Mt. Vernon Optic-Herald (Mount Vernon, Tex.), Vol. 103, No. 27, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 16, 1978 Page: 1 of 12
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Mount Vernon Optic Herald and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Franklin County Library.
- Highlighting
- Highlighting On/Off
- Color:
- Adjust Image
- Rotate Left
- Rotate Right
- Brightness, Contrast, etc. (Experimental)
- Cropping Tool
- Download Sizes
- Preview all sizes/dimensions or...
- Download Thumbnail
- Download Small
- Download Medium
- Download Large
- High Resolution Files
- IIIF Image JSON
- IIIF Image URL
- Accessibility
- View Extracted Text
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
w
/
I
/
Inc.
i
I
<7
Editor s Quote Book
fHt Uenwn
Vol. 103—No. 77
Mt Vernon, Franklin County, Texas
on
ESH
IRS
EAT
ks
Pkg.
L'
c
/
a> J
I
/ ’
r '
£
i
V
.'.r
V
poo nuknioFt
»?
U
a
/
|'A
*
L* i-
ts
in the
c
w
to attend.
■ i
I
?
KMW* <
Sam H Hall, Jr.
Mil
>
.•MB
vjl V
s 1
xAj
1
L
!,<
1
>
«t>-i»i i iHBim
$ ■
I.
CW.
•
/
K
r
i
i
I. Jug
De
to finance at least a portion of
the costs
In other action taken by the
board during the meeting, an
am mendmen t to the schools
policy on immunizations and
immunization records was
made The amendment states
ti
w*
Funding of 150,000 of the
1550,000 will be sought from
taken to
Hospital
meeting on Tuesday night
Neighborhood improvement
projects considered totaled
$676,350 The council expects to
Park. This city would have to
match these funds.
« <
M
Sin has many tools, but a
lie Is the handle which fits
them all.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
B ■
By-
r fl
I’iA-JI
flV
[0
M(S j
IK.
/ ■
I
I
s
a
E
ITEST
UH
ITH!
P
I#
(•St
Cannaday).
Highway 37, .2 mile north of
1-30, when he reportedly met an
unknown auto traveling in his
lane of the highway He drove
off the road to the right to avoid
collision with the other auto,
and struck a highway sign.
See ACCIDENT Page •
Specia I Meeti ng
Of Baseball
Association
A special meeting
the local facilities. The open
house' was part of the
school's celebration of Tex-
as Public Schools Week.
Pictured from left to right,
are: Mary Jo Eddy, presi-
-4
SAI.Tl1.1.0 I'TO officers for
1977-78 were on hand
Thursday. March 9. at the
Saltillo Schools to welcome
the visiting parents and
friends during open house at
i 'Microfilm Center
Pox 4UX
Dallas
row from left to right, are
Itita Long, treasurer. Irita
Gilstrap, third vice-presi-
dent. < herris Starek. presi-
dent; second row. Cynthia
hpps. secretary . Carol Pip-
kin. historian. John Porter.
'fl
- **k
program to complete their
immunization requirements.
After the 30 day period has
passed, students will be
suspended from classes until
requirements have been met.
A special meeting of the
board of trustees was set for
April 3 at 7:30 p.m. for the
parliamentarian. Not avail-
able for the picture were
first vice-president. Ruth
Hacon. second vice-presi-
dent. Betty Lou Jordan, and
reporter. Karen Ball. (Staff
Photo'
Cook Wins
Local Speaking
Honors
Janis Cook, a senior student
at Mt Vernon High School,
captured first place honors in
the local level of the Rotary
Better Speakers Tournament
held at the school Friday,
March 3.
Eleven students from Mt
Vernon participated in the final
eliminations locally Other top
winners were Kristi Stinson, a
junior, and Ginger Killebrew, a
sophomore
Plaques will be given to
each of the top three winners in
the local level of the contest
during the Friday, March 31,
meeting of the Mt. Vernon
Rotary Club.
Miss Cook also participated
in the district competition of
the contest which was held in
Tyler on Saturday, March 11.
She was successful in reaching
the top level of semi-finalist;
one of the top six in the district
Thi* year s theme for the five
to seven minute speech was
"The Four-Way Test- Guide
Posts to Youth's Destiny”
Of ft
for
prospective coaches, managers
and parents of boys and girls
ages seven through 14 who are
interested in helping with this
1W7B Summer Baseball Pro
gram is planned The meeting
will be held in the Mt Vernon
High School science laboratory
at 7 30 pm Tuesday, March 21
Lee Hyman, president of the
Frankjin County Baseball
Association for 1978, urges all
interested persons to be present
for the organizational meeting
Those persons who are unable
to attend the meeting, but
would like, in some way, to
assist with this year's program,
are asked to phone Hyman at
537-4905 prior to the date of the
meeting
• < *•
■
w The Mt Vernon City Council
took a look at proposed projects
for the city that will cost in
| excess of $15 million at their
I
Man Charged
With Burglary
Curtis Deloney, Jr. of
Sulphur Springs was arrested
by Sulphur Springs police
Thursday, March 9, on a
____________ Franklin County warrant
students and charging him with the burglary
March 24. at 7 00 pm
high school cafeteria
Tickets for the affair are
available from the C of C
office in the fire station
building in Mt Vernon or from
any director for $5 75 per
person, the same price as last
year
Directors for the current
year arc Ron Barker. Tom
Ramsay. Kenneth Cason, Vera
Gaye Edwards. Snow Bolger.
James Benson, Dr Paul Piefer.
Weldon Itiggs and Greg Carr
This year's banquet will be
catered by Ernie's of Green
vtlle and will feature barbecue
beef and pork with all the
trimmings
Hall, a native of Marshall,
was elected on June 9, 1976. in a
special election to fill the
unexpired term of Honorable
See HALL Page 7
BusineHs Men
Discuss Downtown
Improvements
A group of about 15 business
inen from the down town area
met in the council room at the
Mt Vernon City Hall to discuss
the fact that the area nee<is
upgrading in appearance The
meeting was called by Mayor
Neal Solomon after the council
had discussed the matter
It was brought out at the
meeting that the First National
Bank is offering to make loans
at a five percent interest rate
for improving the fronts of
down town business buildings
A theme for the district and
the possibility of hiring an
architect or consultant was
discussed
A committee composed of
Fred Shackelford, Vera Gay
Edwards, Otis Slaughter, Jr,
Charles Teague and W C Mills
was appointed to study the
matter and make recom-
mendations
■
I
ip
rolled and students enrolling purpose of canvassing election
returns, re-organizing board
officers, discussing the new
building program and discuss-
ing the opening for high school
principal.
Sears noted that the school
would be accepting applica-
tions for the position of high
school principal until April 11.
Interviews for applicants will
be held between April 12 and
May 5. Sears stated that he
hoped a decision could be
reached by May 15 in order that
the new principal may assume
his duties on July 1.
The 1977-78 school calendar
was ammended to have the
final day of instruction on
Friday, May 26. This would
close the school year with a
total of 173 student days and 10
teacher in-service days.
A request from the superin-
tendent will be sent to the TEA
applying for a waiver for two
days of school instruction
which were missed due to
weather, stating that to make
up these days would create a
hardship on i
faculty in the district.
Oakerson and Randall of Mt.
Pleasant was approved by the
board as auditors for the 1977-78
records.
Approval was given for the
drawing held assigning the
position of candidates on the
ballot for the April 1 trustee
election; Walling, Lindley,
Rhoades
Expenditures for the month
were approved in the amount of
$121,079.46 « ’ t
NEW OFFK ERSfor the Ml
\ rrnon PT \ were prrsrnled
jnd jpptovrd bv members
'»( the local chapter during a
meeting held Thursday.
March 9 officers for the
chapter lor I97S-79, front
1 Drawing revisions ot pro-
’i posed expansion facilities at
.7 Mt Vernon Public Schools was
4 ordered by members of the Mt
J Vernon Independent School
' District's Board of Trustees
I
Mt Vernon Public School*
open houM* held Thursday.
March 9 during Texas Public
Sc bool Week wa* reported to
Imvc been well attended
The Mt Vernon 11 A meet
mg which coincided with the
oprm house, included the
presentation and approval by
members ot the- slate <»f I TA
officers for 1978 79 Those'
officers were (’herns Starck,
president. Inta Gilstrap, third
vice president Rita Long,
treasurer Cynthia Epps, sec
retary, Carol Pipkin histori
an John Porter, parhamenlar
tan Ruth Bacon first vice-
president. Bettye law Jordan.
Ronnie Wood
City Patrolman
Ronnie Wood of Mt. Vernon
has been hired as police officer
under Mt. Vernon Chief of
Police Pete Hollingsworth.
Wood assumed his duties with
the city as of Wednesday,
March 8.
A native of Sulphur Springs,
Wood has worked from October
of 1977 to January of 1978 as a
deputy of the Franklin County
Sheriff's Department. He is an
ex-dairyman.
The Wood family makes thetar
home at the corner of
Mockingbird and Yates streets
In Mt. Vernon.
He and his wife, Lynda, are
the parents of four children,
Julie, age nine, Jamie, age
eight, Jennifer, age seven, and
Jeremy, age five.
Hollingsworth noted that
Wood would be attending a six
week training ssarioa in ML
Pleasant, the Fifty-second East
Texas Police Academy, March
13 through April M. The course
is required by the State ef
Texas to meet officer certifica-
tion standards.
James Booth with the
Franklin County Sheriffs Do*
ill
EIGHT stadente from 8aL
Hilo High School's basket-
ball team were honored by
District 38B coaches by
selecUoa for Ail-District
honors. Pictured front row,
from left to right, are: Jaato
A__,---------
.
swiped an oncoming auto, a
1976 Oldsmobile, driven by
George Weldon Payne of
Weaver
Failing to stop
a 1977 Cadillac, was involved in
an accident at 6:00 p m on a
Hopkins County Road near
Weaver She reportedly side*
Failing to stop "after the
accident, Ms White continued
toward Mt Vernon on Hwy. 67,
and attempted a right turn onto
Hwy \37 She failed to negotiate
the turn properly and struck a
1970 White freight liner,
truck-tractor, which was park-
ed in front of the Tinsley
service shop She then contin-
ued south on Hwy 37, but was
stopped by a citizen which had
witnessed the second collision
Moderate damage was caus
ed to the Oldsmobile, and light
damage was incurred in both
the truck-tractor unit and
White car.
Ms. White was
Franklin County
where she was admitted for
treatment and observation of a
physical ailment, which is
believed to have impaired her
driving ability.
She was charged with failure
to yield one-half of the roadway
meeting an oncoming vehicle
M L. Pope of Mt Vernon
reported being forced off the
highway by an unknown auto in
his lane Monday, March 13 at
7<00 a.m.
Pope was south bound on
parents
toured the
and visited
I • fl
- 1|
’ 1
Ml ISl) Open House Well Attended
schools in the district had had a
good response to the eat-in -
lunch program during public
school week for parents of the
local children
■!
dent, Mayzell Base, vice-
president. Jimmie McIntire,
secretary. Dottie Green,
treasurer. (Staff Photo by
Kathy Cannaday).
Accident Reports Filed
Highway Patrolman Steve
Blake filed five traffic accident
reports which occurred the
week of March 5 through 13
None of the accidents resulted
in injuries City officers filed
one accident report
Sunday. March 5, at 12 30
a m on F M 115 approxi
inately 3 5 miles south of Mt
Vernon Gerrald Lee Hankins of
Ft Worth, driver of a 1971
Dodge, came into collision with
a deer The animal reportedly
ran into the path of the vehicle
and was struck by the front
center of the* auto
Moderate damage was re
ported to the vehicle
Rose Arrington Pike of Mt
Vernon area, driver of a 1976
Chevrolet, was charged with
driving while license was
suspended, after she lost
control of her auto in White Oak
bottom
Ms Pike was north bound on
Hwy 37 at 3:30 p m Thursday.
March 9, approximately five
miles north of Mt. Vernon,
when she lost control of the
auto, sideswiped a bridge
railing and ran off the roadway
to the right
The auto came to rest in the
barrow ditch of the roadway
Heavy damage was incurred.
Physical illness Is believed to
have been a factor causing two
accidents the evening of
Saturday, March 11.
Ida Ruggles While, driver of
wi'-
demand during 1978 will reach
$ao,MO galkne per day, wMch
is about UO,000 gallons per day
more than the present plant
will process.
Projections Indicated that by
1901 peak requirements will
reach 1,700,000 per day. At ttds
time inmeations were that
another 1,500,000 gallon treat-
ment plant would be required.
Projection thnxgh 1907 indi-
cated the peak demand per day
would reach 2,150,000 gallons.
The estimated cost of the *
second plant at today's con-
struction costs was placed at
$341,280 due to the fact that
some facilities constructed
with the first plant would serve
both.
Present councilmen and two
councilmen < who are seeking -
election on April 1 seemed to
indicate they felt the city
should move immediately on
the preliminary work la
connection with the treatment
plant.
The council has boon con-
sidering for some time another
150,001 gallon elevated storage
tank which is estimated wUl
cost $142,000 with coaler line in
connection with the tower
installation briiglag total esti-
mated cost to IMMN. The city
has been eeriring an EJDJL
grant in connection with tide
project. Funding is poooMe
later this year.
The study indicated that
one-third of the waler treated
by the city goes to rural water
customers.
It appears that the city will
be looking et a water rate
increase in the near future to
justify the sale of revenue
bonds to help finance the water
improvements.
The council has selected five
targe* areas to be considered
Mir 423 in Mt. communiiy aeveiopiMm MF"
visory committee will bo
appointed from the five arena
See CITY Page 9
of the Thurman Loyd Roberson
residence.
Deloney was arraigned be-
fore Franklin County Justice of
the Peace B. E. Cowser March
9 on a charge of burglary of a
habitation. He was released the
next day on a $5,000 bond set at
his arraignment.
Deloney allegedly forced
open the front door of the
Roberson homeKa__
located east of Spur 423 ___
Vernon, between 7:30 p.m.
February 27 and 6:30 p.m.
February 28.
Missing from the home were
a 13" color Admiral TV,
Monteverdi stereo with speak-
ers, and approximately 32
8-track tapes. Total value of the
items taken was $750. Officers
reported the recovery of the TV
and stereo with the arrest of
Deloney.
Franklin County officers also
reported the investigation of a
vandalism this past weekend.
Bernice Anderson reported
the vandalism of the Kenneth
Vsughn home in the Scroggins
community of Franklin County
on Monday, March 13. The
vandalism is believed to have
occurred sometime over the
weekend while the Vaughn
family was away.
The unknown subjects tore
the screen from the front door,
broke a glass in the door and
entered the bouse. However,
nothing was reported stolen.
Only a glass was found broken
in the kitchen floor.
Dance At VJ'.W.
Saturday Night
James Cass and the Rhytfim
Rangers will furnish the teudc
for a dance at the V.F.W. Post
3992 clubhouse Saturday,
March 18, at 8:00 p.m.
The dance is open to the ,_________
public and everyone is invited partinent is also attendh« the
to attend. certification school
City Considering Projects Totaling $1.5 Million
Ttw Mt v«rnn« rit„ r«.r«..i *r. j... ...» . .. . . . wildlife Department for im- in addition to the above
provemente to Little Creek amount the city wiU be seeking
*“ ' $60,000 in grant funds from
HUD which will go for grants to
low income residents who
reside in their own home in the
target areas for needed
improvements and repairs to
their homes. '
The city signed a contract
with Thomas E. Barber and
Associates to work with the city
as consultants in connection
with obtaining the grants. Carol
Sample represented the firm at
the meeting Tuesday night.
Lewis L. Gray, representing
Knowlton - English - Flowers,
Inc., the city's consulting
engineers, presented a study
they have just completed
relative to the city’s water
treatment plant.
The study indicated that the
city needs to begin work
immediately on a new 1.5
million gallon treatment plant
adjacent to the treatment
plant. Estimated cost of the
plant was placed at $800,000.
The study indicated that peak
second vice president, and
Karen Hall, reporter
These people will be installed
as officers of the local PT A
chapter during their April It
meeting
The chapter amended the
1977 78 budget to include funds
(or tuo $.too college scholar
ships These scholarships are
available to students in the
district who would like to
attend college regardless of I he
profession they plan to enter.
Applications for the scholar
ship must be made to Minnie
Uiughton. Chairman for the
Scholarship Committee, prior
to the final meeting of the PT?\
in April
Following the meeting of the
PTA chapter, parents and
friends toured the school
facilities and visited with
teachers
One of the mam attractions
during the open house was the
annual junior Science Fair
display
Eleven students received
first place ribbons in the fair
for 10 projects (one done
jointly) Those first place
winners in the 1977 78 Science
Fair are Kevin Burford, Todd
Lindley, Kim Foster. Kim
Lindley. Marla Maples. Ever-
ett Shelby. Mehssa Bogue,
Sharon Davis, Jesse Deal, John
Stanley and Michael Wright
Elementary student* partici
paled in an art and poetry
contest Grand prize and first
place winners in each grade
level were Special Education,
grand prize, Victor Fountain,
first prize, John l^isey, kinder
garten, grand prize, Cortney
Jennings, first prize, Brandi
l^ing. first grade, grand prize,
Matt Gibbs, first prize. Jenni
fer Wood, second grade, grand
prize, Michael Ramsay, first
prize, Amy Purdom, third
grade, grand prize, Patricia
Hackney, first prize. Amber
Mitchell; fourth grade, grand
prize, Chuck WiMxlall. first
prize, Phillip Edwards, fifth
grade, grand prize. Tony
Eberlee, first prize, Heidi
Freeman
Only fourth and fifth grade
students participated in the
poetry contest Winners of
grand prize and first place
ribbons are fourth grade,
grand prize. Sea nd r a Barrett,
first prize, Roy Slaton, and
fifth grade, grand prize, Keith
Wilhite, first prize, l^e Hill.
Several students in the Mt
Vernon High School athletic
program, Joe Justiss, Fred
Simmons, and Steve Evans,
were on hand in the weight
room of the new field house
facilities to demonstrate the
program to the visitors.
The office of superintendent
Walter Sears noted that all
1*
12 Pages--1 Section Thursday, Mar. 16, 1978 per Copy
During its regular monthly
meeting held Monday, March
13, the board instructed
Superintendent Walter Sears to
proceed, with revision of the
I present plans
Sears, board members, and
advisors from the Texas
j Education Agency for the past
1 several months have been
j discussing and reviewing ex
| pansion drawings made by
architect Preston Geren of Ft
3 Worth, the result being several
• proposed changes in the plans
to allow better accommodation
5 of the particular type of classes
§ to tic taught in these added
| facilities
The original drawings were
to include five additional
elementary classrooms a
so ag building and expansion of
the superintendent s office A
new proposal for a third
gymnasium for use by ele
mentary students has been
brought forward
j All of this proposed expan
J sion has been brought about
through continuing increases in
the student population of the
7 school here This jxasl week a
total of 951 student* were
enrolled. 445 kindergarten
through fifth, 214 junior high
| and 291 high school By 1985 the
total figure is projected to have
| . reached 1.208: 524 k-5. 3tt>
junior high and 37U high school
Top priorities in the expan
sion according to Sears is (or
the elementary classrooms and
voag building, where the
squi'cze froni student numbers
in the program is already tiring
felt It is felt these jxhases of the
expansion will tie ores fed by
September of 1979
With these pressing needs it
is likely the tioard of trustees
will tie approaching the citizens
of the school district for
approval of a txind issue within
the next six months to one year
Congressman Hall To
Speak At C. C. Banquet
I’ S ( ongrrssman Sam B
Hall. Jr will be the speaker for
the annual Franklin County
Chamber of Commerce ban
quet scheduled for Friday,
iv
\ ' Jl
Mwirh, Kathy Ginata,
wards; Mttte Whtttaa,
guard; Taaaate Gudwte,
farward; aacaad na, Jany
Hartaa. bays flrat teaat;
Mark Ceaak, kaaaratola
praaaat lar the ptetera
Wtatetu,
Fhate by Kt
trim this figure to $550,000 ment Administration (HUD),
previous to the preliminary Projects approved would re- ______
application for funding through ceive 100 percent funding Bureau of Outdoor Recreation
Housing and Urban Develop- through HUD. through the Texas Parks and
Proposed Expansion Drawings To Be Revised
that all students in the district
must meet state immunization must complete or have begun a
requirements. Effective im-
mediately, students now en-
__________________________________________________ ■ '.
101 Days
WITHOUT A
FATAL TRAFFIC
ACCIDCNTMf
FRANKLIN
COUNTY
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.
Bass, James T. Mt. Vernon Optic-Herald (Mount Vernon, Tex.), Vol. 103, No. 27, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 16, 1978, newspaper, March 16, 1978; Mount Vernon, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1330217/m1/1/?q=%22%22~1: accessed July 3, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Franklin County Library.