Dawson Lions Club

Dawson Lions Club met at noon May 23 for the monthly luncheon meeting. The meeting was called to order by Leonard Mixon, Lion president. The pledge was said to the flag and the singing of “God Bless America” was led by Lion Norman Summers. Lion Lena Mae Carver provided piano accompaniment. After the blessing, a delicious lunch was enjoyed.

The special guest speaker of the day was Don Capehart, who spoke about the Capehart Communications Collection, which he and his wife Rita maintain at 409 S. Ninth St. in Corsicana. This is the former Coca Cola Bottling Plant building. Capehart didn’t start out to have a museum. He was just collecting things he liked and didn’t want them to disappear without a trace. He loves to tell the history of the last 100 years of communication, his favorite item being a switchboard from 1889, one of the earliest pieces of equipment from the early days in Texas.

Dawson Lions appreciate the efforts of Don and Rita Capehart to make this historical collection available to be viewed by the public

Woman’s Club House Association

At noon June 20, the luncheon program at Kinsloe House will be presented by The Literary Club, featuring Gary Richards, who grew up in Corsicana but who has lived in Louisiana for about 10 years teaching American and Southern literature at the University of New Orleans. Richards had a hair-raising experience when he had to evacuate his house located near Lake Ponchartrain, where the levee system failed during Hurricane Katrina.

He had borrowed a friend’s car and had to leave his computers and many valuable genealogical items behind, hoping that the house would withstand storms as in the past. Such was not to be the case. So he headed for Corsicana where he had worked as an intern three summers during college at the Corsicana Daily Sun and where his parents Fred and Rosellan Richards would be ready to welcome him.

When he returned to his house in October, hoping for the best, there had been eight and one-half feet of water on his street and five feet of water in the house itself. Every stick of furniture had been destroyed along with 3,000 books. But the water had risen and fallen easily so that many things were still intact, although water-logged and caked with silt.

Richards has been an avid genealogist and local historian since his high school days. His technological records were ruined, but there were many genealogical items which he could salvage, and he has been reclaiming much information to retrieve what seemed lost.

Richards will talk at Kinsloe House on a subject from his Southern literary research — “Scarlet Women’s Fiction.”

He has written articles for the Navarro County history series which was done by the Navarro County Historical Society, and his relatives, friends, and teachers from Corsicana who are looking forward to welcoming him can assure you that this is a “must see” attraction.

Members of the contribution committee of The Literary Club are chairman Winona Stewart and hostesses Geneva Davis, Gelene Simpson, Peggy Smith and Margaret Thomas.

Members of Kinsloe House should call (903) 874-5791 for reservations or cancellations by noon June 18.

Members of the board of directors are reminded of the monthly meeting to follow the program at 1:30 p.m.

Thomas Meredith Chapter

Thomas Meredith Chapter, Colonial Dames XVII Century, will attend the Kinsloe House luncheon June 20. Chapter members should call Gelene Simpson at (254) 578-1656 by June 15 for reservations.

José Antonio Navarro Chapter

José Antonio Navarro Chapter, Daughters of the Republic of Texas, will attend the Kinsloe House luncheon June 20. Chapter members should call Gelene Simpson at (254) 578-1656 by June 15 for reservations.