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Home My WebLink AboutSouth Side Panel Group 08Lea- I'm Lea Ferris. I'm the interviewer. I'm a relative newcomer to this group, since I moved here in 1972. My husband came to be on staff at A &M. Go around and each one of you give your name and tell when you came to this area or if you grew up here. Jim- My name is Jim Cashion and I was born on the campus in 1926. Lea- Lets all go around and introduce ourselves and we'll get back to that. Taylor- I'm Taylor Riedal. I first came to College Station in 1940. And went to the service and came back. Started with the Consolidated schools in 1947. Joe- I came with him (Taylor). Ed- I'm Ed Holdredge and I came here in the faculty in 1939. Leon- I'm Leon Ransom. First time I came to College Station was 1925 for the farmer's short course. Then enrolled in 1928 as a student. Lea- Okay, now let's go back and have Mr. Cashion tell us in 1926, where he lived. Jim- We lived right across the street from the old college hospital. My dad was secretary of YMCA. Red and I both, Red is my brother, we were born on the campus. I'm not exactly sure, about 1939, the college at that time asked almost everybody to move off campus. They gave everybody the opportunity to buy the houses that were living in and so my dad bought the house and we moved it down here just south of this building. Lea- On what street? Jim- At the corner of Timber and Anna. And after my dad died my mother sold the house to Homer Adams. And he still lives in it. Lea- Well, I knew there were several houses moved off the campus. Jim- I don't know where it ranks in the time frame of when it was moved off, but it was one of the first ones in this area. I guess this is east of the Oakwood edition. It was the first house in this area. Lea- That is interesting. Okay, now Leon, when you were here as a 4 -H boy, do you remember what the town looked like? Leon- Well, I suppose it wasn't a town then. Lea- Well, the community. Leon- Yes, I was on campus quite a bit because I came to the farmer's short course every year. I got pretty well acquainted because I was on the judging team. We went to different parts on the campus. Jim- Did you ever sleep in the hay under the stadium? Leon- I came down here one time and brought a demonstration team. A dairy demonstration team. We had won and they had brought us back down here for some reason, but I've forgotten what it was. But anyway, we slept in cots somewhere. It must have been. That was after Kyle Field was built, so I guess so. Jim- I remember as a kid on the campus, in the summertime, there were two big short courses: the fireman's short course and the farmer's short course. We liked the fireman's short course because of the fire trucks. The farmer's short course was the big one. Leon- It was the big one. Lea- Then when you moved off campus, your dad still worked on campus. Jim- Right. He was still secretary of YMCA. Lea- were any of you involved in businesses on the Southside? Taylor- With the schools. Lea- With the public schools? That will be interesting. Jim- There weren't many businesses on the Southside. Maze's Pharmacy and a grocery store. Joe- Were Park Cleaners here? Lea- I think there was a cleaners, I was told. Taylor- Ray Odem had the Southside grocery store. Jim- And there was a dentist upstairs. Catcart. All- Catcart. Lea- He just retired a very short time ago. Joe- Yes, that's right. Taylor- Yes, the upstairs too. There were some offices and that is where Bill Caudel had the firm that is in Houston now. The architecture firm that has business all over the world. Here is where it started with Bill Caudel, Wallace Scott, and a guy named Rowley. They worked with the school and built the round auditorium down here. Jim- Then Dr. Andre. Lea- Ed, did you live in Southside? Ed- For two years, once I got married. 1942 -1944. Lea- And what street did you live on? Ed- Well, it was Jersey and Dexter then. But it is Jersey and whatever that road where Dexter Drive circles the park. They changed the name of the street. I forget the name of the street right now. Lea- Was the park there then? Do any of you remember when the lake was there? Jim- Sure, I remember when they drained it. Mrs. Clark sat on the dam. Lea- Was that the story of the bridge and the billy goat? Joe- Yea, no. Taylor- The sitting on the dam is Mrs. Clark. Jim- Mrs. Clark lived. Lea- Hold on. Who is Mrs. Clark? Mr. Clark started the development over there. Jim- His wife. Taylor- I guess his wife. Jim- At Lincoln there was a dam and the city was going to drain the lake and she didn't want it drained, so she sat on the dam to keep them from bulldozing it. Taylor- To keep them from draining the lake. Joe- The story I heard was she sat in a rocking chair. Taylor- Bill Lancaster's daughter owns the old Clark house now. Lea- Oh! I've toured that house. Taylor- Yea, they had it on the tour this last time. Ed- Jim, do you remember the date they took the dam down? Jim- The date? No, I don't. Lea- That was shortly before you came. And you came in 1939. (Directed towards Ed Holdredge) Ed- Actually, I was on the campus then. It was in '42 when I came. Jim- But Caroline Adrian sits here, or was supposed to sit here and she lived right on the lake, on the other side. Across from the Lancasters. Lea- And I think Bill lived over there too. Taylor- Bill lived right next door to the Clarks. Jim- And the Adrians lived right across from the lake on the other side. And Dr. McNew lived right over there. He's a doctor now, used to be Lamar. Lea- And where did you live over there? Taylor- Well, we lived over about a stone's throw from where Jim did on Timber, right down there. And see, another old college house was moved there at Rev. Anderson's, Norman Anderson, the Presbyterian preacher here for so long. Moved the college home. Lea- They moved alot of them. Taylor- Yea, several of them in that area. Lea- Were you in a college house, Ed? Ed- No. When I came in '39, in the mechanical engineer's department, Mr. Crawford lived just across the street from the football field. There were a whole bunch of houses along there...and then within two years he was off the campus and lived in a house in College Hills and so there weren't very many moved off at that time. Jim- It took several years, I don't really remember, when they first said you had to move off, and come and get them all moved, but... Lea- Well, I have in my notes, and perhaps you can elaborate, that Southside was developed in 1921. There were 66 acres and 10 residences around the small lake. Jim- Well, I can't verify the date, but I know what you're talking about. Lea- And then Mr. Burgess built homes there and formed the Oakwood Realty in 1932. Taylor -That was Hershal Burgess and Casey, no Bill Sparks. Jim- Yeah, Bill Sparks. Taylor- So at one time when I was a freshman over there, I was in what they then called the new area, and they had a post office and a little concession stand. And two fellows named Casey, and Sparks, Bill Sparks, and I don't know Casey's... They had a soda fountain and sandwiches and so forth, and they also ran the concession stand in the bottom of the YMCA. Ed- Casey's Confections. Taylor- Yeah. Leon- Casey was there when I was around. He was a ... of his day. Taylor- Yeah, he lived in the YMCA. He had a room upstairs in the back of the Y. Ed- He did more than anybody I ever knew. Taylor- Well, Casey also had a pharmacy at the Northgate where the A &M photo shop is now. Jim- That's the time it used to be Aggieland Pharmacy then. Taylor- Well now, Aggieland was across the street, the one that Liscom had. Jim- That was Liscom Pharmacy. Taylor- Okay. Yeah, you're right. Jim- The pharmacy at the Northgate was called Aggieland Pharmacy... Lea- That was at the Northgate, but then Mr. Casey had one at the Southgate. Taylor- He had the one that was on the campus. Jim- He had two on the campus. Lea- Well now, can somebody clarify which one is called South Park and which one is called Oakwood? Taylor- Let's see, it was called College Park. All- Yea, College Park. Lea- I knew it had 'park' in it. Jim- College Park. I guess the main entrance to College Park would be, now, ... what's it, Dexter? Is tat the street that it goes down? Lea- Now that's College Park. Taylor- That way to the Wellborn road. Jim- And then Oakwood. I don't know exactly, yeah, I guess the next street up would be Lee, Taylor, Pershing, Southwest Parkway. Leon- I couldn't tell you where the entrance was in 1928. Now, when I lived down there, I ... a new house my freshman year. It is now 600. That's the house I lived in. Lea- In 1928? Ed- 1928, I didn't know who owned that house. It's a long story. It would take a little time. Lea- Go ahead. Ed- Well, I came early about ten days before school, because I needed to get a job, so I met alot of people. That's one thing you had to do. You had to meet everybody you saw to get a break, and one man I met was named Pearson, and he was working at the Y, putting covers on the billiard tables. Jim- Peterson? Ed- Now, in addition to Pearson, in the month, there in July, there was a barber shop, and then there was a swimming pool. I met Mr. Pearson. I got acquainted with him, and he got aquatinted with me. I believe he used a coat hanger. In those days they used boards, belts, brooms, coat hangers, whatever. Anyway, when I got ready to register, I didn't have enough money. So when I was fooling around there in the basement, Mr. Person saw me and said," Fish Ransom, why aren't you over there registering ?" And I said, "Well, I don't have enough money." He said, "How much money does it take ?" I said, "I'm not sure, but I think thirty- something dollars." And he reached in his pocket and pulled out twenty dollar bills. I'm satisfied to this day it was the last money he had in his pocket. And he said, "Fish Ransom, you get your over there and register." And I said, "Yes, sir, Mr. Pearson." So I went to register, came back, and I had a little money left and I gave it back. And then I said, "Now, Mr. Pearson, I don't know where I'm gonna stay. Then he said, "I'm a senior and I've got a job. And he went to school first semester. I'm goin' out there." And he said, "I live in a house down in College Park, my wife and child." He said, "I don't even know who owns the house. People don't want to register and render their houses because they have to pay taxes on them. He said if you want to, you can go down there and stay in that house. I'm gonna leave my furniture." So said, "I'll take anything. Lea- I didn't know you could live off campus, but you could. Leon- Well, you had to have permission from the Commandant. So I lived in this house in 1928. Now as I remember, at that time, I only remember three other houses. That's not to say there weren't more, that's just all I remember. One of them is now 204 Fairview. It was a two story white house, and Miss Mildred ? lived there. Now, Miss Mildred Portman I knew her very well. And there were two houses on the corner of what is now, Fidelity and Fairview. And they faced East. And Mr. Walker was the barber, and had a barber shop up there that Kirt Smith owned. And he graduated at the same time I did. The other house was occupied by an English professor, and I can't recall his name. I do remember when I got ready to go on Christmas that year, he and his wife invited me to come by and have breakfast with them. Give me a send off. That's when I got back on the highway and started thumbing it. Lea- Back home to where? Ed- Lamesa. Lea- Well, that goes back a long, long, way. Leon- Fairview was the only road going down there. It was a gravel road and there wasn't any Montclaire St. to get you there then, but there was a street over there where Fidelity is, and it went down to Wellborn Road, I guess what was Highway 6 then. That was the main highway. Lea- Before they built the rest of the town. Leon- Now, there was a barbed wire fence that ran up what now would be the west side of Montclaire and that was a pasture with mesquite trees and the wire fence ran west to Highway 6 and Mr. Colson lived across the street. Over where the TV station is now I'd say facing Jersey. Now Mr. Colson had a cow in his pasture and in the corner, about where the Texaco station is now, was a shed where the cow would come in. He'd milk her. I had a job. One of my jobs, delivering mail on the trains from Dallas to Houston. And I was working in Dallas every weekend and I would get the mail and put it in an iron wheel wagon and pulled it over to the side of the track with a pulley. The train would come into town and it would stop at the same place every time. I'd be sitting right there waiting for it and, uh, I'd pull the mail sacks up in there on the wagon. And the baggage coach would put the incoming mail on my wagon. I walked across the pasture every night. If it was a moonlit night, I would cut across, but if it was a dark night I would have to go around. Jim- The post office was right there, wasn't it? Leon- Sir, the post office was right there by the depot. Lea- What time did the train come through? Leon- 12:00. Lea- And then you would take it to the post office and then you were through? Leon- No, I would take it back to the depot. I had a key for that, but I didn't have a key for the post office. Lea- So you put the mail bags... Leon- I put the mail bags in the depot and then I suppose the post office got it the next morning. Lea- And that helped pay some of your expenses? Leon- Yes, I got paid 25 cents an hour in those days and that's how I put myself through school. Well, I've gotten off the subject now. Some people say how did your study. In the four years I was there I never heard anyone say they didn't. So I just stayed. Lea- Do any of you recall, perhaps you do, Ed, when the streets were named after the cows over there? Ed- That was a little before my time, but Jersey was there. The development, I guess... Lea- Jersey was there, but what about those others over there? Ed- The developer did then. Jim- I guess. Ed- The professor, Herson he must've had some influence. Jim- I don't know who developed the College Park. Leon- In addition to this fence there was a barbed wire fence also around on down to the Southside. And there was a gate where Fairview is now. Jim- Now, is Fairview the street that runs by... Joe- Helen Pugh lives on Fairview now. Jim- Oh, okay. Taylor- Fleming's house, you know, on the corner. Jim- Oh yeah, up by Welch. Leon- I don't remember that gate having ever been closed and there was a barbed wire gate in this fence and it stayed open all the time. That's the way I'd come to class. I'd walk over there to Fairview, and when I got to campus it was just a little jog. Go along east of Kyle Field now, but between there and what used to be the old stadium there was a little of houses down there where little Dr. Jones lived in one of them. Jim- Luther Jones. Ed- Luther Jones. Jim- When you got down a little further, I don't know when, but later, Dr. Gammon lived on the corner and Dr. Leland and Dr. Walker were here. Lea- The boundary was always Jersey St.? Was that always the boundary of the campus, or did it expand? Ed- Actually, there was a section there between Dexter where Jersey St. ran only south. When they widened Jersey they straightened it out. Lea- Oh, I see. It kind of curved? Jim Is that called South Jersey now? Ed- I think so. Lea- I think you're right. Jim- It kind of bends back around. (Everyone talks at once) Taylor- But it dead ends where the Mormon Church has that student center. The McNeils had a house on that corner. Norbitt McNeil. Lea- Now, those of you that lived over there at this time, where did you buy your groceries? Where did you shop? Now this is after you moved off campus. Did you have a little grocery store over there? Joe- We didn't come until 1947, but there was a little store. Taylor- Southside Grocery Store is where the Rother's Bookstore is now. Lea- Was that there when you were there. Jim- I think we still traded with Luke Patronella. Joe- Yes, in College Hills. Jim- And Charlie Poperstand had his store over on Nothgate, and I suspected my mother still traded with him. Jim- When we were on the campus there was a grocery store on campus. And Luke and Charlie had a grocery store on Northgate and they both delivered. Lea- That was going to be my next question. Jim- My mother would get on the telephone and say send me a dozen eggs, a dozen apples. They didn't go by weight. They went by numbers. Ed- I lived across the street from Luke Patronella so we didn't go anywhere else but him. Luke, I don't remember delivery, but we usually went to Bryan quite often, about once a week. Joe- But didn't Manning Smith take over when Luke Patronella died? Leon- Yes. And they bought one of those houses, too. Moved over there. Taylor- One of the college houses. Jim- Well, Manning's brother bought the cleaner's from Mr. Robertson. Lea- But back in those days of home delivery, did some of you used to just charge your groceries? - Laughter- Joe- We charged them at Southside. Jim- I remember when I found out about charging. There was a little variety store at Northgate and I discovered that I could go in there and buy a toy or ... Lea- Sure. Jim- Whatever and charge it. - Laughter- Jim- But that lasted only one month. - Laughter- Lea- Till your dad found out about it. Jim- Till he got the bill. That was pretty slick, you know. You could just go in there and get a package of firecrackers and say "charge it" and... Joe- When we first started buying groceries over at Southside, they'd write the little slip down and whatever... Taylor- Paid by tomorrow. Joe- Pay by tomorrow. Ed- We had milk delivered from the University, the station. Joe- Yes. Ed- It was unpastuerized and we would drink it right out of the bottle. Lea- Oh! and cold and you would push that little paper board out of the top. Joe- Yeah. Taylor- You would get a quart of milk and the daily bulletin. Lea- Home delivered. Now let's talk about the schools. Now you started the school on the campus. I'm talking about public schools. You started on campus. Now when did they start the school off campus? Taylor- In '39 they bought these little- 'course they're all gone now... Lea- The little temporary buildings... Taylor- Yeah, well, temporary in '39 and they tore the last one down this summer. But Mr. Langford, he was the head of architecture department, designed, uh, those buildings. Jim- Were there four buildings? Counting the high school, or five? Taylor- One, two, three... There were three or four up there and... Jim- One high school. Taylor- One up here, right. This little shop back here was one of the first buildings, too. Lea- I have here in my notes that the school was built in 1940? Taylor- Well, '39 or '40. Yeah, that sounds about right. Lea- With fourteen classrooms. And you came in '40... Taylor- Seven. Lea- Seven. And were affiliated with the schools until what time? Taylor- '74. Lea- Oh, you were here for long time. Taylor- Yeah. Lea- Did you also teach? Joe- No. Taylor- No. I'll tell you something interesting. This building, this sight, was owned by the Holicks. There were three Holik brothers: Steve and John and Alpha. And the school bought this property, here. When we got ready to build this building we made a deal with John Holick, he was an old bachelor, to get the dirt. You know if you look at this it's built up quite high. And the deal we made at the time was, he had a farm just a little further down here, we had to dig a tank. You know, we had to take the dirt out. We had to make him a tank. We had t stock it with fish after, you know, we filled it with water, and give him two cases of Pearl beer. - Laughter- Lea- It was a bribe. Well, I read somewhere where there are two sights considered. This one and one older, and this is the one that got it, but I didn't know it was for Pearl beer and fish. - Laughter- Jim- Well, which one of the Holicks owned the store? Right here on the corner. Taylor- ...on the corner here. Well, actually, I don't remember. The lady, Mrs. Holick, ran it last saw, but right here on the corner was a little grocery store and a hamburger deal. The kids would go there to buy hamburgers. Jim- Proto -type convenience center, yeah. Lea- So you moved off campus about what grade? Jim- I was in the seventh grade. Lea- When you moved off? Jim- Yeah. Lea- And they moved all the schools off the campus into this area right through here. Jim- Right. I guess about that same time, the schools were just grades one- eleven, and at some point they added the 12th grade. And there were a number of us that were grandfathered. We only had to go eleven years. Lea- I remember, I'm from Oklahoma, we knew those people 15 miles away only had to go eleven years and we had to go twelve. Jim- Anyway, I guess I was in the seventh grade and I was in the last building out there when we moved into the new building. I'm trying to think who was the Principal. Grady Elms was the principal. Taylor- Yeah, that name sounds familiar. Jim- Grady Elms. Taylor- But the reason it was called A &M Consolidated was because they picked up Wellborn, Wellborn had their own school system at one time, and Peach Creek out here, had their own... Lea- Did Shiloh have a school? Taylor- Shiloh did, I believe, at one time. Jim- At one time they did. Taylor- At one time or another the school district went all the way into Bryan. Through Bryan into Coulter Dr. in Bryan. Lea- Oh, it did? Taylor- But as Bryan moved, Bryan had a whole city government or whatever you call it, which allowed them, when Bryan moved their city limits, that automatically extended their school district limits. So they just kept moving out and they took over that territory from College Station School Districts. Lea- Did those schools, excuse me, those children... Jim- Come into the consolidated area. The community of Midway what's now called College Ave. And Bob Carroll lived just down the road. Now he was telling me about his sister, how she used to go all the way over to Midway to go to school. And then they, they started the Consolidated school. As it turned out, Bob's brothers and sisters were a whole lot older and he was the last one of the Carrolls to come along. Before they even started Consolidated school his sister was over at Midway. And I think Ethal Burgess was one of the first to graduate at Consolidated. Lea- I think they had their first graduating class on the campus in 1923 or 1924. I think I read that somewhere. Taylor- I think they went to Gine Hall for some of their classes, and there was a little building, that's been torn down as well as Gine Hall, but there were some classroom buildings down there. Jim- Fifer Hall. Taylor- Fifer Hall. Jim- It was just south of the Academic building. The sidewalk ran from the Academic building and Physics building, and Fifer Hall was right across the sidewalk. And that was the high school. I guess it was that building that the college had quit using and the school took over. And the elementary school was at the East end of Joe Routt Blvd where it stops. That dormitory. That's why they had to move the school, because they were building that dormitory. The new area. Ha Ha Ha. Lea- In the beginning, I don't know what the name of the school was, but after it brought the other schools in, that's where it got it's name Consolidated. Taylor- They had an interesting arrangement at that time in order to do this consolidation, a gentleman's agreement, it wasn't anything legal, a gentleman's agreement that two of the seven trusties would come from Wellborn area and one or a couple from the Peach Creek area and four from College Station. And when those positions became vacant the people understood that if you lived in College Station and a so- called 'Wellborn -deal' came open, you wouldn't file for it. Ha ha ha. And that was a gentleman's agreement and it lasted for quite a while. Lea- Well they are going to do an oral history on the Eastside back at Eastgate, but at the time this school was built on this property, those kids who lived over there all came. High school, elementary, everybody came here. Did they ride school busses? I guess they did. Jim- Yeah, there were two. Ha ha ha. Taylor- Two. Lea- Were there any recreational parks or things around where you played ball or anything? Do you remember that, Ed, were there any parks around? Other than the park across the street. Ed- None that I know of. Taylor- I think that they all went over and used the campus facilities. Lea- Campus facilities... Jim- We used to play football. It was where the little building, where the 12th man foundation is now. Or, it used to be the athletic department office. Taylor- Yeah, the ticket office. Jim- And that, all of us used to play. It was just a small building and there was a little yard just behind it as you go into Kyle Field. And there's a grassy area, oh not much bigger than this room. Ha ha. And that's where we played. if we had a whole lot of people we'd move over to the drill fields. Lea- So even way back then the facilities of the college were greatly used. All- Oh, yeah! Yes! Lea- Uh, let's see. Do any of you remember. Ed, you may remember some of the tail end. How the Depression effected this area? I guess with the school here it was steady work for most people. Taylor- I wasn't here yet. Ed- The Administration building and the University acted as contractors, and so whatever the going price was, twenty -five cents an hour or something, that was what they paid. Lea- And they acted as their own contractors. Ed- Yes. Leon- I can tell you how it effected the students. Ha ha. I graduated in '32 and my major was animal husbandry. They call it animal science now. But of all the boys who got through their degree in animal husbandry, only one of them had a job when he got out of school. And that was feeding cattle somewhere outside of Texas. Which is only temporary because when the cattle were ready they were shipped to North Dakota and he was out of a job. Taylor- So did they build the new Highway 6... it was in the mid -30's. Joe- 1936. Taylor- That's what I was thinking. Lea- Do you remember that? Jim- The only thing I remember... Lea- You were only about 10 years old. Jim- ....uh, on Sunday afternoon my mother and dad always liked to go for a ride, right when we had cowboys and Indians going good and... Ha Ha Ha... we had to go for a ride, and about every other Sunday we rode down the highway, down to Wellborn. Or sometimes we'd go to Millican. Lea- Did you go down to see the crops or did you just go for a ride? Jim- Just to get out of town, I guess. (Ha ha) Sometimes we'd ride up to Navasota and there was an ice -cream store. I can remember, one time, that the road goes down from Highway 6 to Millican, the Millican Rd., we got down that far and it was just a sandy road and we drove down. And we got to the place where they were building the new highway, and I remember my dad saying, "This is the new highway that's going to Bryan." And I thought, you know, why would we need a new one? Ha Ha Ha. - Laughter- Jim- But anyway, I guess it had a major effect on the college, because it turned the whole thing around. The first business I remember was Grant's Gulf Service Station up there at the corner of where University Tower is. Taylor- And somebody had a little grocery store up there. Ed- Yeah that was May's. Joe- May's grocery store. Taylor- Well, that was across the street, but on the same side as the tower there was a little, remember when we first moved here we shopped there occasionally. The little grocery store sitting there about where the lobby of the tower is. Lea- Well, Ed, you and Jim both were here when the town was incorporated and became a town. Ed- No, it was just before I came. Lea- Okay, in '38, '39? Ed- '38. Jim- I was 12 years old, and the incorporation didn't seem much at the time. - Laughter- Lea- ... but when it actually became a town itself and very humble beginnings... Jim- A good bit was happening about that time, I guess, around here. That was when people began to be moved off the campus and the town was incorporating and there were enough people that lived on the campus that they had to move some place that the real estate began to pick up a little bit. Lea- And one of the big problems was the utilities. And that was the time they incorporated it so they could get utilities under a legal. On the campus for so long. Jim- Well, I remember we had a septic tank and butane down there... Lea- I think the first people had to build their own... Leon- I did my study down there, in that house by a carbide lamp. Lea- About what kind of lamp? Leon- Carbide. You ever heard or seen one? Lea- I don't know. I studied by a coal lamp. Leon- It had a receptacle in the bottom, about this big, and you would put these carbide chunks in there and it would create a gas. It pulls it up and it has a little place with a pump and you would pump this air in there and it would create a gas as it came up some tubes. Two little tubes and there were bulbs. They weren't cloth or metal, maybe glass. Taylor- I think they were silk. Leon- Something like that. And it had a little canopy over the lamp. And you'd pump that thing up and light the bulbs. It was a real good lamp. I had one of those setting on my desk. Lea- And this house on Montclaire. But I know that the utility lines were one of the big problems they found. And I read somewhere about the garbage pick up. Did anybody remember their men that used to come in the garbage truck and get the garbage? All- No.. Don't remember. Taylor- I don't know what we did with it. Lea- We used to have dogs tied on the side of the garbage truck and the dogs would run around everybody's. Jim- Just about everybody around this campus had a 55 gallon drum sitting out in the back and put all their trash in it and light it with a match. Taylor- They'd burn it. Jim- Yeah, they'd burn it. Or burn everything they could burn. But I don't remember what happened to the rest. Taylor- They were picking up garbage when we came. Joe- They were by the time we came there was garbage pick -up. Taylor- Yeah, I think so. Lea- Those are things you don't think about. Ed- I remember at that time you got your fire place logs four feet long, and somebody came by with a saw dragging behind a cart. Jim- Got a card when you bought it. Ed- Yeah, ha ha. Taylor- Not a face card. Ed- Right. Lea- That's probably how you heated the house, primarily. Ed- They had gas by the time I came. Taylor- Space heaters. Lea- What about mail delivery? Joe- We went to the post office to get ours. Ed- Well, actually, nearly everybody got it at the office. All- The post office... Yeah. Ed- If you ever had a box or a package exchange.. but that was over there at the Academic building. In fact, I'd go over on the weekends and get the mail out of the department, take it over, take mine out, and leave the rest. Taylor- You know, talking about utilities. When we moved here in '47. We had to wait about six months to get a telephone after we moved in on, uh, we lived a little while over on Moss St, and you couldn't, they didn't have a telephone available and so... Lea- That was so soon after the war. Taylor- After the war, yeah. Lea- I imagine they were just so busy stringing the lines. Taylor- Yeah, we were on a waiting list that took about six months before they finally installed a telephone. Fortunately the neighbors next to us had one. Jim- Was it a dial phone when you got it? Taylor- Yeah, it was a dial phone. Lea- Do you remember when mail was delivered for you? All- No. Ed- As soon as I got out of the service they started delivering the mail. Taylor -Yeah. Ed- Somewhere in the '40's or 50's, we had to put a box up the street. (Everyone talks at once) Joe- We have to do that now. Jim- Ha ha, now we're going back to that. Lea- Regressing, yeah. Okay, let's talk about the beginning of W.W. 11. How it effected this area around here. You were here, Ed, and you were here, Jim. at that time. Jim- I remember I was just a little kid. Taylor- That Sunday afternoon. Lea- I was in the movies too. Joe- Me too. Jim- I guess, I was surprised and shocked, but I didn't really feel like it would effect me in any way. 'Cause I wasn't old enough to think. But I guess at that time there were a lot of people being drafted for. Taylor- Drafted. Jim- For a year, yeah. Lea- Think it started a year early, some of the National Guards had been mobilized. Taylor- Well, I left and was in the service for three years, and then came back and got my degree. Lea- You were a student when the war started? Taylor- Yeah. Lea- And you left? Taylor- Yeah. Ed- Most of the kids were gone in '44. Lea- Kind of emptied out the campus. Taylor- Then we came back and there were, what ?, about 5,000 in '40, '46, '47? Lea- Well, I know as they came back, as most of the veterans came back, to go to school, of course, the were a little older now and some of them brought families, and of course that changed the whole makeup. As the families came in. Jim- Really some changes. Taylor- We lived in 4th floor, Joe and I did, of Walton Hall and Walton, that's the last dorm over by Northgate. And the way those were set up were kind of little suites for the students. There was a bedroom and in between the bedroom and in between these two bedrooms was a commode in a little alcove and a shower over here. And to keep the water from overflowing they had like a curb. You had to step up over this curb and you had to keep the water form over - flowing. So they had, uh, like a curb. You had to step up. You know, up over this curb and they made a kitchen out of one bedroom. And when you had a bedroom for the other. But if you went from your bedroom to the kitchen you had to step up over these two curbs. Lea- So they had married students there? Taylor- Married students lived there, yeah. Lea- Well, I think prior to WW II they didn't have any married students. Taylor- No, huh -uh. Lea- They came back on their GI bills and brought their brides, so... Taylor- Yeah. Jim- The only marriage student that I know about was Raymond Roger. He came back, sometimes about 19 -... in the mid -30's while we were still living on the campus. And behind each house on the campus, there was just a little one room shack. Servant quarters. And most families didn't have servants. It was just a little house behind every house on the campus. And, uh, when Raymond and Lois came here, uh, I guess he didn't have any place to stay, kind of the same situation you were in, only a little bit later. And my dad told him he could live in that, he could move back their if he wanted to. So they moved back there, and he stayed the whole time he was here, until he got through, and he left. Raymond had built it into a five bedroom house. - Laughter- Lea- That little shack? Jim- That little shack. He kept adding and adding. And I had never thought about students not being married before. But, he was the only one I remember. There may have been some others. Lea- Well I know that was one of the big effects it had. Up until that time most of the students were single. Taylor- Well see then you had to be in the corp unless you had a medical excuse. If you got a medical excuse you didn't have to... Leon- And everybody had to wear a uniform. Jim- Whether you were in the corp or not. Leon- That's right. Jim- It was military. Lea- Okay, let's talk about the social events. What went on socially in this area, say in the 30's and 40's? What were the big things? Did you go to campus for most of your social life? Jim- The biggest social events that I know anything about were the dances that the corp had. Lea- I know if you were a civilian... Taylor- No there wasn't much to do. Jim- I wasn't concerned about... Taylor- There wasn't a lot of stuff to do. Joe- No not much of a social life. Taylor- There was a little hall. Shiloh had a little place where you could go dance here. Joe- Well what about Franklins? Jim- Franklins. Taylor- And Franklins was out across from where the research park is now. It was a kind of beer joint with a big outside... Joe- It wasn't really a beer joint. Jim- It was a nightclub. Joe- A nightclub. Taylor- It had an outside patio, you know, a paved patio and then of course the most famous one was right down here. Hardlickers. All- Hardlicker's Taylor- It was a grocery store and kind of a dance hall that had a beer joint. Joe- That was a beer joint. Jim- That was a beer joint. Lea- Now that's what it was called? Taylor- Hardlicker's. Well that's a H- A- R -D -L. Joe- It was a man's name Lea- Well I thought you meant Hard Liquor. Taylor- You know Jack Fugate and his wife are here and she was a Hardlicker. Lea- That's a name! Taylor- You know that famous son with old Uncle Ed, drink our cares away? That was Ed Hardlicker it was named after. Ed- They would show the movies in the... Taylor- The assembly hall. Ed- Assembly hall and I forget, I know they did it on Sundays and on Wednesdays. Jim- They had a free show on Sunday. Ed- Got to pay on Wednesday. Jim- Lets see they had a show on Tuesday. And probably Wednesday was church night. I doubt if they had a movie on church night. Lea- Now was that on campus? The assembly hall? All- Yes. Taylor- Right across from the Y. Lea- And they probably had one of those old reels. Jim- You know my dad as secretary to the YMCA was really concerned about what went on in free time, the leisure time. And so one of the things they did - the YMCA had this free show. And everybody went on Sunday afternoon because there wasn't anything else to do. I know they probably got the cheapest movies they could get. - Laughter- Jim- Because sometimes they weren't even talkies. They were silent. And finally it go so popular they would have one at one o'clock and they'd show it again at three. Ed- They had covered the swimming pool with the bowling alley at the YMCA by the time I got there. I lived in the YMCA for three years on the third floor. And you could play pool and bowl down at the bottom. And I would usually come down after I was through about nine o'clock and play pool with my roommate. Lea- I didn't know you could live in the YMCA. Ed- Yeah, they had rooms up there. In fact, when I came down here I knew Virgil Ferris' name and Emory Park and that's where I got the contact. And Mr. Crawford and a boy from here were at the University of Tennessee and I asked him where to live and he said to get in touch with Mr. Cashion as soon as you can. And I did, so I lived there for three years, until I got married. Jim- They have about fifteen rooms, I think altogether. Something like that. Lea- How long was your dad secretary? Jim- From 1926 -1952. Lea- Now, is that where the present Y is? Same building? Jim- Yeah, same building. Ed- Actually they had a YMCA as an MSC. I would say they had newspapers in the lobby. Jim- In the lobby. Big lobby with newspapers form all over the state everyday. Lea- So it was kind of your little leisure place? Ed- They had two phones. If you wanted to make a long distance call you had to come to the Y. Put your money in as you went, too. Jim- Will I know that they had a switchboard. The building is torn down now, but I believe it was across the street from what used to be the exchange store. What's in there now? It has something to do with registration. Well anyway. Taylor- The Registrar's office is in the old exchange store. Jim- Oh, the registrar's office is in the old exchange store. Taylor- Yeah, in the old exchange store. Jim- Okay, well across the street from that there was the building grounds utilities had a building and on the second floor was the telephone exchange. And that's where the operators were. And if you picked up a phone and said if you wanted the YMCA -110 and if you wanted the drug store -254. And anyway, if there was a long distance call it came in to them and they would write the student's name down and looked where he lived and what dorm. They had about five or six of us that had bicycles and they would call us and we would come and get the slip of paper and take it to the student. He would have to go to the Y... Lea- Call operator 60 and 39 or something. Jim- Well he would call home. - Laughter- Ed- The fire station was right next to it. Jim- Right next to it. You went up to the fire station to the telephone operator. Ed- Of course, that wasn't really the permanent. They had fireman's training back in those days and that was the fireman's training equipment and was the College Station fire department. Jim- Both fire trucks. Lea- Ed, did you own your house or did you rent it? Ed- We rented. Two years over there. Lea- Who did you rent from? Do you remember? Ed- Well I lived...then I went in the army just as I got married so we lived wherever. Then I left here for a couple of years. Lea- Okay, do you remember who your neighbors were on each side? Ed- Sam Hopper lived just across the way. And Luke Patronella was back over there. In fact you couldn't live too far from us. Lea- Leon do you remember who you neighbors were? On Montclaire? Leon- Like I said Mr. Colson lived in one of those houses. Then there was an English professor. I can't think of his name. That's the only. Lea- Do you remember who your neighbors were? Any old timer's names? Jim- Well, the Norman Andersons moved in across the street. They moved that house. Lea- Now is he the one that was the mayor later on? Joe- No, he was the Presbyterian minister. Taylor- No, he was a different one. Leon- Now there was some people lived the other side from where I did. I know their were some black families lived out in the area from where we are now. I never did go down there, but there was a church down there, because every once in awhile I would hear those people singing at night. You know, I was always walking this way coming to class or walking back. Jim- Les Richardson built a house. Taylor- There where we lived. We bought that from Les. Jim- Oh, you bought that from Les? Lea- You're still in the house you moved into in '45 or '47? Taylor- No, `47, '48 something like that. Calendars lived behind. Mrs. R.E. Calendar lived... Lea- Is that Mattie B? Taylor- She lives right behind? Joe- And Rev. Anderson on one side. Taylor- Rev. Anderson on one side. Joe- And... Jim- And the Edwards lived next door to the Andersons. Taylor- And the Blakely's. Jim- And the Blakely's live there. Across the street the Kronisky's. Taylor- Yeah. May Holleman lives there now. Joe- Yes. And there were Edwards next door on the other side? Jim- Yeah, Hatchets built that house, but Lela Edwards who was Paul Haines daughter lives next to... Leon- There was a Lt. in the corp who lived south of where I did . He was here teaching military science. A Lt. in the corp. I had freshman military science under him and I would meet Lt. whenever I went up and down this road. I know I would always try to not have to salute him. You know. Well he lived somewhere south of where I did. I never did know. Like I said, I just never did go that direction. Lea- Well most everybody lived over in that area at that time was affiliated with the school. Jim- Wasn't anything else to do around here unless you had a farm or something. Lea- Unless you owned a business in that area. Ed- We didn't have insurance agents or real estate agents in those days. Or not that many of them. Lea- Probably no fire protection. Jim- The Myrecks that used to live in the corner. Taylor- Uh, huh. Jim- When my dad had that garden right between your house and the Myrecks. Milton was just like, oh, pre - school. Lea- Milton? Jim- Milton Myreck. Taylor- They still live in that house. Jim- Yeah, he used to come up. He and my daddy were big friends. And he would come up to the house. And my mother would offer him a banana or something. And he would only take a half of a banana because he couldn't eat a whole banana before he got home. And he wasn't supposed to be up to the house. - Laughter- Jim- And the road wasn't paved and his dad worked at Duncan Hall. When he would turn off of Jersey onto Timber, Milton could hear the tires and he would high -tail it home before his dad got there. Lea- Back before we had all these good highways and high - powered cars you couldn't go back and forth to Dallas and Houston and Austin as often as now. What about you Ed? Did you have a car to drive back and forth or did you get out of town very often? Ed- When I got married I had a car, but actually in '39, `40, `41 you could ride a taxi from the university to the town of Bryan for 10 cents. Lea- Is that right? Ed- They put several people in those taxis. Lea- You could ride all the way for ten cents. Jim- And they had some buses, too. Joe- Trolley. Taylor- At one time they had the trolley. Lea- Well they had the trolley between campus? Leon- Well the trolley station was right there at the assembly hall that we mentioned awhile ago. Jim- Do you remember if that was working when you were in school? Leon- That was the only way to go to Bryan. Jim- Up until when Leon? Leon- I really don't know. Even after I graduated. Jim- Was it still working when you graduated? Leon- Oh, yes! Jim- The reason I asked that there was some information about when they took that out, but I remember that trolley. In '32 I was six years old. Lea- It operated until 1927, when the Bryan Traction Co. replaced the railway with the bus. Jim- Well I just don't believe that! I don't think that's right. Taylor- You know who can answer that question? Leon- I don't believe that's right. Taylor- J.O. Alexander's mother, because her uncle operated the trolleys and she kept books for him. She's in the nursing home in Bryan. I don't know if J. 0. would know, but someone ought to go visit her. Leon- That trolley was running when I came here to school. That station was right in front of the assembly hall. And I believe it was when I was a freshman, East Texas Junior College had its convention here, and I was recruited by another student to go over in Bryan to the trolley station and either sold tickets or told people how to get to College Station for something on the trolley. I know I stayed over there at that little trolley station. It had something to do with people getting back and forth. That must've been in 1925. Lea- Okay. Jim- I remember it used to come over there right behind the assembly hall and turn around. I remember that's where we used to live right across there. Leon- I remember going to the hospital one time to see a friend. I was visiting with him. And we could hear this trolley going back and forth there. Jim- It would go down what is now College Main, it would turn on Tech St. Lea- How long did it take you to get to town on the trolley? Leon- What? How long? It's five miles, isn't it? Joe- How much did it cost? Leon- I would just thumb it. Lea- Probably couldn't afford it. I don't know how much it cost. Jim- Probably a nickel. Lea- Probably a nickel. If you could go downtown for ten cents. Leon- That was a little later. Lea- Did you go very often to, say, into Houston or Austin like people now? Jim- I know when my mother went to town, town would be Bryan. She would wear gloves and a hat. Lea- Say, did you go into Bryan once a week to shop or something like that? Jim- Not before the war. Lea- No, I'm talking about... Ed- Could go to Houston on the train sometimes. We'd have the Sunbeam was coming through here. The train would stop in College Station between Dallas and Houston. Then you'd come back on the milk train. I went down there when I lived at the Y. That was the only way to go. Jim- The train service was excellent, really. There was a fast train that went each direction twice a day. I remember it used to come through at noon going south and at ten o'clock in the morning going North. I don't know what time the second train lets out, but the train from Houston to Dallas came through at six o'clock at night. Lea- Reliable train service. I knew trains were used alot before cars. Leon- There were two railroads, Southern Pacific and Katy MKT. Lea- Okay, let's talk for a minute. Do you remember early medical facilities? Doctors in the area? What would you do if you sprained your arm or something? Taylor- Dr. Andre and Dr. Hope had a clinic on Southside right below, what's there now a liquor store, there's a liquor store... Jim- A convenience store. Taylor- A convenience store, right there now. Now Dr. Woodard was over at the university, college hospital. Ed- We didn't have a specialist at that time. Dr. Andre did everything. In fact, when my daughter was six years old, when Dr. Andre says he better have her go to Navasota. Lea- You took her to Navasota? Ed- Yeah, everyone went to Navasota. Lea- Well, they had the little medical clinic here with a couple of doctors and you went there for everything. Whether it was colds or having a baby. Taylor- Now you could go the old St. Joseph's Hospital. We had both of our boys were born at St. Joseph's. Joe- The one now at 31st. Jim- It was earlier than that the children were born at home. `Cause Red and I were both born at the house. I don't know for how long, but for sometime people in the faculty used the college hospital. Red and I we lived right across the street from the college hospital. Ed- That lasted quite awhile. Joe- For medical. Ed- For the animals you can go out to the vet school, but you have to be referred. Have a vet refer you. Taylor- To go out to the small animal clinic, for example? Jim- I remember the cook at the hospital was named Cholly and.... Lea- At the college hospital? Jim- Yeah, at the college hospital. Red and I got to where we would go over to the hospital to the kitchen and Cholly would give us grape juice and we got where we were eating over there. And my mother couldn't figure out why we wouldn't eat at home. she found out we were going to see ChoIly and he was feeding us during the day. But one time Red and I were playing basketball or we had a basketball at the YMCA. And I threw it and it hit him in the face and he was standing close to the wall and it knocked his head back. It cut a gash in the back of his head on the brick. So, we just got on our bicycles and rode on to the hospital and Mom Kleckhorn sewed his head up. Joe- That's what's a matter with him now. That blow on the head. Jim- We didn't bother to go home or call a doctor. We just went to the hospital and got sewed up. Lea- Lives were simple then. Really wonderful and simple. Jim- It really was. Lea- Well does anybody else remember anything about the Southside medical facilities that you had to use? Taylor- Ed May had the pharmacy. Prescriptions. Lea- Okay now then, we know that the college, of course, had a big impact on all of our lives since you lived here. Now let's talk about the things you attended on college. We talked about the movies and you talked about the hospital and using that. But, what about the big events, the big football games. When did you start going the football games on the campus? Always? Jim- Always. Joe- And the dances. Lea- And the dances. Leon- Like somebody came around and sold me a ticket and delivered it to me at that time. Jim- A big crowd in those days was 15,000. A big crowd at a football game. Lea- But just about everybody locally went? Jim- And if they, for instance were gonna play Rice, people from Houston would get on a special train. They would bring the train in and it would stop out there and everybody would get off the train and walk across the highway and go to the game. In the meantime, the train would turn around. Joe- That's not such a bad idea. Taylor- No, that's a great idea. Jim- And when the game was over they would get back on the train and go. They did the same thing from Dallas and from Fort Worth. I guess the university people had a little bit tougher time getting here. Taylor- They used to run some special trains for the Texas people. Lea- It was easier to get here from Houston, than it was from Bryan. Leon- Actually when the girls came down here to visit the boys on the weekends, there were these dances in the Springtime. There would be one on Friday night and one on Saturday night. I don't know which one was for the military outfit and which one was for everybody. Ed- Everyone who had a room available rented it on those weekends, so the girls could stay. Taylor- They would actually empty a dorm. Say they would take Dorm 12 over there and have everybody move out of Dorm 12 and then if you had a date, you could, she could stay over in one of the dorm rooms over there. And the people in the community did the same thing. 'Cause there wasn't but one little motel over here: the Blue Top. Joe- The Blue Top. Taylor- The Blue Top Motel. Jim- And the Aggieland Inn. Taylor- And the Aggieland Inn, that was the two places. La Salle Hotel down in Bryan. Lea- But sometimes those balls were open to everybody? Ed- Yeah. Taylor- Yeah, well see what happened. Like Friday night they would have the field artillery ball. That was just for people in the field artillery. Then they would have big name orchestras, like Glenn Miller and all those people. Joe- Tommy Dorsey. Taylor- Tommy Dorsey. Then Saturday night it was an open night for anybody. So the band would come down and play two dances. Friday night was the organization ball and Saturday night was the open ball for anybody who wanted to come. Jim- Then they had every orchestra you had ever heard of. Joe- That's right. Jim- And for about probably ten weeks in the Spring, maybe more than that. Taylor- Every weekend. Jim- Every weekend there were two dances. One on Friday night and one on Saturday night. Lea- Where were they held? Taylor- At Sbisa Hall. Jim- And sometimes there would be like 2,000 couples. Ed- And the best place to eat was over at the Aggieland Inn. Lea- Over at the Aggieland Inn? Was it where the present? Joe- No, no, no, it was on campus. Ed- It was on campus, just across from Sbisa Hall. Jim- It's torn down now. Taylor- They tore it down. Leon- The president's home was right there next to it. Dr. Walton was president. When I was a junior the Aggieland was about the only place here where I knew I could stay. When I was here it was the only place. Lea- It was kind of the hotel on campus? Ed- It was a motel. Jim- It had a coffee shop and a dining room. Ed- The way I remember it was a two -story stucco building. I ate all my meals there and I just paid once a month. Just sign a ticket and so forth until I got married, then I stopped. Leon- Well in my day we had a few dances around the year. We had what they called the Ring Dance and the Cotton Ball. Joe- The Cotton Pageant. Leon- Yeah, and we always had a good time. Your dates would come in and they would have to stay with someone. I don't know where. Lea- Do you remember any big name politicians or national figures come in to the campus? Like F.D.R. campaigned on this campus. Jim- I remember they had a review for him and that took place on the drill field. MSC wasn't there. There were houses there then. He came in on the train and had a big touring car. I don't know here it came from, but he was riding in the back. Everybody was there. Lea- That was probably '36 or '40? Jim- Yeah, `36. Lea- Probably '36. I knew he campaigned on this campus. Jim- I remember W. Lee O'Daniel coming on a fire truck. Lea- That was in the 30's, late 30's. I remember him on the radio. Taylor- That was when he was campaigning for Governor I guess, or Senator. Lea- Do you remember the people who came onto the campus? You know national figures or famous people ?(directed to Taylor) Taylor- Lyndon came. Joe- L.B.J., we met him at the airport. Shook his hand. Lea- So, the campus has impacted all the lives of every area. Okay, now we want to spend the last few minutes we've go here with anything you want to talk about. Any humorous story you may remember back in the 30's or 40's? That you can remember. Ed- I remember when new folks came to campus and social clubs, what they are called now, they started bridge groups. And my wife joined one in our neighborhood and all for them had been married within about two years, something like that, and by the time we had been here two years they all had children. In fact, in some of those bridge groups, that particular one is still going on. Joe- I belong to one that was started in 1948. Lea- In '48? Taylor- And most of the original members are still in it. Lea- Is that right? So that was one of the social things. You've been meeting consecutively since '48. And Margaret had hers? Ed- Yeah. Since, hers was '42. Lea- Okay, well that's one of the social things that went on. Anybody else remember any particular Christmas or anything? Or weather? Leon- I remember snowing my freshman year. Lea- Your freshman year? Ed- The president threw a party for the faculty the week before Christmas. Lea- When? Ed- The week before Christmas. And it was free. Those cooks in those mess halls really got to show off. So they did a great job. Lea- What year was that? Ed- They used to do it every year. It stopped sometime around 1950. When Walton left being president it sort of stopped. Lea- But he would throw a big free party for everybody? Ed- That's right. Lea- Well I guess also as the students and the faculty increased he couldn't afford anything. Ed- Well also, President had open house on New Year's Day. Remember that? Taylor- Yeah. Another interesting thing they would do is blow the steam whistle. At eight o'clock, at twelve, at one and at five. Lea- On campus? Taylor- Over on, where they generated the power, they had a steam whistle. So, at eight, twelve, one, and five they would blow that whistle. Lea- Twelve and one, so that was lunch hour. Taylor- Lunch break from twelve to one. Jim- That controlled everything. Joe- Right. You'd better be back in class at one o'clock. Leon- The bugle was a signal for the corp. You. They blew the bugle so you'd get up. They blew the bugle so you could fall in and go to breakfast. They blew the bugle to Reveille in the afternoon. They blew the bugle to call at eight o'clock. Lea- The bugle controlled your life? Leon- It controlled the corp. The bugle had a great big megaphone. It was in front of the Administration Building now. Right on military walk. Which Sbisa Hall was on the north end and Guy Hall was on the south end and right across the street from the Y. Jim- Right, they later moved... Leon- Of course all these dormitories were up and down military walk. Everybody could hear it. And if you were supposed to wear your rain coat to breakfast, it'd blow rain coats. Jim- The college was organized just like a military base. You had all the troops lived in dormitories. And everything. They marched to meals. One of the big things I used to like to do, usually in the evenings in the Spring, the band played for the Corp to march to meals. Leon- That's right. Jim- We used to love to go down and watch them march in. Taylor- Another interesting thing about the bugles, is they used to build the bonfire on the drill field, which was right across form the MSC. You know where the field... Leon- The same place it still is? Taylor- No, no, the bonfire is not there. Leon- No, I meant the drill field. Taylor- But in order to guard it, to keep people from setting it on fire, the Texas University people. They. Well, I was in the band. They'd come to the band and they would assign the band buglers. They would get on top of the Academic building. You know there's a rotunda. And they had shifts. They would stay there for four or six hours. Because it was their job if an emergency came up to start blowing their bugles. And everybody would pile out of the dorms. Jim- To protect the Bonfire. Taylor- To check the Bonfire. That was before wallkie- talkies. Ed- Yell practices were on the steps of the YMCA in those days. Taylor- On the steps of the Y. Jim- The whole student body could get between the YMCA steps and Puryear Hall. Taylor- Yeah. Jim- I used to sit in that Hackberry tree. Lea- Well, I think this has been very interesting. I feel like I've learned an awful lot from all of you. Joe- Well I've enjoyed it. Jim- We sort of digressed from the Southside, but there really wasn't much going on in the Southside. For a long time there just wasn't anything down here. A few people lived in College Park and then Oakwood. Lea- The college was so much a part of your life it's hard to draw a separation. Joe- Right. Taylor- Another interesting thing. We've talked about the Holiks owning this particular tract of land. Well, right across the street the Dobervines owned that property when we built the school and then across the Highway 6 there was another family, the Dominicks. And they owned the property over there. Jim- You're right. Taylor- We went to talk to them about building the first school in College Hills. This is away from this, but I think it was interesting. We met with the Dominick brothers right now where Culpepper Plaza is. We talked to them about buying that tract of land to build a school, College Hills School. And they said no we can't sell you that land because that's our cornfield. And we don't want to give up our cornfield for you all to build a school. - Laughter- Taylor- So we subsequently built it further, in which is a better location. Lea- When was that? I'm older that that area. When was that school built? Taylor- Uh, College Hills. An interesting thing, the property we built it on was owned by a fellow who came down here when they made that infamous film, "We've Never Been Licked." A man from California bought that particular tract of land. But the movie stars lived in the Aggieland Inn when they were making that. Lea- Is that right? I heard about... Taylor- Richard Quinn, Noah Berry, Jr. and Robert Mitchum. Lea- I do want to thank all of you very much. June 29, 1995 Mr. Edwin Holdredge 1118 Ashburn College Station, TX 77840 Dear Mr. Holdredge: Enclosed please find a copy of your interview on South Side Memories conducted on March 24, 1995 at the College Station Conference Center. Please read over the information and edit and revise, where necessary. If at all possible, please try to return the transcription by July 20, 1995. If you have any questions or concerns, please call the College Station Conference Center at 764 -3720. Thank You, Erin Shone Secretary CITY OF COLLEGE STATION Conference Center 1300 George Bush Drive College Station, Texas 77840 (409) 764 -3720 June 29, 1995 Mr. James T. Cashion 2706 Broadmoor Bryan, TX 77802 Dear Mr. Cashion: Enclosed please find a copy of your interview on South Side Memories conducted on March 24, 1995 at the College Station Conference Center. Please read over the information and edit and revise, where necessary. If at all possible, please try to return the transcription by July 20, 1995. If you have any questions or concerns, please call the College Station Conference Center at 764 -3720. Erin Shone Secretary `4CITY OF COLLEGE STATION Conference Center 1300 George Bush Drive College Station, Texas 77840 (409) 764 -3720 June 29, 1995 CITY OF COLLEGE STATION Conference Center 1300 George Bush Drive College Station, Texas 77840 (409) 764-3720 Mr. Leon Ranson 1220 Merry Oaks Drive College Station, TX 77840 Dear Mr. Ranson: Enclosed please find a copy of your interview on South Side Memories conducted on March 24, 1995 at the College Station Conference Center. Please read over the information and edit and revise, where necessary. If at all possible, please try to return the transcription by July 20, 1995. If you have any questions or concerns, please call the College Station Conference Center at 764 -3720. Thank You, Erin Shone Secretary (-ei-?‹.------ Remarks: Memory Lane: Nam Interv Interview Place City of College Station Memory Lanes Oral History Project Oral History Stage Sheet Interview No. Interview date erview l: i . th Special sources of information Date tape received in office3)'0-4 I C1 5 # of tapes marked 2 Original Photographs Yes No # of photos Date Recd Describe Photos Interview Agreement and tape dis os form: Given to interviewee 9}.31 C/� Received Date Signed 3,12- Restrictions - Transcription: G, ] First typing completed byf (A�i it Pages V1 (name) First audit check by Pages (name) Sent to interviewee on . 1, Received from interviewee on Yes If yes, see remarks below. Yes Copy editing and second audit check by Pages (name) Final copies: Typed by Proofread by: 1) gi ,r 2; Photos out for reproduction: Where to: Original photos returned to: Indexed by: Sent to bindery by Received from bindery Deposited in archives by: Pages Pages Pages Date ?/ /4.S Date: Date: Date Date Date Date No No Date 71)/2.-814, Date Date 11 Date Date Date Remarks: City of College Station Memory Lanes Oral History Project Memory Lane: Name Interviewer interview Place Oral History Stage Sheet Interview length 102— / c Special sources of information Date tape received in office -/2-4-/ q� # of tapes marked Original Photographs Yes No # of photos Date Recd Describe Photos Interview Agreement and tape duos f rm: Given to intervi wee on I'1 Received Yes No Date Signed L/ Restrictions - if yes, see remarks below. Yes No Transcription: typing completed by b ` 1 Pt), _Pages �l 195 First in com leted b Q� M1 )1 Pa es �� Date (name) �Y A A U First audit check by Pages Date rname) Sent to interviewee on i_2/,,, 1 Received from interviewee on ' 7//-/' 6 Copy editing and second audit check by Pages (name) Final copies: Typed by • Proofread by: 1) Pages 5 Z Date 2) Pages Date Photos out for reproduction: Where to: Date: Original photos returned to: Date: Indexed by: Date Sent to bindery by Date Received from bindery Date Deposited in archives by: Date interview No. Interview date 51'74-I 9' S 2- Date -5/z4/ 9 •G Pages Date Date Remarks: _ ,O. A / L 4 1 i2._2 Interviewrro. 4 ! ,I AO Interview date -F12-419 Interviewer -- • — + Interview length Special sources of informatioq Date tape received in office "7_419 'S # of tapes marked Date 3 /74 '/ S Original Photographs Yes No # of photos Date Rec'd Describe Photos Memory Lai e: Name �( Final copies: Typed by City of College Station Memory Lanes Oral History Project Oral History Stage Sheet Interview Agreement and tape disposal form: Given to interviewee on 7- 45 Received Yes No Date Signed . iZq'1 4 S Restrictions- If yes, see remarks below. Yes No Transcription: - J G First typing completed by r Pages t L Date 2 *I (name) First audit check by ' �� Pages Date Sent to interviewee on L 1.7A le) e) Received from interviewee on Z- Copy editing and second audit check by Pages Date (name) Pages Date Proofread by: 1) Pages Date 2; Pages Date Photos out for reproduction: Where to: Date: Original photos returned to: Date: Indexed by: Date Sent to bindery by Date Received from bindery Date Deposited in archives by: Date Remarks: City of College Station Memory Lanes Oral History Project InterviewNo. Name ` A l Interview date -1 ,17.- 1 1-44 Intervie :fir X i ti Intery w length Interview Place c)41-. 10'7 Special sources of information Date tape received in office .S/ 2-41 4 5 # of tapes marked `7? - Original Photographs Yes No # of photos Date Rec'd Describe Photos Interview Agreement and tape dis • o form: Given to intervi wee o t Received Yes No Date Signed �/ Restrictions- If yes, see remarks below. Yes No Transcription: First typing completed by Ili' kQJ?)L / J I . Pages Date ( (na First audit check by Final copies: Typed by Oral History Stage Sheet (name) Sent to interviewee on 1 / ! 241 fa Received from interviewee on ' Z-t t Copy editing and second audit check by Proofread by: 1) Pages Date 2' Pages Date Photos out for reproduction: Where to: Date: Original photos returned to: Date: Indexed by: Date Sent to bindery by Date Received from bindery Date Deposited in archives by: Date (name) Date ? /Z-/ t S Pages Date Pages Date Pages Date Remarks: City of College Station Memory Lanes Oral History .Project Oral History Stage Sheet Final copies: Typed by 4 Copy editing and second audit check by interview o. Interview date 02.4/4 Name Interviewer 1 ► Info NIPW. Lonnfh Interview Place ecato 'en el) diir ePA Special sources of information .. - Date tape received in office 3174-145 # of tapes marked � Date 1Z J9 Original Photographs Yes No # of photos Date Recd Describe Photos Interview Agreement and tape diosal form: Given to interviewee on X12-4-/ Received Yes No Date Signed I Z-f f y Restrictions If yes, see remarks below. Yes No Transcription: First typing completed b ' �� `�_,�. Pages �/ Z Date ! n L� First audit check by / Pages Sent to interviewee on Li 12-4 /fn1e) Received from interviewee on Ir f p 1 f frl < (name) t%. 11 Date (name) Pages Date Pages Date Proofread by: 1) Pages Date 2' Pages Date Photos out for reproduction: Where to: Date: Original photos returned to: Date: Indexed by: Date Sent to bindery by Date Received from bindery Date Deposited in archives by: Date This City of College Station Memory Lanes Oral History Project I'm interviewing for the s, Ms. r., Etc) Today is , /% -`7 (month) (day) (year) time -,� (Mr., Mrs., // LL 2 4) This interview is taking place in Room /ems, of The at 1300 George Bush Dr. College Station , Texas . This interview is sponsored by the Historic Preservation Committee and the Conference Center Advisory Committee of the City of College Station, Texas. It is part of the Memory Lane Oral History Project. Have each person introduce themselves so their voice is identifiable on the tape recorder. The purpose of The Historic Preservation Committee is to gather and preserve historical documents by means of the tape- recorded interview. Tape recordings and transcripts resulting from such interviews become part of the archives of The City of College Station Historic Preservation Committee and Conference Center Advisory Committee to be used for whatever purposes may be determined. I have read the above and voluntarily offer my portion of the interviews with (Name of Interviewee) The City of College Station, Texas Memory Lanes Oral History Project INTERVIEW AGREEMENT In view of the scholarly value of this research material, I hereby assign rights, title, and interest pertaining to it t • ► e City of College Station Historic Preservation Committee and ' ce Cent � 'Adv ory Committee. Interviewer (signature) fiA - Interviewer (Please Print) I hereby give and grant to the HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE, City of College Station, Texas, for whatever purposes may be determined, the tape recordings, transcriptions, and contents of this oral history interview. Also, permission is hereby given for any duplications of original photos, documents, maps, etc. useful to the history project to be returned unharmed. Interviewee releases, relinquishes and discharges CITY, its officers, agents and employees, from all claims, demands, and causes of action of every kind and character, including the cost of defense thereof, for any injury to, including the cost of defense thereof for any injury to, including death of, any person, whether that person be a third person, Interviewee, or an employee of either of the parties hereto, and any loss of or damage to property, whether the same be that either of the parties hereto or of third parties, caused by or alleged to be caused by, arising out of, or in connection with Interviewee provision of historical information, whether or not said claims, demands and causes of action in whole or in part are covered by insurance. e i i h 5 U ii Interviewee (Please print) rF In9tvie ase Print) f Interview r lace • Interview HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE City of College Station, Texas 77840 ORAL HISTORY DATA SHEET List of photos. documents. mans. etc. Signat _cf Interviewee �Et p1 A4115 !. ✓1 Name , A' X79 �p / //140 h y Jti acz,t t X / Address 0 a9 1� Telephone Date of Birth ep / //) Place of Birth;Y/ INTERVIEW STATUS: Completed In progress Interviewee agrees to and shall indemnify and hold harmless CITY, its officers, agents and employees, from and against any and all claims, losses, damages, causes of action, suits and liability of every kind, attorney's fees, for injury to or death of any person, or for damage to any property, arising out of or in connection with the use of the items and information referenced aboved by CITY, its agents, representatives, assigns, invitees, and participants under this grant. Such indemnity shall apply where the claims, losses damages, causes of action, suits or liability arise in whole or in part from the negligence of city. Date Initial I hereby give and grant to the HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE, City of College Station, Texas, for whatever purposes may be determined, the tape recordings, transcriptions, and contents of this oral history interview. Also, permission is hereby given for any duplications of original photos, documents, maps, etc. useful to the history project to be returned unharmed. Interviewee releases, relinquishes and discharges CITY, its officers, agents and employees, from all claims, demands, and causes of action of every kind and character, including the cost of defense thereof, for any injury to, including the cost of defense thereof for any injury to, including death of, any person, whether that person be a third person, Interviewee, or an employee of either of the parties hereto, and any loss of or damage to property, whether the same be that either of the parties hereto or of third parties, caused by or alleged to be caused by, arising out of, or in connection with Interviewee provision of historical information, whether or not said claims, demands and causes of action in whole or in part are covered by insurance. l) /C -L Interview e • ( lease print) Sig' -ture of Interviewee r Pti/e/ - -C In -rview se Print) f Interviewe Place ofi'Interview HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE City of College Station, Texas 77840 ORAL HISTORY DATA SHEET List of photos, documents. maps. etc. • rr ?6 / i AW I ) cS S Ado res Telephone Date of Birth 1/7/3 Place of Birth X,9iP OGaAU 7 INTERVIEW STATUS: Completed Interviewee agrees to and shall indemnify and hold harmless CITY, its officers, agents and employees, from and against any and all claims, losses, damages, causes of action, suits and liability of every kind, attorney's fees, for injury to or death of any person, or for damage to any property, arising out of or in connection with the use of the items and information referenced aboved by CITY, its agents, representatives, assigns, invitees, and participants under this grant. Such indemnity shall apply where the claims, losses damages, causes of action, suits or liability arise in whole or in part from the negligence of city. Date Initial In progress I hereby give and grant to the HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE, City of College Station, Texas, for whatever purposes may be determined, the tape recordings, transcriptions, and contents of this oral history interview. Also, permission is hereby given for any duplications of original photos, documents, maps, etc. useful to the history project to be returned unharmed. Interviewee releases, relinquishes and discharges CITY, its officers, agents and employees, from all claims, demands, and causes of action of every kind and character, including the cost of defense thereof, for any injury to, including the cost of defense thereof for any injury to, including death of, any person, whether that person be a third person, Interviewee, or an employee of either of the parties hereto, and any loss of or damage to property, whether the same be that either of the parties hereto or of third parties, caused by or alleged to be caused by, arising out of, or in connection with Interviewee provision of historical information, whether or not said claims, demands and causes of action in whole or in part are covered by insurance. .0 reJ /N S' HO L 0 2 6�,t7 ‘ Interviewee (Please print) g ( /CiA ,.//////-64 Signa of ntervieee HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE City of College Station, Texas 77840 ORAL HISTORY DATA SHEET viewer , arse Print) 8 ture of(Interviewer lace of Interview List of photos. documents. mans. etc. Name /// 9, 45 if ?u/74) Address Telephone Date of Birth _Q - 3 Place of Birth A o vDoi/ tea ry 7 INTERVIEW STATUS: Completed In progress Interviewee agrees to and shall indemnify and hold harmless CITY, its officers, agents and employees, from and against any and all claims, losses, damages, causes of action, suits and liability of every kind, attorney's fees, for injury to or death of any person, or for damage to any property, arising out of or in connection with the use of the items and information referenced aboved by CITY, its agents, representatives, assigns, invitees, and participants under this grant. Such indemnity shall apply where the claims, losses damages, causes of action, suits or liability arise in whole or in part from the negligence of city. Date Initial HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE City of College Station, Texas 77840 ORAL HISTORY DATA SHEET I hereby give and grant to the HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE, City of College Station, Texas, for whatever purposes may be determined, the tape recordings, transcriptions, and contents of this oral history interview. Also, permission is hereby given for any duplications of original photos, documents, maps, etc. useful to the history project to be returned unharmed. Interviewee releases, relinquishes and discharges CITY, its officers, agents and employees, from all claims, demands, and causes of action of every kind and character, including the cost of defense thereof, for any injury to, including the cost of defense thereof for any injury to, including death of, any person, whether that person be a third person, Interviewee, or an employee of either of the parties hereto, and any loss of or damage to property, whether the same be that either of the parties hereto or of third parties, caused by or alleged to be caused by, arising out of, or in connection with Interviewee provision of historical information, whether or not said claims, demands and causes of action in whole or in part are covered by insurance. Place of / iewe Signature of nterview -F;er/ r ]asg/Print) interviewer. List of photos. documents. maps. etc. Interviewee (P1 se print) /). Signature of Interviewee Name 50 Address lip, Lie✓ b L a ?O Telephone Date of Birth 12 / 2 ' 7 / 2 / Place of Birth al'7R_Kroj �u 7 i INTERVIEW STATUS: Completed Interviewee agrees to and shall indemnify and hold harmless CITY, its officers, agents and employees, from and against any and all claims, losses, damages, causes of action, suits and liability of every kind, attorney's fees, for injury to or death of any person, or for damage to any property, arising out of or in connection with the use of the items and information referenced aboved by CITY, its agents, representatives, assigns, invitees, and participants under this grant. Such indemnity shall apply where the claims, losses damages, causes of action, suits or liability arise in whole or in part from the negligence of city. Date Initial In progress HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE City of College Station, Texas 77840 ORAL HISTORY DATA SHEET I hereby give and grant to the HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE, City of College Station, Texas, for whatever purposes may be determined, the tape recordings, transcriptions, and contents of this oral history interview. Also, permission is hereby given for any duplications of original photos, documents, maps, etc. useful to the history project to be returned unharmed. Interviewee releases, relinquishes and discharges CITY, its officers, agents and employees, from all claims, demands, and causes of action of every kind and character, including the cost of defense thereof, for any injury to, including the cost of defense thereof for any injury to, including death of, any person, whether that person be a third person, Interviewee, or an employee of either of the parties hereto, and any loss of or damage to property, whether the same be that either of the parties hereto or of third parties, caused by or alleged to be caused by, arising out of, or in connection with Interviewee provision of historical information, whether or not said claims, demands and causes of action in whole or in part are covered by insurance. _ S�wne° ■ . ( v � I terviewee (Please p int) Sig ture o Interviewee e, i Telephone ��( _ hh Date of Birth c & , Place of Birth Cott e. atW t:6-r1 i , ie r- {pjease Print) ature of Interviewer Place o Interview List of photos. documents. mans. etc. Name 2 5 b roc 6 ' Address r y INTERVIEW STATUS: Completed Date Initial In progress Interviewee agrees to and shall indemnify and hold harmless CITY, its officers, agents and employees, from and against any and all claims, losses, damages, causes of action, suits and liability of every kind, attorney's fees, for injury to or death of any person, or for damage to any property, arising out of or in connection with the use of the items and information referenced aboved by CITY, its agents, representatives, assigns, invitees, and participants under this grant. Such indemnity shall apply where the claims, losses damages, causes of action, suits or liability arise in whole or in part from the negligence of city. 778 Z,