The Hopkins County Echo (Sulphur Springs, Tex.), Vol. 107, No. 23, Ed. 1 Friday, June 4, 1982 Page: 1 of 4
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Hopkins County Area Newspapers and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Hopkins County Genealogical Society.
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(ABSORBED THF GAZETTE CIRCULATION BY PURCHASE MAY 12, 1928)
SULPHUR SPRINGS, TEXAS, FRIDAY, JUNE 4,1982.
4 PAGES -15 CENTS PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY
Capacity crowd gives
Class of '82 sendoff
Lpst-minute touchup
Kathleen Elliot and Cathy Ring give each other a last minute
assist with the collars ol their gowns before marching down the
Regional Civic Center Auditorium ailes lor Thursday night's
commencement exercises tor Sulphur Springs High School.
-St»H Photos by SUSAN McCARY
Leading the parade .
- A solemn faced John Beggs strides at the head ol a long column
of blue robed classmates wearing equally purposeful ex
pressions during the processional of the graduation exercises
for the Sulphur Springs class of '82.
By SUSAN McCARY
News-Telegram Staff
They are now a part of Sulphur Springs
High School history — the Class of ’82. One
hundred ninety-five young adults marched
out of the Regional Civic Center
Auditorium with smiles and glistening
eyes Thursday night, clutching leatherette
bound certificates — “worth about $6,”
said School Board President Paul Tipping,
but “representing the completion of 12
years of work.”
Dr. Oran Lonnie Sinlair, member of the
local high school Class of ’55, in giving the
commencement address said he con-
sidered himself to be a representative of
his class speaking to this newest
graduating class of Sulphur Springs High
School.
Dr. Sinclair, Professor of History at San
Jacinto College in Houston, told the
graduates and the crowd of families and
friends, of the seniors which filled the
auditorium to overflowing into the lobby,
“There are others in my class who have
achieved more than I; in accepting the
honor to address this graduating class of
Sulphur Springs High School, I do so as a
representative of my class. I am proud to
be a member of the 1955 class of Sulphur
Springs High School."
In recalling some of the history of the
school, Sinclair mentioned Forrest Gregg,
now coach of Cincinnati Bengals; the year
Sulphur Springs High School's football
team beat "Mount Vernon with the
illustrious Don Meredith" and Gladys
Alexander - "the teacher who gave me
the love of history.”
In a relatively brief address, Dr. Sinclair
stressed five keys to future success using
quotes from well known persons as pegs
for his thoughts. Lines from "The Road
Not Taken” by Robert Frost set the theme
for the commencement address. "Yet
knowing how way leads on to way, I
doubted if I should ever come back...Two
roads diverged in a wood, and I — I took
the one less traveled by, and that has made
all the difference.”
To the importance of making choices
carefully was added the counsel that one
"choosing to take the road less traveled
by’' must know oneself well.
The often quoted phrase by Shakespear,
"that in the events of men, there is a tide
that if taken at the crest leads on to suc-
cess,” spotlighted the importance of
timing and to that Dr. Sinclair admonished
the Class of ’82 "to get on with it” in
seeking their goals.
The role that work plays in the success of
individuals was underlined by the words of
Thomas A. Edison, "invention being
ninety-nine percent perspiration and one
percent inspiration." “Most of us must
work very hard to achieve whatever
success we have — effort combined with a
small amount of brilliance are the usual
ingredients of achievement," said the
valedictorian of the Class of ’55.
"No one ever achieves much of anything
without the help of others,” he said in
pointing to another guideline in making a
success of life. "People are still the most
important consideration. In an in-
creasingly technical and mechanical
world, people still count.”
The importance of careful selection of
values and goals early in life was un-
derscored by Henry Thoreau’s comments
about his reasons for retiring to the
spartan simplicity of Walden Pond, "I
went there to discover what was essential
in life...I did not want to find myself on my
death bed one day and discover that I had
never lived.”
Class valedictorian Rebecca Jo Gossett,
speaking on behalf of her class, expressed
their appreciation to parents and to the
faculty for the opportunities they had en-
joyed. "We are the first class to go all four
years in the new high school and to enjoy
and benefit from an expanded variety of
opportunities and activities that the new
building offers.”
Thomas Shawn Brewer, president of the
student body, offered the invocation after
the Wildcat band played the “Star
Spangled Banner” and Laura Ann
Diamond, class salutatorian, gave the
“welcome" to the guests of the graduating
class.
Superintendent of Schools Edwin C.
Stevens introduced Dr. Sinclair to the
class and to the audience. After the
commencement address, High School
Principal John M. Chubb and Assistant
Principal Marvin Utecht presented the
graduates to the members of the Sulphur
Springs School Board.
Board President Paul Tipping, on the
behalf of the board, offered their
congratulations to the seniors, saying "It
is not often that all of the board members
are of the same opinion on a subject, but I
feel free in saying that I speak for all of the
board in saying congratulations and we
are proud of you.”
Lorie Lee Farler, class president, closed
the services with a benediction and the
class marched out past cheering relatives
and friends.
Sale of local bank
pending paperwork
Low Demo turnout expected Saturday
Hopkins County voters - or at least a May 1 primary, Alsobrooks led the three- votes to 508 for Garry Mauro, his runoff governor ancfWarren G. Harding
Hopkins County voters — or at least a
few of them - are scheduled to go to the
polls Saturday to determine the remaining
nominees for open spots on the Democratic
Party ticket for the general election in
November.
The party election Saturday will, in
effect, determine two county com-
missioners for Hopkins County because
the winners will be unopposed in the
general election.
In four state-wide races, however, the
successful nominees Saturday will ad-
vance to the final round against the 1
previously determined Republican
nominees, as well as others who may get
their name of the ballots in November.
Incumbent County Commissioner Ar-
nold Alsobrooks in Precinct 2 - the
southeast quadrant of the county — is
being challenged by Murray Glenn. In the
May 1 primary, Alsobrooks led the three-
man slate with 517 votes to 334 for Glenn,
his runoff opponent, and Homer Adams,
who polled 253 votes.
L.T. (Son) Martin, incumbent com-
missioner of Precinct 4, also paced his
three-man field. Martin polled 531 votes to
runner-up Richard (Dick) Carpenter’s 451
and Eugene (Tater) Dixon’s 313.
Congressman Jim Mattox of Dallas
posted a clear majority over a field of four
candidates in the first primary in Hopkins
County in his bid to become Texas At-
torney General. Mattox had 2204 votes to
921 for John Hannah of Tyler, his runoff
opponent. Max Sherman polled 409 votes
and Jack Ogg 143 in the Hopkins County
primary.
State Senator Pete Snelson, bidding to
become Texas Land Commissioner, also
had a majority of votes in Hopkins County
in the first primary. He grabbed 1,650
votes to 508 for Garry Mauro, his runoff
opponent. George Fore polled 616 votes
and Dan Kubiak 500.
The runoff candidates for Judge, Court
of Criminal Appeals, Place 1, are John E.
Humphreys and Charles F. Campbell, who
also led in Hopkins County's primary.
Humphreys had 1051 votes to Campbell’s
666. Carl Dally polled 446 votes and
William B. Phillips 657.
Hopkins County also favored the top
runoff candidates in the first go-round for
Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 2.
They gave William C. Black 932 votes and
Chuck Miller 871. The other candidates,
Andrew Jackson Shuval received 384 and
MelBruderl44.
The short runoff ballot for the
Democrats became more abbreviated
after the first primary when Buddy
Temple decided to drop out of the race for
governor and Warren G. Harding bowed
out of the contest for state treasurer. .
All boxes in Hopkins County will be
manned for the 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. election
Saturday. Voters who may not know where
to cast ballots can look at their voter
certificate cards, which list their box
number. In addition, they may call either
the County Clerk's or County Tax
Assessor-Collector's office on Saturday.
Both offices will be open to give out voter
information throughout the day.
Both the Democrat and Republican
parties held primaries in May. All
Republican nominees were determined at
that time and thus a runoff is not required
in Hopkins County.
The first primary attracted about 4,500
votes in Hopkins County. Local observers
are predicting a lighter turnout for the
runoffs - perhaps in the neighborhood of
2,500 votes.
Peoples National Bank of Sulphur
Springs will have new owners if an
agreement reached Wednesday is carried
through to completion and is approved by-
shareholders and regulatory authorities.
Commerce Southwest Inc., a Dallas-
based bank holding company, announced
that it had signed a definitive agreement to
acquire East Texas Bancshares Inc. of
Tyler in a stock swap valued at about $11
million.
East Texas Banschares owns Heritage
National Bank in Tyler and Peoples
National Bank in Sulphur Springs. As of
March 31, East Texas Banschares
reported assets of $111 million.
Terms of the agreement call for Com-
merce Southwest to exchange 4.875 shares
of its common stock for each of the 288,833
common shares of East Texas common
stock.
Based on listings as of Wednesday, the
shareowners would post a gain of about $9
per share on the transaction.
Commerce Southwest had assets of $1.3
billion as of March 31 and owns 10 banks in
the Dallas and Houston areas.
At the last quarterly report, Peoples
National Bank reported deposits of
$29,318,519.26 and assets of $33,172,317.51.
Sale of Peoples National Bank to East
Texas Banschares was completed in 1981.
Shareholders had been given a tender offer
on Oct. 15,1980, and a majority elected to
dispose of their stock.
The Peoples National Bank stock netted
shareholders $71.25 per share when it was
sold last year. The stock was sold for $25
per share when the bank.was organized in
the early 1960s.
S.T. Garrison, chairman of the board
and chief executive officer, and Kenneth
Roach, president, of Peoples National
Bank were in Tyler Wednesday to par-
ticipate in the meeting during which the
sale agreement was formalized.
New jail paving bids approved
Bids for the construction of a
parking lot, sidewalks and curb and
guttering for the new Hopkins County
Law Enforecment Center were
opened by the County Commissioners
Court at 10 a.m. Friday.
Of the five bids recieved for the
jobs, Carlton Sewell's bid of 85 cents’”
per square foot for the first 5000
square feet of paving and 99 cents per
square foot over 5000, and Sherman
Morris’s bid of $1.60 per square foot
for sidewalks and $4.65 per linear foot
for curbing were approved by the
commissioner^.
Local school system gets good state report card
Findings of an accreditation monitoring
visit to the Sulphur Springs Independent
School District from a team representing
the Texas Education Agency have been
received here and reflect that strong
points abound in the system.
The team members - Ernest Roberts,
chairman; Gary Haseloff, Carl Defibaugh,
Joyce Howard and Jeanne Rollins - in its
bottom-line recommendation, wrote:
“The Sulphur Springs Independent
School District was found to have a strong
and effective educational program. The
district is currently accredited. Based on
the findings of the monitoring visit and the
district's continued implementation of its
approved Accreditation Five-Year
Priorities Plan, it is recommended that the
Sulphur Springs ISD continue as fully
accredited.”
Only one minor corrective action in-
volving a planning-preparation period for
one trades teacher was noted, with a plan
asked to mend this situation by July 1.
Under the section, “Concerns and
Suggestions for Improvement” there were
two points brought out. They include:
“1. Although the school district provided
excellent facilities for its learning
resource program, a review of the lear-
ning resource centers indicated that many
of the books are old and need to be rebound
and that the number of volumes in both
elementary and middle schools was rather
limited in relation to the student
population. The district is encouraged to
review the standards for learning resource
centers which are to be implemented by-
September 1985.
"2. Although the district has a well-
defined curriculum with learner ob-
jectives identified for each subject area at
each grade level, there is some concern
that there is a need for improved com-
munication across grade level lines. Each
teacher is provided a copy of the ob-
jectives for their grade level or subject
area. It is suggested that it would be ad-
vantageous to continuity of instructional
programs if each teacher was provided a
copy of learner objectives for both the
preceding grade and the grade following
that to which they are assigned."
Commendations were listed in six areas,
as follows:
“1. The district is commended for its
strong compliance with Principle 1 of the
Principles, Standards and Procedures for
the Accredition of School Districts.
Principle 1 states ‘conditions existing and
developing within the community served
by the district are conducive to main-
taining a quality educational program.’
Standard A under Principle 1 states
‘citizens of the district are making efforts
in good faith toward strengthening their
schools by using state authorized taxing
capacity.’
"The assessed value of the Sulphur
Springs Independent School District is
approximately $169 million. The district
utilizes a tax rate of $1.39. Standard B of
Principle 1 states ‘citizens of the district
are using bonding capacity to discharge
obligations for suitable physical plant and
equipment.'
“The Sulphur Springs Independent
School District has a bonded indebtedness
of $5,300,000. Proceeds from the sale of
these bonds was used primarily to con-
struct a new high school for the district. All
.buildings in the district were found to be
extremely well maintained despite the fact
that several of the buildings were built as
early as 1935-37.”
“2. The district is commended for its
progress in addressing the priorities
identified in the Accreditation Five-Year
Priorities Plan. The priority plan iden-
tified for improvement in the Sulphur
Springs,ISD was the area of language arts
skills with particular emphasis on written
composition. Grades 3,5,7,9 and 11 were
identified as grades at which the
California Achievement Test would be
administered as a means of measuring
* student progress in the language arts area.
“Baseline data from 1978-79 scores in-
dicated that the mean score for students in
these grade levels was from the 49th to
56th percentile level in language arts areas
as measured by the California
Achievement by 1985.
"A 2 percent gain at each grade level
was projected for the first year of im-
plementation. Actual test scores indicate
that the district far exceeded its expected
student performance gain at each grade
level with the exception of the 7th grade.
"Another means of measuring student
progress was the Texas Assessment of
Basic Skills. 1979-80 test scores indicated
that 73 percent of the students at the 9th
grade level had mastered the objectives
identified on the writing portion of the
TABS. 1980-81 TABS scores indicated that
94 percent of the students at the 9th grade
level had mastered the objectives in-
dentified for the writing portion of the
TABS test. The district’s desired gain was
identified as 5 percent. The actual gain
was 19 percent."
“3. The district’s Parent-Teacher
Assocation is commended for its efforts to
assist the district s administration and
instructional staff in promoting a quality
educational program. This was evidenced
through the fund raising activities at
Douglas Elementary which raised $7,000
for instructional materials. This was also
evidenced at Houston Elementary where
the PTA had sponsored several
beautification projects as well as the
addition of playground equipment. Other
examples of strong community support
were observed throughout the district.”
"4. The district’s administration and
personnel department are commended for
their efforts to develop specific job
descriptions which have been divided into
six categories of personnel identifying
approximately 57 different job functions.
Job descriptions and evaluation have been
combined into one instrument which
identifies the job title, qualifications for
the job, position responsibilities, and the
expected job performance. The form
identifies the specific responsibilities of
the job on the left side of the page with a
corresponding rating scale opposite the
job responsibility in the right hand margin
of the page.
“Personnel of the district are evaluated
on an annual basis utilizing the specific
responsibilities identified at the time of
employment as a guide for personnel
evaluation and identification of staff
development needs.”
“5. The district’s personnel department
is commended, for its well-organized
personnel accounting department. The
personnel department has a well-
organized and well-planned procedure for
reviewing the qualifications of prospective
teachers as well as maintaining a record of
deficiencies in certification requirements
such as TCAPs, Emergency Permits, and
other types of special permits required for
job assignment.
“Personnel who • are teaching on
Emergency Permits or TCAPs are color
coded in the personnel filing system and
periodic review by the personnel depart-
ment assures that these individuals are
progressing as scheduled in satisfying
deficiencies identified.
"Personnel records were found to be
complete and up-to-date with all teacher
records sampled indicating that teachers
were properly assigned within their area
of certification or had been placed on an
Emergency Permit or Temporary
Classroom Assignment Permit."
“6. The district’s curriculum was found
to be well-defined and understood by both
administrative and instructional staff.
Learner objectives for grades K-12 had
been identified for each subject area.”
The purposes of the accreditation were
four-fold: to assess the strengths and
weaknesses of the total instructional
process of the district! to assess the extent
to which various components of in-
structional programs are related so that
student learning needs are met; to offer
suggestions for strengthening the
curriculum, the instructional process, and
educational services; and to determine the
extent to which the school district meets or
exceeds accreditation standards.
i
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Keys, Clarke & Woosley, Joe. The Hopkins County Echo (Sulphur Springs, Tex.), Vol. 107, No. 23, Ed. 1 Friday, June 4, 1982, newspaper, June 4, 1982; Sulphur Springs, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth780621/m1/1/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Hopkins County Genealogical Society.