The Cherokeean. (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 126, No. 28, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 13, 1973 Page: 1 of 14
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'Round
T 0 w H
With
Roundabout
Final approval of a $196.600
Farmers Home Administra-
tion loan to build 14 new low
rent houses for our city is a big
step forward in continuing
efforts to keep Rusk growing.
We've enjoyed substantial
growth the past year, and this
project is "frosting on the
cake" for us. Mayor Morris
Hassell and members of the
housing board deserve a big
thank you from all of us for the
work they have accomplished.
-o-
It doesn't seem possible,
but Christmas is just a few
days away. Kusk business
establishments report good
sales so far this month.
From all indications, we'll
enjoy a record year in sales
for our city.
Roundabout visited with his
friends in Crockett, Alto and
Mexia the past week. Also, we
spent several days in Austin
attending a seminar for the
upcoming Constitutional Con-
vention next month Interest in
this document is increasing.
It's vital that our people take
an active interest in their
government
-o
District Judge J.W.
Summers was honored by
his many friends in Nacog-
doches County last Thurs-
day evening. The folks of
Nacogdoches County ex-
pressed appreciation to
Judge Summers for the
many years of service he
rendered before the 2nd
and 145th courts were
separated. Itoundahout
regreted that he was
unable to attend, but
legislative business in
Austin kept us away. Judge
Summers has a fine
reputation among mem-
bers of the bar. and the
general public.
-O-
Plans for Rusk Memorial
Hospital's operation by its new
owners are moving forward
rapidly, says Bishop A A
l^eiske A lot of red tape is
involved in getting various
legal procedures finalized
Right now. local staff mem
bcrs arc busy getting the fac
ilitv ready for a visit from
officials who will conduct an
on-site survey Dec 17 We are
fortunate to have these people
working in our behalf to render
a badly needed service to this
area with a good medical
team
Methodist
Cantata Set
Sunday Night
The Chancel Choir of First
United Methodist Church, un-
der the direction of Mrs Gloria
Dotson. will present its Christ-
mas Cantata. The Greatest
Gift". December it; at the 7
p.m worship hour
The presentation, written b>
Joe E Parks, will be narrated
by Mrs Geraldine Struhall
+ +See Cantata. Page 13
11c
The Cherokeean
WITH DISIINCHON
FORI* YEARS
Texas' Oldest Weekly Newspaper, Established As The Pioneer July 5, 1847
VOL. 126
RISK. TEXAS. THURSDAY. DECEMBER 13. 1973
14 PAGES
NUMBER 28
Tourist Committee
Officers Approved
A new structure for the
Tourist Committee of the Rusk
Chamber of Commerce was
presented by outgoing chair
man, Henry Guenzel. in a
meeting of the committee
Tuesday afternoon
Chairman Guenzel recom-
mended that next year's
organization include a chair-
man. vice chairman, treasur
er. assistant treasurer-sec-
retary and corresponding sec-
retary He also proposed that
six director positions be filled
by persons who would assume
specific responsibilities for the
1974 Indian Summer Festival
These directorships include
Arts and Crafts Fair; Crosses
and Brochures: Staging and
Grounds; Publicity; Supper
Theatre and Hospitality
Frank Summers was elected
chairman and his wife. Mrs
Sara Summers, was named
vice chairman Other office
positions filled include George
Dodd treasurer. Mrs Mary
Moore, assistant treasurer-
secretary and Mrs Gene
Meyers, corresponding secre-
tary
Directorships approved were
Mrs Virginia Penney. Hos-
pitality and Mrs Marie
Whitehead, publicity Several
persons were discussed for the
other assignments, but formal
voting was w ithheld until these
persons could be asked to
serve
"This structure would great-
ly increase the effectiveness of
the Tourist Committee's work
and it would distribute the
work load." explained
Guenzel He suggested that
each director secure persons
from within, or from outside
the committee, to assist with
the 1974 program "Each
committee member should
also be responsible to Ins
director for coordination of
work and finances." said
Guenzel
Appreciation was expressed
to several persons and groups
of persons for their service in
1973. As tokens of gratitude,
the committee approved al-
location of up to $200 for some
item to aid the Vocational
Agriculture Department at
Kusk High School; $75 to Mrs
Mary Moore for her extra work
and $25 to St. I.uke's Episcopal
Church for the use of their
parking area during the Indian
Summer Festival
Chamber manager Richard
Cooper reported to the com-
mittee recent publicity given
by major television stations
"Channel 5 in Fort Worth
filmed the Hulen Wilcox Syrup
Mill last month and plans to air
the program Christmas night
Channel 2. Houston and
Channel 7. Tyler, also filmed
the syrup null and these
programs have already been
shown Another recent Channel
12. Shreveport telecast featur-
ed Earl Cabiness from Belton,
when he exhibited at the Arts
and Crafts Fair here," said
Cooper
"We also have Channel 5.
Fort Worth coming back to
Rusk for a filmed feature of
New Birmingham and hope
fully, the Texas State Railroad,
in the near future," he
reported
Present at Tuesday's meet-
ing were Mr and Mrs
Guenzt'l. Cooper, Mr and Mrs.
Frank Summers. Mr and Mrs.
Paul Cox. C.E Stewart.
George Dodd. Johnnie McKay.
Frank Howell. Mines Mary
Buchanan. Moore, Whitehead.
Mevers and Penne\
101
SHOPPING^
DAYS /
TU J
CHRISTMAS
HOUSING LOAN CLOSED-Mayor Morris W. Hassell, seated
center, president of the Rusk Housing Corporation, receives a
check for $196,600 from Charles B Hart, county supervisor for
the federal Farmers Home Administration. The check is a loan
from the FmHA which will allow the housing coporation to build
14 low-rent housing units in Rusk. Signing of the note took place
Tuesday in Hassell's office. Looking on are board members
District Judge J W. Summers, seated, and standing from left,
James Polk Richards, W. R. Meador, Joe T. Terrell, Paul Cox,
Dr. Lex T. Neill, Rep. Emmett H. Whitehead. Henry Westbrook
and Frank Howell. -staff photo
Judges, Attorneys Honor
Rusk Judge J. W. Summers
HONORED-J. W. Summers (center), judge
of the Second Judicial District, was the guest
of honor at a meeting of the Nacogdoches
County Bar Association Thursday night.
Among those paying tribute to Judge
Summers were John F. Onion (left),
presiding judge of the Texas Court of
Criminal Appeals, and James H. Moore,
associate justice of the 12th Court of Civil
Appeals at Tyler. Judge Summers is the
presiding judge in the district covering
Cherokee County. His district included
Nacogdoches County at one time.
Judge J.W Summers of
Rusk, presiding judge of the
2nd Judicial District, was
honored last Thursday evening
by the Nacogdoches County
Bar Association with a sur-
prise dinner at the Sheraton
Crest Hotel in Nacogdoches.
Some 100 judges and
attorneys from across the
state, including a delegation
from Cherokee County, were
present at the dinner
Judge Summers served
Nacogdoches County for 16
years until the split this year of
the 2nd and 145th Districts left
only Cherokee County under
his jurisdiction
Principal speaker for the
event was Judge John F.
Onion, Jr . of Austin, presiding
judge of the Texas Court of
Criminal Appeals--the hghest
appellant court in the state for
criminal matters
Judge Onion expressed
pleasure for his part "in
paying tribute to one of the
finest trial judges in the State
of Texas "
Also paying tribute to Judge
Summers was Edmund
Benchoff of the Nacogdoches
County Bar Association Bob
Murphy of Nacogdoches was
master of ceremonies.
Various members of the
Texas judiciary sent lettes
praising Judge Summers, in-
cluding Chief Justice Joe R
Greenhill of the Texas Sup-
reme Court
"He is one of our really fine
judges." Justice Greenhill
wrote "We of the judiciary
are better off because he is one
of us."
Associate Justice Sam D
Johnson of the Supreme Court
wrote of the "great respect,
high regard and great admira-
tion" which his fellow judges
hold for Judge Summers
Judges present for the dinner
included James H Moore of
Tyler, associate justice of the
12th Court of Ciul Appeals;
Dallas A. Blankenship. former
presiding judge and Paul G
Peurifoy. present presiding
judge of the 1st Administrative
Judicial District; David
Walker of the 159th District
Court. Lufkin. and Jack Pierce
of the 145th District Court.
Nacogdoches.
Judge Summers is an honor
graduate of the University of
Texas at Austin, receiving both
his Bachelor of Business
Administration and Doctor of
Jurisprudence degrees there.
He entered the bar in 1937,
began practice in Rusk and
was appointed city attorney
the same year
He was elected county
attorney and took office in
January, 1941, serving until
early 1942 when he resigned in
the middle of his term to join
the Navy following the bomb-
ing of Pearl Harbor
Construction To Begin Soon
On 14 Low-Rent Apartments
The contractor was given the
go-ahead Tuesday to begin
construction of 14 low-rent
housing units in Rusk after the
Rusk Housing Corporation
received a $196.600 loan check
from the Farmers Home
Administration.
Belvin Stewart of Wells, who
has constructed 22 similar
duplex units in his hometown,
is under contract to the housing
corporation to have construc-
tion finished here by Julv 22,
1974.
The loan check was pre-
sented to Mayor Morris
Hassell. chairman of the
housing corporation, following
signing of the note and deed of
trust Tuesday morning.
Turning over the check was
Charles B. Hart of Jackson-
ville. county supervisor for the
federal Farmers Home Ad-
ministration The loan, termed
a "Rural Rental Housing
Loan," is for 50 years at 7 and
one-quarter per cent interest
Hart explains that because the
Council Votes To Close
Copeland Street at RMH
Judge Summers returned to
Rusk after the war in 1946 and
was re-elected county attor-
ney. In 1949, he became county
judge and served for eight
years, at which time he was
elected district judge for the
2nd Judicial District, taking
office Jan. 1, 1957
The 2nd Judicial District at
that time included Cherokee,
Angelina and Nacogdoches
Counties. Angelina County
was separated in 1969 and
Nacogdoches was removed
from the district this year.
Among his various civic
activities, Judge Summers is a
member of the Rusk Kiwanis
Club.
Rusk Chamber
Board Elects
New Member
The Rusk Chamber of
Commerce Executive Board
during its meeting Monday at
the New Southern Motor Hotel
unanimously elected Frank
Summers to fill for one year
the unexpired term of the Rev
Ben Pierce who moved earlier
this year to Longview
After hearing a summary of
plans for a proposed industrial
survey of Kusk presented by
the Industrial Development
Committee, the board author-
ized the Chamber to spend
whatever necessary to conduct
the survey
The proposed survey, to be
conducted by an East Texas
univerity. is regarded as an
essential part of Rusk's plans
for future industrial devel-
opment. according to Richard
Cooper, chamber manager
Cooper says the survey will
begin in January and should be
completed by the end of
February It will include
"everything industry could be
interested in about Rusk,"
from site, housing and labor
availabilities to local tax
structure and economic condi-
tions.
The board also heard a
report from Henry Guenzel,
chairman of the Tourist
Committee, that although final
figures are still not in, the Arts
and Crafts Fair was a success.
Guenzel said the supper
theatre was a particular
success and the Tourist
Committee is splitting its
profits from the event with the
Cherokee Civic Theatre.
The Monday meeting was the
final meeting of the board for
1973. Outgoing President Hen-
ry Westbrook presided
The Rusk City Council voted
unanimously Tuesday night to
close a short section of Cope-
land Street connecting Bonner
and Highway 69 after being
presented a petition signed by
27 citizens citing a driving
hazard at that intersection.
The petition, presented to the
council by Ike Daniel, states:
"The people whose name are
affixed to this petition would
like to see this portion of
Copeland Street closed to
traffic since there has been
unaccountable accidents upon
entering this street from
Highway 69 and Bonner Street.
"We the undersigned feel
this portion of Copeland Street
to be hazardous to the public."
The section of Copeland
involved connects with Bonner
At Rusk Memorial Hospital
Councilman Gene Kelley,
who made the motion to close
the street, added a stipulation
that if the city ever uses the
triangular island of land its
owns at that location for any
purpose, it will be as a parking
lot for the hospital Council-
man Maurice Higgins second-
ed the motion
Daniel was the first to
suggest the idea of a parking
lot and Mrs. C. L. Manning, of
803 N Bonner, asked the
council not to sell the land so
that nothing "unsightly" would
be constructed there
After opening bids for a new
city brush truck, the council
approved a motion by Council-
man Raymond Cooper, sec-
onded by Councilman Jamie
Weaver, to accept the low bid
of $4.318 submitted by Isaac
Motor Co of Rusk Council-
man Higgins abstained from
voting.
The bid from Isaac's was for
a 1974 two-ton Chevrolet truck
with a 350 cubic inch v-8
engine. The only other bid.
submitted by Rusk Motor
Sales, was $4,591 for a 1974
Ford truck
Council also opened bids for
a tractor-dozer, to be used for
sanitary land fill at the citv
dump and for clearing land at
the city park site, but they took
no action on the bids Bids
from four different companies
ranged from $19,000 to $40,000.
In other action the council:
1) Gave authority to Council-
man Kelley, chairman of the
city Parks and Recreation
Board, to go ahead with land
clearing at the city park site.
Mayor Morris Hassell told
council members that City
Attorney Wilson McVicker was
working on ordinances setting
up park rules.
2.) Approved installation of a
street light at Wightman Lane
and Hill Street.
3.) Decided to ask for bids
for a two-way radio for the new-
city fire truck after hearing
from Councilman Kelley that
the East Texas Council of
Governments can provide no
funds for such equipment
4.) Approved monthly bills
and postponed approval of
minutes of the last meeting
until councilmen could receive
copies.
PTA Meet Set
The Rusk Parent Teachers
Association will hold its
regular meeting at 7:30 pm
Tuesday, Dec. 18 in the
cafeteria at the elementary
school
A Christmas program will be
presented by the elementary
school's music department
under the direction of Miss
Shirley Williams.
Mrs Arlene McNair, co-
president urges all parents to
attend and support the PTA.
housing corporation is non-
profit. they will pay only 3 and
one-quarter per cent interest,
however.
Those present at Hassell's
office for the loan closing
included Stewart; Jack Cates
of Tyler, the architect; and
housing corporation board
members JoeT. Terrell, Judge^
J. W. Summers, Rep. Emmettr
H. Whitehead. Dr. Lex T. Neill,
Henry Westbrook, Frank How-
ell. James P Richards,
William Meador and Paul Cox.
The apartments, which will
be available for "low to
moderate income families,"
according to Hart, will be built
inside the city limits on the old
Bridges tract on Highway 84
west
Seven duplex buildings will
be constructed for a total of 14
apartments, some with two
and some with three bedrooms,
all unfurnished and equipped
with central heat and air.
The units will have utility
rooms, parking facilities, city
utilities and be on a paved
street. Hart adds.
Whitehead
Talks To Lions
Texas' new Constitution was
the subject of Representative
Emmett H Whitehead's talk to
the Alto Lions Club Tuesday
night. Approximately 100 Lions
and their ladies attended the
dinner meeting
"Texas is going to have a
new Constitution written in the
near future because of pres-
sure from the big cities. I
believe it will be to the
advantage of the rural areas to
have it written and approved
now." explained the Cherokee
County law maker
The Texas legislature goes to
Austin January 8, 1974 to
re-write the 100 year old state
constitution, and submit the
document to the voters at a
later date
The speaker explained that
major cities and metropolitan
areas enjoy a majority in both
the House and Senate How-
ever, rural legislators still
have equal influence in gov-
ernment This will not be so
after the 1980 census.
"We can write-in safeguards
for rural areas this time," he
stated.
The many changes and
revisions in the proposed
document were explained in
detail
Lions Club president Ronnie
Hendrick presided Lion
Charles Holcomb was program
chairman and introduced the
speaker.
ALL REGION BAND MEMBERS- selected
from the Rusk High School Band Saturday,
Dec. 8 in Carthage are left to right, Kathleen
Hunter and Lucy Hunter, daughters of Dr.
and Mrs James Hunter and Angela C y,
daughter of Mr and Mrs. William Cary. ay
will participate in the All Region Concert and
Clinic this Saturday in Longview -staff pftoto
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The Cherokeean. (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 126, No. 28, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 13, 1973, newspaper, December 13, 1973; Rusk, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth151048/m1/1/?q=%22%22~1: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Singletary Memorial Library.