GLOVER & EDITH WRIGHT

Across the Fence 



By Arvord Abernethy 

Glover and Edith Wright do not need an introduction to many of you as they have lived here much of their lives. Glover is the son of the late John Wrights and Edith is the daughter of the late O. K. Barker and Mrs. Nancy Barker. Until five years ago, they were in West Texas teaching. The last 17 years they were with the Odessa schools; Edith was with Odessa College for seven of those years. 

What is new to all of us is their new home sitting majestically atop a high hill on their place northwest of Hamilton. 

From the west balcony, one can look across the rolling hills to the west and see Highway 36 as it crosses those long hills toward Gentry’s Mill. From the east balcony, one can look out across the Leon River valley and the countryside far beyond. From that viewpoint, years ago one could have seen and heard the Cotton Belt train as it came around the bend of the river, off that high fill and along that grade just about 200 yards in front of the house. 

I asked Glover how they ever built such a high fill of dirt back there when most of that work was done with teams and fresnoes. He said the railroad once had a high trestle there and it got in such bad condition it had to be replaced some way. They went back toward town where there is sandy clay, loaded the dump cars and brought it and dumped it right over the trestle. So there is a buried trestle in Hamilton County. 

The Wrights are another “Retired” couple who are far from being retired. When I got out there, Glover was rocking up the well house and Edith was working up some pears. As you look around, you can see that they haven’t many idle moments. But as Edith said, they are really enjoying life now. There are the humming birds to watch as they flock around the feeders; the deer come right up in the yard and eat the roses; and, as the saying goes, she and Glover take time to “stop and smell the flowers.” 

Glover spent about three years and yards and yards of butcher paper in planning the house, and its all evident. One of the pre-building jobs was to find the direction of the sun at different seasons of the year so they could take advantage of the sun. 

The first thing he did was to construct a concrete tunnel four feet wide and four and a half feet deep under the length of the house to carry all the plumbing and electrical circuits. The air ducts also had to be planned and set before the floor was poured. 

The interior arrangement of the house is unique. As you enter from the west, you come into a large entrance hall with the formal dining room to your left and the large guest bedroom to your right. You then go into the kitchen and living room area which is partially separated by a counter and eating bar. 

From the living area, you step down into a sunken living room. Their conveniently arranged bedroom lies off to the other direction which gives them south and east windows for comfortable sleeping. 

One thing that will impress you about the living area is the high cathedral ceiling which is supported by massive burr oak beams that were sawed right off the place. The ceiling over the sunken living room is flat, so it is supported by smaller native cut beams and joists. 

Glover realized that much of the hot air in winter would collect in the cathedral ceiling, so he installed large vent openings, a fan and ducts that take the hot air to other rooms. 

They have gas for their cooking, but all the heating is from wood. They have a large rock fireplace in the sunken living room which has ducts going to the bedroom above to heat it, but their main heat is from a large wood stove in the living area. It has a blower on it to distribute the heat. Edith said that her allergy problem is much better now that they are using wood heat. 

One reason their heating and cooling of the house is no problem is the heavy insulation Glover put in the walls and ceiling. He used the best he could get which has an R factor of 19. This might help you understand the quality a little better; most of the insulation put in walls has an R factor of 7. He even put some of that quality of insulation in the interior walls. 

I understand now why they call these retirement years the golden years of one’s life. They can be so rich in contentment and enjoyment. Glover and Edith, put it almost exactly as Bro. and Mrs. Cook did last week as they said that these are some of the happiest days of their lives. Very few days come to an end when each family can not look back and see something accomplished that they are proud of. 

Besides the pears that Edith was working with, on the counter were several jars of fresh picked okra. She showed me some green plums that she had canned earlier that taste just like olives. She is embroidering on sackcloth the native flowers they have out there, to be hung beside other work she has done. 

With all the hand-made articles and the many antique objects, their home has that warm, lived-in atmosphere that makes one feel comfortable and at home. The books and magazines around show that they have not lost their first love, that of teaching and expanding knowledge. 

With all their work there, they still find time for community life. Glover is an active deacon and Sunday School teacher at the First Baptist Church. 

The Wrights have two children. Their son, John and his family live here in Hamilton, and their daughter, Karen, is with an advertising firm in Dallas.

Shared by Roy Ables

ACROSS THE FENCE