The Silsbee Bee (Silsbee, Tex.), Vol. 91, No. 42, Ed. 1 Wednesday, October 17, 2007 Page: 2 of 24
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Silsbee Area Newspaper Collection and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Silsbee Public Library.
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Page 2, Section 1
THE SILSBEE BEE • www.silsbeebee.com
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Fred Elementary
Annual Halloween
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Saturday,October 27,2007
Pageant begins at 4:00pm
Carnival to follow at 6:00pm
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On Nov. 6, 2006, the Silsbee
Independent School District will
hold a tax rollback election for
the 2007-2008 school budget.
The election will allow the dis-
trict to tax at a $1.17 per $100
appraised value.
This will ensure the district that
they will receive approximately
$922,797 in Tier II, Level 3
money from the state and help
them to erase a budget deficit of
$1,588,769.
The district is short of money
because state allocations are
based upon a two percent growth
in enrollment and in recent years
Silsbee has suffered about a 2.5
percent decline in enrollment.
This is not uncommon for
schools in our area where only
two of 30 school districts have
experienced student average
daily attendance gains.
The problem is also common to
schools in Northeast Texas and
schools all over West Texas.
SISD had about 3,300 students
at the turn of the century. The
ADA is usually a little less than
the total enrollment. That number
had fallen to 2,762.49 for the
2005-2006 school year and it
stood at 2,693.12 in 2006-2007.
The district has based its budget
on 2,630 students for the coming
budget.
The district has a total budget
of $22,483,745 and has
$20,894,976 in projected rev-
enue.
Under the current $1.04 tax
rate per $100 valuation, the local
taxes would increase $5,470,227.
Other local revenue equalling
$880,300 comes from student
fees, admission to ball games,
and other items.
TRS contributes $1,016,400
and the state kicks in a whopping
$13,528,049.
By moving the tax rate to 1.17,
the local taxes would jump
$683,778.00 and the state will
add the additional $922,797,
which is vital to the schools.
The big question is, what does
this money represent? It is about
the cost of operating 30-40
school buses. It is also the costs
of about 45 professionals on the
staff. The end result is that if we
fail to pass this amendment, the
district will be forced to have a
staff reduction of 60-70 people.
Some of these would be profes-
sionals and some non-profession-
als.
Regardless of whether the roll-
back is approved or not, the citi-
zens of this district will have a
decline in their residential taxes.
Last year a house valued at
$100,000 was taxes $1,655. This
year, that same house could be
valued at $110,000. Under the
proposed $1.17 tax rate that
house would be taxes at $1,471,
or $184 dollars less than last year.
If the tax is not approved the sav-
ings would be even greater.
We all want to save on taxes,
but good schools are necessary
for the well being of our commu-
nity.
This town is on the verge of
growth and it is necessary that we
invest in our schools to not only
educate our youth but to keep our
school district appealing as the
growth flows into our area.
It is easy to fault our schools
and they do have their shortcom-
ings. My expectation of them is
high. I had three kids who grad-
uated from Silsbee High School.
While my expectation of the dis-
trict was high, my expectation of
my kids was much higher. Today
one of my children is an eye doc-
tor, one is a master degree teacher
and one is a successful business
person. Silsbee ISD was a tool in
their reaching their adult goals.
I no longer have kids in this
school but I appreciate the dis-
trict’s importance to me and this
community.
I have never been afraid to crit-
icize the schools and I won’t be
in the future.
We cannot afford to cut our
schools this dramatically when
we are looking at additional car
dealerships, a hospital, new retail
establishments and possibly
some new housing areas in our
community.
I encourage everyone to get out
on Nov. 6 and vote for the tax
rollback from $1.04 cents per
$100 valuation to $1.17 per hun-
derd valuation.
Hickory Grove club opens door for understanding
hosts women’s
meeting Oct. 28
The Pastor’s Aide Committee
at Hickory Grove Missionary
Baptist Church will be hosting a
program on Sunday, Oct. 28 at 3
p.m. where inspirational women
of God will be speaking on the
“Fragrance of Beauty” as they
walk in the will of God.
The church is located at 6836
Cemetery Lane in Silsbee. For
more information call 385-7435
or Rewa Gilder at 373-4217.
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A
By BARBARA PARET
Special to The Bee
Eighty-four years ago, 23 Silsbee
women formed the Twentieth
Century Club to improve their
understanding of literature, art, sci-
ence and the vital interest of the
day. Not many years before the
town had been a mere logging
camp. But as Kirby Lumber
Company and the Santa Fe
Railroad prospered, so did Silsbee.
These women were not content to
merely tend to the housekeeping
and child rearing. Their hunger for
knowledge was their bond. And so
they set aside the first and third
Wednesday afternoons of October
through March to study together.
It was agreed the membership
would not exceed 25, for the club
would be required to meet in pri-
vate homes. No other space was
available to them. A Program
Committee assigned the subject
matter to be explored. Two host-
esses shared hospitality duties for
each meeting, leaving the elected
president free to conduct business
sessions.
To be sure there was very little
business to discuss because club
by-laws stated there would be no
fundraising however noble the
cause. Dues would be assessed
merely to cover yearbook expens-
es. After all, the sole purpose of this
organization was the pursuit of
knowledge.
During the initial year or two,
Shakespeare appeared to be the
focus of study. The Bard’s more
complicated works often required
presentations to mn well past 5 p.m.
Not that it mattered. Most house-
holds served the main meal at mid-
day. Leftovers would suffice for
supper.
The real strain on families was
caused by the elaborate prepara-
tions required of the hostesses. The
home must sparkle. Only the best
china and linens would do.
Refreshments normally included a
salad, finger sandwiches, a sweet
and tea or coffee. Members arrived
wearing hats and gloves and their
Sunday best and seldom glanced at
the clock, for this time belonged to
them. These afternoons allowed
their imaginations to soar and their
minds to expand beyond the hum-
drum of daily life. And so the club
endured.
In the spring of 2001, club mem-
bers realized the Twentieth Century
Club was no longer a fitting title
and voted to rename themselves the
Literary Club of Silsbee. Programs
are still scheduled from October
through March, but the subject mat-
ter is now left to the presenters and
includes a spritely mix of book
reviews, travelogues, historical
research, scientific breakthroughs,
current affairs and humor as well as
literature and the arts.
Meetings continue to be held in
private homes, but linen napkins
have been replaced by paper and
refreshments need not be as elabo-
rate. Members long ago abandoned
their hats and gloves and expect to
return home well before the moon
rises. Still, the bond remains strong.
In 2007, Silsbee may rely on a
fine public library, television brings
current affairs directly into the liv-
ing room, newspapers and maga-
zines abound. Yet this time set aside
to share knowledge remains pre-
cious. Attesting to that are the num-
ber of daughters who have taken
their mothers’ place on the roll. And
that explains how a study club in a
small East Texas town has warrant-
ed eight decades of commitment.
SHS Homecoming parade set for Oct. 27
The Silsbee Homecoming
parade will take place on Oct. 27
at 10 a.m.
The theme for decorating floats
this year is “Blast From the Past:
Tigers Go Back.”
Float designers should choose
a decade they enjoyed for the
decor.
We’re honored to have Mr. &
Mrs. Benny Gardner as parade
marshalls. Judges for this year’s
floats are Laurie Smith, founder
of In Need Christian Counseling,
Ray McNames, founder of
License 2 Lose and Connie
Grass, founder of Grass
Chiropractic, all located in
Lumberton.
Entry forms can be picked up
at the Silsbee Public Library and
at the reception office at Silsbee
High School.
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Dickert, Gerry. The Silsbee Bee (Silsbee, Tex.), Vol. 91, No. 42, Ed. 1 Wednesday, October 17, 2007, newspaper, October 17, 2007; Silsbee, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1244850/m1/2/?q=Homecoming+queen+1966+North+Texas+State+University: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Silsbee Public Library.