The Mercedes Enterprise (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 47, No. 23, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 7, 1962 Page: 1 of 8
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SINGLE COPY
PRICE
The Merce
M:£ 8 C E 0 £ S P*
BOX 866
CITY
3 Lie LIBS A R Y
XXH
nterprise
SINGLE COPY
PRICE
VOLUME XLVII — NO. 23
Mercedes, Texas, Thursday, June 7, 1962
$3.00 Per Year In Valley
PRODUCE DEAL BEST IN YEARS#
WAY AHEAD OF LAST YEAR
Bigger volume produce shipping by Mercedes sheds
which is leading the Mid-Valley area is injecting untold
thousands of dollars in additional payroll into the Mer-
cedes economy.
This was aparent this week after a survey of leading
growers, processers and shippers.
One big tomato shipper said his volume was running
about 80 per cent ahead of last year.
According to best available estimates, more than
1,000 truckloads of fresh produce have gone out of Mer-
cedes this spring thus far and nearly 500 railroad cars.
One observer pointed out this is a lot of fresh
vegetables.
In May alone, Missouri Pacific reported 302 railroad
cars of produce shipped from Mercedes in 1962, a gain
of almost 100 cars over the same month last year.
This would indicate mat iarmers are concentrating on
vegetables to help make up for the citrus losses from the
freeze.
This increased activity already has had a favorable
effect in Mercedes business circles. Last Saturday, it was
difficult to find a parking place in the business district
and Saturday night looked almost like Christmas eve
with crowded stores and streets.
One leading produce man said this was the best deal
he could remember in Mercedes, which for the first time
in recent years reportedly is leading Weslaco. Prices
and production have generally been good on most spring
crops including corn, tomatoes, cantaloupe, and others.
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Now & Then
By EDWIN HARVEY
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THIS IS URGENT!
A decision must be
reached on the future of the
Mercedes Chamber of Com-
merce and Board of City
Development Thursday
night.
City funds have been used
up, and there is not enough
money on hand to operate
the Chamber later than dur-
ing June.
ONE THING IS CERTAIN
The Chamber MUST NOT
be allowed to close.
It must be maintained on
some basis to provide the
numerous services required
for tourists, industrial in-
formation, coordination of
community meetings and
projects and the like.
True, the ideal solution
would be to maintain a sep-
arate staff and office in their
own quarters. But if adequate
funds are not pledged to
justify, then by all means
something should be worked
out to transfer some of the
duties of a chamber mana-
ger to the civic center man-
ager. If the chamber is al-
lowed to fold up, there would
be no provision for filing
records, history and min-
utes of the past. These de-
finitely should be transfer-
red to the civic center, the
city hall, the library or some
other agency which will be
open where reference can
be made when needed.
But even more important,
a man is needed to show
prospective industry the ad-
vantages of Mercedes, and
suggest possible locations.
This is the hour of de-
cision. The people attend-
ing this meeting Thursday
night (tonight) will decide
the future of the Chamber
and of this community.
Every business and pro-
fessional man or woman,
every landlord has a direct,
vital stake in this meeting,
not to mention even the in-
dividual property owner. And
even the large farmers
around Mercedes are affect-
ed by the Chamber program.
We join with Chamber
leaders in urging a large
turnout at the El Sombrero
to map the future
Chamber of Com-
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PART OF GROUP of supporters and friends who greeted John Connally,
successful Democratic runoff candidate, is shown here with the former
navy secretary. He was host for a free barbecue at the Stock Show
Grounds last Thursday. He is shown in center.
tonight
of the
merce.
LOCAL GIRL
TOP WINNER
AT RODEO
A Mercedes contestant,
Stephanie Dollery, was
named best all-around girl
and Joe Rios of Hebgron-
ville best all-around boy at
the annual Mercedds FFA
Youth Rodeo and Gymkhana
Friday and Saturday here.
Awards also were given
to Mr. and Mrs. Bob Mitchell
of La FeriaandMr. and Mrs.
Bob Harbout of Weslaco for
outstanding service to the
FFA chapter.
Winners in the various
events, which had some 200
entries, included:
Calf tie-down — Richard
McDonald, San Benito, first;
Rios, second; Mike Martin,
Edinburg, third.
Junior barrel race —
Stephanie Dollery, first;
Dennis Dolch, Corpus
Christi, second; Christine
Schuster, San Juan, third.
Stake race — Carol War-
nock, San Juan, first; James
Beale, La Feria, second;
Billie Spears, Edinburg,
third.
Pole bending — Miss Dol-
lery, first; Miss Warnock,
second; Helen Jordan, Mc-
Allen, third.
Barrel race — Pam Pre-
wett, Corpus Christi, first;
Miss Warnock, second; Miss
Schuster, third.
Ribbon roping — Sue
Spears, Edinburg, first;
Miss Dollery, second; Raye
Ann Finley, Mercedes, third.
Bareback bronc riding—
L. C. Timmons, first.
Break-away calf roping—
Martin, first; Scottie Buggs,
McAllen, second; Dennis
Dolch, Corpus Christi, thrid.
Steer riding — Sherry
Triplett, Edinburg, first;
Dorothy Adkins, Edinburg,
second.
Wild cow riding — David
Land and Rios, first; Jerry
Leavell and Sherwood Lucas,
second; Roy Henry and Arn-
old Martinez, third.
Beginner Classes
Will Start Earlier
The summer school for
non-English speaking chil-
dren who will enter first
grade in September will
begin at 8 a.m. June 11 at
North Elementary andWest
Elementary schools.
The date has been ad-
vanced from the previously
announced June 28 opening.
The classes will be held
from 8 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.
Monday through Friday for
eight weeks, closing Mon-
day, Aug. 6, according to
Supt. S. F. Cernosek.
Hotel Board Re-elects
Present Officers
NEW HOUSING
PROJECT SLATED
ON SOUTH TEXAS
Plans for a new four-
story public housing apart-
ment building with 30 units
to be built on Texas Ave.
across from the Post Of-
fice are being made by the
Mercedes Housing Authority
Board.
Construction of the units
already has been authorized
in W ashington.
In the complex, to be built
on a plot 200 x 160 feet now
owned by Dr. A. D. Cal-
deira and Dr. J. W. Cham-
bers, will be a large com-
munity building and office
on the Sixth street entrance.
The northern end of the prop-
erty, near the former gen-
eral hospital, will be land-
scaped and made into a park
area. These units will be
specially for elderly persons
and are expected to be ready
for occupancy by December
of 1963.
The housing authority also
has applied for 75 other 2,3
and 4-bedroom units with
possibly some 5-bedrooms
to help relocate displaced
families from the Urban Re-
newal area.
Someone said they’re re-
ferring to Gordon Leonard,
the feed and seed man, as
“Billy Sol.” Couldn’t have
anything to do with his con-
struction of a new grain
storage bin, could it?
MERCEDES ANGELS
DEFEAT SAN BENITO
The Mercedes Angels, an
independent baseball team,
defeated the San Benito Sul-
tans 11-2 recently.
Pitcher for the winning
Angels was Bobby Rod-
riguez, who appeared to have
the game sewed up until
the seventh inning. Then the
Sultans opened the eighth
with a homer and three
singles in a row for two
runs.
Angel hitters were Teddy
Robledo, Jose Sauceda, 3for
5, and Junior Jackson, Juan
Aguilar and Billy Allen,
for 4.
Two weeks ago the Angels
defeated the Harlingen
Hawks 16-2 but later the
same day went down to the
Veterans of Weslaco 7-6
The Harlingen Valeo will
play the Angels Sunday here
Dr. M. R. Lawler was
re-elected president of the
Mid - Valley Community
Motor Hotel at a regular
board meeting Tuesday
morning.
Directors were re-elected
at the annual stockholder
meeting last week.
Ewing Joins Staff
Of Central Chevrolet
T. B. “Tommy” Ewing
has been appointed sales
manager for Central Chev-
rolet Co., it was announced
by Gilson Knapp, partner and
general manager.
Mr. Ewing has been in
the automovite industry in
the Valley for over two
decades and is well known
throughout the Valley.
He has owned his own
agency and has been as-
sociated with several others
He worked for Central Chev-
rolet in the early years after
its organization.
“We certainly invite all
our friends, and specially
those of Mr. Ewing, to
drop by and say hello,
Mr. Knapp said.
Norman Nave, former
sales manager, has accepted
a position with a Ponca City
Okla., dealer.
four Local Boys
)n All-District
Four Mercedes players
have been chosen for All-
District in 16AAA baseball,
was announced this week.
These included Sherwood
Lucas, pitcher, a junior;
Lloyd Stotler, first base, a
junior; Joe Sauceda, third
.base, a senior, and Mike
Odom, right field, senior.
Their batting averages were
316, 350, 302 and 353, re-
spectively. Others on the
all - district' team were
Charles LaGrande, Rio
Grande City, pitcher; Arturo
Almendarez, Falfurrias,
pitcher; Rudy Guajardo,
catcher, PSJA; Raymond
Ibanez, second base, RGC,
Danny Seitz, PSJA, short
stop; Arthur Taylor, left
field, RGC; Poppy Rod-
riguez, PSJA, center field;
and JuanTamez, RGC, utility
player.
Mercedes coach Milton
Hild presented awards to the
Mercedes winners in a final
assembly the last week of
school.
Dedication Set
For Screw worm
Plant In Valley
Formal dedication of the
new sterile fly production
plant at Mission, headquart-
ers of the Southwestern
Eradication Program, are
scheduled for Saturday, June
16.
The new plant, located at
Moore Air Force Base, is
designed to provide 50 to
75 million sterile flies per
week. With production be-
ginning in mid-June, the first
flies from the new plant
will be released in early
July.
'We are very pleased with
construction progress at the
Mission plant,” Marvin J.
Bridges, executive director,
Southwest Animal Health Re-
search Foundation, said.
“W e will have fly production
underway ahead of the date
we orginally hoped construc-
tion would be completed.
“Early completion of the
plant will be a tremendous
boost to the program since
we will have the sterile flies
required to cover the wide
area necessary for eradica-
tion in the Southwest.
“Completing a ’crash*
construction program of this
type would not have been pos-
sible except through the
Southwest Animal Health Re-
search Foundation, using
funds contributed by indivi-
dual livestock producers and
sportsmen from all over the
Southwest.”
Release of flies produced
at the temporary plant at
Kerrvile has been increased
to over 20 million per week.
This, along with last win-
ter’s cold weather, has sign-
ificantly retarded normal
build-up of native screw-
worm ' populations. The in-
creased production at the
Mission plant will provide
sufficient sterile flies to give
added impetus to the erad
ication program.
The program is a gling ef
fort of the Texas Animal
Health Commission, the
Southwest AnimalHealth Re
search Foundation, and the
U. S. Department of Agri
culture.
SECOND PRIMARY
URNOUT LIGHT
Mercedes had a light turn-
out in the second Democratic
primary last Saturday.
Only 806 voters registered
out of some 2,000.
Here’s how Mercedes
voted, according to unofficial
figures:
GOVERNOR
Prec.
1
Prec.
21
Connally
223
88
Yarborough
129
250
Lt. Gov.
Turman
179
195
Smith
129
114
Atty. Gen.
Carr
135
148
Reavley
190
179
Cong, at Large
Pool 162
129
Bean
142
173
St. Rep. 37F
Rodriguez 131
271
Glusing
202
123
Chamber Reorganization
Kickoff Thursday Night
Superintendent Retains Principals
At Travis West School Campuses
St. Rep. 38th Dist.
de la Garza 76 231
Goughran 257 192
Six Local Boys
Set To Attend
Summer Camp
More than 2200 youths, in-
cluding 650 young boys from
239 Salvation Army Service
Units operating in Texas
cities, towns and rural com-
munities, will enjoy a full
week of camp activities at
the Salvation Army’s Camp
Hoblitzelle near Dallas.
Thirteen camps will be
conducted this summer, with
each camp lasting one week
and acomodating about 175
campers.
Mrs. Dewey Acker, camp
chairman for Mercedes, with
the assistance of Miss Opal
Jo Davison, school nurse,
has been busy for weeks se-
lecting 6 boys to attend the
camp. The local campers
are: Juan Adame, Elizar
Bowman, Adolfo Lara, Julian
Moreno, Guillemero Rodri-
quez, and Ricardo Vela.
They will go by charter
bus to Camp Hoblitzelle,
near Midlothian.
Camp Hoblitzelle, located
on a beautiful wooded tract
of 340 acres, is seven miles
south of Midlothian, eight
miles west of Waxahachie
and within an hour’s drive of
Dallas. The camp has well
equipped playgrounds and
recreation areas for all boys
sports including a swimming
pool and lake for fishing and
boating. Organized sports
are conducted under the sup-
ervision of experienced
coaches and counselors.
Campers will be housed in
the camp’s modern, attrac-
tive redwood and brick cab-
ins. Expert cooks and kitchen
personnel will prepare bal-
anced, nutritious meals, de-
signed for the needs of grow-
ing youngsters, which will be
served in the camp’s own
dining room.
Camp Hoblitzelle has been
made possible through the
generous gifts of more than
one hundred men and women
of Texas.
The much-discussed as-
signment of principals on
two elementary campuses is
expected to be settled Thrus-
day night when Supt. S. F.
Cernosek reports to the
board that no changes are
anticipated.
Travis and West school
administration have been
popular topics around Mer-
cedes for some time. Some
citizen groups have favored
changes, while others are
known to be supporting the
present assignments.
A check Wednesday of the
agenda already drawn up for
Thursday night’s regular
board meeting showed that
Supt. Cernosek will include
in his report plans to leave
H. D. Wallace as principal
at West Elementary, also
serving as part - time
instructor replacing Ramon
Moreno while Mr. Moreno
is handling physical educa-
tion classes. The report fur-
ther will include the reten-
tion of Jim Collins as princ-
ipal of Travis Elementary
School with recommended
improvements in the pro-
gram there. (It was under-
stood the improvements
were worked out by a com-
mittee composed of Mr.
Cernosek, C. C. Norris, di-
rector of curriculum, and
Mr. Collins.)
“Since there has been con-
siderable discussion con-
cerning the administrative
assignments, it was neces-
sary for the superintendent
and the director of cur-
riculum to revaluate the pro-
gram and administration
at this time on the two
campuses so that adquate
explanation can be presented
to the board,” the item on
the agenda reads.
A more elaborate verbal
report on the situation, in-
cluding the recommended
improvements, is to be pre-
sented the board and visit-
ing patrons by the super-
intendent at the meeting.
Also on the agenda will
be appearance of some pa-
tron groups, one headed by
W. B. Lauder, Jr. Several
persons have reported re-
ceiving letters from Mr.
Lauder urging that they eval-
uate the accomplishments at
Travis School in the past
few years and support the
present administration.
One daily newspaper al-
ready has printed a report
that Mr. Collins was schd-
uled to be moved to the
high school science depart-
ment and that Mr. Wallace
would be made principal at
Travis. Mr. Norris was to
be given additional duties
as part-time principal at
West School.
The positive statement al-
ready on the mimeographed
agenda mailed to board
members directly contra-
dicts that possibility.
Both administration and
board spokesmen said that
assignment of personnel
basically is an administra-
tive responsibility after the
board elects the school staff,
and that no official action
would be required on the
superintendent’s report.
The board also is expect-
ed to accept the resignations
of Mr. and Mrs. Carrol Hahn,
who have moved to San An-
tonio. Mr. Hahn was junior
high science teacher and also
junior high basketball and
track coach. Mrs. Hahn has
been junior high physical ed-
ucation instructor.
Because of launching a new
building program and action
required on issuance of
bonds to finance the pro-
ject, the board has held
several special meetings re-
cently.
Among actions taken was
a 5-1 vote to add to the
main building of North Ele-
mentary School rather than
build a new wing. Four new
classrooms will be added
to the South on the main
building to provide a double
row of rooms separated by
a hall. Presently, this arch-
way is not enclosed. A fifth
classroom also is to be
added at the back of the
building.
At Taylor school, a new
wing to conform to the ex-
tending structure will be
built, providing five more
classrooms. Trustee Libor-
io Hinojosa vigoriously pro-
tested the action, maintain-
ing a new wing was needed
at North Elementary. Bonds
also have been sold.
Danish Youth
Coming Here
On Exchange
Mercedes will not get to
send a foreign exchange stu-
dent abroad this year but
approval already has been
given for a second European
to live in Mercedes next
term.
The home of Dr. and Mrs.
R. H. Johnston has been ap-
proved by the American
Field Service for the new
student who will attend Mer-
cedes Public Schools in the
1962-63 term.
The student will be from
Denmark.
He is Jens Anton Filtenborg,
who will be a senior.
This is the second year
Mercedes has participated.
The first year’s exchange
student, Helge Bergmann
from Germany, is scheduled
to begin his return trip home
later this month. He was
graduated with the senior
class last week.
Ivan Gilbert of McAllen,
Valley representative of the
AFS, said that there were
more applications for Amer-
ican schools wanting to send
students overseas than there
were homes available. Too,
he pointed out, European
countries also open their
homes to students from other
foreign nations.
Although four applications
were submitted from Mer-
cedes, none could be ap-
proved because all available
places already were filled,
it was explained. Mercedes
was among many other
schools which were not
fortunate enough to receive
an approval, he pointed out.
Applications will be made
again this fall for other can-
didates for the exchange pro-
gram in late 1963.
TRAVEL TALK SET
Mercdces Kiwanians will
hear a first hand report on
travel in Europe from one of
their own Members at noon
Thursday at the El Som-
brero. Woody Tullis, who re-
cently returned from abroad,
will have the program, ac-
cording to Chairman Gene
Bowden.
A last-ditch effort to raise
private financing to keep the
Mercedes Chamber of Com-
merce open as a separate and
individual organization with
its own offices and staff will
be made Thursday night at
a public meeting called by the
board and a special com-
mittee.
The meeting is set for
7:30 p.m. at the El Som-
brero, according to E. K.
O’Shea, chairman of the
special committee.
At a recent board meeting
where barely enough mem-
bers were present to con-
stitute a quorum, it was
decided to make a drive for
direct solicition among
former Chamber members
or to close down. No further
funds are available from the
city, which has been sup-
porting the chamber.
Earlier, proposals had
been made to merge the
Chamber office with those of
the manager of the new Civic
Center, with Bill Savarino,
the new manager, handling
both jobs on a trial and
temporary basis. It was
pointed out that this would
eliminate $7,500 in salaries
per year, as well as separ-
ate rents, utilities, etc. City
and park board officials had
indicated informally they
would not object to Mr. Sav-
arino assisting the Chamber
temporarily and using civic
center facilities and staff.
However, a majority of the
Chamber board voted against
the proposal and in favor of
launching a finance drive
to operate the chamber as it
is now.
President S. H. Collier,
Jr., appointed a committee
of Mr. O’Shea, Bill Basinger,
Javier de los Santos, Bill
Savarino and Marvin
Schwarz to investigate the
matter and map a campaign.
The committee met in the
Chamber office last Friday
and decided to put the mat-
ter squarely up to the people
as to what they wanted to do
in deciding fate of the Cham-
ber.
Telephone committees
were busy Wednesday re-
minding business and pro-
fessional people of the meet-
ing and urging them to at-
tend. It is not a dinner meet-
ing, and there will be no
charge. All urged a good
turnout so that the true feei-fmel
ing of the majority can be
learned.
Jaycees Install
New Officers
V
Officers for Mercedes
Jaycees were installed Mon-
day night by JackHanshaw,
a director of the Harlingen
J aycees.
Those installed were
Claudio Hinojosa, president,
Reuben Cantu, vice-pres-
ident; Baldemar Marroquin,
secretary-treasurer (outgo-
ing president); Heriberto
Solis, state director; and
two directors, Oscar Torres
and Roy Galvan.
Adams Named
Fire Chief Here
By Volunteers
Officers for the coming
year were elected by mem-
bers of the Mercedes Vol-
unteer Fire Department last
Wednesday.
J. V. Adams was re-elect-
ed fire chief. Other officers
elected included Garland
Leavell, assistant fire chief;
Howard Jones, captain No. 1;
Don Anderson, captain, No 2;
J ames Lyons, secretary-
treasurer; Howard Wade,
sergeant at arms; Floyd
Montgomery, fire marshall;
Paul Gross, reporter, and
Finis Morris, trustee.
Marvin T. Roberts was
elected to membership in the
department.
Chief Adams and Marshall
Montgomery will attend the
State Fire Chief’s and Mar-
shall’s Convention in Mc-
Allen June 12-14. Delegates
from the Mercedes depart-
ment will be Leavell and
Bill Basinger. Alternates
are Reeves, Gross, Whitener
and Wade.
Two Service Clubs
Visit Civic Center
Two service clubs made
an official visit to the new
Civic Center during their
programs this week.
Tuesday, the Rotary Club
heard a talk on the center by
Architect Gene Hobart, then
adjourned for a tour of the
center by Hobart and Bill
Savarino, civic center man-
ager.
Wednesday, the Mercedes
Lions Club heard a similar
program and went on a tour
of the center which is near-
ing completion.
Mid-Valley Seniors
Receive Degrees
In Pan Am Rites
Seniors from Me Allen and
Edinburg compose almost
half of the spring graduating
class of Pan American Col-
lege at the McAllen Civic
Center Sunday, according to
Mrs. Nelia Mai Smith, as-
sistant registrar.
A list of the prospective
scholars reveals that 50 of
the 107 gradiating seniors
at the Rio Grande Valley
college live in the two
cities—26 in Edinburg and
24 in Me Allen. Four are
from Mercedes.
Mercedes — Janice K.
Bowden, 105 E. 10th; Roger
Van Burkleo, Rt. 1, Box 120;
Lynn Vogel, Rt. 2; and Mrs.
Marilyn Worley, Box 544.
Edcouch — Dora Gutie-
rrez, Box 276; Gary Kraus,
Box 334; and Sammy Tur-
berville, Rt. 1, Box 58.
Elsa — Joaquin Medrano,
Rt. 1, Box 296-B and Eve-
lyn Faye Weyel, Box 188.
35 Attend 4-H
Party At Lake
Monday 35 members and
guests attended a summer
party for the Mercedes 4-H
Club at the Lake at Hobit-
zelle Ranch.
Leaders present and over-
seeing the youngsters were
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Powell,
Mrs. R. E. Lugg, Mrs.
Phillip Hoverson, Mr. and
Mrs. Jim Dollery and Mr.
and Mrs. Ralph Cintron, Sr.
Refreshments consisted of
lunches brought by each one
and the dessert was pre-
pared on the grounds: toasted
marshmellows, chocolate
bar, and graham cracker
served as a pastry.
The 4-H will continue
throughout the summer
VALLEY
TRAFFIC TOLL
26
DON’T YOU BE
27
DRIVE SAFELY
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Harvey, J. Edwin. The Mercedes Enterprise (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 47, No. 23, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 7, 1962, newspaper, June 7, 1962; Mercedes, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1091824/m1/1/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Dr. Hector P. Garcia Memorial Library.