The Bastrop Advertiser (Bastrop, Tex.), Vol. 154, No. 28, Ed. 1 Saturday, June 2, 2007 Page: 4 of 13
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Page 4A ★ Wi\t Bastrop UdOCltlSCl' Saturday, June 2,2007
Issues & Opinions
Letters To
The Editor
Author noted
Dear Editor:
In conjunction with our spring half-price
book fair, Red Rock Elementary School had
New York Times best selling author Walter
Wick (the "I Spy" series) come and spend a
day with us. Mr. Wick did presentations to our
children, autographed his books and met with
teachers over lunch. I want to express my
deepest gratitude for the overwhelming support
from our students, parents, staff, volunteers
and community that made these two events
hugely successful. I don't believe I am exag-
gerating when I say our children will remem-
ber that day for the rest of their lives. Thank
you, again.
Rehana Hollingsworth
Red Rock Elementary School Librarian
LOOK, MOM,
TWELVE INCHES
OF BASS'
TWELVE INCHES
OF GRASS.'!!
One Burleson may still be second
With the 175th anniversary of the founding
of Bastrop in mind, I have been thinking about
our most famous citizen. Do you know who I
mean? Can you imagine a girl growing up in
Lee County, Mississippi never hearing about
Elvis? That ought to be the same as a child
growing up in Bastrop never learning about
Edward Burleson.
But most of us haven't. It is certainly my
story. There is nothing here to mark Burleson's
memory - no statue, no school, no street or
building or community named after him. There
is only one public mention - a monument on the
east lawn of the courthouse dedicated to his
father, James, containing a footnote that he was
the father of General Edward Burleson. This
lack of recognition is especially noteworthy
because Burleson not only was the most impor-
tant person ever to live in Bastrop County, he
also was one of the most prominent early
Texans.
It might not be a legitimate honor, but one
little group does bear his name. About ten years
ago a friend and I founded "The Edward
Burleson Society." Though it's been inactive
lately (at the last gathering only three members
showed up to conduct a sword salute honoring
the soon-to-be-demolished smoke stack), I have
hopes for its revival.
Some might term this organization second-
rate, but that would be fine with me because of
an important quality of its namesake. The soci-
ety's motto is "Second in War, Second in Peace,
Second in the hearts of his countrymen," play-
ing on the famous saying about George
Washington. That's because Edward Burleson
had the almost uncanny ability, when in posi-
tions of prominence, to be upstaged by others.
In truth, he willingly and repeatedly served in a
supporting role because of his sense of duty and
practicality.
Bastrop
According
To Ken
mL
Ken Kesselus
Often he played second fiddle to the two
biggest giants in Texas history, Stephen F.
Austin and Sam Houston. At the Siege of Bexar
in 1835 (the battle that led to the Texans' con-
trol of the Alamo before Santa Anna re-captured
it), he was first elected second in command to
Austin. When Austin resigned, Burleson was
chosen as commanding general but was
upstaged by Ben Milam who got credit for lead-
ing the successful charge. A volunteer Texan
army formed at Gonzales to stop Santa Anna
would have gladly elected Burleson to lead
them, but the fledgling Texan government, pre-
empting a time-honored right to choose a com-
mander, named Sam Houston head of the revo-
lutionary forces. That left Burleson as second in
command at the decisive Battle of San Jacinto,
as he heroically led his men into the teeth of the
Mexican defenses and easily routed the enemy.
During the early years of the Republic,
politicians like Houston and M.B. Lamar
received public attention in East Texas, while
Burleson spent much of his time tending to the
thankless job of protecting the western frontier.
At the Battle of the Neches, a famous fight
against Cherokee Indians, Burleson, though he
had orders from the war department to lead the
fight, permitted the local militia leader to take
command. At the Battle of Plum Creek, a fight
against a large Comanche invasion, he again
stepped aside for harmony's sake to let an offi-
cial with no military experience exercise titular
leadership.
Burleson platted the town of Waterloo,
which would have been a very successful ven-
ture, but the site was selected as the new capital
in 1839, and Edwin Waller became famous for
designing the City of Austin on the same
ground. He served as vice-president of Texas
under President Sam Houston and came m sec-
ond to Anson Jones in the last presidential elec-
tion of the Republic. After statehood, Edward
Burleson served as president pro-tempore of the
senate, second in standing to the lieutenant gov-
ernor. The state commissioned a memorial
painting of him that was placed behind the
speaker's desk in the Senate chamber, only later
to be replaced by one of Stephen F. Austin.
A member of the Edward Burleson Society
once observed that Burleson broke the "second-
fiddle rule" m the grave. When he died unex-
pectedly in 1851, the state legislature author-
ized its leaders to select a "suitable burying
ground" for his interment. This led to creation
of the Texas State Cemetery, and he was the
FIRST to be buried there, beneath a stone mark-
er erected in 1854 on the most prominent spot
in the cemetery. This distinction, however, was
diminished when the body of Stephen F. Austin
was re-interred nearby in 1915 beneath a mas-
sive monument that literally overshadows
Burleson's.
Now, after generations of Bastrop
county residents have forgotten his importance,
an investment firm planning a big shopping
center behind McCoy's intends to honor him in
a central plaza at "Burleson's Crossing."
Ironically, the site has only slight connection
Coach Halbrook thanked for long teaching and
coaching career, influence on Bastrop students
Dear Editor:
I am confident that I am sending this letter of
appreciation for all of the people that David
Halbrook has had an influence on during his 32
years of coaching and teaching. This long list of
people includes students, athletes, parents,
teachers, coaches, counselors, administrators,
and the many friends and associates that David
has come in contact throughout his career.
A special thanks goes out to Coach
Halbrook for the last 10 years (6 years as Head
Football coach) that he has coached and taught
in the Bastrop Independent School District. We
are very fortunate to have had a coach and
teacher that was so dedicated to improving the
lives of so many young people in Bastrop.
Although his coaching career is probably
over, the positive influence and strong work
ethic that Coach Halbrook instilled in his play-
ence.
Ed Sanders
Assistant Principal,
Bastrop High School
Letters submission guidelines
4"
Letters to the editor should be limited
in length. The Advertiser does not have
a maximum word policy, but letters will
be edited for length and clarity.
Letters should cover local topics. The
Advertiser reserves the right to reject
letters with no local connection, or
those deemed libelous.
The deadline for letter submissions is
3 p.m. Thursday for the Saturday
paper. Letters are printed on a space-
available basis.
Letters may be submitted by E-ma to
news@bastropadvertiser.com; faxed to
321-1680 or dropped off at The
Advertiser office, 908 Water St. in
Bastrop.
Submissions may also be mailed to
P.O. Box 459, Bastrop, Texas 78602-
0459.
Don't forget
U.S. 'pledge'
Dear Editor:
I attended my grandson's award ceremony at
the Bastrop Intermediate School this past week.
I would like to thank Principal Men" Doherty,
school officials and teachers who have worked
so hard in handling the issues of intimidation
and other disciplinary issues that have plagued
this school in the past, but the real reason for
this letter is about the ceremony. Mr. Doherty
you started out the program with the typical flag
ceremony with the students singing the
American Anthem and then the Pledge of
Allegiance to Texas. I had never heard of the
Texas Pledge of Allegiance, but that was fine,
what wasn't so fine was after the pledge to
Texas, the flags were put up. I'm sorry Mr.
Doherty but most Americans are raised with
saying the Pledge of Allegiance to America.
What happened?
I looked up the Texas Pledge of Allegiance
and was informed that in 2003 our great Texas
leaders passed Senate Bill 83 stipulating that:
"Texas public school students will be required
to say the Pledge of Allegiance to the United
States Flag to be followed by the Pledge of
Allegiance to the Texas Flag and then followed
by a minute of silence for prayer, reflection, or
meditation." The pledges are to go as such: 9
pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United State
of America, and to the Republic for which it
stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with
liberty and justice for all, and, Honor the Texas
flag; I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one and
indivisible."
I hope that in future events you and all other
Bastrop School officials will remember to not
forget the Pledge to our great American flag.
Penny Zimmerman
Bastrop
ers and coaches over the years will remain with
them for a lifetime.
Thanks, Coach David Halbrook, from all of
us that had the opportunity to be a part of your
career. We are better as a result of your influ-
"Che Bastrop Sducrtiscr
Texas' Oldest Weekly Newspaper
Since March 1,1853
Semi-Weekly Since Sept. 5,1977
Devoted to the welfare of the people of Bastrop
County. Published 104 times a year on Thursdays and
Saturdays by Austin Community Newspapers,
a division of Cox Newpapers, at:
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POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:
The Bastrop Advertiser, P.O. Box 459,
Bastrop, Texas 78602-0459
Publisher: Stan Woody
Advertising: Peggy Dieringer, Debbie Denny
Editor: Davis McAuley
Sports editor: Mark Goodson
Staff writers: Terry Hagerty
Contributing writers: Ellen Moore,
Ernest Simmons, Donald Williams,
Joan Russell, Donna Davis, Michal Hubbard
Contributing photographers: Charles Bell,
Michael Amador, Karol Rice,
M.D. DeHart
Office manager: Shirley Gibbons
Classifieds, subscriptions: Ginny Pickering
Production: Alicia Svetlik
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Member: National Newspaper Association
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McAuley, Davis. The Bastrop Advertiser (Bastrop, Tex.), Vol. 154, No. 28, Ed. 1 Saturday, June 2, 2007, newspaper, June 2, 2007; Bastrop, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth252378/m1/4/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Bastrop Public Library.