Saturday, January 21, 2017

CLOVIS MEN'S BIBLE CLASS





by Dr. R. Gene Walker, CHS '51
Guest Writer

In 1949 Ed Dillon, Baptist, and Tom Seery, Methodist, and 
others convinced Dr. I.D. Johnson, dentist and cattle rancher,
to teach a Clovis Men's Bible class each Sunday morning at
our "old" Clovis High School Library.

I.D. was teaching a men's Bible class each Sunday morning
at the First United Methodist Church at 7th and Main Street...
(just across the street.)

Over twenty men from at least five Clovis churches wanted 
to attend I.D.'s Sunday Bible class....but not at the Methodist
Church....particularly if they were not members of that church.

The Clovis High School principal and our School Board agreed
the "new" class could use the CHS library but that the class
members would be responsible for the facility.

Through the years the class has continued to grow and has moved
to the State Theatre, the Mesa Theatre (now the Norman/Vi
Performing Arts Studio) and the First United Methodist Chapel,
which was located at Seventh and Pile Streets.  The class has
attracted more than 1,000 members and visitors during its  history.
I.D. taught the class for twenty-one years...the class started with thirty
men....they had one hundred-fifty men by 1952.  

A class of about thirty men still meet today at the Clovis
Cinema 7 Movie Theater.  It meets at 9:00 a.m. for fellowship, 
doughnuts and coffee, followed by the Bible study at 9:45. It is
taught by Rev. Chinikidiadi; James Priest currently serves as president
of the class.

The class will continue to serve as a Christian nondenominational class 
to encourage attendance by men throughout Curry County and the
Clovis/Cannon Air Force communities.

I attended at least twice while a student at CHS, as a "guest"
with my father, Roy Walker.

I was an active member for over thirty years and a substitute Bible
teacher for over ten of those years. 


********************
by Dr. R. Gene Walker,
  Guest Writer
CHS '51
15 January 2017
--------------
PHOTO CREDIT...
High Plains Historical Foundation





Wednesday, January 18, 2017

A PENNY.... FOR YOUR THOUGHTS


That hot July day in 1938, we moved---towing a cotton
trailer from Dawson County, Texas  to the old house behind 
the Magic Steam Laundry, Clovis, N.M at 417 West Grand.

I was four-and-a half...had never been anywhere...and knew
nothing about MONEY. Or what it could do...

And I had never even heard the old saw "Money is the root
of all evil." Money was the least of my worries. That 
was to change. My little eyes were soon to be opened.

Now Dad worked hard in that laundry, turning out the
finest starched dress shirts for fifteen cents each, as well 
as handling all other  kinds of dirty clothes, including from
cafés, motels, and hospitals. 

He worked 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.---six days a week.

Dad smoked. cigarettes--- Avalons and Camels. They were 
twelve cents a pack.

I know, because there was a little grocery store a block 
west of the laundry at the corner of West Grand and 
Hinkle. Dad would give me a dime and nickel and say:
"Run to Tom's 'Red-and White' store and get me a pack
of Avalons. You can keep the three cents!"

He had said "run," and I did! For I had learned that Tom
had a whole counter full of one cent candies and jars
full on top---to boot.

(It's strange, I know for the younger generation to grasp
the fact that a company could manufacture a piece of
candy, wrap it, ship it, wholesale and  retail it---and make
a profit... at one cent per piece.)

Oh, but those were hard times. Men worked for a dollar 
a day.

Anyway,  what a penny could buy and do for a boy's
happiness! And I had three!

Today it's hard to remember all the choices. There were
jaw breakers, penny suckers, tiny Tootsie Rolls, and Fleer's
Double Bubble Gum, with "funnies." Tiny funnies...

You could even get teensy Baby Ruths, Hershey's Kisses,
Bit 'o Honeys, Snickers, little O Henrys...all one-biter bars 
like they now sell for Halloween handouts.

Of course you could get these same candy bars---much
bigger--- for a nickel.

We bought "liquish"pieces for a cent, as well as 
those fascinating little miniature wax bottles full of a  
Koolade-type swallow...then you chewed the wax bottle.

O it is sad---you who came along later in time in the
good old USA---you missed a certain innocence that 
prevailed in those times. We had no TV's but "radioed"
and used our imaginations to picture stories.

We'd never even conceived of an iPad, a smart phone,
a phone camera,  texting, tweeting, or computer games.

The main event-of-the-week in our lives was likely 
the Saturday afternoon double feature, serial, and 
cartoon at the Lyceum Theater.  With popcorn it
cost us fifteen of those beloved Lincoln pennies.

There were in those days in the land what were called
"FIVE AND TEN CENT STORES." It's true. Clovis had
two---one almost next door to the Lyceum...and of 
course the biggie---and our favorite---WOOLWORTH'S
at the SE corner of Fourth and Main.

With those marvelous big red letters going clear around
the front of the store onto Fourth, that store was what
one might call "the Beauty Mark of Main Street!"

After the double feature at the Lyceum on those Saturday
afternoons, we'd "shop" at many of the stores and wind
up at Woolworth's getting their famous Ham Salad
Sandwich for 20 cents over in the deli on the south side
of the store.

I haven't even mentioned the candy store across the 
street from La Casita where the kids would congregate
about 12:45 p.m., after lunch at home or brown bagging---

Kids would flock into that store, some without pennies--
there just to watch and salivate---and others, more lucky,
would buy all manner of penny candies---which had to
be eaten quickly before the bell at 12:56 p.m.

There were machines all over town in those times...wanting
your pennies. You could buy colored chewing gum balls
for a cent...drop a penny in and weigh...or even get a little
"read-your-fortune" card, which came out through a slot!

You readers can probably supply stories re: candies and
uses for penny's that I have been unable to recall.

I hope that someday, some "bright" lawmaker doesn't come
up with idea "Oh look, I've determined we can save a billion 
$ a year by doing away with pennies...copper is expensive."

We would lose a dear, important piece of Americana, 
never to be recovered...and the politicians would give our 
billion dollars away to some country they visited while
on vacation.

....never to be paid back...and our pennies would be gone.
***********************************
THE LINCOLN PENNY...A BRIEF HISTORY
***********************************
August 2, 1909 was a big important day in the history of
the USA, for on that day, in a simpler, more innocent time,
Americans stood in lines at banks all over the nation to
obtain handfuls of the new Lincoln Penny, with the image
of "wheat" on the reverse.

Twenty-seven million of the new coins were struck and the
penny's popularity stemmed from people's love of Abe, and 
also the fact that it was the first US coin to bear a human 
face.

"LIBERTY" had up to that time, appeared on most coins.

The image of Lincoln was created by Victor David Brenner,
who had been recommended by President Theodore
Roosevelt, who had seen a previous work on Lincoln by
Brenner.

For over a hundred years the penny has kept Lincoln on
the obverse side of the penny, but the Wheat reverse was
replaced in 1959 by the Lincoln Memorial.

A third reverse-- the Lincoln Shield was substituted in 2010.
*****************
By MIL
18 January 2017
 Credit LCC for coin photos.





Tuesday, January 10, 2017

CLOVIS MEMORIES---THE SNAZZY PIG, BUSY BEE, and CLOVIS STEAM LAUNDRY



by Robert Stebbins, CHS '51

The Snazzy Pig, a most unusual name for an eating place, was located on East First Street, facing South, directly across the alley behind the Clovis Steam Laundry, which was located on the corner of First and Main Streets.

"Pop Townsend," the father of Johnnie Townsend who operated the hamburger joint just across the street East of Junior High, was the owner of the Snazzy Pig. 

This little cafe, with the rather quizzical and interesting name, when mentioned today, sort of epitomizes "Clovis" for the old-timers remembering the thirties and forties. The Pig's speciality,    
I believe, was hamburgers!  Note the tall sign in the photo indicating that it was open 24 hours a day and makes it a forerunner of today's Denny's Restaurants. 

I don't recall The Pig's location ever being anywhere else in town except behind the Clovis Steam Laundry. 

Remembering those days, my dad's uncle and aunt, the W.F. Swartz's, owned and operated the Clovis Steam Laundry from about 1912 until the end of WWII when they sold it to a Mr. Shirley, who later sold it to Manzy Simms, who owned it until it burned to the ground.

My dad came to New Mexico in 1927 to go to work for the Swartz's.  He made truck deliveries of laundry in Clovis and all over Southeastern New Mexico, as well as working in the washroom...that is---washing the dirty clothes.

After my mother died in 1938, my dad and I moved into a basement bedroom at the Swartz's home at 801 Connelly.

He continued to work for them at the laundry until he and his cousin started the Snow White Bakery, located in the 300 block of West 7th Street. It was next to the alley on the  South side of the street; this occurred about 1939 or 1940.

Shortly after the Pearl Harbor bombing on December 7, 1941, my dad joined the army, his cousin Jay Lynn joined the navy, and I believe the bakery was closed.

During the late 1930's while Dad was still at the laundry, I remember him taking me down to the Clovis Steam Laundry washroom, usually on a Saturday.  After work, he would put me into a washing machine, draw some warm water, and not closing the door or activating the tub motor, I would take my "Saturday night bath."

There were bathrooms and bathtubs at the Swartz's house, but maybe my dad thought it was just something to do after finishing his work.  I vividly remember the caulked-oak wooden "tub" with it's beautifully designed heavy-duty brass door hinges and latches.

In those days, the laundry repairs to steam pipes and equipment were done mostly by my Dad on weekends after the boiler was shut down and the steam pipes and machinery had cooled.

The Busy Bee Cafe was my folks' favorite restaurant on Saturday nights after a hard week's work.

My Dad's favorite there was a T-Bone steak, but I liked the halibut steak, even with its few small bones.

If I recall correctly, during the late 1940's, Jim and Gus Rallis, who were brothers and partners in the Busy Bee, charged about $ .95 to $1.25 for either the steak or the fish, including dessert--which for me was usually vanilla ice cream...

Memories....memories......three important places in my early life....yes, happy memories of our old home town......as it once was.  


"....my dad joined the army....."

****************
FOR MIL'S PLACE
by Robert Stebbins, CHS '51
Guest Writer
January 9, 2017


Friday, January 6, 2017

THE SAME OLD SHILLELAGH


" ME FATHER BROUGHT FROM IRELAND..."


AN IRISH "BLACKTHORN SHILLELAGH"
                                             (COLD STEEL VERSION)

No one I know of, really wants to have to bop a perp or a vicious
dog (about to chew an arm off) but strange things happen these days,
often when people are out walking and minding their own business.

It's honorably known as "SELF DEFENSE."

Only recently a report came over the news that in the NE quad-
rant of our city, some woman had been attacked by two vicious
dogs---of a breed I won't mention---because the owners of this
type dog do not wish to admit they have dangerous dogs.

Again: WHO wants to bop a dog...or worse still have one's arm 
chewed off?

Pictured above is a real genuine "BLACKTHORN SHILLELAGH"
made  in the USA by Cold Steel. It mirrors some models of the
originals dating back several hundred years in the history of Olde
Ireland.

While most were made of hardwood, often from the blackthorn
bush/tree---Cold Steel has forged an almost indestructible 
instrument made of of molded composite materials.

Evidently SHILLELAGH fighting is/was apart of the Irish
culture dating way back....seems that some bouts were 
"friendly" and others deadly serious. The clubs were often
kept for self defense.

There is a small town on the east coast of Ireland in County
Wicklow by the name SHILLELAGH. It is unclear whether
the piece originated there or not.

And the stick is spelled at least three ways---see the title,
plus try this: "SHILLELEAGH," and "SHELLELAGH."
Any way you cut it, the correct pronunciation is
"SHUY-LAY-LEE."

There is a tradition I had never heard of. When The Fighting
Irish of Notre Dame play USC in football, there is a "Traveling
Trophy" involved. It is a ruby-encrusted SHILLELAGH, said
to have been flown in from Ireland by none other than
Howard Hughes' own plane and pilot. Winner keeps it a year.

Imagine: a RUBY-ENCRUSTED SHILLELAGH!

Bing Crosby, apparently a real Irishman himself,
recorded a catchy tune in the early forties, titled
"The Same Old Shillelagh," "me father brought
from Ireland."

These handy boppers seem to have no "official"
length. The tough Cold Steel version is a handy
26 inches long.
***************
BY MIL
12/28/16













Thursday, January 5, 2017

CASHEWS AND HAM SALAD SANS....AT WOOLWORTH





The year was 1944 and there was a war on.

It was a Saturday afternoon about 4 p.m. in
the little town of Clovis, New Mexico. The 
little kid (me) had worked all week, after school,
and on Saturday morning at the Magic Steam
Laundry, at 417 West Grand, doing what was 
called by us laundry-men--- "checking in."

That term meant opening each bundle of dirty
laundry (some were icky) and routing each piece
to the proper washer load, according to color,
fabric, whether it could take scalding water and
bleach...and if it were a mechanic's greasy pants,
or a mortician's dress shirt...that type thing...

Dad was overwhelmed with the work load. Much
of it came from the air base and by Monday noon,
a sign went up out front, saying "NO MORE
LAUNDRY ACCEPTED THIS WEEK."

So there I was, a pretty sharp little fifth grade kid,
doing a man's work and helping Dad, for you see,
the next day's "RUN," had to be set, before the 
doors closed at 6 p.m. He needed help.

The boiler was lit each morning at 6 a.m. (Believe-
you-me, people of those times believed in HOT
water.)

So about one p.m. each Saturday, Dad gave me
a genuine United States silver Walking Liberty
half dollar...fifty cents...the most beautiful coin
ever designed!

I made $7.50 a week and the other seven went
to Clovis National Bank ("pawdon me," I just
happened to be a kid "with prospects!") In those
days people saved money.

After all, times were hard and folks didn't make
much...or want much...or expect much. But for the
war, it could have been a grand time. There WERE
political parties, alright..but screwballs were few.

Anyway, I wanted to give you a flavor of those times
and that afternoon...

So the Lyceum had offered a bargain two movies
and a "serial," PLUS popcorn for fifteen cents. 

The serial was"The Perils of Nyoka," a cliff-hanger story in
fifteen minute segments, set in Egypt, with the usual "mean 
men," and Nyoka as a cute heroine out to thwart the perps.

The two 55 minute movies were a Tim Holt western
and a Charlie Chan mystery.

And with popcorn,  my cost was a Mercury dime
and a Buffalo nickel.

Now the movie was over, and I headed for
Woolworth's to see about a snack. Kids were 
hungry by four p.m.

So here's the deal he faced every Saturday
afternoon--- over there at "Wooly's," not in
the candy section---but in the needle and 
thread section--- was the neatest little round
plastic showcase, about 18-20 inches tall,
filled with little shelves of four or five kinds
of salted, heated nuts.

The heat came from a light bulb, which kept
the nuts warm and lit them up attractively, as 
the thing rotated. The aroma, coming mostly
from the cashews, drove little hungry kids crazy!

Here was the rub, and I know because I bought
the nuts only once...but I watched, as other kids 
did. You got only six or eight nuts, it seemed in a 
little party cup...FOR FIFTEEN CENTS.

It doesn't sound like much today, but it would
buy a hamburger, hot dog, movie and popcorn,
a malted milk, maybe a banana split. And I don't
know what all else.

It clearly wasn't the best bargain in town...and
kids back then could figure it out for themselves.

But there I was, standing, staring at, and 
smelling those marvelous cashews!

Then, as I usually did, I turned, walked right over
to the chromey-silver deli counter and ordered
"the usual"--- that wonderful ham salad san on
toasted bread...for a mere twenty cents.

Unforgettable  sandwich. You can still Google it,
even tho' it is on no menu at the moment. The
recipe is still "up," even thought there's no longer
a Woolworth's.

The ironic thing and what triggered this story
is that we received a giant jar of cashews for
Christmas, purchased at COSTCO, for about
$14.95, Excellent nuts...they would cost likely
$42.95 ordered. from a NUT company, 40 ounces.

Now and then we make the Woolworth's ham
salad. It's good on black rye.
************
Mil
January 1, 2017

















NEW YEAR'S ASPIRATIONS

"OUR LIFE ON EARTH...IS BUT A SPAN....
      AND SO  I'LL DO THE BEST I CAN..."
.....Old Southern Gospel




"More holiness give me
More striving within
More patience in suffering
More sorrow for sin

More faith in my Savior
More sense of his care
More joy in his service
More purpose in prayer

More gratitude give me
More trust in the Lord
More pride in His glory
More hope in His word

More tears for His sorrows
More pain at His grief
More meekness in trial
More praise for relief

More purity give me
More strength to o'ercome
More freedom from earth-stains
More longings for home

More fit for the kingdom
More used would I be
More blessed and holy
More Savior like Thee."


WORDS AND MUSIC---
PHILIP P. BLISS
     1838-1878