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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSouth Side Panel Group 06Group 6 Bill Scoates Charles Haltom Willie Belle Johnson Dorcus Haltom Moderator: Transcriptionist: Interview Group: South Side Memory Lane March 24, 1995 Ellen Horner Pam Einkauf Bill Scoates Charles Haltom Dorcas Haltom Willie Belle Johnson A few things recorded here to begin with, my name is Ellen Barwitz Horner. I taught school at the junior high school under the name Ba witz. Today is March 24, 1995. I am interviewing for he first time Bill Scoates, Willie Belle Johnson, Charles Halton, your not going to be interviewed? Sure you are, and Charles's wife Dorcas Halton. This interview is takiig place in room 106 of the College Station Conference Center Station, Texas. his interview is sponsored by the Historic Preservation Committee and the Conference Center Advisory Committee of the City of College Station, Texas. It is part of the Memory Lan Oral History Project. Right now I would like for each of Belle we'll start Willie Belle Johnson Charles Haltom W. D. Bill Scoates Dorcas Haltom and I'm Pam Eink.uf and David Gerlin running the camera at 1300 George Bush Drive, College ou to introduce yourselves. And Willie with you, introduce yourself. Ellen - ok the fi st thing I would like to ask each of you is, how long have you been in the College Station area? How long have you bee a resident? Willie Belle - I ived in Bryan all my life. I worked at A &M for 28 years Charles Haltom - 's what? Willie Belle - In the architecture building with Mr. Ernest Langford. Ellen - O.K. Char Willie Belle - Do Bill - I took a Willie Belle - I Langford as a secretary. Ellen - And your dad was? es. you remember him? ourse under him in 1935, '31. started work out here in 1932, with Mr. Charles- I was b.rn and raised in Bryan, I attended Texas A &M in 1938. My dad worked in the chemistry department for about 35 years. 2 • Charles - T.H. Ha tom Ellen - O.K., Dorcas? Dorcas - I was bo n and raised in Bryan. Married Charles 52 years ago. Then w back to Bryan to retire Ellen - And Bill? Ellen - Well befo talking to Mary J you've been here the house on the Quality Road. I It's so long ago were in the service for 28 years. Came Bill - I'm Bill S oates. I came to Bryan, I mean College Station in 1919. So I've been here 75 years that will be in September. We ca e from Mississippi State. I was born in Mississippi state and my father had been there for 9 years. And he came over here, head of Ag engineering dept. e when you first came in, Bill, you were ne and me about where you lived. I think he longest, lets start with you. Bill - O.K. We came here in 1919 and we had a short stay in Bryan, our furniture had to be shipped. And they gave us campus, at the end of what they call don't know what street you call it now. since I've stayed up there. 3 Ellen - Now you said that they, that means the officials at the university? The university gave it to Bill - Yea, the u iversity. So it was the it was supposed to belong to the etimology department. But Dr. , head of the department wa not married, and it had been used by Dr. F and his wife died. But its the house that is on the corner of Bush an Pershing right there. It was like I said it was an apartme t. Most of the houses on the campus were dedicated to a de artment of some sort. The head of the department, he ha a house. And if you went up the road there you'd find ut that we were the ones on the west side and then the Waltons were the second one. Later became president. The n xt one belonged to the house, the Ag experiment statio , Then if you came back on the east side of the house, there was the Frants and then the next one was Dr. Ball and then across the street, north, Rev. Matthews, leader of the religous things. See we had no churches here. Sunday school we had chapel and they'd march all the students in the hapel. And then the next one was the commandants and he house on the corner belong to the military. I don't know who lived in that house Ellen - Now when Bill - Yes. 4 Ellen - Can you gve us some memories of how school was like? Bill - Oh yes. Well, the first year I was here I went to school right ther on campus in the ag building. The ag building and I flunked the first grade. Ellen - Did they old you back? Bill - Yea. So ti en they built that white building that some of you reme her right behind. Between Dr. Ball's house and Dr. Reverend i atthews, they went east, they built a school there. I was two story and everything including, I guess the high school, I am not sure. They had a high school. I went hrough that to get my elementary school diploma. Ellen - O.K. let's turn to Willie Belle here for a minute. Willie Belle whe did you first, were you born in this area? Willie Belle - Yea I was born in Bryan. Ellen - Born in $ryan, O.K. Willie Belle - I have always lived in Bryan. I worked in • the town in Brya for about 15 years and then I came to 5 Cr" college in 1932 a secretary. Yes, I remember some of the talking about. I also remember that my e building that lived school in that sa college. You see Station that was Ellen - Who was your grandfather? Willie Belle -An rew Jackson Tabor. And many times the students would walk from College Station there to his farm and sometimes granddaughter th It was Do you Do you before g remember remember Architecture dep Caudell went on lot further back dairy foreman ou lived on the cam his family on campus. They had just a little one room school house on Campus at that time. And that's where his children went to Ellen - And what d I was working for Mr. Langford as y grandfather owned a farm in College about two miles from college. in his watermelons. Grandpa Jabor had a t graduated from Consolidated School here. they built what they called the Chicken. hen they called them Little Chicken Houses? hose little ones? An instructor in the rtment named designed those. William o larger things from a pm can. I remember a than that. I had an uncle that was the here and that was in the 1900's. They us. He was killed by a bull. He raised school. was his name? things, he's been cousin went to on Farm Halow in 6 C Willie Belle - Co Bill - No. Willie Belle - We Bill - It was the Station. They w Willie Belle - and was living Bill - Ethel Walton. t Smoot. Ellen - O.K., was Coot his given name or a nickname? Willie Belle - Hi name was Coot Smoot. The school was moved on campus t• that building that you are talking about. Charles - Yea the, took... Willie Belle - Entimology? 11 it was... • Willie Belle - Yes I knew her. head quarters for the Ag Experiment re only there one or two years. I ask... is where it was when my cousin graduated the farm. Bill - I ask, see we've got another one around here, Ethel Walton, she is still alive? 7 Willie Belle - My brother who was a Bill - Turner Hil Bill - Yea Turner Ellen - Was that Walton? large man, but h. wanted somebody t could get up and little boy said, Willie Belle - I president. Going dairy barn for cattle. And owned by Mr. Coo just a pasture. cousin went to school Ethel Walton's doctor, Dr. T.T. Walton. Willie Belle - His son was also a doctor. , I knew him well. Bill - Dr. Walton came here as the head of the ag extension service or no, yda and he later rose to president. He was a s claim to fame was that whenever you o speak just call on Dr. Walton. And he put you to bed. Those words were like a they really didn't mean a whole lot. But he was a real nige man and he did a good job as president came out here to work while he was back to my uncle Coot, and the dairy, the was located where the Administration building is now. The one that faces the highway. All of that was area then College View across Farm Road was er it was all vacant it wasn't anything but That was before your time. 8 Bill - The Colleg Willie Belle - Ye Bill - Oh yea. Willie Belle - T man, Cooper. He was a great gambler. He owned a lot of property, down t•wards Navasota and in Brazos County. Of course I didn't •o to school out here, I went to school in Bryan, I started school in Bryan I guess in 1905. Lamar School is now kn.wn as Fannin. We lived on 29th street in the 6th grade, a d I had to go to the west side because we had moved to the west side. The next year we had to come back to the high school. It was the same old building, not the one that was built before this, it was the oldest building. I have a picture of the graduates of that school of one year. I think Charles's aunt Hattie graduated from that school. Ellen - And what View. Did you have any particular. across the highway. at was, most of that belonged to an old do you remember about the students at A &M? • Willie Belle - Well, of course I didn't know much about the students. I was a little girl at my grandfather's farm. Sometimes the students would walk from college to his place 9 and get in his wa walked from Colle they used to have Ellen - Sand batt Willie Belle - Sham Battles they called them. I don't know whether anybody i It was down military, what do they call that down towards the tower? Ellen - The drill field. Willie Belle - That was the drill field. There wasn't anything on one side of the drill field. They'd have the Sham Battles eac1 side. I can just remember a little of that, but I thou4ht that was exciting. Charles - I am jst wanting someone to clarify the times, was that before he 1920's? Willie Belle - W Bill - That's be Willie Belle - 0 ermelon patch. And some of my folks have e Station to grandpa's. I remember when Sham Battles out here. es? s living that remembers those or not. 11 sure. It was in 1900. ore they built Hollywood. I guess it was, yes. 1 0 Bill - By the tim C Willie Belle - Thy had houses all around the ball field for faculty. Bill - Probably cut that out because it got too dangerous with blanks. Willie Belle - My first president wiat was his name? L.S.R. Charles - Ross. Willie Belle - R those dormitorie Bill - He was bu Willie Belle - Arid they moved that little cemetery across the railroad on the west side. Bill - By where Duncan Hall is. I remember that cemetery out there, yea. Ellen - Well where is it now? Bill - It's moved across... these people know what Hollywood is... uncle was buried out here and what was the ss and my uncle were buried out there where are. What do they call those dormitories? ied about where Duncan Hall is. 11 • Willie Belle - Th0y moved it across from the railroad. Charles - Wellborn Road. Ellen - Right, but is it there now? Charles - No. Willie Belle - I really don't know. Bill - No, they moved all that. They had to move it on account of that they put the new area they... Ellen - Did they Ellen - O.K. Bill - No, its a .eparate cemetery. Its on the other side of the railroad, about... Willie Belle - I eally don't know, I was always wondering. ove them to the College Station cemetery? Ellen - Is that o' the road going out to Easter wood? Bill - No it's on Wellborn Road. 12 • Bill - You go down there to some where in that area and there's a road that goes something like this and its on the right side. Just Ellen - That woul there or not. Ellen - There ar s soon as you get across the railroad. be south of 2818? Willie Belle - I don't know if there is any identification Bill - They're trying to get A &M into a Cemetery. Ellen - Is that north or south of 2818? Bill - It's. . Willie Belle - It's kind of west. Bill - Just the o her side of the railroad. Its about a mile, a mile and a half or maybe two miles on the north side of 2818. wonder where it as in relation. lot of apartments there now and I just Bill - I haven't been out there in a long time. It was one of the few openi gs over by the railroad tracks below where the train stops. Where the train stops at will you go down 13 • there, and its abut the only opening there and then I think it goes clear on all those rigs th David Gerling - I 's right there just of Marian Pugh right there where there's a dirt road. I think it's right there where by that old railroad crossing that they took out, because that girl got killed there and they closed it. But there's not a rai road crossing there, but it's that dirt road just to the outh of that current train station. Ellen - You know own to 2818. To the west, but they moved re during '39. where it is? David - In fact, I stumbled across it. I guess there's three head stones and a little bit of an iron fence still left. It doesn't look like anybody has done anything to it in years. Bill - They had to do that, when they built that new area up there in 1939. David - Was that in '39 when they moved? Bill - Yes, it must have been in '39. 14 • Willie Belle - M . Langford was instrumental in getting this cemetery here fo• College Station. My grandfather and grandmother and ncle are buried right there. Shiloh. Ellen - The one •hat your talking about? Willie Belle - Yes, Cory Cemetary now. Ellen - The one on, College Station Cemetery? Willie Belle - It's on the other side of what they call Ellen - My first husband is buried there. Bill - Did they, they have a Shiloh club in there? Willie Belle - I really didn't know. Bill - That was Willie Belle - I Bill - Did they fraternal organization. didn't know if it was that. ave any burying? Willie Belle - Well, most of the Bohemians and the Checks and a few colored people. 1 5 Charles - Did they bury people there by the Shiloh? Ellen - That property originally belonged to the Methodist Church. Wille Belle - Tholt was the only place to bury people, down this part of the county, I mean from College Station. That was the main cemetery. Bill - Where, the Shiloh? Willie Belle - Ix Shiloh, the main cemetery. It wasn't called Shiloh at Bill - I didn' in there while t Willie Belle - Y Bill - You see t that time. that's what I'm asking did they bury people e Shiloh club. s, I imagine so. There was a dance club further west which was called Shiloh. ere was a church there and there was a fraternal organization both? Willie Belle - Well, that was later. • Ellen - You're beyond me, I know where it is. 16 Willie Belle - T e Kreneks later years had a home right across the stree from the cemetary. They had a real pretty home. John Stas y taught the first school and it was in a little frame school house near that location. My older brothers went there to school for a short time. That was around where the Krenek home was. Bill - The only ay you could get to it would be to go out what is now 6 bu highway 6 in those days was nothing but a dirt road. Willie Belle - That's what it was. I've see Mr. Cooper and his wife with his big white horse and buggy drive down it many times. Bill - And there there. Willie Belle - They use to call it a Branch. It borders on my grandfather's farm. They call it now something else what do they call than Ellen - There's Willie Belle - I was dirs from way over here clear down bee creek that goes through there. s slighted down from where my grandfather i lived, I've been down to the creek many times. 17 • Bill - That was Willie Belle - I It doesn't look Willie Belle - N but they were no settled over the grandfather came the one child, m voting precinct too. don't suppose anybody remembers all that. amiliar to me at all now. It use to have a little negro church down there on the corner of grandfather's property. Ellen - Now what was your grandfather's name? Willie Belle - Apdrew Jackson Tabor. Ellen - O.K. now that was Tabor for Tabor Road? , they might have been distantly related really close kin. Grandfather Tabor e about 1876. I was born in 1896. My over here from Georgia in 1873 and just had mother. She remembers coming over in wagons and by train and by boat to Texas. They settled over near Chrisman. That's a little place, just a wide place, in the road near Caldwell. They nearly starved to death. There was nothing they could do, and my mother, I often heard her say I don't know why we moved from Georgia. We had a nice home and 4 good well of water and we came over here and we had to drink tank water. She use to tell that with a lot of gusto. 18 yaw Helen- Do you think she really meant it? Willie Belle - W 11, she may have . I went back to Georgia at one time with Charles. He took us over there and we passed the place where my mother used to live, they had good water over there and Texas didn't have good water until later on I guess, I don't know. Helen - We still don't have very good water. Willie Belle - Helen - It still the water where they were was terrible. Willie Belle - Bu A &M doesn't get their water on campus. The main water is out some miles from A &M. Dorcas- She alway had a good relationship with the students in the architectu e department. Helen - Did the students come to you for all kinds of advice? Willie Belle - Well more or less, I was just sort of a big sister, because I boys. That was o was older than girls that were dating the e of the reasons Mr. Langford wanted an 19 • older woman was because he had one girl in the office, he said wouldn't stay in the office. I didn't know any better so I stayed in the office and answered the phone. It was a nice place to work. Good people to work for or with. Helen - How large was the department then? Do you remember? Willie Belle - Well, just guessing, it was not more than 200 or so students. A freshman class of 50 to 60 students and then I don't know. Some would drop out during the year. Helen - Now Bill lets return to you for a minute. What was your occupation when you were in your adult years? Bill - My occupation, I finished A &M as an Ag engineer. I taught two years at Tarleton then I went to Iowa State and got my masters degree. Then I came home and worked for my dad and he died in 1939. I went to work for rural education administration in Richmond, DC and then after one year of what they called apprenticeship or training they put me in Nebraska, Wyomin We traveled, my went. And huh w Mexico and then , as a Depot turnbic irrigation specialist. ife and I. We were married just before we traveled all down there to west Texas, New rizona. and huh we were... Helen - And when did you return to College Station? 20 • Bill - In 1946, after serving 3 and 1/2 years in the Air Force, as a meteorological weather but I was always at the University o Chicago where we built two instruments that are still b ing used today. So then I went to work for the engineering experiment station and ones of the jobs they gave me was that of testing fans and from that, since 1946, that's all I've ever done is work with fans & one that are still active still out a company in Shreveport now. We build fans for cooling towers and all sorts of stuff. And I have a small business here, I built all the patterns and do all the engineering. Ellen - Are these mostly industrial fans? Bill - Yes, cooling towers and industrial . Its a good . But do you want to get back to what the college part looked like? Ellen - Sure do. Bill - Well, my father there was the Birches, I don't know what his first name was, father Willie Belle - F. B. Clark? Bill - F B Clark and. . & Lancaster, the Dr & my 21 Willie Belle - Hensel's. . Bill - No there was only five and they bought from the Hardlicka's yeah they bought 60 acres as a rectangular tract. Willie Belle - Did Clark buy that from Hardlicka? Bill - These five men did. They formed what you'd call the South side Development Company and they developed through those 60 acres. It starts just over there the other side of the church to the park. Ellen - Now which church? Bill - The Episcopal. Ellen - Oh St. Thomas Episcopal. Bill - St. Thomas is not on the College park property and it goes clear acros Ellen - Fairview? s over to Fairfield Bill - Fairview and they went clear back in there and then the south corner. They took out of the south corner a tract 22 let • • of land, right on the highway. I don't know how many acres, but not very many and they let Lincoln build houses on that corner, on that tract of land. Ellen - Over there where Lincoln Center is now? Willie Belle - Where that first school was built? Bill - No, Linco Park that lit and another several people. My father built at least three houses and they paid them off. One of them, when they got a divorce, they actually went in there and saved the house in half. Ellen - Is that still here? n center is beyond College Park College le name of & financed it for them Bill - Yeah, you go over there I bet that house is still there, but they actually did it. They had a little community over there and they'd sing and they'd dance and I mean they had a church. They had a little church there. But then when they we had built a lake there. The lake had been built at the time that we bought the property and they built a lake. College Park Lake. But there was a place right in front of where Bill Lancaster lives. That was it sloped off real easy and it was just right and the 23 • colored people came over there and ask permission to have their... Willie Belle - What did they ever do with that little lake? Bill - They cut it. Ellen - Is that where Brison park is now? Bill - Yes. Ellen - That's where the lake was? Bill - They'd go in there and have their dunkings for whatever purpose they wanted, they'd get out there and sing stand in the water and they'd come out hollering. Great fun. Ellen - Willie Belle, sorry do you remember that? Willie Belle - I remember that little lake and I remember F.B. Clark's home faced that lake too? Bill - Yeah it faced the lake and. . Willie Belle - There was another family. • 24 • Bill - Well, what happened was that later on, Gib Gilchrist he found out that we didn't have a health permit to build that lake, some state law that he dug up and it's a bigger problem right now than it was then, but I've seen that lake completely frozen over to where they skated'on it but I saw McHughes, he was a big man and we had about 1 1/2 inches of ice, which you could see him skating on it and that ice would go down like this as he skated. Willie Belle - I didn't know they ever did that. Bill - I think it was in the 20's. Willie Belle - Must have been in 1920's. Bill - Yeah it was in the 20's. It just wasn't no fun when it happened over a few days it froze. But it was a nice lake, we use to go fishing in it. Willie Bell - Well, who built the little log cabin that was out there, Maria Haines had a office there, art office. Bill - And Dr. Clark built that and that's the one of the first that had been built. That was one of the first houses that was there. That house and... I, Willie Belle - And that log cabin is still there? 25 Bill - No it's been gone about 4 or 5 years. It was built by the Czech's. There was a bunch of Czechs and Dubovanys moved in. I don't think Dubovany had any problems had built that... • Willie Belle - The Zaks. Bill - Zaks Oh yeah, probably the Zaks. Willie Belle - And I have a little post card, a water color painting that Marie Haines did of the first chapel. I imagine they'd have some of that in the main library. I don't know it's just a little postcard size of the first chapel that was here & I've been to it when they had their commencement exercises. In those days, commencement exercises was one exciting time for the country people to come. And I've gone there and seen the graduates, and then the next thing they had was in the Farmers Congress they called it, later in the summer. That was another thing that was like a festival. The people from surrounding counties brought cattle and things for prizes like they have now at what they call the festivals. They didn't have a rodeo but they had other kinds of things. I think they still have a horse calvary out here. Bill- Yes. 26 c • - Its out on 2818 Bill - Now that chapel that you're talking about. Willie Belle - Well that was the first one built on campus. Bill - Yeah I know and I was in it. Do you know what they used it for later? A rifle range. Willie Belle - What? Bill - A rifle range. Willie Belle - Well they may have. I've wondered if Guion Hall built in about that same location? Bill - Yeah Guyden Hall was built and huh that building is right almost smack across Guyden Hall. It's where there's a dormitorio there now. They tore it down, its on this end of Military Walk on the East Side. It face west and it was on Military Walk and it was huh two story thing, down stairs they had like a church inside. Willie Belle - And what do you call it, towers or something? 27 Bill - On the inside it was a church and then they, put up on the top it was all open and they'd go dancing up there I guess. Ellen - Do you know who Guyden Hall was name after? Guyden Hall was named after David Guyden, who was one of the early Texas day composers. Bill - It was the biggest, it seated about 2500 people. It was the biggest place between Houston and Dallas in the central Tx area where you could gather people together. Ellen - And it stood where Rudder Center is now. The Memorial Student Center. Bill - It was right smack on the end of Military Walk. You went right down Military Walk into it and they every Sunday morning they'd put them out in uniform and they'd put them in there. Then the only thing you'd wonder about they looked kind of stuffy you know. And when they'd get in there well they had a collar up like this... Bill - That stopped, I don't know when, I don't really know when they stopped marching in there. It's when the churches started building around here they discontinued the chapel. It must have around 1935 or something. 28 Ellen - Well you know you mentioned that you were here in 1832 you started what was, I mean 1932, excuse me I've been through so much genealogy that I'm back in the 18th century. Do you remember any of the effects of the depression on this area, and maybe in particular on the school? Willie Belle - Well, yes because that was before the World War One. Ellen- It was right after World War One....the crash in '29. Willie Belle - Well I wasn't out here then of course but I knew the campus pretty well because we visited out here a lot. My mother knew the first teachers, some that were out here, some of their daughters were good friends and that was...where did they, what did they call that where the professors lived in old houses? Bill- They called it Quality Road... Willie Belle - What? Bill - Quality Road. Willie Belle - That's where the faculty families lived, in those old houses. 29 • Bill- They called it because that's where the..that's where the people that really run the college were they lived there... Willie Belle - There were five teachers, professors or whatever you want to call them and they were all fired at one time but then they... Mr. Langford has written a reminiscence about when the A &M started and it's probably in the library I don't know whether he brings that out or not But I've heard my mother saying....that... Charles- To answer your question, you asked of her.. Ellen - About the depression? Bill - About the depression. A &M was extremely fortunate because of this two year budgeting. It got started just, the depression started after the second the two year budget was approved. And so in other words during the 20's the salaries went up. My father, I think, came here when he was earning about $1800 dollars a year and he was head of the department. And it was going a little bit up... but I think that the last one before the early 30's, he was making about 4000. Ellen- Well that was a lot of money.. 30 Bill - That was a lot of money in those days and it carried over those two years. Willie Belle - There was nine months where they just had nine months of a salary.... Bill - Lots of the constructors, lots of the associates. Willie Belle - Some of the. . Bill - They were all on nine months basis, I know when I taught, I taught for nine months, a 150 dollars a week, uh a month for nine months, that's what I got. Ellen- It's only until recent... Bill - And that was in '35 and '36. Ellen - It's only recent years to where they've gone until a department has a twelve month salary. Bill - Oh, most of these departments, most of the heads of the departments were on twelve months basis and most of the constructors or others were on a nine months basis. Then they all had summer school you could teach an extra.. 31 (ir Ellen- Mr. Langford taught all the courses? Did he teach all the courses? Willie Belle- Yes, he had to because there weren't very many. I had a picture of the first senior class sitting around the Ross's statue. They got their picture taken and there were six men in that class during World War II. Ellen- O.K. let's talk for a few minutes to Charles. Were youngsters aren't we? Charles- Well I can't add too much to it because I've seen my dad work in the chemistry department. I guess he got his job there in the early 20's. He was a technical administrator, he bought all the supplies. And I used to visit him before I started A &M and I remember the old, old chemistry building it was just an old wooden rounded building. There were terrible smells in there from all the chemicals. Bill- The one on the other side of the library? Charles- Yeah about that location and I remember when they were tearing that down and were going to build them a new one which I think was completed about '38 or '39 or something. It was known for a... 20 years after that maybe C r later as the "new" chemistry building of course now they 32 have additional buildings. I was in ROTC out here when I entered in 1938 and uh we used to uh, Willie Belle was talking about mock battles over there on the campus and we used to go out here in this area of what's now in front of the Academic Building and the golf course which was an old scrub brush area filled, sandy, dirty, that's where we did our combat training out there in that area most everybody else did it in late spring and early fall and it was pretty bad but uh that's about all I can remember. A &M was a fairly small and we'd all walk to our classes in one place to the other and it wasn't a problem at all to get to your classes and now they've expanded across (Side II)... I don't recall too much, my main purpose was to bring Willie Belle here this morning. Bill - Uh Oh. Ellen- What's the matter Bill? Bill- It was closed. Ellen- Well I mean it was not Bill -There were gates at the North gate, there was a gate at the East Gate. Ellen- That's way before my time... 33 c c. • Willie Belle - They always called it the North gate and the East Gate. Bill- Yeah or the West Gate West Gate. Ellen- Well these were checkpoints then? Bill- Yeah. Ellen- And you had to have a password to get by? Bill- Uh I came in there, I don't remember, I know it was before an SMU game.Now I came in there and I was driving a Ford it was, a Ford maybe and uh I came in that North gate area and it looked to be clear then all of the sudden the minute I got to that gate there was about 50 cadets there, and they just jerked me right out of that thing and I had to.. I had to identify myself real good and I don't mean maybe. Ellen- They were afraid that some of those Texas- Exes.... Bill- No, SMU boys... Ellen- Oh O.K. SMU boys... 34 • S Bill - Would jump over there and cause some problems and uh I don't know whether they did or not but I uh I don't know whether what I had on me that convinced them that I wasn't anything. Willie Belle - You remember when the students stopped the train out here and going to Bryan on the train. Bill - I never saw them do that Willie Belle - They did on April Fools day, especially. Bill- Oh yeah I wouldn't doubt that. I wouldn't doubt that a bit in the world. And they had other tricks with the train, see they'd go on a corps trip and they wouldn't be, they didn't have any money. The students didn't have any money to go places. So they finally got the railroad and there's some, some one of them, uh they leased uh train with uh uh what they called a side door pullman, it was cattle cars, the side door pull was. They'd go somewhere, out to Baylor I think or something like that but they, the railroad told them to close it because somebody might get hurt , but it was actually it was like that happened and they they were a lot of fun people doing stuff like that. 35 Ellen- When were those gates removed? "Cause when I came, S I've only been here since '71 and there weren't any gates here....So I was Bill- No they've been gone. this time. just wondering when.. Willie Belle- They built the Methodist Church and Presbyterian Church and Baptist Church and the Catholic Church... Bill - They moved. . . the churches went up there and so then the college and then applied the , each one of the churches had their own pastor for the students and then they'd usually have another pastor for the congregation. Ellen - Campus ministers, they still have that. Bill - And that started let me see , I think back in '46. Willie Belle - It must have started before then. Bill- Yeah well I mean I'm trying to count back uh Norman Anderson had been in that church for 29 years and Willie Belle - I did a little typing for Mr. Burgess during 36 Bill - So I don't know that... Charles -.... must have been gone before World War II because I was class of '42 and it was in '38 Bill- They were torn down. . Willie Belle - Well, W.S., my younger brother, finished in '37. Charles- 1930's or late 20's. Bill- I think the one on the West side stayed longer than the one on Northgate. There wasn't a whole lot of traffic in the one on the West side. About the... Willie Belle- Well they had a little grocery store and a little variety store at North gate. I remember going down there and I used to walk from the Academic Building down to the Post Office and I'd have to get exchange money and all to pay for foreign books. Post Office was down there too. Bill- Oh yeah the main Post Office down by the train station. Willie Belle - Mrs. McGuire or Post Mistress. 37 `r Bill - Yeah, but • over there. Willie Belle - I thought so... Bill - You really did. he had good service, she had good service Willie Belle - Ohl yeah, and then they had the first telephone office out here and was in the old Gathrite building. They had a little room there and had set up for phones and everything. We lived in Bryan nearby the woman, her name was Johnson, but we weren't related. And she worked at that telephone booth, until retiring. They just had the one woman there. Ellen - Was there a switchboard there? Willie Belle - A what? Ellen - A switchboard? Willie Belle - Yes. She worked at the switchboard, and that was in old Gathrite Hall. Charles - Do you know what year that started? What year? 38 C Willie Belle - Oh heavens no, That's years ago, I don't know. It was in the 1920's. That was disposed of of course. Bill - Well then there was....the other thing that you see you had two railroads, the SP went right straight on where it is now. But the Engine came in on this side and crossed over about where the baseball park is now and they had a tower there. Willie Belle - Yes. Bill - This is where we would get Western Union telegrams and during the off hours they had a telegram for, Western Union had a little office somewhere, oh it was up at the train station so then we, if you wanted to send a telegram you had to go down to the tower. Ellen - Willie Belle, we would like to get your parents names. Willie Belle - William Samuel Johnson and Lydia Tabor, she just had one name. And her father was A.J. Tabor. He married right after the Civil War, he was in the Civil War. I have his picture. Ellen- O.K., and how many brothers or sisters do you have? 39 Willie Belle - Three brothers, one, the younger is living, and the eldest, I had one sister, Charles' mother. Ellen - O.K. that was another question, what is your relationship to Charles? Willie Belle - His mother was my sister. Ellen - And what did your father do? Willie Belle - First, he was a Singer machine agent in Bryan, they didn't have retirements or anything like that. Ellen - He quit. Willie Belle - Yes and had bought some lots on the west side of town and that was on the wrong side of the tracks. Ellen - That's right. Willie Belle- But he built an old frame house over there in 1909. And that's when we had to go to Bowie School. Mr. Bethany was our teacher. So then the next year we had to go back to Eastside. We had to walk back and forth from school to this school over here. Ellen- O.K., you said you were born in Bryan? 40 c Willie Belle - Yes. Ellen - O.K. were you born in a hospital or at home? Willie Belle - Oh no, in 1896 they didn't have hospitals around here. I had a real good black mammy. She was with my mother for four of her children. She was a good woman. A lot of years in between there. Ellen- O.K., now Dorcas, we would like to have your maiden name. C Dorcas - Higgs. Dorcas Higgs. Ellen - Would you spell that for us? Dorcas - H I- G -G -S. My mother's name was Maggie and my father's name was Wylie. Ellen - Wylie was her first name? Dorcas - Wylie was his first name. W- Y- L -I -E. Ellen - Now were they from this area? 41 Dorcas - Yes. I was born at 604 East 24th Street in Bryan. And I went to school to the you know, Bryan schools. Travis and I went to Bowie School and I was with the first graduating class from the new high school. Which is Stephen F. Austin, now, yeah Stephen F. Austin. I have fond memories of A &M because of Charles, we dated four years before we were married, and our son Robert went to A &M and graduated from A &M, '71. And he has a son Christopher that graduates this May. Ellen - Now what were their majors? What was your son's major? Dorcas - What was Robert? Charles - Business and Marketing. Dorcas - And Chris is? Charles - Industrial Distribution. Dorcas - I forget all of these titles. I just want to get them through. Charles - Industrial Distribution. Willie Belle - And that's Chris? 42 Dorcas - Yeah. Ellen - And what did your father, what kind of business was he in? Dorcas - My father was a farmer. He owned land out in the Brazos Bottom. He also worked for the American Steam Laundery which was down in old Bryan for many years, but he was primarily a farmer. Ellen - Did he farm, what did he farm? Dorcas - He had cotton and maize and cattle. Charles - He was a big vegetable grower. Dorcas - Yeah. And that type of thing. Ellen - Did he have a gin on his property? Or did he have to. • Dorcas - No, no. Took the cotton down to Steele Store which is down in the Brazos Bottom. And we still own some land in the Bottom down there. We always called it the Bottom. 43 Ellen - Well sure, that's what it is. O.K., I believe that takes care of that, now did you have any brothers or sisters? Dorcas - I have a sister. She's still with me. And we have, we have three children. Two daughters and a son and eight grandchildren and two great - grandchildren. And Charles and I, I say I because I was with him, we were traveling around over the country in the Air Force for 28 years. They were very interesting years of our life and he was a prisoner of war of the Germans and when he retired from the Air Force, we chose to come back to Bryan because his mother was still living here and we had the property so I guess I. . Willie Belle - Dorcas' mother died when in England. Dorcas - Yeah. Mother died when we lived in England. Father died when we lived in Germany. Ellen - This area, being a newcomer, I'm really kind of an infant here, but it seems to have a magnetism that draws people back to it. Dorcas - I kind of think so. Like we lived all over the world and I think out of every state in the United States, and we often said well, why did we come back to Bryan? You know? Why did we come back? 44 Ellen - Well, you didn't come back for the weather, but you came back for the people. Dorcas - Why? You know. Why didn't? Why in the world did we come back to Bryan? But I think you're right, it was home. Bill - We have the best weather around here there is. Ellen - I was going to ask you Bill, something about the weather. Have you noticed have you noticed any appreciable change in the weather patterns from many years ago today, C r it's not warmer today than it was? Bill - No.No. The changes come in the cubicles we live in. Ellen - Our homes with the air conditioning. Bill - Well, you take that old house I talk about we live in. That booger where it was off the ground, it was up off the ground high enough where the kids could crawl under it. I mean, and when they hazed the students, we could hear them boom boom boom underneath that house They would haze the freshmen and they'd come running down there and crawl under our house and stay there 'till morning. But that one had a 45 single plank floor in it and you talk about getting awfully cold. That's the difference I think. Ellen - Well, you'd mentioned that the lake over there had ice on it. I don't think we would have ice today. Bill - No that's unusual. What I'm saying, there are unusual things in the weather that can, but I think what I know about this area here, we've only been experienced two tornadoes that I know anything about. One of them that these people don't know anything about. It happened, it happened before 1924. I know and the Ag Engineering department was built, was a big old wooden building on the place where the library is now, exactly. The Chemistry building, that was that way, straight up towards the back of that. When we came here there was a longer building behind it, where what I call the Agriculture building is now. The one that faces the Blocker, that was built in 1924. And prior to that, so that dates what, this and we they'd had another building where the engineering building is beside Frances Hall, and it was full of full of implements, it was two story full of implements, and that wind caught that thing or the tornado caught it and took the entire roof off of it. Took it over and this building , the Ag Engineering building, over the Pavilion, and landed it in the horse fields out here. The whole roof. Well, then the building went flat like this, bam bam! The end went down like this 46 and that top floor looked just like rounded off like this and all the implements you know, plows, they were like sliding off. Now, now if you don't call that a tornado, I don't know what is. And that happened prior to 1924 and I know because there are pictures. I don't have any pictures of it, but there was one other in 60's and 70's that came through Bryan but I... Ellen - There was one that came through College Station in the mid 70's. Bill- Yeah, but that's all that I know anything about. So outside, this is a pretty general area to live in. Really, it's not too really no too wet. You have wet feet every once in a while. Charles - Except for last year. Bill - And you can get dry here. '23 and '24 we only had 18 inches of rain in about 18 months. And it was dryer around here, but the year before,they had made one hell of a cotton stock. And you were talking to her about cotton, this whole county used to be nothing but cotton fields. And I own 40, almost 30 acres out there now and I know there ain't nothing but cotton fields. Because there's only about that much soil out there. So that was the there was little families living, a family not little, but they were living in small 47 C plots. It wasn't too bad, some of them had acreage, 200 or 300 acres, they weren't little but they, the land didn't make it very much, that was the biggest problem. Ellen - Well, I think the whole Bottoms area is no alley farm is. I mean that's about all you see down there is cotton. Bill - Yeah well now it is but your machinery.... Charles - It's maize and stuff down there now, because cotton... Bill - Maize is about that high this morning. On Farm 60. I was out there just this morning. Willie Belle - Bill do you sometimes want to correct our weatherman on our TV station? Bill - No, well let me say this. I've got a, I've got a degree in meteorology from the University of Chicago and I'm telling you these boys do a hell of a job. I mean they do. But they've got things I've never even thought of. I know we have a barometric measuring device in our office. Listen, I flew during the war and if you got over 33 thousand feet, over 29 you were doing real good. Because you 48 couldn't get much higher, but you can get on a commercial airline and he'll put you in 39 thousand feet. Ellen - In just a few minutes. Bill - And it's one of the most beautiful things you ever saw. So in these pictures they get nowadays, boy they're gorgeous. All them cloud formations and they can see everything, they got tools I didn't have and we considered if we could get 50% of forecast for tomorrrow we were doing real good. I mean if we had the 50o for tomorrow. . Charles - You think they do better than that around here? Bill - What? Charles - You think they do better than that around here? Bill- Oh yeah, oh yeah. Ellen - Well what amazes me is on the Stormtracker where they can tell you exactly where a storm's gonna be and how many minutes it's gonna be there. Bill - You see the stuff that you've never seen before. 49 Ellen - Without my asking it you have answered one of the or talked about one of the questions, how has technology affected our lives today that you didn't have yesterday? So the weather.... C of Charles - We've come a long way with insulation... c, Bill - The weather is one, but our living, our living, the areas we live in are getting better and better and even today, there's stuff, we've got stuff on the farm you wouldn't even believe in. I got buildings out there I heat with just one of them little electric heaters, sitting on the floor. I got a shop that's got a thousand square feet and that's a small house. And I heat it with a . .. Bill - And it makes a big difference and it will continue that way for quite a while. But it's expensive, expensive now there's another thing that's coming on too, automobiles are getting a lot better too. If you don't right now, if you drive an '86 model or later that has fuel injection, that's a 200 thousand dollar.... if you don't get that out of it, you've lost money. And you've given somebody else You purchase another vehicle... I just bought one I'm serious about that, that's one of my feelings anyways, I've fooled with that all my life. I mean all my life. I was raised in those engine labs up at A &M, they used to run me off. I could walk in there and tell the kids anything 50 they wanted to know about that engine. But they'd run me off, so that's where my life.... but I enjoyed it. You have grown enormously in this country, and you've still got a lot to grow. I think this country, this county will be what I call a bedroom county. There won't be anything in this county except for the Bottom. Where they got real power farms, the rest of it's gonna be houses, people gonna live, it's gonna be a nice place to live. You got all the facilities here, all the necessary shows, the entertainment whatever you want. And we see less and less of the kids going away from here, at least I do. Never used to. Ellen - I believe they used to on the weekends, campus would just empty, now it empties up during Spring Break and during holidays. Willie Belle - Wasn't a decent place to go eat out. Ellen - Now there are too many. Willie Belle - The students didn't have a place to bring their girls on extra occasions and all. They had to stay in the homes of different people. We have a lady out at Crestree, well she's in the nursing home now, she's 105 years old and came to Texas from Mississippi in 1912. And this main building was rebuilt and her memory has been very good until the last year. 51 L Ellen - Is that Mildred? Mildred Sullivan? Willie Belle - She'll be 106 her next birthday if she lives, but she's in the hospital right now. Bill - Margaret right? She was a Morgan. She had a son that was the same age I was. Willie Belle - Lucius? Bill - Lucius. Willie Belle - Well she lost one of her sons right after World War II. Bill - Yeah that's Lucius. Willie Belle - Lucius died after I came to Crestree in 1986. Bill - Well, we were good friends, real good friends. Willie Belle - She was a Morgan. Bill - Yeah, she came here as Mrs. Morgan. Willie Belle - After Morgan died, she married Sullivan. 52 Bill - What did Mr. Morgan do? Willie Belle - He was in I thought that he was in was it Agronomy, one of the agricultural schools. He came here as head of that department. Ellen - Well Charles, when you and Dorcus when you all retired from the Air Force did you come here retired I mean did you do any type of work or did you just play? Charles - Back in '68 I worked for A &M for about 4 years, and then my wife and I decided we'd open up a small shop. C ur She was an expert in ceramics. She was studying with a lot of fine ceramics teachers across the country and so we felt we could make a go of that because we both loved doing it. We took our old home over on 24th street and converted it into a ceramic shop. Initially we taught a few instructions, sold green ware and all the painting stuff that goes with it. Then as soon as we had everybody pretty well trained and it began to slack off we went into the wholesale business manufacturing porcelain figurines and antique reproduction dolls and we did pretty well on that for about seven or eight years. We had an outlet here in Bryan and an outlet down in Houston, one in the Galleria. And then unfortunately in 1984, she came out in the yard to help me work, she pinched a nerve in her back. That put her 53 down for some time and you know when your trying to paint all those figurines you sit there for hours its very very tedious work and she just couldn't do it. Still would love to get back to it. You can't sit still that long to be able to do it and when you have to continue to get up and this and that and the other. I did all pouring, cleaning of the green ware, the firing of the dolls, I cut out all the eyes and all the little teeth and this and that and the other. I thoroughly enjoyed it but we couldn't continue because she was the key to the whole operation. She still has quite a few molds down in storage that we hope to get to one of these days, we've began to wonder about that. That's what we're, we're not doing anything in particular now. Darcus - I was trying to take care of myself. Charles - I'm an usher at the church. Ellen - And that is. . Charles - The First Baptist Church in Bryan. I've been going there since I was born and raised here and I was baptized in that church and married in that church. This has been our home. Maybe it'll be like Central Baptist. Maybe they'll get to where they build a new one before long. I hope not. The present sanctuary we have now is very nice. 54 C Because we're involved and sometimes it's hard to get through a closet or two. Ellen - Well, when you're through, you can come and go through mine. You're farming, is that right Bill? Bill - Well, I have a farm. Yeah, that well in '72 my boys came on when they wanted and we realized that we had to do something for them so they wanted to get FAA, FFA, youngest got in there. So we found a piece of land and we worked it. I've got eight cows, a bull, and two heifers, and about seven small calves. I used them because I like them. We have to take care of them and I think the cows know how to do that better thai I do so I ain't gonna interfere. And we really do, I can't even touch it. I can walk through them but I can't touch it but they keep the place clean. We have a nice operation. We'd raise enough hay to take us through the winter. But or about four acres of that property have got my own shops to do. I just keep busy with that and keep out of my wife's hair. Willie Belle - You can't fix walkers can you? Bill - I just bought my wife a motorized scooter. Willie Belle - You're not interested in hand walkers? 55 Bill - Hand walkers? Well yeah, I've got one. Ellen - Willie Belle, we're almost coming to an end here, can you think of anything else that you would like to have recorded? Willie Belle - Well, I don't remember anything I've said that's worth recording. Ellen - Well, would you like future generations to know? Willie Belle - Well, I don't know, I'm busy taking care of myself. I still try to answer letters, do almost all my financial work, still do a little, not too much, 'cause I can't see well enough, can't hear well enough. My hearing aid now is supposed to be in repair.... Ellen - And this is all modern technology isn't it? Dorcas - Ellen, she has a knowledge of a lot of old poems and old time sayings. Willie Belle - Oh not too much. Dorcas - Yes you do Aunt Willie. And her mother taught her these things. And through the years she has kept a book and kept it written down so that's a treasure to all of us. 56 Ellen - That's something to look in to. I belong to the Research Ramblers and Mary Cooper is in there. Dorcas - But she has all kinds of sayings and Grandma Liddy, her mother just had the most interesting stories and comments about things you know and Aunt Willie has those written down and she also has some of her own you know. Ellen - They're in longhand? Dorcas - Yes. Bill - The Heritage Book that's out of Washington D.C. really has a lot. They sell books, all kinds of books of genealogy. Dorcas- We have always thought Aunt Willie was so special because of her attitude towards people and to life and her remarkable memory. In fact, I understand that one of the men from the business mens Bible class has just donated a book of poems and sayings to the Crestview Library in her name. She's quite frisky! Ellen - This is just one more question, when you worked on campus, did you live on campus as well at that time or did you. . 57 Willie Belle - No, I lived in Bryan and had to catch a ride to college. I got up at 7:30 and to get out here, I have come to C.S. and gone into the library and you remember that little rotunda up there? Well, they had a place that you could sit there if you wanted to. You'd have to get up on the ladder to see. I'd watch them walk into the mess hall at breakfast time as they marched in during day light savings. Bill - They had a trolley from Bryan to College but more than that many of the college, they lease cars they had old cars. A group of them, I know the Carvers and the people over there, you know they had where they 5 or 10. No, no they had a car come from Bryan to College. Willie Belle - Yea it was electric, it was electric wasn't it? Bill - No these were gasoline the later models and they'd buy a van and they operated it a group of people. Which I'm sure she did too. I know because I drove from College to Bryan all that time and I'd meet those people coming there. And Judge Hail, do you remember him? Willie Belle - Hail. 58 Bill - Hail. Willie Belle - I remember the old Boyette store here, it was across the road from the Railroad station. They had the first store was across the railroad. That was the first store out here then. That was the main store out here and he was an influential character around A &M. Bill - Oh yes. Willie Belle - He owned a lot of property by the railroad, and across an eastside railroad. Ellen - Dorcus, is there anything you can think of that Aunt Willie... Darcus - Well, I remember Aunt Willie and Sybil her sister, Charles' mother talking about the unpaved streets in Bryan and how when the First Baptist Church was formed. It was formed in a saloon in downtown Bryan. Willie Belle - Every other store was a saloon. Dorcus - I remember those things from times past, some of the things. 59 Willie Belle - They had grocery stores and Haswell's, Jenkins drug stores. Ellen - If you just think a minute of the things that she has seen in her life time from unpaved streets in Bryan to practically skyscrapers out here in A &M and the man going on the moon and the space things you know. Willie Belle - I don't know enough about it. Ellen - But you've seen it, thought it, Aunt Willie, so trains and cars and everything like that, I just think its remarkable. Charles - Downtown Bryan when it rained before main street,before it was paved, it had the widest main street in the state of Texas I guess, unpaved. Willie Belle - And 'you'd slop across that street in galoshes on rainy weather. Charles - They had wooden bridges they'd try to throw across that it was almost impossible to get across. Willie Belle - You talk about cold weather, when I was working in town it was cold. Golashes when you'd have to go to work. 60 Charles - They didn't have proper heating. Ellen - Or insulation or anything else. Charles - Well, I think you women have a better memory, my wife, she can tell me things I did 25 - 30 years ago, where I was and what happened. I've already forgot all about that. Willie Belle - Do you remember when Ms. Roundtree, the Editor of the Eagle, had twenty five years ago, will that's what the old people look for now. They don't have it now. Charles - She was quite a lady. Willie Belle - Yes she was. She found out the news on the main street. Ellen - I think that for today we will draw this to a close and I have some forms here that I need to have you all sign. Charles - We have to sign a release. Ellen - You have to sign a release. 61 r • 62 Remarks: Memory La Name interviewer Interview Place I City of College Station Memory Lanes Oral History Project • Oral History Stage Sheet /, AMNIgras Special sources of inf• mation Date tape received in office—V./V/9 C # of tapes marked Original Photographs Yes ' No # of photos Date Recd Describe Photos First audit check by Copy editing and second audit check by Final copies: Typed by Sent to interviewee on 5) Le 1 (name) Received from interviewee on & f 1 G/ S Proofread by: Indexed by: Sent to bindery by Received from bindery Deposited in archives by: Interview date Interview length /o (name) Interview No. Date Interview Agreement and tape disposa form: Given to interviewege o 2 S Received Yes No Date Signed 3/2/ 9 Rest{ ictions- If yes, see remarks below. Yes No Transcription: First typing completed .af ' Pages Date (name) D Pages Date Pages Date Pages Date Pages Date 2 , Photos out for reproduction: Where to: Date: Original photos returned to: Date: Date Date Date Date Date ( 4 7/21416 Remarks: First audit check by Sent to interviewee on Received from interviewee on Copy editing and second audit check by Final copies: Typed by GX5gq- z&cl7 ��M - 4 of College Station �'�rn cQ City Y 9r ( /2o Memory Lanes Oral History Project 1 Oral History Stage Sheet Memory La G �%f/G Interview No. Name d i i / Interview date V S / %9.S Interviewer ,o // Interview length Interview Place 42 / aye L' r_ A.. •. /D G Special sources of in mation Date tape received in office # of tapes marked Original Photographs Yes 'No # of photos Date Rec'd Describe Photos (name) (name) Date Interview Agreement and tape dis sal 0 jn: Given to interviewe on .25 Received Yes No Date Si ne 3 ..2q/ 9 S Res If es see remarks below. Yes No 9 ye First typing completed s, Pages Date Transcription: (name) Pages Date Pages Date Pages Date Proofread by: 1) Pages Date 2' Pages Date Photos out for reproduction: Where to: Date: Original photos returned to: Date: Indexed by: Date Sent to binplery by Date Received from bindery Date Deposited in archives by: Date Remarks: Memory Lan City of College Station Memory Lanes Oral History Project Name 4 , i4 'Yt/ Interviewer First audit check by Final copies: Typed by • Oral History Stage Sheet Interview Place ! 4_ / Ge, 6� / Special sources of inf' , ation Date tape received in office S/2yfi ( # of tapes marked Original Photographs Yes No # of photos Date Rec'd Describe Photos Interview Agreement and tape dispo al for Given to intervi e e on 3 2 S Received Yes No Date Signed /2 /9 _ " tions- If yes, see remarks below. Yes No Transcription: / J First typing completed b /� +- Gy�i�+[� �� Pages Date (name) ( (name) Sent to interviewee on 7 t l Received from interviewee on 01 Cr S Copy editing and second audit check by Proofread by: (name) 2 i Photos out for reproduction: Where to: Original photos returned to: Interview No. Interview date Interview length Date Pages Date Pages Date ages Date ages le i Date Pages Date Date: Date: Indexed by: Date Sent to bindery by Date Received from bindery Date Deposited in archives by: Date Remarks: I Memory La City of College Station Memory Lanes Oral History Project Copy editing and second audit check by Oral History Stage Sheet Interview No. Name ( G ) Interview date 3/2 V9S Interviewer ✓ ,./17.€2...-- Interview length Interview Place Cr, (`tom, /OG Special sources of i ormation Date tape received in office .:57-2-1 # of tapes marked Date Original Photographs Yes No # of photos Date Recd Describe Photos Interview Agreement and tape disp sal f rm: Given to interview a on...? S Received Yes No Date Signed ,;2 5t 9 Restrictions- If yes, see remarks below. Yes No Transcription: ' First typing completed First audit check by II Sent to interviewee on (2 Received from interviewee on Indexed by: Sent to bindery by Received from bindery Deposited in archives by: (name) ; (name) (name) Final copies: Typed by , Pages Date Proofread by: 7) —Pages ti ( Date ��L Pages Date 2 i Photos out for reproduction: Where to: Original photos returned to: Pages Date Pages Date Pages Date Date: Date: Date Date Date Date The City of College Station, Texas Memory Lanes Oral 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. I have, read the above and voluntarily offer my portion of the interviews with Co 0 + (Name of Interviewee) 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 Conference ter Adviory Committee. Interviewer (signature) q , /9&C E //e,v l " 6" /"6)WS — % / 02 V R Interviewer (Please Print) Interviewer (Please Print) Signature of Interviewer 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. WI (> s zaA -rES Intervi,lpwee ( ease print) /)/ //c Signature of Interviewee e,s• Place of Interview List of photos, documents. mans. etc. Name Address , W7Te I Telephone s _L1_o`117 Date of Birth 1 Place of Birth c{�. /z ✓r lie his s,s rfi-1 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. 3/a Lk! os' k; Place of Interview List of photos, documents, maps, 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. I I e i a ,u 6-,e Interviewer (Please Print) Ailtdiga■- Signature of Interviewer t`. C LTV ewee (Ple -se print) Signature of Interviewee C /7"7 /7 - L \ Na e D / 7J2 / Ii CA,es d n . Address Oe -i/ . .7 --7-7(5-49 Telephone t e c t o 6 2 3 6. Date of Birth FE i`3 �. 9 /S 2 Place of Birth a R.v 1).c 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. 31241 9 Date 6 ye Initial I hereby give and grant to the HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE, City of College Station, Texas, for whatever purposes may be determined, the tape recordings, transcriptions, and contents of this oral history interview. Also, permission is hereby given for any duplications of original photos, documents, maps, etc. useful to the history project to be returned unharmed. Interviewee releases, relinquishes and discharges CITY, its officers, agents and employees, from all claims, demands, and causes of action of every kind and character, including the cost of defense thereof, for any injury to, including the cost of defense thereof for any injury to, including death of, any person, whether that person be a third person, Interviewee, or an employee of either of the parties hereto, and any loss of or damage to property, whether the same be that either of the parties hereto or of third parties, caused by or alleged to be caused by, arising out of, or in connection with Interviewee provision of historical information, whether or not said claims, demands and causes of action in whole or in part are covered by insurance. n /Z <•. /t .s / y/+ � - 7` D /4 Interviewee (Please print) Signature of Interviewee )1$26 410,2,AIGR Interviewer (Please Print) Signature of Interviewer r n , i ; Place of nterview HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE City of College Station, Texas 77840 ORAL HISTORY DATA SHEET Name /rte -GQ.At /�/ ' /V Gt�� U Address 9a y ° Flo/ Telephone X09 - I/ — Co a 3 C. Date of Birth .fie '7: /q9,- Place of Birth ,ceez..,, , . 7'....e -424. , INTERVIEW STATUS: Completed In progress v List of photos, documels. maps. etc. -E'...t.. , (t ?., . ,.4 A r , J ' � 4" Interview a 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//f _ Date / ' Initial �p 0Q t, List of uhotos. 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. P, --,c) K A) 67c Interviewer (Please Print) t..4___ _ Signature of Interviewer Place of Interview() w i II 5 N Interviewee (Please print) Signature of Interviewee Name 7-be e /4 Address 7 Yoct Telephone 7 7 'P./ Date of Birth, q , l R eT Place of Birth' d ? .., , , , .u_......_ -- INTERVIEW STATUS: Completed , LI 4 /qT 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.