Wow, I hope you like this month's update as much as I have enjoyed collecting the news! This IS our page. It's just that my computer is the vessel in which is it shared with all of you. Please continue to give me news, memories and ideas of how the Owl Spirit site can be improved. As I replied to one of the contributors, "My hope for this page is to have so much of "our stuff" that the page itself becomes a memoir to the little town that we all love."

David Werst, Wildcat Editor, shared via e mail, his "West Texas" column from a recent issue of the Wildcat, as well as several "Letters to the Editor" in response to his column. Read on in the RCHS EXES AND TEACHERS REMEMBER section.

Several new additions and some changes have been made to the E MAIL ADDRESS page. Read on in E BYTES RECEIVED section for some new names and remarks. And, also check out the Guestbook - there have been several sign in that have just heard about the web page.

CLASS NEWS....
RECD FROM LINDA SHORT BURNETT: Hi All, It has been four months since our last luncheon, so everyone should be hungry for a visit. It would be great to have big gathering. Please, try to join us.
Golden Corral, Brownwood, TX; March 3rd, 12:30
And... the Nifty 50s lunch on February 24 (see below).

E BYTES RECEIVED...
PHILLIP CLICK '66 WROTE: I have not had contact with any of my friends from school in many years, so it was nice browsing through and seeing all the names. I really enjoy the web page as I have had little to no contact with my classmates since leaving RCHS in 1966. One reason is that I have worked as Purchasing, Logistics, and Contracts Manager for ARCO for 24 years and they kept me moving and busy. The last ten years I spent working in overseas locations, so lost contact with many people. Two years ago, I received an early retirement package with the buy out by British Petroleum. Retirement lasted about one month, as I was offered a position at Midland Lee High School. So, I am going for another retirement. The point I am getting to, is I now have time to contact classmates and I have utilized your web page to do that. P.S. I do wonder if students still go out to the "slab"? (Ed Note: Does anybody reading this want to tell a story about the slab?)
CHARLES GRISSETT '55 WROTE: I served in the Army from 1958-61, graduated from Univ of Texas in 1963, and moved to Kentucky in 1965. I've worked for the Jefferson County Public Schools, Louisville, Ky., since 1970, where I am Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer. JCPS has 96,000 students with an annual budget of $700 million. I plan to retire from JCPS this September. I have been married twice. My first wife and I had 6 children. I have 5 step-children with my second wife. Together we have 30 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren. Thanksgiving and Christmas are really interesting! Give my best to everyone.
ANDY BOWEN '65 WROTE: I enjoy reading about people, never get back to B L. I now live in Winsboro, Tx. A Long way east of Midkiff. Wife of nearly 32 years and I have 3 kids, 2 married, and 1 grandchild. Keep up with newsletter.
FROM JIMMY MUNN '64: My hat is off to David Stewart for starting it and Diane Massey Secord for continuing it. The computer has enabled us to find a new level to communicate and find one another again. It reminds me of a line from the movie "Flight of the Intruder," spoken by Danny Glover " All we really ever have is each other." I don't feel that we are clinging to the past. I just feel we are remembering happy times in our lives as children. Very special times indeed shared with very special people.
FROM MARGARET NOSSENT NIXON '56:I am happy to send you names of attendees of Nifty Fifties Luncheons. I only hope I've not left anyone out! The Nifty 50's met at Zentner's Steakhouse in San Angelo, with the following in attendance: Big Lake: Tom & Marian Sue Roach Byrd; Jerry & Billie Floyd; Jack & Joleta Harris; Dale & Adelia Reams Calley; Donald & Mary Ann Barbee Meroney; Buddy & Shirley Swanzy Miller; Boone & Joyce Nunn Stokes. San Angelo: Grace Owens Buckbee and her daughter, Sarah; Fay Cutbirth Wood; Kay Weatherby Ellis; Max & Margaret Nossent Nixon. Mertzon: Dorothy Miller Basham; Walter & Mildred Norwood Rackley. Midland: John & Marinell Cartwright Glidewell; David & Ann McFadden. Brownwood: David Seals. Alpine: Reba Theus Cross. Euless: Wilbur Lancaster. The next luncheon is scheduled for February 24, 2001 @ 1:00 PM @ Zenter's
FROM IRIS CHILDS DAVIS '71: I am Don Childs sister. Class of 1971. I made it to the reunion this past summer and had a wonderful time, saw people I haven't seen in all those years. I now live outside of Waco, Tx in a town about the size Big Lake (well not quite that large) but it reminds me so much of home. My dad still lives there and one sister. But I don't get home as much as I should, but always enjoy it when i do.
FROM KEN '57 AND FRAN TINNEY '58 HARRIS:Thank you so much for taking over the website and all the work that includes. Our thanks go to David for all the work he did in birthing the initial site. David, you did good!
FROM RONNIE DELZ '65: Jim Parker and I still have our tax consultant business in Garland, Texas (Dallas area). My Mom still lives in BL so I get back there to visit as often as I can. ...thanks again

RCHS EXES AND TEACHERS REMEMBER.....
RECEIVED FROM DAVID WERST, EDITOR OF BIG LAKE WILDCAT...
Here's a test for all you old timers and a subtle message for all the merchants.

There was an obituary in last week's newspaper for Midge Taylor, Mrs. Ford Taylor. She and her husband operated movie theaters all across this part of West Texas. They had movie theaters in Big Lake, Taos and Las Vegas, New Mexico, San Saba, Stanton, and Brady.

Now to the "did you know" part of this story. Did You know there were two indoor movie theaters in Big Lake at the same time. Also, there were three outdoor movie theaters here at the same time.

The first theater was located on Main Avenue across the street from Security State Bank. It was located in the space where the Russell Ash law office is located. As you old timers remember, there was the Big Lake Hotel on the corner, then another shop which was later the Proffitt Shop, and then the Movie Theater building right next to the Post Office. The Big Lake Hotel was a large two story building located on the corner of the street where the Reagan Garden Club park is located. Big Lake Hotel was one of two hotels in Big Lake. The other two story hotel here was the Texas Hotel located where Motor Supply is now. As I remember, the Texas Hotel actually faced South on the lot, and was made of dark red brick.

The first theater on Main, next to the U.S. Post Office, was named the Ford Theater. The theater building located next door to the Wildcat was the Taylor Theater. The owner's name....Ford Taylor, husband of Midge Taylor, an avid bridge player all over West Texas. After the theater businesses were sold, Mrs. Taylor worked in the Midland County Clerk's office for a number of years. Mr. Taylor died in 1962 and Mrs. Taylor operated the theaters for several years after his death. I'm sure some real old timers can correct me on this, but was the Taylor Theater first named the Rialto theater? It was managed by John Goodwin and was later sold to Mr. Taylor who changed the name to the Taylor Theater.

Sheriff and Mrs. James Proffitt operated the Proffitt Shop for a number of years. The Ford Theater was closed, but the Taylor Theater next door to the Wildcat continued operating.

The small town theater was a buzz of activity, especially on the weekends when the movies changed. I first saw Godzilla do battle with the Japanese on that big screen. It cost me 15¢ to get in to see a first run movie. As a young teenager, I remember being so impressed with the movie I paid twice to see the Manchurian Candidate, a story about brainwashed American GI's. When the price of a movie went up to 25¢ it was real news in town. But you could still get a 25¢ hamburger across the street at the Park Inn Cafe (now the Post Office) or from the Dairy King (now Grandma's Kitchen) and take it into the theater. It took the sale of a lot of Coke bottles to earn enough money to go to the show.

But there's more......

There was also a double screen outdoor theater located here at one time. It was in the area of the County Barn out on the highway. The patrons could go see one show and later turn their cars around and watch another on a screen behind them.

I think it was Noble Holt that later built the Shooting Star Drive-in (now the Derrick Inn location), and Big Lake had three outdoor Drive-In theaters at the same time. The Shooting Star also had a kid's playground up next to the screen where the kids could play until it got dark enough for the show. There was a good snack bar and metal rocking chairs on a walled in porch off of the snack bar to sit outside if you didn't have a car, or if your older brother or sister ran you off because they were "visiting" with their boyfriends.

I would have to consult with some Mertzon old-timers, but there was also a man who would come to Mertzon and put up a screen outside and show movies with an old projector. I believe that was where the C&W Convenience store is located. Later, the man built a rock walled outdoor theater in Mertzon with about a 12' screen. It was uptown stuff at the time.

So, there you have it. This town had two indoor movie theaters and three outdoor movie theaters at one time. They were all able to thrive because there was not much TV available. Certainly there were no movie channels, no CNN, no Direct TV, no HBO. The times changed and customers changed. The movie theaters went away because of more TV and more stations.

And the local merchants who did not change with the times, are also no longer here or their businesses are no longer here.

Changing times are inevitable.

AND...A LETTER FROM DAVID MCFADDEN RE ABOVE:
David: I enjoyed reading your column, West Texas, in the Wildcat. The theaters bring back many memories. The Taylor Theater was its original name, and I remember the opening night. The movie was "Good News" starring, June Allyson and Peter Lawford. This movie was released in 1948, but I doubt if it was a premier showing in Big Lake.

I was there sitting in an aisle seat, and Ford Taylor tapped me on the shoulder and asked me to get up and give my seat to an older man. For some unknown reason, I did, and I developed a cordial dislike for him.

In 1950 I went to work for the theater. My job was the janitor. I swept it out each day. Bobby Pepper was the projectionist, and he showed me how to run the projectors. Later, I became the projectionist at the Ford Theater. I was running the projectors the final night. As I recollect, that Ford was due to close in a few days, but because of a projector problem, it closed a few days early. It seems the projectionist was remiss in oiling the projectors, and a shaft got hot and locked up. I remember John Goodwin telling me, "Just two drops of oil a day."

Later when Bobby quit at the Taylor, John ask me to run the projectors there, which I did. I guess I worked too cheap in those days. During my tenure their I had the pleasure of showing D. C. Swanzy and James Vinson how to run the projectors. Bobby Rees, Horace Rees' son, used to relieve me on Saturday and Sundays during the matinees for a supper break..

I can remember looking out of the projection booth and seeing all my friends cruising up and down the street. They were enjoying themselves while I sat there bored. As result my grades suffered at RCHS, and my class rank probably dropped from 28 to 29.

Also, I ran the projectors at the drive-in. One night I put in the wrong reel, and people kept coming to the booth telling me something was not right. Then I discovered what had happened. Also, I fell asleep one night and was awakened by the blast of auto horns when the screen became white.

The last time I ran the projectors was a midnight New Year's Eve showing at the Taylor. This would have been in 1952 or 1953, I am not sure. There was a new manager there. After the showing, I told him I would not run the projectors any more unless I was paid $1.50 an hour. I remember him saying,"Let me think about it, and I will get back with you." I am still waiting for his call! Thus my illustrious career as a projectionist came to an end. He hired James Vinson.

I never ran the projectors at the Shooting Star. However, I remember it well. Meroney and I tried to drive through the exit one night. Eagle-eyed Noble Holt spotted us and was running behind the car. He chased us from the one end of the drive-in until we drove out the entrance. He was huffing and puffing as we made our getaway. David, thanks for the memories.

AND ANOTHER FROM JIM MCCOY....
David, I got a kick out of your piece on Big Lake "picture shows". The Ford theater on Main (it was Depot Ave. then) had been closed for years before it was demolished. I remember it being only a faceless black building that didn't even look like a movie theater. Long time resident Charlotte (Webb) Lear (who now lives in Lubbock, near son Kye) told me once that as a little girl, she would pop corn at home and sell it in paper bags to people going into the Ford. (Try that with the present theaters in San Angelo, and you'd probably be charged with grand larceny or something.)

As for the "Taylor/Rialto" question, I'm not certain, but I seem to recall hearing that it was first the Taylor, then renamed Rialto (when Mr. Taylor sold it?), then again the Taylor. Not sure about that. Maybe some "older-timer" can fill us in there.

During the mid-60s, the Taylor and the Shooting Star drive-in were the only picture shows in town (run by Mr. and Mrs. Swanzy, I think), and Johnny Storey was the projectionist at BOTH. I remember him letting me tag along with him in the evenings as he started a reel at the Taylor, then hopped in his car at the curb (remember when parallel parking was allowed on 2nd Street?) and ran over to the Shooting Star to change reels, then back again. Johnny had it timed perfectly and hardly ever missed a beat, even having time to grab a Coke at one of the concession stands and gab with the customers.

I remember old-timers saying that "there was enough lumber in the Shooting Star screen to build a half-dozen houses". This was when drive-in screens were huge wooden structures rather than the pipe skeletons that later became the fashion. Many of the old wooden screens fell victim to lightning strikes as well as fire bugs.

The twin drive-in was before my time, but I remember it being discussed. What did you say it was called? Jim McCoy
(Ed Note: I recall being told that the Taylor Theater was changed to Rialto because the owner could use all the "taylor" letters except for the "y", replacing the "y" for an "i". If walls could talk...??)

THOUGHT FOR FEBRUARY, 2001: Texas could get along without the United States, but the United States cannot, except at great hazard, exist without Texas -- Sam Houston