REMEMBER WHEN?

50 Years Ago

March 28-31, 1972

A local group announced the purchase of the renowned Freis Collection that represented a lifetime of arduous and dedicated searching for relics by Mr. and Mrs. Richard Freis of La Grange. Mr. Freis had been amassing historic relics from Texas, the nation and around the world since he was 10 years old – a span of 57 years. A native of Osage near Weimar, Mr. Freis had put together one of the most unusual and delicate collections ever assembled by an individual. He estimated he had collected over 12,000 authentic Indian arrowheads from dozens of Texas tribes from the Big Bend to East Texas. The new owners, Peggy Edwards, Melvin Menking and Lloyd Kolbe, stated, if possible, they were interested in keeping the collection intact. The Freis sold their vast holdings because of health issues. Thousands had viewed the collection that had been housed at the historic Kreische home owned by V.A. “Slim” Hrbacek at Frisch Auf! over the previous four years. As soon as new caretakers could be found to live in the Kreische home to oversee the collection, Mr. and Mrs. Freis planned to move to their new home near Weimar.

The Housing Authority of the City of La Grange was officially advised that it had been approved for a 40-unit low-rent housing project that would include 30 units for the non-elderly. The 10 elderly units were all one-bedroom, but the non-elderly ranged in size from two to four bedrooms.

The parish advisory committee of Sacred Heart Catholic Church awarded a construction contract to Weldon Scholtz Construction Co. of La Grange for the new church building and rectory. The cost of the project included all mechanical and electrical work, parking lot paving, curbs and the like, was $323,944. However, that number did not include stain glass windows, pews, other furnishings or architect’s fees. The new church and rectory were to face each other.

Mrs. Ruby Card received a 30-year citation upon her retirement from the Texas Department of Public Welfare. At a party in her honor, she also was presented with a beautiful table lamp by her coworkers.

The La Grange Leopards made it two straight over Rice Consolidated’s Rebels, elevating their non-conference record 9-3 with a 5-0 shutout victory over the Colorado Countians. Bubba Riehs south pawed a one-hitter through four frames. Then Billy Miller elbowed hitless ball over the remaining three as their mates were tapping Rice chunking for seven swats.

A fund was set up for Debbie Kolek, the 13-year-old daughter of Patrolman and Mrs. A.F. Hall in La Grange, who was scheduled for a kidney transplant operation.

Funeral services were held for: Mrs. Ottilie Naiser, 84, of Mullins Prairie; Monta Jay Tarver Jr., 57, a native of La Grange; Frank R. Mikes, 77, of Oldenburg; Paul A. Hoppe, 87, of New Ulm; Mrs. Florence Barry Bosl, 58, of Schulenburg; and Edwin H. Gerdes, 73, formerly of La Grange.

Navy Second Class Petty Officer Harvey L. Huebel, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Lee F. Huebel of La Grange, was in the Caribbean aboard the USS Charles F. Adams, a guided-missile destroyer homeported at Mayport Base, Florida. Operating as a special unit of the NATO Standing Naval Force, Harvey’s ship had visited Bermuda, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Netherlands, the Antilles of the South American coast and South Carolina and Florida.

Wilbert’s Cafe in Shelby was serving fresh redfish all day on Good Friday, March 31.

When the Circle K Club of Blinn College hosted an awards ceremony to honor outstanding students in each department, certificates of recognition were presented to the following locals: Rebecca Sue Munsch, German; Thomas Guenther, photography; Eugene Kruppa, engineering; Russell Friemel, government; and Frank Joe Janda, physics.

La Grange Motor Co. had a good inventory of used vehicles with a 25-month written warranty. On the lot were a: 1970 Ford F100 half-ton pickup, long wheelbase, 6-cylinder engine, standard transmission, $1,695; 1968 Cadillac Coupe DeVille, all the extras, like new, 33,000 actual miles, no other like it, $2,850; 1971 Chevrolet C/ S10, radio, factory air conditioning, automatic transmission, power steering, power brakes, stepplate bumper, long wheelbase, wide bed, two-tone paint, 350 V-8, $2,850; and 1967 Ford Fairlane, 2-door hardtop, C-O-Matic transmission, 289 V-8, air conditioning, radio, $1,095.

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