Smoky

Back in my 1940s days at Abilene High School, the English teachers assigned you to write a book review. If you were a West Texas guy who wanted to write about Smoky the Cow Horse, most often you would find the book was already checked out of the library. Here’s a review a professional wrote of Will James novel: Smoky knows only one way of life: freedom.  Living on the open range, he is free

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Remembering Fess Parker

One of my former journalism students responded to my story about my 1949 classmate Fess Parker and his Model-T Ford. However this Elam-trained journalist asks to remain anonymous.   Maybe because he doesn’t want anyone to know he’s so old he’s drawing social security? He emailed…. Always remembered that the Davy Crockett/ Fess Parker character relied on the slogan, “Be sure you’re right…then go ahead.” Also the kids in my area memorized the speech in the Disney series in which Crockett/

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