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Bandera County Courier is published weekly by Gail S. Joiner, 1210 Hackberry St., Bandera, TX 78003. Subscription price $26 per year in Bandera County, TX; $36 per year for other Texas counties; $40 per year out of Texas. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Bandera County Courier, P.O. Box 1704, Bandera, TX 78003. Periodicals Postage pending in Bandera, Texas.

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Items should be typed or printed and should include the name and daytime phone number of a contact person. Items submitted after deadline will be considered for that week's edition but may be held over for later publication. Photos should include information on the time and place of the event, as well as full names of people from left to right, front row to back.

Articles in the history section of the on-line Courier:

Oral histories of Cabaret sought	Published Feb. 21, 2008
Hero Ships at Nimitz Museum Saturday	Published Feb. 21, 2008
Tribute in Medina for Civil War veteran	Published Jan. 31, 2008
Smith delivers veterans' oral histories to Library of Congress	Published Jan. 24, 2008
Code Talkers revealed in Smithsonian traveling exhibition	Published Jan. 24, 2008
Looking back in time to January 1985	Published Jan. 24, 2008
Writing your family's history	Published Jan. 10, 2008
Confederate commemoration set	Published Jan. 10, 2008
Shaw family heirloom	Published Oct. 18, 2007
Paying homage to Texas' first fiscal salvation ­ the cattle drives	Published Oct. 11, 2007
Seven decades later ­ Dorothy's in high school	Published Oct. 11, 2007
Smith interviews Dresser for Veterans History Project	Published Aug. 16, 2007
An extraordinary gentleman Part 1	Published July 26, 2007
Bandera Cemetery honored with historic marker	Published July 19, 2007
Veterans history project begins	Published July 12, 2007
Local historical commission scores at THC State Conference	Published May 3, 2007
Fossilized prints point to millennium old stalking	Published March 15, 2007
Submarine docks at Bandera Courthouse	Published March 8, 2007
Looking back into Bandera County's past	Published Feb. 15, 2007
Looking back at 1945	Published Jan. 4, 2007
Archaeological quarterly meeting Jan. 13	Published Jan. 4, 2007
History Articles from 2005	History Articles from 2006

Tribute in Medina for Civil War veteran by David Arny BCC Staff Writer Published Jan. 31, 2008 Many of Allison’s descendants were on hand for the stirring memorial service held in his honor. Photos by Dot Hatfield A new headstone for Confederate soldier James L. Allison's grave near Medina was unveiled Saturday, Jan. 12.    A procession of cars made its way through Medina on Saturday, Jan. 12, and continued west on FM 337. The motorcade turned south on Coal Kiln Road two miles from town and proceeded to the entrance of the old West Prong Cemetery, where it came to a halt.     People emerged from the cars and SUVs which bore license plates from states such as Tennessee, Oklahoma and Utah. Many of the women wore full length black mourning dresses – traditional apparel from the late 19th century. Men who weren’t wearing suits or sport coats wore uniforms of officers and enlistees of the Army of the Confederacy, complete with medals, muskets and cartridge boxes on their belts.     Alongside the Stars and Stripes and the Lone Star flags, a standard bearing the St. Andrew’s Cross and the battle flag of the Confederate States of America flew in the midday breeze. According to one person who attended the ceremony, approximately 100 people were present. The group had traveled from far and wide to honor the memory of James L. Allison, a veteran of the bloodiest conflict in United States history.     A married man with four young daughters, Allison enlisted in Col. Robert G. Shaver’s 38th Arkansas infantry regiment of the Confederate Army on July 19, 1862, and served until the surrender at Appomattox three years later. He moved to Texas after leaving Arkansas and died near Medina in July 1903. Allison was buried at the West Prong cemetery – also known as the Shepherd Cemetery – next to his daughter Sarah Skurlock.     Several chapters, or “camps,” of the Sons of Confederate Veterans organization sponsored the event. The individuals who represent Hood’s Texas Brigade, under Commander JB Crowther; the Texas Lonestar Greys under the command of Phillip G. Lovelady; Captain Phil McBride's Alamo Rifles-Company K, 6th Texas; and the Camp of Col. Gustav Hoffmann, commanded by Wayne Ellison are experienced reenactors and Civil War historians.     Twenty-three of Allison’s descendants attended the ceremony. A great grandson and his wife, Lincoln and Freda Hays, came from Nashville, Tennessee. A great-great granddaughter, Kaleen Linneer Talley, traveled from St. George, Utah, and Sharon and Don Linneer, arrived from Phoenix, Arizona. Sharon Linneer is a fourth-generation successor of Allison. Many more relatives came from all across Allison’s adopted home state to pay their respects.     The moving 90-minute ceremony included an oral biography of Allison, tributes to his service to the Confederacy, the dedication of a new headstone unveiled by Linneer and decoration of the grave. The ancient custom of libation pouring followed – toasting the departed by pouring a small portion of drink on the burial place. As bagpipes began playing “Dixie,” and audience members sang the traditional anthem, 10 “soldiers” saluted Allison’s memory by firing a volley from their black powder muskets.     Local writer and historian Dot Hatfield attended the ceremony with other Medina residents. Although Hatfield was familiar with the custom, she had never witnessed the old tradition of strewing rose petals on a grave during a memorial service.     Calling the ceremony “a memorable one,” Hatfield added, “It was very nice. It really is a wonderful tradition.”

Smith delivers veterans' oral histories to Library of Congress by Judith Pannebaker BCC Editor Published Jan. 24, 2008 Congressman Lamar Smith delivered six recorded Veterans History Project (VHP) interviews to Dr. James Billington, the Librarian of Congress. Included in the VHP is Smith’s interview with Bandera County Fire Marshal Ralph Dresser, who retired as a colonel from the United States Air Force. File Photo by Judith Pannebaker District 21 Rep. Lamar Smith interviewed Bandera County Fire Marshal Ralph Dresser for input into the Veterans History Project.    Last week, United States District 21 Representative Lamar Smith delivered to the Library of Congress six Veterans History Project (VHP) interviews he conducted with constituents throughout his district. Participants talked with Smith an average of 30 minutes about their time in the service, military experiences and their life after leaving the military. The interviews will be archived as part of the VHP collection and made available to researchers and the general public.     “This project preserves past memories, enabling future generations to understand what protecting freedom means to these veterans,” Smith explained.     In August, the Congressman swung by Cowboy Capital City Hall to interview Bandera County Fire Marshal Ralph Dresser as part of the project.     As a representative of local vets, Dresser was prepared to speak primarily on their current issues and concerns. “However, in the first 30 seconds, I learned this interview was supposed to be about my life and military career. I was totally unprepared for that,” he said later.     However, with an aplomb that underscored his 30-year “and one month” career in the United States Air Force, Dresser, a retired “full bird” Colonel, immediately switched gears. He spent the next 30-plus minutes regaling Smith with eye-popping tales of his life before Bandera County – which included, among other exploits, deployment during the Cuban Missile Crisis in the 1960s and three tours of duty in Vietnam.     The VHP honors veterans and civilian workers by collecting stories of their service. Created by Congress in 2000, the VHP relies on volunteer efforts to document the oral histories of America’s veterans. Participation in this project allows veterans to contribute to the permanent Veterans History Project collections housed at the Library of Congress, one of the world's most respected research and cultural institutions.     “I am honored to participate in this memorial collection that illustrates the sacrifices made by all veterans,” Smith noted. “I also look forward to conducting additional interviews in the future. This gives Texas veterans and volunteers a wonderful opportunity to record their past and preserve it for future,” Smith said.     According to Smith, approximately 1.6 million veterans live in Texas, with more than 75,800 of them in the 21st District, he said. In addition, over 2,800 vets currently reside in the Bandera County.     To participate in the VHP, contact Smith’s Washington, DC, Congressional office at 202-225-4236 or visit his website, http://lamarsmith.house.gov/.

Code Talkers revealed in Smithsonian traveling exhibition Special to the Courier Published Jan. 24, 2008 Choctaw Code Talkers during World War I    “My language was my weapon.” —David Patterson (Navajo), 4th Div., U.S. Marine Corps.     When the United States issued the call to arms in World Wars I and II, American Indians answered as warriors. Some men discovered that words — in their Native languages — would be their most valued weapons. These unsung American heroes share their stories of strength and courage in a Smithsonian traveling exhibition, opening at The Museum of Western Art, 1550 Bandera Highway, Kerrville, Saturday, Jan. 26.     Developed by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian and the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), “Native Words, Native Warriors” tells the remarkable story of soldiers from more than a dozen tribes who used their Native languages while serving in the US military.     The US military first enlisted American Indians to relay messages in their Native languages during World War I, even though the United States did not consider American Indians citizens until 1924. These encoded messages proved undecipherable by the enemy and helped the United States achieve victory.     The involvement of the code talkers expanded during World War II. Soldiers from the Comanche, Meskwaki, Sioux, Crow, Hopi and Cree nations, among others, participated in the effort. The best known of these projects is the formerly classified Navajo Code Talker Program, established by the US Marine Corps in September 1942. The encoded messages proved to be fast, accurate and indecipherable-to-the-enemy. This innovative alternative suited the demands of the battlefield better than standard – but painfully slow – military devices.     Twenty-three years after the end of World War II, the US government declassified the Navajo and Comanche code talker programs, revealing America’s unsung heroes. In 1999, the US Army presented the last surviving Comanche code talker with a Knowlton Award for outstanding intelligence work. In 2001, President George W. Bush presented the Congressional Gold Medal, the nation's highest and most distinguished civilian award, to four of the five living veterans of the original 29 Navajo code talkers.     Through oral histories taken from the veterans themselves, “Native Words” celebrates and honors this important but little-reported aspect of American history. In addition to 15 large-scale banners, the exhibition includes videos examining the development of the code, battlefield experiences and the sharp turnaround many of them experienced as they transitioned from Indian boarding schools, where they were punished for speaking their Native language, to using it as their call to duty for their country.     “Native Words, Native Warriors” will be exhibited at The Museum of Western Art until late March.      Also on display are Navajo Sand Paintings from the Hathale Family Collection and “Woven Rainbows: American Trade Blankets,” from the Barry Friedman Collection. As part of the Adult Lecture Series, Joshua Baer will speak on the Navajo sand paintings at 10 am, Thursday, Feb. 14. Barry Friedman will be at the museum for a 10 am gallery talk and lecture March 13 on the American Trade Blankets exhibit. His presentation will be accompanied by a wine and cheese reception at 6 pm.       Located at 1550 Bandera Highway, Kerrville, The Museum of Western Art is open 9 am through 5 pm, Tuesday through Saturday; and 1 pm until 5 pm, Sunday.      For more information on this exhibit or The Museum of Western Art, call 830-896-2553 or visit www.themuseumofwesternart.com.

Looking back in time to January 1985 by Judith Pannebaker BCC Editor Courtesy of Judy Goodenough Published Jan. 24, 2008 Scene at the Bandera County Courthouse in January, 1985. This former Christmas tree collected plenty of snow during the remarkable 1985 snowfall in Pipe Creek. Photo by James Henry Frazar This Pipe Creek loquat (Eriobotrya japonica or Japanese plum) was none the worse for snow in 1985.    If the weather this past week or two struck you as cold, damp and miserable, you should have been here in January 1985.     A unexpected snowstorm hit the area Saturday, Jan. 12, and the stuff didn't stop coming down until Bandera County was blanketed with 12 to 14 inches of snow.     The accumulation reportedly left people stunned. In fact, no one even asked whether it constituted a record — they simply knew.     In addition, persistent low temperatures made melting "a lengthy process," so much of the snow remained on the ground through Thursday, Jan. 17. High and low temps on Saturday, Jan. 12, fluctuated between 22 degrees and 30 degrees, and on Sunday, between 24 degrees and a balmy 32 degrees. On Monday and Tuesday, recorded lows were 28 degrees and 24 degrees, respectively.     One accident attributed to the snow accumulation occurred during an impromptu "sleigh ride."     During that incident, a 24-year-old and his companion converted the hood of an old car to a sled and chained it to the rear of a four-wheel-drive vehicle. According to Bandera County Sheriff's Office Deputy James MacMillan, when the vehicle's driver swung into a church parking lot, the makeshift sled and its occupant, Billy Graham, "came into contact with the building or something close to the building."     Lakehills EMS transported Graham to Methodist Hospital in San Antonio where he was treated for a serious back injury.     In addition, members of the Medina Lake Volunteer Fire Department rescued a Lakehills woman after a collapsed awning trapped her inside her mobile home. Other downed awnings were reported at Hevenor's Lumber Company, Hillcrafters Home Furnishings and the OST.     Blizzard-like conditions brought a halt to Bandera County business — particularly the first day of racing at the then newly renovated Bandera Downs on Highway 16 South.     Local school kids received a late Christmas present — two extra days of freedom. Coupled with the weekend and two days off scheduled previously for the Bandera County Junior Livestock Show, local little scholars got an unexpected six-day break.     In addition, the flakes provided another benefit. Soil expert Millard Schuchart said a snow of this kind benefited the soil more than a similar amount of moisture in rainfall as it soaked in deeper and caused no run-off erosion.     According to Schuchart, the snowfall contained 1.3 inches of precipitation.

Writing your family's history By Barbara Hover Special to the Courier Published Jan. 10, 2008    The Lakehills Genealogy Society of Bandera County will begin the year with a program on "Writing Your Family's History."     Guest speakers Claire and Gary Lloyd from Kirksville, Missouri, will give their presentation at 10 am, Tuesday, Jan. 15, at the Lakehills Library, 7200 FM 1283. The free program is open to the public.     The Lloyds have extensive experience in writing, compiling and publishing genealogical and local history books. Gary Lloyd said, "My talk is intended to be informal, and I encourage anyone to interrupt me at any time with a question."     Since becoming interested in genealogy in 1974, he has published eight family history books on six different surnames during the past 33 years. In 2001, Lloyd also headed a committee that researched, wrote, compiled and published a 758-page centennial book for his hometown area of Novinger, Missouri. Lloyd researched and wrote most of the history-related articles.

Confederate commemoration set Published Jan. 10, 2008    A Saturday, Jan. 12, graveside commemoration hosted by the Sons of Confederate Veterans will honor the memory of Confederate soldier James L. Allison.     The event will be held at the West Prong Cemetery, also known as the Shepherd Cemetery, near Medina. The memorial ceremony will include a musket salute accompanied by bagpipes.     Participants will travel from as far away as Phoenix, Ariz. and Nashville, Tenn. to attend.     To reach the cemetery, take FM 337 two miles west of Medina to Coal Kiln Road. Turn left and continue 0.10 mile to the entrance.

Shaw family heirloom Published Oct. 18, 2007    Local icon Robin Shaw got a little help from son Jay and daughter Hannah displaying the antique firearm that once belonged to Shaw's great-grandfather.     Adam Becker was commissioned by Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels, Germany, to hunt wild game for a colony of recently-arrived German immigrants in 1846, near Indianola. Becker's heirloom, a sideby- side large-bore shotgun and rifle combination, is a vintage cap and ball weapon and helped insure the survival of the Deutschlander settlers of modern-day New Braunfels.     Five generations later, Becker's great-great-granddaughter Hannah recently provided the meat for a family barbecue in honor of her grandmother Linda Shaw's 100th birthday recently by dispatching a wild pig with a .22 rifle. Herr Becker would have undoubtedly been proud.

Paying homage to Texas' first fiscal salvation ­ the cattle drives by Judith Pannebaker BCC Staff Writer Published Oct. 11, 2007 Chuck wagon "Cookie" Kelly Scott of Bandera served cowboy fare of beans and bread at last Saturday's museum event. Staff Photos by Judith Pannebaker A full house turned out for the recent Frontier Times Museum's "Hats off to the Cowboy" lecture and demonstration series. Tag team cowboys, Dave Burrell and Rudy Robbins spoke on the Western Trail at the Frontier Times Museum on Saturday, Oct. 6. A bust of San Antonio's George W. Saunders, one of the great stock contractors who drove cattle north on the Western Trail. He could also speak fluent Spanish and "make a bluff stick." Pipe Creek's Kassidy Langlinais and her daddy, Gary, learned about leather stamping during the "Hats off to the Cowboy" lecture and demonstration series.    Staff and volunteers at the Frontier Times Museum, 513 13th Street, took their collective "Hats off to the Cowboy" during the first in a series of lectures and demonstrations illustrating the importance of western culture and its impact on contemporary life.     Using a tag team approach, local legends Dave Burrell and Rudy Robbins spoke about the Western Trail on Saturday, Oct. 6. Outside on the museum grounds, popular and affable "Cookie" Kelly Scott offered samples of cowboy victuals and an up-close- and-personal look at an authentic chuck wagon.     Of the three noted trails wending northward out of South Texas, the Shawnee, Chisholm and Western, only the famed Western Trail has captured the heart and psyche of the Cowboy Capital of the World.     Opened in response to tick fever decimating cattle, and settlers moving from the East, the Western Trail eventually stretched from Texas to the Canadian border.     Over seven million cattle and 800,000 horses made the long journey. According to Burrell, an average cattle drive contained 3,000 head of beef, 10 to 12 cowboys and a remuda of 60 to 70 horses.     Cowboys were equipped with a horse and saddle, a single change of clothes and "as many 'roundup socks' as they could find. "They didn't wash their socks, just threw them away when they wore out. That's why they brought along as many pairs as they could," he added.     According to Robbins, the Old Trail snaking up from South Texas turned into the Western Trail just south of Bandera Pass on now-Highway 173 North.     Called "Big Flat," the area served as a staging area for cattle being herded through Kerrville to parts north. "Cattle had the brands of individual ranchers, but a herd could contain cattle from several owners, so on drives north, livestock was also branded with 'trail' or 'road' brands," Robbins said.     During a tutorial on brand reading, he explained brands can be read left to right, top to bottom and outside to inside. For instance, a numeral 8 inside a circle would be read "Circle 8." The now-Hill Country State Natural Area was originally the Bar O Ranch, with the brand "­O."     Wielded an iron registered in Hood County in 1866, Robbins said, "This brand (from the Hutchison Ranch) was on the hips of livestock that traveled up the Chisholm and Western trails."     Burrell credited Charles Goodnight, one of the founders of the Goodnight & Loving Trail, with developing the chuck wagon. Not only did the "home away from home" carry provisions, a coffee grinder, water barrel and the cowboys' bedrolls, it also served as a navigational tool.     "The cook always turned the wagon tongue toward the North Star to make sure the herd continued in the right direction the next day," Robbins said. Contrary to Hollywood versions of cattle drives, the herd wasn't normally bunched together, Burrell said. On a trail, cattle might be stretched out four miles.     He added, "There might be 10 herds on the same trail, separated by just a mile." The trial widened naturally as subsequent herds sought out grazing areas while trekking to market. "Going north, you can still see when entire areas of soft ground had been (carved) out due to the large number of cattle on the trail," Burrell said.     According to Robbins, John Lytle took the first cattle to Nebraska on the Western Trail in 1874. Over the next 15 years, he drove a record $9 million of cattle. In 1893, John Rufus Blocker made the last ride up the trail, delivering 3,500 head of beef to Deadwood, South Dakota. After that, the ironhorse took over the drovers' task.     In an interview given in the 1930s, cattle baron Ike Pryor explained the fiscal realities of the trail drives that served to rejuvenate Texas' economy left floundering after the Civil War. At that time, cattle had very little value in Texas, Robbins explained. They were cheap, plentiful and there was no market for them in Texas; however, the north needed beef.     According to Pryor's calculations, it took 10 cowboys, including a cook, to drive 3,000 head of cattle to Montana, a 3,000-mile trip. The trail boss was paid $100 a month while the cowboys and cook made $30 a month. Provisions added another $100, bringing monthly expenses to $500. The trip took six months.     Pryor purchased his cattle in Texas at $8 a head and sold them in Montana for $20 a head. Subtracting expenses, he made a net profit of $33,000 ­ the equivalent of $500,000 today, according to Robbins. Pryor sent 10 herds north each year.     "Money from cattle drives put Texas back on the map financially after the Civil War," Robbins said.     "Texas ­ and this little town of Bandera ­ not only provided seed stock for the entire cattle industry in the West, it also turned the American Cowboy into an enduring folk hero. And it started right here in Bandera."

Seven decades later ­ Dorothy's in high school by Judith Pannebaker BCC Staff Writer Published Oct. 11, 2007 Dorothy Anderwald Callahan Staff Photo by Judith Pannebaker Dorothy Anderwald as a BHS senior in 1937    In 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge was completed in San Francisco, the Hindenberg was destroyed by fire while attempting to dock in New Jersey, the first Cotton Bowl was played in Dallas, Daffy Duck made his cartoon debut, Amelia Earhart disappeared over the Pacific Ocean, JRR Tolkien's "The Hobbit" was published, Adolf Hitler stated his plans for acquiring "living space" for the German people ­ and Dorothy Anderwald graduated from Bandera High School as salutatorian.     Now Dorothy Callahan, the longtime Bandera resident was honored at the "Parade of Decades" during 2007 BHS Homecoming halftime activities, Friday, Oct. 5.     She recently offered the Courier a glimpse of what BHS was like 70 years ago.     "The class of 1937 had 12 students, nine girls and three boys," she recalled. The only classmate she still keeps in contact with is the former Jessie May Preston, who now lives in New Mexico. Dorothy, however, was the only '37 graduate who participated in the BHS homecoming festivities.     She attended St. Joseph's Catholic School before transferring to a two-story limestone building on the site of the present Bandera Middle School. "The elementary school was in the bottom floor and the old high school was located on the top floor," she said. In 1936, however, the new Bandera High School was completed, where Dorothy spent her junior and senior years.     "We had a pep squad, but no band, majorettes or cheerleaders," Dorothy recollected, conjuring up images of rallies up and down Main Street prior to football games. "We wore white skirts and tops and orange bolero jackets. The orange and white school colors changed to blue and white a couple years later."     Even seven decades ago, football played an integral part of the Lone Star high school experience.     "The boys on the football team certainly didn't have the protection they have today ­ although they did have helmets," she said. Lacking a stadium, the games were played in a field filled with rocks, Dorothy recalled. Grid iron opponents included Hunt, Center Point and Ingram. High school curriculum included trigonometry, algebra, English, Spanish and history.     After graduating, Dorothy entered then-Incarnate Word College. She attended classes for "two years and one summer," then received an "emergency teaching certificate" ­ which began her life-long interest in education.     "I saw an ad in a San Antonio paper for a Catholic teacher for an eighth grade class in a new school in the Mentz area, a small German community near Columbus," she said.     After answering the ad, she remembered being hired "on the spot."     With her father's blessing she traveled to her new job at a country school that boasted eight grades ­ and home for the next two years ­ on her first train trip.     Dorothy recalled one of her favorite moments. "I was from a family of 10 children and could run like a deer. At school we played baseball. When I hit the ball, I ran around the bases as fast as I could ­ which was pretty fast. All my students would shout, 'Run Miss Dorothy! Run'." She still maintains contact with one of her former students ­ a woman now in her 70s.     After returning to San Antonio, Dorothy took a job with the San Antonio Service Company, but later, to her dismay, she was transferred to the Transit Tower. When World War II began, Dorothy and her friends in a Catholic Girls' Club frequently attended USO socials for servicemen at local military posts and bases. "Just as I was getting interested in one (of the soldiers), off they'd go to war," she noted. Dorothy came back to Bandera where she was reunited with "younger man" Calvin Callahan, who graduated from BHS in 1938. "He joined the Navy, but we wrote throughout the war." The couple married in 1944.     "One of our high school teachers, Mr. ER Teal, now worked at the new Bandera Co-op. He advised Calvin to apply for a job there when he got out of the service," she said. "Calvin did in December 1945 and worked as a survey and engineer for 27 years until his death in 1972."     Just a year before her husband passed away, Dorothy reconnected with the educational system.     "In 1971, Superintendent Schnelle called me about being a teacher's aide in a new kindergarten the school district was starting." The stay-at-home wife and mother informed     Schnelle she was reluctant to re-enter the workforce. "A week later, he called again and told me I was hired," she recalled. "I phoned my husband and told him what happened. All he said was, 'Well, good,' and hung up the phone.     "I really think Divine Providence had a hand in it. Just a year later, I would have had to find something to do," she said.     For the next decade Dorothy assisted throughout the Bandera school district, working in classrooms, libraries and lunchrooms as assigned.     She even served as a substitute teacher at St. Joseph's.     "I've always been in love with the school system," she said. Dorothy's family is keeping up the matriarchal tradition.     All four of her living children ­ three daughters and a son ­ graduated from BHS, along with many of her 15 grandchildren. At present, her great-grandchild attends BHS. "Of my grandchildren, all but three graduated from college and four are teachers," she proudly pointed out.     The great-granddaughter of Bandera County pioneer, Franz Anderwald, who arrived here in 1855, Dorothy will celebrate her 89th birthday Sunday, Oct. 14. During the homecoming festivities, she was escorted across the BHS Stadium by her great-granddaughter, Myrissa Barnet, a senior at BHS.

Smith interviews Dresser for Veterans History Project by Judith Pannebaker BCC Staff Writer Published Aug. 16, 2007 Ralph Dresser in the USAF    US District 21 Rep. Lamar Smith recently offered Ralph Dresser, Bandera County’s fire marshal and emergency management coordinator, a chance to record a time capsule version of his life for posterity.     Veterans History Project     The county’s favorite Congressman swung by the Cowboy Capital City Hall, Tuesday, August 7, to interview Dresser as part of the Veterans History Project (VHP). Created by Congress in 2000, the VHP collects oral histories of veterans and civilian workers. The collections will be archived at the Library of Congress and made available to researchers and the general public, Smith explained.     “This project will preserve past memories enabling future generations to understand what protecting freedom means to these veterans,” he added. “I’m glad to participate in this memorial collection that shows the sacrifices made by all veterans.” According to Smith, of the more than 1.6 million veterans living in Texas, over 2,800 reside in the Bandera County.     As a representative of Bandera County vets, Dresser was prepared to speak primarily on their current issues and concerns. “However, in the first 30 seconds I learned this interview was supposed to be about my life and military career. I was totally unprepared for that,” he said later.     With an aplomb that underscored his 30-year “and one month” career in the US Air Force, Dresser, a retired “full bird” Colonel, immediately switched gears and spent the next 30-plus minutes regaling Smith with eye-popping tales of his life before Bandera County.     In the beginning …     Born in Dallas on Sept. 11, 1930, but raised in San Antonio, Dresser attended Texas A&M on a football scholarship – after also being recruited by other notable institutions of higher education, including West Point and the US Naval Academy. Inspired by his teammates Kyle Rote and Pat Knight, Dresser chose to stay in his home state, saying, “I liked the spirit of Texas A&M.” After four years in the Cadet Corps, a military career seemed a natural transition. Dresser graduated with a commission as a 2nd lieutenant in the USAF in 1952.     For the next several years, he climbed the chain of the Air Force command, beginning his upward mobility by serving as an flying instructor at Reese AFB in Lubbock, then continuing to a stint with the Strategic Air Command at Biggs AFB in El Paso, where, as a 25-year-old pilot, Dresser learned to fly B-47s.     “Then I went to Waco where I became what they called a ‘triple threat,’ by earning my navigator rating. That way I could serve as a pilot, co-pilot and navigator,” he said.     Cuban Missile Crisis     Dresser finally came into his own during his next rotation to Florida’s Eglin Air Force Base, where he was stationed during the infamous “Cuban Missile Crisis” in 1962. “That’s where I became qualified to fly that ‘big airplane,’ the B-52.” The long range jet strategic bomber carried four nuclear weapons in its bomb bay as well as two “Hound Dog” missiles on its wings, according to Dresser. SAC's first air-launched missile, Hound Dog missiles were carried under each wing of the B-52. They were used to attack and destroy enemy air defenses, such as fighter aircraft bases, communication centers and anti-aircraft missile batteries. This cleared the way for the B-52 bomber to strike its target more successfully.      The B-52 also had the capability to carry four “Quail” decoy missiles which, when deployed, allowed the aircraft to penetrate further into the target area. Before launch the wings and tail of the Quail were folded to reduce the overall size. The missile would be lowered out of the bay and the wings and tail unfolded and engine started before it was dropped clear in-flight. It followed a pre-programmed course which could include one speed change and two turns. In addition, the fuselage was designed to produce a large radar cross section similar to that of the B-52.     The B-52, it seemed, was loaded for bear and meant business.     During that nail-biting time, Dresser participated in 15 airborne alert missions, flying to the Mediterranean and back. “We were on alert five out of seven days,” he recalled, adding, “Most of my life has been spent on alert.”     Dresser also said B-52 bomber crews were required to demonstrate their readiness to then-President John Kennedy. “We could go from barracks to haveing five B-52s airborne in less than 15 minutes,” he said proudly. Dresser flew the “big airplane” for five years before being assigned to Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell AFB, Alabama, then to Air Commando Training at Florida’s Hurlburt Field.     Next week, the Courier will take up the tale of Ralph Dresser’s three tours of duty in Vietnam and beyond.

An extraordinary gentleman Part 1 by David Arny BCC Staff Writer Published July 26, 2007    Anyone familiar with Bandera knows the town has always had an abundance of interesting characters residing here. Throughout its long history, tales have abounded of people from all walks of life and every background imaginable coming to this bend in the Medina River and living their lives. Some spent their days quietly, in relative obscurity, while others – by their very natures – couldn't seem to help but make a permanent imprint on this town's collective memory.     J. Marvin Hunter Sr. was one of those souls from Bandera's past who "lived out loud," and a man to whom the overused appellation "pioneer" was truly appropriate.     He passed away some fifty years ago this summer, still doing what had always been his life's main calling – overseeing the operation of a small-town newspaper, the Bandera Bulletin.     John Warren Hunter, J. Marvin's father, was born in Tennessee, but moved to Arkansas following the Civil War to try his hand at farming. There, he met and married a young schoolteacher named Mary Ann Calhoun. When their farm failed due to an extended drought, the couple moved to Fredricksburg after sending a letter inquiring about land availability there and receiving an encouraging reply.     Once in Texas, Hunter became a frontier schoolmaster but – due to a trait apparently passed on to his firstborn son – grew restless after a short time and moved with his young wife to Voca, then Loyal Valley, where Marvin was born in 1880. Next came moves in quick succession to Camp San Saba, Mason, Fort McKavett and finally Menardville, where Warren decided to put down roots, building a three-room house directly across from a school house in 1885.     As an adult, J. Marvin Hunter would say that printer's ink had always been in his blood. His father founded several newspapers in small towns in the Texas Hill Country during the latter half of the 1800s. In his autobiography, "Peregrinations of a Pioneer Printer," the oldest son of J. Warren Hunter recalled how he got his "first taste" of printer's ink at the tender age of four.     While living in Mason, his parents bought a small rock building which had just been vacated by the The Mason News-Item newspaper. While playing in the back yard, the boy found a partially-filled bucket of printer's ink and somehow managed to get the container stuck on his head. "My good mother had a task getting me separated from that ink," he later wrote.     He learned to set type when he was 11, at his father's first newspaper The Menardville Record. The press there was a six-column, hand-inked George Washington, on which two pressmen working three hours could print 300 four-page issues. Since electric-powered machinery was still just a futuristic dream, the press was powered by means of a foot pedal which was continuously worked up and down. Soon, the younger Hunter left school to work in his father's print shop full time.     Perhaps heeding Ben Franklin's adage, "All work and no play a dull boy makes," Hunter spent his spare time having fun with his friends. An old black man named Sid had taught him to swim some years earlier, revealing to him a secret method of staying buoyant. By catching several minnows, carefully cutting out their tiny air bladders and swallowing them, he wouldn't need to worry about drowning, Sid told to the boy.     Late night raids on nearby watermelon patches were a popular rite of passage as well. As an adult, Hunter remained convinced that the melons grown in and around Menardville were sweeter than those grown anywhere else on earth, but one might surmise that being narrowly missed by a flying load of double-ought rock salt – on at least one occasion – may have made the childhood memory of an already excellent-tasting melon all the more delicious.     At the age of 15, rather than get a friend in trouble by answering questions from a grand jury in Mason, or commit perjury, Hunter decided to "strike out for tall timber." He left home after supper one night and rode a "half-broke" horse 25 miles to Brady, where he worked briefly at the The Brady Sentinal. Two years later, Marvin was working at The Llano Times and making plans to start his own newspaper in Comfort. An editor at the Times named Irvin Boynton owned a newspaper plant in Oglesby which was idle at the time and offered Hunter a partnership, with Boynton furnishing the plant and Hunter managing the business.     Oglesby is approximately 88 miles northeast of Llano, near Waco. The 176-mile round trip was estimated to take six to eight days. Hunter loaded a mule-drawn wagon with groceries for him and his fellow traveler, an Irishman known only as "Pat," as well as corn for the mules, and set out in November of 1897 to retrieve the printing equipment.     In Lampasas the following night, Pat left Hunter at their campsite and went to a nearby saloon where he was found the next morning, "maudlin drunk," and minus the eight dollars given the pair for expenses. Luckily, the Irishman had insisted on bringing a large burlap sack of onions with them on the journey, so for the next six days, they ate onions for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Hunter hadn't cared much for the pungent vegetable before setting out, but soon developed a taste for them and "would've fought Pat for the last one, had the supply not been so ample."     The first issue of The Comfort Times was printed Dec. 9, 1897. Hunter remained in Comfort for just a few months, however, writing "… the wanderlust took possession of me, and I struck out for West Texas."     Hunter traveled to Sonora, then a wild and wooly town of 500, replete with 24-hour saloons, gambling halls and a red light district where "soiled doves" plied their trade. He worked at The Devil's River News, but when a long-time employee returned from a trip to Callahan County some four weeks later, he found himself unemployed. A cousin, Reed Calhoun, had recently lost his Mexican sheepherder and Hunter volunteered his services. The job he thought would be an idyllic hiatus from the printing business turned out to be "the most exasperating, profanity-producing job (he) had ever undertaken."     [Quotes from, Hunter, J. Marvin Peregrinations of a Pioneer Printer, Frontier Times Publishing House, 1954.]

Bandera Cemetery honored with historic marker Published July 19, 2007 Texas' newest historic cemetery Staff Photo by David Arny Judy Goodenough, left, and Lauren Langford    A historic designation marker will be placed at the Bandera Cemetery at 11 am, Saturday, July 28.     At that time, a dedication ceremony, sponsored by the Bandera Cemetery Association and the Bandera County Historical Commission, will take place at the cemetery entrance on Highway 173 between Cottonwood and Bandera Boulevard.     Judy Goodenough and Dr. Lauren Langford researched and recorded the history of the local cemetery. Due to their diligence, the Bandera Cemetery received the designation as a Texas Historic Cemetery. Out of approximately 50,000 historic cemeteries in Texas, the locations and histories of only about 900 have been recorded.     Like others of its type, the Bandera Cemetery provides tangible stories that recall the way things once were – not stories told by the living, but rather tales told by those who lived previously. Cemeteries can be compared to open history books, but with tablets of stone instead of paper pages. Gravesites provide clues about the people who settled an area.     As non-renewable resources, the importance of historic burial grounds cannot be stressed enough.     The survival of cemeteries is constantly threatened by expanding urban areas, vandalism and neglect, removal of headstones and theft and sale of decorative objects such as benches, gates and statuary. If uncared for, these reminders of early settlements will be lost forever. In addition, historic cemeteries act as outdoor museums, art galleries, wildlife refuges, areas for contemplation and meditation and, most importantly, as places to honor those who have gone before.     Goodenough and Langford encourage the public to attend the dedication ceremony for the Bandera Historic Cemetery.

Veterans history project begins Published July 12, 2007 U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith (District 21) represents Bandera County in Washington    US District 21 Rep. Lamar Smith kicked off his participation in the Veterans History Project (VHP) over the July Fourth week by conducting three interviews.     VHP volunteers will collect oral histories of veterans and civilian workers to honor their service. Created by Congress in 2000, the VHP will document stories of America’s veterans.     By participating in this project, veterans can contribute to the permanent Veterans History Project collections at the Library of Congress, one of the world’s most respected research and cultural institutions. The collections will be archived and made available to researchers and the general public.     “This project will preserve past memories, allowing future generations to understand what protecting freedom means to these veterans,” said Smith. “I am gratified to participate in this memorial collection that illustrates the sacrifices made by all veterans.”     Smith conducted his interviews in Kerrville, San Antonio and Austin.     Interview participants included veteran Robert Weinberg, Marine Lance Cpl. Eric Morante and Staff Sgt. Guadalupe Recio.     Each participant spoke with Smith for 30 minutes about their time in the service, experiences they had and their life after the military.     More than 1.6 million veterans live in Texas and more than 75,800 in the 21st Congressional District.     To participate in the VHP, contact the Washington, DC Congressional office at 202-225-4236 or visit the VHP website, www.loc.gov/vets/.     “This project gives Texas veterans and volunteers a wonderful opportunity to record the past and preserve it for future," Smith concluded.

Local historical commission scores at THC State Conference By Dan Wise BCC Contributor Published May 3, 2007 Dan Wise and Eleanora Dugosh Goodley accepted the Texas Historical Commission award on behalf of the volunteer work of all members of the Bandera County Historical Commission.    Bandera County delegates received a pleasant surprise at the Texas Historical Commission (THC) Annual Historic Preservation Conference in Lakeway. The Bandera County Historical Commission (BCHC) received the coveted THC Distinguished Service Award "for outstanding preservation work accomplished in 2006."     The award was presented to Dan Wise and Elenora Dugosh Goodley by THC Executive Director Larry Oaks. Because the award recognized the volunteer work of the entire membership of the BCHS, no individuals were singled out for the award. All projects cited by Oaks were a group effort, including:     The Pictorial History of Bandera County edited by Dr. M.J. Schumacher, with graphics by Richard Stevens and graphics editing by Cindy Harrington. The book was written by 13 Bandera County authors and published by the Donning Company, Nashville.     Three Official Texas Historical Markers for Bandera County, including "The Mills of Bandera," unveiled Sept. 1 in front of the Old County Jail. Remaining markers, "Warren Hunter, Artist" and "Bandera Cemetery Historic Marker," will be dedicated in 2007. Research and applications for the three markers were completed by Dr. Lauren Langford, assisted by Susie Short.     Dedication of the Western Trail Heritage Park. This project, which converted Bandera City Plaza to a park honoring Bandera cowboys on the Western Trail, was spearheaded by David Burell and Rudy Robbins. BCHC helped raise $7,000 for park improvements including lighting, flag poles, entrance and a six-foot map of the Western Trail.     Marking the Western Trail. When completed, Bandera County will have five five-foot, concrete pylons, spaced six miles apart, to designate the route of the Western Trail through Bandera County. This is part of a national project to mark the trail every six miles, from Mexico to Canada. The first marker in Bandera County was placed in the Western Trail Heritage Park on Labor Day, 2004, as part of the Celebrate Bandera ceremonies. The second marker was dedicated at Bandera Pass Dec. 14, 2006. This project was also led by Dave Burell.     Preserving the Hendrick Arnold-Bertha Tryon African American Cemetery. Chaired by Gene Turner, this extended project will restore the beauty and dignity of the Black cemetery lost over the decades to trees, trash, vines and vandals. After necessary research, Turner developed a plan for the cemetery's restoration. In 2006, BCHC members began cleaning up the property and cutting down trees and weeds. Heavy equipment assistance was provided by Bandera Electric Co-op, Guilott Realty and Finn Rasmutten of Finn Can Fix It.     Preserving our Polish Heritage. Goodley ran a one-woman campaign to preserve the heritage of our first Polish families, who came to Bandera before there was a Bandera County. She enthusiastically enlisted the help of the rest of the Bandera County Historical Commission. For her work in establishing a sister city-county relationship with Strzelce Opolskie, Goodley was named Bandera's Official Ambassador to Poland. In 2006, she organized and helped host a visiting delegation from Poland during Celebrate Bandera. This year, Goodley will lead a delegation of 19 Bandera County residents to Strzelce Opolskie.     "Strzelce Opolskie County and its wonderful people deserve recognition for their contribution in helping the Bandera County Historical Commission receive this award," Dugosh said, adding, "Thank you, Strzelce Opolskie and all the surrounding villages for your support and contributions."     The Texas Camel Corps in Bandera. BCHC sponsored the Bandera visit of the Texas Camel Corps June 2, 2006, for the 150th anniversary of the landing of the US Army's Sahara Desert Camel Corps at Indianola, Texas, in May, 1856. This coincided with the founding of Bandera County. The 2006 reenactment followed the original camel drive from Indianola through Bandera to Camp Verde. Camp Verde was the home of the army's experiment with camels as cargo carriers before the Civil War.     The Texas Historical Commission was created by the Texas legislature in 1953. It has developed the largest preservation-focused workforce of any state and is one of the most respected in the nation. THC works with county historical commissions and preservation professionals to preserve and manage historic resources in Texas.     Created by a state statute, the county historical commission is a function of county government with members appointed by the County Commissioners Court. County historical commissions operate in all 258 counties in Texas to preserve, protect and promote the historical treasures of each county.

Fossilized prints point to millennium old stalking By Judith Pannebaker BCC Staff Published March 15, 2007 Although difficult to distinquish, the imprint in this rock clearly indicates a bear print on top of a human one. BCC Staff Photo    A chance glance sent a Bandera County resident scurrying to find a paleontologist or archeologist in hopes of solving a millennium's old mystery.     Jerry Vanzant discovered the unusual rock in his front yard last fall. "A friend offered to quarry rocks from my place and replace them with dirt, which was fine with me," the Lake Hills resident said in an interview. "He wanted the rocks and I wanted dirt. I've been fighting rocks for years."     During a tour of his now nearly naked front yard, Vanzant glanced at a recently uncovered specimen and did an immediate double take. "I could see right away, this was an unusual rock," – one unearthed nearly two feet down, and uncovered only after his friend's rock snatching expedition.     What fascinated Vanzant was a fossilized animal print captured in the rock, which, thousands of years ago, had been just mud at the bottom of a streambed. "Right away, I could see it was an imprint of a bear paw," he said. The nearly perfectly preserved print measured six-inches long by four-inches wide with claws clearly visible, he added. Vanzant placed his fascinating acquisition on his front porch.     "One morning I was on the porch when the light washed over the rock at the correct angle and I could plainly see the delineation of a man's footprints under the bear paw," he said. At its widest part, the footprint measured six inches wide, the equivalent of a size 10-plus man's cowboy boot.     "It's been speculated maybe the bear was a pet and just following the man," Vanzant said, adding, "I kind of doubt that, but I've no doubt but what he was following the man alright." It has been suggested the prints were probably made 10,000 to 15,000 years ago.     Now that he's got his prize specimen, Vanzant feels no compunction to explore the drama any further. However, other people feel sure the end of the mystery might be somewhere in his front yard – at least 24 inches deep.

Submarine docks at Bandera Courthouse by Stephanie Day BCC Staff Published March 8, 2007 A submarine docked briefly at the Bandera Courthouse Friday, March 2, and drew a crowd of admirers.    A submarine is not what you'd expect to find docked at the Bandera Courthouse, but there was a replica parked there Friday, March 2, and it drew a crowd of admirers.     Franklin A. Lister of Bandera, who retired as a Master Chief Torpedoman from the United States Navy and is a life member of the Naval Submarine League, hosted a parade replica of the USS Seawolf­and Art Winans who is taking the sub to San Diego, Calif.     Lister, who moved to Bandera in 1992 and has kept his promise to his wife to stay out of politics, spent 28 years in the navy, almost all of it connected to submarines. He spent four years, four months and nine days totally under water. "It takes a special type of person to be on a submarine," he reminisced. "A person on a sub has less space assigned to him than an inmate on death row."     With a life spent in, on and around submarines, Lister was eager to be a stopping point and welcoming committee for Winans and the Seawolf as they traveled through Bandera.     Winans, who served in the sub force under Nathan Hale, retired from the navy in 1965. He belongs to a submarine corps veterans organization connected to SLO Base in Oceana, Calif. They meet once a month and are planning to refurbish the Seawolf and use it as an annual parade entry.     Lister knew about the submarine, built by the late John Fredricks as a parade entry for sub veterans in La Porte. The Seawolf greeted admirers in several Houston parades. Lister attempted to bring it to Bandera in 1997 and 1998 for Bandera parades, but each time the sub had prior obligations.     The Seawolf class attack submarine was ordered in 1989 at the end of the Cold War. The intended fleet of 29 subs, to be built over a 10-year period, was eventually reduced to 12. The fleet was cancelled in 1995 with just three ships, the Seawolf, Connecticut and Jimmy Carter. The subs were quieter than previous submarines, larger, faster and had twice as many torpedo tubes. They carried more weapons and extensive navigation equipment­but also more expense. They were intended to combat the threat of advanced Soviet ballistic-missile submarines in deep ocean.     The USS Seawolf was 352 feet long, held a crew of 121 including 12 officers and could reach a speed of 35 knots, or 65 mph. It could reach a depth of 2,000 feet.     Military experts may have cancelled the USS Seawolf­but it was a big hit during its brief docking in Bandera.

Looking back into Bandera County's past Published Feb. 15, 2007    40 years ago…     Bandera County residents used 33 pints of blood during the first six months of 1966. Bandera County residents used a total of 3,136 units of blood­measuring has changed and blood is not always measured in pints now­in 2007, according to the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center. Bandera residents roll up their sleeves during quarterly blood drives, making them successful. Ranch Radio publicizes Bandera blood drives.     Forty years ago, in 1966, Boyle's Grocery store was selling bacon for 89 cents, oleo for 39 cents, coffee for 17 cents and franks for 59 cents.     Ryan's Grocery was selling coffee for 75 cents, bacon for 79 cents, cat food for 10 cents and a dozen California lemons for 35 cents.     Country Shopper was selling weiners for $1.17, coffee for 75 cents, bread for 45 cents and five pounds of dog food for $1.     R.L. Walker of Medina purchased five registered angus cows from Dallas.     Conoly Drug Store advertised Slimodex, available without a doctor's prescription­helps you lose those extra pounds by decreasing your desire for food, not by starving you, but by eliminating the urge for extra portions­only $3 and guaranteed to work.     Katrina L. Wood, with Bluebonnet Van Lines, would move household goods anywhere, anytime. The area code for Bandera was 512. Bandera's prefix, SW6.     Gabe Anderwald was selling appaloosas from his Indian Creek Appaloosa Ranch. A car wreck at the Mayan bridge ruined a 1957-model Chevy­but the three young men from Kerrville escaped serous injury.     The Bantex Theatre showed Munster, Go Home, Walt Disney's Yellowstone Cubs, Behind the Blindfold, Thunderball and Duel at Diablo with James Garner and Sidney Poitier.     22 Years ago…     "When it rains, it snows." Bandera County experienced first a flood, then a snow storm all in one week. The Medina River rose 15 feet, then the county was covered with between 12-14 inches of snow. Flood waters closed FM 470 between Bandera and Tarpley and raised the water level at Medina Lake by five feet.     Bandera County Judge Tommy Curbo suspended five EMTs for criticizing the way he was running the EMS service.     221 youths exhibited in the Junior Livestock Show and Sale.     Each working seven hours, Lamar Lindley and Mike Starr crafted a Cowboy Capital snowman that was some 15-feet high. The cowboy hat on the snowman's head was dwarfed by the immense block of snow, complete with a State of Texas cowboy belt buckle and boots so big that the dad's children could sit on them. The snowfall was a Bandera County record­never since repeated. The county was paralyzed by snow. One resident was seriously injured in a makeshift sled accident. Deputy James MacMillan investigated the accident. It involved a metal car hood being towed by a four-wheel drive and coming into contact with the Lakehills United Methodist Church building.     A Lakehills resident was rescued from her home when an awning collapsed, holding her captive inside her mobile home. The awning in front of the OST Restaurant fell down at approximately 7 p.m. while employees were closing. A warehouse at Hevenor's Lumber Company collapsed, as did an awning at Hillcrafter's Furniture.     The first day of racing at the renovated Bandera Downs was cancelled Sunday due to snow. School was cancelled in all areas of the county and Bandera High School rescheduled final exams. Lakehills EMTs Marion and Kay Heisler and Bob Travis and Sue Kruse delivered a baby girl in the back of an ambulance. Marion drove the ambulance and said that "being a part of such a joyous occasion is one of the best things about being an EMT.     A San Antonio couple had planned to get married under Justice of the Peace Ed Jennings' "Marrying Oak" on Saturday, Jan. 12. They invited guests­uninvited snowflakes­lots of them­arrived with the guests. Jennings married the couple under the oak with snow flakes falling. Sheriff Guy Pickett had planned to be there to sing, "Oh Promise Me," but could not get through the snow. "Not even the worst snowstorm in a century could stop the wedding," Bandera's marrying judge boasted.     The $3.5 million bonds to construct a new elementary school sold for 8.9 percent. Top soil sold for $35 for five yards­and came with free delivery within a five-mile radius of Bandera.     Lynne Fitzpatrick, 22, was selected trail ride queen for the 14th Annual Cowboy Capitol Trail Ride, a three-day, 65-mile ride from Bandera to the San Antonio Livestock Show and Rodeo. Buyers paid $65,300 to exhibitors at the Junior Livestock Show and Sale in 1985.     Names of a few of the top winners from the 49th Annual Junior Livestock Show included: Patti Kindla, Ruth Lynn Mazurek, John Bruce, Jennifer Evans, Leela Kendrick, Kristina Ashley, Tim Wells, Chris Lukachik, Cody Wells, Letitia Huie, Kim Lukachik, Shannon Cowsert, Beckie Clements, Kellie Clements, Charles Kneuper, Raegan Mazurek, Heath LeStourgeon, Tana Short, Ernest Faris …and Twin Elm Ranch paid $430 for Cindy Fritsche's champion cookies, a bake show record.     This year's stock show, the 71st, boasted 281 exhibitors with 729 entries and set a record for sales, $213,465. Some of this year's winners were: Laura Zinsitz, Sterling Yurrita, Jason Mangold, Jimbo Dielman, Nicole Stewart, Justin Ofsow, Seth Saathoff, Zackory Schmidt, Katie Mangold, Annie Fried, Corey Flach, Samantha Williams…with more than 700 exhibitors, the list of winners is long! But regardless of placings, everyone who participates in the annual stock show goes home a winner.     Boyle's advertised 25 pounds of flour for $3.39, tuna for 59 cents a can, two loaves of bread for 99 cents, luncheon meat $1.59, T-bone steak for $3.09, 25 pounds of dog food for $4.25 and half-gallons of Blue Bell ice cream for $3.49­a total cost of $17.39 for those seven items. To buy those same seven items today would cost between $37.97 and $49, depending on the brands chosen for bread, flour, dog food, lunch meat and tuna. Some loaves of bread sell for $3.09 and a 25-pound bag of flour can cost up to $10.49. Tuna, at a regular price of 63 cents has remained fairly constant over the past 22 years.     To purchase the four items listed at the front of this story 40 years ago at any one of Bandera's three grocery stores would have cost approximately $2.

Looking back at 1945 Complied by Stephanie Day BCC Staff Published Jan. 4, 2007    It was not Bandera, but 62 years ago, a town was damaged by an airplane July 11, 1945. A navy flyer was killed in San Diego, Texas, when a naval training plane hit a 100-foot water storage tank in the center of town. Two women were injured and 100,000 gallons of water flooded the homes around the storage tank.     Only in Bandera, Smith Wright brought an Irish potato into the newspaper office to display to editor J. Marvin Hunter. The potato had a stalk of Johnson grass growing through the center of it. No later news on whether the grass-potato cross produced more offspring, but how about this for a town motto: "Tis neither birth nor wealth nor state (except of course for Texas), but get-up-and-get that makes men great."     Big rodeo winners at Mansfield Park included Felix Billings, Bob Mansfield, Ray Wharton, Raymond Hicks, Scooter Fries, Fabian Anderwald, Bennie Adamietz and John Eckhart. Because of the war against Japan, a food shortage was predicted. A short supply for the next two years was expected for sugar, fats and oils.     July 20 brought the sad news that Private Alton Hodges had been killed in military action on the Luzon. It also brought good news: Bandera brothers Second Lieutenant Charles Goodenough and Pfc. Horace Goodenough, serving in the European theater, met for the first time since 1942 and spent five days together.     And although Baxter Adams gets credit most recently for bringing apples to Medina and proving the economic viability of growing apples in Texas, A.D. Hall had a great crop of apples in July 1945. He grew them at Highland Waters.     Only in Bandera, the Newcomer family of Pipe Creek presented the Frontier Times Museum with a relic, a mineral rod, that had at one time been expected to locate mineral leads and buried treasure.     July 27 brought welcomed news: street paving began in Bandera. The first paved streets were Cypress Street to the Catholic School, Twelfth Street to Maple and Maple to Main, Cedar Street to Eighth and around "the public school," now Bandera Middle School.     A burglary was quickly solved in August 1945 but not by law enforcement! When then-owner of the OST Restaurant, Cleora Faris, found that $27 had been taken from the register­she found the culprit, picked him up in her vehicle and hand-delivered him to Sheriff Billy Burns. Driving while intoxicated caused a driver to send his car plunging into a yard at the corner of Main and Cedar Streets. Extensive damage for the homeowner­arrest for the drunken driver.     The Negro Baseball Game, sponsored by the Bandera Lions Club and the Medina Volunteer Fire Department raised $90. Names of players sounded suspiciously non-black: Lewis, Gallant, Adams, Mayfield, Stovall, LeStourgeon, Hatfield, D'Spain, Kalka, Anderwald, James…     Considerable activity in real estate was announced. Property sales announced were for the following amounts: $3,480 for 87 acres near Tarpley; $27.50 revenue stamps canceled for 1,233.5 acres; Bandera lots 26-33 for $20,000; 320 acres for $8,480 on Dixie Dude Road; 27 acres in Tarpley for $1,200 and Lot 2 in Bandera Estates Subdivision, $10.     Finally Aug. 17, the news that the entire world was waiting to hear: "Japan's Surrender Brings War to an Abrupt End." Bandera staged a victory parade. Bandera and Medina businesses closed for the day to hold town parades. The Bandera parade was nearly half-a-mile long.     Also Aug. 14, the Bandera Chamber of Commerce announced future plans: constructing a "first class" road from Bandera to Tarpley, then on to Utopia.     Local real estate agent John H. Lapham, flier and flight instructor, purchased the Dr. J.O. Butler 486-acre ranch south of Bandera and announced his plans to build "a great airport for Bandera." At the time the war began, Mr. Lapham owned 25 airplanes and owned an aviation service. He left his private life to train pilots for the government during the war.     By Aug. 31, 1945, American Troops occupied Japan. The Bantex, "Bandera's Modern New Theatre" opened, thanks to owners Miriam and J.C. Webb. Miriam managed the construction project while her husband served in the U.S. Army.     Joe Parks, of the Doan Ranch, was bitten by a large diamond-back rattlesnake. Fortunately, he recovered.     While General MacArthur began moving his headquarters from Yokohama to the United States Embassy building in Tokyo Sept. 7, Bandera's Jack Burns­the son of Sheriff Billy Burns­rode a white mule into Tokyo in honor of the U.S. troops marching into the city. J. Marvin Hunter's newspaper noted, "if he heads the column that goes in to the conquered Japanese capital city, we are all betting he will pull some of his choicest rodeo stunts on that white jackass."     Bandera County's "Little Bill" Newcomer of Pipe Creek served on the USS Enterprise, "the fightingest ship." The ship was damaged 15 times and sunk six times during the four-year war against Japan, according to Japanese propaganda. The ship was damaged: as of Sept. 7, it was at the Puget Sound Navy Yard for general overhaul and repair.     A vehicle wreck on SH 16 in front of the Joleta Ranch took the life of Bohnet Bakery bread truck driver Thomas Smith Sept. 14.     Monroe Langford, the son of the late Alvin Langford, was serving on the Cruiser Canberra when it was hit by a Japanese aerial torpedo. One officer and 22 enlisted men were killed instantly in the explosion. Battling flames and flood, the survivors­including Langford­saved the ship and the rest of the crew, while fighting off seven Japanese bombers.     Just some of the highlights from Bandera, 62 years ago.

Archaeological quarterly meeting Jan. 13 Published Jan. 4, 2007 Dr. Michael B. Collins Dr. Robert A. Ricklis    Annual quarterly meeting of the Southern Texas Archaeological Association will feature two speakers dealing with "Research on the Earliest Americans" at the University of the Incarnate Word International Conference Center in San Antonio Saturday, Jan. 13.     Guest Speakers are Dr. Michael B. Collins and Dr. Robert A. Ricklis.     Dr. Collins will speak on "Searching for the First Americans." Collins is Research Associate at the Texas Archaeology Research Laboratory, University of Texas-Austin. His interest, research, and publications in Paleoindian sites and culture is deep and extensive. Among his many publications is his book on "Clovis Blade Technology" (University of Texas Press). His talk will focus on the growing evidence of a pre-Clovis culture in the Americas that calls for a revision of the older traditional depictions of who were the first Americans and how they arrived here.     Dr. Ricklis will speak on "Emergent Cultural Complexity at Buckeye Knoll." Ricklis is Director of the Corpus Christi office of Coastal Environments, Inc. He is an expert in the archeology of the Texas coastal zone, as well as the ethno-history of the Karankawa tribes and other native groups of the Texas coast.  His numerous publications include his book, "The Karankawa Indians of Texas" (University of Texas Press). His talk examines the evidence linking the Early Archaic lifeways along the Texas coast to cultural development in much of the North American continent.     Registration begins at 11 a.m., the meeting begins at noon and the speakers begin at 12:15 p.m. and are expected to continue until 3 p.m. Registration costs is $5 except for children 11 and under are $2 and college students with id are $2.     Visit: www.staa.org or contact Grace Keyes at 210-431-2280 or gkeyes@stmarytx.edu for more information.     The International Conference Center at the University of the Incarnate Word is located at the corner of U.S. Highway 281 and Hilderbrand.     The Southern Texas Archaeological Association and the University of the Incarnate Word Sociology & Anthropology Department are hosting the meeting.