The Rockdale Reporter and Messenger (Rockdale, Tex.), Vol. 76, No. 11, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 8, 1948 Page: 1 of 12
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: The Rockdale Reporter and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Lucy Hill Patterson Memorial Library.
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95
newspaper
ADVERTISING
THE ROCKDALE REPORTER
Rockdal* MNnngu Established 1873
VOL- 76
__AND ME88BNG1R
ROCKDALE. MILAM COUNTY. TEXAS. THURSDAY. APRIL 8. 1948
Rockdai* Rppartw Estsblisksd 135C
Today 12 Pages
NO. 11
ambling
'BOL’ND
►rockdale
—With
W. H. C.
^Vn.hlftraSfpu^
‘' ‘ vs he found the following
tion. says
words in
b,,.,k but there was no
the words and
S&SwjS
arits He believes in giving:
Your Friends Fri.nd.Y
no things for them ... send them
^clippings, books, a mess of trout.
Do things with them ... take
them on a fishing trip; play golf,
ChS things of them . . . opinions;
ninth hitting; recipes for punch.
Compliment them . . . their
skills' their cards; then kids.
Tell folks of them .. . their sense
of humor; their keenness.
Learn things of them . . . for-
bearance: kindliness; mental vigor.
Respect them . . . confidences;
. (heir moods; their reticences.
Try them ... in adversity; in
sorrow; in hilarity.
Value them . . . above advance-
ment. enrichment, amusement.
Never neglect them ... or you
risk to lose them.
No truer words have ever been
Written. No better advice has
ever been given in so few words.
Publicity.
OOCKDALE received some nice
“ publicity Sunday in a well-pre-
pared article in the Austin Ameri-
can by Raymond Brooks, along
with some swell pictures by cam-
eraman Neal Douglas of the Amer-
ican staff. Brooks and Douglas
compiled their story in Rockdale
Tuesday and did a good job of it.
Hard Luck Hits tioth Local Officers;
But It lias Even Harder On Other Guys
It’s bad enough to be involv-
ed in a car wreck, but when he
other car involved belongs to
the long arm of the law it’s
just too much.
This is the opinion of Neal
Sheffield of Cameron and
Clyde N. Dyer of Galveston.
Both were involved in smash-
ups in Rockdale during the
past week, one with a car be-
longing to John Watson, con-
stable, and the other with a
car belonging to Herbert Can-
non, night watchman and de-
puty constable.
Sheffield’s car careened into
Watson’s car on the highway
about a half mile east of
Rockdale at 10:45 p. m. Wed-
nesday of last week, glanced
off and struck another car be-
longing to Tiny Modzelewski.
Sheffield, slightly injured, was
at first hospitalized and then
jailed, Watson said, later re-
ceiving a fine and jail sentence
on charges of driving while in-
toxicated and driving without
a drivers license.
Dyer’s car and Cannon’s car
mixed it up at the intersection
of Bell and Main streets here
Sunday afternoon. Watson re-
ported that Dyer paid a fine
in justice court here Monday.
Both of the Rockdale offi-
cers had just recently traded
their cars for newer models.
Jim Eads, local justice of
the peace, who also recently
purchased a new car, is won-
dering.
This kind of publicity does a
town a lot of good. If you have
: bwn down in ihe dumps lately
and thinking what a sorry town
you live in, you’ll get a lift out
of reading the story in the Sun»
day American-Statesman. We of-
ten become so accustomed to our
own surroundings, we are prone to
forget things and overlook the
many good thing:•> all about us. Aj
resume of these things, even by an
outsider, makes us realize what a
wonderful place Rockdale is be-
See RAMBLINGS, Page 7
Voting Is Light
In Both City And
School Elections
Voting was light in the school
and city elections last Saturday
and Tuesday, with both tickets be-
ing voted straight. There were no
write-ins.
In the school election 22 votes
were cast for the two nominees:
Frank Brandon and Walter Urban.
Both had been nominated for the
two places in the primary election
a month ago.
The same 22 votes were register
ed for the county school trustee
place, O. D. Graham being re-
elected trustee at large.
In the city voting Tuesday there
were 39 voters and the ticket was
voted straight as follows:
For mayor, J. B. Newton; Alder-
men Ward No. 1. S. F.. Foster and
H. L. Fieseler; Aldermen Ward No.
2, W. P. Hogan and C. W. Stephens.
Poage Announces
For Re-Election to
Congressional Post
W. R. (Bob' Poage, congressman
from this, the 11th Texas district,
announces through friends this
that he is a candidate for
re-election, subject to the Demo-
cratic primary July 24.
Congressman Poage is well and
favorably known throughout the
congressional district, and has
compiled an enviable record in
Washington. He advises his formal
announcement will appear in this
newspaper within the next few
weeks.
Good Used Clothing
At Very Low Prices
For Underpriviledged
Good used clothing at low prices
for underprivileged people may be
secured at the city hall each Sat-
urday through a program sponsor-
ed by the Rockdale Save the Child
Federation, local officials advise.
The office, located at the west
side of the city hall, is open every
Saturday and clothing is available
for children and also adults. The
Federation, a branch of the nation-
al organization, conducts its pro-
gram solely for the underprivileg-
ed people in an effort to provide
them with clothes, shoes, coat?,
etc., when they cannot afford to
pay regular prices.
As an example of the service of-
fered, local officials explained
they offered children’s dresses for
as little as 15c and 25c each, and
socks for 5 cents for two pair. Only
the underprivileged are eligible tft
make purchases.
)ejjua Phi lose>|)h(>r:
LA. Finds 1941 Copy of Paper. Says
forldor The Newspapers Arc in a Rut
The Yegua
on his Johnson
on Yegua Creek
note:
Philoiophsr
Urm -
I," *" 0dd mood thre week.
“* Utter reveals.
editar:
othifi0 8 high wind out here the
ofmswc? WhlCh blowed all kinds
newspaper, on to my farm along
cornLwi' ?leces of sheet iron.
feathe?s if’ batrrel staves- chicken
rtadin lately 1 be*n doin lots of
’h°ugh not
®uch clean. n
“PM I figured
same wind
111 M brought
J" thls Junk
Lmy
J50 look a lot
off at
I**4"* time.
defend democracy . . . war loomin
up . . . people arguin over the
draft . . . new weapons of destruc-
tion bein planned ... I tell you,
people can talk about sorry farm-
ers gettin in a rut, but if the world
. ain’t in a rut, I don’t know one
when I see it, which I ought to
as I been in one myself all my
life.
Ord.narily, you could count on
at least twenty years between
wars, and things use ! to get nor-
mal for a year or two at least be-
fore they started bein affected by
war talk, but here we got war talk
startin up again even before the
formal peace treaties is signed for
the last one.
Now I ain’t offerin no solution,
Stray Dog Cleanup
Deadline April 16; 71
Vaccinated Monday
A total of 71 dogs were vaccinat-
ed at the city hall here Monday in
a program sponsored by the city,
according to John Watson, con-
stable.
Dr. Garrett, of Taylor, was in
Rockdale Monday afternoon to
give the rabies vaccine, and the
response by local dog owners was
gratifying. Watson said the vet-
erinarian would come back April
12-provided there will be astnany
as ten dogs or more to be vaccinat-
ed. Local dog owners are advised
to contact Constable Watson if they
wish this service on April 12.
The program is the first phase
of a dog clean-up for Rockdale,
with the deadline set at April 15.
By that date all dogs must be vac-
cinated and wear tags. After
April 15 all unvaccinated stray
dogs will be disposed of, Watson
said.
Valter T. While
Asks Re-Election
For Second Terra
Valter T. White, tax assessor
and collector for Milam county, an-
ounces today that he is a candi-
date for re-election to a second
term, subject to the action of the
Democratic primary in July. I
White, who compiled an envi-
able record when he served as
sheriff of Milam county prior to
the war, was elected tax assessor
and collector in 1946 shortly after
he had returned from the armed
services, and is just completing his
first term.
In seeking a second term in the
important county post Mr. White
pledges to continue to give the
same type of efficient service that
Fire Department
Elects Officers
For New Year
Three New Members
Added But Dept.
Is Still Short of
Full Membership
Officers for the Rockdale Fire
Department were elected at the
annual department meeting Tues-
day night at the city hall.
The department now has 30
members, which is seven shy of the
full membership of 37. The thirty
on the rolls includes three new
members, R. C. Barnes Jr., James
Gary and Joe Daniel, all in the
hook and ladder department.
Pension and retirement mem-
bers are as follows: first year man
Walter Urban: second year, George
Lumpkins; third year, Edward
Luckey.
Fire police named are Will Lee
and George B. Lumpkins.
The full list of new officers fol-
lows:
President, H. J. Stone; vice
president, John M. Weed Jr.; sec-
retary, W. T. Pearson Jr.; treasur-
er, S. E. Foster; chief, Johnny Of-
field; assistant chief, A. G. Offield;
drillmaster, John M. Weed Jr.
Hose Company officers: Hose
foreman, Joe Stanislaw; assistant
foreman, A. C. Modzelewski; sec-
retary hose company, Floyd Dav-
enport; sponsor, Miss Wynelle
Newman.
Hook and ladder officers: Fore-
man, Walter Urban; assistant fore-
man, Lee Talbott; secretary, Ed-
ward Luckey; sponsor, Miss Netta
Faye Fieseler.
Engine Company officers: Fore-
man, Johnny Dockall; assistant
foreman, Herbert Fieseler. secre-
tary, S. E. Foster: sponsor, Miss
Betty Jane Jackson. /
Freak II eather Gets Credit as FM Radio
Broadcast Comes in Strong Here Last Week
Larkin McNiel, radio service
man at the E. M. Peebles &
Sons store here, picked up FM
broadcasts without an anten-
na, at the Peebles store over
one of their radios one day last
week.
Due to the nature of FM
broadcasts and FM waves, re-
ception at this point under
those conditions is unusual,1
and McNiel said he supposed
it must have been due to freak
weather conditions at the time.
FM signals, he explained,
travel about 60 miles only, on
the line of sight, and any ob-
structions, such as mountains,
hills, etc., bend the beams. In
making the pickup here he
presumed the beams were re-
flected from a cloud.
McNiel’s radio picked up
FM broadcasts about 9:30 a.
m. from KXYZ-FM, Houston,
and WBAP-FM, Ft. Worth,
and Dallas. The signals faded
out at 10:30 and he has not
been able to pick them up
strong since that time, he said.
The Peebles store is now
planning the installation of a
high antenna on top of their
building here. McNiel further
explained that FM signals
come in at a much higher fre-
quency than standard broad-
cast and are static-free and
pick up no outside noises.
Frequency Modulation, h e
said, makes music more nat-
ural, and thunder storms have
no effect on a broadcast.
V
HENR\ G. LEHMAN
Ed Sexton Seeks
Constable Post
In Precinct Four
Edward Sexton, of Rockdale, an-
nounces today that he is a candi-
date for the office of Constable of
Precinct 4. Rockdale, subject to
the action of the Democratic pri-
mary July 24.
Known familiarly as “Ed,” Sex-
ton,was born and raised in Milam
county, and has lived in Rockdale
for twenty-one years, where he is
well known. He states that he is
entering the race for Constable at
the insistence of friends and a
number of Rockdale business men.
His friends point out that Sexton
is young and active, well educated,
and capable of giving this precinct
an efficient service as its constable.
“I feel I can render a service,"
has made him popular through the | Sexton said, and added: “If elect-
past two years. His friends point
to splendid job and good service
he has rendered in predicting his
re-election without opposition.
Mr. White is a native of Mays-
field where he engaged in farm-
ing and ranching. After being
elected sheriff in 1940 he served
one full term and was re-elected
for a second term but served only
four days before being called in-
to the armed services in January
1943. He received his discharge
in November 1945. In the army
he attained the rank of sergeant
with the Military Intelligence.
An ambitious and personable
young man, Mr. White has been
popular as tax assessor the past
two years, just as he previously
had been popular in the sheriff’s
office. His qualifications for the
job include good background and
education, and he points to the
experience he has gained the past
See WHITE. Page 7
Local Red Cross
Drive Is Still $200
Short of Quota
Rockdale’s Red Cross drive is
l
thing.,
Kboi*t like
J? was to
»h with-
hlch is the
:ind it see.
and ain’t been able to find no „U„IL..._______ _____
politician who’s got one either, j stin'about"$20*oVhort of its quota,
other than the feelin that if we Rey T Miner Smith, local chair-
elect him things won’t be as bad | man' gaid this wcek ag he start-
I as they would if we elected some-1 . ’lans tor winding up the drive
J. A. ! body else, but the next time some- ( hftre .
I body comes around offerin help to , R(^kdaie*s quota was $1200, in-
dy they suit me, I us poor farmers out here in the j ciuding the city of Rockdale and
. 11 seems to m., V| us ,— , eluding tne city oi nucKuuie .mu
|4 hack in a - ™ tho newspapers ' woods in a rut, I think I’ll review | ()lltlying communities. Rev. Smith
°he of a*ain;, the world situation for him and kg lhose who have not yet eon
4P out her" J ?er* that turned tell him to start throwin some
< «omeboriv cm^St have come off gravel, in that rut if he ain’t got
J pantry shelf or off nothin else to do.
fl«sk, newspaper editor’s
tributed, to contact him now as
he is anxious to complete the drive
here and make his final report.
-i as n Was . - ■ ----— - Why I imagine some folks even -
on.. ,CaUKht by remem-1 trail compared with the world ( Mrs. Pauline Hobbs, Rockdale, has
Wasn't . . the eomin etrin* !i___i___ ...u.k th» wm-ld 1 enlisted in the Regular Army and
< !iadU°XT' Z S1-* - ■
I !:,aden ln PreUy bad Sh8PC' d0n'MrS™ ne lmH 8
°uble in Anton'o Express, j it?
rope • • • prices goin!
• ingress liebatin a loan toj
Yours faithfully,
J. A.
He joined
three years.
at Camp Hood for
ed neither the present constable or
deputy constable will be retained
as deputies." He added that he in-
tended to give the job his personal
and undivided time, if elected, and
if deputies were needed, he would
select new men as his assistants.
Sexton pledged, if elected, to of-
fer a dignified and efficient ser-
vice. His friends predict that
through fearlessness, fairness and
justice, he will come through.
iisnry G. Lehman
Asks Return As
R’lresenialive
Henry G. Lehman of Giddings
today announced formally his
candidacy for re-election as a
member of the House of Repre-
sentatives from the 65th Flotorial
District composed of Milqm, Burle-
son and Lee Counties.
In submitting his candidacy,
subject to the Democratic primar-
ies, Lehman pointed to his record
of service in the legislature. As
an experienced member of the
House, Lehman has been honored
with the chairmanship and vice-
chairmanship of important and
major committees, such as; chair-
man of Eleemosynary Institutions,
chairman of Insurance, chairman
of Claims and Accounts and vice-
chairman of Revenue and Taxa-
tion committees.
“During my tenure I have ex-
erted my best efforts toward dis-
charging the duties of the office
to the best of my ability, keeping
in mind how different types of
legislation or laws would affect
the people of our district”, Leh-
man said. “The experience that
you have allowed me to get and
PARTY AT GYM—
--- ----- -------- — — -------. The Rockdale FFA boys will
the knowledge I have acquired as j present another Community Party
your representative, I feel, has | at the high school gym Saturday
Rockdale P.-T. A. to
Meet Next Tuesday
At High School Gym
The Rockdale Parent-Teacher
Association will meet next Tues-
day, April 13, at 4 p. m. at the
high school gym.
Mrs. W. F. Saage will be hostess
and the program will open with a
prayer by Mrs. Dave McCoy, fol-
lowed by a talk on “Health—A
Must,” by Dr. John T. Richards.
The primary children will present
a program and there will be a sing
song and social hour. Full atten-
dance is urged.
piayea a big part in promoting
the welfare of the people of this
district and the state at large”.
Pointing to some of the many
beneficial laws which he has
helped enact, Lehman referred to
the heavy increase in old age pen-
See LEHMAN, Page 7
Undergoes Operation
Word received Tuesday from
Galveston disclosed that A. Sid
Allen underwent eye surgery in a
hospital there last Thursday but
the outcome of the operation had
not been determined at that date.
Mrs. Allen is in Galveston with
her husband, as is a daughter, Mrs.
H. H. Labenski of Nutches, Miss.,
and son Dicky Allen of Houston.
Friends of the Allen family will
learn with regret that during the
time of Mr. Allen’s serious condi-
tion, Mrs. Chas. H. Blake was
rushed to the same hospital for an
emergency operation, and later Mr.
and Mrs. A. C. .Acton of Seguin
lost a baby son. Both ladies are
daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Allen.
Free Air Show at
Cameron Sunday
A number of new features have
been added for the Air Show pro-
gram at the Cameron Municipal
Airport April 11, John D. Leslie,
manager, announced here this
week. The show will be free.
The army will send a helicopter
and a Douglas C-47 from the San
Marco3 field and a medical evacua-
tion transport will also arrive at
noon, Leslie said. Randolph Field
will send a flight of six fighters
that will arrive over the field at
3 p. m.
Included on the program, start-
ing at 2 p. m. will be exhibition
flying, aerobatics, sky writing,
handkerchief pickup with wing tip,
bombing contests, crop dusting ex-
hibition, paper cutting and para-
chute jumps.
Softball League
Being Organized
By Rockdale Lions
Committee Now
Securing Names of
Prospective Players
And Team Sponsors
Plans were formulated for or-
ganizing a softball league for
Rockdale this summer at the meet-
ing of the Rockdale Lions Club
at noon Wednesday when the com-
mittee was given full authority to
organize and direct the season’s
play.
A regular League will be organ-
ized with sponsored teams, hard
pitchers, etc., and one night a
week will be set aside for the “old
men” to play if they are interested.
Business men of Rockdale are
invited to sponsor teams. It was
explained there will be no cost
other than furnishing uniforms for
players, which will be either T-
shirts, or full uniforms.
All players interested in playing
in the League and all business men
interested in sponsoring a team are
asked to mail their name and ad-
dress to the Softball Committee,
Box 68, Rockdale, by Thursday,
April 15, deadline. It is important
that this be done because the
name of every person wanting to
play will be needed before organ-
ization can be completed. The
committee will meet at that time
and organize as many teams in the
League as there are players, and
each player will then be notified.
It was decided that a small ad-
mission charge will be made at
each game to help defray expenses
of lights, balls and bats, water for
care of turf, but players will not
be assessed one dollar each as was
the case last year. Players will
be required to furnish only their
own gloves.
Cold drink concessions will be
operated by the school physical
training classes.
It was pointed out that school
boys over 15 years of age and who
expect to play football next year,
will not be eligible to play high
school football if they participate
in the softball play this summer.
Play at Grid Field.
T. A. Weems, chairman of the
softball committee for the Lions,
reported at the meeting that his
committee had investigated the
cost of building a lighted softball
field at fair park and found it
would run between $1000 and
$1100. Since there was no way
to rase this much money the com-
mittee requested that permission
be given to play on the school’s
football field.
It was further reported that the
school board agreed to allow soft-
ball on the grid field if no other
arangements could be made. The
committee was instructed to con-
tact the board and ask permission
to start the season on this plan,
but continue working on the idea
of building a softball field. Coach
Graham Kyle outlined a plan for
play which it was thought would
not greatly harm the turf.
New Members.
Nineteen regular members and
two new members were present
for the spirited meeting of the
Lions. The two new members are
Robert Lee <Sonny) Menn, trans-
ferred from the LaGrangc Lions
Club, and Coach Graham Kyle,
who also was formerly a member
The Southern Melody Boys will | of the Lions Club at Eagle Pass
supply the music and do the call-1 President M. N. Strieker presided
ing. at the meeting.
Taylor Soil Conservation District News
District Supervisors: Herman Kruger. W. A. Lannen.
W. F. Voelkar. Georgs Dellinger. A. W. Butts
Price Outlook For
Peanuts Is Better
Than Last Year
Peanut growers this year can
plant all of the peanuts they want
to and still have a guaranteed par-
ity price as the allotment issued
last year has been cancelled, ac-
cording to Sam Peebles Jr., buyer
for the firm of E. M. Peebles &
Sons.
Last year, he pointed out, the
guarantee price was $201.00 per
ton and all indications now point
to prices of peanuts being $15.00
per ton higher than last year, or
about $216.00 per ton base (70 per
cent grade).
Peebles further stated that this
section, Milam, Lee, Bastrop and
Fayette counties, produced the best
peanuts in the southwest last year
This he attributed to a favorable
season, especially the harvesting
season.
The Peebles firm last year
bought about 2.375 tons of peanuts
or about 95 carloads in Milam and
Lee counties. Farmers in this sec-
tion received approximately $500,-
000 from their peanuts last year.
The Peebles firm has seed pea-
nuts available at both the Rock-
dale and Lexington stores.
Rockdale Band to
Present Concert at
Gym Friday Night
The Rockdale High School Band
will present a concert at the high
school gym tomorrow (Friday)
night starting at 8 p. m. A. P.
Kleinschmidt is director.
The concert will be the third
annual presentation and will be in
preparation for the band contests
that follow in Waco. The program
will be featured by the crowning
of the band sweetheart, Miss Con-
nie Eanes.
Included on the program will be
classified numbers, marches and
overtures, as well as several solos
which will be played at the Waco
contests.
night at 8 p. m., with profits to go
to the school band uniform fund.
TO SING AT CAMERON
Uline Lovelady, negro soprano
of Rockdale, will sing at the O.
J. Thomas high school at Cam-
eron on April 16. The daughter
of Artis and Fanny Lovelady,
Uline studied voice at Chicago and
has been presented in a number
of concerts.
Henry Winters, whose farm is in
the S. P J. S. T. Conservation
Group, has completed the sodding
of a waterway to be used for the
disposal of terrace water on his
farm. Furrows were opened with
a middle-buster, chunks of ber-
muda sod were dropped in the
furrows and then rolled with the
tractor wheels. The whole water-
way was then harrowed to drag
loose dirt over the sod so that
the sod would not dry out.
• * •
August Samuelson, who farms
in the Type Conservation Group,
is constructing channel type ter-
races this week with a large trac-
tor and grader. The terraces will
outlet into a well-sodded water-
way. The waterway was exca-
vated and sodded two years ago
by Mr. Samuelson and the grass
allowed to reach a solid cover over
a two-year period before empty-
ing terraces on it. Mr. Samuelson
was assisted in working out a com-
plete plan for soil and water con-
servation by technicians of the
Soil Conservation Service at Rock-
idale, Texas.
A large diversion terrace hr s
recently been constructed with .
bulldozer by Mrs. A. A. Whatle; .
whose farm is in the Hoxie Coi
servation group. The diversion <
protecting a large bottom fioi i
which was being damaged by ru -
off water from adjoining hill lan i.
#8#
Ollie Gustafson, who lives i
Coupland Conservation Group, re-
cently signed a cooperative agi
ment with the Taylor Soil Con
vation District. He is builo.
some terraces with farm eqi
merit, sodding waterways for .
race outlet water disposal, and
planted about 4 acres of Mac
sweet clover on land that was
suitable for continuous cultivat.
• 9 9
F. E. Holman,of Taylor, wh
farm is two miles east of Co
land, is another new coopen'
of the Taylor Soil Conservat
District.
He has started carrying his t
servation plan Into completion
constructing a large diversion t
race to protect a cultivated f.> . i
See SOIL NEWS, Page .
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Cooke, W. H. The Rockdale Reporter and Messenger (Rockdale, Tex.), Vol. 76, No. 11, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 8, 1948, newspaper, April 8, 1948; Rockdale, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth693732/m1/1/?rotate=0: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Lucy Hill Patterson Memorial Library.