The Allen American (Allen, Tex.), Vol. 21, No. 26, Ed. 1 Sunday, April 1, 1990 Page: 2 of 90
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Page 2A — The Allen American — Sunday, April 1, 1990
Opinions/Columns
Neighbors’ Kids
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Letters to the Editor
Educate the children
9)
Between the Creeks
Gwendyn Pettit
Sen. Gough dedicated years of service
J.R.’s mother would have taught ledge, which he gleaned from read- ously toward the building cost. He
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THE ALLEN AMERICAN
No newspaper covers Allen better
Donna Francis
Editorial Assistant
Additional tax base,
retail stores needed
Debbie Tackett
General Manager
Jan Van Allan
Retail Advertising
What is the first thing you notice when spring gets here?
Asked in Alice Wagner’s first-grade class at Story Elemen-
tary School.
Mark Hutchison
Sports Editor
Scott Nowling
Photographer
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his first lessons. She taught at
Young’s schoolhouse, probably dur-
ing the war. Rowlett school, near his
'll
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and had interest in other banks and in $
the International Fire Insurance Co.
and Western Casualty and Guaranty
Co. He had interest in Burrus Milling
Co. and in two Interurbans, the
Texas Traction Co. and Southern
Traction.
y
Dear editor:
From an educational point of view, I believe year-round education would
definitely benefit the children. I do not see how it will benefit the taxpayers.
Financially, are we able to handle the start-up costs and administrative
personnel costs without raising taxes?
Allen residents cannot dig any deeper into their pockets to pay taxes that
industry could support. Small, quaint, friendly and safe are nice words to
describe Allen, but they don’t pay taxes. Industry does not have to change
that description. I would like to walk through my neighborhood and see
happy homeowners, not foreclosure signs.
My biggest complaint about Allen is the slogan “Shop Allen.” Why? What
is the Chamber of Commerce doing to attract larger retail stores? What
Allen needs is variety and choice. Let’s see some of the businesses listed
below in addition to what we have and then we can “Shop Allen”: Tom
Thumb, Albertson’s, Target, Black-Eyed Pea, Chilis, Mervyns, a hotel,
Toys R Us, movie theaters, Michael’s, Zaks, Home Depot, a mall.
We certainly have wide open space. If land is available to build individual
residences, then it should be available to retail industry and any other
industry to level or reduce our taxes. If we cannot introduce additional
industry to Allen, then let’s limit the number of residents and eliminate the
problem of building additional schools. No more children, no more schools.
That may sound ignorant, but it is a simple, inexpensive solution. Perhaps
then we would see a decline in foreclosures and a leveling of our taxes.
Ann Faustmann
Allen
Letter Policy
The Allen American welcomes letters to the editor on subjects of
interest to our readers. Short letters are most likely to be chosen for
publication, but the use of any material is at the discretion of the
editor.
The editor reserves the right to edit letters to meet space re-
quirements, to clarify, or to avoid obscenity, libel or invasion of
privacy.
Individual complaints against businesses and letters thanking
businesses for small donations or other actions cannot be published.
Letters published do not necessarily reflect the editorial policies
or beliefs of this newspaper.
All letters must bear the handwritten signature of the writer and
must include a hometown, an address, and work and home telephone
numbers for verification purposes. (The address and phone numbers
will not be printed.) Anonymous letters will not be printed.
Submissions should be sent to: Editor, The Allen American,
P.O. Box 27, Allen, Texas 75002 by noon on the Wednesday
before the desired Sunday of publication.
“The snow is more melted.”
Larry Akin
Mark Warnken
Editor
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Ann Todd
Receptionist/Accounting
“The flowers start blooming.”
Nathan Dunkel
The life of Sen. James Rowland
Gough was like a new star that sud-
denly burst into brilliance. We won-
der how a young farm boy that grew
up in the turbulent times of the Civil
War and Reconstruction could be-
come such a super-achiever. The
answer has to be somewhere in
these historic circumstances, in the
people who influenced his life, as
well as in his own intelligence and
personal drive.
J.R. Gough was the son of Alexan-
der Bailey and Elizabeth Jane Row-
land Gough. He was 10 months old
when his two young sisters died
within days of one another. Soon af-
ter his first birthday, his father went
to war. After his Uncle Charles, a
Confederate soldier, died in early
June 1862, his father wrote a will. He
left his farm to his wife to use for her
lifetime and to care and educate their
son. Throughout the will he used the
words “my son” as if they were in
italics. A.B. Gough died in battle at
Norwood’s Plantation in Louisiana
when his son was 312 years old.
“The flowers grow big.”
Bryan Muscatello
“The birds come back.”
Jill Dosier
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“The trees bloom.”
Tonya Musgrove
ment any plan that may be arrived at will boil down to working together for
our town. |
We moved to Allen in 1976 because it was the only place we could afford :
to buy a house. We stayed in Allen because it is the finest town in North |
America. We turned down any job that would have us move. Maybe as a '
town we made some financial mistakes in building such elegant and durable O |
schools. But in the early ’80s, I, for one, also misjudged the future. The I
point is: we go on from here. We need to discuss all the alternatives and give 1
AISD a chance to present its case, whatever it turns out to be. I
Scott Dismukes
Allen 1
The Allen American
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Allen, Texas 75002
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The amazing thing is his active
participation in these many organiza-
tions and in business, civic and
church activities. But this bright
star, the man destined to fulfill the €
hopes of a family who had lost three
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CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING - 727-SELL
The Allen American (USPS 051-180) is published biweekly, on Sun-
days and Wednesdays, by Harte-Hanks Community Newspapers,
801 E. Plano Pkwy., Plano, TX 75074.
Second class postage paid at U.S. Post Office, Allen, TX 75002.
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ing and studying at home nights after taught the men’s Bible class. Gough sons in the Civil War, died in 1916,
working in the field during the day.” was on the McKinney school board only 55 years of age; yet his years
In 1887, J.R. Gough married for several years and was its had been years of service: “Senator
grandfather Gough’s during the time Mary Andrews, daughter of District treasurer. As a member of the Odd Gough was a public-spirited citizen
he was of school age, had a very Judge W.H. Andrews of McKinney. Fellows of Texas, he served as and could ever be depended upon to
qualified teacher for the common In June 1888, he was admitted to the grand master of the Grand Lodge of join all movements calculated to adv-
by the military regime in Texas af years. He was the author of several political career, he was fortunate to
the Civil War. Completing his stu- legislative acts; one gave children in have the industrious John Rasor
dies, Baines practiced law in McKin- orphanages their share of public family as renters of the land he had
ney and published a Democrat paper school funds. He was elected presi- inherited from his father. Early, he
before moving to Blanco. He be- dent pro tempore of the Senate. He began investing in city property in
came secretary of state of Texas and lost by a narrow margin when he McKinney and accumulated large
a member of Texas’ House of Repre- yielded to the persuasion of friends land holdings in Collin and adjoining
sentatives. His grandson became and ran for lieutenant governor. He counties. After his political career,
president — Lyndon Baines was described as a stalwart Demo- he returned to McKinney to practice
Johnson. crat. “Few men were better in- lawandtobuildalargeabstractbusi-
Rowlett must have been a political formed on public questions of the ness. The evidence of his business
hot bed while young Gough grew up. day. He was a fluent, eloquent ability is staggering. He was a direc-
Neighbors of the family, Witts and speaker and a fearless defender of tor and stockholder of the Collin
Wilcoxes, were related to Throck- his party and political faith...” Sen. County National Bank of McKinney
morton. Others were politically ac- Gough was “an ardent prohibition and the First National Bank of Frisco
Dear editor:
The comments made by our city officials, such as Mr. McCarty and Mr.
Petty, again lead me to the same points. In order to make our city recog-
nized as different and appear progressive, we needed to spend $253,000 to
plant a median of a roadway (which I agree will be beautiful eventually) ? Why
did the city administration think it smarter to have trees rather than to
provide learning for future citizens — our children — as well as for current
citizens?
Yes, the citizens of this city are anxious we have business to pay these
property taxes to pay off the bonds and city taxes as well as appear distinct
from Plano and McKinney. How do a bunch of trees and a complex of
buildings make us different? Do they make us appear progressive? Except
for an exit sign off Central Expressway, who is to know they are not
traveling through Plano or McKinney?
Yes, they may be beautiful when they reach full height. However, how
many persons will have an accident in the interim five to 10 years before the
trees reach that indicated height?
Yes, the citizens did a wonderful job of giving guidance to the city in 1985
— and I did attend those meetings and responded to the surveys. The
citizens of Allen expected a prudent city administration and City Council to
use those guidelines.
; It is the execution I expected would be better. The bureaucratic mental-
ity is to blame a study or some group, such as the 1985 citizen committee.
And the newspaper discussion last Saturday was a brilliant example of that
mentality.
KT
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The citizens did not expect the building of a large library and not fully
equip it with books to meet state standards. Nor the use of unequal taxing of
its citizenry by a “voluntary” campaign of fund raising.
The city administration and City Council elected instead to spend money
on trees and other city projects by getting the citizens to voluntarily
contribute the $1,000,000 needed to get the library up to state standards.
(Only 40 percent of that goal has been attained despite almost one plus
years of effort.) Thus, more money could be spent elsewhere. The priority
should have been to fully fund the library.
A progressive city is one which meets the needs of all its citizens — not
just the business interests or the developers. Children are a large number of
those citizens — only without votes. If you want to develop a distinction,
what better one than a city that educates and nourishes the future, our
children?
Next time when a question of priorities exists, hopefully, the city admi-
nistration and City Council will decide the proper priority. Perhaps the
criticism by myself and others will have accomplished that.
y
Working together
Dear editor:
As a community, we need to start talking constructively about the
situation facing the Allen Independent School District. We are amongst the
lowest in numbers of administrators per child and also in amounts spent per
child, yet have the third highest tax rate in the Metroplex. If we don’t do
anything differently, our tax rate will be over $2 per hundred in just a few
years. AISD is looking at year-round schooling as a means of better using
the investment already made and deferring additional expense.
Year-round schooling will require the whole community to alter their
schedules. I do not believe it will be that horrible an impact. What people do
with their kids for three months in summer will not change. When they do it
will change — it’ll be spread out. Summer jobs won’t be such a prize —
employers could hire four kids (assuming a four-track system where one
track is on vacation) for one job. And the kids would be able to work a day
shift instead of just after school. Each school day will be no different than it is
today for the kid on track. The kid off-track will have to find a way to get to
after-school activities, but that is a logistical problem and not a philosophical
one. I cannot believe the child-care providers, employers and the rest of the
community will not adapt to any new school calendar. I like the idea of a ski
vacation with the kids in February.
How to treat the teachers, administrators, etc., fairly and how to imple-
five. Gough’s only formal education advocate and lent his voice, influ-
was in the country schools at ence and means toward banishing
Rowlett; however, he continued his the saloons from our country.”
education by home study. “His When he was young, Gough
widowed mother was able to give joined old Rowlett Church. “The
him only a common school educa- Gough family is a pioneer Baptist
tion. But being naturally of a bright one. One of his paternal uncles, Wil-
mind and ambitious character, the liam Gough, and a maternal uncle,
young farm boy made the most of his William Rowland, were both Baptist
limited common school advantages, ministers.” He joined First Baptist
which he supplemented by exten- Church in McKinney when he
sive reading and study, and retained moved there and served on the
to a remarkable degree the know- building committee and gave gener-
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schools of that day, J.W. Baines. Be- bar and began practicing law in the State and attended sessions ance the public good and promote
fore the war, Baines had attended McKinney. He was elected justice of across the U.S. and Canada. He was the well-being of his fellow citizens.”
Baylor University at Independence, the peace. In 1890, he became a a Mason of the highest rank, a
The teacher was studying law with representative to the Texas Legisla- Knight of Pythias, a Woodman of the Pettit is a longtime Allen resident
Gov. J.W. Throckmorton, who had ture, where he served six years. He World and an Elk. with an avid interest in this area’s
recently been removed from office then became a state senator for four While the young man pursued his history.
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Warnken, Mark. The Allen American (Allen, Tex.), Vol. 21, No. 26, Ed. 1 Sunday, April 1, 1990, newspaper, April 1, 1990; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1571491/m1/2/: accessed July 8, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Allen Public Library.