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The first performance of the Palocade depicting the history of Palo Pinto
County was presented Tuesday at 8:15 p.m. at Miller Stadium, in the
southwest part of Mineral Wells, as a part of the Centennial Celebration
now in progress. The performance had been postponed from Saturday
night on account of rain.
In a setting of rare beauty, Queen Frances, of the House of Murphy, was
crowned queen of the Centennial, to reign during the week and
"until her successor is selected" at the next centennial.
Trumpeters, Mary Bandy, Jeanine Young, Beth Ramsey, Suzanne Harris,
Pricilla Riordan, Bobbie Heath, Barbara Ramsey, and Darlene Baker, were
colorfully dressed and served throughout the ceremony.
Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts and Brownies, who formed a triangle
on each side of the line marked for the queen and her party, were in
uniform.
Girls taking part were Geraldine Kelley, Mary Kidwell, Patricia Knight,
Wanda Tuggle, Sybil Garrett, Martha Smith, Diane Starnes, Frances
Ingram, Alicia Gandee, Verna Lee Riggs, Barbara Hardwick, Pamela
Ray Wilkinson, Margaret Riggs, and Linda Sue Carroll.
Boys were Jimmy Tolbert, Buddy Attaway, Raymond Barlow, Stephen Allain,
Harrell Beaird, Ronnie Kite, Terry Lane Murphy, David O'Dell, Mike
Conover, Kenneth Buschow, Alton Sears, Tom Scharnburg, Kent Haggard,
Clifton Pyburn, Jerry Staggs, Benny Campbell, Johnny Campbell, Jimmy
Tibbs, Gary Barlow, Steve Kelley, Randy Walker, Tony Brandenburg, Larry
Kelm, Charles Caldwell, Garry Allen Porter, John Westbury, Larry Lee,
Jerry Lewis, Ishmel Queen, Gary Gresham, Steve Pontremale.
States were represented by a group of girls wearing red, white and blue
dresses and they took their places on a raised stage at the back of the
setting. The girls were Dorothy Lemons, Melba Ross, Sherry Snoddy,
Martha Massie, Margaret Martin, Kay Smith, Carolina Hall, Sue Manley,
Jan Hill, Rosella Jones, Beckie Arrott and Patsy Crafton.
Cadets, wearing white trousers, gray coats and red hats entered and
stood at the base of the raised platform. They were Mary McClure,
Jewel Nicklas, Linda Lemley, Peggy Royal, Anita Reedy, Nancy Brock,
Beatrice Driskill, Rose Mary Pennington, Molly Harvey, Glenda Evans, Joy
Gavin and Bueton Harris.
Several members of the Palo Pinto County Sheriff's Posse rode onto the
stage and flanked the assemblage on either side.
Sailorettes in full uniform of white entered carrying United States
Flags which they used to form an arch for the queen and her attendants
and the duchess and her attendants to pass through on their way to the
coronation ceremony. Sailorettes were Shirley Jones, Sharon
Ballenger, Judy Chenault, Jerry McCann,, Nancy Mann, Shirley Edgin,
Linda Martin, Jean Nevil, Cynthia Birdwell, Nancy Smith, Jane Blessing,
Linda Nevius, Patsy Cowley, Annette Logan, Annette Hall, Pat Gilley and
Joann Jones.
Mary Sue Mayo was the first of the attendants to arrive and she took her
place on the right of the stage; Joyce Yell followed and took her place
on the left, and they were followed by Barbara Taylor, Frances Hall and
Dell Turner; Duchess, who took her place beside the one set aside for
the queen. Linda Lou Gill, Betty Jean Meyers, Sandra McCloud and
Anita Pratt; princesses arrived and took their places.
Frances Murphy, arrived to be crowned queen. She was met for the
coronation ceremony by Dr. Smith, president of the Palo Pinto County
Centennial Association and Dr. Zappe, who in a short ceremony crowned
Queen Frances, of the House of Murphy.
The queen was gowned in a gold embroidered white dress, with a long gold
court train emblazoned with jewels. It was held with a band of
white fur at the neckline. Duchess Dell Turner wore a gold satin
coronation gown with a court train and attendants to the queen and
duchess were dressed in formal pastels of ballerina length.
The assemblage retired and the next scene was the village of the Ioni
Indians on the banks of the Brazos. Here a runner announces the
appearance of 2 white men, one of whom was Colonel Cooper of the United
States Army on a tour of inspection. The fear of the Indians was
gone when they found that Col. Cooper had come in peace and they smoked
the pipe of peace.
Taking parts in the Indian Village scene were W. T. Wilson, A. S.
Wharton, Rodney Butler, Don Moore, Jack Clark, Jerry Weldon, C. N.
Merrell, Louis Crozier, Carlton Blackwell, Joe Hopkins, Jimmy
Reasoner, Ed Brown, Bobby Blackwell, Jack Amason, Dale Sellers, Ray
Bean, Kidwell.
Mrs. C. N. Merrill, Jessie Wright, Mrs. J. N. Hayes, Mrs. A. K. Evans,
Dora Peach, Mrs. Erwin Burger, Mrs. Adell Frazier, Mrs. J. M. Kayser,
Mrs. N. A. Howry, Mrs. Stella Perry, Mrs. Baldwin.
Mervin Robert, Jr., James Schulte, Jack Westbrook, Tommy Hamilton, Tommy
Brock, Murphy Roberts, John Hayes.
Alice Beth Moore, Saundra Perry, Lou Hays, Janice Weeks, Sandra
Reynolds, Nancy Blackwell and Janie Vila.
A scene depicting the removal of the Indians to Throckmorton and Young
counties was called the "trial of tears."
Spanish Explorers, played by Curtis Mitchell, Henry McClure, John
Pennington, Cleve Ledbetter and Oscar Taylor, came to this region and
gave the place a name, which was used when the County was
organized. It was Palo Pinto.
Covered wagons, horsemen and ox wagons some with men and children
walking came across the 300 foot stage to portray wagons westward, when
settlers traveling, they knew not where, found a place to suit them and
stopped on the banks of the Brazos. Considerable merriment was
caused by grandma bathing the "small fry" in a tub, after the
long and dusty journey. The women of the group cooked the meal on
an open fire while the men made camp and cared for the stock. The
cow was milked and after a search for a boy who wondered away, all ate
in peace. After supper the group danced on the green grass on the
river bank.
In this scene, Ed Lee, Ray Bean, A. C. Yarborough, Howard Stoker, Hubert
Carnes, Pvt. Gerald Stahl, Michael Mayo, Ronald Smith, Edward Allen,
Orlando Krezenbeck, Sgt. T. P. Lucero, Bob Watson, Bill Watson, John
Arrott, Cal Arrott, Henry Moulder, Donald Bond.
Mrs. Ed Lee, Mrs. Ann Holley, Sadie Skidmore, Mrs. Paul Schneider, Mrs.
H. A. Perryman, Willa Grace Perryman, Virginia Brookshire, Mrs. Ray
Bean, Nan Burris, Mrs. Howard Stoker, Mrs. A. O. Yarborough, Mrs. Ronnie
Bigham, Mrs. Donald Bond, Mrs. Margaret Ritchie, Mrs. Frank
Meyers.
Kenny Kessler, Richie Brown, Tony Carnes, Stanley Hinton, Larry Cathey,
Ronnie Bigham, John Westbury, Roland Smith, Cindy Turner, Linda
Douglas, Patricia Schneider, Jo Ann Irvine, Neda Jo Lee, Benedda
McCloud, Rickie Moursund, Paula Schneider, Rhonda Bigham, Janice Calvin,
Elizabeth Cliett, Judith Adkins and Wendie Perkins took part.
Carrying rifles, and Bibles a group met on the Brazos for church
services. After visiting --- and some gossip -- the crowd settled
down to listen to the preacher for a time, then they spread
dinner-on-the-ground and ate before returning to their homes.
Taking part in this scene were Robert Wilson, Ron Calhoun, Joe Shaw,
Willie Austin, Bob Lundy, Bill Barnett, Hugh Walker (Minister) H. A.
Brookshire, Ed Lee, J. C. Bartlett, Bill Poston, Daisy Glover, Mary
Frances Austin, Maisie Lee Austin, Vera Walker, Ruth Brookshire, Mace
Lee, Mary Alice Barnett, Mary Lou Barnett, Nedda Joe Lee and Sue
Barnett.
Members of the Palo Pinto Sheriff's Posse took part in the Indian
raid. Taking part in the frontier school scene were teacher, H. H.
McGregor; pupils, Kenny Smith, Robert Lynn Smith, Gerald Cozart, Larry
Cozart, John Wayne Rupley, George Walker, Johnie V. Springer, Virginia
Brown, Daisy Martin, Dixie brown, Billy Martin, Nancy Martin, Katina
Smith, Martha New, Judy Rupley, Rita Knight and Melonie Cowan.
Several humorous scenes kept the audience laughing for it was easy to
see that some remembered.
The Civil War scene when men drew lots for service at home and at the
front. This scene was played by Joe Carnlety-Lincoln, Butch
Guertin, William Ivie, Norman Porter, Curtis Lasley, Cyril Renfro, Jimmy
Wenninger, Bennie Glover, Kenneth Burns, Stanley James Schneider, Teddy
Burks, Adair Ballenger, Ernest Beddo, Tom Bleeker, Cecil Talley, Engle
Bradford, Buster Wilson, Irene Talley, Sharon Ballenger, Helen Jones,
Dixie Dodson, Melba Spivey, Grace McDonald, Myrtle Ballenger.
The scene depicting the discovery of mineral water in the original well
at Mineral Wells was played by some of the descendants of the
discoverer. Players were J. R. Whatley, Erick Lynch, Mabel
Whatley, Anita Phariss, Julia Hargett, Robert Moore, Johnny Moore, Erick
Robbie Lynch, Charles Shaw, Mary Carol Lynch and Betty Lou Lynch.
A stagecoach loaded with passengers arrived just at the time Saturday
night crowds were making merry. The episode often talked of, the
pulling of the badger was shown; the well known drummer arrived and all
was well. Players were A. L. Wilson, J. C. Talley, A. B.
Ballenger, A. T. Gilbert, Bobby Edwards, Frank Thornton, Howard Brannon,
Stonewall Jackson, D. W. Key, E. M. Beddo, Ingle Bradford, A. H. Huell,
Frank Lambert, H. T. McDonald, A. C. McClure, Drummer--O. B. McClure;
Blacksmith -- Tom Bleeker; Grace McDonald, Helen Jones, Modean Vines,
Hanna Butler, Patsy Murphy, Pennie Adkins, Helen Gilbert, Melba Spivey,
Eunice Garrett, Dixie Dodson, Myrtle Ballenger.
The gay 90's portrayal featured Bert Selmmons, Boyd Robinson, Aubrey
Wallace Olen Butler, James Green, Jackson Massie, Frank Blain, Robert
Wilkinson, Robert Walker, Weldon Lemmons, Bill McQueary, Will Jim
Bleding, George Mitchell, Ken Kimbrough, J. E. Slemmons, Burton Stuart,
Beal Locke, Norman Porter.
Willie Mae Slemmons, Mrs. Boyd Robinson, Mary Wallace, Adele Edmondson,
Mary Sturdivant, Lucy Sanders, Faye Massie, Margaret McQueary, Iris
Stuart, Norma Lemley, Nell Rose Belding, Ruth Lemmons, Mrs. Bob Walker,
Mrs. Robert Wilkinson, Della Mitchell, Berah Blain, Daphne Moore, Violet
Green, Mrs. Lester Lindsey, and Hanna Butler.
Jimmy Walling, Billy Bateman, Billy Funk, Johnny Murphy, Tommy Murphy,
James Wright, Elred Glidewell, David Shuford, Ted Wooldridge, Bryon
Prather.
Dean Schmidt, Mary Holland, Bobbie Steele, Joyce Anastas, Sammye Beard,
Jeannete Murphy, Dorothy Prathor, Rusty Cowan, Jane Blessing, Margaret
Crumby, Linda Nevius, Joy Durant, Linda Martin, Darlene Baker, Sandra
Gartman and Cindy Guertin.
The arrival of the medicine show with can can dancers almost caused a
riot, when women, outraged by the performance, brought the policeman
into action and almost got him mobbed.
The roaring twenties featured the Charleston dancers who brought a roar
of approval from the crowd. In that episode were Tommie Jean
Bridges, Sarah Fuquay, Joanne Klick, Suzanne Harris, Carol Lee, Mary Ann
Massengale, Jo McCloud, Suzanne Sinclair.
The Atomic age was presented climaxing the program after World Wars I
and II were reviewed by readers and gigantic spectacular fire works
followed. A simulated atomic blast brought the program to a
close. Taking part in this were C. J. Renfro, C. L. Lasley, Leo
Barnett, Charles Nicks, Roy Glover, Benny Glover, Gary Green, Alfred
Sutton, Charley Wyatt, Dean Holder, Jimmy Wenninger, Kenneth Burns,
William Ivie, Norman Porter, Benjie Stricklin, Dale Wright , Brooks
Fowler, Harold Tincher, Richie Carrol, Carol Moore, Billy Locke, Teddy
Burks, Marion Pendergrass, and Stanley Schneider.
The Palocade was staged on the west side of the football field on a
stage and on the field. Curtains of green added beauty and reality
to the scenes and it was a show worthy of the Centennial
Celebration. A near capacity crowd attended.
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