Abilene Reporter-News from Abilene, Texas • 171

ABILENE REPORTER-NEWS AMeneTex Sun April 19 1961 CENTENNIAL S9 TV: a 28-Year West Texas Marvel First Local Station KRBC Started in August 1953 KTAB-TV Channel 32 proved lucky In its network affiliation As a CBS affiliate KTAB immediately claimed the local telecast rights to the football games of the ever-popular Dallas Cowboys 1 The new station happened along at Jut the time when its network affiliate CBS would challenge then overthrow the dominant ABC as the most-watched net In the Nielsen survey for the first week of April CBS had the six top-rated programs and eight of the top 10 The night-time sup opera DaUu led the pack Other top-rated CBS shows are Sixty Minutes The Dukee of Hazard and The Jeffer- KTXS-TV) of Sweetwater began tete-caatlng The new Channel 12 wu a primary CBS affiliate and a second-ary ABC affiliate Later ABC became the primary network Video choice atayed at the ume level until April 1965 when televiilon ilgnala first moved over wires through the city TV Cable of Abilene it wu then called offered the two local atationa plua thru Dallaa-Fort Worth atationa and a 24-hour time-weather station Cable television choices have increased through the years and have exploded in the last two Now channels are available for anyone willing to pay the monthly Ub for all the extras Over the airwaves channel choices remained at two until Oct 6 1979 when the first ultrabigh frequency (UHF) station began Bj Jerry reed SUlt Writer Beta the summer of 1853 you watch television at all in Abilene Then at 1 pm on Aug 30 the Big Country' pioneer station KRBC-Tv teleeaat iU aUtion dedieeiiow Pint entertainment program KRBC aired waa a feature film lie Ktoun Flrat regular program at I pm waa Gene Autry' weekly show Autry wu on CBS although KRBC waa and alwayi haa been an NBC affiliate But at tint alao uied other nctworka' show NBC rode high In thoee daya of Mil-too Bptei Nr Televiaioo himaelf and other top-rated NBC entertainment Soon after the overexposed Unde Kiltie faded Abilene gained a two-ebannd Viewing choke and greater variety of network fare On Jan 30 list KPAR-TV (now ations that ever went on the air" said Bill Terry president and station mauger of KTAB The new station also eorrakd some of the talent from KRBC-TV where Terry had also been station manager Included wu Larry Fitzgerald who hu the distinction of helping start two of the thru local station Fitzgerald started an announcer and cameraman with KRBC-TV and news anchor at KTAB a position he'd long held at KRBC Some milestones in Abilene television history: April 16 1853 the Reporter Broadcasting Company owner of KRBC Radio gained a construction permit from the Federal Communication Commission to build a television station in Abilene Aug 30 1953 KRBC-TV by then owned by oilman-rancher Ackers began telecasting from Cedar Abilene on May 14 1964 The Rob-ertaon-ied group sold to a Pennsylvania group in 1966 The cable service hu been owned by LVO Oil LVO Cable and since 1974 United Cable Service July 1 1966: KPAR became KTXS shortly after the sale of the station by its second owner Abilene group headed by Dick Elam to to Grayson Enterprises of Lubbock owner of KLBK Channel 26 there August 6 1979: United Cable Television Service added Station Box Office" its first movie channel for extra monthly subscription charge March 27 I960: FCC approved sale of KTXS by Grayson Enterprises to Prims Inc a black-majority corporation based In Washington DC During August 1990: United Cable added 11 channels with box" giving it 23 television channels with wide variety of entertainment news and information Gap Mountain Dale Ackers son of the late Lewis Ackers now is president and general manager of the station Jan 30 1956 KPAR began telecasting from Sweetwater Lubbock mayor Dub Rogers who founded a station in his home city headed ownership Studios and transmitter were both are in Sweetwater Later the station's transmitter would be located south of Trent between Abilene and Sweetwater Jan 9 1958 KPAR began telecasting from a remote second studio in downtown Abilene The station's Abilene studios now are at the Highway 93 bypass north of the city April 23 1965: TV Cable Service of Abilene (which was to become United Cable Service) completed wiring south half of city with more than 1000 customers watching cable TV The ownership group headed by oilman-rancher French Robertson obtained its franchise from the city of Parks System Dates To 1880s in Abilene Such network triumphs helped KTAB increase its viewing audience (0 percent in one year's time really have bun the tell me one of the most successful new oper The Zachary Clan In 1900 CharUa Brewington build a lumber yard and a home the first wooden structures In Stamford which at the time wu still a tent city He sent for his family wife and three children They rede tha caboose trailing a freight train from Waco to Albany where the track ended Charlie met his family in a buggy and took them home to Stamford Essie Brewington Zachary wu 4 years rid at the time Brewington bulk the first busineu house in Stamford: Brasetton-Pryor Lumber Co He served manager of the company for many years and later moved on to Dallu to open a lumberyard there He lived then until his death Ha and hia wife ere the parents of six children including Carl Brewing-ton a graduate of Annapolis Naval Academy Their daughter Esela Bre-wtagton Zachary is 84 years rid and still lives In Stamford Harrell Bre-wfogten lives in RoswriL NM and hu two children Carl Brewington of Roswell NM Is a grandson of Harrell Brewington Christopher Brewington is a member of the fourth generation of the Brewington tamily The Hood Clan In 1901 Rusoell A Hood and Minnie Hudson Hood his wife came to Mitchell County from Irath County They brought with them their 3-year-old daughter Mabel who is now Mrs BF Logan A farmer and stoekfarmer Hood settled south of Colorado City in the Spade community Another daughter Minnie Leo wu bon In 1917 She married Tom Moore and they have a daughter Leeann Moore bon in 1947 Other occupations the family hu bold wirf teaching Promenading Mr and Mrs JW Vernon step lightly across the polished dance floor at the Wagon Wheel in Tye Mrs swirly anove-the- quired 26 parks which total 967 acres four cemeteries which total 46 acres and one 126-acre 16-hria golf course plus 125 acres for development of an additional 11-holes of golf In addition to this the Parks and Recreation Department has acquired five recreation centers two community activity centers one Senior Cltft-xens building nine picnic shelters two swimming pools four imaginative-theme playgrounds and a 13-acre zoo now located on 5 11th ftwt fomiUeJ The Kean Clan About 1663-1983 EX Kean and Jm Campbell Kean settled at Abilene Kean was a cashier with Steffen's and Lowden Bank and also worked for Guitar Industries There were six children: Campbell who died In 1964 Robert who died in 1966 Curtis who died in 1946 Care Mae who died in 1979 Frank and HeleM Curtis wu la the paint business in the 1920s and Frank wu architect for a Mr Castle in the 1920s HeleM married FA Davis They live in AMIcm EX and Jane Kean had five grandchildren One died in 1964 and the other four live in Texu There are greatgrandchildren and and three great-great-grandchildren busy most every night of the week with either dances or lessons Members of the Abilene Square and Round Dance Association now dancing at the Wagon Wheel include Guys and Dolk the Key City Squares Counfry Cousins the Big Country Promenaders the Wagon Wheel Squares the Goodtime Squares and 4he Highsteppers jOnt fmuUeJ The Goodrum Clan In 1692 RR Goodrum and Ms wife settled In Kent County Goodrum wu a rancher He and Ms wife were the parents of eight children They in- -elude Bob Goodrum Jr Charlie Goodrum Mrs CL Sargent Mrs TVacy King and the late Cautia Goodrum who was the father of the the Rev Phillip Goodrum a Baptist minister at Breekenrldge Bob Goodrum Jr married Fannk Beth Irwin hi 1916 at Fluvanna where Mra Goodrum was a teacher They were the parents of four children Ellis Goodrum who lives la Abilene Rufus Goodrum of Rotas who a retired builder Mariks Goodrum Blanks of Hugo Okla and Raymond Goodrum of Concord Calif Rufus Goodrum married to the former Ima Meric Crowley a member of a pioneer Fisher County family They were married ta 1940 and are the parents of a son Donald Goodrum of Midland Dould has three children Warren Monica and Beth Goodrum tor its citizens Established in the mid-USDs the Abilene system used people as a guide for selecting park sites Parks were located where folk wanted them People in the 1990s liked Cooper's Place Mar Cedar Creek present site of the West Texu Utilities power plant on Lake Fort Phantom HilL In thou days Abilene used the spot for Sunday socials picnics and barbecues Abilene's oldest municipal park is Oscar Rom Park The land wu purchased in 1922 to serve the site of the West Texu Fatr Grounds and wu originally known as Fair Park The 69-acre park wu re-named on July 23 1966 in honor of Oscar Rom former long -time parks board member and chairman As early 1943 file number of Abilene parks wu six with a total of 134 acres They were Carver Park at Eighth and Treadaway Cobb Park at State and Kirkwood Reyes Flores Park Seventh and Bois d'Arc Will Hair Park Ambler Avenue Kilty Park 15th and Maple and Oscar Rom (then Fair Park) at Seventh and Mockingbird In December 1910 the City Charter wu amended to allow for the setting up of the Parks and Public Recreation Board a governing board On Nov 9 1962 the City of Abilene adopted a new charter which changed the "Parks and Public Recreation Board" from a governing board to a noUcf-maklni board City bond programs to fund the department began back in 1951 Other bonds were later voted In the period of time since the Parks and Public Recreation Board wu established the Abilene Parka and Recreation Department has ac In 1974 the newly-formed AMIcm Square and Round Dance Association undertook a renovation of the Wagon Wheel and nearly doubled its ska Today's square dancers are still enjoying the Wagon Wheel which is Blackte Blackley and Gua-sle Gilliam Bob Williama and Georgia Cutbirth and Babe Nichola and JoAnn Stevena The women danced in long ankle-length dreaaea By ARTHUR CABASOS Staff Writer I Th history of Parks and Recreation Department is one of steady progress from the mid-UOOs to its present status one which is to ahead of other comparably sited cities said department director Perry ScotL Amarillo which is twice our size have the facilities we said Scott "About the only area In which we are lacking is swimming pools We have six" In most instances Abilene's path facilities exceed the National Park and Recreation Association Standards Scott said But before the NPRAS were in use Abilene wu already building parks The Jackson Clan The Jsckson family hu been engaged in farming and ranching since 19M when Jerry Robert Jackson and Ms wife tha former Iona Lynch first settled eight miles south of Caddo on font Creek Their son Robert Jaeksou married Mabel Smith They are the parents of Joe Lynch Jackson of Ranger Joe married Toppy Echols Their children are Robert Joe Jackson and Shirley A Jackson Robert Joe married Dena Hecox and they have a son tye Allen Jack- travels an over the country calling left" "promenade all" and your partner" for hundreds of square dancers Owen Renfro and Ralph McMullen also called at the new Wagon WheeL Winning Team Square dnnee caller Bob state championship-winning square dance team in the SO'a Included from left to right (firat row): Bob Sumrall and partner Helen Swafford: Square Dancing the Swing Your Papa of Parties Partner Promenade All knee dress is the modern version of the ankle-length square dance dresses women once wore (Staff Photo by David Kent) si tin outfits the women clad in ankle-length hooped skirts the men in fancy shirts and ties Today women dance In shorter skirts with frilly pantalettes underneath In 1946 Sumrsll called for the Governor's Inaugural Ball honoring Gov Beauford Jester That ume year he and Juk Fomby of Sweetwater now deceased called at the Texas Square Dance Festival in Austin Some of the calls that they did included "Spinning and "Texan Whirl" Another caller Owen Renfro began calling Id 1949 He remembers fondly the dances that were popular then yesterday's plain little breaks and simple patterns The Taylor Clan In 1662 Jamu Taylor settled in AMIcm He was owner of a livery stable and wagon yard John Bell settled in Abilene about the ume time and wu the owner of a general store His daughter Eunice married Jamu Taylor They were the parents of Arthur Walter and Irma who married Carroll Manly Arthur Taylor was the fether of Juk Taylor of AMIcm Jack and Ms wife the former Carol Cutes are the parents of Linda Taylor Oglesby She is the mother of Michael Saehsen-mayer born in 1971 Occupations the family hu been associated with include the state department and nursing- alphabets aUemandu and intricate figures Juk wouldn't he uid In 1949 Abilenlans and other loeal square daneers participated in the First Frontier Square Danes Festival at the Tye Airport Archie Jeffertes and the ButaM Boys provided the musk for the event wfakh featured Harley Sadler state senator and traveling tent show host master of ceremonies The festival featured 25 callers with Mr and Mrs John Womble leading the grand march om night and Mr and Mrs Roscm Blankenship leading it the second night of the festival Square dance groups that danced at the festival included the Mix Master Set of Sweetwater Witt's Square Dance Set of Hamlin the Key City Capers of Abilene the Trims Star Club of Merkel and a team from Anson During the a group of four square dance couple established a permanent home for loeal square dancers The Wagon Wheel in tye which wu completed In 1957 Om of the originators of the Wagon Wheel uM the Tpe location wu chosen because it wu a place where square dancers would not be disturbed and would not disturb others Ingenuity and volunteer labor by square dancers made the Wagon Wheel a reality Om of the original owners furnished some telephone poles for beams and another tnraer provided antique wagon wheels and lanterns Om of the original callers at the Wagon Wheel was Marshall Fllppo now a professional square dance culler In the '50a Fllppo called for the Cron Trail Club which had danced in the Hayloft on Sycamore Street until completion of the Wagon WhMl Fllppo whoM voice immortalized on many square dance records-now By JANICE SLUPSKI guff Writer Square dancing has ahrayb meant fun and fellowship to dancers that changed But over the years square dancing has undergoM revisions iwfhming futer pace and many new dandng patterns Called "the daddy of square danc- Xthis Bob SumraU- began for square dances in tha 308 when a caller called within a square he danced along with tha other dancers Callers didn't start caning before a mlcrophoM until about 1945 he uid The Wagon Wheel in tya wu nonexistent then and daneers danced at houses at private dancea at the AMIcm Country Chib and at public dances at the American Legion hall Back in tha old days SumraU uid square dancing wu dou to a live band Comprised of a fiddle guitar and ptaM Now square dancing is (kmo to records Once thou weren't many steps to learn Sumrall's first square dancing school in 1946 at the Pioneer Hall ta Anson consisted of six lessons compand with the 20 basie lessons beginning square dancers start out with now "Square dancing used to be slow enough sc you eouM do a one-step and still follow the ealla" Bill Mays of tha Original Rose Squares said "Later you had to walk pretty fast and now you even have to run to keep up with the calls" In the '30s and '40s square dancers competed In contests something not doM much today In the '30s SumraU had a square dancing team that took three state championships and exhibited their skill at a Paul Whiteman Floor Show in Frit Worth in 1936 team wore elaborate if.