REMEMBER WHEN?

50 Years Ago

Oct. 1-5, 1971

Fayette County Sheriff T. J. Flournoy said his department had apprehended 13 runaway kids between the ages of 12 to 15 years, during September. The sheriff couldn’t figure out why the youths had run away because they all stated they had no place in particular to go. He also noted he was keeping the sheriff’s office open until midnight or 1 a.m. on Saturday nights because there were eight to 10 dances all over the county. Since he only had three deputies working, it was impossible to send a deputy to police all of these dances, but if trouble came up, it didn’t take long for an officer to get there. Sheriff Flournoy said any other night of the week his deputies were free to work a dance on their own time if they wanted to do so.

Two Houston area youngsters were taken into custody in La Grange midday Wednesday, ending a short-lived hooky adventure. The lads, ages 13 and 14, of Bellaire, Texas, told sheriff’s officers they left Houston at 8:30 a.m. and hitchhiked as far as La Grange. They said they were headed for Waco. The boys were carrying a big jug of ice water along with cans of salmon, tamales and pork and beans. Their parents came late in the day to take them home.

Saturday window service and parcel post delivery at post offices across the nation was being eliminated. However, regular Saturday post office box holder and carrier service, both city and rural, were to continue. Parcel post deliveries made to city addresses and those living on rural free delivery routes would go on as they had in the past.

According to La Grange city secretary Margaret S. Mason, 25 building permits totaling $303,082 were issued during the third quarter of 1971. The total for the year stood at $795,100. The largest item in the July-September tally was a $192,750 permit issued for the new addition to The First National Bank of La Grange. The second biggest entry, $40,000, was for William Droemer’s new commercial building that would house Bill’s Dollar Store.

Rutersville Hermann Sons Lodge N. 152 observed its diamond jubilee at the Hermann Sons Lodge Hall with many guests from the grand lodge in attendance. A delicious meal of barbecued beef and sausage, potatoes, green beans, cabbage slaw, peaches, tea, coffee and cake was enjoyed at the 60th anniversary meal. Music throughout the afternoon was furnished by the Ellinger Combo. The lodge was founded on Sept. 27, 1896. The 14 pioneer members were: J.H. Wessels, George Wolle, Karl Tielsch, Gerhard D. Wessels, Karl Eckel, Karl Eckel Sr., Karl Schreiber, Dietrich Schroeder, Leopold Brunner, Ernst Bruno Striegnitz, Bernard Luebsen, Wilhelm Moellenberg, Karl Fiebig and Emil Schott.

Funeral services were held for: Edward Krupala, 75, of St. John; Fred Sklar, 69, of Ellinger; Raymond Kahanek, 61, a native of Schulenburg; and Oather E. Shafer, 67, of La Grange.

At the Fayette County Bar Association meeting, Don Blansitt was elected president and John D. Marburger, secretary-treasurer. Ten attorneys were practicing in the towns of Schulenburg, Flatonia and La Grange at that time.

Gus F. Lindemann was being honored for his outstanding achievement at the Farmers Insurance Group Topper Club Convention at Fountainhead Lodge near Checotah, Oklahoma.

The annual Oktoberfest Antique Fair at Round Top was scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 2-3 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Rifle Association Hall. Exhibits of 25 antique dealers would be on display, as well as room settings for English and American furniture. One booth was featuring art deco items. In conjunction with the show, restored Round Top area structures would be open for tours and Houston painter Travis Whitfield was holding a one-man show at Henkel Square.

Mr. and Mrs. Henry Wubbenhorst celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Sunday, Sept. 26 with an open house at the VFW Home in La Grange. Mr. and Mrs. Wubbenhorst were married on Sept. 25, 1921, in St. John Lutheran Church at Warrenton. They had lived their entire wedded lives in the Warrenton community. Their four children were: Warren of Fayetteville and Lloyd, Ivan and Mrs. Bobby (Virgene) Hardy of Houston.

Cadet Scott L. Smith, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Jesse L. Smith of La Grange, was one of more than 1,050 cadets entering his sophomore year at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado. Cadet Smith was to be commissioned a second lieutenant and awarded a BS degree upon graduation from the academy in 1974. He was a 1970 graduate of La Grange High School.

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