| | | | | | | |
|
|
|
|
Rockport School designated historic landmark
56 Views ::
0 Comments ::  |
Rockport School designated historic landmark
 The new historical marker designating Rockport School as a recorded Texas historic landmark was unveiled in a ceremony marked by joy, laughter, and some tears, as memories of school held in the structure were recalled.
Assistant Superintendent Vicki Kennedy served as master of ceremonies for the event. She explained the process which led to the designation of the historic site.
Kennedy noted one catalyst for the project was after the Education Foundation Prize Patrol was on the then-Rockport Elementary campus in 2003. As they were standing in the auditorium, one of the members, Margie McDavid, pointed to one of the seats and told Kennedy, “That was my seat in fifth grade.”
From there, was born the idea, “Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could dedicate this building as a historic site.”
Kennedy said it took about three years and a lot of paperwork for the project to come to fruition. She thanked the numerous individuals involved, and then introduced former teacher Penny Baldwin who provided many humorous memories.
Baldwin began by pointing out, “I'm here because I'm a dinosaur,” as the crowd laughed.
She and her husband Philip began teaching at Rockport School in 1951. He was hired to teach industrial arts and she an elementary grade.
After their interview, he was taken to see his “shop” which ws a one-room wooden building with a dirt floor on which sat an airplane motor. Philip was excited, however, because the superintendent said they were trying to pass a bond election after which a new industrial trades building would be constructed. They signed contracts and returned to Huntsville so he could finish working on his master's degree. It was in a Houston newspaper they read the Rockoprt bond issue had failed. “How some things never change,” Baldwin said.
She also remembered the superintendent telling them they would not need heavy coats because winters are mild. In January 1951, the bay froze as did gas lines and school was canceled because there was no heat for three days.
Baldwin explained she taught in a wooden building behind the main building which had no insulation. During cold weather, she would gather the children around the gas heater.
After taking a year off in 1952-53 due to the birth of their first child, Baldwin was asked to take a first grade class that fall. The superintendent said the class had lost two hired teachers and had had many substitutes.
Baldwin noted, “I understood what the problem was when I saw the classroom.” It was the cafeteria converted into two classrooms divided by a standing blackboard. The children liked to peek underneath to see what was going on on the other side. Added to the distraction was the gym activity, high school study hall taking place above, students going up and down the stairs, and watching students having lunch outside on in the gym since they no longer had a cafeteria.
One perk, however, was due to being on only one campus, the teachers all got to eat together. “since Philip and I had just celebrated our first wedding anniversary, we enjoyed being able to have that time together.”
Baldwin also proudly noted not only she and her husband, but three of their four daughters have worked with children of all ages in the classrooms at historic Rockport School.
Pat Smith, both a former student, teacher, and administrator at Rockport School, spoke next about his memories as a student.
He began by noting, “As I share some of these memories with you I want you to keep in mind that is how I remember them, not necessarily how they really happened.” With some humor, and often with a tremor in his voice, Smith related his ties to the campus go back to at least the year the building was constructed. His grandfather's name is listed as a member of the board of trustees. Three of his children attended elementary classes on the campus, and three of his oldest grandchildren did so as well.
His first year at Rockport School was as a second-grader in 1941, where he joined students he would attend school with for the next 10 years. His biggest memory that year was the day after Pearl Harbor was attacked and his teacher cried as she tried to explain what had happened.
That was also the year he first met Ruth Hayden, as she substituted in his class.
In second grade, his teacher Bertha Harper reminded him of the nuns at Sacred Heart School. He pointed out, “She never rapped my hands with a ruler, but she didn't mind rapping my bottom with her ping-pong paddle.”
She was intent on getting the students to read at the level she believed they were capable of and teaching them the times tables up to at least the nines, he said.
He also recalls that year, as some students were daydreaming out the windows, seeking lightning strike the pole on top of the old four-story courthouse. “That woke us up,” he said.
He recalled the Victory Corp and scrap metal and newspaper drives as a fourth grader, and storing newspapers in David Herring's father's garage.
Smith remembered fifth-grade teacher Kathie Clarke as a “prim and proper lady who wore a purple dress almost every day.”
“She either had a few purple dresses or she washed that one dress each night and got it ready to wear the next day,” he said as the crowd laughed.
That was the year she had them sing her favorite song, “You are my Sunshine,” and attend their first school dance.
“Mrs. Ruby Hart was the campfire girls leader and felt it was culture time for the girls and their friends.”
His mother bought him an “all wool, very itchy suit” to wear to the dance which was held in the room in which the historical society now meets.
He talked about his sixth through eighth grade years, recalling playing football in the latter two. He said at the end of the eighth grade year, the high school coach told Smith he believed he was too small to play at the high school level. He was afraid Smith would get hurt.
Recalling his high school year, Smith said a lot of things happened which prepared him for college and the challenges of the real world.
One is he finally passed algebra II, and second was the work ethic he developed working two summers as a ranch hand on San Jose island.
Another good thing was the high school football coach had resigned and was replaced by Charles Roe Jr., a Rockport boy.
That summer as two-a-day practices drew close, Roe put an article in The Rockport Pilot stating anyone planning to play football should meet at the football field Sunday to pull stick-burrs and goatheads to get the field ready.
Smith smiled as he said, “Evidently no one or very few showed up.” Roe then borrowed his dad's pickup and went recruiting, coming to get Smith's neighbor. Smith happened to be on his own porch when Roe drove up next door. He asked why Smith hadn't showed up.
Smith said he explained he wanted to play but was told he was too small. Roe replied, “Get in the ‘bleep' truck,” Smith said.
He said Roe was like a father to him and was instrumental in his decision to prepare for the teaching and coaching fields. Smith emphasized in 11 years at the junior high and high school levels, “I never told a boy he was too small to play football.”
A final memory for Smith was one from his senior year. At the beginning of
the spring semester, a “beautiful young lady” was introduced to his class as their new English teacher for the remainder of the semester.
Nells Adams, who had just gradated from the University of Texas, was to take over the class.
Smith said his first impression, other than her being young and beautiful, was that the seniors were going to “eat her up.”
Smith admitted that turned out to be wrong. Within two days of her arrival, she told him to meet her after school. Smith said he remembers saying something smart like he already had something planned.
She firmly replied, “After school Mr. Smith.”
At the meeting she informed him she was not going to put up with his childish, smart alec behavior. She was hired to teach English and that is what she intended to do with or without him in the classroom. She also said she knew he intended to enroll in college in fall, adding he better get busy and let her teach him or he would not last long in college.
Smith said, “I guess Miss Adams did teach me some English and some maturity because I did receive credit for 12 hours English in college and I did not get sent back to Rockport until after I got my degree.”
He then pointed out “Miss Adams” in the audience, who after leaving Aransas County returned and lives here with her husband, David Herring.
Smith, with a catch in his voice, then expressed gratitude for being allowed to be part of the celebration.
State Rep. Juan Garcia was in attendance and noted educators have the most important job in America. He said schools are the central nerve center of a community.
He said Rockport school is a landmark which will be a legacy to those educators and also serve as a reminder to young people to come back to their community.
By NORMA MARTINEZ
UIL Releases 2008-2009 Realignment Information
The UIL has released its much anticipated realignment for the next two years, with some measure of change for every school in South Texas.
The surprise of the day was that Rockport-Fulton stayed in 4A, missing the 3A cutoff by the narrowest of margins.
"It looks like the number, we were one or two kids off. It's a good district. There are good coaches in there. The 3A district is the same way. I'm very familiar with both because I'm from the area. We're excited about the next two years," observed Rockport-Fulton football coach, Guy Grover.
Only two area schools changed classification, with Ray dropping from 5A to 4A and Robstown moving down from 4A to 3A. Five of the nine area districts will include at least seven teams.
Here are the districts:
District 27-5A
Converse Judson
Converse Wagner
Corpus Christi Carroll
Corpus Christi King
San Antonio E. Central
San Antonio Highlands
South San Antonio
Victoria Memorial
District 30-4A
Beeville Jones
Corpus Christi Miller
Corpus Christi Moody
Corpus Christi Ray
Gregory-Portland
Port Lavaca Calhoun
Rockport-Fulton
District 31-4A
Alice
CC Calallen
CC Flour Bluff
CC Tuloso-Midway
Kingsville King
Laredo Cigarroa
Laredo Johnson
Laredo Nixon
District 31-3A
Aransas Pass
Corpus Christi West Oso
Falfurrias
Ingleside
Mathis
Orange Grove
Robstown
Sinton
District 30-2A
Banquete
Bloomington
Odem
Refugio
Skidmore-Tynan
Taft
District 31-2A
Cotulla
Dilley
Freer
George West
Jourdanton
Natalia
Three Rivers
District 32-2A
Bishop
Donna Idea Acad.
Hebbronville
Premont
Riviera Kaufer
San Diego
Santa Maria
Santa Rosa
District 31-A
Charlotte
Falls City
Pettus
Runge
Woodsboro
Yorktown
District 32-A
Agua Dulce
Ben Bolt-Palito Blanco
Benavides
Bruni
Kingsville Academy
La Villa
Basketball Only
District 31-A
Falls City
Pettus
Port Aransas
Woodsboro
Yorktown
District 32-A
Ben Bolt-Palito Blanco
Benavides
Bruni
Kingsville Academy
La Villa |
|
|
|
|
| Comments | Currently, there are no comments. Be the first to post one!
Click here to post a comment |
|
| | | | | | | |
|
|