Through The Reporter Files

Looking back...

100 YEARS AGO....

Otis Dodson, described as a young man from Alabama, died when apparently trying to dismount in Thorndale from a freight train on which he had been hitching a ride from Thrall. The freight car passed over him. His body was too badly mangled to ship home so he was buried in Thorndale.

There was lots of real estate activity in Rockdale, led by Mayor H. C. Meyer who sold the old Meyer Home Place on Ackerman Street to W. P. Henry for $3,500.

Nov. 28 was proclaimed “Fumigation Day” in Rock-dale with the citywide cleanup campaign to be led by the Women’s Progress Club.

The Reporter endorsed the action of the Waco School Board which suspended 300 students for “going on strike” on Armistice Day (Nov. 11). The paper’s opinion: “Every boy in the bunch ought to have had a wood-shed interview with his father.”

FORTY YEARS AGO....

Rockdale had a new “instant landmark” as an electronic scrolling message board—something new in 1979—was drawing plenty of attention at the new Community Bank & Trust (today’s City Hall).

Nine persons were injured, two seriously in a three-car collision at the intersection of US 79 and Western Hills Road, just west of the Rockdale city limits.

The Milano ISD Board of Trustees met with architects to discuss plans to construct two new vocational buildings, a new cafeteria and renovation of the main school building.

The Rockdale Tigers were district football champs for the fifth time in seven years. Four different Tigers scored TDs as Big Blue claimed the title with a 28-3 thumping of Caldwell.

TWENTY YEARS AGO....

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) was planning a public meeting to announce whether it had selected an option for a northern or southern US 79 loop around Rockdale.

A 15-year-old female student at Rockdale High School was taken to the Roger Hashem Juvenile Justice Center after threats were made against other students during a meeting with administrators.

What a bi-district win for the Rockdale Tigers. Down 14-0 after one quarter, RHS roared back to defeat Giddings 30-21 behind three TDs by Ron Winters and 146 yards rushing by Blade Bassler.

After a perfect 10-0 regular season, Milano fell at bi-district, losing 49-10 to the No. 2-ranked Bartlett Bulldogs.

TEN YEARS AGO....

While new Rockdale ISD facilities had been in use since August, school trustees were advised work remained to be completed on the RHS gym floor and front steps.

Cameron Mayor Dave Barkemeyer resigned his position, saying he was contemplating a run for Milam County Judge.

Rockdale’s Tigers (8-2) were set to face Coldspring (9-2) in the area round of the Class 3A, Division II football playoffs.

Goldthwaite put up 20 unanswered points and ended Thorndale’s football season, 34-21, in a Class A, Division I playoff game.