Excerpts From Original Skidmore Signal

From the Friday, May 23, 1913 issue of the Skidmore Signal, published by Charles H. Blanton. Baseball Notes. Speaking in a commendatory strain of is baseball team the San Patricio County News, among other things, says "On Monday (the 5th inst.) the Skidmore team came down and were defeated 5 to 0." Our contemporary forgot to add that the Sinton team was here the next day and quit the game in the fifth inning with the score standing 17 to 0 in favor of Skidmore. Newspaper men are not infallible, however, and forget things, neglect things and make mistakes just as other people do. Even THE SIGNAL forgot to mention either of these games in its last issue. We merely mention it now to keep the record straight. As to controversy – nay, nay, Pauline. The baseball boys have received their new uniforms and to celebrate the event a game was arranged between the "Hasbeens" and the "Wouldbes," in which the former proved good losers. We are short on figures this week and can't give the score. The new togs are of a reddish brown color and the boys are very proud of them. The girl friends of the team deserve all the credit for the uniforms. The Sinton team came up Tuesday for a match game, in which there was some good playing done on both sides. About the middle of the game a second umpire was put in and from then on a little coolness was noted between the players. The game was finally called a draw at 4 and 4 after the ninth inning. Electric Light Notice. During the summer months the demand for lights in the mornings does not justify starting up. Until further notice there will be no morning lights. – H.W. Faulk That bunch which was out last Sunday know all about how to repair windmills, and are perfectly familiar with what is required to make a good camp lunch, but they have a wonderfully queer idea of what constitutes parlor perfumery.

Water Board Public Meeting Thursday Evening

The Skidmore Water Supply Corporation will hold a special public meeting Thursday evening at 7:00 pm at the Skidmore Volunteer Department on 4th & Refugio. The purpose of the meeting is to answer questions and address concerns from the community regarding the new water & wastewater system currently under construction. Those who are unable to attend the monthly afternoon meetings are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to learn more about the new system.

Property Taxes Due January 31st

If you've been putting off paying the balance on your 2003 property taxes, now is the time to take care of it. A hefty 7% penalty will be charged to any balance unpaid on Sunday, February 1st. If you cannot pay the full amount, it still makes sense to pay off as much of the balance as possible as interest & penalties are based on the total amount due on that date. The penalty increases by 2% each month until June. Put off paying until July and you'll pay a whopping 35.7% penalty! Call the tax office at 362-3250 if you have questions about your 2003 tax statement.

S-T Elementary Kids Come Through for “Operation Shoebox”

Several weeks ago, Lion Russ Duggins, Unit Commissioner for the Boy Scouts and Secretary of the Skidmore-Tynan Lions Club, received an email from the Scout Office in Corpus Christi with a request from Joy Kluss who is the manager of the Black Eyed Pea to have the scouts participate in “Operation Shoebox” by providing “handmade” Valentines for our Troops overseas. Mrs. Kluss is a Navy Wife and is personally involved with the project. Lion Russ looked at the time frame and realized that there was not enough time to present this idea to the Pack or Troop, so he sent the request to Barbra Seger, the Skidmore-Tynan ISD Nurse and with the blessing of Patty Holubec, the Elementary Principal, the ball got “kicked off.“

Mrs. Seger passed the idea to the teachers at a staff meeting on January 14th. The teachers caught the pass and carried it for the winning touchdown. Each class worked on their own individual Valentines or put their efforts into one from the entire class. Mrs. Seger informed Lion Russ that the Valentines would be ready to be picked up on the 21st of January. Within a week, some 317 elementary students put their thoughts into pictures and words. Then with the expert assistance from their teachers, that won the school a “National Blue Ribbon“, these amazing students put those pictures and thoughts on paper.

Lion Russ picked up around 75 “special” hand made Valentines on the 21st. from Mrs. Seger’s office. He was totally amazed at the thoughtfulness, care and talent that the kids demonstrated as he looked at a few of those “SPECIAL” Valentines. Some were put together with pop ups and the sentiments, if you were able to read some, would bring tears to your eyes and warmth to your heart. You could really tell that the Skidmore-Tynan Elementary Students really put their hearts into their work.

When Lion Russ approached Mrs. Holubec on January 22nd. with his thanks for her support with this project and indicated that the Skidmore-Tynan Lions Club would like to show their appreciation for the job that “her” kids did, she suggested he wait another day to see if more cards had been completed after the original deadline. Lion Russ agreed, not wanting to leave any of the students out, and went back to the school on Friday, January 23rd to pick up the stragglers.

Lion Russ was not prepared for what he saw upon entering Mrs. Holubec’s Office. There were four or five stacks of Valentines, each with twenty to thirty cards. "I'm going to have to rent a truck to take them all to Corpus Christi!" he joked.

“Too seldom do our children get recognized for the good that they do“ said Lion Russ, “and I am going to do my best to let the communities of Skidmore, Tynan, Papalote and Olmos know that their children deserve a pat on the back. My hat’s off to Mrs. Holubec and her staff for the job they are doing within the Skidmore-Tynan Elementary School.”

Bobcat Little League Calls for Sponsors

Bobcat Little League is preparing for the upcoming season and is in need of sponsors. Your sponsor donations assist the league in paying for expenses including the Little League charter fee, mandatory insurance for all players, player uniforms, sports equipment, and field maintenance. For a donation of $250, we will put your business name on the back of a team's shirts (sponsorship of a specific team is available on a first come - first serve basis). There are a limited number of teams to sponsor, so it is best to pledge your support right away to secure the team you prefer. Click here to download a Sponsorship Application. Your application may be turned in along with payment to any board member or you may contact Keith Petrus at 287-3930. Thank you for supporting Bobcat Little League.

Little League Sets Player Registration Dates

The Bobcat Little League Board of Directors met Wednesday at the Chisholm Trail Cafe. The Board was happy to see a sizable group of volunteers turn out to apply for coaching positions. Those who missed the meeting may apply for a coaching position by contacting Keith Petrus at 287-3930 no later than WED. February 4th. After a brief question & answer session the Board got down to regular business. Treasurer, Linda Cabrera, reported a $250 balance in the league account with a near equal amount just received for deposit. Ed Wilson presented a proposed pre-season schedule which was approved with minor revisions. The schedule is as follows:

Early Player Registration ($10 Discount)
5:00 pm MON. February 2, at the High School Cafetorium.
$30 for 1 child plus $20 for each sibling.
6:00 pm TUE. February 3, Location TBA.
$30 for 1 child plus $20 for each sibling.

Regular Player Registration
6:00 pm WED.-FRI. February 4-6, Location TBA.
$40 for 1 child plus $20 for each sibling.

Board Meeting, Assign Coaching Positions
7:00 pm WED. February 11, Chisholm Trail Cafe

Player Tryouts
SAT. February 21 - Location TBA
10:00 am - Boys ages 10-12
11:00 am - Girls ages 10-12
11:30 am - Boys & Girls ages 13-16

Mandatory Manager/Coach Meeting
7:00 pm - WED. February 25 - Location TBA

Player Tryouts
SAT. February 28 - Location TBA
10:00 am - Boys ages 10-12
11:00 am - Girls ages 10-12
11:30 am - Boys & Girls ages 13-16

First Day of Practice
MON. March 22

Opening Day
SAT. April 3 - 200 Acre Park, Beeville, TX

In other business, Toby Salinas was nominated to fill a vacant spot on the Board. The nomination was seconded and passed by a unanimous vote. The meeting adjourned at approximately 8:50. As noted above, the next board meeting is scheduled for 7:00 pm, WED. February 11th at the Chisholm Trail Cafe.

Little League Members Attend District Meeting, Begin Fieldwork

Richard Chambers removes chunks of concrete from the site of the new ballpark

Bobcat Little League Board Members traveled to Refugio last week to attend the District 29 Meeting. Little League officials from all around the area attend the annual event. The announcement of Skidmore-Tynan's new league drew a nice round of applause from those in attendance. While some attended the District meeting, other Board Members secured the use of a backhoe and began work on the new field. Working by night with a generator under artificial lights, they began the slow task of digging out buried debris and filling holes in the new field. The league hopes to bring in fill-dirt from around the county and greatly appreciates the use of heavy equipment services donated by area companies.

Bobcat Little League Fundraiser Cut Short

Saturday's Bobcat Little League Turkey Shoot suffered a setback when a landowner neighboring the Hilltop Saloon complained about shotgun pellets damaging the trees on their property. Local law enforcement was called to the scene resulting in the closure of the event. Bobcat Little League Board Members were disappointed in having to cut the fundraiser short but fully appreciate the concerns of the neighboring property owner. To remedy the situation, Hilltop proprietor Jim Kirk plans to reposition the shooting range so that stray pellets are sure to land on his own property. Despite the setback, Bobcat Little League raised close to $200 over the course of the afternoon. The league would like to thank the Hilltop Saloon for sponsoring the event. Thanks also to Board Members, Thelma Zavala, Candy Chambers, and Richard Chambers for coordinating the Shoot, and Ed & Wanda Wilson for providing a barbecue pit for selling chicken and sausage wraps.

Mystery Sign

The Signal needs your help solving a small mystery involving an old faded sign on the side of Cecil McCartney's Skidmore Auto Supply. According to Mr. McCartney, the building formerly housed a drugstore, theater, and grocery store. A bee-keeper even set up business in the building during the seventies. The images below include a normal view and an "enhanced" version. Use the "Comments" link to give us your best guess as to what product is being advertised.


Normal


Enhanced

Update: Could a variation on this sign be the answer? David Ross suggests "The mystery sign may be Bright and Early, a brand of coffee that used a crowing rooster in its signs. The coffee was sold in packages and in metal buckets which could be used for other purposes when emptied."

Water Board Schedules Public Meeting

The Skidmore Water Supply Corp. Board of Directors met Tuesday. Representatives of Invensys gave a presentation touting the benefits of their line of remotely accessible water meters. The Board plans to weigh the cost vs. benefits of installing such a system. Water Board President Jim Strong announced that approval of $500,000.00 in ORCA funding would be pushed back to April due to the fact that the required 70% survey of the community had not yet been completed. Mr. Strong also reported irregularities in the survey questionnaires completed to date and designated a committee to review the forms. It was noted that the Board did not have access to the 911 addresses needed to identify the homes in the survey. County Commissioner Ronnie Olivares, who attended the meeting, promptly made a phone call and secured a CD-ROM containing the necessary 911 information. Before adjourning, the Board scheduled a Public Meeting for Thursday, January 29th at 7:00 pm at the Skidmore Fire Station. Community members interested in learning more about Skidmore's new water supply and waste disposal system are encouraged to attend.

Skidmore Signal Takes Name from Old-Time Newspaper

"A newspaper for local people" By C.H. Blanton. Friday, May 16, 1913 Vol.VIII No.22

As previously reported by the Signal, microfilm copies of the original Skidmore Signal newspaper were discovered in the library catalog of the University of Texas. The "new" Signal purchased a copy of the microfilm and plans to publish occasional excerpts from its predecessor. The original Skidmore Signal was established by C.H. Blanton in the early 1900's. The newspaper changed hands at least twice before its demise in 1918. Of the few issues that survived on microfilm, two other publishers were credited including W. Dickson and J.J. Jenkins. A 1913 edition of the Signal featured several pages of national news followed by a section of local "society" news. "Horseless Age Near, Is the View of Experts" reads one Page Two headline. "I expect to see the day when the keeping of horses in Washington will be prohibited on sanitary grounds..." The article goes on to say that "According to figures published by the department of agriculture, horse breeding is about the worst paying business that anyone can go into." Among the local news featured on Page 4 of the original Signal was an update on the local baseball team. "The baseball boys have received their new uniforms and to celebrate the event a game was arranged between the 'Hasbeens' and the 'Wouldbes,' in which the former proved good losers." A few of the advertisers included in the local news section included V.E. Kessler's Royal Typewriters, Farmers Mercantile, Niemeyer & Co. Dry Goods, J.B. Kempf Tailer & Hatter, and Steinmeyer & Co. Staple & Fancy Groceries. Look for more information about the original Signal in upcoming issues.

Sports Pic

Eigth grader Cory Markham goes for 2 in Monday's game vs. Yorktown.

Bobcat Little League Seeks Managers and Coaches

The Bobcat Little League Board of Directors will meet at the Chisholm Trail Cafe Wednesday, January 21st at 7:00 pm. Persons wishing to volunteer as managers or coaches for the upcoming 2004 season are encouraged to drop by and fill out a volunteer application. Volunteers are required to provide a valid Texas Drivers License to complete their application. Click Here to download the application from the Little League website. All applicants will be screened against a national "Sex Offender Registry" and for "Criminal History Records." Managers and coaches are appointed by the league president on approval by the Board of Directors.

School Board Approves Facility Study Committee’s Recommendation

By unanimous vote, at its January regular meeting, the Skidmore-Tynan Independent School District Board of Trustees accepted the Facility Study Committee’s recommendation for a $2.2 million dollar facility improvement plan. Nearly two-thirds of the proposed total cost would be covered by state funding, and bonds would be sold only if the state grant is secured. The next step in the proposed timeline is for the Board of Trustees, at its February regular Board Meeting, to call for a Bond Election to coincide with the May 15, 2004, Trustee Election. The Facility Study Committee is comprised of community members appointed by the Board of Trustees and Administration. The chairman of this committee is Mr. Tryne Mengers. -- S-TISD Website

High School Drama Dept. Presents "The Last Gladiator"

Gladius does his best to avoid a pummeling from Brudis.

The Skidmore-Tynan High School Drama Department presented an encore performance of "The Last Gladiator" Saturday afternoon. The two-act comedy, directed by Nicole Humphrey, tells the story of a cowardly peasant, Gladius (Javier Elizalde), who falls for a beautiful princess (Katlynn Mengers). As events unfold, Gladius finds himself forced into battle against the fearful gladiator Brudis (Ashton Porter). In the end, Gladius (Isn't that a woman's name?) finds his courage while the princess finds herself falling for the unlikely hero. And of course, with a little misdirection and a quick sucker-punch from the princess, the story ends "happily ever after."

The cast of "The Last Gladiator": Gladius- Javier Elizalde, Minimus - Brett Howard, Lady - Victoria O’Brien, Julia - Stephanie Estrada, Princess - Katlynn Mengers, Maid - Lindsey Estes, Altilis - Rey Yzaguirre, Messenger - Rob Boscamp, Impelia - Lindsie O’Neill, Verbalina - Katy Casas, Sasilla - Eevan Duke, Laffina - Stephanie Coker, Attendant 1 - Sara Schirmer, Attendant 2 - Leah Villarde, Brudis - Ashton Porter, Fina - Lucy Espinoza, Emperor - Nathan Duke, Peasant - Stephanie Schirmer, Spectator - Kathleen Ferguson. Crew: Sarah Mengers, Heather Kopplin, Ashley Hernandez, Becky Ramos, Emily Mengers.

Bobcat Little League Holds "Field Work Day"

All ages turned out to help clean up the site of the new baseball field.

Bobcat Little League volunteers headed straight from Saturday's Bake Sale to the site of the new ballpark for the league's "Field Work Day." Board member Richard Chambers got the jump on everyone else and had most of the larger brush cut by the time the rest of the Board arrived to help. All that was left to do was to clear some of the smaller bushes and cactus and load everything on a trailer to be hauled to the edge do the field. Board members planned to work on the field until 5:00 pm but, thanks to Richard's initiative, the work was complete by 2:00 o'clock. The league is still looking for someone willing to donate the use of a backhoe to remove some of the heavier chunks of debris from the field. If anyone would like to step foward to volunteer, please call Keith Petrus at 287-3930 or Richard Chambers at 287-3672.

Bobcat Little League Bake Sale a Hit with Community

Saturday's Bobcat Little League Bake Sale was a huge success due to the efforts of event coordinator Jennifer Chambers and the generosity of our community. One couple donated $100 for just $15 in baked goods. Candy Chambers writes "They were our biggest donors but we did have many people who had $4 or less tell us to keep the the change." All told, the league raised $260 on behalf of youth baseball. The league would like to thank the volunteers who baked goods for the sale including Jennifer Chambers, Lucy Rocha, Wanda Wilson, and Thelma Zavala. Thanks also to Papa's Market for hosting the event, and the community in general for showing such great support for the new league.

Weekend Update

Saturday looks to be a busy day here in Skidmore. We'll kick off the day with the Bobcat Little League Bake Sale hosted by Papa's Market. The sale will take place from 8:00 am until they run out of goodies. After the sale, Little League volunteers will move over to the future site of the Bobcat Little League park for a Field Work Day. Board members plan to show up armed with chainsaws and riding mowers in an effort to clear as much debris and undergrowth from the site as possible. If you happen to be passing by on your backhoe, dumptruck, or bulldozer, feel free to stop and lend a hand. A few of the board members may sneak away around 2:00 pm to attend the High School Drama Department's presentation of The Last Gladiator. Admission is $5.00 for the comedy two-act play. The Jr. High 8th Grade Boys & Girls basketball teams will travel to Port Aransas to participate in Port Aransas Middle School Tournament Saturday. The boys will play Austwell-Tivoli at 12:45 pm and Port Aransas at 3:15 pm. The girls will play Austwell-Tivoli at 11:30 am and Port Aransas at 2:00 pm.

Subscribe to the Signal

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School Board Holds Special Meeting

The Board of Trustees of the Skidmore-Tynan Independent School District held a special meeting Wednesday. Agenda items included a "Parent Level III Grievance Presentation" and a routine "Conduct Evaluation of the Superintendent of Schools." Both items were discussed in closed session before the School Board reconvened for possible action on the issues. Trustees voted to deny the parent grievance and no changes were made to the Superintendent's employment contract. The next School Board Meeting will take place at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, January 12, 2004.

Bobcat Little League Postpones Groundbreaking

The Bobcat Little League Board of Directors met Tuesday night at the Chisholm Trail Cafe. Due to complications in plans to level the proposed ballpark, the board decided to postpone this weekend's planned groundbreaking ceremony. The board will still hold its scheduled bake sale at Papa's on the morning of Saturday, Jan. 10th. Future fundraisers include a Turkey Shoot on Saturday, Jan. 17, a raffle to run in conjunction with the bake-sale and turkey-shoot, and a cook-off in March. The board was pleased to learn that the Bobcat Booster Club generously agreed to allow the league to sell "meal items" during the March 20, High School track meet. In other business, the board agreed to set the player registration fee for the upcoming season at $40 for one child and $20 per additional sibling. Players who take advantage of early registration may sign up at just $30 for the first child. Registration dates are to be announced. The board agreed to go ahead with the purchase of league-management software in preparation for upcoming player registration. The next scheduled board meeting will take place on Wednesday, January 21. Those interested in managing or coaching a Little League team are invited to attend this meeting to fill out the necessary paperwork.

Spirit Lander Sends Back Color Photos of Mars

Detail from the first high-resolution color "snapshot" taken by the Mars "Spirit" lander. The Signal picked this shot because it looks like there is a "pipe" sticking out of the ground.

NASA's "Spirit" Mars Exploration Rover-A touched down on the Red Planet late Saturday night and is now transmitting high resolution color photos of the landing site back to earth. For the latest breaking news and photos from the Spirit lander, go to spaceflightnow.com.

OBITUARY: Clara Virginia Eason Zak

Marvournee DuBose informs the Signal of the passing of former Skidmore resident, Clara Virginia Eason Zak. Many of you may remember Mrs. Zak's youngest children, Billy and Jacki who graduated from Skidmore-Tynan High School in the early 80's. Mrs. Zak's obituary appeared in Monday's Corpus Christi Caller Times:

PORTLAND: Clara Virginia "Ginny-Ginny" Eason Zak, an Episcopalian, a member of the Eastern Star and a former teacher, died Jan. 2, 2004. She was 72. Survivors include three daughters, Zenda Lee Brooks of Granbury, Anna Christine Day of Sandia, Jacki Lynn Betz of Portland; two sons, Jerome Jim Zak II of SugarLand and Willian Theodore Zak of CC; a sister, Jacklynn Eason of Brazoria; a brother, Albert Eason of Lakehills; 10 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Services will be at 2p.m. at Limbaugh Funeral Home. Burial will be at 1:15 p.m. Jan 7 at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, San Antonio.