Remember When?

For the second year in a row, the Texas Education Agency cut off state funds to the La Grange Independent School District due to an accountant’s failure to report an audit of the books on time. Superintendent C.A. Lemmons, who confirmed TEA’s action in January to The Record, said the funding issue was temporary and the school district had adequate cash reserves to tide it over. Although the audit report was due on Dec. 1, the Brenham-based auditor had not yet completed his assessment as of press time.

Some 12 to 15 grass fires were touched off in the northeastern part of Fayette County and adjoining Austin County on Tuesday afternoon. Sheriff T.J. Flournoy said arsonists may have set the blazes. The first was reported near Ledbetter about 2 p.m. and others followed in rapid succession along FM 954 between Warrenton and Willow Springs. More fires were called in from around Shelby and Industry. One fire came dangerously close to a residence and another destroyed a section of fence. Fire departments from several towns kept busy dousing the blazes with help from local farmers who put out some themselves. Anyone having seen a suspicious vehicle or vehicles, preferably with a record of the license number(s) s, was encouraged to call the sheriff’s office.

Four days of Easter vacation for La Grange public school students was being cut because schools had closed the prior week when approximately 230 to 250 children were out sick.

A total of 181 young people posted entries in the 15th annual Fayette County Junior Livestock Show to be held at the Fayette County Fairgrounds on Thursday, March 21.

Nineteen Fayette County students earned places on the Southwest Texas State University dean’s list for the fall term. Listed on the superior honor roll were: Rox Ann Albrecht, Melanie Brown, Rebecca Munsch, Carol von Minden and Helen M. Srubar. Making the regular honor roll were: Karen Baumbach, Theresa Janacek, Harold Lindemann, Howard Lindemann, Ronald Mathis, Betty Moerbe, Kenneth E. Bridges, Ronald Votaw, Alfons J. Genzer, Patricia Klesel, Donna Overgoner, Virginia Stanzel, Theresa Walker and Donna Winkler.

Daniel Eugene Cernoch, a La Grange High School senior, was awarded a $1,000 Houston Livestock Show Fayette County scholarship, according to Fayette County Go-Texan Chair Gene Seale. Selected on the basis of leadership, scholarship, citizenship and participation in 4-H club work, Daniel was to be recognized on the Astrodome scoreboard at the Tuesday, Feb. 26 evening performance.

Funds raised at the Fayette County Fair Association’s five-day spring carnival, March 13-17, would be used to erect two 40-foot aluminum flag poles with concrete bases at the entrance to the fairgrounds. The project, to honor Sheriff T.J. Flournoy and the late County Judge Ike Petras, would be dedicated during the 1974 Fayette County Fair.

Funeral services were held for: Mrs. Alice Belt, 76, a native of Industry; Otto E. Stolle, 78, of La Grange; Emil Ramthum, 79, of Ledbetter; Alfons Weigelt, 80, a native of Round Top; Walter O. Carby, 86, a native of Black Jack; Oscar Hartfiel, 86, buried at Fayetteville; Mrs. Fredericka Kansteiner, 88, of Willow Springs; and Alois J. Kalina, 62, of Praha.

Sharon Dopslauf of the La Grange 4-H Club received a seventh blue ribbon on her Holstein heifer at the San Antonio Livestock Show. She also placed first with her junior yearling Holstein heifer. In the open dairy show, she won first on her junior yearling heifer and fourth and sixth on her two Holstein heifers. William Ernstes of the Swiss Alp 4-H Club, who placed seventh in the calf scramble, received a $40 certificate to apply to a 4-H project. In the junior ready-to-cook poultry sale, Debbie Bippert received $235 for her reserve champion turkey. Douglas Bippert received $70 for his fourth-place turkey and Charles Bippert received $42.50 for his 13th-place turkey.

Joseph N. Kemph of La Grange announced he had started a new mail order business, The Grape Tree, to serve customers throughout Texas and Louisiana with kits and products to make homemade wine. He was operating in the former Fayette County Record building at 149 W. Travis St.

David Collins was selected FFA Farmer of the Month for February at the La Grange Chapter of Future Farmers of America meeting in the school vocational building. David, who had been a member of the organization for four years, had participated in livestock shows.

Carol A. Zimmermann was named La Grange High School’s 1974 Betty Crocker Family Leader of Tomorrow. She won the honor by scoring high in written knowledge and attitude examinations administered to high school seniors here and throughout the country. She was then eligible for state and national honors.

Alien Schumann of Carmine received a certificate from Blinn College qualifying her for mental health-related work.

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