NEWS ROOM

October 2006 Newsletter

Cass County Conservancy
Volume 3, Issue 3 October 2006
Cass County Education
Conservancy board member Dr. Anita Walker is heading up a project to develop a history education module for Cass County 4th and 7th graders. The module will focus on the use of local history in the public schools and will include historic structures, sites, and events of Cass County. Once completed, the curriculum will be provided to area schools for Texas history teachers use.

Next Visionary Award Slated
The Cass County Conservancy will present its next Visionary Award at the Linden Area Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet scheduled for November 18 at the Linden-Kildare High School. Past recipients include Mr. Mayo Kasling III and the First National Bank of Hughes Springs and the Cass County Genealogical Society.

Scott Joplin Project
The Conservancy is researching the possibility of commemorating in some way Scott Joplins birth in Cass County. Anyone who has documentation or information about Joplin is asked to contact one of the board members.

1917 Court House Ornaments to be Available
The 1917 court house ornament will be ready for collectors later this fall. The 1917 ornament is available for a donation of $12.00, while a set of the 1861, 1905, and 1917 ornaments will require a donation of $25.00. Locations include Capitol Florist, Carlas, and B.B. Boon Insurance in Linden; Atlanta Memorial Hospital Gift Shop and Benitas Atlanta Floral in Atlanta; 5D Steak House and First State Bank in Avinger; Roses & Butterflies Antique Mall in Queen City; and City Hall and Teel and Company in Hughes Springs. Additional locations and dates include the Cullen Baker Fair in Bloomburg on November 4; Atlanta Open House on November 19; and Winterfest in Linden on December 2. The Conservancy will have booths at these events to facilitate ornament distribution. These ornaments make elegant gifts.

Glory Days in Avinger
The Greater Avinger Chamber of Commerce will present Days of Old in Avinger on October 14, 2006. Featuring oral histories from citizens 83 years of age or older, the event will honor these citizens in the parade. Old photographs and other memorabilia from Avingers past will be on display throughout the day in the Welcome Center. Contact Dr. Anita Walker for more information.

Court House Funding Update
Round V court house restoration funding is still open for 2006, but the Texas Historical Commission has not yet released any funds as of this date for any court house project in the state. The Conservancy continues to monitor the funding situation in Austin.

History Museum Grant Funds Available from THC
Small history museums still have time to apply for grants from the Texas Historical Commission to cover preservation and conservation projects and expenses. Such items as acid-free storage materials, archival storage units, and environmental monitoring equipment qualify. More information, eligibility requirements, and an application form are available from the THC web site at www.thc.state.tx.us. Carlyn Hammons, Museum Services Program Assistant at THC, can also provide information. To contact her, call 512.463.5756 or e-mail her at carlyn.hammons@thc.state.tx.us. Deadline for grant applications is October 17, 2006.

History Lessons
The first Texas Almanac was published in January of 1857. The 2006-2007 Sesquicentennial Edition contains such historical documents as the Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Texas, amendments to the Texas Constitution passed in 2003 and 2005; and the Joint Resolution for Annexing Texas to the United States.
The first permanent institutions of higher education in Texas were religiously affiliated and include Rutersville University, founded in 1840 by Methodist minister Martin Ruter--it was the predecessor of Southwestern University at Georgetown; Baylor University, established in 1845 in Washington County by the Texas Union Baptist Association (later moved to Waco); and Austin College, founded by the Brazos Presbytery at Huntsville in 1849 but later moved to Sherman.

Join Now
Membership dues for the Cass County Conservancy are $20.00 per year, and individuals may join at any time by mailing dues to The Cass County Conservancy, P.O. Box 682, Atlanta, Texas 75551.

ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO JOIN THE CONSERVANCYTOGETHER WE CAN DO GREAT THINGS FOR PRESERVATION IN CASS COUNTY

About the Organization
The Conservancys mission is
to preserve and to encourage the preservation of local heritage resources, historic structures, archeological sites, objects, and customs relating to the history and natural beauty of Cass County, and all that is admirable and distinctive in our county area;
to educate the public with a celebratory knowledge of the inherited regional values; to keep the unique history, folklore, charm, and natural beauty of Cass County legible, intact, and usefully employed, that they may continue to enrich the community life.

The Cass County Conservancy is a section 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization
(Posted: 2007-02-12)

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