The Mercedes Enterprise (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 47, No. 34, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 23, 1962 Page: 1 of 8
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NEW FACE of the First Christian plant is shown in top photo. Latest addition is the
sanctuary at left which is air-conditioned. Lower photo shows the site before the
old sanctuary was moved.
Official Statement Explains
Grade-Changing Incident
(Editor’s Note: The report
about the student’s grade
changing incident was made
orally by Principal N. K.
Fitzgerald early in the regu-
lar meeting of the School
Board at their meeting last
Tuesday, before the Enter-
prise representative arrived
from another appointment.
Since no action was taken and
there was nothing on the offi-
cial minutes, we had no
knowledge of the matter until
too late for our last week’s
issue. We asked for and ob-
tained this written statement
from Mr. Fitzgerald outlin-
ing the entire situation. If
any other school official,
board member, school pa-
tron or newspaper reporter
has facts, proof or evidence
that the following is not a true
and accurate account, we in-
vite same to provide such
material to us for possible
use in later issues. Unless
such new information is fur-
nished, we can only rely on
the integrity of our school of-
ficials and teachers and ac-
cept the report as true and
accurate and urge the com-
munity to do likewise.)
“At the end of the second se-
mester, 1962, a boy from the
Sophomore class of Merced-
es High School was failing
two of the four subjects in
which he was enrolled. In one
of the two failing subjects the
student’s final average was
sixty-nine (69), which is one
point below passing under
our grading system.
“Since the student in ques-
tion was a prospective ath-
lete for the 1962-63 year and
failure of two subjects would
render the boy ineligible for
the first semester of 1962-63
this office so advised the Di-
rector of Athletics and the
boy that he would be ineligi-
ble due to scholastic failure.
v “After I returned from
vacation the latter part of
July this year I received a te-
lephone call from the teacher
in whose class the boy had
made an average of sixty-
nine (69). This teacher re-
quested that she be allowed to
re-average the sixth six
weeks grades and credit the
boy with two “creative
plays’’ which had been writ-
ten by the boy during the last
six weeks and which had been
overlooked in arriving at the
sixth six weeks average.”
Since it is a matter of
^considerable concern to
Tnake any grade changes
after the close of school
which would affect the scho-
lastic eligibility of a student,
this office requested the
teacher to come by the High
School office to discuss the
situation more thoroughly.
In the subsequent discussion
In the High School office, the
teacher, upon question, stat-
ed emphatically that no per-
son or persons had influ-
enced her in any manner and
her request was based upon
what she felt to be a fair and
proper consideration.”
“Upon the above consider-
ations, this office granted the
teacher permission to re-
average the sixth six weeks
grades of the student, pro-
vided a letter stating the cir-
cumstances was filed in the
High School office along
with evidence of the extra
work done during the sixth
six weeks which had not been
credited to the student’s ac-
count. The letter and work
were subsequently filed in
the High School office and the
boy’s sixth six weeks grades
were re-averaged, resulting
in a gain of two points.
“Since this office was
aware that the eligibility sta-
tus of this student was in-
volved, it was felt the action
taken might be misinterpret-
ed. I therefore requested
permission to present the
the facts to the Mercedes
School Board as a matter of
information. On Tuesday,
August 14, 1962, this office
was allowed, in accordance
with the prior request, to ex-
plain this case, in open ses-
wion, to the Mercedes School
Board.
“This matter was pre-
sented as information and no
action was requested by this
office nor did the Mercedes
School Board indicate any
need for action. At the con-
clusion of the explanations
made by this office the school
board discussed the case
briefly, expressed apprecia-
tion for the information being
presented to them, and pass-
ed on to other business.”
N.K.Fitzgerald, Principal
Mercedes High School
PUBLIC HEARING
ON CITY BUDGET
SET THURSDAY
Public hearing on a pro-
posed city budget for the
coming fiscal year was sche-
culed for 9 a.m. today (Thur-
day) at the city hall.
Mayor A.J.Hagan had pro-
posed a budget slightly less
than last year which he says
will result in a 5 cent tax
rate reduction.
He proposes to eliminate
entirely any funds for the
Chamber of Commerce and
to cut the ploice department
back by one officer and have
no secretary-dispatcher in
the police office.
Mercedes would be the
only town of its size in the
Valley without full-time day
radio call service if this bud-
get plan is adopted, some
observers said.
The city commission can-
not adopt a budget and set the
tax rate until after the pub-
lic hearing.
Aquatic Club
Meet Thursday
First meeting of the new
Mercedes Aquatic Club swim
team will be at 10 a.m.
Thursday at the Civic Cen-
ter pool, according to Bill
Savarino, manager.
He said anyone in the
mid-valley interested is in-
vited to astend. Those eight
years old and up are ac-
cepted.
There will be a coach
assigned to diving and
swimming. Plans are to get
organized this year and be
ready to compete next year.
Mercedes has been ap-
proved as an AAU pool.
6. W. Downing,
Retired Pastor,
Dies Thursday
The Rev. Bertrand Wilson
Downing, 57, of Weslaco,
died Thursday evening. He
had retired in the fall of 1960
from the pastorate of First
Presbyterian Church in Mer-
cedes because of ill health.
Funeral services were held
at 5p.m. Saturday at the First
Presbyterian Church in Mer-
cedes with the Rev. Michael
Murray, pastor, officiating,
assisted by the Rev. Howard
C. Blake of Weslaco.
Mr. Downing was born in
French Camp, Miss. He had
studied at Millsaps College
in Jackson, Miss., the Uni-
versity of Texas, and the
Presbyterian Theological
Seminary at Austin. He was
ordained in 1928.
He served churches atCor-
dell and Wewoka, Okla., and
at Belton andGraham,Texas.
He came to Mercedes in June
1949.
In 1939 he was moderator
of the Synod of Oklahoma. He
served as a member of the
Commission on the Minister
and His Work from its incep-
tion. He always took an ac-
tive interest in civic and gov-
ernmental affairs.
Surviving are his wife; a
daughter, Mrs. H.L. Hodges
of Greenwood, Miss.; a son,
B. W. Downing, Jr. of Irving,
his mother, Mr. W.A. Down-
ing of Mercedes and three
grandchildren; Terry Down-
ing, Bill Hodges and Bob
Hodges.
Active pallbearers were
H.E. Miller, E.M. Swarner,
W.O. Bunton, J.W. Martin,
George Schwarz,and Garland
Smith.
Honorary pallbearerswere
Judge Milton D. Richardson,
R.P. Sanchez, JohnW. Bowe,
Leo J. Leo, E.K. O’Shea, El-
ders and Deacons of the First
Presbyterian Church of
Mercedes and Fellow minis-
ters of the Valley.
TENNIS CLINIC SET
AUG. 27-SEPT. 1
AT CIVIC CENTER
A week long tennis clinic
will be held at the new Civic
Center courts Aug. 27 thru
Sept. 1, Manager Bill Sav-
arino said this week.
All children and adults
interested in learning to
play are invited to attend,
he said.
Classes also will be held
for advanced players.
An organizational meeting
will be held at 9 a.m. Sat-
urday to line up the classes.
Don Russell, a Pan Am-
erican College player this
past year, will be coach.
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FROv; D®nmark to make his home for the next school term is Jens Anton
Filtenborg. He will live with Dr. and Mrs. Robert Johnston. He is the second foreign
exchange student for Mercedes. Jens is studying to be a physican and will be a senior
in Mercedes High. He likes sports, has travelled extensively, and plays clarinet
,
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REV. B. W. DOWNING
CLASS TEACHER
Mrs. C. L. Wheeler,
mother of Rev. George
Wheeler, will teach the
downtown men’s bible class
Sunday at the city hall, A
teacher 58 years, she is 84
years old and has been voted
the class mother. She is
visiting here from Louis-
iana.
SEEKS DEGREE-
A Mercedes student, Rene
A. Zamora, is a candidate for
a master of science degree at
summer commendement ex-
ercises of Texas A & I Col-
lege Friday night.
FOOTBALL
FANS WHERE
ARE YOU 9
> . •
Where’s the football
spirit?
Supt. S. F. Cernosek says
there has not been the usual
response to season ticket
sales for Tiger games this
fall.
Tickets went on sale Mon-
day at the school business
office, but there haven’t been
many takers.
Buying a season ticket as-
sures the fan of the seat of
his choice for the entire sea-
son.
There will be five home
games. Total price is $6.25
or individual games may be
purchases at $1.25.
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r^00^ PR?P^1RATI0NS are made by thls trio at Mercedes Junior High
s&sma soiis’student councu mem-
LEGION MEETING
Regular meeting of the
American Legion post will be
held at 8 p.m. Monday in the
Legion Hall, Commander
Woody Tullis announced.
He said the budget report
would be heard and a budget
adopted for the next year. He
said several other important
business items were on the
agenda and urged every
member to attend as well as
to bring a prospective mem-
ber.
BIKE RIDERS TOLD
OF RESPONSIBILITY
BY POLICE CHIEF
With the reopening of
school only days away,
Police Chief Claudio Cas-
taneda reminded students
depending upon bicycles for
transportation of the respon-
sibilities they assume upon
riding in traffic.
“Bike riders must obey all
traffic signals and signal
stops and turns, as do the
operators of motor vehicles.
They should ride in single
file on the right-hand side of
the street at all times,
and not against traffic,”
Chief Castaneda said.
The local law enforcement
officer also reminded auto-
cyclists will be joining the
early morning traffic flow
and urges them to show ri-
ders the proper traffic
courtesies.
“Drivers should be alert
for bike riders during the
pre-school hours in the
morning,” he said, “and at
all times when in the vici-
nity of schools”. And motor
vehicle operators should ob-
serve school zone signs at
all times, as is required by
law, for the safety of the stu-
dents.
He indicated his satis-
faction with the extremely
low bicycle accident rate in
the community and said that
the interest taken in bikes
and bike riding by various
civic and fraternal organiza-
tions had much to do with the
reduction of cycling mis-
haps.
Chief Castaneda said that
all bike riders should have
their two-wheelers checked
by a competent mechanic at
the start of the school term
each fall to insure that lights,
brakes and signalling de-
vices are working properly
and safely. He ndted that
a Bicycle Institute of Ameri-
ca survey indicated about 2
3/4 million children in the
United States depended upon
bikes for school transporta-
tion.
School Opening
Schedule Set
Classes Aug. 31
Official school calendar
was announced this week by
Supt. S. F. Cernosek.
Junior high students were
to register this Wednesday
and Thursday. Those not in
town may register Aug. 31.
There will be no pre-re-
gistration for elementary
students.
First day of classes will
be Friday, Aug. 31, with
junior and senior high school
beginning at 8 a.m. and ele-
mentary at 8:30.
Busses will run on Friday
August 31, according to the
established bus routes of the
past school term. Since stu-
dents will remain in school
only half a day on Friday,
the busses will return the
children at 12:30 p.m.
Any student entering the
Mercedes Public Schools for
the first time will be re-
quired to bring with him his
birth certificate or school
record from his other
school, immunization record
for smallpox, dephtheria,
and polio. The immunization
must also be complete prior
to entering school on August
Immunizations may be ob-
tained through the Health
Clinic or the family physi-
cian.
The Pre-School Teacher
Workshop begins on Monday,
Aug. 27 and continues
through Thursday, Aug. 23.
Since sixth grade is being
added to Taylor and West
Schools, students who were
in the fifth grade will return
to their respective cam-
puses.
Labor Day will be observ-
ed as a holiday, therefore no
classes will be held on Mon-
day, Sept. 3.
i
$3.00 Per Year In Valley
Valley-Wide Oral Polio Drive
Campaign Scheduled For Sept. 16
The Valley-wide polio vac-
cine campaign aimed at 100 %
participation will begin Sept.
16, officials have announced.
The date was set by offi-
cials of the Hidalgo-Starr
Medical Society and of the
Cameron-Willacy Society.
Dr. John A. Welty is co-
ordinating chairman of the
C ameron-W illacy group and
Dr. Jerry Brandes, Presi-
dent of the Upper Valley
group, is handling that end.
The new oral vaccine will
be provided every resident of
the four-county area at cen-
trally-located stations man-
ned by volunteer staffs of
doctors, nurses, pharma-
cists and civic group leaders.
It was emphasized that no
needle is involved. Drops of
the vaccine are placed on
lumps of sugar, which are
chewed up and washed down
by water.
The Sept. 16 drive will be
the first of three series. The
others will be scheduled five
or six weeks apart as inno-
culation against three strains
of polio in addition to the
most common type for which
the first is given.
The series was delayed
until Sept. 16 to miss the white
wing hunting season and also
to allow more time for wor-
kers from the north to return
to the Valley. Schools also
will be well underway by then
and most youngsters will have
returned for classes.
The medical societies will
underwrite the cost of the
vaccine. There will be no
charge to the patient for pro-
fessional help, but a small
charge will be suggested for
those who can afford it.
Others simply may make a
donation. No one will be de-
nied the vaccine for lack of
the fee, it was explained.
This is the same type mass
clinic which has been held in
Houston, Corpus Christi and
other metropolitan areas of
the state.
There is absolutely no pain
and no danger in the oral vac-
cine, officials said.
Noted Houston
Man To Address
Joint Kiwanis Meet
Mercedes and Weslaco Ki-
wanians will hear a well
known speaker from Houston
at a joint meeting in the Cor-
tez Hotel, Weslaco, Aug. 29
at noon.
The speaker will be Des-
mond Barry, described as
the man who ricked his busi-
ness life to defend his em-
ployees against the union
pressure.
He was subjuct of an arti-
cle in Readers Digest in 1958
titled “The Man the Teams-
ters Found Too Hot To Han-
dle.”
“I’ll fightfor a man’s right
to join a union,” Mr. Barry
says, “And I’ll fight for my
right not to force him in a-
gainst his will.”
Exact subject of his talk
has not been announced, but
he is expected to discuss cur-
rent economic and industrial
problems.
WINSTONS MOVING
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Winston
and family will move soon
to Uvalde where he will op-
erate a branch of his firm
for 12 to 18 months. Mr.
Winston’s main office will
continue to be in Mercedes
managed by his partner,
Charles Greenwood.
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Stalk Plow-Up
Required For
Escrow Refund
^ State Agriculture Commis-
sioner John White remind-
ed Rio Grande Valley
farmers today that their
cotton stalks must be “tho-
roughly plowed under” in
order to become eligible
for return of funds held in
escrow.
“Only about one field in
every five inspected this
past week has passed the
necessary inspection, ”
White pointed out. “Unless
the stalks are eliminated by
‘deep plowing’, the danger
of voluntary cotton and sub-
sequent pink bollworm buil-
up will be a real threat to
the crop next spring,” he
added.
Between 2 1/2 and 3 mil-
lion dollars in escrow funds
will be eligible for return to
some 5,000 farmers in the
Valley. Each farmer depos-
its $7.50 in escrow
funds will be eligible for
return to some 5,000 far-
mers in the Valley. Each
farmer deposits $7.50 in es_-
crow for every bale ginned
as assurance he will destroy
stalks before the plow-up
deadline.
“Complete destruction of
the stalks is an absolute
necessity, White stressed.
The first deadline is set
for midnight, August 31, in
Cameron, Willacy and sou-
thern portions of Hidalgo
and Starr counties. Farm-
ers in the north of Hidal-
go and Starr have until mid-
night, Sept. 25. to plow up
the fields.
Comm, White said the cot-
ton harvest was progressing
at a satisfactory rate but
that field clean up was a
“disappointment in most
cases”. He urged that far-
mers “do the best job” pos-
sible in stalk destruction and
plow up in order to prevent
a “big crop of pink boll-
worms”.
Mi
BOOKS Rnnirc nr^o —Enterprise Staff Photo
UKb, BOOKS, BOOKS, everywhere in the West Junior
High as preparations are made tor school opening. Here,
a student, John Norris, sorts file hnftks for distribution.
Burglary Suspect
Taken Quickly As
Patrolman Aids
Cooperation of another law
enforcement agency with lo-
cal police resulted in quick
apprehension of a burglary
suspect early Monday.
A border patrolman living
near the Ten Ten heard glass
break and spotted a prowler
entering the building. He no-
tified city police.
Awaiting arrival of a local
officer, the patrolman
watched the area from a dis-
tance. On arrival, the Mer-
cedes officer found glass to
the front door broken and
saw or heard someone run-
ning out through the back
door.
Although the suspect
seemed to escape for the
moment, he soon returned
to pick up his shoes which
had been removed. The lo-
cal officer apprehended him
and'was assisted by the pa-
trolman.
Santiago Martinez Garza,
37, described by police as an
alien illegally in this coun-
try, was arrested and charg-
ed with burglary in Justice
Enrique Salinas court. Bond
was set at $2,500.
Police Chief Claudio Cas-
taneda said that he was ap-
preciative of the assistance
and encouraged all citizens
to assist in reporting any-
thing out of the ordinary as
earb
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Harvey, J. Edwin. The Mercedes Enterprise (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 47, No. 34, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 23, 1962, newspaper, August 23, 1962; Mercedes, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1091733/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.