Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCampus Kids, Mail and Home Interviews taken Mar. 28, 1998HISTORIC 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. / C � e/-/ 7Ti GFI a S Inte v'ewee (Please print) Interviewer (Please Print) Signature of Interviewer Place of Interview Signature of Interviewee Name Florence Richey Eads Address J L j o ,0 7 q / Telephone / Date of Birth )/',/2/ ! l l Place of Birth INTERVIEW STATUS: Completed In progress List of photos, documen s, maps, etc. ^ (' `:y p Interviewee agrees i 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_" 1 1' C VIE! HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE City of College Station, Texas 77840 ORAL HISTORY DATA SHEET 1 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. Interviewer (Please Print) Signature of Interviewer Place of Interview List of photos. documents. mans. etc. Inter Sign'atur of Interviewee Name Red Cashion AP /ase print) AgtoY ° , Address 0i0 , Telephone ,� Date of Birth II Place of Birth Ain/t. C/- gvc 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. List of photos. documents, mans, etc. 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. Interviewer (Please Print) Signature of Interviewer Place of Interview inte vi ew ee (Tease print) R. � - � �-- Signature of Interviewee Samuel R. Gammon III Sew. ' l \ • G. a W1 wI Name 2l o f C.,,,,„1, L1 / i ve Address r r j / a� JC ZCfoC g Telephone x- d2,..-z3 -67" Date of Birth 1 /2_ 7 41 -` Place of Birth .SC et u..a., ,i �yq 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 2--/2-77c1 IrTE�►�. k)c .J, 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. a In ervew - (P1 ase •rint) AM_ A. . Interviewer (Please Print) Signature of Interviewer Place of Interview J' /l.l.- ignature of Intervie Name 1 �/ W. L Penberthy Jr. Address 7' 3 - (f67- (S Telephone q Date of Birth �( -14 Place of Birth 8P Ali TIC ,S INTERVIEW STATUS: Completed In progress ^ ia-- List of ahotos, documents, mans. etc. p � r�y-e.e.ee 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. 3k/g8 Dat4 Initial O Memory Lanes- Oral History Project- Campus Kids Suggested Questions to be asked by the Moderator W.L. Penberthy, Jr. 1. How old were you when you lived on the A &M College campus? 2 -5 years old. 2. How many years did you live on the A &M College campus? 3 years. 3. Describe what your house was made of: brick, wood frame, approximate square feet, one or two story. Wood frame, 1300 -1400 square feet. 4. What was the style of your house? Bungalow of various sizes was the second largest group 5. How many rooms made up your house? Describe the living room, floors, furniture, bedrooms, kitchen appliances, bathrooms, heating, cooling, kitchen help, maids. 7 rooms including one bath, an unattached garage and servants quarters. 6. What street was your house located on? North - South on the east side of the now student center. 7. What was "Quality Row "? 9799 8. Who lived on either side of your house? Marbunger on East - - Sunray on the North, Hughes catty comer across the street on the comer. 9. Describe the following around your home: the landscape, trees, shrubs, lawn, sidewalks, goat head stickers, push mowers, vegetable gardens. Normal Bermuda grass lawn and shrubs. 10. Who took care of the maintenance of the house? the yard? Parents. 11. Explain the peach orchard on the northside of campus. 7799 12. How many houses were located on central campus when you lived there? I guess 60 -70. 13. Explain the house number or "numbering of faculty and staff homes" by the A &M College of Directors. 14. Explain how housing assignments were controlled and who assigned the housing. 9999 15. Explain any rules and regulations regarding housing. What was the rent? 9999 16. A resolution adopted in 1939 stated that "on or before September 1, 1941, all campus residences must be vacated and not be rented again.. Explain what your family did at this time. Moved to 603 Hensel Drive; A new house in the North Oakwood addition. 17. The central campus area was bounded by Sulphur Springs Road on the north (presently University Ave.), Texas Ave. on the east, Jersey Street on the south (presently George Bush Dr.), and Old Highway 6 on the west (presently Wellborn Road). Tell us what these roads were like. Two - lane roads and black top. 18. Tell us about visitors to A &M for dances and graduation and where they stayed. Many dates stayed in faculty housing. 19. Tell us about The Shirley, a 2 -story frame building and the first hotel on campus, later called the Aggieland Inn. My dad lived there until he married in 1933. 20. Explain social life on campus for adults: bridge parties, card parties, dances in the home, ice - cream socials, music practice. 9997 21. Who attended formal dinners in the home and what did they wear? What did the children do during the parties? Other neighbors, etc. 22. Explain where your family bought groceries, dairy products, ice, and how they kept them fresh.. Tell us about going to the variety store in North Gate. Luke's Grocery behind Lipscomb's Pharmacy, North at the North Gate. 23. Explain summer picnics at "The Fish Tank" which was a swimming hole fed by springs located 3 miles from campus near the present Easterwood Airport. 9999 24. Explain the college zoo located on the west side of the railroad tracks. 9999 25. Tell us about the building where you attended elementary school, and the high school (Pfieffer Hall) with pink bricks. A &M Consolidated, which used to be next to the new dormitory area - a three story building, I believe. 26. How long did you go to elementary school on A &M College campus? 7999 27. How many students were in your class and what classes did you take? 7777 28. What extra activities did you get to take? 7777 29. Where did you go to the movies. Explain the Queen Theater in Bryan, and the cost. There were three of them - The Dixid, The Queen and the Palace. The Dixie was the cheapest - less than 10 cents, then the Queen, and the Palace was high rent. The Campus theater was built about 1939 - 1940. 30. What refreshments were served at the movies? What did they cost? Popcorn - no cokes or drinks. Maybe candy. 31. Explain experiences doing these things: roller skating, riding horses, bowling, theatrical productions, swimming in the Downs Natatorium, water fights between the south side kids and the north side kids on campus, playing cap pistols in Guion Hall in the dark, clod fights in the plant nursery, riding down the Kyle field ramps on a tricycle, playing inside the bugle stand outside the YMCA, playing in the assembly hall across from the YMCA. Will have to interview for this one. 32. Explain where you went to the doctor and to the hospital. In Bryan, Dr. T.T. Walton - son of President T.O. Walton. 33. What was the fast train called The Sunbeam Special all about? It was a Southern Pacific train painted orange and black. It came through a couple times a day from Houston - Dallas. 34. Explain listening to the 8, 12, 1 and 5 o'clock whistle. A &M had its own power plant and it blew the whistle at these times. 35. Explain how the community handled the influx of people who came to the football games. 7977 36. Explain Franklin D Roosevelt's visit to the A &M College campus in 1937. 7777 37. Tell us about my of your female family members who were allowed to attend classes at A &M in the '20's and '30's. None. 38. Explain other activities such as, the Boy Scouts, wrestling, track, Girl Scouts. I was too young. I was probably one of the youngest to live on the campus. Memory Lanes- Oral History Project- Campus Kids Suggested Questions to be asked by the Moderator Samuel R. Gammon 1. How old were you when you lived on the A &M College campus? arrived September 1925 age 1 1/2 moved off campus summer 1940 age 16 1/2 2. How many years did you live on the A &M College campus? 15 years 3. Describe what your house was made of: brick, wood frame, approximate square feet, one or two story. standard model faculty frame house, 1 story, 2BR, one bath, front and back porch In 30's, parents and A &M jointly installed 2 more baths, finished attic to provide extra bedroom, enclosed front and rear porches to provide 4th BR, and an enlarged living room and library, extending rear of house by 12 feet. 4. What was the style of your house? Bungalow of various sizes was the second largest group 5. How many rooms made up your house? Describe the living room, floors, furniture, bedrooms, kitchen appliances, bathrooms, heating, cooling, kitchen help, maids. pine floors, gas stoves and automatic water heater installed 1928 before the severe winter reduced gas pressure to unbearably low force inadequate for heating. (Reinstalled wood burning stove in living room for the winter.) Original 1 bathroom had tub on ball and claw feet, toiled with oak seat and overhead wall tank. 6. What street was your house located on? comer of Houston Street and Joe Routt, two doors from Dean Bolton's (later Pres.) 7. What was "Quality Row "? street where Bolton's and Dean Puryear, and extension service directors located AKA "Silk Stocking Row" 8. Who lived on either side of your house? Siecke (forestry?) and later Coach Frank Anderson to West E.L.Williams to North 9. Describe the following around your home: the landscape, trees, shrubs, lawn, sidewalks, goat head stickers, push mowers, vegetable gardens. live oak trees along curb (cement curbs and sidewalks and paved streets), 3 pecan trees in side yard 10. Who took care of the maintenance of the house? the yard? yours truly and brother did lawns at $0.50 per mowing. We watered lawns to promote both growth and income. 11. Explain the peach orchard on the northside of campus. Don't recall it. 12. How many houses were located on central campus when you lived there? probably 40 -50 13. Explain the house number or "numbering of faculty and staff homes" by the A &M College of Directors. Vacant faculty housing allocated by rank and seniority, but a senior faculty friend could "bid" on behalf of a junior. Pecking order = Deans, Directors, Dept. Heads, Professors, Associate Profs, etc...House number was street address, i.e. 211 Houston St. 14. Explain how housing assignments were controlled and who assigned the housing. See above. 15. Explain any rules and regulations regarding housing. What was the rent? I recall (vaguely) about $ 20.00 a month in the '20's. My father was head of department making $2400 p.a. in 1929 before 25% cut imposed in 1930 -31 by the State of Texas. Instructors then received $1200 a year before the cut. 16. A resolution adopted in 1939 stated that "on or before September 1, 1941, all campus residences must be vacated and not be rented again. Explain what your family did at this time. Bought a lot in N. Oakwood and built a 4 bedroom, 2 bath, 2 story house for $12,000. Of course, the vacant campus houses were promptly rerented during World War H, mostly the military officers posted to A &M. 17. The central campus area was bounded by Sulphur Springs Road on the north (presently University Ave.), Texas Ave. on the east, Jersey Street on the south (presently George Bush Dr.), and Old Highway 6 on the west (presently Wellborn Road). Tell us what these roads were like. Unpaved gravel until mid '30's, shallow ditches on each side. 18. Tell us about visitors to A &M for dances and graduation and where they stayed. Aggieland Inn, boarding houses, friendly faculty etc. 19. Tell us about The Shirley, a 2 -story frame building and the first hotel on campus, later called the Aggieland Inn. Couldn't have been more than 20 rooms. My parents, my 4 year old brother, and I stayed there in September, 1925 on arrival prior to moving to the house described above. (See #s 3,5,6). 20. Explain social life on campus for adults: bridge parties, card parties, dances in the hone, ice - cream socials, music practice. My parents dropped bridge playing early to have more family time. The most popular entertaining was dinners back and forth with faculty friends and subordinates. The custom of calling (with cards) was rigid and iron -clad, especially on Sunday afternoons. There were also some picnics, and much church social life. 21. Who attended formal dinners in the home and what did they wear? What did the children do during the parties? They wore business suits and ties (men), dressy (short) dresses for the ladies. These were almost never black tie. The children of the hosts were usually required to appear briefly and "speak to each of the guests before dinner - - and then thankfully vanish. 22. Explain where your family bought groceries, dairy products, ice, and how they kept then fresh. Tell us about going to the variety store in North Gate. Luke Patranella and Charlie's Grocery - North Gate (tel. # 44). Dairy products - we bought some from the A &M creamery, west of the RR stations. Milk was delivered in glass bottles by the Bilsing family who kept a cow and lived 6 doors from us on Quality Row!! Ice was delivered by A &M from the power plant to your ice -box. Luke P. sponsored an annual Easter egg hunt in the ravine south of #217 Houston Street. 23. Explain summer picnics at "The Fish Tank" which was a swimming hole fed by springs located 3 miles from campus near the present Easterwood Airport. Frequently church related. 24. Explain the college zoo located on the west side of the railroad tracks. I don't recall. Much more interesting for (male) campus kids was going over to the animal husbandry barns in hopes of seeing the stallion being bred to a mare - - and usually getting run off by an attendant (Mr. Gerrity ? ?) with the injunction "I don't want your mothers corning over here complaining to me." 25. Tell us about the building where you attended elementary school, and the high school (Pfieffer Hall) with pink bricks. It was a post 1936 development. Earlier, A &M Consolidated (grades 1 -7) was in a white stucco 2 story building 2 blocks from us and 50 yards NE of "Quality Row." 26. How long did you go to elementary school on A &M College campus? 7 years. I went to high school as did my late brother (Dec., 1945, Philippines - - see Memorial Center Plaque) in Bryan. The commuting was courtesy of B /CS Traction Co. (fare 10 cents) because Bryan High had Latin and French available. 27. How many students were in your class and what classes did you take? About 30, equally divided between "campus kids" and "country kids" who self segregated during recess. Campus kids walked home for lunch, country kids brought lunch from home. 28. What extra activities did you get to take? Minimal - - I had no athleticism in grade school. Mention should be made of the "Knothole Gang," a generous Athletics department practice of admitting local kids to A &M football games for a dime. You could sit in the lower seats at the bottom of the closed end of the stadium. I saw most of the home games of the great '39 Aggie team from there. 29. Where did you go to the movies. Explain the Queen Theater in Bryan, and the cost. Bryan had 2 movie theaters. The palace (upscale) and the Queen. I don't recall the cost. Also, there were movies in the assembly hall opposite the YMCA. 30. What refreshments were served at the movies? What did they cost? Popcorn and roasted peanuts in their shells, which later made excellent missiles - especially from the balcony in the assembly hall. 31. Explain experiences doing these things: roller skating, riding horses, bowling, theatrical productions, swimming in the Downs Natatorium, water fights between the south side kids and the north side kids on campus, playing cap pistols in Guion Hall in the dark, clod fights in the plant nursery, riding down the Kyle field ramps on a tricycle, playing inside the bugle stand outside the YMCA, playing in the assembly hall across from the YMCA. Bicycles were universal once the streets on campus were paved (and tricycles at the earlier ages on the new sidewalks). Before Downs Natatorium was built - - in the early '30's a small pool in the YMCA building was the only one available (where I leamed to swim). Guion Hall was easily penetrated and we roamed all over it. Acorns from the Live Oaks were adapted to fire cracker powered hand artillery. Inner tube rings stretched on home made wooden "pistols" also provided plenty of close range duels among the campus kids. Downs Natatorium on summer afternoons was where all campus kids hung out (and sometimes snuck in through a broken window for delicious swims in the dark - - Try diving off the balcony wall into the pool across a 6 foot tile edge in the dark for the ultimate thrill). Also, the network of steam tunnels underneath campus was well known and often frequented. 32. Explain where you went to the doctor and to the hospital. Dr. J.E. Marsh of the A &M hospital (father of Dr. Jack - class of'44) took care of faculty kids and had a sizable practice. He stitched me up numerous times and removed both Gammon boys appendixes (@ $100 each). He kept a boat on the Gulf named the "Dixie" which my father said should have been called the "Appendixes." 33. What was the fast train called The Sunbeam Special all about? It began in the late '30's and traveled from Houston to Dallas. We used to race it from near Wellbom to the CS depot. It was clocked at 80 -85 mph in a '38 Buick. The CS stop was the only one between Houston and Dallas - - to the great envy of Bryan Boasters. 34. Explain listening to the 8, 12, 1 and 5 o'clock whistle. It sounded from the power plant. It was a feature of campus life signaling the beginning and end of classroom periods. 35. Explain how the community handled the influx of people who came to the football games. Mostly by illegal parking on faculty lawns! Installing surreptitiously a smoke and noise car "bomb" under the hood was a rewarding and splendid event for the faculty kid perpetrators. 36. Explain Franklin D. Roosevelt's visit to the A &M College campus in 1937. There was a big reception/ rally at the football stadium - - As I recall he spoke from the convertible which drove up on a ramp at the 50 yard line facing the south stands. 37. Tell us about any of your female family members who were allowed to attend classes at A &M in the '20's and '30's. NA 38. Explain other activities such as, the Boy Scouts, wrestling, track, Girl Scouts. Memories are very faint - - my brother was a much more active scout than I. Memory Lanes- Oral History Project- Campus Kids Suggested Questions to be asked by the Moderator 1. How old were you when you lived on the A &M College campus? 0 -9 years old. 2. How many years did you live on the A &M College campus? 9 years. 3. Describe what your house was made of: brick, wood frame, approximate square feet, one or two story. 1 story wood frame - rectangular house approximately 2000 square feet. 4. What was the style of your house? Cottage - small house, small porch, simple lines. 5. How many rooms made up your house? Describe the living room, floors, furniture, bedrooms, kitchen appliances, bathrooms, heating, cooling, kitchen help, maids. The house had a large front porch, living room, kitchen, 3 bedrooms and a separate garage. It was heated by space heaters and had no air conditioning. No maids and no kitchen help. 6. What street was your house located on? Henderson Street. 7. What was "Quality Row "? Never heard of the term "Quality Row." Red Cashion 8. Who lived on either side of your house? Dr. J.E. Marsh lived on the south side and the north side was a duplex generally housing military people from the Commandant's office. 9. Describe the following around your home: the landscape, trees, shrubs, lawn, sidewalks, goat head stickers, push mowers, vegetable gardens. There were not many trees around our house although there were a good many trees in the next block by the old hospital. There was a sidewalk that ran from our house to the Aggieland Inn which also ran in front of the old hospital. 10. Who took care of the maintenance of the house? the yard? The B and CU department handled the maintenance of the house, but we handled the yard. 11. Explain the peach orchard on the northside of campus. I know nothing of a peach orchard, but there was a large pear orchard that was located by the side track that carried the trains from the regular track over to the power plant when they delivered the coal. The peach orchard was directly east of the building we used to call the Agricultural Building at the comer of University and Wellborn Road. The orchard was covered up when they put a basement in Sbisa and all the dirt that was dug out from under Sbisa was placed in that field. 12. How many houses were located on central campus when you lived there? I don't know how many houses were on the campus. I would estimate 30 to 40. 13. Explain the house number or "numbering of faculty and staff homes" by the A &M College of Directors. I'm not familiar with any numbering system. 14. Explain how housing assignments were controlled and who assigned the housing. I do not know the answer. I was bom in the house and do not know what the arrangements were. 15. Explain any rules and regulations regarding housing. What was the rent? I do think a small amount of rent was paid but I don't know what it was. 16. A resolution adopted in 1939 stated that "on or before September 1, 1941, all campus residences must be vacated and not be rented again. Explain what your family did at this time. Our family purchased the house that I was born in and we moved the house to the comer of Timber and Anna streets in College Station where it was remodeled and we lived in it for many years. It was a very wet year and we had a lot of difficulty in moving the house. 17. The central campus area was bounded by Sulphur Springs Road on the north (presently University Ave.), Texas Ave. on the east, Jersey Street on the south (presently George Bush Dr.), and Old Highway 6 on the west (presently Wellborn Road). Tell us what these roads were like. Texas Ave. was a 2 lane road as was University Drive. Grants Gulf Station was at the corner of University and Texas and when you stopped to get gas you had to pump the tank with the number of gallons you wanted before you let it flow into the car. At one time, Grant Station had a contract to fuel all of the A &M vehicles. Both of the other roads at one time were 2 lane highways and that's all I remember about them. 18. Tell us about visitors to A &M for dances and graduation and where they stayed. There basically were 3 places to stay: The Blue Top Courts at the East Gate, The Aggieland Inn and the homes of people in the area. There was a roster of homes available maintained by the YMCA. 19. Tell us about The Shirley, a 2 -story frame building and the first hotel on campus, later called the Aggieland Inn. I'm not familiar with The Shirley, but do remember the Aggieland Inn quite well. I used to go with my folks to eat lunch on Sunday quite often in the dining room of the Aggieland hnn. 20. Explain social life on campus for adults: bridge parties, card parties, dances in the home, ice - cream socials, music practice. We had a 3 gal. ice cream freezer cranked by hand and we used to invite students over to make a 3 gal. freezer of ice cream and of course we had to eat it all because there wasn't any place to put it. I don't know about the other activities. 21. Who attended formal dinners in the home and what did they wear? What did the children do during the parties? I don't have any memory of this type of party. 22. Explain where your family bought groceries, dairy products, ice, and how they kept them fresh. Tell us about going to the variety store in North Gate. We bought our groceries originally fromthe commissary and later from Luke and Charlie's grocery and then later at Luke's and at Charlie's after they separated. The dairy products in most cases came from the A &M dairy. On many occasions, I visited Taylor's Variety Store and my mother would give me a dime or a quarter to spend in Taylor's. As a child, I thought it was the most marvelous store in the world and would do anything to go spend a dime at the variety store. 23. Explain summer picnics at "The Fish Tank" which was a swimming hole fed by springs located 3 miles from campus near the present Easterwood Airport. The proper name is the "Fish Pond" and it still exists next to Easterwood Airport - somewhat adjacent to the Fire Training Center. 24. Explain the college zoo located on the west side of the railroad tracks. The college zoo was located just west of the old college dairy which was just to the west side of the railroad tracks. The closest home to the zoo was Lee Chestnut. Also, in the same area was the "Y" cabin which was later changed to Cashion Cabin which was in the center of a lake near the zoo. The cabin was later moved to Hensel Park and a plaque acknowledging the cabin exists in Hensel Park. 25. Tell us about the building where you attended elementary school, and the high school (Pfieffer Hall) with pink bricks. I started first grade and second grade in the old school building located near the new dorm area which was later used by A &M as a facility to house the music department. The new Consolidated school built on Bush Drive was opened and we transferred to that school during my second grade. 26. How long did you go to elementary school on A &M College campus? 1 went for two years. 27. How many students were in your class and what classes did you take? I remember about 20 students in the class my first year and the activity that I remember was the rhythm band. 28. What extra activities did you get to take? The rhythm band. 29. Where did you go to the movies. Explain the Queen Theater in Bryan, and the cost. Went to the movies at the assembly hall because our father managed the assembly hall through the YMCA. We got in free but we couldn't go on Thursday night because that was benefit night and it always cost money. Used to go to the Campus Theater later as it developed and I don't ever remember being able to go to the Queen Theater in Bryan. I do remember when they put the crown on top of it, but I don't remember anything else. 30. What refreshments were served at the movies? What did they cost? Peanuts were the only thing available and they cost 10 cents a bag. We used to pick up peanuts off the floor and throw them at the Aggies before the show and they would throw a bunch of peanuts back at us little kids. We picked them up off the floor, put them all in our pocket except one and we would throw that one and start things all over again. By the time the show had started, I had a pocket full of peanuts that would last throughout the whole show!! 31. Explain experiences doing these things: roller skating, riding horses, bowling, theatrical productions, swimming in the Downs Natatorium, water fights between the south side kids and the north side kids on campus, playing cap pistols in Guion Hall in the dark, clod fights in the plant nursery, riding down the Kyle field ramps on a tricycle, playing inside the bugle stand outside the YMCA, playing in the assembly hall across from the YMCA. During the summer I got to swim at Downs Natatorium. I could not go until 3:00 which happened to be when it opened and when my nap was supposed to be over. I do remember that Mama would let us up a little early so we could be at the Natatorium when they opened at 3:00. It was a big thing to see who could get in line first. 32. Explain where you went to the doctor and to the hospital. I went to the A &M Hospital whenever I stumped my toe because Claghom and Mrs. Irene Vaughn would take care of me. They sewed me up, bandaged me and generally took care of me the whole time I lived on the campus. 33. What was the fast train called The Sunbeam Special all about? The Sunbeam Special was a train that ran between Dallas and Houston and it came through twice a day. Once as a local and once as an express train between Dallas and Houston, although the express train also stopped at College Station. It was a steam engine and the whole train was painted orange and we thought it was a very fancy train. 34. Explain listening to the 8, 12, 1 and 5 o'clock whistle. The whole University or College at the time, operated on the 8, 12, 1 and 5:00 whistle. That is when you went to work, that's when you quit and that is what the classes were all scheduled around. 35. Explain how the community handled the influx of people who came to the football games. During a football game, most people brought box lunches or did whatever they could and in those days we had many special trains that came from wherever the team might be from. The special trains helped because the people would come to the game and leave when the game was over. 36. Explain Franklin D Roosevelt's visit to the A &M College campus in 1937. I just remember watching the President in that funny convertible which I had never seen and I remember the convertible running around on the track at Kyle Field. 37. Tell us about any of your female family members who were allowed to attend classes at A &M in the '20's and '30's. Did not have any. 38. Explain other activities such as, the Boy Scouts, wrestling, track, Girl Scouts. I don't know of any other activities. Memory Lanes- Oral History Project- Campus Kids Suggested Questions to be asked by the Moderator Florence Richey Eads 1. How old were you when you lived on the A &M College campus? I was born in 1919 in Bryan. . .lived in the same house on the A &M campus until I graduated from high school in 1937. For the next two years I was at Texas State College for Women in Denton and at College Station only during the Summer and school holidays. 2. How many years did you live on the A &M College campus? See question # 1. 3. Describe what your house was made of: brick, wood frame, approximate square feet, one or two story. The house was a one story frame, bungalow style. 4. What was the style of your house? See question # 3. 5. How many rooms made up your house? Describe the living room, floors, furniture, bedrooms, kitchen appliances, bathrooms, heating, cooling, kitchen help, maids. 7 rooms, 1 bathroom plus small glassed -in back porch, side screened porch and open front porch. In about 193 a 1/2 bath and walk -in closet were added. In 1937 the side screened porch was made into a room and the front porch was screened in. Between the living room and dining room was a large double door opening which was never closed. There should have been pocket sliding doors, but I have no memory of such. There were 3 bedrooms and only one bath until the 1/2 bath was added. The floors were wood with large rugs. I remember only the large patterned rug in the living room. All the other rooms must have had rugs that covered nearly the whole floor, but not installed wall -to -wall. I think I would remember if the floors had been bare. In the earlier years of my life we had wood stoves for heating and for cooking. In those early days we had an ice box on the back porch that was chilled by 50# blocks of ice which were delivered regularly. Natural gas was piped into the house in the late 20's, I guess. Then there was a gas cook stove and the heating was by small unvented heaters in various rooms. The bathroom heaters were installed in the walls, I believe. We always had electricity, so the bathroom ones might have been electric. I surely don't remember what we had in the way of hot water before natural gas. We always had running water. After the gas was piped in, we had a hot water heater in the kitchen area. The need for hot water had to be anticipated in order to light the gas. That inconvenient arrangement existed through 1941. As for cooling, we always had oscillating electric fans. Because my mother was crippled, we had a white woman who lived in the house to help my mother during the day. She was also general house keeper and cook. A colored woman carne once each week to do the washing and the ironing. She did the washing out in the back yard in 2 large wash tubs on a bench and a large black kettle for boiling water over an open fire. She may have come 2 days in order to do the ironing. Frances, the wash woman, is a pleasant memory of my childhood years. 6. What street was your house located on? Houston Street. 7. What was "Quality Row "? It was the next street over from Houston where the college deans lived. The houses were larger. 8. Who lived on either side of your house? See Map. 9. Describe the following around your home: the landscape, trees, shrubs, lawn, sidewalks, goat head stickers, push mowers, vegetable gardens. The outstanding landscape feature at our house was the very large oak tree in the front yard. It was a wonderful tree for climbing and my friends and I spent much of our summertime days doing that. We wanted to build a tree house in it, but were not allowed since it was in the front yard. There was a large mulberry tree down in the ravine side yard where we did nail up several platforms. We had a hammock between that tree and some large grapevine. There were two chinaberry trees in the front yard of the house across the street. Generally, there was very little effort made to landscape yards on the campus. Most lawns were native Bermuda grass and stickers that were allowed to dry up in the summer. I remember only two homes with proper landscaping (green lawn in the summer and decorative shrubs)... the Campbell's and the Bagley's. Surely the college President's home had a nice yard, but not as impressive as the two mentioned. My dad built a board sidewalk from the back door out to the garage. In the front we had a culvert over the ditch and a gravel area where we parked the car during the day and where company parked their cars. My dad had a vegetable garden out near the garage and I think the next door neighbors (the Hedges) had one adjacent to ours. The neighbors on the street behind us had a large garden, also. Until about 1936 or '37, my dad raised Rhode Island Red chickens in the back yard. 10. Who took care of the maintenance of the house? the yard? I think the college took care of maintenance of the house including the additions mentioned in question # 5. I don't recall any re- roofing or painting, but that must have happened. The so- called yard care was done by our family. I guess my dad and older brother mowed the lawn. 11. Explain the peach orchard on the northside of campus. Never heard of it. 12. How many houses were located on central campus when you lived there? See Map. I didn't know anything about the number system or how housing assignments were controlled. 13. Explain the house number or "numbering of faculty and staff homes" by the A &M College of Directors. See question # 12. 14. Explain how housing assignments were controlled and who assigned the housing. See question # 12. 15. Explain any rules and regulations regarding housing. What was the rent? I never heard about any rules and regulations or the rent. Maybe in the early days it was as little as $20 or $25 a month. In 1938 and '39 my dad lived in the house, retaining the main South bedroom and the little new sitting room as his space, renting the rest of the house to another faculty family who provided his meals. In 1940 he was retired and out of the state, but left the house furnished and sublet. In 1941 he and my husband and I lived in the house. My dad was back to teach for a short time and my husband was getting his masters degree. In June of 1941 my dad got rid of the furniture and we all moved. He had called that house home since 1912 when he and my mother moved into it after a short stay at the Shirley Hotel. 16. A resolution adopted in 1939 stated that "on or before September 1, 1941, all campus residences must be vacated and not be rented again. Explain what your fanuly did at this time. See question # 15. 17. The central campus area was bounded by Sulphur Springs Road on the north (presently University Ave.), Texas Ave. on the east, Jersey Street on the south (presently George Bush Dr.), and Old Highway 6 on the west (presently Wellborn Road). Tell us what these roads were like. I lived on Houston Street and I don't remember much about the other streets. Houston was paved up to the corner north of our house. The mentioned roads were all paved except Jersey Street which was gravel. Sulphur Springs Road had curbs and sidewalks at the business district. Others were like paved country highways, gravel shoulders and ditches. 18. Tell us about visitors to A &M for dances and graduation and where they stayed. When I was younger I have no recollection of visitors. When I came later as a guest myself, I stayed at my home and the other girls stayed in a dormitory that was cleared for that purpose. 19. Tell us about The Shirley, a 2 -story frame building and the first hotel on campus, later called the Aggieland Inn. See answer to question # 16. That's all I ever heard about the Shirley. The Aggieland Inn was in its prime during my childhood. Its dining room was a special place to dine out. 20. Explain social life on campus for adults: bridge parties, card parties, dances in the home, ice - cream socials, music practice. My parents had occasional dinner parties with the good china, little individual containers of salted pecans at each place and cigarettes purchased for the guests even though my parents did not smoke themselves. A group of women came to our house for their weekly bridge club (2 or 3 tables) since it was inconvenient for my mother to go around to other homes. My father and mother had other couples in for a foursome of bridge 2 or 3 times a week. 21. Who attended formal dinners in the home and what did they wear? What did the children do during the parties? The guests at parties and dinners at our house were usually members of the Civil Engineering Department. Children were not included in the parties, but when they were brought along I enjoyed playing with them. One family I recall who had two children younger than me brought them along, but made them stay in the car. 22. Explain where your family bought groceries, dairy products, ice, and how they kept them fresh. Tell us about going to the variety store in North Gate. My mother ordered groceries over the phone from Charlie's at North Gate. Originally Charlie's had been Luke and Charlie's. A delivery boy would bring the order around in time for dinner which was the noon meal. My school was always close enough for me to come home and eat. We had milk delivered from the college creamery. The creamery was located across the railroad tracks and we went there to buy ice cream for immediate consumption. Also, my dad bough groceries in Bryan at the A &P Store or some other chain grocery. The variety store was a favorite shopping place especially for the children. As teenagers, my friends and I managed to get the use of family cars to ride around and stop for fountain cokes... curb service at the North Gate drug store named Aggieland Pharmacy or something similar. 23. Explain summer picnics at "The Fish Tank" which was a swimming hole fed by springs located 3 miles from campus near the present Easterwood Airport. A group of pictures attached is a real historic treasure on the subject of the Fish Tank. I was the baby of about one year old in the picture. Later on I remember having a scary experience of trying to learn to swim in that body of water, but 1 think that our family never went there after 1924 or '25. 24. Explain the college zoo located on the west side of the railroad tracks. The existence of the zoo was before my time. I seem to recall seeing it's deserted location. 25. Tell us about the building where you attended elementary school, and the high school (Pfieffer Hall) with pink bricks. The grade school (see map) was a stucco building I think. Maybe before 1933 both grade school and high school were there. I was a freshman in high school the first year Pheiffer Hall was used. We were happy with the "New" building. I seem to remember the building was shorn up with lengths of railroad tracks. It was a joke that the building wasn't considered safe for further use as a dormitory so it was used as a school. 26. How long did you go to elementary school on A &M College campus? First through Seventh. Most of the first grade I was home schooled after a fashion while I was home with pneumonia. 27. How many students were in your class and what classes did you take? I don't recall class size in elementary school. My high school class was about 20 students. In high school I took the basic things. . .English, general science, algebra, geometry, Texas history, 2 years Spanish, mechanical drawing (at the Mechanical Engineering Dept. of the College) and shop work (also at the M.E. Dept.). We had no PE. Maybe some of the boys took track? 28. What extra activities did you get to take? I always participated in the one act play competition and any other acting that was available. Our Spanish teacher, Mrs. Spencer, was in charge of drama. We presented our play each year at contest time at the county meet. The winner of the county meet would compete next at regional. Regional winners competed at the state meet. We never got past regional, but we enjoyed the activity very much. 29. Where did you go to the movies. Explain the Queen Theater in Bryan, and the cost. I always went to the Saturday night movies at the assembly hall on the campus. That cost only 25 cents, I think. Then on Sunday afternoons they offered a free movie at the Assembly Hall. Almost every weekend my friends and I would get someone to drop us off in Bryan for a Saturday afternoon movie. We didn't go to the Queen, but to the Majestic. I don't recall buying refreshments at the movie. Instead we went for a coke or an Ice cream soda at a confectionery in Bryan. After refreshments, we would look around along Main Street for someone from College Station to catch a ride home with. 30. What refreshments were served at the movies? What did they cost? See question # 29. 31. Explain experiences doing these things: roller skating, riding horses, bowling, theatrical productions, swimming in the Downs Natatorium, water fights between the south side kids and the north side kids on campus, playing cap pistols in Guion Hall in the dark, clod fights in the plant nursery, riding down the Kyle field ramps on a tricycle, playing inside the bugle stand outside the YMCA, playing in the assembly hall across from the YMCA. Until I was seven or eight years old I went roller skating around the block. There was a concrete sidewalk all the way around the block of residences across from the drill field. I don't believe there were any paved sidewalks on either side of the street in the section of Houston Street where our house was. As I grew older my friends and I skated all around the campus. During my grade school years horseback riding lessons were offered on Saturday mornings by the military department of the college. We rode cavalry horses. Probably the teacher was an Army sergeant. I loved the idea of riding, but those mornings in the winter were too cold for me. There was a bowling alley at the YMCA, but I only tried it once or twice as a teenager. Some of the faculty used to put on plays at the Assembly Hall which I enjoyed attending. As I recall the Downs Natatorium was built when I was about 13 or 14. Before that I had gone swimming at the Bryan Country Club which was located between Bryan and College Station. There was also a pool in the basement of the YMCA, but I seldom went there. The beautiful new pool was a great addition to my life. I spent 2 or 3 hours there every summer afternoon and often went back after supper, also. It was located only a block or so away from my home. I never heard of "south side and North side kids," but there were plenty of water fights at the pool. None of the other adventures you mention were among my experiences. As a child I attended several elegant weddings at Guion Hall. Big college dances were held at the mess hall and sometimes the out of town band would put on a short concert before the dance at Guion Hall. I recall Ina Ray Hutton's All Girl Band and Joe Reichman doing that. My high school graduation was at Guion Hall. In about 1930 or '31, 5 or 6 new buildings were under construction during the summer. One of them was the Animal Husbandry Building with a rodeo arena in it. There was another agriculture building next to it. In the evenings and maybe on the weekends when the workmen were gone we had a wonderful time playing in those buildings. I can't think just what we did . . running through them, maybe playing hide and seek. 32. Explain where you went to the doctor and to the hospital. I was born at the Bryan hospital. I was never in the hospital again. My doctor in College Station as Dr. Marsh. He was the college doctor. 33. What was the fast train called The Sunbeam Special all about? Never heard of it. 34. Explain listening to the 8, 12, 1 and 5 o'clock whistle. Very loud. It was the way to tell time on campus for everyone. The whistle was blown at the power plant where there was a tall smoke stack. As a little child I thought the sound came from the smoke stack. 35. Explain how the community handled the influx of people who came to the football games. I remember the crowds, lots of drunks. It was all very entertaining, but I don't recall how they were accommodated. 36. Explain Franklin D. Roosevelt's visit to the A &M College campus in 1937. See pictures. I took the pictures, but I don't remember much about it. I later saw Eleanor Roosevelt at TSCW when I was in college there. 37. Tell us about any of your female family members who were allowed to attend classes at A &M in the '20's and '30's. None in my family. As I recall faculty daughters were allowed to attend during the depression due to hard times. I don't believe there were many females that attended. 38. Explain other activities such as, the Boy Scouts, wrestling, track, Girl Scouts. I was in some kind of Girl Scout program for a short time. I remember a hike. The woman in charge lived in a corner house on "The Block."