Merry Christmas!

We’ve made it to another Christmas! Here’s hoping you and yours got a nice visit from Santa last night and the gifts you gave everyone were just what they wanted.

All over the world this morning, children are playing with their new toys while parents look on happily, breathe a sigh of relief, and visit by the Christmas tree before starting to work on today’s Christmas dinner and other activities.

Meanwhile, Santa and his reindeer are back at the North Pole. Santa got a kiss from Mrs. Santa Claus for a job well done and then took some antacids for his heartburn from all those cookies. After that, he went to bed, where he’ll sleep like a hibernating polar bear. The reindeer returned to the frozen tundra until they’re needed next year, and the elves are also taking a break. After a couple of days of well-deserved rest, they’ll start getting ready for a blowout New Year’s celebration. Life is good at the North Pole as well as everywhere else.

So, enjoy this time with family and friends, try not to eat or drink too much, and have a great day! Merry Christmas!

--o--

PLOWGIRLS FALL TO FORSAN, 40-27

The Plowgirls fell to the Lady Buffs in Forsan Friday evening. It was their last game before the Christmas break.

Here are the scores by quarters followed by the individual Plowgirl scoring:

Scores by quarters:
Forsan              16        25        34        40
Plowgirls            8        13        18        27

Individual Plowgirl scoring: Carson Greenwood 6, Riley Sheridan 6, Shauna McCambridge 4, Layla Herrera 4, Kaylea Perez 4, Cameron Greenwood.

The Plowgirls resume play at the Anson Tournament tomorrow.

The Plowboys played Merkel Friday, but there was some problem with getting the stats, which I was unable to obtain. The Plowboys will also resume play in the Anson Tournament this weekend.

--o--

CITY TRASH PICKUP TOMORROW

City Manager Cody Thompson wants to remind Roscoe residents that trash pickup will be tomorrow as usual.

--o--

PAT WATERS AT LUMBERYARD NEW YEAR’S EVE BASH

Pat Waters and the Chain Link Band

Pat Waters and his Chain Link Band will be on hand to help bring in the new decade on New Year’s Eve next Tuesday at the Lumberyard, where a big celebration is planned with free champagne toasts and blackeyed peas.

Pat Waters is a regular in the Fort Worth-Dallas metroplex and surrounding area. He came to a music career relatively late in life, not buying his first guitar until he was twenty. Born and raised in Bridgeport, he went to college at North Texas and graduated with a degree in marketing.  He and his uncle partnered up and now own an oil field construction company and a trucking company.  He got his first gig by answering an ad in the Dallas Morning News and playing two songs in an opry house for $25 and, in doing so, found that music was something he wanted to pursue.

He considers himself a family man and homebody who takes his sons hunting and fishing. His music is traditional country, and his latest album is Sorry ‘Bout the Mess. Singles include “You Ain’t Never Been to Texas,” “Texas Tears and Mexican Beer,” and “Love You Back to Texas.”

If you haven’t been to the Lumberyard lately, you’ll also want to check out some of the new additions, including three pool tables, a foosball game, and some protective barriers outside to keep out the weather.

For reservations or more information, contact the Lumberyard at 325-766-2457.

--o--

BURR FIRE AT GIN BRINGS FAMILIAR SMELL

The smoke from this burr fire at the gin west of town Friday afternoon could be seen for miles. That evening the wind changed and the smoke settled over Roscoe, imparting an old familiar smell to local folks who lived here back in the 1940s and '50s, when there were several gins in town. 

It had been so long since I'd smelled it that at first I thought my house must be on fire somewhere, and I went outside and looked around just to make sure it wasn't. Then I recalled the smoke I'd seen that afternoon and realized that's what it must be. 

--o--

ROSCOE IN YEARS GONE BY: CHRISTMAS IN WARTIME

Editor’s note: Christmas in other years hasn’t always been as peaceful as the ones we enjoy now, as the following editorial from 1944 shows. The war’s intensity was at a peak as the Germans made one last great push at the Battle of the Bulge, while in the Pacific the Japanese fought desperately to hold on as the Americans drew ever closer to their homeland.

From the Roscoe Times, December 22, 1944.

ONE FRIEND TO ANOTHER

“As good a friend…as the good old city knew, or any other good old city, town, or borough, in the entire world”—A Christmas Carol.

These words of Charles Dickens express exactly what this newspaper tries to be to the people of this community.

Because it is during the season of Christmas that the true strength of friendships is most evident, we choose now as the time to express our resolve to continue to be worthy of the friendship you have shown us.

In turn, we wish for you the most Merry Christmas you have ever had. Despite the anxiety and worry which the war has brought to many of our homes the past year, we urge you to remember that the bells of Christmas were ringing long before the warriors of wrong rose up, and they will be ringing still when the scars of this generation’s conflict are healed and forgotten.

Make faith in such thought your closest companion during this Christmas season.

Let friendship and faith then keynote our Christmas this year.

With such solid foundations, our wish is certain to become a reality—MERRY CHRISTMAS!

--o--

WEATHER REPORT: NICE FOR DECEMBER

Sunrise yesterday morning.

This past week has been a pleasant one, no high winds, dangerous weather, or drastic changes. Skies have been essentially clear with some high clouds from time to time, the sun has shone in the daytime, and the stars have come out at night. Temperatures have been from mild to warm. The highs in the second half of last week were in the fifties, 53°F on Wednesday and Thursday, 57° Friday, and 59° Saturday, with lows within a couple of degrees of 30°.

Since Sunday, however, it’s been warmer, reaching 69° on Sunday, 70° Monday, and 71° yesterday. The mornings have been getting a little warmer from a low of 31° on Sunday to 37° Monday,and 47° yesterday. This morning’s low was also 47° and the high will reach 71° again this afternoon under partly cloudy skies. That’s not bad for Christmas Day, especially for those with new gifts that need outside use!

The rest of the week will be a bit cooler but not much, and travelers should have good road conditions. Highs will be in the sixties until Sunday when they return to the fifties and lows to the thirties. The meteorologists are predicting a 50% chance of thunderstorms on Friday, strong southwest winds on Saturday, and northwest winds and a drop in the high to 52° on Sunday.

No sleet, snow, or freezing weather is in the forecast, at least for the rest of this year.

--o--

† RICHARD ERNEST ADAMS

Memorial Services were held for Richard E. Adams, 89, on Monday, December 23, at 11:00am in the chapel at First United Methodist Church of Lubbock. He passed away in Lubbock Thursday afternoon, December 19.

Richard was born March 4, 1930, to Margaret and R.L. Adams in Roscoe. He was a graduate of Roscoe High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in education from McMurry College in Abilene. He served two years in the Army during the Korean War and for decades thereafter in the Army Reserve, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. His teaching career spanned more than thirty years as a social studies and history teacher with Lubbock I.S.D., teaching most of those years at Mackenzie Junior High, where he also coached track and football.

Richard was passionate about his family and his pets, and he was a life-long fitness enthusiast. He enjoyed travelling and sports, particularly track and field, having won the Texas high school state championship in the 440-yard dash, followed by success as a college track athlete. He was a member of First United Methodist Church in Lubbock, where he occasionally taught Sunday School.

He was preceded in death by his son, Kurt Adams and is survived by his wife, Erika, to whom he was married for over 54 years; son, Grant Adams of Amarillo; grandchildren, Maggie, Olivia, and Olliver of Amarillo; and sisters, Mava Cooper, of Abilene, and Ann Lawrence of Houston.

--o--

† RODNEY JAY WHORTON

Rodney Jay Whorton, 63, of Abilene and formerly of Roscoe passed away Sunday, December 22, in Abilene.

Graveside services will be 2:00pm on Friday, December 27, at Roscoe Cemetery with Dr. Ron Klingsick officiating. A family and friends visitation will be tomorrow from 6-7:30pm at McCoy Funeral home in Sweetwater.

Rodney was born October 20, 1956, in Sweetwater to the late R. H. “Billy” Jr. and Thelma L. (Carter) Whorton. He was a graduate of Roscoe High School and attended Tarleton State University. Rodney was a past member of the Roscoe Boys Club under the leadership of George Parks. He lived in Roscoe most of his life and was a heavy equipment operator.

Rodney is survived by his daughter; Callie Mayes of Boston, Mass.; brother, Randy Whorton and wife Dena of Roscoe; sister, Mary Whorton Kinsey and husband Albert of Arp, Texas, and numerous nieces and nephews.

He is also preceded in death by a brother; Richard Wayne Whorton, November 12, 1956.

--o--

Buster Welch Honored at Statue Unveiling

Buster Welch checks out his new statue. (Photos by Ruth Ann Welch Williams)

Local rancher Buster Welch was honored on Wednesday with the unveiling of a statue at the new Dickies Arena in the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth. The statue of him on his famous horse, Peppy San Badger (“Little Peppy”) acknowledges his importance in bringing recognition to the world of cutting horses and their impact on the American west. Both rider and horse are in the NCHA (National Cutting Horse Association) Hall of Fame for their achievements and enduring legacy.

The ceremony was attended by NCHA officials, dignitaries, friends, family, fans, and even a couple of Hollywood stars. The evening’s events are covered in greater detail in a nice article in the current Quarter Horse News, available online by clicking here.

King Ranch video of statue unveiling. 

--o--

JAEDYN BARTEE GETS EARLY CHRISTMAS GIFT FROM ROSCOE LIONS CLUB

Front: Lions President Jason Freeman hands $500 check to Jaedyn Bartee, next to Braxton Bartee. Back: Andy Wilson, Thomas Parks, Jeff Myers, Samantha Myers, Shane Tomlin.

Jaedyn Bartee has been saving up for a service dog for over a year now, and a $500 donation from the Roscoe Lions Club yesterday gave her the amount she needed to finally have enough to get one. The Roscoe sixth-grader has Type 1 diabetes, and diabetic service dogs are specially trained to alert their owners in advance of dangerous blood sugar events before they become dangerous. The early warnings allow their owners to take measures to return their blood sugar to normal before anything bad happens.

The trained dogs are not cheap. The one Jaedyn is getting, named Zion, comes with a price tag of $15,000.  It’s a “doodle,” i.e., a cross between a Golden Retriever and a Standard Poodle, a mix that makes an excellent diabetic alert dog.

The Lions’ presentation was made at school yesterday with the entire sixth grade class present along with Jaedyn’s parents and brother. She is the daughter of Jeff and Samantha Myers and the sister of Braxton Bartee. 

--o--

ROSCOE’S OLDEST RESIDENT PASSES AWAY

Jessie Marth

Jessie Marth, Roscoe’s oldest citizen at 105 years and 4 months, passed away in her home last Wednesday with services at the Salem Lutheran Church and interment in the Roscoe Cemetery on Saturday.

She was born on August 9, 1914, near Waxahachie in Ellis County and came to Roscoe with her family to pick cotton during the depths of the depression.  Rudolph Marth, the man who hired them, must have thought, “Who’s this pretty girl in my field?” And the rest is history. They got married on December 19, 1934, and were together until he passed away in 1982. They had two children, Donald and Frances.

In addition to her duties as a farm wife and mother, she was a member of the First Salem Lutheran Church, where she taught Sunday School for many years. She was also the first woman to serve on its Church Council. She was a member of the Friendship Club, the Home Demonstration Club, and the Bridge Club, and served as a 4-H leader.  She also volunteered at the Roscoe Care Home. She made quilts and afghans for her children and grandchildren and drew the plans for two homes she had built, one in 1950 and the other in 1970.

Her obituary is posted below.

--o--

SCHOOL BUYS MAIN STREET ANTIQUES BUILDING

Main Street Antiques building.

Pending final approval of the School Board, the Roscoe Collegiate ISD will purchase the Main Street Antiques building on 211 Main Street. The antique store closed permanently in November, when the owner, Vickie Haynes, decided to retire.

The school plans to use the building to house its adult education division and PTech (Pathways in Technology) program. If all goes as planned, it should be operational by June.

--o--

ROSCOE FFA LIVESTOCK SHOW RESULTS

Here are the results of the Roscoe FFA Livestock Show held at the RCISD Ag Barn Saturday:

Steers

Class 1
1st - Shannon Sanders - Black Cross
2nd - Kelbi Parks - Red/White Cross

Class 2
1st - Shannon Sanders - Black Cross
2nd - Kelbi Parks - Red/White Cross

Reserve Grand Champion - Kelbi Parks - Red/White Cross
Grand Champion - Shannon Sanders - Black Cross
Showmanship - Shannon Sanders

Goats - Boer

Class 1
1st - Kaycee Gunter
2nd - Kaycee Gunter
3rd - Cheyenne Moorhead

Reserve Grand Champion - Kaycee Gunter
Grand Champion - Kaycee Gunter
Showmanship - Kaycee Gunter

Swine

Class 1 - White OPB
1st - Kelbi Parks
2nd - Seth Wilcox
3rd - Aiden Richburg
4th - Alyssa Aguilar

Class 2 - Dark OPB
1st - Lincoln Tiemann
2nd - Kelbi Parks
3rd - Zeke Murphy
4th - Colson Moffett
5th - Jacob Kiser
6th - Zeke Murphy

Class 3 - Duroc
1st - Xander Moffett
2nd - Xander Moffett
3rd - Reese Kiser
4th - Dakota Freeman

Class 4 - Duroc
1st - Montana McCoy
2nd - Vonnie Watts
3rd - Colson Moffett
4th - Analicia Granados

Class 5 - Duroc Breed Drive
Reserve Breed Champion - Xander Moffett
Breed Champion - Montana McCoy

Class 6 - Hampshire
1st - Seth Wilcox
2nd - Aiden Richburg
3rd - Sayge McCambridge
4th - Reese Kiser
5th - Kelbi Parks
6th - Vonnie Watts

Class 7 - Cross
1st - Aiden Richburg
2nd - Dakota Freeman
3rd - Zeke Murphy
4th - Gaven Martinez
5th - Ethan Figureoa

Class 8 - Cross
1st - Seth Wilcox
2nd - Lincoln Tiemann
3rd - Aiden Richburg
4th - Jacob Kiser
5th - Dakota Freeman

Class 9 - Cross Breed Drive
Reserve Breed Champion - Aiden Richburg
Breed Champion - Seth Wilcox

Reserve Grand Champion - Aiden Richburg
Grand Champion - Seth Wilcox
Jr. Showmanship - Xander Moffett
Sr. Showmanship - Zeke Murphy

--o--

PLOWBOYS WIN THREE, LOSE ONE

The Plowboys lost one and won two at the Ira Tournament last weekend, falling to Water Valley in the first game 44-39, and then rebounding with victories over Grady in a close one 36-35, followed by a runaway win over Sands 42-17. Then last night at Highland, they won another close one, this one by a score of 32-30. Brayan Medina led the Plowboys with 13 points, including a couple of 3s.

The Plowboys play Merkel here on Friday with the tipoff at 6:30pm. That will be their last game before Christmas. They won’t play again until December 27-28 when they go to the Anson Tournament.

Water Valley 44, Plowboys 39

Scores by quarters:
Water Valley                 12        20        31        44
Plowboys                       12        19         27        39

Individual Plowboy scoring: Junior Martinez 11, Tristan Baker 10, Brayan Medina 10, Antonio Aguayo 4, Zachary Parrott 2. Ryan Highsmith 2.

Plowboys 36, Grady 35

Scores by quarters:
Plowboys                        9        16        28        36
Grady                             15       23        27        35

Individual Plowboy scoring: Martinez 13, Baker 7, Medina 7, Vidal Aguayo 5, A. Aguayo 2, Highsmith 2.

Plowboys 42, Sands 17

Scores by quarters:
Plowboys                      7          20        33        42
Sands                            4            8          8         17

Individual Plowboy scoring: Baker 10, Medina 6, Highsmith 6, A. Aguayo 5, Z. Jordan 5, V. Aguayo 4, Martinez 3, J. Leaños 3.

Plowboys 32, Highland 30

Scores by quarters:
Plowboys                      9          16        26        32
Highland                      8          14        23        30

Individual Plowboy scoring: Medina 13, Baker 9, Martinez 8, Leaños 2.

--o--

PLOWGIRLS WIN TWO, LOSE TWO

For some reason, I never received the results of the Plowgirls' second and third games of the Ira Tournament last weekend. I did, however, get the results of the first game against Water Valley and include it below. I’ve been told that they lost their second game to a very good team from Grady, and then beat Rule in their third game. 

Then, last night at Highland, they were in the game for three quarters but lost it in the fourth. The final score was 53-40. Layla Herrera led the Plowgirls in both games for which I have stats with 14 points in each.

Plowgirls 45 – Water Valley 42

Scores by quarters:
Plowgirls                        14        26        31        45
Water Valley                   7         13        30        42

Individual Plowgirl scoring: Layla Herrera 14, Shauna McCambridge 12, Carson Greenwood 12, Mia Lavalais 5, Cameron Greenwood 2. 

Highland 53 – Plowgirls 40

Scores by quarters:
Highland                      14        23        36        53
Plowgirls                        8        22        38        40

Individual Plowgirl scoring: Herrera 14, Cr. Greenwood 12, McCambridge 6, Riley Sheridan 3, Kaylee Perez 3, Cm. Greenwood 2.

The Plowgirls have a game with Forsan in Forsan on Friday. After that, their next action will be in the Anson Tournament on December 27-28.

--o--

WEATHER REPORT: SUNDAY NORTHER COOLS AREA

Strong northeast winds punish the flags on Sunday afternoon.

Some beautiful Indian summer weather last weekend turned to a reminder on Sunday afternoon that winter is fast approaching, officially arriving this coming Sunday. That reminder came in the form of a brisk north wind that was nippy, to say the least. Before it arrived, the weather had been warmer than usual and pleasant for this time of year.

Thursday’s high was 62°, followed by Friday’s 71° and Saturday’s 70°, and then on Sunday it was up to 77° before the wind shifted to the north and started cooling everything off. That evening the temperature fell to 34°, which dropped to 30° by Monday morning, and the wind chill made it feel even colder. Monday’s high was only 43°, and yesterday wasn’t much better, reaching 47°. .

Today should be sunny with a high of 54° and the rest of the week will be similar. Tomorrow’s high will also be 54°, Friday’s 49°, and Saturday’s 58°. Lows will be chilly, in the low to mid 30s through Saturday, but Sunday and Monday will be warmer with sunny skies and highs of 63° and 65°.

Rain or other precipitation is not in the forecast.

--o--

† DONNIE LEE LEFEVER

Funeral services for Donnie Lee LeFever, 89, were held at 2:00pm on Thursday, December 12, at Roscoe First United Methodist Church with Juanelle Jordan officiating. Burial followed at Roscoe Cemetery under direction of Miller Family Funeral Home of Snyder. He passed away in Hermleigh on Saturday, December 7.

Donnie LeFever was born on February 26, 1930, in Calumet, Oklahoma, to Byron Russell and Alice Lodema (Gill) LeFever. He retired after twenty years in the U. S. Army and was a member of the Roscoe First United Methodist Church.

He is survived by two daughters, Lea Ann Collier and husband Dan and Lori Keeton, both of Hermleigh; a grandson, Jesse Philler and wife Meagan of Mustang, Oklahoma; two granddaughters, Shana Bratcher of Lawton, Oklahoma, and Dana McConnell of Hermleigh; six great-grandchildren; and a twin sister, Dasie Weisenburger of El Reno, Oklahoma.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Irene (Gordon) LeFever; two sisters; and three brothers.

Online condolences may be expressed to the family by visiting www.millerfamilyfuneralhome.com.

--o--

† JESSIE ALLEN MARTH

Our precious Mawmaw died on December 11, 2019, at home in Roscoe, after a long life, well lived.

A celebration of her life and legacy of faith, kindness and strength was held Saturday, December 14, 2019, at 3pm at First Salem Lutheran Church in Roscoe with Rev. Hal Martin officiating. Interment followed at Roscoe Cemetery under the direction of McCoy Funeral Home.

Jessie Oleta Allen Marth was deeply loved and respected by her family, friends, and community. She was many things in her 105-year-long life: blessed child of the Lord, a humble servant to her church family, a faithful daughter, a devoted wife, a loving mother, an enthusiastic grandmother (and great grandmother, and great-great grandmother!), a fun-loving friend, a talented seamstress, and a community leader. Born August 9, 1914, at her grandmother’s house in Hill County, TX, Jessie grew up in a close-knit family. A stand-out on the girls’ basketball team, she graduated in 1931 from high school in Content, TX, as Valedictorian. Jessie was offered a scholarship to college but did not attend due to her father’s poor health and the family’s financial needs during the Great Depression.

She met the dashing Rudolph Henry Marth, a World War I veteran, while picking cotton on his family’s farm. The two married on December 19, 1934, and began farming west of Roscoe. In the following happy years, the Marths raised two children, Donald Rudell and Frances Joy. Jessie diligently trained them by example to be hard workers, to serve others, and to be upstanding citizens and leaders. Jessie prioritized keeping a tidy home and well-kept yard. She enjoyed providing healthy meals for her family, most often serving foods grown and raised on the farm. Her pickled okra and pecan pie were family favorites. She took great joy in her calling as a homemaker, wife and mother. Jessie was an expert seamstress and craftswoman, outfitting her children and grandkids with clothes, afghans, and quilts for many years. Some Christmases everyone received crocheted house shoes, other years it was quilts or aprons. She enjoyed many contented hours quilting with her close friend, the late Laura Fay Duncan.

Jessie was a fierce competitor around the domino table and enjoyed playing chicken foot with her family. She loved to watch the Dallas Cowboys and Mavericks but was an even bigger fan of her many athletic grandchildren and great-grandchildren, whom she cheered and supported. She was motivated to love and serve her family and community because of her faith and love for Jesus. She began each day throughout her life reading Scripture aloud around the breakfast table and ended her day diligently praying for her loved ones. Even into her 80’s, Jessie led Bible studies and exercises for the “old folks” at the rest home. Up into her late 90’s, she and Frances served coffee and donuts to folks there. Jessie was also a chief caretaker of her beloved First Salem Lutheran Church and spent much of her time and talents serving there.

Jessie was preceded in death by her parents Doss and Mae Allen; brother A.J Allen; sister Vivian Bains; husband of 47 years Rudolph Marth; son Donald Marth, son-in-law Don Richburg; grandson-in-law Rockey Stanaland; and great-great-grand daughter Taylor Stanaland.

She is survived by her daughter, Frances Richburg, eight grandchildren, many great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren, many loving nieces, nephews and dear friends.

Pallbearers were Nolan Sanders, Cameron Sanders, Garrad Richburg, Aiden Richburg, Russell Stanaland, Chris Stanaland, Sam Stanaland, Caleb Todd and Elijah Todd.

Memorial contributions can be made to First Salem Lutheran Church, 923 Main St., Roscoe, TX 79545.

--o--

City Secretary Donna Parker Retiring

City Secretary Donna Parker

Donna Parker, who has served as City Secretary since 1998, will be moving on to a new life next week when she completes her last day of work in City Hall next Tuesday. She has been working there at just over 35 years, starting on December 4, 1984. Initially the City Clerk, she replaced Blanche Ince as City Secretary in 1998 and has continued in that position since then.

She says she is looking forward to spending more time with her family and grandchildren and doing more things around the house.

She will be replaced as City Secretary by Belinda Ince, currently the City Clerk, and the new City Clerk will be Helen Lopez, currently a Staff Assistant at TSTC.

Here’s wishing you a happy and healthy retirement, Donna!

--o--

CITY COUNCIL HEARS UPDATES, APPROVES PROPOSALS

Donna Parker takes minutes for the last time at yesterday's meeting.

At its monthly meeting in City Hall yesterday evening, the Roscoe City Council received public works updates from the City Manager and the November Police Report from the Chief of Police. It then discussed the new positions and salaries for new City Secretary Belinda Ince and City Clerk Helen Lopez. It also approved a Christmas Parade on December 21.

City Manager Cody Thompson reported that City workers have spent considerable time recently working on water leaks. They have also been changing filters at the City Water Plant and have found the job more expensive than initially anticipated because of the excessive amount of particulate matter in the water. The Christmas tree lighting is up in Old Town Park and in other areas.

A meeting with e/HT engineers of Abilene is set for Monday, December 23, to discuss the water and sewer rate study to determine user costs, and all is going well with the new computerized system at the city sewer mandated by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

Police Chief Felix Pantoja reported that the month of November was a busy one for Roscoe Police. Police handled 137 calls and had eight arrests. One was a case of aggravated assault in the 1000 block of Hickory Street with shots fired that struck the vehicle of the victim who was driving away. Another arrest was made for aggravated assault with a firearm and interference with a 911 call. There was also a case in which police provided emergency protective custody. 

Three burglaries were cleared by arrest, one of which occurred with the occupant in the house. Another included charges of retaliation and harassment, and another involved three juvenile female suspects taken into custody from within the house. Police also handled two vehicle crashes, issued two traffic citations and seven warnings. The Police Chief has also hired a new part-time officer, Clay Bradshaw.

The Council then discussed and set salaries for the new City Secretary and City Clerk. It also approved a downtown Christmas parade for December 21, sponsored this year by the Roscoe Community Center.

Immediately after the meeting adjourned, a party for retiring City Secretary Donna Parker was given with family and friends present. Roscoe Mayor Pete Porter presented her with a crystal award honoring her for her 35 years of service to the City.

--o--

PLOWGIRLS WIN THREE, LOSE ONE

The Plowgirls played have four games since last Wednesday, winning three and losing one. In the Highland Hilltop Classic tournament, they lost to Borden County 39-24 but then beat Leuders-Avoca 38-35 and Roby 44-30, to finish third in the consolation bracket.

Then last night, they beat the Lady Pipers 55-35 in Hamlin. Their record for the season is even at 4-4. Their next games will be in the Ira Tournament this Thursday through Saturday in Ira.

Here are the scores by quarters for the games, followed by individual player scoring:

Borden County 39, Plowgirls 24

Borden County   13        16        31        39
Plowgirls               3        12        19        24

Individual Plowgirl scoring: Shauna McCambridge 7, Layla Herrera 5, Cameron Greenwood 5, Mia Lavalais 3, Carson Greenwood 2, Kaylea Perez 2.

Plowgirls 38, Leuders-Avoca 35

Plowgirls              8          23        31        38
Leuders -Avoca   9          16        16        35

Individual Plowgirl scoring: Lavalais 9, Herrera 8, Perez 6, Car. Greenwood 5, Riley Sheridan 5, Sh. McCambridge 3, Cam. Greenwood 2.

Plowgirls 44, Roby 30.

Plowgirls          16        30        37        44
Roby                   8         12        20        30

Individual Plowgirl scoring: Sheridan 12, Car. Greenwood 8, Lavalais 8, Herrera 6, Cam. Greenwood 5, McCambridge 3, Perez 2.

Plowgirls 55, Hamlin 35

Plowgirls          10        25        46        55
Hamlin             10        17         21        35

Individual Plowgirl scoring: Car. Greenwood 24, McCambridge 11, Cam. Greenwood 9, Herrera 6, Sheridan 3, Lavalais 2.

Shauna McCambridge led the Plowgirls in rebounding in all four games with 16 against Borden County, 23 against Leuders-Avoca, 13 against Roby, and 9 against Hamlin.

The Plowgirls JV defeated the Hamlin JV yesterday evening 42-15.

--o--

PLOWBOYS WIN ONE, LOSE THREE

The Plowboys were busy honing their basketball skills this past week, playing three games in the Highland Hilltop Classic tournament, and another one last night, winning one and losing three. The Westbrook game listed first is from a game played in Westbrook last Tuesday, December 3, but the stats weren’t received in time to get it in last week’s issue .

The Plowboys were scheduled to play Hamlin last night, but Hamlin is still alive in the football playoffs. So they had to go to Plan B and play Slaton, a 3A-I school, in Slaton. The Plowboys are now 2-3.

Here are the scores by quarters for the games, followed by individual player scoring:

Westbrook 59, Plowboys 38 

Westbrook          12        29        47        59
Plowboys             15        17        26        38

Individual Plowboy scoring: Brayan Medina 11, Ryan Highsmith 11, Hunter Anglin 9, Tristan Baker 3, Junior Martinez 2, Zachary Parrott 2.

Plowboys 48, Leuders-Avoca 34 

Plowboys               8        21        40        48
Leuders -Avoca   11        17        25        34

Individual Plowboy scoring: Highsmith 15, Medina 12, Zachary Jordan 5, Antonio Aguayo 4, Baker 4, Martinez 4, Vidal Aguayo 4.

Borden County 48, Plowboys 36

Borden County   18        38        44        48
Plowboys               9         18        26        36

Individual Plowboy scoring: Martinez 14, Anglin 12, Highsmith 6, Medina 4.

Snyder JV 40, Plowboys 37

Snyder JV           12        20        35        40
Plowboys            14        27         29        37

Individual Plowboy scoring: Medina 10, Martinez 8, Anglin 6, Highsmith 5, Parrott 3, V. Aguayo 3, Baker 2.

Slaton 59, Plowboys 32

Slaton                  14        28        42        59
Plowboys              8        17         27        32

Individual Plowboy scoring: Baker 10, Parrott 9, Medina 4, Highsmith 4, Martinez 3, Anglin 2.

Next up for the Plowboys is the Ira Tournament with games tomorrow through Saturday.

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WEATHER REPORT: MILD AND A LITTLE RAIN

Saturday sunrise.

Temperatures were mild with clear skies up until Sunday when it clouded over and then was cool and rainy yesterday with early morning showers amounting to a half-inch in most of the Roscoe area.

Wednesday through Saturday skies were clear and sunny and temperatures warmer than usual with highs of 67° on Friday, 66° Saturday, and 77° Sunday. Sunday’s skies were covered with those thin, high clouds that the sun shines through, but Monday was cooler and overcast with light sprinkles for most of the day that turned to light showers in the evening and early Tuesday morning.

When I got up yesterday, I had a half-inch in my rain gauge and Kenny Landfried recorded an official .43” in town but got .50” on his farm west of town. Donna Parker reported a half-inch in Pyron. South of town may have gotten more, but I didn’t hear how much more. Yesterday was cooler with a high of 47° with sunshine and a light north breeze.

Today will be mostly sunny with a high of only 53° and a low of 37°. Tomorrow will be sunny and a little warmer with a high of 59° and moderate winds from the south, followed by a high of 67° Friday with sunny skies and Saturday with a sunny high of 61°. Sunday will be mostly sunny with a high of 61° and a low of 36° with a light east wind.

There is no rain in the forecast.

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Buster Welch Statue Unveiling December 11

Buster Welch today. (Photo from The Cut website)

Buster Welch and his famous cutting horse Peppy San Badger will be immortalized with a statue next Wednesday in Fort Worth’s new state-of-the-art Dickies Arena at the Will Rogers Memorial Center. The dedication ceremony is open to the public and will start at 7:30pm.

Mr. Welch is a member of the National Cutting Horse Association, American Quarter Horse Association and Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame. He and his horses have won five NCHA Futurity titles and four NCHA World Championships. He has also been honored over the years with several other awards including the Western Horseman Award and the American Cowboy Culture Working Cowboy Award. In 1962, he was instrumental in establishing the NCHA Futurity at the Nolan County Coliseum in Sweetwater, and in 2012, he received the National Golden Spur Award for his “outstanding contributions to the ranching and livestock industry.”

On May 12, 2018, he was honored by the City of Roscoe with a Buster Welch Day on the occasion of his 90th birthday.

Now 91, he is still working cattle on horseback. His four children, Ken, Ruth Ann, Greg, and Georgia, all went to Roscoe schools and graduated from Roscoe High.

He is featured in a nice article in the latest issue of Quarter Horse News about the honor, the statue unveiling, and the artist who made the statue. It is accessible online by clicking here.

He will also be featured in an upcoming documentary about cutting horses entitled The Cut: The Story of America’s Greatest Horse. The new trailer for the film below has just been released with new interviews and footage. To view it, click the play button.

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PLOWGIRLS FALL TO JAYTON 51-27

The Lady Jaybirds proved to be too much for the Plowgirls in Jayton last night, defeating them 51-27. Shauna McCambridge had a good night, though, making 5 of 7 field goals, 3 of 4 free throws and getting 8 rebounds.

Scores by quarters:
Jayton              14        25        42        51
Plowgirls           6        10         17        27

Individual Plowgirl scoring: Shauna McCambridge 13, Cameron Greenwood 6, Kaylea Perez 4, Layla Herrera 2, Mia Lavalais 2.

Next up for the Plowgirls is the Highland Tournament which runs from Thursday to Saturday. The Plowgirls JV will participate in a JV Tournament in Bronte Saturday.

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ROSCOE IN YEARS GONE BY: EARLY SCHOOLS

Bernecker School, ca. 1980.

In the 1890s, there was only one school in the Roscoe area, and that was the one in Roscoe, established in 1891. It was listed that year as one of Nolan County’s state-supported schools with 24 children. The trustees were E. B. McBurnett, G. C. Spires, and William Lagow, and the school’s funds were $115. (100 Years, p. 48) It was held in a one-room wooden building that also served as a church for all denominations, and its first teacher was C. S. Knott, known in Roscoe as Professor Knott.

Country people often made sacrifices so that their children could go to school there. For example, in 1894 Joe Nunn sold his Thin Branch ranch northwest of Roscoe and moved to town so his children could attend the school, and, later, the Arledges, who owned the 69 Ranch south of Roscoe had a house built in town so their daughters could live there and go to school. When buying farms, people often considered their proximity to a school for their children.

Roscoe wasn’t an incorporated city in 1900, so the census taken that year doesn’t indicate how many people lived there. But it was in Nolan County’s Precinct 5, which had 55 heads of household and a population of 296. Between 1900 and 1910, however, the population around Roscoe boomed as more area farmland was purchased and put into cultivation. The 1910 census lists 2,829 people in Precinct 5 and 972 in an incorporated Roscoe.

The country schools sprang up because children needed to live close enough to walk to them. A few rode in buggies, and some went on horseback, and, in at least one case, there was a wagon that picked kids up—the Champion “school bus,” which was a “horse-drawn wagon with a top and rows of benches along the sides” (100 years, p. 325). Some kids didn’t go to school at all because they lived too far away to walk, and kids from farm families didn’t go to school during cotton harvest because they were busy picking cotton. For that reason, the schools were in session only seven months of the year or less, starting in November when picking season was over. The teachers were usually single young women who lived with families near the schools and were paid little for their work, and most of the country schools began as one-room schools.

The Roscoe school served the town as well as families living three and four miles away. According to R. E. Gracey, “Sometime as many as 20 children walked with them [i.e., the Gracey kids] on their way to school,” probably because the Gracey farm, just southwest of town, was close to the school, and children living farther out crossed it on their way. He also notes that even in town, teachers and children acted as their own janitors and were not able to maintain school for nine months.

The first country school in the area was the Brownlee school, five miles west of town, established in 1901. The following year, the Champion school began six miles southwest of town, and others followed in the next few years: Mesquite, nine miles southwest; Barnett, four miles south of Mesquite; Goode, four miles southwest; McBurnett, six miles southeast; Blackland, five miles northeast; and Bernecker, seven miles north. Wastella, originally the Richardson school, moved one mile north to Wastella in 1908 after the Roscoe, Snyder & Pacific railway was built. Fairview was north of Brownlee and east of Wastella, and Pyron was 11 miles northwest of Roscoe.

These country schools all lasted three or four decades and taught a varying number of grade levels, up to as many as nine at Brownlee. Students who wanted to go beyond the highest grade level at their school provided their own transportation to the closest high school, usually Roscoe.

Most of the country schools grew as more people settled in the area, and some that began with one room grew into three and four-room schools in the 1920s and ‘30s. These included Goode, Brownlee, Maryneal, Wastella, and Champion, and Pyron was large enough to have a high school.

As roads from farms to schools got better and transportation improved, consolidation became possible. Once schools were able to bus students, the country schools with their short terms and mixed grades gave way to the larger, better organized and better funded schools.

Highland School was formed in 1935 from the country schools of Champion, Barnett, Mesquite, Maryneal, and Goode. Fairview school consolidated with Roscoe around 1930 while Blackland, Wastella, Brownlee, and Bernecker all consolidated with Roscoe in the late 1940s, while Pyron’s school district was split between Roscoe and Hermleigh.

As a result of the consolidation, Roscoe’s school district expanded to 221 square miles with 98 of them in Nolan County, 67 in Mitchell County, 33 in Fisher County, and 23 in Scurry County.

Editor’s note: For more details concerning the schools and some of the families that attended them, see First 100 Years: Nolan County Texas. Dallas: Taylor Publishing, 1983, pp. 42-63.

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WEATHER REPORT: RAIN, FOG, NICE WEATHER

Sunday's sunrise.

The weather was mixed this past week. On late Wednesday and early Thursday, we got some rain, on Friday there was a thick fog, and since then, the weather has been clear, sunny, and nice. I had .6” in my rain gauge Thursday morning, and Kenny Landfried in east Roscoe recorded an official .52”.

The temperatures on both Wednesday and Thursday were cool with highs of 46° and 43° and lows of 32° and 34° respectively. Friday and Saturday were warmer with highs of 62° and 64° and lows of 41° and 45°. Sunday was a bit cooler with a north breeze and a high of 53°, but Monday was back up to 62° and yesterday to 65°. The mornings have been cool, but the weather has been nice for the past few days, and it’s been a pleasure to be outside in the afternoons.

Today and tomorrow should be even warmer with the temperature rising to 70° this afternoon and 76° tomorrow. The south wind will be light today, but stronger tomorrow as it shifts to the southwest. On Friday, it will be from the north, making for a high of only 53° Friday afternoon. But then the weekend will be partly cloudy and warmer with highs of 62° Saturday, 71° Sunday, and 65° Monday.

Rain is not in the forecast.

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Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is almost here again, and people all over the country will be getting together tomorrow with family and friends to celebrate this uniquely American holiday.  No matter what our race, religion, or political persuasion, we all use the day to pause, count our blessings, and give thanks for the many good things we enjoy in this land of ours.

As always, the central event of the day is Thanksgiving Dinner, which involves turkey and dressing, along with the other familiar Thanksgiving dishes--giblet gravy, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, and others. Some of the dishes go all the way back to the pilgrims’ original Thanksgiving dinner, although certain modifications, such as Cajun-style turkey deep-fried in peanut oil, are more recent. In any case, the main idea is to have good food and plenty of it so that no one leaves the table wishing for more. Americans eat more food on Thanksgiving than on any other day of the year.

Another long-held Thanksgiving tradition is football, which goes all the way back to 1876, shortly after the game’s invention. That was the year that Yale and Princeton began an annual tradition of playing on Thanksgiving, primarily because it was a day that most people had off from work.

Today, the games we watch are played by the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys on television, and both games are long-standing traditions. The Lions' game that day goes back to the 1930s when their owner contracted with NBC to carry its Thanksgiving games nationally on the radio. In 1966, the Dallas Cowboys began Thanksgiving games because no other NFL teams were hosting TV games on that day.

There were a couple of years in the 1970s when the Cardinals hosted the Thanksgiving game, but they were not a good TV draw because they weren’t a good team. So, in 1978 the NFL commissioner asked Dallas, a perennial contender at the time, to resume hosting the game, which they did on condition that they host it forevermore.

So, since 1978, “America’s Team” and the Detroit Lions have always played on Thanksgiving with the Lions' game first followed by the Cowboys. Also, since 2006, when Thursday Night Football was introduced, there has been a third NFL game on TV that evening.

This year’s games are Bears-Lions at 11:30am, Bills-Cowboys at 3:30pm, and Saints-Falcons at 7:20pm. Go, Cowboys!

Here’s wishing you all a great day tomorrow, but remember to get plenty of rest tomorrow night so you’ll be full of energy and ready to go when you wake up on Black Friday!

Happy Thanksgiving!

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DOWN MEMORY LANE: THANKSGIVING & THE RAT RACE

Editor’s note: I ran a version of the following in the Hard Times back in 2013, so some of you have already read it, but a Thanksgiving never goes by without my recalling how we observed the day when I was a boy, and I’m guessing the same is true for several other “old boys” who read this blog. So, I’ve decided to run it again today for them and also for any others who may be interested. For doubters about what you read, I can only say that I am not making up any of this. If you don’t believe me, ask anyone who ever went on one of these outings.

Since that first Thanksgiving feast shared by the Pilgrims and Indians in New England, the holiday has been observed in many ways, but if you were a boy growing up in Roscoe in the 1950’s or 1960’s, you may well have been involved in a yearly Thanksgiving ritual that was celebrated in a way like no other I ever heard of.

The Roscoe Boys Club had an annual Thanksgiving Feast, usually held on a little creek on a ranch not far from Maryneal. Each boy who participated, and there were usually about twenty or twenty-five who did, was instructed to bring a dish from home—potato salad, pie, cobbler, cake, cranberry salad, macaroni and cheese, green beans, potato chips, sweet potatoes—anything except the turkey and dressing, which was furnished by the Boys Club and prepared by the local Steak House. Boys Club director George Parks would make up a huge steel vat of lemonade made with fresh-squeezed lemons and pour in Welch’s grape juice from quart bottles. The squeezed lemon rinds would be thrown into the vat for flavor, and the top of the lemonade was covered with crushed ice and floating lemon rinds.

All the boys would meet at the Roscoe Times office at about nine or nine-thirty on Thanksgiving morning and go out to the ranch in a borrowed school bus, arriving at the creek around ten. Time between then and feast time was taken up with games, explorations up the creek, and shenanigans of one sort or another—like stripping off all our clothes and running around “in the raw” as we called it.

Then, when it was time to eat, the food would be brought out and set up on rock ledges. Boys would get a paper plate, line up, and fill their plates with everything that looked good to them. They would then go sit on a rock somewhere and start eating. There was always glory for the boys who could eat the most. But everybody ate two or three times as much as normal, especially since there was always an abundance of dessert, and the time after the meal was punctuated by the moans of those who had gorged themselves, that is, the majority of the boys. Nothing happened for at least a half hour while everyone lay on rocks and tried to recover, but then as stomachs started feeling better, activity would once again start up. Now it was time for the Rat Race, the highlight of the day.

The Rat Race was a kind of initiation ceremony. Boys who had run the Rat Race on a previous Thanksgiving were the throwers, and boys making the trip for the first time were the rats, the runners. First, a nice grassy expanse was located, one which could be run on barefooted without hurting the feet. This was always somewhere down by the creek. Then, all the half-lemon rinds in the lemonade vat would be distributed to the throwers. There would generally be enough rinds for every thrower to have two or three.

The hapless victims, the runners, would then strip down completely naked. This in itself could be harsh, especially in those years when Thanksgiving happened during a cold spell with a sharp north wind. In the meantime, the throwers with their lemon rinds arranged themselves in a long line running parallel to the creek. The runners, who were at one end of the line, waited their turn to “run the gauntlet” between the creek and the throwers.

When George said, “Go,” the one whose turn it was took off running as fast as he could past the line of about twenty howling boys, who pelted him with the lemon rinds as hard as they could throw them as he went running by. When he got to the end of the line, he jumped into the creek for a quick, cold wash-off because he would be covered with the sticky lemonade juice that came from his pelting. Throwers then retrieved their lemon rinds, lined up again, and yelled out threats and taunts at the next victim until George set him off and the pelting resumed.

This process was repeated until every rat had run. The only rules for the throwers were that you couldn’t throw until the boy was even with or past you—and that you couldn’t aim for the head. Backs, sides, and butts were the acceptable targets, and a hard-thrown half-lemon rind could raise a welt, especially when thrown by some of the older boys. The only mercy shown was to the littlest boys who bravely endured the ordeal. Everyone else was pelted unmercifully. The only solace for the runner, often through held-back tears, was that once he had run the Rat Race, he never had to do it again. Instead, he could look forward to being one of the throwers the following year and forever thereafter.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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PLOWGIRLS LOSE A CLOSE ONE TO POST 32-29

Despite being handicapped by injuries, the Plowgirls played Post down to the wire before losing 32-29 in Post Monday evening. Playing at times with three freshmen and two sophomores, they still managed to lead 25-23 at the end of three quarters before losing by three in the fourth. Shauna McCambridge had a big night rebounding with 16 total rebounds, 6 offensive and 10 defensive.

Scores by quarters:
Post                    13        18        23        32
Plowgirls            6         14        25        29

Indiviual Plowgirl scoring: Mia Lavalais 8, Shauna McCambridge 6, Kaylea Perez 6, Cameron Greenwood 5, Riley Sheridan 3, Layla Herrera 1.

The Plowgirl Junior Varsity beat Post’s JV team 24-23 to remain undefeated. Victoria Martinez had 20 points and Malieja Munn 4.

The Plowgirls are off for the rest of the week for Thanksgiving and will resume play next Tuesday, December 3, with Jayton in Jayton.

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ANSON TOPS PLOWBOYS 55-25

The Plowboys fell to the Tigers in Anson Monday evening 55-25.

Scores by quarters:
Anson              14        24        39        55
Plowboys          5          8         16        25

Individual Plowboy scoring: Ryan Highsmith 6, Zachary Parrott 4, Antonio Aguayo 4, Vidal Aguayo 4, Brayan Medina 3, Hunter Anglin 2, Tristan Baker 1, Junior Martinez 1.

The Plowboys are off the rest of the week for Thanksgiving. They will resume play next Tuesday with Jayton in Jayton.

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CENTRAL ROLLING PLAINS CO-OP GIN REPORT

Central Rolling Plains Co-op Gin.

 As of yesterday afternoon, Roscoe’s Central Rolling Plains Co-op Gin had produced 31,380 bales of cotton from this year’s crop.

Gin manager Larry Black believes they are about half done with the ginning and will make somewhere around 60,000 bales of cotton this year. The 12-year average (since 2007) for annual bales from the gin is 63,024, so this year’s crop is shaping up to be just about average.

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FOOD BANK GIVES FOOD AT COMMUNITY CENTER

The Food Bank yesterday afternoon.

The Food Bank of West Central Texas was at the Community Center yesterday giving away free food. They will be returning again sometime soon with more. So far, they have distributed over 6400 pounds of food, which is free to anyone who needs it. 

Yesterday they were distributing hams, tomatoes, carrots, bananas, breads, and desserts. The Food Bank works out of Abilene and serves 13 Big Country counties.

Their slogan is “We can end hunger one helping at a time.” The phone number is 325-695-6311, and the web page is at fbwct.org. They also have a Facebook page.

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TRASH PICKUP ON FRIDAY THIS WEEK

City Hall wants to remind Roscoe residents that trash trucks will not be operating on Thanksgiving Day but will instead pick up trash on Friday. Please inform those who might not be aware of this change in the normal schedule.

City Hall will also be closed for Thanksgiving both Thursday and Friday. For questions, contact City Hall at 325-766-3871.

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WEATHER REPORT: MOSTLY NICE

Monday's sunset.

The weather was varied this past week, but most of the time it was nice, and some of the time it was very nice—at least up until yesterday afternoon when a strong west wind blew in with sustained speeds of 35mph and gusts up to 40mph and more. The wind blew up enough dust to color the sky a dull brown.

Temperatures were cool on Friday, when the high never got over 45°F and we got a little rain, but Saturday was nice with 62° and the following three days all had afternoon highs in the seventies, 73° on Sunday, and 71° Monday and yesterday. Lows were in the thirties and forties.

That all changed beginning with the high west wind and dust storm yesterday, and temperatures will definitely be cooler today and tomorrow. Today will be increasingly overcast with a high of 46° anf a 50% chance of rain this afternoon increasing to 90% tonight. Tomorrow will be more of the same with an east wind and a high of 47° with a 70% chance of rain. Friday will be windier and warmer with a high of 70° and blustery south winds of 20-30mph and clouds along with a 50% chance of rain. Saturday will be windy with sunny skies and a high of 61°, and Sunday and Monday will be similar to Saturday as we move into December.

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