A Look Back at the Year 2019 in Roscoe

Bruce Robison & Kelly Willis at the July 4th free concert and street dance.

Reviewing highlights of the previous year from the town’s perspective has become a year-end feature of the Roscoe Hard Times, so I will continue it here, even if it is a week later than usual this time around.

As we all know, Roscoe’s footprint is always greater than one might expect for a community its size, and like Garrison Keillor’s fictitious Lake Woebegone, we all tend to see it as a place “where all the women are strong, all the men good-looking, and all the children above average.” That being the case, let’s take a look at some of the happenings that characterized Roscoe in 2019.

Festivals and the Music Scene

In the past few years, Roscoe has become regionally known for its city celebrations and live country music performances, often by some of the best-known singers in the business. This year the City sponsored two major festivals, the Independence Day Celebration on July 6, and the West Texas Wind Festival in October. Both events drew large crowds with live music, street dances, street vendors, and fireworks shows.

Johnny Rodriguez at the West Texas Wind Festival (7:29)

The July 4th celebration this year began with the Lions Club Pancake Breakfast followed by the July 4th Parade down Broadway. Street vendors set up shop in Old Town Park and on Broadway and Cypress Street, and the Museum entertained many visitors. At the baseball field, mud vehicles from various cities tried their luck at getting through the local blackland mud, and in the evening the husband and wife team of Bruce Robison and Kelly Willis entertained the crowd at the free concert and street dance. The fireworks show put on by the Roscoe Volunteer Fire Department concluded the city-sponsored festivities, although many continued the celebration at the free live music and dance at the Lumberyard.

The West Texas Wind Festival was held on an almost perfect day for the weather. The sun shone bright, skies were clear, the breeze was light, and the afternoon temperature in the mid-seventies. The Plowboy Mudbog was in progress at George Parks field, while street vendors sold their wares downtown. In the evening, the feature performer was country great Johnny Rodriguez, who followed the opening Jarrod Morris band. Once again, the Fireworks Show officially closed the evening.

Tracy Lawrence used the Lumberyard as a backdrop for his American tour video.

In addition to the City festivals, Roscoe’s reputation as a major regional venue was once again highlighted by the live performances of several nationally known country and western artists and groups at the Lumberyard. Notable performers this year included Jamey Johnson, Joe Nichols, Neal McCoy, The Kentucky Headhunters, Tracy Lawrence, Wade Bowen, Stoney LaRue, Little Texas, and Gretchen Wilson.

This is just a part of the crowd that came to pledge allegiance with Neal McCoy.

In August, Neal McCoy led a large group of Roscoe residents and kids in pledging allegiance to the flag at Memorial Park while broadcasting the event live over his Facebook page.

The scene at Vickie's Gifts during  Christmas Open House.

City businesses also prospered this year, especially on the annual Christmas Open House Sunday in November, which kicks off the Christmas shopping season. This year’s turnout may have been the largest ever as downtown businesses were full of shoppers.

Roscoe School

Robotics instructor Dan Boren explains 3-D printers to West Virginia bigwigs.

Roscoe Collegiate’s prominence on a national scale continued for its innovations in education and the impact they are having, especially on rural schools. In January, all the top educators in West Virginia flew in to see Roscoe’s program up close. These included West Virginia University’s President, Provost, Dean of Agriculture, selected profs and others, two community college presidents, the State Superintendent, State Treasurer, a State Delegate and other prominent officials and administrators, as well as the National 4-H Council President and CEO, who flew in from Washington. 

They were shown as much of Roscoe’s program as possible in one day and went away impressed with the school’s initiatives and the abilities and enthusiasm of its students. They have since adopted Roscoe’s P-20 program and adapted it for use in rural schools in two West Virginia counties with more soon to follow. 

In February, Roscoe Collegiate was one of only four schools mentioned in the Texas Education Agency’s annual report. It was featured for its P-Tech programs (such as Edu-Drone, Edu-Weld, and Edu-Make It) which provide professional certifications and for its partnerships with Western Texas, Texas Tech, and Texas A&M that connect high school to career and college. In April, the school’s P-20 program was featured in a national report on significant innovations in public education along with three other schools from New Orleans, Atlanta, and Silicon Valley. At the Spring STEM Advisory Meeting, Hamlin and Throckmorton representatives attended with plans to adopt Roscoe’s program, and Van Horn has also adopted Roscoe’s P-20 approach.

In May, as in recent years, most of the RCHS seniors, 26 this time around, received their Associate Degrees from Western Texas College along with their high school diplomas. Also, a former student, Jose Rangel, became the first to complete the P-20 program as designed when he received his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Angelo State University. Dr. Rangel, a 2013 graduate of RCHS and Western Texas College and a 2016 graduate of Angelo State, was a first-generation college student, who now becomes a standard bearer for Roscoe’s P-20 program.

Texas Tech and West Texas A&M initiated new programs allowing students to earn their bachelor’s degrees in Roscoe. While the Texas Tech program, ITeachTech, is geared for students with associate degrees wanting to earn bachelor’s degrees and teacher’s certificates in Roscoe, the WTAMU program, Innovation U., is for any adults wanting to pursue bachelor’s degrees in various majors while receiving local mentoring and advising support.

Also, beginning this month, the school is adding a competency-based option through Brandman University, a fully accredited online university based in California. This addition provides a flexible and affordable option for adults with some college but no degree. For more information, contact Morgan Martin, Dean of Continuing Education for Collegiate Edu-Nation at mmartin@roscoe.esc14.net or 806-549-5842. 

Just recently the school purchased the Main St. Antiques building to house these new programs. These developments combined with those of recent years keep RCISD at the heart of educational progress in the state and country.
 

Homecoming royalty: Football Sweetheart Sadie McCambridge & Football Beau Junior Martinez.

In October, RHS and RCHS exes gathered to celebrate Homecoming for the first time since 2016. A large group attended and enjoyed the festivities, get-togethers, and football game—not the bonfire, though, which was rained out.

Other annual city festivities such as the Easter Egg Hunt in Old Town Park, the Christmas Parade, and visits with Santa at the Community Center, as well as the Trades Days Sales, free Thanksgiving Dinner, and other Community center events provided entertainment for Roscoe residents and others.

The Cotton Crop and the Weather

This year's dryland cotton.

This was an interesting year for the weather. Perhaps the first sign came at the onset of spring, when Injun Robert performed the traditional “Sunrise Wind” ceremony by lighting a fire shortly before dawn and then at sunrise observing the direction of the rising smoke. According to the Plains Indians who once lived in this area, the wind’s direction at the appointed time foretold the success of the coming year’s crops. Each direction predicted a certain outcome, but nothing in the legend as handed down foretold what would happen if there was no wind at all—which is exactly what Injun Robert saw at the moment of sunrise. In the morning calm, the smoke went straight up! With no guidance from the past, there was nothing to do but wait until this year’s crop was in to find out what that meant.

And now we know: smoke rising straight up foretells an average crop. And here’s why we can call it average. On Monday morning, the Central Rolling Plains Coop gin produced its final bale of the 2019 season, making a grand total of 62,284 bales. This year was the thirteenth for the gin, which opened in 2007, and in those thirteen years it has produced a grand total of 818,971 bales. Divide that total by 13, and you get the yearly average, which is 62,998. The two figures are very close when you consider that the number of total bales has varied from 9,966 in 2011 to 111,598 in 2017.

However, there was nothing average about the weather as the year progressed. The record rains from the previous October had produced an abundance of underground moisture for the coming crops, so there was plenty of optimism as the year began. In a wet April, about four inches fell (officially 3.91”), and then in May the area got nine more inches (officially 8.94”), making it the second wettest May in Roscoe since official records began in 1936. Only May of 1982 with 10.92” had more.

All the normally dry playa lakes in farmers’ fields were full, and the county’s permanent lakes—Trammell, Sweetwater, and Oak Creek—all had water rushing over the spillway. In fact, with a couple of scattered showers in early June, the fields were so wet that many farmers despaired of getting all their cotton planted before the crop insurance deadline of June 21.

As it turned out, though, once the rain stopped, it really stopped. June was unusually dry with an official total of less than an inch (officially .78”), and so were July (.43”) and August (.11”). In fact, after a light shower on July 8, most area farms got no more measurable rainfall between then and September. Normally, such a dry spell would cause major damage to dryland cotton, but the underground moisture turned out to be enough to avert disaster, and many were surprised to see the crop turn out as well as it did. However, it could have been better if not for this year’s early freeze in October. So, although the weather was unusual in the way it progressed—an overabundance of rain in the spring followed by an unusually dry summer—the yield turned out to be average.

Other features of the weather for 2019 gleaned from Kenny Landfried’s official records include the following facts: the hottest day of the year was August 27 at 108°F, the coldest March 5 at 13°. The last spring freeze was April 1, when it fell to 31°, and the first fall freeze was October 30 at 31°, followed by a low of 16° the next day. However, some farms experienced a freeze two weeks earlier that damaged the cotton. The spring was unusually mild. April had only two 90°+ days (April 10-91°, April 22-90°), May only one (May 29-91°), and June only one before June 15 (June 9-93°). However, there were 22 days after that when the temperature reached or surpassed 100°—1 in June, 4 in July, and 17 in August.  

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

In December, local rancher and cowboy Buster Welch was honored in Fort Worth with a statue in the Will Rogers Coliseum of him riding his famous horse “Peppy.” The event recognized his lifelong impact on the world of cutting-horse breeding, training, and competition. He will also be featured in an upcoming documentary on cutting horses and their development in the American west. This video is a trailer for it:

 

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The Roscoe Wind Farm

Unlike in previous years, the Roscoe Wind Farm was not a major news topic on the national level, but an article carried by the USA Today newspapers in January did mention that it is still the world’s third-largest wind farm and still the largest one in Texas, beating out the Horse Hollow Wind Farm in Taylor and Nolan Counties, the Capricorn Wind Farm in Sterling and Coke Counties, the Sweetwater Wind Farm in Nolan County, and the Buffalo Gap Wind Farm in Nolan and Taylor Counties.

The article is available online here.

In short, there is plenty going on in Roscoe, and the town enters the new year in good shape. With continued forward thinking, hard work, community spirit, and a little bit of luck, it should continue to prosper as we move into the coming year and decade.

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PLOWGIRLS FINISH THIRD AT ANSON

The Plowgirls have been busy since Christmas, playing five games. They finished third in the Anson Tournament on December 27-28, defeating Borden County 37-33, a team they had lost to earlier, losing to Roby 38-31 and Anson 39-19, and then defeating Roby 37-31. 

Then on Friday night, they lost to Coahoma in a game played at Howard College in Big Spring.

Plowgirls 37 – Borden County 33
 
Scores by quarters:
Plowgirls             9          15        27        37
Borden County  8          16        24        33

Individual Plowgirl scoring: Carson Greenwood 9, Cameron Greenwood 8, Shauna McCambridge 7, Layla Herrera 7, Riley Sheridan 4, Mia Lavalais 3.

Roby 38 – Plowgirls 31
 
Scores by quarters:
Roby                  12        21        28        38
Plowgirls            2          9        25        31

Individual Plowgirl scoring: Cr. Greenwood 12, Lavalais 11, Herrera 4, Kaylea Perez 2. Cm. Greenwood 2.

Anson 39 – Plowgirls 19

Scores by quarters:
Anson                7         24        37        39
Plowgirls          3            5        16        19

Individual Plowgirl scoring: McCambridge 6, Cr. Greenwood 5, Herrera 5, Cm. Greenwood 3.

Plowgirls 37 – Roby 31 

Scores by quarters:
Plowgirls          12        21        30        37
Roby                  12        21        24        31

Individual Plowgirl scoring: Herrera 9, Cr. Greenwood 8, Cm. Greenwood 8, Lavalais 8, McCambridge 2, Sheridan 2.

Coahoma 65 – Plowgirls 33

Scores by quarters:
Coahoma          23        29        49        65
Plowgirls             6        17        22        33

Individual Plowgirl scoring: Cr. Greenwood 11, McCambridge 9, Cm. Greenwood 7, Herrera 4, Lavalais 2.

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PLOWBOYS PLAY SIX GAMES, WIN ONE

Zack Jordan takes a shot against Hermleigh last night.

At the Anson basketball tournament on December 27-28, the Plowboys went 1-3, defeating the Big Spring JV 45-26 and losing to Anson 41-26, Wellington 70-23, and Wylie JV 53-26. Then on Friday they lost to Coahoma in an away game 49-42 and last night fell to Hermleigh at home 53-49.

Here are the scores by quarters for each game followed by individual Plowboy scoring:

Anson 41 – Plowboys 26

Scores by quarters:
Anson               8          25        35        41
Plowboys          3            9        14        26

Individual Plowboy scoring: Antonio Aguayo 8, Junior Martinez 6, Jake Gonzales 6, Zachary Parrott 4, Juan Pablo Leaños 2.

Plowboys 45 – Big Spring JV 26

Scores by quarters:
Plowboys          10        27        35        45
Big Spring JV     3          5        13        26

Individual Plowboy scoring: Brayan Medina 18, Parrott 13, Aguayo 6, Leaños 5, Martinez 2, Gunner Helm 1.

Wellington 70 – Plowboys 23

Scores by quarters:
Wellington        23        41        53        70
Plowboys             5          9        14        23

Individual Plowboy scoring: Medina 9, Aguayo 7, Leaños 4, Helm 3.

Wylie JV 53 – Plowboys 26

Scores by quarters:
Wylie JV           10        16        37        53    
Plowboys            2        11        13        26

Individual Plowboy scoring: Medina 8, Leaños 7, Aguayo 6, Parrott 5.

On Friday, January 3, the Plowboys lost to Coahoma at Howard College in Big Spring.

Coahoma 49 – Plowboys 42

Scores by quarters:
Coahoma          12        24        34        49
Plowboys          14        21        28        42

Individual Plowboy scoring: Ryan Highsmith 14, Medina 11, Tristan Baker 6, Martinez 5, Hunter Anglin 5, Parrott 1.

Hermleigh 53 – Plowboys 49

Scores by quarters:
Hermleigh         17        28        37        53
Plowboys             8        16        28        49

Individual Plowboy scoring: Baker 12, Medina 11, Highsmith 11, Zack Jordan 9, Martinez 3, Aguayo 3.

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CENTRAL ROLLING PLAINS COOP GIN COMPLETES SEASON

The Central Rolling Plains Coop Gin completed its 2019 season on Monday, and the final bale was number 62,284. To show how this number compares with those of previous years, here are the totals from every year since the gin had its first season in 2007:

                                             2007           109,991
                                             2008             57,184
                                             2009             39,626
                                             2010             70,379
                                             2011                9,966
                                             2012             66,985
                                             2013              71,849
                                             2014             32,274
                                             2015              75,636
                                             2016              87,827
                                             2017             111,598
                                             2018              23,372
                                             2019              62,284

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WEATHER REPORT: MILD, SUNNY, DRY

The north wind had the flags flapping on Monday.

For the second week in a row, the area has experienced mild weather, especially for January. Highs have been in the fifties and sixties with lows in the forties down to the mid-thirties, but so far no ice, sleet, freezing rain, blue blizzards, or any of the other treacherous weather for which January is noted. The coldest weather 2020 has seen thus far is 34°F, which was the low on Saturday morning. Yesterday and Monday did have some strong wind. On Monday it was from the north and yesterday from the south-southwest, but those were the only blips in what has otherwise been some reasonably nice weather.

And the forecast is for more of the same as far as temperatures go. Today’s high is forecast to be 63°. However, it won’t be exactly nice outside as a strong south wind of 20-30mph will be blowing and will continue into the evening. Tomorrow, the winds will shift to the southwest and diminish a little but will still be noticeable. And the high will be around 72°. Friday will also have southwest winds and a high of 65° before a norther blows in Friday night and cools things off. Saturday will have northwest winds and a high of 53°, while Sunday will be back up to 64° as the winds shift back to the southwest.

In a nutshell, temperatures will remain warmer than usual and the area will experience the high winds for which it is noted. Any chance of rain is practically nil.

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† CAROL JANE UTLEY CORNOYER

Funeral services for Carol Jane Utley Cornoyer, 73, of Abilene, were held at 3:00pm Friday at Piersall-Benton Funeral Home in Abilene. She passed away on Tuesday, December 31, 2019.

Affectionately known as CJ, Carol was born on March 28, 1946, in Merkel to Virgil and Mildred Nixon Utley.  She was a graduate of Abilene High and worked in Commercial Insurance.  Carol had a love for life and enjoyed a good celebration, no matter the occasion.  She always remembered others and had a way about her that made others feel special.  She liked things to always be their very best, whether it was the interior of her house, her finely manicured lawn and garden, or just herself. She always dressed well, kept everything well maintained, and was the queen of her domain.  She courageously battled cancer, losing at last to complications from pneumonia.

Carol was preceded in death by her parents and her daughter Kelli Downing.  She is survived by her husband Larry Cornoyer III; daughter, Marci Downing and David Hall of Abilene; step-sons, Cody Cornoyer and Audra of Farmington, New Mexico, and Larry Cornoyer IV of Fort Worth; brother, Dennis Utley and Terry of College Station; grandchildren, Aerin Jones, David Darling and Sara Darling, plus the Conner family, Jamie and Pat, Patrick, Benjamin and Jennifer; as well as her precious great-grandchildren and her three beloved puppies.

Condolences may be offered to the family online at www.pbfuneraldirectors.com.

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Happy New Year!

Happy New Year and Happy New Decade! Here’s hoping both turn out to be your best yet!

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ORIGIN OF THE NAME "ROSCOE PLOWBOYS"

by Mary Edna Worthy

Editor’s note: Since I’ve spent the last few days having a belated Christmas celebration with daughters and their families, I’ve had no time to find out the news of happenings in Roscoe, if indeed there have been any. So, next week I’ll try to catch everyone up on the local news and sports and also include a review of the old year in Roscoe as I’ve been accustomed to do.

However, since you probably came here to read something interesting about Roscoe, I’ve decided to include a bit of town history that touches us all in one way or another—a discussion of how the high school’s team name came to be the Plowboys, along with a funny halftime incident at a Roscoe-Sweetwater football game in the 1920s, written by Mary Edna Worthy.

Miss Worthy, as my classmates and I knew her, taught English and science at Roscoe High from the 1940s to the 1960s. Born and raised in Roscoe, she was as sharp as a tack and had a flawless memory, even into her nineties. She left behind a history she wrote of the Roscoe Baptist Church as well as some of her memories of life in Roscoe. These include a few pieces you may have already seen in the Hard Times—church Christmases during the depression, memories of the old tabernacle on Main Street, and teaching at RHS during the second world war. This one also captures some interesting town history that would otherwise be lost forever. It originally appeared in the Roscoe Times on October 1, 1992.

1922 RHS team. Mentioned in the article are Wade Forrester, middle left; Jack Johnson, top 2nd from left; Sam Fitzhugh, top right player. They are the "original" Plowboys who played at Tarleton. Coach Baze is at top right;

In light of recent speculation in the Roscoe Times concerning the name "Plowboys,” and in the spirit of the upcoming school homecoming, I would like to add this information to school memorabilia. This is not intended to be a definitive history nor a complete account. It is simply some of my own recollections.

In the decade of the 1920's and before, Roscoe produced some excellent football and basketball 'teams which often beat teams from much larger schools which had vastly superior equipment. At that time Roscoe had no school colors, nor did their teams have a name. Mr. M.L.H. Baze was superintendent, and he also doubled as football coach.

Several outstanding Roscoe players from that era went as a group to John Tarleton College. In that group were Wade Forrester, Frank (Jack) Johnson, Roy Worthy, Sam Fitzhugh, and some others whose names I do not recall. At that time, Tarleton, a branch of Texas A&M, was a two-year agricultural college. School colors were purple and white, and their athletic teams were called "Plowboys." These Roscoe boys formed the nucleus of Tarleton's football team and received much attention for their spectacular play. Of course, at that time the same players played on both offense and defense.

At the time, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram was widely read in this area, its news coverage—especially sports coverage—being oriented more toward to West Texas and to smaller colleges and high schools. The Roscoe players at Tarleton caught the attention of the Star-Telegram's sports writers, and they made many references in print to "those Roscoe Plowboys." These references did not go unnoticed by local readers. Many schools began to adopt the colors and mascots of colleges, and Roscoe followed suit. Since the Star-Telegram had already paved the way, it was only natural to choose the name "Plowboys," a name appropriate to this agricultural area. The long-since defunct high school newspaper was called the "Go-Devil."

The Plowboys were enthusiastically supported by a snappy looking uniformed pep squad. The uniforms consisted of knife-pleated white wool skirts, white blouses, close-fitting purple wool vests, and white wool cardigans with a purple and white "R". Headgear was a purple and white overseas military cap. The pep squad executed well-drilled marching routines at half-time.

It was often the practice for the pep squad to present a "stunt" at half-time, depicting what the team hoped to inflict on the opposition. One of the most memorable of these stunts occurred at a Thanksgiving game between Roscoe and Sweetwater. At that time Sweetwater's team was called the "Salty Pups." (Mustangs came later.)

Frank L. Williams, Roscoe superintendent, had a small white fox terrier named "Bingo", who was a great favorite of the school students. At half-time Bingo, wearing a sign reading "Salty Dog", was led onto the field, and dropped into an over-sized, realistic looking sausage mill. A uniformed Plowboy turned the crank on the mill, and pep squad girls pulled string after string of wieners from the mill. This particular stunt enraged Sweetwater fans and students, many of whom stormed on to the field to demolish the sausage mill. Bingo, incidentally, escaped unscathed and went on to live to a ripe old age.

In the late 1920's the pep squad adopted new uniforms, the style of which resulted in some criticism and disharmony.

The uniforms consisted of white overalls with the Plowboy emblem on the front, white shirts, and broad brimmed straw hats. Many parents and school patrons considered boy-style overalls immodest attire for girls. Several parents, including some trustees, refused to allow their daughters to participate in the pep squad. The pep squad decreased in size each year and activity.

About 1934, again new uniforms were chosen. These uniforms consisted of purple wool flared skirts, white wool turtlenecks, long sleeved sweaters with purple RHS across the back, and purple berets. Games were played in the afternoon, and it was a real advantage to be on the shady side of the field. Laura Fay Wilson (Mrs. E. F. Duncan) was sponsor of the pep squad at that time.

This account has omitted the names of many, many other early-day players who were equally as good, and in some cases better than those players whose attendance at Tarleton happened to be instrumental in Roscoe teams being called Plowboys. Two other names that come to mind are Elmer Gray, legendary player at both RHS and ACC, where the stadium is named in his honor, and Ernest Nemir, who was quarterback of the team which sent so many players to Tarleton. Ernest attended TCU (I think), and later married Lucille Gordon, RHS cheerleader. A generation later, each of their sons, Jack, Robert, and Billy, were outstanding Plowboys. My apologies go to those many deserving people whose names I have omitted. I have tried to concentrate on those people and events having to do with the selection of the name Plowboys. (Grade school teams were called "Clodhoppers"). These recollections are based on my own memories, and I make no claim to infallibility!

1926 Ploughboys. Mentioned in the article are Elmer Gray, middle 4th from left, Ernest Nemir, middle 5th from left, and Roy Worthy, front with football. Top row, 5th from left is T. D. Young, long-time Roscoe doctor. Kneeling at far right is Olin Hastings, long-time Roscoe coach and teacher.

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WEATHER REPORT: NOT BAD, CONSIDERING

The sun sets on 2019 and the "teens" yesterday evening.

The weather this past week has been pretty nice when you compare it to this time of year in some of our recent winters. Christmas Day was sunny with a high of 70°F, and the days following were also nice with temperatures reaching 65° on Thursday and Friday and 60° on Saturday, when there was also a very brief shower of a tenth of an inch at the most. 

On Sunday, however, a cold front blew in with a sharp north breeze that dropped the highs down into the forties and lows down to 28° on Monday. The wind died down on Monday, though, making being outside much nicer, and yesterday was also nice, even if it was a bit chilly with a high of only 50°.

The forecast is for continued mild weather without precipitation. Today will be cloudy with a south wind, but the high should reach 60°. Tomorrow the sun will be back with a west wind that will shift to the north tomorrow night. The high will be a little cooler at 58°, and Friday’s will reach only 56° with a low of 35°. The weekend should be nicer, though, with warmer temperatures and lighter winds. The high on Saturday is forecast to be 63°, on Sunday 64° and on Monday 61°.

That’s not bad for the first week in January.

--o--

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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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† 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.

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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. 

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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. 

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

--o--

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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