You can bet your anemometer (altitude measurement gauge) that we old, timid pilots –no old, bold pilots they say–read about the airliner that flew 801 miles per hour. Thanks to a powerful tailwind. Republic Airlines Captain Tom Young said the fastest speed his airliner ever flew was 600 mph. Again, thanks to a tailwind. Tom was a North Carolina University student of this old, private pilot. I became a professor long after I logged 1,600
Honorary Texas Rangers
The two businessmen came from Chicago. The “suits” left for a business convention in St. Louis, but lost their way to St. Peter Street in New Orleans. The three “political experts” drove from Alabama where we went to help a recent college classmate run for Congress. Alex and I wrote speeches, press releases, radio commercials. Phil announced our copy. We were driving back to Abilene. Stopped in New Orleans to buy
“Abilene Forever” Lawyer
As far as I know, the lyrics…and what passed as a tune…belonged to Abilene lawyer named Homer Montgomery. Homer and I arrived at The University at Austin Texas, after World War II ended. I was an 18-year-old undergraduate working on the student Daily Texan newspaper. Homer was enrolled in Law School, cashing in his GI Bill-of-Rights something less than $100-a-month scholarship money. We were both from Abilene, and his song-writing fame preceded him. When we returned home
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/
‘Bama ‘Dema-Goshers’
Appears we’ve got lots of political ‘dema-goshers’ lately. But I’ve yet to hear of any recent political demagogue who matches the theatrical skill attributed to James Folsom, the Governor of Alabama back in the 1950s. A son-of-Alabama, former State Senator Ramsey Neil Metcalf, told me about one “Kissing Jim” (nickname acquired after some lady filed suit in an Alabama court) Folsom appearance that I still remember. On that Saturday, a crowd gathered at a county courthouse
Science Fair Family Feud
The Elam and Crutchfield families were the best of friends. But once a year friends became the worst of enemies—when the Abilene city schools sponsored the Science Fair. On the run-up to that annual event, the Crutchfield father of five let his chicanery slip. While sharing a libation or two, John bragged he and son Joe had installed laboratory equipment to help grow experimental ‘cultures’ for the upcoming Science Fair. Holy Pasteur—what were the odds my
Famous Christmas Givers
Annie was a great gal. Her only niece Margo remembers, as I do, a ‘cornucopia’ of Christmas presents that Anne Van Buren mailed from Colorado to our homes. However my sister-in-law insisted on specific Christmas tree rules. To wit: NO presents opened before Christmas morning. Excepting when the northern cat smelled the ‘nip’ wrapped and sent by the Colorado feline who always signed as ‘Claws.’ ONLY one present from ‘Auntie’ or ‘Sister.’ All other wrapped presents
Model T Ford
Author Ellen Collier—she writes fun novels about 1928 Galveston and a ‘Flapper’ Sob Sister (that’s a woman journalist, young readers) —saw a Model T and became mesmerized. Fairly lost her mind writing about the early 1900s antique mass-produced automobile. Shucks Ellen, a still standing Model T isn’t a ‘Eureka’ discovery for this old college editor. I rode in a handsome classmate’s Model T in 1949. Back in the days when you didn’t need to add ‘..at
Smartest Dog
Magazine article just read rated the Border Collie as world’s smartest dog. I agree. Our first dog ‘Brownie’ was primarily Border Collie, although relegated to the Animal Shelter because of his mixed bloodline. That’s where my bride of one month found him. Maxine wanted a dog in the house while I worked the morning newspaper shift. The duplex neighbors thought that was a good idea. They renamed him ‘The Brown Bomber.’ Later, the three little
Dowry Questionnaire
“Oh Daddy, you wouldn’t do that….would you?” When the teenage boys got ‘wheels’ and started asking my daughters for dates, I threatened to require each boy to complete a questionnaire so I could check his credentials. I didn’t. But #3 Daughter never forgot. And when she accepted his invitation, she helped Jack Wood write the questionnaire he presented when they announced their engagement. Questionnaire for the Father of the Bride Asset Value of Daughter 1.