Sad Day

About a year ago I wrote, the mayor of McAllen, and the chief of police complaining about the traffic on our street.  I was very concerned because we've had several close calls.  Mind you, there have been three separate accidents with two cars ending on top of our lawn and one striking the corner of our home.  We live four blocks from an elementary school and every morning and afternoon, people race through our street with no regard to the neighborhood pedestrian traffic.  I got a letter of response saying they would look into it.  A police officer was assigned to my complaint.  Unfortunately, the police officer had about much respect for the law as he did for our request.

He pulled over a speeder along side of our garage.  We overheard him telling the driver to slow down because the lady that lived in that house (pointing to our home and referring to me) is complaining about the speeding and let her go with a warning.   That was the extent of their investigation

On Monday, speeding was at an all time high on Main Street and I commented to my husband Ralph, that sadly, until someone got killed they weren't going to do anything about this situation.  Tuesday morning, my nephew by marriage, was killed and his riding buddy injured while they were riding their bikes on Trenton and Main...five blocks from our home.  It was early in the morning, they had their flashing red lights as they rode.  A ride they had been doing every morning.  Roy, 32,  was an avid cyclist and would raise money for several charities with his bike.  Then someone hit them from behind and kept on going.

When I first meet Roy, the first impression I got from this beautiful young man was his kindness, his beautiful smile, and that he loved my niece, Lorena, dearly.  He was so full of life and was so happy having started a new job a month prior...Roy was an architect.  Lorena and Roy were getting ready to celebrate their 2nd wedding anniversary October 25th.

ROY JOSE CARLSON
August 3, 1979 - October 19, 2010

My mom thought the world of you Roy, so did the rest of the family.  We will miss you and your love for life.  May you be in God's loving embrace....

(Roy was a twin.  He is survived by his wife, Lorena, his mother, Kathy Carlson and two brothers, Jorge and Andrew.  He was working on his Masters, which he would have completed in December.)



***

Friday Night Lights...

Home to the Mission High School Mighty Eagles and Mission Veterans High School Patriots.

Tom Landry Stadium   -  A winner never stops trying - Tom Landry

 Located on Eagle Trail in Mission, Texas (Hidalgo County) Tom Landry Stadium was named after favorite son Tom Landry - Dallas Cowboy Coach 1960 -1988.   With a grass playing surface, Tom Landry Stadium holds up to 10,000 people.  A beautiful stadium it is considered one of the best places to watch a football game. Last year ranked 7th in state as best stadium according to TexasBob.com

 The Might "M"

 The first Eagle that I remember being erected at Mission High School.  Donated by the Class of 1969, it stands outside the original high school gymnasium.

This is the Flying Eagle that looks over Tom Landry Stadium located on the far west side of the stadium.

* * *

Trivia questions....Can you remember...

*   What did the MHS -Class of 1970 donate to Mission High School our senior year?
*   What was our football winning record our senior year?
*   We know Freddie Galan and Cecilia Ann Rackley were Mr. & Ms. MHS - but who were the other candidates?
*   Who was quarterback(s) our senior year?
*   Quick, name the cheerleaders.
*    What was the #1 Record in 1970?
*    What was the  #1 Album in 1970?
*    What was the #1 Song in 1970?
*   The Oscar winning movie?
*   Ok, you have one do-over...what would you do-over your senior year?

Other 1970 trivia notes:

*  Beatles broke up
*  Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin both died from drug overdoses
*  IBM introduces the floppy disk.
*  Maya Angelou writes I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
*  Top movies:  Love Story, M.A.S.H., Patton, Airport

Tom Landry was born in Mission, Texas, and played for Mission High School where he led his Senior year football team to a 12-0 record.  His most impressive professional accomplishment is his record for coaching the Dallas Cowboys to 20 consecutive winning seasons (1966–1985), an NFL record that remains unbroken and unchallenged. It remains one of the longest winning streaks in all of professional sports history.

It was a clean sweep...
1970 - Album, Record and Song of the Year - Simon & Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water

Football season...it's the bomb!!!

Burnett Stadium -

It looked bigger than life back then.  Burnett Stadium named after a Dr. Thomas Burnett (a call to Mission's Speer Library has not yielded any info yet) still stands on the same corner only its Mission Junior High now.  I look at the space and try to remember how in the world everyone came and parked at the game.  I remember the visitor bleachers, and the football players, with their one knee down, their helmets resting on their leg waiting for coach to send them in.

Luckily for us,  Mary Alice Martin (David Martin's mom and you know David was MHS Class of 1970), contacted me through Medardo de Leon, Jr. and we got a little more information.  It seems Dr. Burnett was the team doctor...he was at all the games.  He also had a son named Thomas, Jr. who passed away from polio at a young age.  (Thanks Mrs. Martin!)

Then there was the band.  Introduction into band came by way of band personnel recruiting visits made to our schools our fifth grade year.  If your kids were interested and the instrument you picked could be bought privately - you were in band.  For all others - the option was whatever instrument was available.

The latter was my case.  You could rent an instrument for $9 for the whole year...a dollar a month.  Plus, $9 for insurance...that's how the school could recover their money and/or instrument in case of an accident.  My family could afford that but the only instruments available were, french horns, drums, baritones, and tubas..oh, and a few trombones.  French horn it was...

I remember being patient - riding the bus everyday to the high school, which is Mission Junior High today, during my sixth grade year.  Two more years and I could be with the BIG band simply because it would provide me an opportunity to go to all the football games.  I really didn't know what that entailed other than going on bus trips with the community to all the football games.  I just wanted to make it possible and inexpensive for me to experience Mission Eagle football.  Who knew I would fall in love with my French horn and its melodic sounds.

So here we are - its 1966-67 and we're about to embark into the BIG grown up world of Mission High School.  Gene Lewis, Band Director.


But the memory I want to share the most is the one that took place in the fall of 1968, I believe.    That year, the City of Mission organized a, "Support America Rally."   The City of Mission had lost its first son in the Viet Nam War and it was decided to pay tribute to a fallen hero.  It was the first and only support America rally I have ever been to.  It happened at Burnett Stadium. The band was there, students, families, the whole community came out to honor Marie Gonzalez's dad and other sons of Mission who were in Viet Nam.  Marie, a freshman at Mission High School, and her family gave the ultimate sacrifice.  Her dad was a sergeant and the first Mission casualty.

There were military personnel, dignitaries, and priests.  It was a somber celebration; tears for a father gone missing amidst cheers supporting the great U.S.A.

We need more Support America Rallys.....without the casualties.


Here's a treat...  The September 29, 1967 Mission Eagle Newspaper.  Click the link below...
* Hurricane Beulah had just done its deed...
*David Merrill (MHS - Class of 68) was editor of our newspaper. 
*Sandra Roth was named editor of our school annual.
*Our class of 70 were sophomores.
*...and lots more
(Its not easy to read but if you put it on full page, you can read most of it)
LINK:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/411453/92968-Mission-Eagle-Newspaper#fullscreen:on


Don't forget - Mission Eagles Homecoming is Friday, October 29th, 2010...


Oh, two more photos....I was the Band Sweetheart - MHS Class of 1970

 

 

ooooooooooo.....and...

                                            Goodnight Mrs. Calabash...wherever you are...





...

Everything I learned, I learned in Kindergarten...

All about Mission...so the majority of our class had some great beginnings.  We attended the local elementary schools where, whether you realize it or not...is where most of who we are was formed.  Thought I'd post all the pictures of all the elementary schools most of my classmates attended.  There isn't a school we attended (MHS - Class of 1970) that hasn't been replaced.

So here's the parade of schools...

FYI:  Today, there are now 15 elementary schools in Mission.  There were only eight elementary schools when we were attending...that's including two catholic schools, Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Paul's.

Bryan Elementary - This school located on Bryan Road was completely redone.  There's a street that runs in front of it now and goes into another neighborhood that wasn't there before.  Ana B. Reyna, Principal.

Joaquin Castro Elementary - Originally this location was known as Citrianna Elementary but was renamed when the original Joaquin Castro Elementary on Rafael Ramirez/Mayberry was torn down.  J. Castro was a World War II hero.  Diana Flores Alcocer (MHS - Class of 1970) was principal for many years at J. Castro Elementary until her retirement two years ago.  Sandra Claflin, principal.

 Marcell Elementary...with two "ll's."  Located on Holland Drive.  Michelle Rodriguez, principal.

 

 Pearson Elementary - Located on South Holland.  Principal, Melissa Davis.

 Roosevelt Elementary - Still at the same location but most of the school has been torn down except for the auditorium which is pictured here.  The auditorium was used briefly by MCISD but I believe the chairs have since been removed.  Roosevelt is no longer a "working" school.

Our Lady of Guadalupe School.  Still in operation, located across street from Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church.

St. Paul School.  I believe its still in operation...no other information available at this time.

I attended OLG from grades Kinder to second grade.  Starting with Mrs. Johnny Lopez, my kindergarten teacher, Sister Mary (?) in first and Mrs. Buschois (don't know if I'm spelling this right) was my second grade teacher.  After a disagreement with Father Delaney, we began attending public school.  I started at J. Castro Elementary, where I met Norma Lee Asebedo for the second time.  Norma Lee and I attended Famelisa Sweat's neighborhood day care when we were three years old.  Among the Mrs. Sweat's alumni were, Medardo de Leon, Jr., Janie De Leon Barratachea, Aida Ramirez, Salvador Hinojosa, twin sisters (can't remember their names...Yikes!!) and I'm sure there were more...  Can anyone remember out there?

 Those were peaceful times....

The Luau

The Luau

I remember the best tasting hamburgers, ever.  The best Frito Pie - I've had none better since!  I refuse to go eat there.  The last thing I want to burst is a time treasured memory.

My fondness for jalapenos with my fried chicken came from the excellent fried chicken place, the Hamburger King in Edinburg.  My husband, Ralph, who's from Edinburg, shared the same sentiments and the same memory re the jalapenos/fried chicken, we decided to go to Hamburger King when we moved back home in 1992. Big Mistake...my legendary fried chicken died that day....

So many special moments happened at the Luau.  Can anyone forget Celia Munoz' green "moco" stationwagon?  It was  lime green.  I can't recall if it glowed in the dark.  We'd pile in Celia's car and off we went.  It was a great time!

There was a little dive of a burger joint called the Totem Home...  They had the best cheeseburgers...
The pale green building, correct me if I'm wrong...was the original movie theater...don't recall what it was called but it was the pale green building or the one next to it.  Anyone remember?

UPDATE!    Since starting my blog, I have been very fortunate to be in contact with  a couple of our classmates' parents who still remember.  Mrs. Mary Alice Martin and Mr. Medardo de Leon, Jr. have provided me with little extra details that only they can provide.

Mr. De Leon let us know that the green building was indeed a movie theater - a silent movie theater at that.  Mr. Martin didn't remember what kind of movie theater but she confirmed that it was a former movie theater.


EXTRA NOTE:  

In my opinion...they should change the one-way streets back to the way it was...and bring back Mission to life...just wishing!!