REMEMBER WHEN?
50 Years Ago
June 11-14, 1972
Fayette County’s ad valorem tax rate was to remain at 70¢ per $100 assessment for the 1973 tax year. Taxes, fees and licenses collected by Fayette County Tax Assessor-Collector Gilbert H. Eck’s office during the fiscal year July 1, 1971 to June 30, 1972 totaled $1,508,895.29. Taxes alone amounted to $1,000,394.32.
Dr. James Tiemann of the Fayette County Veterinary Clinic reported that a skunk killed east of La Grange tested positive for rabies. He advised all pet owners who had not had their animals vaccinated against rabies to do so promptly.
Once upon a time banks issued their own money such as a $10 certificate from Farmers National Bank of Fayetteville from 1917. It was signed by C.G. Vetter, president, and E.S. Kovar, cashier. Backed by United States government bonds, the certificate read, “Will pay to the bearer the sum of $10.00.” The Fayetteville bank framed it and put it on display.
Falstaff Feeds purchased the grain warehouse and milling facilities on East Colorado St. from Farmers Grain Warehouse, Inc. and announced expansion plans. Falstaff had been leasing the property since June 1, 1969, when the cattle and pet foods division of Falstaff Brewing Corp. opened its facility here. Drymalla Construction Co. of Columbus had been contracted to build the 3,360 square feet of additional mill and office space. Falstaff Feeds manufactured 62 different types of cattle, dairy, horse and pet feeds. The La Grange plant was processing between 20 and 30 train-car loads of grain each month.
Clint Bippert’s Schroeder Drug Demons annexed three victories in as many days over the weekend to clinch first place in the north zone of the South Central Texas Amateur League. The Demons nosed out Wharton, 4-2, behind Steve Janda’s hill stint; shut out Victoria, 9-0, when Allen Garbs south-pawed a six-hit, 11 strikeout mound job; and moved past the Weimar Veterans, 3-2, in a 10-inning thriller in which Paul Czerwinski outdueled Don Klare in a scintillating battle.
Several members of the Austin Chapter 197, Experimental Aircraft Association, staged a flyin at Guenther Field with their home-build airplanes. While in La Grange, the visitors enjoyed dinner at Cottonwood Inn Restaurant across the highway.
Although the two-cell hoosegow on the top floor of Fayetteville’s town hall hadn’t been used except as a tourist attraction in recent years, it drew the interest of many who attended the Firemen’s Feast.
Leslie W. (Butch) Blume accepted a position as head junior high athletic coach of the Class 4-A Cypress-Fairbanks School District. Blume was to be in charge of all athletic activities at Cy-Fair Junior High and have five assistant coaches. A graduate of La Grange High School, he lettered four years in football, basketball and track. Butch was All-District and All-Central Texas in football in both his junior and senior years, made the second All-State team as a senior, all district in basketball as a junior and senior, state participant in low hurdles as a junior and was district champion in the 100, 200 and broad jump as a senior.
Funeral services were held for: George Perales, 53, of Flatonia; Edwin G. Rauch Sr., 56, of Nechanitz; Mrs. Emil H. Boening, 67, buried at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Cemetery; and Mrs. Etta C. Bailey, 84, buried in the Florida Chapel Cemetery at Round Top.
The Praha Common School District was annexed to the Flatonia Independent School District by the Fayette County School Board at its June meeting.
Mr. and Mrs. John H. Koenig of O’Quinn were accompanied by Cdr. and Mrs. J. Weldon Koenig of Charleston, South Carolina, and Mr. and Mrs. Rodney C. Koenig of Houston on a tour of Western Europe in the month of June.
Travis Street Methodist Church was holding an ice cream supper with sandwiches, cakes and drinks on Wed., June 19 at 5:30 p.m.
The Fayette County Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service honored program clerk Mrs. Paula G. Heinsohn for 30 years of service. County committee member Bennie R. Leonhardt and program clerk Genelle H. Hensel were recognized for 15 years of service.
Mr. and Mrs. H.A. Engbrock observed their 50th wedding anniversary with a Mass of Thanksgiving on Wednesday evening at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. They also enjoyed an open house on Sunday afternoon at the American Legion Hall with over 600 guests in attendance. The honorees’ granddaughters, Janet and Jill Legler and Harriet and Marybeth Swofford, assisted by Jane Sulak and Mrs. John L. Sulak, registered the guests.
Three Fayette County high school students, Chester Steinhauser of Flatonia, Nancy Aschenbeck of Round Top-Carmine and Billy Wagner of Swiss Alp, were selected to attend the 10th annual Students Citizenship Seminar conducted by the Texas Farm Bureau.
Mr. and Mrs. Bobby Huenefeld, Margaret and Robert, and Mrs. Henry Frers spent a week in Colorado on vacation. The Huenefelds reported a severe drought on the Panhandle plains, cool temperatures in Colorado, snow on Pike’s Peak and a sleet storm in Raton, New Mexico.
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