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HomeMy WebLinkAboutEarly Churches and Syangogues JasekHistory Project: Memory Lanes Churches & Synagogues Wednesday, July 16, 1997 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon Moderator: Debbie Jasek Transcriptions: Kymberli Rucker Interviewee: Helen Pugh, Fred Gardener (father of David Gardener, jeweler), Theo Doerge, Gladys Taylor DJ: Basically, the easiest way for this is to work I found is to start and just kind of go around the table and let each of you speak first. The first thing I like you to tell about is a little about where you lived and, where you went to church. Where your church was . Which church was it and, what kind of facility did you have when you first started. Your first memory of going to church there, was it a temporary building and then they built a church or was the building all ready there? Mr. Gardener, would you like to start out? FG: Sure I don't mind. I'll start it out. If I leave anything out stop me while I'm going. • I'm one of those who can talk about things that really don't mean to much and may not be important. We came here the first time in 1953, from Vermont and, at that time, were students living over in the project houses. At that time I think we had two children. We joined St. Thomas Episcopal Church on Jersey. Jersey was only a two lane road and since we lived in project houses we could walk over there. We went to several different churches between then and now. I don't know when it was constructed, but it was there when we arrived. The priest was the Reverend Darwall, and the facility as I remember was just the main church building and a Parish Hall and, that was it. We had a white building that was the parsonage and I don't remember if Mr. Darwall, used it or not but, that was the total structure. I don't know how many people attended. That was our first church here in College Station and we stayed until 1955 when we moved to another university. We returned to College Station in 1959, when the Reverend Bill Oxley was the church priest. Since that time we're attended St. Andrews in Bryan for a while and when all of my children were grown we were so close to St. Thomas we went back to St. Thomas and, we've been there every since. That's it. DJ: That's great! Mrs. Doerge. • • Oral Historl Project Churches - 2- TD: Well, I went to the First Baptist Church when it was over in Northgate, it was in April of 1942 when I came to A &M to work at the university and, I live in that stucco building. I don't know what it is called now, it is still over in Northgate. It was six apartments in that building and I lived there and, the church was right around the corner. So I spent half of my time at church and the other half at home, but our Reverend was R.L. Brown. At that time and they were building a new Educational building about the time I got there. I'm not really sure but I think it was completed about the time I got there and, I don't know for sure. Let somebody else talk while I think. BK: Is that before you and Bud married? TD: Yes. We met in 52. That was the days of when Cliff Harris and David Fort and the missionary kids were there and, we had Mrs. Brown, Mrs. Brown, was real good about doing things for young people. She said money was not an object for people to have a good time so even though she had things were the young people could wear ordinary clothes or dress up or wear an evening dress or some jeans so they could feel part of the things that were going on. DJ: Great, Great. • KR: That's good. TD: It was real interesting. DJ: Mrs. Pugh. HP: Well, we moved down here the day after we married February 8, 1941. We both were Baptist when we moved down here and, once a Baptist always a Baptist. (Laughter). We had so much going that we knew where the Baptist Church was. Everybody knew who my husband was and, I guess they just assumed we belonged to that church, because we had no visitors or anyone to tell us about the church and, so we left here after my husband graduated in 42 to the Army and then from the Army it was some pro football and, what not. Then we moved back down here permanently in 1947 and that was when we joined the First Baptist Church of College Station. Brother Brown, R.L. Brown, was the pastor and just a repeat of a lot of what you said. I can't remember the structure. TD: Was that building completed before you got here? HP: I don't think so. Seem like they were barrack kind of buildings or a wooden structure. m P 'rw • Oral History Project Churches - 3- BK: I'm sure, I'm almost positive the education building was there, the sanctuary wasn't there. HP: The main thing is I was superintendent of the Beginner Department for a number of years and, I remember during whenever that year was when Gil Steinke, was our assistant football coach 1949 -1953 at A &M. He had two young boys seem like they might have been twins, I can't remember. Mrs. Hermon Krauser was the teacher of the Steinke twins. Almost every Sunday the twins would slip out of the Sunday School building and run for North Gate, with Mrs. Krauser chasing them! Her husband worked at Caldwell Jewelers. She worked for A &M. Anyway, she was one ofmy teachers. Being in the A &M Garden Club and Flower Show Judge, I was appointed Chairman of Sanctuary flowers. I was connected with the flowers for the church and, so I made it easy. I thought the arrangements were beautiful, but people criticized them because they were silk flowers. But all I had to do every Sunday was get an arrangement, huge arrangements that would fit in with that Sunday and I thought that was a neat thing to do and, then for some reason I got on a committee or I was the committee to repaint the inside of our church sanctuary and, I don't know if you remember it. It was a painted a pale green. TD: I don't remember. • HP: I don't know why that happened. But an a I don't much, but the inside was a ale ale � y' think that was liked very Church of College Station old our property to the Methodist Church and built a Baptist new church out on Welsh, and, we still don't have a sanctuary. But I think it's growing all the time, and serving the college students very well. TD: Memorial Library was in the First Church over in Northgate cause I remember I use to spend some time working in there. DJ: So I take it both the First Baptist and St. Thomas had permanent pastor? Did he pastor to any other churches because I know even now in some of the smaller churches You got a pastor who may actually work with two or three congregations or was he exclusively for your church? Mr. Gardener. FG: Well I don't remember Mr. Darwall's activities at other churches because at the time we were students here and my involvement was strictly on Sunday. But I know once Rev. Oxley, came and even now with Reverend Aurand we have a commitment to at least one church I know of in Calvert. DJ: Mrs. Doerge. • Oral History Project Churches - 4- TD: R.L. Brown, was there when I got there and had been there for quite sometime. Do you remember he came as a student director of something at A &M. Seemed like the church was formed in the early 20's, and then he was there when I got there in 42 and, was there until can't remember if it was 50 or 51 when he retired. Because I married in 52 and he was gone at that time. HP: I know we had several (Inaudible) were or different preacher. It all depend on if the "Lord called them!" But we have had Brother Malcolm Bain, for a number of years now, (28) years. The pastors of the First Baptist Church have been R.L. Brown (1920- r 1950), Byron Richardson (Sept. 1, 1950 -June 30, 1951), an intern ( ?), Bob Longshore (July 1, 1952 -Dec. 1, 1959), Cecil Sherman (Just 1960 -Mar 15, 1962), Guy Greenfield (June 24, 1962 -Aug. 24, 1964), Lloyd Elder (Mar 8, 1965 -Jan. 27, 1969), and Malcolm Bane (Aug. 10, 1969- present). FG: Same preacher. Is that right? HP: Yes. We almost (Inaudible) several years back. • FG: We in the Episcopal Church generally provide housing to the priest or the leaders. I see the transition of our church not doing that anymore, and instead we furnish a financed house allotment. Some of you might remember that old white building that use to be by St. Thomas that used to be the sanctuary years ago. It was moved and now other buildings are there. We no longer provide a facility for either the priest or the chaplain. A money housing alliance is given so they can buy there own place. We currently are limited to two churches in the College Station community. DJ: Well I, DJ: Igo to St. Anthony's in Bryan originally I went, of course, to St. Mary's when I was in College, but I also went to St. Thomas Episcopal. FG: Did you really? DJ: When I went to college in the 70's. My boyfriend went to St. Thomas Episcopal, so I went to St. Thomas Episcopal. FG: So it wasn't the faith that brought you? (Laughter) • Oral History Project Churches - 5- DJ: It was fimny because we would walk in the morning and we would go to St. Mary's to mass, early mass together and turn around and go to St. Thomas Episcopal to the later mass and, then we would compare the two because we thought many times the two priest had gotten together and conspired because the sermons were almost exactly the same. Many times we thought because the Episcopal Church and Catholic Church were so much alike. We thought it was great because we each could follow the other services without a prayer book. So that was kind of interesting. Speaking of that the younger groups this being a, oh great! Hello, Gladys how are you? Oh, great we have another Baptist. We have joining us Gladys Taylor, and you go to the Baptist Church? What we've been talking about is the churches where we go to church and what we remember about the buildings. Now just as I was starting to say because this is a college community I'm sure many of the things that the church did were organized around the student activities. What type of things did your church do or have in the way the youth group interaction with the college? Mr. Gardener. FG: Well, when we first came down as students at A &M I don't remember many . programs that were directed specifically to the college students. There was always a youth program, and my children were involved in those, but as college students go, it was very little. Then it slowly developed to the extent that we now have a Canterbury Association and a priest and a new building for that organization that's quite active. One of the changes we've seen over the years has been the emphases on the need of the college student and, now there's quite a number of young students that have missions in Honduras and other areas. I think about probably sixty or seventy go to Canterbury at St. Thomas and now there are youth programs that are directed to the high school group and maybe one or two grades below that. We now have a youth director involved with a ll these students. So there has been an increase in emphases on student needs that was not a priority back in the 40's and the 50's. I don't think that emphases really existed at St. Thomas. TD: But it did at First Baptist in College Station. We had a very large group and every Sunday night we would have anywhere to 40 to 50 members. We generally fed them sandwiches and something to drink. GT: RL. Brown came here as pastor of this church. He came here as a student leader director for Southern Baptist and so we all ways had very strong student group within the church. Excuse me Theo. TD: No, you go ahead. • GT: You didn't tell us when you first got here? i Oral History Project Churches -6- DJ: We need to have you do that. We need you to tell us when you got here and, when you joined the church. What you remember about the church. GT: I came here in 1953 and joined the church and like I say it was really a student church. DJ: That quite a bit of what St. Mary's is like. FG: You came from where? GT: Well actually this is really my home, but my husband was a County Agricultural Agent in Trinity County. FG: So you came from Texas through Texas. You said you came in 53. GT: Well I came back here, put it that away. DJ: Did you go to church when you were growing up here at First Baptist? • GT: No, actually I grew up in Kurten, which is just outside of Bryan, so I went to a Baptist Church in Kurten. HP: Like I say. Once a Baptist, always a Baptist. (Laughter). DJ: How many times of the month did you folks meet on a regular basic? Was it regular Sunday and Wednesday services? Is that correct? TD: One time a student came by the church to see if I was still livi . ng here and Mr Brown said if you just stay right here she'll be here for Prayer Meeting. He said just stay right here, she'll be here in a minute. DJ: So you have basically the regular Sunday and Wednesday services? FG: I know basically we have Sunday services. There are always program during the week. Wednesday here at A &M is primarily church night. There are always programs going on. Our Canterbury program has a regularly evenings including both a meal and service. The program is currently under e thh e lection of the Reverend Mark Crawford. • • Oral History Project Churches -7- DJ: Did you ever have special services that you remember like Revival Week or special times when your church got together with other churches or some sort of a special type of thing. Did any of your churches do that? FG: We always visited other churches even Hearne and Calvert. We would go to dinner with the groups up there, and so forth. I can remember visiting several times in churches in Brenham, Hearne, Calvert Navasota, Conroe, but it wasn't an organized thing. It was a program that developed. A lot of times though the youth would have youth programs that would have gatherings. A lot of this was tied in with the Youth Development Program. HP: That's the way it is a lot of the time. Student programs get together and then it falls into more. Maybe some of the Baptist remember and I'll never forget this. Charles Allen was the Methodist preacher in Houston that everyone just loved. He came up and they had this special meeting, I think it was Wednesday night. Anyway I'll never forget that meeting. That was when the Methodist and Baptist had gotten together. DJ: And when did that happen? Do you remember? • HP: No, I don't. But anyway the church was filled. He was a Me Houston for so long, Methodist preacher in TD: I think he came more than once. HP: Oh, did he ? FG: I was talking to Bill Lancaster, before we broke into these groups I think he went to the Presbyterian Church. My mother was Presbyterian. She moved down here and spent the last twenty years of her life here. She got into a group with Mrs. Cashion, Mrs. Anderson, and Mrs. McFadden. HP: Mrs. Burgess, was Baptist. FG: Well, Mrs. Anderson, Red Cashion's mother, Mrs. Burgess, Mrs. McSpaden and my mother were quite a four some. You never knew what was going to happened. They got together all the time. Two things stick in my mind. probably two or three times a year we would all go to Presbyterian Church with my mother for a Hymn Sing, and my kids loved this thing. We have six children, and they would all line up with my mother. I don't think my mother cared if I went or my wife went as long as the kids went. They had a grand time that night. My mother died in 78 and, it was about three or four months • later, some of the people • Oral History Project Churches -8- FG: from the church came to visit us with a pillow. My mother had left in the pew, and whenever she sat there she would use that pillow. I guess she just left it in the church seat. I just think that its something, that they returned the pillow to us and, that pillow was grabbed by one of my sons and he still has it. That's one of my memories at the Presbyterian Church. My mother loved it and I think it was her responsibility to call people and organize different meetings. My father died years ago and my mother loved to call so she could talk to the husband of these people. She like to raise a little bit of rouges with some of the women and she did it. (Laughter). HP: D.W. William's, were Presbyterian. FG: O.K., the name is familiar. DJ: Do you remember much about any of the other churches in the area and, some of the outline communities? FG: Where do you go to church at? KR First Methodist. • FG: Here's a First Methodist right here. KR: I didn't think I was going to be answering questions. (Laughter) FG: Turn your name tag around so he can get it. DJ: We had a lot of interaction to do with First Methodist over there at the Northgate because we were back to back. HP: And church of Christ was right across the street DJ: And the Catholic Church and the Lutheran Church there so. GT: It was close communion there. HP: Christian Science, cause that's what my mother says I'm a natural born Christian scientist because I don't like to take medicine. (Laughter). DJ: How did the church all wind up together there? Was it just a natural thing? Did the churches come first or did the name come first of the street? 0 • Oral History Project Churches -9- GT: I wouldn't know that for sure, but I would think that the churches were there and, they automatically name it Church street. DJ: Did the churches ever get together and do things like with the youth groups and several different churches. EVERYONE - YES DJ: Cause I remember in the 70's when I lived in the apartments that were right there Casa Del Sol and, I know they had volleyball games on Wednesday's evening at the different services had broken up at the (Inaudible) that had a volleyball. Do you ever remember much about the outlining churches, and some of the outlining communities. You said ya'll associated with Calvert and your priest still go up to Calvert. Do you remember much about some of the other, perhaps influential preachers or whatever in the area? HP: I remember between Camp Creek and New Baden there was a little church that sat out by itself and, I had reservation about buying the lot at Camp Creek because I knew that it was weekend at Camp Creek or going to church. But when I saw this old church . sitting there and they only had people there on Sunday's. I went to that church a number of times. It was really a country one room church, and I enjoyed that very much. DJ: What was the name of the church? HP: I can't remember, but it was Baptist of course. But I did feel better about going there on Sunday rather than staying up at the lake cottage. DJ: Do you remember much any of the churches outside of the towns? TD: Rock Prairie. Seem like it was a church down on Rock Prairie. I can recall some youth meetings some churches that went back and forth. The youth of my church would go down to Rock Prairie and have programs. DJ: Mrs. Gladys do you remember? GT: I grew up in Kurten as a Freewill Baptist well like I said there was a Missionary Baptist. One Sunday we had a preacher at our church and the nerd Sunday at their church. We met and just had Sunday School and the churches were real close and, anyway they don't even have a Baptist Church out there anymore. • Oral History Project Churches -jo BK: Wasn't Vacation Bible School always a time when Baptist attempted to get all the children in the neighborhood involved in church program? GT: Yes, I think some of the rural churches still do that like Grimes County, and Lions. DJ: Did ya'll ever have Vacation Bible School and summer programs? What do you remember about those? Mr. Gardener. FG: Well my children went to a lot of different churches of vacation bible school and it was a Baptist church here in College Station for years that our children attended. Quite a program. They went to Lutheran, Roman Catholic, they went to St. Thomas different years. This year I know St. Thomas is combining with St. Anthony's and I don't know what other churches are involved. But my children have now out -grown that and my grandchildren are not in this town and that's as far as I know about. I know vacation bible school is a summer league program city wide. It is very good. HP: When I was superintendent of the Beginner Department at the Vacation Bible School we would plant something and watched it grow. In little cartons and I forgot if it was a bean or something. • DJ: Beans were so easy to grow. (Laughter). What other type of things did the do? (Start Side B) y GT: DJ: That's what I'm thinking of • • Oral History Project Churches -ii- TD: In 1946 a group of the older people in the church think it was several, and two or three of us were seen over the older students, we went to Ridge Crest Baptist, there seems like it was about eighteen of us went from A &M and there were some from Baylor and we just had a great week in Ridge Crest, North Carolina. And Texas had alone four hundred representatives that would have there meals and two sessions and, since we had the most people they would always put us in first sessions. So TD: we could eat first. Then all the girls that went with all those students and boys with there uniforms on when they found out that we knew some Aggies. Everyone wanted to meet us. So they could meet Aggies through us. So we had a great, great time! DJ: And this was Ridge Crest North Carolina? TD: It was in June and we nearly froze to death. One of the students who had been there before said, "all of you take your jackets ". We all just sort of laughed, you know how hot in June it is here. We just kind of laughed, "he said" take your jacket, you must take something warm ". We would get up and put on our shoes and socks and then put on our slacks and then go to Sun rise service. It was so cold that we put on almost anything we could get on. (Laughter) I never will forget how cold it was but, we made it to all of the . services. Had a great time. We were in a cabin where the hot water heater wouldn't work all the time. We would have to take cold baths. That was not fun. DJ: Did they have any church summer camps around here, as far as anything that was associated? I know we're where I lived was a summer camp at (Inaudible) and at a Baptist church. Was there any summer camps like that around this area that the younger people went to? GT: I think there were but, I can't think of any. FG: I think there are now but, years ago I don't know. Camp Allen belongs to (Inaudible) of Texas. It's over 800 acres facility down in Navasota that is really well used in the summer months. DJ: In fact if I remember right Camp Huett is left over from World War II. It was part of the military. Military took it over and then (Inaudible). BK: Military never did take it over. Camp Huett was there. DJ: Did anyone from here ever go down there? Did you ever take trips like that? Do things like that with your church? • HP: Isn't the Fish Camp at a church? DJ: That's in Mexia. Everyone: (Inaudible) Oral History Project Churches -12 GT: That was a Methodist encampment there, where they have Fish Camp. DJ: Is there anything else you can remember about your church or stories you remember you would like to share? HP: Well, I was blessed to be able to donate items when we moved First Baptist of College Station to Welsh Avenue. They were talking about the things that they needed and, since I couldn't even hum very good and my daddy always wanted me to play the piano. Anyway so I thought it would be a nice thing more less in memory of my father to give the organ to the church, and I was proud of that. DJ: Mrs. Gladys do you have anything that you would like to add that you can think oP • GT: Nothing special. FG: It's just something you go to and you assume it's there whenever you need it. TD: That's right. FG: I bet I get a lot of comments from this one. George, Huebner is in the process of writing the history of St. Thomas. Our church was dedicated in 1938 quite a while ago, but he said the history goes back even further. The director in Rockdale the Rev. J.P. Love way back in the 30's, had raised $4,0000 to help hold church for what he called "Them Heathen Aggies" Religious chapel services were held on the A &M campus in the early 1920's. The various denominations had services in separate groups usually as clubs. Were talking about the 1920's and so in seventy years we've come along way in provided religious services, spiritual services for the students. • Oral History Project Churches -m- HP: Well, I would like to mention I don't know what year it was, but the black people built a Baptist Church on Holleman and, we had the Marion Pugh Lumber Company and so we built the church for them and I think it is still there and they still meet there every Sunday. I don't know what year that would have been but, I know when they finished the church my husband said well I want to give them something to show that I appreciate that they had us to built it for them. So we gave them song books. I don't' know, I wrote a scripture in each song book before we delivered it to them and, it was John 3 :16 but, I was just wondering if they were still using those books. (Laughter). At St. Matthews Baptist Church right on Holleman. DJ: Yea, right by the Lincoln Center. So your husband helped built that church? HP: Yea, he was the builder. DJ: And when was that built? HP: I don't remember. It must have been in the 50's or 60's, I can't remember. DJ: Is there anything you would like to add Mrs. Theo, something you can think of? • TD: Well it's been more than 55 years ago I think it's more things you forget (Laughter). I didn't know that I would be called to remember all of this. (Laughter). FG: I don't know if any of you are from out of Texas at all, but my wife and I are not from this part of the country. We were married in Medford, Massachusetts at a Episcopal Church in 1949. A couple of years ago we went back to see the church we married in. It was a beautiful stone structure. The wind is not going to blow it down, I guarantee you. But we went in and, the church itself the inside is in need of a great deal of repair. We visited several churches in the Northeastern areas and found a general need of facility repair. I think were really in a fortunate situation in Texas and this part of the country where spiritual growth is really something we expect. We look forward to it and we benefit from it. My heart goes to the people in some of these places that my wife and I grew up in where the spiritualism is not as active as it should be. We are very pleased with what we have here, but at the same time our heart goes out to facilities that we saw. L` • Oral History Project Churches -14- DJ: It also seems that in doing the background work for this because I was on the committee. It also seems that there has been especially in resent years a great interest in church history. You said that ya'll have written or in the process of writing a church history? FG: No, right now George, is presenting it at another one of these meetings. I came to hear him talk. DJ: And I know that St. Mary's, ya'll are doing it as well? GT: The First Baptist is in the process of doing their history. DJ: And St. Mary's is also in the process of doing a history. I do know that. Most of there congregation, of course, is under the age of twenty -five. They have been very interested in I know working with the Diocese in doing a history that they want to have complete by the time they have there Student Center built. It seems like there's a lot of interest in the church history. I know that Washington Chapel Baptist Church the black Baptist Church on Texas is working on there history and Pleasant Grove I believe is working something up because they got there (100th) reunion coming up, and there (100 • years old). HP: Is that on Texas Avenue? DJ: No, it's over on Detroit. It's back in that area off of Holleman. Now Washington Chapel is much older is well inexcessive over (100 years old) as well. I want to say 18 or 19, 1 don't remember when it was but, there in the process of writing the history of the church. That's interesting not only has the interest continued but, there also seems to be a interest in the history in maybe preserving some of the history of the church. HP: Another thing that we have I guess you call it a program Intercessory Prayer. With our little chapel it's just darling, and that's an addition to our church. DJ: And what type of chapel was that again? HP: Its Intercessory Prayer and, its just a darling little simple one room building with an entry hall and two stain glass windows that was on the same grounds as our church. FG: You know another area that's not associated with any particular church is a Break Away Group. I've got a granddaughter and a grandson involved. It started out with just a couple of Aggies over in a room and, now there talking about every week 2,000 or more. Aggie students get together and its not a denominational. They meet at a Baptist Church. G • Oral History Project Churches _j5_ DJ: They meet at Central Baptist because its the only place that's big enough to hold them and, they actually have two different sessions because they've gotten so big and, they can't have one session anymore. FG: I tell both of my grandchildren that its great as long as it doesn't take the place of there normal worship service, and it doesn't. They just get together and enjoy and evening of spirituality. My goodness 2.000 Aggies getting together that's a lot! I say the Aggies, but it's just that age group. DJ: And what's interesting its completely just students lead. FG: They put out CD's and tapes of there music. You've never heard of it? KR: No. DJ: It's very, very interesting. I found out about it by accident actual going to a meeting one day at Central Baptist for something else that we had a discussion group in the Life Center and it was like on a Tuesday, I believe it was. I go to the church and there's like a parking lot full of cars and its like 8:00 at night. What are all these people doing on Tuesday night and, at 8:00 that's what it was. The Break Away Group. • GT: I don't know whether this, is really history but, in our church well in all the Baptist Churches in this area has what they call a Discovery Program this is for international student wives and their children and I think we've had it for about fifteen -years or more like twenty. Anyway that's a real good program in our church. They have different interest groups. One of the main things is language. We have English teachers who teach English and beginners English and Advance English TD: Sometime they even teach them how to shop. GT: Yes, and take them around to the hospitals and to the different things they need to get aquatinted with in the community. DJ: Sounds like an interesting program. Well if there's anything else before we rap this up? I think we covered just about everything. FG: Well here's a Methodist. What have we said that doesn't apply to the Methodist? (Laughter). • • Oral History Project Churches -j6- KR: Everything is just totally, I mean just totally different. I was African Methodist Episcopal before I came here. My mother came here, well the church I go to is First United Methodist which is right by Washington Chapel where my Pastor is Rev. Polk, Sr. and I like the church, well I think all churches should be like this. You should come which ever way you are dressed, whatever way you look. You know you come to lift up just one person. God said it doesn't matter how you should come as long as you listen to the word. FG: That's right. KR: What I like about it is the first time I went there my pastor took off his tie, he took off his jacket and just said "come as you are ". I like it because we can wear jeans, it doesn't matter what you look like and you know we have a mixed congregation. Were having more A &M students come now. I think he is trying to reach more of the young kids because some of the people we have, have been there for such a long time. You know it's not that many Methodist Churches in College Station or Bryan, so its pretty hard for us to inter -act with different churches. I think so many of us are caught up in this is what Methodist do, this is what Baptist do, this is what Pentecostal do. DJ: One of the things I don't know if any of you have heard this but, it wasn't that long • ago but, when St. Thomas Aquinas, we built actually a sanctuary church which opened, I'm trying to think. It must have been about 19911 believe it was. We finished the church out on the bypass. We finished it a week early before the Cardinal came. We had the Cardinal come to bless the church for the first service. But the week before we finished early. We actually got the organ in, we have a pipe organ we decided to do something special a little bit special. All of the churches and all of the congregations were invited for a service, and in fact St. Thomas I can't remember what his name was he was the Youth Chaplain gave a organ concert on the pipe organ he and Father Pat Zorick, both just played beautifully for about an hour in a half and we had probably about twen different p astors I think it was about seven or eight denominations and a church full of people of all denominations and colors We had a prayer service which was a really interesting concept to do. I don't think that has been done here in the recent past. That was a interesting evening because people kind of stuck together and weren't quite sure how to interact with each other at the beginning of the evening. By the time the concert was over and a short prayer service was over and we started into the Perish Hall to look at all the food that we had to share that it was a really nice experience and that it was kind of like I said a interesting thing that we had all of the different churches. I want to say I know it was a row that they did a half circle on the alter area and as close as they could get the church together that's how many pastors they had. It had to be at least twelve or fifteen pastors together from all the different churches in College Station so that was kind of interesting. • • • Oral History Project Churches -17- Well I would like to thank you all for coming and participating and what will be doing is will be getting back together with you to let you look at the transcript. It does take a while to get these done, like I said its not the easiest thing in the world. Its not the easiest thing to type something up from a tape. What they'll do is send it to you if you could End of Session. 11 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. -> C� - LAbV,5 7 Interviewe (Please print) try -y,,J Signature f Interviewee Name Address p /dJX /- A& K Telephone 3 '�— Date of Birth Place of Birt I iewer (Please Print) Signature of Int 'ie er f i Place of Intervi INTERVIEW STATUS: Completed List of Photos, documents, maps, etc. 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. 7 Y7 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. Interviewee (Please print) Signature of Interviewee Name J Address ?� �6-�c Telephone Date of Birth / o / ,o Place of Birth (Please Print) Signature of Interviewer Place of Inte iew INTERVIEW STATUS: Completed List of photos, documents maps, etc. 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. `77s 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. A raj y� Int i w ( as , print) Signature of nterviewee Name Add s ry Telephone Date of Birth / --d-� Place of Birth r1*At t) Signature of Interviewer Place of int INTERVIEW STATUS: Completed List of photos, documents, maps, etc. In progress mtervrewee 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. 4 . Da Init .al 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. _ - t��� Interviewee (Please print) Signature of Interviewee Name -32--13 72��/ Address Telephone Date of Birth 05�7' /!L Place of Birth Interviewer (Please Print) Signature of Interviewer tC � +,-4 Place o nterview INTERVIEW STATUS: Completed List of photos, documents maps, etc. 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 - 2 1 "e- Initial The City of College Station, Texas Memory Lanes Ora/ History Project INTERVIEW AGREEMENT 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. with I have read the above and voluntarily offer my portion of the interviews 4. S. q t 11. 6. 12 In view of the scholarly value of this research material, I hereby assign rights, title, and interest pertaining to it to The City of College Station Historic Preservation Committee and Confer ce Center Advi qry Committee. on Interviewer (signature) Date Int rviewer (Please Print) (Name of Interviewee)