The Texas Mesquiter (Mesquite, Tex.), Vol. 69, No. 52, Ed. 1 Friday, July 18, 1952 Page: 1 of 8
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DALLAS COUNTY'S OLDEST NEWSPAPER
IN ITS 69TH YEAR — NO. 52
MESQUITE, TEXAS, FRIDAY, JULY 18, 1952
PRICE — TEN CENTS
Fair Directors Pick Honorary Vice- •
Presidents To Boost Exposition This Year
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11
On Board Santa Rosa, July 7—
Did you find your nightie made into
a butterfly on your pillow, when you
went to your state room last night?
a woman asked. No, did you, another
said. Between giggles, the old maid
explained that the Chinese room
steward aboard ship had turned back
the covers, and laid out the night-
gown—in butterfly fashion. Then, as
you’d expect, all the women passen-
gers began leaving their night gowns
out to see the artistic designs the
Chinese could create.
Thirty-eight members of the Na-
tional Editorial Association, out of
some 400 attending the annual con-
vention in Buffalo, N. Y., and a less-
er number making the tour of the
state, sailed Thursday, near mid-
night, July 3rd, for a cruise of the
Caribbean Sea.
Ports of call are Curarao, Dutch
West Indies; La Guaira, and Puerto
Cabello, Venezuela, and Cartegena,
Columbia.
When the Mesquiter editor and
her mother reached Cabin 29, Ameri-
can beauty roses and blue belles dec-
orated the room, set for a party, with
tiny sandwiches, fancy napkins and
a bucket of ice cubes ready for
drinks. Soon friends began coming
in, and before long the farewell party
was on. We got aboard the ship at
9 p.m. and friends from shore stayed
on until .the signal for departure
rushed them down the gang plank At
11 p.m. Margaret Truman could not
have had a much more exciting
leave-taking on the new S.S. United
States, sailing that day at noon, than
we, aboard the Santa Rosa, leaving
that night. The maiden voyage of
the United States, carrying all the
notable personalities, reached Europe
to set a record, our ship newspaper
informed us this morning.
Friday, July 4th, Independence
Day, was celebrated on ship. Captain
Fischer, commander of the Santa.
Rosa, was host at a reception at 5
o’clock, which gave the North and
South Americans opportunity to be-
come acquainted. The international
atmosphere was carried over’ into
dinner, as all passengers helped us
celebrate the Fourth. American flags
and red and white carnations deco-
rated every table in the dining room.
Fancy hats, horns and balloons
marked each place. The orchestra
played patriotic “airs,” accompanied
by the din and noise from the
whistles and horns.
(Continued to Page 2)
Mesquite Rescue Squad
At Scene of Drowning
The Mesquite Fire Department
Rescue Squad joined Dallas and Gar-
land Rescue crews to help locate the
body of a 15-year-old Dallas youth,
James Paxton Corder, who was
drowned while fishing in a Rockwall
County lake called “State Hole.”
Young Corder survived a severe
polio attack in 19 51, and it is be-
lieved that this was the cause for his
inability to swim 100 yards to shore
when the boat from which he and
three other boys were fishing, cap-
sized.
2,302 Books Checked
Out in 3-Week Period!
Enthusiastic readers, consisting of
pre-school age children to adults, fill
the public library each morning to
relax among the dozens of tables and
shelves containing thousands of
books, and to choose interesting
reading material.
The reading club, under the super-
vision of Miss Alma Witherspoon,
boasts a record of one hundred and
forty-nine members, many of whom
have finished reading the thirty
books required to receive a reading
certificate, which will be presented
by the Dallas County Public Library;
however, many students and adults
discovered this busy center of activi-
ty after the club had been organized
and the deadline for joining had
passed. Therefore, many individuals
other than the actual members are
enjoying the advantages offered by
the library, Miss Witherspoon said.
The theme of the unit this year is
“Let’s Make Friends Around the
World.” To carry out this theme, the
students have made a huge map of
the world which is attached to a
table in the library. Books are offer-
ed on practically any foreign country
in the world, and as the students
read these books, they pin a United
States flag, with their name attached
on the pole, to the locality about
which they have read. The map is
thoroughly" covered with flags, which
gives an immediate picture of the
progress the children are making
from day to day. Also, in line with
the theme, the group is offered
names and addresses of children in
many foreign lands, and are encour-
aged to write to them, making
friends, and thus drawing the coun-
tries together. Letters have been
written to Great Britain, Greece,
Netherlands, ’Sweden, Australia, and
Canada*
Miss Witherspoon, who supervises
the library from 7:30 a.m. until
11:30 a.m. each day, stated that she
was overwhelmed at the spontaneous
interest the children showed when
the library first opened. Since then,
she has become accustomed to the
crowd, once checking out 245 books
in one single morning.
The library opened on June 9th,
and by June 30th, 2,302 books had
been checked out. Miss Witherspoon
states that fiction is the most popu-
lar type of book checked out, with
travel books running a close second,
because of the unit theme, and bio-
graphies, third. She explained that
biographies are not dull, cut and
dried stories as they used to be, but
have been modernized and fictioniz-
ed until they are extremely interest-
ing.
Miss Witherspoon stated further
that she hoped the library could be
open an eight-hour day in ensuing
years.
This is one of the very few means
of recreation offered to Mesquite
Youth throughout the summer
months.
Photo Wanted of
Rev. L, S. Darling
Does anyone have a photo of the
late Rev. L. S. Darling? It is needed
for the enlarged pictures of all
mayors of Mesquite to date, to be
hung in the council chamber of the
City Hall. If so, please bring to the
Texas Mesquiter office. It will be re-
turned undamaged.
Tax Raises
Arouse Citizens
The Mesquite School Board makes
the following statement regarding
taxes:
Taxes have been unpopular from a
time long before Christ. Taxes can
and do raise tempers and eliminate
reasoning. This has happened re-
peatedly through the ages.
In Mesquite most of the taxpayers
understand our school problems,
this is especially true where the tax
payer has children in school. These
taxpayers see the conditions on our
school campus, the badly damaged
two story building, the lack of play
area, the heavy enrollment in classes,
the steady scholastic growth. The
large majority vote given the recent
bond issue verifies this knowledge.
Last Monday night there was a
careful analysis of all school prob-
lems covering financing of bonds and
monies for operation of the schools.
The Board had one decision of two
to make: to follow,, through on the
mandate of the majority vote of the
school district for the bonds or re-
fuse and let the school children suf-
fer the consequences of over crowd-
ed classrooms and to prolong the
use of the badly damaged two story
school. The Board decided to give
school children first consideration by
doing as the majority decided in the
bond election last May 9th.
The .Board of Trustees are equally
affected by tax raises. Its member-
ship individually feels that the man-
date of the voters on the $500,000
bond issue should be obeyed. Every
possible avenue to solve our pressing
financial needs has been explored.
The only solution is tax increases.
Mesquite had a scholastic popula-
tion last year of 1,39 3 and this year
1,624. Each year we have schooled
15 0 to 200 neighboring rural school
pupils at a loss to our school dis-
trict. This year Mesquite will not
accept transfers except on condition
that the total cost of instruction be
guaranteed by the sending school or
by the parents of the transferring
pupil.
Employees Honor
Walter Wilkinson
Walter Wilkinson, manager of
Mitchell-Goodwin Lumber Company,
was really surprised when his em-
ployees honored him with a surprise
birthday party at Samuell’s Park,
Tuesday.
He had finished a game of golf
with Ary Turner, when Turner sug-
gested a drive around White Rock
to cool them off after their game.
When they turned into Samuell’s
Park, the group started singing
“Happy Birthday.”
Attending the picnic, whose tables
boasted barbecued beef, baked beans,
cole slaw, home made ice cream and
cake, and all the trimmings, were
his wife, his daughter, Sue, Mr. and
Mrs. Lyndell Davis, and two chil-
dren, Kenneth and Beverly, Mr. and
Mrs. Truett Crump, Miss Janet Sea-
bourn, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Goodwin
and niece, Lila Blumoff, Ben Britt,
Lum White, Mr. and Mrs. Ary Turn-
er and son, Paul, and Miss Barbara
Wilck.
Mr. Wilkinson’s employees pre-
sented him with a shirt and tie as a
birthday gift.
Progress Week
Community Projects
Over one thousand suggestions for
improving Mesquite were given by
the 250 enthusiastic citizens who at-
tended the two day session of the
Chamber of Commerce Progress
Week July 10th and 11th.
Chamber President, David Joseph;
Progress Week Chairman, Truett
Crump and his assistants, Mrs. Doris
Rhoads and Cecil Beasley, were more
than pleased by the good attendance
at all meetings.
Stan Shiveley of the East Texas
Chamber of Commerce, directed the
discussion groups and heard sugges-
tions from teenagers, housewives,
teachers, businessmen, firemen,
farmers and club women.
Suggested projects included swim-
ming pools, parks, sewage disposal
plants, adequate water, industry, etc.
Shiveley said the teenagers had the
best suggestions of any group.
A Future Farmer suggested the
people get behind the FFA stock
show and guarantee premiums like
other places. A high school girl want-
ed a bowling alley and skating rink.
Other youths asked for refreshment
stands, cooperation between adults
and teenagers and more work op-
portunities in Mesquite.
The Mesquite Woman’s Club had
96% attendance in their group
meeting. Their suggested projects
were beautification of the park and
special care for the community
house.
Gene Shands and Loncy Leake are
heading the membership drive. The
importance of individual citizen
membership is being stressed.
When the many suggestions are
compiled, a program of work will
begin, and a manager for the Cham-
ber of Commerce will be hired.
Boy's Injuries Are
Minor Alter Motor
Scooter-Truck Crash
Billy Badgett, Mesquite High
School student, who was run over by
a six-wheel truck Tuesday while
riding liis motor scooter, had re-
covered sufficiently by the next day
to be up, although it was. still neces-
sary for him to walk with crutches.
Badgett was rushed to a local phy-
sician by a McCullough ambulance,
where it was discovered that his in-
juries, though painful, were minor.
He was treated for shock, bruises-1
and abrasions.
The truck did not actually hit him,
Badgett said, but he slid under it
when, after putting on his brakes,
he lost control of the motor scooter.
Cemetery Working
At Long Creek Sunday
Palmer Lawrence, president of the
Long Creek Cemetery Association,
has announced a cemetery working
SUnday, July 20. Dinner will be
served at one o’clock. Everyone is
asked to bring a picnic lunch, a hoe
and rake.
A clean-up is badly needed at the
cemetery now, Lawrence says. Every-
one who has an interest in the ceme-
tery is urged to be on hand Sunday
to join in the work for such a good
cause.
Lawrence said Wednesday, “Let’s
all be a part in making this a good
working and really do a good job.”
Directors of The Dallas County
Fair, scheduled in Mesquite Sept. 16-
2 0, Tuesday night named honorary
vice-presidents for county communi-
ties. It was announced that there
Mayors
of Mesquite
Bj/ John E. Davis
L. C. STEWART WAS
TOWN’S FIFTH MAYOR
Mesquite’s population in the early
days of the town was made up large-
ly of men coming here with their
families from other states. In these
sketches, the four written about
earlier mayors represented as many
different states—Missouri, Louisi-
ana, Ohio, and Tennessee, and this
sketch is about one who came here
from Indiana. The next one to fol-
low this by a week, will be about one
who was a native of Wisconsin, but
following him will be the first Texan
who served as mayor here.
L. 0. (Lee) Stewart, fifth mayor,
quit his job of driving an old style
mule drawn street car in Indiana-
polis, Ind., in 1880, and with his
wife and young son, Ed, headed for
Texas, winding up at Mesquite. First
he rented land on the old R. PI. Hall
place, southeast of Mesquite, then
bought a place of his own, adjoining
the T. P. Summers place on the old
Mesquite-Forney road, continued
farming for several years and then
sold out to the late Ben F. Reedy,
father of Bird Reedy, well known
Mesquite citizen. Coming to Mes-
quite, Mr. Stewart built a home on
what is now College street, one block
south of the public square, now the
home of Mrs. DorsSy Davis, formerly
Mrs. Witty, and entered the furni-
ture business here, owning and oc-
cupying the building now housing
the Texas Mesquiter. He continued
in that business for many years, then
sold out to George Webb, and retir-
ed for a while, but later, wanting
something to do, without too heavy
work, he rented the then vacant
Chapman building, next door to his
former furniture store. His wife
having died and his children living
elsewhere, he sold his home and
fixed up living quarters in the rear
of the store and lived there alone.
He was twice elected mayor. In
addition to holding that office, he
served as a school trustee and sever-
al terms as an alderman, thus at-
testing the esteem in which he was
held.
In addition to Ed, who was born
in Indianapolis, there were five other
children born to Mr. and Mrs. Stew-
art. Will, the,first to be born in Mes-
quite, and Ed are both deceased.
The other four, all now living in Dal-
las, are Grover B., Mayola, who
married Jerome Pulaski, Joe and
Lucy, the latter becoming the wife
of Jim Campbell.
Mr. Stewart was a member of the
Presbyterian Church in Mesquite and
one or two fraternal orders, with
lodges here. His death in 1926,
brought sadness to the people among
whom he spent the major portion of
his life.
will be additions to this list. These
vice-presidents will encourage parti-
cipation of their areas in the annual
exposition.
Named to help this year were:
Cecil Williams and James (Red)
Bankston, for Garland; Walter Blan-
ton and R. L. Turner, Carrollton; E.
Carlyle Smith and W. A. Hotchkiss,
Grand Prairie; Jbhnnie Morris and
R. B. Wadsworth, Irving; Bill Hold-
er and Ed Bryant, Lancaster; A. O.
Hickman, Hutchins; L. M. Kirby,
Wilmer; Lawson Lewis, Farmers
Branch; Dr. T. C. Longnecker and
Mrs. Jackie Huffhines, Richardson;
Wilbur Ard and Rex Putnam, for
Seagoville; W. A. Chowning, De-
Soto; I. H. Pelt, Duncanville; M. M.
Potter, Cedar Hill; J. E. Coyle,.Row-
lett. ,
At the same time, the directors
discussed plans for staging a down-
town parade, distribution of free
tickets to school children for open-
ing night, a plan to give away a
deep freeze and baby beef, and ren-
ovation of the fairgrounds.
Because of the large number of
school children in the county, it was
decided to advertise the first night
as “Free Night For All School Chil-
dren.” Publicity will be carried in all
county weeklies and in the Dallas
newspapers.
Jimmie Stewart, general manager
of The State Fair of Texas, was also
named an honorary vice-president.
David Joseph, president of the
Mesquite Chamber of Commerce, said
his organization would be glad to
assist with plans for the parade. It
will be led by the Mesquite High
School Band.
The directors voted to get work
started on the fair catalogues so
they can be distributed earlier this
year than they were last year.
Chamber President
Expresses Thanks
David Joseph, Chamber of Com-
merce President, this week express-
ed his thanks and appreciation to
Truett Crump, Progress Week chair-
man, his assistants, Mrs. Doris
Rhoads and Cecil Beasley, and all
group chairmen who participated in
making Progress Week a success.
The president also wishes to con-
vey his thanks to the general public
for their interest and enthusiasm,
and he trusts their desires will be
fulfilled in the future development
of Mesquite.
Joseph also expressed apprecia-
tion for the educational posters
made by members of the .Student
Council, under the direction of Miss
Cornelia Varner, and for the refresh-
ments served during the sessions by
the members of the Homemaking
Department, under the supervision
of Miss Ruth Thompson and Mrs.
Jewell Shankles.
“To everyone who helped in any
way during Progress Week, Thanks
a Million,” Joseph said.
Mr. and Mrs. Roger Williams and
children, Phil and Ray, of Lubbock
are spending their vacation with Mrs.
Williams’ parents, Mr. and Mrs. E.
V. Paschall.
—Photo courtesy Times-Herald
Pictured above are two s.essions which were held during the Chamber of Commerce Progress
Week. In the left photo, left to right, are members of the Mesquite Woman’s Club, Mrs. J. P.
Wheat, Mrs. Emet Florence, Stan Shively of the East Texas Chamber of Commerce, Truett
Crump, Progress Week chairman, Mrs. Wallace Reilly and Mrs. Hugh Hanby.
In the right hand picture, left to right, are Joe Tosch, Benny Pettus, Lyndell Davis, Lions
Club members, and Shively, Mrs. W. G. Rhoads and Cecil Beasley, co-chairmen.
iiS
-Photo courtesy Dallas News
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Cook, Corinne Neal. The Texas Mesquiter (Mesquite, Tex.), Vol. 69, No. 52, Ed. 1 Friday, July 18, 1952, newspaper, July 18, 1952; Mesquite, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1099552/m1/1/?q=music: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Mesquite Public Library.