REMEMBER WHEN?
50 Years Ago from The Fayette County Record
September 24-28, 1971
It appeared that those responsible for a break-in at a ranch house two miles west of Muldoon were going to have a real picnic and eat high off the hog. However, the caper was no picnic for the owner whose loss totaled something like $1,350. Deputy Sheriff Walter Chernosky said the break-in had occurred the previous Friday. Entry was made by smashing a front bedroom window with a brick, then reaching through to release the latch. Among the items missing were: all the meat from the deepfreeze, a picnic basket, portable TV set, two rifles and a quantity of shells, a variety of fishing tackle, bedspreads, drapes, bath towels, bath sets and bath mats and brass candlesticks, plus other articles.
A tractor and a tractor shed were destroyed by fire Tuesday afternoon about two miles south of West Point. Ed Curtis was refueling the tractor with gasoline on the Dr. James T. Makinson farm when the can apparently slipped from his hand. It struck the battery and set off a spark that ignited the fuel. Mr. Curtis, who was Mrs. Makinson’s father, singed his hand and arm, but did not require medical aid.
La Grange schools were complying with federal guidelines on desegregation and good progress was being made in integration, according to superintendent C.A. Lemmons.
A farmhouse and all its contents except one chair were destroyed by fire shortly before noon Monday about five miles north of Schulenburg. A passerby on Hwy. 77 reported that the home of Frank Schmidt was ablaze. By the time units from the Schulenburg Volunteer Fire Department arrived on the scene, little could be done to save the building. Firemen concentrated on protecting nearby out buildings. Funeral services were held for:
Funeral services were held for: Mrs. Martha K. Schellberg, 82, of La Grange; Charles W. Chovanec, 33, a native of Fayetteville; Frank Zatopek, 69, of Ellinger; Mrs. Frank (Johanna) Rauch, 89, of Walhalla; Henry Plagens, 77, of Fayetteville; and Fred Martin Sklar, 69, of Fayetteville.
Frank Polasek, a well-known La Grange man, leased the ARCO Service Station at the corner of Travis and Franklin. Having worked in service stations for 21 years, he was well versed in that business.
The Fayette Memorial Hospital Auxiliary was holding an orientation class for its existing and new members to help familiarize the ladies with the services, they, as volunteers, would perform at the hospital. Mrs. Alma Paine was to instruct the classes on patient care and nursing. Training on the operation of the switchboard also was being offered.
Midshipman Gregory T. Smith participated in exercises at the completion of his basic summer training program at the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland. Greg, a 1970 graduate of La Grange High School, attended Texas A&M University where he studied nuclear engineering for one year. He was an appointee of Congressman J.J. Pickle and one of the 1,250 to enter the academy’s class of 1975, the largest class ever. Greg had been appointed to the 300-member choir, was on the track team and in tryouts for the squash team.
Petroleum production continued to play a significant role in the economy of Fayette County with a direct input of $818,757 in 1970. According to the Texas Mid-Continent Oil & Gas Assoc., the county produced 244,127 barrels of crude oil valued at $805,619 and 89,986 cubic feet of natural gas valued at $13,138. Fayette County, which ranked 174th in value of petroleum produced, was one of 187 Texas counties with production valued at more than $125,000. In addition, county landowners and others with mineral interests received $102,345 in royalty payments.
Earl Gene Neumann was named president of the Round Top-Carmine Young Farmer Chapter for the 1971-72 term.
At the fourth annual Frisch Auf! Valley Country Club invitational tournament, 139 amateur golfers from as far away as San Antonio and Houston participated. Prizes totaling over $2,700 in value were awarded in each of the six flights to six golfers. Winners in the championship flight were: first, John Garrison Jr., Houston, 69, set of irons; second, Juno Werner, San Antonio, 70, set of woods; third, Bob Holick, Giddings, 71, golf bag and matching covers; fourth, James Heger, Weimar, 73, two dozen golf balls; fifth, Ricky Blume, La Grange, 73, custom-made putter; and sixth, Jack Yancey, Austin, 75, umbrella. (Bobby Novak, San Antonio, 75, who had tied with Jack Yancey, lost the sixth place prize by the flip of a coin.)
The Rockdale Tigers sloshed to a 27-0 lead in the first 24 minutes before La Grange’s Leopards took over in the second half to dominate play in the last two quarters, but it was too little, too late.
Oakridge Smokehouse Restaurant in Schulenburg was serving an all-you-can-eat Monday night buffet special of barbecue chicken with all the trimmings for $1.59.
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