Today Newspapers (Duncanville, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 9, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 14, 2009 Page: 4 of 18
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Page 4 • Today Newspapers • Thursday, May 14, 2009
www.todaynewspapers.net • manager@todaynewspapers.net
Great mothers often supported great politicians' starts
This month,
American fami-
lies will cele-
brate Mother's
Day and set
aside one
Sunday to honor
the women who
are the founda-
tion of our soci-
ety. Mothers are
the first teach-
ers of the lead-
ers of tomorrow.
o . ■ . -j- , They embody
Special to Today strengthand
tenderness, and impart wisdom and
grace in the lives of their children. My
own mother gave me the support in all
my endeavors that strengthened my
resolve to overcome obstacles.
President Theodore Roosevelt said,
in honor of his mother, Martha, "The
mother is the one supreme asset of
KAY BAILEY
HUTCHISON
national life; she is more important by
far than the successful statesman, or
business man, or artist or scientist."
More and more in today's society, a
woman has the opportunity to con-
tribute to society both as a mother and
a leader. As a U.S. Senator, I take my
work very seriously. I never forget that
the decisions I make each day impact
the lives of millions of Texans. But I
work 24-7 to do my most important
job: Being mother to my two children.
I am not alone in balancing such a
great set of responsibilities. Twelve of
the 17 women in the U.S. Senate are
mothers. Seven of us are working
moms with children at home, and we
each juggle the daily demands of moth-
erhood, while keeping up with the
needs of our constituents. We arrange
play dates, help with math and spelling
homework, attend sporting events,
chaperone Girl and Boy Scout camp-
outs and more.
The experience of balancing a full-
time job with a full-time family has
given me a unique insight into the
needs of working families across Texas
and throughout our nation. Moms who
work inside the home while volunteer-
ing for school, organizations, church
and community, or those who work in a
profession outside the home, deserve
our gratitude. I have been fortunate to
use this perspective to shape legislation
that will empower mothers to make
choices that are best for them and their
children. In fact, two of my proudest
legislative accomplishments have been
borne out of family considerations.
When I was a single woman in the
workforce, I started an individual
retirement account to save tax-free for
the future. I could set aside up to
$2,000 in this account. After I married
and was in between careers, I learned
that a married woman who didn't have
an outside job could only set aside
$250.1 was shocked by this inequity. A
woman who works in the home raising
her family may be the most vulnerable
if she loses her husband through death
or divorce. And a woman who moves in
and out of the workforce to have chil-
dren should not be penalized for
responding to her family priorities.
After I was elected to the U.S. Senate,
one of the first pieces of legislation I
introduced was the homemaker IRA,
which is the law today. It allows
women to set aside the same amount,
regardless of employment status.
Women who choose to work outside
the home also should not be penalized
for this choice. In many cases, a moth-
er works because her income is neces-
sary to help pay the mortgage, buy gro-
ceries or put a child through college.
Some just like to work. And the mar-
riage tax, which unfairly targets hus-
bands and wives who are jointly work-
ing to meet their family's needs, pushes
married couples into a higher tax
bracket than two single wage earners
taking in the same combined income.
I began the fight to reverse this
inequity in 2001. Under the old policy,
an estimated 25 million couples paid a
penalty of $1,141 for being married. In
2001, my legislation was enacted. On
the first day of the 111th Congress, I
introduced the Permanent Marriage
Penalty Relief Act of 2009 to outlaw
this tax policy, once and for all.
Being a mother might be the hardest
job in the world, and it is undoubtedly
the most important. But it is also the
most rewarding. One day is not enough
to recognize all that mothers do for
their families, but it is a wonderful
opportunity to say thank you to that
special mom in our lives.
Kay Bailey Hutchison is the senior
U.S. Senator from Texas.
They told me not to
think of it as a
Work Stoppage
but as "Summer
Vacation
Today art by
JASON MCLEAN
Taboos, magic and totems tell us plenty
about our ancestors thoughts and beliefs
SUE
HEIGELE
Special to Today
Parlor Chats about world wars, more
MARIKAY
DEWBERRY
Special to Today
It's 1939, and World War
II has begun. In DeSoto we
have about a hundred folks
living on the rich, black
farmland. The war seems to
be far from here, yet is on
the minds and tongues of
the townsfolk. Our popula-
tion has declined to less
than 50. We've worked hard
to double the population in
less than ten years. Now
with a war, we are uncer-
tain what will happen to
our town this go-round.
Talk at the Crossroads is
about how we can capitalize on the war one min-
ute, and how we will manage to survive it the next.
Harvesting crops becomes even more crucial than
before, because now it's not just about feeding the
family and bartering for supplies at the mercantile,
but also concern that able-bodied boys will join the
Confederacy, leavings us without farmhand. Life
has become more about canning and stockpiling
for what may be coming. We're just edging out of
the Great Depression, but if we didn't learn any-
thing else, we learned to live lean and mean. We've
come out of it a lot smarter and more appreciative
than when it started.
With only 20 or so families living here we must
band together and plan for survival during the war.
There is anxious time between deliveries of the
weekly Dallas Times, our only source of updates.
For all we know there could be an invasion headed
right for us, and it could be over before we know
it's coming. There's a fellow named Adolph Hitler
really stirring things up across the globe, while
President Roosevelt tries to calm our fears by
opening the World's Fair in New York with talk of
world peace and strength of U.S. democracy.
Ocean liners are being sunk, countries are being
bombed and we're trying to grow our town and
sustain our lives. Our little township is not incor-
porated, does not have a dependable source of
water and has no source of income except farming
and small mercantile establishments.
Although there has been great excitement
around town regarding the Nance twins' birth,
there's also prayerful concern that Evelyn regain
her strength in order to not only nurse the babies
but also harvest her kitchen garden to the extent
needed to sustain the family and farmhands, and
stockpile canning jars to carry them through rough
times ahead.
School boardmembers Baker Hoover, George
Davis, Joe Trees and Ernest Anderson are rethink-
ing some of the plans laid out for expansion of the
DeSoto School; since it's looking like we won't be
able to add the higher grades and will continue
sending the older children to Lancaster and
Duncanville to complete their educations.
Although Cox's Grocery is struggling to keep
its doors open, they continue to take garden veg-
etables and hams from our curing sheds in
exchange for flour, sugar and fabrics. Jess
Gallagher assumes the business of TO. Hash in the
old store's general merchandiser store building. It
is of frame construction, two stories and located in
the southwest quadrant of the intersection of
Hampton and Belt Line at the crossroads; and the
upstairs portion continues to be used for the
I.O.O.F. Hall.
The population of DeSoto as we enter 1940 is
nearing 200, as families move several generations
in together to stretch their dollars and combine
their labor to keep roofs over their heads and food
on their tables. In only a year The Great
Depression and World War II have hastened the
decline of farms in Dallas County, but the spirit of
DeSoto and our neighboring towns helps us find
ways to work together to help one another survive.
Even though the war itself is a world away, it is, in
reality, all around us every day as we fight to save
the town we love and strive to make do with what
we've got, as we build for a better tomorrow.
Marikay Dewberry is a charter member of the
DeSoto, Texas Historical Foundation. She can be
contacted at dewkraft@swbell.net or 214-532-
5902.
f J When I was in college,
L jkgil years ago, I took a course in
I * J sociology that dealt with cus-
toms and societal taboos
HBH among early civilization. I
JflL ftpj enjoyed the class, especially
j the textbook, an edited version
H9 JH of Sir James Frazer's "The
[ ^^1 Golden Bough." It's "a pioneer
study linking primitive con-
cepts and thoughts to the folk
customs of today" and is the
kind of book in which you can
lose yourself for hours. I kept
my copy for years until it dis-
appeared in one of my many moves. Then, on a
browse through Half-Price Books, I discovered one
of the original 1959 editions on a shelf and almost
screamed in delight. I bought it immediately, of
course. Since then I've been immersed in its pages.
Let me share for a few moments a tantalizing whiff
of its lore.
Early people believed that if a person ate the
flesh of an animal, he or she would take on the
qualities of that animal. I was reminded of this
when I saw Anthony Bourdain recently on the
Travel Channel and watched him eat a still-beating
cobra heart. Was he hoping to absorb the powers of
the snake? (I honestly can't see much of a change;
he's still the same quirky character that he's always
seemed to be, but it's still early yet. Maybe in time
...) This is probably the reason primitive people
didn't bother eating small or slow animals. Seeing
someone charge slowly into battle after chowing
down on a sloth might not instill much fear in an
enemy. Early people seemed to know, too, exactly
what made an animal "tick" and went straight for
the brain, especially when eating one known for its
cunning.
The powers of knots are well-known, from
Alexander the Great's slashing of the Gordian knot
when he found he couldn't untie it. Knots had
magic powers so long as they remained tied and
could be used for good or bad purposes. As late as
the 19th century, they were used as devices for
warding off evil, as Jim in Twain's "Huckleberry
Finn" shows when he ties tiny knots in his hair to
ward off witches. Today we speak of a perplexing
problem as "knotty" and our stomachs "knot up"
when we are worried or frightened.
Birds, too, were spoken of in antiquity. Dark
ones, especially, were ominous. I imagine Poe was
well-aware of this when he wrote of the "grim and
ghastly raven" lurking in his chamber. Alfred
Hitchcock, in his classic film "The Birds" uses an
overabundance of these creatures to scare the wits
out of us, his viewers. And in James Hurst's
poignant short story "The Scarlet Ibis," one of the
characters notes that "Dead birds is bad luck."
Crosses, on the other hand, have powers that
work for good, such as holding up a crucifix in
front of a vampire to drain it of its influence. A
child who is sincere in saying something will often
add "Cross my heart" to show he's devoid of any-
thing underhanded. And even Huck Finn's father,
loser that he was, recognized a cross's powers when
he nailed an X on the sole of his boot to keep off
evil.
Magic, taboos, special incantations and the like
... fascinating things. And equally fascinating, I
think, is how close some of our beliefs today are to
those of our ancestors, the ancients. Doesn't that .
kind of make you stop and think? It does me!
Sue Heigele is a retired high school English
teacher. She lives in Duncanville and may be
reached at heigelemail@yahoo.com.
AROUND TOWN IN DUNCANVILLE
JACK
ARMSTRONG
an
. m
If you have a question you can't answer, just
ask. If we don't know the answer, we'll research it
and print it once we have gotten to the bottom of
your problem.
Ever wonder why the city manager doesn't
vote or why the mayor does? Just ask.
JUST ASK
Are you just dying to know what ever hap-
pened to (you fill in the blank)? Just ask.
Whether your question is specific to your com-
munity or on a general topic, all you have to do is
"just ask."
E-mail cedarhill@todaynewspapers.net.
Folks, I would like to tell
you about a thing that hap-
pened somewhere in another
state that really caught my
attention and tugged at my ol'
heart. I didn't get his name,
but a man started collecting
change for the "Feed the
Children" organization and
would you believe he collect-
ed $7 million for that wonder-
ful cause. Oleta and I have
been helping out for a while
Special to Today now because those little dar-
lings have no one but you and
us to help them out.
I talked to Dan at Ben Franklin Apothecary and
he cheerfully agreed to put a container at the sales
counter to let you put your change if you want to
help out after a sale. I just don't know of a more
worthy cause anywhere (unless it might be helping
our returning vets) but those little tykes are dying
every day from a lack of nourishment. So please
drop in your spare change and let's join that feller
that gathered up a boxcar full of change, and even
that was not nearly enough, because folks, there are
millions of those little hungry young'uns.
It worries me that I don't think ours over here in
the states get enough to eat but think of all those
little ones over in Africa, and all over the world
that don't have anything to eat. It's just something
that is hard to comprehend, but it's the truth.
We will set up a "Feed the Children" account at
the bank and send it to them as we get enough in,
and pray it builds up weekly. I want to thank all of
you from the bottom of my heart, if you are already
helping out, and to all of you who drop in your
change, thanks in advance for your help. Let's let
them all know that folks in Duncanville really care.
We wrote about this in our Church Visitor
recently and already two of our dear friends at the
Jefferson Boulevard Church of Christ, Maurine
Flemming and Helen Jones, were the first to give
us a sack full of change for the kids. Believe me it
wasn't all pennies there was some of the big stuff.
If you don't get by to buy anything soon, just give
it to Dan or myself or one of his sweet employees
and we will see that it gets in.
I know that this wasn't about "Around Town"
stuff, but I felt like it was real important to let you
all know what Dan and I are planning to do.
We don't know how the elections are going to
come out, but all I have to say is I pray that the
best man or woman wins the open positions.
We have been keeping up with them all in the
Today Newspapers and we are sure you will all
have your own ideas who will be best qualified to
serve. Let's not let any of the publicity affect how
we vote, because remember ... there are always
two sides to every situation.
I just pray that whoever wins local and state
offices will take the good Lord into their confer-
ences and lead us as he would ... straight and true,
with love in their hearts, and knows the difference
between right and wrong.
Well, that's about it for this time and we'll see
ya later, the good Lord willin'.
Semper Fidelis (always faithful),
Jack Armstrong
Jack Armstrong is a retired Marine and has lived
in and loved Duncanville and served as a crossing
guard and bus monitor for more than 10 years.
TODAY INFORMATION
Today Staff
Kim Petty
Owner
Steve Snyder
Cedar Hill News Editor
Kirk Dickey
Grand Prairie Today News Editor
Bill Conrad
Lancaster News Editor
Ted Allen
Duncanville Sports Editor
Betty Bell
Lifestyles Editor
Jill Quarles, Bethany Berry
DeSoto/Duncanville Staff Writers
Chris Hudson
Photographer
Bradley Kent and Martha Macias
Graphic artists
I rish Nemec
Southwest Address
David Goodspeed
Autoworld Editor
Carrie Petty-Harris
Classified ad sales
Wendy Lee
Cedar Hill, DeSoto retail ad sales
Lisa Bradley
Duncanville retail ad sales
Heather Hawkins
Grand Prairie, Lancaster retail ad sales
Sherry Griffin
Circulation Manager
Deadlines
Classifieds:
Display classified ads - 4 p.m. Tuesday.
Line ads - 4 p.m. Tuesday.
Retail Advertising - 5 p.m. Monday;
Advertising rates may be secured upon
request.
Editorial:
School news - 5 p.m. Thursday
General news - noon Monday
Letters to the editor - noon, Monday
Lifestyles - 5 p.m. Thursday *
Obituaries - 5 p.m. Monday
Deadlines are subject to change due to
holidays and will be published in advance.
Subscriptions
Subscription rates - $33 per year in
city, $40 per year elsewhere in Texas. All
subscriptions are payable in advance and
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the right to change advertising and sub-
scription rates at any time.
General Information
Each Today newspaper is an indepen-
dent newspaper published weekly in the
interest of its city. Any erroneous reflection
upon the integrity or reputation of any
individual will be corrected if brought to
the attention of the news editor. Digests
run on a space-available basis.
Letter Policy
The Opinion Page of Today News-
papers is an open forum for all view-
points. letters to the editor and guest
columns are encouraged.
Deadline is noon Monday at 1314 S.
Main St. Duncanville, by mail to P.O. Box
381029, Duncanville, Texas 75138, or e-
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A complete list of editorial policies,
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Call 972-298-4211 for further informa-
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any other town.
How to Contact Us
Location: Duncanville Office - 1314 S.
Main St., Duncanville, Texas 75137
Phone: 972-298-4211
Fax: 972-298-6369
E-mail:
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Today (Cedar Hill USPS 095640,
ISSN 0704-0428); (DeSoto USPS 411770
ISSN 0704-0428); (Duncanville USPS
507620, ISSN 088-1960); (Lancaster
USPS 507620 ISSN 088 1960) (Grand
Prairie USPS025117); is published every
Thursday by Today Newspapers, 1314 S.
Main St., Duncanville, Texas 75137.
Second class postage paid at DeSoto,
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changes to Today Duncanville, P.O. Box
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Today Newspapers (Duncanville, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 9, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 14, 2009, newspaper, May 14, 2009; Duncanville, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth499034/m1/4/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Zula B. Wylie Memorial Library.