When alcohol products were poured out at the jail

Today is Monday April 15,2013. The birthdays for the week are: Apr. 15: Clifford Ray Lowe, Karen Bowlin, Kristi Ihlo, Rodney Schmutz and Monica Motley. It was the birthday of Louise Wilburn and Lois Barbee. It is the wedding anniversary of Mr. Wayne and Ava Lane Christian.

Apr. 16: Doug Lampley, Shirley Parker, Charles Eberenz. It was the birthdays of Libby Batson, Mrs. L.C. Eddins, Beverly Hurst and Clyde Lyles.

Apr. 17: Virginia Yarborough. It was the birthday of Dutch Martin.

Apr. 18: Annette Bigger. It was the birthday of Aline Harris, Gene McSwain, Tony Keele and Monroe Chandler.

Apr. 19: Ginger Hagler, Ronald Gewin, Bill Brown and Laura Leigh Bounds.

Apr. 20: Joshua Cooper, Vernell Collum Goings. It was the birthdays of Noggie Smith and Pug Yarborough.

Apr. 21: Lareid Oates, John Lee Howard, Tula Alford Browning and Mavis Carter.

Apr. 22: Curtis Menefee, Howard Sanders. It was the birthday of Linda Meeks and Charles Nutt.

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In one of Ann Landers’ columns she wrote, “My mail over the years reflects a stronger bond between people and their cats than with their dogs.”

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The annual CHS scholarship awards is to be held on May 16. There will be numerous scholarships presented to the seniors who applied for one.

I’d like to know if there are any seniors interested in a journalism career. You either know you are or not. I think the printer’s ink comes with you from the start. I have certainly enjoyed my life with it and looks like it isn’t over yet. But one piece of advice, “Choose the career you like, work with it and you’ll never work a day again in life.” It’ll be fun and a challenge each day that you look forward to.

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I have failed to see these CHS alumni at the annual gathering of alumni: Robert Reed and wife Tommy Vesta Baker Reed. They had been faithful to attend up to two years ago.

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And do you remember while in school that a man and wife were traveling Bible teachers who visited the schools and taught Bible stories? She used a big flannel board to display Bible characters and places. I can’t think of their name right now, but if I think on it, maybe the name will pop up.

“Oleys!” The name just popped up.

They were well known in churches and schools during an era in the last century.

Bro. B. B. Crim’s name as a traveling evangelist with his big circus tent remained popular for a long time.

Billy Graham’s name will remain a long time.

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I talked with Marjorie Hooks on the telephone several days ago. She is still doing fine and has good care around the clock. Her two devoted daughters June Lynn and Montie see that their mother is given the best of care.

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I do appreciate all the cards, letters, flowers, boxes of candy, phone calls and gifts. Also, your prayers and concern. You understand why I can’t have company. My heart becomes stressed at the smallest activity. Becky Maidic is one of my best friends, but we haven’t seen each other in several months, maybe six months. We talk on the phone every day and she tells me of the “hellos” sent me.

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I wonder what becomes of the drug marijuana and cocaine that is stored for evidence when it is found on someone.

Really, if they burn the dope think of the smell. But what does become of it?

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I remember seeing whiskey and other alcohol products opened and poured out in the street in front of the jail which was at that time on the south side of the square.

The fire truck and firemen kept flushing it away with big water hoses.

It seems the storage room was crammed full of the alcohol products and that was the way they got rid of them. Jess Sample was Sheriff then.

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Right quick! How many elevators can you count in down-town Center? I’ve counted 7. There may be more.

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When I need to smile at something of the past, I think of the time that Mrs. Hap Rogers gave her two little boys, Bill and John, and their first cousin Louis Muldrow a big box of her freshly baked cookies to take to the soldier boys on maneuvers near their home during World War II.

The training was being done all over Shelby County and one unit was camped back of the Rogers’ home in the woods now known as John C. Rogers Drive. No houses were there then.

The three little boys approached the resting soldiers, and one soldier asked them “What do you boys want?”

Bill replied, “We’ve come to see the general.”

“Why?” they were asked. Bill replied, “We’ve brought him some cookies.”

Of course, several of the boys claimed to be the general.

The soldiers enjoyed the cookies, and I’m sure, wished for more. Mrs. Bill Rogers had a number of the books that her husband wrote about the Shelby County maneuvers. She may have a few left. This cookie story is told at length along with many others in the book.

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I researched and found that in 1893 there were nine ferries in our Shelby County area.

I remember watching a ferry in use when I was quite small which was in operation on the Sabine River about 1915 or 1916. Now I’ve forgotten how the barge was pulled across, was it with horses?

The ferries I have listed are Kerr’s Ferry, Sayes near Joaquin, Rachey Ford on Attoyac River, Carr Crossing on Attoyac, Myrick’s Ferry, Ashton Ferry, Dock Truits Crossing, Cotton Ford, Darnell’s Ferry and Pendleton Ferry.

They charged a fee for a person just wanting to go to the other side and a fee for a horse and carriage.

Many years later we sat in a car while being towed on Boliver’s Ferry in Galveston.

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Center is served by U.S. Highway 96 and by State Highways 7 and 87.

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In 1960 Shelby County, Texas recorded 5,153 births and 2,274 deaths.

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In 1963, there were 20 million broilers in Shelby County. I wonder what the count is now.

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I’m listening to a freight train whistle as it passes through the stop lights on Shelbyville Street.

There are short and long whistles that mean something. If you know please write and tell me and I will put it in this column.

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At one time when we had the last siren to alert us about a town fire, there was a certain number of blasts to denote which street the fire was on.

Prior to that information we telephoned the phone operator and asked, “where is the fire?” She also gave us the time of day when asked.

I wonder if the three telephone girls who I remember know any of these things. A newspaper writer could get a good story on these old time operators by checking with Odell Lane Harrison, Marie Humphries or Grover Cook Hicks. There may be other operators still living.

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What was a bowl of chili called at Jess and Bob’s? The waiters took the order, then yelled something entirely different back to the kitchen. They had names for other foods. Soda jerkers also had other names for their soda fountain menu.

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Mattie