Lifestyle Changes in the Fifties: ACs and TVs

A happy 1950s housewife with air conditioning. (Photo from Internet)

Two technological advances that changed life in the 1950s were air conditioners and television. When I was a kid growing up in Roscoe, very few people had air conditioners. Houses were hot places during the hot summers, and after our family had eaten supper, we went outside to catch the evening breezes, and our neighbors did the same. We lived across the street from the Bowens, old people who sat in chairs on their porch and always waved when we came out. We kids ran around and played while our parents sat in lawn chairs and talked. Many people went for walks in the evening. When they came by our yard, they would always greet my parents and sometimes stop to talk for a few minutes before continuing on their way. When it got dark, we’d go back inside and often listen to the radio programs while our parents did things with their eyes and hands, such as my mother knitting or crocheting, or my daddy fixing something or other. At other times, they read newspapers or magazines and talked to us kids.

On hot summer nights—and there were plenty of those in the drought years of the early fifties—we kids slept under the stars out in the back yard. We had a roll-away bed and cot that we kept in the garage and brought out at bedtime. My younger brother and I slept on the roll-away bed, and my older brother on the cot. It was much cooler outside at night and actually got chilly in the early mornings. At some point during the night, we would get under the cover, which we’d ignored when we went to bed. Our dogs, sometimes we had one and sometimes two, had learned not to bother us while we were sleeping, but our cats—we usually had about three—came around at times during the night for naps on the bed with us.

Me and my brother David in the back yard, about 1953.

My brothers and I wore as few clothes as possible during the summer. We didn’t wear shirts and ran around barefooted except on Sunday mornings, when we went to Sunday school and church. We slept in our briefs, and in the mornings when we woke up, we slipped on a pair of shorts and were ready for the day, often not going into the house until our mother called us in for breakfast. I generally brushed my teeth only once or twice a week, and only then when prompted, and the same was true for combing my hair. Since kids ran around loose in those days, we were often awakened by one of our friends who was already up and had come around to play or ride bicycles.

When I was about nine years old, my dad bought an evaporative cooler and put it in one of the north windows in the living room so it would be in the shade on hot summer days. These early air conditioners, also known as “swamp coolers” with “squirrel cages” worked by evaporating the water that dripped down through the shredded wood pads lining the walls of the air conditioner box and blowing the resulting cool air into the house. In order to save on electricity, my mother turned it on only when the temperature reached 100° outside. She would close all the living room windows and doors so that it cooled off just that room. We kids could go in there only if we sat in front of the air conditioner to cool off. No toys or running around were allowed, so we usually didn’t stay in there long before going back outside.

Over time, though, air conditioners came to be used more and more, especially when the compressor types got cheap enough to buy and run. The result was that people didn’t sit out as much in the evenings and so did less visiting with neighbors and passersby—or enjoying the sky with its sunset and coming of the stars.

Happiness is a TV set in the living room. (Photo from Internet)

Television had much the same effect. Although TV was becoming common in the cities as early as 1949 or 1950, it was unknown in west Texas because there were no broadcast stations in the area until KRBC-TV began in late 1953.  The first television set in Roscoe was at Medlock’s Furniture store, which also had them for sale. It was placed in one of the show windows and turned on, and in the evenings a crowd would gather on the sidewalk outside to watch this wondrous new invention. People often stood there for an hour or more watching programs like “I Love Lucy” or “The Honeymooners” with Jackie Gleason.

At first TV sets were too expensive for most people to afford, costing about $500, which was more like $5000 in today’s money. They had small black and white screens and came in a large console with many tubes in the back that had to be replaced when they burned out. They also required a large TV antenna on the roof of the house, so it was easy to see who had TVs and who didn’t.  Although the knob on the set had settings for twelve normal channels and one UV, the only channel available in this area was channel 9, KRBC-TV. It didn’t really matter to anyone, though. TV was such a novelty that most people would watch whatever was on. Broadcasting started in the morning at six or six-thirty and closed at ten-thirty at night. If you got up in the morning before broadcasting began, you would sometimes sit and watch the test pattern until it did. In the evenings, you didn’t turn the TV off until you listened to the national anthem while watching a waving flag and fighter jets fly in formation.

One of the first TVs in town was in the Boys Club hall. It had comparatively excellent reception because its antenna was placed atop a telephone pole behind the hall and was larger and a lot higher than the ones on houses. On Saturday afternoons in the summer, the baseball “Game of the Week” was broadcast, and old men would come around and sit in the metal lawn chairs placed in a semi-circle before the TV. Along with the kids, a dozen people or more might be there watching and commenting on the game, no matter which teams were playing. And during the World Series, the crowds were even larger, and we all basked in the wonder that such a thing was even possible and we could watch it for free.

Watching television when there was only one channel—or even later when KPAR-TV, channel 12, began broadcasting in 1956—was a shared community experience even for those who were watching in their homes. Not only was the entire family gathered around the television, but the next day at school or work, one of the main topics of conversation would be the programs that had been on TV the night before since everyone was watching the same ones.  Favorites were "Gunsmoke,” “Have Gun Will Travel,” “Life of Riley,” “The Ed Sullivan Show,” “Dragnet,” “Wrestling from Chicago,” and others. On Saturday mornings, kids could watch “Howdy Doody,” “The Lone Ranger,” “Superman,” “Lassie,” “The Little Rascals,” and “Mr. Wizard.”

There was also a lot of local programming with many shows emanating from the studios in Abilene. One of these was “The Slim Willet Show,” brought to you by Western Chevrolet. Slim Willet was an Abilene disc jockey who was also a country singer. He became famous with two hits, “Don’t Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes” and “Tool Pusher from Snyder.” Every week he would tell jokes, sing a couple of songs with his band, and showcase local talent. Another local show was “On the Farm” with Harry Holt, who always talked about area farming and ranching conditions.  Another was “Cooking with Virginia,” which came on in the mornings. Virginia also occasionally showcased local talent and once invited the Roscoe Boys Club trampoline team to be on her show. As one of its performers, I felt very privileged to see first-hand what the TV studio looked like and how the shows were made. Later on, when KPAR-TV had their studios outside Sweetwater, we also performed on a March of Dimes Telethon and got to see what their studio was like.

As in other small towns all over Texas, television killed the local movie theaters. I don’t remember when the Joy Theater finally closed its doors, but it was only two or three years after the TV broadcasts began. The drive-in theaters, such as the Midway, between Roscoe and Sweetwater, hung on longer than that, but eventually, they too closed down for lack of customers. Television also had the effect of keeping people inside their own homes in the evenings, and, as more channels became available in the 1960s, this effect became even more pronounced. Even community social gatherings like church or the baseball games saw attendances steadily fall as time went on.  In the early and mid fifties, pro football games were available only on the radio because they were played on Sundays and were therefore considered somewhat scandalous for being on the Sabbath. I think it was 1958 before they regularly played on television in west Texas and also in many other places. However, after Texas got the Dallas Cowboys in 1960, that all changed, and preachers soon learned to have the morning service over by twelve o’clock in the fall so people could get home in time to watch the Cowboys game.

In short, air conditioning and television were both rightfully hailed in the fifties as great technological innovations that improved people’s lives, but in doing so they also diminished the social life of the community and, over time, increased the isolation of families from their neighbors and from nature itself.

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LOCAL WIND FARMS FEATURED IN MAJOR BRITISH DAILY THE GUARDIAN
 

Wind Turbines on the Roscoe Wind Farm.

Another article on the wind energy of our area appeared in the international media on Monday. This time the publisher is The Guardian, a major London-based newspaper with a large online presence. The inspiration for the article seems to be the recent one by Alex Daugherty of the McClatchy news service (“Rick Perry turned Texas into a wind powerhouse by getting out of the way,” December 16, 2016) reported on in the Hard Times on December 28.

Like that earlier article, this one is more political than environmental, with the focus being on the apparent anomaly of major wind-energy development in a Republican state rather than a green-leaning Democratic one. Another common feature of both articles is the interviewing of Sweetwater energy lawyer Rod Wetsel. Perhaps it is this latter similarity along with the extensive interviewing of Greg Wortham, Sweetwater’s former mayor, that leads the article in another new direction, namely that of referring to Sweetwater as the Wind Capital of the World, unlike previous international articles and features whose focus is clearly on Roscoe and the Roscoe Wind Farm.

We will forgive The Guardian this minor error. After all, they were getting their information from a couple of guys from Sweetwater, and they did mention a couple of nice things about that “little speck on the map called Roscoe.” You can access the article by clicking here.

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PLOWBOYS NAMED TO TEXAS SPORTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION 2A ALL-STATE FOOTBALL TEAM

Matthew Buckley has been named as a third-team tackle on the Texas Sports Writers Association’s 2A All-State Team. Brayden Beal received honorable mention as quarterback, and Francisco Garcia received honorable mention as running back.

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PLOWBOYS AND PLOWGIRLS BEGIN TRACK SEASON AT HAMLIN FRIDAY

Spring is in the air, and the Plowboys and Plowgirls will compete in their first track meet of the year on Friday at the Long Sleeve Relays in Hamlin.

RCHS 2017 Track & Field Schedule:

Feb. 24             Long Sleeve Relays                   Hamlin
Mar.  2             Tiger Relays                                Anson
Mar. 10            Blackland Divide Relays           Roscoe
Mar. 18            Piper Relays                                Hamlin
Mar. 23            Badger Relays                            Merkel
Mar. 31            Cottonwood Relays                   Roby
Apr.  6              District Meet                              Albany
Apr. 12             Area Meet @ McMurry            Abilene
May 11-13        State Meet                                  Austin

Roscoe Junior High 2017 Track & Field Schedule

Feb. 27             Tiger Relays                              Anson
Mar.  7             Blackland Divide Relays         Roscoe
Mar. 21            Badger Relays                           Merkel
Mar. 30            Cottonwood Relays                 Roby
Apr.  8              District Meet                             Roscoe

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SEVERAL PLOWBOYS PLACE IN SWEETWATER POWER LIFTING MEET

The Plowboys placed second in the power lifting meet held in Sweetwater last Thursday, losing out to Snyder, who finished first. Here are the Plowboy power lifters who placed:

Name                                 Place              Weight Class
Francisco Garcia                 1                         165
Matt Buckley                       3                         275
Joel Guia                              4                         242
Parker Payne                       4                         198
Andrew Deleon                   4                         123
Adrian Lomas                      5                         181
Tait Fullwood                      5                         165
Jetli Hobdy                          6                         123

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WEATHER REPORT: SPRINGLIKE WEATHER IN FEBRUARY

Yesterday's sunset under clear skies.

For a change, this past week’s weather has been pretty consistent—and nice. It has felt like we should be in March instead of February with clear skies, gentle breezes, and a string of afternoons in the seventies. The last five days have all been that way with the high coming yesterday afternoon at 76°F. Lows for the past five days have been in the forties and fifties with the highest on Sunday at 54° and the lowest yesterday morning’s 42°. The fruit trees think it’s spring with apricot and peach trees already blooming. They may be sorry they did, though, if the old adage is true about thunder in January bringing a freeze in April.

Today and tomorrow should be even warmer than the last five days. Today’s forecast is for a high of 86° and for tomorrow a high of 84°, so don’t be surprised if you have to turn on the AC. However, a cold front will move through on Friday cooling the high down to 68° and the low to 36°. Saturday’s high is projected to be only 59°, but then on Sunday it will warm up to 74° and be back in the eighties on Monday and Tuesday. There is no rain in the forecast.

Randall Smith reports an unusual weather oddity occurring yesterday morning. He had frost on the ground but couldn’t find a thermometer with the mercury under 40°. I’m not sure how this could happen, but apparently it did. West Texas weather never ceases to amaze.

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† SHARON SUE SCHNEIDER NAULT

Funeral services for Sharon Sue Schneider Nault, 70, were held on Monday, February 20, at Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home in Abilene. Burial followed at Shep Cemetery in Shep. She passed away last Wednesday, February 15, in Abilene.

Sharon was born on September 1, 1946, in Abilene to the late Edward C. and Lemma Tharpe Nichols Schneider. She lived in Roscoe and attended schools there until graduating from Roscoe High School in 1964. She then graduated from Abilene Christian University in 1968 with a BS in Education. She met her future husband, David Lloyd Nault in Anchorage, Alaska, while at her sister Edwina's wedding. He was the Best Man and she was the Maid of Honor. They married on October 3, 1970, in Roscoe and returned to Alaska where they lived first in Kodiak, then Hanes, and then Ketchikan. They also lived in Sierra Vista, Arizona. They returned to Texas in 1982, first living in Spring and then moving to Shep in 1993.

Sharon taught physical education and English in Texas and Alaska but she found her calling later with a career working in the State Vocational Rehabilitation Program. She assisted people with disabilities to return to work and found it very rewarding. She retired in 2010. She was a member of the Church of Christ and taught Children's Bible Class all of her adult life.

Preceding her in death were her husband, David L. Nault; her sister, Edwina Schneider Roswell and husband, Tim; her parents; and her nephew, Ross Roswell. Survivors include two sons, Scott D. Nault and wife, Cynthia, of Abilene, and J. Lee Nault and wife, Alecia, of Herndon, Virginia; one sister, Denise Schneider Sprott and husband, David, of Belton; three granddaughters, Cayelyn, Casey, and Lynne Nault; three grandsons, Cole, Caden, and Jericho Nault; six nieces and nephews; and numerous great-nieces and nephews.

You may view and sign the guestbook at www.elliott-hamil.com.

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† BETTY GERALDINE COOPER ELLIS

Graveside services for Betty Geraldine Cooper Ellis, 85, of Dallas will be conducted by McCoy Funeral Home at the Roscoe Cemetery this Saturday, February 25, at 11:00am with Dr. Bob Monk officiating. She passed away on February 18.

Betty was born on February 19, 1931, to J.B. and Ellie Mae Cooper, Sr., of Roscoe. She was raised in the First United Methodist Church of Roscoe and was very active in the Methodist Youth Fellowship. After graduating from Roscoe High School in 1948, she continued her education as a Home Economics major at Southern Methodist University. During her time at SMU, Betty was an active member of Gamma Phi Beta. She met the love of her life James Richard Ellis while at SMU. They married May 31, 1952, at Perkins Chapel, being the first to marry in the "new" chapel. James worked as a lawyer and Betty as a secretary for Sun Oil Company as they started their married life together. Betty was the proud mother of Robert and Richard. She enjoyed being part of the United Methodist Women's Circle at Highland Park Methodist Church as well as volunteering for the Dallas Community Chest Trust Fund. She was a faithful child of God, loving wife, mother and grandmother. She was a friend to many.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.B. Cooper, Sr.; husband, James Richard Ellis; brother, J.B. Cooper, Jr.; sister, Martha Eloise Cooper Reed; and cousins, Bill and Kathryn Birdwell.

Survivors include sister-in-law, Mava Cooper; sons, Robert Brian Ellis of Dallas and Richard Mark Ellis of Temple; daughter-in-law, Catherine McClane Ellis; granddaughters, Kaitlyn Michelle Ellis of Temple,  Ashley Marie Ellis of College Station, and Lauren Nicole Ellis of Temple; nieces, Cheryl Johnnie, Alicyn Mayes, Stacia Jameson, Sue Cannon, and Eileen Hilliard; and cousin, Jim Birdwell.

Flowers may be delivered to McCoy Funeral Home or in lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the First United Methodist Church of Roscoe.

A memorial service will be in Dallas at 10am on March 25, 2017 at Cox Chapel, Highland Park United Methodist Church. For the memorial service flowers may be sent to the church or in lieu of flowers donations can be made to the church.

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City Council Approves Audit, Sets Election Date at May 6

City Accountant Ricky Bowman gives the Council the annual audit report.

At its monthly meeting in City Hall Monday evening, the City Council had a full slate, hearing reports from City Manager Cody Thompson and City Accountant Ricky Bowman, approving and setting dates for the annual Spring Clean-up in March and a City Election in May, and approving advertising bids for cemetery maintenance.

Thompson reported on the installation of tree lighting for the downtown area as well as electrical outlets for vendor use during City festivals. The City has also purchased a light and wiring for an outdoor sign promoting Roscoe at Inadale, one which can be seen at night. The Type B Board will reimburse the City for most of the expenses. All this work should be done by the end of the month.

City workers are setting forms for a concrete slab that will be the foundation for a future shop barn. The slab will be paid for this budget year, while the building, which will cost $15k-$20k, will be built and paid for next budget year.

A new home start is planned for mid-March in Young Farm Estates.

This year’s Spring Fling will be on Saturday, April 8. Local retailers will stay open late, and talks are underway to possibly get country legend Charlie Pride to be this year’s featured artist at the Lumberyard.

The sanitary sewer grant application is still on track and the City will apply for water line replacement through the TWDB (Texas Water Development Board) before the end of the month utilizing existing engineered water line plans.

The City Council then heard and approved the annual audit report from City Accountant Ricky Bowman.  It also ordered an election be held on May 6 to fill two Council seats, namely, those currently filled by Billy Joe Jay and Helen Perry, whose two-year terms are expiring in May. Deadline for filing to run for either of these positions is this Friday, February 17.

Early voting at City Hall will run from April 24 to May 2, and on May 1 and 2 will be open from 7am-7pm. Early voting judges will be Belinda Ince and Donna Parker, and election judges on May 6 will be Jeannie McBurnett and Ann Teaff.

The Council also set the dates and times for this year’s Spring Clean-up.  It will run from 7am to 7pm starting on Friday, March 24, and conclude on Friday, March 31. The dumpsters this year will be placed by the City Barn at Third and Laurel Streets.

The Council also approved advertising bids for cemetery maintenance.

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MATTHEW BUCKLEY SIGNS LETTER OF INTENT TO PLAY FOOTBALL AT HARDIN-SIMMONS UNIVERSITY

With his parents on either side and Coach Jake Freeman behind him, Matthew Buckley commits to Hardin-Simmons.

Family, friends, and students gathered in the RCHS Special Events Center yesterday to see Plowboy Matthew Buckley sign a letter of intent to play football at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene next year.

Buckley, a 6’1”, 250-pound senior, was named District 4-2A-II’s Offensive Line MVP in a district that sent three teams deep into the state playoffs this year. He was also on the Second-Team Offense of the Abilene Reporter-News 2A All-Big Country team, where it was noted that being “Graded at 90% with 37 pancake blocks and one sack allowed him to earn District Lineman of the Year honors.” He was also named the 2016 Plowboy Powerlifter of the Year after qualifying for Regional last year. Powerlifting is still ongoing this year, and he has already qualified for Regional again.

He is a good student and also made District 4-2A-II’s Academic All-District team. Last year he won a first-place ribbon in the research poster contest at the 4-H Round Up in College Station. He was also a member of a 4-H team that received recognition for helping to track the northern limits of sugar cane aphids. He will graduate this year with an Associate’s Degree from Western Texas College in Snyder, and HSU has awarded him a $48,000 academic scholarship.

Congratulations, Matt, and good luck at Hardin-Simmons!

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“THIRD SUNDAY” LUNCH AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER THIS SUNDAY

February 19, 11:30am-1:30pm
Menu: Homemade Beef Stew, Cornbread/Crackers, Salad, Dessert, and Drink
$7 per adults; $5 for kids 6 yrs. and under

COMMUNITY CENTER RENTALS
We currently running a Rental Special for the months of January, February and March.
Hurry and Book your events!!
Call Misty Reynolds for more information – 325-338-1005.

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PLOWBOYS CONCLUDE BASKETBALL SEASON WITH LOSS AT ANSON

Plowboys left to right are Jayden Gonzales, Johnathon Cuellar, Brayden Beal, and Jose Ortega. (Photo by Zane Graves)

The Plowboys finished their basketball season last night with a loss at Anson. Last week they had losses to Stamford and Hawley. All three were district foes. Here are the stats I've received for those games:

Stamford 49 – Plowboys 35

Scoring by quarters:

Stamford          8          23        40        49
Plowboys          9          18        32        35

Individual Plowboy scoring: Jose Ortega 13, Jayden Gonzales 7, Jack Phillips 6, Brandon Lavalais 3, Johnathon Cuellar 3, Clemente Aguayo 3.

Hawley 58 – Plowboys 29

Scoring by quarters:

Hawley             20        40        49        58
Plowboys            5          7         19        29

Individual Plowboy scoring: Jayden Gonzales 11, Jose Ortega 8, Brayden Beal 4, Jack Phillips 2, Johnathon Cuellar 2.

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WEATHER REPORT: A LITTLE OF EVERYTHING, INCLUDING RAIN

It was cold, wet, and gloomy in Roscoe Monday and yesterday.

What a week it’s been for the weather! This was one of those times when the old adage was true, the one that says, “If you don’t like the weather now, just wait a few minutes.” On Saturday afternoon, skies were sunny, and the temperature in Roscoe reached an official 91°F, probably a record of some kind. A strong southwest wind was blowing, and a fire hazard warning was in effect for all of the Big Country. Two days later on Monday afternoon, skies were cloudy and rainy, a sharp, cold wind was coming from the north, and the temperature had dropped to 34°. The effect was something like walking out of an oven into a blizzard. Well, maybe not that bad, but you get the idea.

Anyway, the rain was welcome since it was the first we’d seen in about a month. Here in town, I had 1.44” in my rain gauge, while Kenny Landfried recorded an official 1.46”. Similar amounts fell north and northwest of town, but people living in places south and east reported more like two inches. In any case, everyone apparently got plenty.

The forecast today is for sunny skies and warmer weather, climbing into the mid-fifties this afternoon. The high tomorrow should be around ten degrees warmer than that, about 65°, and Friday’s and Saturday’s highs should be in the mid-seventies. Sunday will be cloudy, and right now the meteorologists are giving us an 80% chance of rain on Sunday and 40% on Monday. Then next week we’ll have highs in the seventies and lows in the low fifties as we move into March.

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† EDWIN CARLISLE FINCHER, JR.

Edwin Carlisle Fincher, Jr., 75, formerly of Roscoe, passed away on Sunday, February 12, at Hendrick Medical Facility in Abilene.

His wishes were to be cremated. Services will be planned at a later date.

Mr. Fincher was born in Lamesa on October 10, 1941. He grew up in Sweetwater and attended Sweetwater High School. He was a carpenter and lived in Sweetwater the last twenty years of his life.

Survivors include his wife, Charlene Fincher of Sweetwater; son, Jeff Fincher of Sweetwater; daughter, Pamela Box of Sweetwater; sister, Pat McNiel of Stephenville; 4 grandchildren, Molly Sims and husband, Chase, of Abilene; Brandon Box and wife, Erica, of Ellicott City, Maryland; Hannah Box of Plainview, and Kevin Box of San Angelo; 4 great-grandchildren and several cousins.

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Roscoe in Years Gone By: Windmills

(Photo by Sheree Herd)

WINDMILLS
by Marion Truett Duncan

Editor’s Note: In 1982 and 1983, Marion Duncan (1913-2004), who lived his entire life in the same place three miles southwest of Roscoe, wrote a number of articles about life in early-day Roscoe that were published in the Roscoe Times. Some reflected his own memories while others were learned by hearing the stories from his parents and older siblings. The following article about the windmills is one of those.

Windmills had a major part in the settlement and growth of West Texas. The first thing the early settlers did was to find water on their farms and ranches. Where the best water was found, they would put up their windmills and build their homes and barns. The windmills also supplied water to most of the West Texas townspeople before the tall water towers, tanks, and underground water systems were built.

In the early days there were two kinds of windmills, the wood mills and the steel mills. Both kinds were popular. Some of the windmills had large wood wheels and towers and could be seen for miles. One of the most interesting things about the windmills, they were made to govern their speed of running or turning and would automatically cut off when the wind was too high. In an average wind, the fan wheel would face the wind and turn at a normal speed. When the wind was too high a level, the big wheel would turn sideways to the wind and slow down or stop. The windmills would pump a lot of water when there was enough wind and it was always interesting to watch them run.

When I was a boy on the farm, we had a metal cistern on a high wood platform to hold the drinking water for the house. Also a concrete water trough and dirt tank for the livestock, also a garden. The windmill would first pump water into a cistern and from there was an overflow pipe to the water trough, garden, and stock tank.

Sometimes we would run out of water. These kinds of times didn’t happen very often, only once every few years. It was during the drought years when we had our worst water problems. During the hot and dry summer months, the wind would often stop blowing, the windmills would often stop running, the stock tanks and creeks would dry up, and the clouds would pass over and not rain. The drought years were difficult years, and it was always hard to find water when you needed it.

When our stock tank dried up, we would drive and lead our horses and mules to some place where there was water. We had a different problem with the cows. When we had to drive them very far, we found it was easier to haul water for them in wood barrels in a wagon. We poured the water out of the barrels into wash tubs or troughs, and the cows would drink all they could hold.

During these kinds of times, we always looked for rain clouds that might bring rain and enough wind to turn the windmill. I can remember when we used up all the water in the cistern, one of us would climb up the windmill ladder to the platform and turn the big wood wheel by hand and get enough drinking water for the family

During the winter months, our water trough and stock tank would often freeze over. We always had one horse or mule that would walk up to the frozen water and break a hole in the ice with their front legs and hoofs. They would drink and the rest of the livestock would follow.

I would like to write one other story about how the windmills were of help. During the West Texas drought of 1917-1918, there were people who left their homes to go places to find work. Some traveled by covered wagons. We lived on a cross-country road, and sometimes the wagons stopped at our place and the drivers would ask for water for their teams and for drinking water. It was the custom in those days to give anyone water who asked. The travelers carried small wood barrels on the side of their wagons. The barrels held from twelve to fifteen gallons of drinking water. They would water their teams and we would fill the barrel with water from our windmill or cistern. When traveling on the road, their teams would often need water. The wagons carried medium-size buckets, and the drivers would drain some of the water from the barrel into the bucket and the horses would drink from it.

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STAMFORD STOPS PLOWGIRLS IN DOUBLE OVERTIME, HASKELL DEFEATS PLOWGIRLS

Plowgirls shown are Bonnie Wilkinson (23), Kinzie Buchanan (33), and Jaci Alexander (10). (Plowgirl photos by Tamara Alexander) 

The Plowgirls lost a heartbreaker to Stamford at the Special Events Center yesterday evening, falling in double overtime to the Lady Bulldogs 74-71. Earlier, in a game played in Haskell on Friday, the Maidens beat the Plowgirls 76-45.

Haskell 76 – Plowgirls 45
Scoring by quarters:
Haskell             22        42        55        76
Plowgirls            9        18        28        45

Individual Plowgirl Scoring: Bonnie Wilkinson 11, Jaci Alexander 8, Veronica Cuellar 7, Jaleigh Morales 6, Kinzie Buchanan 5, Bergan Trevino 4, Lyndi Wilkinson 3, Jovana Peña 1.

Stamford 74 – Plowgirls 71
Scoring by quarters:                                      OT1     OT2
Stamford          13        32        48        59        61        74
Plowgirls             7        25        45        59        61        71

Individual Plowgirl scoring: Morales 20, B. Wilkinson 20, Alexander 13, Cuellar 10, Buchanan 8.

The Plowgirls have now completed their season. It’s time for them to get out their track shoes.

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HASKELL, STAMFORD DEFEAT PLOWBOYS

Brayden Beal brings the ball upcourt as Johnathon Cuellar (30), Cam Boren, and Jose Ortega look on. (Plowboy photos by Zane Graves)

In a low-scoring game in Haskell on Friday, the Indians downed the Plowboys 35-19.

Haskell 35 - Plowboys 19

Scoring by quarters:
Haskell              9          16        25        35
Plowboys          2            2          8        19

Individual Plowboy scoring: Johnathon Cuellar 6, Jose Ortega 6, Jack Phillips 3, Brayden Beal 2, Cam Boren 2.

Then at Roscoe last night, Stamford defeated the Plowboys 49-35. At posting time, the Hard Times had not yet received the stats for that game.

The Plowboys have two more basketball games. On Friday, they face Hawley in Roscoe, and next Tuesday they play Anson in Anson. Both games are scheduled to start at 6:15pm.

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SATURDAY NIGHT CAR CRASH WEST OF ROSCOE KILLS LORAINE MAN

Anthony Antonio Aguilar, 38, was killed in a one-vehicle wreck on I-20 about six miles west of Roscoe at around 2:30 early Sunday morning, according to a DPS report. Apparently he was headed home, driving west on the inside lane when his 2005 Chevy Tahoe spun out of control, went into a side skid off the north side of the road and rolled over. He was not wearing his seatbelt and was thrown from the vehicle and fatally injured.

Mary Ann Limones, 37, of Loraine, was also in the SUV. She was wearing her seatbelt and escaped without serious injury. She was taken to Rolling Plains Memorial Hospital in Sweetwater, where she was treated and released.

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 COMMUNITY CENTER ANNOUNCEMENTS

THIRD SUNDAY OF THE MONTH LUNCH
Mark your calendars for the next “Third Sunday” Lunch
February 19 – 11:30am-1:30pm.
Menu:   Homemade Beef Stew, Cornbread/Crackers
             Salad, Dessert, and Drink  -  $7 per plate

COMMUNITY CENTER RENTALS
We currently running a Rental Special for the months of January, February and March.
Hurry and Book your events!!
Call Misty Reynolds for more information at 325-338-1005.

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CITY COUNCIL TO MEET THIS MONDAY

Instead of its usual meeting time on the second Tuesday of the month, the City Council will meet this Monday at 7:00pm at City Hall. The time has been changed so that City Manager Cody Thompson can make an important meeting in Abilene on Tuesday. 

Topics to be discussed include opening bids for someone to maintain the Roscoe Cemetery.

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WEATHER REPORT: PREDICTIONS AND SPRINGLIKE TEMPERATURES

Bee Caves Bob predicts an early spring for Texas.

Once again, it’s been the time of year for bold weather predictions. Up in Pennsylvania, Punxsutawny Phil the groundhog saw his shadow when he got up Thursday morning, and all the folks up north are apparently doomed to six more weeks of winter misery before spring weather arrives. The outlook for Texas is different, however, at least if you believe in the accuracy of Bee Caves Bob, the armadillo from Austin who also made his annual prediction the same morning. He predicts that spring is upon us here in Texas, and that forecast seems hard to deny when we consider the weather we’ve had these past few days.

After unseasonably warm weather the first part of last week, Thursday and Friday were more like what you’d expect for this time of year with highs of 44°F and 41° and lows of 29° and 25° respectively. Saturday was somewhat warmer with a high of 57°, but the really nice weather began on Sunday when the sun came out and the afternoon temperature reached 74°. Monday was even warmer at 78°, and yesterday’s high was 77°. The low this morning was 51°, and this afternoon’s high should be around 76°. A front should cool tomorrow back down to a 64° high, but then Friday should bring it back up to 76°, and then the forecast for Saturday is a torrid 88°.

Those who are dubious about the ability of dumb animals to accurately predict the weather may prefer the official 90-day forecast of the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). The maps below from the NOAA website show the general outlook for February, March, and April.

Temperatures for February, March, and April. A means 'Above Normal,' B means 'Below Normal, EC means 'Equal Chances for Above, Below, or Normal.'

Rainfall outlook for February, March, and April. A means 'Above Normal,' B means 'Below Normal, EC means 'Equal Chances for Above, Below, or Normal.'

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† DEAN ALEXANDER

Services are pending for Dean Alexander, 86, who passed away yesterday, February 7, at The Hoyt Place in Sweetwater. He was formerly a Roscoe resident.

Mr. Alexander was born south of Roscoe on October 8, 1930. On August 5, 1951, he married Doris Lee Harvey in Denton. He was a member of the Jehovah Witnesses. He was a lifelong resident of Roscoe until 1990 when he moved to Austin, Houston and Corpus Christi. Dean was a farmer until his retirement.

Survivors include his daughter, Lee Ann Chancellor and husband, David, of Laramie, WY; sons, Mike Alexander and wife, Melinda, of Colorado City, and Kim Alexander and wife, Marsha, of Roscoe; brother, Stanley G. Alexander and wife, Nancy, of Austin; 10 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Doris Lee (Harvey) Alexander, on May 24, 1986; his mother, Johnnie Lee (Graham) Alexander, on October 2, 1997; and his father, William J. "Bill" Alexander, on May 3, 1985.

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† EUGENIA P. IVY

Eugenia P. Ivy, 93, of Roscoe died Friday, February 3, at her home.

Her parents, now deceased, were James E. and Viola H. Hobbs. Eugenia was the only child born to them. The family lived in Temple when Eugenia was born April 1, 1923. They later moved to Waco, where she completed elementary school. In 1936 they moved to Sweetwater, where she graduated from Newman High School in 1941. In 1942 she married her high school sweetheart, H. C. Ivy of Sweetwater. They were married sixty-five years until he died March 10, 2007, in Roscoe after his retirement from Santa Fe Railroad as an engineer. They had lived in Sweetwater forty-nine years before moving to Roscoe.

Eugenia and H. C. were the parents of three children, son James Patrick Ivy and wife Dorothy of Roscoe, daughter Jana G. Young of Roscoe, and son Christopher D. Ivy and wife Sonya of Sweetwater. She has seven grandchildren and twelve great grandchildren.

She was also preceded in death by a grandson, Thomas Edward Clinton “Tec” Ivy on January 14, 2000, and a son-in-law, Frank Young, May 22, 2016.

Eugenia was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Roscoe. She also attended First Baptist Church in Roscoe. While living in Sweetwater, she was a Girl Scout Leader for troop 310, from Brownies to junior high. She also was active in the Kindergarten Department of First United Methodist Church serving as a teacher and head of the Primary Department. Eugenia also worked as Deputy District Clerk of Nolan County when Pearle Woodruff was District Clerk. After graduating from Commercial College, she worked with John G. Woody, CPA, and as an Optometry Assistant for Doctor John Bowen.

Eugenia is to be cremated and her ashes shall be in an urn beside her husband. No public services are planned at this time.

--o--

Legacy Tattoo Parlour has Grand Opening

Manny Arenivaz cuts the ribbon at the Legacy Tattoo Parlour yesterday.

Dignitaries from Roscoe and the Chamber of Commerce in Sweetwater were on hand yesterday morning for the Grand Opening and official ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Legacy Tattoo Parlour at 14 Cypress Street, across from the Lumberyard.

The business, owned by Manny and Liz Arenivaz, had its soft opening back in July and has flexible times of operation. In general, it is open from 2-9pm Monday through Thursday and 2-10pm on Friday and Saturday, but will stay open later to serve customers when necessary. Walk-ins are welcome as well as those who want to make appointments.

Several kinds of tattoos are available: custom art work, cover-ups, and flash (predetermined patterns shown on the walls of the shop). Work can be done in color or in black and gray. The shop minimum is $40 and can go up from there depending on the size and amount of work necessary.

For appointments or more information, drop by the parlour during business hours, e-mail legacytattooparlour@gmail.com, or phone 325-766-2200. There is also a Legacy Tattoo Parlour Facebook page.

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RCHS DEBATERS WIN DISTRICT, ADVANCE TO STATE

2017 Roscoe Debate Team, left to right: Coach Kelly Jo Sexton, Gage Turnbow, Josh Stegge, Rebecca Shaw, Zachary Shotts, Iris Gonzales, Alfonso Islas, and Justin Gardner.

Roscoe sophomores Josh Stegge and Alfonso Islas came away with the top honors at the District Cross-Examination Debate tournament in Hamlin on Saturday. Their final record was 4-1, good enough for them to win the championship and advance to the UIL State CX Debate Tournament in Austin on March 12-13.

Roscoe had three teams competing, and the other two tied for third place. Sophomore Gage Turnbow and junior Iris Gonzales comprised one team and freshmen Zachary Shotts and Rebecca Shaw the other.

This was Roscoe’s first year to send teams to UIL debate competition, and, as the results show, they did pretty well.

Josh Stegge and Alfonso Islas with their District Champs plaque.

--o--

GARAGE SALE AT COMMUNITY CENTER SATURDAY

As advertised, the Roscoe Community Center will be hosting its Roscoe Community Garage Sale this Saturday, February 4, from 8am to 3pm.

We have multi-family garage sale booths, a bake sale, and girl scout cookies. The concession stand will also be open.

Come join us, shop indoors, and grab a bite to eat!!
For more information, contact Connie Baize at 325-338-1287.

THIRD SUNDAY OF THE MONTH LUNCH
Mark your calendars for the next “Third Sunday” Lunch
February 19 – 11:30am-1:30pm.
Menu:   Homemade Beef Stew, Cornbread/Crackers
             Salad, Dessert, and Drink  -  $7 per plate

COMMUNITY CENTER RENTALS
We currently running a Rental Special for the months of January, February and March.
Hurry and Book your events!!
Call Misty Reynolds for more information at 325-338-1005.

--o--

ROSCOE POLICE REPORT RECOVERY OF VEHICLE STOLEN FROM STEM CENTER

The Roscoe Police Department reports that the white pickup stolen from the STEM Center on January 16 has been recovered. It was located in Willcox, Arizona. There are still no suspects at this time.

A collision occurred on Main Street about 8:00am on January 25 when the white pickup attempted to turn into the Chillers station and was struck by the red car. Both drivers are from Roscoe.

--o--

ALBANY, HAMLIN STOP PLOWBOYS

Jose Ortega brings the ball upcourt as Jayden Gonzales and Brayden Beal follow. (Basketball photos by Tamara Alexander.)

Albany remained undefeated in district play Friday night by taking down the Plowboys 77-35. The victory put them at 8-0 in district while Roscoe fell to 2-5.

Scores by quarters:

Albany             24        51        63        77
Plowboys         12        17        29        35

Individual Plowboy scoring: Jose Ortega 15, Jack Phillips 10, Brayden Beal 4, Jayden Gonzales 3, Cam Boren 2, Johnathon Cuellar 1.

Then last night Hamlin defeated the Plowboys in a low-scoring affair 23-18.

Scores by quarters:

Hamlin              2          6          19        23
Plowboys           2          6          14        18

Individual Plowboy scoring: Cuellar 8, Ortega 4, Gonzales 4, Phillips 2.

The Plowboys' next game is with Haskell in Haskell Friday evening.

--o--

PLOWGIRLS LOSE TO ALBANY, HAMLIN

Karina Cisneros dribbles the ball upcourt.

In a contest which was anybody’s game for three quarters, the Lady Lions finished strong and pulled away in the final quarter to defeat the Plowgirls Friday evening 51-37. The Plowgirls led by one at the end of one and were tied at halftime. At the end of three, the score was 35-33, but then Albany took over in the fourth to win the game with points to spare.

Scores by quarters:

Albany              13        26        35        51
Plowgirls          14        26        33        37

Individual Plowgirl scoring: Veronica Cuellar 11, Jaleigh Morales 8, Kinzie Buchanan 6, Bonnie Wilkinson 6, Jaci Alexander 5, Karina Cisneros 1.

Then they lost another close one last night to Hamlin in the RCHS Special Events Center, this one 58-51.

Scores by quarters:

Hamlin             13        24        40        58
Plowgirls          10        25        38        51

Individual Plowgirl scoring: Cuellar 20, Morales 12, Alexander 8, B. Wilkinson 7, Buchanan 4, Trevino 1.

--o--

WEATHER REPORT: COOLER, THEN WARMER

The moon and Jupiter at twilight yesterday.

The weather this past week was not unlike what you’d expect on what is normally the coldest week of the year. From Wednesday through Saturday, it was cool. Afternoon highs were in the low fifties except for Friday when the high was only 44°F. The low on Wednesday was 36°, but on the next three days it was either 28° or 29°. Sunday was warmer with a high of 64°, and Monday and yesterday, it was almost springlike with highs of 71° and 73°, both days sunny and quite nice.

Today won’t be quite that warm, but it should make it up to 63°, which is still not bad. Tomorrow and Friday will be even cooler with highs in the fifties and lows in the thirties and forties. There is no precipitation in the forecast.

Tomorrow morning the groundhog Punxsutawny Phil up in Pennsylvania will be looking for his shadow, and in Austin, the armadillo Bee Caves Bob will come out of his burrow and move either to the right or to the left. From their actions, we should be able to determine whether we will have two or six more weeks of winter weather. For what it’s worth, the Weather Channel is saying Texas will experience warmer than usual weather during the month of February.

--o--