Palacios Beacon (Palacios, Tex.), Vol. 34, No. 11, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 13, 1941 Page: 1 of 8
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Texas Digital Newspaper Program and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Palacios Library.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
For a Greater, Better Palacios Country—Agriculture, Industry, Commerce, Living
SUBSCRIPTION $1.75 AND $2.00 PER YEAR
PALACIOS, MATAGORDA COUNTY, TEXAS, THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 1941
VOLUME XXXIV NUMBER 11
Board Organized for Army
YMCA In Anticipation of
Wide Program of Activity Here
Prominent Men
Selected For
Directorship
Will Serve As
Local Contact
For Worker#
Organization of a board of di-
rectors and officers of an Army
Young Men’s Christian Association
local unit for Palacios was effect-
ed Wednesday afternoon at the
Chamber of Commerce building by
a committee of the Advisory Coun-
cil on Recreational Activities recent-
ly for this city in order that there
might be an organization here
through whch the national body
may work, it was announced by Rev.
L. W. Crouch, vice-chairman of the
board.
It is the purpose of the V. M. C.
A. to serve the needs of the men
in the service to the best of their
ability, J. J. McConnel, Jr., of Dal-
las, secretary for the Southwestern
area which comprises Texas, Okla-
homa and Arkansas, who attended
the meeting with Edward J. Fuller,
representing the Army and Navy
department of the national organ-
ization from New York.
.. Although, plans are underway to
care for the greatly expanded mill
tary and naval forces of the Unit-
ed States, these plans are not as yet
completed and it is to have a local
unit ready to function at a mo-
ment’s notice that the formation of
the Palacios board of directors ef-
fected, McConnell said.
The Y. M. C. A., the Y. W. C. A.,
the Salvation Army, the Jewish
Welfare Society and the Catholic
Community Service has been united
into one service organization under
the direction Paul V. McNutt, it
was explained. Just how this will
be worked as to detail has not been
decided, it was explained, but each
organization will function separate-
ly except that there will be no
over-lapping of work All efforts will
co-ordinate to secure the greatest
efficiency and economy of opera-
tion.
Just which organization will be
assigned to Palacios has not been
made known. However, the tenta-
tive plans as explained at the meet-
ing Wednesday contemplate that al -
though one of these organizations
will have charge of the principle
activities in each locality the others
• will be represented on the staff in
order to care for those of any par-
ticular faith.
This activity will be in addition
to the regular recreational work and
will stress character building and
molding more than mere recreation,
Fuller saic|. When the time comes
for definite action to be taken, he
explained, the national organiza-
tion, through the area office in Dal-
las, wijl conduct their business
through and with this local board of
directors. In this manner the work
will be greatly expedited.
The local board as selected Wed
nesday consists of Carlton Craw-
ford, chairman,; Rev. Crouch, vice-
, chairman, L. C. English, secretary,
✓ .Tom Brandon, treasurer, Rev. J. E.
Mack, Welclon Sullivan and M. T.
, Brooking,, Other members may be
added at a later date as the organ-
ization gets under way but this
group will be ready to function as
soon as definite work is received as
to the method of operation.
Women’* Clubs Celebrate 25th
Anniversary at Blessing Saturday
The Palacios High School band
under the direction of J. D. Park,
entertained the Chamber of Com-
merce Tuesday night with several
selections during the serving of the
oysters. It is a fine aggregation of
youngsters and their ability is a
credit to Mr. Park. Their music was
thoroughly enjoyed.
• m •
The American Legion building
Blessing Library Club was host
to the Matagorda County Federa-
tion of Women’s Clubs March 8, on
their 25th birthday.
The Girl Reserves opened the
celebration by singing “God Bless
America” and “Happy Birthday to
You.”
The Board and Business meeting
was called to order by the new
president, Mrs. W. J. Hallmark, and
after hearing club reports, the guest
speaker, Mrs. Ira D. Sykes was in-
troduced.
Mrs. Sykes’ topic was Federation
and National Defense. Space does
not permit giving all of the good
points brought out in her inspiring
talk but. -she stressed the import-
Artny Road
Manned to
Start Soon
First of “Access”
Highways Will Be
Built by W. P. A.
Definite plans for the construc-
tion of the first of a series of “mlli
originally intended to house the anee of Women’s power in organi-
headquarters of the Five-County! zation—in any kind of groun. for
Health Unit is rapidly taking shape
under the workmen of Charles F.
Neuman. So, too, is the building for
the bus station.
• * *
The Beacon office received a wel-
come caller Thursday morning in
the person of W. C. Moore, of Hous-
ton, the man who started the de-
velopment of Palacios shortly after
the turn of the Century and who
was directly responsible for the
bringing of the railroad to what is
now Palacios. He was accompanied
by his daughters, Mrs. Douglas
MacGregor, of El Paso, and Mrs.
H. H. Bryant, of San Antonio. Mrs.
MacGregor was the former Miss
Annie Bess Moore and Mrs. Bryant
was the former Miss Lydia Moore.
(See “THOUGHTS,” Page 5)
Walter Jenkins
Sings At Ladies
Night of Rotary
With their attendance reduced by
illness and other engagements
Ladies’ Night, when Rotary clubs
honor their Rotary Anns, was held
at the Green Lantern Inn Friday
night when Walter Jenkins, of
Houston, entertained the assembled
guests a series of songs and talks
on singing as a social welder.
Declaring that community or mass
singing will draw people together
more quickly than any other one
thing, Jenkins told how he had be-
come interested in that type of work
during the World War and describ-
ed himself as a “Crusader for the
Gospel of Song.”
“Very few people are ‘tone blind’,”
he said, “and practice will bring
out and develop latent singing abil-
ity that few people realize they
possess. There is a psychological re
suit from mass singing that helps
to build unity. Group singing is
also a fore-runner of other cultur-
al arts.”
Jenkins has been song leader at
most of the meetings of Rotary In-
ternational for the past few years.
Mrs. Jenkins also entertained the
guests with several songs. Miss
Mabel Edith Lawrence was aocomr,
panist.
“Shipmates of Mine,” “On the
Road to Mandalay" and “Home on
the Range” were a few of the songs
he sang. He closed with “I Am An
American” that drew a great deal
of applause.
Mrs. Carlton Crawford and Miss
Dorothy Lee Curtis were guests at a
tea given at the home of Mrs. A.
B. Pierce, Saturday afternoon hon-
oring the 25th anniversary of the
Matagorda County Federation of
Women’s Clubs.
'•til .......... 1
Mr*. Frank McClary has returned
to her horne in Terrill, after spend-
ing two weeks here and at Newgulf
assisting in caring for her father,
Oscar Hart, who recently underwent
an operation in the Newgulf hos-
pital. We are pleased to report Mr.
Hart’s condition much improved and
is making a satisfactory recovery.
Mrs. J. P. Beck, publisher of The
Alvin Sun, was a visitor in Palacios
Sunday. She paid a visit to Rev.
and Mrs. John E. Shea and to Mr.
and Mrs. Jack Niven. Rev. Shea
was pastor of her church in Alvin
for some time and was a personal
friend of the late Mr. Beck.
The Wednesday Club met last
Wednesday at the home of Mrs. W.
C. Gray. The subject “Hildden Tax-
es” was discussed by Mrs. C. W.
Nester and Mrs. A. M. Stadig. Roll
Call wfts answered with Irish jokes.
Plans were discussed for the annual
banquet to be held March 20 at the
Green Lantern Inn.
better understanding—she emr ha-
sized three good points that she
called her 3 C’s—Consciousness,
concentration and co-operation
First, Conscious of being an organ
ized group to achieve something;
second, concentrate on what you
want to do, as a project, and last,
co-operation—by banding together,
all groups of women, anything can
be accomplished.
On National Defense, she brought
out the fact that 'SO'/, of our young
men failed in physical examina-
tions and she believes that defense
starts at home with our women, that
these physical deficiences can be
prevented by the women at home
seeing to it that every child gets a
well balanced diet.
Mrs Hallmark set two goals for
the Clubs to achieve—first, a Junior
College in Matagorda County and
second, to double the membership
in the County Federation.
Lunch was served at the Bless-
ing Hotel, at which time all of the
past officers, that were present,
were introduced, also ten charter
members of the Clubs that federat-
ed 25 years ago.
The afternoon session was start-
ed with naming new committee
chairmen and their reports
The new health nurse, Mrs. Har-
ris, was introduced and reported on
her work since her recent start in
the County.
Miss Stewart, County Home Dem
onstration agent, reported 306 girls
and 215 women in Home Demon-
stration work in the County. This
year’s goals for the women being
kitchen and poultry improvement.
Miss Stewart also talked on Na-
tional Defense, stressing the point
that one-third of our draftees are
turned down due to physical dis-
abilities and said that too much can
not be said about the women provid-
ing the first and vital step in Na-
tional Defense—to feed our people
properly. She also showed some of
the hand work of her club women.
The silver theme was carried out
during the entire day. Dinner favors
were silver buttonaires, programs
were silver and white, and the day
was climaxed with a tea at the
home of Mrs. A. B. Pierce. The
group was graciously served by two
past presidents, Mrs. Arthur Mat-
thes and Mrs. Kenneth Carter. Dur-
ing the tea a musical program was
rendered by Miss Dorothy Curtis,
soloist and Mrs. Carlton Crawford,
accompanist
We hope to celebrate many more
birthdays. —Publicity Chairman
tary access roads” have been com-
pleted and work will start as
promptly as possible, according to
an announcement made by Guy
Johnson, county commissioner from
Precinct Number Three of Mata-
gorda county, Thursday of this
week.
The road for which plans have
been made consists of eight-tenths
of a mile on the road running from
the main gate at Camp Hulen south
along the east line of the camp to
the south gate. The work will cost
an estimated $44,891.08 of which
amount the Federal government
will pay $42,327.88 while the pre-
cinct will pay $2,564.20. This latter
amount will be furnished in the use
of equipment and small hand tools,
Johnson said, and will require the
outlny of no cash.
The road will consist of 22 feet
of concrete with an eight foot
shoulder of stabilized shell on each
side. This will make a roadway 38
feet wide, almost as wide as some
streets, Johnson said.
Several other roads have also
been requested but no definite ac-
tion on these requests has been
taken as yet.
This project has been assigned
the number 6-1687-4 by the Work
Projects Administration. Under the
terms of the arrangements the Fed-
eral government will pay 94.3 per-
cent of the cost while the precinct
will pay but 5.7 percent.
Work will start as soon as pos-
sible, Johnson said.
Oyster Fry Draws 150 Business
Men To Discuss Problems and
Plans of Chamber of Commerce
President's Ball Brings Largest
Amount Ever Realized in County
American Legion
Wiil Sponsor
Athletic Club
Mrs. G. A. Salsbury, Mrs. Walter
Milam, Mrs. M. K. Feather. Mrs.
J. R. Elliott and; Mrs. H. B. Far-
well were among those attending
the Federation meeting in Blessing
Saturday.
Mrs. Mildred Ripka, who was
spending the winter in Palacios at
the home of Mrs. S. A. Wilbanks
in the north part of the city died
Tuesday morning March 11. Fun-
eral services were held Thursday
afternoon at 4 o’clock from the Pa-
lacios Funeral Home, conducted by
Rev. L. W. Crouch, pastor of the
First Baptist Church, and interment
made in the Palacios cemetery.
N. B. Hazeltine, head of the civil-
ian guards at Camp Hulen, was ap-
pointed chairman of the American
Legion committee to handle the for-
mation of an American Legion Ath-
letic Club to foster all athletic and
recreational activities of the ost at
a meeting held Friday night when
plans for the future were discussed.
Other members of the committee
appointed to serve with Hazeltine
included O. O. Meekins, Paul Ger-
hart, C. I. Swain and Guy Clay-
bourn.
“With all the possibilities for
money raising athletic activities
here in Palacios,” Hazeltine said,
there is no reason why this Post of
the American Legion should not be
very soundly established financial-
ly.”
The first activity to be sponsored
by this committee will be donkey
base ball games between civilian
and military teams. These will be
staged at the Camp Hulen Sports
Arena on March 31 and April 1,
Hazeltine said. Military authorities
at Camp Hulen have been approach-
ed concerning the matter and were
enthusiastic in their support of the
idea.
Those who have seen or partici
pated in these games know from ex-
perience the amount of amusement
to be found in watching two oppos-
ing teams attempting to play a
game of baseball while mounted on
donkeys. The animals run when
they should stand still and stand
still when they should run, players
fall off their mounts and every
thing goes “hay-wire.”
Other projects being considered
by the committee consist of a bath-
ing beach, wrestling and boxing
bouts and the charter of boats for
pleasure and fishing trips.
Another committee appointed at
the same meeing consised of W. A.
(Bill) Elder, post commander as
chairman,......Guy Claybourn, C. I,
Swain, O. 0. Meekitis and George
Hunter. This committee was charg-
ed with the duty of ascertaining
just what steps should be taken
to incorporate the local post so than
Citizens of Matagorda County
spent and donated $530.49 to aid
the fight against infantile paralysis
through observance of the Presi-
dent’s Birthday, final statistics
showed after all returns had been
made to Miss Claire Hansen, trees
urer of the movement in this county.
This money came from the Presi-
dent’s Ball held at the Pavilion in
Palacios, from a dance and barbe-
cue in Matagorda, from a Forty-
Two party in Markham and from
coin collectors in business places
and coin cards in the school through-
out the county. After all expenses
had been paid a net profit of $355.41
was left, one-half of which remains
in this county to combat this disease
and the other half was sent to the
state organization which conducts
the campaign in Texas.
The Palacios dance brought in
$351.70 and the Junior Ball held
at the high school gymnasium net-
ted $7.35 while coin collectors in
business houses and coin cards in
the schools of that city brought in
$2699. In Matagorda a barbecue
and dance held under the direction
of D. M. Williams $93.05 while in
Markham the Forty-Two party held
by Miss Lucille Hale added to the
results of the coin collectors and
coin cards brought their total to
$19.74. Collegeport working through
Markham turned in $5.50 in coin
cards.
Bay City collected $22.56 in coin
cards, collectors and ticket sales
A March o’ Dimes scheduled to be
held there was cancelled because of
the illness of Mrs. Robert B. Sut-
tle, Matagorda county co-chairman,
Expenses included the orchestra
for the dance, long-distance tele-
phone calls, printing, drayage, ex-
press and other expenses incidental
to a dance such as a door-keeper, a
traffic man, table cloths and the
placing of the advertising placards.
These totalled $175.08.
“Altogether it was a very suc-
cessful affair,” Jack Niven, county
chairman said in speaking of the
results. “I am grateful for the
wholehearted co-operation I receiv
ed on every hand. This co-operation
coupled with the fact that we re-
ceived wide publicity through radio
station KVIC in Victoria and the
Houston Post aided materially in
ts success. However, the main fac-
tor, I believe, was the increase in
population and the support received
from Camp Hulen. I am told that
this is the largest amount ever real-
ized for this purpose in Matagorda
county. It was a pleasure to have
served where I received such fine
co-operation. I wish to thank pub-
licly Mr. and Mrs. Pete Graff for
the use of the Pavilion which they
donated without charge.”
Niven, as present county chair-
man, is endeavoring to secure a
permanent organization in this
county which will not only handle
all such affairs in the future but
will also be authorized to expend
such funds as are to be used in this
county in the proper manner. Under
the present set-up, he pointed out,
there is no way that aid may be
given legally to any victim of in-
fantile paralysis .although there is
a considerable fund that has accrued
from this and previous celebrations.
CAMP HULEN
Highlights
By“BUCK”
An additional 475 trainees, draft-
ed into military service under the
national selective service act, were
scheduled to arrive at Camp Hulen
today from Fort Thomas, Ky. Two ship and future activities of the local
Many Members
Secured And
Pledges Raised
Value and Necessity
Of Organization Is
Told by Speakers
Over 150 business people inter-
ested in the future welfare of Pa-
lacios attended the Chamber of
Commerce oyster fry at the high
school gymnasium Tuesday night
for a general discussion of member-
days hence 1,000 more will arrive
at camp from Camp Shelby, Miss.
The groups arriving today are to
be assigned to the 106th C. A. Sep-
arate Battalion, former national
guard unit from Kentucky. Of the
second group 600 men will be as-
signed to the 204th C. A. and 400
to the 105th C. A., both former na-
tional guard regiments from the
state of Louisiana.
Separate training for the new
men will be held for a month and
then they will be absorbed into the
various batteries of the three or-
ganizations.
With the arrival of the new men
the camp’s total population will be
approximately 11,000 soldiers, the
majority of them former national
guard members, and selective ser-
vice trainees.
• •
Major Cliff Titus, chaplain of the
203rd C. A., and a popular speaker
(See “HIGHLIGHTS,” Page 4)
facing Problems'
Topic of Talk at
Rotary Club Here
it might legal! '
denomination b<
issue the small
will soil to financing the structure
for the military police and health
unit now being erected in the 300
block of Commerce street.
Money was borrowed on a short
term note in order to permit con-
struction to start immediately while
the details of the proposed bond
issue were perfected. This note was
signed by some 30 Legionnaires and
other public spirited citizens. The
bonds will be in five and ten dol-
lar denominations and will be secur-
ed by the property and building now
being constructed. CharleiTT Neu-
man is the contractor.
nds which the post j L. Caffall.
Mr. and Mrs. T. W. Caffall spent
the week-end at Mathis visiting the
former’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. E.
“There are four ways in which
the mind will enact when it faces a
sudden problem,” members of '.he
Rotary club were told Wednesday
by Rev. C. S. Cadwallader, of Dal-
las, who is in Palacios in connec-
tion with the proposed army recrea-
tional activities of the Baptist
church. “It will turn in on its self,
fight back, evade the issue or face
it honestly, fearlessly and squarely.”
The first of these may go either
of two extremes, either become a
suicide or a constant worrier, he
said. Many people seem to really
enjoy worrying and many others are
potential suicides if the proper set
of circumstances are presented.
The second type, he explained, is
that which causes criminals, the
type which shoves everything out
of its way and crashes through re
gardless of others. The other ex-
treme is the catty type which will
spit, fuss and growl when things
do not go to suit them.
In the class which will walk
around a problem in order to avoid
facing it, he declared, will be found
those who will go on a big drunk
to "drown their sorrows” oh they
Will go fishing, play golf or do any-
thing else to evade the issues raised
by the problem with which they are
faced. They will use any expedient
to get away from the facts.
The fourth type, those who face
the facts squarely, he said, are the
only ones with a positive attitude
towardls life. The others are nega-
tive and dishonest with themselves.
The fourth type person, he said,
will assemble all the facts, pay a
hypothesis, test it and seek a solu-
tion.
“Any solution that is right neces-
sitates a return to God,” he con-
cluded.
Tom Friery, president of the club,
announced that the Palacios club
bas been requested to put on a
model luncheon at the district as-
sembly of Rotary clubs which will
bo held in Galveston, May 4, 5 and
6.
Rev. L ,W. Crouch, who was
scheduled to address the club intro-
duced Rev. Cadwallader.
* /
chamber as well as to hear a gen-
eralized report of the accomplish-
ments of the past.
W. E. Fitzgibbon, president of
the organization, acted as toast-
master and opened the meeting
with a brief statement of the need
of a chamber of commerce and the
opportunities now available here in
Palacios. Ralph Newsom past presi-
dent, told briefly of the reviving
and revitalizing of the chamber of
commerce and of the raising of
funds for the organization’s build-
ing.
L. C. English, manager, told of
some of the under the surface ac-
tivities of the chamber which have
resulted in direct saving of money
and time to the merchants and busi-
ness neople of Palacios.
Harley C. Lewis, member of the
city council, spoke on the subject
“Now Is the Time to Build.” This
is the time for which many of the
older businessmen have been wait-
ing for over 30 years, he said, and
with all the growth, expansion and
development that is now goulfc, on
and is scheduled for the iirTnre it
is the time that investments should
be made and new structures erect-
ed.
He further stated that the out-
standing asset of Palacios is its
bay front and that it should be de-
veloped and exploited. He told of
the manner in which it would be
filled wih bathers, and boats and of
the boat races that were formerly
held in the bay. He suggested the
revival of bay sports as one means
of developing this asset.
“In the past,” Lewis said, “Pa-
lacios has had every advantage nec-
essary to progress except the fi-
nancial background. We had every-
thing but money. Now with the
proper financial background we
should be in a position to do some
constructive work for the future.”
J. L. Koerber, who with his as-
sistants, prepared the oysters and
potatoes for the gathering, quoted
statistics to show that where ever
possible the Army had purchased!
their needs locally but that because
of the inability of this section to-
supply all their wants nearly two-
thirds had been purchased else-
where. This was particularly true of
turkeys and chickens.
E. O. Taulbee, president of the
Bay City Chamber of Commerce
and principal speaker of the even-
ing, spoke chiefly in the need aad
vital necessity of full co-operation
from every person doing business
in the community.
“There are too -many people,” he
said, Vho are always trying to get
a free hide. They are willing to reap
the benefits ^hfeh-conie their way
as a result of the work Of others
but they will do nothing themselves
to help.”
Special efforts were made to se-
cure volunteer workers from among
the newer members to secure addi-
tional members for the chamber
and to secure increased pledges of
support, both financial and moral,
from those who are already mem-
bers of the organization.
Some 23 new members were se-
cured at the meeting and others
have been secured since then, Eng-
lish reported. He further stated that
there is . every, indication that the
chamber will go ahead with new
vigor and that the response has
been very gratifying.
Oysters were donated by the Col-
ter Corporation, the crackers by the
Brown Cracker Company and the
coffee by the Duncan Coffee Co.
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Niven, B. C. Palacios Beacon (Palacios, Tex.), Vol. 34, No. 11, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 13, 1941, newspaper, March 13, 1941; Palacios, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth725882/m1/1/?rotate=90: accessed July 8, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Palacios Library.