REMEMBER WHEN?

50 Years Ago

Dec. 4-8, 1970

Fayette County’s generous offer of a Christmas tree was bound to go a long way toward making a merry Christmas for the young residents of the Harris County Boys Home in Houston. A fine, symmetrical 30-foot cedar tree had been selected in the Ledbetter area that would be cut down and set up on the lawn in front of the home. A Houston Ford dealer had graciously loaned a flatbed truck to haul the mammoth tree to Harris County.

The Fayette Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees voted to add a second story to the hospital building. The addition was to house a 27-bed extended care facility designed to provide convalescent care to hospital patients, who, ultimately, would be released to their own homes or nursing homes. The new addition was to include recreational and dining areas for its patients. A Hill-Burton grant of $200,000 had been approved the previous April to fund half of the project. This federal program paid for up to 50% of the cost of construction or modernization of health facilities in areas of critical need.

Bubba Hart, 22, of La Grange and New Orleans, La., missed death Tuesday by a twist of fate. Hart, who lived in New Orleans and worked for Shell Oil Co. on an offshore oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. The day his red Volkswagen was stolen, he stayed home to report the theft to the police. That same day a spectacular oil well fire occurred on the rig and one of the men killed was Hart’s replacement.

It wasn’t meant to be when La Grange’s Leopard basketballers went to Navasota to clash with the host Rattlers. The Lep varsity was roundly defeated 74-44. La Grange worked to an 8-2 lead early in the first quarter, then missed a couple of baskets and, before they knew it, the Rattlers had not only caught up but had gone ahead to stay. Willie Mason was the only Leopard to score in dual figures. He pointed 10 times. Johnny Dawson was next with 9 shots. The La Grange reserves (B team) dropped its opener in Navasota by a 65-37 county. Charles Mayer was the top point-maker with 9.

Don Nagel was elected to his eighth two-year term as mayor of Round Top. Re-elected to two-year terms on the council were: Wesley Albers, Dennis Sacks, Barney Lee Georges and Milton Schlabach. Twenty votes were cast with the mayor and alderman polling all of them. Clifton Giese Jr. was elected city marshal, but it was unknown as of press time whether he would accept the post. Ernst Emmerich, the incumbent, but not a candidate for reelection, polled four. Mr. Emmerich had been Round Top’s city marshal continuously since 1914 except for three years spent in the service during World War II. Mr. Emmerich’s record of 53 years in office was expected to stand for some time in Fayette County.

Fayette County Commissioners authorized the county clerk to advertise for bids for 1971 gasoline and diesel fuel and drug needs, as well as seek applications for courthouse janitor and county health officer. In addition, the county clerk was delegated to advertise for county printing needs for 1971.

Funeral services were held for Miss Mathilda Kubala, 89, of Hostyn and Mrs. Julia Jecmenek, 93, of Ellinger.

James Bremer, 6-foot, 186-pound senior, was the only La Grange Leopard to be picked on the first All-District 10AAA west zone football team. He was listed as an offensive unit guard. Two Leps got positions on the second offensive team. They were Richard Grobe, 6-foot, 195-pound senior, at a tackle post, and Stephen Citzler, 6.3-foot, 235-pound senior, at the center slot. Two other Leopards rated the second defensive unit. James Liska, 6-foot, 195-pound junior, was one of the linebackers chosen and Larry Urban, 5.8-foot, 165-pound junior, got one of the three defensive back posts.

The fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth graders at Cistern School were accompanied by their principal, John J. Beck, and Mrs. M.A. Janca to Waelder on a tour of the J & B Meat Packing Plant. Cistern School also announced its honor roll for the prior six weeks: grade one, Karen Vinklarek and Ron Beck; grade six, Gwendolyn Farek and Patricia Vinklarek; and grade eight, Wanda Faye Janecka.

Jane Sulak, a sophomore at Our Lady of the Lake College (OLL) in San Antonio, was one of two students from OLL, who accompanied their instructors to the 47th annual convention of the Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation held at the Sheraton-Fort Worth Hotel. Miss Sulak was vice president of the OLL Physical Education Majors and Minors Club.

First National Bank of La Grange vice president George Hajovsky, who chaired the local Salvation Army committee, announced plans for the local kickoff. Other members of the group were: A.R. Ehlers, Leon Rosenberg, W.F. Hofmann, C.A. Lemmons and Mrs. Leon Schmidt of La Grange; Mrs. John Cufr and Ed Sarrazin of Fayetteville; Ed Tobias of Ellinger; Mrs. M.V. Harris of Winchester; Mrs. E.H. Luck of West Point; Emil Albers of Carmine; and Bobby J. Banik of Round Top.

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