The Tulia Herald (Tulia, Tex.), Vol. 88, No. 18, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 2, 1996 Page: 4 of 16
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PAGE FOUR
Couple . . . Continued from Page One
THE TULIA (Swisher County) HERALD
SUSAN LATHAM'S KINDERGARTEN class raised $32.39 for Texas Special Olympics In a change
drive held recently at Highland Elementary. Front row from left are Pony Ortega, Natalie Blakeman,
Eric Puenta, Jasmen Williams, Josh Martinez, C. J. Boswell. Middle row from left are Thomas
Belcher, Nicolas Anzaldua, David Arce, Tlffanl Hernandez, Cody Frausto, Valerie Estrada. Back row
from left are Cynthia Glenn (substitute teacher), Demi Grubb, Elizabeth Yarbrough, Brett House,
Fernando Dominguez, Susanna Sanchez, Anthony Sanders, and Kathy Nelson and Danna Keeter
of the prison. —Staff photo
Tulia Transfer Facility Raises
Money For Special Olympics
basketball I quit.” He played guard.
He says. “Coach said I stayed on
the floor all the time.” They won
county in 1930 and '31.
Cecil describes himself as a teen-
age mule skinner in his younger days.
He plowed eight mules abreast. That’s
eight mules in a row pulling an eight
foot tandem with six chisels with
sweeps for plowing. Cecil says, “I
could easily plow 25 to 30 acres in a
day.”
Cecil’s father would not let them
work the horses in the fields. One
time Cecil decided to hook up two
mares to a cultivator. The mares were
walking pretty good. A tie strap had
come unsnapped. The mares steps
became more than walking.
“The team must have known the
lie was unsnapped because they
started to run. I just had check lines,”
says Cecil. "One mare went this way
and another went that way."
Cecil jumped off the cultivator.
He caught the team after they had run
off a few yards. He says, “I didn’t
have to tell my father what hap-
pened. He could see the cultivator.”
In 1929 the dirt started to blow.
There was no way to stop it. Cecil
says, “Daddy had a brand new Case
tractor. He bought it in Amarillo and
drove it home across the canyon. He
had to lake the lugs off to get it
home.”
They put the lugs on the tractor
with chisels to try to stop the blowing
dirt. Turn rows were the worst Dirt
piled up around the posts.
Cecil says, “For two years we
never hooked up to farm.”
The worst years were 1930 and
'31. Cecil remembers driving over
mounds of dirt that were fence rows
at one lime. He says, “Our folks
didn’t know we were doing that with
the car.”
Cecil had a set of wheels on a
1929 Model A Ford. He was going to
a social at the school house. He drove
up to the gas tank and filled the car
with gas. His father said the filter
was leaking on the gas tank. Cecil
didn’t have anything to repair it with.
He though it would be okay. When
the social was over he started the car
and it backfired. The gas leak ignited
and burned the car. That is it burned
everything but the tires. Cecil took
all four tires off the car without a
jack.
Cecil says, “I don’t know how I
did it but I did. I felt real bad because
I burned a hole in my coat. I didn’t
need to be over there in the first
place.”
Cecil went to Stratford for 19
months to overhaul tractors. He re-
paired tractors for room and board.
His mother and daddy had moved
to Friona. The boys were left to batch.
He came back and was fooling
around downtown one night. Ber-
nice was with her best friend Who
was Cecil’s cousin. Of course Ber-
nice did not know this at the time.
They were waiting for the show to
begin.
Cecil says, “About three years later
we dec ided to go steady.” He couldn ’ t
make a living. He worked all week
digging ditches and laying pipe. He
did anything to make a living.
Chester Payne ran a plumbing shop
in Tulia and Cecil worked for $9 a
week. Cecil says, “Everyone was in
the same boat, sinking in the same
water.” ,
His brother-in-law ran a service
station with a lire shop in back at
McCamey. Cecil decided to give this
a try. He changed tires for a couple of
years.
Cecil says, “I would scratch
something to Bernice. She couldn't
read it. She knew I was down there
and I knew she was here.”
In the middle '30s Cecil went to
work for a man named Cooper. He
was working for Cooper when he
married. He was working there when
he went into the service.
Cecil and Bernice were married
Feb. 5, 1938. John Scott not only
married them but he baptized them.
Cecil says, “They were ready to
shove me in but I beat them by sev-
eral months.” I was sent to Lubbock
and then to Fort Sill. Then I was sent
back to Lubbock and on to San Mar-
cos. He says, “I stayed there 3
1/2 years.”
Bernice Love was bom in Swisher
County. Her parents were Mr. and
Mrs. Tom Love. Bernice was the
oldest of three children. When she
was 14 her mother’s sister died leav-
ing a girl for the Loves to raise.
Bernice’s grandfather donated the
land for Love School. “He saw the
need for education. His land joined
where he donated the land for the
school,” says Bernice.
Bernice went to Love School. She
attended all 10 grades then trans-
ferred to Tulia. She graduated from
Tulia High School. She played for-
ward in basketball. She has a re-
minder of her basketball years. She
jammed her little finger in the ce-
ment wall while playing.
After she graduated she went to
work for Southwestern Bell. She
worked 10 years as a ‘hello girl’ and
received a pin for her years of ser-
vice.
When Cecil was transferred to San
Marcos Bernice went to work for
Civil Service as a telephone opera-
tor.
When Cecil was discharged from
the service they bought a farm east of
town. They still own it. Bernice says,
“Daddy gave us a heifer. We raised a
nice little herd from this small begin-
ning.”
Bernice recalls one sand storm in
particular. The lake westof the house
v/as dry. The wind and dirt blew.
They had to shovel dirt out of the
ceiling of the house.
The house had water piped in. A
cement barrel caught the water as it
entered the well house. A milk trough
kept food cool. As long as the wind
blew the windmill f umished the house
with running water. Cecil says,
‘That’s the only refrigerator we had.”
Bernice begin the Home Demon-
stration Club at Love t>efore she
married. She received a 50 year pin
from the club. She still belongs.
Bernice says, “I have worked ev-
erywhere in town. I work for the
Tulia Livestock Auction and have
for 35 years.”
Cecil had an accident at the farm
one day. He was watering near the
irrigation motor. He got his clothes
hung in the drive shaft. All of his
clothes were jerked off him except
his shoes and socks. There was a
bath towel in the pickup he used to
wrap around himself until he could
get home.
Cecil says, “I always heard the
first thing you do is look up to see if
anyone is coming. That is exactly
what I did.”
In 1952 Cecil got his arm caught
in a cotton stripper. He was trapped
for 45 minutes until T. D. Evans, his
brother-in-law, arrived. Cecil says,
“I learned to shut the thing off when
I* got off.”
T. D. took him to the doctor. Dr.
Richards and Dr. Stuart worked on
sewing the arm. Dr. Richards asked
■><cil if he was still awake when they
finished the stitching. His arm is a
little crooked but that’s it.
Did you know City Drug had curb
service? Bernice says, “They brought
out cokes. If you were ready to go to
bed and had your pajamas on you
could drive down there and they
would bring it out.”
Cecil and Bernice have two lovely
daughters. Marsh Ann Ellis lives in
Lubbock. Her husband Allen is CEO
for MalouFs in Lubbock. They have
one son Jayton. She is a senior at
Markoma Bible Academy in
Tahlcquah, Okla.
Sara Jane Howell lives in Forest,
Virginia. Her husband, Fred, is a
surveyor, planner and builder for
Berkly, Howell and Associates, P.C.
They have one son Judson. He is a
senior at Virginia Tech College.
When the girls were little Bernice
would sew on an evening dress way
into the night. She ironed late into
the night so the girls had something
special to wear the next day.
Bernice was working at the tele-
phone office. Cecil went to plow for
his brother-in-law. Bernice’s shift at
the office was from 1:50 until 9:55
p.m. She was to pick up Cecil after
work that night. She drove out there
butdidn’tseehim.Soshe went about
fixing his meal. He walked home
that night He sat down to eat and
passed out from being so tired from
walking home.
Cecil has one sister, Versa New.
T. D. Evans is her brother.
Bernice has one sister, Gladys Py-
eatt. Betty Jo Barker is the cousin the
family raised. She lives across the
street from them. Bernice says, “She
is a God send for us.”
These two people share their lives
with each other. Theirs is a daily
adventure and a treasured commit-
ment. What a wonderful couple they
are! The love between them can be
seen by the way they talk to each
other, and especially the way they
look at each other.
Employees of the Tulia Transfer
Facility are taking part in a fund-
raiser for the Texas Special Olympics
through "change drives" at the local
schools, drawings for a beef and a
color TV, T-shirt and cap sales and
donations.
The Special Olympics are totally
funded through donations.
Employees from the unit will also
be participating in the law enforcement
torch run. The Units in this region will
be running from Dalhart to Austin
starting May 17 in order to reach
Austin for the Summer meet on May
22.
The Law enforcement torch run is
the top fund-raiser for Special Olym-
pics. Last year 600 law enforcement
officers ran 2,100 miles across Texas
and raised over $550,000.
A study conductcd by Yale Univer-
sity shows that the longer a person
participates in Special Olympics, the
better adjusted they arc in their home,
school, and comm unity environments.
It gives them the opportunity to ex-
perience companionship with true
peers, a sense of accomplishment, and
a feeling of acceptance, all of which
play a major roll in boosting their self-
esteem.
There arc over 22,000 Special
Olympians in the state of Texas—600
inour region. The money raised in our
region is used to fund our local meets
which costs from $2,000 to $3,000
each. It is also used to train coaches.
The Fundamental living class from
Swinbum is planning to attend three
of these meets this spring prior to the
summer games.
Kathy Nelson of the Tulia Unit
managed the fund-raiser which con-
cluded on April 30.
The Tulia unit would also like to
recognize the following for their help
on the various fund-raising commit-
tees: Lt. Avants, T-shirt sales; Sgt.
Mendez, donations and burrito sales;
Elaine O’Daniel, Burrito sales, pizza
party, donations; Jami Vick, raffles
and pizza party; David Price, dona-
tions; Lisa Martin, roll change; Jennie
Benevidez, donations and senior
citizens; V onccil Chandler, donations.
Also recognized are Officer
Walden, sold 110 beef tickets; Offi-
cer Yeager, sold 85 beef tickets; Danna
Keeter, pizza party and rolling change;
Mrs. Caldwell, Major Walker and
Warden Adams.
In the schools change drive Mrs.
Criswell’s class raised $35 and was
awarded a pizza party; Mrs. Latham's
class raised $32.30 and received a
pizza party and Mrs. Hill's class raised
$41.99 and was given a pizza party.
Swinbum Elementary raised a total
of $224.90 and Highland Elementary
raised a total of $397.81. The schools
were given two days to bring change.
The grand total for both schools was
$642.71.
Nelson said Harvey McJimsey of
Silverton was the winner of the tele-
vision and Noe Ramos Jr. of Plain view
was the winner of the beef.
Nelson would like to thank all who
participated in the fund-raiser, espe-
cially the schools, and both Tulia banks
for generous donations.
Nelson said on Tuesday, the last
day of the fund-raising efforts, they
had raised approximately $4900.
The law enforcement torch run will
becoming through Tulia on Saturday,
May 18. There will be more details on
the run in later editions of the Herald.
THURSDAY, MAY 2,1996
TUlia Teachers To
Be Honored May 7
Teachers in Tulia and in commu-
nities across the nation will be honored
on May 7 as students, parents, school
administrators, and the general public
celebrate the special work of educa-
tors on National Teacher Day.
Elizabeth Devin, president of the
Association of Tulia Educators, notes
that the foundation of our democracy
is our nation's schools, and at the heart
of the schools are the men and women
who tirelessly work to share the gift of
learning and help shape the lives of the
next generation of young Americans.
"Teaching is the only profession
that touches so many people in such an
important way, "says Devin. "Na-
tional Teacher Day provides the
community with the opportunity to
recognize the invaluable contribution
of our educators and to give a special
thanks to the teachers who have made
a difference in our lives."
A growing number of communities
across the country are observing Na-
tional Teacher Day, notes National
Education Association President
Keith Geiger. "Nearly all of us have
been strongly influenced by a special
teacher," Geiger says. "Today’s young
people are no different. This celebra-
tion reminds us all of the importance
and impact of teachers in shaping our
lives and our futures."
Senior Citizens,Care
Center Host Guest
Swisher County Senior Citizens
and Tulia Care Center will present a
guest lecturer who will speak on
Alzheimer's.
Linda San Miguel will present an
Alzheimer's education program on
Monday, May 6 at 4 p.m. at the
Senior Citizens Center in Tulia.
She is currently the Alzheimer's
Outreach Specialist for the Rural
Alzheimer's Disease Education Pro-
gram atTexas Tech University Health
Sciences Center and serves as chair-
person for the Dumas Community
Alzheimer's Support Group.
She has been director of a 40 bed
Alzheimer's unit and has provided
education and support to profession-
als, clergy, caregivers and family
members in Oklahoma, New Mexi-
co, Kansas, and the Texas panhandle
area.
San Miguel is a member of the
Panhandle and South Plains Alz-
heimer’s Associations.
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The Tulia Herald (Tulia, Tex.), Vol. 88, No. 18, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 2, 1996, newspaper, May 2, 1996; Tulia, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth507540/m1/4/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Swisher County Library.