THE PIC WIC
PAPERS
Wimberley Institute of Cultures
May 2008
LECTURE SERIES
WIC is hosting a lecture series, spotlighting local experts.
The First subject is Mary Martin – Broadway Legend. Dr. Ron Davis
of Wimberley – the man who literally "wrote the book" on Mary Martin
– will lead off our lecture series with a presentation based on his
biographic work: Mary Martin – Broadway Legend. The date is
Monday, May 12, 2008, 7:00 p.m., at the Winters-Wimberley
House.
Professor Emeritus of History at SMU, Davis headed the
De Golyer Institute for American Studies and founded the SMU Oral
History Project (renamed the Ronald L. Davis History Collection upon
his retirement in 2001).
A life-long admirer of the arts, Davis turned fantasy into a
personal reality by interviewing nearly 500 performing artists for the
SMU collection. Among them were lengthy sessions with Gregory
Peck, Lucille Ball, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly and Helen Hays. Also
included were in-depth oral histories with directors, producers,
writers, musicians, designers and technicians.
His book The Glamour Factory was largely shaped by his
many Hollywood interviews which also led to his biographies of
Linda Darnell, John Ford, John Wayne, Van Johnson, William S.
Hart, Zachary Scott and, most recently, Mary Martin.
For Mary Martin, Broadway Legend, Davis interviewed
Martin at length for the SMU
collection and spent 10 days with the star in San Miguel de Allende,
Mexico in 1988.
His challenge, Davis said, "was to write affectionately about
a personal favorite, but maintain the objective eye of a professional
historian." He said it pleased him that one reviewer's comment on
the outcome was "not an air-brushed portrait", while another claimed
the Martin biography has "all the energy and excitement of an
opening night on Broadway."
Other seminars in the WIC series will include Pete
Anderson's profile of "Buck Winn - Wimberley Artist, Inventor and
Educator" on July 14th. Anderson said he became a friend of Winn
through their mutual interests. "Buck," he said, "was an artist with a
hobby of flying and I was a pilot with a hobby of sculpture... so there
was common ground."
On October 20th, landscape architect Nan Simpson, owner
of Season by Season, will cover some 5000 years of landscaping
development in her presentation of "History of Garden Design from
Mesopotamia to Modernism."
Each seminar will be on a Monday evening, beginning at 7
p.m. in the historic Winters-Wimberley House, located at the entrance
to the Community Center (River Rd at Ranch Rd. 12). Admission is
$10 and will include refreshments. Reservations should be made
for the Davis seminar by contacting Pat Hector at 847-3979 or
nphector@verizon.net before May 10th.
WEBSITE
The WIC website has been remodeled and is just full of
useful information about our board, renting the W-W House,
Bylaws, upcoming events, and membership.
So, visit our website WWW.WIMWIC.ORG and read more
about it!
RIVER BLESSING:
FELLOWSHIP AND
FUN ON THE BLANCO
The WIC River Blessing is scheduled for Saturday, June
7, at 6:00 p.m. Bill and Kathleen Cline have again offered the
lovely grounds of their home on the Blanco River. Dan and Carol
Williams are in charge of arrangements.
This is a time to bring family and friends and prospective
WIC members for a glorious outing. Kathleen says to come early
(and bring a dish for all to share) and stay late. She says that
we’ll manage even if there is rain: There’s plenty of room for food
tables in the Cline garage.
And there will be golf cart
transportation for those who don’t want to walk down the hill to the
river.
To get to the Cline home, go two miles (from the traffic
light on RR12) on River Road and turn left on Lazy L Lane. The
Clines are at #133.
You’ll want to bring lawn chairs and any special
beverages, as well as your covered dish with serving spoons.
Note: Betty Wright and Elizabeth Stillman will be at a
table with copies of the new WIC directory. Here’s your chance to
get one if you didn’t pick one up at the Pie Social. Come and
have a wonderful time.
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PICNIC AT JACOB’S WELL
Celebrate summer with WIC at Jacob’s Well Natural Area on
Saturday July 12, 2008, 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m., for swimming
and picnicking.
The Wimberley Valley Watershed Association is hosting a
walking tour and presentation of the hydro geology of the Cypress
Creek area. The event will begin at the Dancing Waters Retreat
courtyard, 1405 Mt. Sharp Rd., with a site master plan orientation and
history of Jacob’s Well, followed by a walking tour of the property.
Additional afternoon activities will include a talk by Dee Ann Story
about the archeology of the area, swimming, bird watching and
hiking.
Enjoy a box lunch from Linda Allen Catering ($11.00 each)
or bring your own picnic lunch. Bring the family for a fun day of
swimming and experiencing the “jewel of the Texas Hill Country.”
Please make your make reservations by July 7, 2008 by emailing
Barbara Thibodeaux, barbarathibodeaux@verizon.net or calling her at
847-7721.
Checks for the box lunch should be made payable to WIC
and mailed to Barbara Thibodeaux, 1201 Skyline Vista, Wimberley,
Texas 78676.
To learn more about WVWA and the Jacob’s Well Natural
Area visit www.jacobswellspring.org.
WIMBERLEY STUDENTS
CONNECT WITH
HOMETOWN HISTORY
By: Charlotte Carter
The week of March 24th brought 125 students, eight teachers
and 22 parents to the Winters-Wimberley House for the 11th annual
WIC education program. This community outreach of WIC provided
fourth grade students, from Bowen Intermediate and St. Stephens
School, with a variety of activities that focused on people and events
that shaped the history of Wimberley and Texas.
After arriving at the W-W House, a teacher welcomed the
visitors and gave them a brief history of the house and its restoration.
They proceeded to the front porch where “William Winters” portrayed
by Raymond Lankford greeted them. In character, Mr. Winters
shared his travels from Tennessee to Texas, his experiences at the
Battle of San Jacinto, his life as a miller in “Glendale” (later to
become Winters’ Mill, then Cude’s Mill, and Wimberley’s Mill) now
Wimberley. The students had many questions of Mr. Winters, which
he answered with detail and humor.
The experience for the students continued after they crossed
RR12 to the site of the mill now Ozona Bank. They saw old
millstones, and learned the many purposes of the mill – from grain to
cotton to lumber. A teacher also provided them hands-on
experience grinding corn. Using graphics, the teacher also
explained how the mill was powered by water from Cypress Creek.
They proceeded to Mill Race Lane to hear about the millrace and how
the water was brought to the mill from a dam at the creek to a pond
located at the mill site.
On the way back from the millrace, the students stopped by
the still-standing c1877 Zach Wimberley House. They were told
about Zach and how he met his young wife and the home he built for
her and his family. Architectural details were described and pointed
out to the students.
They returned to the Winters House to learn about the other
millers – Cude, Wimberley and Pyland – and their lives from
1864-1925. They heard about the families, especially what life was
like as a child. They also heard about the families’ major concerns
for food, shelter, and clothing. One thing that brought a big response
from the students was learning about Miss Susie’s squirrel dumplings
and green grape pie.
Before returning to school the students enjoyed lemonade
and home-made cookies provided by WIC members Sue Ann Isles,
Dody Spencer, Diane Savage, Betty McGuire, Linda Hudson,
Barbara Reitz and served by Linda Reed – refreshment
coordinator.
The success of the WIC education project can be
attributed to help given me in planning and preparation by Deb
Bradshaw, Linda Mueller, and Joy Moden. And of course by
experiences provided by our teachers, Deb Bradshaw, Sharon
Graves, Annanette Harper, Jack Hollon, Linda Mueller, Barry
Rhodes, Barbara Thibodeaux, Mike Thibodeaux, Susan Walker,
and Joy Moden. And we cannot forget Raymond Lankford, who
always sets the stage for the students’ experience for the day.
Thanks to all for a great opportunity for Wimberley
students to connect with their hometown history.
LET’S PROMOTE THE
ENDOWMENT FUND
Few of us have heard about WIC’S Endowment Fund, but
the time has come for us not only to be aware of it, but also to
support it. The fund began with the $500 left after expenses to
underwrite a 1986 gala, the Bluebonnet Ball. This event, held at
the VFW Hall, was part of a number of Sesquicentennial
celebrations in Wimberley. The gala committee, meeting to
consider what should be done with this profit, decided to use it as
seed money to gather a group dedicated to eventually build a
community cultural center and historical museum. (This mission
is taken directly from WIC’s scrapbook, “Beginning History.”) The
group met at the home of Alice and Sam Johnson, parents of Julie
Harrison, who was one of the most influential members. Others of
that group still active in WIC are Susan Holt, Sally DeMasters, and
Betsy Markland.
During many months of meetings in 1987, “the purpose
and structure of the organization were researched, proposed,
debated and refined.” The purpose finally agreed on would qualify
the organization for a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3), status. The group’s
main focus became educational:
to research the history,
prehistory and natural history of the Wimberley valley, to be
presented through exhibits, historic sites tours, and other
community outreach programs. But the vision for a community
cultural center and museum took a much different turn when
Wimberley’s most historic home and five acres (then owned by the
Keith family) became available in 1996. The Senior Citizens and
the Wimberley Institute of Cultures (called the Now or Never
Committee) partnered to raise the funds to purchase this Keith
property.
The Seniors would own the property with the
understanding that WIC would undertake the funding and
restoration of the historic house, using it for educational and social
events. (Located on that same acreage now are the Community
Center and the Patsy Glenn Refuge Center.)
In 1997 the Wimberley Cultural Center Permanent
Endowment Trust Fund was formed with the help of attorney Lyon
Brinsmade and the WIC Board of Trustees. The first deposit was
that $500 from the 1986 Bluebonnet Ball.
Now WIC has
undertaken maintaining and insuring two buildings: the c1856-57
Winters-Wimberley House and the Archive Building, a major
addition whose purpose is the museum-quality care of our growing
collection of historic photographs, exhibit materials, historical
research and administrative documents. WIC dues and our one
fund-raiser, the Pie Social, cookbook sales, and special donations
have paid our bills and funded our programs. However, because
WIC’s scope continues to grow, the Endowment Board encourages
members to consider making contributions to this fund in honor of
or in memory of someone (or just because you appreciate WIC
and believe in its work).
The current Board of Trustees held their first meeting
March 27, 2008, and elected the following officers: Chairman,
Pete Anderson, Vice Chairman, Bernice Brown, Treasurer, Bill
Cline and Secretary, Betsy Markland. Present also was WIC
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President Tinka Eoff, who gave each Trustee a copy of the Trust
Agreement in order that they could review its purpose. The fund
contained $2,053.84 as of December 31, 2007. It really needs to
grow. Maybe you could consider it in your estate planning and will
bequests: donations of money, stocks, bonds and real estate.
Please give it some thought. To make a donation, send your check
payable to the WIC Endowment Fund, PO Box 167, Wimberley TX
78676.
A BEAUTIFUL PIE SOCIAL
The weather was near-perfect — bright, just cool enough,
and breezy; the grounds looked cheerful and festive with aprons
draping the cedar fence in front of the house; the ladies’ costumes
with sunbonnet and prairie dresses were charming; the setting and
the scene, in short, were a delight. It was another winner in the
series of WIC Pie Socials that have been a highlight in the Wimberley
calendar since 1990.
Credit for its success goes to a number of people, most
notably Tinka Eoff, the WIC president, who nobly took on the
chairmanship. But many contributed their talents. Ann Lindsay and
Anne Winn acted as pie servers chairmen. Gary Brim and Kathy
Gamel, with the help of Camilla and Weldon Hawthorne, turned out
delicious hot dogs. Mac McClure was a first-class MC, and Jim
MorGanti’s auctioneer skills paid off for WIC. M.J. and Frank
Puckett took care of ticket sales with co-chairs Wally and Ed Ziegler.
Sue and Mike Iles were in charge of pie slicers and receivers while
Vickie Bateman, Patty Crosby and Linda Jennett did the actual
receiving.
Pete Anderson arranged for setting up of chairs and tables
(thanks to Jim’s Rent-All for donating them again this year), Katie
Riddle organized the pie contest itself, Maggie Bains donated award
ribbons and Temple Wynne of River House donated the grand prize.
Betty Wright and Elizabeth Stillman manned the membership table
and also distributed the directories to all members attending. (One
man gave $1,000 for his membership! Obviously, he succumbed to
Betty and Stilly’s winning ways.)
Special attractions inside the historic house were displays of
vintage aprons, sunbonnets, quilts and Kelly Bateman’s l960s Texas
Rangers medals. A major attraction for visitors was Dee Ann’s
power point, a pictorial history of the village square from the late
l800s. Outside, a basket-maker and jewelry-maker demonstrated
their art, and on a trailer stage provided by Lewis Smith a number of
singing groups performed: the “Skyliners” (Lori Wright and Dave
Badal), Lee Colee Atnip’s “Little Divas Too,” Linda Sriro and the
“Gypsy Moon” and the “Destinations,” the sound system being set up
by WIC’s premier handyman, Herman Leyh.
For 18 years, the Pie Social has been WIC’s major
fundraiser to underwrite our growing educational programs, manage
the insurance and utilities for the grounds, storage building, W-W
House, and the Archive Building. This year income from the ticket
sales and auction, minus the expenses, netted $2,814. That total
does not include new memberships.
One unhappy note: more pies were needed! This year
marked the least number of pies brought (baked) by the membership,
which accounts in part for our reduced income, not to mention
disappointed attendees. (Yes, an earlier run was made to purchase
more pies.) We ran out about one hour and a half before closing
time. Next year we’ll be sure to have enough.
“AND THE WINNERS ARE...”
The Grand Prize in this year’s pie contest went to Cheri
Smith for her Coconut Cream Pie, described by the judges as “fluffy,
with great crust, layered flavor, and great texture – really good.”
Well, I can imagine. Other winners in the Cream Pie category were
Tracy Sheffield and Liz Sumter, with Dody Spencer and Matt Young
also placing. Rita Anderson took top place in the Nut Pie category
(“Goin’ Nuts” is what she calls her pecan pie), with Dody Spencer
and Jan and Paul Prasek as second and third prize winners.
The Chocolate Pie winner was Billy Clyburn; John Meyer
and Randy Haire came in second and third. Liz Sumter stood
alone in the Fruit Pie category with her “Rustic Pear Pie.” In the
Sugar Free category, Pat Haggerton and Nancy Emerson won first
with their Pistachio Almond Fudge Swirl Pie, and Ann Clark and
Mary Nall also placed.
In the Kids’ category, Gillian Guynes took first place (and
a grand prize) with her Peanut Butter and Chocolate Silk Cream
Pie, and Butch Ahl (Bug Pie) and Carter Anderson also placed.
WHAT IS HISTORIC
NOTE 13?
By Dee Ann Story
Since 1992, WIC has put together eight tours/treks –
some by walking, others by bus – highlighting historic sites in
Wimberley and nearby areas. Regardless of how they were
reached, all site visits were enhanced by docents, and some also
by exhibit boards or written handouts. A number of the resulting
handouts are useful, or potentially useful, for advancing WIC’s
educational goals. Probably the best example is the walking tour
brochure developed for the 1992 tour, then much expanded for the
1993 tour, thanks to a grant from the Hays County Historical
Commission. The latter, an 11 x 17 inch brochure entitled
“Modest Beginnings,” has been reissued twice and has been
mostly distributed by the Wimberley Chamber of Commerce.
Even more in-depth historic contexts were provided for
the 1996, 2002 and 2005 tours. A 31-page illustrated Guidebook
written by Claire (Smullen) Billingsley, Bill Johnson, Dee Ann Story,
and Lila (Ethridge) Knight detailed the history of the 18 sites visited
in 1996, while a single page with an appropriate photograph and
text was prepared for each site on the 2002 and 2005 tours. For
convenience in referencing these single page handouts, each was
given a Historic Notes designation.
Despite their value as brief local histories, these materials
were not circulated beyond the tour for which they were written.
The enclosed Historic Note No. 13 on the W-W House, by Claire
Billingsley (and updated from the statement that appeared in the
1996 Guidebook) is an exception we hope will become the rule.
In addition to periodically including a Historic Note in the PIC WIC
Papers mailings, we are considering the possibility of putting some
online via the WIC website, and maybe even publishing a
Wimberley history booklet or DVD.
KUDOS TO . . .
Tinka Eoff, our President, for chairing the Pie Social and
for her innovative ideas, such as the upcoming Lecture Series.
Lewis Smith for his amazing coverage of our events,
especially the Pie Social and our fourth grade teaching program,
and for his writing skills.
Maggie Bains for being a good friend to WIC, several
times donating the pie winners’ ribbons and
helping to acknowledge the contest winners.
Dee Ann Story for WIC’s excellent 2008 Membership
Directory distributed at the Pie Social. (Be sure to examine the
headings: Committees, Programs, and her photo selections.)
Charlotte Carter for managing so skillfully the addition of
the St. Stephens School fourth graders into our teaching program.
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WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
Glenn & Cassie Abel
Monica Brown
Robert Caney
Mary Davis-Stamy
Jim & Kathy Gillock
Max LeBlanc & John Meyer
Rupert & Evelyn Neve
Paul & Jan Prasek
Frank & Mary Jane Puckett
Richard & Kathleen Salvatore
Shelton & Sunny Smith
R. M. Stevens
Frank & Pamela Sullivan
IN MEMORIAM 2007-2008
Our condolences to the families of:
LEE ALLEN
Husband of Beverly Allen
LEONARD DEMASTERS
Husband of WIC Founder Sally DeMasters
CHUCK HUEBINGER
Husband of Betty Huebinger
2000 WIC Board Member
HOMER SWARTZ
Husband of Carolyn Swartz
1997 WIC Board Member
Wimberley Institute of Cultures
PO Box 167
Wimberley TX 78676
PRE-SORTED STD
US POSTAGE PAID
WIMBERLEY TX 78676
PERMIT # 17
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2008-2009
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
May 12, 2008
Lecture Series, Dr. Ron Davis, at W-W House
June 7, 2008
River Blessing, at Bill & Kathleen Cline’s home
Dan & Carol Williams, Co-Chairs
July 12, 2008
Picnic at Jacob’s Well
July 14, 2008
Lecture Series, Pete Anderson, at W-W House
September 8, 2008
3rd Quarter Dinner Meeting, at Community Center
October
Galveston Road Trip, DATE TO BE ANNOUNCED
October 10, 2008
4th Quarter Dinner Meeting and Potluck Supper, at Dee Ann Story’s Ranch
Dee Ann Story and Linda Young, Co-Chairs
October 20, 2008
Lecture Series, Nan Simpson, at W-W House
December 5, 2008
Christmas Party, at W-W House
Linda Hudson, Chair
January 19, 2009
Annual General Membership Dinner Meeting, at Community Center
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