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! The' Texas Research League has finallyl confirmed a situation that has been apparent for ‘ a long time — that the system of 58 Texas state parks in general Is badly’run down, badly planned,“and operated on a sort Of hop, skip .and jump basis.But the Research League report falls to place proper emphasis on the fundamental cause for tills condition. The real cause is lack of money and the refusal by successive sessions of the le-gislatureto appropri ate sufficient funds for.lhc operation of an adequate,, system of state parks.The legislature has finally, in its appropriations for the 1961-63 biennium; gotten around to doing something about this, in a small way. The appropriations for 1961-63 run about three times as much, as the Texas State Parks-Board has been accustomed to,;receiving, but is still not enqugh/ to take up the slack caused-by long-years of neglect.Texas State ParksSeen As No HelpIn Tourist DriveWhat haa been happening can be made clear by a comparison between the upkeep and operation of state parka by. .Oklahoma and TexM. This was brought out in connection with a recent meeting ofjhe National Conference ©nStatc Parks up at Lake Texoma. Texas wan host ton the- conference, but had. to ..hold the sessions on the Okhdioma side of the lake because adequate facilities wore not available on the Texas side., AUSTIN (UPI) — The Texas Research League said today the state parks system is “badly out of date” and in such poor shape it might be more harm than help to the tourist business.A league study of the 58 state parks cited lack of basic standards, some poor park sites, inefficient operations and general rundown conditions as making the Texas state parks system “a questionable asset,”‘Roughly a third of Texas’Winners Are Told In Guard Fund RaisingThe I960-population of Texas was almbSJtqxaeUy four tiroes that of Oklahoma. Texas had 58 state park'areas, covering 61,825 acres Of land^.as aginst 36 parks In Oklahoma which took in 56,-962 acres!spaMlac 61.M6,lW. «n the operation and improvement of tta parka, Texas was trying to get along on $472,998.Osrevenuos, Oklahoma was tnUag in $1,851,805 from Its park facilities and concessions, while Texas was receiving ' $171,043. Oklahoma parks showed 8,015,308 visitors for the year, while Texaa parks were reporting a total of 6,558,518 visitors.It is a fact that a good many of the locations designated as state parks in'the Texas system have no business being included in the system at all. There are a couple of examples in the Cue-ro area. One of them is the Fannin State Park over between Victoria and Goliad, the site of the capture by-the Mexicans of Fannin arid his. men in 1836. It has a fe\y;acres of ground, a monument and a few picnic tables, butiit is first and foremost a historical 'sjte not intended for recreation' or entertainment.Another!* the pitiful cx-cusa for # state pnrk down at Iadlanola, which boasts a sort of , shelter against the gnlf shore sun, a few picnic not much else, of fact, It Is aTom Cheatham, Cuero attorney, won the ,30-cal. rifle given away by Company E in connection with the unit’s drive to raise funds to furnish the new National Guard armory.Mrs. Alvin Sager won a set of dinnenvare and Mrs. I. E. Egg won a portable radio. Names of the winners were drawn by Mrs. Charles Franke.Prior to the drawing, which was attended by the unit and several guests, Capt: LeRoyCobb listed the reasons why the drive, was necessary.He said the armory board supplied funds to erect the armory, but does not have funds available for extra furnishings needed, such as ranges, refrigerators and furnishings, for the company day rooms. Also, Cobh pointed out, the expenses of the dedication ceremonies must be born .by.tbe^lpijalcUnit.,,, . Cobb' expressed grati tude to all who contributed to the drive and to company personnel who are residents of the area.Special thanks went to the first sergeant and the three platoon sergeants who guided the project through to a successful completion.They are First Sergeant Jerome Hutchison and Platoon Sergeants Leebell Kuecker, August Williams, John Coppedge and Robert Cisneros.Intra-company competition was stimulated by prizes being awarded to three men who had the highest amount of sales. Prizes went to Sgt, Carroll Ley, first, Sfc. Wayne Fromme, second, and Sp-4 Joe Garcia, third.Cobb said plans are being formulated for the official armory dedication.Legion Auxiliary Will Meet Tonightjust wkiU kbid of ode-quafe Mfk feeJUty could ey-•r bo pot together at Indlan-ola wfclek could offer much in the w#y ft* m attractionBesidesthe- niggardly attitude of the legislature on appropriation* for (he {Marks system, there has also been a determined refusal to. penhiit very much in the w$y of concessions or aq* commodstiohs which would help to raise the income of the parks.The puta system includes a number- of highly scenic localities which ; attract visitors in droves, but ;yjhich are not convenient to' sufficient outside housing facilities to encourage (Continued on Page 6)American Legion Auxiliary will meet Tuesday starting at 7;30 p.m. at Legion Hail.Mrs. Fred Henneke said reports will be given on the Veterans Gift Shop Tea and the turkey dinner held Nov. 11.Allen Diefze Again Heads Eledric GroupAllen Dietze was re-elected president of the Electrical Contractors Association of Cuero during the organization’s monthly meeting Monday night.Re-elected to serve with Deitze were Jack Scullion, vice-president, and Willard Luddekc, sec-retary-treasurer.stale .parks are so small, so poorly located, or so physically unattractive that their presence in the system is very difficult , to justify; they downgrade the system as a whole,” the league said.It also criticized the “great geographical,., historical -and scenic gaps in the Texas state parks system which severely limit its value to both Texans and out-of-state guests.’’The board made lions that:—The state set minimum standards for its parks and dispose of substandard areas.—Park experts at Texas Tech make a long-range plan fcfr park acquisition, interpretation and maintenance.Parks board ahd legislative action is pending on: —Establishment of personnel standards for all parks board staff members.—Financial division of parks management and concession operation.The last recommendation on finances was regarded by the league as the single most important requirement to the development of a satisfactory state .parks system in Texas.” The/league said park management’ should 'be separated from concession ’ management and qualified park rangers should be employed by the state. Park managers are paid $2,S00 a year by the state and get a commission on amusements receipts and sales of supplies and souv-eniers.“In Texas we have expected our state park managers to be both storekeepers and park operators, and a direct conflict of interest has resulted,” the league pointed out.TVlo.Rites Pending For Mrs. Anna BergerSeaiNo]RodMrs. Anna Berger, 75, died at 8 a.m. Tuesday at the home of her son, Ernest Berger, on S. Riyer Road near Cuero.The body was taken to Roy Thomas Funeral Home in where arrangements are pending.Burial will be from the Lutheran Church at Schrbeder,Besides the son, Mrs. Berger Is also survived by a daughter. Mrs. Erna Volkmer of Schroeder.Grace Church To Mark ThanksgivingFor Nuclear SubsDUNOON, Scotland (UPI) — A floating drydock for U.S. nuclear submarines was commissioned at the Holy Loch base near here. The drydock was constructed at New London,Thanksgiving will be observed at Grace Episcopal Church Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., with the celebration of Holy Communion with hymns nnd sermon.Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving” will be the topic of the sermon by the Rev. John Battle, rector. AH are cordially invited to attend.EN R FELLE1 A. Rock Guinea news Ui to find a along tl sputherr Repor that as Guinea land sea sign of Rockefe He wa: ming v through infested from wh panion 1 The co was foui their nai at sea. 1 said Ro' ture” m; shore in boat for Micha (con15-Year Post Churches IsBy LOUIS CASSKLSi rolls wei
Newspaper Details
Cuero Record
Cuero, Texas, US
Tue, Nov 21, 1961
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
Cindy B.
USA 18 Apr 2024
Other Publications Near Cuero, Texas
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