The Mercedes Enterprise (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 49, No. 27, Ed. 1 Thursday, July 2, 1964 Page: 1 of 8
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M L R C z *0 £ S P U u L I C LI J t
536 3RD St.
CITY XXX
R Y
CAF Reveals Plans
For $200,000 Air Museum
-V 4 r v,:
Tentative plans have been
drawn and approved for the
proposed $200,000 Confed-
erate Air Force Museum at
Rebel Field just east of Mer-
cedes.
CAF officers said that
since a ruling of the internal
Revenue Service that all do-
nations to the project are
fully deductible on income
tax returns, funds are com-
ing in at an increased rate.
The building committee
has been studying design and
cost of the proposed mu-
seum. It will be completely
functional as an operational
aircraft hangar about 225
feet long with a 120 foot
span. It will house 14 fighter
aircraft of World War II,
each having adequate space
in its own display area to be
attractively decorated. The
individual plane areas also
will contain considerable
military and combat infor-
mation on each—manufac-
turer, production history,
military mission, including
photographs of the ships in
action.
Design of the building is
such that either wing may
be extended to provide more
display area. An indoor two
story museum with 3,300
square feet of floor space
will be located in the center
of the west wall. The build-
ing will be completed in three
phases as funds become
available.
Mercedes Flying Service
already has provided land
for the museum and interest
in making contributions has
been widespread. A more
concerted drive to publicize
history and purposes of the
Confederate Air Force is
planned in the near future
with the view of offering op-
portunities to persons not
members of the group to
have a part in financing the
museum.
The CAF recently was fea-
tured over ABC’s Sunday
Show by the producer, Frank
Blair, himself an ex-navy
pilot. Mr. Blair and his staff
recently visited Rebel Field
and taped the CAF feature
which was shown over their
nationwide telecast.
Recently it was announced
that Col. Harvey Ferguson
has purchased a Mark XIV
Spirfire. Although dis-
assembled, it is reported
in excellent condition and
will be put together and re-
turned to flying condition
after it arrives at Rebel
Field.
It also was announced that
Dowell, Inc., of Tulsa, Okla-
homa, has donated an Allison
engine for the P-38. The
left engine quit during a
flight by Col. Lefty Gard-
ner.
11111
Proposed headquarters of CAF “Ghost Squadron” will provide both Museum and operational hanaar for nernrfiiai main
tenance and regular flights to keep these famous old fighters in action. operational nangar for perpetual mam-
Now & Then
By EDWIN HAH VET
(Editor’s Note: Charles
Holmes, son of Mr. and Mrs.
W. W. Holmes of Mercedes,
recently visited the Valley.
An editorial staff writer on
The Dallas Times Herald,
he deplored the sight of junk
and blight along beautiful
highways, in the Valley and
elsewhere.)
While many are giving
advice to vacationers to
drive carefully, don’t speed,
don’t drive and drink, I’d
like to suggest something
else - stop.
Stop along the highway and
look around. Just pull off
the road, stop the mad dash
to wherever you are going
and yiew the countryside.
You may have to pick your
stopping place with care for
there are getting fewer and
fewer places where you can
halt along the road and see
the countryside.
Or, if you pick your stop-
ping place at random, you
may find yourself looking at
a junk yard - or worse.
LAST WEEKEND I was
in the Lower Rio Grande
Valley of Texas and the drive
back was at times refresh-
ing, other times saddening.
Spring rains have turned
the vast area south of San
Antonio bright green. Mes-
quite eradication programs
have cleared much of the
land, returning it to rich
grassland. Stopping at a
roadside park on a stretch
of the highway where it’s
40 miles between towns, you
can learn to appreciate the
vastness of the state, the
feeling of awe the first set-
tlers must have felt as they
looked out across the rolling
countryside.
A NEW HIGHWAY is being
built through the Valley. It
is part of the interstate road
system and, like so many of
the others, it cuts through
fields rather than cities. At
present the road is bordered
by well ordered farm fields
with tall, stately palms
maintaining a vigil over the
road.
The new highway in the
Valley and the highway
through the open spaces of
Texas are vivid contrasts
to what has happened along
the old highways, what hap-
pened along the roads as
they passed through the more
“civilized” sections.
U. S. 83, the old “Main
street” of the Valley, is a
long string of clutter-of fil-
ing stations, of unattractive
stores, of roadside stands
built from little more than
discarded junk and chicken
wire. The palms that once
lined the road have almost
all been torn down to make
room for more man made
clutter. Parks along the
highway, which once were
filled with palms and tropi-
cal flowers, have been cov-
ered over with asphalt and
(See NOW & THEN Page 8)
Sunrise Hill Manager Retained
After Talks, Com. Pike Reports
Action to change manage-
ment of Sunrise Hill Mem-
orial Bowl has been recon-
sidered and H. H. Bartlett
will be retained, County
Commissioner Herbert Pike
said Tuesday.
It had been learned last
week that notice of discharge
4 GUARDSMEN
TAKE OFFICER
TRAINING COURSE
Four Mercedes Guards-
men are among the 190Tex-
as National Guard officer
candidates attending sum-
mer training at Camp Mabry
in Austin.
The Mercedes Guardsmen
are undergoing an intensive
two weeks training program
in the field and in the class-
room. After completing
■summer camp, they will re-
turn to their home Guard
unit, Company B, 4 th Bat-
talion, 144th Infantry, and
will be required to return
to Camp Maybry or Dallas
for 16 days of weekend drills
during the next eleven
months and two additional
weeks next June.
Upon completion of a year
of successful training, these
candidates will be commis-
sioned second lieutenants in
the Texas National Guard.
The Texas National Guard
Academy is now training its
8th class of officer candi-
dates since 1957. The school
is patterned after the Army
Infantry School at Fort Ben-
ning, Georgia.
The Mercedes guardsmen
are Jose Gonzales, Jr. of
117 N. Colorado St., Fran-
cisco Rivera of 819 S. Ver-
mont, Alberto Zavala of 1238
S, Indiana and Antonio Villa-
lobos of Route 2.
Local Teacher
To Attend Seminar
A Mercedes teacher has
been chosen to attend a sum-
mer institute in mathematics
for secondary teachers at
the State University of New
York at Buffalo, June 29-
August 7.
She is Mrs. Darlene C.
Bowden, 105 East 10th
Street, Mercedes, Mrs,
Bowden is a teacher at the
Mary Hoge Junior High
School, So. Bridge Avenue,
Weslaco.
Sponsored by the National
Science Foundation, the in-
stitute is part of a sequen-
tial program leading to the
degree of master of science.
Dr. Harriet F, Montague, ac-
ting chairman of mathema-
tics at the University, is
director of the institute.
Each of the 52 partici-
pants, chosen from across
the United States, will re-
ceive a stipend of $450,
had been given Mr. Bartlett.
New information was
brought to light by friends
and supporters of the park,
Mr. Pike said.
After discussing the prob-
lems with all parties con-
cerned, and finally with Mr.
Bartlett in person, they were
able to reach an understand-
ing and agreement whereby
the Bartletts would remain.
“We found out they had
put considerable extra per-
sonal time and effort in the
development of the museum
in the park, and for that
they deserve credit,” Com.
Pike said. The items in the
museum are the personal
property of the Bartletts.
He added that additional
help will be provided to
assist in the heavier main-
tenance work since Mr.
Bartlett is getting up in
years.
It was pointed out that
facilities of the park gen-
erally are free, but that a
small charge is made for
night use to help offset light-
ing cost.
Com. Pike said he ap-
preciated the assistance of
music groups, original own-
ers of the park, in helping
to iron out the current prob-
lems, and invited local
Chamber of Commerce
groups, historical societies
and other clubs to help pro-
mote the Bowl as a tourist
and recreational center.
The Bowl actually could
be one of the Valley’s show-
places, one observer pointed
out. It is now owned and
maintained by the county.
It is located on a high spot
and originally was owned
and operated by a Valley
Music Association. Easter
sunrise pageants and other
programs were held on the
outdoor stage but these were
discontinued several years
ago. The stage and dressing
rooms remain, along with
floodlights and a complete
sound system.
In addition to the museum
and stage, there is per-
manent type amphitheatre
seating in front of the stage.
The park, which consists
of several acres, has several
permanent picnic tables and
barbecue pits.
National Guard
Has Inspection
At Fort Hood
Steel-helmsted National
Guard troops of Texas’ 49th
Armored Division turned
eyes right and saluted
smartly Saturday as the
proud “Lone Star Division”
passed in review at North
Fort Hood.
Included were the officers
and men of the Mercedes-
Weslaco unit.
Lt. Gen. Carl H. Jark,
U. S. 4th Army comman-
der, returned the salute as
1,500 armored vehicles car-
rying some 7,000 crisp-
clean Guardsmen rolled by
the reviewing stand.
The division review mark-
ed the end of the first of two
weeks tactical and combat
training for the 49th Division.
Dressed in their battle
dress, the men of the 49th
made a fast change in ap-
pearance for the polished
parade. Only hours before,
they had roared in from the
hills decked with dust,
their ears ringing from the
thunder of tank firing.
The division’s outstand-
ing units were also cited
prior to the troops and tanks
passing in review. The
awards were a closely-
guarded secret until pre-
sented Saturday byMaj.Gen.
Harley B. West, division
commander.
Winners were:
Governor’s Trophy, for
the outstanding unit in the
division, went to Company D
949th Maintenance Battalion
of Gatesville, commanded by
Capt. Don W. Thompson.
Armor Leadership Award,
for the top tank unit, went
to Company A, 1st Batta-
lion, 112th Armor of Kauf-
man, commanded by Capt.
James E. Riggs. This unit
won the 1963 Governor’s
T rophy.
Outstanding Battalion
Award went to the 949th
Maintenance Battalion, com-
manded by Lt. Col. Louis
E. Holder Jr. of Midland.
Units are based in Fort
Worth, Dallas, Houston,
Austin and Gatesville.
Battalion Recruiting
Award went to the 117th Me-
dical Battalion, commanded
by Col. Walter B. Mantooth
of Lubbock. Units are locat-
ed at New Boston, Honey
Grove, Texarkana and
Clarksville.
The Company Recruiting
Award went to Company A,
149th Aviation Battalion of
Grand Prairie, commanded
by Maj. Reagan Vestal, Jr.
The 49th will finish up its
tough training this next week
before rolling its wheels
back home July 5 to 79
Texas cities and towns.
The Merce
llltlllS®
■
nferprise
Mercedes, Texas, 78570; Thursday, July 2, 19S4
Prit« lOc
George Schwarz, Jr., Mid-Valley
Man, Crushed To Death Monday
THEATRE WORKSHOP PARTICIPANT - Amanda McBroom the neice of Miss Frances
Sory, 1247 S. Illinois Ave. is shown above applying stage make-up. Amanda is one of
the 40 students accepted by The University of Texas Department of Drama to parti-
cipate in the second annual High School Theatre Workshop. The Workshop is designed
specifically for high school students. Each student participates in acting, directing
stagecraft, and make-up. In addition they have the opportunity to hear as’guest lec-
turers, outstanding professional and educational theatre personalities as! Mrs. Kathrvn
Crosby, professional actress; Dr. E. P. Conkle, playwright; Dr. B. Iden Payne Shakes-
pearian authority and director; Dr. Loren Winship, Chairman of the Department of
Drama; Professor Paul Reinhardt, costumer; Professor Lyle Hendricks, scene desien-
^ech Pr°2dSiS0r David Nancarrow, stage lighting designer; Professor James Pringle
Mercedes Student
Wins TWU Honors
Names of Texas Woman’s
University students who have
won distinction because of
excellent grades have been
announced by Dean James
Newcomer.
TWU students who Jiave
achieved a B-plus or better
grade average for the sec-
ond semester 1963-64 have
been placed on the Dean’s
Special Honor Roll.
The girls, with their ma-
jors and addresses, include:
Katheryn Balke - Social
Studies major, Route 1, Box
88, Mercedes.
Most Firms
Close July 4
American Legion officials
urged local business firms
to display the American flag
Saturday, July 4.
Most business places plan
to close all day even though
it falls on Saturday.
However, Ferg’s Food-
land, Salinas Food Store
and The Ten Teq announced
they would be open. Drug
stores plan to close at
1 p.m. both Saturday and
Sunday.
The July 2 issue of The
Enterprise was printed one
day early and advertisers
were making their specials
good beginning Wednesday
for the remainder of the
week.
FLORIDA MAN
NAMED TO HEAD
KMMH IN VALLEY
Fred Petch, President,
Board of T rustees, of Knapp
Memorial Methodist Hospi-
tal has announced the ap-
pointment of Charles L. Fos-
ter, Jr., as the administra-
tor of the hospital, to re-
place Marcus E. Drewa who
has resigned to accept a
position in Louisville, Ken-
tucky.
Mr. Foster, 29, is a grad-
uate of Walter M. Williams
High School, Burlington,
North Carolina. He received
his degree in Business Ad-
minstration from ElronCol-
lege, and obtained his Mas-
ter’s Degree In Hospital Ad-
ministration from the Me-
dical College of Virginia in
1960.
His work in the hospital
field has included being an
Operating Room Attendant
at the Alamance County Hos-
pital in Burlington. He ser-
ved his residency in Hospital
Administration at the
Petersburg General Hos-
pital, Petersburg, Virginia.
In 1960-61 Mr. Foster was
the administrator of the Cen-
tral Carolina Rehabilitation
Hospital, Greensboro, North
Carolina and is presently
the Administrator of the
Hillsborough County Hospi-
tal, Tampa, Florida. The
Hillsborough County Hospi-
tal is a 273 bed facility.
Mr. Foster, and his wife,
have two children, Elizabeth,
age 2 and Robert, age 1.
They expect to be in Wes-
laco around Sept. 1, 1964.
Traffic Officials Urge Extra Care
To Reduce Long July 4th Accidents
EDITOR ATTENDS MEET
J. Edwin Harvey, publish-
er of The Mercedes Enter-
prise, attended the recent
annual - meeting of the Texas
Press Association in the
Shamrock Hilton Hotel
Houston.
The director of the Texas
Department of Public Safety
today described the traffic
situation in Texas as “cri-
tical” at mid-year and ap-
pealed to all motorists to
make the july 4 holiday
weekend the turning point
away from a two-year up-
ward trend in fatal traffic
accidents.
Col. Homer Garrison Jr.
announced that “Operation
Motorcide” will be in ef-
fect from 12:01 a.m. Friday
July 3 through 11:59 p.m.
Sunday, July 5, in an ef-
fort to focus public atten-
tion on the added hazards
of holiday road travel and
at the same time bring about
continued safety conscious-
ness among all drivers. Dur-
ing this three-day period,
the DPS estimates that 32
persons will be killed in
T exas traffic.
As part of this program,
he said, additional patrol-
men from the DPS License
and Weight and Motor Vehi-
cle Inspection Services will
join the regular Highway Pa-
trol force for the three-day
holiday period.
Garrison added that num-
erous agencies, organiza-
tions and individuals will
take part in “Operation Mo-
torcide” in a coordinated at-
tack on traffic accidents. For
example, he said the Texas
Safety Association will con-
duct a public information
program stressing the need
for courtesy and caution on
a statewide basis and coor-
dinate local safety council
holiday safety emphasis pro-
grams. The Texas Council
of Safety Supervisors and the
Texas Motor Transportation
Association will conduct a
“Holiday Road Patrol” in
which a fleet of 35 to 40
cars will be used over the
state to assist stranded
motorists and thus help to
relieve highway patrolnrwn
for more enforcement work.
And the State Highway De-
partment will conduct a con-
tinuing Information and edu-
cation program instructing
drivers on freeway driving
and the need for caution near
construction areas.
“And we know we can
count on the press, radio
and television, as always,
to carry the message of
safety to the public and
thereby make a wonderful
contribution to the pro-
gram,” he said.
In a mid-year summary
of the traffic situation in
Texas, Garrison stressed
that fatal accidents on the
streets and highways are up
about 14 percent over 1963—
which was the worst year in
history for Texas traffic with
2,729 fatalities.
“If this trend continues
through the rest of this year,
traffic deaths will go over
3,000,” he said. “We must
break this trend toward
ever-increasing fatal acci-
dents which seems to have
set in almost exactly two
years ago. To do so, we
must have public aware-
ness of this dangerous situa-
tion and the full cooperation
of everyone in saving lives
and cutting down on injuries
and economic loss.”
Garrison said a study of
the present situation shows
that the increase in fatal
accidents has been in the
cities and towns as well as
on the open highways. A
recent report shows that 445
fatal crashes occurred in
cities and towns so far this
year, compared to 363 for the
same period last year. The
same report shows that a
total of 524 rural fatal acci-
A Mid-Valley man, George
Alex Schwarz, Jr., was
crushed to death at his home
shortly after noon Monday
when his car, purchased only
recently, slipped off a bump-
er jack and pinned him
underneath,
Mr. Schwarz was under
the car working on it. Both
front wheels were off the
ground when the car slipped
The car frame crushed his
chest and the oil pan frac-
tured his head.
A member of a prominent
Mercedes family, Schwarz
was born in Weslaco,
but lived in Mercedes until
he moved to La Feria some
four years ago. He lived with
his family on Orange Grove
Road.
Schwarz was a member
of the Church of Jesus Christ
Latter Day Saints in Mer-
cedes of which he was an
elder, a district high coun-
selman and a branch presi-
dent. He was also a veteran
of World War II.
Schwarz is survived by his
wife, Millie; two sons,
Timothy Alex and Michael
Ray and a daughter, De-
borah, all of La Feria; his
father and mother, Mr. and
Mrs. George Alex Sch-
warz, Sr., two brothers,
Kirk and David Schwarz, all
of Mercedes; and two sis-
ters, Mrs. Joann Rainwater
of San Antonio and Mrs,
Nancy Plante of Hudson,
Mass.
Services are set for Wed-
nesday at 10 a.m. in the
Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter Day Saints in Mer-
cedes. Elder John E, Eager
of Los Fresnos will officiate.
Burial will be in Ebony
Groves Cemetery, Stotler
Mortuary is in charge of
arrangements.
Pallbearers, all cousins
of Mr. Schwarz, will be Car-
roll Lloyd, Edgar, Lloyd,
Leonard, Marvin, and Jack
Schwarz.
DRIVER CHARGED
IN PEDESTRIAN,
AUTO ACCIDENT
Sixty-one-year-old Nar-
cisa Perez Sanchez was
struck by an automobile
police said was driven by
Ignacio Garcia Thursday at
the corner of First and
Washington at 9:35 a.m.
Mrs. Sanchez, suffering
from contused wounds, la-
cerations and bruises, was
taken to the Johnston Clinic.
She returned to her home
at 220 N. Virginia Sunday.
Garcia, 21, was charged
with driving without a
drivers license. He pleaded
nolo contendre (no contest)
and paid $10 fine in corpora-
tion court.
CPA’s Hold Annual
Installation Here
Truman G. Holladay, De-
puty Securities Commis-
sioner of the Texas Securi-
ties Board, Austin, was guest
speaker at the annual ladies
night meeting of the Rio
Grande Valley Chapter of
the Texas Society of Certi-
fied Public Accountants last
Thursday.
The meeting was held at
the Mercedes Civic Center,
with a social hour at 7 p.m.
followed by dinner and the
special program.
Holladay spoke on “The
Texas Securities Act and
How it Affects You”. W. B.
Lauder, Jr., retiring presi-
dent of the chapter, present-
ed Seward Smith, Harlingen
CPA, a past president of
the chapter, who installed the
officers, recently elected to
serve during the 1964-1965
chapter year.
The officers installed
were Paul W. Voight, Jr.,
Edinburg CPA, President;
Barton W. Nott, Jr., Har-
lingen CPA, Vice president;
Edmond A, Turner, Wesla-
co CPA Secretary; Joe J.
Garza, Harlingen CPA,
T reasurer and Frank S. Har-
din, Harlingen CPA, Direc-
tor.
(See JULY 4 TH Page 4)
CIVIC CENTER SCHEDULE
Tuesday, June 30 - 2:00
p.m. - Citrus Association.
7:00 p.m. — Rotary Club
Installation of officers.
Saturday, July 4 — Pri-
vate dance.
Sunday, July 5- Dance,
| featuring The Falcons.
OSHEA HEADS STATE
ASSOCIATION
The executive director of
the Mercedes Urban Renewal
Agency, E. K. O’Shea, has
been elected president of the
newly-formed Texas Urban
Renewal Association.
First meeting of the group
was held at the Mission Civic
Center last Friday. Mrs. Jo
Anne Frix, administrative
assistant in the local office,
was elected secretary-trea-
surer of the state group.
Phil Jordan, excecutive di-
rector of Edinburg, was
elected vice-president.
The officers will serve
until the next semi-annual
meeting set for October in
Waco.
The newly formed organ-
ization will meet semi-an-
nually for workshops in the
various member cities which
have an approved planning
grant from the Urban Re-
newal Administration. Mem-
ber cities include Mercedes,
Edinburg, Los Fresnos, Port
Isabel, Mission, San Antonio,
Aransas Pass, Waco, Crys-
tal City, Stanton, San
Marcos, Lubbock, Austin,
Grand Prairie, Marshall,
Port Arthur, Wink and
'Hearne.
Local Youngsters
To Attend Camp
Three Mercedes children
will vacation at the crippled
children’s camp in Kerr-
ville thanks to the Lions
Club.
Rosita Castaneda, daugh-
ter of Mr. and Mrs. Benito
Castaneda, and Macedonio
and Eduardo Lopez, twin
sons of Mr, and Mrs. Ed-
uardo Lopez, will attend the
camp from July 5 through
July 18,
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Harvey, J. Edwin. The Mercedes Enterprise (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 49, No. 27, Ed. 1 Thursday, July 2, 1964, newspaper, July 2, 1964; Mercedes, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1091808/m1/1/: accessed June 20, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Dr. Hector P. Garcia Memorial Library.