Mr. Hand

I remember a Mr. Hand who was the grade school principal when I was in first grade ('46-'47). I don't remember if he remained principal after my first year though. I do remember him coming around to classrooms to make announcements. He seemed to be an intimidating figure to us little guys.
-- Bill Dobbs

In Memory of Dad

Here is something I wrote about my dad, Dewey Keck. Since it is Father's Day Weekend, I wanted to share it in his memory.

My dad, Dewey (no middle name) Keck was born Jan. 12th, 1912. We all know the biggest news of that year was the sinking of the Titantic in April, but I am sure that my grandparents' lives were far and away different from those who traveled on that fateful voyage. Dad was born in a dugout house during a bad ice and snow storm to Mollie (Mary Francine) Grove and Olloway Wm. Keck. They had just moved their 2 other sons (Bonnie and Tinker) up to Carter County, Okla., from Nocona, Texas. They traveled in wagons pulled by Mr. Keck's team of mules. A cowboy who, in his youth, rode the Chisolm Trail, my grandfather took his family up to the Oklahoma oil boom area of Wirt (Ragtown), Okla., to find work. He used his teams of mules to move dirt for roads and dikes in those oil fields where slush pits were dug and foundations for the large tanks that held the crude were being built. Mollie was expecting my dad when they crossed the Red River and made their way to their new life.

Mules and Jennys (half mule-half horse) played a large role in my dad and his brothers childhood. Bonnie and Tinker hauled water with their Jennys and sold it to the neighbors in the community. As Dad grew up, he played all over the country and along a creek that ran near the place that the family moved to from the temporary home in the dugout. His Jenny was named, Ole Blue. As was the custom, these Jennys ran free all over the countryside and kids from the area would round them up and ride them and set them loose and then another group of kids would catch them and ride them for a time. After Dad grew older, he ultimately lost track of Ole Blue, until one day a wagon pulled up belonging to an old man that sold odds and ends to the country folk. They called him the old junker.

Suddenly, Dad recognized Old Blue in the team of Jennys pulling the old junker's wagon. He rushed out to see him and found that Ole Blue was not the healthy Jenny he had played with for so many years. He had been beaten and only had one eye and held numerous scars around his head and neck. Dad lost his temper and started yelling at the old junker and all the while started unharnessing Ole Blue. He could not bear to see his old childhood friend in that condition. But my grandfather (The Old Man) stopped him and told him that Ole Blue belonged to the junker now and that Dad had to let him go. Dad told me that watching the junker ride off with Ole Blue was the hardest thing he had ever had to do.

This is a poem I wrote about Dad and Ole Blue.

OLE BLUE

The Old Man lead the Jennys across the path towards the orchard.

The two were jumpy and wild-eyed
New to the place,
A mare and her colt.

The mare became by brother's and the colt was given to me.

I named him, "Ole Blue".

I suppose we were well matched,
Leggy and sprite,
Running wild in the country,

Loners in a crowd.

Together, we played out the old cowboy stories

Told by the Old Man
Leaned back in his chair
On winter nights in the front room.

No one really ever owned Ole Blue
True to his spirit,
Me lying the the dust at his feet.

But we had that understanding.

Time made that understanding binding, as we grew sleek and tall.

Kindly remembering the races,
Running madly through the thickets
To drink finally the cold spring water.

Each of us had our own paths to trod
Inroads to wander,
Pains to endure.

Only to meet once again and embrace for a moment.

Sweet touch of childhood melting,

And I watched you ride away.

By: Vickie Keck Nowlin

Dad died April 1st, 2001. I love you Dad....Happy Father's Day!!
Your "Sweetheart of the Hills", Vickie Sue

Vencil Not Hand

Vera Sue Wilson Golden wrote: Yes – I made a mistake. It was Mrs. Vencil. I had a senior moment. I knew a Mrs. Hand from some other place. Sorry folks!!! Forgive me?I have heard from others. That proves that some are reading and checking.

Temple School Reunion Planning

Temple School Alumni Association officers met Thursday to kick off planning for the biannual reunion coming Saturday November 28th. Attending the meeting: Richard Glenn, president of the Association, Joy Monroe Glenn. VP; Dana Allen McIlhaney, secretary; Sally Campbell Eckhardt, treasurer; Lois Lewis Powell, membership and Harold Powell, past president.

After discussion of various suggestions for changing the day of the reunion, decision was made to poll alumni to determine future reunion days.

Decided was that the reunion format will be similar to past years. Committees will be formed for the various tasks to be done. Decision was made to appoint younger management for the dance. The Temple Chamber of Commerce has volunteered to cater the dinner. A letter will be sent to the Alumni mailing list early in October.

--Harold Powell

Mrs. Hand

Annette Waller Keeter, class of 1956, had a coment about teachers in Temple School:

Sue Golden Wilson said Mrs. Hand read us stories in the sixth grade. I thought it was Mrs. Vencil. I can't imagine Mrs. Vencil turning over her class to someone else.. I looked in the 1950 year book and there is no Mrs. Hand that is in there under the faculty. Any other classmates remember Mrs. Hand?
--Harold Powell

Lewises Host Brick Swap

Tab and Karan Lewis were hosts for an International Brick Collectors Swap Meet at their farm home June 6th. About 100 brick collectors from as far as Florida, California and New York showed up and enjoyed camaraderie and brick trading. The weather and the turnout were perfect. Brick Association members meet a few times annually to trade named bricks. Tab is a past president of the Association and has a large alphabetized collection.

It is a heavy hobby.

--Harold Powell

Business Update: Fire Destroys T.H. Rogers; Dairyland Re-Opens; NewGreenhouse

T.H. Rogers, a long term Temple lumber business suffered a major fire about 2:00 am Tuesday morning, June 9. The business and sales building was totally burned. Quick action by the Temple Fire Department kept the flames off other structures. Manager Micah Lipscomb said that fire inspectors believe the fire was caused by electrical short somewhere in the attic. Micah also said that T.H. Rogers will rebuild.
Other community building losses the past two years are the Lodge building and the Sands Motel. The Lodge building was demolished leaving an open space downtown. The Sands remains a burned out ruin.
The Dairyland restaurant recently reopened. Hopefully it will make a go. The town needs it for food service, tax revenue and jobs.
A new business in town is Wayne Daniels watermelon and cantaloupe producer. Wayne has set out thousands of watermelons and cantaloupe plants on Red River and Cache Creek property. He has purchased the Auto Dealership property northeast of town and set up a green house where he sprouts his plants. The building will be warehouse and distribution center for the produce. Wife Tonya sells plants out of the facility.
--Harold POwell

Memorial Day Ceremony

Thanks to Jack Jackson and Larry Taylor, a Memorial Day ceremony took place at the Temple Cemetery on May 25th. Among the thirty attending were Odessa Grant and sister, Betty Roland. They came from California and were delighted to see the old hometown. Debria Schuler says they and others were in town to attend a reunion of descendants of Howard Turner. Lisa Metcalfe sang the National Anthem beautifully. Guest speaker for the event was LTC (Ret) Paul Metcalfe. A roll call was done of the living WWII veterans in the community: Tuffy Casteel, Jack McGee, Glen McCluskey, Carl Fletcher, Louie Riddles, Grady Cosden, Wesley Bowles, Louis McGee and James Harden.

--Harold Powell