REMEMBER WHEN?
50 Years Ago
April 23-30, 1971
Bohot-Todd, Inc. was offering a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a vandal or vandals who shot out headlights and windshields on cars parked on the company’s back lot. Harvey Bohot of the Pontiac-Oldsmobile dealership said $300 to $400 worth of damage had been caused by an air rifle.
Allen Campbell, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Campbell, killed a 35-inch coral snake near his parents’ home south of town Wednesday night. Allen, who was driving toward town on the Camp Lone Star Road when he spied the snake on the right-of-way, stopped and clubbed it.
Deposits for La Grange’s two banks zoomed past $21 million at the first quarter bank call, setting another record. The First National Bank of La Grange reported deposits on April 20 of $11,356,899.35, while La Grange State Bank had deposits of $9,932,007.87
The Brenham magic – or something – continued to hang over the La Grange Leopards when the Cubs from Washington County and the Leps squared off at Fair Park here Tuesday night. The Leps outhit the invaders, 8 to 4, but Brenham won the District 10-3A baseball game, 7-4. The Leps finally broke the ice in its half of the inning with a brace. Frank Kana got aboard via an error. Buddy Grobe and John Mode singled and Bubba Riehs doubled for the two La Grange markers. In the fifth, Ricky Kana got on when the leftfielder dropped his skier, advanced on Frank Kana’s bingle and scored on a passed ball.
La Grange High School students picked up five first places and added seven other placings to emerge as runners-up in the District 10-3A literary meet at Brenham’s Blinn College. La Grange High School first place winners were: girls’ poetry interpretation, Martha Janssen; slide rule, Kenneth Eilert; number sense, Charles Mayer; ready writing, Catherine Smith; and spelling and plain writing, Katherine Urban.
Donna Lisa Wallace, who represented Fayette County in The Houston Chronicle’s 1971 East Texas Spelling Bee, made it through five rounds. However, she was eliminated after misspelling the word ‘easel.’
A group of concerned citizens of the Church of Christ in La Grange in cooperation with the Capitol Area Council, Boy Scouts of America, sponsored a second Boy Scout troop in La Grange.
The Alamo Area Tuberculosis and Respiratory Disease Association’s mobile x-ray unit was coming to La Grange on Thursday, June 10 to take chest x-rays. Because of increased costs, it was suggested that adults donate $1 and children 50¢ for the service. However, no one would be turned away.
Judy Chovanec, a Sacred Heart School seventh grade student, was the first place winner in the fire prevention poster contest held in connection with the semiannual convention of the Guadalupe Valley District Firemen’s Association.
Ray Pazderny was elected president of the Fayetteville Lions Club.
On Sunday, April 18, the Winchester Cemetery was recognized by the Texas State Historical Survey Committee for its centennial year of existence. Colonel Nathan Thomas (1809-1881), a former Republic of Texas Congressman and legislative leader, donated the burial site in 1871. Forty-four members organized the original cemetery association. Many pioneer families from Ingram Prairie, the former name for Winchester, had been interred at the burial ground.
Funeral services were held for: Orel F. Speed, 75, of Muldoon; Mrs. Martha Havemann, 81, a lifelong Fayette County resident; Joe J. Stibora, 62, of Ellinger; Mrs. Margaret Oeding, 81, of Ammannsville; Mrs. Rosa Meinardus, 81, of Waldeck; Leon J. Hoppe, 77, of Carmine; Elton G. Wessels, 74, a La Grange native; and Mrs. Marie Bartos, 92, of Ammannsville.
A fire that swept over more than 200 acres of woods seven miles east of Bastrop on State Hwy. 21 damaged more than $100,000 worth of stately pines.
Several La Grange linksmen were minus their golf clubs due to the burglary on Thursday night or early Friday morning of a storage building adjacent at the Fritsch Auf! Valley Country Club. Taken in the break-in were two sets of clubs owned by Mr. and Mrs. D.A. Blankenship, two sets that were the property of Dr. and Mrs. D.R. Taylor and one set that belonged to George Stavinoha.
Timothy Muras of High Hill, who had the grand champion steer at the 1971 Bishop Forest 4-H Club Show, sold the 980-pound Charolais-cross to Oakridge Smokehouse Restaurant for a record $400 premium. The grand champion fat hog weighing 240 pounds was exhibited by Marcus Hartensteiner of Dubina. It sold at auction to J&B Sausage Company of Waelder for a $210 premium. Michael Schmidt of High Hill had the grand champion lamb, a 130-pound animal bid in by the Fayette County Roundup Club for a $255 premium.
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