TEXAS TECH GRADUATION & LUKE WEST

ACROSS THE FENCE

Arvord M. Abernethy

From The Hamilton Herald-News

We didn’t get to drop and see you last week as we had gone to Lubbock where Mary’s grandson, Joe Brent Fisher received a degree in chemical engineering from Texas Tech.

The commencement exercise was a very interesting occasion.  We knew which door Joe Brent would be marching through, so we, along with the other grandparents and his parents got seats near there.  You should have seen the waving of hands and felt the pulsation of hearts when he came in.  It was easy to see who was proud of a grandson.  There may have been a little disappointment on a grandmother’s part when he didn’t immediately see us and wave back as we sat among the thousands who were there.

You might say that it was a unique situation at the commencement.  The president of Tech is Dr. Lauro F. Cavazos and the address was eloquently brought by her brother, General Richard Cavazos, a high commander in the U.S. Army.  Both of the gentlemen grew up on the famous King Ranch in south Texas and then they attended and graduated from Texas Tech.  Richard played football for Tech, so had a good joke on some of the Southwest Conference players, and of course, an Aggie bore the brunt of it.  Remind me to tell it to you sometime, but don’t expect me to polish it up like the general did.

Due to the large number of graduates, the conferring of degrees was on a blanket method that night, but the next day each of the eight schools in the university met separately for the presentation of diplomas.    At this meeting, each graduate got to walk across the stage and receive a diploma as his name was called.

We thought that the speaker at this second occasion was also very good.   He discussed some of the problems in America today which were more or less up in:  too many people are not willing to do an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay.

They did something at these services I had never send before.  There had been much applauding on the part of the audience as different parts of the program and diplomas were given.  Then the speaker asked the graduates if hey would like to show their appreciation o the parents, the teachers, and the public for making their graduation possible and each time the graduates arose and gave a thunderous applause.  Kinda makes one feel got to hear such a, “Thank you.”

There has been a lot of change in Tech since that day back in 1929 when I was the one wearing the cap and gown along with the first full four-year class of graduates Tech had.  There was a great difference in the campus also.  Those two towers at each end of the Administration Building   which we thought were so high, were dwarfed by the many new buildings.

We went from Lubbock to Kermit and Odessa where we had nice visits with Mary’s two sons and families.

On our way home we stopped at Coahoma, which is just this side of Big Spring , to see a museum which was described by a newspaper clipping the Bill Pucketts had given me.   The attendant at the filing station gave the wrong information so we did not get to see it. 

One interesting thing about the museum is that it is mainly the work of a former Hamilton County boy, Luke West.  Luke West was the son of the late Rev. John D. West and a brother of our own Mrs. Lena (Hervey) Chesley and Paul West.

Luke began his interest in collecting things by picking up arrowheads while a boy here in Hamilton County . By the time of his  death in 1973, he had some 3,000 arrowheads plus Indian hatchets, pottery, bones, etc.

Another favorite item for collecting was old guns.  He collected all types, but the old muzzle loaders may have been his choice as he had 10 of them, the oldest being an 1800 model.

There is a kitchen area where old items used around the house are displayed.  There is a “Faitesh and Hussman” hand-cranked sewing machine that is over 100 years old.  Also a spinning wheel, cotton cards and other household items are shown.

There is a picture on display of Bro. West when he baptized 85 people at Indian Gap after a revival.  There is also a picture of Luke painted by his brother-in-law, Mike Chomyk.  It is hanging alongside several oil paintings by Luke.

There is more that could be told about the museum, but this gives you an idea of what can be done in building one where there is sufficient desire.  The one is not called the Luke West memorial Museum.

In talking with Lena Chesley, I found that she and Hervey have done much for the Evetts Haley Library and Museum at Midland .  They have given most of their library along with some other things to the Midland institution, so a room there has been named the Chesley room.

Hervey compiled a very interesting book about the early life of the western cowmen.  I have read a copy that is in the Hamilton Library, so you go by and get it to read.  Mrs. Robinson will know the one I’m referring to.

Shared by Roy Ables

ACROSS THE FENCE 

CHESLEY'S HAMILTON COUNTY INTERVIEWS