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Sivells Bend Community: Awakening After World War II, the Good Years
"Wow! Look at all those pies!" Two little boys, who were only as tall as
the table holding the desserts, moved carefully, their noses almost even
with the pie crusts. They were soon discovered by one of the Farm and
Ranch Club members. "You kids go on out to the monkey bars," she
suggested. They raced across the big room, out the door to the
playground of the Sivells Bend school. There was a good crowd. Friends
and neighbors were enthusiastic about the once-a-month dinners and
visiting. The time had come for new growth and communication and the
community club was organized in 1951. Everyone agreed that the women in
the Sivells Bend community were the best cooks in the world. The men
made tables of two-by-twelves and oil field rods. They passed the hat to
purchase chairs. Even though there was no telephone line to Sivells
Bend, the menu chairman sent suggestions by mail or by word of mouth so
that there would be an abundance and a variety of food at the community
suppers. People were shedding the worry and concern that had been in
everyone's thoughts during the war. They were now becoming optimistic
and ready to meet and greet, visit and enjoy the get-togethers.
My husband Jay and I came as newlyweds (1949) after meeting at Oklahoma
A&M and after his discharge from the Marines. We were happy to be
included in the community activities and awakening after World War II.
The Sivells Bend community, with three churches, the common school district,
and a store, had been isolated during World War II. It lay to the north
of the 56,000 acres in Cooke County which was used by the U.S.
government for the army training camp, Camp Howze. The persons living in
Sivells Bend were given passes to go through the army camp to get to
Gainesville, twenty-five miles away.
The school board purchased a
building in the sale of Camp Howze facilities in 1948. It was moved to
the Sivells Bend school and attached to the existing two rooms. What an
improvement to have an auditorium! It became an excellent place for the
community to organize and become part of the rural Community Progress
Program sponsored first by the Farmer Stockman and the extension
service, next by the Extension Service and REA Cooperatives. The
Gainesville Chamber of Commerce also sent representatives to help build
rural communities.
There were many domino and forty-two players
in the community and some of the most enjoyable gatherings were
tournaments, also attended by persons from other communities who
ventured out the long road at night.
Soon we were getting
involved with many community projects and organizations. I helped to
organize the 4-H Club before my chicks were old enough to join, and
before some were even born. The Mobley family had moved to Sivells Bend
in 1950. Several of their children were in school. Don and the twins,
Novella and Ovella, were some of the first members. Yvonne Jenkins was
the assistant extension agent.
Jay was elected to the school
board in 1952. And that is a whole other story. Several young men were
elected. There was so much work to be done to remodel, rebuild, even add
rest rooms to replace the outhouses at the far end of the playground.
The women reorganized the Sivells Bend Home Demonstration Club in 1952 with
the help of the extension agent and began monthly programs. There had
been a club as early as 1923 but it had been discontinued during the
war. The new group met in various homes and sometimes at the school.
There were many projects and programs, fair exhibits, work with county
activities, and support for the 4-H members.
In 1952 Jay became a
charter member of the Cooke County Farm Bureau. This was an exciting
period as the farming business was becoming totally mechanized and many
new innovations in management and production methods were being learned.
They were well informed of government programs and of the legislative
decisions which would affect prices and the farm economy. There were
gatherings for families and members, picnics, programs, queen contests,
and good times. This was one way that we met friends from all over Cooke
County; at state meetings, also. It seemed many of us had small children
and we brought them along for the family events.
One older
friend, Herman Schniederjan, who was also one of the charter farm bureau
members, asked Jay, "Do you and Barbara like to dance?" He invited us to
come to a Knights of Columbus dance on a Saturday night. It was in an
upstairs hall on Commerce Street in Gainesville. The music was lovely.
Mr. Schniederjan asked me to waltz. He was a wonderful dancer. I felt
like a princess, gliding and turning and in perfect step. He and his
wife Laura introduced us to many friends in the Catholic communities of
Gainesville, Lindsay, and some from Muenster. His son Ted and Ted's wife
Vicki sat with us. We were about the same age. We also met Joe and Anna
Mae Bezner, Bruno and Dorothy Zimmerer, and Rufus and Gladys Bezner.
The Red River bounded the community on the north, separating it from Oklahoma.
In the Twenties the population was much larger, as there were many
smaller farms and places for others to work for large landholders. Some
settlers had arrived in the vicinity in the 1850s and there were many
names on the 1860 census. Getting acquainted 100 years later, we found
there was a great history behind Cooke County and specifically Sivells
Bend.
But immediately after the war the focus was on improvement,
building, organization, and growth. The rural electric line was built in
1948. A paved road came from Gainesville in 1955 and a telephone line in
1956. The new services changed the course of the community, a very
special place to live.
We have been here more than half a century!
Barbara Pybas
Gainesville, Texas
Published:
November 14,
2005
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