The Cherokeean. (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 125, No. 42, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 12, 1974 Page: 1 of 12
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Merc i U i cent, r
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Volume 125
Number 42
The Cherokeean
Texas' oldest weekly newspaper, established as the Cherokee Sentinel, Feb. 27, 1850
Rusk, Texas, Thursday, December 12, 1974
14c Per Issue
12 Pages
'Round
TOWN
|
1
I
With Mrs. Roundabout
When you read this (and
hopefully, you will!), it may be
with your morning cup of
coffee, coffee break, after
supper or bed-time, but
whatever the time you read, let
us identify the time of writing.
It's late at night. Being a
nocturnal type of person, not
by choice but by circum-
stances-because the late hours
offer a quietness not found in
the hectic work day,
punctuated eternally by prob-
lems and interruptions-it is
soothing to the writer to stop
and listen to the Trmer Sciiig.
The Inner Being says,
"Listen to the sounds of the
softly falling rain. Try not to
dwell on thoughts of the
discomfort such weather
brings to the animal beings
who by nature must accept it.
think of it as an earth renewal
process. Without the rain,
we as a planet, would soon
perish."
Sometimes, some of us think
we are doomed to perish, rain
not withstanding. We are
confronted with crises of all
sorts. So much so, that it
interferes with our natural
functions as a people,
community and nation.
Especially is it an agonizing
era of existence when we stop
to consider that we are
approaching a holiday season
which has meaning and
tradition-binding ties with the
past~now suffering erosion.
Take comfort from the
knowledge that you are a
Person. You do have a coping
mechanism-an inherent abili-
ty to adjust, innovate and
reach solutions to problems
and crises. And all of this is to
say that whatever your crisis
of the moment may be-oil
shortage, rising cost of living
or the scarcity of babysitters--
people have a way of resolving
problems.
Christmas can be what we
want it to be. And the yule
season opened in Rusk last
weekend with literally hun-
dreds of persons participating
in one way or another. A
special "Ihank you" to the
Quarterback Club for its
generous sponsorship of the
Girls Basketball Tournament
(the Boys team hosts one this
weekend supported by the QB
Club), the Kiwanis Club's
members for sponsorship of
the Pancake Supper and the
Sepcial Activities Committee
of the Rusk Chamber of
Commerce for another highly
successful Christmas parade.
Thousands have registered for
the more than $1,700 in gifts to
be given away here Dec. 21, a
project of the Chamber's
Retail and Trade Committee.
And in various ways, thous-
ands have given of time and
effort to help the less fortunate.
This is what Christmas really
means-People helping People.
+ See ROUNDABOUT, Pg. 12
BUY FIRST TICKETS-Judge and Mrs. J. W. Summers
purchase the first two tickets to the annual banquet for the Rusk
Chamber of Commerce from Mrs. Mary Moore, chamber
secretary. The banquet will feature "Happy" Shahan as guest
speaker and will be held Jan. 9 at the New Southern Motor Hotel.
-staff photo
Perkins Named Chamber
President For 1975
James I. Perkins was
nominated for the office of
president of the Rusk Chamber
of Commerce by that organiza-
tion's board of directors
Monday.
The slate of officials,
approved by acclamation as
submitted by the nominating
committee, included Bill Hol-
land, first vice president; Joe
Ray Ocker, second vice
president; Lewie Byers,
treasurer and Mrs. Mary
Buchanan and JoEd Anderson,
directors. These persons com-
prise the executive committee
for the Chamber.
President Joe Terrell pre-
sided at the luncheon-business
meeting in the Pineview
Restaurant and asked for
committee reports.
No Brush Pickup
During Holidays
The City of Rusk will not
operate brush pick-up Wed-
nesday, Dec. 25 or Wednesday,
Jan. 1. Pickup will resume
Wednesday, Jan. 8.
Garbage will be picked up on
the regular days. Residents
should put out garbage for
pickup by 8 a.m. on Dec. 24.
i'
County Commissioners Authorize Action
On Cherokee County Airport Project
NEW MISS MERRY CHRISTMAS IS
CROWNED-Miss Joy Wick, I97:i Miss Merry
Christmas, places the crown on new honoree
for 1974, Miss April Whitney. Miss Debbie
Dyesi, standing second from left, was third
place winner and Miss ( indi Osterhoul. right
was second place winner In the contest held
during the Christmas parade Friday. Miss
W hitney was sponsored by the Cherokee Civic
Theatre; Miss Osterhout by the Rusk lllgh
School Junior Class and Miss Dyess by Fast
Side Baptist Church. -staff photo
Prior to committee reports,
minutes of the last meeting
were approved along with bills
for payment.
Special recognition was
given the eight new directors
whose terms begin in January:
Winford Black, J.M. Boone,
Don Crysup, E.R. Gregg, Mrs.
Johnnie Miller, Charles Nix-
son, Joe Ray Ocker and Clyde
Weaver.
New Doctor
Announced
For RSH
The employment of a new
Clinical Director for Rusk
State Hospital was announced
Wednesday morning by Dr.
Robert Sheldon, hospital
superintendent.
Dr. John D. White of Big
Spring will assume his duties
here the second week of
January. He replaces Dr. Felix
Peebles who is joining the staff
of the Deep East Texas Mental
Health Association in Lufkin.
Dr. White has been in charge
of the Outpatient Clinic at Big
Spring State Hospital. Prior to
that he was in Ohio as a
resident psychiatrist.
The new clinical director is
married and he and his wife,
Mary, have a 12-year-old
daughter, Debbie.
Dr. White has served as
superintendent of Muscatatuck
State School and Training
Center in North Vernon,
Indiana; superintendent of the
Macomb Regional Retardate
Center in Macomb County,
Michigan; superintendent of
the Hospital for the Mentally
Retarded in Georgetown, Dela-
ware and is listed in Who's Who
in America.
Of his visit to Rusk and the
hospital Saturday Dr. White
said, "I'm certainly looking
forward to joining the staff of
Rusk State Hospital and
becoming part of the progres-
sive program I observed on my
recent visit."
NOTICE
The Rusk School Board will
meet at 7 p.m., Monday in the
Administration Building on the
Junior High School campus.
The Cherokee County Com-
missioners Court has author-
ized publication of a public
notice advertising the oppor-
tunity for a public hearing on
Cherokee County airport reno-
vations.
The actiori came in regular
Court session Monday. Gerry
Rudd, engineer for the airport
project, told the commission-
ers that no public hearing
would be necessary if no
responses to the notice were
received.
The Federal Aviation Ad-
ministration has given the
county permission to leave
aircraft hangars where they
are now situated. The elimina-
tion of this moving of buildings,
plus less work required on
earthwork and less land
acquisition required has low-
ered the cost of the first phase
improvements to around
$414,000.
Improvements included in
the first phase are the
extension of paved runway to
4,000 feet with an overrun and
land acquisition to allow future
extension to 5,000 feet; some
leveling and resurfacing of
present runway areas; instal-
lation of medium intensity
runway lights; installation of
Visual Approach Slope
Indicator; relocation of the
airport access road.
In other action Monday, the
commissioners okayed the
purchase of anew GMC pickup
truck for use in precinct 4. A
bid of $2,195 with trade-in was
accepted from Augustine Mo-
tors. Commissioners also au-
thorized the payment of
hospital bill of $198.55 for a jail
prisoner who had been hospi-
talized while in custody.
The Court denied permission
to use the District Courtroom
or other Courthouse facility for
church services, saying that
facilities were not available to
accommodate all denomina-
tions. The request came from
the Rev. Charlie James, who
said he wanted to start a new
work and desired use of the
District Courtroom. The com-
missioners indicated that sim-
ilar requests were pending or
expected and that the County
could not serve them all.
"We've had abuse of the rest
rooms, corridors, and halls,"
said Judge Orvan B. Jones.
"Not by the groups using the
building, but by vandals." He
said the Courthouse had even
been burglarized "by reason of
leaving the Courthouse open."
The County also has to assume
the expense of overtime pay
for a custodian when the
building is open, he said.
Items mentioned to be taken
up at the next meeting of the
Court on Dec. 23 include
discussion on the extension of a
contract for minibus operation
for the county nutrition
program; discussion of recom-
mendations on jail renovations
by Grayson Gill, architect for
the project; and a review of the
status of the airport project.
Judge Jones said that he had
advised a meeting of Tax
Assessor-Collector Linda
Beard, Gordon Ward of Gregg
County Tax Office and a
representative of Pritchard-
Ahbott, assessing firm to
determine what tax informa-
City Takes Little Action,
Hears Phone, Cable Reports
Little official action was
taken by the Rusk City Council
in a two hour, 15 minute
meeting Tuesday night in City
Hall. More than 15 minutes o!
the meeting was spent in
executive session where appar-
ently no action was taken since
no mention of the session was
made when the meeting
resumed, open to the pi r>ss.
Woodie Frazier of General
Telephone Company returned
to the meeting concerning a
rate increase which was Tiled
with council in September.
Frazier was back this month
after action was deferred by
the council at their November
meeting.
"I have little to add to what
was said last month," reported
Frazier. "1 will stress the
urgency of working something
out to be fair to the customers
and the company." Council-
man Johnny Williams said he
thought "you were going to
lower the rates some." Frazier
told him, "the only figures I
have are the ones in the
brochure which I supplied you
last month."
Christmas
Program Set
RHS Choir
By
The Rusk High School Choir
will present a program of
Christmas music at 9 a.m.,
Tuesday, Dec. 17 in the Rusk
High School gymnasium. The
choir will be directed by the
school instructor, Mrs. Gloria
Dotson.
Solos will be presented by
Miss Lucy Hunter, Steve
Slover and Miss Nancy
Lindley. The RHS Triple Trio
will sing "No Room at the Inn"
and the Chamber Singers will
present two numbers, "And So
It Was" and "Gloria."
The entire choir will sing a
variety of selections, including
"No Golden Carriage, No
Bright Toy," "Carol of the
Bells," "Come Peace of God."
Mayor Morris Hassell asked
Frazier to supply the council
with a breakdown of General
Telephone's revenue and prop-
erty evaluations for the City of
Rusk only. The figures
supplied in the brochure last
month covered Rusk and a
10-mile radius.
Councilman Hunter told
Frazier he wanted some
guarantee of maintenance here
in Rusk without going through
Jacksonville for a work order.
Frazier explained, "The only
control we have is through
operator service. All employ-
ees are union labor and service
calls after hours must be
centralized."
Gene Kelley, chairman of the
Rusk City Park Board, stated,
"There is one thing I want the
phone company and the council
to be made aware of. We
conducted a land swap with
Clyde Phillips to provide land
to Parks and Wildlife for the
conslruction of a maintenance
complex for the Texas State
Railroad. One of the reasons
Mr. Phillips agreed to swap
was that General Telephone
assured the park board and the
City Council that the Phillips
family could have a telephone
at the new location. Now this
project has apparently been
delayed considerably and this
puts the Park Board and the
City Council in a very
embarrassing position. We
assured this man he would
+ See CITY COUNCIL, Pg. 12
Monday Last Day
For Santa Letters
Letters to be mailed to Santa
will be accepted at the office of
Whitehead Enterprises
through Monday, Dec. 16.
children should bring the letter
to the office for the fastest
mailing to Santa. However,
letters mailed through the
Rusk Post Office will also
reach Santa.
tion each agency should
furnish under the new tax
program. He said (lie Court
should be able lo hear a report
of that meeting at (he next
session.
Bills for payment included
more than $450 in overtime pay
for Sheriff's deputies Deputies
with overtime included James
Spurgers, 91 hours; Hill
Cribbs, 35'i> hours; Mill
Griffith, 771 - hours; and John
David Lewis, 42 hours Each is
paid $1.90 an hour for
overtime.
The county issued checks for
118 wolves killed in the county
during November.
Present for the meeting were
Judge Jones; Terry Perkins,
precinct 4; Joe Henderson,
precinct :¡; Bertis Watson,
precinct I; Pete James,
precinct 2; "Toby" Sartain,
newly-elected commissioner in
precinct 2 who will replace the
retiring James; and Mrs.
Mildred Fulton, county clerk.
Rusk Cantata
Set Dec. 15
"God's Love Gift," a
Christmas cantata will be
presented at 7 p.m. Dec. 15 in
Rusk's First United Methodist
Church. Mrs. Gloria Dotson
will direct the musical presen-
tation.
The Cantata will be broad-
cast on KTLU at 10 a.m.,
Monday, Dec. Hi.
Members of the First Baptist
Church will sing in the choir.
First Baptist dismissed its own
services that evening to allow
its members to attend the
cantata.
Following the cantata, re-
freshments will be served in
the church fellowship hall. A
special surprise for children is
planned.
Another special Christmas
musical program will be
presented during the Sunday
evening service, Dec 22 at
First Baptist Church. A special
Christmas Choir of adults and
teenagers will sing several
numbers. Various soloists will
be featured, as well as the
triple trio of Rusk High School.
Jim Bob Griffin will lead
congregational singing Read-
ings of Christmas scripture
from the Bible will also be part
of the program.
"BELLES, BEAUS AND MISTLETOE"~The youth of First
United Methodist Church depicted the parade theme of "Bells,
Bows and Mistletoe," with a different twist. The float won the
youth first place and prize money of 175 for their efforts in
Friday's parade. Standing center of the float is Miss Janet
Townsend, the group's Miss Merry Christmas contestant.
-staff photo
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The Cherokeean. (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 125, No. 42, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 12, 1974, newspaper, December 12, 1974; Rusk, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth151100/m1/1/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Singletary Memorial Library.