This Week in Canton History Jan. 3, 1963

CANTON HERALD:  Jan. 3, 1963 – Luke Gabbert, who has been sworn into his county treasurer’s post a few times in the past turned the tables on District Judge Thomas Crofts Tuesday when the judge was administering the oath…Luke said the whole oath extemporaneously instead of waiting for the judge to “sentence it out”…Mrs. Lucille Poole report that Luke was “just trying to be smart”.  We haven’t heard County Judge Truitt Mayo’s version as yet.

James Watson is the new deputy of Sheriff J.W. Burnett’s staff.  He replaced Lawrence Kidd who is going to devote full time to his milk operations…Lawrence reports that he purchased two other milk trucks which necessitate his full time to his business…For the benefit of those who do not know Watson, he was formerly the wolf trapper for the county.

We knocked ourselves (the wife and I) out trying to please our six-year-old for Christmas…But the most important of all Christmas events to our daughter, Celia, was a “thank you” card sent by her first-grade teacher, Mrs. Emma Butts.

It doesn’t seem natural with Eiland Heard and Alvin Howell behind the counters at the Service Café…Heard recently purchased the local beanery from Mr. and Mrs. Curtis Fincher…It would look more natural with Eiland hauling a load of cattle and Alvin behind the desk in the district clerk’s office.

Funeral services for Mrs. Sarah Bell Hay Roberts, 80 who died Friday at her home in the Turner Community were held at 2 p.m. Sunday at the First Baptist Church in Wills Point.  Interment was in Haven of Memories Cemetery.

Mrs. Daisy Seale, 81, died in a Tyler hospital Tuesday afternoon after a short illness.  She had been a resident of Canton for the past fifty years and was a member of the Oak Grove Baptist Church.  Interment was in Old Bethel Cemetery under direction of Hilliard and Sons Funeral Home.

Judge Thomas H. Crofts, who began his first elective term with the New Year, was the installation officer.  The district judge was sworn into office by Mrs. Lucille Poole.

The Van Zandt County Bar Association sponsored the formal ceremonies in Canton.  Four justices of the peace were administered the oath for their term.  They were Elmer Knowles of Canton, Glenn Smith of Edgewood, Raymond Martin of Wills Point, and L.C. Haynes of Van.

Other county officials who took oath of office were Luke Gabbert, county treasurer; Truitt Mayo, county judge; Lester Slayton, county clerk; Willie Rogers, justice of the peace, Grand Saline; R.T. Gibbs, justice of the peace, Edom; Justice James Nixon of Ben Wheeler was absent for the ceremonies.  County Judge Truitt Mayo served as master of ceremonies for the program.

Mrs. Elaine Patrick, bride elect of Ben Russell Cox, was honored Dec. 29 with a miscellaneous shower in the home of Mrs. W.E. West.  Miss Patrick and Mr. Cox will be married Saturday afternoon, Jan. 26, at 4 o’clock in the Baptist Church of Garland.

Men and Women in Service – Pvt. Sherrell A. Green arrived Dec. 20 from Munich, Germany, where he had been stationed the past 18 months.  He is visiting his uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. R.W. Smitheart and his grandmother, Mrs. R.H. Ready.

USS Buchanan-Buddy F. Nipp, fireman, USN, son of Bidie F. Nipp of Van, is serving aboard the guided missile destroyer USS Buchanan, part of the combined First Fleet force involved in Exercise Night Stick off the coast of California.  The exercise is anti-submarine and anti-war warfare techniques began Dec. 10 and lasted five days.

The appointment of a Van Zandt County Historical Survey Committee has been announced by County Judge Truitt Mayo. Members of the committee, selected for a two-year term are Alf Foster, A.T. Burley, Todd W. Berry, Miss Alma Flippo of Canton; Miss Loyce Grant, Joe H. Fountain of Ben Wheeler; Mrs. Russell Laney, Wills Point; V.L. Davidson, Edom; Mrs. Foye Fowler of Grand Saline; Mrs. Marie Gibbs, Van; and Mrs. Bennie Henderson of Athens.

Gov.-elect John Conley has designated Jan. 19 as Texas Historical Preservation Day.  On this date all new county historical survey committees are to meet on call of the county judges to elect officers, appoint subcommittees and formulate plans for the years’ work.

The Texas State Historical Survey Committee is happy to have Van Zandt County included in the more than 240 counties actively working toward the goal of historical preservation, said Dr. Rupert N. Richardson of Abilene, President of the State Committee.  The committee wishes to thank Judge Mayo for appointing a Historical Committee for this county.

Dr. Richardson pointed out that every county has a unique history and Van Zandt is no exception.  The County committee will b concerned with historical buildings, museum pieces, markers and records of the county.  The Texas State Historical Survey Committee works to coordinate the historical preservation work accomplished on the local level-with programs carried on the state level.  Currently County Historical Survey Committees are locating and marking Graves of Civil War Veterans and sponsoring Historical Building Medallions to be placed on historical structures.

Diphtheria-The fact that effective diphtheria toxoid has been available to everyone for many years, there is still an undercurrent of diphtheria cases occurring in Texas. At the send of September 1962, there had been seven deaths in Texas attributed to diphtheria.  In 1961, because of the series of isolated outbreaks, the death tolls from this disease reach 23.  By the end of the first week in December 1962, 80 cases had been reported to the State Health Department Communicable Division Disease Division. For the same period in 1961, the total was more than doubled, 201 cases. State Health Department authorities speculate that the reason for this undercurrent of diphtheria cases is the fact that victims have not been immunized.

Most pediatricians suggest as a matter of course that their very young patients receive the diphtheria toxoid in combination with other vaccines and that periodic boosters be administered according to the schedule prescribed by your family doctor. Immunity against the disease can be determined with the Shick test developed by Dr. Bela Shick but scheduled boosters are often used in place of Schick testing.

The disease occurs most frequently between the ages of one and 10 but can strike an entire family unprotected with diphtheria toxoid.  It is spread from sneezing and coughing of a convalescent or other carrier, or less frequently, from contaminated articles.  Diphtheria may develop within two to seven days following exposure. Common symptoms include a sore throat, fever, drowsiness, headache and vomiting.  If such symptoms occur, and there is a chance that the person had been exposed, a physician should be called immediately. The disease is not only danger and sometimes fatal but damaging after effects can be serious and long-lasting or even permanent.  Immediate treatment is necessary to avert possible disaster.  Medical care under close supervision of a doctor should be maintained until the patient is well.

Articles have been extracted from the Canton Herald and may be viewed on microfilm at the Van Zandt County Genealogical and History Library in Canton.