REMEMBER WHEN?
50 Years Ago from the files of The Fayette County Record
April 9-13, 1971
Fifteen officers, including Fayette County Sheriff T.J. Flournoy, converged on a Galena Park pawnshop near Houston shortly after 8 a.m. on Monday. They reclaimed several thousand dollars’ worth of tools and other items taken in school burglaries in Fayette and other counties. Sheriff Flournoy was able to identify and recover about half of what had been stolen from the vocational school in La Grange and a little over half of what had been taken from the Schulenburg school. Practically all of the tools, most of them electric, that the Weimar school had lost in a similar burglary were also recovered. The sheriff said he had never seen so many tools in one place at one time. There was still a lot left even after other officers had picked up items belonging to the area schools. The thieves said a tape recorder they had stolen from the Distributive Education classroom in La Grange was later stolen from their apartment.
In a special session, the La Grange City Council unanimously voted to clamp down on stray dogs roaming the town. Effective in 50 days, dogs without collars and vaccination tags would be picked up and impounded for 72 hours. If unclaimed in three days and impoundment and vaccination fees were not paid, the dogs would be destroyed. The council took the action after receiving numerous reports and complaints about the stray dog menace, including a statement from a local lady who had been attacked and bitten.
Funeral services were held for: Charles A. Selzler, 25, a former La Grange resident; Anton J. Wick, 75, of Schulenburg; Reinhard J. Winkler, 59, a native of Schulenburg; Mrs. Cora Cockrill, 87, of Cistern; Mrs. Martha Ahlhorn, 80, of Warrenton; Mrs. Tillie Koehl, 79, of Ellinger.
Private First Class Claude L. Mazoch, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Ladis Mazoch of Ammannsville, who joined the U.S. Marines on Oct. 28, 1970, had received nine weeks of basic training at the Marine Corps Depot in San Diego, California, and 12 weeks of advanced training at Camp Pendleton, California. PFC Mazoch was a graduate of Bishop Forest High School in Schulenburg.
La Grange area rancher John Wilson was elected president of the Fayette County Fair Association for the coming year. He succeeded Lloyd Kolbe, who had guided the association through two successful fairs. Dick Edwards was named first vice president and Milton Koenning of Winchester, second vice president. Aubrey D. (Red) Voelkel was again serving as secretary-treasurer. Newly elected to the board were Lee Mueller and Walter Van Wort of West Point. Holdover board members included Atlan M. Citzler, A.H. Spacek, George Keith, Kenny L. Stork, Joe Greive of Flatonia, Frankie Joe Cernosek of Schulenburg and Clarence Wagner.
Michael (Mike) Klesel was elected president of the La Grange Junior Chamber of Commerce. Klesel, a local attorney, succeeded Dr. Jack Schwake as head of the Jaycees.
The stiffest competition in the annual Fayette County 4-H elimination contests was in the public speaking event. Diana Schulz took first, Treva Mayer came in second and Eileen Mikus placed third.
Donna Lisa Wallace, 12, a sixth grade student at Hermes Elementary School, was the Fayette County champion in The Houston Chronicle’s 1971 Spelling Bee. Donna, who aspired to be a lawyer, was to compete in the big spelldown in Houston. Other finalists for the local honor were: Ann Schmidt of Fayetteville, Charles Hensel of La Grange and Eileen Matocha of Fayetteville.
H&R Block Co. advertised its tax preparers would complete tax returns while you waited for $5 and up.
Mr. and Mrs. William E. Hunger celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary with a beef barbecue supper at the Round Up Hall in La Grange. Miss Louise Byler, the daughter of Mrs. Nettie Byler, and William Hunger, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Emil Hunger, were married on April 5, 1946, at the Philadelphia Lutheran Church at Swiss Alp by the Rev. F.E. Eilers. Their attendants, Mrs. Leroy Riehs, who was Mrs. Hunger’s twin sister, and Benno Lueders of Austin, were present at the anniversary party.
Bohot-Todd, Inc. in La Grange advertised a choice of 50 different 1971 Pontiac Ventura II two-wheel drive cars at $2,495.
Ludvik M. Chovanec was sworn in as Fayetteville’s new postmaster.
Working under the supervision of Bybee Enterprises craftsman Ed Lueckemeyer, Marvin Jaeger built a novel public telephone booth on the square in Round Top that had a revolving door. It was constructed of native cedar that was grown, sawed and treated in the area. Hugo Heins was the electrician and Colorado Valley Telephone Cooperative provided the service for the project that was a joint effort of the Do Your Duty Club and interested citizens.
The fourth annual Winedale Spring Festival was scheduled at the University of Texas Winedale Inn Properties on April 16, 17 and 18.
Lincke Floor Co. advertised Penn Manor, a popular two-level, high fashion swirl pattern of Armstrong Carpet in 11 decorator colors, installed over a 7/16-inch pad for $5.69 a yard.
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