Cooper Review (Cooper, Tex.), Vol. 130, No. 8, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 25, 2010 Page: 2 of 8
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Cooper Review - Page 2
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Voices
Bob Bowman's East Texas
By Bob Bowman
Random notes from East
Texas
A half-dime and other coins:
Like others in East Texas, William
Williams, 73, likes to poke around ghost
towns with his metal detector.
What he has unearthed only inches from
the ground’s surface may surprise you.
Williams once found a half-dime from
1853. Just for the record, a half-dime isn’t a
nickel; it had its own denomination, but it was
considerable smaller than a dime
Williams also dug up a three-cent piece
from 1866, another rarity, as well as a one cent
piece the size of today’s quarter from 1885
and another the size of a fifty-cent piece.
Some of Williams’ discoveries are real
U. S. coins, but others were created for sawmill
towns such as Pine Island, west of Lufkin,
where his father once worked.
The coins were often called “tokens” and
often used by sawmill owners to pay their
employees. The tokens could be redeemed for
merchandise.
The Holy Oak:
Images of Jesus and Mary are always
popping up in strange places, such as a tortilla
in 1977, a grilled cheese sandwich in 2004,
and on a dental X-ray, also in 2004.
But when Timo Bueno, an employee of
a construction company, paused for a lunch
break on Jimmy Ezell’s property at Buffalo in
Leon County, he looked up at a limb which
had been cut.
There, he saw an image of Jesus in the
end of the limb.
Since then, folks have been coming to
Buffalo from all over to see the image and
Ezell regrets that the end of the limb, which
might have contained additional images, was
burned.
After all, a ten-year-old sandwich with the
Virgin Mary’s image recently sold on e-Bay
for $28,000.
An East Texas link with Canada:
When Canada celebrated the 150th
anniversary of its first oil discovery in 2009,
a historic East Texas product became a part of
the celebration.
Lufkin Industries, Inc., of Lufkin, which
celebrated its centennial in 2002, donated a
vintage 1938 pumping unit to the Canadian
Discovery Centre in Devon, Canada.
The Devon facility hosted portions of
Canada’s 150th anniversary celebration.
(Bob Bowman of Lufkin is the author of
more than 40 books about East Texas. He can
be reached at bob-bowman.com)
In Years Gone By
From the files of The Cooper Review
Ten Years Ago
A permanent pasture
seminar will be held on
Thursday, March 2 at 7:00
p.m. at the Delta County Civic
Center in Cooper. Dr. David
Kee, District agronomist,
will discuss fertilization,
management and selection
of species for permanent
pastures.
The 7th Annual Cooper
Lake Bass Classic sponsored
by the Delta County Chamber
of Commerce will be held on
April 8, 2000. The lake record
of 15.17 pounds was set by
Terry Garner on April 4, 1999,
shortly before the 6th annual
Cooper Lake Bass Classic.
On October 13, 1998,
the City of Cooper amended
the Trash Hauling Ordinance
making it illegal to pile trash
next to the streets without first
notifying the City.
Between February 12 and
February 21 DPS Trooper
Dayton Thomas Game Warden
Benny Richards, Task Force
and Delta County’s Sheriff’s
Department confiscated
approximately $50,000 worth
of metamphetamines and
$20,000 worth of marijuana.
Three arrests have been made,
one black male from Lamar
County and two white males
from Delta County.
Twenty Years Ago
Flora Holmes Watkins
was honored with a surprise
80th birthday party on Sunday,
February 11th by her children.
Family members gathered
at her home for the party.
The honoree was presented
a decorated birthday cake
as the group sang, “Happy
Birthday.”
Thirty Years Ago
Members and guests
of the Cooper Lions Club
will hear an update on the
progress of the Cooper
Lake project Environmental
Impact Statement revision
now underway by the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers.
This Friday program will be
moderated by R.C. Ewing and
Curtis Hicks.
Delinda Wintermute,
member of the Cooper
Girls’ 8th Grade Basketball
team was named to the All-
District Tournament Team
during district tournament
competition held in Cooper.
Mr. and Mrs. G.M. Davis,
of Enloe flew to Los Angeles,
CA., to celebrate their Fiftieth
Wedding Anniversary with
their son-in-law and daughter,
Mr. and Mrs. Walt House.
They were accompanied
by Mrs. Peggy Claunch of
Plano.
Forty Years Ago
Cooper High School
Band members in the All-
District Band at tryouts held
in Clarksville February 16,
included Lucia Henson,
Shelby Mitchell, Merrilynda
Jeter, Patricia Dennis,
Roseanne Hendrix, Julie
Preas, Martha Shaffer, Debra
Gunter, Judy Allen, and
Barbara Barrow. Alternatives
in the All-District Band from
Cooper were LaNell Oats,
James Jarrell, Jon Scott, and
Bryan Henson.
Mrs. John Houston
received members of the
Sewing Club in her last
Thursday afternoon.
Activity pertaining to the
Cooper Dam and Reservoir is
once again on the move with
a visit planned by officials
of the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, New Orleans
District and announcement to
opening a real estate office in
Cooper.
Fifty Years Ago
Colonel George M.
Cookson, District Engineer,
U. S. Army Corps of Engineers,
announced to close of the
Corps’ Real Estate Office in
Cooper.
The Cooper Bulldogettes
sailed past their first opponent
in the Class A State Playoffs
defeating Queen City 70 to 47
at Mt. Pleasant.
Officials of the Delta
Baseball League met Monday
afternoon and elected Jack
Silman president.
©nnperjrfinitmi
Owners - Jim and Sally Butler
JimB@Cooperreview.com
Publisher/Editor - Roger Palmer
Roger@Cooperreview.com
Office Manager/Staff Writer - Kimberly Palmer
Kim@C ooperreview. com
THE COOPER REVIEW (UPS 131940) is printed weekly, except the
fourth week in December. Second Class Postage is paid at Cooper, Texas
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MEMBER
2009
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TEXAS PRESS
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On The River
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With ET
PAUL REVERE
“Ain’t he the Yankee that had to go for
help?” (An old Texas joke.) Seriously, Paul
Revere was one of the most important men
in the American Revolution, with deeds
much more numerous than that one little ride.
Sometimes we may think that Revere was
new to America, that his family just arrived
and decided to help start a new government.
However, by Paul Revere’s time, “Americans”
had been here for six generations.
In the 1700’s, many kids were schooled by
their mama in the kitchen. They sat at a small
table and did their work under her watchful
eye. No principal’s office was needed since a
wooden, pudding spoon lay nearby. That is how
Revere grew up, learning discipline, respect
and values. As an adult, Revere by day was one
of the best silversmiths the world has seen. By
night a politician that worked with other men
in preparation for liberty. Is it possible that
the same gene that forms masterpieces from
a raw element could somehow work to form
masterpieces in government and principle?
In the months leading up to his famous
ride he had already ridden thousands of miles
to spread news of British activities and help
plan the eminent war. An organizer since
childhood, at age fifteen he and six others
teens formed a group that made their own,
but decent, laws. As he grew, these seeds of
liberty, independence, and organization burst
open just in time for him to help plan the
revolution.
It’s not like the British Army arrived one
day and caused the famous ride. They had
been in Boston for years, gradually being more
oppressive and threatening. Out of sight, plans
were being put in place in preparation for the
inevitable conflict. Wheels were turning and
the stew was about to boil. Americans became
more and more independent, making waves all
the way to the King and his grumblings rolled
back to the British Army in Boston. Finally, in
a show of force that demanded obedience, the
British Army’s General Thomas Gage decided
to march from Boston to Lexington and back.
What a disaster it turned out to be for the
British after Revere rode for hours spreading
the word.
Each little town had its own militia that
quickly turned out to meet the British. If it
was rough getting to Lexington, just imagine
the return trip when hundreds more militia
had time to rush in from the sides and get to
the fracas. Paul Revere was just one, albeit an
important one, of many that got the snowball
rolling. Too often maybe we think of the
Civil War and the Alamo without giving our
ancestors in the 1700’s the credit they’re due.
March 1, Saturn is close to the upper left
of the Moon as night falls. March 6, Antares,
the brightest star in Scorpio, is to the left of
the Moon at first light.
For many of my adult years I heard of a
game called Duck, Duck, Goose. Figured it
was something new that kids made up. Finally
my inquisitive button got flipped and I went to
the all seeing eye of the internet. Maybe some
more of you old timers have wondered about
Duck, Duck, Goose. Many games were played
at Delmar and East Delta as I passed through
but I never played Duck, Duck, Goose, at least
not by that name and those exact rules.
This is actually one basic game with
many variations and titles. In Canada it is
called Duck, Duck, Gray Duck. What I was
surprised to learn was that I had played the
game many times under the name, Drop The
Handkerchief. Kids form a circle. ‘It” walks
around the outside of the circle, drops the
handkerchief behind one of the kids, takes
off running, and tries to run around the circle,
getting back to the empty spot before the chaser
picks up the handkerchief and tags “It”. If “It”
gets to the empty space before being tagged,
the unsuccessful chaser is now “It.” This form
is also called Rag Tag.
In some areas it, with a variation, is called
Mush Pot, Stew Pot, and Cookie Jar. If “It”
is tagged before getting back to the empty
spot they have to sit in the center of the circle,
or stew pot, cookie jar, mush pot. Another
variation, probably the most popular, is called
Duck, Duck, Splash. In warm weather “It”
carries a small bucket of water, pours it on
somebody’s head, drops the bucket and takes
off running. How many grandparents out
there are remembering these games and will
introduce them to their grandkids soon?
Remember the granddaddy of all bay
dog contests, Uncle Earl’s, on March 24-28
at Winnfield, Louisiana. Closer to home, a
hog hunting contest will be held that same
weekend at Lone Oak. Call 903 456 5055.
Why is the third hand on a watch called
the second hand? If a word is misspelled in
a dictionary, how would we ever know? If
Webster wrote the first dictionary, where did
he get the words? Why do we say something
is out of whack? What is a whack? Why does
slow down and slow up mean the same?
Why do fat chance and slim chance mean
the same thing? Why do tug boats “push”
boats? Why do we sing “Take Me Out To The
Ballgame” when we are already there? Why
are they called stands when it’s where you sit?
Why is it “after dark” when it is really “after
light?” If you expect the unexpected wouldn’t
that make the unexpected expected? (Try not
to think about that one while you are trying
to go to sleep.) Thanks to Dinah Stowers for
those.
etra327@embarqmail.com
That Wonderful Year 1965
According to the Thursday,
February 25, 1965 issue of the
Cooper Review:
Seventeen year-old Sandra Pagan,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Aubrey Pagan,
Cooper, has been selected by the Cooper High
School Student Council as January Student of
the Month.
In observance of the birthday of George
Washington, founder of the first home
forerunner of the National Guard, the Cooper
unit held open house Sunday afternoon from
four to six o’clock. Approximately fifty area
residents visited the armory viewing the
displays of weapons, including 103-RR, 81-
m Mortar and 30c machine guns, vehicles and
facilities.
Wherever two or more are gathered
together in these parts it was safe bet that
conversation related to the proposed Cooper
air strip. It would be a fair assumption that
Cooper will have an air strip, whether it is
needed or not, if the Chamber of Commerce
follows through with its proposal to contract
the strip, as the City Alderman have voted
unanimously to be responsible for payment of
lease for the land involved in the project.
The Cooper School is making application
for membership in the Southern Association
of Schools and Colleges. This association
was originally composed of colleges who
organized for the purpose of standardizing
entrance requirements to colleges.
The Cooper Junior High School Boys
Basketball team added five new trophies to the
display case in the halls of junior high building
this season. In addition, the team earned the
distinction of being one of the best defensive
squads at the school in several years.
The final date for release and request of
addition acreage of cotton wifi be March 3,
according to Everett D. Harrison, Jr., Delta
County ASCS Office Manager.
Ed L. Adair, Cooper merchant, civic
leader and banker shared his 70th birthday last
Sunday with his children and grandchildren.
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Palmer, Roger. Cooper Review (Cooper, Tex.), Vol. 130, No. 8, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 25, 2010, newspaper, February 25, 2010; Cooper, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth805153/m1/2/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Delta County Public Library.