. Homer Garrison, Jr.,
Director of the Texas De-
partment of Public Safety,
announced the official pre-
diction that 30 persons in
Texas will be killed in traffic
accidents during the Labor
Day weekend.
In making the prediction,
Garrison warned motorists
that records show this three-
day period to be one of the
most dangerous times of the
yearon the highways.
The highest Labor Day
holiday toll since World War
II was in 1951 when 46 per-
sons were killed in 33 acci-
dents. The lowest was in
1949—23 killed in 19 acci-
dents. Figures prove most
fatal accidents are caused
by traffic law violations.
The DPS, in an effort to
focus public attention on the
hazards of holiday traffic
and to compile data which
will be helpful in improving
the state’s traffic manage-
ment program, will conduct
“Operation Motorcide,”
from 12:01 A.M. Saturday,
September 2 through 11:59
P.M. Monday, September 4.
During the 72-hour period,
the safety agency will tabu-
late all traffic deaths in the
state and issue bulletins at
10:00 A.M., 3:00 P.M. and
9:00 P.M. each day.
“Driving is always a full-
time job, and driver concen-
tration and alertness are
especially essential during
holiday periods because
crowed highways increase
driving hazards,” Garrison
said.
“An all-out effort will be
made by DPS enforcement
personnel to remove traffic
violators from the highways.
The Texas Highway Patrol
force will be augmented by
some 150 patrolmen from
the other uniformed services
of the Department of Public
Safety. All available radar
units will be in operation.
“But law enforcement of-
ficers can do only so mudh.
(Continued on page 4)
under the new bill including
the teacher raises.
A teacher on a 9 month
contract will receive a total
of $810 increase for the
school term.
Decision on whether to
grant raises to teachers al-
ready drawing over the state
minimum is expected to be
made at the next regular
meeting of the board Thurs-
day night, Sept. 7.
At a recent meeting, the
board decided to hold two
meetings monthly. The first,
on the first Thursday of each
month, will be devoted to
business matters. The
second, to be held the third
Tuesday, will be devoted to
the educational program.
The board also adopted a
policy of requiring any
patron with a suggestion or
complaint to apply in writing
in advance at the school
office so that he might be
put on the agenda for that
night’s meeting.
School officials explained
that meetings have been get-
ting quite lengthy with con-
siderable informal discus-
sion by patrons during the
regular business meetings.
It was suggested that any-
one with a specific program
to suggest or project to
question, inquire first at the
superintendent’s office.
Then if a satisfactory ex-
planation is not received, to
request being placed on the
regular agenda at the next
board meeting.
Local Group Attends
Pharr Kiwanis Meet
Several persons from
Mercedes attended a dinner
at Pharr last Thursday night
honoring Gov. JackM. Lang-
don of Fort Worth.
Among those attending
were Lt. Gov. George Wheel-
er and Mrs. Wheeler; Mr.
and Mrs. George Carnes,
Mr. and Mrs. Woody Tullis,
President and Mrs. H. N.
Browning and Edwin Harvey
of the local club.
|Jf 1
i-
fL
I
vl MM
fxij-
whBBI)P
5“ - J—a -
■Rill
THIS HISTORIC CHAPEL, Toluca Chapel, may be visited
by anyone attending the Knights of Columbus barbecue
Sunday Aug. 27.
-
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Harvey, J. Edwin. The Mercedes Enterprise (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 46, No. 34, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 24, 1961, newspaper, August 24, 1961; Mercedes, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1090571/m1/1/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Dr. Hector P. Garcia Memorial Library.