MEMORIES OF SUNDOWN
(Speech Delivered by Loisteen Glimp Kearney 1992)
Someone, seems like it was ole Perry Caddell, remarked to me once that he felt badly that NO ONE seems to remember a Sundown of pre-oil days. So I am delighted and honored to have been asked to give a little history of Sundown BEFORE oil was discovered on the John and Maggie Guerry place south of Sundown in April 1937. Perhaps I AM qualified to do this, but dang I hate to admit I’m among the "old folk"! My 89-year-old mother declares herself to be the oldest, continual, taxpayer of this district. I bring you greetings and good wishes to each of you from her.
Many of you may recall visiting that rig?? My, times HAVE changed!!!! I can recall frequently visiting on the rig floor, with the driller even allowing me to lift the pipe wrenches. Do any of you remember the Box Supper we had that year? The crew from that well, with a little help from some booze, paid enough money to vote ME the "Most Beautiful"!! That convinced me that money DOES talk, for even then, I knew better, and quite frankly I was embarrassed!
History, to be accurate, definitely SHOULD be recorded as it happens, and certainly not 64 years later!! For one thing, no two people have ever seen the same event in the same light. Secondly, it’s only among good friends, like you, that I’m able to admit MY memory might be fading, somewhat! So if any of you think I’ve told a lie, let’s discuss it, and I’ll correct it. You’re not going to hurt my feelings, and I COULD be wrong…….
But, as my fading memory recalls it, kids from our locality were having to go to Clauene to school, when some of the Sundown citizens decided we needed a school of our very own.
I vividly remember the election that authorized the establishment of the Sundown Independent School district. I believe it was in the spring of 1928. Mintue Frazier, "Bill" Glimp, and Mrs. Moss (does anyone recall her first name?) served as clerks in the election that was held in a tent, on the east side of the road, approximately in the exact vicinity of the 1949 tornado’s path, in the north end of present-day Sundown. My folks tell the story on me, that I had played in and out and around the tent all day as folks came from all over the area in their wagons to cast their votes. Some kind soul recognized my presence, and inquired what I was doing. I replied, "Iz jist messin’ around town!" When, In reality there was no town at all!!! Lonnie Howard did have a store, of sorts, across the road, with a few cards of buttons, perhaps some sewing thread, tobacco, and half-dozen cans of pork and beans, just in the front room of his two-roomed house. That was the extent of the "town"! There wasn’t even a gasoline pump, as so few of us had cars at that time!
That election established an 89.3-mile district, with Sundown assuming a $20,000 bond from Ropes. In July 1928, the first board of education borrowed $3,200 from the First National Bank of Levelland, with $1800 of that they built…… I can’t seem to get any of my peers to agree on the exact description…I remember it as 4 large rooms where Mr. And Mrs. T.H Curry, and Maurice and Effie Fite, later lived. Some say there were 2 large classrooms with living quarters for Skip and Gal May, the first Head-Teacher. Others remember it as one large room with curtains. Perhaps it’s actually immaterial, but I DO know that it was used as classrooms during the week, and used for an auditorium for the Literary Society, Box Supper Fund Raisers, Stage Plays… does anybody recall before the lovely new desks, for that new building were paid for, even, the great depression of 1932-33 hit! Raleigh Glimp was secretary of the board, and I distinctly remember the brilliant prosaic letters he wrote EACH month, and read to mother and me for approval, trying to assure the American Desk and Seating Company, of Temple, Texas, of their valiant efforts to pay, and actually begging them not to repossess them! Dad served on the board for 13 years, and after oil was discovered, and our tax base increased so remarkably, he continued to remember those lean depression days, and was NEVER comfortable spending taxpayers’ monies so liberally. Frequently he remarked that the post-oil board would eagerly buy a battleship, even though they were 400 miles from water, if some salesman suggested the school needed one!
During the depression years, there were no monies. Very few were able to pay ANY taxes. Teachers were paid by vouchers, which were actually only promises to pay; if-and-when the school had any money! Times were hard for everyone. Occasionally teachers were able to, by the barter system, to exchange a voucher for some needed commodity. E.E. Pierce, Superintendent, in those days, once traded several month’s vouchers for a pressure cooker. Farmers, then, in turn, provided the garden produce, if Estella Pierce would bring her cooker and help can and preserve the bounty.
No history of Sundown School would be complete without a mention of the "Bull Pen". It seems like it was about 1936 when the sports-minded students began to want a gym, like Levelland and Ropes had, but there simply was no money for such. Finally, it was agreed that if the students could sell enough ads to pay for the 1 x 12s they could build a ten foot fence on three sides of the basketball court, with the east side of the school house serving as the west wall! Signs and advertisements were painted on the north, and east walls. I can just see that Red Rooster on Major Rodger’s Feed and Seed Store Sign!!! But were there bleachers on both sides or???? See, what I mean about fading memory? Anyway, that helped protect us from the sandstorms for the West and the cold North winds.
There was only one basketball in the entire school. The superintendent was the girls’ coach, and the boys felt like the gals always were given first choices. However, it all worked out by each of us practicing at the different period, except we all wanted to play at lunchtime and recess. We kids were perfectly agreeable to play together, but some good soul decided it wasn’t very lady-like for us to be playing by the boy’s rules, so finally they ordered the second ball, but we girls got the NEW ball, and those ole boys had to take to scuffed-up ball that had been dribbled on that caliche-dirt court, until the pig-skin cover was barely hanging on!! That was 56 years ago, and some of those boys are still fussing about such partiality!!! No doubt, that was Title 9 in reverse! Isn’t that the federal legislated rule that says girls can’t be discriminated against in athletics?
In 1939, after oil was discovered, Sundown really got on a boom! I can recall seeing a 9-room Hotel coming down the road on a truck from Denver city!!! We got a new grocery store, a movie theater, a drug store, even a café, and boy!! Were we ever up-town!!!!! But we had definitely outgrown our old six-rooms. A science lab, homemaking, vocational ag, industrial arts departments and great gym were built just west of the old brick building. My, what pride we took in the electric time clock! I fondly remember Ivah Lou Malphers and "Little Audy" Henson who so patiently taught us to sew and cook. I’ll bet you boys can remember Maurice Fite and Richard McChristal, who taught you to hammer and saw, and farm.
By 1941 Sundown was really bursting at the seams, so another building was built, just North of the gym at a cost of $78,000. Raleigh was SURE they’d all burn in hell for being that extravagant!! That build had several classrooms, and a stage with curtains with no advertisements!!! Many budding Hollywood actresses and actors, well, at least in our dreams, produced ‘The Campbells Are Coming" as the first production from that stage. Do any of you recall the putty double chin Mrs. Jeanie Collins (a volunteer from the community) made for me? I was playing the role of the obese aristocratic city sister of my country brother, "Billdad Tapp" (Frank Cherne), who eeked with the scent of the pole-cat! As I got war, under those fancy new stage lights, the chin just refused to stick! In desperation, I wadded it up and stuffed it in my pocket, while saying my lines!!! Only by the dedicated previous training of Mary Ellen Frost Guerry, our early-day speech and drama teacher, could I have been so poised. Believe me, I couldn’t do it today!!! Proceeds from that day brought in $59.35, and profits were applied toward our Senior Trip Fund. Wasn’t that week in Ruidoso delightful?
My memory of Sundown’s history stops with graduation of May 1942. We were the largest class to have ever graduated, up to that date.. 16 of us: Earl Allison, president, Jimmie Lee Davis, vice-president, Bobby Taber, second vice-president, Hope Cade, Secretary and treasurer, Frances Mead, reporter, Harold Mead, Ralph Lee, Nineta Buck, Ruby Jean McBride, Bessie Faye Dresslar, Juanita Sage, Juritia Herrington, Margaret ("Mike") Naylor, Clydus Williams, Frank Cherne, Freda Nelms. Doris Rose, Joe Wayne Roberson, and Bill Pinkston had been members of our class during the year, but had moved on before graduation. Mr. T.E. Beard was our class sponsor.
What is so sad is that over half of those we have no idea where they went after they left Sundown. They do live in our memories forever, however!
Post Script to 1992 speech delivered by Loisteen Glimp Kerney valedictorian of the Golden Anniversary class of 1942
I hope you will bear with this old lady just a few more minutes and allow me to get something off my chest that has been bugging me for five years. In 1987 I attended my 45th class reunion and was given a guided tour of the fabulous school pant, and frequently heard younger ex-students remark, "Boy! OIL sure made Sundown!
I’d be the very first to admit that tax dollars fro moil have certainly enabled Sundown to have school facilities much fancier than any college I have ever attended, but has an elaborate, physical school plant MADE the Sundown that I’m proud to call a part of my heritage???
I beg to differ………..
You may be asking, if oil didn’t make Sundown, then what did?????
I’d like to fell that sundown was MADE by the character of the citizens who established the community and organized the school district and those who survived the great depression years here.
Men and women like Walter and Mintie Frazier, who, when a neighbor who had absolutely no money, at all, had to have surgery, gave his wife their signed checks, insisting she fulfill their every need!!
Or maybe it was folks like Lem and Lludy Kearney (Kar-ne), parents of L.C. Kearney (Kur-nee’) and Avon and Nora Melton who manage to have one of the few telephones in the community, by using the barbed-wire fences for telephone lines, who drove their wagons and horses many a mile to deliver death messages from afar to their neighbors.
Or perhaps it was folks like George and Dollie Denton and A.J. and Leona Carter Richards, who gave so much of themselves to teach the youth of the community to sing. For over 60 years, when troubles have befallen me, I’ve sung, "If ever you’re in trouble; it will vanish like a bubble, if you’ll take the trouble just to S-M-I-L-E", and they HAVE; just like the words in the song Mr. Denton taught us said they would!!
Or was it early day teachers like Artie Forehand and Skip May who taught us it was better to play ball and lose; than not to get to play at all. Winning was not the name of the game they helped us play; but SPORTSMANSHIP surely was!
Maybe Sundown was built by folks like John and Maggie Woods Guerry, Mary Wright’s parents, who ran the local store and graciously extended credit to many of our dads during the great depression days, which enabled them to keep us fed.
The Sundown I remember may have been made by men like Tom Anderson, who reared 10 children, after his wife’s untimely death… all who’ve made contributing citizens. Many of us learned the true meaning of hospitality when we shared beans, cornbread, and gallons of iced-tea at the Anderson/Shue table, where 20 or more ate regularly! I wonder if Sundown wasn’t made by men like William Harris who gave his very life for this school district. In his day, our board was so concerned with the character of the man who directed our school’s activities they concluded all applicants should be investigated in their own communities. A.J. Richards, Will Survadius, Lem Kearney, and Mr. Harris were on a trip to investigate the character of T.H Curry, when they had a serious traffic accident, which took Mr. Harris’ life. His precious wife was a widow for over 50 years, just because he cared enough to unselfishly serve his fellow citizens.
No, friends, Sundown was NOT made by oil. The Sundown I’m proud to tell my grandkids I’m from, was made by folks like Mr. And Mrs. Will Servadius, who had one of the few cars in all of the community, and who insisted Lem Kearney take it, when his father died, so he’d be able to take his family to the funeral services. Not only did they offer the car, but the gas tank was full, and they were thoughtful enough to make sure Mr. Kearney had sufficient funds to refill it, if necessary!
Perhaps Sundown was made by the sensitive, caring women of the community, who gathered together each fall, just before school started, to sew a school wardrobe for Bobby, Jackie, and Ara Pirkle after Mr. Jeff’s lovely wife died.
I believe Sundown was made by neighbors and friends who worked together, as in 1933, when my own dad and I were hospitalized at the same time from ruptured appendix. They cam, and in ONE day planted our entire crop. Dad continued to suffer all summer from complications, and although I think anyone who ever knew Raleigh Glimp would have called him a "workaholic" that year he simply was unable to ride the "go-devil" to cultivate that crop. One day, his neighbor, Lem Kearney, sent his fifteen-year-old son, L.C., down with the mail-carrier (he walked the extra mile from the mail box) to cultivate the weeds that were growing in the crop the neighbors had so kindly planted earlier. L.C. received not one penny for that kindness! That fall a rattlesnake had bitten Raleigh, and he simply could not harvest the maize crop. Those same, loving, supportive, caring neighbors again converged on Raleigh, and in ONE day had it ALL in his barn. Avon Melton jokingly inquired if Raleigh planned to fall of his windmill tower or allow the mule to kick him to get his corn harvested. Let me assure you, if the need HAD arisen, those same neighbors would have been there again and their lovely wives would have brought one more bountiful feast to feed the workers!!!
These are just a few of the pre-oil day memories I have of Sundown. I’m sure anyone over 60 years of age, who is here can relate many, many stories of how neighbors worked together, caring and sharing what little we had. I’ve not overlooked anyone intentionally, and believe me, there were MANY others, but I firmly believe it is they, and their kind, that makes Sundown shine today, and NOT the wealth from the oil companies.
Furthermore, I’m convinced if we, of today, are ever to shine in the eyes of our children and grandchildren, who someday we will leave behind, we, too, must concern ourselves with caring for, and sharing with OUR neighbors, rather than placing our pride in the elaborate material possessions.
NO, FRIENDS, OIL DID NOT MAKE SUNDOWN!
Information from the 1948 Sundown High School Annual "The Gusher"
In the year 1897 the late Walter G. Frazier came to the South Plains. Mr. Frazier went to work on a ranch near Lubbock for Mr. Rollie C. Burns. After a year there, he returned to Burnet County, but later in 1903, he settled on "strip land" in the southwest part of Hockley County. At that time there was practically no farming. All except a few acres of Hockley County was grassland. Grass was knee high almost everywhere. There was a high wind much the same as today except there was no sand. In those days supplies were freighted from Big Spring and Colorado City. In 1907 the railroad came to Plainview, and it was from Plainview that Mr. Frazier hauled lumber to build his first house. In 1909 the railroad came to Lubbock, and after that freighting was considered very easy.
At this time most of the people got their mail from Lubbock, but it was very seldom that they were able to get their mail at all. Later the people around what is now Sundown got their mail at Gomez in Terry County. About that same time a post office was granted to Harris, and thereafter it was only two or three weeks between mail day for the Fraziers. It was in the late fall of 1920 that Hockley County was organized. Until then this land was under the jurisdiction of Lubbock County and the people went to Lubbock to vote.
The town site of Sundown was surveyed in 1925. It was only natural that the people should want a name for this town site. A group of movie producers cane to the Slaughter Range in Old Mexico to make the move, "Sundown". Mr. Bob Slaughter was there at the time. He enjoyed the movie tremendously and the name "Sundown" appealed to him; consequently, when he came back to west Texas, he named the new townsite "Sundown". Naturally, this small new townsite had no school. Previous to 1928 the children of the Sundown community attended the Clauene Schools, but in the early spring of 1928 Mrs. Glimp, Mrs. Frazier, and Mrs. Moss held the first school election in a tent north of Sundown. People came for miles to cast their votes. Many people with children of school age went out of their way to get people who otherwise would not have voted. Most of the cars and wagons were quite crowded by the time they arrived at the polls.
Submitted by: Loisteen Kearney
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