REMEMBER WHEN?

50 Years Ago

Oct. 26-29, 1971

Justin Bartos III, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Justin V. Bartos Sr., was bitten on the right shoulder by a copperhead snake Sunday afternoon while hunting in the woods below Guenther Airport. Justin, 15, and his companion, Jimmy Guenther, were walking stooped over through underbrush when the snake struck. At first, Justin thought it was a wasp sting, but then turned and saw the snake on a low-lying branch. He killed it with his gun. Jimmy’s dad, Frank Guenther, took Justin to the airport on a tractor and then drove him to Fayette Memorial Hospital where he received emergency treatment. Justin was reported to be doing well.

Fayette County Deputy Sheriff Walter Chernosky dispatched a 35-inch coral snake with a cotton hoe about seven miles north of La Grange. Ed Bartosh flagged down Deputy Chernosky down on a country road and asked for assistance. Although Mr. Bartosh had stunned the snake with a rock, it looked like it was getting ready to crawl away. Deputy Chernosky picked up the dead snake and took it for display at Sacred Heart School.

La Grange’s Leopards forged ahead on two occasions but couldn’t manage to hold onto the advantage as the P.T. Elmore Tigers won the battle of the cats at Smiley Stadium Friday night, 35- 25. The victory, Elmore’s first of the season, set its District 10-3A mark at 1-1, while the Leps were 1-6 on the campaign and 0-2 in conference action. Two counters, one for each club, went on the scoreboards before fans settled in their seats. Buddy Grobe of the Leopards hauled in the kickoff on the LG 4, sprung right through the middle and hiked 96 yards to the promised land. Marcus Cook’s kick from placement was wide and the Tigers led, 7-6. About midway in the initial canto, Mike Williams dashed 85 yards for a seeming Elmore touchdown but it was nullified by offsetting penalties. A bit later, the Tigers punted short with the Leps taking over on the Elmore 38. Seven plays later, Larry Urban went in from the 3, a run for 2 failed, but LG was in front, 12-7.

The city council of La Grange received Texas Highway Department’s approval to attach an eightinch line on the Hwy. 71 bridge to bring water from the new well into town. However, the highway department said it would not give permission to attach a sanitary sewer line since no specific plans were in place. However, the city could leave adequate space in the waterline installation brackets for the future attachment of sewer lines. In other business, city council approved installation of yield signs on S. Monroe and E. Milam St., giving right-of-way to Milam St. from S. Franklin to S. Jackson.

Funeral services were held for: Herbert J. Kloesel, 62, of Schulenburg; August Bruening, 76, of Round Top and La Grange; Atlan D. von Minden, 59, a Fayette County native; Miss Irene H. Reiss, 79, of La Grange; Willie Logan, 81, of Ellinger; Fred Trlicek, 57, a native of Plum; Frank Pastusek, 77, a native of Ammannsville; and Robert W. Peschel, 81, of New Ulm.

The following Fayetteville Knights of Columbus received their 25-year pins: Jerome Walla, Emil V. Kovar, Frank Jurajda, Joe H. Marek and John H. Cufr Jr. Both Mr. Walla and Mr. Jurajda were from Ellinger.

Amos Pavlik was elected director of the Texas Fraternal Congress at its 71st annual convention in Abilene. A La Grange resident, Mr. Pavlik was secretary of the Czech Catholic Union of Texas (KJT).

The La Grange PTA “Miss Fayette County” (spoof) contest sponsors revealed the dozen hopefuls who had entered the 1971 contest. They were: Redwina Voelkel, Georgerine Hajovsky, Georgetta Keith, Willene Koehl, Howena Konetzke, Charlene Rose Larrimore, Howleletta Stackhouse, Jamie Dee Tiemann, Maxine McCarley, Harvetta Dippel, David Ann Boothman and Charlette Ebel. All entrants were to perform their unique talents on stage in his bid for the Miss Fayette County crown.

Navy Commander L.D. Nagel, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Donald Nagel of Round Top, was one of 204 specially selected senior officers attending the College of Naval Warfare at the US Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. The courses covered advanced education in naval warfare and related subjects.

The Colorado Valley Gauchos’ play day at the fairgrounds rodeo arena was highly entertaining. Some of the winners included: rescue race, ages 9-13, 1. Brad Schielack and Carrie Ullrich; 2. Bart Ullrich and Marianna Wallace; 3. Michael Maas and Frank Fluitt; 4. Laura Fluitt and Lucia Williams; cloverleaf barrels, ages 14-18, 1. Angela Wallace, 2. Blair Ullrich, 3. Ricky Kainer; 3. Janet Zimmermann, 5. Patty Fluitt.

An Austin American-Statesman article honored Gus. R. Herzik Jr. who hailed from Engle. He was credited with the development of most public health environmental programs in Texas in his job as Texas Health Department deputy commissioner for environmental health.

Mr. and Mrs. Emil Kana Sr. were honored on their 40th wedding anniversary with a dinner at Oakridge Restaurant in Schulenburg.

For more great stories, visit Elaine online at www.elainethomaswriter.com/blog/ or call her at 979-263-5031.