The Bastrop County Times (Smithville, Tex.), Vol. 84, No. 44, Ed. 1 Thursday, October 30, 1975 Page: 2 of 20
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PAGE 2
THE BASTROP COUNTY TIMES, SMITHVILLE, TEXAS 78957
Our/
inions
Vote NO On Constitution
Next Tuesday, November 4. Texas citizens go to the polls to
vote either "For" or "Against" a new State Constitution
We recommend an "Against" vote - which will have the effect
of approving our present Constitution
And, we recommend an "Against" vote rejecting all eight (8)
propositions, listed in an over-simplified manner on the ballot
dealing with the various facets of Texas Government.
We reject the "new" Constitution because we believe it
changes the century old concept of Texas government from one
of Constitutional restraint to permissiveness
The new" Constitution will give unprecedented power to the
Texas Legislature - and is certain to have a big "price tag" on
it for Texas taxpayers to swallow in the future
Annual sessions, a salary commission to deal with Legislator
pay, lifting the ceiling on welfare payments by the State and the
cost of judicial revision are just a few of the matters that can
cost Texas Taxpayers more tax dollars,
Of course, irresponsible actions by the Legislature must occur
before bad things can happen to Texas citizens but, the pre-
sent Constitution restrains the Legislature while the new Con
stitution loosens up these restraints
To illustrate the unprecedented power that can be used by the
Legislature, a fellow Texas Publisher has counted 161 places in
the "new" Constitution where the phrase "unless otherwise pro
vided by law pops up This means the Legislature can even
change the Constitution without going to the voters
More aixuit cost. Even the experts can't put a dollar figure
on probable cost of the new Constitution State Comptroller Bob
Bullock originally said it could cost as much as $11 billion dollars
more each year
Later, Bullock revised his statement to say that after studying
the document more closely he had come to the conclusion that
there is really no way to give a reasonable estimate of cost His
second statement is more frightening than his first
Proponents of the new Constitution include most of our Legis-
lators - and that 's understandable After all. they drafted the
new document and are submitting it to the voters.
And, of course, many of the present Legislators are lawyers.
It has been said that the new Constitution will be a "lawyer's
paradise "
Whereas the present Constitution has been thoroughly tested
at the Courthouse over the past 100 years, it's a sure bet that
the new document will generate a whole new batch of interpretive
litigation in the courts and that too will cost Texas citizens
more money
Proponents of the new Constitution say our present one is old.
and out of date. This is not true.
Since it was written 100 years ago, our present Constitution
has been amended more than 200 times - by voter approval at
the ballot box This is certainly proof that Texas citizens have
kept the document up to date with the times It's as new as its
latest amendment.
And, while proponents have clamored loud and long for a new
Constitution they have failed to come up with any substantive
evidence that our present one has brought harm to Texas
citizens
We will feel safer, particularly tax-wise, under the present
Constitution, and will be happy to know that our Legislature
win have to continue its work under Constitutional restraint
These are not all the reasons we oppose the new Constitution,
but they are sufficient to warrant our recommendation which
we repeat
Retain our present Constitution next "Tuesday Vote Against
all eight (8) propositions for a new Constitution.
;«0W Do WE CONVINCE
\&6ftr W/Vffics that
Russian oil won't
\
5
sc
tzllTHEM
itSGWMTEEb
NOT TO foul.
060
OF GRAIN AND GASOLINE
Elgin
GSA Announces Sale
William K
Publisher
Todd
MCGREGOR The Genera!
Services Administration an
Bounced today that sealed bids
art1 being solicited for off
site removal of an assembly
Letters to the Editor
Addressed
Smithville
to the City of
Dear Sir
Enclosed you will find a
copy of a letter sent to us
by Monroe Wolf We think . it
is so special for someone to
do something so nice we want-
ed you and your town to know
about it.
We are from San Diego
and were en route a iong trip
to the east coast when we
came to your town and need-
ed ice We inserted 60c in the
machine and gat no ice or
money back We left a note
under the door with our
address on it
When we got back from our
vacation a month later we had
the enclosed letter with a
dollar bill attached It is even
more than we lost but most of
all it was such a complete
surprise that we plan to save
the letter and money as one
of the very nice things that
happened on our trip.
A s for Mr. Wolf your
town should be very proud of
his honesty and desire to do
what is right
We enjoyed our long drive
through Texas and saw many
beautiful places and met very
•warm and friendly people dur-
ing the whole trip
Sincerely,
Paul A Launer & Family
What follows is the letter
referred to by Mr Launer,
which arrived with a $1 bill
attached
Mr. Paul Launer
Dear Sir
Enclosed is one dollar bill
to cover your loss in my
ice vender, sorry to have
caused you this trouble, but
you should see some of the
things that the public drops
in those machines for coins;
like pull can tabs, electric
in let push out plugs, you
name it, and they drop It.
Again. I want say I'm sorry,
hope you come through again
some time if you do stop by,
would like to meet you.
Bye now
Monroe Wolf
building, associated covered
walkway and Kathabar system
at the Naval Weapons In-
dustrial Reserve Plant, at
McGregor, Texas
Mr L. N Stewart. Acting
Regional Administrator of the
General Services Admmistra
tion. Fort Worth, Texas, said
the Invitation, Bid and Ac-
ceptance Form. GSA-R-841
which gives instructions for
submitting, bids, can be ob-
tained from GSA's Business
Service Center. Room 1A03,
819 Taylor Street. Fort
Worth, Texas 76102, telephone
(817) 334-3281
Bids will be received until
3 p rn November 12, 1975, at
GSA's Business Service
Center at the above address
. . . from Page i
architect Jack Goodman said
that the work was 82% com-
pleted The constraetor gives
mid-January as a target date
for completion Mr Leach
outlines the plans for the old
high school that the
elementary teachers are pro
posing, among them having one
staircase in the old building as
an "up only" staircase, the
other as a "down only" The
elementary teachers are in
the process of making other
recommendations as to tie
best utilization of the building,
and Mr Leach reported that
they are getting used to the
idea of (he move Mr Leach
also offered a report on a new
type of testing for the lower
grades which might replace
the SRA testing (which deter-
mines a child's ski)' in terms
of grade level) currently in
use This method, known as
Criteria and Reference Test-
ing, determines a child's
mastery of each of a number
of specific "objectives" in a
particular area - for instance,
at some 329 "objectives" in
reading A computer print-
out charts the skills the child
has definitely mastered, those
he needs to review, and those
he has not mastered and refers
the teacher to the particular
text and material which can
be used to teach the unmaster-
ed objectives Leach felt that
the district would get more
for its testing dollar using
this method — teachers were
more inclined to use the re
suits of this sort of testing
in planning lessons and, al-
though the administrative time
is a bit longer once the test
results are in the teachers'
hands, the children would de
rive more direct benefit from
this type of testing Leach is
anxious to work up a com-
prehensive testing program
for the whole school system in
order to present a proposal
in the spring He hopes to use
more of the objective type of
testing in the lower grades and
to administer career aptitude
and preference tests to the
upper grades in order to help
with their career choices
Mr George Williford,
Director of Special Programs
told the board that the dis~
trict had just recently been
given an Emergency School
Assistance grant made avail-
able when other districts in
the countv did not use their
full allotment He hoped to
hue more teachers and
counselors for the 802 child-
ren in the district who qualify
for ESA The board went into
executive session to consider
the hiring of these personnel
and then adjourned until its
regular meeting November 18
Smokey Hangs Up Hat
WASHINGTON Visitors
to the National Zoo in Wash
ington may be saddened to dis-
cover that the original Smokey
Bear has finally hung up his
famous hat
This summer, when he
reached the equivalent of the
federal mandatory retirement
age of 70, Smokey was return
ed to his native New Mexico
where he will snooze away his
remaining days at the Carson
National Forest Ghost Ranch
Few figures in government
were as widely recognized or
as admired as Smokey. A
1968 survey showed that
Smokey was identified by 90
percent of those Interviewed
His mail load was staggering
In fact, in 1965 he was given
his own private zip code Last
year, it took three secretaries
to answer his 140,000 letters
Smokey has been a real
boon to this country Since he
began as a government em-
ployee, Forest Service offi-
cials credit him with saving
the U.S. inore than $16 million
in losses from forest fires
Happy Hibernation
RR Week Proclaimed
ah
V
tiasirnjj
(L mm tn
(L uucs
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VOL 84, NO 44, OCTOBER 30, 1975
The Bastrop County Times is published every Thursday In
Smithville, Texas, by Tex Print Corporation, 205 East Third
Street, owned by Todd Publications, Inr , William K Todd,
President Second Class postage paid at Smithville, Texas
78957
WILLIAM K TODD
TOM SHAPLEY
P R SMITH
DEMI PRENTISS
TIMES STAFF
DAVID VYVJALA
NANCY YOUNG
DONNA r KNN
SUSAN GUEDRY
GEORGIA ZIATS
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
$? 50 - per year (52 issues)
$3 00 -6 months (26 issues
DEADLINE On Advertising and News Copy
Noon Monday Before Publication
Classified Ads.; s#iuraa> rtoon
Publisher-
Editor
News Editor
County Reporter
Graphics, Lavout
Composition
Composition
Composition
Classified Ads
J
Father Leonard Leddv
AUSTIN Accidents a!
railroad grade crossings con
tinue to claim many lives and
result in significant property
damage, said Governor
Dolph Briscoe in proclaiming
October 20 26 as Texas Rail
road Grade Crossing Safety
Irish Priest
New Pastor
At Rockne
ROCKNE - Father Leonard
Leddy, formerly of Rose Bud
Burlington, is the new pastor
for Sacred Heart Church,
Rockne, and St Mary's Parish
String Prairie
Father A! Palermo was
transfered from Rockne to St.
Helen's Parish,Georgetown
Father Leddy, son of the
late Michael and Catherine
Leddy of Ireland, was born,
reared and ordained in Ire
land He came from a family
of six children: three boys,
and three girls One brother,
now deceased, was a Brother
with the Cistercian Order in
Ireland, two sisters are mem
bers of Order of the Sisters
of the Assumption in Ireland,
one sister Is a nurse in Nev,
York, and one brother Is a
farmer in Ireland
Father, a priest for sixteen
years, was ordained In Ire
land in 1959 He came to the
United States shortly after his
ordination
In addition to serving as
the pastor of Rose Bud
Burlington, Father Leddy was
the assistant pastor al St
Mary's Church, Lockhart for
one year In 1966
Week
Statistics indicate that
deaths due to collisions be-
tween automobiles and trains
Increased by 10% in 1974 The
first half of 1975, however, the
number of deaths has decreas
ed by 22% compared to the
same period last year.
The Texas Safety Associa-
tion's Railroad Transpor-
tation Section, which repre
sents most of the railroads of
Texas, has long been active in
this state-wide effort to re
duce accidents at railroad
grade crossings, and feels
that the placement of the
week comes at a critical time
of the year In the first half of
I9'<4. deaths had decreased «>y
3% from the previous year,
But by year's end, the com
parative figure had turned In-
stead to the aforementioned
10% increased! Therefore,
Texas grade crossing safety
efforts cannot rest on the
laurels of the first half '75
22% decrease in the death
count, but must Increase their
efforts to continue the drop
In his proclamation, signed
October 2, Governor Briscoe
went on to stress that public
awareness and cooperation,
teamed with improved
engineering of automatic pro
tectlon devices at public grade
crossings, should assure con-
tinued progress In the re-
duction of deaths and Injuries
"It is hoped that all Texans
will Join the Texas Safety
Association In their effort to
prevent grade crossing ac-
cidents by observing railroad
crossing signs, signals and
markings," concluded the
Governor
THURSDAY. OCTOBER 30, |^5
W J .1 .M .M
By I' K Smith
Smithville Bicentennial Chairman Renee Blaschke hu>
ceived many calls from persons interested in the cominerutivp
Bicentennial coins mentioned in W'HIMM last week Hie
are on sale now at City Hall and the Smithville Savings ,utd
Loan A booth will be set up in First State Bank on Novembei 5
where the coins may be purchased for $2 10 each, including Ui
Renee reported that many folks have been asking if the coin-
were National or local Bicentennial coins, and why the pilch t,,
send them to home folks away from home The coins are s|*< uj
Smithville Bicentennial coins, with the Smithville Logo on m-
side and the U S Bicentennial insignia on theother They 4r,.
most unique, and ideal for souveniei sol as suggested ti
to former residents of family members now resirieing else* hen-
Reverend Russell Nees, who is the new President of the
Smithville Ministerial Alliance, is also local coordinator for tin-
Boy Scout financial campaign Kickoff for the campaign will take
place November 4 at Hospitality House, in the form of a
p.m barbeque. catered by The Sidetrack The local Boy Scout
movement still needs leaders and invites all who a re inter- o-j
in helping in any way to attend the kickoff bsrbeque
From Nees. too. comes news that there is room for a coupi
more students in the Art Classes held in the Nees home
601 Gresham at 1 00 p m every Monday afternoon
(n case you might have missed the story In another part ,1
this publication, tie- Bobby Vest family is having it pretty :
paying the hospital bills on their infant son Bobby II Tie- si-:
was born prematurely and has needed extensive treatment in
order to pull him through He 11 be in the hospital for quid
while though, and the family 1 ,n-. ed uiidei *ith n,(
bills Since the police department request for medical •
surance early in the year never bore fruit, the young couple ha
no insurance to cover th« bills
Friends of the Vests have opened an account in the name
Bobby Gene Vest II at First State Bank so that persons who mii-'
wish to contribute may do so by designating that their deposit be
put in the infant's account Weurgeallwho feel they could sp.<-
some small sum tc contribute to this fund
We spoke briefly to former Smithville City Councilman Nei v
Scheler last week concerning his thoughts on running for M .v r
next spring At one time, Scheler was reported to be very ir,
terested in the job but that was before he relinquished hi*,
councilman's chair
Scheler stated that he *as not interested in vying for th>
Mayor's position next spring whether Mayor ' rawford re u
or not 'The only wav I would consider running for Mayor w..
be on the platform that the council would hire a city manager im
mediately," Scheler stated
Although we suggested that he run on this platform N?' •'
declined for the present
Whether it is Nelson Scheler or sotr-ne- else, we peHtofl
hope someone will run on the citv manager platform It is a move
whirh should have b jen explored years ago, but *hlch has nevi
been discussed In council to date
There's hound to be a not time In the old town Friday night
Smithville. that is Hallowe'en Homecoming and the Bastrop
game, all in one big bundle Humor lias It that all those
responsible for law ami order in the community are suddenly
going to be called away to who knows where on that nlghi
in self defense
Actually, there's no reason why anyone should worry about
this weekend -- well, maybe But we can all have gobs of fun
and work off our frustrations without becoming offensive or de
structive
Let's give it a try and have a whale of a weekend May it -
best team win - provider! it's our team
We still remember the Farmers and Ranchers Barbeque
thrown by the Smithville Chamber of Commeri <■ as one of thi-
nnest events of the year But the question was asked of rne last
week Why doesn't the Chamber or thee ityof Smithville lo
something to show their appreciation to the Railroad 'After all
it is the railroad which supports the town, yet no one ever goes?
out of the way to show appreciation for all the benefits brought
here by the railroad "
It's a thought
I
The Smithville following at the Tiger Wildcat game
tremendous Smithville fans matched, if not outnumbered,
Weimar fans in the stands II could be that this fine following
spurred our Tigers to their hard-fought victory, especially dur-
ing those two last minute goal-line stands
Very nearly matching the pride we all felt in our Tiger de
fense was the feeling of pride all in the visiting stands
experienced when our steadily improving band took the field at
half-time The Tiger Band is without doubt getting better every
week both in performance and sound I spent the halftime at
the Girldings game atop the press box along with the Smithville
and Girldings Band Directors and heard nothing but good
comments from the visiting director on our band's -round
Bands from throughout the district will compete in the Region
XVIII Marching Contests next Tuesday. November 4, at Round
Rock High School The Smithville Tigers are due to perform
12 48 p rn
For those who have never attended a till, Marching Contest
you've really missed something If you think half time at ....
games Is great, the Marching Contests match baud after band all
performing at their best It's one of the most beautiful and stir
ring activities one can attend
Considering the hard work this year's Tiger Band has put in
since before the start of school, it would be only fitting if •
turnout comparable with that shown at Weimar could make it to
Round Rock Tuesday lo cheer our kids on While not everyone can
gel away on a weekday afternoon, those who can will be rell re
warded for their travel
I received a call from the Airport Saturday afternoon in the
midst of the downpour am!the US( Notre Dame ball game re
questing that I come 011! and see the mess the apron is in' from
the rain Since I had driven through town earlier in the day and
seen the mess the town was in in the midst of the downpour, I
could see no point In slushing around making a tug thing of a
natural phenomenon 1 deferred, promising however, to come
take a look once the rain let up
Sunday I did so, and found the apron In quite creditable
shape There was one sizeable puddle just East of the gas pumps,
but nothing any jilane could not have easily taxied around
As for the rest of the apron, the surface was hard and firm Mv
husband and I drove all over it, and found no softnes-i whatsoevei
except right next to the entrance road where nobody In plane
or car, has to travel
In short, one may feel that the tie down apron would be more
attractive with a covering of asphalt, but the claim that It
inadequate or substandard for its purpose is Illegitimate
was
the
at
the
*
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Shapley, Tom. The Bastrop County Times (Smithville, Tex.), Vol. 84, No. 44, Ed. 1 Thursday, October 30, 1975, newspaper, October 30, 1975; Smithville, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth290807/m1/2/: accessed May 5, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Bastrop Public Library.