Palacios Beacon (Palacios, Tex.), Vol. 34, No. 10, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 6, 1941 Page: 1 of 8
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For a Greater, Better Palacios Country—Agriculture, Industry, Commerce, Living
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SUBSCRIPTION $1.75 AND $2.00 PER YEAR
PALACIOS, MATAGORDA COUNTY, TEXAS, THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 1941
VOLUME XXXIV NUMBER 10
PALACIOS MAY GET NEW SCHOOL
m ■
THOUGHTS
Of the Moment
Mii^niaBiiMiimm mmi ■bommmu mm ■»•«£»
Camp Hulen has received its mul
ti-colored auto plates, each color
representing a different group
camp personnel, and automobiles
belonging to the post will soon all
bear these distinctive number plates
in addition to those issued by the
state. It gives the authorities
quicker and more efficient way
checking cars entering and leaving
the post.
* * *
Lost Opportunities Department:
Last year two men from out of the
state came to Palacios seeking
place to make investments. After
some consideration they were about
to make a purchase of real estate
and then, presumably upon the ad
vice of some local person, changed
their minds and left without com-
pleting the deal. Last week they
were back and were considerably
disappointed, to say the least, to
find that some one else had already
done just what they had intended
doing. They may be back.
«p m m
We had missed Tommie Holder’s
genial and efficient personal service
at Davidson’s Service Station for
several days before we found out
that he had gone to the hospital at
Wharton for an appendectomy. He
left a week ago Wednesday and was
expected back this Wednesday. Re-
ports say he is recovering nicely.
Everybody likes bouquets and an
editor no less than others. That is
why we appreciated the receipt of
one of the Camp Hulen special ca-
chet covers so much, especially with
the following message:
“A true local newspaper repre-
sents the pulse-beats of its city.
The Beacon, our greatly appreciat-
ed weekly, fulfills all such require-
ments to an unusual degree.
“Here’s hoping that, before long,
it will become a daily reporter of
our city’s giant strides towards
metropolitan status.
“With best wishes,
Sincerely yours,
John E. Shea.”
* * 9
The disruption of electrical ser-
vice during the past week have sort
of reminded some of us of the fact
that we take many of our modern
conveniences pretty much of a mat-
ter of course. These disruptions
were “growing pains,” Bill Clement
says. They were necessary in order
to put in new equipment which could
care for the greatly increased load
that has been put upon the old lines
by reason of the increased popula-
tion and business of the past few
months.
Just in case you do not get your
Beacon on time, do not blame the
postofficc. They are short five
clerks because of sickness.
Emergency Aid Granted Schools*'30'00?
& & 'Ear-marked
For Building
State Funds
Granted For
New Pupils
$13,000 Allotted
Palacios By Use Of
Old and New Laws
Application of the special state
aid appropriation law and the pas-
sage of an emergency law whereby
schools may request an emergency
City Council Purchases Warehouse
Light Company Installs
New Equipment to Care
For Increased Business
“Inconveniences suffered by elec-
tric current users during the past
week have been caused: by the ne-
cessity of making changes and im-
provements in equipment in order
to care fo* the greatly increased
load which was imposed upon lines
and supplementary school census up unprepared for the tremendous vol-
te March 16, instead of the previous'
date limit of September 1, has as-
sured Palacios of nearly $13,000 in
ume of business brought about by
the expansion program at Camp
Hulen and its attendant increase in
the business and population of Pa-
lacios,’’ \V. II. (Dill) CL men: Ir.,
local manager for tiic. Ceulrul Pow-
er and Light Company, said ;his
ing to information released by ,wec|- jn answer to numerous in-
Ralph P. Newsom, superintendent quiries concerning the recent tem-
this week, in speaking of the prob- porary interruptions during the past
lems faced by the district in hand- few (jays.
state aid to meet unexpected ex-
penses in maintaining the present
educational system of the Palacios
Independent School District, accord-
ling nearly 300 students not in-
cluded in the last school census.
This unprecedented influx of
“Throughout the period, of con-
struction abnormal loads were plac-
ed on the system,” Mr. Clement
students was brought about, he ex- added. “The city alone has doubled
plained, by the arrival of many new jts load while Camp Hulen has add-
families brought here by the activi-
ties of the National Defense Pro-
gram and Camp Hulen. The child-
ren are members of both civilian
families and families of men in the
military service of the United States
now stationed at Camp Hulen.
Under the state law, Mr. Newsom
explained, the state allows the sum
of $22.50 for each child of school
age residing in the district accord
ing to the last school census. By
means of the special state aid ap
propriation law governing grants
to rural schools an allowance
$7320 to this district was secured,
one-half of which already has been
received and the balance of which
will be sent as soon as the money
is made available which will be be
fore the end of the school year, Mr.
Newsom said.
Under the old law governing the
application for an emergency cen-
sus the school desiring such a cen-
sus and such aid from the state
must file its application prior to
September 1. In this case the
emergency did not arise until after
that date. A bill was introduced and
(See “SCHOOL AID,” Page 8)
After several months of prepara-
tion and changing of plans, the
building, which was intended to
.house the five-county hcatlh unit
headquarters and which will be
(See “THOUGHTS,” Page 4)
Rotary Club Holds
Ladies 'Night At
Green Lantern Fri.
Walter Jenkins, of Houston, in
ternationally famous leader of mass
singing and who has lead the sing-
ing at the past several conventions
of Rotary International, will have
charge of the Palacios Rotary club’s
annual Ladies Night honoring the
Rotary Anns, according to an an
nouncement by W. C. Gray chair-
man of the program committee for
that affair.
Just what Mr. Jenkins has ar-
ranged for that night has not been
announced but those who are ac-
quainted with his usual procedure
in such affairs predict that it will
be well worth attending and a 100
percent attendance of the local
membership and many visiting Ro-
tarians is expected.
Because of Ladies Night meeting
scheduled for the Green Lantern
on Friday night the regular Wed-
nesday luncheon meeting was post-
poned.
Religious Survey
To be Made by
Local Churches
All Church workers and volun-
teer helpers from the various
Churches participating are request-
ed to meet at the Methodist Church
Sunday afternoon at 2:30 in order
to organize and receive instructions
from Rev. Horace M. King who is
to direct us in this survey.
We ask the people of Palacios to
cooperate with these volunteer
workers who will call at your homes
making inquiry of you and those
living within your home, apartment
or hotel as to their Church rela-
tionship. The Churches of Palacios
are anxious to contact every per-
son within the community. Many
new families have come to live here
since developments began at Camp
Hulen, and it is our earnest desire
that you identify yourselves active-
ly in worship and service with the
denomination of your choice.
Our workers will be calling Mon-
day and Tuesday. After the survey
is finished, those persons indicat-
ing they are members of the Church
of their choice will be visited by
represntatives of that Church and
solicited to become uctive members
here.
If you will volunteer to assist in
this survey, whether you are a
member of any one of the local
Churches or not, you are invited
to meet with us at the Methodist
Church Sunday afternoon at 2:30.
J. E. Mack, Methodist Pastor.
ed the equivalent of four times the
demand tha. the City of Palacios
had a year ago.”
The local crew consisting of Miss
Gladys McGlothlin, J. C. (Red)
Richards and Forrest Hunsaker in
addition to Mr. Clement, have hand-
led an average of 100 meter orders,
including connections, disconnect
orders and new installations, in a
month’s time. They have also in-
stalled new lines capable of carry-
ing heavier loads and with the as
sistance of the district line crew
have installed numerous pieces of
heavy equipment such as trans-
formers.
The installation of these new
transformers has increased by 300
K. W. capacity the potential load
of the present lines it was stated.
Much of this work was done at
night when it would inconvenience
the public the least. Other times
when such procedure was not pos-
sible the workmen have handled the
lines while still “hot.” That means
that they have worked on lines
carrying potentials of 110 to 11,000
volts and at one time on lines
carrying 66,000 volts.
Service was interrupted only
when it was necessary to remove a
piece of equipment from service be-
fore the new equipment could be
installed.
In speaking of the increased load
and business which has been
brought about in Palacios alone
Mr. Clement quoted the following
figures:
‘From September 15, 1939, to
September 15, 1940, the local of-
fice handled 10 work orders com-
prising 48 separate jobs. From Sep-
tember 15„ 1940, to February 15,
1941, only six months, there were
15 work orders comprising 86 sep-
With their spurs sunk into the
pole and hanging by their safety
belts John C. (Red) Richards, left,
and Forrest Hunsaker, local C. P.
L. line crew, are shown working on
the company lines which supply
Palacios citizens with electric cur-
rent. So much time have they spent
in this position that they say they
feel more at home perched on a pole
than on the ground.
arate jobs. In May, 1940, there we^e
483 meters in service whereas in
February of this year there were
642 meters in service.”
This increase was so great, Mr.
Clement pointed out, that the then
existing lines were unable to carry
the load. The result was that
lights would dim and power- de-
crease during peak-load hours. To
rectify this situation the company
installed a voltage regulator.
Without this regulator the volt-
age would range from 100 to 135
volts while carrying the load now
required. Now, by reason of the
regulator, the voltage is less than
two volts in variance from the
standard 120 volts.
It is planned that this regulator
will be used for Camp Hulen and
another installed for Palacios when
the need arises.
The P.-T. A. will meet next Tues-
day at the Linnie Wolf School. The
time is 3:30 p. m. and all parents
and others interested are urged to
attend.
Charles Harriman
Place to Provide
Machine Storage
The City of Pulacios purchased
the Charles Harriman place on Mor-
ton street Tuesday nigiit by vote
of the eity council at what was de-
scribed as a “very satisfactory
price” and "a considerable saving
to the city” by various members of
the council.
The property has a large build-
ing which the city intends to use
:s a storage place for trucks, trac-
tors and implements belonging to
‘he various departments which oth-
erwise are either scattered or must
be left in the open.
This action and the approval of
two building permits, including that
for the new bus station, and the
approval of current bills compris-
ed all of the definite action taken.
This meeting had been postponed
from Monday nig.v. due to the ob-
servance of Texas Independence
Day. City offices were closed Mon-
day because the holiday fell on Sun-
day.
Considerable discussion was giv-
en to proposed extensions to the
water and sewerage lines to care
for the numerous connections desir-
ed by property owners not served
by existing lines. It was decided
that further consideration would be
given and further information
sought concerning a proposal by the
Federal government of a long term
loan to cities adjacent to military
camps and cantonments for such
purposes.
It is also possible that the drill-
ing of additional wells to insure an
adequate supply of water may be
included in the plans if the proposal
is found to be as understood. A
representative of the government
will arrive in Palacios sometime in
the future to go into the matter
further with the council.
Pending the arrival of this repre-
sentative certain data must be se-
cured for his information and Mayor
J. L. Deutsch appointed R. J. Sis-
son, Guy Clayboum and Harley
Lewis a committee to secure this
required data.
As explained unofficially', the pro-
ject is not under the Works Prog-
ress Administration but is an out-
right loan from the government for
a long term at a low rate of in-
terest.
It was reported that the Volun-
teer Fire Department had $1000
which they desired" to put into a
building to house the fire apparatus
and a club room for the men but it
was decided that the city would be
unable to do anything about it at
this time because of other unex-
pected expenditures which had been
found necessary. These expenditures
were the result of increased respon-
sibilities due to the sudden growth
in population during the past few
months.
CAMP HULEN
Highlights
By “BUCK”
A parade of the 33rd Brigade
Coast Artillery (anti-aircraft) regi-
ments will be held at the parade
grounds in Camp Hulen this after-
noon, with Col. Ray E. Wlatson,
commander of the 203rd C. A., as
troop commandant.
The brigade is formed of the 69th
C. A , the 197th C. A. and the 203rd.
Tomorrow the 203rd will hold a
regimental parade.
• •
Newsom Returns
With News of
Proposed Bill
The first bundles of laundry went
to the new Camp Ilulen laundry this
week—composed of sheets, pillow
cases and mattress covers belong-
ing to soldiers of the camp. This
work is done free by the new gi-
gantic plant which boasts $136,000
worth of equipment.
Lieut. R. H. Bridges who recent-
ly arrived here from Fort Riley,
Kan., will be in charge of the plant.
Approximately 143 civilians are to
be employed.
• •
Camp Hulen’s postoffice was of-
ficially opened last Saturday, amid
a rush by soldier* on the half-dozen
windows for stamps and money
orders.
• •
A provisional battalion of the
197th C. A. took part in the Texas
Independence day celebration Sun-
day at Brenham in the Washington
State park. Units in the battalion
included a searchlight platoon, 3-
inch gun battery, machine gun pla-
toon, .37 millimeter gun platoon,
radio detail, motor maintenance and
medical personnel. The equipment
was displayed, with officers making
short talks on operations.
• •
This week the 197th C. A., former
New Hampshire national guard
regiment, went to Magnolia Beach
at Indianola for 13 days of firing
3-inch guns. Only members of the
gun battalion went to the firing
point.
(See "HIGHLIGHTS,” Page 5)
War Production
Unit Headed By
Mrs. H. C. Bieri
Tent Theatre at Camp Hulen Always
Has Full House; Soldiers Find It
Cheaper to Use Credit Than Pay Cash
By ISABEL VESTAL
Suspended from cables tied to
outside poles hangs the five and
one-half ton canvas big-top of the
tent theatre. No inside poles block
the vision of the soldier no matter
which of the 2200 seats he may oc
cupy. The top is water, light and
fireproof and covers a building 202
by 90 feet.
Here the movie attractions are
changed five times weekly for the
entertainment of the enlisted man
and officer. Red blooded films are
selected and sent from the Dallas
office of the U. S. Army Motion
Picture Service. The entire staff of
technicians, operators and other
help is furnished by the enlisted
men. Lieut. W. R. Lamb, officer in
ant is Technical Sgt. J. M. Schibler.
Lieutenant Lamb explained that
it is one show that can be seen
cheaper on credit than by paying
cash for one ticket at a time. Ticket
books are issued saving several ad-
missions paid singly. If the soldier
wants credit until payday he gets it.
The projection room is walled and
floored of sheet metal to insure
fire protection. It is equipped with
two of the latest type film pro-
jectors with fire locks to keep flame
from spreading in case of fire with-
in the machines. In event the film
being projected catches fire, a piece
of fishing cord tied to the end of
tho film and to shutters is burned
in two, thus releasing all shutters
and confining the blaze to the pro-
charge is the manager, hia assist-1 jection room. Sgt. M. C. Grey is
chief projectionist and his assist-
ant is Hubert Widmyer, Private
First Class.
The newest design of sound equip-
ment is used, with a microphone
hook-up for church services. This
saves the need for a separate pub-
lic address system. A full stock of
tubes and other replacement parts
is kept on hand at all times.
The average theatre manager in
a city of 10,000 would have the
headache of trying to keep a house
of this size filled but that’s the
smallest worry Lieutenant Land has
on his mind. Ilis problem is to see
that everyone has a chance to get
in. Every performance plays to a
full house and there is usually a
long line waiting for the next show,
he said.
Mrs. H. C. Bieri has been ap
pointed Chairman of the Palacios
War Production Unit of the Amer-
ican Red Cross and headquarters
will be established in the Annex of
the Presbyterian Church as soon as
the new quota of material has been
received.
While this unit has been organ
ized for the purpose of making
clothing to be sent to war refugees,
it will take care of emergency calls
from the hospital at Camp Hulen
for hospital supplies as the need
arises. Mrs. Bieri has divided her
sewing unit into four groups and
has appointed the following Cap
tains: Mrs. M. 0. Burton, from the
Methodist Church; Mrs. M. I. Cox,
from the Baptist, and Mrs. W. D.
Sperry from the Presbyterian.
These women have been selected
for their ability and unselfish
interest in this work for the relief
of humanity. Anyone who wishes to
join these groups will please let
anyone of these captains, or Mrs.
Bieri, know.
Mrs. E. G. Crawford who is in
charge of the knitted work has re'
ceived enough wool for ten child-
ren’s sweaters and work on them
will be begun as soon as knitters
can be found.
Mrs. Crawford who is an expert
knitting instructor will be glad to
help anyone who will volunteer for
this work, but does not know how
to knit or may have forgotten some
of the essentials.
Excellent prospects for a new
school building for Palacios to care
for the 400 to 700 additional stud-
ents expected to flood the local
schools as a result of the military
expansion program here was the
word brought back • to Palacios by
Ralph P. Newsom, superintendent
of schools when he returned from
Atlantic City, N. J., this week where
he had attended a conference of
school administrators called to dis-
cuss educational housing problems
brought about by the National De-
fense Program.
Culmination of the plan for a
new unit for Palacios depends upon
the passage of a bill which was in-
troduced in Congress this week and
upon which hearings commenced
Tuesday which would appropriate
150 million dollars to aid towns and
smaller cities which find themselves
in a condition similar to that of Pa-
lacios which has had some 300 ad-
ditional students registered since
October I, 1940. /
These students are the children
of both civilians and soldiers who
have come to Palacios as a result of
the activity induced by the Ndtiwnri ■i---'
Defense Program. No allowances
had been made to care for these
children because they had not been
included in the last school census.
Mr. Newsom went to Atlantic
City to attend a meeting of school
administrators from defense areas.
This sub-organization was formed
last November by 241 schools from
the American Association of School
Administrators and was composed
of repreesntatives from those
schools affected by the establish-
ment of training centers and other
defense program projects. About
190 representatives of the 241 at-
tended the meeting in Atlantic City.
“We adjourned our meeting
early,” Mr. Newsom said, “in order
that about 100 of us might go to
Washington where we spent two
and one half days interviewing
every member of Congress with
whom we could get in touch. Among
the nearly 400 Congressmen with
whom we talked we found but very
little sentiment against the passage
of the proposed bill and that came
primarily from localities where
there is no concentration of troops.
We are confident that the bill will
pass as soon as it can be brought
-upon the floor of Congress;” :r
Under the proposed set-up, he
explained, Palacios will receive
$130,000-for the construction of new
school buildings and equipment.
This sum was decided upon as a re-
sult of a formula devised by the
Bureau of Census to estimate the
number of school-age children in
any given locality when the total
population is known. It is also rec-
ognized by the goyernment as an
almost certainty that any commun-
ity adjacent to a military concen-
tration point will eventually grow
to equal the size of the military
center. Under these figures it was
shown that Palacios might xpect
from 400 to 500 additional students
each year for the next several
years.
In addition to this $130,000 which
will be available for new buildings
as soon as the bill becomes a law,
Palacios is assured the receipt of
nearly $13,000 from State sources
for the purpose of maintaining the
present system and caring for the
additional students which are al-
ready enrolled. Further details con-
cerning this State aid may be found
in another story in this issue of
The Beacon.
Geraldine Louderback of Palacios,
freshman at Sul Ross State College
at Alpine is among the 70 students
comprising the honor roll of the
past semester, announced by the
college registrar. She is among the
upper 10 percent level of the honor
list, including 48 outstanding Sul
Ross students with distinguished
records.
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Niven, B. C. Palacios Beacon (Palacios, Tex.), Vol. 34, No. 10, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 6, 1941, newspaper, March 6, 1941; Palacios, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth724734/m1/1/?q=%22%22~1: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Palacios Library.