50 Years Ago
50 Years Ago
June 23-30, 1970
Proposed salary increases of 10% for elected Fayette County officials were to be discussed at a public hearing in the courthouse on Monday, July 13. If approved, the proposed salary increases would be: county judge, county attorney, county sheriff, county clerk and district clerk, from $6,600 to $7,260 annually; county tax assessor and collector, from $6,840 to $7,500 annually; county treasurer, from $5,775 to $6,320.50 annually; and county commissioners, from $5,775 to $6,352.50 annually. Proposed increases for the justices of the peace were: Precinct 1, from $4,317 to $4,748.70; Precinct 2, from $720 to $1,020; Precinct 3, from $431.64 to $1,800; and Precinct 4, from $2,830 to $3,600.
V.A. “Slim” Hrbacek announced the opening of his new Clear Lake Pines Resort located seven miles north of La Grange and four miles west on FM 153. The first section of the new development was ready for sale. It featured large lots, trees on every lot, low down payments, small monthly payments, privacy, crystal clear stocked lakes, rolling terrain, beautiful scenic views, guaranteed titles, good restrictions and access by blacktop roads.
La Grange native Lt. Col. Paul W. Sneed was selected to receive the Legion of Merit award during a retirement and awards ceremony at Arthur MacArthur Field by Fort Sam Houston Commanding General Major Gen. George Ruhlen. Lt. Col. Sneed entered the army in April 1944. He served in Korea in 1952-53, Germany in 1957-60, Vietnam in 1963-64 and Thailand in 1965-67. He assumed his final assignment as deputy assistant chief of staff at Fort Sam Houston in June 1967.
An old-time horse fair was to be held in conjunction with the annual Independence Day celebration at Round Top. The fair was to begin at 11 a.m. on Friday in the Fricke pasture and continue until all the horses were sold. Although no commission was to be charged, there was an entry fee of $2 per horse, with the exception of stallions. The entry fee for them was $5.
Fayetteville native L.A. Kucera, the president of Liberty Savings Association of Houston, was elected to a three-year term as a director of the Texas Savings and Loan League.
Texas public school teachers on the state minimum salary schedule were to receive pay raises averaging about $1,050 in 1970- 71. Under the program, a beginning bachelor’s degree teacher in 1969-70 was paid $593 per month for nine months or $5,337 per year.
On Saturday, June 20, at 3 p.m., Aileen Ruth Wied, the daughter of Mr. Henry Wied and the late Mrs. Henry Wied, and Lloyd G. Loehr, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Loehr Sr., exchanged vows in a double-ring ceremony in St. Paul Lutheran Church in La Grange with the Rev. Walter C. Probst officiating. Registering the guests was Miss Rosemary Sagebiel of Seguin. Mrs. W.A. Jaster provided the wedding music. The soloist, Miss Linda Frerichs, sang “O Perfect Love” and the “Wedding Prayer.” The bride, given in marriage by her father, wore a floor-length gown of bridal satin. The bodice of the empire style gown was covered with Calais lace accented with tiny pearls. Serving her sister as maid of honor was Miss Frances Wied of La Grange. Other bridal attendants were: Misses Debra Wied of Austin; Helen Frerichs, Janet Loehr and Mrs. J.C. Spacek Jr., all of La Grange. They wore floorlength gowns of viva pink satin covered with mist chiffon, also in the empire style. The best man was Oliver Prieve of College Station and the groomsmen were Harley Wied Jr. and Timmie Thomason of Austin; and Robert Frerichs and J.C. Spacek Jr. of La Grange. Usher duties were ably performed by Donald Mayer, Billy Loehr and Mark Quinn of La Grange and James Frerichs of Austin. The reception was held in the Round Top American Legion Hall. For her going away attire, the bride chose a pink A-line dress with matching white accessories, accented by an orchid corsage from her wedding bouquet.
Funeral services were held for: Mrs. Lillie Veith, 68, of New Ulm; Rudolph Minarcik Sr., 69, of Fayetteville; Norma Bauer, 87, a native of Swiss Alp; Elo A. Ilse, 74, of La Grange; Charles F. Schlottmann, 82, of La Grange; Mrs. Millie Karstedt, 87, of La Grange; and Edgar P. “Nookie” Rosenberg, 64, of La Grange.
One day after the House overrode President Nixon’s veto of the $1.25 billion hospital construction bill, word was received that Fayette Memorial Hospital’s $200,000 grant was being approved.
La Grange elementary and junior high teacher Mrs. Leola K. Tiedt of La Grange acted as a consultant at a German workshop for elementary and junior high teachers conducted by East Texas State University at Commerce. The purpose of the meeting was to make German accessible to those teachers who had little or no training in foreign languages.
Named a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, the historic La Grange library building was to receive a Texas Historical Building Medallion and an interpretive plate giving a capsule history of the structure.
U.S. Air Force Technical Sergeant Jess L. Collins, the son of Artie Collins Sr. of La Grange, was on duty at Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand. Sgt. Collins was an aircraft equipment technician assigned to the 432nd Field Maintenance Squadron.
Cadet Ronald L. Herzik, 21, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Leon V. Herzik of Schulenburg, was receiving six weeks of practical application in military leadership at the Army Reserve Officers Training Corps’ advanced summer camp at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma.
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