The Tyler Journal (Tyler, Tex.), Vol. 13, No. 30, Ed. 1 Friday, November 19, 1937 Page: 1 of 10
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TO DEVELOP
EAST TEXAS RESOURCES
AND
FOSTER EDUCATION
The Tyler Journal
To “Sell” Smith County’s Better Farming Program to Our Own People and to Texas—and Tyler to Her Neighbors
A CONSTRUCTIVE NEWS
SERVICE FOR SMITH
AND
ADJOINING COUNTIES
_
4
VOL. 13, NO. 30.
TYLER, TEXAS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1937.
HENRY EDWARDS & CO.. Pubs.
;4h
NOBODY’S
BUSINESS
By JULIAN CAPERS, Jr.
Austin.—Gathering momentum of
public opinion in many sections of
Texas may “blow the lid off” of one
of the most bitterly controversial
questions in Texas’ history, namely
the land vacancy problem. The va-
cancy question has been a recurrent
issue ever since the discovery of oil
in Texas, and extension of oil pro-
duction into new sections has brought
it into the fore again during the
past few months, notably in the Tex-
as Gulf coast area, including Polk,
Matagorda, Chambers and adjoining
counties.
The controversy arises from the
fact that surveys cf public lands in
Texas in the early days were fre-
quently rough and inaccurate. When
school lands were sold off, a buyer
would pay for 160 acres, but as the
result of an inaccurate survey, would
fence and farm an extra 15 acres. The
land had so little value that it was
not worth the cost of a re-survey.
Hut discovery of oil under much of
this former public Idnd made it very
valuable for the mineral rights, and
“vacancy hunters”—men who looked
up the field notes in the state land
office, and had it resurveyed to find
these surplus or “vacancy” tracts,
came into being. The discoverer of
such a vacancy has the right under
law to file claim to the mineral
rights, giving the state a part of the
royalty, and rdtaining the major
part of the mineral rights, at nominal
cost. The occupant of the land has a
preferred claim to the surface rights
only. But the oil or gas under the
ground is where the real wealth lies.
Farmers are Bitter
In some of the South Texas cases,
the land has been farmed and oc-
supied for 100 years by the families
now occupying it. They have never
known that the land they had under
LITTLE THEATRE GIVES
“FIRST LADY”—CLOSING
PERFORMANCE TONIGHT
“First Lady,” initial production
this season of the Tyler Little Thea-
tre, will complete a three-night run
this evening, 8:15, at the Woman’s
Building. Due to the large number
of season tickets sold this year, plays
are being presented three consec-
utive nights, instead of the custo-
mary two. Large and appreciative
audiences saw the play Wednesday
ar.d Thursday evening, and reserve
seat sales indicate a capacity house
tonight.
As the title of this political satire
by Katharine Dalton and George S.
Kaufman, would indicate, the story
centers around the life in America's
R. L. TAYLOE NAMED
C. C. BOARD MEMBER
Resolutions of Respect to I>ate
Goodman
HEARTY RESPONSE
MET WITH IN RED
CROSS ROLL CALL
Quota for County is 3,000 Members
At a meeting of the Tyler chamber
of commerce board of directors held
Wednesday afternoon, R. L. Tayloe
was named a member to fill the place
made vacant by the death of Will
The Red Cross roll call drive which
was started in Smith county on Mon-
day morning is proceeding most sat-
isfactorily, according to Mrs. Oyer
Hill, vice chairman of the Smith
the Tyler Rotary club and has been
a leader in the civic activities of the
city since moving here in 1928.
Resolutions of respect to the late
Mr. Goodman, esteemed friend and
worker on the board, were passed at
the meeting. They follow:
“Whereas, Divine Providence has
removed from our midst our dear
friend, active member and director
capitol city where, one character
tells us, “gossip is on high plane.”
All of the human types familiar to, ,
those acquainted with the story be- 0:1, ^he cr Chamber of Commerce,
hind the scenes in Washington, 1). -., Will G. Goodman, and
are introduced in the play. Social I Whereas, he was a tireless and
and political climbers, foreign am- unselfish worker foi the develop-
bassadors, party leaders, diplomats, ment an(l improvement of this corn-
justices and congressmen—-we have nrunity, omd
them all as characters in this ace nut j Whereas, his passing has created
of the hurly-burly life of Washing- a vo'h that will be difficult to fill,
e, n “Therefore be it resolved by the
ton.
Mrs. Reagan J. Carraway, as Lucy
Wayne, wife of the secretary of
state, played by North Callahan, in-
terprets the role of society leader,
sure of her position by virtue of an
impeccable family background. Mrs.
Carraway gave a splendid perfor-
mance, remaining in character at all
times, however, one visualize 4 an
older woman in this role of “a sea-
soned Washington matron.”
North Callahan was well cast as
the secretary of state. He both look-
ed and acted the part of an assure!
statesman who has carefully built
a reputation of political integrity.
Mr. Callahan could, perhaps, have
improved on his part had he given
a little more life and expression to
this character—a difficult task, en-
livening a role that must remain
dignified. J. Byron Saunders
fence and under cultivation was not good, his facial expressions and stage
actually part of their farms. Thurs
when oil is discovered, and they have
an opportunity to realize substantial
wealth from sale of leases or royal-
ty, they naturally are resentful when
strangers invade the community, file
“vacancy” suits in the name of the
state, with the Attorney General
representing them, and take away the
mineral rights.
On the other side of the question,
is the claim made in behalf of the
state and its school funds, that be-
cause an error was made in the sur-
reys years ago, there is no valid rea-
son why error should be perpetu-
ated and the land, to which buyers
were never entitled, should revert
to those occupying it ir, error. The
law at present provides that, vacancy
suits may be tried either in the
county where the land is located, or
in Austin, and it is claimed this work:?
an extra hardship upon the claimants,
as the attorney general usually elects
to try the cases in Austin.
The special session took congizance
of the situation, when the Senate
adopted a resolution requesting the
attorney general to try some 200
suits recently filed in Folk county,
rather than in Austin. In the house,
Rep. George Davisson of Eastland o -
fered a resolution commending the
land commissioner and the attorney
general for bringing the Polk county
suits. The house defeated the resolu-
tion overwhelmingly, and Davisson
drew caustic criticism, because of his
well known personal friendship for
Land Commissioner Bill McDonald,
who is a former county official from
Eastland county. Typical comments
on the floor during debate on Dav-
isson’s resolution were:
W. E. Jones, of Jourdanton: “These
vacancy hunters who say they’re try-
ing to do something for the schools
don’t give a damn about the school
children. They are just engaging in
on the rottenest, most slimy, most
putrid disgraces in the state.”
B. E. Quinn cf Beaumont: "I un-
derstand that Davisson has opened
a law office here in Austin. 1 also
understand he has several relatives
on the payroll of the land commis-
sioner. He’s just getting ready to
represent some of the land grabbers
before the Land Commissioner.”
Coke Stephenson of Junction, for-
mer speaker, led a memorable fight
against vacancy hunters in the leg-
islature years ago, and several mem-
bers have indicated that efforts will
he made at the next regular session
to enact some referms that will re-
strict the activity of the vacancy
hunters and better protect the rights
cf those who believe they have le-
gal title to the disputed lands.
Pension Situation in Doubt
Governor Allred washed his hands
•of the. responsibility for pension cuts
if they develop—ahrl this week was
mannerisms suiting his lines at all
times. Richard H. Davis as a senator,
is another of the male characters who
was perfectly natural on the stage.
Honors for the ladies should go,
we think, to Mrs. J. Byron Saunders,
for her performance as secretary to
Mrs. Wayne; to Dorothy Holley, be-
cause her interpretation of the
Southern girl visiting in Washing-
ton was thoroughly delightful; to
Klydc Yarborough Feder, since she
provided some of the most humorous
lines of the play; and to Ruth Ruck-
er because she personified realisti-
Goodma^n. laylce Js president of courgy chapter. The quota for the
county has been set at 3,000 mehi-
berships, which are one dollar each,
it is expected that between $4,000
and $5,000 will be raised. Mrs. Hill
said that those having charge of
the drive are very well pleased with
the progress to date, and that al-
though the quota had not been reach-
ed Thursday morning, officials felt
sure that it would be reached by
Thanksgiving, closing date of the
drive.
Mrs. Hill explained that 50 per-
cent of every membership dollar re-
mains with the local chapter, anil
further, that of every large gift,
only 50 cents is sent to national head-
quarters. In other words, if a per-
son gives $10 to the Red Cross here,
50 cents of this amount is sent to
national headquarters, and $9.50 re-
mains with the Smith county chapter;
if $25 is given by a donor here, $24.50
is retained by this county’s chapter
foi use in the county’s Red Cross ac-
tivities* and so on. Mrs. Hill stated
that the drive had received a num-
ber of large gifts.
Some 45 attended the breakfast
at the Blackstone hotel on Monday
morning which initiated the drive,
and with the excellent organization
set-up and the cheerfulness of those
contacted, the roll call for 1937 is
assured of success.
Every business in the city is being
contacted, as are all of the schools,
both public and business, and workers
in the smaller towns and communities
are reporting favorable progress. A
number of business firms have sub-
scribe for their employees one hun-
dred percent.
Radio station KG KB has aided with
the publicity campaign in that tran-
scriptions of Red Cross programs
have been carried nightly since the
drive began, and spot announcements
will be carried till the close.
by
board of directors of the Tyler Cham-
ber of Commerce that we express
our sympathy, by these resolutions,
ar,d be it ordered that they be spread
upon the minutes of the meeting, and
furthermore, copies sent to the mem-
bers of his family and to the city
newspapers.
W. S. HANLEY
H. M. EAGLE
H. J. BRYANT, Committee.”
K. W0LENS CELEBRATES
DOUBLE ANNIVERSARY
The Tyler K. Woolens store is cele-
brating a double event this month,
the first anniversary of the local
store and the 40th anniversary of
the K. Wolens Department Store or-
ganization.
K. Wolen, founder and president of
A, he company, began business in
1897 when he opened a store at Pal-
estine. He has developed from that
one store in the past 40 years, a chain
of department stores of which he
can justly be proud. Today there
are 19 stores operating over a wide
territory—cast, north, and south cen-
tral Texas. Mr. Wolen is still active
in the firm, keeping in close touch
with each of the business houses.
M. Franks is manager of the Tyler
store, which is located on the east
cally those women leaders who are side of the square. Approximately
aiways heading a committee for the j 25 persons are regularly employed in
prevention of something or other.
Martha Christopher gave her au-
dience a fine characterization of a
socially and politically ambitious wo-
man of Washington. It is the ambi-
tion of this character, Irene Hibbard,
to be “First Lady,” that creates the
plot for this enjoyable play. R. W.
iionea, as the husband of Irene Hib-
bard, is a “week-stomached,” com-
plaining and thoroughly boring nm
to his wife, Irene. To his audience he
offers many of the laughs of the
play-
Others in the cast wore: J. Lock
McDaniel, Mrs. Merle V. Cadman,
Lorraine Rieck, Mrs. John McColgan,
Miss Janet Keith Walker, Jee Lee
the local store, that number being
increased during busy seasons. All
employees are local people, several
of whom moved to Tyler to ma.vC
their homes since the opening of the
store here a year ago.
Like all the K. Wolen stores, the
Tyler business is thoroughly depart-
mentalized, carrying complete ami
nationally known lines of merchan-
dise. The building occupied by the
store was renovated, redecorated and
the front rebuilt before K. Wolens
opened for business here last fall.
Grouped on the first floor are the
men’s and boys’ department, shoes,
piece goods, toiletries, children and
infants wear, accessories, patterns,
Hernandez, Orma Nanney, George j lingerie, notions, linens, curtains and
Saleh, Felix Wade!, Elizabeth Hood,
Nat Gentry, Jr., Billie Duke, Bill
McMurrey, Milton Eugene Cage, Jim-
mie Adams, Charles J. Eastman, Jno.
R. Strother and C. E. DeWeese.
Director Juan Villasana is to be
commended on his directing of the
! lay because of the admirable way in
which he handled an unusually large
cast. It was difficult to obtain speed
and smoothness since there was ltitle
action and so much conversation.
Both sets of the production we -
beautifully done, having that perfec-
tion of detail Little Theatre audiences
have learned to expect of the tech-
nical director, Mrs. C. J. Lauden.
Reading for the second play wil
be held at the. studio, 505% South
Chilton, Nov. 21, at 2:30 p. m. The
play selected is “Whistling in the
Dark.”
low priced department of misses
and women’s clothing. On the mez-
zanine is located the office and ladies
ready-to-wear department.
K. Wolens stores are located at
Tyler, Corsicana, Wortham, Athens,
Waxihachie, Grand Saline, Glade-
water, Overton, Henderson, Crockett,
Bryan, Franks ton, Palestine, Kauf-
man, Longview, Kilgore, Fort Worth,
Madisonville, and Ennis.
LIGHT VOTE POLLED
IN ANNEXATION BALLOT
With a comparatively light vote
registered in the annexation election
held Monday, Tyler and outlying sec-
tions voted the latter to become part
of the city. In all, only 1,593 votes
were polled, of which 1,327 .^Jfced
for, and 266 against, annexation.
Voters within the city limits cast
their ballots in polling places set
up in the basement of the courthouse
while polling places were set up in
the outlying sections being voted
upon for those living within those
districts. The new sections of the
city include the developments in
south Tyler known as Hightower
and Roberson Heights additions, a.
area between the Dallas and Chandler
highways including I>ake Park add:-
tion, and the vicinity in which Texas
College is located.
The order which the city coir.mi-
sion authorized several months ago
forbidding the fire department to
answer alarms outside the city lim-
its was rescincd following the elec-
tion and police protection has been
extended to the new areas. It is ex-
pected that the double rate for water
which the city water department has
been charging its users in this ter-
ritory since Aug. 1 will be cut with
(lie next billing.
Tyler Public Schools Are Carrying
On Invaluable Health Program With
Cooperation of Doctors, Nurses, P.-T.A.
?!
Wm. C. WesseL Natl.
Scout Leader Organizes
Cub Program in Tyler
William C. Wessel, national direc-
tor of cubbing, the younger boy’s
program of the Boy Scouts of Amer-
ica, was in Tyler, Wednesday, to
hold conferences with scout leaders
of this section. The purpose of Mr.
Wessel’s visit was to further the
development of cubbing, and all
phases were presented at the three
conferences held. At noon in a meet-
ing at the Blackstone hotel, exe-
cutive board members and other ad-
ministrative officers learned the bas-
ic principles of cubbing, and plans
were begun to launch the program on
a large scale. An afternoon meeting
at the chamber of commerce was held
for cub organizers and those who
will deal with promotion of the move-
ment. An evening meeting in the
district courtroom at the courthouse
Wednesday was held to interest par-
ents of boys of cub age.
Cubbing is intended for boys of
nine, ten, and eleven years of age,
and while it is entirely different from
the boy scout program, it provides
training and entertainment in n any
worthwhile activities. The younger
boys program which has been mak-
ing conservative progress is expected
to go forward very rapidly wit:) the
leadership Wessel wrill lend. Connect-
ed with scouting since its founding
in this country, Wessel was for six-
teen years national camp director and
has been active in Jamborees and
other national and international
meets. In the past two years as di-
rector of the cubbing program, he
has given leadership to a very fine
development which is reflected by a
considerable growth throughout the
nation.
Milton C. Vanderpool, council
chairman of cubbing, presided at
the Wednesday conferences.
over, denied this inferentially, de-
claring no orders had been issued for
a reduction of rolls, and that there
is every indication pension payments
averaging $14 would continue.
Notes
Actual construction of over a mil-
lion dollars worth of new buildings
for the state eleemosynary insti-
tutions will be under way by early
December, under contracts to be let
by the board of control within 30
days* These include the new insane
hospital for West Texas, at Big
Spring, costing $817,000 for 7 luillcl-
T."1 “ $1ninnn "U"-ornnm at Waco
in Mexico on a hunting l rip, leaving
Lt.-Giv. Walter Woodul to act
chief executive. Woodul nls< loft the
state to give Senator Ben O’Neal of
Wichita Falls a chance to bo governor
for a dav. Meanwhile, W. A. Little,
acting pension director, insisted there
would he a reduction of 5.000 in lh
i 14,0^0 pension roll in DeikhibUK "ftli ‘
another 5.000 cut, in January. Mem-
bers of the board of control, whic'-
ao’ministers the pension system, how-
Wr
State Home; chapel and vocational
building at Wichita Falls hospital,
95,000; ward building and laundary
at Austin State School, $55,000; ward
building and ice plant at Rusk hos-
pital, $135,000 . . . These buildings
must be paid for out of the general
'Yind, under apnroprintions made at
the regular session; the general fund
his week reached a new peak defi-
•it of $15,747,888, figures from Trea-
urcr Lockhart showed.
H»Vit <•£ ’I" *’■
A COMMENDABLE RECORD
Along with the gratifying growth of Tyler, the general health
level of the city has been steadily coming up. Today, according to
the records of the city-county health protection units, sickness and
disease are under excellent control.- '
(, ’
The schools are the axis around which revolves the entire
health program. Keeping six thousand children well is a big step
toward keeping the whole city population well. Through immu-
nizations, vaccinations, health examinations, regular morning in-
spections in the class rooms, and definite requirements in cleanliness,
such diseases as diphtheria, smallpox, scabies, and similar conta-
gions have been practically stamped out.
Of course, in spite of the most vigilant cautiort there may
develop illness of one kind or another, especially as winter with its
numerous health hazards advances, but practtWll Slid social aspects
of public health problems look bright to any community that can
maintain the steady reduction in sickness and disease that has
been Tyler’s during the past five years.
Elsewhere in this issue is a more detailed account of health con-
ditions as reported by Miss Olga Larson, Tyler school nurse. We
commend this excellent report to your attention and applause.
Regional Conference
On Social Welfare To
Held Here Dec. 6-7
The Texas conference of social wel-
fare will hold a regional conference
in Tyler »n December 6-7, one of
the three such conferences to be
held the latter part of 1937 in the
state. Sponsored by the executives
and board members of some twenty
welfare organizations here, the meet-
ing is expected to bring together
over 200 out-of-town people in addi-
tion to all interested local persons.
Speakers for the two-day confer-
ence include some of the best known
authorities in the fields of child wel-
fare, family welfare, community or-
ganization and pub'ic health in Texas
and adjoining states. lion. Robert
Ogden, county judge cf Dallas county
v ill be one of the principal speak-
ers. Judge Ogden will talk on the
problems of youth, child welfare, rec
ication, delinquency and related mut-
ters.
Walter M. Whitson of Houston,
president of the Texas conference
of social welfare, in announcing the
Tyler conference, said: “The need for
regional conferences in addition to
the statewide annual conference each
year grows out of the fact that the
welfare needs of each section of Tex-
as are different from those of other
sections; and they can be most ef-
fectively discussed and met through
regional conferences where problems
of other -sections of the state will
not have to he brought in. Subjects
can be discussed more thoroughly
and Manning can be done more in
detail.”
Forty-one counties of northeast
ar.d east texas will be represented at
the conference here. Similar confer-
ences for other sections will be held
in Amarillo and Beaumont. .
BILLY CASEY, YOUNG
SMITH CO. 4-H BOY
WINS GOLD MEDAL
Assistant county agent Walter M.
Young has received a handsome gold
medal from State Club Leader L: L.
Johnson to be presented to Billy
Casey, county champion in the Wil-
son meat animal contest which the
Wilson -Packing Company___sponsors
annually among over a million club
members of the nation through the
i-.Li.Luml eninmittee nn hoV3 and girls
Contagious Diseases Reduced In
Past Five Years To
Minimum
The health problems in the Tyler
schools have changed considerably in
the last five years, and the respon-
sibility ol the health program has
shifted from being carried by just
a part time nurse to the responsi-
bility of each teacher, parent, child
and every Tyler citizen.
In January, 1932, smallpox, diph-
theria, and scabies were among three
of the most serious problems in-
terfering with progress in ’ school
work, with health, and with school
attendance. As shown from the in-
formation obtained from the nurs-
ing service rolls in the school years
from 1932 through the past school
year, the following tabulations show
the decline of diphtheria among
school children: 1932-33, between 40
and 50 cases; 1933-34, 38 cases, 1934-
35, 5 cases; 1935-36, 7 cases; 1936-
37, 1 case.
In January, 1935, out of 2,436 his-
tories obtained from parents on the
incidence of diphtheria, 236 gave
positive history of the disease. The
immunization program of the parent-
teacher associations, with the co-
operation of the medical men and
the Tyler citizenship, has stamped
out this disease in five years. In
February of this year the board of
education passed an attendance reg-
ulation requiring diphtheria pro-
tection for all children 12 years
cld and under. The Tyler schools will
no longer have to dread this disease
for its pupils.
Smallpox Survey
In December, 1934, a survey on
the incidence of smallpox showed
that in the white schools of the city,
cne out of ten children had suffer-
ed with this disease, while in the
colored schools one out of every
five gave a history of having had
smallpox. An annual campaign on
the importance of smallpox protec-
tion brought the percentage of vac-
cinated children from 68% in 1933
to 90% last year. This year every
employee and pupil attending the
Tyler public schools is required to
show a vaccination scar or a doc-
tor’s certificate showing that he has
been vaccinated.
Daily Inspections
Daily morning inspections conduct-
ed by home room teachers and rou-
tine washing of hands using soap and
individual paper towels have elim-
inated contagious skin diseases. In
September, 1935, 103 children were
found to have scabies, ringworm, or
impetigo. That number by this year
has been reduced to nil.
The health committees of the sev-
er. parent-teacher associations have
set up as their two objectives for
this year: The elimination of the
common cold and physical examina-
tions of the children to determine
early physical abnormalties. They
recognize, too, that finding the ma-
laria, tuberculosis, venereal disease,
and other cases among 6,000 school
children constitutes at present an
unsolved but not impossible problem.
1937 Program
During 1937-38 the health program
in the schools is divided into three
services; namely, first, the medical
and nursing service with Dr. C. B.
Young as school physician, one nurso
in the white schools, and one nurse
employed by the Smith County Red
Cross in the colored schools; second,
health education service under the
direction of Alice Miller of the Di-
vision of Nutrition and Health Ed-
ucation at the University of Texas;
third, physical activities and rec-
reation under the direction of the
physical education instructors in the
high schools and Miss Martha Harris
in the elementary schools.
Parents of school children are
brought into the health education
program in various ways. The
greatest contributing factor is thru
the parent education program under
the direction of Mrs. Rebecca Nelson.
In conclusion, we say that the
citizens of Tyler have all contributed
toward the protection and promotion
of the health of their school chilld-
ren.
L
■ J
. f
club work of Chicago.
Young Flint is a member of the
Flint-Gresham hoys’ 4-H club.
Tf an emnloyoc is working for an
tnulo”er fni covered bv the Texas
"TiPTYinlovroput compensation law,
Mien the employee is not covered for
It*. time Ha wicks for such PJ
or. nod receives no credit for Mich
earnings.
HOUSTON LOWE OF
WINONA ACCEPTED
INTO U.
" ITousi.orrT.owe, son of Mr.
Flifton I owe, of route 1, Winona,
was accepted for service in the Unit-
ed States marine corps today, and
■ent to the marine corps base, San
Diago, California, in struction and
'hity, it was announced bv the of-
ficer in charge of the marine corps
•’’Pting office in Dallas.
Young T«we is a graduate of
Winona High school, class of 1931.
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The Tyler Journal (Tyler, Tex.), Vol. 13, No. 30, Ed. 1 Friday, November 19, 1937, newspaper, November 19, 1937; Tyler, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth619698/m1/1/: accessed July 8, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Smith County Historical Society.