t how did conrad hilton longview hotel, and why was it so ... · club funding. all proceeds go to...

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A P lace in H istory EQUAL HOUSING LENDER MEMBER FDIC MAIN BANK First & Whaley Downtown PINE TREE BRANCH 1800 NW Loop 281 ~ OAK FOREST DRIVE-IN 906 NW Loop 281 P. O. Box 3188 Longview, Texas 75606 (903) 237-5500 LONGVIEW BANK & TRUST Inscription: Longview, Texas - a community rich in natural and human resources, settled in 1870 by hardy, adventurous people. Anchored in the past, embracing the present, preparing with pur- pose for the future. Inscription: A community with diverse economic strengths, deeply rooted in the principles of free enterprise. An industrious people, dedicated to productive, stable growth of Longview business and industry. Inscription: A community united by the most valuable resource of all - their faith in God. Longview - a people who work together, wor- ship together, believing in truths everlasting. Inscription: A community devel- oped by citizens motivated by a winning spirit. A resourceful peo- ple - with fortitude and determina- tion to use all resources at hand to make early Longview prosper. Inscription: A community of strong people, undaunted by the Great Depression, surviving difficult times. With the discovery of oil in and around Longview, a populace flour- ishing into a thriving metropolis! Inscription: Longview - a vibrant community committed to improv- ing its quality of life. Through spirited cooperation, a people broadening horizons through busi- ness, industry, education, art and recreation. LONGVIEW BANK & TRUST , AN INDEPENDENT , COMMUNITY BANK SINCE 1958, CONTINUES TO SERVE AS A SOURCE OF STRENGTH IN THE LONGVIEW AREA THROUGH THE COMMITMENT OF ITS PEOPLE AND ITS FINANCIAL RESOURCES. ~ THE BRONZE MONUMENT SUPPORTING THE OVERSIZED AMERICAN FLAG WAS CREATED IN 1983 TO COMMEMORATE THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF LONGVIEW BANK & TRUST . THE LATE HENRY C. WEDEMEYER, THROUGH HIS TALENT AS AN ARTIST AND SCULPTOR, DEPICTED THE 113-YEAR -HISTORY OF LONGVIEW FROM ITS BEGINNINGS AS A RURAL TOWN TO ITS PRESENT STATUS AS A REGIONAL CENTER FOR COMMERCE AND CULTURE. ~ THE FUTURE AT LONGVIEW BANK & TRUST MEANS PLANNING, PRODUCING AND PREPARING FOR A BRIGHTER TOMORROW FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND COUNTRY . ~ T HIS REMARKABLE BOOK was created on a volunteer basis. Past club presidents and other members contributed records, reminis- cences, and photographs. A committee tracked down relatives of deceased presidents for bio- graphical data and pictures. Sources also includ- ed the club’s weekly Rotaview bulletins dating back to 1943, scrapbooks of newspaper clippings kept by several club presidents in the 1930s and 1940s, and an earlier club history edited by Floyd Huddleston in 1963. The author directed the committee’s efforts and pulled the results together in a year’s spare time. Thus what is still primarily a club history became also a fascinating reference book for the general public. And since the Longview- Greggton and Longview South Rotary Clubs sprang from this one, the book is very much their history too. Printing in a suitable form was made possi- ble by generous gifts from patrons in addition to club funding. All proceeds go to the Longview Rotary Endowment Fund, whose income is dis- tributed to worthy local causes. EUGENE W. McWHORTER is a freelance mar- ket communications engineer and technical writ- ing consultant, providing advertising and related services for industrial equipment manufacturers. Having attended Rice, the University of Texas, and SMU, he holds master’s degrees in chemical engineering and marketing. Gene is the son of Lottie and the late Eugene R. McWhorter of Longview. His wife is the former Nancy Green, daughter of Mary Belle and Gordon Green of Longview. Nancy and Gene have two sons, Andrew Gordon and David Warren McWhorter. H OW DID CONRAD HILTON acquire his Longview hotel, and why was it so special for him? Who was the mayor during the Oil Boom? Who was the city manager? Where were they born, where did they go to school, and who were their families? How were the LeTourneau, Eastman, and Schlitz plants brought to the city, and when? Where was the first Longview mall intended to be, and why wasn’t it completed? When was Interstate Highway 20 built through Gregg County? When did racial integration begin in the Longview schools? Read about these and a thousand other key events and persons of Longview during the past 75 years in The Club and the Town. It is a spe- cial view of civic history, seen through the window of the oldest service club in Longview. Much of what went on in the town was reflected in the Rotary club’s projects and weekly programs and in the lives of its presidents—all of which are chronicled here on a year-by-year basis. The pres- idential biographies form a substantial encyclope- dia of Longview’s leadership. This method of exploring history is especial- ly meaningful because it is personal, tied-in with individuals and families. The story is enlivened here with photographs of club presidents (all 75 of them), meeting places, and events. Although originally intended purely as a club history, the book became in effect a sequel to the author’s Traditions of the Land: the History of Gregg County, Texas. It brings the narrative up to the present and fills in personal details that were left out of the earlier work. Check the book’s exhaustive index—maybe there’s something in here about you! The Club and the Town The Rotary Club and the City of Longview, Texas, Year by Year from 1920 to 1995 The Club and the Town McWhorter

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Page 1: T HOW DID CONRAD HILTON Longview hotel, and why was it so ... · club funding. All proceeds go to the Longview Rotary Endowment Fund, whose income is dis- ... engineering and marketing

A P lace inH istory

EQUAL HOUSING LENDER MEMBER FDIC

MAIN BANK • First & Whaley • DowntownPINE TREE BRANCH • 1800 NW Loop 281 ~ OAK FOREST DRIVE-IN • 906 NW Loop 281P. O. Box 3188 • Longview, Texas 75606 • (903) 237-5500

LONGVIEW BANK & TRUST

Inscription: Longview, Texas - acommunity rich in natural andhuman resources, settled in 1870by hardy, adventurous people.Anchored in the past, embracingthe present, preparing with pur-pose for the future.

Inscription: A community withdiverse economic strengths, deeplyrooted in the principles of freeenterprise. An industrious people,dedicated to productive, stablegrowth of Longview business andindustry.

Inscription: A community united by the most valuable resource ofall - their faith in God. Longview -a people who work together, wor-ship together, believing in truthseverlasting.

Inscription: A community devel-oped by citizens motivated by awinning spirit. A resourceful peo-ple - with fortitude and determina-tion to use all resources at hand tomake early Longview prosper.

Inscription: A community of strongpeople, undaunted by the GreatDepression, surviving difficult times.With the discovery of oil in andaround Longview, a populace flour-ishing into a thriving metropolis!

Inscription: Longview - a vibrantcommunity committed to improv-ing its quality of life. Through spirited cooperation, a peoplebroadening horizons through busi-ness, industry, education, art andrecreation.

LONGVIEW BANK & TRUST,

AN INDEPENDENT, COMMUNITY BANK SINCE

1958, CONTINUES TO SERVE AS A SOURCE OF

STRENGTH IN THE LONGVIEW AREA THROUGH

THE COMMITMENT OF ITS PEOPLE AND ITS

FINANCIAL RESOURCES.

~THE BRONZE MONUMENT SUPPORTING THE

OVERSIZED AMERICAN FLAG WAS CREATED IN

1983 TO COMMEMORATE THE 25TH

ANNIVERSARY OF LONGVIEW BANK & TRUST.

THE LATE HENRY C. WEDEMEYER, THROUGH

HIS TALENT AS AN ARTIST AND SCULPTOR,

DEPICTED THE 113-YEAR-HISTORY OF

LONGVIEW FROM ITS BEGINNINGS AS A RURAL

TOWN TO ITS PRESENT STATUS AS A REGIONAL

CENTER FOR COMMERCE AND CULTURE.

~THE FUTURE AT LONGVIEW BANK & TRUST

MEANS PLANNING, PRODUCING AND PREPARING

FOR A BRIGHTER TOMORROW FOR OUR

COMMUNITY AND COUNTRY.

~

THIS REMARKABLE BOOK was createdon a volunteer basis. Past club presidents

and other members contributed records, reminis-cences, and photographs. A committee trackeddown relatives of deceased presidents for bio-graphical data and pictures. Sources also includ-ed the club’s weekly Rotaview bulletins datingback to 1943, scrapbooks of newspaper clippingskept by several club presidents in the 1930s and1940s, and an earlier club history edited byFloyd Huddleston in 1963. The author directedthe committee’s efforts and pulled the resultstogether in a year’s spare time.

Thus what is still primarily a club historybecame also a fascinating reference book for thegeneral public. And since the Longview-Greggton and Longview South Rotary Clubssprang from this one, the book is very muchtheir history too.

Printing in a suitable form was made possi-ble by generous gifts from patrons in addition toclub funding. All proceeds go to the LongviewRotary Endowment Fund, whose income is dis-tributed to worthy local causes.

EUGENE W. McWHORTER is a freelance mar-ket communications engineer and technical writ-ing consultant, providing advertising and relatedservices for industrial equipment manufacturers.Having attended Rice, the University of Texas,and SMU, he holds master’s degrees in chemicalengineering and marketing. Gene is the son ofLottie and the late Eugene R. McWhorter ofLongview. His wife is the former Nancy Green,daughter of Mary Belle and Gordon Green ofLongview. Nancy and Gene have two sons,Andrew Gordon and David Warren McWhorter.

HOW DID CONRAD HILTON acquire hisLongview hotel, and why was it so special

for him? Who was the mayor during the OilBoom? Who was the city manager? Where werethey born, where did they go to school, and whowere their families? How were the LeTourneau,Eastman, and Schlitz plants brought to the city,and when? Where was the first Longview mallintended to be, and why wasn’t it completed?When was Interstate Highway 20 built throughGregg County? When did racial integrationbegin in the Longview schools?

Read about these and a thousand other keyevents and persons of Longview during the past75 years in The Club and the Town. It is a spe-cial view of civic history, seen through the windowof the oldest service club in Longview. Much ofwhat went on in the town was reflected in theRotary club’s projects and weekly programs andin the lives of its presidents—all of which arechronicled here on a year-by-year basis. The pres-idential biographies form a substantial encyclope-dia of Longview’s leadership.

This method of exploring history is especial-ly meaningful because it is personal, tied-in withindividuals and families. The story is enlivenedhere with photographs of club presidents (all 75of them), meeting places, and events.

Although originally intended purely as aclub history, the book became in effect a sequel tothe author’s Traditions of the Land: the Historyof Gregg County, Texas. It brings the narrativeup to the present and fills in personal detailsthat were left out of the earlier work.

Check the book’s exhaustive index—maybethere’s something in here about you!

The Club and the TownThe Rotary Club and the City of

Longview, Texas, Year by Yearfrom 1920 to 1995

Th

e Clu

b an

d th

e Town

McW

horter

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Home of the Rotary Club of Longview from 1978 to 1979and again from 1987 to the present

Pinecrest Country Club, looking southeast.

Photo by Sam Smead

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The Club and the Town

ROTARY

IN

TE R N AT I O N

AL

Copyright 1995 by Longview Rotary Endowment Fund, Inc.The Adobe Acrobat PDF file of which this notice is a part was created (with minor corrections) from a book entitled The Club and the Town: The Rotary Cluband the City of Longview, Texas, Year by Year from 1920 to 1995, published in 1995 by Longview Rotary Endowment Fund, Inc. Notwithstanding the prohibi-tion of reproduction without permission on the copyright page of the book, the publisher provides this PDF file to the general public without charge, but only forpurposes of reference and research. The publisher strictly prohibits publication, distribution, or dissemination of this file or any part or printed pages thereof, orconversion of the file into any other format, without prior written permission. Longview Rotary Endowment Fund, Inc., PO Box 2244, Longview, TX 75606

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In May of 1935, most of the 74 members of the club gathered in the southwest part of the Longviewcity park, near Pecan and Molton Streets, for dedication of the new cabin built for Boy ScoutTroop 202, which the club sponsored from 1933 until 1979. (See appendix for identifications.)

Photograph by courtesy of Gerald Osborne, Jr.

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The Club and the TownThe Rotary Club and the City of

Longview, Texas, Year by Yearfrom 1920 to 1995

Eugene W. McWhorter

LONGVIEW, TEXAS

ROTARY

IN

TE R N AT I O N

AL

Published by Longview Rotary Endowment Fund, Inc.

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Published in 1995 byLongview Rotary Endowment Fund, Inc.

PO Box 2244Longview, Texas 75606

Project management by Vic Ferchill and John TroyPublishing coordination by Kenny HawthorneDesign and typography by Gene McWhorter

Photographic assistance by Sam Smead

Copyright 1995 by Longview Rotary Endowment Fund, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in anymanner whatsoever (including, without being limited to, electronic, mechanical,and photographic means, and information storage and retrieval systems) with-out the prior written permission of Longview Rotary Endowment Fund, Inc.

ISBN 0-9646100-9-4

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 95-75960

Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paperby Hudson Printing & Graphic Design

611 South Mobberly AvenueLongview, Texas 75602

— iv —

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ROTARY

IN

TE R N AT I O N

AL

Charles G. TullisIn memory of J. O. Monday, W. Bruner Smith, and Henry L. Foster, Jr., by Claire Monday Smith Foster

Howard P. Coghlan

In memory of Claude Barbee by his wife Geraldine and their daughters Emily Shelton and Claudia ParrishIn memory of E. K. Bennett by Ann and John Walker

In memory of Lawrence and Mabel Bray Birdsong by their son Lawrence, Jr., and daughter BlancheRussell E. and Sally Hewell BrownMr. and Mrs. J. Carroll Callahan

In memory of Betye Sapp Cammack by Milton CammackIn memory of Bob Carroll by Mr. and Mrs. Ramey Carroll

In memory of Arthur and Carlie Harlan Connor by Elizabeth Mercer, Laura Elkins, and Kay CunninghamMr. and Mrs. Barcus DuBose

In memory of Dr. E. S. Farrington by his familyIn honor of Victor E. Ferchill by his son Cary

In memory of Grover C. Finch by his niece Eva Jean Finch BlountIn memory of Jack Fiscus by Mr. and Mrs. J. Kim Callahan

In memory of Henry L. Foster, Senior, by his daughter Florene GregoryIn honor of Dr. Thomas Bramlette Francis by his daughter Floreid Stevens

Henry O. Gossett, Jr.Ron and Candy Heezen

David and Rebecca HoustonAnne and Jim Hugman

In memory of Dr. V. R. Hurst by Blackshear and Jacquelyn Hurst JamesonIn memory of D. E. Kincheloe by his daughter Ann Lucy

Mr. and Mrs. Arliss MalloryIn memory of Dr. Louis Northcutt Markham by his daughter Elaine Clanton

In memory of Starlin Marrs by his daughter Ann DanielsIn memory of Ruth E. H. Martin by her daughter Mary Mitchell

In memory of Eugene Rodden McWhorter by his wife Lottie Wherry McWhorterIn memory of Curtis W. and Lucille Loyd Meadows by their daughter Eloise Rouse

In memory of Ray Newnham by Mr. and Mrs. Delbert BrightIn memory of Dr. W. D. Northcutt and W. D. Northcutt, Jr., by Mrs. W. D. Northcutt, Jr.

In honor of Mrs. W. D. Northcutt, Jr., and in memory of Dr. W. D. Northcutt and W. D. Northcutt, Jr.,by Mr. and Mrs. J. LeGrande Northcutt

In honor of Mrs. W. D. Northcutt, Jr., and in memory of Dr. W. D. Northcutt, W. D. Northcutt, Jr.,and Walter H. Sandberg, by Dr. and Mrs. W. D. Northcutt, III

In memory of O. Lee Norton and H. Wallace Norton by their grandnephew Rusty NortonCharlie and Jean Reeves

In memory of Cecil W. Richardson by his wife VirginiaIn memory of Alexander Boggs Ryan and in honor of Reva Harrison Ryan by their daughter Linda Butter

In memory of Steve Topp by his son DavidIn memory of Anna Norton Troy by her son John G. Troy, Jr.

Mike and Debbie VerucchiIn memory of O. Thomas Welch by his son Thomas, Jr.

Ava and Jack WelgeIn memory of E. Quest Whitney by his daughter Helen Rodgers

— v —

Patrons of the Project

AMONG THE MANY PERSONS who participated in the effort to produce this book, severalare due special gratitude and recognition. These patrons believed in the project, both as part

of the good works of the Rotary Club and as a valuable contribution to the historical literature ofthe city. Their gifts enabled the book to be printed and bound in appropriate style and quantity.

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Preface

THIS BOOK STARTED OFF to be purely a history of the Rotary Club of Longview sinceits founding in 1920. For each Rotary year—from July 1 of one calendar year through

June 31 of the next—we would provide a photograph and biography of the club presidentand a summary of the club’s weekly programs and other activities. Then in a final chapter,we would further describe significant traditions and projects of the club.

However, while the book was being written, its complexion changed. We realized that itwas going to be a passably interesting history of the city of Longview as well as the club,because much of what went on in the town was reflected in the club’s programs and the livesof its presidents. This method of covering history is especially interesting because it ispersonal, tied in with personalities and families. And as Thomas Carlyle said, history is theessence of innumerable biographies. Thus, in casting about for a catchy title, we decided tocall the book The Club and the Town. We hope this name does not offend members of anyother club in Longview, whether social, service, or fraternal. We are not implying that thisis the only club in town, or that we are better than other clubs in any way.

THE FATHER OF THE PROJECT was Vic Ferchill. Its story begins when he was presi-dent, in 1961–62. Realizing that first-hand knowledge of the club’s formative years was

rapidly disappearing, Vic appointed a committee of 16 past presidents to prepare a history ofthe club. Past President Bill Northcutt Taylor served as chairman, and the booklet thatresulted in 1963 was edited by Floyd Huddleston, a former editor of the Rotaview weeklyclub bulletin. Then when Henry Gossett was president, in 1980–81, he appointed a commit-tee headed by Curtis Morris to prepare a supplement to the 1963 history, extending it to thecurrent year. After preliminary gathering of information, that committee suspended work.

Vic took the matter up again with the club’s board of directors in the fall of 1993. OnOctober 14 of that year, with the vigorous support of President John Troy, the board autho-rized him to form a committee to update the 1963 history. Having secured GeneMcWhorter’s volunteer services as editor, Vic summoned all past presidents living inLongview to a luncheon meeting at Johnny Cace’s restaurant on December 1. Twenty-ninewere invited, and most of them showed up, enthusiastically offering suggestions for the pro-ject. The general scope and format of the book grew out of that meeting. Each past presi-dent was requested to provide all the material for his year in the book. As it turned out,Gene did nearly all the writing and direction of research, so he is considered to be the authorinstead of the editor. He also handled design and typography.

HOWEVER, THIS WAS TRULY A TEAM EFFORT, and all of the many persons who par-ticipated can take pride in sharing the credit. A committee headed by Barcus DuBose

and Andy Guinn tracked down photographs, gathered information on deceased presidentsand events of their years, and identified people in group photos. These dedicated volunteersincluded the late Hank Foster, Henry Gossett, Art Mercer, Wells Burton, BlackshearJameson, John C. Murphy, Charley Rader, Thomas Welch, W. D. Northcutt, and FranklinMartin. Andy Guinn collated and bound many Rotaview volumes. Dick Dial furnished taxcounsel. Henry Gossett, John Troy, Kim Callahan, and W. D. Northcutt took care of fund-raising. Vic Ferchill and John Troy provided overall guidance, inspiration, and controlthroughout the project. John’s wholehearted backing as president in 1993–94 was continuedby his successor for 1994–95, Kim Callahan. The club directors for both years were very sup-portive, as were the trustees of Longview Rotary Endowment Fund, headed by Past PresidentJulian Fiegel. The club is particularly grateful for the help of Hudson Printing & GraphicDesign and Sam Smead Photography. We apologize if we have inadvertently omitted anyonefrom appreciative recognition here.

— vi —

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— vii —

HERE ARE SOME OTHER DETAILS: We tried to get a photograph of each past presi-dent which was made as nearly as possible to the time when he served—even if we had

to settle for a snapshot instead of a portrait. Persons other than living past presidents whoentrusted their priceless family photographs to us—including pictures of places and eventsas well as past presidents—are gratefully acknowledged in notes accompanying the picturesin these pages.

The main sources of information on events consisted of the club’s bound volumes of week-ly Rotaview bulletins dating back to 1943, club archives, scrapbooks of newspaper clippingsloaned by several past presidents or their families, personal knowledge of the author, his1989 book Traditions of the Land: the History of Gregg County, and the 1963 history of theclub. (The reader may recognize passages copied from the 1963 history.) Biographical infor-mation on deceased past presidents was gleaned from newspaper obituaries, the NewEncyclopedia of Texas (a 1936 “who’s who” of Texas), writeups in the Rotaview, and conversa-tions with family members. We tried to verify important facts found in these sources andomit uncertainties, but we make no claim as to accuracy or completeness. We also tried toavoid mentioning anything that might be embarrassing to anyone. The biography and sum-mary for each year were submitted to the corresponding past president or at least one mem-ber of his family for corrections. The amount of coverage of a given president’s year is not anindication of relative importance. Mostly, it depended on how much information was avail-able and on how much of that information was covered elsewhere in the book. The authoraccepts responsibility for judgment in all such matters and hopes he will be excused for theinevitable errors and oversights.

Note that for brevity, we generally did not list the dates when a president or other personheld various offices and memberships that are cited. Thus, someone who is said to be “of thisclub” may have been a member only a very short while, a long time ago. Similarly, we gener-ally omitted repeated reference to years in listing dates within the synopsis for a given Rotaryyear. For example, in the writeup for 1945–46, “August 1” would refer to 1945, and “May 10”would refer to 1946. Note also that we observe the Rotary tradition of referring to allRotarians by their first names, not Mister this or Judge that or Doctor something. We meanno disrespect by that practice.

WE OF THE ROTARY CLUB of Longview hope that as you read this, in 1995 or 2095,you will feel a sense of fellowship with the people who made this club and city what

they are today—and what they will become—and that you will be inspired to follow theirgood examples in your own life of service for the benefit of this community and all mankind.

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— viii —

ContentsPatrons of the Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .v

Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .vi

Chapter 1: Rotary Comes to a Farm Town, 1920 to 1930

Chapter 2. Growing up with Longview, 1930 to 1945

Chapter 3. The Postwar Era, 1945 to 1963

Chapter 4. One of Three Rotary Clubs, 1963 to 1978

Chapter 5: Goodbye to Downtown Longview, 1978 to 1995

1978–79: J. Rogers Pope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .591979–80: Charles F. Cobb, Jr. . . . . . . . . . .601980–81: Henry O. Gossett, Jr. . . . . . . . . .621981–82: J. Milton Cammack . . . . . . . . . . .631982–83: Julian M. Fiegel . . . . . . . . . . . . .641983–84: Richard A. Dial . . . . . . . . . . . . . .651984–85: Leo B. Wall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .661985–86: J. Barcus DuBose . . . . . . . . . . . .671986–87: Dr. James E. Stjernstrom . . . . . .68

1987–88: Jack H. Welge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .691988–89: Casey W. Cammack . . . . . . . . . .701989–90: Ronald W. Pliler . . . . . . . . . . . . .711990–91: J. Daniel Fiscus, Jr. . . . . . . . . . .721991–92: William Y. Rice, II . . . . . . . . . . . .731992–93: Jerry D. Adair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .741993–94: John G. Troy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .751994–95: J. Kim Callahan . . . . . . . . . . . . .75

1963–64: Duncan E. Kincheloe . . . . . . . . .431964–65: Dr. E. Stanley Farrington . . . . .441965–66: L. A. “Andy” Guinn . . . . . . . . . . .451966–67: John C. Murphy, Jr. . . . . . . . . . .461967–68: J. T. “Jack” Williams . . . . . . . . . .471968–69: C. W. “Buddie” Shelburne . . . . .481969–70: Charles G. Rader . . . . . . . . . . . . .491970–71: Howard P. Coghlan . . . . . . . . . . .50

1971–72: W. Delbert Bright . . . . . . . . . . . .511972–73: Ray W. Milam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .521973–74: Charles G. Tullis . . . . . . . . . . . . .531974–75: John W. Harrison, Jr. . . . . . . . . .541975–76: E. J. “Ted” Mooney . . . . . . . . . . .551976–77: C. Robert Carroll . . . . . . . . . . . . .561977–78: Dr. W. D. Northcutt, III . . . . . . .57

1945–46: Ralph R. Parker . . . . . . . . . . . . .251946–47: Delbert M. Messner . . . . . . . . . .271947–48: J. Stephen Topp . . . . . . . . . . . . .281948–49: Dr. Vesse R. Hurst . . . . . . . . . . .291949–50: John W. Harrison . . . . . . . . . . . .301950–51: George A. Kelly, II . . . . . . . . . . .311951–52: O. Thomas Welch . . . . . . . . . . . .321952–53: Austin C. Hatchell . . . . . . . . . . .321953–54: Ellie Hopkins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

1954–55: Henry A. Pitts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .351955–56: Dr. Wayman B. Norman . . . . . . .361956–57: Cecil W. Richardson . . . . . . . . . .371957–58: Dr. Allen C. Tyler . . . . . . . . . . . .381958–59: Charles R. Perkins . . . . . . . . . . .391959–60: Joseph W. Dunsworth . . . . . . . . .401960–61: Dale H. McDaniel . . . . . . . . . . . .401961–62: Victor E. Ferchill . . . . . . . . . . . . .411962–63: Starlin M. Marrs . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

1930–31: E. Quest Whitney . . . . . . . . . . . .111931–32: Bill N. Taylor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131932–33: W. Bruner Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . .141933–34: Curtis W. Meadows . . . . . . . . . . .141934–35: Tom E. Richardson . . . . . . . . . . .161935–36: Gerald E. Osborne . . . . . . . . . . . .171936–37: Grover C. Finch . . . . . . . . . . . . . .181937–38: Henry L. Foster . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

1938–39: J. Marcus Wood . . . . . . . . . . . . . .191939–40: Dr. Robert K. Womack . . . . . . . .191940–41: O. Lee Norton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .201941–42: Judge Erskine M. Bramlette . . . .211942–43: Maurice H. Bivins . . . . . . . . . . . .211943–44: W. Casey P’Pool . . . . . . . . . . . . . .221944–45: Lawrence Birdsong . . . . . . . . . . .24

1920–21: Edward H. Bussey . . . . . . . . . . . .11921–22: Edwin B. Rembert . . . . . . . . . . . . .31922–23: R. Marvin Kelly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31923–24: B. D. Marshall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51924–25: Dr. Robert M. Hall . . . . . . . . . . . .5

1925–26: Arthur L. Connor . . . . . . . . . . . . .61926–27: L. A. “Bert” Sessums . . . . . . . . . . .81927–28: LeGrande D. Kelly . . . . . . . . . . . .81928–29: Judge Will C. Hurst . . . . . . . . . . .91929–30: H. Wallace Norton . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

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— ix —

Chapter 6: Traditions of Service, 1920 to 1995

Appendix

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96

Persons in Group Photographs . . . . . . . . . .88Membership Rosters by Decade . . . . . . . . .92

General Club Data for Each Rotary Year . .94Graph of Membership Year by Year . . . . . .95

Boy Scouts (1922–23) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77Scholarships & Loans (1922–23) . . . . . . . . .78Honoring Schoolteachers (1922–23) . . . . . .78Rotary Ann Banquet (1932–33) . . . . . . . . . .79Rural-Urban Program (1933–34) . . . . . . . .80Crippled Children & Sight (1933–34) . . . . .80The Rotaview Bulletin (1941–42) . . . . . . . .80Founding Other Clubs (1958–59ff) . . . . . . .80Interact Club at LHS (1969–70) . . . . . . . . .82Tom Brown, Sec-Treas (1972–73) . . . . . . . .82Vocational Student Awards (1973–74) . . . .83

Tom Putman Award (1975–76) . . . . . . . . . .83Lobo Relays (1976–77). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84Paul Harris Fellowships (1977–78) . . . . . . .84Citizen of the Year (1978–79) . . . . . . . . . . .85Four-Way Test Speeches (1978–79) . . . . . .85Puntarenas School Project (1981–82) . . . . .85Golf Tournament (1981–82) . . . . . . . . . . . .85Endowment Fund (1982–83) . . . . . . . . . . . .86Longview Public Library (1985–86) . . . . . .86Belize Dental Project (1987–88) . . . . . . . . .86

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Home of the Rotary Club of Longview until 1930Built in 1872 and later enlarged, the Magnolia Hotel stood on the southeast corner of Center and CottonStreets, catercorner from Kelly Plow Works, facing north on Cotton Street. (The view above looks southwestacross Cotton Street.) Greatly favored for its hospitality and cuisine, the hotel was owned and operated bythree generations of one family: Mrs. G. M. Tabler, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Dalston, and R. T. Dalston. It wasdemolished in 1935 to make way for the new city hall and central fire station that still stand at the site.

Photo by courtesy of Jean Dalston

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1920–21: Edward Bussey, President

Born near Gilmer in 1871, the founding president of theclub came to the city at age 17 and was first employed asa bookkeeper in the store of John Walke. Later, heworked as bookkeeper for Womack and Perry, wholesaleand retail merchants, and then entered the bankingbusiness as cashier at Citizens National Bank. In 1917,Ed became the first president of Rembert NationalBank—later known as Longview National Bank, thenTexas Commerce Bank, and now Longview NationalBank again. A prominent member of First BaptistChurch, Ed was a leader in many Longview civic organi-zations. His wife, the former Minnie Elizabeth Jacobs,was born in Longview in 1874 and died in 1922. At hisdeath in 1927, Ed was survived by his son, Dr. JamesEverett Bussey (1897–1964), a Rotarian of Longview andlater Minden, Louisiana, a brother and fellow founder ofthis club, James William Bussey, a sister, Mrs. ElizaBonham of Memphis, a nephew, Dr. E. J. Gee of WillsPoint, and nieces Mrs. Reagan Wyche of Longview andLila Mae Bussey (now Benton) of Tyler. Mrs. Wyche’sdaughter Elizabeth Robison is a Rotary Ann of this club.

IN 1920, LONGVIEW WAS a city of 5,713, which rep-resented about one-third of Gregg County’s popula-

tion of 16,767. The town’s economy was based on farm-ing, lumber, and railroads. The only significant manu-facturing plants were the G. A. Kelly Plow Works(located principally on the north side of Cotton Streetbetween Center and High Streets) and GrahamManufacturing Company’s box factory (site of the pre-sent city hall west of Court Street), which made con-tainers for fruits and vegetables. These plants, togeth-er with cotton gins, a cottonseed mill, several lumbermills, and division offices and shops of the T&PRailroad, provided most of the payroll income of thetownspeople. But Longview was still as much afarmer’s town as when it was founded duringReconstruction 50 years before, and the crops were thesame as when the land was first plowed 20 years earli-er than that. Cotton provided the cash, and corn pro-vided the fuel for the mules.

In 1920, Longview reportedly had 9 1/2 miles ofpaved streets (beginning in 1910), some concrete side-walks, electric street lights, a single electric streetcarrunning about a mile between the downtown and junc-

— 1 —

Chapter 1.Rotary Comes to a Farm Town,

1920 to 1930Charter Members and their Classifications

Dr. B. H. Acker .............DentistryG. A. Bodenheim............Insurance, LifeJ. J. Boyd .......................Dry Goods, RetailingF. B. Brown....................Real EstateE. H. Bussey ..................BankingJ. W. Bussey ..................Cotton BuyingD. B. Coates ...................Newspaper PublishingA. L. Connor...................Dry Goods, RetailingJ. L. Fentress.................Drugs, RetailingD. W. Gans.....................Insurance, FireP. J. Hayes .....................Electric Light & PowerT. E. Huffman................Transportation, RailroadRev. W. H. Joyner..........Ministry, ProtestantL. D. Kelly......................Agricult. Implements, Mfg.R. M. Kelly* ...................Agricult. Implements, Mfg.L. N. Markham, M.D.....Medicine, Gen. SurgeryK. S. Melton ...................Milling, Cotton Seed OilA. E. Morgan..................Lumber, RetailingE. A. Morgan..................Groceries, RetailingA. Nix .............................BankingW. D. Northcutt, M.D....Medicine, General PracticeA. C. Numsen.................Groceries, WholesalingW. B. Smith ...................Insurance, CasualtyT. B. Stinchcomb ...........Law, General PracticeJ. F. Stuckey ..................Dry Goods, RetailingW. H. Terrell..................Soda FountainsJ. C. Turner, Jr..............Groceries, Wholesaling

*Because R. M. Kelly was on a business trip toCalifornia when the charter was signed, his namewas not included. On his return, because of hiswork in organizing the club, Mr. Kelly was pre-vailed upon to sign as a charter member, which intruth he was, and which all considered him to be.

Copyright 1995 by Longview Rotary Endowment Fund, Inc.The Adobe Acrobat PDF file of which this notice is a part was created (with minor corrections) from a book entitled The Club and the Town: The Rotary Cluband the City of Longview, Texas, Year by Year from 1920 to 1995, published in 1995 by Longview Rotary Endowment Fund, Inc. Notwithstanding the prohibi-tion of reproduction without permission on the copyright page of the book, the publisher provides this PDF file to the general public without charge, but only forpurposes of reference and research. The publisher strictly prohibits publication, distribution, or dissemination of this file or any part or printed pages thereof, orconversion of the file into any other format, without prior written permission. Longview Rotary Endowment Fund, Inc., PO Box 2244, Longview, TX 75606

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tion depots, city garbage collection, municipal watersupply (since 1904), sanitary sewers (since 1910), apaid fire department with the first two pumping trucksin the state, and home mail delivery. The entire coun-ty had been dry by local option since 1903. Until 1931,the only road pavement in the county (aside from citystreets) was a 16-foot-wide strip of asphalt along StateHighway 15, later designated U. S. Highway 80.Longview was the only incorporated city in the county;Kilgore and Gladewater were country villages.

The years 1919 and 1920 were to see the organiza-tion of the Marshall and Longview Rotary Clubs as theculmination of the interest and efforts of two men ofvision, Ike Hockwald of Marshall and R. Marvin Kellyof Longview (head of Kelly Plow Works). For the firsthistory of the Longview club in 1963, Marvin Kelly’sson George A. Kelly, II (then Past President and PastDistrict Governor), recalled the events leading to theorganization of Rotary in East Texas as follows:

In 1919, my dad was visiting in the office ofArthur A. Everts in Dallas. When it became time forMr. Everts to go to the Rotary Club (Club #39), heinvited Dad to be his guest. Dad was so impressedwith this meeting that he asked if a “suburban club”could be organized in Longview, and he was toldsuch a thing could not be done.

A few days after returning to Longview, his goodfriend Ike Hockwald of Marshall was in Longview

and came by and talked to Dad on his wonderfulexperience of being invited to attend a Rotary meet-ing in San Francisco. He and Dad were so thorough-ly sold on the ideals of Rotary that they decided totry to do something about organizing a Rotary Clubin East Texas. Ike Hockwald was so enthusiasticthat he got a group of Marshall men together, andthey organized the Marshall Rotary Club in 1919.After the Marshall Club received its Charter, IkeHockwald came back to visit Dad, and they, withother Marshall Rotarians, organized a provisionalClub in Longview.

Others recounted that the organizational meetingwas held on April 20, 1920, in a room on the secondfloor of the municipal building, which was located justwest of the present Glover-Crim Building. The groundfloor was the fire station, and city offices were on thesecond floor. R. M. Kelly and most of the others whobecame charter members were present at this meeting.Ike Hockwald and Frank Davis were two of theMarshall Rotarians present.

Rotary International admitted the Longview Clubto membership on May 1, 1920. In listing the memberswho signed the charter, an attempt was made for the1963 club history determine the classification of each.

The charter night dinner was held on May 1, 1920,in the Magnolia Hotel. Rotary District GovernorLutcher Stark of Orange appointed as his special rep-resentative Ike Hockwald of Marshall, who presentedthe Charter, and the Longview Rotary Club, the 715thClub in Rotary, was officially in existence. The weeklymeeting day was set as Tuesday, and it has remainedso throughout the entire history of the Club. Themeetings were continued for many weeks at theMagnolia Hotel.

One of the more notable founding members wasGabriel Augustus Bodenheim, known to one and all byhis nickname of Bodie, who was mayor of Longview forall but two years between 1904 and 1920. Some othermembers added during the founding year of the club,according to a newspaper article in 1940, were CountyJudge Erskine M. Bramlette, Robert Brown, Jr.,Grover Finch, B. D. Marshall, and Ed Rembert.

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Founding Officers and Directors

President ......................................E. H. BusseyFirst Vice President .....................G. A. BodenheimSecond Vice President..................J. F. StuckeySecretary.......................................P. J. HayesTreasurer......................................A. NixSergeant-at-Arms.........................A. E. Morgan

Directors: ......................................K. S. MeltonJ. J. BoydW. H. TerrellL. D. KellyDr. B. H. AckerA. C. Numsen

1. Edward Hezekiah Bussey1871–1927

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1921–22: Edwin Rembert, PresidentBorn in 1878, Ed moved to Longview from Wesson,Mississippi, in 1895 to work for his uncle, F. T. Rembert.Frank Rembert was a businessman with numerousinterests in the city, including cotton marketing, realestate, and the Rembert National Bank where Ed Busseyserved as first president. Ed Rembert later worked forthe Longview Cotton Oil Mill and the Santa Fe Railway.He was married to Josie Taylor of Longview (aunt ofRotary President Bill Northcutt Taylor), who precededhim in death. A lifelong Methodist, he was active in allphases of the First Methodist Church of Longview. Edtaught one class of adults for 30 years. He was a mem-ber of the board of stewards, Sunday school superinten-dent, and choir member. He was a member of theMasonic lodge. Survivors at his death in 1954 includeda brother, F. M. Rembert of Irving, a daughter, MarthaFrances (Mrs. Roy Wilson, whose husband was also aLongview Rotarian), a granddaughter, Mrs. JamesStarkey, and a great-granddaughter, Melinda Starkey.

ACCORDING TO A NOTE in the Rotaview forOctober 23, 1951, the club bulletin for November

22, 1921, said meetings were held at 12:10 p.m. onTuesdays at the Knights of Pythias hall. The officersand directors serving under President Ed were listedin that bulletin as follows: Vice Presidents J. C.Turner, Jr., and A. E. Morgan, Secretary H. C.Bennett, and Directors Thomas D. Campbell (Chair-

man), B. D. Marshall, Dr. B. H. Acker, S. C. Forman,and J. G. Pegues.

The 1963 history said meetings at that time wereon the second floor of a building at the corner of Tylerand Fredonia Streets which was razed in the 1950’s, sothat must have been the KP hall. However, the Clubsoon went back to the Magnolia Hotel and met thereuntil 1930.

From the beginning, the Longview Rotary Clubwas zealous in its efforts to extend the Rotary move-ment in East Texas. Just one year after receiving itsown charter, Longview Rotary sponsored the organiza-tion of the Jacksonville Rotary Club on May 1, 1921.This was followed by its sponsorship of the organiza-tion of the Jefferson Rotary Club on February 23, 1924;The Gilmer Club in 1925; the Atlanta Club onDecember 26, 1926; and the Kilgore Club on April 20,1934.

1922–23: R. Marvin Kelly, PresidentThe father of the Rotary Club of Longview was born in1869 near Jefferson at Kellyville, named for his fatherGeorge Addison Kelly, I, where George had establishedG. A. Kelly Plow Company after moving from Tennesseevia Nachitoches. In 1882, the business relocated toLongview and remained the town’s primary industryuntil after World War II. One of eight children, Marvin

— 3 —

2. Edwin Brown Rembert1878–1954

Photo by courtesy of Betty Starkey

3. Robert Marvin Kelly1869–1958

Photo by courtesy of Bank One

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finished high school in Longview, graduated fromRoanoke College in Virginia in 1891, and married ArraHoskins of a pioneer Longview family in 1898.

In a long career in managing the company after hisfather’s death in 1907, Marvin became recognized as thedean of East Texas industrialists. He was also a boardmember of First National Bank of Longview (now BankOne) from 1900 until his death, serving temporarily aspresident starting in 1907 upon the death of President J.W. Yates (his brother-in-law and great-grandfather ofRotarian B. H. Jameson). It was board member T. M.

Campbell of Longview and Palestine, then Governor ofTexas, who nominated Marvin for that office. He was theprincipal founder of the East Texas Chamber ofCommerce in Longview in 1926, serving as first president.

In 1901, the Methodist church in Longview wasrenamed Kelly Memorial Church in George Kelly’shonor, but the name was changed to First Methodist in1936 at Marvin’s request. Besides singing in the choirfor 50 years, he was Sunday school superintendent from1899 to 1920, chairman of the board of stewards formany years, and chairman of the board of trustees.

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One Hundred PercentRoy Havens wrote us a letter congratulating our club onhaving two 100% meetings in August. Fine. Will he“Say it with flowers” when he sees our 100% Septemberreport? Maybe. Fellows, let’s shake hands over our firstfull 100% month. Will it be our last? It will not! Here’sto you—may you live long and continue 100% in Rotary.

Lige Coles. Lynn Milam.These two live wire past district governors graced ourintercity meet on the evening of September 14th. Ligecame to invite the East Texas clubs to the big interna-tional intercity meet at Houston October 20th and 21st.We must return Lige’s visit in force. We set the pace andLige will have to go some to beat us. Lynn came to see alive bunch of live Rotarians and reveal some of Shorty’sconcealed past. He did both. You tell ’em. Lutch Starkwas almost here but went on to Chicago.

That Intercity MeetThe biggest Rotary event ever pulled off in East Texas.Henry Bennett, Chairman; Dan Gans, Bonehead; BertSessums, Hard Worker; and two others deserveapplause for handling the entertainment so successfully.318 plates were filled end emptied. We want the samebunch to handle our intercity meet next summer.Marshall, Tyler, Nacogdoches, Palestine, Mt. Pleasant,and Jacksonville clubs were well represented. Three orfour other clubs had single representations. Tyler wonthe large Rotary wheel prize made of aluminum inLongview, and Marshall won the jar of moonshine—made near Mt. Pleasant of course.

DaddiesIke Hockwald of the Marshall club is “daddy” of theLongview club, Ed Bussey, First President. Ed is“daddy” of the Jacksonville club, George WilliamsonPresident. Lige Coles is “daddy” of the Marshall Club,and Lynn Milam is “daddy” of Lige’s work in East Texas.All in a row, five generations—George, Ed, Ike, Lige,Lynn. Son, daddy, granddaddy, great granddaddy,great-great granddaddy. Some genealogy at one meet.

Sing-Song and MinstrelThe Dago fever prevented the Rotary community sing-song last week, but we will pull off one or two in Octoberif that blankety-blank mosquito hibernates. The plan is

to have at least two sing-songs a month during the falland winter, using the Rembert Opera House and charg-ing a small admittance to cover expenses. A four-reelpicture will probably be included in the programs. TheBonehead Division is making plans for the big Rotaryminstrel in November. It will be a scream and an eventlong to be remembered in this man’s town. More anon.

TeachersOur club entertained recently the 300 visiting publicschool teachers with joy rides, style shows, pictureshows, sing-song, and etc. Old Connor and his commit-tee were on the job, and they know how. The grade andhigh-school teachers will be our luncheon guests soon.

Boys’ WorkRotary everywhere is sponsoring work among the boys.The Longview club has an excellent boys’ work commit-tee, headed by Bill Jones, and they have undertaken anambitious program. The students’ loan fund is a reality,nearly $1,500 having already been subscribed by Rotarymembers alone. Others have indicated they want toassist in raising this fund. Our aim is $5,000 revolvingfund to assist worthy boys to finish school work. We willsucceed in this undertaking, of course. An athletic com-mittee has been appointed from the Rotary club to co-operate with the high school athletic director in promot-ing clean athletics among the boys. A Boy Scout councilwill be organized, and the Scout work will be affiliatedwith the national organization. A “Hi Y” secretary isunder contemplation and if secured will greatly assist inScout and other boys’ work. ...The club is unanimous inthis work except .01%. That infinitesimal minority isO.K. It thinks it will be heard for its much speaking.Verily it has its rewards.

One Hundred $$The Mineral Wells district conference in March autho-rized the raising of $15,000 for the promotion and exten-sion of Boy Scout work in Texas. Three experienced fieldmen will be employed to assist in organizing and direct-ing the Scout work where needed. This is a great for-ward step and will benefit Rotary and Scout work. Theexecutive meeting at Galveston apportioned this amountto the 65 clubs in the 13th District. Longview Club wasassessed $100.00. This is “home missions,” and we willassume our part.

Excerpts from the Rotagraph of September 30, 1922by Shorty LeBlanc, Floor Walker

[The Rev. Edgar N. LeBlanc was priest-in-charge of Trinity Episcopal Church from 1921 to 1924.]

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At his death in 1958, Marvin was survived by his sonGeorge the Second (Rotary Club president and districtgovernor), daughter Margaret Kelly, and grandsonsJames Marvin, who was a member of this club beforemoving away in 1964, and George the Third, who trans-ferred from the Kilgore Rotary Club to this one in 1992.

DURING ITS FIRST TWO YEARS of existence theclub grew rapidly—too rapidly, perhaps—taking in

some 70 members, and possibly not properly respectingthe classification principle, nor fully impressing uponall members the duties and responsibilities imposed byRotary. Attendance at the meetings was poor, barelyaveraging 50%. When the third year was enteredupon, the new officers and the faithful members reor-ganized the club and by strict adherence to classifica-tion requirements reduced the membership. Thisresulted in a more spirited, better working club, andattendance increased to a considerable degree.

1923–24: B. D. Marshall, PresidentBorn in Clinton, Mississippi, in 1879, Baldwin DanielMarshall moved to Longview with his parents when asmall child. He graduated from Longview High Schooland attended Massey’s Business College in Houston. In1915, he married Miss Erminie Northcutt of Longview,niece of Dr. W. D. Northcutt, I, a founding member of theRotary Club of Longview. One of the pioneers in the

laundry business, B. D. was for 40 years owner andoperator of the Longview Steam Laundry, located at 620North Fourth Street, on what is now the southwest cor-ner of the Good Shepherd Medical Center site. He wasalso a director of First National Bank and served severalterms as a trustee of Longview Independent SchoolDistrict. A lifelong member of First PresbyterianChurch, B. D. served many years as deacon and elderand was tenor soloist in the choir. He was a 50-yearmember of the Longview Masonic Lodge. At his death in1964, he was survived by his wife and their daughterKathreen, Mrs. Oliver G. Brown.

1924–25: Dr. Robert Hall, President

The fifth president of the Rotary Club of Longview—andthe only clergyman until Jim Stjernstrom—was born aweek after the Gettysburg Address in 1863. TheReverend Doctor Robert McAlpine Hall served as pastorof First Presbyterian Church of Longview from 1921 to1929. Son of a Presbyterian minister, Robert was bornin Talladega County, Alabama, and raised in Gonzales,Texas. After graduating from Hampden-Sydney Collegein Virginia in 1885, he did post-graduate work at theUniversity of Texas and graduated from UnionTheological Seminary in Virginia in 1888. In 1889, hemarried Hester Elizabeth Daniel of Vicksburg andVictoria, Texas. His main pastorates other thanLongview were Westminster Presbyterian in SanAntonio, First Presbyterian in Galveston, and Fort

— 5 —

5. The Rev. Robert McAlpine Hall, D.D.1863–1941

Photo by courtesy of Mary Martin Mitchell

4. Baldwin Daniel Marshall, Jr.1879–1964

Photo by courtesy of Emily Barbee Shelton

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Worth. Robert was noted as a good organizer who wasparticularly devoted to Christian youth development. Athis death in Forth Worth in 1941, he was survived bytwo daughters, Mrs. Charles Handley of Blacksburg,Virginia, and Mrs. Malcolm Martin of Longview.

1925–26: Arthur L. Connor, PresidentSon of Julius Chester and Laura Connor, Arthur wasborn in 1886 at Blue Ridge in Collin County, Texas,growing up there and in Dallas. While attendingSouthwestern University (playing center on the footballteam), he met Carlie Harlan of Marlin, and they weremarried in 1904. After operating a dry goods store inVenus, Texas, for nine years, he moved to Longview. For26 years, he owned and operated Connor Dry GoodsCompany, located at 213 North Fredonia Street at thenorthwest corner of Bank Street, later the site ofLongview National Bank. (See the photographs belowand on the next page.) Arthur and Carlie reared twochildren, Elizabeth and Arthur, Junior, in their homeacross Green Street from Longview High School, nowFoster Middle School. In 1935, they moved to a newhome at 1200 Turner Drive.

Among other business activities, Arthur was also abookkeeper. But during the Oil Boom, like manyLongview merchants, he became involved in oil invest-ments. He was associated with fellow Rotarian RogersLacy as president of Miller-Lacy Oil Company and vice-president of Lacy Petroleum Company. He also occa-sionally worked as an attendant helping Arthur, Junior,operate Connor & Swetman Texaco service station at 100West Methvin Street. Arthur’s brother Chester, in turn,

— 6 —

A. L. Connor’s Store at 213 North FredoniaLocated across Bank Street from McCarley’s Jewelry, it was replaced in 1940 by the Longview National Bank building.

6. Arthur Lee Connor1886–1943

Photo by courtesy of Laura Elkins

Photo by courtesy of Laura Elkins

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was proprietor of Connor’s Cash Grocery at 906 EastCotton Street.

Arthur was known as a quiet, unassuming man whoshunned publicity as he went about doing good in thecommunity. Among other activities, he was a Shriner,member of First Methodist Church, and president of theLongview Chamber of Commerce. An avid football fan,he also loved fishing, keeping a camp house at LakeLaverne for many years. Carlie shared his fondness forflowers, and the newspaper often carried reminders forfriends to visit the gardens at their home. At Arthur’sdeath in 1943, the Masonic Lodge had charge of servicesat Memory Park Cemetery. Carlie lived on until 1969.

ROTARIANS HAD A BIG HAND in a major eventfor Longview: the founding of the East Texas

Chamber of Commerce in March, 1926. Marvin Kelly’sfront-page obituary on April 3, 1958, included thisaccount:

Mr. Kelly liked to review the history of the EastTexas Chamber of Commerce. That story began inTyler early in 1926, when businessmen of that area

were attending an banquet honoring the past sea-son’s champion cotton grower.

“I made a little address,” he recalled. “I includ-ed some blank verse written by Bill Tucker, who waseditor of the Longview News then. It ended up, ‘Iam East Texas! A land that is richest and fairestand where achievement has just begun.’ Then Imade a suggestion that we should get together andbuild up an organization with ‘achievement’ in view.

“Everyone seemed to like the idea, and I wasasked to see what could be done about it. I called ameeting for March 26, 1926. We expected about 200people, but 2,000 or 3,000 showed up. By the timewe finished eating barbecue and had a few talks,everyone was ready to organize. They conscriptedme as president, and I served two terms.”

Fellow founding Rotarian Fred Stuckey, a mer-chant, organized Longview business leaders to erect abuilding for the Chamber and thus defeated bids bylarger Tyler and Palestine to become the headquartersof the new organization. The East Texas Chamber ofCommerce endured for more than 60 years.

— 7 —

President Arthur Connor in his StoreThis side of the shop was devoted to gentlemen’s trade, the left side to the ladies. Arthur is behind the counter in the center.

Photo by courtesy of Laura Elkins

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1926–27: Bert Sessums, PresidentBorn in 1877 at Pirtle, L. A. Sessums was orphaned atage three and went to live with his sister Lucinda Tinninin Elgin. He was tutored at home with her children,then attended public schools and a business college.Callia Turner of Bastrop met Bert while visiting a sisterin Elgin, and they were married in 1902. After tryingvegetable farming in California, the couple moved toLongview in 1907. At various times, Bert operated agrocery store and a Dodge automobile agency. Havingestablished a hardware store, he brought in HerbertFisher as a partner. Located at 225 West Tyler since1931, Fisher-Sessums Hardware is still operated byHerb’s cousin Bill Fisher. It was distinguished for asaddle shop operated by Robert Rogers and his sonBedell. After the Oil Boom began, Bert formed oil invest-ment companies named Fredonia Oil Company andSabine Syndicate, which were being dissolved as thisbook was written. Bert was president of LongviewChamber of Commerce, a Mason and Shriner, a stewardof First Methodist Church for 35 years, and an avidhunter and fisherman. Although not a foundingRotarian, he appears in the Rotagraph of September 30,1922 (Page 4). Bert died in 1945. Survivors include thecouple’s foster daughter Bernice Smith (a niece of Callia)and her daughter Ann Lowman of Alice, Texas; Bert’sgreat-grand-nephew Bobby Smith and his son Hank ofthis club; and Bert’s grand-nieces Florine Davis ofGoliad, Tippy Foster of Austin, and Barbara Brooks ofHawaii, and grand-nephew Jim Stansell of Austin.

1927–28: LeGrande Kelly, PresidentA younger brother of Marvin Kelly and fellow founder ofthis club, LeGrande Kelly was born at Kellyville in 1881.He attended Longview schools, Southwestern Universityat Georgetown, and the University of Michigan. Backhome, he learned the family business as a molder and ashipping clerk, then served as secretary-treasurer from1905 until his death. In 1903, he married CacyMcCullough of Longview, who died in 1921.

At First Methodist Church, LeGrande served on theboard of stewards and board of trustees. He was aKnight of Pythias, a Mason, a Shriner, and a founder ofPinecrest Country Club. A city alderman and later com-missioner for 20 years, he was instrumental in formulat-ing the city charter which established the commission-manager form of government in Longview in 1923. Atthe Longview Chamber of Commerce, he served as direc-tor and vice-president. LeGrande was also a director ofFirst Federal Savings and Loan Association and theGregg-Tex Gasoline Corporation and was associatedwith other oil businesses including Lucey PetroleumCompany. He was considered an expert accountant andan authority on matters of finance, business, and indus-trial methods.

LeGrande died in 1941 at the stately mansion he hadbuilt less than two years earlier in Forest Hills, nowknown as Northknoll and occupied by Dr. W. D.Northcutt, III, of this club. He was survived by a daugh-ter, Mrs. Dozier Skipper, Jr., of Longview, sonsLeGrande, Jr., of Longview and Verner of New York

— 8 —

7. Langley Albertus Sessums1877–1945

Photo by courtesy of Bernice Smith

8. LeGrande D. Kelly1881–1941

Photo by courtesy of Mrs. Dozier Skipper

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City, sisters Virginia Kelly and Mrs. J. W. Yates ofLongview and Mrs. R. B. Cousins of Kingsville, andbrother R. Marvin Kelly.

1928–29: Will C. Hurst, PresidentBorn in 1880 in Limestone County, Texas, Will was edu-cated in the public schools of Shelby County and gradu-ated in 1903 from North Texas State Normal College atDenton. In 1907, he married Esther Leak. Beginning asa schoolteacher in Shelby County, he became countyschool superintendent, meanwhile studying law at theoffice of Judge Walker in Center. Soon after admissionto the bar in 1914, Will commenced practicing law inLongview. He was county chairman of the DemocraticParty from 1917 to 1923. He became a state districtjudge in 1932, serving the 124th district and returningto private practice in 1936.

Will was a director of the Federal Land Bank and ofLongview Building and Loan Association, president ofthe Longview Chamber of Commerce, and first chairmanof the Longview Community Chest (now GreaterLongview United Way). He was a Knight of Pythias, aWoodman of the World, and a Mason. Having been amember of First Christian Church of Longview, he was amember of Woodland Christian Church, serving there aselder emeritus. At his death in 1968, Will was survivedby his wife Esther and sons W. C., Junior, and James L.Hurst. His younger brother, Dr. V. R. Hurst, was presi-dent of this club twenty years after him.

THE CLUB HAD about 36 members, and accordingto the 1963 club history, these members were in

the forefront in Chamber of Commerce and Churchwork and all business civic undertakings. The clubwas small so that all could get acquainted. Weeklyclassification programs were held and afforded anopportunity to know each one’s line of business andwhere he worked. The highlight of the Rotary yearwas the organization of the Jefferson Rotary Club,sponsored by the Longview Club. But for Longviewand Gregg County, as both the Depression and the OilBoom approached, a severe economic blow fell inJanuary of 1929. According to Traditions of the Land:the History of Gregg County, Texas,

The Texas and Pacific Railroad moved its divi-sion offices and shops from Longview to Mineola. Asa result, some 700 families and an immense payrollvanished almost overnight. Longview’s 1930 popula-tion, which was headed for a healthy increase overthe 1920 figure of 5,713, fell to barely 5,000. Thatwas even less than in 1910. The county’s populationdropped slightly more during the 1920s, from 16,767to 15,778.

1929–30: H. Wallace Norton, President

Other than Kelly Plow Works, the largest manufacturingplant in Longview before LeTourneau was the box factoryof Graham Manufacturing Company, and WallaceNorton was vice president and general manager. Son ofEdwin Thomas and Annie Mackey Norton of pioneerGladewater families, Wallace was born there in 1896. Hewas a first cousin of founding Rotarians Albert andElbert Morgan and brother of our later president LeeNorton as well as great-uncle of our present memberRusty Norton. Wallace graduated from Gladewater HighSchool and Draughon Business College. Before and aftera year’s military service during World War I, he wasemployed as bookkeeper at the lumber company of AlbertMorgan and his brother Charles in Longview. In 1919,Wallace married Julia Melton, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.Walter Melton of Longview. In 1923, he joined theGraham Manufacturing Company as vice president andmanager. In 1931, the company merged with CummerManufacturing Company of Paris, forming Cummer-Graham Company, and Wallace moved to Paris as vicepresident and sales manager. He continued in that posi-tion until his death. Back in Longview, Rotarian ShellyClayton “Jimmie” Hudnall succeeded Wallace and man-aged the box factory for many years to come.

In both Longview and Paris, Wallace was president ofboth the Rotary Club and the Chamber of Commerce. Hewas also a director of the East Texas Chamber ofCommerce. In Paris, he was president of the CommunityChest and United Fund as well as board member of thehousing authority, the city planning and zoning commis-sion, the public library, the Boys Club, and the BoyScouts Camp Glover committee. He was a Mason andShriner and an active member of the Methodist Church.He was also a director and life member of the TexasManufacturers Association, president of the SouthernBox and Crate Association at Shreveport and of theSouthwest Wirebound Box Association at New Orleans,

— 9 —

9. Judge William Cornelius Hurst1880–1968

Portrait by courtesy of W. C. Hurst, Junior

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and vice-president of the American Veneer PackersAssociation at Washington, D.C. In recognition of hiswork with the Boys Club of Paris, their baseball field wasnamed for him, and he was selected as Optimist Man ofthe year in 1956. Other than those many activities,Wallace took pride in the flower gardens that he andJulia kept at their house, where she lived after his deathin 1960.

AFTER THE GREGG HOTEL opened early in 1930,the club moved its meeting place there from the

Magnolia Hotel, remaining until the move to PinecrestCountry Club toward the end of the 1977–78 Rotaryyear. The hotel was built mainly by the efforts ofRotarians Dr. Vesse R. Hurst (president 1948–49,brother of Judge Will C. Hurst, president 1928–29) andOliver Daniel. Before the hotel was built, the site, onthe northwest corner of Methvin and Green Streets,was occupied by the home of Dr. Hurst’s father-in-law,Jack Yates. The original Hurst clinic, built in 1919,was the red brick building nearby to the west, demol-ished in 1995, which was later renamed the CurtisBuilding by Rotarian James R. Curtis. Conrad Hiltonwrote about acquiring the hotel in his 1957 biographyBe My Guest:

The second hotel I acquired at that time [1935]was important to me for another reason. Everybusinessman who had survived the Depression waswaiting for a sign, national or personal, that it wastime to stop treading water and go ahead. TheGregg was my green light.

Into my Dallas office one morning, unan-nounced, walked a gentleman who said he ownedthe Gregg Hotel. “But I’m a doctor, not a hotelman,” he added. “I’m too busy to run it.”

I knew the hotel and knew it as a good one. Atthat precise moment, however, I had nothing withwhich to buy, so I listened. “Longview is a growingtown,” the doctor continued in a worried tone, “andnot only needs the hotel but needs more rooms.”

It was good salesmanship and I knew it wastrue. But I couldn’t make an offer, so I just went onlistening.

“I will sell it to you,” this surprising man contin-ued, “on time. And you can borrow against it tobuild the addition. Of course, I suppose you shouldhave some money in it—so if you haven’t got it, I’lllend it to you.”

This was as close as I ever came to being given ahotel. I took it, too, and renamed it the LongviewHilton. And then gave it away myself—but thatcomes later in the story.

The Longview Hilton was somehow always spe-cial to me. Not because it made money. That it didfrom the start. Not because it was acquired as agift, without any cash outlay. But because it was mypersonal sign; as though I had been living in adesert having to wrest each bite of food, each drop ofwater, from a reluctant earth, and suddenly an oasisappeared and started showering these things effort-lessly upon me. After the desert of the Depression,this hotel stood as my symbol that American busi-ness was ready to grow again.

It was later called the Hotel Longview, then theDowntowner. In 1995, the hotel was demolished by theCity of Longview to create a park.

Back in 1929, the crash of the United States stockmarket in October signalled the beginning of the GreatDepression.

— 10 —

10. Herbert Wallace Norton1896–1960

Photo by courtesy of The Paris News and Boys Club of Paris

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1930–31: Quest Whitney, PresidentBorn in Carthage in 1892, Evans Quest Whitney attend-ed the University of Texas and went into business withhis father at the first ice and light plant in his hometown. Later, Quest worked for the Frisco Railroad inFort Worth, the Santa Fe in Longview, and MarshallElectric Company. In 1915, he became manager ofJefferson Ice and Light Company. From 1920 until hisdeath in 1949, Quest managed Longview Ice and LightCompany (founded in 1900), which was acquired by

East Texas Public Service Company, later known asSouthwestern Electric Power Company. A member ofFirst Baptist Church, he was a director of the LongviewChamber of Commerce, president of the RetailMerchants Association, director of the East TexasExhibit Association, member of the city planning com-mission, and trustee of Longview Independent SchoolDistrict. Mr. Whitney was survived by his wife, the for-mer Myrtle Falls of Fort Worth, sons E. Q., Junior, andHarry B. Whitney, and daughters Dorothy Reynolds ofBig Spring and Helen Rodgers of Longview.

— 11 —

Chapter 2.Growing Up With Longview,

1930 to 1945

Home of the Rotary Club of Longview, 1930 to 1978The new $200,000 Gregg Hotel in 1930, looking northwest from the intersection of Methvin and Green Streets.

Photo by courtesy of Gregg County Historical Museum

Copyright 1995 by Longview Rotary Endowment Fund, Inc.The Adobe Acrobat PDF file of which this notice is a part was created (with minor corrections) from a book entitled The Club and the Town: The Rotary Cluband the City of Longview, Texas, Year by Year from 1920 to 1995, published in 1995 by Longview Rotary Endowment Fund, Inc. Notwithstanding the prohibi-tion of reproduction without permission on the copyright page of the book, the publisher provides this PDF file to the general public without charge, but only forpurposes of reference and research. The publisher strictly prohibits publication, distribution, or dissemination of this file or any part or printed pages thereof, orconversion of the file into any other format, without prior written permission. Longview Rotary Endowment Fund, Inc., PO Box 2244, Longview, TX 75606

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THE EAST TEXAS OIL BOOM blew in right in themiddle of Quest Whitney’s year. This was the sin-

gle most important event in the history of Longviewand all of Gregg County as well as this Rotary Club. Itwas a time when both Longview and the club grew up,bringing in a new era for both of them.

More specifically, it was on October 5, 1930, thatDad Joiner completed casing in the small but promis-ing discovery well on Daisy Bradford’s farm nearOverton. On the Ashby farm a mile to the west, DeepRock Oil Company brought a much bigger well intoproduction on December 13. Two weeks later, onDecember 28, the world took note and the Boom gotunder way: A well flowing an enormous 22,000 barrelsper day from the same Woodbine formation was com-pleted on property south of Kilgore belonging to LouDella Crim, mother of future Kilgore RotariansMalcolm and Leggett Crim. Hoping to stimulate inter-est farther north, the Longview Chamber of Commercevoted a prize of $10,000 for the first oil well in GreggCounty within 12 miles of Longview. But LongviewRealtor Barney Skipper had already started one on theproperty of Kelly Plow Works Manager F. K. Lathropsouthwest of Spring Hill School. It was brought in onJanuary 26, 1931, suggesting the possibility of a singlehuge pool of oil. The Chamber’s prize was eventuallypaid, but as a minuscule footnote to the Boom’s history.

In an interview for a Dallas newspaper early in theBoom, our founder R. Marvin Kelly was quoted as say-ing, “Longview is going to become a really fine littlecity, but I rather dread the growing pains.” Indeed, forthis club, perhaps the first and most noticeable sign ofthe Boom was that all available living quarters inLongview were suddenly filled. Facilities at the GreggHotel were severely overstressed, and there was pres-sure on the club to leave and meet elsewhere. How-ever, the new manager of the hotel, our future presi-dent Curtis Meadows, arranged a way for us to stay:Our space in the meeting room was cut in half by amakeshift partition made of bedsheets strung on a linesome distance below the ceiling. During Rotary meet-ings, boomers were sleeping on cots on the other side.

One result of the Boom was a rapid influx ofaggressive businessmen into Longview, many of whomstayed to become Rotarians and bring vigorous new lifeto the club. Another development was that within afew months, both Kilgore and Gladewater grew fromsleepy country villages into sizeable towns, bothacquiring Rotary clubs in the spring of 1934.

And, of course, there was the new wealth. Beforethe Boom, many Longview merchants acquired scat-tered pieces of nearly worthless land throughout thecounty in lieu of cash settlement of bills. In this way,some of them did quite well after oil was discovered.

— 12 —

11. Evans Quest Whitney1892–1949

Photo by courtesy of Helen Rodgers

12. Bill Northcutt Taylor1898–1981

Photo by courtesy of Gloria Taylor Wismar

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1931–32: Bill N. Taylor, President

Longview’s boom-time city manager from 1928 to 1940,Bill Northcutt Taylor had deep roots in Longview, wherehe was born in 1898. His father was Charles Lee Taylor,and his mother was Iba Northcutt, sister of foundingRotarian Dr. W. D. Northcutt. Bill’s grandfatherAndrew S. Taylor was the surveyor who established theboundaries of Gregg County in 1873 and 1874.Andrew’s father, in turn, was Dr. Job Taylor, physicianand Methodist minister at the antebellum Earpvillechurch which became Longview’s First Methodist. AndAndrew’s father-in-law was Stokely Rowan Chadwick,Cumberland Presbyterian minister at Pine Tree andGilmer. The Northcutt influence prevailed, however:Bill was a member of First Baptist Church.

He served in the army during World War I, got anengineering degree from Texas A&M in 1920, and joinedthe Aggie faculty. In 1924, he married Louise DurhamShaw, daughter of Dushee Shaw (who was county clerkof Gregg County for 40 years) and his wife, the formerIda Rule. Bill’s early experience with Tidewater OilCompany in Tampico and Sun Oil in Venezuela proveduseful for Longview when it became the business centerfor the biggest oil field in history. Bill guided prepara-tion of a master plan that governed the city’s develop-ment for many years. Later, as city manager ofBaytown, he drew up the city charter for what had beenthree separate municipalities. As president of theInternational City Manager’s Association and theLeague of Texas Municipalities, he wrote a book on citybudgeting that was in wide demand. Before retiring to

Longview in 1954 and rejoining this club, Bill also wascity manager in Beaumont, Wichita Falls, andColumbia, Missouri.

At his death in 1981, Bill was survived by his wifeLouise and their children Charles Shaw “Buddy” Taylorof Fort Worth, Nancy (Mrs. S. Stanley) Kennedy ofHonolulu, and Gloria (Mrs. S. A.) Wismar of Baytown.

HISTORICALLY SPEAKING, perhaps the mostnotable event of President Bill’s year came on

August 17, 1931. As told in Traditions of the Land:The History of Gregg County,

In order to enforce proration, Governor RossSterling proclaimed martial law in a 600-square-mile area that encompassed the entire East TexasOil Field.... More than a thousand members of the56th Cavalry Brigade of the Texas National Guardtook over the area, under the command of BrigadierGeneral Jacob F. Wolters. ...Armed troops fannedout and shut down every well by order of the gover-nor, and beginning on September 6, production waspermitted again on a strictly prorated basis. ...Inorder to survive, many independent producersresorted to hidden pipelines and bribery to circum-vent proration. Much of the oil went to the 95refineries that had been built throughout the Field....Besides buying illicitly produced oil...many refin-ers evaded payment of taxes on their gasoline prod-ucts. ...Stories of the independents’ and refiners’subterfuges and escapades during the so-called “hotoil” period have become colorful folklore....

— 13 —

What gets a woman’s goat?Friend hubby working at night, or coming home and

telling her to take the children upstairs so he can readhis papers...having to buy so many baby shoes...beingtold by hubby that he wished she would try toreduce...not being married...talk of high rents...and so on,far, far into the night.

More than 45 Longview women last evening weregiven the opportunity, at the annual Rotary Ann pro-gram of the Rotary club, to give expression to their petgrievance, and they did so without hesitation, embar-rassment, and what have you. This was an interestingfeature of the program and evoked gales of laughter.

All of the Rotary Anns were given attractive favors,and three of them awarded prizes, as were three men.

The program consisted of a sing-song, music byLester Denson’s orchestra, vocal numbers by Henry L.Foster and Glenn Hutton, “Shandu” tricks by Jim Airey,introduction of the Rotary Anns, introduction of two“new” members—W. H. Terrell and B. D. Marshall—anda farcical presentation of glassware to Mr. and Mrs. B. N.Taylor.

The spacious dining room of the Gregg hotel wasartistically decorated for the occasion. Before entering

the hall, each Rotarian was compelled to match his nov-elty favor with that of a Rotary Ann, this determiningwho was to be his guest.

L. D. Kelly, chairman of the entertainment commit-tee, was in charge. He and W. B. Smith, president,expressed the club’s appreciation of the Rotary Anns.Mrs. Curtis W. Meadows reciprocated the courtesy inbehalf of the Rotary Anns.

The club made a reverent move near the end of thebanquet when it was decided to place upon the grave ofthe late J. O. Monday the huge Rotary flower wheel. Thefloral wheel will be taken to the grave of Mr. Monday inGrace Hill cemetery today.

______________________________________________

In the “Chit-Chat” column the following day:

The Rotary program took on an air of reverencewhen it was made known that the beautiful floral Rotarywheel used in decorating the hall would be placed todayon the grave of a man who was a good Rotarian and asplendid citizen—for such was Josh Monday. Mr.Monday always enjoyed the Ladies’ Night programs. Hewas as young in spirit as the youngest member of theclub.

The 1932–33 Rotary Ann Partyreported in the Longview Newspaper

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1932–33: Bruner Smith, President

Bruner was born in Longview in 1888, son of merchantHenry Louis Smith and his wife, the former SammieBruner. Graduating from Longview High School, heattended the University of Texas, where he was a mem-ber of Phi Kappa Psi, and after two years joined hisfather’s business in Longview. In 1912, Bruner formedGans and Smith Insurance Agency with Dan Gans, whobecame a fellow founder of this club eight years after-wards. Later, the firm would be joined by Bruner’sbrother Henry, father of Bobby and grandfather of Hankof this club. In 1915, Bruner married Verne Monday ofLovelady in Houston County, daughter of Joshua OwenMonday, Jr., and his wife, who was Clara AlbertaHolley. (Josh later moved to Longview and joined thisclub.) Guests at the wedding at the First Baptist Churchin Lovelady included Governor Thomas M. Campbell ofPalestine, formerly of Longview, and his wife, the formerFannie Bruner (the groom’s aunt). With Dan Gans in1919, Bruner participated in the organization of theEast Texas Oil Company. After the Oil Boom vindicatedtheir judgment over 11 years later, Bruner joined ClarkSample and Joe Mucher in an oil production partner-ship and was also a director and secretary-treasurer ofthe Gregg-Tex Gasoline Corporation.

Bruner was a Mason, Knight Templar, Shriner, andElk. He was president of Pinecrest Country Club, theCherokee Club, and Longview Chamber of Commerce.He was an organizer of the East Texas Chamber of

Commerce and Rembert (later Longview) National Bank,becoming board chairman and the largest stockholder inthe latter. Before election as president of this club,Bruner served several terms as secretary. At his death in1955, he was survived by his wife Verne, their daughterClaire, and granddaughters Betty and Sally Bivins.Verne was given a Paul Harris fellowship on December18, 1984, by Claire and her husband Hank Foster of thisclub. Four years later, Verne died at the age of 98.

ALASTING ACHIEVEMENT of the club this yearwas the conversion of the former Gregg County

“fair park” into a city park (now known as StamperPark) by adding a playground. The Lion’s Club hadrecently built the natatorium there. Rotarian John L.Whorton, pastor of First Baptist Church and chairmanof the city executive committee in charge of the park,was quoted as saying President Bruner and this cluboriginated the idea, the Chamber of Commerce fosteredit, and the City put it into operation. At the end of theRotary year, the “first annual” Rotary family picnicwas held at the picnic grounds in the southwesternpart of the park.

The newspaper article on the preceding page showsthat the club had an especially good time at the RotaryAnn banquet in those days. In this case, they also hon-ored the memory of Rotarian Josh Monday, father-in-law of President Bruner, who died on March 17, 1932.

At a meeting during the Christmas season, the din-ing room was decorated with Christmas trees and asnowman scene. A costumed Santa Claus brought giftsfor needy children, and he and a dozen Rotarians pre-sented talks on Christmas and the holiday spirit. Thegifts were presented to Captain Charles Brennan ofthe Salvation Army for distribution.

At the annual Rotary-teacher gathering at theGregg Hotel, entertainment consisted of a kangaroocourt put on by a group of Rotary Anns. They pretend-ed to catch their husbands trifling with pretty youngteachers at the party, in addition to other high crimesand misdemeanors. (See newspaper report, Page 79).

1933–34: Curtis W. Meadows,President

Born in Vidalia, Georgia, in 1894, Curtis was the eldestson of seven children born to Dr. and Mrs. John MorganMeadows. He was valedictorian at Vidalia CollegiateInstitute and attended Mercer University and Georgia-Alabama Business College in Macon. During WorldWar I, he served in Europe as auditor with the head-quarters staff of the thirty-second division, including thebattles of Verdun, Argonne Forest, and St. Mihiel. Afterthe war, he began his business career as an auditor forSouthern Cotton Oil company of Georgia. Next, he waschief accountant for Tropical Oil Corporation, a sub-sidiary of Standard Oil Corporation in Colombia.

In 1929, he became connected with the GeneralSecurities and Investment Company in Shreveport.Assigned as auditor for the newly built Gregg Hotel, hewas hired as general manager and moved to Longview

— 14 —

13. William Bruner Smith1888–1955

Photo by courtesy of Claire Smith Foster

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in April, 1931. Meantime, in 1930, he married LucilleEloise Loyd of Birmingham and Shreveport. Theybecame the parents of three children: Eloise; Curtis,Junior; and Algur. After about three years running thehotel, Curtis bought and operated the Farmers andMerchants Grain Company at 101 North Center Streetand became an independent oil man.

In Longview, Curtis joined this club in October,1931. He was also president of the Longview Chamberof Commerce, the Community Chest, the Salvation ArmyBoard of Trustees, and the Civic Music Association. Hewas a deacon in First Baptist Church, a trustee ofLongview Independent School District, and helpedestablish the Longview District of Boy Scouts ofAmerica. In addition, he was chairman of the board ofEast Texas Baptist College in Marshall, where hereceived an honorary doctor of laws degree in 1973. (Theadministration building and main campus drive arenamed for him.) Lucille was an equally tireless workerin social, church, and civic affairs. Among otherachievements, she was the founder of a LongviewChapter of the Daughters of the American Revolutionwhich is named for her ancestor Aaron Burleson.

In 1946, Curtis moved with his family to Dallas andbought the Lawther-Meadows grain mill, which he lateroperated. He also continued his independent oil busi-ness. Joining the Dallas Rotary Club without a break,he accumulated 40 years’ perfect attendance and becamea Paul Harris Fellow. In Dallas, he was a deacon atFirst Baptist Church, president of its Brotherhood, mem-

ber of the Baraca and Caleb Men’s Bible Classes, and adirector of the Adult Department of the Training Union.He continued his support of Scouting at LongfellowElementary School and First Baptist Church. He waspresident of the Dad’s Club at Thomas J. Rusk JuniorHigh School, president of the P.T.A. at Hillcrest HighSchool, director of the Central Dad’s Club, and presidentof the Greenway Parks Homeowners’ Association. Hewas also a trustee of the Meadows Foundation, whichwas established by his brother Algur, an oil man andphilanthropist.

At his death in 1980, Curtis was survived by his wifeLucille, daughter Eloise Rouse of Dallas, son Curtis,Junior, of Dallas, three sisters, and six grandchildren.

THIS WAS A VERY BUSY Rotary year. Most of theinformation we have about it comes from a scrap-

book which was meticulously kept by PresidentCurtis’s Rotary Ann, Lucille. One wonders how shehad time for it, considering the many worthy projectsshe supported, besides starting a family.

Looking back over sixty years, Curtis’s principalachievement as president was one of the most endur-ing legacies of the Rotary Club of Longview. OnSeptember 1, we began supporting a Boy Scout Troop,Number 202. (See Chapter 6.) By December, a permitwas obtained for construction of a cabin for the troop’smeetings in the newly redesignated city park. Thescouts themselves were supposed to build the cabin intheir spare time within 60 days, using materials fur-nished by this club. It was finally dedicated towardthe end of the following Rotary year.

Two other historical events for Rotary were thecharter meetings of the Gladewater club on March 19,1934, and the Kilgore club on April 20. The Glade-water club was sponsored by the Gilmer club, but wesponsored the Kilgore club. In this effort, PresidentCurtis acted as liaison assistant to District GovernorRoy Smith of Tyler. With the help of our member BobKnight a suitable number of prospective members werefound, and a charter for the Kilgore Club was obtained.

A newspaper article on August 1, 1933, noted that“Two projects that will get the cooperation of theRotary club are the permanent use of the old jail for aworthwhile purpose and the building of a wagon yardfor the benefit of rural people.”

The following week, the Rotarians accepted a chal-lenge of the Lions Club for a baseball game. (We beatthem twice before, five and ten years earlier.) A com-mittee was appointed to select a team and start train-ing: Syril Parker, Bill Northcutt Taylor, and LeGrandeKelly. After much publicity, the game was played atCannibal Park (Fair Park) on the evening of Tuesday,August 17. The public was invited, at 10¢ and 25¢ ahead, and more than $110 was collected.

The Rural-Urban acquaintance program was heldon Tuesday evening, October 10, at the city park, withabout 40 farmers attending as guests of the club.Ladies’ Night was a Hallowe’en costume party onOctober 31. The annual party for teachers of Longview

— 15 —

14. Curtis Washington Meadows1894–1980

Photo and references by courtesy of Eloise Meadows Rouse

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Independent School District was held on November 28.A students’ program was conducted on December 12 atLongview High School, with lunch provided by MissBernice Alsup’s home economics class and vocationaltalks by Jimmie Hudnall, Grover Finch, and ChunkOliver. Another Ladies’ Night was held on June 6,1934, with visitors from Marshall, Gilmer, and Kilgore.As of April 24, there had been seven meetings with100% attendance during this Rotary year.

Here are some other notable programs and events:August 24, 1933, Dr. Charles Selecman, president ofSMU; September 19, guests included directors of theEast Texas Chamber of Commerce, dignitaries of theRingling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus, anda number of circus performers; November 7, MissEmma Jean Donald, librarian, describing the operationof the new Nicholson Memorial Library, donated to theCity by Rotarian Walter Nicholson; December 5,Marvin Kelly provided a venison luncheon; December19, joint meeting with the Lions Club; January 23,State Attorney General and future governor James V.Allred; March 20, Tyler attorney W. F. Weeks, pre-sented by Bruner Smith, charging that laws againsthot oil (requiring refineries to disclose sources of crude)signed the previous week by Governor “Ma” Fergusonwere not being enforced; April 3, 1934, Boy Scoutsdemonstrated making bows, arrows, and fire; April 10,Ray Flaskamper, manager of the Longview DixieLeague baseball club; and throughout the year, anumber of programs on the Federal Government’s vari-ous measures to combat the Great Depression. Manymeetings featured not only a speaker, but also musicalentertainment, usually including a female vocalist.

1934–35: Tom E. Richardson,President

The son of Ben and Casey Mann Richardson, Tom wasborn at Longview in 1889 and reared on a farm north-east of town in the vicinity of Smelley and Page Roads.Graduating from Longview High School, he attendedSan Marcos College and Pilot Point Military College,then went to work for Kelly Plow Company. In connec-tion with World War I, he saw nearly three years over-seas service, rising from corporal to second lieutenant.In 1920, Tom married Miss Hettie Richardson, also aLongview native, who had lived on land near his butwas not related. For ten years, he and Hettie operated agrocery store on the southwest corner of Methvin andFredonia Streets. Tom then acquired and became presi-dent of East Texas Novelty and Wholesale TobaccoCompany, in which he was occupied until his final ill-ness. He also had oil holdings and rental housing. Tomwas president of the Longview Community Chest andLongview Chamber of Commerce, second commander ofthe Bernay Camp American Legion Post, member of theLongview city commission, and chairman of the Boardof Stewards of First Methodist Church, where he alsosang in the choir. He and Hettie became members of theLongview Little Theatre in 1926, acting in several plays.At his death in 1951, Tom was survived by Hettie, his

brother Jeff, and his sister Mrs. Annie Moore.Pallbearers were his nephews Mervin, Wilson, T. J., andBilly Moore and Clarence, Edward, Travis, and JeffRichardson, Junior.

THIS WAS ANOTHER banner year for Boy Scoutwork in the club. The Scouts’ meeting cabin in the

city park, originally intended for completion in Marchof 1934, was finally dedicated in May, 1935. The pro-ject was shepherded to its conclusion by this year’schairman of the Boys’ Work Committee, GeraldOsborne. A photograph of that event in the soft light ofa late spring afternoon was treasured by Gerald for therest of his life. Loaned to us by his son Gerald, Jr., it isfeatured as the frontispiece of this book. The earnestfaces of those 53 men and 13 boys of the town, rangedbetween the American flag and the troop banner withthe priest in the middle, shine down through the gen-erations with the enduring spirit of service above selfto which this club and all of Rotary are dedicated.

This was also the Rotary year when Carl L. Estescame to Longview. He was to become the chief promot-er of industrial development of Longview after WorldWar II. A clipping from his newspaper dated October30, 1934 reads:

Col. Carl. L. Estes, new publisher of The Newsand The Journal, was accorded a very enthusiasticwelcome by members of the Rotary club when he

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15. Tom Edward Richardson1889–1951

Photo and references by courtesy of Roscoe Tinsley

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was introduced at the organization’s meetingTuesday at the Gregg.

In acknowledging the rousing welcome accordedhim, Col. Estes told Rotarians that in coming toLongview he was realizing an ambition that he hadbeen harboring for the past two and a half years,and pledged his aid in the development of this EastTexas oil field center.

J. F. Stuckey, as the guest of J. Marcus Wood,appealed to Rotarians for their cooperation in assur-ing the success of the welcome banquet whichLongview business men are tendering to PublisherEstes on Thursday, November 8, and received theassurance of President Tom Richardson that theRotarians would be found anxious to lend everyassistance in this project.

Most of the information about President Tom’syear comes from his scrapbook of newspaper clippings,provided by Hettie’s nephew Roscoe Tinsley. Farmersand rural residents of the Judson area (men only) wereinvited to a rural-urban program at Judson GroveSchool on Tuesday night, October 2. Similar programswere planned for other rural communities of GreggCounty. Ladies’ Night this year was a Christmas partyon December 18 at the Gregg Hotel. The annualRotary-Teacher banquet was held on January 22, 1935.Entertainment consisted of a one-act comedy directedby Miss Ruth Claire Sypert, head of the high schoolEnglish department, plus readings by Miss Sypert andsongs by a student quartet. For another meeting, lun-cheon was served at the high school by the home eco-nomics class under Miss Bernice Alsup.

At the meeting on October 9 during the WorldSeries, druggist E. B. “Chunk” Oliver installed a radioand scoreboard in the hotel dining room, and thescheduled program was postponed for a week.

On November 13, a committee of two was appoint-ed to meet with similar groups from other bodies onpreparing tentative plans for organizing a YMCA inLongview and erecting a building to house it.

In those days, the club had a “crippled children’scommittee,” through which various assistance was pro-vided for physically handicapped children of Longviewwhose parents could not afford diagnosis and treatment.This year, the club provided transportation and mealsfor eight children plus parents going to clinics in Dallas.

1935–36: Gerald E. Osborne,President

Born in Melvin, Illinois, in 1898, Gerald was reared inMayfield, Kentucky, where his father Dr. J. J. Osborne,an optometrist, also operated a jewelry store. Before fin-ishing high school, Gerald became manager of a Coca-Cola bottling works in which his father owned an inter-est. Later, the family moved to Corpus Christi, whereGerald graduated from high school in 1917. Moving toMcAllen in charge of a drug store and soda fountain,Gerald worked nights for the McAllen Morning Sun as atelegrapher copying wire-service news reports, a skill hehad learned back in Kentucky. In 1918, he became a

telegraph operator for Western Union, quickly rising tothe position of local office manager. Transferred fromcity to city, he settled in Dallas, where he became districtmanager and auditor. In 1922, he married GraceMcCoy, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin McCoy ofBattle, Louisiana. They reared one son, Gerald, Junior.

Gerald was transferred to Longview as manager ofthe Western Union office in 1931 during the peak busi-ness of the early Oil Boom. He was ordained deacon inFirst Baptist Church, taught a Sunday School class, andchaired the committee that raised money for the firsteducational building. As chairman of the Rotary Boys’Work Committee for 1934–35, he secured the completionof the Boy Scout Troop 202 meeting cabin in the citypark. With Grace and nine-year-old Gerald, Junior, heattended the Rotary International convention in AtlanticCity in 1936 as a delegate of this club. Having beennominated for election as city commissioner, he with-drew upon being transferred to Harlingen as WesternUnion manager for the Lower Rio Grande Valley in1939.

Among other church and civic work in Harlingen,Gerald taught Sunday school and was president of theCommunity Chest. He loved fishing and sailing andwas a member of the Port Isabel Yacht Club. After fouryears, Western Union transferred him to Waco, where heserved as local manager for 20 years until retirement in1963. Gerald and Grace died in 1977 and 1993 respec-tively, and both were buried at Oaklawn Cemetery inWaco.

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16. Gerald Elwyn Osborne1898–1977

Photo by courtesy of Gerald E. Osborne, Jr.

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1936–37: Grover Finch, President

Grover was born in 1886 at the home of his father J. L.Finch which still stands on the south side of CottonStreet between Gum Springs Road and Eastman Road.A graduate of Longview High School, he attended BaylorUniversity. In 1911, Grover organized Guaranty StateBank, forerunner of Rembert and Longview NationalBanks, whose building remains near the east end ofMethvin Street. He enlisted in the army for World War I,serving in the finance department of the aviation corps.Back in Longview, he was an organizer of PinecrestCountry Club in 1920, allowing the club free use of partof the Finch farm until the club bought it in 1930.Grover helped organize Longview Building and LoanAssociation, incorporated in 1924 with Dr. Vesse Hurstas president and Charles L. Taylor as vice-president.(Vesse was one of our presidents; Charles was the fatherof our president Bill N. Taylor.) Until his death in 1956,Grover was manager and secretary-treasurer of LongviewBuilding and Loan. He also had extensive oil invest-ments. In 1934, he married Mrs. Maurine Gray, awidow, daughter of Dr. Stewart, a Longview dentist.Grover was a Mason, Shriner, Elk, Longview city com-missioner, and chairman of the board of trustees andboard of deacons at First Baptist Church. Survivors inLongview included his wife Maurine, stepson Dr. CharlesGray, brother John, sister Mrs. Louis Markham (a found-ing Rotary Ann of this club), and nieces Elaine Clantonand Eva Jean Blount, former Rotary Anns of this club.

1937–38: Henry Foster, President

Henry was one of a very small handful of the most high-ly esteemed men of his time in Longview. Son of R. D.Foster and Della Garner Foster, he was born in 1891 inthe Tryon community near Longview in what had beenhis grandfather’s farm house, located about 200 yardseast of the intersection of Alpine Road and Page Road.He graduated from Longview High School and receiveda BS degree from San Marcos Teachers’ College (nowSouthwest Texas State University). In 1914, he becamea teacher at First Ward elementary school in Longview,located between Greenwood Cemetery and what is nowGood Shepherd Medical Center. (It was later replacedby Valley View School.) In May, 1918, he marriedFlorence Black, daughter of T. P. Black and his wifeFannie. Mr. Black operated the general store atHallsville and founded Hallsville State Bank. Beforethe end of the year, Henry enlisted in the army, trainingat Camp Mabry at Austin and Camp John Wise at SanAntonio for the Balloon and Observation department ofthe Air Service. Home again in 1919, he was appointedprincipal of Campus Ward Elementary School, thenprincipal of Longview High School in 1922. From 1923until retirement in 1952, he was superintendent ofLongview Independent School District. Doing graduatework in the summers, he earned a master’s degree fromColorado State College in Greeley.

In First Methodist Church, Henry was Sunday schoolsuperintendent for many years, member of the Board of

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17. Grover Cleveland Finch1886–1956

Photo by courtesy of Elaine Markham Clanton

18. Henry Lee Foster1891–1966

Photo by courtesy of Henry L. Foster, Jr.

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Stewards, lay reader, and baritone in the choir. Servingthe Boy Scouts for 40 years, he held numerous leadershippositions. Henry was a Mason, Knight Templar, Knight ofPythias, president of the Longview Chamber of Commerce,charter member of the East Texas Chamber of Commerce,chairman of the Advisory Board of the Salvation Army,organizing member and director of the LongviewCommunity Fund, trustee of George Peabody College ofNashville, officer in numerous professional associations,director of United Bankers Life Insurance Company ofDallas, director of First National Bank of Longview, andacting president of the bank for a short time.

Henry’s stated aim was to live a life of service for hisfellow man. His special distinction in 30 years as aRotarian was singing—a gift that was carried on byHenry, Junior, known as Hank. Each was awarded theclub’s highest honor shortly before his death, the fatherwith a special program at a meeting in 1966, the sonwith a Rotary Citizen of the Year award in 1994.

Florence died in 1957. Four years later, Henry mar-ried a long-time friend and neighbor, the former LouiseDobbs of Longview, widow of Henry Kerry. At his deathin 1966, Henry Foster was survived by Louise; hisdaughter Florene Gregory of Shreveport; his son Henry,Junior; a sister; and six grandchildren.

AHIGHLIGHT OF THIS Rotary year was the spe-cial chartered railroad car to the Rotary

International convention in San Francisco: 26Rotarians, wives, and children attended.

Rotarian Lee Norton was chairman of the board oftrustees of Longview Independent School District, andthe Lobos won the state football championship.

1938–39: J. Marcus Wood, President

Marcus was born in Kilgore in 1889, son of SamHouston Wood and the former Laura Frances Thompson.Educated in local schools, he came to Longview in 1906and was employed by the Texas and Pacific and SantaFe Railroads. His first wife was Virgie Belle Smith,daughter of J. T. Smith, Gregg County Judge from 1888to 1898. In 1921, Marcus established the Longview dis-tributing agency for Gulf Refining Company, which hecontinued until retirement about 1956. His membershipin this club dated back to 1930 or earlier. In 1930, hemarried Tecaro Cubberly, daughter of O. P. and LucieRain Cubberly of Marshall. Having joined FirstMethodist Church on arrival in Longview, Marcusserved as chairman of the board of stewards for manyyears. He was president of the Longview Chamber ofCommerce, Baseball Club, Quarterback Club, CivicMusic Association, and Community Chest, and memberof the city commission. He took a leading role in build-ing the Gregg Hotel in 1929 and establishing the EastTexas Chamber of Commerce in Longview in 1926. Hewas one of the founders of the Petroleum MarketersAssociation of Texas. As a director of the Texas GoodRoads Association, he was instrumental in securing sev-eral excellent highways for the Longview area. He wasan avid baseball fan, a Mason, and a Shriner. Hisbrother William Oscar was Gregg County tax assessorfrom 1924 to 1936. Another brother Robert, a pharma-cist, operated Wood Drug Store from 1936 to 1946.

At his death in 1959, Marcus was survived by Tecaroand five daughters: Laura Virginia (Mrs. Chuck)Ellsworth and Jane Lockett of Midland (later Mrs. JimWitt of Longview) were daughters of Virgie Belle; Emily(Mrs. Melvin) McWhirter, Evelyn (Mrs. Tom) Hight, andGarland (Mrs. Dub) Noble were daughters of Tecaro. Ofhis 16 grandchildren, Evelyn’s son Joe has been a mem-ber of this club. Tecaro lived on until 1993.

ONE RELIC AT HAND from President Marcus’syear is the following engraved invitation in the

scrapbook kept by Lucille Meadows:The Longview Rotary Club requests thepleasure of your presence at its annual

Rotary Ann Christmas Party at the Hilton Hotel Tuesday night, December twentiethnineteen hundred and thirty-eight

at six-thirty o’clock

Please bring your husband

1939–40: Dr. Robert K. Womack,President

The seventh surviving child and only son of JosephEmerson and Annie Eliza Lokey Womack, Robert wasborn in 1903 in Blakely, Georgia, where he graduatedfrom high school in 1921. His father, a gentleman farmer,fell on hard times and became a rural mail carrier. His

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19. James Marcus Wood1889–1959

Photo by courtesy of Susan Ellsworth Gardner

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high-school teachers included three of his sisters. Afterworking a year, Robert completed a three-year pre-medprogram at Mercer University, playing on the footballteam. He graduated from Tulane Medical School in 1928,working as a janitor and receiving financial support fromhis sisters, their parents having died. After interning ayear at Tri-State Hospital in Shreveport (later namedWillis-Knighton), Robert served a two-year apprenticeshipin urology with Doctors I. B. Rougon and Jesse R.Stamper. He married Myra Grace Lawhon of Shreveport,and they moved to Longview about 1932 to seek their for-tune in the Oil Boom. The second of their three childrendied and was buried in Longview. Robert joined theRotary Club on July 24, 1934. In 1938, he became the firsturologist in this area to be board certified.

In 1941, Robert moved back to Shreveport and re-joined Rougon and Stamper, remaining until retirementin 1972. He was chief of staff at Doctors Hospital in 1942and at Schumpert Hospital in 1946. He is credited withsetting up the urology training program at ConfederateMemorial Medical Center (now a branch of the LSU sys-tem), serving as chief of urology from 1947 to 1971. Hewas a member of the advisory committee for LSU Schoolof Medicine in Shreveport, the Shreveport Board ofHealth, and Broadmoor Baptist Church. At his death in1974, Robert was survived by his wife, the formerVirginia Dupuy; son Joseph (also a doctor) of Shreveport;and daughter Betty Jordan of Palatka, Florida. Hismemory is perpetuated in the R. K. Womack memorial lec-tureship in urology at LSU Medical Center in Shreveport.

1940–41: Lee Norton, PresidentA brother of our earlier president Wallace Norton, cousinof club founders Albert and Elbert Morgan, and great-uncle of present member Rusty Norton, Lee was born inGladewater in 1894. His parents were Edwin ThomasNorton, a grocer, and the former Annie E. Mackey.Educated in the Gladewater schools, he worked in thefamily store, taking over when his father died. In 1919,Lee married Lynne Smith, daughter of Sydney Georgeand Maud Castleberry Smith of Pine Tree. After work-ing in a grocery in Marshall in 1920 and 1921, Leemoved to Longview. In 1922, he bought a grocery fromE. H. Brawley, renaming it Norton’s Grocery Store. In1931, he was joined by two partners, Claude E. Barbeeof this club and J. A. Mansinger. The three did businessas Norton and Barbee Grocery until they retired in 1977.The store they built still stands at the northwest cornerof Center and Bank Streets, a model of historic preserva-tion in its conversion to office use by John Adams.

As president of the Longview Chamber of Commerce in1936, Lee went to Washington with City Manager BillTaylor, East Texas Chamber Manager Grady Shipp (bothRotarians), newspaperman Carl Estes, and Carl McClurein a successful lobbying effort with Congressman MorganSanders for a new post office. Similarly, Lee and otherbusinessmen took a special train to Austin to urge betterenforcement of proration and laws against hot oil. Thenext year, 1937, when Lee was chairman of the LongviewISD board, the Lobos won the state football championship.

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21. Oliver Lee Norton1894–1978

Photo by courtesy of Maud Norton Bivins

20. Robert Kendrick Womack, M.D.1903–1974

Photo and references by courtesy of Dr. Joseph L. Womack

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Lee was also a director of First National Bank for 43years, an organizer of the East Texas Chamber ofCommerce in 1926 and treasurer for 20 years, a directorof the Sabine River Authority from 1949 to 1969 (havinga vital part in building Lake Tawakoni and ToledoBend Lake), one of three organizers of the local Salva-tion Army post, and chairman of the gasoline rationingboard for Gregg County during World War II. He was aMason, Knight of Pythias, and elder, deacon, and trusteeof First Presbyterian Church. Lee and Lynne died in1978 and 1993 respectively. Their daughter MaudLynette married J. K. “Knotty” Bivins, formerly of thisclub, and her children are the late Lee Norton Bivins ofDallas, Lynne (Mrs. Lamar) Simpson of Longview, andJune (Mrs. James L.) Baumoel of Los Angeles.

TWO CIVIC EVENTS stand out in President Lee’syear: The location was obtained for the future

Gregg County Airport, for which a $200,000 bond issuewas passed in 1940. And plans were finalized for arevolutionary steel plant promoted by a charismaticHungarian inventor named Julius Madaras and fund-ed by local investors. Located at what is now thenorthwest corner of West Cotton and Lake LamondRoad, the facility attempted to produce steel from localiron ore by direct reduction with natural gas instead ofcoke. It was later converted to a conventional foundry.

1941–42: Erskine Bramlette,President

Erskine was born in 1875 at Pontotoc, Mississippi, eldestof 13 children of Thomas Anderson Bramlette and hiswife, the former Annie E. Miller. He attended the localschools, earned a B.A. degree at the University ofMississippi, and became a schoolteacher in that state.Having relatives in Longview, he moved there in 1897,and after teaching a short time, he enrolled in theUniversity of Texas Law School. Upon graduation andadmission to the bar in 1902, he commenced a long andillustrious practice of civil law in Longview. He wasassociated with another pillar of the community andlegal fraternity, Richard B. Levy, who at one time wasJudge of the Court of Civil Appeals at Texarkana

In 1903, Erskine married Jessie O. Boring, whosegrandfather Bluford W. Brown is considered the legisla-tive father of Gregg County. They reared one son,Joseph Boring Bramlette. From 1907 to 1916, Erskinewas a member of the Board of Legal Examiners for thispart of Texas, and from then until 1920, he was countyjudge. During World War I, he served on the Board ofDraft Appeals. He was Longview city attorney from1924 to 1935, helping draw up a new city charter. Heserved twice as president of the Gregg County Board ofEducation, the body which administered the countyschools. Erskine was an elder in First PresbyterianChurch, a Mason, Shriner, Knight Templar, and aKnight of Pythias. He was also a member of theLongview Saddle Club and Pinecrest Country Club.

His parents, seven brothers, and five sisters settled inLongview after Erskine. The sisters included Floreid(mother of Dr. Tom Francis of this club) and NannieMae (wife of our founder Bill Terrell). Erskine’s home

was a farm on McCann Road which became HuntingtonPark and other subdivisions. After the Oil Boom began,his son Joseph designed the mansion that still stands onwhat remains of the estate. Jessie died in 1933, and in1937 Erskine married Miss Nellie Landry. After hisdeath in 1942, she returned to her home in Tennessee.

IN HIS DISTINGUISHED CAREER, PresidentErskine had two bits of bad luck while in elective

positions. First, in July of 1919, when he was countyjudge, Longview suffered a brief civic disturbancewhich was widely mislabeled a race riot. After Erskineand Mayor G. A. Bodenheim telephoned GovernorWilliam P. Hobby for help, the governor sent 250national guardsmen and eight Texas Rangers and putthe entire county under martial law for five days. Andsecond, in the middle of Erskine’s term as president ofthis club, World War II broke out with the Japanesebombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

1942–43: Maurice Bivins, President

Maurice was born in 1887 in Cass County at the commu-nity of Bivins, named after his father, Captain JamesKnox Bivins, who conducted timber operations in the area.He was reared in the vicinity of Atlanta and graduated in1907 from Texas A&M College, where he was prominent inathletic and campus organizations. Settling in Longview,

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22. Judge Erskine Miller Bramlette1875–1942

Photo by courtesy of Floreid Francis Stevens

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he joined his father’s extensive sawmill and lumber busi-ness, Bivins Lumber Company, dating back to 1870 andowning 10,000 acres along the Sabine east of Longview. In1913, he married Effie Rule Durham, granddaughter ofGregg County’s first sheriff, M. L. Durham. In 1927,Maurice and E. D. Skipper formed a cotton brokerage firmcalled Skipper-Bivins Cotton Company, and when the EastTexas oil field was discovered, they organized the Skipper-Bivins Oil Company, Inc. In 1945, Maurice and his sonsbought the ice plant of the former Longview Ice and LightCompany (See Quest Whitney, 1930–31), operating it asLongview Ice Manufacturing Co. Maurice was a Mason,Knight of Pythias, and member of the board of stewards ofFirst Methodist Church. He was president of LongviewChamber of Commerce and the Salvation Army board,trustee of Longview Independent School District, and dur-ing World War II was chairman of the Longview Chapterof the American Red Cross. He was also a member ofPinecrest Country Club and DeLatin Gun Club. Effie Ruledied in 1948. At his death in 1952, Maurice was survivedby his sons Durham and Jim. His descendants includefour grandchildren: Betty, Sally, Craig, and Louise.

WORLD WAR II was in full swing, and rationingwas in effect for many commercial products.

According to a printed program in Curtis Meadows’sscrapbook, the district conference for Rotary District128, held in Longview on April 25 and 26, was entitled“The Rationed Conference.”

1943–44: Casey P’Pool, President

In the Rotaview for March 15, 1949, Editor Tom Putmanwrote the following: “William Casey P’Pool entered thisworld July 30th, 1901, in Anson, Jones County, Texas.He attended public schools in Munday, Haskell, andValentine. North Texas State is his college alma mater.Roustabouting with Texhoma Oil Company was his firstjob after leaving college. After about 18 months in thefield, he joined the LeBus Tool Company as a bookkeeperin the year of 1925. He resigned in 1935 his position asoffice manager to become associated with J. O. Lyle inthe Standard Tool and Standard Engine Companies ofGreggton. He married Gurlye Dickson of Seymour,Texas, in 1924. They are the parents of one daughter,Geraldine. As for hobbies, the Lobos and the Longhornshold Casey’s attention in the winter, while in the sum-mer he follows the Texans. He is fond of square dancingand fishing too. Casey is past president of the LongviewChamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club. He hasbeen president of the Roundup Club for some time and isan active steward in the Methodist Church. He is aMason and a life member of the Gideons organization....”

P’Pool is a variant spelling of Pettypool. Casey con-tinued as a very active Rotarian long after his term aspresident, serving many times as director and committeechairman. In 1964 he sold his business, retired, boughta ranch, and moved to Dallas. He died in 1989. Hiswife Gurlye lives in a nursing home in Dallas. Hisdaughter Geraldine Cantwell also lives in Dallas.

WORLD WAR II CONTINUED to dominate thescene in this club as everywhere else. Two

aspects of the war which stand out most prominentlyin Rotaview bulletins of that era are rationing and theabsence of Rotarians and their sons in military service.Here are some quotes on these topics in November:

The food administrator of our government isasking us to help in the conservation of food. If wedo not change our practices, the food shortage maybecome still more acute. ...We should select our foodwisely, dish it out sparingly, and eat it up.

...Thanksgiving is that season when we say weare thankful for our many blessings and then pro-ceed to grumble, gripe, and growl because we cannotget all the tires, gasoline, or certain foods we enjoyedin peacetime. ...Thanksgiving this year will be a sadtime for many of us. There are vacant chairs inmany homes because of this war. Many of thesechairs will never be filled again, but for many thesadness will pass when peace returns and the boyscome home. We may be prone to say bitter thingsagainst war, but how much more do we have to bethankful for even in wartime, than people of Britainor Germany. Just think how much more honorableis the thing for which our youth are fighting than isthat of the German youth. They are fighting forHitler, but our youth are fighting for an ideal.

...Dock Glover is all smiles—son Algie is home.

Rotaview bulletins at that time included a list ofmembers entitled “In the Country’s Service.” Thenames were Frank Bolton, Dyrl Hull, LeGrande Kelly(Junior), and Colonel D. C. Snyder. (Club membershipwas down to 68.) On January 11, 1944, there was also

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23. Maurice H. Bivins1887–1952

Photo by courtesy of Marjorie Harrison Bivins

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a list entitled “Rotarians with Sons in the FightingForces,” as follows:

George Kelly: Son James Marvin, ArmyOliver Daniel: Son Oliver, Jr., commissioned officerBill Terrell: Son Bill Bob, ArmyLawrence Birdsong: Son Lawrence, Jr., ArmyMaurice Bivins: Sons Ensign Jim & Captain DurhamR. L. Speight: Son Marston, Seaman Second ClassE. Q. Whitney: Sons E. Q., Jr., and HarryW. C. Hurst: Son James, Air CorpsG. C. Finch: Son Charles GrayH. A. Ross: Son Carl, Instr. in Civil AeronauticsA. T. Glover: Son Algie, NavyRay Newnham: Son Morris, NavyB. W. Crain: Sons B. W. and Edward BrunerW. A. Lanagan: Son Billie

The Rotaview for March 21, 1944, was likewisedominated by the war. In an editorial entitled “In PostWar Period,” Bob Speight wrote,

Most people say we should win the war before wetalk about industry in the post war period. It was thelack of a planned economy that made possible thedepression years of 1929 to the present. This commu-nity should be thinking now about what new fields ofendeavor may be opened up following the war.

In the same bulletin, the program for the followingweek’s meeting was listed as Henry C. Withers, man-aging editor of the Dallas Morning News, speaking on“Dealing with our progress in the war, the need forpreventing similar wars in the future, and criticizingthe New Deal Bureaucracy.”

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24. William Casey P’Pool1901–1989

Photo by courtesy of Geraldine Cantwell

The Annual Rotary Ann Christmas Party at the Community Center, Tuesday, December 19, 1944In Europe, the month-long Battle of the Bulge began three days earlier. (See appendix for identifications.)

Photo by courtesy of Lawrence Birdsong, Jr.

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Despite the war, Rotarians continued their usualprograms and projects. Casey and others helped high-school students establish the Round-Up Club, whichremained without a place of its own for several years.The annual Rural-Urban program was held onNovember 23, 1943. A Rotaview editorial that dayreveals the club’s attitude toward this yearly ritual:

W E L C O M E F A R M E R SThe farmer differs from the banker in only two

ways: where he lives and what he does. The farmeris the original producer of foodstuff, and we aredependent on him for raw material as he is depen-dent on us for manufactured goods. In fact, many ofour farmer friends have more invested in their busi-ness than we have in ours, and some have moredeposited in our banks than we. Without thefarmer, we would not only fail but starve.

Friends from the farm, we hope you like us. Weare glad to have you as our guests today. May thecold of the winter mellow the soil, the rains producea deep season, the crop next year be a bumper, andthe price such as to give you a reasonable profit.

1944–45: Lawrence Birdsong,President

Lawrence’s father Simon, a resident of Huntsville,Alabama, was a construction engineer working on theTexas and Pacific railway when that line was extendedwest from the Southern Pacific terminus at Longview in1873. Two years later, Simon settled in Longview withhis wife, the former Lowela Searcy. He acquired land inthe vicinity of the present Birdsong Street, which waslater named for the family. About 1900, they moved tothe house at 104 West Whaley Street which was built in1879 by Bluford W. Brown, the state legislator whoachieved the creation of Gregg County in 1873 and 1874.

Lawrence was born in 1885 and attended theLongview schools and the University of Texas. Afterpassing the bar examinations, he served a term as assis-tant county attorney but never practiced law. He was intheater and mercantile businesses, then concentrated ongeneral contracting. Lawrence constructed many of thecommercial buildings in Longview, including the Nortonand Barbee grocery (See Lee Norton, 1940–41) as well asmany fine residences. He retired in 1956.

In 1914, Lawrence married Mabel Bray, daughter ofGladewater merchant C. L. Bray. An accomplishedmusician educated in Dallas schools, Mabel was organ-ist at First Baptist Church from shortly after her mar-riage until retirement in 1970, as well as the pianist forthis club for several years. She and Lawrence boughthis parents’ home in 1920 and reared two children there.

Lawrence was the boom-time mayor of Longview,serving from 1932 to 1939. He was also president of theLongview Chamber of Commerce and a member of thefirst planning and zoning commission for the City ofLongview. He was a Mason, Knight Templar, Shriner,and Knight of Pythias. At First Baptist Church, he wasa deacon, trustee, building committee chairman, andcharter member of the Men’s Bible Class. The candidphoto above captures his buoyant, cheerful disposition.

At his death in 1961, Lawrence was survived by hiswife Mabel (who lived until 1990); son Lawrence,Junior (Sonny, who lives in the family home); daughterBlanche Paetzold of Bonn, Germany; granddaughterRebekka Paetzold; and sisters Cornelia Whitson, AlamoMobberly, and Lowrene Grissom of Longview.

THE CLUB CARRIED on in the last, victorious yearof World War II. Teacher’s Night was on October

10. The Rotary Ann Banquet was a Christmas party atthe Community Center on December 19, shown in thephotograph on the preceding page. On February 27,George Kelly directed a “founders’ day” celebration ofthe club’s twenty-fifth anniversary. Rationingremained high in everyone’s awareness. In theRotaview for May 15, 1945, Editor Bob Speight wrote,

Now that the European phase of the war isover...let’s renew the following pledge: I will buyonly what I need; I will pay no more than ceilingprices, and I will pay my ration points in full. I willsave—I will buy and hold all war bonds and stampsI can—and then some. I will save my things—makethem last longer. I will save materials—by sal-vaging paper, metal, fats, etc. I will save manpowerfor Uncle Sam by working or helping with homechores. I will save transportation by walking wher-ever possible. ...Victory is in sight. One moremighty heave, and all working together, the nationsof the world can bring peace. We must do our part.

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25. Lawrence Birdsong1885–1961

Photo by courtesy of Lawrence Birdsong, Jr.

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1945–46: Ralph Parker, PresidentRalph was born in 1908 and reared on Wild Rose StockFarm at Concord, a community three miles north ofChandler. His father raised sugar cane and prizeJerseys. On graduation from Chandler High School in1926, he moved to Dallas and married his childhoodsweetheart, Audrey Rowland, daughter of Dallas County

Commissioner John W. Rowland. After working forKrohler Manufacturing and Gulf Oil, Ralph went towork for Southwestern Bell in 1936. From 1941 to 1951,he was manager of the office in Longview. Having mar-ried into the Disciples of Christ, Ralph became one of theyoungest elders in First Christian Church of Longview.Among other activities, he was a Camp Fire dad, boys’baseball team manager, president of the Quarterback

— 25 —

Chapter 3.The Postwar Era,

1945 to 1962

Boy Scout Day at the Rotary Club of Longview, 1950–51(See appendix for identifications.)

Photo by courtesy of Ann N. Grant

Copyright 1995 by Longview Rotary Endowment Fund, Inc.The Adobe Acrobat PDF file of which this notice is a part was created (with minor corrections) from a book entitled The Club and the Town: The Rotary Cluband the City of Longview, Texas, Year by Year from 1920 to 1995, published in 1995 by Longview Rotary Endowment Fund, Inc. Notwithstanding the prohibi-tion of reproduction without permission on the copyright page of the book, the publisher provides this PDF file to the general public without charge, but only forpurposes of reference and research. The publisher strictly prohibits publication, distribution, or dissemination of this file or any part or printed pages thereof, orconversion of the file into any other format, without prior written permission. Longview Rotary Endowment Fund, Inc., PO Box 2244, Longview, TX 75606

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Club, member of the Civic Music Association andLongview War Price and Rationing Board, charter mem-ber and vice president of the Longview Knife and ForkClub, board member of the Longview Chamber ofCommerce, Knight of Pythias, and active in theCommunity Chest.

When the telephone company transferred Ralph backto Dallas, he and his family returned to Pleasant GroveChristian Church, where Audrey’s family had worshipedfor six generations (and she still does). He was electedElder Emeritus. A parakeet fancier, Ralph became pres-ident of the Dallas Bird Club and treasurer of the TexasBird Club. At Southwestern Bell, he worked as a com-mercial staff assistant until retirement, which was has-tened by Parkinson’s disease. At his death in 1980,Ralph was survived by his wife Audrey, son Jack,

daughters Mary (Mrs. Jerry) Lanier and Martha Lane,brother Rudolph, sister Lola Hanson, nine grandchil-dren, and two great-grandchildren.

WORLD WAR II was coming to an end when pastDistrict Governor George Kelly installed Ralph

Parker and the other new officers on July 3. Germanyhad surrendered on May 8, and fighting with Japanended August 15. Longview attorney Earl Sharp pre-sented a program November 27 on the establishment ofthe United Nations at the recent World SecurityConference in San Francisco, which he attended as amember of the armed forces intelligence corps.Rotaview editor Bob Speight (principal of LongviewHigh School) commented on the war’s end as follows:

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Members of the Rotary Club were hosts to the RotaryAnns at a Christmas dinner and party Tuesday night[December 11] at the Community Center building andwere, in turn, entertained with a clever program present-ed by the honorees.

For the occasion, the reception rooms of the buildingwere beautifully decorated with Christmas suggestions.A special arrangement of white and gold chrysanthe-mums was used on the drop leaf table in the parlor andthe large mantel was banked with red candles.

The receiving line, which welcomed the guests in thefoyer was composed of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Parker, Mr.and Mrs. George Kelly, Mr. and Mrs. R. S. McGowen, Mr.and Mrs. Oliver Daniel, Mr. and Mrs. Dell Messner andMr. and Mrs. Lawrence Birdsong.

The feature of the decorations in the banquet hallwas a beautifully decorated holly tree that reached theceiling. The tree was supplied by Lawrence Birdsongand caused much comment. Large floor baskets filledwith holly were used at vantage points about the roomand the tables were spread with white damask cloths.Long strips of holly were interspersed with red tapersdown the center of the tables.

The menu consisted of turkey, dressing, gravy,English peas in nests of creamed potatoes, waldorf salad,candied sweet potatoes, hot rolls, celery, olives, pickles,pumpkin pie, whipped cream and coffee.

Mrs. Ralph Parker, program chairman for the affair,introduced Mrs. O. Thomas Welch, who presided as mis-tress of ceremonies and presented the clever program.

Preceding the program, “A Forecast of 1946,” A. E.Reider, chalk talk artist, depicted the changing monthswith drawings on a calendar. As the seasons of the yearwere ushered into the room, two heralds, RussellWilliams and Dale Jones, announced their arrival withblasts from a trumpet.

January was represented by little Algur Meadows,son of Mr. and Mrs. Curtis Meadows, shyly entering theroom as 1946 while Mrs. Howard Eason played Auld

Lang Syne. February was portrayed by Mrs. TomRichardson as Martha Washington and Curtis Meadowsas George Washington and Mary Lou Harris, Vera Gray,and Jimmie Hudnall enacted the scene for March whichbrought peals of laughter.

A Texas Independence Day scene represented themonth of April with Mr. Henry Foster enacting the spiritof the pioneers while the entire group sang “The Eyes OfTexas.” For the month of May, a commencement scenewas portrayed by Norman Messner, who, dressed in acap and gown, played an appropriate accordion solo.June, the wedding month, was enacted by Sarah JoDunsworth as the bride and Algur Meadows as thegroom, while Martha Jane Parker sang “I Love YouTruly.” July was appropriately portrayed with R. L.Speight making a patriotic speech while guests threwfire crackers and sang “The Star Spangled Banner.”Mrs. Curtis Meadows enacted the month of August bycanning vegetables while her son, Curtis Meadows, Jr.,and Brewster Welch calmly sat fishing.

October, the Halloween month, was cleverly dis-played by Mrs. Claude Barbee, dressed as a fortune tellerwho billed herself as Madam “I Tell Em,” who knew alland told all. For November, Linda Jane Ryan andBrewster Welch, dressed in puritan costumes, very effec-tively argued which Thanksgiving day should beobserved and the month of December was observed bysinging “Jingle Bells” and distributing the gifts, lovelyboxes of toilet soap, to each of the guests from under thetree.

Approximately 150 members and guests were inattendance. The program committee for the affair con-sisted of Mrs. Thomas Welch, Mrs. Curtis Meadows, Mrs.Curtis Morris, Mrs. Lawrence Birdsong and Mrs.Howard Eason. Mrs. Rembert Rea served as chairman ofthe decorations committee and was assisted by Mrs. LeeNorton, Mrs. Bill Patterson and Mrs. Casey P’Pool, whileMrs. T. D. Campbell and Mrs. Henry Foster served onthe gift committee.

The 1945–46 Rotary Ann Christmas Party“Rotary Members Entertain Wives With Christmas Party On Tuesday”

reported by Society Editor Julia Shaw Acker (a founding Rotary Ann) in the Longview News-Journal

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President Ralph begins his administration in amost auspicious time. This year will mark the turnof things economic, social, and governmental to amore nearly normal condition. Business will get bet-ter. The consumer will find more of the products heneeds. Labor will begin to hunt jobs. Rotary willfind more and greater opportunities for service tothose who need it.

Ralph left behind a very informative scrapbook onhis administration, which has been loaned to us by hiswife Audrey. A highlight of the year for the club aswell as the city was a major successful effort to bringR. G. LeTourneau to Longview early in 1946 with hisexisting manufacturing company and newly formedLeTourneau Technical Institute. The committee work-ing with newspaper publisher Carl Estes to secure theLeTourneau move was composed mostly of Rotarians.In May, plant manager Bob Flanagan was inductedinto our fellowship by Curtis Morris.

As in the preceding year, the Rotary Ann banquetcelebrated Christmas instead of Valentine’s Day. (Seethe newspaper report opposite.) The program featuredthe children of the club, including one of our newermembers of 1994, Linda Ryan Butter, who was eightyears old at the time. The Rotaview noted, “It was sur-prising how many youngsters there were. We may notbe such an old man’s club after all.”

The annual banquet for all Longview IndependentSchool District teachers was held at the CommunityCenter on October 9. There were 99 white and 31black teachers in LISD. Each Rotarian was expectedto buy a one-dollar ticket for himself and another for ateacher. Editor-Principal Bob Speight noted, “In thepast, the teachers have been present; the Rotarianshave been absent. This year you are expected tocome.” Entertainment was provided by HarryMcDaniels, amateur magician from Dallas.

Participation in the Salvation Army Christmas col-lection continued. On the Tuesday before Easter, themeeting consisted of attendance at a “pre-Easter unionservice” for our club, conducted at First Baptist Churchby the Reverend Frank Richardson of First MethodistChurch, followed by lunch at the Hilton Hotel. Theclub had 68 members at beginning of the year and 80at the end. Dues were $25 per year, which is equiva-lent to $207 in 1994 after adjustment for inflation.

1946–47: Dell Messner, President

Besides being presently the oldest member of this cluband having the longest perfect attendance record in ourhistory with 52 years, Dell is the only member who hasmet Paul Harris, founder of Rotary. Delbert M. Messnerwas born in 1904 to Pennsylvania Dutch parents at Etna

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27. Delbert Michael MessnerPresident, 1946–47

26. Ralph Ray Parker1908–1980

Photo by courtesy of Audrey Parker

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Green, Indiana, and attended high school at WhitePigeon, Michigan. In Chicago in 1923, he started workfor L. E. Myers Company, a construction contractor forelectric utility firms, where he became an accountant.Having been transferred to Michigan, Kentucky, andMarshall, Texas, Dell wound up in Longview during theOil Boom, joining First Methodist Church in 1930. Heresigned from Myers in 1934 and founded MessnerElectric Supply Company, a wholesale dealership.Rooming and boarding at Rotarian Dee Plyler’s house,Dell met a pretty schoolteacher from Nacogdochesnamed Barbara Elizabeth Perritte, and they were mar-ried the next year. (Barbara’s father Hiram had beenpastor of First Methodist Church in the early 1920s.)They have one son, Michael, who lives in Longview. Dellsold his business in 1960 but continued in its manage-ment until 1970. He has also been active in farming,ranching, and oil and gas investments, not to speak offishing a lot. Dell is a Scottish Rite Mason and Shriner.He was president of the board of trustees of LongviewIndependent School District in 1963.

Dell joined this club in 1941. His meeting with PaulHarris came in the winter of 1942–43 at the Dixie Hotelat Monticello, Florida, where Paul was spending thewinter. Dell stayed there about a month while supplyinga wartime construction contract, visiting with Paul regu-larly at breakfast. Dell’s half-century attendance recordhas involved both heroic effort and luck. When a lungwas removed at Baylor Hospital in 1959, he made up inadvance and was home the second Saturday, making upon Monday at the closest club in Mineola. After coronarysurgery at Baylor on a Tuesday in November of 1980, afriend took him to the Oak Cliff club the next Monday,and he came home the same day. After all that, he saysit was easy to make up before and after carotid surgeryat Baylor in 1983 and at Good Shepherd in 1994.

AFTER SERVING as Rotaview editor at least threeyears, Bob Speight turned the job over to John

Harrison. Annual events included the teacher appreci-ation banquet on October 22 (the club being dined andentertained in return by the high-school home econom-ics department at the Community Center) and theRotary Ann banquet at the Community Center onDecember 3. A tour was made of the LeTourneauplant, with lunch at their cafeteria. The annual city-farm fellowship banquet this year consisted of a picnic-style lunch on the courthouse lawn, organized by therural-urban committee chaired by William GardnerMitchell. All Rotarians mourned the death of PaulHarris, the founder of Rotary, in January, 1947. TheRotaview for June 3 reported the opening of the newGregg County Airport.

1947–48: Steve Topp, President

John Stephen Topp was born in 1897 in Carroll County,Mississippi. After working as a bookkeeper for a lumbercompany in El Dorado, Arkansas, he came to Longview.In 1920, he married Bessie Vallery and became a found-ing stockholder in Pinecrest Country Club. In 1936, hebought Tony Printing Company by pawning Bessie’s wed-ding ring for the down payment, establishing Topp

Printing and Stationery company, which he operateduntil 1972. It is still in business under Steve’s name. AScottish Rite Mason, he was a member of First MethodistChurch, where he attended the Men’s Bible Class regular-ly from 1933 until his final illness. Among other commu-nity services, he was a member of the board of directors ofLongview Chamber of Commerce. At his death in 1984,Steve was survived by his sons Stephen of Aiken, SouthCarolina, David of Sugar Land, and three grandchildren.

MEMBERSHIP WAS about 85, and 24 committeeswere listed. John Harrison turned over editor-

ship of the Rotaview to Austin Hatchell. Regularannual activities included the Schoolteachers’ Banquetand the Sweetheart Banquet, which was held onFebruary 10 at the Community Center. The R. G.LeTourneau plant was going strong; on January 20,1948, plant manager and Rotarian Bob Flanagan pre-sented a program on the heavy equipment they weremaking, including enormous rubber-tired bulldozerscalled Tournadozers. One Monday in May, PresidentSteve’s store was heavily damaged by fire, but he wasat the podium with his characteristic smile the nextday. The annual end-of-year district assembly forRotary District 128 was held in Longview on Monday,June 21, 1948, at the Community Center. The assem-bly luncheon, with attendance of about 160, was ourmeeting for the week: 13 of us missed without makeup.

— 28 —

28. John Stephen Topp1897–1984

From photo on Page 23

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At the end of the year, as Rotaview Editor AustinHatchell turned the job over to Tom Putman on June29, he addressed the editorial to his successor:

Dear Tom:We greet you as editor of the Rotaview. But our

heart goes out to you in a most peculiar manner.Now and then you will suffer a brainstorm and

write a front-page article you think to be the cat’swhiskers. It will be your baby, and you will beproud of it. When the Rotaview is delivered, you willwatch the members glance at it and turn over to thejokes, which some think are too dumb and othersthink are too dirty.

In your off moments, you will get soft and makeup your mind to say something nice about somemember. You will exhaust your vocabulary and thedictionary in search for adjectives to tell of his goodtraits. You will expect him to read it and rush up toyou with generous thanks and appreciation. Youwait a week, two weeks, or perhaps a month, andthen timidly approach him and say, “Fellow, did youread all the nice things I said about you in theRotaview?” He will look startled, hesitate, and final-ly say, “Well, no, I must have missed that issue.Somebody told me my name was in the bulletin.”

You will then grow hard with a determination totell the truth. You will pick out some member andbegin to write. After you have written a few lines,you will suddenly stop and exclaim to yourself, “No,I can’t tell this. If I do and the members believe it,they will turn him out of the club. If they don’tbelieve it, they will turn me out. Being only an edi-tor, they won’t believe me, and it will be curtains onmy career.” Yes, Tom, there will be times when youthink you were a sap for accepting the honor.

But you will find it to be fun and the work mostinteresting, as I have done. You will find there isn’ta sweller bunch of guys anywhere than the membersof this club. They have been patient, tolerant, andappreciative of the efforts put forth by the Rotaview,for which we are most grateful. We wish for yougood hunting and success and predict you will giveus from week to week a good bulletin. Good luck!

Starting on July 6, 1948, Tom Putman was to beeditor of the Rotaview for 17 of the next 27 years.

1948–49: Dr. V. R. Hurst, President

Vesse Reeves Hurst was born at Timpson in 1887 andreared at Hursttown (named for his family), near Center.After graduation from the University of Texas MedicalSchool at Galveston in 1912, he practiced two years inMarshall, then moved to Longview. In 1916, he marriedGenevieve Yates, daughter of Jack Williams Yates ofLongview (a founder of First National Bank in 1889 andlater president of Kelly Plow Company) and his wifeMary Alice, sister of R. Marvin Kelly, the father of thisclub. In 1919, Vesse established the first eye, ear, nose,and throat clinic in Texas, located first in a red brickbuilding east of the downtown post office, then in a largerwhite brick building on the southwest corner of Centerand Whaley Streets, both built by him (the latter stillstanding). As president of the Longview Chamber ofCommerce in 1929, he was responsible for building the

Gregg Hotel on the site of the Yates home. (See 1929–30.)Vesse was a fellow of the American College of Surgeonsand of the American Academy of Ophthalmology andOtolaryngology. He was a charter member and vicepresident of the Private Clinics and Hospital Association,vice president of First National Bank and of Kelly PlowCompany, president of Longview Savings and LoanAssociation, director of Allen Foundation (operatingAllen Academy), founder and president of the LongviewFoundation, a Freemason, and trustee and steward ofFirst Methodist Church. He died in 1957. Vesse andGenevieve reared two daughters: Mary Marchman ofDallas (wife of Oscar Marchman, Jr.) and JacquelynJameson of Longview (wife of Blackshear Jameson ofthis club). Two grandchildren have been members of thisclub: B. H. and Kelly Jameson.

OUR VICE-PRESIDENT G. Artemus McCreighthad been mayor of Longview for eight years. He

moved to Longview in 1927 to succeed this club’s firstpresident, Ed Bussey, as president of RembertNational Bank, later Longview National Bank.

For the annual rural-urban program on October 5,1948, eighty “farmers and guests from many EastTexas areas” were invited to the meeting.Congressman Lindley Beckworth of Longview spoke onthe hope of preventing World War III. He declared theAmerican farmer the bulwark of democracy. Teachers’Night was on October 26 at the Community Center.

— 29 —

29. Vesse Reeves Hurst, M.D.1887–1957

Photo by courtesy of Jacquelyn and Blackshear Jameson

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Alex Ryan, Rotary chairman of fund-raising for theplanned new teenage Round-Up Club, announced thatthe drive would begin Monday, January 17. TomPutman commented, “It’s our sacred duty to help allwe can, to keep our boys and girls and the children ofour neighbors and friends, and strangers too, frombecoming Juvenile Delinquents.”

Ladies’ Night was a Valentine Party on Tuesday,February 15. The Rotary Anns decorated theCommunity Center in a “Forty-Niner” gold rush theme.Dr. Trent Root of SMU spoke, and the program wascompleted by a square dance and community sing.

Our meeting on April 12 was at Longview HighSchool. Rotarians held a vocational clinic and gavevocational talks to the student body.

At the district conference in Sherman in April, ourmembers Ray Newnham and Blackshear Jamesonwere elected delegates to the Rotary International con-vention in New York, with George Kelly and Roy Kingas alternates. On July 1, 1949, the number of ourRotary District 128 was changed to 188.

Other special programs were as follows: August24, 1948, Ann Weeks sang, accompanied by BoggsRyan (son of our member Alex), followed by Judge EarlSharp speaking on the hospital situation; September21, Dr. F. C. Bolton, president of Texas A&M;November 2, Lawrence Birdsong, Jr., manager of R. G.LeTourneau’s Radio Station KLTI, on FM radio broad-casting; November 23, Bill Kendricks, superintendentof the ore mines of Lone Star Steel Company;December 28, Longview City Manager Jim Giddings;January 11, Sonny Birdsong’s sister Blanche in a songprogram accompanied by their mother Mabel, organistof First Baptist Church; June 28, District AttorneyWilliam A. Wilson of Dallas, who toward the end of histenure as Attorney General from 1957 to 1963 openedup the “Slant Hole Scandal” in Gregg County.

1949–50: John Harrison, President

John was born in Marshall in 1892, son of Mr. and Mrs.Y. D. Harrison and grandson of Major and Mrs. JohnWomack, pioneer Harrison County settlers. Havingearned a bachelor’s degree from Southwestern Universityat Georgetown, he pursued graduate studies at theUniversity of Chicago. During World War I, he servedas an army officer in France. He taught school atGraham and Plainview, then in 1924 married WinnieDee Hamilton of Abilene. The newlyweds moved toLongview at the invitation of John’s aunt, Kate WomackRembert, whose husband, Frank, had recently died.They lived with her in her home on the northeast cornerof Fredonia and College Streets. (See President EdRembert, 1921–22.) John taught science and biology atLongview High School until 1938. He then managedfamily business interests until joining the faculty atKilgore College, where he taught geology for 10 yearsuntil his retirement. He was a director of First FederalSavings and Loan Association, trustee of LongviewIndependent School District, director of the LongviewChamber of Commerce, district chairman for the Boy

Scouts of America, and served in the wartime Office ofPrice Administration. A lifelong Methodist, John wasalso a Mason and served in high posts in the KnightsTemplar. At his death in 1955, he was survived by hiswife, four children, and six grandchildren. John’s sonJohn, Jr., is a past president of this club. His daughter,Marjorie, married Jim Bivins, whose father, Maurice,was also a president of this club.

THIS WAS THE YEAR when Texas Eastman wasestablished. Their purchasing agent Duncan

Kincheloe joined our club early in 1950. (See PresidentDuncan, 1963–64.)

The program for July 26, 1949, was devoted to theclub’s Boy Scout Troop 202. Two boys of the troopattended: Patrick Kelly and Billy Hines. The Rotaviewpointed out that this was the only project which theclub sponsored as a corporate body, under Boy ScoutCommittee Chairman German Hollandsworth. Thetroop, in turn, entertained the committee at a banquetin City Park on the evening of January 16, 1950. Andon May 2, about 15 scouts attended another Rotaryprogram on scouting

Teachers’ Night was October 4. The annual rural-urban program was a speech by a county agriculturalagent at our meeting on November 29, without the tra-ditional country guests. The Ladies’ Night party wason Tuesday, February 14. After the April 25 meeting,

— 30 —

30. John Womack Harrison1892–1955

Photo by courtesy of Marjorie Harrison Bivins

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Rotarians gave vocational talks at Longview HighSchool. On June 6, three outstanding vocational stu-dents at Longview High School spoke to the club, andit was announced that Wayne Pevey had received the$100 Rotary scholarship for the year. Rotarians,wives, children, and guests were invited to a picnic atDann Budd’s Cherokee Lake house on Thursdayevening, June 8.

Here are some other outstanding programs:September 13, joint meeting with the Gilmer andGladewater Rotary Clubs at Hotel Longview;November 29, talks by three students of White OakHigh School; December 6, C. C. Turner, LongviewHigh School Teacher, on teenage driving; and May 9,Harry Miller, business manager of Gregg MemorialHospital, discussing the 93-bed addition under con-struction, including one room furnished by Rotarians’donations.

1950–51: George Kelly, II, President

Named for his grandfather, founder of G. A. Kelly PlowCompany, George was the son of R. Marvin Kelly, fatherof this club. (See 1922–23.) He graduated fromLongview High School, attended the University of Texasand SMU, and got a mechanical engineering degree atthe University of Cincinnati. After serving in the armyduring World War I, George came home to work in thefamily business, eventually taking over as president. In1922, he married Leita Cunyus Young of Crockett. Theyreared two sons: James Marvin, who was a member ofthis club before moving away in 1964, and George theThird, who transferred from the Kilgore Rotary Club tothis one in 1992. At the time of his final illness in thespring of 1977, George had almost achieved 51 years ofperfect attendance in this club. He was our secretary-treasurer from 1931 to 1943, serving also as district gov-ernor in 1940–41. During World War II, George was adirector of the War Production Board and served in theWar Foods Administration. During the Korean war, hewas one of 15 members of the national Advisory Councilof the Defense Production Administration. He was presi-dent of the Farm and Industrial Equipment Institute,member of the Department of Commerce AgriculturalEquipment Advisory Committee, a director of theLongview Chamber of Commerce, board chairman ofFirst National Bank, director of Longview Savings andLoan Association, and partner in King Tool Company.He was a lifetime member of First Methodist Church,where Leita still attends.

THE KOREAN WAR began in 1950 as a so-calledpolice action by the United Nations. The frequency

of programs and Rotaview editorials with patriotic andanti-communist or anti-socialist themes increased dra-matically. For instance, on October 24, a joint meetingof this club with the Kiwanis and Lions Clubs wasaddressed by former heavyweight boxing championGene Tunney, who said war with Russia wasinevitable. Two weeks later, retired army colonel R.W. Holderness proclaimed to us that the Korean con-flict was actually the initial stage of World War III.

Floyd Huddleston joined Tom Putman as associateeditor of the Rotaview, becoming the sole editor inMarch when Tom took a leave of absence from the club.At a club assembly Monday night, October 16, the pos-sibility of starting to use identification badges againwas discussed. On November 14, future presidentJohn W. Harrison, Jr., then a student at LongviewHigh School, was our guest as the Junior Rotarian ofthe month. On February 27, dinner music was provid-ed by members of the White Oak School band.

The photograph of a Boy Scout program shown atthe beginning of this chapter was apparently takenduring this year, because George Kelly is shown nextto the speaker (German Hollandsworth), and theposter advertises a 1951 Scouting anniversary.

The Teachers’ Night party at the CommunityCenter on October 10 was supposed to serve also as theRotary Ann Banquet. This was presumably supposedto boost attendance, but it didn’t work, so we had a reg-ular Ladies’ Night banquet at the same place on De-cember 5. Once again, the Rural-Urban program wasmerely a speech at a regular meeting, on January 16.

Some other programs of interest were as follows:August 8, Longview Mayor R. B. Williams; February13, an evening tour of the Lone Star Steel plant, fol-lowed by supper, with 60 members attending in coldrain; and June 5, City Manager Gary Summers.

— 31 —

31. George Addison Kelly, II1898–1977

Photo by courtesy of Leita Kelly

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1951–52: Thomas Welch, President

O. Thomas Welch was born in 1897 in Alexander City,Alabama. He had three brothers and three sisters.Their father William, an undertaker and hardware deal-er, moved the business in 1907 to Kerens, Texas, whereThomas finished high school in 1913, and then toLongview the next year. On graduation from the DallasSchool of Embalming in 1919, he became the firstlicensed embalmer in Longview. Thomas joined hisfather as a partner, taking over the business onWilliam’s death in 1930. In 1926, he married theSpanish teacher at Longview High School, Alta RitaBrewster of Killeen. They closed the hardware store ablock south of the downtown depot when a fire sweptthat area in 1937. The funeral parlor, in turn, contin-ued in a former residence where the Petroleum Buildingnow stands, being moved to to the present location onSouth Green Street in 1939. At First Baptist Church,Thomas was a trustee and chairman of the deacon body.He was a Freemason, president of the LongviewChamber of Commerce, city commissioner, member ofthe Texas Insurance Rate Board, President of the EastTexas Funeral Directors Association, vice president ofthe Texas Funeral Directors Association, and presidentof the LHS Band Boosters Club. Sons Thomas, Jr., (amember of this club) and Brewster continue in the fami-ly business. Grandson Thomas the Third was in theLongview-Greggton club before moving to Austin, andgrandson Marcus is a past president of the LongviewSouth Club.

THE KOREAN WAR continued, and so did the bittertone of editorials about national political trends in

the Rotaview. However, Editor Floyd Huddlestonallowed that not all members agreed with the speakerfor September 25, former congressman Martin Dies,who had been chairman of the House Un-AmericanActivities Committee.

After some uncertainty as to whether a Teacher’sNight would be held this year, it took place on October30. As usual, only about half of the club showed up.

Boy Scout Committee Chairman GermanHollandsworth was described as scoutmaster of ourTroop 202 at the beginning of 1951, but college studentFrank Baccus (or Bockus) took over for the summer.The committee held a board of review at the Rotaryscout cabin on Tuesday night, August 7, 1951.

1952–53: Austin Hatchell, President

Born in Granger in 1885, Austin attended SouthwesternUniversity and received a law degree at the University ofTexas. He practiced law in Plainview, then Dallas, final-ly settling in Longview in 1931. His first wife, the formerDelsa Dale Dillingham, died in 1926. Of their two chil-dren, Austin Lee is a retired attorney in Austin, Texas;and Virginia (Mrs. John Baxter) is deceased. Austinmarried Vera Smith of Dallas in 1933, and their sonRaymond is a charter member of the Longview-GreggtonClub with the classification of pipeline equipment manu-facturing. Austin’s law practice in longview was firstwith Rotarian T. D. Campbell and Bailey Salmon, later

with others, and then solo until his death in 1969. Hejoined this club during the 1945–46 year, edited theRotaview very capably in 1947–48, and remained for 20years. An active member of First Baptist Church, Austinwas also an Elk and a Knight of Pythias. In addition tovarious civic service, he was president of the GreggCounty Bar Association and chairman of the board ofdirectors of the State Bar of Texas.

TOM PUTMAN RETURNED from his leave ofabsence from the club in January, 1952, and Floyd

Huddleston passed the Rotaview editorship back tohim at the beginning of this Rotary year. In an editori-al on April 7, 1953, Tom expressed the heady spirit ofthe postwar development that Longview was experi-encing under the roughshod leadership of the mercur-ial developer of industrial real estate who also ownedthe city’s only newspaper:

C I T Y B U I L D E R SCarl L. Estes

When Carl Estes moved from Tyler to Longview 19years ago to assume ownership of the LongviewNews & Journal, he found here a sleepy little citywithout vision—a town completely in the doldrums.Folks were self-centered, self-satisfied. Their busi-ness fronts were shabby, dilapidated, and uglyunsightly awnings hung heavily over the sidewalks.Carl Estes wanted progress. He visualized a mightycity someday of industries. He started out to push

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32. Obediah Thomas Welch1897–1953

Photo by courtesy of O. Thomas Welch, Jr.

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Longview forward in the path of progress. He wasconfronted with obstructionists, reactionaries, andthe horse-and-buggy gang. Undaunted, he foughtfor a greater Longview. He knew that the “pen wasmightier than the sword,” and with the power of hisprolific pen, intestinal fortitude, and indomitablecourage he moved forward, and Longview moved for-ward with him. He was slandered, cussed, and dis-cussed, but he fought on. He has been Longview’sambassador of good will, its super salesman, itshard-hitting ramrodder! The vast industrial mightin Longview today is the result of a doer—not adreamer. Yes, to us, Mr. Estes, you are the Spirit ofProgress!!—A City Builder Extraordinary!!

The following week, Tom expanded on the sametheme in a tribute to the evangelistic industrialist withwhom Estes had started the postwar boom:

C I T Y B U I L D E R SR. G. LeTourneau

When Mr. R. G. LeTourneau decided to build a greatindustrial plant in Longview and to make this theheadquarters of his world-wide industrial empire, itwas the spark needed to awaken Longview to itsvast possibilities as an industrial center. With himcame chemists, engineers, scientists—men of vision,men of action, men of achievement, men of abilitythat were soon to transform the dormant city ofLongview into a mighty, thriving metropolis.Following close in his wake came other great leaders

of industry and great industries to expand theiroperations—Texas Eastman, Powers Manufacturing,the LeTourneau steel plant, expansion of the LoneStar Steel plant, the great Knox Lee power plant,the Groves Manufacturing, and many others. Theresoon followed a great technical school, a junior andsenior college, a new shopping and residential cen-ter, a great new Fedway department store, othersmart shops, and smaller industries. Stimulated bythe spark ignited by Mr. LeTourneau, Longview isforging ahead in rapid strides. Thanks to the pio-neering spirit of R. G. LeTourneau, a great spiritualleader, a great industrialist, a great city builder! Wejoin in wishing him well as he helps to pioneerLongview into a greater tomorrow!

The shopping and residential center to which Tomreferred was Pinewood Park. The Fedway buildingwas later occupied by Dillard’s and is now the Atriumoffice center.

The next weekly editorial of this series, in turn,reflects the effect of the LeTourneau location in draw-ing urban development to the south of the city. It alsoserves as a reminder that many others besides CarlEstes were responsible for postwar industrialization:

C I T Y B U I L D E R SG. A. McCreight

G. A. McCreight has played a vital role in thegrowth and progress of Longview during the past 25years. While on the city commission, where heserved untiringly for 12 years, he was instrumentalin giving Longview one of the most efficient andmodern water and sewerage systems in the State ofTexas. Under his leadership, High Street waswidened and opened up, giving Longview its firstthrough artery in the city. It is the only street thatcrosses the entire city from north to south and con-nects two highways—No. 26 and No. 149. As amember of the finance committee of the FirstBaptist Church, his influence again was felt in thebuilding of the new million-dollar Baptist Church ofLongview. He is an active director in the massiveLone Star Steel plant. ...He helped organize theCommunity Chest in 1934. ...Today we pay tributeto a City Builder who has served well his communityfor a quarter of a century.

In a similar tone, Tom Putman went on to eulogizetwo more city builders on the front page of the next twoRotaviews: Clayton Loftis, president of First NationalBank, and Verne A. Clements, president of LongviewNational Bank (formerly Rembert National Bank).These were the only banks in the city. Clements wascredited with fathering the Cherokee Lake project. Ofthese five men, only McCreight and Loftis wereRotarians.

Interestingly, Tom began this City Builder Seriesnot with Carl Estes, but right before him with theReverend Dr. W. Morris Ford, pastor of First BaptistChurch. He dismissed the imposingly domed 1914church building (demolished in 1982 for a parking lot)as small and inconspicuous. Tom was expressing aspirit that ran counter to the later ideals of historic

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33. Austin Cleveland Hatchell1885–1969

Photo by courtesy of Raymond Hatchell

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preservation. Where we now see a few remnants of anirreplaceable architectural heritage, Tom saw onlyshabbiness. To him, old buildings were symbols ofwhat he called the horse-and-buggy gang. He was pre-sumably speaking of the civic leadership cadre thathad maintained continuity with the town’s long agrari-an past, established this club, steered the city throughthe Oil Boom, and eventually yielded to the boomersduring World War II.

Teachers’ Night began at 7:00 on October 28 at theCommunity Center, attended by 130 teachers. TheRural-Urban program was an ordinary meeting onDecember 30, with a speech by Dallas dairy operatorEarl Cabell. On February 10, the club was host to BoyScout Troop 202, and a talk on Scouting was given byRobert Gibson, Rector of Trinity Episcopal Church.

Some noteworthy programs of the year were as fol-lows: July 8, 1952, R. E. Slayton, new superintendentof Longview ISD (succeeding Rotarian Henry Foster);September 16, Swede Dees, coach of the Lobos footballteam; October 7, a tour of the LeTourneau plant, host-ed by R. G. himself, talking about his plans for agricul-tural investment in Liberia; January 27, a 50-voicemixed chorus from the Longview Colored High School,directed by Eddie Henry; March 31, Congressman andfuture senator Lloyd M. Bentsen of McAllen; April 7,Paul Williams of Dallas, speaking on air conditioning;and May 12, G. R. McGeeney, manager of the Fedwaystore, prophesying that Longview would be thePittsburgh of tomorrow.

1953–54: Ellie Hopkins, President

Born in 1909 in Meridian, Mississippi, Ellie Hopkinswas raised in the country near Hallsville, Texas, wherehis father Jack was a farmer and stock man. He latersaid that when he first earned 50 cents as a child, hespent it on a book. After completing all the gradesoffered at the local two-room Mulberry Springs School,Ellie worked his way through the College of Marshall (ajunior college, now East Texas Baptist University) as aproofreader for the Marshall Messenger. Then instead ofteaching school as originally intended, he became editorof the Jefferson Journal at the age of 19 and joined theLongview Daily News on June 27, 1930. He was areporter in the crowd when the Oil Boom dawned inSeptember at Dad Joiner’s Number Three DaisyBradford well. Remaining with the Longview newspa-per after Carl Estes acquired it from Clarence Faulk in1934, Ellie worked up to become Editor-in-Chief beforeretirement in 1974. His editorials won statewide andnational awards.

In 1933, Ellie married Nina Hall of Hallsville, whosefather John T. Hall was a first cousin of Judge Sam B.Hall, Senior, of Marshall. (Thus Nina is likewise acousin of our former member Dr. John L. Hall.) Elliejoined this club on November 27, 1945, and never misseda meeting in 38 years until his final illness. At FirstBaptist Church, Ellie was deacon, general superinten-dent of the Sunday school, and president of the choir.He was president of the Texas Press Association; a

director of Lone Star Steel Company, LeTourneauCollege, and the National Association of PetroleumWriters; and a trustee of the Baptist Standard. At hisdeath in 1993, Ellie was survived by Nina, their chil-dren Mary Beth Shaw of Canada and Jack of Longview,a brother Sidney of Hallsville, a sister Zula Mae Bunt ofHallsville, and six grandchildren.

THE WAR IN KOREA dragged on as the Rotaryyear began. Tom Putman, who had been fulminat-

ing against President Harry Truman and communistconspirators for years in Rotaview editorials, nowpraised President Dwight Eisenhower, Governor AllanShivers, and Senator Joseph McCarthy. On May 25,1954, he delivered a diatribe against the SupremeCourt’s recent ruling on school segregation in Topeka,linking the court to communist infiltration. On June15, he lauded Texas Congressman Brady Gentry foropposing the sending of U. S. troops to Indochina,where Ho Chi Minh was defeating the French. Tomwas doubtless preaching to an agreeable choir on mat-ters such as these. However, on August 10, 1954, henoted that his editorials did not necessarily reflect theviews of the club, and that members’ views on bothsides of all questions would appear from time to time.

In an article headed “Rotary and Tolerance” onFebruary 2, Tom noted that this club had 52Methodists, 24 Baptists, 9 Christians, 8 Presbyterians,

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34. Ellie Hopkins1909–1993

Photo by courtesy of Nina Hopkins

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4 Episcopalians, 3 Jews, 2 members of the Church ofChrist, 1 Lutheran, 1 Catholic, and 1 member of theSalvation Army—105 members in all.

According to the custom of that time, AustinHatchell became vice-president when Ellie succeededhim as president. Rotarian J. Clyde Tomlinson wasmayor. The speaker at Teachers’ Night on October 27at the Community Center was Dr. Willis Tate, vicepresident of SMU. The club manned the SalvationArmy kettles during a blizzard on December 22. TheRotary Ann Banquet was held on February 9 at theCommunity Center.

On February 16, the club was host to our Boy ScoutTroop 202. W. B. Higgins was scoutmaster, and SamVaughn was his assistant. The members were listed asJames Roberts, David Hornbeck, Marvin Curnutt,David Stuckey, George Green, Kenneth Moon, JackStracener, Roland Jones, Leon Coody, Billy Gray, MikeMullins, John Lanham, Eddie Fudge, ThomasKornegay, Billy Smith, Eugene DeGeorge, JohnBurkett, Winder Lay, Kenneth Sanders, Dan Stuckey,Dick Rathbun, John Hicks, Roger Wade, JohnnieRundell, Gerril Whittlesay, and Bill Martin.

The annual conference for Rotary District 188 washeld Sunday and Monday, March 14 and 15, at theHotel Longview and the Community Center. The gov-ernor’s banquet took place in the high school gymnasi-um, with entertainment by the Kilgore CollegeRangerettes.

Here is a sampling of programs: July 21, 1953,State Representative D. H. Buchanan; January 26, theLongview Colored High School Choir; February 2, amovie on civil defense; June 15, County SchoolSuperintendent J. W. Hagler, denouncing school inte-gration; and June 22, Ewing Adams, president of therecently formed Longview YMCA, located in the newWare Addition on South High Street.

1954–55: Henry A. Pitts, President

Henry Pitts and his presidential predecessor EllieHopkins shared much the same experiences in childhoodand youth. They were friends on neighboring farmsnear Hallsville, where Henry was born to Mr. and Mrs.Robert H. Pitts in 1908. Like Ellie, Henry attendedMulberry Springs School and the College of Marshall.In 1928, he went to work in Marshall for SouthwesternGas and Electric Company, now known as SouthwesternElectric Power Company. Transferring to Longview, heserved under Quest Whitney (president of this club in1930–31). Back in Marshall as Division Sales Managerfor the same company, Henry married a schoolteacherfrom Hallsville named Orisca Ponder in 1942. Shepassed away in 1949. After a three-year leave fromSWEPCO as an infantry sergeant during World War II,Henry succeeded Quest Whitney as manager of theLongview office in 1949 and joined this club the follow-ing year. At his retirement from that position in 1976,he was followed in turn by Rotarian Toby Abney fornearly three years, then Rotarian Jerrell Huffman, andnow Rotarian Buck Birdsong. A member of First

Methodist Church, Henry has been president of theLongview Chamber of Commerce, chapter chairman ofthe Texas Manufacturers Association, and board mem-ber of LeTourneau College, Good Shepherd MedicalCenter, and Gregg Home for the Aged. Besides lookingafter his prize polled Herefords, Henry enjoys fishingand bird hunting.

THIS WAS THE YEAR when club members startedwearing the present name badges during meetings.

The innovation was instituted in January, 1955.Membership increased by 15, exceeded only by the firsttwo years of the club and the current year. We were inthe midst of our longest period of uninterruptedgrowth, when membership doubled in twelve yearsfrom 68 to 137. (See the graph on Page 95.)

On Wednesday, January 12, Club Director andService Committee Chairman German Hollandsworthhosted a luncheon in the Tropical Room of the HotelLongview for the 33 committee chairmen of the club.Twenty-seven attended, dining on an enormous salmoncaught by Lee Travis. (Lee, along with German’sbrother Earl, had recently bought the hotel with theintent of modernizing it. They also planned to build an“ultra-modern skyscraper office building.”) At the clubmeeting the day before, Attendance Chairman AustinHatchell had urged members who were lax on atten-dance to reform or resign.

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35. Henry Allison PittsPresident, 1954–55

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As usual for that era, Longview’s booming growthwas reflected in the club’s proceedings. The Rotaviewfor October 5 noted that First Federal Savings andLoan Association had bought the old Brookshire gro-cery store (catercorner from the new First BaptistChurch building) for erecting their new building. Sixof the eight First Federal officials named wereRotarians. The speaker for January 25 was C. A.Bullen, president of Manhattan ConstructionCompany, describing the forthcoming new FirstNational Bank building. Although only 10 stories tall,it was to be engineered for future expansion to 17 sto-ries.

On August 31, 1954, a $250 scholarship was fur-nished to Teddy Thomas to attend Kilgore College.The Teachers Appreciation Banquet was held at thenew Ware Elementary School cafeteria on November16, with 168 LISD teachers and a few Rotarians inattendance. The club manned the Salvation Army ket-tles one day at Christmas time, winning the service-club competition with over $1,000 ($5,600 in 1994 dol-lars), which was about 30% of the total collected.Twenty boy scouts of our Troop 202 attended our meet-ing on February 11, 1955, with Scoutmaster BillHiggins and his assistant Carroll Harris. The annualSweetheart Banquet was held at Hotel Longview thefollowing week. On Monday night, June 13, all threeRotary clubs of Gregg County met at the three-year-oldLongview Junior High School gymnasium for a speechand musical entertainment celebrating the goldenanniversary of Rotary.

State constitutional amendments on the ballot onNovember 2 included one providing jury service forwomen. Editor Tom Putman said he would notattempt to influence members’ votes, but that particu-lar item was quite controversial.

Some memorable programs were as follows:November 9, the Longview Colored High School choir,directed by O. J. Lloyd; March 29, the Longview HighSchool A Cappella Choir, directed by Herbert Teat(they had also entertained at the Teachers’ Banquet inNovember); May 3, J. E. Arnold, manager of the 300Convair employees operating the U. S. Navy Aero-physics Laboratory wind tunnel at the Lone Star Steelplant; February 22 (the golden anniversary of Rotary),Dr. Willis Tate, President of SMU.

1955–56: Dr. Wayman B. Norman,President

Wayman was born in 1923 in Louisville, Kentucky,where his father was a student at Louisville TheologicalSeminary. Raised in Waxahachie, Wayman finishedhigh school at Roswell, New Mexico, in 1939. He gradu-ated from Baylor in 1943 and Southwestern MedicalSchool in Dallas in 1946, then interned one year atBaylor Hospital. From 1947 to 1949, he served in thearmy as an ear-nose-throat doctor, including some earlyresearch on Streptomycin at Fitzsimmons General

Hospital in Denver. After residency in St. Louis andDallas, he joined the staff of Dr. Vesse Hurst’s eye, ear,nose, and throat clinic and hospital in 1951. (See1948–49.) Dr. Hurst immediately brought him into thisclub. Meantime, in 1944, Wayman married JessieEvelyn Jackson, originally of Louisville, whom he met atBaylor. They reared two children, Paul and Melanie.Wayman took over the ear, nose, and throat portion ofthe Hurst clinic in 1954. About ten years later, he builthis own clinic at 905 Judson road, where he brought inDr. Clayton Mitchell, and in 1988 he retired.

Besides involvement with various professional orga-nizations, Wayman has been a very active Baptist, teach-ing Sunday school since 1948. He became a deacon atFirst Baptist Church in 1954 and was deacon chairmantwice at Oakland Heights Baptist Church. He led achurch choir in Waco as a Baylor student. When theOakland Heights congregation was established in 1957(meeting at Bramlette School for three years), Waymanserved as choir leader for seven years, and Jessie provid-ed piano accompaniment until an organist was secured.Since retirement, Wayman has been president of theEast Texas Civil War Round Table and a docent at theKilgore Oil Museum and the Gregg County HistoricalMuseum.

ONLY 32 YEARS OLD when he took office,Wayman was the youngest president the club has

ever had. Rotaview editor Floyd Huddleston liked torefer to him as “Ole Doc.”

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36. Wayman Bowers Norman, M.D.President, 1955–56

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Tom Putman had retired from the editorship at theend of the 1954–55 year. In his valedictory editorial,he noted that letters of commendation had come to himfrom Secretary of the Interior Douglas McKay, theDallas Morning News, Governor Allan Shivers, TexasAttorney General John Ben Shepperd of Gladewater,Senator (and future governor) Price Daniel, SenatorLyndon Johnson, Congressman Brady Gentry, andSenator Robert Taft of Ohio. Floyd continued Tom’sdenunciations of communism and desegregation. Butin a guest editorial on July 19, 1955, Ellie Hopkinstook a calmer position on the social stress of the era:

Many people have been shocked, as we have, atrecent crimes of violence as reported in the press.Perhaps you’ve been caused to wonder what is com-ing over us—Is this a major danger signal? Are wegoing to the dogs? ...Our population is growing rapid-ly; living and recreation areas are highly congested;sexes and races, and rank strangers, are more oftenthrown together under conditions of dress and con-duct far less formal than a mere half generation ago....But alarm will not help. A sense of proportion willhelp maintain our emotional balance.

According to the 1963 club history, the highlightsof the year were the excellent work of Carroll Harriswith the Boy Scout troop and the work of C. W.Richardson as secretary. On August 16, plans wereannounced to move the Boy Scout cabin to the newPinewood City Park on Patricia Street, near RadioStreet. Teachers’ Night was November 1 at theLongview Junior High School cafeteria (formerlyCampus Ward elementary school cafeteria). TheSweetheart Banquet was held on February 14 atPinecrest Country Club. A District Assembly forincoming club presidents and secretaries was conduct-ed on Tuesday, April 24, at the Hotel Longview.

Among other interesting programs were the follow-ing: July 19, 1955, music and readings by ClaudeBarbee’s teenage daughters Emily and Claudia andtheir cousin Madeline Wallace; August 30, futureworld-famous pianist Van Cliburn, then 20 years old,son of Rotarian Harvey Cliburn of Kilgore; and May22, “The Voice of Boys” choral group from LongviewHigh School, directed by Herbert Teat.

1956–57: Cecil Richardson,President

Born in Warren, Texas, in 1910, Cecil graduated fromhigh school in Nacogdoches, where his father was asewing-machine dealer and his mother kept a boardinghouse for college students. He attended Stephen F.Austin State College, worked for Texas Power and LightCompany, and moved to Longview in 1933 to becomeassociated with Leo Butter, who had established EastTexas Plumbing Supply Company in 1930. As a side-line, Cecil operated a bookkeeping service. He was presi-dent and general manager of Leo’s company (whichbecame International Supply Company about 1965),remaining until retirement in 1988.

Having joined this club on March 14, 1950, Cecilnever missed a meeting for over 40 years. With VicFerchill, he led this club’s efforts to establish theLongview-Greggton Rotary Club in 1962. He is also con-sidered the father of the Longview South club, for whichwe awarded him a Paul Harris fellowship on April 2,1974. The first recipient of the Tom Putman award onAugust 10, 1976, he was also the Longview RotaryCitizen of the Year in 1991.

Cecil was a Mason, Shriner, Elk, Knight of Pythias,and Civitan. At First Methodist Church, he served asgreeter for many years. He was a founder of theLongview Community Chest in 1934, serving as presi-dent, secretary, and treasurer, and likewise participatedin establishing the successor organization, GreaterLongview United Fund (later renamed Greater LongviewUnited Way). He was president of the Longview Jaycees,director of the Longview Chamber of Commerce, andmember of the Retail Merchants Association, PinecrestCountry Club, and the Summit Club. At his death in1993, Cecil was survived by his wife, the former VirginiaAllen Pruitt of Tatum; his daughter Camille Reynolds(another daughter Lacolian Reid having died earlier);stepsons Jimmy and Don Pruitt; and five grandchil-dren.

THE YEAR OF 1956 was a big one for constructionin Longview. The First National Bank (now Bank

One) Building, Petroleum Building, and Jaycee ExhibitBuilding at the county fair grounds were completed,

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37. Cecil Willard Richardson1910–1993

Photo by courtesy of Virginia Richardson

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and construction of the Longview National Bank build-ing was announced. The Jodie McClure and ErskineBramlette elementary schools were completed, andForest Park Junior High School was under construc-tion. Trailmobile, Inc., began production in their newplant early in the year. Longview Industrial Districts,Inc., was formed, acquiring a 250-acre tract onHighway 80 just east of the city and an 86-acre tracton Highway 80 just west of the city. Ferrell’s BridgeDam was completed, forming what would later benamed Lake o' the Pines by Lady Bird Johnson.

Vic Ferchill took over from Floyd Huddleston asRotaview editor on May 22, 1956. In a guest editorialthe preceding week, former editor Tom Putman wrote,“Should a Rotary bulletin discuss politics? We believeso. ...No editor is expected to remain mutely silentwhile corruption runs rampant—and evil and treach-ery abound.” However, Vic wisely avoided inflammato-ry editorials.

A student guest committee was established thisyear under the chairmanship of Dr. Tom Francis toinvite a Longview High School student to each of ourmeetings. The first guest, on September 11, was GeneMcWhorter, Jr., a twelfth-grader almost 16 years old.As he writes this more than 38 years later, he regretsto report that he has absolutely no recollection of hisfirst Rotary meeting and only the vaguest memory ofhis second, when he was inducted into the club in thesame room nearly 20 years later, on April 13, 1976.

The Teachers’ Banquet was held on Tuesday,October 2, at the Longview High School cafeteria, tak-ing the place of the weekly meeting, with 235 teachersand Rotarians in attendance. The first weekly meetingin December was with all other service clubs of the cityat the annual banquet of the Longview Chamber ofCommerce, on Monday evening, December 3, at thenew Jaycee Building at the Gregg County Fairgrounds.Members’ ladies, friends, and associates were invited.The club manned the Salvation Army kettles onDecember 18, winning the competition by collecting$1,075.31. The Sweetheart Banquet was heldFebruary 26 at Pinecrest Country Club, with 218attending. The club’s annual college scholarship of$250 was awarded in May to Roland Reynolds, seniorat Longview High School.

1957–58: Dr. Allen C. Tyler,President

Allen Charles Tyler was born in 1892 in Joliet, Illinois,and grew up there and in Granville. After dropping outof school in the eighth grade to work in his father’s plan-ing mill, he came back at age 25 and finished highschool in less than two years while working as the schooljanitor. Allen earned a B.A. degree at BradleyPolytechnic in Peoria and an M.A. at the University ofIllinois. At Hall Township High School and VocationalSchool in Spring Valley, Illinois, he served as teacher,principal, and then superintendent. In 1926, he was

president of the Spring Valley Rotary Club. His firstwife Dena Steele of Spring Valley died in 1934, leavinghim with a 10-year-old son, Donald. Allen then marriedMildred Leslie Anderson of Cobden, Illinois, whom hehad hired to teach home economics. Their two childrenare Nancy and John. Retiring from public school in1944, Allen became the training director at R. G.LeTourneau’s heavy equipment manufacturing plant inPeoria. Two years later, he was transferred to the newLeTourneau Technical Institute in Longview, where hebecame the second dean in 1947, succeeding RotarianDr. Walter Brooking. He was awarded an honorary doc-torate of vocational education by John Brown Universityin 1951. Allen was responsible for transforming thevocational school into LeTourneau College, which heserved as first president in 1961. Upon his retirementlater that year, the first permanent building on the cam-pus, a men’s residence, was named Allen C. Tyler Hall.

Raised a Methodist in Illinois, Allen married into theDisciples of Christ and became a deacon and elder atFirst Christian Church in Longview. Believing thatLeTourneau Tech should be an integral part of theLongview community, he took great pride in his serviceas a director of the First National Bank and in Rotary,the Longview Chamber of Commerce, Community Chest,Boy Scouts of America, and the Masonic order. Havingserved in the military during World War I, he was amember of American Legion Post Number 140 inLongview. After retirement, he remained active as a realestate investor in Longview. Mildred died in 1979, and

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38. Allen Charles Tyler, D.V.E.1892–1986

Photo by courtesy of LeTourneau University

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Allen moved to a nursing home in Kansas City near hisson Donald in 1984. At his death in 1986, Allen’s sur-vivors included his three children and nine grandchil-dren. Burial was at Lakeview cemetery in Longview.

THE ROTARY YEAR got off to an impressive starton July 2, 1957, with a program of songs by Alice

Lon, one of the most popular vocalists in the country,known as the Champagne Lady of the Lawrence WelkOrchestra. Held at the Community Center to accom-modate a larger crowd than usual, this meeting wasattended by a sizeable number of Rotary Anns. Alice,who died in 1981, was a sister of our future presidentCharley Rader’s wife Betty. Named Wyche, they werereared in the Monroe community southeast of Kilgore.

Officers serving with President Allen were Vice-President Cecil Richardson, Secretary-Treasurer RayTracy, Club Service Director Ray Matthews, VocationalService Director Lambert Ballard, Community ServiceDirector Starlin Marrs, and International ServiceDirector Joe Dunsworth. Vic Ferchill continued as edi-tor of the Rotaview.

One of the highlights of the year was the RotaryInternational convention in Dallas on June 1–5, 1958,with a large contingent from the Longview club. TheTeacher’s Night banquet was held on Tuesday, October29. District 188 became District 581 at the beginningof this year.

1958–59: Charles Perkins,President

Born in 1904 at Calvert, Texas, Charlie was reared inBeaumont, graduating from Beaumont High School in1922. After three years with the Santa Fe Railroad, hejoined Sun Oil Company and married Winona Banks ofBeaumont in 1926. Attending East Texas College ofLaw part-time, he graduated in 1938 and was thentransferred to Evansville, Indiana, as office manager ofthe newly created production office. In 1950, Charlestransferred from Sun Oil to become secretary and trea-surer of Mid-Valley Pipe Line Company, a joint ventureof Sun and Sohio which operated a 20-inch and 22-inchcrude oil pipeline running from Longview to Lima, Ohio.Having been president of the Optimist Club inEvansville, he joined our fellowship in 1951. InLongview, he was a member of the board of stewards ofFirst Methodist Church and the board of directors of theSalvation Army and president of Pinecrest CountryClub. Charles was an avid golfer, fisherman, andhunter. At his death in 1988, he was survived by hiswife Winona, daughter Winona Martin of Villanova,Pennsylvania, son Charles, Junior, of Longview, andthree grandchildren.

THE ADMINISTRATION for the year consisted ofVice-President Allen Tyler, Secretary-Treasurer

Bob Steed, Club Service Director Guy Yent, VocationalService Director Percy Northcutt, Community Service

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39. Charles Reagan Perkins1904–1988

40. Joseph Wesley Dunsworth1889–1976

Photo by courtesy of Sarah Jo Dunsworth Lackey

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director L. T. Williams, and International ServiceDirector Carl Erman. Norman Galyon succeeded VicFerchill as Rotaview editor.

A seed was planted this year which lay dormantthree years and then sprouted into the Longview-Greggton Rotary Club (See Chapter 6). On November19, 1958, former Secretary-Treasurer Ray Tracy wrotea letter to the board of directors, proposing that wesponsor a second club in Longview. He did not men-tion a location. The reasons he listed were to facilitatemaking up attendance, to allow men whose classifica-tions were filled in this club to become Rotarians, andto allow Rotary to grow as fast as the city, unhinderedby this club’s limited room and facilities. Ray’s propos-al was rejected by the board at its next meeting onNovember 25.

The Teachers’ Night banquet was held at PinecrestCountry Club on Wednesday, October 22, with a recordturnout. Rotary Anns were entertained with dinnerand a program. A contribution was made to the CampFire Girls for construction of a new bath house atCamp Natowa. We also gave $300 to the Gregg Homefor the Aged. Arvin Redfearn chaired our participationin the Salvation Army Christmas kettle drive.

1959–60: Joe Dunsworth, President

Joe was born in 1889 in Brownwood, Texas, where hegraduated from Howard Payne Academy in 1916. Heserved as registrar and bursar of Howard Payne Collegein 1918 before enlisting in the army for a year duringWorld War I. Back in Brownwood, he graduated fromHoward Payne College in 1921. In 1926, he marriedSadie Mae Neel, one of ten children of a Presbyterianminister. She was a graduate of Baylor Nursing School.Joe entered the transportation industry in 1930 andmoved to Longview in 1931, working as general manag-er of the Longview terminal of Red Ball Motor FreightCompany until retirement about 1968. A member of thisclub from 1934 until 1975, Joe served as secretary-trea-surer for three years starting in 1951–52. He was aFreemason, an elder in First Presbyterian Church(where he also served as assistant Sunday school super-intendent and a leader in operating the EcholsPresbyterian Mission on Highway 80 near LakeLomond) and president of the Longview-GreggtonDistrict Dad’s Club of Camp Fire Girls. He said his hob-bies were young people, golf, and the Longview Lobosfootball team. At his death in 1976, Joe was survived byhis wife, their daughter Sarah Jo Lackey ofNacogdoches, and three grandchildren. Sadie died inNacogdoches in September, 1994, at the age of 97.

OFFICERS FOR THE YEAR included Vice-President Charlie Perkins, Secretary-Treasurer

Jim Deakins, Club Service Director Vic Ferchill,Vocational Service Director Jim Kelly, CommunityService Director Jimmie Knox, and InternationalService Director Tom Wilmoth. Norman Galyon con-tinued as Rotaview editor. The roster at the beginningof the year shows a membership of 127.

1960–61: Dale McDaniel, President

Dale was born in Prescott, Arkansas, in 1897 andattended high school there. He served in the Americanexpeditionary army on the Mexican border in 1916 andin the navy during both world wars. In 1925, he mar-ried Julia Ogden of Prescott. Dale had a varied busi-ness career that included banking, lumber, gasoline, andoil field equipment. Moving to Longview from Kilgore in1945, he joined this club on September 21, 1948, andworked at First Federal Savings and Loan until heretired as president. He was a Freemason, chairman ofthe board of stewards at First Methodist Church (wherehe taught the men’s Bible class and sang bass in thechoir), president of the Longview Chamber of Commerce,and member of the Salvation Army advisory board. Athis death in 1973, Dale was survived by his wife Julia, asister in Prescott, and several nieces and nephews.

SERVING WITH PRESIDENT DALE were Vice-President Joe Dunsworth, Secretary-Treasurer Jim

Deakins, Club Service Director Jimmie Knox,Vocational Service Director Andy Guinn, CommunityService Director Arvin Redfearn, and InternationalService Director Rich LeTourneau. The roster foldershows 132 members. Franklin Martin took over editor-ship of the Rotaview from Norman Galyon.Unfortunately, only one or two issues are available foreach year from 1957–58 through 1960–61.

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41. Dale Harris McDaniel1897–1973

Photo by courtesy of First Federal Savings Bank

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1961–62: Vic Ferchill, President

Vic was born in 1918 in New Philadelphia, Ohio. Hisparents, John and Mary (originally named Fucilli), wereborn in Italy. He attended Sacred Heart Catholic Schooland graduated from New Philadelphia High School in1936. At Ohio State University, he was on the golf teamand then was the pro at Sugar Creek Golf Course, grad-uating with a journalism degree in 1941. Enlisting inthe army, Vic served in the quartermaster corps and wascommissioned directly from the ranks in France.Meantime, his brother Pat had come to Longview barelyahead of the Oil Boom in 1931, establishing Ohio AutoParts Company. When Pat and Vic returned from thewar, they formed Reliable Motor Supply in Longview in1946, bringing in their brother Joe in 1948. Vic marriedCara Mae Price of Marshall in 1947, and they reared ason, Cary, and two daughters, Vicki and Cindi. Afteracquiring sole ownership of Reliable, Vic sold out toABC Auto Parts in 1978 and has been a real estate bro-ker since then.

Vic is a member of St. Anthony Catholic Church andthe Knights of Columbus. He became a member of thisclub on April 12, 1955, editing the Rotaview in 1956–57and 1957–58 and being awarded the club’s Paul Harrisfellowship in 1985. He was honored by the Civitan Clubas Outstanding Citizen of Longview in 1953 and 40years later by this club as Longview Rotary Citizen of theYear in 1993. With Cecil Richardson, Vic is considereda father of the Longview-Greggton Rotary Club. In the

Elks lodge, he has earned virtually every distinction: hewas a charter member at the reorganization of theLongview Lodge in 1947, exalted ruler of that lodge, andthe youngest president of the Texas Elks StateAssociation at age 35. Among other achievements, Vichas been a member of the board of directors of GoodShepherd Hospital and president of the LongviewJaycees, Meals on Wheels organization, Good ShepherdMedical Center Auxiliary, and the Fourth of JulyHeartland Celebration (which he originated with JoeLaBarbera and others). Cara Mae died in 1980, and Vicnow has seven grandchildren.

THE FOLLOWING SUMMARY of President Vic’sadministration is excerpted directly from his

farewell speech at the end of the year, slightly edited:

Special emphasis has been placed on atten-dance, programs, indoctrination, information, andfellowship. While performing all of these functions,it was our aim to have lots of fun and much levity. Ihope that we have not disappointed you.

The phase of our year that really bears mention-ing is attendance. Early in the year, the job wasturned over to Rotarian Duncan Kincheloe. We didnot know it at the time, but our attendance worrieswere over. The monthly percentages read as follows:89.02, 89.37 (these were PK figures—pre-Kincheloe),90.2, 93.72, 93.97, 95.24, 95.80, 98.37, 98.23, 99.48,99.46, and 98.57. There have been seven 100%meetings during the year. Attendance rankedamong the top ten of Rotary International fourtimes. In April, the Longview Rotary Club wasranked Number One in Rotary International inclubs of membership of 100–199, with a percentageof 99.46. [Despite draconian enforcement, member-ship increased by ten during the year.]

Much great work has also been done in the fieldof extension, headed by Past President CecilRichardson. With a starting date in January, thiscommittee held organizational meetings until planswere finalized to charter a club at Greggton underthe able leadership of Forest Sartain, a member ofthe Longview club and a past president of both theArp and Kilgore Rotary Clubs. The Greggton Clubheld its charter night on Monday, June 18, at theFirst Methodist Church in Greggton, with DistrictGovernor George Cullum, Senior, presenting thecharter. Twenty-nine members formed the chartermembership of this fine club. [They met at theGreggton Community Center.]

Another outstanding event was a program hon-oring all past presidents at the Rotary meeting onMarch 6. At that time, a plaque listing all past pres-idents and the years they served was presented.[The plaque is the kind with letters set in slots, withroom for future years.] Sixteen of the past presi-dents who are still in the club have been appointedas a committee to write a history of the LongviewRotary Club, edited by Floyd Huddleston. It ishoped that this history will soon be ready for distrib-ution. [It incorporated Vic’s remarks on each presi-dent as master of ceremonies at the luncheon.]

We now have a downtown Rotary office locatedat 222 Glover-Crim Building, adjacent to that ofMerton Young, the incoming Secretary-Treasurer.

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42. Victor Eugene FerchillPresident, 1961–62

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Andy Guinn, in addition to editing theRotaview, found time to design a banner for the club,which is now presented to the Rotarian who makesup from the farthest distance. The banner is indica-tive of this section of Texas. [Andy says the bannerused in 1994 was designed later by a student.] Indue time, you will hear a report from E. K. Bennettand his committee about plans for the erection of aRotary park. A Rotary golf tournament was stagedon Saturday, April 28, which produced much fellow-ship and two winners in the persons of RotariansArthur Clapp and Gene Matthews. This club assist-ed the YMCA membership drive, which proved aresounding success and saved your president frombeing thrown into the swimming pool. We againassisted in manning the Salvation Army kettles, andthe club won the trophy for securing the most moneyof all the clubs during this campaign. John Murphy,Jr., did a grand organizational job. During the dis-tress of Hurricane Carla, the Longview club assistedthe relief fund of District 581 with a contribution of$280 from its members.

Among the events I enjoyed most were the meet-ings of the board of directors on the third Monday ofeach month. We met in the homes of one of the offi-cers each month and had dinner, to which our wiveswere invited. After dinner, the ladies socializedwhile the board held its business meeting. I heartilyrecommend that such meetings be continued.

By secret ballot on August 15, 1961, the club decid-ed to discontinue the annual Teachers’ Night banquet.

The speaker for August 22 was State ComptrollerRobert Calvert. On January 30, Scoutmaster BarcusDubose presented members from our Troop 202; anadvisor was needed for the Explorer post.

1962–63: Starlin Marrs, President

Starlin was born in 1897 in Terrell and graduated fromTerrell High School. His father S. M. N. Marrs wassuperintendent of the Terrell schools and later was elect-ed as state superintendent of schools. During World WarI, Starlin served as a lieutenant in the army medicalcorps in Galveston. In 1919, he married CorneliaGranbery of Marshall. Starlin worked for Magnolia OilCompany in Olden, Texas, then managed ice plants inHartshorne, Oklahoma, and Shreveport and a Sherwin-Williams store in Dallas. In 1932, he moved to Marshalland went to work for the state comptroller of publicaccounts in Longview, becoming head of the office. Thiswas the peak of the oil boom, when hot oil was flowingfreely. Colorful tales are told of subterfuges of some ofthe 95 local refineries and associated truckers as theyattempted to evade gasoline taxation by the sharp-eyedbut fair-minded Starlin Marrs and his trusty staff,including Tully Scott. Starlin moved to Longview in1941 and retired from the comptroller’s office in 1968.He was a deacon in First Baptist Church, president ofthe East Texas Knife and Fork Club, and member of theAmerican Legion. At his death in 1974, he was survivedby his wife Cornelia (who died in 1981); daughter AnnDaniels; and grandchildren Z. T. Daniels, II, and EllenAnn Wooley. Starlin’s descendent now include threegreat-granddaughters and one great-grandson.

OUR MEMBER J. Clyde Tomlinson was still Mayorof Longview, retiring in 1963 after 20 years as city

commissioner. Our member Hamp Smead, Jr., waselected interim county judge in Earl Sharp’s absenceby the Gregg County Bar Association on September 14.In November, our member Peppy Blount was electedcounty judge. Interstate Highway 20 was beingplanned, and city officials including Mayor Tomlinsonand our members E. K. Bennett and Tom Wilmoth dis-cussed it with the State Highway Commission onSeptember 24. (The previous May 22, HighwayCommissioners Charles Hawn and Hal Woodward hadaddressed the club.) On July 31, it was noted thatsince our Boy Scout cabin was moved to PinewoodPark, several hundred dollars’ damage had been doneby vandals breaking in. We won the Salvation ArmyChristmas collection trophy for the third year in a row.The Rotary Ann Banquet was held at PinecrestCountry Club on February 19, 1963. The district con-ference was conducted in Kilgore on March 24 and 25.

Some noteworthy programs were as follows: July24, 1962, State Representative John Allen of Longview;August 14, a film of Ronald Reagan’s famous speech onAmericanism; August 21, Democratic state senatorialcandidate Jack Strong of Longview; October 9, FormerGovernor John Connally; and December 18, theLongview High School choir, directed by Herbert Teat.

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43. Starlin Marion Marrs1897–1974

Photo by courtesy of Ann Marrs Daniels

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1963–64: D. E. Kincheloe, President

Affectionately known as Kinch, our forty-fourth presi-dent was born in 1902 at Palmer in Ellis County, Texas,and finished high school in Church Hill, Tennessee.Joining the Army during World War I, Kinch foughtfrom 1918 to 1920 with the “Polar Bears” AmericanExpeditionary Force against the Red Army during theRussian Revolution. Later he served in the Philippines,then in the Intelligence Service in China, Japan, Pacificislands, and Australia. Back stateside in 1922, Kinchattended the University of Detroit and married JoyWangen in 1925. After 15 years with Pontiac Division ofGeneral Motors, he joined Tennessee Eastman Companyin Kingsport in 1942. The next year, he became a partic-ularly active Rotarian while working in procurementand expediting for Eastman at Holston Ordnance Works.Transferring to Longview and this club in February of1950 with the cadre who founded Texas EastmanCompany, he served as purchasing agent and head ofthe purchasing department until retirement in 1964.Kinch was a member and Sunday school teacher atFirst Methodist Church. Among other achievements inthe Rotary Club, he was credited with 29 years of perfectattendance. Ray Newnham gave him a Paul Harris fel-lowship in 1972. Kinch was also active in purchasingagents’ professional organizations. His daughter Annmarried Dan Lucy, descendant of Gregg County pioneersof the Elderville community, who became a leadingmember of the Longview South Rotary Club. Besides hiswife and daughter, Kinch was survived at his death in1973 by his son Duncan and five grandchildren. He wasburied in the Elderville community cemetery at CentrePresbyterian Church.

THERE ARE SEVERAL REASONS why 1963 can beconsidered a turning point in the history of the

Rotary Club of Longview, for which it is appropriate tobegin a new chapter. Most obviously, this is the end ofthe previous history of the club, published in 1963.Further, the establishment of the Greggton club in1962 marked the end of the long era in which ours wasthe only Rotary club in Longview. Sharing the actmade a big difference in the life of the club and its rela-

tionship with the community. A few years later, thethird Longview Rotary club was born. Only onefounder of this club was left, druggist Bill Terrell.

Looking at landmarks beyond the local scene, thistime saw the beginning of decentralization of citiesthroughout the country by the automobile and publicschool desegregation. Construction of Loop 281 beganin 1964. This time was the watershed in relationsbetween black and white Americans, when desegrega-

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44. Duncan Eve Kincheloe1902–1973

Photo by courtesy of Ann Kincheloe Lucy

Chapter 4.One of Three Rotary Clubs,

1963 to 1978

Copyright 1995 by Longview Rotary Endowment Fund, Inc.The Adobe Acrobat PDF file of which this notice is a part was created (with minor corrections) from a book entitled The Club and the Town: The Rotary Cluband the City of Longview, Texas, Year by Year from 1920 to 1995, published in 1995 by Longview Rotary Endowment Fund, Inc. Notwithstanding the prohibi-tion of reproduction without permission on the copyright page of the book, the publisher provides this PDF file to the general public without charge, but only forpurposes of reference and research. The publisher strictly prohibits publication, distribution, or dissemination of this file or any part or printed pages thereof, orconversion of the file into any other format, without prior written permission. Longview Rotary Endowment Fund, Inc., PO Box 2244, Longview, TX 75606

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tion was beginning to take effect throughout the coun-try. (Under a court order, black first-graders beganattending Longview white schools in 1963; blacks com-prised 26% of the school district population then, com-pared to 52% minority in 1994.) And perhaps mostmemorably, it was the time of the assassination ofPresident John Kennedy, which seemed even while itwas happening to mark a major turning point in thehistory of the country.

The Schlitz brewery led the city’s industrial devel-opment in the new era. Here are some excerpts froman article in the Houston Chronicle of May 31, 1964:

Joseph Schlitz Brewing Co. announced it willbuild a 15-million-dollar brewery on a 140-acre tractwith completion expected in 1966. Schlitz PresidentRobert A. Uihlein, Jr., said at least two other majorfactories will be established. Penn Controls revealedit will open a multimillion-dollar factory. TexasEastman Co., which employs 1,300, announced plansto build a multimillion-dollar cracking plant and anacetaldehyde plant. R. G. LeTourneau, Inc., an-nounced an expansion that will boost its work forcefrom 1,100 to 2,000 by the end of 1964.

Unlike other cities, Longview offers no specialinducements to its prospects—free land, reducedtaxes, etc. Oilman Robert Cargill got credit forbrewing up the Schlitz location. He heads an elitecorps of industry-hunters called the LongviewIndustrial Districts, Inc. It was founded in 1956 andhas been the driving force behind almost all indus-trial development. The team is composed of Cargill;Walter Koch, manager of Longview Chamber ofCommerce; E. K. Bennett, Longview’s mayor; PaulBramlette and Dale McDaniel, presidents of savingsand loan associations; V. A. Clements, a bank presi-dent; Thomas Davidson, an industry president;Henry Foster, Sr., a former school superintendent;C. R. Tucker, a retired railroad executive; HarryMosley, city manager; Henry Pitts, a power companyofficial, and Jasper Allbright, president of theChamber of Commerce. Industries are located inthree industrial parks, two of which are owned bythe nonprofit Industrial Districts, Inc. The third isowned by newspaper publisher Carl Estes.

At the beginning of the year, Rotaview editor AndyGuinn commented, “Those of us who remember Kinchthe Terrible as head of the attendance committee[1961–62] know that this Rotary year under the leader-ship of President Kinch will be an outstanding one forthe club—and those who survive the year will be betterRotarians because of the experience.” Upon retiring asattendance chairman at the end of this Rotary year,Charley Rader reported an attendance score of 96.9%.

On November 19, Andy congratulated Bill Tayloras chairman of the committee that produced Service inAction: a Concise History of the Rotary Club ofLongview, Texas. Edited by Floyd Huddleston, thatbook was initiated by President Vic Ferchill in 1962.

Lieutenant Governor Preston Smith and TexasHouse Speaker Byron Tunnell attended our meetingSeptember 10. The program on November 19 wasCharles Peter Hope, Consul-General of Great Britain,

here for the East Texas Chamber foreign trade confer-ence. Bob Cargill spoke on May 19 on industrial devel-opment.

1964–65: Dr. Stan Farrington,President

A native of Fort Worth, Stan graduated from TCU andthe University of Texas Medical School in Galveston,interning at Kansas City General Hospital. During theKorean War, he was a Navy doctor in a MASH unit inthe First Marine Division. After conducting generalpractice in Beaumont, doing a dermatology residency inGalveston, and marrying Norma Frances Plummer ofGalveston, Stan settled in Longview in 1957. Dr.Farrington was a staff member of both Longview hospi-tals, president of the Gregg County Medical Association,member of the Texas and American MedicalAssociations, and diplomat of the American Board ofDermatology and the Texas Dermatological Association.He was a board member of the Longview Chamber ofCommerce, active in the Longview Civic MusicAssociation, first president of the Longview Museum andArts Center, and senior warden and lay reader atTrinity Episcopal Church as well as trustee of TrinityDay School (now Trinity School of Texas). Survivorsincluded his wife Norma (later wife of LongviewRotarian Dr. Warren Hunt), daughters Lucy and Betsy,and son Evan Stanley the Third. Norma’s sister Joyce,

45. Evan Stanley Farrington, Jr., M.D.1927–1984

Photo by courtesy of Norma Hunt

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wife of Dr. G. R. Hugman of Gladewater, is the motherof Longview Rotarian Jim Hugman.

DIRECTORS IN STAN’S administration were VicePresident Duncan Kincheloe, Secretary-Treasurer

Merton Young, Club Service Director Bill Patterson,Vocational Service Director Bruce Cunningham, Com-munity Service Director Henry Atkinson, and Inter-national Service Director C. R. Tucker. After a nine-year sabbatical, Tom Putman stepped back in asRotaview editor, with Dutchie Bright, Art Mercer, andVic Ferchill listed as associates.

Membership at the beginning of the year was 154,of whom 22 are members at this writing in the summerof 1994. On May 11, the club won a four-month, one-on-one attendance contest with the Dallas Park CitiesRotary Club. The score was 97.75% to 97.57%.

For the first program of the year on July 7, FrankA. Baldwin presented a film showing recent riots inPanama. The next week, State Representative JohnAllen of Longview discussed problems resulting fromthe recent U. S. Supreme Court decision on state redis-tricting. On August 11, the club was given a guidedtour of the Southwestern Bell Telephone building,learning about direct distance dialing and other inno-vations. On March 2, Longview City CommissionerJim Witt urged passage of a bond issue; other commis-sioners were guests; Rotarian E. K. Bennett was mayorof Longview, and Rotarian John C. Murphy was a com-missioner. The city’s predicted population was 75,000in 1975 and 115,000 in 1985. On March 30, BobCargill envisioned 100,000 in 1975. On April 13,Rotary Scout Troop 202 presented a program on scout-ing under the direction of Scoutmaster Ed Russell; thetroop was 30 years old.

1965–66: Andy Guinn, President

Leland Andrew Guinn was born in Port Arthur in 1923and graduated from Thomas Jefferson High Schoolthere in 1942. After serving in the Air Force in thePanama Canal Zone from 1943 to 1946, he got an archi-tecture degree in 1950 at Rice, where he was elected pres-ident of the architectural society. Meantime, in 1948,Andy married Joyce Goldsmith of Bryan, a graduate ofTexas State College for Women (now Texas Women’sUniversity) in Denton. Their daughter Laurie marriedBill Hammons of Longview and has two children. Theirson Paul married a Montana girl, and they likewisehave two children. Andy worked in architectural firmsin Houston, joined the Longview architectural office ofWilson, Morris, & Crain in 1952, then went into privatepractice in Longview in 1957. Until retirement at theend of 1993, his clients included numerous county andcity governments in East Texas; Texas Parks andWildlife Department; Southwestern Bell TelephoneCompany; and Texas Eastman Company. He helpedestablish the Northeast Texas chapter of the AmericanInstitute of Architects and served as its president in1967–68.

Andy joined this club on November 8, 1955. AsChairman of the Rotary District 5803 World CommunityService Committee from about 1986 to 1990, he directedprojects to raise donations for a water development, toeliminate sickle-cell anemia in Africa, to provide dentalcare in Belize, and to provide medical supplies andequipment to the state of Chiapas in Mexico. In 1982,our club presented him a Paul Harris Fellowship forwork on the Costa Rica World Community ServiceProject. (See Chapter 6 for more on some of these pro-jects.) Andy has achieved 35 years perfect attendance inthe Longview Rotary Club. His other avenues of serviceinclude chairmanship or board membership in theLongview Art Museum, Symphony Orchestra, Chamberof Commerce, and United Way, as well as the ArrowheadDistrict of the Boy Scouts of America. Andy and Joyceare members of Winterfield Methodist Church.

ALWAYS A LEADING philanthropist, RayNewnham (age 79) became the first Paul Harris

Fellow in the Longview Rotary Club in January, 1966,by contributing a thousand dollars to the RotaryFoundation. He was reportedly the second Paul Harrisfellow in Texas. Over the 28 years since then, inflationhas eroded the significance of a Paul Harris fellowship.In 1994 dollars, Ray contributed $4,700.

The two Longview Rotary clubs hosted the districtconference this year, under the chairmanship of VicFerchill. With a budget of $2,500, the conference uti-

46. Leland Andrew GuinnPresident, 1965–66

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lized the Elks lodge, the high school auditorium (nowT. G. Field auditorium), Pinecrest Country Club, andthe new Holiday Inn on East Marshall Avenue. Theregistration fee was $7.50, and attendance was 461.Local business and industrial firms were solicited fordonations of items to be included in gift packets for allthe attendees. Among the gifts were miniature saltshakers in the form of beer cans, donated by Schlitzbrewery. This item was omitted, however, becauseDistrict Governor Charlie Walker of Gladewaterthought they might offend some participants.

Officers were as follows: Secretary-TreasurerMerton Young, Vice President Stan Farrington, ClubService Director Joe Fugitt, Vocational ServiceDirector E. B. Crain, Community Service DirectorCharles Mathews, International Service Director BudLoomis, and Sergeant-at-Arms Mike Hutchinson. TheRotaview editor was Tom Putman. Rotarian PeppyBlount was county judge at the time. The eight direc-tors of the Longview Chamber of Commerce elected inDecember included six Rotarians: Ray Milam, CharlesPerkins, Delbert Bright, Clarence Tucker, RaySaunders, and John C. Murphy.

Among other activities, the Longview Rotary Clubpresented a $1,000, one-year scholarship to LongviewHigh School senior Glenn Dawson “Skippy” Archer.We had 100% attendance on April 19, 1966, and werefour times among the top ten clubs in attendance inthe United States and Caribbean Basin Region ofRotary International. We ranked first in attendanceamong all Rotary clubs of our size in the world inDecember, 1965.

Notable programs included the following: August24, Ben Barnes, 28-year-old speaker of the Texas houseof representatives; October 5, Howard Coghlan and Dr.George Tate, on plans by the Gregg County Historicaland Genealogical Society to build three museums,including one for antique automobiles and one on theoil industry; January 4, Senator John Tower, on theconflict in Vietnam; March 1, a “This is Your Life” pro-gram honoring Henry Foster, Senior; he died on May20. In July, 1965, the last surviving charter member ofthe club passed away: druggist William H. Terrell. Hisname remained on the roster 45 years, until the begin-ning of this Rotary year. As an interesting develop-ment in Rotary International, it was noted in theRotaview for August 24 that Pope Paul VI had recentlylifted the prohibition against Rotary membership byCatholic clergy, imposed in 1950.

1966–67: John C. Murphy, Jr.,President

A native of Shreveport, John Coffey Murphy, Junior,has lived in Longview since he was four months old, in1931. His father established Jno. C. Murphy Paint andGlass Company in downtown Longview in 1937.Graduating from Longview High School in 1948, Johngot an associate degree at Kemper Military College in

Missouri and then studied business administration atthe University of Texas. Commissioned in the army in1952, he served a combat tour in Korea, then came hometo work for his father and eventually take over. In 1955,he married Betty Ann Jouett of Shreveport. They havethree sons and four grandchildren. The Murphysworked together in the business, then closed it andretired last year.

Having joined Rotary in 1961, John C. has nevermissed a meeting in 33 years. In 1966, he hit the jack-pot. Already serving on the City Commission, he waselected as chairman, a post carrying the informal titleof Mayor—the youngest in the city’s history. He waselected to the board of directors of the LongviewChamber of Commerce. And in July, after less than fiveyears in Rotary, he became president of the club. Weawarded him the club’s annual Paul Harris fellowshipon July 7, 1981. He has been president of the LongviewJaycees, co-chairman of the Gregg County Fair, presi-dent of Cherokee Water Company, a director of theLeTourneau University Associates, and a member of theMasonic order. At Trinity Episcopal Church, John hasserved many years in several leadership capacities:vestryman, junior and senior warden, president of theEndowment Board and of the Men of Trinity associa-tion, parish delegate to the annual diocesan council,member of several diocesan boards, and licensedeucharistic minister. He is presently a member of theparish staff as lay assistant to the rector, with the titleof verger.

47. John Coffey Murphy, Jr.President, 1966–67

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OFFICERS SERVING with John C. were as follows:Vice President Clarence Tucker, Secretary-

Treasurer Merton Young, Club Service Director MikeHutchison, Vocational Service Director Fred Paris,Community Service Director Ray Milam, InternationalService Director Arthur Clapp, and Sergeant-at-ArmsLeGrande Northcutt. The program chairman wasHenry Gossett, bulletin editors were Tom Putman andArt Mercer, and the pianist was Elizabeth McLure.Program speakers included the chief engineer of theTexas Highway Department, a state representative,the mayor of West Monroe, Louisiana, and representa-tives from Humble Oil Company, HLH Products, theDallas Times Herald, and the Second Air ForceStrategic Air Command. On June 27, 1967, the pro-gram consisted of the presidents of five other serviceclubs in Longview: Gerald Thornton of the Lions Club,Harold Jordon of the Civitan club, Alvin Khoury of theJaycees, Dr. A. G. Thomas of the Kiwanis Club, andKenneth Mace of the Optimist club. Twenty new mem-bers were inducted during this Rotary year, maintain-ing the roster approximately constant. Of the total of155 at the end of the year, there were 4 honorary, 111active, 6 additional active, 35 senior active, and 3 pastservice members.

1967–68: Jack Williams, President

John Tremper Williams, known all his life as Jack, wasborn in Longview in 1910. His father H. A. Williams, abank president, died when Jack was 12 years old. Hismother was Fannie Lacy of Longview, sister of oil manRogers Lacy of this club. Jack and his brothers ClaudeAllen and Herbert and sister Minnie were reared in thehouse that stands in the fork of Fredonia and MainStreets, looking north up Fredonia Street into the heartof the town. At Longview High School, Jack played half-back on the state championship football team and grad-uated in 1927. After losing a TCU football scholarshipdue to injury, he attended Lon Morris Junior College inJacksonville and got a law degree in 1933 at Cumber-land University in Lebanon, Tennessee. At the height ofthe East Texas Oil Boom in 1934, he entered law prac-tice in Longview with his uncle Judge Edwin Lacy andmarried Thelma Ruth Holmes of Hartshorne,Oklahoma, a graduate of Baylor School of Nursing. In1941, Jack became general manager of Southern GasCompany, a local gathering and distribution firm whichhe established with Rogers Lacy and others. He contin-ued with the company after it was purchased by DelbertBright and then Kansas-Nebraska Natural GasCompany, until retirement in 1974. Meantime, he joinedthis club on December 14, 1954.

During World War II, Jack and his brother Claudeformed a group of investors to bid on construction of thehistoric Big Inch Pipeline to carry Texas oil to Illinois,from whence it traveled on existing lines to theNortheastern industrial area. Upon missing that oppor-tunity, the group formed Transcontinental Gas PipelineCompany and established a gas line to the same destina-tion; Claude was president, and Jack was Secretary-Treasurer. Having acquired some 600 acres near

Foreman, Arkansas, Jack enjoyed raising cattle andpecans there after retirement—while keeping up regularRotary attendance in Longview. Jack and Thelma weremembers of First Baptist Church; she died in 1993, lessthan a year before him. They are survived by their sonsJack Williams, II, of San Antonio and Dr. LacyWilliams of Shreveport, and six grandchildren.

ROTARIANS WERE INVOLVED in a particularlysignificant project this year (through the Longview

Chamber of Commerce and Jaycees): promotion of acivic center. At this club’s meeting on March 14, 1968,architect Andy Guinn and Southern Gas Companyexecutive Delbert Bright presented plans for a civiccenter that would hopefully be built on a locationwhich was not yet determined. Patterned after the onein Monroe, Louisiana, it was to consist of a coliseum,theater, and convention hall. (The city commissionremained opposed, however.) At that time anothernotable Longview building designed by Andy wasunder construction, the Cargill Theater. Later remod-eled and expanded, it is known as Movies Nine.

Jess King presented two programs to the club onnew developments in telephones. Wireless and touch-tone telephones were predicted to become common-place by the year 2000. He also presented a film on thenew all-number digits, which were instituted inLongview on January 8, 1968. Telephone numbers

48. John Tremper “Jack” Williams1910–1994

Photo by courtesy of Dr. Lacy Williams

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such as Plaza 8-8775 which came in with the dial sys-tem in 1957 suddenly turned into the numerical equiv-alent: 758-8775.

Here at the peak of the Vietnam War, on March 5,1968, a speech and movie were presented by PaulJacob, National Field Representative of the AmericanRed Cross, on that organization’s wartime services. Atthe last meeting of the year, urban planning consultantMarvin Springer of Dallas presented a slide talk on thedevelopment of East Texas and Longview. His organi-zation would be contracting with the City of Longviewto produce a professional plan for guiding the city’sdevelopment in the coming decades.

Officers serving with President Jack were VicePresident Buddie Shelburne, Club Service DirectorHugh Hagemeyer, Vocational Service Director JackMann, Community Service Director Howard Coghlan,International Service Director Paul Belding, Sergeant-at-Arms Arvin Redfearn, and Past President John C.Murphy. Joe Dunsworth resigned as secretary-trea-surer after serving a month, being replaced by MikeHutchison. Tom Putman and Art Mercer were theRotaview editors. Membership ranged from 154 to 158,of whom at least 24 are still in the club. We had bothAllen Tyler and Ty Allen (president of LeTourneauCollege and manager of Pinecrest Country Club,respectively). Present members who were inductedthis year include Julian Fiegel and Glenn Detmore.

1968–69: C. W. “Buddie” Shelburne,President

Born in Kerrville in 1912, Buddie graduated from TivyHigh School there and was appointed to the U.S. NavalAcademy, receiving a commission in the Marine Corps in1935. While in the service, he earned a master’s degreeat Stanford University. In Washington, D.C., in 1939,he married Kathleen Merrit, also of Kerrville, and theyreared two daughters. Besides island-hopping with theMarines across the Pacific in World War II, Buddie alsoserved in China and Iceland. In combat in Okinawa, heearned the Navy Cross for Bravery. Upon retirement asa brigadier general in 1956, Buddie joined TexasEastman Company in Longview as Superintendent ofthe Engineering Department. He became a Rotarian onDecember 5, 1961. When Rotary President KinchKincheloe retired from Eastman in 1964, Buddie suc-ceeded him as purchasing agent and head of the pur-chasing department. Besides Rotary, Buddie was activein the Longview Chamber of Commerce and theNational Association of Purchasing Agents as well asFirst Presbyterian Church. He retired from Eastman in1971 and moved back home to Kerrville, where he andKathleen still reside.

CLUB MEMBERSHIP during Buddie’s year rangedfrom 151 to a peak which apparently has never

been exceeded: 160 members. Regardless of worriesabout the war in Vietnam and changes in the socialfabric of the country, this was a time of booming devel-opment for Longview as for the entire country. The

recent completion of Interstate Highway 20 and Loop281 particularly contributed to a buoyant mood of opti-mism in the city.

In the Rotary program on July 16, 1968, managerWinston Roberts of the LTV plant at the airport pre-dicted employment of 450 by the end of 1969. Theywould be building A-7 aircraft.

In the Rotaview for August 13, 1968, Editor TomPutman proudly noted that Rotarian Joe Fugitt’s realtycompany—including Don Manning and Frank Abbottas well as Joe—had recently negotiated acquisition of110 acres for a shopping mall being developed by BoydRidgeway of Longview. This tract was southwest of theintersection of East Marshall Avenue and EastmanRoad. On December 3, Putman likewise congratulatedRotarian Bruce Cunningham on building the newHoliday Inn on Interstate 20 and State Highway 149known as Estes Parkway after May, 1967).

Ridgeway boldly attempted to develop thisLongview mall and Broadway Square Mall in Tyler atthe same time and very nearly succeeded. The Tylermall project was further along, and it was bought fromRidgeway’s creditors by Dallas NorthPark developerRay Nasher, who also took an extended option on thecleared and leveled Longview site. Nasher held theoption for many years, inhibiting development, andthen released it. Whaley Street was later extendedacross the desert-like site to Eastman Road.

49. General Charles Wesley ShelburnePresident, 1968–69

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The prevailing optimism about Longview’s futureduring Buddie Shelburne’s Rotary year was reflectedin a 76-page “comprehensive land use and structuringplan” presented to the city administration by MarvinSpringer and Associates in March of 1969. It painted aglowing picture of an ideally balanced, symmetricalcity of 116,000 by the year 1985. This document guid-ed development of the city’s thoroughfares and parksfor many years. However, Springer’s people apparent-ly failed to notice that they were projecting the south-ern extension of Loop 281 right through the TexasEastman plant and across miles of undevelopableSabine floodplain. They apparently ignored negativepossibilities such as future blighting of areas by crimeand drugs, and white flight to the Pine Tree school dis-trict. Residential development was supposed toexpand inward and outward from the entire northLoop, with a particularly big bulge in the northeast.As it turned out, the public perversely flocked insteadto Pine Tree in the northwest.

Here is a sampling of noteworthy Rotary programsof this year under Program Chairman HowardCoghlan: August 6, Al Altwegg, Business Manager ofthe Dallas Morning News; August 13, Joe D. Carter,Chairman of the Texas Water Rights Commission;September 24, John Allen, State Representative;November 12, Bishop J. Milton Richardson of theEpiscopal Diocese of Texas; January 1, LieutenantGovernor Ben Barnes; January 14, a film about the1967 race riots in 100 American cities, linking them tothe international Communist conspiracy; February 25,Robert M. Parker on Sabine River development;March 11, Longview Police Chief Roy Stone, on how hisforce would handle riots and uprisings; May 8, MikeClark of Longview, Dallas Cowboys kicker, who led theNFL in total points in 1968.

1969–70: Charley Rader, President

Born in Paris in 1932, Charles Guthrie Rader grew upin Kilgore, where his father LeRoy (originally fromIllinois) established a funeral home in 1937 in partner-ship with O. Thomas Welch of this club. On graduationfrom Kilgore High School in 1950, Charley attendedjunior college at Kemper Military School in Missouriand got a BBA at North Texas. His professional train-ing was achieved at the Dallas Institute of MortuaryScience and the School of Management of the NationalFoundation of Funeral Service. In 1952, Charley mar-ried Betty Wyche of the Monroe community southeast ofKilgore. The next year, they settled in Longview to starta branch of the family business there, and within twomore years Charley was a Rotarian. Now he is the presi-dent of LeRoy Rader Funeral Home in Longview, RaderLife Insurance Company, Rader Enterprises, Inc., andEast Texas Crematory. He is also the secretary ofRosewood Park Cemetery and a partner in RaderFuneral Home in Kilgore. An active member of FirstPresbyterian Church, Charley has served as deacon, rul-ing elder, and trustee. Besides working in the AmericanHeart Association, Greater Longview United Way, and

other civic endeavors, Charley has been a director ofFirst National Bank of Longview (now Bank One), theLongview Chamber of Commerce, the Texas FuneralDirectors Association, and the International Order of theGolden Rule (an international group of independentfuneral home owners). Betty and Charley’s two childrenare active in the family business: daughter Lynn Martinand son Charles, who is president of the LongviewGreggton Rotary Club for 1994–95.

WITH TRAVIS BEAVERS as attendance chairman,half of all the meetings of the year had 100%

attendance, including 16 consecutive meetings. Thebig event for Longview and Rotarians was a monumen-tal celebration of the city’s centennial from Friday,May 1, through Saturday, May 9, 1970. Whiskers andstring ties suddenly came back into style, andRotarians of this club dominated the management ofthe affair. Howard Coghlan was president of the cor-poration formed to handle it, Delbert Bright was vice-president, and Royl Carby was one of six board mem-bers. W. D. Northcutt, III, chaired a committee whichpublished a history book (copies still available at theGregg County Historical Museum). Bill Rice and Dr.Charles Mathews chaired a committee which staged ahistorical pageant running for five nights in LoboStadium. Hundreds of citizens took part in thepageant alone, including Arliss Mallory as the town

50. Charles Guthrie RaderPresident, 1969–70

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drunk in Episode Seven and Reagan McLemore, III, asRudolph Valentino in Episode Twelve.

This was the year when Longview Rotary Clubformed an Interact Club at Longview High School, with35 boys as charter members (see Chapter 6). AnInteract fund-raising tradition was inaugurated at aRotary meeting: a “slave auction,” in which Interactboys were “sold” as laborers. The Rotary Club alsoawarded college scholarships totaling $1,250 to fiveLongview High School students: Kerry Cammack,Sammy Satterwhite, Jimmy Nelson, Kenneth Rainey,and Jimmy Don LaFerney.

This was also the year in which the previouslyestablished concept of Paul Harris fellowships began toreceive new emphasis in Rotary International. InAugust, 1969, Ray Newnham received a medal for thefellowship he had been awarded in January, 1966. Hewas still our only Paul Harris fellow.

On September 30, our speaker was GovernorPreston Smith. Entertainment at the SweetheartBanquet was provided by popular comedian “Stutter-ing Sam,” alias Cecil Hunter of Tulsa. Cecil’s daughterJeanne had recently married Dr. Gordon Green,Junior, a 1957 graduate of Longview High School andbrother-in-law of Gene McWhorter, Junior, of this club.

1970–71: Howard Coghlan,President

A 19-year-old Dublin boy named Jack V. Coghlan immi-grated to this country from Ireland and married InezWatts of Longview. Their second son Howard PayneCoghlan was born in Shreveport in 1927. The familylived in Marshall for 10 years, then moved to Longview,where Howard finished high school in 1944. Afterattending Texas A&M briefly, he served in the CoastGuard aboard a transport ship carrying troops and pris-oners among ports in Italy, France, and the UnitedStates. At Kilgore College in 1946, Howard was presi-dent of the student body. Upon graduation from SMUlaw school with honors, he first practiced law withPhilip Brin. From 1952 to 1972, Howard was generalcounsel and assistant manager of the E. C. JohnstonCompanies and related enterprises involved primarily inoil, gas, and mining. For the next 14 years, he was apartner in what was then and still is the oldest continu-ously operated law firm in Longview. (Establishedbefore 1900 as DeGraffenreid and Young, it continues asHarbour, Kenley, Boyland, Smith, & Harris.) In 1986,Howard formed his own law firm, now known asCoghlan, Crowson, & Fitzpatrick. His specialty and pri-mary board certification is in oil, gas, and mineral law.He was president of that section of the State Bar and is amember of the Federal Energy Bar.

Howard joined the Rotary Club in 1957. He has beenpresident of the Longview Chamber of Commerce, theLongview 1970 Centennial Corporation, and PinecrestCountry Club. He has served as director, trustee, or gov-ernor of the Summit Club, LeTourneau University,Longview Bank and Trust, and Kansas-NebraskaNatural Gas Company (now KN Energy, Inc.) At FirstUnited Methodist Church, Howard’s service has ranged

from Sunday School teacher to Chairman of the OfficialBoard, and he has been a trustee for over 20 years.

In 1950, Howard married Peggy Crowder of Kilgore,and they have two children, Kelly and Katie. The firstperson to receive a doctorate of education at Texas A&M,Peggy is now vice president and chief academic officer atKilgore College. She was the main force behind con-struction of the Longview Public Library in 1987. AsPresident of the Chamber of Commerce, Howard is cred-ited with the same role in construction of the MaudeCobb Activity Center in 1983. Another achievement ofwhich Howard is especially proud is calling wild turkeysduring mating season.

WHEN HOWARD COGHLAN took the reins ofRotary on June 30, 1970, he was trying to turn

loose of the Longview centennial celebration. Thatevent, in May, brought the entire city together in aharmonious working relationship which was wonderfulto experience. It also helped bond the two LongviewRotary clubs together in various projects.

The theme Howard stressed was the obligation ofRotarians as individuals to take leadership responsibil-ities in civic and religious endeavors for the good of theentire city as one community. Without abandoningclub sponsorship of various worthy causes, Howardencouraged weekly programs on a variety of communi-ty-wide causes to promote participation by Rotarians.

51. Howard Payne CoghlanPresident, 1970–71

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It is no exaggeration to assert that this traditionalemphasis by the Longview Rotary Club helped ease thecity through a literally explosive crisis duringHoward’s term. Racial integration of LongviewIndependent School District had just been completed.It began from the first grade up in 1963 and from thetwelfth grade down in 1965. Finally, the blackWomack High School was closed, and its student bodywas merged into that of Longview High School in thefall of 1970. At the same time, the school district wasordered to begin busing children outside their neigh-borhoods to promote racial balance. Longview was oneof the first schools in Texas to receive a busing order.

Fortunately, the LISD school board at that timewas heavily Rotarian. The members were TomLanders, O. L. Kimbrough, Dr. Landon Colquitt, CodyMason, John Harrison, Jr., Merton Young, and Dr. BobSchrader—and Rotarian Charles Mathews was thesuperintendent. This powerful concentration of good-will helped counterbalance the bitterness connectedwith a dynamite bombing of the school bus barn on thenight of July 4, 1970, for which two men were laterconvicted. (Two buses were destroyed and 39 dam-aged.) As school began, the new Interact Club played aleading role in bringing about a peaceful transition onthe LHS campus. President Howard’s son KellyCoghlan had been elected president of the student bodyof Longview High School, and a black student namedCalvin Allen had been elected president of the studentbody of Womack High School. During this uniqueschool year, these young men served together harmo-niously as co-presidents, and they remain good friends.

During this Rotary year, the fiftieth anniversary ofthe club was observed. At Christmas time, we won thecompetition among Longview service clubs for raisingmoney for the Salvation Army. The club continued tosponsor Boy Scout Troop 202 and played a major rolein the United Fund annual campaign. A group studyexchange team was sent to England, including attor-ney Ebb Mobley, who reported to the club on theirreturn. The board of directors felt that if we had excel-lent programs, projects, fellowship, and food, then goodattendance would result without specific emphasis.That strategy worked; average attendance for the yearwas 97%, including eight 100% meetings.

1971–72: Delbert Bright, President

William Delbert Bright was born in 1929 in Fort Smith,Arkansas. Graduating in 1946 from Fort Smith (nowNorthside) High School, Delbert attended Fort SmithJunior College (now Westark Community College) andgraduated from the University of Arkansas in 1950 witha degree in mechanical engineering. After less than sixmonths as an engineer at Arkansas Louisiana (Arkla)Gas Company in Shreveport, Delbert was drafted intothe army and served two years at the Ballistic ResearchLaboratories at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland.Returning to Arkla in 1953, he worked his way up togeneral sales manager. In 1954, Delbert married Jean

Williamson of Vivian, Louisiana. By studying law inthe evenings at Centenary College and taking the barexam in 1963, he gained admittance to the bar ofLouisiana. The following year, Delbert bought SouthernGas Company from the Rogers Lacy estate, operating itfor seven years. On selling out to Kansas-NebraskaNatural Gas Company, he continued as an executive forthat firm in Longview and then Denver, being elected tothe board of directors in 1979. From 1983 until retire-ment in 1990, he was a senior vice-president at TexasCommerce Bank in Longview.

Delbert first joined this club on February 16, 1965.He has been president or chairman of the LongviewChamber of Commerce, the East Texas Area Council ofthe Boy Scouts of America, the Greater Longview UnitedWay, and the Official Board of First United MethodistChurch of Longview. His hobbies are golf, tennis, andmodel airplanes. Delbert and Jean have three children,Lyndell, Kevin, and Mark, and four grandchildren.

AT THIS DISTANCE, we can judge the flavor ofDelbert Bright’s administration by an excerpt from

Tom Putman’s editorial addressed to the outgoingpresident in the Rotaview for the meeting of June 20,1972:

You have, through your Arkansas humor, addedmuch enjoyment to our weekly meetings. Visitorsfar and wide have complimented our club on thejovial way you have conducted yourself. You have

52. William Delbert BrightPresident, 1971–72

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put new life into the club, and new meaning toRotary. No longer are we referred to as the “oldman’s club.” We are now known as a lively, wide-awake, active Rotary club.

Anyone who knows Delbert will realize that Tomwas putting it mildly.

This was a banner year for the new concept of PaulHarris Fellowships in the club. With a total of five, wewere second in District 581 only to the Dallas club(about 450 members). This achievement was reachedwhen Ray Newnham, our first Paul Harris Fellow, pre-sented Paul Harris Fellowships to Duncan Kincheloeand Tom Putman. The other two of the five wereHoward Coghlan and George Kelly.

The club continued its lively support of the newInteract Club at Longview High School. The programfor December 7, 1971, was a traditional “slave auction”of Interact members. Interact officers were Vice Presi-dent Tim Allen, Secretary Cary Ferchill (son of Rota-rian Vic), Treasurer John David Harrison (son ofRotarian John W., Jr.), and Sentinel Andy Ballard (sonof Rotarian Jay). In May, Cary Ferchill was electedpresident of the Interact Club.

In the Rotaview for November 9, 1971, TomPutman commented about Cecil Richardson, “He isnow working like a beaver to help organize the newSouth Longview Rotary Club, which is scheduled to becompletely organized soon. They will meet at the I-20Holiday Inn.”

All the Rotary clubs of Gregg County were hosts forthe district conference at the Cargill Theater, March23 through 25, 1972. (The theater had one big screen,later divided into three.) The featured speaker wasSenator John Tower.

The Rotary International annual convention washeld in Houston, June 11 through 15, 1972. Severalmembers of this club attended.

On May 23, we gave four-year scholarships of$1,600 apiece to Jim Draper, John Ross (now an oralsurgeon in Longview), and Mike Scott (now an ortho-dontist in Longview).

Here is a sampling of notable weekly programsduring this Rotary year: July 27, Eloise Wolff, widowof the late Reverend Peter Marshall; August 10, BillHobby, publisher of the Houston Post and candidate forLieutenant Governor; August 31, Congressman RayRoberts; January 18, State Representative John Allen;March 21, urban planning consultant Marvin Springeron development of downtown Longview; April 25,Dallas Cowboys kicker Mike Clark of Longview, pre-senting a film on the team’s 1971 Super Bowl champi-onship season.

1972–73: Ray Milam, President

Born to a farming family in Carthage in 1925, RayWinford Milam was drafted into the Army on his eigh-teenth birthday in 1943, two months shy of graduatingfrom Carthage High School. In competition with college

graduates, he was sent to flight school and advancedelectronic intelligence school. Promoted to captain, Rayflew “Ferret” missions on B-29 bombers in Europe frombases in England, determining German radar and radiofrequencies so that appropriate countermeasures couldbe employed. One result was the diversion of Nazi aircover 300 miles away from the Normandy beaches on D-Day. After the war, Ray finished his two months in highschool, entered Centenary College as a sophomore, andgot a business degree there. In 1948, he married NeldaSullivan in Carthage, and they reared three children:Stephen, Stacy, and Deryk. Starting in 1950 at FirstFederal Savings and Loan in Longview, Ray worked hisway up to Executive Vice President, Chief ExecutiveOfficer, and director. Then he organized MetropolitanSavings and Loan (chartered 1970), serving asPresident, C.E.O., and director. Nelda designed thebeautiful Metropolitan building on the southeast cornerof Judson Road and Pegues Place. Ray also assisted inorganizing First Southwest Savings and Loan in Tyler,joining that organization in 1980 and serving asPresident, C.E.O., and director until retirement in 1990.

Ray joined our fellowship on February 20, 1962. Heserved 12 years on the Longview Planning and ZoningCommission and nine years on the board of directors ofthe Longview Chamber of Commerce, where he was elect-ed first vice-president and earned a lifetime member-ship. He also put in 12 years on the board of directors ofthe First Christian Church of Longview, serving as vice-chairman as well as Sunday school superintendent. In

53. Ray Winford MilamPresident, 1972–73

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addition, Ray was president of the Longview Jayceesand the LeTourneau College Associates. After Neldapassed away in 1993, Ray moved to Jefferson, where hesays he fishes a lot.

PAUL HARRIS FELLOWSHIPS were something forthe Longview Rotary Club to be particularly proud

of this year. With a total of nine at the end of the year(an increase of 40 percent), we had more than any ofthe other 63 clubs in District 581, even Dallas. Thefour new Paul Harris fellows were Ray Milam, CharleyRader, Delbert Bright, and Clyde Tomlinson, Senior.

Now in its third year, the Interact Club atLongview High School was thriving. The “slave auc-tion” at the Rotary meeting of January 30, 1973, raised$435 for the Interact Club’s good works. Twenty-threeboys attended the first Interact state convention, heldin Dallas from March 29 through 31 in conjunctionwith the annual conference of Rotary District 581.

In this unique year, after the district conference forDistrict 581, we had a district assembly for the newlycreated District 583, held from 9:00 to 4:00 onSaturday, June 9, at Henderson County College inAthens. Eight members of this club attended. With 64clubs, District 581 had become too large for effectivemanagement. Therefore the eastern 33 clubs weresplit off to form the new district, taking effect at theend of this Rotary year on July 1. The clubs in District583 would be Athens, Atlanta, Carthage, Clarksville,Gilmer, Gladewater, Greggton, Hawkins, Henderson,Hugo (Oklahoma), Idabel (Oklahoma), Jacksonville,Jefferson, Kilgore, Lindale, Longview, Malakoff,Marshall, Mineola, Mount Pleasant, Overton, Paris,Pittsburg, Quitman, South Tyler, Sulphur Springs,Texarkana, Texarkana Oak Lawn, Troup, Tyler, WillsPoint, and Winnsboro.

Here is a sampling of programs during this year:July 11, Byron Tunnell, Chairman of the RailroadCommission; August 28, Senator Lloyd Bentsen at ajoint meeting with the Greggton Rotary Club at theContessa Inn; March 21, Longview Police Chief RoyStone, providing what the Rotaview called a “completeand comprehensive description of the problemsinvolved in the Longview High School since the adventof integration;” April 3, Jim Acker, local manager ofSouthwestern Bell, explaining the newly availabledirect distance dialing; several musical programs,including First Methodist Church Youth Choir,Longview High School choir, the Longview StringEnsemble, and vocalist Mrs. Callie Smith.

Directors serving with President Ray this year wereVice President Charles Tullis, Club Service DirectorJohn Harrison, Vocational Service Director Bob Carroll,Community Service Director Ted Mooney, InternationalService Director Kurt Borris, Past President DelbertBright, and Sergeant-at-Arms Rogers Pope. CharlesCobb started the year as secretary-treasurer and wasre-elected on March 6 for 1973–74 but resigned as ofApril 24, 1973. Tom Brown was appointed by the board

of directors on an interim basis on that date, thusbeginning a notable term of more than 21 years as sec-retary-treasurer. The Rotaview editors were ArtMercer, Dr. Gene Petty, and Tom Putman.

1973–74: Charles Tullis, President

The second of four children, Charles was born in 1927 inMcGehee, Arkansas, grew up there and in Pensacola andShreveport, and graduated from Byrd High School in1944. He served 2½ years in the Navy, put in two years ofpre-med studies at Centenary College, then got a mechan-ical engineering degree at Louisiana Polytechnic Institutein Ruston in 1951. He married Marion King inShreveport in 1948. After two years with vessel fabricat-ing companies in Shreveport and Houston, Charles withsome partners started a gas compressor packaging com-pany in Houston called Southwest Industries. Selling outin 1965, he bought an interest in King Tool Company inLongview, a natural gas separator manufacturer foundedin 1945 by Rotarians W. Roy “Pop” King (not related toMarion King Tullis), Curtis Morris, and George Kelly.Charles still operates the company as president and gen-eral manager. He joined Rotary shortly after moving toLongview, remaining for 18 years. Except for GeorgeKelly, Charles was the only member of this club to becomedistrict governor, serving District 583 during the 1978–79Rotary year. The club honored Charles with a PaulHarris fellowship for the 1974–75 year.

54. Charles Gene TullisPresident, 1973–74

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Charles and Marion reared two daughters, CarolJean and Kaye Elizabeth. Among other communityinvolvement, Charles has been active in GreaterLongview United Way, serving as president in 1982. Heis a registered professional engineer in Louisiana andTexas, a member of the Texas Society of ProfessionalEngineers, and a life member of the American Society ofMechanical Engineers as well as the LouisianaEngineering Society.

THE BIG NEWS for this Rotary year, aside from thenew District 583 taking effect at the beginning,

was the establishment of the South Longview RotaryClub. (See Chapter 6.) The new club was the directresult of work by President Charles Tullis, CharlesCobb, and especially Cecil Richardson, who becameknown as the father of the club. In recognition of thisand other service, the Longview Rotary Club honoredCecil with a Paul Harris Fellowship on April 2. As forthe Greggton Rotary Club, its name was changed inNovember to the West Longview Rotary Club. (Later,the junior Longview clubs changed their names toLongview-Greggton and Longview South.)

Under Vocational Service Director Rogers Pope, westarted what became the annual custom of honoringoutstanding vocational students at Longview HighSchool. Nancy Byers and Carroll Davis were presentedto the club on August 28 by E. B. Jenkins, vocationaleducation coordinator at the school. This practice wascontinued by Jenkins’s successor Jack Lynch, whobecame a member of this club on May 7.

Another club custom instituted this year (October16), under Attendance Chairman LeGrande Northcutt,was the use of attendance slips to certify each mem-ber’s presence at meetings. At the same time, theboard of directors made Rotary International atten-dance rules mandatory for this club.

Still another first, on November 27, 1973, was theweekly news report by Rotarian J. R. Curtis, Junior, ofKFRO Radio. In this service, he succeeded Bill Ray,who for many years had been delivering what wasknown as the market report. In the first Rotaview ofthe year, July 3, editor Tom Putman called Bill’s pre-sentation the Market and Watergate report.

A historic event for the young people of the statewas noted by the club in a program on July 24 byBobby Whittensberg, district supervisor of the TexasAlcoholic Beverage Commission. The legal age for buy-ing alcoholic beverages was lowered from 21 to 18years. (More recently, it was raised to 21 again.)Eighteen-year-olds no longer had to go to Louisiana todrink legally. However, they might be interested inthe new racetrack at Bossier City, which was describedto the club on October 17 by John Walcott, President ofLouisiana Downs. Speaking of young people, BoyScout Troop 202, sponsored by the Longview RotaryClub, became active again this year after several yearsof dormancy.

As the program for August 21, Vice President JohnHarrison presented one-year scholarships of $400

apiece to John Ross, Jim LaFerney, EddieKillingsworth, Mike Scott, and Jim Draper. CharleyRader introduced two more scholarship recipients onMay 21: Kent Jordan and Walter Reuther.

In his valedictory editorial to retiring PresidentCharles on June 25, Tom Putman commented,

You have put new life in our club. It has been adifficult year in many ways. You have had toenforce attendance rules like they have never beenenforced before. You have been criticized by a fewand praised by many. You have done an outstand-ing job and will go down in history as one of ourgreatest presidents.

1974–75: John Harrison, Jr.,President

Born in Longview in 1934, John Womack Harrison, Jr.,was raised with three sisters in the house on the north-east corner of Fredonia and College Streets which hadbeen the residence of their great-uncle Frank Rembertand his wife Kate Womack Rembert. (See President EdRembert in Chapter 1 and President John Harrison inChapter 3.) John graduated from Longview HighSchool in 1952, then attended Kilgore College andSouthern Methodist University. In 1953, he marriedJean Ramey of Longview. After working for Thiokol andCIT Credit Corporation, John became an executive for

55. John Womack Harrison, Jr.President, 1974–75

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the Boy Scouts of America in De Queen, Arkansas. In1965, he moved back to Longview to join the businessfounded by his father-in-law J. R. Ramey in 1942, nowknown as Ramey-Harrison Appliance Company. Johnand Jean bought out Mr. Ramey in 1979 and have con-tinued the business since then. They have two sons, twodaughters, and three grandchildren

Raised as a Baptist and a Disciple respectively, Johnand Jean compromised on First Methodist Church,where John has served on the Administrative Board andtaught Sunday school. He followed in his father’s foot-steps in Rotary and the board of trustees of LongviewIndependent School District. Having been a Rotarian inDe Queen, he joined this club on September 7, 1965, andhas never missed a meeting in 29 years. The club hon-ored him with a Tom Putman Award on June 28, 1977,for his work on the Lobo Relays (Chapter 6) and a PaulHarris fellowship on July 25, 1978. With time out forone term from 1977 to 1980, John has served on theschool board continuously since 1971, being elected to alloffices, including five years as president. He was presi-dent when the new high school was built in 1974 andagain when it was enlarged in 1989. Twice during thisservice, in 1976 and 1992, LISD won statewide “honorboard” recognition. Starting with Cub Scouts at agenine, and continuing through the Order of the Eagle,John was active in scouting for 50 years. In 1968, hewas named outstanding Jaycee in Longview. And in DeQueen, John was president of the Sevier CountyAssociation for Retarded Children and Regional VicePresident of the Arkansas Association for RetardedChildren.

OFFICERS SERVING with President John wereVice President Ted Mooney, Secretary Tom Brown,

Club Service Director Bob Carroll, Vocational ServiceDirector Charles Cobb, Community Service DirectorTravis Beavers, International Service DirectorBlackshear Jameson, Sergeant-at-Arms Dick Avent,and Past President Charles Tullis. Charles receivedthe club’s Paul Harris fellowship for the year.

At the end of this year, Tom Putman retired aschief editor of the Rotaview after 17 years in thatcapacity over a period of 27 years. He first took overfrom Austin Hatchell at the beginning of the 1948–49Rotary year. On February 18, Charley Rader present-ed Tom with a plaque in appreciation of this long ser-vice. He was succeeded by Dick Avent.

Some notable programs were as follows: July 2,Dr. Wade Clendenen on the newly formed LongviewDowntown Development Association; July 16, archi-tect Robert Allen of the South Longview Rotary Club,on the new Longview High School under construction;January 14, Assistant City Manager Larry Martin, onplans for the new city hall.

1975–76: Edward J. “Ted” Mooney,President

Ted Mooney’s parents immigrated from Farnsworth,England, to West Virginia, where his father became acoal mine superintendent. Ted was born in 1915 in the

small mining town of Minden, lived a time in Holden,became an Eagle Scout with three palms, and graduatedfrom the county high school in Logan. In 1938, Tedmarried Johnnie Mae Kidd in Holden, and in 1940 hereceived a chemical engineering degree from theUniversity of West Virginia. After three years at aDuPont plant in Charleston, Ted joined TennesseeEastman at Kingsport, Tennessee, working in processimprovement until coming to Longview in 1950 to helpestablish Texas Eastman Company. Progressingthrough various positions there, he became superinten-dent of the Oxo Division, consisting of several plantswithin the Texas Eastman complex. He retired fromthat position in 1980.

Having joined Rotary on May 7, 1968, Ted hasserved as attendance chairman, program chairman, ori-entation committee chairman, and all board positionsleading to president. At the district level, he has servedas scholarship chairman and financial chairman for thedistrict convention. In 1977, District 583 awarded itsannual Paul Harris fellowship to Ted for outstandingservice. An active member of Trinity Episcopal Church,he has taught Sunday school and served on the vestry asjunior warden and senior warden. Among other avenuesof community service, Ted is a charter member and pastboard member of the Longfellows Association as well asformer director of the Longview Symphony and theLongview Community Theater. Ted and Johnnie Mae’sdaughter Margaret is a successful corporate marketingexecutive. Their son Ted Junior, a chemical engineer

56. Edward Joseph “Ted” MooneyPresident, 1975–76

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and attorney, married Mary Martha May of Longviewand has recently become chairman and CEO of NalcoChemical Company.

THERE IS A COMMON THEME running throughthe personal commentaries submitted by past pres-

idents for this history. With his characteristic talentfor plain talk, Ted Mooney expressed it most vividly:

My first years in Rotary were a disappointmentto me, because all I did was attend, eat, and leave.Then on the day Howard Coghlan was installed aspresident, all members were invited to attend ameeting with the club officers and District 581Governor Jim Cady of Texarkana. Jim asked allthose present to stand and tell what they were get-ting out of Rotary. When my turn came, I said Iwasn’t getting a darned thing out of it. VicePresident Delbert Bright, sitting behind me, said,“Well, if you would get up off your duff, you mightget something out of Rotary!” So I said I would wel-come a chance to become involved.

Sure enough, the next year, Delbert appointedme attendance chairman. I also assisted ClubService Director Charles Tullis in organizing andconducting the district convention that year andgave several talks. Charles became my mentor, andfrom that point, I became very active, serving in allthe positions leading to the presidency.

Over the years, Rotary has meant a great dealto me, and I am convinced it has made me a betterperson. The benefits include new friends amongcivic leaders, opportunities for community service,and helping young people realize their goals. But Iam convinced that you cannot reap the full benefitsof Rotary without accepting responsibility for serviceand leadership in the club’s activities.

In line with this principle, President Ted’s sloganfor the year was “Every member an active Rotarian.”The club soon became known as the best organized inDistrict 581.

One of our continuing traditions, the Tom PutmanAward, was established during this Rotary year butnot yet awarded. It was the brainchild of PresidentTed and Rotaview Editor Dick Avent. (See Chapter 6.)

Among other notable events of the year, the districtconference was held at the Contessa Inn in Longviewon March 26–28. On May 4, Past President and PastDistrict Governor George Kelly achieved fifty years ofperfect attendance. The club itself was not quite 56years old.

At the beginning of the year, a special UnitedStates census was about to be completed. The purposewas to qualify Longview for federal designation as astandard metropolitan statistical area by showing apopulation over 50,000. For good measure, all of Greggand Harrison Counties were included in the prospec-tive area. (The 1970 census figures had been 46,744for the city and 75,929 for Gregg County.) This wasthe subject of Mayor Tommie Carlisle’s program for theclub on July 8, 1975.

As the bicentennial of the American Revolutionapproached, Rotaview editor Dick Avent presented

occasional news items from that week two hundredyears before, in 1775 and 1776. Franklin Martin, inkeeping with his historic first name of Benjamin,brought Dr. Norman Black and Kay Pigeon to presenta program December 30 on bicentennial celebrationplans in Longview. Their project was to makeLongview “The City of Flags in 1976.”

Here is a sampling of programs under ProgramChairman Tom Landers: August 5, Sinclair Kouns,President of the Shreveport Steamers football team;August 12, Dr. Abner McCall, President of Baylor Uni-versity, and Dr. Guy Newman, Chancellor of HowardPayne University; January 5, Senator John Tower,speaking to a joint meeting with other clubs at the Con-tessa Inn; January 20, Rotarians Mike Macey and BobParrott (pastors of Trinity Episcopal and First Meth-odist churches) on episcopal church government, fol-lowed the next week by Rotarian Rex Humphreys (pas-tor of Founders Christian Church) on congregationalchurch government; February 17, Dr. Clayton Mitchell,on plans for a second hospital in Longview; and March23, a bus tour of the new Longview High School.

1976–77: Bob Carroll, President

A native of Houston, Bob was raised in Silver Spring,Maryland, graduating from high school there. In 1957,

57. Charles Robert “Bob” Carroll1930–1989

Photo by courtesy of Ramey Carroll

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he married Catherine Anne Ramey of San Diego,California. A self-educated man, Bob went into sales ofjanitorial supplies and was transferred by Cello WaxCompany from Baltimore to Dallas as district salesmanager in the early 1960s. In 1967, he moved toLongview and went into business as Texas CustodialServices, operating out of his residence. By 1976, theexpanding company was located at 931 Young Street,where Bob and Cathy also started Cathy’s Carpet Careand Maid Service. In 1981, they bought and remodeledthe present location at 1802 East Cotton Street.Members of Alpine Presbyterian Church, Bob and Cathyreared a son, Ramey, and three daughters, Mary Lou,Christy, and Peggy. Bob was inducted into theLongview Rotary Club by Loyd Hudson on October 21,1969. After rising through the board and serving aspresident, Bob continued tireless service in many clubprojects. He and Ted Mooney were the official indoctri-nators of prospective new members. Bob was also activein the Masonic order and the Southwest Association ofBuilding Service Contractors, which he served as boardmember and president. After Bob passed away in 1989,Ramey Carroll, an active member of this club, capablystepped into his father’s shoes in running the familybusiness.

CHIEF EDITOR DICK AVENT of the Rotaview pro-vided a fitting summary of Bob Carroll’s adminis-

tration at the end of the year, on July 5, 1977:

Under the leadership of President Bob Carroll,his fine directors, committee chairmen, secretary,bulletin editors, and outstanding members, theLongview Downtown Rotary Club has had a verygood year for 1976–77. All committees functioned sowell that our club won the award of the “most repre-sentative club in District 583.” This team effortincluded having outstanding programs for most ofthe year, an excellent Rotary Ann Banquet, atten-dance consistently over 95% (excellent for a club oursize), five new road signs on main highways intoLongview, sponsoring the Lobo Relays, establishingthe Past Presidents Council, expanded grants tovocational students, sending an exchange student toSweden, hosting an exchange student from Sweden,increasing the Rotary Foundation annual contribu-tion level to 2,000%, and getting a district governorelected from our club. Congratulations to all whocontributed to bring this about!

In the Rotaview for August 17, President Bobemphasized a theme which never grows old forRotarians:

My personal opinion is that every man, woman,and child owes something to the community thatprovides their livelihood. It makes no differencewhether a person chooses a civic club, garden club,art gallery, symphony, or picking up cans by theroadside; they all play a part in the improvement ofour community. Of course, there is a big differencein belonging to a group or working with a group.Our goal this Rotary Year is to have all Rotariansperform at least two acts of community service—out-side of Rotary. It is not much of a goal. Most of thefellows you sit with each week will perform eight orten acts of service and never even think about it. I

certainly hope that you are not one of the ones thatdon’t do anything. Think about it.

The club’s first Tom Putman award (for the priorRotary year) was presented on August 10, 1976, toCecil Richardson by Past President Ted Mooney. Tedexplained that the award would be presented each yearto the Rotarian who best exemplified the principle ofService Above Self. At this time, Tom Putman himselfwas an honorary member, still writing Rotaview bul-letins occasionally as needed. The award for the cur-rent Rotary year, in turn, was presented on June 28,1977, to John Harrison for his work on the LoboRelays. (See Chapter 6.)

On August 10, Aaron Selber, Chairman of theBoard of Selber’s department store of Shreveport, dis-cussed the new Longview Mall, scheduled to open forbusiness by the coming February. He noted projectionsof 1980 income of $750,000,000 for Longview and$550,000,000 for Tyler.

At the Rotary Ann banquet on February 8, W. D.and LeGrande Northcutt made their mother JosephineStill Northcutt the first lady Paul Harris fellow of theclub. On April 12, Past President Ted Mooney won theDistrict 583 annual Paul Harris fellowship.

Some other outstanding programs: July 6, BobEitelman, Executive Secretary of the LongviewChamber of Commerce, presenting a panoramic slideshow in the VIP room of the Chamber building; andJanuary 25, Mack Wallace, Chairman of the TexasRailroad Commission.

On January 4, the price of a Rotary meal at theDowntowner Motor Hotel went up to three dollars. OnMarch 15, President Bob was reportedly very upsetover the awful attendance at the March 1 meeting(seven absent, 95.2% score). He suggested drasticaction, such as orientation meetings and publishingtwice a year the number of times each member isabsent without make-up.

1977–78: Dr. W. D. Northcutt, III,President

All three William Davis Northcutts have been membersof this club. Doctor Billy was a founder, and his son Billwas on the roster from August 7, 1951, until he died inDecember, 1971. For several years after Doctor W. D. theThird joined on September 29, 1964, the club had fourNorthcutts: Bill, his cousin Percy, and his two sonsLeGrande and W. D. (LeGrande joined on May 12 ofthat year, taking Bill’s classification of Fire Insurance.)On February 8, 1977, Bill’s widow Josephine became thefirst woman honored as a Paul Harris fellow in thisclub.

Born in Longview in 1933, W. D. graduated fromLongview High School in 1950, from Baylor Universityin 1954, and from Baylor College of Dentistry in 1957.He then married Susanne Sandberg of Texas City,served two years in the Air Force in Fairbanks, Alaska,and commenced practicing orthodontics in Longview.His graduate orthodontic education was obtained at

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Washington University in St. Louis, then St. LouisUniversity, and finally Columbia University. W. D.practiced with Dr. Wade Clendenen until 1974, by him-self until 1984, and in a subsequent partnership until1992. Since then, he has been a consultant with Dr.Clark Spencer. He also is a partner in NorthcuttInterests, a property management, real estate, and oiland gas investment company, as well as a director ofFirst Federal Savings Bank of Longview.

While serving on the City Council from 1983 to 1987,W. D. was elected Mayor Pro Tempore. He has beenpresident or board chairman of the LongviewCommission on Arts and Culture, the Gregg CountyHistorical Foundation, Crisman Preparatory School,First United Methodist Church administrative board,Longfellows Association, Summit Club, LongviewMuseum and Arts Center, Longview CommunityTheater, Gregg County Dental Society, Longview HealthService Development Board, and the Lieutenant M.Baldwin Chapter of the Sons of the AmericanRevolution. In addition, he has been a director of theHockaday School, Trinity School of Texas, LeTourneauCollege Associates, Longview Symphony League,Longview Civic Music Association, Gregg CountyHistorical Commission, Good Shepherd Medical CenterFoundation, Cherokee Club, Arthritis Foundation, andBaylor Dental College Century Club.

W. D. and Susanne have four children: Davis (W. D.the Fourth), Walter, Cissy (Frances), and Le (LeGrande).

Both Walter and Cissy’s husband Craig Abernathy aremembers of this club.

AFTER 48 YEARS of meeting every Tuesday at thesame place, the club had to change its location at

the end of this Rotary year. When the Gregg Hotelwas finished early in 1930, we moved there from theMagnolia Hotel. We remained through changes inownership, while the hotel continued to operate underthe names of Longview Hilton, Hotel Longview, andfinally Downtowner. But now the hotel was going outof business, and the building was to be used as a dor-mitory by LeTourneau College. By vote of the member-ship, Pinecrest Country Club was selected as our newhome. We convened there for the first time on June 6,1978, in the midst of a severe thunderstorm.

Officers serving with President W. D. were as fol-lows: Vice President Rogers Pope, Secretary-TreasurerTom Brown, Club Service Director Charles Cobb,Vocational Service Director Leo Wall, CommunityService Director Henry Gossett, International ServiceDirector Milton Cammack, Sergeant-at-Arms DavidBailey, and Past President Bob Carroll. Dick Aventcontinued as chief editor of the Rotaview, and his ros-ter of assistants changed to Mike Macey, GeneMcWhorter, Jr., and Porter Brandon.

Our Interact Club at Longview High School wasgoing strong. On October 18, Interact officers RussellBuckstaff and Jack Slagle were guests at the LongviewRotary Club. They reported inducting 48 new mem-bers this year, bringing total membership to 70. UnderJohn Harrison’s supervision, we also continued spon-sorship of the Lobo Relays annual track meet, whichwas held on March 31.

Among other noteworthy programs under ProgramChairman Blackshear Jameson were the following:September 6, Mark White, Secretary of State of Texas(appointed by Governor Dolph Briscoe), on the “energycrisis;” November 8, Bob Cargill, Senior, of Longviewon economic growth in Longview and East Texas, pre-dicting a population of 100,000 for Longview by 1987;April 11, Mayor and fellow Rotarian J. R. Curtis on thenew city charter, the recent non-attainment ruling onGregg County by the U. S. Environmental ProtectionAgency, the proposed civic center, and reduction ofgarbage pickup service (pickup only of plastic bags atthe curb, no longer from garbage cans without bags inresidents’ yards); May 2, fellow Rotarian LarryMartin, City Manager of Longview, on the financialstatus of the city.

On the last day of the year, July 4, the TomPutman award was presented to Charley Rader.Belatedly for this Rotary year, on July 25, 1978, a PaulHarris fellowship was presented to John Harrison.This was the first such fellowship awarded out of clubfunds as an honorary gesture. We have continued thattradition each year since then, sometimes with morethan one award.

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58. William Davis Northcutt, III, D.D.S.President, 1977–78

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1978–79: Rogers Pope, President

John Rogers Pope was born into the third generation ofa banking family in Overton in 1937. His grandfatherR. A. Motley married a first cousin of Longview oil manand Rotarian Rogers Lacy and founded the First StateBank of Overton in 1910. His father John L. Pope estab-lished Pope and Turner Furniture Company withJudson Turner in Overton in 1938 and still operates itin addition to the bank. Graduating as valedictorian ofOverton High School in 1955, Rogers earned highesthonors at Baylor and later SMU, where he received anM.B.A degree in 1966. Along the way, he was employedat First National Bank in Dallas and the family bank inOverton. Then as a C.P.A., he worked at Peat MarwickMitchell in Dallas. In 1969, he joined the Rotary Clubas well as Longview Bank and Trust, where he hasbecome Chairman and CEO. Rogers is also a director of

the Overton bank and chairman of Lindale State Bankand First State Bank of Van. He is married to the for-mer Joyce Davis of Overton, and they have three chil-dren: Jan McClelland, Rogers, Jr. (a member of thisclub), and Jennifer Jones. Besides being a deacon atFirst Baptist Church, Rogers has served in about twodozen local, regional, and national organizations, rang-ing from the Longview Chamber of Commerce (past pres-ident) and the Baylor University Board of Regents to theAmerican Bankers Association.

THE YEAR 1978 marked another turning point inthe history of the Rotary Club of Longview. Since

founding the other two Rotary clubs in Longview, thisone had become known informally as the LongviewDowntown club. The nickname was especially fittingbecause the hotel where the club had been meeting for48 years had long since been renamed the Downtowner.

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Chapter 5.Goodbye to Downtown Longview,

1978 to 1995

Home of the Rotary Club of Longview, 1979 to 1987The Longview Community Center, looking southeast at the corner of Whaley and Second Streets

Photo by courtesy of Gregg County Historical Museum

Copyright 1995 by Longview Rotary Endowment Fund, Inc.The Adobe Acrobat PDF file of which this notice is a part was created (with minor corrections) from a book entitled The Club and the Town: The Rotary Cluband the City of Longview, Texas, Year by Year from 1920 to 1995, published in 1995 by Longview Rotary Endowment Fund, Inc. Notwithstanding the prohibi-tion of reproduction without permission on the copyright page of the book, the publisher provides this PDF file to the general public without charge, but only forpurposes of reference and research. The publisher strictly prohibits publication, distribution, or dissemination of this file or any part or printed pages thereof, orconversion of the file into any other format, without prior written permission. Longview Rotary Endowment Fund, Inc., PO Box 2244, Longview, TX 75606

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But the central business district of the city was follow-ing the path of stagnation which has affected nearly allAmerican cities. Loop 281 had been establishedaround the northern part of the city beginning in 1964,and Longview Mall opened this very year. Now,because the hotel was being closed, the Rotary Club ofLongview had moved its meeting place to PinecrestCountry Club on June 6, 1978. Thus, although thecentral business district still had many years of liferemaining, for this club it was goodbye to downtownLongview in more ways than one.

When outgoing District Governor Bill Campbell ofMount Vernon installed Rogers Pope and his officers,he also installed his own successor: our former presi-dent Charles Tullis. Members of Rogers’s administra-tion were President-Elect Charles Cobb, Secretary-Treasurer Tom Brown, Club Service Director HenryGossett, Community Service Director MiltonCammack, Vocational Service Director Julian Fiegel,and International Service Director Dick Dial. DickAvent continued as chief Rotaview editor, assisted byMike Macey, Porter Brandon, Gene McWhorter, Jr.,and Lloyd Schultz.

Since our man was district governor, it was fittingthat the annual district conference be held in Longview.It took place on March 23 and 24 at the Holiday Inn,under the general chairmanship of Henry Gossett.

On December 26, Past President Bob Carroll spoketo us on community service, urging us to sponsor aRotoract club—similar to an Interact club but for bothmen and women of college age (18 to 28). Nothingcame of it, then or later.

On February 27, Joe Fugitt announced that theclub’s board of directors had approved sponsorship of aHubert Gregg Day and the collection of contributionsto help him pay off his house. Mr. Gregg was the ami-able blind man who had been making a living sellingpeanuts in Longview for decades. Joe’s successfuleffort was crowned by the city’s proclamation of HubertGregg Day in Longview at our meeting on April 3.This was the beginning of what became our annualLongview Rotary Citizen of the Year award.

The death of Tom Putman was noted in theRotaview for March 13, 1979. Though not an activeRotarian for several years due to illness, he was stilllisted as the club’s only honorary member.

The following programs stand out in readingthrough the Rotaview bulletins for the year: August 1,Lionel Barry of Hospital Corporation of America, onhis plans for the new Longview Regional Hospital,scheduled for completion in June, 1980; Both August15 and 22, Longview’s own Nazi Holocaust survivor,Coen Rood; September 5 with all three LongviewRotary clubs, Senator John Tower; March 20, TommyCarlisle and Jack Reeves, candidates for mayor underthe newly adopted city charter (Jack drew ourapplause for opposing federal revenue sharing but lostthe election); April 17, Congressman Ray Roberts.

At the Sweetheart Banquet on February 20, theclub presented its annual Paul Harris fellowship toPast President Bob Carroll. The Tom Putman awardfor the year was presented to outgoing DistrictGovernor Charles Tullis on June 26 after he inductedthe club officers for the coming year.

1979–80: Charles Cobb, President

The son of Frank and Lillie May Ottman Cobb, Charleswas born in Longview in 1944 and graduated fromLongview High School at the top of his class in 1962.(Frank joined this club when Charles was president.)He majored in math and engineering at the University ofTexas, then joined Frank in electrical contracting andbecame a member of the Rotary Club of Longview in1967 when he was barely 23 years old. When MikeHutchison moved to Dallas, Charles was appointed sec-retary-treasurer of the club in February, 1972, andserved more than a year, being succeeded by Tom Brown.He was this club’s youngest secretary-treasurer, thirdyoungest president, and perhaps the youngest personever inducted. He served as Boy Scout committee chair-man, Interact Club sponsor and district chairman, andAttendance Committee chairman; became a Paul Harrisfellow when he was president; and received the TomPutman award for 1982–83. Charles was married to theformer Elizabeth Amick of Longview, and their childrenare Beth, May, and Susie. In September, 1994, he mar-ried Dr. Ann Rhodes of Longview. Charles has served

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59. John Rogers PopePresident, 1978–79

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on the school board of Longview Independent SchoolDistrict. He has been president of the Longview Museumand Arts Center, treasurer of the Greater LongviewUnited Way, and a director of the Northeast TexasElectrical Contractors Association.

THIS YEAR WAS the diamond anniversary ofRotary International. It was also the year when

the club moved its meeting place from PinecrestCountry Club (after only a year and a half there) to theLongview Community Center. Some of the countryclub members had objected to our taking up so manyparking spaces for the Tuesday noon meetings. OnNovember 13, 1979, Rotaview editor Ted Mooneynoted, “Our club will be tested during the next fewweeks as we resolve the meeting-place problem. Weneed to pull together to meet this challenge by support-ing our directors and officers. If a change takes place Iam sure we can adjust.”

On August 14, 1979, Reese Middleton and KerryCammack announced plans to reactivate our Boy ScoutTroop 202. They had a scoutmaster lined up but need-ed more scouts and a meeting place. Fellow Rotarianand Scout executive Bud Trigleth presented an annualtroop charter to the club on August 21. However, asPresident Charles later explained, it was not a goodtime to reactivate the troop. This is the last mention ofTroop 202 in the weekly bulletin.

On October 30, the Rotaview carried excerpts fromTexas Business, including the following:

Last year, Longview moved back into itsNumber 2 statewide position in number of newindustrial plants built (14) and expanded (28). In1977, it had been nosed into Number 3 by the[Dallas and Fort Worth] Metroplex and Houston.

Some...employees who relocated...in Longviewwill no doubt settle their families among the 18 newsubdivisions currently projected or planned for thecity in 1979. During 1978, a total of 24 residentialsubdivisions were added. These new settlers evi-dently had jobs looking for them instead of the otherway around.

On February 26, it was announced that the club’shonoring of Hubert Gregg last year would be taken asthe first of a series of annual awards. Joe Fugitt head-ed a committee to consider suggested candidates. As aresult, the club presented Millie Harper a Paul Harrisfellowship on June 10 for her tireless work atWoodland Christian Church on behalf of the sick, shut-ins, and elderly. This annual award was later to becalled the Longview Rotary Citizen of the Year.

Also on June 10, Jim Stjernstrom received the TomPutman award. The club’s regular end-of-year PaulHarris fellowship, in turn, was presented on June 24 toDell Messner.

The club co-sponsored the Lobo Relays, held onMarch 29—the fourth year of our involvement withthis annual event as a Rotary service project. JohnHarrison and Bob Carroll were in charge.

On June 17, 1980, we inducted Ray Jackson twomonths after he became city manager. Former CityManager Larry Martin continued as a Rotarian in theclassification of Banking, Public Relations.

Here are some programs that stand out in the list:November 18, Texas Railroad Commissioner JimNugent; March 18, the Four-Way Test speech contestamong Longview High School students; March 4,Carroll Callahan introduced congressional candidateRalph Hall of Rockwall; and after Ralph won theDemocratic primary, Andy Guinn brought us hisRepublican opponent John Wright on May 20.

That maiden speech of Ralph’s to us has becomeimmortalized in the legends of the club. Our youngpresident was about to turn 36 on March 9. He likedto emphasize that Rotary exemplified serious businessand community leadership in Longview. Just as hecalled the meeting to order, a pretty girl in a 1950sdrum majorette costume rushed in from the west doorof the Community Center and commenced an ener-getic tap-dance routine in front of the head table,singing a lively birthday song to Charles that began,“You’re aging, aging, aging.” It was a Kilgore collegecoed who operated a thriving business deliveringtasteful greetings of this sort. The president unhesi-tatingly made a dive under the table, but consideratefriends on either side dragged him back to face the

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60. Charles Franklin Cobb, Jr.President, 1979–80

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music. Just before Shuffling Off to Buffalo out thedoor, the performer planted a heavy lipsticky kiss onCharles’s forehead.

Candidate Ralph watched all these goings-on withrapt appreciation. He opened his speech thus: “Onprimary election day, May 4, you would probablyexpect me to be anxiously awaiting the results at mycampaign headquarter in Rockwall. But no, I will bein Longview instead, because that happens to be mybirthday, and I want a greeting just like the one yourpresident just got.” Charles, meantime, was still try-ing to wipe off the lipstick.

It was obvious even at the time that this entertain-ment had been arranged by Terry Woods, then a mem-ber of the Longview-Greggton club. If his aim was tosurprise and embarrass the earnest young president,he certainly succeeded, to the delight of the entirehouse. Charles took it in characteristic good humor.However, some said that for the rest of the year, heanxiously eyed the door every time he sounded theopening gavel.

1980–81: Henry Gossett, President

Henry Oscar Gossett, Junior, was born in Fort Worth in1913. His father, after many years as a judge, camelooking for opportunities in Longview right after DadJoiner’s Daisy Bradford oil well made news toward theend of 1930. As soon as Henry graduated from Central(now Pascal) High School in 1931, he and his mothercame along too. Henry attended Rice Institute (nowUniversity) and Cumberland University Law School inTennessee. In 1935, he married Margaret Cash inRichmond, Virginia. The same year, he entered lawpractice with his father in Longview. specializing in oiland gas, continuing after the senior Henry died in 1959.On the side, Henry was also involved in other business-es, including retail jewelry, outdoor and indoor movietheaters, a motel and restaurant, wire-line well service,and oil pipelining. In 1970, he gave up law practice andentered full-time into oil and gas well drilling and pro-duction, an oilfield supply store, a well servicing compa-ny, and an N.A.S.D. brokerage business.

Since 1932, Henry has been a member of FirstBaptist Church, serving as Sunday school teacher andsuperintendent, training union director, chairman of thefinance committee for erecting the Christian educationbuilding, and chairman of the Board of Deacons.Having joined the Longview Rotary club on February 16,1965 (the same day as Delbert Bright), he has nevermissed a meeting. As president of the Gregg CountyHistorical Foundation from 1979 to 1989, he was theprincipal founder of the Gregg County HistoricalMuseum. In addition he has been vice-president of theIndependent Petroleum Association of America; presi-dent of the Texas State Chamber of Commerce, EastTexas Chamber of Commerce, Gregg County BarAssociation, and Longview Civitan Club; founding pres-ident of the LeTourneau University Associates; and atrustee of East Texas Baptist University.

Besides all that, Henry is a fisherman, woodworker,artist (portrait, landscape, watercolor, and oil), comput-

er hacker, and electronic tinkerer. He and Margaret areavid musicians and composers. They have two daugh-ters, Sally and Henrietta (Yetta).

TWO DISTINGUISHING characteristics ofPresident Henry’s administration were excellent

programs under Program Chairman Mark Abernathyand historical awareness regarding Rotary Inter-national and this club. The sixtieth anniversary ofthe club had occurred the previous May, and the 75thanniversary of Rotary International came onFebruary 24, 1981 (observed by this club with a spe-cial program). Throughout the year, Henry often pre-sented a tidbit of historical information, which hecalled the D.Y.K. of the week (standing for “Did youknow?”) For example, on August 26, Henry said, “Didyou know that W. D. Northcutt was a founding mem-ber of the club in 1920?” He then explained he wasspeaking not of our own latter-day Dr. W. D., but hisgrandfather.

Longview Regional Hospital had opened for busi-ness in June, 1980. We got a report on this long-awaited facility by administrator Jon Trezona in thefirst program of the Rotary year on July 1. As chair-man of the Longview Hospital Authority, our BillMcReynolds had assisted in establishing LRH.

On July 22, our honorary member Bill NorthcuttTaylor was recognized as the oldest living president,

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61. Henry Oscar Gossett, Jr.President, 1980–81

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and Mayor Tommie Carlisle presented a proclamationof Bill Northcutt Taylor Day in Longview. Bill diedless than a year later, on May 14, 1981.

On October 28, after John O’Brien of the NationalWeather Service described his efforts to bring aweather warning system to Longview, Leo Wall pre-sented 14 weather alert radios to the LongviewIndependent School System as a gift of the club foruse in schools.

The same day, Rotaview editor Wells Burtonnoted a Longview Morning Journal article on thebusiness and construction boom in downtownLongview, contrary to trends in other East Texascities. Three buildings were recently built or remod-eled, five were under construction, and five more wereplanned.

On December 16, President Henry announcedthat a committee headed by Curtis Morris wouldbegin working on a club history to supplement theone published in 1963. After laying some importantgroundwork, the committee suspended work. In thefall of 1993, the project was picked up where they leftoff, resulting in this book.

John Harrison recruited Blackshear Jameson,Julian Fiegel, Bob Carroll, and Ronnie Pliler to helpwith staging the annual Lobo Spring Relays, held onMarch 28. The Rotarians wore white sunshades as auniform.

According to the Rotaview of June 2, 1981, thisclub took over sponsorship of Boy Scout Troop 262, ofwhich our member Arthur Brown was scoutmaster.That troop had been sponsored since the late 1940s byTrinity Episcopal Church. Our own Troop 202 hadbeen defunct for at least two years.

The Longview Rotary Citizen of the Year wasGene Boyd, recognized in a program on April 28 forservice to alcoholics at Boyd House, which he and hiswife established in the Greggton Area in 1970. TheTom Putman award for the year was presented toRotaview editor Wells Burton on June 23; Tom’sRotary Ann, Nancy, was a guest. The club’s PaulHarris fellowship for the year was presented to PastPresident John C. Murphy on July 7, 1981.

Here are some outstanding programs during theyear: August 5, James E. Chenault, Jr, new presi-dent and CEO of Lone Star Steel Company, a sub-sidiary of Northwest Industries with a 100-million-dollar payroll and booming oilfield business; October14, Lieutenant Governor William P. Hobby;November 11, Paul Thayer, Chairman and CEO ofLTV Corporation; February 12, Texas RailroadCommissioner Mack Wallace; and May 19, Texasattorney general and future governor Mark White.

A new lectern was built for the club, designed byAndy Guinn, featuring brass letters and medallion.And as a parting gift to the club, President Henry andhis Rotary Ann, Margaret, gave us American andTexas flags, complete with bases and staffs featuringgold flying eagles on top.

1981–82: Milton Cammack,President

Born in Paxton, Texas, in 1925, James MiltonCammack settled with his family in Longview in 1939.His father Edwin operated a grocery store on MobberlyAvenue across from South Ward School. Milton gradu-ated from Longview High School in 1943, then servedtwo and a half years in the army air corps as a flightofficer, including several months as a B-29 bombardierbased on Saipan Island. After the war, he attendedKilgore College and Baylor University. In 1947, Miltonmarried Betye Sapp (daughter of Marshall and MyrtleSapp of Sapp’s Nursery in Longview), and they rearedsix sons: Jim, Calvin, Tony, Casey, Bob, and Jason.Tony is a past president of the Longview South RotaryClub, Casey is a past president of this club, and Bob ispresident-elect of the Longview-Greggton Rotary Club.Out of Milton and Betye’s ten grandchildren, seven areboys. Betye died in 1989. Milton represented TheEquitable Life Assurance Society of the United Statesfrom 1951 until retirement in 1992, when he turned thebusiness over to Tony, Casey, and Bob. Among otherservice at First Methodist Church, Milton has been aSunday school teacher. His community service hasincluded one term on the Longview City Council, twoterms on the Longview Independent School Districtboard, and board membership for Greater LongviewUnited Way, Hospice Longview, and Pinecrest CountryClub.

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62. James Milton CammackPresident, 1981–82

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PRESIDENT MILTON can rightfully claim this as avery, very good Rotary year. Besides enjoying good

programs and increases in membership and atten-dance, we instituted the Longview Rotary Golf Tourna-ment as the club’s major annual fund-raising event.Jim Haralson and Tom Brown were co-chairmen forthe project. Most of the $4,489 raised was assigned toa major international service project to provide equip-ment to a school for retarded children in Puntarenas,Costa Rica. (See Chapter 6 for more on both of theseevents.) We also contributed $1000 to the Longview-Greggton Rotary Club for their new park for the handi-capped in Longview. In addition, $300 was donated tothe Paris Rotary Club as aid for tornado victims.

Milton established four basic goals for the year: (1)familiarize officers and committee chairmen with theRotary International Manual of Procedure, (2) updateour club’s constitution and by-laws, (3) conduct twofund-raising projects, and (4) promote attendance atthe Rotary International convention in Dallas in June.At a club assembly on April 27, we heard progressreports from President Milton and the club directors,then adopted the revised constitution and by-laws.Henry Gossett handed out copies the next August 31,earning special appreciation for his work.

Jim Stjernstrom succeeded Wells Burton asRotaview editor, beginning a long period of service inthat capacity.

On November 3, 1981, two months after takingover as Longview Public Library Director, Jeff Rippeldescribed for us the kind of library Longview ought tohave. Jeff became a member of this club on the follow-ing May 11, and the library became a reality six yearslater. It was an addition to the city office complex forwhich a bond election was held in December, 1981.

Some other programs were as follows: June 30,Congressman Sam Hall, one of 28 “boll weevil” Demo-crats who voted for President Reagan’s budget cuts;July 14, Jack Evans, Mayor of Dallas; August 18,Howard Putnam, president of Southwest Airlines;September 29, State Senator Peyton McKnight;January 17, a report by Ralph Hall on his first year inCongress; and March 6, State Senator Ed Howard.

On June 1, the Longview Rotary Citizen of theYear award was presented to Agnes Scruggs for a vastarray of community patriotic activities. Beginningwith the national bicentennial celebration in 1976 andcontinuing for years afterwards, she was the principalpromoter of Longview as “the city of flags.” On June29, the Tom Putman award went to Tom Brown andthe club’s Paul Harris fellowship to Andy Guinn.Earlier, on December 22, we had honored Julian Fiegelwith another Paul Harris Fellowship.

A new club attendance rule was announced onJune 22. Members and visiting Rotarians will receivecredit for attendance only if they are present fromwhen a meeting is called to order until adjournment or1:00 p.m., whichever comes first, unless they haveprior approval from the secretary.

1982–83: Julian Fiegel, President

Julian’s father Reginald came from New York, marriedStella Meyer of Marshall, lived for a while in Shreveportwhere Julian was born in 1925, and settled in Tylerwith Etex Paper Company. Julian graduated from TylerHigh school in 1942. After a year at Texas A&M, hejoined the Army and was assigned to the 305th HeavyBomb Group of the Eighth Air Force based in England.A staff sergeant, he flew 35 combat missions overGermany as a tail gunner in B-17 Flying Fortresses.Home after the war, Julian majored in business at theUniversity of Texas at Austin, then joined his father atEtex Paper Company in Tyler. Transferred to Longviewin 1966, he rose to the position of Vice President andDivision Manager before retirement in 1988. Havingbeen inducted into our fellowship by Bob Brown on June18, 1968, Julian has never missed a meeting. We hon-ored him with a Paul Harris fellowship in December,1981. A thirty-second-degree Scottish Rite Mason, he isa member of Lodge Number 404 in Longview and ofSharon Shrine Temple, where he served as Potentate in1986. He is on the board of governors of the ShreveportUnit of the Shriners’ Hospitals for Crippled Children.

THE MOST NOTABLE landmark of Julian’s yearwas the establishment of the Longview Rotary

Endowment Fund by vote at a club assembly onAugust 24, 1982. (See Chapter 6.) At Christmas time,we won the competition among service clubs for collect-

63. Julian M. FiegelPresident, 1982–83

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ing the most donations for the Salvation Army, turningin $3,366. The second annual Longview Rotary GolfTournament netted $5,227, a healthy increase over theinaugural event of the preceding year.

There had been a movement among some membersto return to Pinecrest Country Club as our meetingplace. But at a business meeting called to discuss theissue on December 7, a motion to that effect wastabled. There was considerable uncertainty as towhether we would be welcome at the country club.

Rather suddenly, Longview seemed to be gettinginterested in local history and preservation of historicbuildings. Besides starting the ball rolling toward publi-cation of this book two years earlier, Henry Gossett (aschairman of the Gregg County Historical Foundation)promoted creation of the Gregg County HistoricalMuseum. Opened in March of 1984, the museum occu-pies the Everett Building in downtown Longview, whichwas dedicated after renovation early in 1983. Also, theJunior League of Longview had engaged architect DavidHarrison (son of our past president John) to begin cata-loging historic sites in the county. He reported that pro-ject to us on November 9, 1982. It was for a book on thissurvey that the Junior League hired our GeneMcWhorter, Jr., to write a county history which insteadbecame a separate book published by the historical foun-dation in 1989, Traditions of the Land. And in a pro-gram for us on November 30, 1982, Architect JohnAdams advocated a redevelopment and revitalizationprogram to restore worthy old buildings in downtownLongview. Among other laudable projects, John wasinstrumental in restoring the Norton & Barbee grocerybuilding (built in the 1920s by Rotarian LawrenceBirdsong for Rotarians Lee Norton and Claude Barbeewith others) for office purposes. Thanks to efforts suchas these, the popular tide of destruction of our architec-tural heritage was held back for a time.

It was partly for her help in acquiring the EverettBuilding for the museum that we presented our annualLongview Rotary Citizen of the Year award to Ann LacyCrain on April 19. She is the wife of renowned archi-tect B. W. Crain, Jr., and daughter of Longview oil manand Rotarian Rogers Lacy. Her late father-in-law B. W.Crain, Senior, and her brother-in-law E. B. Crain werealso members of this club. Ann was praised as a quietphilanthropist. Recently elected City Councilman W.D. Northcutt, III, read Mayor Mitch Henderson’sproclamation of Ann Lacy Crain Day.

At the last meeting of the Rotary year, the clubpresented its annual Paul Harris fellowship to BobBrown. For many years, Bob did the weekly duty ofintroducing guests and visiting Rotarians. In thatcapacity, he originated the weekly badge prize. TheTom Putman award for the year went to former presi-dent Charles Cobb.

Here are some memorable programs of the year:November 2, football coaches Doug Cox of theLongview Lobos and Maurice Cook of the Pine TreePirates, discussing the following Friday’s game

between their two 5-A teams; February 1, MayorMitch Henderson, reporting on his first nine months inoffice; March 29, County Judge Henry Atkinson,reporting on (among other topics) the new 100,000-square-foot addition to the courthouse.

1983–84: Dick Dial, President

Richard A. Dial is a third-generation Rotary president.Both his father David J. Dial (a CPA) and his maternalgrandfather Boone Hombs (a merchant) were presidentsof the Palestine club. Though born in Fort Worth, Dickwas reared in the home town and graduated fromPalestine High School in 1964. A Sig Ep at theUniversity of Texas, he earned a BBA in accounting in1968 and a master’s degree in professional accountingwith highest honors the following year. Dick worked forPeat Marwick Mitchell in Dallas until 1976. In thatyear, he married a fellow accountant, BonniePrendergast of Marshall, moved to Longview, joined ourclub, and opened an accounting partnership withBonnie. Her father George, an attorney retired fromTexas Eastman, was a member of the Marshall RotaryClub. Dick has been president of the East Texas Chapterof the Texas Society of CPAs and of the Northeast TexasEstate Planning Council, treasurer of Good ShepherdMedical Center and of the Gregg County Chapter ofDucks Unlimited, and a director of the Texas

64. Richard Alan DialPresident, 1983–84

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Association of Hospitals and the Texas Society of CPAs.He and Bonnie are members of First Christian Church.

AMONG OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS of this year,President Dick is particularly proud of the weekly

programs under Program Chairman Gene Coddou.Many of them were covered by television and radio aswell as newspapers, providing excellent publicity forthe club. Speakers included the following: formerTexas Governor Bill Clements; Lieutenant GovernorBill Hobby; State Comptroller Bob Bullock; Speakerof the Texas House of Representatives Gib Lewis; BollWeevil Congressman Kent Hance of Lubbock;Congressman Ralph Hall of Rockwall; CongressmanSam Hall of Marshall; State Senator Ed Howard ofTexarkana; State Representative Jimmy Mankins ofKilgore; future congressman Jim Chapman of Sulphursprings; Roberto Quinonez-Meza, former Salvadoranambassador to the United States; Southwest AthleticConference Commissioner Fred Jacoby; and Bill Gray,President of the Texas Association of Business.

On November 8, 1983, the club revived a formerpractice of honoring an outstanding Longview HighSchool student every month. The first LongviewRotary Student of the Month was Stacy Baucum, pre-sented as a guest at the meeting by Jeff Rippel. Later,the program was expanded to include internationalstudents at LeTourneau University.

Continuing club events included the following:club scholarship, presented to Longview High Schoolvaledictorian Jeff Mach; the Longview High Schoolspeech contest on the Rotary Four-Way Test; manningthe Salvation Army “bell-ringing” stations atChristmas time; awarding savings bonds to outstand-ing Longview High School vocational students on April24; and the third annual Longview Rotary GolfTournament on April 9.

Among other activities, we were the initiating cluband largest contributor to the District 583 world com-munity service project, drilling a water well in SouthAfrica. We assisted the Longview-Greggton RotaryClub with Rotary Park. In August, 1983, we sponsoreda boy and girl to the American Legion Boy’s State andGirl’s State events.

On May 22, C. C. Turner was honored as theLongview Rotary Citizen of the Year for his manyyears of distinguished service in teaching mathematicsat Longview High School. City Manager Ray Jacksonread Mayor Mitch Henderson’s proclamation of thatday as C. C. Turner Day in Longview.

At the end of the Rotary year, we presented theclub’s Paul Harris Fellowship to Syril Parker for beingour chief publicity agent over many decades.

1984–85: Leo Wall, President

Born and raised on a farm in Cass County, Leo graduat-ed from McLeod High School in 1952 and from EastTexas State University in 1960. He received CLU and

ChFC designations after study at American College. For15 years, Leo was an insurance salesman and managerfor Aetna Life & Casualty in Shreveport, Monroe,Longview, and Lubbock. In 1974, he settled permanent-ly in Longview, where he was associated with Gans &Smith for another 15 years before establishing his ownbusiness as Wall Financial Services in 1989.

As a member of the Optimist Club in Monroe, Leowas club president, Lieutenant Governor for Louisiana,and winner of the outstanding club president award forLouisiana as well as the International DistinguishedPresident award. In East Texas, he has served as direc-tor of 15 civic, benevolent, and professional organiza-tions. Besides this club, he has been president or chair-man of the Longview Chamber of Commerce, GreggCounty Crime Stoppers, Oil Belt Life InsuranceAssociation, and Sales and Marketing Executives of EastTexas. Along with other committee chairmanships atthe Chamber of Commerce, Leo was the principal origi-nator of the Leadership Longview program in 1981. Avery active member of Trinity Episcopal Church, he hasserved on the Vestry, conducted Children’s Chapel for 10years, won the “Love of Trinity” award, and chaired theChurch Growth Committee as well as the Brotherhood ofSt. Andrew.

Since 1987, Leo has been married to the former JudyWalker, who was originally from Sioux City, Iowa. Hehas three daughters, all of whom are presently in vari-ous stages of college educations: Julia Ann, Lee Barclay,and Whitney Leane.

65. Leo B. WallPresident, 1984–85

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IN DESCRIBING HIS YEAR, Leo wrote that we allhave our own different ideas on how to advance the

worthy Rotary object of service above self:

First, the directors wanted to participate in thefull scope of Rotary at all levels. If we aspired to bethe best club in district affairs, our local successwould take care of itself. Therefore we supportedthe district’s goals fully and provided leadership toassure their attainment.

Our second purpose was based on the belief thatthe true test of Rotary’s ideal of service above self isin community involvement—not merely throughRotary. We encouraged members to engage inworthwhile organizations that were makingLongview a better place to work and live.

In a survey we conducted among our club start-ing August 14, we found that in addition to Rotary,the average member participated in 2.5 benevolentor humanitarian organizations and projects. Thesewere the foremost endeavors of that sort in our com-munity. Also, most members were in major leader-ship roles at that time or in the past.

In the first program of the year, on July 3, WesFerns, manager of the new KLMG-TV station inLongview (Channel 51), said they would be on the airas a CBS affiliate in August. Longview had been thelargest city in the country without a television station.Ferns commended our Jim Singleton and Ray Jeter fortheir work in designing and constructing the building.

On August 21, we recognized four members for par-ticipation in District 583 activities. Roland Henry wasdistrict parliamentarian and chairman of the RotaryFoundation Scholarship Committee. Andy Guinn andBlackshear Jameson served on the InternationalService Committee. Andy also worked with the WorldCommunity Service Committee. Jack Welge was amember of the District Resolutions Committee.

On January 8, Dick Dial arranged for Leo toreceive dignified fiftieth birthday greetings similar toCharles Cobb’s 36th in 1980. The girl was dressed as anight-club hostess instead of a drum majorette, andshe delivered a balloon bouquet instead of tap-dancing,but the overall effect was much the same.

We contributed $1,200 to the City for Rotary Parkon July 17 and sent LeGrande Northcutt’s daughterAurelia to Girl’s State. On February 26, the club com-mitted $2,500 from that year’s golf tournament for aDistrict 583 project: sending teams of dentists the fol-lowing year to help impoverished Indians in TuxtlaGutierrez, Mexico. (They went instead to Belize.)

In addition, the club continued the usual activities:Longview High School student of the month; interna-tional LeTourneau student of the month; bell-ringingfor the Salvation Army at Christmas (we won theprize); LHS speech contest on the Rotary Four-WayTest on February 19; Longview Rotary golf tourna-ment on April 19, netting $4,500; presentation of sav-ings bonds to outstanding LHS vocational students onMay 21; club scholarship award to LHS senior BryanStidham announced on May 28; Longview Rotary

Citizen of the Year award on May 14 to our own E. K.Bennett, who died about three weeks later (CityCouncilman W. D. Northcutt read a proclamation fromnewly elected Mayor Lou Galosy); presentation of theclub’s Paul Harris fellowship to Vic Ferchill and theTom Putman award to Mike Macey on June 25; andclassification talks at nearly every meeting.

1985–86: Barcus DuBose, President

Barcus was born in Waxahachie in 1919 and grew up inSan Antonio, where his father was a cotton mill manag-er. Graduating from Thomas Jefferson High School in1936, he attended North Texas Agricultural College inArlington and got a chemical engineering degree fromTexas A&M in 1941. In the army for the next five years,he served in anti-aircraft artillery, including commandof a 90-millimeter battery in Europe. Meantime, in1943, he married Bertha Keller of Wilmington, NorthCarolina, who was a chemist working in the naval ship-yard. They have two sons—a PhD and an MD—and twograndchildren. In 1946, Big Three Industries sentBarcus to open a branch in Longview. He joined thisclub on March 25, 1955. Since 1964, he has operated hisown equipment supply company. Barcus is an activemember of First Methodist Church. His other leadershipservice has included the Longview Chamber ofCommerce and Jaycees, Boy Scouts of America, andLeTourneau University Associates.

66. John Barcus DuBosePresident, 1985–86

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THIS WAS AN ESPECIALLY big year for the clubin terms of money raised and given away. The

most notable event was the Rotary FashionExtravaganza spearheaded by Bob Brown on March 5,1986, raising about $12,000 for the planned newLongview Public Library in addition to individual con-tributions of more than $8,000. (See Chapter 6.) Our$20,000, plus $30,000 from the other two LongviewRotary clubs, resulted in the Rotary Periodical ReadingCenter in the new facility. The Extravaganza alsoserved as our Sweetheart Banquet for the year.

In addition to our regular club scholarship support,the new Longview Rotary Endowment Fund gave itsfirst scholarship award on July 23, 1985, to HershelRamsey, an employee of Mike Holbert. We were spon-soring Leslie Laffitte as a Rotary Exchange Student,and she visited us on August 13 before heading forBelgium. We won the Salvation Army Christmas col-lection competition with $3,250. The Golf Tournamentunder Jim Haralson’s direction on April 25, 1986, net-ted $5,816. The club contributed $2,000 to RotaryInternational’s Polio Plus eradication program. OnFebruary 25 and May 20, Dr. Wayne Legg and Dr. DeeRea reported on the first District 583 Dental TeamExcursion to Belize, which our club helped support.(See Chapter 6.) We gave the usual savings bondstotaling $300 to four vocational education studentsfrom Longview High School on April 29. And at theend of the year, on June 24, the club awarded not justone but three Paul Harris fellowships to Carrie Riff,Dick Dial, and Tom Brown. At that meeting, CityCouncilman W. D. Northcutt read Mayor Lou Galosy’sproclamation of Carrie Riff Day. We had already givenBob Brown a Paul Harris fellowship two years earlier,so we honored his work on the Fashion Extravaganzawith the Tom Putman Award for this year.

Another unusual event this year was the RotaryInternational Letters for Peace competition, a one-timeevent spearheaded for the club by Gene McWhorter,Jr., jointly with the other two Rotary clubs inLongview. A city-wide publicity effort conducted main-ly through the public schools resulted in 58 lettersbeing submitted by young people from 14 to 18 yearsold, offering suggestions to public officials for promot-ing world peace. The winner was awarded $500 for col-lege tuition. He and two runners-up were sent to fur-ther competition at the Rotary district level, leading tonational and international award possibilities.

The Longview Rotary Citizen of the Year, honoredon June 17, was Miss Doris McQueen, business manag-er of Longview Independent School District for manyyears.

Program chairmen Glenn Evans and Wayne Leggprovided several prominent speakers, including the fol-lowing: August 13, Governor Mark White; September17, Texas Railroad Commissioner Jim Nugent;November 25, chicken merchant Bo Pilgrim; and April1, State Treasurer Ann Richards, introduced by futuremayor and state treasurer Martha Whitehead.

1986–87: Dr. Jim Stjernstrom,President

Born in St. Paul in 1936, James Edward Stjernstromgraduated from high school there at MinnehahaAcademy in 1953. His subsequent career at BethelCollege in St. Paul was interrupted by two years as acook in an army hospital in Berlin, where he won thelast medal issued for World War II occupation duty. In1958, Jim married Kathryn Ann Youngberg ofMinneapolis. Working as a taxi driver and postal clerk,he got a BA at Bethel College and then a bachelor ofdivinity at Bethel Seminary in 1964. After two years aspastor in a Baptist church in Milaca, Minnesota, Jimsold real estate in Minneapolis while earning an MA inhistory and philosophy of education at the University ofMinnesota, awarded in 1973. At that time, R. G.LeTourneau’s sons Roy and Ben brought him into theirindustrial tractor dealership in Orlando as a chaplain.(Jim’s father Nels had been assistant to R. G. inLongview and then Vice President for Public Relationsfor the company, joining this club on October 6, 1970.)

From 1975 to 1992, Jim was Vice President in chargeof fund-raising for LeTourneau University. Meantime,he earned a Doctor of Ministry degree at Bethel in 1980.He and Kathryn raised three children as Texans andmembers of First Baptist Church: Jill, Scott, and John.Jim was inducted into our fellowship on November 7,1978, later winning both the Tom Putman award andthe club’s Paul Harris Fellowship for many years of ser-

67. James Edward Stjernstrom, D. Min.President, 1986–87

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vice, including editing the Rotaview. Jim’s affiliationsand service have included the National Society of Fund-Raising Executives, the Council for the Advancementand Support of Education, the Christian StewardshipAssociation, the Longview Volunteer Center, the Salva-tion Army Advisory Board, Greater Longview UnitedWay, Longview Chamber of Commerce, Longview Sym-phony League, and Longview Downtown DevelopmentCorporation. A certified fund-raising executive (CFRE),Jim is now Director of Development at GreenvilleCollege in Illinois. Nels and Bernice lived in retirementin Tyler, where Nels died in January, 1995. We look for-ward to Jim and Kathryn’s eventual return to theirhome among us in Longview.

AFTER FIVE YEARS as Rotaview editor, JimStjernstrom turned that job over to new member

Kenny Hawthorne and moved up to the presidency. Themost memorable event of Jim’s term was decided onApril 28, 1987, by a ballot of 77 to 18. After meeting atthe Longview Community Center for seven and a halfyears, we moved back to the Country Club on May 12.

The greatest change in the history of Rotaryoccurred during this year: As a result of a U.S. SupremeCourt decision which Rotary International had opposed,the organization dropped its restriction of membershipto men in the U.S. Applying the goodwill part of theFour-Way Test, this club quietly accepted the inevitable.

On April 28, LeGrande Northcutt and othersreported on “Longview Day in Austin.” A bus load ofcivic leaders descended on the capitol to lobby on educa-tion, the proposed Little Cypress reservoir, downtowndevelopment, tort reform, and oil and gas employment.

The Four-Way Test speech contest for LongviewHigh School students was conducted on March 3, intro-duced by Superintendent Buddy Davis. The sixthannual Rotary golf tournament was held on Friday,April 24, chaired by Bill Dodson. On June 2, we recog-nized four outstanding vocational students atLongview High School. The Rotary Citizen of the year,honored on June 23, was Jim Elam, pastor of FirstChristian Church (previously acclaimed by our BillO’Neal, Pastor of First Presbyterian Church, asEmperor of the Preachers). The Tom Putman awardwent to Dr. Wayne Legg on June 30, and Leo Wall wonthe club’s Paul Harris fellowship on July 21, 1987.

Our honorary member Ray Newnham turned 100years old on May 19. He died within a month.

Here are some weekly programs that deserve men-tion: July 15, 1986, Bud Austin, new president ofLeTourneau University; July 29, Bill Hilliard, newgeneral manager of the Little Cypress Utility District;November 25, Congressman Ralph Hall; April 7, 1987,Gladewater oil man Jack Phillips, father-in-law of ouronce and future member Mark Abernathy, showingmovies of his 1969 shooting trip in Kenya with Mark’sfuture wife Nancy, then 16 years old, who was seenblowing an elephant away with the same cheerfulaplomb that she now displays in chairing civic commis-sions and private school boards and such; and June 9,County Judge Henry Atkinson.

1987–88: Jack Welge, President

Jack Herman Welge, Jr., was born in Austin in 1951and graduated from McCallum High School in 1969.While a student at the University of Texas (graduatingin 1974), he was elected to the board of UniversityUnited Methodist Church. On finishing St. Mary’sUniversity Law School in San Antonio in 1977, he mar-ried fellow Longhorn Band member Ava Avent ofLongview, daughter of our member Dick Avent. Jackserved as assistant district attorney in Longview, thenjoined the law office of Jerry Irwin. There, he successful-ly helped defend Billy Sol Estes in one of his last legalscrapes and also was appointed by the city commissionas first judge of the new municipal court of record.Since 1983, he has conducted a solo practice, specializ-ing in family and matrimonial matters, general civil liti-gation, and probate affairs. Jack and his father-in-laware among the few Longview lawyers admitted for prac-tice before the bar of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Having joined our club in 1978 and become a PaulHarris Fellow, Jack brought Ava in as our first womanmember in 1990. He has served on the boards of theLongview Museum and Arts Center, East Texas Councilon Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, Longview CommunityTheater, and East Texas Association for AbusedFamilies. He has been president of the Gregg CountyBar Association and the Knife and Fork Club. Jack andAva and their two daughters are members of TrinityEpiscopal Church, where he has served on the vestry.

68. Jack Herman Welge, Jr.President, 1987–88

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THE LANDMARK EVENT of Jack Welge’s year aspresident came on February 16, 1988. We voted

unanimously to accept the challenge of RotaryInternational to raise $22,893 for the 120-million-dol-lar Polio Plus campaign as our share of the District 583quota over a five-year period. The object was to eradi-cate polio and four other childhood diseases worldwide:DPT (diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus), and tubercu-losis. We hoped to accomplish this goal through PaulHarris fellowships and fund-raising projects.

However, another event of the year got more atten-tion than Polio Plus: the frightening plunge of theUnited States stock market on October 19 and 20,1987. Stock brokers hit heavily on that topic in pro-grams on November 24 and March 29.

At the beginning of this year, John C. Murphy, Jr.,started presenting the weekly sunshine reports, whichhe has done ever since.

Four outstanding vocational students at LongviewHigh School were honored with savings bonds on April5. The annual Four-Way Test speech contest was heldon March 8.

The Rotary District 583 annual conference washeld at the Maude Cobb Activity Center on April 29and 30. Senator Phil Gramm was the speaker onSaturday night.

Our annual golf tournament was held on May 13 atOak Forest Country Club under the chairmanship ofLarry Martin. About $5,100 was earned for the PolioPlus fund.

The Longview Rotary Citizen of the Year, honoredon June 7, was Marcus Shuttlesworth. On June 28,the Tom Putman award was presented to Sergeant-at-Arms John Walker, and Henry Pitts won the club’sannual Paul Harris fellowship.

Some other important programs under ProgramChairman Mike Holbert were as follows: July 7, 1987,State Treasurer Ann Richards; September 8 and againon May 31, Congressman Ralph Hall; September 22,State Representative Jerry Yost; October 6, our ownmember, 31-year-old Rabbi Joshua Taub; October 13,State Land Commissioner Gary Mauro; November 10,Federal District Judge William Wayne Justice of Tyler;November 17, State Comptroller Bob Bullock.

1988–89: Casey Cammack, President

A son of Milton Cammack, Casey is the most recent ofthree presidents whose fathers were also presidents of theclub. (The others were George Kelly, II, and JohnHarrison, Jr.) He was born in Longview in 1955 andgraduated from Longview High School in 1973, thenattended Kilgore College and graduated from UT Tylerin 1977. He immediately joined the family business as asales representative for the Equitable Life AssuranceSociety and has been at it ever since. Along the way, hereceived CLU and ChFC designations from AmericanCollege in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. In 1985, he mar-ried Esther Barnes, who had moved to Longview fromJohnstown, Ohio. They have three sons and one daugh-

ter. Casey has been president of the Oil Belt Associationof Life Underwriters and the East Texas Chapter ofCLUs as well as serving on the board of GreaterLongview United Way. He and his family are active atLongview Christian Fellowship, where Casey serves asdeacon and member of the school board.

AFTER A VACATION of two years, Jim Stjernstromrelieved Kenny Hawthorne as editor of the

Rotaview. Kenny had been hired the previous July asdirector of the newly formed Longview DowntownDevelopment Corporation. It was intended to stave offthe commercial decay of downtown Longview, which wasbecoming ever more obvious as prime retail businessesclosed or relocated. (That trend illustrates the reasonfor calling this chapter “Goodbye to DowntownLongview.”) On September 20, Kenny told us about aconcept promoted by the National Trust for HistoricPreservation and adopted by LDDC, called theMainstreet Program. It involved encouraging activitiesand amenities which would attract people to the down-town area and draw downtown workers onto the streets.

On October 18, the founding of what became thefourth Rotary club in Longview was announced in theRotaview. Known as the Hallsville Rotary Club, itstarted meeting at the Harrison County sub-court-house at 6:45 Wednesday mornings. However, mem-bership drew heavily on Longview, and the meeting

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was changed to Bentley’s on Thursday evenings, thenin late 1990 to Johnny Cace’s on Monday evenings.

Starting on June 5, 1989, the Longview SouthRotary Club moved its meeting place from the HolidayInn in South Longview to Wyatt’s Cafeteria in theEarlee Shopping Center, which could be considereddowntown Longview.

The Four-Way Test speech contest for LongviewHigh School students was conducted on March 7.Three outstanding vocational students of LHS werehonored at our meeting in temporary quarters at theHoliday Inn in South Longview on May 30.

The club’s annual golf tournament was held atPinecrest Country Club on April 28, chaired by LarryMartin and Bill Dodson, netting about $5,800.

On June 6, Dr. Sam Mack was named LongviewRotary Citizen of the Year. On June 27, the TomPutman award was presented to to Larry Martin, andthe club’s annual Paul Harris fellowship went to JimStjernstrom, followed by seven others two months later:Travis Beavers, Milton Cammack, Royl Carby, ClaireFoster, Gordon Hargett, Art Mercer, and Al Wisenbaker.

Some noteworthy programs were: August 30, for-mer congressman Ron Paul of Houston, LibertarianParty candidate in 47 states for President of the UnitedStates, presented by Barcus Dubose; October 11, RonMcMichael, new superintendent of LongviewIndependent School District; April 11, Jack Rains,Secretary of State of Texas, presented by Rex Boyland;May 9, our own Bud Austin, president of LeTourneauUniversity, a name recently changed from LeTourneauCollege; and June 13, State Representative Jerry Yost.

1989–90: Ronnie Pliler, President

The son of Wardell and Katherine Pliler, Ronnie wasborn in Longview in 1947. He was a member of the lastclass graduating from Judson High School before themerger with Longview Independent School Districtresulted in conversion of the facility to a middle schoolin 1965. From then until 1977, he served in the U.S.Army Reserve. Ronnie went to Kilgore College, but hisreal education was gained in his father’s office machinestore at 426 East Cotton Street. Having started the busi-ness in 1948 and been one of our members for manyyears, Wardell sold out to Ronnie in 1978. He andKatherine now live at Hideaway Lake. Ronnie, in turn,joined this club in 1982. He sold the store in 1988 andbecame a partner in a travel agency for several years.Since 1991, he has busied himself with oil and gas andother investments. Ronnie served on the county court in1982 as appointed commissioner of Precinct 2. He is amember of Longview Masonic Lodge Number 404 and alife member of Waco Scottish Rite and Sharon TempleShrine. Among other community services, he has beeninvolved in the March of Dimes and Greater LongviewUnited Way. Raised in Mobberly Baptist Church,Ronnie is now a member of New Beginnings BaptistChurch. He has two daughters, ages 15 and 17. Anavid hunter and fisherman, he also enjoys reading andgardening.

THE LONGVIEW ROTARY Golf Tournament washeld on April 20, pulling in about $5,300. On May

22, we recognized outstanding vocational students atLongview High School. Our Citizen of the Year awardwas presented to Jo Lloyd on June 5. The club’s annu-al Paul Harris fellowship went to Tom Landers onJune 26 and the Tom Putman award to Sergeant-at-Arms Jack McIlhenny on July 10.

Here are a few of this year’s excellent programs:July 25, 1989, City Secretary and Interim City Man-ager Jo Ann Metcalf; August 22, Kenny Hawthorne,promoting “100 acres of heritage” downtown, the AlleyArt Show, the Street Jam, the Rigadoon to kick offLoblolly Jubilee, and Christmas in the Alley;September 19, Retta Kelley, new publisher of theLongview News Journal; September 26, Judge Ben Z.Grant of the Sixth Court of Appeals in Texarkana;October 17, Clayton Williams of Midland, Republicancandidate for governor; November 14, CityCouncilwoman Martha Whitehead, opposing a tax cut;November 28, Jack Goodwyn of Texas Eastman, tellingabout the GLOBE effort to help local public highschools produce employable workers; December 12,Congressman Ralph Hall, promising theSuperconducting Supercollider; December 19, FederalJudge Robert Parker; and January 23, 1990, severalmembers of the Texas Rangers baseball team.

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70. Ronald Wardell PlilerPresident, 1989–90

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1990–91: Dan Fiscus, President

Dan was born to a farming family in Wynne, Arkansas,in 1954. Graduating from Wynne High School in 1972,he received a B.S. in business administration at theUniversity of Arkansas in 1976 and an MBA fromSouthern Methodist University in 1977. That year, Danstarted work at Lakewood Bank & Trust in Dallas. Hewas president of the East Dallas Kiwanis Club. In 1982,he came to First National Bank in Longview (now BankOne), moving in 1984 to Texas American Bank, where heserved as senior lender and became president. Since thefall of 1994, Dan has been an investment executive withPaineWebber. In 1986, he married Becky Ottmers,daughter of Wanda and Roy Ottmers of Longview. Danhas served in leadership positions in numerous benevo-lent and professional organizations. He enjoys golf, bik-ing, country and western music, and dancing. Dan andBecky have one son, Jason Daniel, born on the fourth ofJuly, 1990, the day after Dan took office as our presi-dent. They are members of First Methodist Church.

THE MAJOR TURNING POINT in the history ofRotary International trickled down to our club this

year. Not quite three years after women were allowedin Rotary, we inducted our first one on November 13,1990: Ava Welge, daughter of our member Dick Aventand wife of our member Jack Welge, who proposed herfor membership. On March 5, 1991, Ava brought inPat Florence, widow of Longview-Greggton RotarianBuck Florence. Now, four years later, we have asmany as half a dozen women in the club.

Among the major achievements of this year, wepaid off the small amount remaining on our 1986pledge of $20,000 for construction of the LongviewPublic Library. Similarly, we completed our 1988pledge of $22,893 for Rotary International’s Polio Plusprogram. We provided $2,000 in scholarships to fourstudents. In addition, we donated $400 to JuniorAchievement Project Business and approved a $1,000contribution to the city’s Heartland Celebration ofindependence day (originally promoted by Vic Ferchillwith Joe LaBarbera). Under Jack McIlhenny’s chair-manship, our annual golf tournament raised $5,100.

Among other activities, we sponsored two RotaryExchange students: Michael Hvass from Denmark,and Casey Hawthorne of Longview to Spain. On April9, we conducted the annual Four-Way Test speech con-test for Longview High School Students. Various clubmembers participated in the Santa Calling program,the Salvation Army kettle collection at Christmas, andOperation Clean Sweep to renovate houses of theneedy.

The Longview Rotary Citizen of the Year was ourown Cecil Richardson. On June 25, the Tom Putmanaward went to Ramey Carroll, and we presented ourannual Paul Harris fellowship to Casey Cammack.President Dan was awarded the District 583 ServiceAward by District Governor Carroll Fletcher.

Notable programs included the following: July 3,State Representative Jerry Yost; July 31, new City

Manager Jim Baugh; August 14, Congressman JimChapman; October 9, Tom Ramey, judge of theTwelfth Court of Civil Appeals in Tyler; October 16,State Senator Bill Ratliff, quoted as advocating a stateincome tax, which he later denied; December 4, ourown Mayor Lou Galosy, on the upcoming city bondelection; March 5, Jim Hurst, President of the GreaterLongview Development Foundation, advocating a half-cent sales tax for industrial development; April 2,Ronnie Morrison, Director of the same organization,which grew out of the former Longview IndustrialDistrict three years before; April 30, new CountyJudge Ken Walker; and May 28, a tour of the TexasEastman plant.

1991–92: Bill Rice, II, President

Born to Lucille and John H. Rice in Tyler in 1930 andnamed for his grandfather, Bill grew up in Longview,where John was a gasoline and oil distributor.Graduating from Longview High School in 1947, Billgot a BBA at Baylor in 1951. The next year, he marriedRachel Gallenkamp of Kingsville, whom he met atBaylor when he was a senior and she was a freshman.They have three sons who also graduated from Baylor,including Bill the Third of this club. After seven yearsat Texas Eastman, Bill went into business with hisfather. Through the years, he has been active in various

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kinds of investments, especially real estate. He also wasan organizer and director of two banks and one S&L.Most recently, he has been associated with Smith Barneyas a financial consultant. A member of First BaptistChurch since childhood, Bill has served in many capaci-ties, including chairman of the board of deacons forthree terms. In 11 years on the Longview CityCommission and Council, he served as mayor in 1970,1971, 1976, and 1977 and won the Carl Estes MemorialAward as Citizen of the Year in 1971. And in almost 14years on the Sabine River Authority board, he was presi-dent for two terms. Charles Tullis brought Bill into ourfellowship on October 1, 1974. Earlier, as a Kiwanian,he was club president and Lieutenant Governor of theTexas-Oklahoma district. For two years in the 1970s, hewas project advisor for a public television series called“Watch Your Mouth.” Bill has been an officer or directorof the Longview and East Texas chambers of commerce,LeTourneau University board of trustees, SBA AreaAdvisory Council, East Texas Area Council of BoyScouts, Greater Longview United Way, East TexasCouncil of Governments, Longfellows, LongviewCommunity Development Team, Longview SymphonyLeague, and Paisano Baptist Encampment. His otherinterests include skiing, travel, and reading.

AS BILL LAID DOWN the gavel on June 30, 1992,his administration was described thus in the

Rotaview: “We’ve been telling President Bill Rice we’regoing to miss him when he’s gone, because someone isbound to shoot him before his year is out. This presi-dent has brought to our podium an artful blend of gen-tlemanly decorum and deadpan hilarity which will be atough act to follow, although there are signs his succes-sor will be up to the job. Bill deserves everything he isgoing to get, which we hope will be as good as he gave.”What he got was a “This is Your Life” roast conductedby John C. Murphy, Ron Hudgens, and RonMcCutcheon.

The distinctive Bill Rice tone was established earlyin the year. On August 20, 1991, with President-ElectJerry Adair officiating in Bill’s absence, Larry Martinproudly presented famous movie and television actorGeorge Peppard as our speaker. He said George was inthe area studying local speech and mannerisms for anew role, and he had been offered to Bill Rice as aspeaker. George said a few genial words of introduc-tion, threw the floor open for questions about hiscareer, and gazed around grandly. Larry had said verylittle about George, assuming we all knew who he was,but a lot of us didn’t. Most of the rest, considering thepresident’s reputation for skillful spoofery, assumedthis was a put-on. (Some still do; consider the faceabove.) In a full minute of dead silence, George’s gazedarkened considerably. He concluded brusquely,“Well, in that case, thanks for lunch,” and sat down.We haven’t heard from him since and don’t expect to.

In earlier decades of its history, the club had con-ducted major programs each year to recognize andhonor teachers in Longview Independent SchoolDistrict. Every year until 1961–62, we invited all theteachers to an annual banquet. (See Chapter 6.) This

year, under Vocational Service Director John Troy, webegan inviting one outstanding teacher each month toour meeting for special recognition. The LISD admin-istration picks one school each month, and the teachersof that school vote to select one for the honor. The firstLongview Rotary Teacher of the Month, presented onOctober 8, was Joyce Upshaw of Valley View School.

The Four-Way Test speech contest for LongviewHigh School students was conducted on February 18.The school’s three outstanding vocational studentswere honored on May 12. The annual golf tournamentwas held at Pinecrest Country Club on April 24, net-ting about $5,000.

The Longview Rotary Citizen of the Year, honoredon June 9, was our own member and former mayor LouGalosy; Mayor Martha Whitehead joined in praisingLou. The club’s annual Paul Harris fellowship wasawarded to Ronnie Pliler on the last day of the year,June 30. Three weeks later, Bill presented the TomPutman Award to Gene McWhorter. (This was theyounger Gene; his father died in August, 1991.)

Among the especially interesting programs werethe following: September 3, a tour of the Stemco plant;September 24, State Representative Jerry Yost;October 1, State Senator Bill Ratliff; October 15,Congressman Jim Chapman, presented by JimHugman; and May 26, a tour of the Stroh brewery.

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72. William Yngve Rice, IIPresident, 1991–92

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1992–93: Jerry Adair, President

Jerry was born in Hugo, Oklahoma, in 1946 and gradu-ated from Stillwater High School in 1964. He got a B.S.from Oklahoma State University in 1968 and a Master’sdegree in hospital administration at Duke University in1970. He married Nancy DeKinder of Chickasha in1965, and they have a son and a daughter; the threegave Jerry a Paul Harris Fellowship for Christmas dur-ing his presidency. At Gaston Memorial Hospital inGastonia, North Carolina, from 1970 to 1981, Jerrybecame a senior vice president. Then, moving back hometo Oklahoma, he took over as head of Jackson CountyMemorial Hospital in Altus. There, he was inductedinto the Rotary Club. Then two months after becomingpresident and CEO of Good Shepherd Medical Center inLongview in December, 1986, he came into this club.Besides being elected to the boards of the LongviewChamber of Commerce and the Greater Longview UnitedWay, Jerry has served in leadership positions in ninemajor professional organizations at the local, state, andnational levels. He and Nancy are members of FirstUnited Methodist Church. Don’t stand between Jerryand the TV when it’s showing Duke basketball, theDallas Cowboys, or Texas Aggie football, or between himand his bass boat.

PRESIDENT JERRY started with a member opin-ion survey which formed the basis for the club’s

activities for the year. The most unpopular traditionturned out to be classification talks, so they wereeliminated. Another negative was club assemblies, soonly one was held. Overall, the response was quitefavorable; all respondents indicated they were proudto be members of the club.

When Jim Stjernstrom moved away during thepreceding Rotary year, Lester Kilpatrick was left asthe only Rotaview editor. During this year, GeneMcWhorter and Sam Smead alternated every twomonths.

In his capacity as Permanent SunshineCommittee Announcer, John Murphy revved upMurphy’s Rotary Fellowship Drill: he occasionallycalled on a member to recite the names and occupa-tions of all the members at that table.

Pat Young recruited a men’s chorus last year, foroccasional harmonious serenades in lieu of our cus-tomary song or prayer. Known as the Young Singers,the group continued this year. Besides Pat, the mem-bers were Ellie Hopkins, L. J. Fite, Warren Tharp,Thomas Welch, Bill McReynolds, Gene McWhorter,and Wells Burton on piano. Wells was the usual clubpianist for the weekly song for many years.

The annual conference for Rotary District 5830was held in Longview on April 23 through 25, hostedby all four clubs. We continued our LISD teacher ofthe month recognitions as well as Salvation Armybell-ringing, Santa Calling duty, and Operation CleanSweep service. The golf tournament was held onApril 30, chaired by Terry Woods. Under its presi-dent Casey Cammack, Longview Rotary Endow-

ment Fund conducted a raffle for a set of golf irons onJune 15. We named Vic Ferchill our Citizen of theYear on June 22. Gordon Hargett received the TomPutman award on June 29. The club’s Paul Harrisfellowship was presented to Wells Burton on July 27,1993.

Program chairman Leo Wall started off the yearwith a series of programs on local economic develop-ment: July 14, County Judge Ken Walker, mainlydiscussing the Gregg County Airport; July 21, Dr.Jack Foreman, Dean of the new TSTC vocational col-lege branch in Marshall; August 4, Howard Rosser onthe East Texas Tourism Association; August 11, Dr.Norman Black, on the county’s first planned economicdevelopment, the new town of Fredonia in the 1840s;and November 10, investment banker Ed Moore onmunicipal bond issues.

Among other memorable programs were the fol-lowing: October 6, retired Rear Admiral Sam Mooreof Marshall, on the Navy’s role in the Persian Gulf“war” last year; October 13, Congressman RalphHall; December 1, Judge Sam Hall of Marshall;December 22, Southwest Conference CommissionerFred Jacoby; January 5, State Senator Bill Ratliff, onthe school funding fiasco; and January 19, SheriffBobby Weaver on turning a downtown grocery storeinto an annex to the county jail in the courthouse.

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73. Jerry D. AdairPresident, 1992–93

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1993–94: John Troy, President

Born in 1952 to Boston Irish Catholic parents in PaloAlto, California, John was raised in Stratham, NewHampshire and graduated from public high school innearby Exeter in 1970. He got a bachelor’s degree insociology in 1974 at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine,and a law degree at Boston University in 1977. Seekingto get warm, he moved to Houston. Before settling down,he lived the Bohemian life, traveling a lot and workingas a waiter when he had to. In May of 1982, he marriedSandra Kay Balloun of Westbury, a Houston suburb,and in August was invited by a friend to visit Longview.The following October, he hung up his shingle here as alawyer in solo general practice and has been at it eversince. Franklin Martin brought him into this club onOctober 16, 1984. John’s community service activitieshave included Junior Achievement, WindridgeTherapeutic Riding Center, and Greater LongviewUnited Way. He and Sandy have two children, Williamand Amy. If you play golf with John, don’t bet money.

THE CLUB EXPERIENCED a major change in per-sonnel this year. For the first time in 20 years,

Tom Brown was not selected to continue as secretary-treasurer by the nominating committee. The slate ofofficers they presented on December 14 included CaseyCammack for that position instead. Tom Landersnominated Tom Brown from the floor on that day, andwe had a contested election for the first time anyonecould remember. Both candidates conducted them-selves as gentlemen, and Casey was elected in a secretballot on December 21. Tom resigned from the club atthe end of the Rotary year. (See Chapter 6.)

John instituted a method to encourage participa-tion in the club’s service activities such as the golftournament, Operation Clean Sweep, and so forth.Everyone who works in at least three such efforts willtake part in a drawing for a prize at the end of theyear.

A new idea for the annual golf tournament wassubmitted for a vote on March 1: that every member berequired to play in the tournament, or get a hundred-dollar sponsor, or be an eighty-dollar sponsor himself.The proposal was defeated, and tournament supportremained strictly voluntary. Charlie Reeves was incharge this year, and more money was raised than hadbeen in several years.

On October 14, the board of directors accepted VicFerchill’s suggestion that the 1963 history of the clubbe updated. That idea, nurtured by Vic, led to the pub-lication of this book in 1995, which turned out to be thediamond anniversary year of the club.

This year, a committee of Rotaview editors startedalternating the duty: Mark Boon, Ron Heezen, AvaWelge, and our third Rotarienne, Cindy Russell.

We continued the LISD Rotary Teacher of theMonth program under Ron Heezen. The annual Four-Way Test speech contest for LISD students was heldon February 22. On June 21, as the Longview RotaryCitizen of the Year, we honored our own Hank Foster,

who was absent due to an extended illness. Hank diedfour weeks later. Some members recalled that onMarch 1, 1966, the club similarly honored Hank’sfather, Past President Henry Foster, who also diedshortly thereafter. The Tom Putman award was pre-sented to David Houston. Gene McWhorter won theclub’s Paul Harris fellowship for his work on this book.

Notable programs were as follows: July 13, StateSenator Bill Ratliff, saying he was sick of talking aboutpublic school financing; September 7, NancyAbernathy, wife of our wayward member Mark, chairof the advisory board for the proposed city activitiescomplex; October 26, I. J. Patterson, who was electedMayor after Governor Ann Richards appointed MarthaWhitehead as state treasurer; February 1, George W.Bush, owner of the Texas Rangers baseball team andsuccessful candidate for Governor of Texas; and March8, our own Don Scoggins of Texas Eastman, discussingthe spinoff of Eastman Chemical Company fromEastman Kodak on January 1, 1994.

1994–95: Kim Callahan, President

A fourth-generation citizen of Longview, Kim was bornhere in 1956 to J. Carroll and Elaine Shaw Callahan.(Carroll has been a member of this club since 1956.)Kim grew up working in the family business, Carolane

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74. John Grannan Troy, Jr.President, 1993–94

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Jewelers, which was founded in 1953. Having attendedTrinity Day School (now Trinity School of Texas)through the third grade, he graduated from LongviewHigh School in 1974 with an academic rank in the toptwo percent of his class. Following two years at KilgoreJunior College, he graduated summa cum laude fromthe University of Texas at Austin in 1978 with a BAdegree in government and history. Three years later, hewon a JD degree from the University of Texas LawSchool. Upon passing the bar exam, Kim returned toLongview and served as staff legal counsel to FirstNational Bank and then Texas American Bank.

Meantime, in 1982, Kim married his long-time sweet-heart Joyce Jackson of Longview. In 1990, he joinedCarroll, Elaine, and Joyce in operating the family jewel-ry business and also joined Carroll’s law firm.Sponsored by Bob Carroll as a member of this club in1983, Kim has maintained perfect attendance along withhis father.

Kim and Joyce are members of First ChristianChurch. He enjoys playing basketball and collectingand driving classic automobiles. He also plays acousticguitar and collects antique watches.

THE DUAL THEMES of change and growth charac-terized the Callahan administration from the

beginning. Incoming Secretary-Treasurer CaseyCammack declined to accept the salary traditionallypaid by the club. On Casey’s recommendation, wevoted that, beginning with this year’s elections, the

positions of secretary and treasurer be separated.Next year, for the first time in the club’s history, wewill not have a single secretary-treasurer. The Boardof Directors adopted a formal budget for the first timein recent memory. They resolved to use golf tourna-ment proceeds entirely for charitable purposes, notspending any on club operations.

Membership growth soon emerged as a highlight.Having begun the year with 129 members, the smallestenrollment in 35 years, we grew to nearly 150 byMarch. On October 4, W. D. Northcutt’s son Walterbecame the club’s first fourth-generation member.

We stepped up to a co-leadership role in the annualThanksgiving Food Drive along with long-time sponsorLongview Cable TV. Thanks to Robert Durham and 37other Rotarians, along with many community volun-teers, this event provided Thanksgiving meals for agreat number of needy families. Community ServiceDirector Ron Heezen headed up the club’s Decemberbell ringing, which collected over $2,000 for theSalvation Army.

District Youth Exchange Committee liaison GeorgeKelly, III, announced approval of the application ofDavid Northcutt Brown, a Trinity School of Texasjunior, to visit Japan’s Rotary District 2520. David isthe son of Janet Brown and the late Arthur NorthcuttBrown of this club. His grandfather Ted Brown andgreat-grandfather W. D. Northcutt, I, were also mem-bers, and his grandmother Jessie Northcutt Brown wasour pianist in the 1930s.

President Kim instituted a quarterly club newslet-ter which proved popular. Past President John Troycontinued the Teacher of the Month award. New mem-ber Ross Jutsum succeeded Wells Burton in accompa-nying our song at each meeting. Following a club-widesurvey concerning the annual Rotary Ann banquet, Co-Chairmen W. D. Northcutt and Craig Abernathyturned it into a dinner dance instead. It was held inthe Michelob Room of R&K Distributors on February22, with catering by our own David Choy’s CantonRestaurant and big-band music by Ross Jutsum’sAmbassador University Stage Band.

The completion of this book was a major event forthe club, expected to coincide with celebration of ourdiamond anniversary in May. At the same time, ironi-cally, the downtown hotel where we met from 1930 to1978 was being demolished.

At the cut-off date for this text on February 28,notable speakers this year have included TexasAgriculture Commissioner Rick Perry, State SenatorBill Ratliff, Congressman Jim Chapman, DistrictJudge Robin Sage, new Longview City Manager TedWillis, Texas Comptroller John Sharp, and “Drug DogMax” of the Longview Police Department.

Plans for the remainder of the year include a tourof the Capacity, Inc., plant, organized by Lara Leverand Ramey Carroll. The annual golf tournament,headed by David Houston, is scheduled for May 5—including, for the first time, a party the night before.

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75. James Kim CallahanPresident, 1994–95

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Boy Scouts (1922–23)

Rotarians are the Boy Scouts of the business world:both organizations are based on ideals of personal con-duct. The Four-Way Test of truth, fairness, goodwill,and general benefit is an adult counterpart of the ScoutLaw: A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly,courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean,and reverent. Thus it was particularly appropriate tochoose the photograph of the dedication of our BoyScout cabin below for the frontispiece and dust jacket.Other reasons are mentioned on Page 16.

According to the Rotagraph excerpt on Page 4, theclub was supporting Boy Scout programs as early as1922. A note in the Rotaview for January 30, 1962,says that Boy Scout Troop 202 was first organized inApril, 1933, under the sponsorship of FirstPresbyterian Church, and the Rotary club took overthe following September. A newspaper article datedJuly 18, 1933, notes that scouts Allen Gaston andJimmie Aden attended the installation of CurtisMeadows as president. They presented Bruner Smithand Frank LeBus with “trophies symbolic of the appre-ciation of Longview Boy Scouts for the aid and coopera-

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Chapter 6.Traditions of Service,

1920 to 1995The Rotary year in each heading is the earliest found for that topic in available records.

Dedication of the Troop 202 Boy Scout Cabin at the City Park, May, 1935(See appendix for identifications.)

Photo by courtesy of Gerald Osborne, Jr.

Copyright 1995 by Longview Rotary Endowment Fund, Inc.The Adobe Acrobat PDF file of which this notice is a part was created (with minor corrections) from a book entitled The Club and the Town: The Rotary Cluband the City of Longview, Texas, Year by Year from 1920 to 1995, published in 1995 by Longview Rotary Endowment Fund, Inc. Notwithstanding the prohibi-tion of reproduction without permission on the copyright page of the book, the publisher provides this PDF file to the general public without charge, but only forpurposes of reference and research. The publisher strictly prohibits publication, distribution, or dissemination of this file or any part or printed pages thereof, orconversion of the file into any other format, without prior written permission. Longview Rotary Endowment Fund, Inc., PO Box 2244, Longview, TX 75606

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tion given by the Rotarians.” Here are some excerptsfrom a newspaper article dated December 10, 1933:

The Longview Rotary Club, as its part in theprogram to put scouting on the map in Longview,has become sponsor of Boy Scout troop number two,known as the “Orphan Boy Scout troop.”

The troop was organized on September 1, withHerman Hoeft as scout master. There are now 11scouts enrolled, and...the full number of 32 for thetroop is expected to be secured soon. The troop hasbeen holding regular meetings on each Friday.

Troop members are Wesley Danforth, JamesChism, Allen Gaston, Eddie Little, J. S. [J. T.] Terry,Jack Tucker, Jimmy Cobb, Ira Felts, Marvin Jordan,and Bruce Gaw. Carl Anderson is now qualifying formembership. The Rotary Club has appointed thefollowing committee to be in charge of the troop: G.E. Osborne, chairman and general supervisor; W. H.Terrell, in charge of education and advancement; B.W. Crain, advisor and in charge of outdoor activities;Joe Riff, custodian of Health and safety.

The first project adopted by the troop is tosecure temporary headquarters for weekly meetings.This space has been provided by A. L. Connor. Thesecond project is to obtain a new troop flag, a recordbook, and a first-aid kit. The third project is to pro-vide for a permanent meeting place. The Rotaryclub will assist in all these projects.

Another member of the troop, Herbert Skidmore,was mentioned in a newspaper article the followingApril. Other articles tell that in December, 1933, thetroop began building a cabin at Longview MunicipalPark as the permanent meeting place. Located in aclump of native pines near the barbecue pits at the cor-ner of Molton and Pecan Streets, it was intended to be20 by 40 feet in size. The photograph on the precedingpage was taken at the dedication 17 months later.

With the continued active support of the RotaryClub, Troop 202 became one of the best in town.Scouts often attended Rotary meetings and presentedprograms, and Rotarians often attended troop events.As late as 1974–75, the club had a Boy Scout commit-tee (last chairman: Ward Summers), earlier called theboys’ work committee. Among many scoutmastersthrough the years were Noble Crawford (1942 to 1945),German Hollandsworth, Carrol Harris, Ed Russell,Barcus DuBose, and Ralph Wise. Other Rotariansworking with the troop included Steve Butter, FritzCornelsen, Jim Kelly, and Royce Lackey. On August16, 1955, plans were announced to move the cabin tothe new Pinewood City Park, which is located south ofRadio Street and west of High Street.

The troop gradually died out. In 1973–74, it wasreported as active again after several years of dorman-cy. Finally, in August of 1979, Rotarians ReeseMiddleton and Kerry Cammack announced plans toreactivate the troop, and an annual troop charter waspresented to the club, but the effort was soon discontin-ued. In June, 1981, we briefly succeeded TrinityEpiscopal church in sponsoring Troop 262, of which ourArthur Brown was scoutmaster.

According to the Rotaview of March 4, 1947, theclub’s board of directors decided to sponsor a Girl Scouttroop. However, that project was not mentioned again.

Scholarships and Student Loans(1922–23)

One of the earliest and most lasting accomplish-ments of the Longview Rotary Club is its assistance tocollege students. This avenue of service is mentionedunder “Boys’ Work” in the Rotagraph for September30, 1922. (See Page 4.) During the club’s second year,the members held a minstrel show to establish a stu-dent loan fund. Rotarians and others added their con-tributions. The annual minstrel continued for manyyears, and according to the 1963 club history, theRotary Club helped many deserving students.

However, in the Rotaview for February 25, 1947,editor John Harrison wrote that the student loan fundhad become inactive and poorly controlled. In Marchand April, 1947, the club abolished the fund and dis-tributed the remaining $717.54 to the Red Cross, theRound-Up Club, the American Legion youth program,and a scholarship of $100 for a high-school student.

Scholarship awards were something apart fromstudent loans. Editor Harrison explained on February25, 1947, “As many of you perhaps did not know, ourclub has been giving a $50 scholarship for severalyears to a worthy student of our high school. The pre-sent holder of this scholarship is James Mathis, who isattending Kilgore College.”

Club members and the public still are generally nomore aware of this benevolence than they were in1947. However, the club has continued its annualscholarship awards. Club scholarships were given aboost in 1959 when Pearl and Stella Gans establisheda Rotary scholarship fund in memory of their brotherDan, who was a charter member of the club. TheGans sisters later added to the fund, which is still inexistence. However, club scholarship awards havemostly been drawn from the general fund. Once webegin helping a student, we generally continue annualsupport for four years. We usually have four scholar-ship holders at a time (each receiving $500 per year),but as of early 1995 there are only three: KevinCochener, Richard Holloway, and Jennifer Shivers.

Honoring Schoolteachers (1922–23)

An annual teachers’ appreciation dinner whichbrought the Longview club national recognition wasstarted during the early years of the Club. It is men-tioned in the Rotagraph of September 30, 1922,excerpted here on Page 4. Each year, the club held adinner party for the teachers of the city. (See thenewspaper article opposite.) It was an event which theteachers appreciated and enjoyed a great deal. Inreturn, the girls of the home-economics classes at

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Longview High School served lunch to the club fromtime to time. The annual schoolteachers’ banquet con-tinued until 1961, when the addition of Greggton toLongview brought the Pine Tree schools within the citylimits. The large number of teachers then involvedmade the dinner impractical, and it was discontinued.

Thirty years later, at the beginning of the 1991–92Rotary year, the club once more began showing appre-ciation to the teachers of Longview Independent SchoolDistrict. Under Vocational Service Director John Troy,we instituted the Longview Rotary Teacher of theMonth Award. The program was described in theRotaview for December 15, 1992, as follows:

OUR LISD TEACHER OF THE MONTHWe see it as a way to encourage excellence amongthe teachers of Longview Independent School Dis-trict. The LISD administration, in turn, sees it as away to show off their best teachers to us. So thisclub’s practice of recognizing one superior teachereach month is a happy one all around. For each ofthe nine academic months, LISD Public RelationsCoordinator June Lassiter designates a different oneof the 16 campuses. The teachers of that campus, inturn, get together and select one of their number forthe honor.

The selected teacher attends one of our meetings,typically accompanied by the principal of that school.After being introduced with a brief career summary byone of our vocational service committee members, theteacher is given an inscribed plaque and invited toaddress the club.

Rotary Ann Banquet (1932–33)

The tradition of having an annual club party towhich Rotary Anns are invited is apparently commonthroughout Rotary International. The earliest RotaryAnn Banquet in Longview for which a record is at handoccurred in the 1932–33 Rotary year. The newspaperreport (Page 13 here) called it an annual event, so thiswas not the first. Apparently we have had a RotaryAnn banquet every year since then. The event hassometimes been called sweetheart banquet and some-times ladies’ night. It has usually been held on theTuesday evening before Valentine’s Day, but some-times as a Christmas party, and at least once(1933–34) as a Halloween costume party. However, in1994–95, the event (held on February 22) is called thespring dinner dance.

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Fifty-two Longview business men trifled on their wiveslast evening, and some of them got away with it. But notso with about 15 of them. Their balls and chains fol-lowed them and brought wrath down upon them in nouncertain terms, much to the misery and discomfort ofthe board bills.

The fifteen “irate” wives who invaded the girl-filled,men-filled, and smoke-filled dining room of the GreggHotel found their mates, and mates of their friends,breaking bread with a select group of young ladies: theschoolteachers of the Longview system. Did they bounceskillets off the heads of the ma’ams? They did not. Theyjust put the men-folk on the grill and roasted them asthey have never been roasted before. They were reallydone up brown.

Very adroitly and very humorously executed was thekangaroo court concocted by a group of Rotarians’ wivesas a part of the program of the annual Rotary entertain-ment for the teachers. It provoked gales of laughter andapplause, and apparently made everyone happy. Just asthe regular program was terminated, the women, headedby Mrs. T. D. Campbell, burst into the room. Mrs.Campbell announced why they were there: to check upon their husbands. She then “convened” court. HighSheriff Hettie Richardson called out the names of threedefendants, M. D. Abernathy, Syril A. Parker, and JoeLeSage, and asked that they come forth to be searched.Several gosh-awful things were found on them. ClerkForman then proceeded to present a farcical paper on

Rotary. This was followed by testimony adduced byAttorney Effie Rule Bivins, from Mrs. Curtis W.Meadows, Mrs. B. N. Taylor, and Mrs. W. B. Chauncey,who told their husbands gallivanted mightily. Otherdefendants, including W. B. Smith, George Kelly, HenryFoster, John L. Whorton, V. R. Hurst, Jim Airey, and T.D. Campbell, were found to possess unmentionables thatno man should carry in his pocket.

The verdict: the husbands must stay home everynight for a year; help the kiddies with their lessons;spend money freely on their wives; let the wives go whenand where they please and stay out as late as 2 o’clock inthe morning.

The numbers on the special program, as announcedby Mr. Foster: “School Rules of 1712,” by R. L. Speight;“Cuban Love Song,” by Helen Leaverton and FrancesThomas; reading, Mrs. Lloyd Stephens; solo, RogerCreed; reading, Miss Addie Maye Glover; novelty, theDodson sisters; song, Mr. Foster. Miss JosephineHopkins played the accompaniment for the various num-bers.

Preceding the program, the teachers were introducedby Mr. Foster and the Rotarians by J. Marcus Wood. Mr.Foster also introduced several members of the schoolboard, including H. L. Turner, Opha Grissom, Mr. Wood,E. Q. Whitney, and O. L. Norton. Mrs. Norton and Mrs.Grissom, guests, also were introduced.

The program was in charge of the local club’s pro-gram committee, of which L. D. Kelly is chairman.

The 1932–33 Rotary Schoolteachers’ Banquet“52 Longview Men Trifle on Wives, Maybe”

reported in the Longview Newspaper

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The tradition of calling Rotarians’ wives “RotaryAnns” also seems common to all Rotary Clubs—at leastin English-speaking countries. This term is likelyderived from the feminine form of Rotarian in French:Rotarienne. Presumably, now that we have womenmembers, this time-honored name will die out, unlesswe develop a term for Rotary husbands too. The natur-al choice would be Rotary Andy, based on the storiedrag dolls Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy.

Rural-Urban Program (1933–34)

In the 1963 club history, the rural-urban programwas explained as follows:

During the 1920s, the club recognized that itcould be of help in drawing people to the city, and itbegan a rural-urban program. This program includ-ed the holding of a meeting each year in each of thesmall communities around Longview. At these din-ners, the farmers in these communities were invitedto meet and become better acquainted with the citi-zens of Longview, who were represented by theRotary Club.

According to a 1933 newspaper article, the purposeof these meetings was to engender a closer relationshipand better understanding between the city and countrycitizens. As agriculture declined as a way of life duringthe 1930s and 1940s in this area (and throughout thecountry), the club’s annual rural-urban programsbecame less elaborate. Rather than a series of ban-quets throughout the county, we merely scheduled aspeech on a farm-related topic at a regular weeklymeeting. However, the club had a rural-urban commit-tee as late as 1968–69 and possibly later.

Crippled Children and SightConservation (1933–34)

Another early project of the Club was the CrippledChildren’s Program. Clinics were held at which spe-cialists from crippled children’s hospitals were broughtin to see what might be done for these children. Theearliest documentation of this effort is a newspaperarticle dated November 21, 1933.

Also during the early 1930s, a sight conservationprogram was started. The Rotary Club arranged forthe testing of the eyes of children who were suspectedof having sight defects and furnished glasses for thosewho were not able to obtain them.

The Rotaview Bulletin (1941–42)

According to the 1963 history, the Rotagraph was amimeographed bulletin in early years of the club.George Kelly II had issues from August and Sep-tember, 1922. It was not known how long the publica-tion continued. The Rev. Edgar N. “Shorty” LeBlancwas the only editor whose name was available.

The 1963 history also said that the club publishedbulletins intermittently during the 1930s under thename Rotaview. There was no record as to when thename was adopted or why that particular name waschosen. However, the name is obviously a composite ofRotary and Longview. It is reminiscent of the endlessvariety of cute bulletin names found in other clubs.Some which come to mind are the Longview-GreggtonRotarama; Mount Vernon Rotator; Carthage Roteller;Dallas Rotagrams; Kilgore RotaReport; GladewaterRotary Driller; Brunswick, Georgia, Rotarygram; andLewistown, Pennsylvania, Rota-Record.

The earliest Rotaview issue at hand is datedNovember 2, 1943, edited by Bob Speight. He assignedthe same number 4 to volumes for both 1943–44 and1944–45. These numbers, and occasional comments byeditors, indicate that the first full year of Rotaviewpublication was 1941–42. Weekly issues have contin-ued, apparently without interruption. However, edi-tors have not always been consistent in numberingeach successive annual volume. Presently, Rotaviewissues for 1994–95 are called Volume 49, but they areactually the fifty-fourth annual volume.

A list of the bulletin editors is included in the gen-eral club data in the appendix. They have taken theirresponsibilities quite seriously. For instance, beforestepping into the job, Vic Ferchill gave a great deal ofthought to how it should be accomplished. His state-ment of Rotaview purposes on May 22, 1956, is a time-less one which would serve the club well today:

1. To circulate notices of meetings to members withdetails of the program, and so stimulate interestand improve attendance.

2. To provide desirable material which can be usedby the Public Information Committee in keepinglocal newspapers advised about Rotary.

3. To increase acquaintance among the members byits newsy items and so foster club fellowship.

4. To serve as a record of all the club’s activities andso provide a club history.

5. To inform other clubs of the club’s views, activi-ties, etc., and so cultivate good will.

Most of the volumes we have were collated andbound by Past President Andy Guinn at various timesover the past 30 years. The permanent repository forthis civic resource is the Longview Public Library.

Founding Other Rotary Clubs inLongview (1958–59 and later)

The earliest recorded proposal at hand for a newLongview club is found in a letter dated November 19,1958, from former Secretary-Treasurer Ray Tracy tothe club’s board of directors. Ray proposed that wesponsor a second club in Longview, without mentioninga location. The reasons he listed were to facilitatemaking up attendance, to allow men whose classifica-tions were filled in this club to become Rotarians, andto allow Rotary to grow as fast as the city, since this

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club did not have the room and facilities for expansion.Noted on the letter is the comment, “Rejected by board11/25/58.”

When Vic Ferchill was president three years later,former President and former Secretary-Treasurer CecilRichardson was chairman of the club’s standing com-mittee on relations with other clubs. The District 581governor was George Cullum, and the chairman of thedistrict extension committee was Dr. Sam Scothorn,both of Dallas. The first step in organizing a newRotary club was to present a list of likely member clas-sifications in the area to the district governor. Thebeginning of that list (and potential Rotarians) for theGreggton Club is in Vic Ferchill’s files. It is scribbledon the back of an earlier letter from Sam Scothorn onprocedures for forming a new club in Daingerfield.

Vic sent the classification survey to George Cullumon March 8, 1962. The next step is described in a let-ter from Sam Scothorn to Calvin Clyde of Tyler twoweeks later:

You will remember that at the institute youheld in Longview, you called a meeting of five ofus at a coffee table in the Longview Hotel to dis-cuss the possibility of a Rotary Club at Greggton,Texas. Well , that meeting has borne fruit ,because on last Thursday, March 22nd, I helpedthe Longview Club organize the Greggton 24-member Rotary Club at the Kitchenette Cafe inGreggton. The name of the club is GreggtonRotary Club, the meetings to be held on Mondayat 12:10 at the Kitchenette Cafe, which has a nicebanquet room.

I cannot remember a single one of the threeLongview men who met with you and me, but itseems to me that Cecil Richardson was one of them.Anyway, Vic Ferchill, president of the sponsoringclub, says that Cecil did more than anyone towardsorganizing this new club, so the first thing we didwas to have the sponsoring club nominate Cecil to beappointed special representative by DistrictGovernor George Cullum. Then we elected ForestSartain temporary president. ...He immediatelynamed a nominating committee to bring in a slate ofofficers at their regular meeting a week fromMonday. I told the Greggton men of our meeting inLongview, originated by you....

Other steps for establishing the club were rapidlycompleted, including formal relinquishment of specificterritory by our club. The new provisional club becamethe Greggton Rotary Club when a charter was grantedon May 8, 1962. The ceremonial presentation of thecharter occurred at a banquet held for that purpose onJune 18 at Greggton Methodist Church.

For the Longview South club, in turn, the gestationperiod was about the same length as for the Longview-Greggton club twelve years earlier. On April 23, 1970,Cecil Richardson proposed specific territorial bound-aries for a possible new South Longview Rotary Club.He asked that the two existing clubs jointly sponsorthe new club and agree to give up their shares of theproposed area. Apparently nothing came of the propos-al at that time, but Cecil kept trying. Eighteen monthslater, on September 8, 1971, this club’s board of direc-tors approved his plan, and Cecil proposed the new

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An organizational meeting of the Longview High SchoolInteract Club, sponsored by the Longview Rotary Club,was held in the auditorium of the Longview NationalBank Tuesday night.

Thirty-three youths joined at the initial meeting.Sammy Satterwhite was appointed temporary chairmanand Alan Jones temporary secretary.

Plans were made for a meeting Sept. 23, when per-manent officers will be elected and a charter sought.

James H. Keys, Rotarian chairman for the InteractClub, explained the principles of the youth organizationand that selection of persons invited to join is based onscholastic averages, participation in civic, community,and school activities, moral character, and interest inInteract.

Keys stressed that Interact is not a junior RotaryClub but that it sponsors the organization as a communi-ty service and for better international understanding.

Howard Coghlan, vice president of the LongviewRotary Club, explained the purpose of Rotary and intro-duced members of the local club present for the organiza-tional meeting. These included Charles Cobb, JulianFiegel, Jay Ballard, Loyd Hudson, and Bobby Smith.

Keys listed the goals of Interact as (1) recognitionand development of constructive leadership and personalintegrity; (2) encouragement and practice of thoughtful-ness and helpfulness to others; (3) creation of an aware-ness of the importance of home and family; (4) buildingof respect for the rights of others, based on recognition ofthe worth of each individual; (5) emphasis of acceptanceof individual responsibility as a basis of personal success,community improvement, and group achievement; (6)recognition of the dignity and value of all useful occupa-tions as opportunities to serve society; (7) providing ofopportunities for gaining increased knowledge andunderstanding of community, national, and world affairs;and (8) opening of avenues for personal and group actionleading to advancement of international understandingand goodwill toward all people.

Students recognized for their efforts toward organiz-ing the club were Satterwhite, Jones, John Mackey,Kenneth Raney, Jr., Kelly Coghlan, Larry Moncrief,John Durst, David McDaniel, and Steve Woodruff.

The invocation was given by Kelly Coghlan.A guest at the meeting was Dr. Charles Mathews,

superintendent of Longview schools.

“Interact Club Is Organized Here”reported in the Longview News-Journal, September, 1969

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club to Rotary International. Then for more than twoyears, there were discussions and formalities pertain-ing to territorial boundaries.

When the territory matter neared settlement, Cecilconvoked a committee of four men from each of the twosponsoring clubs (Longview and West Longview) onSeptember 13, 1973. They started a membership cam-paign on September 27. With 22 members, the provi-sional South Longview club held its first meeting onJanuary 3, 1974. A charter was issued on February 8,celebrated with a presentation banquet on March 14 atthe Holiday Inn. The South Longview club historycredits Charles Tullis and Charles Cobb of this club asactive in the effort along with Cecil Richardson.

The assigned territorial boundaries of a club wereformerly very important, because one of the qualifica-tions of membership was that one’s place of business belocated within the territory. That rule was laterrelaxed and eventually abolished.

Interact Club at LongviewHigh School (1969–70)

On September 23, 1969, President Charley Raderannounced the formation of an Interact Club atLongview High School. By a unanimous vote that day,we accepted sponsorship of the new organization, whichis described in the newspaper article reproduced on thepreceding page. Rotarians Charles Cobb and JulianFiegel said they would attend all Interact meetings.

The new club held its first fund-raising event onDecember 9: a “slave auction” at the Rotary Club meet-ing, in which the labor of 39 Interact boys was “sold” tothe highest bidders. Each Rotarian at that meetingwas requested to buy lunch for at least one Interactboy. This event inaugurated a tradition which wasrepeated every year during the life of the Interact Club.

During the next school year, 1970–71, the InteractClub played a leading role in maintaining peace andgoodwill as the student body of the black Womack HighSchool was incorporated into that of Longview HighSchool. The first state-wide Interact Club conventionwas held in Dallas on March 29 through 31, 1973, inconjunction with the annual conference of our ownRotary District 581. The convention was attended by23 Longview Interact Club members. At our meetingon October 18, 1977, Interact officers Russell Buckstaffand Jack Slagle reported membership of 70. Our clubrosters continued to list Rotarians responsible for theInteract Club through 1978–79.

Tom Brown, Secretary-Treasurerfor more than 21 years (1972–73)

Thomas Stevens Brown was born in 1942 in El Dorado,Arkansas. His family moved to Longview in 1954, andhe graduated from Longview High School in 1960.Stationed in Japan with the Air Force, he served as a

photo reconnaissance specialist. Back in Longview, hebegan a career in the printing business, purchasingLongview Print Shop in 1969 and operating it ever since.In 1968, Tom married Bobbie Jean Sanford of Dallas.They have two children: Jeb, a graduate of Stephen F.Austin State University, and Robin, a college student.Tom and Bobbie are members of Mobberly BaptistChurch, where Tom coached boys’ basketball for severalyears. He was active in the Jaycees at local and statelevels for 17 years, serving as chapter president in 1974.

Having been inducted into our fellowship on October5, 1971, Tom was appointed as secretary-treasurer whenCharles Cobb resigned from that position, taking officeon April 24, 1973. He was elected as secretary-treasurerfor each of the next 21 years, ending with 1993–94. Hehas never missed a Rotary meeting. He served onnumerous club project committees and was co-chairmanwith Jim Haralson of the first annual golf tournament,held in April, 1982, later chairing that event five times.We demonstrated our appreciation for Tom’s service bypresenting him with the Tom Putman award in 1982and the club’s Paul Harris fellowship in 1986.

TOM BROWN HAS EARNED a place among theclub’s traditions of service in this chapter. His

name dominates the list of secretary-treasurers foundon the club data page in the appendix. The one servingthe next longest was George Kelly, II, with 12 yearsfrom 1931–32 through 1942–43. Thus Tom has exerteda stronger influence on the club than any other person.

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Thomas Stevens BrownSecretary-Treasurer, 1972–1994

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Much of the tone and style with which we have becomefamiliar over the past two decades—and many of theresulting achievements on which we pride ourselves—are due to the quiet guidance and unselfish devotion ofTom Brown.

Outstanding Vocational StudentAwards (1973–74)

Under Vocational Service Director Rogers Pope in1973–74, we started what became the annual customof honoring up to eight outstanding vocational studentsat Longview High School. Nancy Byers and CarrollDavis were presented to the club on August 28, 1973,by E. B. Jenkins, vocational education coordinator atthe school. This practice was continued by Jenkins’ssuccessor Jack Lynch, who became a member of thisclub on May 7, 1974. This annual program has contin-ued through the years as one of our traditions of ser-vice for the schools and the youth of Longview. UnderPresident Bob Carroll in 1976–77, we started awardingsavings bonds to the students. The event typicallyincludes remarks by the teacher and descriptions oftheir vocational programs by the students.

Tom Putman Award (1975–76)

Thomas Russell Putman was born in Flemingsburg,Kentucky, in 1897. His mother died when he was aboutsix years old, leaving four small children. Tom and oneother were reared by three aunts in Fort Thomas.Joining the Navy when he was about 17 years old, Tomserved four years and was discharged after World War I.He attended Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore,Kentucky, and worked for his uncle Robert at PutmanCandy Company in Cincinnati. In Longview during theOil Boom, Tom helped James Curtis organize his KFROradio station—which went on the air in 1935 with a 100-watt transmitter—and became the first station manager.

In that capacity, Tom joined this club in 1935. After afew years, he returned to Kentucky, working in the tailorbusiness in Lexington, where he married Nancy ElizabethStephens. Back in Longview with Nancy in 1946, Tomjoined our fellowship again in 1948 as manager of EastTexas No Flame Company, with a classification of lumberpreserving. Out of the club for about a year, he returnedin 1952 as salesman for Moore & Neal Company, in theclassification of neon sign manufacturing. After two moreyears away, he came back in 1962 as salesman for KFRO,remaining on the roster until his death in 1979—the lastthree years in honorary status. Tom’s main service in theclub was as editor of the Rotaview for 17 of the years from1948–49 through 1974–75 (chief editor for 16 of thoseyears). In addition, he was international service directorfor 1969–70. He was made a Paul Harris fellow by RayNewnham on May 2, 1972.

Tom took an active role in the Baseball for Boys pro-gram in Longview from its inception. He worked asteam manager, league president, and commissioner. Hewas a Mason and Shriner and member of First Meth-odist Church, serving there as Sunday school teacher

and member of the official board. Among other writingachievements, Tom was the author of a genealogicalbook on Putman and Putnam ancestral lines.

Tom and Nancy reared three children: Nancy Lee,who married our Tom Brown’s brother Bill and worksfor our Jerry Adair at Good Shepherd Medical Center;David, in the plumbing business in Longview; and Tom,Junior, a regional manager for J. C. Penney Company inVancouver. Nancy now has six grandchildren. She stilllives in the house that she and Tom bought in 1946.

THE ORIGIN of the club’s annual Tom Putmanaward as one of the club’s traditions of service was

described for this book by Ted Mooney:During my tenure as club president in 1975–76,

Rotaview Editor Dick Avent and I conceived of theTom Putman Award. The idea came from Dick afterwe visited Tom together when he was hospitalized.We were greatly impressed at how much Rotarymeant to Tom, and we thought of how much hemeant to us and the whole club. He had served theclub for many years as bulletin editor, winning thedistrict award for the most outstanding club bulletinyear after year. He attended all district conferences,and it was always a pleasure to be with him. Hewas a great storyteller, blessed with a wonderfulsense of humor and an infectious smile. Dick and Ifelt that this delightful man possessed qualitiesworth emulating and that Rotarians who followedhis example should be honored in Tom’s memory.

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Thomas Russell Putman1897–1979

Photo by courtesy of Nancy Putman

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At our meeting on April 27, 1976, President Tedproposed that we immediately institute a Tom PutmanAward to be given every year to the Rotarian who hascontributed the most in the closing year. The motionpassed unanimously. Afterwards, Ted submitted thefollowing further description of qualifications for candi-dates being considered for the Tom Putman Award:

The recipient of the Tom Putman Award shouldreflect the qualities that Tom possessed as well asTom’s devotion to Rotary. The club should set suchhigh standards that the Putman Award becomeshighly coveted.

Each candidate for the award should make acontribution to Rotary in at least two of the fouravenues of service and preferably in all four. Theseare club service, vocational service, community ser-vice, and international service.

Club service includes but is not limited to theclub bulletin, positions of leadership, programs,sergeant-at-arms, and attendance chairman. Sincethe Putman Award is a club recognition award thatmust be earned, club service must be given the mostweight. Certainly service at the district level shouldbe given serious consideration.

Vocational service should recognize the contri-butions made throughout the business world, includ-ing membership in organizations such as the cham-ber of commerce.

Community service may include non-Rotaryactivities as well as Rotary activities. Some exam-ples are Boy Scouts, church work, school activities,Meals on Wheels, local scholarships, and so forth.

International service can include efforts to pro-mote the Rotary Foundation, foundation scholar-ships, and club exchanges.

In addition, the candidate must have a good rep-utation as a citizen of the community and be a will-ing worker in Rotary.

After the end of his term as president, Ted Mooneypresented the first Tom Putman award to CecilRichardson on August 10, 1976. For a list of all win-ners of this prestigious award, see the appendix.

Lobo Relays (1976–77)

Besides being president of this club in 1974–75,John Harrison, Jr., has served on the board oftrustees of Longview Independent School District con-tinuously since 1971, except for one term from 1977 to1980. In March of 1977, John led the club into thetradition of acting as sponsors for the Lobo RotaryRelays, an annual invitational track meet hosted byLongview High School. Each year, John recruitedseveral Rotarians to accompany him as a team pro-viding assistance to the Longview High School athlet-ic staff and officials in conducting the event. Besidessponsoring the “Miracle Mile Run” for local competi-tors, the club provided the program and a barbecuefor officials and coaches. After 1983, the club decidedto discontinue participation because some officers feltwe were not getting enough recognition from the local

newspaper. The Kiwanis Club then sponsored theevent for several years, calling it the KiwanisHawkins Relays.

Paul Harris Fellowship Awardedby the Club (1977–78)

The concept of Paul Harris fellowships is a methodof encouraging contributions to the endowment fundoperated by Rotary International, known as the RotaryFoundation. A Paul Harris fellowship is an honorarytitle given to a person who contributes one thousanddollars to the Rotary Foundation—or to a person desig-nated by someone who contributes the money. RotaryInternational describes the foundation as follows:

The origin of the Rotary Foundation was a pro-posal made at the 1917 Rotary Convention inAtlanta, Georgia, by Arch C. Klumph, the sixth pres-ident of Rotary International. He proposed the cre-ation of an endowment fund “for the purpose ofdoing good in the world in charitable, educational,and other avenues of community progress.” Thefirst contribution to the foundation was $26.30 fromthe Rotary Club of Kansas City, Missouri. The firstgrant was $500 to the International Society ofCrippled Children, in 1930. Since then, approxi-mately 700 million U.S. dollars has been contributedto the foundation, including approximately 241 mil-lion dollars for the PolioPlus program.

The foundation is supported by voluntary contri-butions from Rotarians and friends of Rotary. Thefoundation spends 100 percent of its contributionson programs. Contributions are invested for a three-year period before they are expended on programs,with the interest and earnings paying the founda-tion’s administrative, program operation, andfundraising costs. All awards and grants are madein conjunction with Rotary Club and district interna-tional service activities. Applications for fundingmust be initiated by a Rotary Club or district.

Paul Harris fellowships were instituted by RotaryInternational in 1957. (Adjusted for inflation, $1,000in 1957 is worth $5,300 in 1995.) On February 1, 1966,President Andy Guinn announced that our memberRay Newnham had been designated as a Paul Harrisfellow by Rotary International. Later, it was claimedthat Ray was the second Paul Harris fellow in Texas.In the Rotaview for August 12, 1969, it was noted thatthe trustees of the Rotary Foundation had decided topresent a medal to each Paul Harris fellow, so RayNewnham was receiving one. In addition, Paul Harrisfellows also receive a certificate and a special lapel pin.As of May, 1993, over 403,000 Paul Harris fellowshipshad been awarded, making up the vast bulk of all con-tributions to the foundation other than those for thePolioPlus program (See 1987–88).

In the 1977–78 Rotary year, this club instituted atradition of awarding at least one Paul Harris fellow-ship each year out of our general fund. Every fewyears, we have had enough money to award more than

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one. Recipients are chosen by the club’s board of direc-tors. They are listed in club data in the appendix.

Except for an award for Millie Harper as the sec-ond Longview Rotary Citizen of the Year in 1979–80and for Carrie Riff in 1986, the club’s honorary PaulHarris fellowships have been given to members of theclub. This has become a method of showing our appre-ciation to members who have provided exceptional sup-port for the club’s activities over a number of years. Toreceive one of the club’s honorary Paul Harris fellow-ships is considered a higher honor than the TomPutman award, which is based on service only duringthe closing year.

Longview Rotary Citizenof the Year (1978–79)

Traditions are usually established gradually by aprocess of evolution and experimentation through theyears, and this one is no exception. On February 27,1979, Rotarian Joe Fugitt announced that the club’sboard of directors had approved sponsorship of aHubert Gregg Day and the collection of contributionsto help him pay off his house. Mr. Gregg was the ami-able blind man who had been making a living sellingpeanuts in Longview for decades. Joe’s successfuleffort was crowned by the city’s proclamation of HubertGregg Day in Longview at our meeting on April 3.This was the beginning of what became our annualLongview Rotary Citizen of the Year award.

Exactly one year later, on February 26, 1980, itwas announced that the club’s honoring of HubertGregg last year would be taken as the first of a seriesof annual awards. Joe Fugitt headed a committee toconsider suggested candidates. As a result, MillieHarper was awarded the club’s Paul Harris fellowshipon June 10 for her tireless work at Woodland ChristianChurch on behalf of the sick, shut-ins, and elderly.The award was not yet called the Longview RotaryCitizen of the Year.

Finally, in 1981, we began using that name. Thefirst person honored as the Longview Rotary Citizen ofthe Year was Gene Boyd, recognized in a program onApril 28 for service to alcoholics at Boyd House, whichhe and his wife established in the Greggton Area in1970. For a list of recipients of this award since then,see the general club data page in the appendix.

The Four-Way Test Speech Contest(1978–79)

The Rotaview for February 27, 1979, carried thefollowing report:

Two weeks ago at Rotary, Bill Gilbert ofLongview High School brought us our program inthe person of three young very talented men whospoke to us on the Four-Way Test as applied to busi-ness and trade relations. Harry Hardwick and

Andrew White judged the speakers and awardedMark Cave a first place in the contest. He will go onto the finals in the competition, where the winnerwill be awarded a $200 scholarship.

This was the beginning of an annual tradition forthe club, in support of a program carried out at the dis-trict and international level.

Puntarenas SchoolProject (1981–82)

Among other items in his report of events duringhis year as president for this book, Milton Cammackwrote as follows (with clarification by Andy Guinn):

At the beginning of the 1981-82 Rotary year,the committee chairmen were asked to submittheir objectives for the year. One objective was toparticipate in a world community service project.At the suggestion of Andy Guinn, chairman of theworld community service committee, we elected toassist the Puntarenas, Costa Rica, Rotary Clubwith their project of supporting the Escuela deEnsenanza Especial, a school for retarded children.Our board allotted $2,500 from the golf tournamentproceeds to purchase and ship instructional toolsand playground equipment to Costa Rica for thosestudents.

Andy and Joyce Guinn visited the Rotary Clubin Puntarenas, Costa Rica, in March of 1982 andmade plans with that club to send equipment to theschool for retarded students. There were 68 chil-dren, ages 2 to 13. They were taught practical skillswith the objective of becoming self-supporting mem-bers of the community.

When word of this project began to spread inLongview, there were a great number of donations.Jerome Henderson of Machinery Supply andGrinding Company donated a complete set of car-pentry tools, and Blackshear Jameson and theLongview Foundation donated over $300 in tools.Other donations came from Ralph Wise, Charles andLiz Cobb, and Bob Carroll.

We were fortunate in 1982 because the RotaryInternational Convention was held in Dallas.Fernando DeSoto of the Puntarenas Rotary Clubcame to the convention and then on to Longview. Heattended our June 15, 1982, meeting and expressedhis club's gratitude for the work that we had donewith the school project. I think it was a feeling of allthe people involved in this project that this wassomething we ought to do more often.

Golf Tournament (1981–82)Along with his preceding report on the Puntarenas

project, Milton Cammack wrote about the golf tourna-ment:

Our fund raising project for the 1981–82 yearwas the first annual Longview Rotary golf tourna-ment, which was held on April 3 and 4 at AlpineGolf Course. The cost was $50 per entrant. TomBrown and Jim Haralson were co-chairmen. The

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tournament was highly successful and netted$4,489, which was to be used for various club pro-jects.

We have conducted a Longview Rotary GolfTournament every year since then.

Longview Rotary EndowmentFund (1982–83)

A not-for-profit corporation, Longview RotaryEndowment Fund, Inc., is a vehicle for collecting tax-deductible contributions and supporting worthy causesin Gregg County. Every member of our club is auto-matically a member of the corporation. All contribu-tions are invested, and only income from the invest-ments is distributed.

According to Julian Fiegel, the origin of this insti-tution is traceable to efforts begun during 1981–82.Curtis Morris told President-Elect Julian about a simi-lar fund operated by the Rotary Club of Washington,D.C. As soon as he became president, Julian appointeda committee to look into the concept, consisting of BobCarroll, Curtis, Dick Dial, and Kerry Cammack. It wasnot easy to secure the support of the board of directors.Bob Carroll presented the proposal to the club at ourregular meeting of July 27, 1982. We tabled it for fur-ther discussion, which took place at another clubassembly on August 24, and it passed by large margin.The fund’s first board of trustees was elected by theclub on September 28: Milton Cammack, Julian Fiegel,Curtis Morris, Paul Belding, W. D. Northcutt, BobSchrader, Bob Carroll, Henry Gossett, Rogers Pope,and Louis Williams. The new board, in turn, electedBob Carroll as the first president.

As of 1994–95, the corpus of the fund is valued atabout $20,000. The trustees have been giving awayabout $900 of investment income per year. Recentrecipients have included Asbury House Child CareCenter, Longview Foster Children’s Home, LongviewEarly Childhood Development Center, and LongviewJunior Achievement.

Longview Public Library and theRotary Fashion Extravaganza

(1985–86)On August 6, 1985, our speaker was Howard

Coghlan’s wife Peggy, the spark plug in the campaignto build a first-class modern library, urging support forthat project in a city bond election on September 14.Three days after the favorable ballot, the club voted toraise $20,000 for the library over the next five years.The Longview-Greggton club committed the sameamount, and the Longview South Club promised$10,000. As a result, the periodical reading area in thelibrary was named for Rotary. Individual contribu-tions from our members began to come in immediately,reaching about $8,000 within a few months.

Bob Brown spearheaded an effort to put on a fund-raising event for the balance. It was the RotaryFashion Extravaganza, a style show conducted byRiff’s Women’s Apparel Shop at Maude Cobb ActivityCenter on March 5 , 1986. (Bob managed the store forCarrie Riff.) This event also served as our SweetheartBanquet for 1986. About a thousand people boughttickets for $17.50 apiece, resulting in a profit of about$12,000, which put us over the top of the goal.(However, because we had other uses for the moneythat year, we held out a couple thousand until later inthe 5-year pledge period.)

Other members working with Bob on the eventincluded Tom Meredith, J. R. Curtis, Howard Coghlan,Delbert Bright, Jack Welge, Gary Skinner, TomLanders, Gordon Hargett, and Guy Cunningham. Inappreciation for her support in this worthy cause, weawarded Mrs. Riff a Paul Harris fellowship on the fol-lowing June 24. Bob Brown, in turn, received the TomPutman award on that day.

Belize Dental Project (1987–88)

At our meeting of February 26, 1985, WellsBurton announced a joint world community serviceproject with the Rotary Club of Tuxtla Gutierrez,Mexico. According to an account by Andy Guinn forthis book, the goal was to provide medical assistancein Chiapas, one of the poorest states in Mexico. Ourclub’s contribution was to be funded through theannual golf tournament. However, because of possi-ble conflicts with a church group regarding controlover expenditures, our board decided not to proceedwith this project.

As a substitute, we embarked on a similar project.In the next Rotary year, 1985–86, our Dr. Wayne Leggrequested that we help in a dental project in Belize(the former British Honduras). Wayne was joined byDr. Steve Baker of the Longview-Greggton RotaryClub, Dr. Dee Rea of the Longview South club, and Dr.Troy Jolly of the Marshall club. These dentists offeredto donate their time, provide some of their instru-ments, and pay some of their personal expenses. Theywere requesting assistance with air fare, lodging, anddental equipment. In contrast to some foreign healthvolunteers who provided one-shot treatments, our den-tists wanted to return for follow-up work on theirpatients. Our board agreed to sponsor the project inpartnership with the other three clubs, using proceedsfrom our annual golf tournament. Later, as the pro-ject attracted interest throughout our Rotary district,it was adopted as a district world community serviceproject, funded through a district dues assessment.

Pairs of our dentists visited twice a year to townsassigned by the Belize government: Dandriga, BenqueViejo, and San Antonio. In 1992, the project was ter-minated for lack of dental volunteers. The equipmentwas donated to a group of doctors doing volunteerwork in Belize, headed by David F. Nichols of Tyler.

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Appendix

Contents

Persons Identified in Group Photographs:

1935 Boy Scout cabin dedication on frontispiece and Page 77:Left side of picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88Middle of picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88Right side of picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89

1944 Rotary Ann Christmas banquet on Page 23:Left side of picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89Middle of picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90Right side of picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90

1950–51 Rotary meeting with Boy Scouts on Page 25:Left side of picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91Right side of picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91

Membership Rosters at Middle of Each Decade:

1933–34 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .921944–45 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .921954–55 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .921964–65 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .921974–75 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .931984–85 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .931994–95 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93

General Club Data for Each Rotary Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94

Graph of Membership Year by Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95

Copyright 1995 by Longview Rotary Endowment Fund, Inc.The Adobe Acrobat PDF file of which this notice is a part was created (with minor corrections) from a book entitled The Club and the Town: The Rotary Cluband the City of Longview, Texas, Year by Year from 1920 to 1995, published in 1995 by Longview Rotary Endowment Fund, Inc. Notwithstanding the prohibi-tion of reproduction without permission on the copyright page of the book, the publisher provides this PDF file to the general public without charge, but only forpurposes of reference and research. The publisher strictly prohibits publication, distribution, or dissemination of this file or any part or printed pages thereof, orconversion of the file into any other format, without prior written permission. Longview Rotary Endowment Fund, Inc., PO Box 2244, Longview, TX 75606

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Persons Identified in Group Photographs

Left side of 1935 Boy Scout cabin dedication on frontispiece and Page 771. Tony Lanagan2.3. Henry Foster4. Steve Forman5. Smith Price

6.7. Curtis Morris?8. Bob McGowen9.10. Joe Riff

11.12. Rembert Rea?13. B. D. Marshall14. R. Marvin Kelly15.

16. S.C. Jimmie Hudnall17. Paul Stamper18. Marvin Jordan19. Bill N. Taylor20. Marvin Abernathy

21. Paul Harding

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Middle of 1935 Boy Scout cabin dedication on frontispiece and Page 7722.23. Father Jim Callahan24. George Kelly25. W. Bruner Smith26. E. Quest Whitney27. Joe L. Grimes

28.29. Syril Parker?30.31.32. Herbert Skidmore33. Dr. Tom Hagan

34. Percy Zimmerman35.36.37. O. Lee Norton38. Wesley Danforth?39. Grover Finch?

40.41. Bill Terrell42. Tom Richardson43.44.45. Maurice Bivins

46. Allen Gaston47. LeGrande Kelly48. Joe Dunsworth

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Right side of 1935 Boy Scout cabin dedication on frontispiece and Page 7749.50. G. A. McCreight?51.52.

53.54.55.56. B. W. Crain

57. Herman Hoeft?58.59.60.

61. Dr. Vesse Hurst62.63. Dr. Howard Ross64. T. D. Campbell

65.66. Gerald Osborne

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Left side of 1944 Rotary Ann Christmas banquet on Page 231. Lawrence Birdsong2. George Kelly3. Effie Rule Bivins4. Maurice Bivins5. Leita Kelly

6. Col. G. V. Emerson7. Grace Eason8. Mabel Birdsong9. Bob McGowen10. Mrs. Emerson?

11. Howard Eason12.13. Mrs. McGowen14.15. Billie Butter

16. Ralph Parker17. Blanche Birdsong18. Frank Richardson19. Geraldine Barbee20. Leo Butter

21. Claude Barbee22. Earle McCreight23. Mrs. Grady Shipp24. Syril Parker

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Middle of 1944 Rotary Ann Christmas banquet on Page 2325. Mary Maude Parker26.27. Alta Rita Welch28. H. P. Black29. O. Thomas Welch30. Ruth Sterling?31. Steve Topp32. Nannie Mae Terrell33. Mrs. H. P. Black

34. Mrs. S. C. Hudnall35. Bill Terrell36. Esther Hurst37. Reva Ryan38.39. S.C. Jimmie Hudnall40.41. Grady Shipp42. Hubert M. Harrison

43. Bess Topp44. Judge Will C. Hurst45. John McDavid46. Genevieve Hurst47. Henry Foster48. Mrs. H. Harrison49. Alex Ryan50. Florence Foster51. Dr. Vesse Hurst

52. Florene Foster53. Mrs. Niehuss54. Maurine Finch55. O. Lee Norton56.57. Sam Dorfman?58.59.60. Dr. Henry Niehuss

61. Lucille Meadows62.63. Grover Finch64. Lynne Norton65. Curtis Meadows66. John M. Souerbry?67. Mrs. Ray Newnham68.

Right side of 1944 Rotary Ann Christmas banquet on Page 2369. Sadie Dunsworth70. Ray Newnham71. T. D. Campbell?72. Amma Souerbry73. M. Clint Brown74. Winnie Dee Harrison75. Princess Markham76. Beecher Daniel

77. Mrs. Tom Hagan78. John Harrison79. Daisy Campbell80. Joe Dunsworth81. Dr. Tom Hagan82. Monroe Vivian83. Boggs Ryan84. Nelda Zeigler

85.86. Dr. Louis Markham87. Leroy Zeigler88. Daisy Morris?89. Jetta Yonge90. Dann D. Budd91. Charles Yonge92. Grace Patterson

93. Mrs. Clayton Loftis94. E. Quest Whitney95. Wm. F. Patterson96. Clayton Loftis97. Curtis Morris98. Nelwyn Glover99. Barbara Messner100.

101. Dr. Austin Glover102.103. Dell Messner

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Left side of 1950–51 Rotary meeting with Boy Scouts on Page 251. George Kelly2.3.

4.5. German Hollandsworth6.

7.8.9. Richard Lucas

10. David Topp11.

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Right side of 1950–51 Rotary meeting with Boy Scouts on Page 2512.13. Charles Cashell14. Oliver Daniel15.

16.17. Martin Ray Adams18.19.

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1944–45(approximate list)

D. Ray AdamsClaude E. BarbeeBuford D. BattleLawrence BirdsongMaurice BivinsH. P. BlackFrank Bolton (Hon.)M. Clint BrownDan D. BuddHarry CainT. D. CampbellFrank CondonB. W. CrainOliver DanielRoger DavisSam DorfmanJoe W. DunsworthGrover C. FinchHenry L. FosterDr. A. T. GloverSam B. GrayDr. Tom HaganLin B. HardinRalph HardinRoy HardinHubert M. HarrisonJohn W. HarrisonS. C. HudnallBob HugillDyrl Hull (Hon.)Dr. V. R. HurstWill C. HurstGeorge, II KellyLeGrande KellyR. Marvin Kelly (Hon.)Rogers LacyW. A. LanaganLawrence LandrumFrank LebusClayton LoftisJoe LongIsadore MaritzkyDr. Louis MarkhamG. A. McCreightR. S. McGowenJohnW. McDavidCurtis W. MeadowsDel M. MessnerCurtis MorrisM. Ray NewnhamDr. Henry NiehussO. Lee NortonRalph R. ParkerSyril A. ParkerWm. F. PattersonBen PopeW. Casey P’PoolRembert ReaJoe D. RiffC. G. RogersDr. H. A. RossAlex B. RyanGrady ShippJohn M. SouerbryBob SpeightGuy SterlingWm. H. TerrellJ. StephenToppMonroe VivianO. ThomasWelchE. Quest WhitneyDrew WilsonJimmie WilsonJ. Marcus WoodCharles YongeLeroy Zeigler

1933–34(approximate list)

Marvin D. AbernathyRev. Jas. AireyLawrence BirdsongMaurice BivinsFr. Jim CallahanT. D. CampbellWill B. ChaunceyTyson ClearyB. W. CrainOliver DanielClarence FaulkGrover C. FinchMinor FoosheeSteve C. FormanHenry L. FosterDr. A. T. GloverHorace G. GloverJoe L. GrimesDr. Tom HaganPaul HardingHubert M. HarrisonWalter HewellS. C. HudnallDr. V. R. HurstGeorge, II KellyLeGrande KellyR. Marvin KellyR. E. KnightW. A. LanaganFrank LeBusClayton LoftisPurser MageeB. D. MarshallJohn W. McDavidR. S. McGowenOtho McKaigCurtis W. MeadowsBob MeyersCurtis MorrisRev. L.W. NicholsWalter NicholsonO. Lee NortonE. B. OliverGerald E. OsborneSyril A. ParkerHerman PasternackDr. Don PetersonSmith PriceTom E. RichardsonJoe D. RiffDr. H. A. RossBruner SmithTanlac StrangeBill N. TaylorWm. H. TerrellHarry TurnerO. ThomasWelchE. Quest WhitneyRev. John WhortonJ. Marcus WoodJim YoungLeroy ZeiglerPercy Zimmerman

Eugene L. BaileyClaude E. BarbeeHenry C. BennettLawrence BirdsongM. Clint BrownB. D. BruyereJohn A. BlackwellDann D. BuddR. C. BurgessL. F. BurkeDr. Reid ClantonO. D. ClarkJ. B. CockrellFrank CondonB. W. CrainJoe H. CroxtonRaymond CuppOliver DanielDr. Jamie DawsonJoe W. DunsworthDr. Jack DworinOscar EpsteinCarl ErmanDr. Glenn FarrBuford FieldsGrover C. FinchErnie FoersterHenry L. FosterHenry, Jr. FosterJ. C. FountainA. R. GravesDr. A. T. GloverSam B. GrayDr. Tom HaganJohn W. HarrisonAustin C. HatchellA. D. HaysLeeton HillisGerman J. HollandsworthEllie HopkinsFloyd HuddlestonS. C. HudnallRobert F. HunterDr. V. R. HurstWill C. HurstBlackshear JamesonGeorge, II KellyJames M. KellyR. Marvin Kelly (Hon.)Richard O. KenleyJohn S. KimbleDuncan KincheloeJames KingW. Roy KingMelson LanierW. A. LanaganJoe Long (Hon.)Dewey MathisDel M. MessnerRay MaberryIsadore MaritzkyG. A. McCreightDale H. McDanielJohn W. McDavidR. S. McGowenW. G. MitchellDr. Frank MondrickJ. H. MoodyMarshall MuseJosh T. MooreQ. C. MurphyM. Ray NewnhamDr. Henry NiehussDr. W. B. NormanO. Lee NortonW. D., Jr. NorthcuttSyril A. Parker

Wm. F. PattersonCharles R. PerkinsHenry A. PittsDee PlylerFred PoolW. Casey P’PoolTom PutmanRembert ReaCecil W. RichardsonJoe D. RiffDr. H. A. Ross (Hon.)Dr. G. S. RushingAlex B. RyanW. N. SlackR. E. SlaytonHarry St. JohnBill N. TaylorRev. R. C. TerryJ. Clyde TomlinsonJ. Stephen ToppA. Ray TracyDr. Allen TylerWm. H. TerrellBill Van BlarcomTom, Jr. WelchW. R. WhitefieldDrew WilsonJ. Marcus WoodGuy M. YentCharles YongeJ. Merton Young

1954–55(beginning of year)

Willard ArcherHenry AtkinsonEugene L. BaileyJ. A. BallardClaude E. BarbeePaul B. BeldingE. K. BennettHenry C. BennettFred S. BerryR. E. BlountCarl L. BoiceCarl BordersDutchie BrightEdward A. BrownB. D. BruyereL. F. BurkeStephen ButterJ. Carroll CallahanPaul D. CampbellRex CampbellArthur E. ClappJames B. CockrellHoward CoghlanDr. L. A. ColquittFrank CondonFritz CornelsenH. F. Jim CottinghamB. W. CrainE. B. CrainBruce CunninghamOliver DanielMalcolm DavisDr. Jamie DawsonJames F. DeakinsWm. B. DrogeJ. Barcus DuboseJoe W. DunsworthJack DworinCarl ErmanDr. E. StanFarringtonVictor E. FerchillJoe M. FugittHenry L. FosterHenry, Jr. FosterJerry Ray FosterDr. Tom B. FrancisCharles FreetJames S. GarrettDr. A. T. GloverA. R. GravesBert, Jr. GriffinL. Andy GuinnDr. Tom HaganHugh HagemeyerGordon K. HargettJerry HarrisW. Carroll HarrisAustin C. HatchellElmer C. HerritageLeeton HillisGerman J. HollandsworthEllie HopkinsWill C. HurstMike HutchisonStanley IbenthalBlackshear JamesonW.B. Mutt JohnsonGeorge, II KellyRichard O. KenleyDuncan KincheloeKenneth KirkpatrickW. Roy KingJames M. KnoxRoyce E. LackeyNorman LawyerJames A. LeibyRichard LeTourneau

Mel T. LewisDan LittlejohnNorman E. LoomisRay MaberryDr. Sam MackJack M. MannR. Chas. MantinbandIsadore MaritzkyStarlin M. MarrsB. F., Jr. MartinJ. H., Jr. MartinCharles MathewsR. Eugene MatthewsG. A. McCreightDale H. McDanielJames D. McDanielJohn W. McDavidHenry C. McGredeEugene R. McWhorterArthur D. MercerDel M. MessnerRay W. MilamDr. Frank MondrickLouis MorganRoy A. MorganJno. C., Jr. MurphyQ. C. MurphyMarshall MuseW. Robt. MyersM. Ray NewnhamLeGrande NorthcuttPercy D. NorthcuttW. D., Jr. NorthcuttO. Lee NortonFred R. ParisSyril A. ParkerWm. B. PattersonDr. C. W. PaytonCharles R. PerkinsHenry A. PittsFred PoolTom PutmanCharles G. RaderBob RaleighRembert ReaArvin RedfearnCecil W. RichardsonDr. BrannonRiddleJoe D. RiffOtto RitterAlex B. RyanC. W. ShelburneH. P., Jr. SmeadRobert E. SteedDr. A. C. StevensGil StriblingClarence SwansonBill N. TaylorWm H. TerrellJ. Clyde TomlinsonJ. Stephen ToppA. Ray TracyClarence TuckerHarold TurnerDr. Allen TylerJohn R.L. VaughanCarl WarrellTom, Jr. WelchGeorge B. WestbrookEugene C. WilleyChas. W. WilliamsJack T. WilliamsTom WilmothDrew WilsonJoe A. WilsonCharles YongeJ. Merton Young

1964–65(beginning of year)

Membership Rosters at Middle of Each Decade

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— 93 —

Toby H. AbneyJames W. AsburyRichard G. AventJ. A. BallardClaude E. BarbeeTravis BeaversPaul B. BeldingE. K . BennettHenry C. BennettMark L. BoonC. Porter BrandonHal BratteliFr. John BrennanW. Delbert BrightDutchie BrightBritton P. BrookshireArthur N. BrownRobert K. BrownThomas S. BrownA. Wells BurtonJ. Carroll CallahanJ. Kim CallahanCasey W. CammackKerry N. CammackJ. Milton CammackRoyl J. CarbyC. Robert CarrollC. Frank CobbChas F. Jr. CobbEugene S. CoddouHoward CoghlanJack CovinE. B. CrainJas. R., Jr. CurtisJohn L. DeLoachGlenn A. DetmoreRichard A. DialJ. Barcus DuboseBob DyerRev. Robt. ElyGlenn EvansVictor E. FerchillJulian M. FiegelL. J. FiteHenry, Jr. FosterCharles E. FrithJoe M. FugittW. Allen GageLou GalosyHenry, Jr. GossettL. Andy GuinnHugh HagemeyerDr. John L.HallDr. Harry HardwickGordon K. HargettJohn, Jr. HarrisonRichard C. HathornMarcus C. HeadleyRoland HenryElmer C. HerritageR. Michael HolbertEllie HopkinsJ. Guy HughesC. Ray JacksonBlackshear JamesonB. H. JamesonRay JeterW. Roy KingRoyce E. LackeyTom W. LandersMichael G. LivermanNorman E. LoomisJack LynchLee B., Jr. LynchRev. Mike MaceyB. F., Jr. MartinW. Larry Martin

Harry D. MattisonWm. E. McReynoldsEugene R. McWhorterEugene W. McWhorterArthur D. MercerTom R. MeredithDel M. MessnerLarry W. MinxEdward J. MooneyCurtis MorrisJno. C., Jr. MurphyM. Ray NewnhamLeGrande NorthcuttDr. W.D.,III NorthcuttRev Wm B. O’NealFred R. ParisSyril A. ParkerDr. C. W. PaytonCharles R. PerkinsHenry A. PittsRonnie PlilerJ. Rogers PopeCharles G. RaderDr. A. A. RasheedWm. Y., II RiceCecil W. RichardsonThomas H. RichterJeffrey A. RippelTommy L. RobertsAlex B. RyanW. Ray SaundersRobert J. SchraderWillard M. ShiversLloyd E. SchultzJohn R. SimonettiJim SingletonJohn M. SmithRobert H. SmithJerry StarnesWilson StinnettJames E. StjernstromRandel StringerThomas A. SweeneyDr. WarrenTharpHiram G. TiptonJ. Stephen Topp (Hon.)M. E. Bud TriglethHarve TruskettDr. Allen TylerLeo B. WallJames E. WallaceTom, Jr. WelchJack H., Jr.WelgeAndrew WhiteJack T. WilliamsLouis B. Jr.WilliamsGarland WilliamsonRev. ConradWinbornAllan R. WisenbakerDr. Allan E. WisenbakerThos. J., Jr. WolfAllan WrenP. Jim WyantA. Pat Young

1984–85(beginning of year)

Craig AbernathyJerry D. AdairMilton AunanGene R. AustinRichard G. AventJ. A. BallardFred S. BerryJoan N. BerryShane BestBuck, Jr. BirdsongMark L. BoonHerbert BoylandC. Porter BrandonW. Delbert BrightDutchie BrightA. Wells BurtonLinda R. ButterJ. Carroll CallahanJ. Kim CallahanCasey W. CammackJ. Milton CammackRoyl J. CarbyC. Ramey CarrollDr. Carl ChildressDavid ChoyC. Frank CobbDoug CoxRev. Tom CroweD. Randle CunninghamJas. R., Jr. CurtisGlenn A. DetmoreRichard A. DialDoug DieboltJohn W., IV DimondBill R. DodsonJ. Barcus DuboseVincent L. DulweberRobert E. DurhamWm. F. EdmondsVictor E. FerchillJulian M. FiegelL. J. FitePatricia FlorenceBruce ForbesHarrison ForbesHenry, Jr. FosterCharles E. FrithLewis GoinsDr. WillardGoldHenry, Jr. GossettKeith GriffinL. Andy GuinnHugh HagemeyerGordon K. HargettJohn, Jr. HarrisonRon HeezenR. Michael HolbertDavid HoustonRon HudgensJerrell HuffmanJ. Guy HughesJim HugheyJames R. HugmanBlackshear JamesonB. H. JamesonGeorge, III KellyRoyce D. LaffitteTom W. LandersLara LeverHal, Jr. LongM. Carter MaceyArliss MalloryJack M., Jr. MannB. F., Jr. MartinBill E. MartinW. Larry MartinRichard L. McGee

Reagan, III McLemoreRon McMichaelWm. E. McReynoldsEugene W. McWhorterArthur D. MercerDel M. MessnerEdward J. MooneyJno. C., Jr. MurphyLatricia NicholsLeGrande NorthcuttDr. W.D.,III NorthcuttRusty NortonScott NovyJames E. ParrishDr. C. W. PaytonPaul S. PerryDr. John E. PettyHenry A. PittsR. Darryl PrimoCharles G. RaderPerry ReedCharles A. ReevesWm. Y., II RiceWm. Y., III RiceLeonard RiggsCharles R. RisingerBob RodgersRobert J. SchraderDon W. ScogginsLloyd E. SchultzBill SimmsLoren SmithMichael J. SmithRobert H. SmithR. Hank, Jr. SmithTom SouthernDon C. TalleyDr. WarrenTharpJohn G., Jr.TroyHarve TruskettPatrick A. VanBurkleoMike VerucchiJohn C. WalkerLeo B. WallTom, Jr. WelchAva A. WelgeJack H., Jr.WelgeThos. J., Jr. WolfTerry WoodsJ. David, Jr.WratherGregory J. WrightA. Pat Young

1994–95(beginning of year)

Membership Rosters at Middle of Each Decade

Toby H. AbneyRichard G. AventJ. A. BallardClaude E. BarbeeIrby D. BatesTravis BeaversPaul B. BeldingJoe M. BellE. K. BennettHenry C. BennettJoe T. BohannonTalmadge BoothKurt BorrisHerbert BoylandC. Porter BrandonJ. M. BrashearHarold E. BrasierDutchie BrightW. DelbertBrightArthur N. BrownEdward A. BrownRobert K. BrownThomas S. BrownL. F. BurkeJ. Carroll CallahanJ. Milton CammackPaul D. CampbellRoyl J. CarbyC. Robert CarrollArthur E. ClappChas F. Jr. CobbHoward CoghlanRev. Steve CookE. B. CrainJas. R., Jr. CurtisJim DavisJohn L. DeLoachGlenn A. DetmoreJ. Barcus DuboseJoe W. Dunsworth(H)Rev. W. C. EverettDr. E. StanFarringtonVictor E. FerchillJulian M. FiegelNeill FlemisterHenry, Jr. FosterDr. Tom B. FrancisCharles E. FrithJoe M. FugittHenry, Jr. GossettL. Andy GuinnDr. John GuttryHugh HagemeyerDr. Harry HardwickGordon K. HargettJohn, Jr. HarrisonNeal A. HawthornJerome HendersonElmer C. HerritageAl D. HethcockRobert C. HolbertGerman J. HollandsworthEllie HopkinsO. Loyd HudsonRev. Rex HumphreysB. L. Jack JacksonBlackshear JamesonAlf JerniganW.B. Mutt JohnsonCharles F. KeeGeorge, II KellyRichard O. KenleyJames H. KeysW. Roy KingRoyce E. LackeyTom W. LandersNorman E. Loomis

Jack LynchRev. Mike MaceyJack M. MannB. F., Jr. MartinR. Eugene MatthewsJim, Jr. McCannJohn W. McDavidWm. E. McReynoldsEugene R. McWhorterArthur D. MercerDel M. MessnerRay W. MilamEdward J. MooneyJ. Coy MorelandRoy A. MorganJno. C., Jr. MurphyM. Ray NewnhamLeGrande NorthcuttDr. W.D.,III NorthcuttO. Lee NortonHal OrgainHarry J. OwensFred R. ParisSyril A. ParkerRev. Bob ParrottDr. C. W. PaytonCharles R. PerkinsRev. Gene PettyHenry A. PittsJ. Rogers PopeTom PutmanCharles G. RaderArvin RedfearnCecil W. RichardsonAlex B. RyanW. Ray SaundersWillard M. ShiversA. Daniel SilenskyJohn M. SmithRobert H. SmithJohn, Jr. SpiekermannRev. Ray StarnesLarry W. StarrCharles A. StevensonNels E. StjernstromWard SummersBill N. TaylorJ. Stephen ToppCharles G. TullisDr. Allen TylerGary A. VincentTom, Jr. WelchCharles M. WhiteW. D. Bud WhiteBarney D. WilliamsJack T. WilliamsDrew Wilson (Hon.)Joseph A. WilsonAllan R. WisenbakerDr. Allan E. WisenbakerThos. J., Jr. Wolf

1974–75(beginning of year)

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General Club Data for Each Rotary YearRotary Secretary- Market or Mem- Putman Club P. H. L. R. CitizenYear President Treasurer Bulletin Editor News Rept. Pianist bers Award Fellowship of the Year______ ______________ ______________ _____________________________ ____________ _______________ ____ ______________ ____________ _______________

20–21 Edward Bussey Phil Hayes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2721–22 Edwin Rembert Henry Bennett . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .‡7022–23 Marvin Kelly Bruner Smith . . . . . . . . .Shorty LeBlanc23–24 B. D. Marshall Bruner Smith24–25 Robert Hall Bruner Smith25–26 Arthur Connor Bruner Smith26–27 Bert Sessums Newman Wells27–28 LeGrande Kelly Newman Wells28–29 Will Hurst Newman Wells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .*3629–30 Wallace Norton Newman Wells30–31 Quest Whitney Newman Wells31–32 Bill Taylor George Kelly, II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .*5032–33 Bruner Smith George Kelly, II33–34 Curtis Meadows George Kelly, II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jessie Northcutt . .†6334–35 Tom Richardson George Kelly, II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jessie Northcutt . .†7435–36 Gerald Osborne George Kelly, II36–37 Grover Finch George Kelly, II37–38 Henry Foster George Kelly, II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .*7538–39 Marcus Wood George Kelly, II39–40 Robert Womack George Kelly, II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .†7940–41 Lee Norton George Kelly, II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .‡8441–42 Ersk. Bramlette George Kelly, II42–43 Maurice Bivins George Kelly, II43–44 Casey P’Pool Bob McGowen Bob Speight Grace Eason ‡6844–45 Lawr. Birdsong Bob McGowen Bob Speight Grace Eason ‡7045–46 Ralph Parker Bob McGowen Bob Speight Grace Eason ‡6846–47 Dell Messner Bob McGowen John Harrison Grace Eason ‡8047–48 Steve Topp Bob McGowen Austin Hatchell Grace Eason *8548–49 Vesse Hurst Ray Maberry Tom Putman Grace Eason49–50 John Harrison Blacksh’r Jameson Tom Putman Grace Eason50–51 George Kelly, II Raymond Cupp Tom Putman*** Grace Eason51–52 O. Tom Welch Joe Dunsworth Floyd Huddleston Grace Eason 9652–53 Austin Hatchell Joe Dunsworth Tom Putman Grace Eason 10453–54 Ellie Hopkins Joe Dunsworth Tom Putman Lorraine Martin 10754–55 Henry Pitts Cecil Richardson Tom Putman Lorraine Martin 10855–56 Waym’n Norman Cecil Richardson Floyd Huddleston Lorraine Martin 12356–57 Cecil Richardson Ray Tracy Vic Ferchill Lorraine Martin 12757–58 Allen Tyler Ray Tracy Vic Ferchill Lorraine Martin 13758–59 Charles Perkins Robert Steed Norman Galyon Lorraine Martin 13259–60 Joe Dunsworth James Deakins Norman Galyon Lewis/Littlejn††† Lorraine Martin 12760–61 Dale McDaniel James Deakins Franklin Martin Lewis/Littlejohn Lorraine Martin 13261–62 Vic Ferchill James Deakins Andy Guinn Lewis/Littlejohn Lorraine Martin 14462–63 Starlin Marrs Merton Young Andy Guinn Lewis/Littlejohn Lorraine Martin 15063–64 Dunc. Kincheloe Merton Young Andy Guinn Lewis/Littlejohn Lorraine Martin 15164–65 Stan Farrington Merton Young Putm. w/ Bright, Merc., Ferch. Lewis/Littlejohn Eliz. McLure 15465–66 Andy Guinn Merton Young Tom Putman Mel Lewis Eliz. McLure 15266–67 John C. Murphy Merton Young Tom Putman Mel Lewis Eliz. McLure 15367–68 Jack Williams Mike Hutchison** Tom Putman Bill Ray Eliz. McLure 15468–69 Bud. Shelburne Mike Hutchison Tom Putman Bill Ray Eliz. McLure 15769–70 Charley Rader Mike Hutchison Tom Putman Bill Ray Eliz. McLure 15070–71 Howard Coghlan Mike Hutchison Tom Putman Bill Ray Eliz. McLure 15771–72 Delbert Bright Mike Hutchison†† Tom Putman Bill Ray Eliz. McLure 15572–73 Ray Milam Charles Cobb‡‡ Mercer, Petty, & Putman Bill Ray Eliz. McLure 15273–74 Charles Tullis Tom Brown Putman w/ Petty & Mercer J. R. Curtis‡‡‡ G. Stan Roberts 15274–75 J. Harrison, Jr. Tom Brown Putman w/ Petty & Mercer J. R. Curtis G. Stan Roberts 13875–76 Ted Mooney Tom Brown Dick Avent with 4 others J. R. Curtis G. Stan Roberts 134 C. Richardson76–77 Bob Carroll Tom Brown Dick Avent with 4 others J. R. Curtis G. Stan Roberts 146 John Harrison77–78 W. D. Northcutt Tom Brown Avent w/ Macey, McW, Brandon Figallo/Curtis G. Stan Roberts 145 Charley Rader John Harrison78–79 Rogers Pope Tom Brown Avent w/ Mercer, Wolf, Macey J. R. Curtis G. Stan Roberts 140 Charles Tullis Bob Carroll Hubert Gregg79–80 Charles Cobb Tom Brown Mooney w/ Brandon & E.W.McW J. R. Curtis G. Stan Roberts 144 Stjernstrom Harper, Messner Millie Harper80–81 Henry Gossett Tom Brown Burton w/ Bob Brown & Mooney J. R. Curtis None 153 Wells Burton John Murphy Gene Boyd81–82 Milton Cammack Tom Brown J. Stjernst’m w/ Brown & Burton J. R. Curtis None 149 Tom Brown Fiegel, Guinn Agnes Scruggs82–83 Julian Fiegel Tom Brown J. Stjernst’m w/ Brown & Burton J. R. Curtis None 153 Charles Cobb Bob Brown Ann L. Crain83–84 Dick Dial Tom Brown J. Stjernst’m w/ Brown & Burton J. R. Curtis None 151 Syril Parker C. C. Turner84–85 Leo Wall Tom Brown J. Stjernst’m w/ Brown & Burton J. R. Curtis None 141 Mike Macey Vic Ferchill E. K. Bennett85–86 Barcus Dubose Tom Brown J. Stjernst’m w/ Brown & Burton J. R. Curtis None 145 Bob Brown Riff, Dial, T.Brown D. McQueen86–87 Jim Stjernstrom Tom Brown Kenny Hawthorne w/ Bob Brown J. R. Curtis None 147 Wayne Legg Leo Wall Jim Elam87–88 Jack Welge Tom Brown Kenny Hawthorne w/ Bob Brown J. R. Curtis None 146 John Walker Henry Pitts M. Shuttlesworth88–89 Casey Cammack Tom Brown Kenny Hawthorne w/ Bob Brown J. R. Curtis None 144 Larry Martin Stjernstrom Dr. Sam Mack89–90 Ronnie Pliler Tom Brown Stjernst’m, Kilpatrick w/ Burton J. R. Curtis None 151 J. McIlhenny Tom Landers Jo Lloyd90–91 Dan Fiscus Tom Brown Stjernst’m, Kilpatrick w/ Burton J. R. Curtis None 142 R. Carroll C. Cammack C. Richardson91–92 Bill Rice, II Tom Brown Stjernst’m, Kilpatrick w/ Burton J. R. Curtis None 141 E.W. McWhorter Ronnie Pliler Lou Galosy92–93 Jerry Adair Tom Brown E.W. McWhorter & Sam Smead J. R. Curtis None 133 G. Hargett Wells Burton Vic Ferchill93–94 John Troy Tom Brown Boon, Heezen, Russell, A. Welge J. R. Curtis None 132 D. Houston E.W. McWhorter Hank Foster94–95 Kim Callahan Casey Cammack Jack Welge and 4 others J. R. Curtis None 129

Partial Years: ** The secretary-treasurer in 1967–68 was Joe Dunsworth until August, then Mike Hutchison.†† The secretary-treasurer in 1971–72 was Mike Hutchison until about February, then Charles Cobb.‡‡ The secretary-treasurer in 1972–73 was Charles Cobb until April, then Tom Brown.*** The Rotaview in 1950–51 was edited by Tom Putman until March, then by Floyd Huddleston.††† Mel Lewis and Dan Littlejohn started giving a stock market report at club meetings after April, 1960.‡‡‡ The stock market report in 1973–74 was given by Bill Ray until November 20, then J. R. Curtis began giving a news and market report.

Sources of Membership Figures: Annual folder, or roster on Rotaview back at beginning of the Rotary year, including honorary members, except as follows:* Roughly estimated for whole year by past president for 1963 club history booklet† Approximate roster of whole year reconstructed from newspaper articles‡ Mentioned for some time during that year in Rotaview of that year or later

— 94 —

Other pianists before 1943–44,according to the 1963 club history:Josephine Hopkins Bodenheim, MissVirginia Estes, Mae Beth McHaneyHolloway, Mrs. George Ballard, Dr.Glenn Farr, and Mabel Birdsong

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— 95 —

Longview-Greggton

clubestablished

SouthLongview

clubestablished

Hallsvilleclub

moved toLongview

{

WorldWar

II

*

*

†*

*

Graph of Membership Year by YearFrom membership column on opposite page

(See footnotes for sources.)

First women admittedto the club

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— 96 —

Aaron Burleson Chapter of DAR: 15Abbott, Frank: 48ABC Auto Parts: 41Abernathy, Craig: 58, 76, 93Abernathy, Frances Northcutt (Cissy,

Mrs. Craig): 58Abernathy, M. D.: 79Abernathy, Mark: 62, 69Abernathy, Marvin: 88, 92Abernathy, Nancy Phillips (Mrs. Mark):

75Abilene, Texas: 30Abney, Toby: 35, 93Acker, B. H., Dr.: 1-3Acker, Jim: 53Acker, Julia Shaw (Mrs. B. H.): 26Adair, Jerry: 73-74, 83, 93-94Adair, Nancy DeKinder (Mrs. Jerry): 74Adams, D. Ray: 92Adams, Ewing: 35Adams, John: 20, 65Adams, Martin Ray: 91Aden, Jimmie: 77Aetna Life & Casualty Co.: 66Airey, Jas., Rev.: 13, 79, 92Allbright, Jasper: 44Allen Academy: 29Allen Foundation: 29Allen, Calvin: 51Allen, John, State Rep.: 42, 45, 49, 52Allen, Robert: 55Allen, Tim: 52Allen, Virginia: See Virginia RichardsonAlley Art Show: 71Allred, James V., Governor: 16Alpine Golf Course: 85Alpine Presbyterian Church: 57Alsup, Bernice : 16-17Altwegg, Al: 49Ambassador University (College): 76American College: 66, 70American Heart Association: 49American Legion: 16, 38, 42, 66, 78American Red Cross: 22, 48, 78Amick, Elizabeth: See Elizabeth CobbAnderson, Carl: 78Anderson, Mildred: See Mildred TylerAnson, Texas: 22Archer, Skippy: 46Archer, Willard: 92Architects and architecture: 34, 45, 47,

55, 65Arkansas Louisiana Gas Company: 51Arlington, Texas: 67Arnold, J. E.: 36Arp, Texas: 41Arthritis Foundation: 58Asbury Theological Seminary: 83Asbury, James W.: 93Atkinson, Henry, Gregg County Judge:

45, 65, 69, 92Atrium Building: 33Attendance slips origin: 54Aunan, Milton: 93Austin, Bud: 69, 71Austin, Gene R.: 93Avent, Ava: See Ava WelgeAvent, Richard G. Dick: 55-58, 60, 69, 72,

83, 93-94Baccus, Frank: 32Bailey, David: 58Bailey, Eugene L.: 92Baker, Steve, Dr.: 86Baldwin, Frank A.: 45Ballard, Andy: 52Ballard, George, Mrs.: 94Ballard, J. A. (Jay): 81, 92-93Ballard, Lambert: 39Balloun, Sandra Kay: See Sandra TroyBank One: 3-4, 37, 49, 72Banks and banking: 1, 3-6, 9, 14, 18-21,

24, 26, 29, 31, 33, 36-38, 40, 44, 47, 49-51, 58-59, 61, 72-74, 76, 81

Banks, Winona: See Winona PerkinsBaptist, Baptists: 1, 11, 13-15, 17-18, 20,

24, 27, 30, 32-34, 36, 42, 47, 55, 59, 62,68, 71, 73, 82

Barbee, Claude: v, 20, 26, 37, 65, 89, 92-93Barbee, Claudia: See Claudia ParishBarbee, Emily: See Emily Barbee SheltonBarbee, Geraldine Van Allen (Mrs.

Claude): v, 26, 89Barnes, Ben, Lieut. Governor: 46, 49Barnes, Esther: See Esther Barnes

CammackBarron, Sally Gossett: 62Barry, Lionel: 60Baseball: 10, 15-16, 19, 25, 71, 75, 83Bates College: 75Bates, Irby D.: 93Battle, Buford D.: 92Baucum, Stacy: 66Baugh, Jim: 72Baumoel, June Norton (Mrs. James L.): 21Baxter, Virginia Hatchel (Mrs. John): 32Baylor College of Dentistry: 57Baylor Dental College Century Club: 58Baylor Hospital: 28, 36Baylor School of Nursing: 40, 47Baylor University: 18, 28, 36, 40, 47, 56-

59, 63, 72Baytown, Texas: 13Beaumont, Texas: 13, 39, 44Beavers, Travis: 49, 55, 71, 93Beckworth, Lindley, Congressman: 29Belding, Paul: 48, 86, 92-93Bell, Joe M.: 93Bennett, E. K.: v, 42, 44-45, 67, 92-94Bennett, Henry C., Senior and Junior: 3-

4, 92-94Bentley’s Restaurant: 71Benton, Lila Mae Bussey: 1Bentsen, Lloyd M., Senator: 34, 53Berry, Fred S.: 92-93Berry, Joan N. (Mrs. Fred): 93Best, Shane : 93Bethel College & Seminary: 68Bicentennial celebration, U. S.: 56, 64Big Inch Pipeline: 47Big Three Industries: 67Birdsong, Alamo: See Alamo MobberlyBirdsong, Blanche: v, 24, 30, 89Birdsong, Buck: 35, 93Birdsong, Cornelia: See Cornelia WhitsonBirdsong, Lawrence : v, 23-24, 26, 89, 92,

94Birdsong, Lawrence, Jr. (Sonny): v, 23-

24, 30Birdsong, Lowela Searcy (Mrs. Simon): 24Birdsong, Lowrene: See Lowrene

GrissomBirdsong, Mabel Bray (Mrs. Lawrence):

v, 24, 26, 89, 94Birdsong, Simon: 24Bivins Lumber Company: 22Bivins, Betty: See Betty Bivins DuncanBivins, Craig : 22Bivins, Durham: 22-23Bivins, Effie Rule (Mrs. M. H.) : 22, 79, 89Bivins, J. K. (Knotty): 21Bivins, James Knox, Captain: 21Bivins, Jim: 22-23, 30Bivins, Lee Norton: 21Bivins, Louise: 22Bivins, Lynne: See Lynne SimpsonBivins, Marjorie Harrison (Mrs. Jim): 22,

30Bivins, Maud Lynette Norton (Mrs. J. K.

“Knotty”): 20-21Bivins, Maurice H.: 21, 22, 23, 30, 88-89,

92, 94Bivins, Sally: See Sally Bivins ThurtellBlack, Florence: See Florence FosterBlack, H. P., Mrs.: 90Black, H. P.: 90, 92Black, Norman, Dr.: 56, 74Black, T. P. and Fannie: 18Blackwell, John A.: 92Blount, Eva Jean Finch (Mrs. R. E.): v, 18Blount, R. E. (Peppy): 42, 46, 92Blue Ridge, Texas: 6Bockus, Frank: See BaccusBodenheim, G. A., Mayor: 1-2, 21

Bodenheim, Josephine Hopkins (Mrs.Roland): 79, 94

Bohannon, Joe T.: 93Boice, Carl L.: 92Bolton, F. C., Dr.: 30Bolton, Frank: 22, 92Bonham, Eliza Bussey, Mrs.: 1Boon, Mark: 75, 93Booth, Talmadge: 93Borders, Carl: 92Boring, Jessie O.: See Jessie BramletteBorris, Kurt: 53, 93Bossier City, Louisiana: 54Boston University: 75Box factory: See Cummer-GrahamBoy’s State: 66Boy Scout cabin: ii, 32, 37, 42, 77Boy Scouts: ii, 4, 9, 15-17, 19, 25, 30-32,

34-38, 42, 45, 51, 54-55, 60-61, 63, 67,73, 77-78, 84, 88-89, 91

Boyd House: 63, 85Boyd, Gene: 63, 85, 94Boyd, J. J.: 1-2Boyland, Herbert: 93Boyland, Rex: 71Bradley Polytechnic: 38Bramlette School, Erskine: 36, 38Bramlette, Annie Miller (Mrs. T. A.): 21Bramlette, Erskine M., Judge: 2, 21, 38,

94Bramlette, Floreid: See Floreid

Bramlette FrancisBramlette, Joseph Boring: 21Bramlette, Jessie Boring (Mrs. E. M.): 21Bramlette, Nannie Mae: See Nannie Mae

TerrellBramlette, Nellie Landry (Mrs. E. M.): 21Bramlette, Paul: 44Bramlette, Thomas Anderson: 21Brandon, C. Porter: 58, 60, 93-94Brashear, J. M.: 93Brasier, Harold E.: 93Bratteli, Hal: 93Brawley, E. H.: 20Bray, C. L.: 24Bray, Mabel: See Mabel BirdsongBrennan, Captain Charles: 14Brennan, John, Father: 93Brewster, Alta Rita: See Alta Rita WelchBright, Delbert: v, 46-47, 49, 51, 53, 56,

62, 86, 93-94Bright, Dutchie: 45, 92-94Bright, Jean Williamson (Mrs. Delbert):

51Bright, Kevin: 51Bright, Lyndell: 51Bright, Mark: 51Brin, Philip: 50Briscoe, Dolph, Governor: 58Broadway Square Mall origin: 48Brooking, Walter, Dr.: 38Brooks, Barbara: 8Brookshire grocery store: 36Brookshire, Britton P.: 93Brown, Arthur Northcutt: 63, 76, 78, 93Brown, Bluford W.: 21, 24Brown, Bobbie Jean Sanford (Mrs.

Thomas S.): 82Brown, David Northcutt: 76Brown, Edward A. (Ted): 76, 92-93Brown, F. B.: 1Brown, Janet Henry (Mrs. Arthur N.): 76Brown, Jeb: 82Brown, Jessie Northcutt (Mrs. Ted): 76, 94Brown, Kathreen (Mrs. Oliver G.): 5Brown, M. Clint: 90, 92Brown, Nancy Lee Putman (Mrs. Bill): 83Brown, Robert K. (Bob): 64-65, 68, 86, 93-

94Brown, Robert, Jr.: 2Brown, Robin: 82Brown, Russell E.: vBrown, Sally Hewell (Mrs. R. E.): vBrown, Thomas S.: 53, 55, 58, 60, 64, 68,

75, 82-83, 85, 93-94Brownwood, Texas: 40Bruner, Fannie: See Fannie Campbell

Bruner, Sammie: See Sammie SmithBruyere, B. D.: 92Buchanan, D. H., State Rep.: 35Buckstaff, Russell: 58, 82Budd, Dann D.: 31, 90, 92Bullen, C. A.: 36Bullock, Bob, State Comptroller: 66, 70Bunt, Zula Mae Hopkins: 34Burgess, R. C.: 92Burke, L. F.: 92-93Burkett, John: 35Burton, A. Wells: vi, 63-64, 74, 76, 86, 93-

94Bush, George W., Governor: 75Bussey, Edward H.: 1-2, 29, 94Bussey, James Everett, Dr.: 1Bussey, James W.: 1Bussey, Lila Mae: See Lila Mae BentonBussey, Minnie Elizabeth Jacobs (Mrs.

Edward H.): 1Butter, Billie (Mrs. Leo): 89Butter, Leo: 37, 89Butter, Linda Ryan: v, 26-27, 93Butter, Stephen: 92Byers, Nancy: 54, 83Cabell, Earl: 34Cace’s Restaurant, Johnny: vi, 71Cady, Jim: 56Cain, Harry: 92Callahan, Elaine Shaw (Mrs. J. Carroll):

75Callahan, J. Carroll : v, 61, 75, 92-93Callahan, J. Kim: v-vi, 75-76, 93-94Callahan, Jim, Father: 88, 92Callahan, Joyce (Mrs. J. Kim): 76Calvert, Robert, State Comptroller: 42Calvert, Texas: 39Cammack, Betye Sapp (Mrs. Milton): v, 63Cammack, Bob: 63Cammack, Calvin: 63Cammack, Casey: 63, 70, 72, 74-76, 93-94Cammack, Esther Barnes (Mrs. Casey): 70Cammack, J. Milton: v, 58, 60, 63, 70, 71,

85-86, 93-94Cammack, Jason: 63Cammack, Jim: 63Cammack, Kerry: 50, 61, 78, 86, 93Cammack, Tony: 63Camp Fire Girls: 25, 40Camp Glover: 9Camp John Wise: 18Camp Mabry: 18Camp Natowa: 40Campbell, Bill: 60Campbell, Daisy (Mrs. T. D.): 26, 79, 90Campbell, Fannie Bruner (Mrs. T. M.): 14Campbell, Paul D.: 92-93Campbell, Rex: 92Campbell, T. D.: 3, 32, 79, 89-90, 92Campbell, Thomas M., Gov.: 4, 14Campus Ward School: 18, 37Cannibal Park baseball field: 15Canton Restaurant: 76Cantwell, Geraldine P’Pool: 22-23Capacity, Inc.: 76Carby, Royl J. : 49, 71, 93Cargill Theater: 47, 52Cargill, Robert: 44-45, 58Carlisle, Tommy: 60, 62Carolane Jewelers: 75-76Carroll, C. Ramey: v, 56-57, 72, 76, 93Carroll, C. Robert (Bob): v, 53, 55, 56, 57-

58, 60-61, 63, 76, 83, 85-86, 93-94Carroll, Catherine Anne Ramey (Mrs.

Bob): 56Carroll, Christy: 57Carroll, Mary Lou: 57Carroll, Peggy: 57Carter, Joe D.: 49Carthage, Texas: 11, 52-53, 80Cash, Margaret: See Margaret GossettCashell, Charles: 91Castleberry, Maud: See Maud SmithCatholic Church, members, and priests:

35, 41, 46, 75, 92-93Cathy’s Carpet Care: 57Cave, Mark: 85

IndexPhotographs are indicated by bold italic page numbers, thus: 89

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Cello Wax Company: 57Cemeteries: 7, 13, 17-18, 39, 43, 49Centenary College: 51-53Centennial Celebration, Longview: 49-50Center, Texas: 9, 29Centre Presbyterian Church: 43Chadwick, F. R., Rev. : 13Chandler, Texas: 25Chapman, Jim, Congrsmn: 66, 72-73, 76Chauncey, W. B., Mrs.: 79Chauncey, Will B.: 92Chenault, James E., Jr.: 63Cherokee Club: 14, 58Cherokee Lake: 31, 33Cherokee Water Company: 46Childress, Carl, Dr.: 93Chism, James: 78Choy, David: 93Christian Church: 9, 25-26, 34, 38, 52,

56, 61, 66, 69, 76, 85Christmas parties: 17, 19, 23-24, 26, 79Church of Christ: 35Circus: 16CIT Credit Corporation: 54Citizen, L. R.: 94Citizens National Bank: 1City Park: See ParkCivil Aeronautics: 23Civitan Club: 37, 41, 47, 62Clanton, B. Reid, Dr.: 92Clanton, Elaine Markham (Mrs. B. Reid):

v, 18Clapp, Arthur E.: 42, 47, 92-93Clark, Mike: 49, 52Clark, O. D.: 92Cleary, Tyson: 92Clements, Bill, Governor of Texas: 66Clements, Verne A.: 33, 44Clendenen, Wade, Dr.: 55, 58Cliburn, Harvey: 37Cliburn, Van: 37Clyde, Calvin: 81Coast Guard: See U. S. Coast GuardCoates, D. B.: 1Cobb, Beth : 60Cobb, C. Frank: 60, 93Cobb, Charles F., Jr.: 53-55, 58, 60-61,

65, 81-82, 85, 93-94Cobb, Elizabeth Amick (Mrs. Charles):

60, 85Cobb, Jimmy: 78Cobb, Lillie May Ottman (Mrs. C.

Frank): 60Cobb, May : 60Cobb, Susie : 60Cochener, Kevin: 78Cockrell, J. B.: 92Coddou, Eugene S.: 66, 93Coghlan, Crowson, & Fitzpatrick law

firm: 50Coghlan, Howard: v, 46, 48-50, 52, 56, 81,

86, 92-94Coghlan, Inez Watts (Mrs. Jack V.): 50Coghlan, Jack V.: 50Coghlan, Katie: 50Coghlan, Kelly: 50-52, 81Coghlan, Peggy Crowder, Dr. (Mrs.

Howard): 50, 86Coles, Lige : 4College of Marshall: See East Texas

Baptist UniversityColorado State College: 18Colquitt, Landon A., Dr.: 51, 92Columbia University: 58Communism and U.S.S.R., reaction to:

31-32, 34, 37, 43, 49Community Center: see Longview

Community CenterCommunity Chest: See Longview

Community ChestConcord, Texas: 25Condon, Frank: 92Confederate Memorial Medical Ctr.: 20Congress and Congress Members: See

United States CongressConnally, John, Governor: 42Connor’s Cash Grocery: 7Connor & Swetman Texaco Service

Station: 6Connor Dry Goods Company: 6, 7Connor, Arthur, Jr. : 6Connor, Arthur: 1, 4, 6-7, 78, 94Connor, Carlie Harlan (Mrs. A. L.): v, 6-7Connor, Elizabeth: See Elizabeth Mercer

Connor, Julius Chester: 6Connor, Laura (Mrs. J. C.): 6Contessa Inn: 53, 56Convair: 36Coody, Leon: 35Cook, Steve, Rev.: 93Cornelsen, Fritz: 78, 92Corpus Christi, Texas: 17Cottingham, H. F. (Jim): 92Cotton & related indus.: 1, 3, 7, 14, 22, 67Court of Civil Appeals: 21, 72Cousins, R. B., Mrs.: 9Covin, Jack: 93Cox, Doug: 65, 93Crain, Ann Lacy (Mrs. B. W., Jr.): 65, 94Crain, B. W., Jr. : 23, 65Crain, B. W.: 23, 65, 78, 89, 92Crain, Edward B.: 23, 46, 65, 92-93Crawford, Noble: 78Creed, Roger: 79Crim, Leggett: 12Crim, Lou Della: 12Crim, Malcolm: 12Crippled children: 17, 64, 80, 84Crisman Preparatory School: 58Crowder, Peggy: See Peggy CoghlanCrowe, Tom Rev.: 93Croxton, Joe H.: 92Cub Scouts: 55Cubberly, O. P. and Lucie Rain: 19Cubberly, Tecaro: See Tecaro WoodCullum, George: 41, 81Cumberland Presbyterian: 13Cumberland University Law School: 62Cummer Manufacturing Company: 9Cummer-Graham Company: 9Cunningham, Bruce: 45, 48, 92Cunningham, D. Randle: 93Cunningham, Guy: 86Cunningham, Kay Elkins: vCupp, Raymond: 92, 94Curnutt, Marvin: 35Curtis Building: 10Curtis, James R., Jr.: 54, 58, 86, 93-94Curtis, James R., Sr.: 10, 83Daingerfield, Texas: 81Daisy Bradford discovery well: 12, 34, 62Dallas Bird Club: 26Dallas Cowboys: 49, 52, 74Dallas Institute of Mortuary Science: 49Dallas School of Embalming: 32Dalston, J. W., Mr. and Mrs.: xDalston, Jean: xDalston, R. T.: xDanforth, Wesley: 78, 88Daniel, Beecher (Mrs. Oliver): 26, 90Daniel, Hester Elizabeth: See Hester

Elizabeth Daniel HallDaniel, Oliver, Jr.: 23Daniel, Oliver: 10, 23, 91-92Daniels, Ann Marrs: v, 42Daniels, Z. T., II: 42Daughters of American Revolution: 15Davidson, Thomas: 44Davis, Buddy: 69Davis, Carroll: 54, 83Davis, Florine: 8Davis, Frank: 2Davis, Jim: 93Davis, Joyce: See Joyce PopeDavis, Malcolm: 92Davis, Roger: 92Dawson, Glenn: 46Dawson, Jamie, Dr.: 92Deakins, James F.: 40, 92, 94Deep Rock Oil Company: 12Dees, Swede: 34DeGeorge, Eugene: 35DeGraffenreid & Young, law firm: 50DeKinder, Nancy: See Nancy AdairDeLatin Gun Club: 22DeLoach, John L.: 93Denson, Lester : 13Dentistry: 1, 18, 45, 57-58, 67-68, 86Depression, The Great: 9-10, 16, 23Desegregation: See RacialDetmore, Glenn: 48, 93Dial, Bonnie Prendergast (Mrs. Richard

A.): 65Dial, David J.: 65Dial, Richard A. (Dick): vi, 60, 65, 67-68,

86, 93-94Dickson, Gurlye: See Gurlye P’PoolDiebolt, Doug: 93

Dies, Martin, Congressman: 32Dillard’s Department Store: 33Dillingham, Delsa Dale: See Delsa Dale

HatchellDimond, John W., IV: 93Disciples of Christ (Christian Church):

25, 38, 55District conferences, Rotary: 4, 22, 30, 35,

42, 45, 52-53, 56, 60, 70, 74Dixie Hotel: 28Dobbs, Louise: See Louise FosterDoctors Hospital: 20Dodge automobile agency: 8Dodson, Bill R.: 69, 71, 93Donald, Emma Jean: 16Dorfman, Sam: 90, 92Downtowner Motor Hotel: 10, 57-58, 60;

also see Gregg Hotel, Hotel Longview,and Longview Hilton.

Draper, Jim: 52, 54Draughon Business College: 9Droge, Wm. B.: 92DuBose, J. Barcus: v-vi, 42, 67, 71, 78,

92-94Dubose, Bertha Keller (Mrs. Barcus): 67Ducks Unlimited: 65Duke University: 74Dulweber, Vincent L.: 93Duncan, Betty Bivins: 14, 22Dunsworth, J W: 39-40, 48, 88, 90, 92-94Dunsworth, Sadie Mae Neel (Mrs. J. W.):

40, 90Dunsworth, Sarah Jo: See Sara Jo

LackeyDupuy, Virginia: See Virginia WomackDurham, Effie Rule: See Effie Rule

BivinsDurham, M. L., first Sheriff: 22Durham, Robert: 76, 93Durst, John: 81Dworin, Jack, Dr.: 92Dyer, Bob: 93Earlee Shopping Center: 71Earpville, Texas: 13Eason, Grace (Mrs. Howard): 26, 89, 94Eason, Howard: 89East Texas Ass’n for Abused Families: 69East Texas Baptist University (College):

15, 34, 35, 62East Texas Chamber of Commerce: 4, 7,

9, 14, 16, 19-21, 44, 62East Texas Civil War Round Table: 36East Texas College of Law: 39East Texas Council of Governments: 73East Texas Crematory: 49East Texas Exhibit Association: 11East Texas No Flame Company: 83East Texas Novelty and Wholesale

Tobacco Company: 16East Texas Oil Boom: See Oil BoomEast Texas Oil Company: 14East Texas Oil Field: 13, 17, 22East Texas Plumbing Supply Co.: 37East Texas Public Service Company: 11East Texas State University: 66East Texas Tourism Association: 74Eastman Kodak, Chemical Company,

Texas Eastman: 18, 30, 33, 43-45, 48-49, 55, 65, 71-72, 75

Echols Presbyterian Mission: 40Edmonds, William F.: 93Eitelman, Bob: 57Elam, Jim: 69, 94Elderville, Texas: 43Elgin, Texas: 8Elkins, Kay: See Kay CunninghamElkins, Laura Mercer: v, 6-7Elks Lodge: 14, 18, 32, 37, 41, 46Ellsworth, Laura Virginia (Mrs. Chuck):

19Ely, Robt. Rev.: 93Emerson, Gouverneur V., Colonel com-

manding Harmon General Hospital: 89Endowment fund: See Longview Rotary

Endowment FundEnvironmental Protection Agency non-

attainment ruling: 58Episcopal Church and Episcopalians: 34-

35, 44, 46, 49, 55-56, 63, 66, 69, 78Epstein, Oscar: 92Equitable Life Assurance Society: 63, 70Erman, Carl: 40, 92Estes, Billy Sol: 69Estes, Carl: 16, 20, 27, 32-34, 44, 73

Estes, Virginia: 94Etex Paper Company: 64Evans, Glenn: 68, 93Evans, Jack, Mayor of Dallas: 64Everett Building: 65Everett, W. C., Rev.: 93Everts, Arthur A.: 2Falls, Myrtle: See Myrtle WhitneyFarming, farms, agriculture, etc: 1, 8, 12,

15-19, 21, 24-25, 28-31, 34-35, 52, 66-67, 72, 76, 80

Farr, Glenn, Dr.: 92, 94Farrington, Betsy: 44Farrington, Evan Stanley, Jr., Dr.: v, 44,

46, 92-94Farrington, Evan Stanley, III: 44Farrington, Lucy: 44Farrington, Norma Plummer (Mrs. E. S.,

Jr.): See Norma HuntFashion Extravaganza: 68, 86Faulk, Clarence: 34, 92Federal Land Bank: 9Fedway department store: 33-34Felts, Ira: 78Fentress, J. L.: 1Ferchill, Cara Mae Price (Mrs. Vic): 41Ferchill, Cary: v, 41, 52Ferchill, Cindi: 41Ferchill, Vicki: 41Ferchill, Victor E.: iv-vi, 37-41, 44-45, 67,

72, 74, 80-81, 92-94Ferguson, Miriam (Ma), Governor: 16Ferns, Wes: 67Ferrell’s Bridge Dam: 38Fiegel, Julian M.: vi, 48, 60, 63-64, 81-82,

86, 93-94Fiegel, Reginald: 64Fiegel, Stella Meyer (Mrs. Reginald): 64Field, T. G., Auditorium: 46Fields, Buford: 92Figallo, Larry : 94Finch, Grover C.: v, 2, 16, 18, 23, 88, 90,

92, 94Finch, J. L.: 18Finch, John: 18Finch, Maurine (Mrs. Grover): 18, 90Finch, Princess: See Princess MarkhamFirst Baptist Ch.: 1, 11, 13-15, 17-18, 24,

27, 30, 32-34, 36, 42, 47, 59, 62, 68, 73First Christian Church: 9, 25, 38, 52, 66,

69, 76First Federal Savings and Loan

Association (Savings Bank): 8, 30, 36,40, 52, 58

First Methodist Ch. (United) : 3-4, 7-8,13, 16, 18-19, 22, 27-29, 31, 35, 37, 39-41, 43, 50-51, 53, 55, 58, 63, 67, 72, 74

First National Bank: 4-5, 19, 21, 29, 31,33, 36-38, 49, 59, 72, 76

First Presbyterian Church: 5, 21, 40, 48-49, 69, 77

First Southwest Savings: 52First State Bank of Overton: 59First State Bank of Van: 59First Ward elementary school: 18Fiscus, Becky (Mrs. J. D., Jr.): 72Fiscus, J. Daniel, Jr.: 72, 94Fiscus, Jack: vFiscus, Jason Daniel: 72Fisher, Bill: 8Fisher, Herbert: 8Fisher-Sessums Hardware Store: 8Fite, L. J.: 74, 93Fitzsimmons General Hospital: 36Flanagan, Bob: 27-28Flaskamper, Ray: 16Flemister, Neill: 93Fletcher, Carroll: 72Florence, Buck: 72Florence, Patricia (Mrs. Buck): 72, 93Foerster, Ernie: 92Fooshee, Minor: 92Football: 6-7, 19-20, 34, 40, 47, 49, 52, 56,

65, 74Forbes, Bruce: 93Forbes, Harrison: 93Ford, W. Morris, Reverend Dr.: 33Foreman, Jack, Dr.: 74Forest Park Junior High School: 38Forman, Steve C. : 3, 79, 88, 92Fort Worth, Texas: 11, 13, 44, 61-62, 65Foster Middle School: 6Foster, Claire Monday Smith: v, 14, 71Foster, Della Garner (Mrs. R. D.): 18

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Foster, Florence Black (Mrs. Henry): 18,26, 90

Foster, Florene: See Florene FosterGregory

Foster, Henry L., Jr. (Hank): v-vi, 14, 18-19, 75, 92-94

Foster, Henry L., Sr.: v, 13, 18-19, 26, 34,44, 46, 75, 79, 88, 90, 92-94

Foster, Jerry Ray: 92Foster, Louise Dobbs (Mrs. Henry L.): 19Foster, R. D.: 18Foster, Tippy: 8Founders Christian Church: 56Fountain, J. C.: 92Fourth of July Heartland Celebration:

See Heartland CelebrationFrancis, Floreid (Stevens): See Floreid

Francis StevensFrancis, Floreid Bramlette: 21Francis, Thomas Bramlette, Dr.: v, 21,

38, 92-93Fredonia Oil Company: 8Freemasonry: See Masonic OrderFreet, Charles: 92Frisco Railroad: 11Frith, Charles E.: 93Fudge, Eddie: 35Fugitt, Joe M.: 46, 60-61, 85, 92-93Gage, W. Allen: 93Gallenkamp, Rachel: See Rachel RiceGalosy, Lou: 67, 72-73, 93-94Galveston, Texas: 4-5, 29, 42, 44Galyon, Norman: 40, 94Gans & Smith Insurance Agency: 14, 66Gans, Dan W.: 1, 4, 14, 78Gans, Pearl: 78Gans, Stella: 78Gardner, Susan Ellsworth: 19Garner, Della: See Della FosterGarrett, James S.: 92Gasoline and refining: 8, 13-14, 16, 19,

21-22, 40, 42, 72Gaston, Allen: 77-78, 88Gaw, Bruce: 78Gee, E. J., Dr.: 1Gentry, Brady, Congressman: 34, 37George Peabody College: 19George, Sydney: 20Georgetown, Texas: 8, 30Georgia-Alabama Business College: 14Gibson, Robert, Rev.: 34Giddings, Jim: 30Gideons organization: 22Gilbert, Bill: 85Gilmer, Texas: 1, 3, 13, 15-16, 31, 53Girl’s State: 66-67Girl Scouts: 78Gladewater, Texas: 2, 9, 12, 15, 20, 24,

31, 37, 45-46, 53, 69, 80GLOBE (Greater Longview Organization

for Business and Education): 71Glover, Addie Maye: 79Glover, Algie : 22-23Glover, Austin T., Dr.: 22-23, 90, 92Glover, Horace G.: 92Glover, Nelwyn (Mrs. Austin T.): 90Glover-Crim Building: 2, 41Goins, Lewis: 93Gold, Willard, Dr.: 93Goldsmith, Joyce: See Joyce GuinnGolf Tournament: See Longview Rotary

Golf TournamentGonzales, Texas: 5Good Shepherd Medical Ctr. (Hospital):

5, 18, 28, 35, 41, 58, 65, 74, 83Goodwyn, Jack: 71Gossett, Henrietta (Yetta): 62Gossett, Henry O., Jr.: v-vi, 47, 58, 60,

62, 64-65, 86, 93-94Gossett, Margaret (Mrs. Henry O.): 62-63Gossett, Sally: See Sally BarronGovernors: See Texas State GovernorsGrace Hill Cemetery: 13Graham Manufacturing Company: 9; also

see Cummer-GrahamGramm, Phil, Senator: 70Granbery, Cornelia: See Cornelia

Granbery MarrsGranger, Texas: 32Grant, Ann N.: 25Grant, Ben Z., Judge: 71Graves, A. R.: 92Gray, Bill, president of TAB: 66Gray, Billy: 35

Gray, Charles, Dr.: 18, 23Gray, Maurine: See Maurine FinchGray, Sam B.: 92Gray, Vera: 26Great Depression: See DepressionGreater Longview Developmt. Fndn.: 72Greater Longview United Fund: 37Greater Longview United Way: 9, 37, 49,

51, 54, 61, 63, 69-71, 73-75Green, George: 35Green, Gordon, Jr., Dr. : 50Green, Jeanne Hunter (Mrs. Gordon, Jr.):

50Greenville College: 69Greenwood Cemetery: 18Gregg County Airport: 21, 28, 74Gregg County Bar Assn: 42Gregg County Board of Education: 21Gregg County Courthouse: 65Gregg County Crime Stoppers: 66Gregg County Fair: 14, 38, 46Gregg County Historical and

Genealogical Society: 46Gregg County Historical Commission: 58Gregg County Historical Foundation: 58,

62Gregg County Historical Museum: 11, 36,

49, 59, 62, 65Gregg County judges: 2, 19, 21, 42, 46,

65, 69, 72, 74Gregg Home for the Aged: 35, 40Gregg Hotel: 10, 11, 12-14, 17, 19, 29, 58,

79; also see Hotel Longview , LongviewHilton, and Downtowner

Gregg Memorial Hospital: 31Gregg, Hubert: 60-61, 85, 94Gregg-Harrison SMSA designation: 56Gregg-Tex Gasoline Corporation: 8, 14Greggton Community Center: 41Greggton Methodist Church: 41, 81Greggton: 22, 41, 43, 49, 53-54, 62-64, 79,

81, 85Gregory, Florene Foster: v, 19, 90Griffin, Bert, Jr.: 92Griffin, Keith: 93Grimes, Joe L.: 88, 92Grissom, Lowrene Birdsong (Mrs. Opha):

24, 79Grissom, Opha: 79Groves Manufacturing: 33Guaranty State Bank: 18Guinn, Joyce Goldsmith (Mrs L A): 45, 85Guinn, Laurie: See Laurie HammonsGuinn, Leland Andrew: vi, 40, 42, 44-45,

47, 61, 63-64, 67, 80, 84-86, 92-94Guinn, Paul: 45Gulf Oil and Refinining Company: 19, 25Guttry, John, Dr.: 93Hagan, Tom, Dr.: 88, 90, 92Hagan, Tom, Mrs.: 90Hagemeyer, Hugh: 48, 92-93Hagler, J. W.: 35Hall, Hester Elizabeth Daniel (Mrs. R.

M.): 5Hall, John L., Dr.: 34, 93Hall, John T.: 34Hall, Nina: See Nina HopkinsHall, Ralph, Congressman: 61, 64, 66, 69-

71, 74Hall, Robert M., Dr.: 5, 94Hall, Ruth: See Ruth MartinHall, Sam B., Senior, Judge: 34Hall, Sam, Jr., Congressman and Judge:

64, 66, 74Hallowe’en parties: 15, 26, 79Hallsville Rotary Club: 70, 95Hallsville State Bank: 18Hallsville, Texas: 18, 34-35, 70, 95Hamilton, Winnie Dee: See Winnie Dee

HarrisonHammons, Bill: 45Hammons, Laurie Guinn: 45Hampden-Sydney College: 5Hance, Kent, Congressman: 66Handley, Charles, Mrs.: 6Hanson, Lola Parker: 26Haralson, Jim: 64, 82, 85Harbour, Kenley, Boyland, Smith, &

Harris, law firm: 50Hardin, Lin B.: 92Hardin, Ralph: 92Hardin, Roy: 92Harding, Paul: 88, 92Hardwick, Harry, Dr.: 85, 93

Hargett, Gordon: 71, 74, 86, 92-94Harlan, Carlie: See Carlie ConnorHarlingen, Texas: 17Harper, Millie: 61, 85, 94Harris, Jerry: 74, 92Harris, Mary Lou: 26Harris, Paul : 27-28Harris, W. Carroll: 36-37, 92Harrison, Hubert M., Mrs: 90Harrison, Hubert M.: 90, 92Harrison, Jean Ramey (Mrs. John W.,

Jr.): 54Harrison, John David: 52, 65Harrison, John W., Junior: 30-31, 51-54,

57-58, 61, 63, 70, 84, 94Harrison, John W., Sr.: 28, 30, 78, 90, 92Harrison, Marjorie: See Marjorie BivinsHarrison, Reva: See Reva Harrison RyanHarrison, Winnie Dee (Mrs. John W.,

Sr.): 90Harrison, Y. D.: 30Hatchell, Austin C.: 28-29, 32-33, 35, 55,

92, 94Hatchell, Austin Lee : 32Hatchell, Delsa Dale Dillingham (Mrs.

Austin C.): 32Hatchell, Raymond: 32-33Hatchell, Vera Smith (Mrs. Austin C.): 32Hatchell, Virginia: See Virginia BaxterHathorn, Richard C.: 93Havens, Roy: 4Hawn, Charles: 42Hawthorn, Neal A.: 93Hawthorne, Casey: 72Hawthorne, Kenny: iv, 69-71, 94Hayes, Phil J.: 1-2, 94Hays, A. D.: 92Headley, Marcus C.: 93Heartland Celebration: 41, 72Heezen, Candy (Mrs. Ron): vHeezen, Ron: v, 75-76, 93-94Henderson County College: 53Henderson, Jerome: 85, 93Henderson, Mitch, Mayor: 65, 66Henry, Eddie: 34Henry, Roland: 67, 93Herritage, Elmer C.: 92-93Hethcock, Al D.: 93Hewell, Sally: See Sally BrownHewell, Walter: 92Hicks, John: 35Higgins, William B. (Bill): 35-36Hight, Evelyn (Mrs. Tom): 19Hight, Joe: 19Hilliard, Bill: 69Hillis, Leeton: 92Hines, Billy: 30Historic preservation: 20, 33-34, 65, 70HLH Products: 47Hobby, William P., Governor: 21Hobby, William P., Jr., Lt. Gov.: 52, 63, 66Hockaday School: 58Hockwald, Ike: 2, 4Hoeft, Herman: 78, 89Holbert, R. Michael: 68, 70, 93Holbert, Robert C.: 93Holderness, R. W.: 31Holiday Inn: 46, 48, 52, 60, 71, 82Hollandsworth, German: 30-32, 35, 78,

91-93Holley, Clara Alberta: See Clara MondayHolloway, Mae Beth McHaney (Mrs.

William A.): 94Holloway, Richard: 78Holmes, Thelma Ruth: See Thelma

WilliamsHombs, Boone: 65Hope, Charles Peter: 44Hopkins, Ellie: 34-35, 37, 74, 92-94Hopkins, Jack: 34Hopkins, Josephine: See Josephine

BodenheimHopkins, Mary Beth: See Mary Beth

ShawHopkins, Nina Hall (Mrs. Ellie): 34Hopkins, Sidney: 34Hornbeck, David: 35Hoskins, Arra: See Arra KellyHospice Longview: 63Hospital Corporation of America: 60Hot oil and proration: 20Hotel Longview: 10, 31, 35-37, 58, 81;

also see Downtowner, Gregg Hotel, andLongview Hilton

Houston, David S.: v, 75-76, 93-94Houston, Rebecca (Mrs. David S.): vHouston, Texas: 4-5, 44-45, 52-53, 56, 61,

71, 75, 94Howard Payne Univ. (College): 40, 56Howard, Ed, State Senator: 64, 66Huddleston, Floyd: vi, 31-32, 36, 38, 41,

44, 92, 94Hudgens, Ron: 73, 93Hudnall, S. C., Mrs.: 90Hudnall, Shelly C. (Jimmie): 9, 16, 26,

88, 90, 92Hudson Printing & Graphic Design: iv, viHudson, O. Loyd: 57, 81, 93Huffman, Jerrell: 35, 93Huffman, T. E.: 1Hughes, J. Guy: 93Hughey, Jim: 93Hugill, Bob: 92Hugman, Anne (Mrs. James R.): vHugman, G. R., Dr.: 45Hugman, James R.: v, 45, 73, 93Hugman, Joyce Plummer (Mrs. G. R.): 44Hugo, Oklahoma: 53, 74Hull, Dyrl: 22, 92Humble Oil Company: 47Humphreys, Rex, Rev.: 56, 93Hunt, Norma Plummer (Mrs. Warren): 44Hunt, Warren, Dr.: 44Hunter, Cecil (Entertainer Stuttering

Sam): 50Hunter, Jeanne: See Jeanne GreenHunter, Robert F.: 92Hurricane Carla: 42Hurst, Esther Leak (Mrs. W. C.): 9, 90Hurst, Genevieve Yates (Mrs. V. R.): 29,

90Hurst, Jacquelyn: See Jacquelyn

JamesonHurst, James L. : 9, 23Hurst, Jim: 72Hurst, Mary: See Mary MarchmanHurst, Vesse R., Dr.: v, 9-10, 18, 29, 36,

79, 89-90, 92, 94Hurst, William C., Judge: 9-10, 23, 90,

92, 94Hursttown, Texas: 29Hutchison, Mike: 47-48, 60, 92, 94Hutton, Glenn: 13Hvass, Michael: 72Ibenthal, Stanley: 92Inez Watts: See Inez Watts CoghlanInflation effect on dues, etc.: 27, 36, 45,

84Integration: See RacialInteract Club: 50-53, 58, 60, 81-82International Supply Company: 37Interstate Highway 20: 42, 48Irwin, G. Brockett (Jerry): 69J. C. Penney Company: 83Jackson County Memorial Hospital: 74Jackson, B. L. (Jack): 93Jackson, C. Ray, City Mgr.: 61, 66, 93Jackson, Jessie Evelyn: See Jessie

NormanJackson, Joyce: See Joyce CallahanJacksonville, Texas: 3-4, 47, 53Jacob, Paul: 48Jacobs, Minnie Elizabeth: See Minnie

BusseyJacoby, Fred: 66, 74Jameson, Blackshear Hurst (B. H.): 4, 29,

93Jameson, Blackshear: v-vi, 29-30, 55, 58,

63, 67, 85, 92-94Jameson, Jacquelyn Hurst (Mrs.

Blackshear): v, 29Jameson, Kelly: 29Jaycee Exhibit Building: 37-38Jaycees, Junior Chamber of Commerce:

37-38, 41, 46-47, 53, 55, 67, 82Jefferson Rotary Club: 3, 9Jefferson, Texas: 3, 9, 11, 34, 53Jenkins, E. B.: 54, 83Jernigan, Alf: 93Jeter, Ray: 67, 93Jewish congregation & rabbis: 35, 60, 70John Brown University: 38Johnson, Claudia Alta Taylor (Lady Bird,

Mrs. Lyndon): 38Johnson, Lyndon, Senator: 37Johnson, W.B. (Mutt): 92-93Johnston, E. C.: 50Joiner, Columbus W. (Dad): 12

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Jolly, Troy, Dr.: 86Jones, Bill: 4Jones, Dale: 26Jones, Jennifer Pope: 59Jones, Roland: 35Jordan, Betty Womack: 20Jordan, Kent: 54Jordan, Marvin: 78, 88Jordon, Harold: 47Jouett, Betty Ann: See Betty MurphyJoyner, W. H., Rev.: 1Judson Grove School: 17Judson High School: 71Junior Achievement: 72, 75Junior League of Longview: 65Junior Rotarian: 31Justice, William Wayne, Judge: 70Jutsum, Ross: 76Kansas City General Hospital: 44Kansas-Nebraska Nat. Gas Co.: 47, 50-51Kee, Charles F.: 93Keller, Bertha: See Bertha DuBoseKelley, Retta: 71Kelly Memorial Methodist Church: 4Kelly, Arra Hoskins (Mrs. R. M.): 4Kelly, Cacy McCullough (Mrs.

LeGrande): 8Kelly, G. A., Plow Company: x, 1-3, 9, 12,

16, 29, 31Kelly, George A., I: 3Kelly, George A., II: 2, 5, 23-24, 26, 30-

31, 52-53, 56, 70, 79-80, 82, 88-89, 91-94

Kelly, George A., III: 5, 31, 76, 93Kelly, James Marvin (Jim): 5, 23, 31, 40,

78, 92Kelly, LeGrande D.: 1-2, 8, 13, 15, 79, 88,

92, 94Kelly, LeGrande, Jr.: 8, 22Kelly, Leita Young (Mrs. George, II): 26,

31, 89Kelly, Margaret: 5Kelly, Mary Alice: See Mary Alice YatesKelly, Patrick: 30Kelly, Mary Virginia (Peggy): See Peggy

SkipperKelly, R. Marvin: 1-3, 8-9, 12, 16, 23, 29,

31, 88, 92, 94Kelly, Verner: 8Kelly, Virginia: 9Kellyville, Texas: 3, 8Kemper Military School or College: 46, 49Kendricks, Bill: 30Kenley, Richard O.: 92-93Kennedy, Nancy Taylor (Mrs. S. Stanley):

13Kerens, Texas: 32Kerrville, Texas: 48Kerry, Henry: 19Kerry, Louise Dobbs (Mrs. Henry): See

Louise FosterKeys, James H.: 81, 93KFRO Radio Station: 54, 83Khoury, Alvin: 47Kidd, Johnnie Mae: See Johnnie Mae

MooneyKilgore College: 30, 35-36, 50, 54, 61, 63,

70-71, 76, 78Kilgore Oil Museum: 36Kilgore Rotary Club: 3, 5, 12, 15, 31, 41,

78, 80Kilgore, Texas: 2-3, 5, 12, 15-16, 19, 30-

31, 35-37, 39-42, 49-50, 53-54, 61, 63,66, 70-71, 76, 78, 80

Killingsworth, Eddie: 54Kilpatrick, Lester: 74, 94Kimble, John S.: 92Kimbrough, O. L.: 51Kincheloe, Ann: See Ann LucyKincheloe, Duncan E.: v, 30, 41, 43-45,

48, 52, 92, 94Kincheloe, Joy Wangen (Mrs. D. E.): 43King Tool Company: 31, 53King, James: 92King, Jess: 47King, Marion: See Marion TullisKing, W. Roy (Pop): 30, 53, 92-93Kirkpatrick, Kenneth: 92Kitchenette Cafe: 81Kiwanis Club: 31, 47, 72-73, 84KLMG-TV: 67KLTI Radio Station: 30Klumph, Arch C.: 84KN Energy, Inc.: 50Knife and Fork Club: 26, 42, 69

Knight, Robert E: 15, 92Knights of Columbus: 41Knights of Pythias: 3, 8-9, 19, 21-22, 24,

26, 32, 37Knights Templar: 14, 19, 21, 24, 30Knox, James M.: 40, 92Koch, Walter: 44Korean War: 31-32, 34, 44, 46Kornegay, Thomas: 35Kouns, Sinclair: 56Krohler Manufacturing: 25LaBarbera, Joe: 41, 72Lackey, Royce E. : 78, 92-93Lackey, Sarah Jo Dunsworth : 26, 39-40Lacy, Ann: See Ann Lacy CrainLacy Petroleum Company: 6Lacy, Edwin, Judge: 47Lacy, Fannie: See Fannie WilliamsLacy, Rogers: 6, 47, 51, 59, 65, 92LaFerney, Jimmy Don: 50, 54Laffitte, Leslie: 68Laffitte, Royce D.: 93Lake Laverne: 7Lake Lomond: 40Lake o’ the Pines: 38Lake Tawakoni: 21Lakeview Cemetery: 39Lakewood Bank: 72Lanagan, Billie: 23Lanagan, W. A. (Tony): 23, 88, 92Landers, Tom W.: 51, 56, 71, 75, 86, 93-94Landrum, Lawrence: 92Landry, Nellie: See Nellie BramletteLane, Martha Parker: 26Lanham, John: 35Lanier, Mary Parker (Mrs. Jerry): 26Lanier, Melson: 92Lassiter, June Rogers: 79Lathrop, F. K.: 12Lawhon, Myra Grace: See Myra Grace

WomackLawther-Meadows Grain Mill: 15Lawyer, Norman: 92Lay, Winder: 35Leadership Longview: 61, 66Leak, Esther: See Esther Leak HurstLeaverton, Helen: 79LeBlanc, Rev Edgar N. “Shorty”: 4, 80, 94LeBus Tool Company: 22LeBus, Frank: 77, 92Lee, Knox, electrical power plant: 33Legg, George Wayne, Dr.: 68-69, 86, 94Leiby, James A.: 92LeSage, Joe: 79LeTourneau College Associates: 53, 58LeTourneau plant: 9, 27-28, 33-34, 44LeTourneau University (Technical

Institute, College): 27, 34-35, 38, 46,48, 50, 53, 58, 62, 66-69, 71, 73

LeTourneau University Associates: 46,53, 58, 62, 67

LeTourneau, R. G.: 27, 30, 33-34, 68LeTourneau, Richard: 40, 92Letters for Peace competition: 68Lever, Lara: 76, 93Levy, Richard B.: 21Lewis, Gib, Speaker of the Texas House

of Representatives: 66Lewis, Mel: 92, 94Library, Libraries, Librarians: 9, 16, 50,

64, 68, 72, 80, 86Lindale State Bank: 59Lions Club: 14-16, 31, 47, 60Little Cypress Utility District and pro-

posed lake: 69Little, Eddie: 78Littlejohn, Dan: 92, 94Liverman, Michael G.: 93Lloyd, Jo: 71, 94Lloyd, O. J.: 36Loblolly Jubilee: 71Lobo Rotary Spring Relays: 55, 57-58, 61,

63, 84Lockett, Jane: See Jane WittLoftis, Clayton, Mrs.: 90Loftis, Clayton: 33, 90, 92Lon Morris College: 47Lon, Alice Wyche: 39Lone Star Steel Co.: 30-31, 33-34, 36, 63Long, Hal, Jr.: 93Long, Joe: 92Longfellows Association: 55, 58, 73Longview Bank and Trust: 50, 59Longview Bldg. & Loan Association: 9, 18Longview Cable TV: 76

Longview Chamber of Commerce: 4, 7-9,11-12, 14-16, 19-22, 24, 26, 28-32, 35,37-38, 40, 44-52, 57, 59, 62, 66-67, 69,74, 84

Longview Christian Fellowship: 70Longview city commission or council: 11,

16-19, 24, 32-33, 42, 45-47, 58, 63, 65,67-69, 71, 73

Longview city managers: 13, 17, 20, 30-31, 44, 55, 58, 61, 66, 72, 76

Longview City Park: See ParkLongview City Planning and Zoning

Commission: 9, 24, 52Longview civic center, proposals: 47, 58;

also see Maude Cobb Activity CenterLongview Civic Music Association: 15, 19,

26, 44, 58Longview Colored High School Choir: 34-

36Longview Commission on Arts and

Culture: 58Longview Community Center: 23-24, 26-

31, 34-35, 39, 41, 58-59, 61, 69Longview Community Chest: 9, 15-16,

19, 26, 33, 37-38Longview Community Development

Team: 73Longview Community Theater (Little

Theatre): 16, 55, 58, 69Longview Cotton Oil Mill: 3Longview Downtown Development Assn.

(Corporation) : 52, 55, 69-70Longview Foundation: 29, 85Longview-Greggton Rotary Club: 32, 37,

40-41, 43, 49, 53-54, 62-64, 66, 72, 80-82, 86, 95

Longview Health Service DevelopmentBoard: 58

Longview High School Band BoostersClub: 32

Longview High School Choir: inside frontcover, 36, 42, 53

Longview High School: 4-6, 14, 16, 18, 26,30-32, 34-38, 42, 46-47, 50-58, 60-61,63, 65-73, 76, 79, 81-85

Longview Hilton Hotel: 10, 19, 27, 58;also see Downtowner, Hotel Longview,and Gregg Hotel.

Longview Hospital Authority: 62Longview Ice Manufacturing Co.: 22Longview Independent School District

superintendents: 18, 34, 69, 71, 81Longview Independent School District: 5,

11, 15, 18-20, 22, 27-28, 30, 34, 36, 51,55, 61, 63, 68, 71, 73-75, 79, 84

Longview Industrial Districts, Inc.: 38,44, 72

Longview Junior High School: 36-37Longview Mall: 48, 57, 60Longview Mayors: 2, 21, 24, 29, 31, 35,

42, 44-47, 56, 58, 60, 62, 64-68, 72-73,75

Longview Museum and Arts Center: 44,58, 61, 69

Longview National Bank: 1, 4, 6, 14, 18-19, 29, 33, 37-38, 49, 72, 81

Longview Newspapers: 7, 13, 26, 32, 34,63, 71, 79, 81

Longview Police Dept.: 31, 49, 53, 76Longview post office, new: 20Longview Print Shop: 82Longview Regional Hospital: 60, 62Longview Rotary Endowment Fund: vi,

64, 68, 74, 78, 86Longview Rotary Golf Tournament: 42,

65-76, 82, 85-86Longview Saddle Club: 21Longview Savings and Loan Association:

29, 31Longview South Rotary Club: 32, 37, 43,

52, 54-55, 63, 71, 81-82, 86, 95Longview Steam Laundry: 5Longview String Ensemble: 53Longview Symphony Orchestra and

League: 45, 55, 58, 69, 73Longview Volunteer Center: 69Loomis, Norman E. (Bud): 46, 92-93Loop 281: 43, 48-49, 60Louisiana Polytechnic Institute: 53Louisiana State University : 20Louisville Theological Seminary: 36Lovelady, Texas: 14Lowman, Ann Smith: 8Loyd, Lucille: See Lucille MeadowsLTV Corporation: 48, 63

Lubbock, Texas: 66Lucas, Richard, Dr.: 91Lucey Petroleum Company: 8Lucy, Ann Kincheloe (Mrs. Dan): 43Lucy, Dan: 43Lutherans, Lutheran Church: 35Lyle, J. O.: 22Lynch, Jack: 54, 83, 93Lynch, Lee B., Jr.: 93Lynne Smith: See Lynne NortonMaberry, Ray: 92, 94Mace, Kenneth: 47Macey, M. Carter: 93Macey, Michael C., Rev.: 56, 58, 60, 67,

93-94Mach, Jeff: 66Machinery Supply and Grinding Co.: 85Mack, Sam, Dr.: 71, 92, 94Mackey, Annie E.: See Annie NortonMackey, John: 81Madaras Steel Plant: 21Madaras, Julius: 21Magee, Purser: 92Magnolia Hotel: x, 2-3, 10, 58Magnolia Oil Company: 42Mainstreet Program: 70Mallory, Arliss: v, 49, 93Mankins, Jimmy, State Rep.: 66Mann, Casey: See Casey RichardsonMann, Jack M., Jr.: 93Mann, Jack M., Senior: 48, 92-93Manning, Don: 48Mansinger, J. A.: 20Mantinband, R. Charles, Rabbi: 92March of Dimes: 71Marchman, Mary Hurst (Mrs. Oscar, Jr.):

29Marchman, Oscar, Jr.: 29Marine Corps, Marines: See United

States Marine CorpsMaritzky, Isadore: 92Markham, Louis Northcutt, Dr.: v, 1, 90,

92Markham, Princess Finch (Mrs. Louis):

18, 90Marrs, Ann: See Ann DanielsMarrs, Cornelia Granbery : 42Marrs, Starlin M.: v, 39, 42, 92, 94Marshall Electric Company: 11Marshall, Erminie Northcutt (Mrs. B.

D.): 5Marshall Rotary Club: 2, 4, 65, 86Marshall, B. D. : 2-3, 5, 13, 88, 92, 94Marshall, Peter, Rev., Mrs. (Eloise

Wolff): 52Marshall, Texas: 2, 4, 11, 15-16, 19-20,

28-30, 34-35, 41-42, 46, 50, 53, 64-66,74, 86

Martial law in Gregg County: 13, 21Martin, B. Franklin, Jr.: vi, 40, 56, 75,

92-94Martin, Bill E.: 93Martin, Bill: 35Martin, J. H. Jr.: 92Martin, Lorraine Stuckey (Mrs. B. F.,

Sr.): 94Martin, Lynn Rader: 49Martin, Mary: See Mary MitchellMartin, Ruth Hall (Mrs. Malcolm): v, 6Martin, W. Larry: 55, 58, 61, 70-71, 73,

93-94Martin, Winona Perkins: 39Mason, Cody: 51Masonic Order: 3, 5, 7-9, 14, 18-19, 21-22,

24, 28-30, 32, 37-38, 40, 46, 51, 57, 64,71, 83

Massey’s Business College: 5Mathews, Charles, Dr.: 46, 49, 51, 81, 92Mathis, Dewey: 92Mathis, James: 78Matthews, R. Eugene: 42, 92-93Matthews, Ray: 39Mattison, Harry D.: 93Maude Cobb Activity Center: 50, 70, 86Mauro, Gary, State Land Commsnr.: 70May, Mary Martha: See Mary Martha

MooneyMcCall, Abner, Dr.: 56McCann, Jim, Jr.: 93McCarley’s Jewelry: 6McClelland, Jan: 59McClure, Carl: 20McClure, Jodie, elementary school: 38McCoy, Benjamin: 17McCoy, Grace: See Grace Osborne

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McCreight, Earle (Mrs. G. A.): 89McCreight, G. A.: 29, 33, 89, 92McCullough, Cacy (Kelly): See Cacy KellyMcCutcheon, Ron: 73McDaniel, Dale: 40, 44, 92, 94McDaniel, David: 81McDaniel, James D.: 92McDaniel, Julia Ogden (Mrs. Dale H.): 40McDaniels, Harry: 27McDavid, John W.: 90, 92-93McGee, Richard L.: 93McGeeney, G. R.: 34McGowen, R. S. (Bob): 26, 88-89, 92, 94McGowen, R. S., Mrs. : 26, 89McGrede, Henry C.: 92McHaney, Mae Beth: See Mae Beth

HollowayMcIlhenny, Jack: 71-72, 94McKaig, Otho: 92McKay, Douglas, Secretary of the

Interior: 37McKnight, Peyton, State Senator: 64McLemore, B. Reagan, III: 50, 93McLeod, Texas: 66McLure, Elizabeth (Mrs. James A.): 47,

94McMichael, Ron: 71, 93McQueen, Doris: 68, 94McReynolds, William E.: 62, 74, 93McWhirter, Emily (Mrs. Melvin): 19McWhorter, Eugene R. (Senior): v, 92-93McWhorter, Eugene W. (Junior): iv, vi,

38, 50, 58, 60, 65, 68, 73-75, 93-94McWhorter, Lottie Wherry (Mrs. E. R.): vMeadows Foundation: 15Meadows, Algur H.: 15Meadows, Algur Morgan: 15, 26Meadows, Curtis W.: v, 12, 14-15, 22, 26,

77, 90, 92, 94Meadows, Curtis, Jr.: 15, 26Meadows, Eloise: See Eloise Meadows

RouseMeadows, Lucille Eloise Loyd (Mrs.

Curtis) : v, 13, 15, 19, 26, 79, 90Meadows, John Morgan, Mr. and Mrs.: 14Melton, Julia: See Julia NortonMelton, K. S.: 1-2Melton, Walter: 9Memory Park Cemetery: 7Mercer University: 14, 20Mercer, Arthur D.: vi, 14, 20, 45, 47-48,

53, 71, 92-94Mercer, Elizabeth Connor: v, 6Mercer, Laura: See Laura ElkinsMerchants Grain Company: 15Meredith, Tom R.: 86, 93Merrit, Kathleen: See Kathleen

ShelburneMessner Electric Supply Company: 28Messner, Barbara Perritte (Mrs. Dell):

26, 28, 90Messner, Delbert M. (Dell): 27-28, 61, 90,

92-94Messner, Michael: 28Messner, Norman: 26Metcalf, Jo Ann (Mrs. Jesse V.): 71Methodist, Methodists: 3-4, 7-9, 13, 16,

18-19, 22, 27-31, 34-35, 37-41, 43, 45,50-51, 53-55, 58, 63, 67, 69, 72, 74, 81

Metropolitan Savings & Loan Assn.: 52Meyer, Stella: See Stella FiegelMeyers, Bob: 92Mid-Valley Pipe Line Company: 39Middleton, Reese: 61, 78Milam, Deryk: 52Milam, Lynn: 4Milam, Nelda Sullivan (Mrs. Ray): 52Milam, Ray: 46-47, 52-53, 92-94Milam, Stacy: 52Milam, Stephen: 52Miller, Annie E.: See Annie Miller

BramletteMiller, Harry: 31Miller-Lacy Oil Company: 6Minden, Louisiana: 1, 55Mineola, Texas: 9, 28, 53Minstrel shows: 4, 78Minx, Larry W.: 93Miracle Mile Run: 84Mitchell, Clayton, Dr.: 36, 56Mitchell, Mary Martin (Mrs. Zack): v, 5Mitchell, William Gardner: 28, 92Mobberly Baptist Church: 71, 82Mobberly, Alamo Birdsong: 24

Mobley, Ebb: 51Moncrief, Larry: 81Monday, Clara Alberta Holley (Mrs. J.

O., Jr.): 14Monday, Joshua Owen, Jr.: v, 13-14Monday, Verne: See Verne Monday

SmithMondrick, Frank, Dr.: 92Monroe, Louisiana: 47, 66Moody, J. H.: 92Moon, Kenneth: 35Mooney, Edward J. (Ted), Junior: 55Mooney, Edward J. (Ted): 53, 55-57, 61,

83-84, 93-94Mooney, Johnnie Mae Kidd (Mrs. Ted):

55Mooney, Margaret: 55Mooney, Mary Martha May (Mrs. Ted.,

Jr.): 56Moore & Neal Company: 83Moore, Annie Richardson: 16Moore, Billy: 16Moore, Ed: 74Moore, Josh T.: 92Moore, Mervin: 16Moore, Sam, Admiral: 74Moore, T. J.: 16Moore, Wilson: 16Moreland, J. Coy: 93Morgan, Albert Elonzo: 1-3, 9, 20Morgan, Elbert Alphonso: 1-3, 9, 20Morgan, Louis: 92Morgan, Roy A.: 92-93Morris, Curtis: vi, 27, 53, 63, 86, 88, 90,

92-93Morris, Daisy Mildred (Mrs. Curtis): 26,

90Morrison, Ronnie: 72Mosley, Harry: 44Motley, R. A.: 59Mount Pleasant, Texas: 4, 53Movies Nine: 47Mucher, Joe: 14Mulberry Springs School: 34-35Mullins, Mike: 35Murphy’s Rotary Fellowship Drill: 74Murphy, Betty Ann Jouett (Mrs. Jno. C.,

Jr.): 46Murphy, Jno. C., Jr.: vi, 42, 45-46, 48, 63,

70, 73-74, 92-94Murphy, Jno. C., Paint and Glass

Company: 46Murphy, Q. C.: 92Muse, Marshall: 92Myers, L. E., Company: 28Myers, W. Robt.: 92Nachitoches, Louisiana: 3Nacogdoches, Texas: 4, 28, 37, 40Nalco Chemical Company.: 56Nasher, Ray: 48National Weather Service: 63Neel, Sadie Mae: See Sadie Mae

DunsworthNelson, Jimmy: 50New Beginnings Baptist Church: 71Newman, Guy, Dr.: 56Newnham, M. Ray: v, 23, 30, 43, 45, 50,

52, 69, 83-84, 90, 92-93Newnham, Morris: 23Newnham, Ray, Mrs.: 90Nichols, David F.: 86Nichols, L. W., Rev.: 92Nichols, Latricia: 93Nicholson Memorial Library: 16Nicholson, Walter: 16, 92Niehuss, Henry, Dr.: 90, 92Niehuss, Henry, Mrs.: 90Nix, A.: 1-2Noble, Garland (Mrs. Dub): 19Norman, Jessie Evelyn Jackson (Mrs.

Wayman): 36Norman, Melanie: 36Norman, Paul: 36Norman, Wayman B., Dr.: 36, 92-94North Texas Agricultural College: 67North Texas State University (College,

Normal College): 9, 22, 49, 67Northcutt, Aurelia : 67Northcutt, Erminie: See Erminie

MarshallNorthcutt, Frances (Cissy): See Frances

AbernathyNorthcutt, Iba: See Iba Northcutt Taylor

Northcutt, J. LeGrande : v, 47, 54, 57, 67,69, 92-93

Northcutt, Jessie: See Jessie BrownNorthcutt, Josephine Still (Mrs. W. D.,

Jr.): v, 57Northcutt, LeGrande Sandberg (Le): 58Northcutt, Percy D.: 39, 57, 92Northcutt, Susanne Sandberg (Mrs. J.

LeGrande): v, 57Northcutt, W. D., I, Dr. (Billy): v, 1, 5, 13,

57, 62, 76Northcutt, W. D., Jr. (Bill): v, 57, 92Northcutt, W. D., III, Dr.: v-vi, 8, 49, 57-

58, 62, 65, 67-68, 86, 93-94Northcutt, W. D., IV (Davis): 58Northcutt, Walter: 58, 76NorthPark Shopping Center: 48Northwest Industries: 63Norton & Barbee Grocery: 20, 24, 65Norton, Annie Mackey (Mrs. E. T.): 9, 20Norton, Edwin Thomas: 9, 20Norton, H. Wallace: v, 9-10, 20, 94Norton, Julia Melton (Mrs. H. Wallace): 9Norton, June: See June BaumoelNorton, Lynne (Mrs. O. L.): 20, 26, 79, 90Norton, Maud Lynette: See Maud BivinsNorton, O. Lee: v, 9, 19, 20, 21, 24, 26,

65, 79, 88, 90, 92-94Norton, Robert W. (Rusty): v, 9, 20, 93Novy, Scott: 93Nugent, Jim, Texas Railroad

Commissioner: 61, 68Numsen, A. C.: 1-2O’Brien, John: 63O’Neal, William B., Rev.: 69, 93Oak Forest Country Club: 70Oakland Heights Baptist Church: 36Ogden, Julia: See Julia McDanielOhio Auto Parts Company: 41Oil Boom, East Texas: 6, 8-9, 12-14, 17,

20-21, 24, 28, 33-34, 36, 41-42, 47-48,63, 83

Oklahoma State University: 74Oliver, E. B. (Chunk): 16-17, 92Operation Clean Sweep: 72, 74-75Optimist Club: 10, 39, 47, 66Orgain, Hal: 93Orthodontics and Oral Surgery: 52, 57Osborne, Gerald E., Jr.: ii, 16-17, 77Osborne, Gerald E.: 16-17, 78, 89, 92, 94Osborne, Grace McCoy (Mrs. Gerald): 17Osborne, J. J., Dr.: 17Ottman, Lillie Mae: See Lillie Mae CobbOttmers, Becky: See Becky FiscusOttmers, Roy: 72Ottmers, Wanda (Mrs. Roy): 72Overton, Texas: 12, 53, 59Owens, Harry J.: 93P’Pool, Geraldine: See Geraldine P’Pool

CantwellP’Pool, Gurlye Dickson (Mrs. Casey): 22,

26P’Pool, W. Casey: 22-23, 92, 94Paetzold, Blanche: See Blanche BirdsongPaetzold, Rebekka: 24PaineWebber: 72Palestine, Texas: 4, 7, 14, 65Paris, Fred R.: 47, 92-93Paris, Texas: 9-10, 47, 49, 53, 64, 92-93Park, Fair: 14-15Park, Longview city or municipal: ii, 14-

17, 30, 37, 67, 77-78Parker, Audrey Rowland (Mrs. Ralph):

25-27Parker, Judge Robert: 71Parker, Martha: See Martha LaneParker, Mary (Lanier): See Mary LanierParker, Mary Maude (Mrs. Syril): 90Parker, Ralph: 25-27, 89, 92, 94Parker, Robert M.: 49Parker, Syril A.: 15, 66, 79, 88, 89, 92-94Parrish, Claudia Barbee: v, 37Parrish, James E.: 93Parrott, Bob, Rev.: 56, 93Pasternack, Herman: 92Patterson, Grace (Mrs. Wm. F.): 26, 90Patterson, I. J., Mayor: 75Patterson, Wm. B. (Bill, Junior): 45, 92Patterson, Wm. F. (Bill, Senior): 90, 92Paul, Ron: 71Paxton, Texas: 63Payton, C. Worth, Dr.: 92-93Peat Marwick Mitchell: 59, 65Pegues, J. G.: 3

Penn Controls: 44Peppard, George: 73Perkins, Charles R.: 39-40, 46, 92-94Perkins, Charles, Jr.: 39Perkins, Winona (Martin): See Winona

MartinPerkins, Winona Banks (Mrs. Charles

R.): 39Perritte, Barbara: See Barbara MessnerPerritte, Hiram, Rev.: 28Perry, Paul S.: 93Perry, Rick, Texas Agriculture

Commissioner: 76Persian Gulf War: 74Peterson, Don, Dr.: 92Petroleum Building: 32, 37Petty, Gene, Rev.: 53, 93-94Petty, John E., Dr.: 93Pevey, Wayne: 31Phillips, Jack: 69Phillips, Nancy: See Nancy AbernathyPigeon, Kay (Mrs. Lee B.): 56Pilgrim, Bo: 68Pilot Point Military College: 16Pine Tree: 13, 20, 49, 65, 79Pinecrest Country Club: 8, 10, 14, 18, 21-

22, 28, 37-40, 42, 46, 48, 50, 58, 60-61,63, 65, 69, 71, 73, inside front andback covers

Pinewood Park: 33, 37, 42, 78Pirtle, Texas: 8Pitts, Henry A.: 35, 44, 70, 92-94Pitts, Orisca Ponder (Mrs. Henry A.): 35Pitts, Robert H., Mr. & Mrs.: 35Plainview, Texas: 30, 32Pliler, Katherine (Mrs. Wardell): 71Pliler, Ronald W. : 63, 71, 73, 93-94Pliler, Wardell: 71Plummer, Norma Frances: See Norma

HuntPlyler, Dee : 28, 92Polio Plus program of Rotary

International: 68, 70, 72, 84Ponder, Orisca: See Orisca PittsPool, Fred: 92Pope and Turner Furniture Co.: 59Pope, Ben: 92Pope, J. Rogers, Jr.: 59Pope, J. Rogers: 53-54, 58-60, 83, 86, 93-

94Pope, Jan: See Jan McClellandPope, Jennifer: See Jennifer JonesPope, John L.: 59Pope, Joyce Davis (Mrs. J. Rogers): 59Port Arthur, Texas: 45Powers Manufacturing: 33Prendergast, Bonnie: See Bonnie DialPrendergast, George: 65Presbyterian, Cumberland: 13Presbyterian, Presbyterians: 5, 13, 21,

34, 40, 43, 48-49, 57, 69, 77Price, Cara Mae: See Cara Mae FerchillPrice, Smith: 88, 92Primo, R. Darryl: 93Proration: See hot oilPruitt, Don: 37Pruitt, Jimmy: 37Pruitt, Virginia Allen: See Virginia

RichardsonPuntarenas, Costa Rica, school project:

64, 85Putman, Nancy Elizabeth Stephens (Mrs.

Thomas R.): 63, 83Putman, Nancy Lee: See Nancy Putman

BrownPutman, Thomas R., Junior: 83Putman, Thomas R.: 22, 29-34, 36-38, 45-

48, 51-55, 57, 60, 83, 92-94Putnam, Howard: 64Quinonez-Meza, Roberto: 66R&K Distributors: 76Race relations and integration: 21, 34-35,

37, 43, 49, 51, 53Rader Funeral Home: 49Rader, Betty Wyche: 39, 49Rader, Charles G.: vi, 44, 49, 53-55, 58,

82, 92-94Rader, Charles, Jr.: 49Rader, Lynn: See Lynn MartinRailroad Commission: See Texas State

Railroad CommissionRainey, Kenneth: 50Rains, Jack, Sec. of State of Texas: 71Raleigh, Bob: 92

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Ramey, J. R.: 55Ramey, Catherine Anne: See Catherine

Anne CarrollRamey, Jean: See Jean HarrisonRamey, Tom, Judge: 72Ramey-Harrison Appliance Co.: 55Ramsey, Hershel: 68Raney, Kenneth Jr.: 81Rangerettes of Kilgore College: 35Rasheed, Dr. A. A.: 93Rathbun, Dick: 35Ratliff, Bill, State Senator: 72-76Ray, Bill: 54, 94Rea, Dee, Dr.: 68, 86Rea, Rembert, Mrs.: 26Rea, Rembert: 88, 92Red Ball Motor Freight Company: 40Red Cross: See American Red CrossRedfearn, Arvin: 40, 48, 92-93Reed, Perry: 93Reese, Cindy: See Cindy RussellReeves, Charles A.: v, 75, 93Reeves, Jack: 60Reeves, Jean (Mrs. Charles A.): vRefineries and refining: See gasolineReid, Lacolian Richardson: 37Reider, A. E.: 26Reliable Motor Supply: 41Rembert Nat. Bank: 1, 3, 14, 18, 29, 33Rembert Opera House: 4Rembert, Edwin B.: 2-3, 30, 54, 94Rembert, F. M.: 3Rembert, F. T. (Frank): 3, 30, 54Rembert, Josie Taylor (Mrs. Edwin B.): 3Rembert, Kate Womack (Mrs. F. T.): 30,

54Retail Merchants Association: 11, 37Retarded Children: 55, 64, 85Reynolds, Camille Richardson: 37Reynolds, Dorothy Whitney: 11Reynolds, Roland: 38Rhodes, Ann, Dr.: 60Rice University (Institute): 45, 62Rice, John H.: 72Rice, Rachel Gallenkamp (Mrs. William

Y., II): 72Rice, William Y., II: 49, 72-73, 93-94Rice, William Y., III: 93Richards, Ann, Treasurer and Governor:

68, 70, 75Richardson, Annie: See Annie MooreRichardson, Ben: 16Richardson, Camille: See Camille

ReynoldsRichardson, Casey Mann (Mrs. Ben): 16Richardson, Cecil W.: v, 37, 39, 41, 52,

54, 57, 72, 81-82, 84, 92-94Richardson, Clarence: 16Richardson, Edward: 16Richardson, Frank, Rev.: 27, 89Richardson, Hettie (Mrs. Tom E.): 16, 26,

79Richardson, J. Milton, Epis. Bishop: 49Richardson, Jeff, Jr.: 16Richardson, Lacolian: See Lacolian ReidRichardson, Tom E.: 16-17, 26, 88, 92, 94Richardson, Travis: 16Richardson, Virginia (Mrs. Cecil W.): v, 37Richter, Thomas H.: 93Riddle, Brannon, Dr.: 92Ridgeway, Boyd: 48Riff’s Women’s Apparel Shop: 86Riff, Carrie (Mrs. Joe): 68, 85-86Riff, Joe D.: 78, 88, 92Rigadoon celebration downtown: 71Riggs, Leonard: 93Rippel, Jeffrey A.: 64, 66, 93Risinger, Charles R.: 93Ritter, Otto: 92Roanoke College: 4Roberts, G. Stan: 94Roberts, James: 35Roberts, Ray, Congressman: 52, 60Roberts, Tommy L.: 93Roberts, Winston: 48Robison, Elizabeth Wyche (Mrs. Ardis): 1Rodgers, Bob: 93Rodgers, Helen Whitney: v, 11-12Rogers, Bedell: 8Rogers, C. G.: 92Rogers, June: See June LassiterRogers, Robert: 8Rood, Coen: 60Root, Trent, Dr.: 30

Rosewood Park Cemetery: 49Ross, Carl: 23Ross, Howard A., Dr.: 23, 89, 92Ross, John: 52, 54Rosser, Howard: 74Rotary Fashion Extravaganza: 68, 86Rotary Park: 42, 45, 66-67Rotary Periodical Reading Center: 68Rotoract Club: 60Rougon, I. B., Dr.: 20Roundup Club: 22, 24, 30, 78Rouse, Eloise Meadows (Mrs. Dudley L.):

v, 15Rowland, Audrey: See Audrey ParkerRowland, John W.: 25Rule, Ida: See Ida Rule ShawRundell, Johnnie: 35Rural-Urban Program: 15, 17, 24, 28-31,

34, 80Rushing, Garland S., Dr.: 92Russell, Cindy (Mrs. Raymond): 75, 94Russell, Ed: 45, 70Ryan, Alexander Boggs (Alex): v, 30, 90,

92-93Ryan, Alexander Boggs, Jr. (Boggs): 30, 90Ryan, Linda: See Linda Ryan ButterRyan, Reva Harrison (Mrs. Alex): v, 90Sabine River and Sabine River

Authority: 21, 49, 73Sabine Syndicate: 8Sage, Robin, District Judge: 76Salmon, Bailey: 32Salvation Army: 14-15, 19, 22, 27, 35-36,

38-40, 42, 51, 65-68, 72, 74, 76Sample, Clark: 14San Antonio, TX: 5, 18, 47, 67, 69, 86San Marcos State Univ. (College): See

Southwest Texas State Univ.Sandberg, Susanne: See Susanne

NorthcuttSandberg, Walter H.: vSanders, Kenneth: 35Sanders, Morgan, Congressman: 20Sanford, Bobbie Jean: See Bobbie BrownSanta Calling: 72, 74Santa Fe Railroad: 3, 11, 19, 39Sapp’s Nursery: 63Sapp, Betye: See Betye CammackSapp, Marshall and Myrtle: 63Sartain, Forest: 41, 81Satterwhite, Sammy: 50, 81Saunders, W. Ray: 46, 93SBA Area Advisory Council: 73Schlitz (later Stroh) Brewery: 44, 46, 73Schrader, Robert J., Dr.: 51, 86, 93Schultz, Lloyd: 60, 93Schumpert Hospital: 20Scoggins, Don W.: 75, 93Scothorn, Sam, Dr.: 81Scott, Mike: 52, 54Scott, Tully: 42Scruggs, Agnes: 64, 94Seabaugh, Madeline Wallace: 37Searcy, Lowela: See Lowela BirdsongSelber’s department store: 57Selber, Aaron: 57Selecman, Charles, Dr.: 16Senators: See United States Senators

and Texas State SenatorsSessums, Callia Turner (Mrs. L. A.): 8Sessums, L. A. (Bert): 4, 8, 94Sessums, Lucinda: See Lucinda TinninSeymour, Texas: 22Sharp, Earl, Judge: 26, 30, 42Sharp, John, Texas Comptroller: 76Shaw, Dushee: 13Shaw, Ida Rule (Mrs. Dushee): 13Shaw, Julia: See Julia AckerShaw, Louise Durham: See Louise TaylorShaw, Mary Beth Hopkins: 34Shelburne, C. W., General (Buddie): 48-

49, 92, 94Shelburne, Kathleen Merrit (Mrs. C. W.):

48Shelton, Emily Barbee: v, 5, 37Shelton, Lacolian: See Lacolian ReidShepherd, John Ben, Texas Attorney

General: 37Sherman, Texas: 30Shipp, Grady, Mrs.: 89Shipp, Grady: 20, 90, 92Shivers, Allan, Governor: 34, 37Shivers, Jennifer: 78Shivers, Willard M.: 93

Shreveport Steamers football team: 56Shreveport: 9, 14-15, 19-20, 42, 46-47, 50-

51, 53, 56-57, 64, 66Shrine Order and Shriners: 7-9, 14, 18-

19, 21, 24, 28, 37, 64, 71, 83Shuttlesworth, Marcus: 70, 94Sight Conservation: 80Silensky, A. Daniel: 93Simms, Bill: 93Simonetti, John R.: 93Simpson, Lynne Bivins (Mrs. Lamar): 21Singleton, Jim: 67, 93Skidmore, Herbert: 78, 88Skinner, Gary: 86Skipper, B. A. (Barney): 12Skipper, E. D.: 22Skipper, Peggy Kelly (Mary Virginia,

Mrs. Dozier): 8Skipper-Bivins Cotton Company: 22Skipper-Bivins Oil Company, Inc.: 22Slack, W. N.: 92Slagle, Jack: 58, 82Slant Hole Scandal: 30Slayton, R. E.: 34, 92Smead, Hamilton P. (Hamp), Jr.: 42, 92Smead, Samuel Hamilton (Sam): iv, vi,

74, 94Smith Barney: 73Smith, Ann: See Ann LowmanSmith, Bernice (Mrs. Earl): 8Smith, Billy: 35Smith, Callie, Mrs.: 53Smith, Claire Monday: See Claire FosterSmith, Henry Louis: 14Smith, Henry Louis, Jr.: 14Smith, John M.: 93Smith, John Tyson (Judge): 19Smith, Loren: 93Smith, Maud Castleberry (Mrs. Sydney

George): 20Smith, Michael J.: 93Smith, Preston, Governor: 44, 50Smith, Robert Henry, Jr. (Hank): 8, 14, 93Smith, Robert Henry (Bobby): 8, 14, 81, 93Smith, Roy: 15Smith, Sammie Bruner (Mrs. H. L.) 14Smith, Sydney George: 20Smith, Vera: See Vera HatchellSmith, Verne Monday (Mrs. William

Bruner): 14Smith, Virgie Belle: See Virgie Belle

WoodSmith, William Bruner: v, 1, 13-14, 16,

77, 79, 88, 92, 94Snyder, D. C., Colonel: 22Sons of the American Revolution: 58Souerbry, Amma: 90Souerbry, John Marshall: 90, 92South Ward School: 63Southern Gas Company: 47, 51Southern Methodist University, SMU:

16, 30-31, 35-36, 50, 54, 59, 72Southern, Tom, Dr.: 93Southwest Airlines: 64Southwest Athletic Conference: 66, 74Southwest Texas State Univ.: 16, 18Southwestern Bell Telephone Company:

25-26, 45, 53Southwestern Elec. Pwr. Co.: 11, 35Southwestern Gas and Electric Co.: 35Southwestern Medical School: See

University of TexasSouthwestern University: 6, 8, 30, 32Soutmasters, Boy Scout: 32, 35-36, 42,

45, 61, 63, 78Speight, Marston : 23Speight, R. L. (Bob): 23-24, 26-28, 79-80,

92, 94Spencer, Clark, Dr.: 58Spiekermann, John Jr.: 93Spring Hill School: 12Springer, Marvin: 48-49, 52St. Anthony Catholic Church: 41St. John, Harry: 92St. Louis University: 58St. Mary’s University Law School: 69Stamper Park: 14Stamper, Jesse R.: 20Stamper, Paul: 88Stamper, Rougon and (Physicians): 20Standard Engine Companies: 22Standard Tool: 22Stanford University: 48Stansell, Jim: 8

Stark, Lutcher: 2, 4Starkey, Betty Wilson (Mrs. James): 3Starkey, Melinda: 3Starnes, Jerry: 93Starnes, Ray, Rev.: 93Starr, Larry W.: 93Steed, Robert E.: 39, 92, 94Steele, Dena: See Dena TylerStemco: 73Stephen F. Austin State University

(College): 37, 82Stephens, Lloyd, Mrs.: 79Stephens, Nancy Elizabeth: See Nancy

Stephens PutmanSterling, Guy: 92Sterling, Ross, Governor: 13Sterling, Ruth (Mrs. Guy): 90Stevens, Al C., Dr.: 92Stevens, Floreid Francis (Mrs. Al C.): v, 21Stevenson, Charles A.: 93Stewart, Maurine: See Maurine FinchStidham, Bryan: 67Stinchcomb, T. B.: 1Stinnett, Wilson: 93Stjernstrom, Bernice (Mrs. Nels): 69Stjernstrom, James E., Dr.: 5, 61, 64, 68-

71, 74, 93-94Stjernstrom, Jill: 68Stjernstrom, John: 68Stjernstrom, Kathryn Ann Youngberg

(Mrs. James E.): 68Stjernstrom, Nels E.: 68-69, 93Stjernstrom, Scott: 68Stone, Roy, Longview Police Chief: 49, 53Stracener, Jack: 35Strange, Tanlac: 92Street Jam in Downtown Longview: 71Stribling, Gil: 92Stringer, Randel: 93Stroh Brewery: See SchlitzStrong, Jack: 42Stuckey, Dan: 35Stuckey, David: 35Stuckey, J. Fred: 1-2, 7, 17Stuckey, Lorraine: See Lorraine MartinStuttering Sam, Entertainer: 50Sullivan, Nelda: See Nelda MilamSummers, Gary: 31Summers, Ward: 78, 93Summit Club: 37, 50, 58Sun Oil Company: 13, 39Sunshine reports by John C. Murphy: 70Superconducting Supercollider: 71Swanson, Clarence: 92Sweeney, Thomas A.: 93Sypert, Ruth Claire: 17Tabler, G. M., Mrs.: xTaft, Robert, Senator: 37Talley, Don C.: 93Tate, George, Dr.: 46Tate, Willis, Dr.: 35-36Taub, Joshua, Rabbi: 70Taylor, Andrew S.: 13Taylor, Bill Northcutt: vi, 3, 12-13, 15,

18, 20, 44, 62-63, 88, 92-94Taylor, Charles L.: 13, 18Taylor, Charles Shaw (Buddy): 13Taylor, Gloria: See Gloria Taylor WismarTaylor, Iba Northcutt (Mrs. Chas. L.): 13Taylor, Job, Dr.: 13Taylor, Josie: See Josie RembertTaylor, Louise Shaw (Mrs. Bill N.): 13, 79Taylor, Nancy: See Nancy KennedyTeat, Herbert: 36-37, 42Television: 66-67, 73Tennessee Eastman Company: 43, 55Terrell, Bill Bob : 23Terrell, Nannie Mae Bramlette (Mrs.

William H.): 21, 90Terrell, William H.: 1-2, 13, 21, 23, 43,

46, 78, 88, 90, 92Terry, J. S.: 78Terry, R. C., Rev.: 92Texarkana: 21, 53, 56, 66, 71Texas A&M University: 13, 21, 30, 50,

64, 67, 74Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission

(TABC): 54Texas American Bank: 72, 76Texas and Pacific Railroad: 1, 9, 19, 24Texas Association of Business: 66Texas Bird Club: 26Texas Business magazine: 57, 61, 66Texas Christian University: 44, 47

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Texas City, Texas: 57Texas Commerce Bank: 1, 51Texas Custodial Services: 57Texas Eastman Company: 30, 33, 43-45,

48-49, 55, 65, 71-72, 75Texas Highway Department: 47Texas Insurance Rate Board: 32Texas Manufacturers Association: 9, 35Texas National Guard: 13Texas Rangers: 21, 71, 75Texas State Attorneys General: 37, 63Texas State College: 9, 18, 22, 45Texas State Comptrollers: 42, 66, 70, 76Texas State Governors: 4, 13-14, 16, 21,

34-35, 37, 42, 44, 49-50, 52, 56, 58, 63-64, 66, 68, 71, 73, 75, 81

Texas State Highway Commission orCommissioners: 42

Texas State House of RepresentativesSpeakers: 44, 46, 66

Texas State Land Commissioners: 70Texas State Lieutenant Governors: 44,

49, 52, 63, 66Texas State Railroad Commission and

Commissioners: 53, 57, 61, 63, 68Texas State Representatives: 35, 42, 45,

47, 49, 52, 66, 70, 72-73Texas State Secretaries (Secretaries of

State): 58, 71Texas State Senators: 64, 66, 72-76Texas State Technical College, East

Texas Center: 74Texas State Treasurers: 68, 70-71, 73, 75Texas Water Rights Commission: 49Texas Women’s University: 45Texhoma Oil Company: 22Tharp, Warren, Dr.: 74, 93Thayer, Paul: 63Thiokol: 54Thomas, A. G., Dr.: 47Thomas, Frances: 79Thomas, Teddy: 36Thompson, Laura Frances: See Laura

Thompson WoodThornton, Gerald: 47Thurtell, Sally Bivins: 14, 22Tidewater Oil Company: 13Timpson, Texas: 29Tinnin, Lucinda Sessums: 8Tinsley, Roscoe: 16-17Tipton, Hiram G.: 93Toledo Bend Lake: 21Tomlinson, J. Clyde: 35, 42, 53, 92Tony Printing Company: 28Topp, Bessie Vallery (Mrs. J. Stephen) :

28, 90Topp, David S.: v, 28, 91Topp, J. Stephen, Jr.: 28Topp, J. Stephen: v, 28, 90, 92-94Tours of businesses, etc. by the club: 28,

31, 34, 45, 56, 72-73, 76Tower, John, Senator: 46, 52, 56, 60Tracy, A. Ray: 39-40, 80, 92, 94Trailmobile, Inc.: 38Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Co.: 47Travis, Lee: 35Trezona, Jon: 62Tri-State Hospital: 20Trigleth, M. E. (Bud): 61, 93Trinity Day School: See Trinity School of

TexasTrinity Episcopal Church: 34, 44, 46, 55,

63, 66, 69, 78Trinity School of Texas (Trinity Day

School): 44, 58, 76Tropical Oil Corporation: 14Troy, Amy: 75Troy, Anna Norton (Mrs. John G.): vTroy, John G., Jr. : iv-vi, 73, 75-76, 79,

93-94Troy, Sandra Kay Balloun (Mrs. John G.,

Jr.): 75Troy, William: 75Truskett, Harve: 93TSTC: See Texas State Technical CollegeTucker, Bill: 7Tucker, Clarence R.: 44-47, 92Tucker, Jack: 78Tulane Medical School: 20Tullis, Carol Jean: 54Tullis, Charles G.: v, 53-56, 60, 73, 82,

93-94Tullis, Kaye Elizabeth: 54Tullis, Marion King (Mrs. Charles G.): 53

Tunnell, Byron, Speaker of the TexasHouse of Representatives: 44, 53

Tunney, Gene (prizefighter): 31Turner, C. C.: 31, 66, 94Turner, Callia: See Callia Turner

SessumsTurner, Harold: 92Turner, Harry L.: 79, 92Turner, Jere Clemens, Jr.: 1, 3Turner, Judson: 59Tuxtla Gutierrez project: 67, 86Tyler, Allen C., Dr.: 38-39, 48, 92-94Tyler, Dena Steele (Mrs. Allen C.): 38Tyler, Donald : 38Tyler, John: 38Tyler, Mildred Leslie Anderson (Mrs.

Allen C.): 38Tyler, Nancy : 38Uihlein, Robert A. Jr.: 44Union Theological Seminary: 5United Bankers Life Insurance

Company: 19United States Air Force: 18, 45, 47, 57,

63, 64, 82United States Army: 13-15, 18-19, 21-23,

27, 30-31, 35-36, 38-43, 46, 51-52, 63-69, 71-72, 74, 76

United States Coast Guard: 50United States Congress and Members:

20, 29, 32, 34, 37, 52, 60-61, 64, 66, 69-74, 76

United States Marine Corps: 44, 48United States Naval Academy: 48United States Navy: 23, 36, 40, 44, 48,

53, 67, 74, 83United States Senators: 34, 37, 46, 52-53,

56, 60, 70United Way: See Greater Longview

United WayUniversity of Arkansas: 51University of Chicago: 30University of Cincinnati: 31University of Detroit: 43University of Illinois: 38University of Michigan: 8University of Minnesota: 68University of Mississippi: 21University of Texas at Tyler: 70University of Texas Law School: 21, 76University of Texas Medical School at

Galveston: 29, 44University of Texas Southwestern

Medical School: 36University of Texas: 5, 11, 14, 21, 24, 29,

31-32, 44, 46, 60, 64-65, 69, 73, 76University of West Virginia: 55Upshaw, Joyce: 73Valley View School: 18, 73Vallery, Bessie: See Bessie ToppVan Allen, Geraldine: See Geraldine Van

Allen BarbeeVan Blarcom, Bill: 92VanBurkleo, Patrick A.: 93Vaughan, John R.L.: 92Vaughn, Sam: 35Venus, Texas: 6Verucchi, Debbie (Mrs. Mike): vVerucchi, Mike: v, 93Victoria, Texas: 5Vidalia Collegiate Institute: 14Vietnam War: 46, 48Vincent, Gary A.: 93Vocational students at LHS, honoring:

16, 30-31, 38-40, 45-48, 53-55, 57-58,60, 66-71, 73-74, 79, 83-84

Waco, Texas: 17, 36, 71Wade, Roger: 35Walcott, John: 54Walke, John: 1Walker, Ann (Mrs. John C.): vWalker, Charlie: 46Walker, John C.: v, 70, 93-94Walker, Judy: See Judy WallWalker, Ken, County Judge: 72, 74Wall, Judy (Mrs. Leo): 66Wall, Julia Ann: 66Wall, Lee Barclay: 66Wall, Leo: 58, 63, 66, 69, 74, 93-94Wall, Whitney Leanne: 66Wallace, James E.: 93Wallace, Mack, Texas Railroad

Commissioner: 57, 63Wallace, Madeline: See Madeline

Seabaugh

Wangen, Joy: See Joy KincheloeWare Addition: 35Ware Elementary School: 36Warrell, Carl: 92Warren, Texas: 37Washington University: 58Waxahachie, Texas: 36, 67Weather alert radios given to schools: 63Weaver, Bobby, Sheriff: 74Weeks, Ann: 30Weeks, W. F.: 16Welch, Alta Rita Brewster (Mrs. O.

Thomas): 26, 32, 90Welch, Brewster: 26, 32Welch, O. Thomas (Senior): v, 26, 32, 49,

90, 92, 94Welch, O. Thomas, Jr.: v, vi, 32, 74, 92-93Welch, Thomas, III: 32Welch, William: 32Welge, Ava (Mrs. Jack H., Jr.): v, 69, 72,

75, 93Welge, Jack H., Jr.: v, 67, 69, 72, 86, 93-

94Wells, Newman: 94Westark Community College: 51Westbrook, George B.: 92Western Union: 17White Oak School: 31White, Andrew: 85, 93White, Charles M.: 93White, Mark, Governor: 58, 63, 68White, W. D. (Bud): 93Whitefield, W. R.: 92Whitehead, Martha, Mayor and State

Treas., (Mrs. Laughton): 68, 71, 73, 75Whitney, Dorothy: See Dorothy ReynoldsWhitney, E. Q. Jr. : 11, 23Whitney, E. Quest: v, 11-12, 22-23, 35,

79, 88, 90, 92, 94Whitney, Harry B.: 11, 23Whitney, Myrtle Falls (Mrs. E. Q.): 11Whitson, Cornelia Birdsong: 24Whittensberg, Bobby: 54Whittlesay, Gerril: 35Wholesale Tobacco Company: 16Whorton, John L., Rev.: 14, 79, 92Wichita Falls, Texas: 13Willey, Eugene C.: 92Williams, Barney D.: 93Williams, Chas. W.: 92Williams, Claude Allen: 47Williams, Clayton: 71Williams, Fannie Lacy (Mrs. H. A.): 47Williams, H. A.: 47Williams, Herbert: 47Williams, Jack T.: 29, 47, 92-94Williams, Jack, II: 47Williams, L. T. (Willie): 40Williams, Lacy, Dr.: 47Williams, Louis B., Jr.: 86, 93Williams, Minnie: 47Williams, Paul: 34Williams, R. B.: 31Williams, Russell: 26Williams, Thelma Ruth Holmes (Mrs. Jack T.): 47Williamson, Garland: 93Williamson, George: 4Williamson, Jean: See Jean BrightWillis, Ted: 76Willis-Knighton Hospital: 20Wills Point, Texas: 1, 53Wilmington, North Carolina: 67Wilmoth, Tom: 40, 42, 92Wilson, Betty: See Betty StarkeyWilson, Drew: 92-93Wilson, Jimmie: 92Wilson, Joseph A.: 92-93Wilson, Morris, & Crain, Architects: 45Wilson, Roy, Mrs.: 3Wilson, William A. (Will), Texas Attorney

General: 30Winborn, Conrad, Rev.: 93Winnsboro, Texas: 53Winterfield Methodist Church: 45Wise, Ralph: 78, 85Wisenbaker, Allan E., Dr.: 71, 93Wisenbaker, Allan R.: 93Wismar, Gloria Taylor (Mrs. S. A.): 12-13Withers, Henry C.: 23Witt, Jane (Mrs. Jim): 19Witt, Jim: 19, 45Wolf, Thomas J., Jr.: 93-94Wolff, Eloise (Mrs. Peter Marshall): 52

Wolters, Jacob F., Brig. Gen.: 13Womack and Perry, merchants: 1Womack High School: 51, 82Womack, Annie Eliza Lokey (Mrs. Joseph

E.): 19Womack, Betty: See Betty JordanWomack, John, Major and Mrs.: 30Womack, Joseph Emerson: 19Womack, Joseph L., Dr.: 20Womack, Kate: See Kate RembertWomack, Myra Grace Lawhon (Mrs.

Robert K): 20Womack, Robert K., Dr.: 19-20, 94Womack, Virginia Dupuy (Mrs. Robert

K.): 20Women’s rights and Rotary membership:

36, 60, 69, 72, 80Wood Drug Store: 19Wood, J. Marcus: 17, 19, 79, 92, 94Wood, Laura Frances Thompson (Mrs.

Sam H.): 19Wood, Sam Houston: 19Wood, Tecaro Cubberly (Mrs. J. Marcus):

19Wood, Virgie Belle Smith (Mrs. J.

Marcus): 19Wood, William Oscar: 19Woodland Christian Church: 9, 61, 85Woodmen of the World: 9Woodruff, Steve: 81Woods, Terry: 62, 74, 93Woodward, Hal: 42Wooley, Ellen Ann: 42World War I: 9, 13-14, 16, 18, 21, 30-31,

38, 40, 42-43, 83World War II: 3, 16, 21-22, 24, 26, 31, 34-

35, 47-48, 68, 95World War III: 29, 31Wrather, J. David, Jr.: 93Wren, Allan: 93Wright, Gregory J.: 93Wright, John: 61Wyant, P. Jim: 93Wyatt’s Cafeteria: 71Wyche, Alice: See Alice LonWyche, Betty: See Betty RaderWyche, Elizabeth: See Elizabeth RobisonWyche, Reagan, Mrs.: 1Yates, Genevieve: See Genevieve HurstYates, Jack Williams: 10, 29Yates, Mary Alice Kelly (Mrs. Jack): 9, 29Yent, Guy M.: 39, 92YMCA: 17, 35, 42Yonge, Charles: 90, 92Yonge, Jetta (Mrs. Charles): 90Yost, Jerry, State Representative: 70-73Young, A. Pat: 74, 93Young, J. Merton: 41, 45-47, 51, 92, 94Young, Jim: 92Young, Leita Cunyus: See Leita KellyYoungberg, Kathryn Ann: See Kathryn

StjernstromZeigler, Leroy: 90, 92Zeigler, Nelda (Mrs. Leroy): 90Zimmerman, Percy: 88, 92

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© 1995, Longview Rotary Endowment Fund, Inc. This PDF was created from a book entitled“The Club and the Town: The Rotary Club and the City of Longview, Texas, Year by Year from

1920 to 1995,” published in 1995 by Longview Rotary Endowment Fund, Inc. Notwithstanding theprohibition of reproduction without permission on the copyright page of the book, the publisherprovides this file to the general public without charge, but only for purposes of reference and

research. The publisher strictly prohibits publication, distribution, or dissemination of this file orany part thereof, or conversion of the file into any other format, without prior written permission.

Page 116: T HOW DID CONRAD HILTON Longview hotel, and why was it so ... · club funding. All proceeds go to the Longview Rotary Endowment Fund, whose income is dis- ... engineering and marketing

The Club, December 13, 1994The Annual Christmas Serenade by

the Longview High SchoolConcert Choir

Photo by Sam Smead