Remember When? 60 Years Ago
From the files of The Fayette Company Country Record
Elaine has dipped into the archives for some news from 1960, 60 years ago.
May 13-15, 1960
In the 1960 Fayette County Democratic Primary, Precinct 1 Commissioner A.V. Smith was forced into a June runoff against Gunther “Grinny” Behrens. Veteran Commissioner Wallace Cherry of Precinct 3 was unseated by a duo of Flatonia men, Eddie Zouzalik and Ira Syler, who would face each other in a runoff. Precinct 2 Constable R.A. Albers was reelected.
Army Private Robert W. Rietz, who graduated from Flatonia High School, completed eight weeks of military police training at the Provost Marshall General’s School in Fort Gordon, Ga. Robert J. Polasek, son of Mr. and Mrs. Gus J. Polasek of Ellinger, was undergoing basic infantry training at Fort Ord, Calif. Private Gilbert Rainosek left for Fort Ord, Calif., after spending a 13-day leave with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Pete Rainosek of Hostyn.
The La Grange Jaycee Demons trounced Plum’s Blue Sox, 12-0. The La Grange win was sparked by Charles “Blimpy” Hengst, who socked a long homer over the left field wall in the second and also got a single. The round tripper was one of the longest hit at Fair Park in some years. Clement Trlicek and Paul Srubar tossed for the Soxers.
Funerals were held for: Mrs. C.H. Cmajdalka, 72, native of Fayetteville; Lillie Belle Robertson, 81, formerly of La Grange; William Witt Sr., 81, of Rabb’s Prairie; and Frank Selzer, 67, of Plum.
Three local dairymen in the Fayette County Dairy Herd Improvement Association who received certificates of production were: Anton Tietjen Jr., Henry W. Haisler and Bernard Kruppa.
Ira Lee Anderson, an honor student at Prairie View A & M College, was student teaching in Houston. She had graduated with honors from Round Top High School in 1957.
The La Grange Leopards beat the Giddings Buffaloes 10-3. The Leopards got a quartet in the fourth when Joe Michael Kana and Gene Niemeyer got doubles, James Karstedt found two aboard when he homered in the fifth and Gary Koopmann’s homerun into dead deep center accounted for the final tally in the seventh.
A new, hard-surface 80-foot road from Hwy. 77 on the Bluff to Monument Hill State Park was a certainty, according to Fayette County Commissioner A.V. Smith. It had previously been announced that 3.7 acres of right-of-way had been deeded by trustees of the Hostyn Parish, which owned the adjoining lands. At first, the Texas State Parks Board had consented to build the road and then suggested that the Texas State Highway Department be contacted.
Commissioner A.V. Smith fell on a slippery rock while preparing to stretch a tape measure and sustained a fracture of the left kneecap. He and his crews were getting ready to construct a new water dip on Rocky Creek near Rutersville.
Fayette Memorial Hospital celebrated 40 years of unselfish service to the community with an open house.
At the Ladies Aid and Missionary Society of St. John’s Lutheran Church at Warrenton, it was reported that new blinds had been received for the pastor’s study.
Descendents of J.C. and Wilhelmina Gebert Melcher were holding a family reunion. At the John and Clara Brugger reunion, Mrs. H.A. Zwernemann of Rutersville was the eldest family member present.
W.O. Miller advertised swimming lessons for children from three to 16 years of age.
Henry Ryza, a former employee of Koenig Funeral Home, purchased the Elmer C. Weikel Shoe Shop. Mr. Weikel was assisting the new owner.
At La Grange High School, Buddy Futschik was named Mr. Yearbook and Amelia Janssen, Miss Yearbook. Buddy also was named Most Athletic Boy and Gloria Dixon, Most Athletic Girl. Minella Fritsch and John D. Marburger were chosen as Best All-Around class favorites.
A La Grange man, who fled after striking a minister over the head with a chair, was later apprehended by Sheriff T.J. Flournoy and fined $25.50 in JP Pete Jurasek’s court.
In a contest sponsored by the Fort Worth Press, Frank Mazoch Jr. of the Swiss Alp community was named the Conservation Farmer of the Year and Roy W. Klaus of the Shelby area was chosen as the 1959 Come-Back Farmer. The Fayette Soil Conservation District 341 cooperated in the contest. Frank’s conservation story went back to 1945 when he planted his first crop of yellow blossom clover and terraced part of his land. He purchased his original 183 acres for $7,500 and later added 38 acres at a price of $2,000. When Mr. Klaus bought his land for $29 an acre, it produced only four bushels of corn nubbins per acre. Through conservation efforts over a period of years, he increased the yield to 60 bushels per acre.
Frank L. Cernosek, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank J. Cernosek of Ammannsville, received a Bachelor of Business Degree from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio.
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