In 1951 WBAP TV invited the Eastland Band to appear on a
Saturday Sept. 29 half hour performance.  I was seated in center just next to Daddy's right hand. On my left in the same row is Don Smith.

Eastland was very proud of its band.  We played for Christmas parades, rodeos, and football games of course.  We had great uniforms that the good people of Eastland paid for with bake sales, bingo games, and other kinds of fund-raising events.

Eastland High School Band

This picture was made at the State Fair of Texas about 1950. After an invitation that Daddy received,  the band went to Dallas for the day.  We marched in a half time show at the Cotton Bowl that evening.

If you look to the right in the first row seated you will see Don Smith with his oboe.  My place was in the center of the same row, behind the music stands.  I played flute from the age of 10.

This music festival was an annual event at the fair in those days.  We took everybody on school buses, and a good time was had by all concerned.

Homer Don Smith

This Don Smith.

My family went to Eastland, Texas in 1947 where my dad had his first job as a high school band director. We lived there until 1952.

Don was my boyfriend in 5th and 6th grade and my friend for all time.  After we moved to Comanche in 1954, I wrote  letters to him, and in 1955 he drove from Eastland to Comanche to visit.

In this picture he is wearing his Eastland High School Band uniform.  He played snare drum in the marching band, and oboe in the concert band.  I believe he went to All-State Band playing oboe for at least two years.










In 1949 my family went to Fort Worth for the annual Fat Stock Show.
Don went with us.  He had his picture made on the back of a
horse. (Astuffed horse, of course.) Looks real, doesn't it?

Eastland Junior High School

I had lots of friends in Eastland Jr. High School.
I took this picture one day  during lunch period on the playground.

The boy in front on the right is Jimmy Pipkin.  His father owned the Piggly-

Wiggly grocery store in town.

The boy on the left is Don Smith.  He and I were a number for a couple of 

years.  I wish I knew where he is now.  He was the best boyfriend I ever

had.

Don had a horse and he used to let me ride it.  We would go to the western

movies on Saturday afternoon.  His mother took us in her car.  And later on 

my famiy got to be real fond of him.