The Big Lake Wildcat (Big Lake, Tex.), Vol. 52, No. 23, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 9, 1977 Page: 1 of 6
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• .
Havenhills Retire
In the summer of 1950, Mr. and
Mrs. Ralph Havenhill drove out to
Big Lake in July to see about the
head basketball coach vacancy here.
The late C.E. Ellison, superinten-
dent at the time, had sent a notice
to North Texas State University
about the job here. Mrs. Havenhill
as Miss Jackye Hall had taught under
Ellison in the Texon school from
February 1942 to February 1943 and
liked the people here.
They both got a job, Ralph as
basketball coach and Jackye as ele-
mentary school librarian. Ralph
taught science and social studies in
both junior hit»h and high school.
After two years Mrs. Havenhill be-
came high school librarian in which
position she has served since....
After being here one year, Mr.
Havenhill was elected elementary
school principal and has ably served
the past 26 years in that capacity.
He continued as high school bas-
ketball coach for two more years.
His teams won the district title all
three years he coached the Owls and
competed in regional play two of
those years. His teams compiled
an outstanding record, 35-7 in 1950*
51, 34-4 in 1951-52, and 29-6 in
1952-53. They won the RCHS Tour
nament two years in a row, 1951 and
1952 and lost in 1953 in double over
time to Rankin. Some of the Owl
players during that time were Lelan
Varnadore, Pat Newbrough, Don
Barber, Billy Cutbirth, Dick Seals,
Clifford Farris, Larry Smith, and
Jerry Ross.
Mr. and Mrs. Havenhill were
married Aug. 14, 1943 in Providence
Rhode Island. Ralph was a sergeant
in the U.S. Marine Corps at the
time. After four years in the mili-
tary service, he was discharged in
March 1946. They moved to Over-
ton where he was head basketball
and assistant football coach, and
Mrs. Havenhill taught, from 1947
to 1950. He recalled that when
Big Lake Contributes
To Mental Health Fund
Big Lake raised $506.37 in the
lay drive benefiting the Mental
ealth Association in Texas.
Bellringer workers collected
)use-to-house during May, Men-
,1 Health Month.
Proceeds benefit the non-profit,
jn-govemme ntal agency whose
iembers are dedicated to fighting
lental illness while working on
ehalf of the mentally ill and their
imilies.
"The Mental Health Association
xists entirely on donations, such
: those raised in the May drive, "
lid Shirley K. Cam field, state
resident.
Camfield thanked Mrs. Linda
verett and the Bellringer workers
i Big Lake, calling them an im-
ortant team in the movement to
romote mental health in the state.
The Weather
0hr Bifl fflxlitaf
VOLUME 52
“Your Hometown Newspaper"
BIG LAKE, REAGAN COUNTY, TEXAS (76932) JUNE 9, 1977 Single Copy 15c
NUMBER 23
General Telephone
Laying Cable
To San Angelo
RCHS Cheerleaders Win ‘Best In Texas’
Rain High
Low
June 1
94
67
June 2
93
62
June 3
96
63
June 4
95
63
June 5
90
60
June 6
90
59
June 7
93
61
June 8
91
60
they arrived in Big Lake in 1950
that contractors were pouring the
foundation for the First Baptist
Church.
Mr. Havenhill served as president
of the local Little League five yea^
and starting in 1955, he served as
District Administrator of Little
League for 18 years until 1973. He
is a past president of the Big Lake
Chamber of Commerce, and a past
president of the Reagan County Liora
Club. He has been secretary of the
Lions Club 17 years and has a 17-
year perfect attendance record. He
has served as president of the local
TSTA Unit, and is a past president
and life member of the Big Lake
Grade School PTA. He has 31 years
of teaching and administrative ex-
perience.
Mrs. Havenhill, with 36 years
teaching experience, is also a past
president of the local TSTA. She
has coached many U.I.L. contest
events and has served as sponsor for
the annual, the Owl's Hoot, senior
classes, junior classes, and the stu-
dent council.
Both said to quote them that "We
loved every minute of our 27 years
in Big Lake. It is a great place to
rear your family and a great place
to live."
Their family includes their two
daughters and their families, Mr.
and Mrs. Mike Holmes, Becky 10
and Brad 8, of San Angelo; and Mr.
and Mrs. John Massey and Lisa 4.
of Austin.
Having retired from school work,
their new address will be Route 1,
Denton, Texas where they have
been busy the past year building a
new brick home on her parents' for-
mer home place. They finished
moving last Sunday. They invite
friends to stop by and see them
when in that part of Texas. And
they also said they would be return-
ing to Big Lake to visit from time
to time.
Class Of'67 To
Have Reunion
Reagan County High School Class
of 1967 will hold their ten year
class reunion this weekend at Big
Lake Country Club. Shelly Arm-
strong Ross of San Antonio reports
that the organizing group has re-
ceived good response from class-
mates who will attend the reunion.
Activities will get underway at
9:00 a.m. Saturday morning with
a get together coffee. There will
be an afternoon break for visiting
with family and friends and then
there will be a "cabrito" barbecue
dinner starting about 6:30 p.m.
Friends of classmates and forma-
teachers are all invited to visit
with the class of 1967 at any of
the reunion functions.
Reagan County
Reimbursed For
Voter Registration
AUSTIN--Comptroller Bob Bullock
mailed checks totaling $826, 677
to 251 Texas counties Tuesday as
payment for issuing and processing
voter registration certificates from
February 1, 1976 through January
31, 1977.
The payments ranged from a low
of $6.80 to Donley County to $117,
141 to Dallas County, Bullock said.
The counties are paid 40tf by the
State for each voter registration
certificate issued or canceled, he
exolained.
Jack Goss of San Angelo, divison
manager for General Telephone Co.
of the Southwest, was in Big Lake
Wednesday morning to tell of $2, OOQ
000 in capital improvements affect-
ing Big Lake customers. Work has
already begun on laying a new cable
which will run from Big Lake to San
Angelo, and work is progressing six
miles east of Big Lake toward San
Angelo.
Work has also started in San An-
gelo and will progress west from
that end. The cable should be in
operation by December 1. It will
also be extended west to Texon and
that part should be in operation by
December 31.
The new cable is expected to be
100 per cent more reliable than the
present open-wire type circuits. At
present there are 31 open wire cir-
cuits. The cable will open with 35
circuits with more to be added as
needed.
Big Lake exchange now has approc-
imately 1600 telephones with 200
added in the last three years. The
company is presently adding 200
more numbers to the exchange here.
Accompanying Mr. Goss to Big
Lake was Ted Short of Eldorado,
plant foreman for Big Lake, Ozona,
Eldorado, Sonora, Forsan, and Ster-
ling City exchanges.
Among those meeting with the
telephone company representatives
were Bill Schneemann, mayor; Er-
nest O'Hearn, Jr., Reagan State
Bank president; Tim Sellman,
Chamber of Commerce president;
Johnny Poynor of C.H. Poynor
Construction Co., and Mike Werst
publisher of the Wildcat.
Pool Hours
Announced
Mrs. Michael Griffin, summer
manager of the North County Park
swimming pool, has announced the
pool hours for this summer. The
pool hours of operation will be:
Monday, 10:00 a.m. to 8 p.m.;
Tuesday, 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.;
Wednesday, closed; Thursday,
11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday,
10:00 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday
2:00 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The summer Girls’ Recreation
Program has the pool from 9:30 ajn.
to 11:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and
Thursdays. Mrs. Griffin said, "Plare
for swimming lessons have not been
finalized as of yet but we’ll announce
them in the newspaper in about
two weeks.
Standard swimming pool safety
rules are in effect including: People
under twelve must be accompanied
by parents or pass a standard swim-
ming test; no running or rough play
around pool; only one person on
diving board at a time; and no cut-
off jeans to be worn in pool because
lint will damage the county pool's
filtering system.
Glenda McMullan
Appointed
Spokeswoman In
Girls Rodeo
Ms. Glenda McMullan, who re-
sides at Oilfield Rt., Big Lake,
Texas, has been appointed a
spokeswoman in the Girls' Rodeo
Association by Jeana Day Felts,
director of the organization's Tex-
oma region.
The local woman will work with
judges and represent members in
all GRA rodeo events that might
take place in Texas and Oklahoma.
The association, headquartered
in Spencer, Okla., has more than
600 members, with another 1500
contesting on a permit basis, not
yet having qualified for full mem-
bership. The association was or-
ganized in 1948 for the mutual
protection and benefit of female
professional rodeo contestants.
Last year, members participated
in more than 550 barrel racing
events across the nation, as well
as in nearly 30 all-girl rodeos. In
addition to barrel racing, GRA-
approved events include bareback
bronc riding, bull riding, steer
undecorating, goat tying, team
roping and calf roping.
Ms. McMullan has been a mem-
ber of GRA since 1964.
Reagan County was reimbursed
$133.60 for issuing and processing
voter registration certificates.
SUPERSTAR CHEERLEADERS (L-R) Kim Conaway, LaDonna Preas, Jill Schneemann, Karri Page, and Sheri James,
By Karri Page
The RCHS cheerleaders traveled
to Cisco, Sunday, May 29 to attend
camp. Again they brought home
top honors given at the camp--the
Award of Excellence, the NCA
Spirit Award (which is the grand-
daddy spirit stick), the Super Star
Squad Award, and superior ribbons.
They received five certificates
for the Award of Excellence so each
member of the squad would have
one to keep. They also received
a gold plaque which is to be pre-
sented to the school on behalf of
the 1977-78 cheerleaders. They
received a magaphone for the NCA
Spirit Award.
The RCHS representatives at
cheerleading camp were Karri Pag&
senior and head cheerleader, dau-
ghter of Mr. and Mrs. Terry Page;
Jill Schneemann, senior, daughter
ot Mr. and Mrs. Max Schneemann
Jr.; Kim Conaway, senior, daughcr
of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Conaway;
LaDonna Preas, junior, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. O.W. Parker III; and
Sheri James, junior, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. George James.
Each day the girls woke up bright
and early in the mo rning ready to
learn new cheers and chants. They
also attended pom pom class and
pyramid, double stunt, or tumbling
class (which ever class which was
held on that certain day). The
first part of the afternoons were
used for talk sessions and Super
Star Class meetings and the rest
of the afternoon was used for prac-
ticing. At night they spent their
time in evaluation.
Monday night in evaluation, th^r
won an excellent ribbon and the
coveted spirit stick. Tuesdav night
the girls did a great job and cap-
tured a superior ribbon. Wednes-
day night the girls won both a
superior ribbon and the spirit stick.
Thursday night skits and talent wee
presented. Friday morning at eva-
luation they won another superior
ribbon.
The girls were also named a
Super Star Squad. To get this a-
ward you had to show your ability
of coordination, organization,
creativity, spirit, jumps/kicks,
game knowledge, technique, and
dedication.
The girls also obtained the NCA
Spirit Award. This award was
voted on by each squad. They
looked for the squad which had a
lot of spirit and vhich got along
with everyone. When handed the
megaphone for the Spirit Award,
they were told that this was their
spirit stick, and it was the grand-
daddy of them all. They were al-
so told that this award was one of
the best awards to win at cheerlead-
ing camp.
Again they were nominated for
the Award of Excellence, and again
they won. Only three squads from
the whole camp were nominated
for this award. They were Reagan
County, Sands, and Sanger high
schools. The NCA instructors
picked these three groups because
of their outstanding cheerleading
ability. Each group had to per-
perform in front of the whole camp.
They had to do a cheer which they
brought from home, a cheer which
they learned at camp, motions
(which they made up) to a chant
that they learned at camp, and
they had to tell about the pep rally
in which their gcup participated
in Super Star Class.
The RCHS cheerleaders are look-
ing forward to another great year.
They hope to see everyone backing
the Owls in all of the sports in the
upcoming season.
Texon Historical Marker Dedicated
DEDICATION PROGRAM--The
three former Texon residents above
were in charge of the dedication
program Sunday morning when the
Official Texas Historical Marker for
the Town of Texon was dedicated.
Left to right are Paul McCollum of
Odessa, speaker for the occasion;
Rev. Frank Procter, Jr. of Fort
Worth, who gave the prayer; and
John R. Daugherty of Big Lake,
master of ceremonies.
■ The marker will be erected by
Texas Highway Department person-
nel near the turn-off from Highway
67 to Texon on the south side of the
highway.
Mrs. Lacy (Doris) Way of Big
Lake and Mrs. R.C. (Velma) Mar-
shall of Odessa did the research
work for the material used on the
inscription for the marker. It was
ordered by the Reagan County His-
torical Commission.
Mrs. Joe Kosel and Mrs. Frankie
Delz of the arrangements commit-
tee reported over 200 registered for
the reunion. A complete list with
addresses will be printed in next
week's paper. The list is being
compiled by towns now.
The inscription on the marker
reads as follows:
THE TOWN OF TEXON
Early travelers along many his-
toric trails in this area found the
region arid and Inhospitable. Given
(1876) to the University of Texas,
the lands around this marker were
leased to cattlemen. The Kansas
City, Mexico & Orient Railroad
built its line here in 1911, but did
little local hauling. Development
came after Frank Pickrell and Hay-
mon Krupp of Texon Oil & Land
Company drilled for oil. Their
driller, Cart Cromwell, brought in
Santa Rita No. 1, the first gusher
in the Permian Basin, on May 28,
1923.
Texon, first company town in the
Permian Basin, was founded in 1924
by Big Lake Oil Company. Levi
Smith, president of the firm, plan-
ned and supervised building of the
town, and Ted Williams served as
city manager for the company.
Texon had stores, shops, a school,
a physician, a dentist, a hospital,
a theater, a park, a well-known
baseball team, and many facilities
for recreation. The post office
opened in 1926. As many as 2, 000
people lived here—boosters claimed
up to 10, 000--manning the drilling
a gasoline plant, an oil treating
plant, and other operations. Ply-
mouth Oil Company absorbed Big
Lake Oil Company, then sold out
to Marathon Oil Company. The
company town was closed in 1962.
Chamber News ...
Big Lake Chamber of Commerce
directors met Tuesday at noon at
Garaland’s Steak House for their
regular June meeting. The Fourth
of July Celebration in Big Lake was
discussed. It was decided to hold
a called meeting of the board at
5:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 15, at
the Chamber of Commerce office
to make final plans.
Proposed plans call for games in
the afternoon at the park a barbe-
cue, and a dance that evening.
Other events may be added. Wally
Johnson is barbecue chaimnan.
David Werst was elected a mem-
ber of the board of directors to take
the place of Mrs. Pat Soles who hn
moved from the city.
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Werst, David. The Big Lake Wildcat (Big Lake, Tex.), Vol. 52, No. 23, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 9, 1977, newspaper, June 9, 1977; Big Lake, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth615130/m1/1/?q=wichita+falls: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Reagan County Library.