January 14: Ruth Barr; Brent Dworaczyk; James Hardcastle Jan. 15: Nicholas Ragusin; Mack Rhodes Jan. 16: Erica Coward; Lauren Zwerschke; Jerome Preslar Jan. 17: Michael Meitzler Jan. 18: Barbara Clayton Jan. 19: Mimi White Jan. 20: Nancy Pomykal; Billie Powers; Will Wickham Jan. 22: Julissa Lopez Jan. 23: Krystal Stanfield; Terence Sears Jan. 24: Leslie Finster; Timmy Amundson; Martin P. Mapp Jan. 25: Leroy Smith Jan. 26: Timothy Doolin; Sandra Lane Jan. 27: Albert L. Smith; Dylan Euton; Ashley Stephensen; Hazel Clayton; Tammy Sanders; Ashley Caldwell Jan. 28: Duc V. Nguyen

Citizens of the Week at Port O’Connor School

Week ending December 17: PreK- Kaitlyn Lashley; Kindergarten- Ashton Albrecht; First Grade- Harley Albrecht; Second Grade- Ally Luna; Third Grade- Shayleigh Sprague; Fourth Grade- Jacob Diaz; Fifth Grade- Hailey Mang
Week ending January 7: PreK- Melany Romo; Kindergarten- Dylan Ramirez; First Grade- Jessie Lashley; Second Grade- Kali Gregory; Third Grade- Sierra Posey; Fourth Grade- Cierra Harper; Fifth Grade- Wendy Solis; Sixth Grade- Juan Resendiz

http://www.calcoisd.org/poc/

Students of the Week at Seadrift School

Week ending December 17: PreK, Mrs. Myers-  Diem Tran; K, Mrs. Kern- Cruz Mayorga; 1st, Mrs. Christy- Jayda Nguyen; 1st, Ms. Stringham- Kyler Sanders; 2nd, Mrs. Petrisky- Daniel Castillo; 2nd, Miss Sistare- Joseph White; 3rd, Mrs. Hons- Ethan Mikolas; 3rd, Mrs. Rivera- Troy Madere; 4th, Mrs. Gray- Daniel Martinez; 4th, Mrs. Spaeth- Krislyn Key; 5th, Mrs. Canales- Nereida Torres; 5th, Mrs. Flisowski- David Ramirez  Junior High: Mrs. Henderson- Joseph Mayorga; Mrs. Cady- Albert Barrientes; Ms. Parnell- Ashley Ramirez; Coach Anderson- Trent Martinez; Coach Sternadel- McCall Stafford; Mrs. Charnetski- Esgar Rodriguez; Mrs. Smith- Katherine Glover; Coach Lillge- Noah Bedwell; Mr. Lavigne- McCall Stafford; Mrs. Rivera- James Green
Week ending January 7: PreK, Mrs. Myers- Athyn Morales; K, Mrs. Kern- Blake Bundrick; 1st, Mrs. Christy- Terrick Martinez; 1st, Ms. Stringham- Emily James; 2nd, Mrs. Petrisky- Logan Whitaker; 2nd, Miss Sistare- Adrian Munoz; 3rd, Mrs. Hons- Christian Bedwell; 3rd, Mrs. Rivera- Abigail Vallejo; 4th, Mrs. Gray- Ariel Amason; 4th, Mrs. Spaeth- CJ Morales; 5th, Mrs. Canales- Natividad Mayorga; 5th, Mrs. Flisowski- Benny Torres  Junior High: Mrs. Henderson- Alexis Carabajal; Mrs. Cady- Chris James; Ms. Parnell- Franny Youngblood; Coach Anderson- Samantha Mendez; Coach Sternadel- Falyn Thomas; Mrs. Charnetski- Noel Munoz; Mrs. Smith- Trey Rodriguez; Coach Lillge- Gage DeForest; Mr. Lavigne- Phillip Vazquez; Mrs. Rivera- Tristan Henderson
No School Monday, January 17
Martin Luther King Day
Third Six Weeks begins January 18

http://www.calcoisd.org/sea/

As I settled down on the couch to enjoy the glow of the television, I heard a strong, loud whistle. In the town where I grew up, this sound was far more than familiar. I could almost set my watch to the daily bellow and its announcement of the train passing through. In Port Lavaca, however, I am no longer accustomed to hearing the sound; it is a rarity to hear the signaling device warning a train is approaching. Through out the journey of Discovering Seadrift, often I’ve wondered about the train depot which once was stationed in Seadrift. Many of the residents whom I’ve interviewed talk about the train and its conductor. As children, they all had a fascination with attracting the conductor’s attention. As I began my research to find out more about the locomotive, I didn’t realize the long journey I was about to encounter.

On June 6, 1903, the St. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railway (SLBM), also known as The Frisco; was chartered to run from Sinton to the Rio Grande at Brownsville with a branch extending westerly to the southeast corner of Starr County. The Port O’Connor (POC) Branch was one of the branches created which ran from Bloomington, Lela Pens and Seadrift to POC. March 1, 1910, the train depot was opened for business and used to freight large shipments of oysters and fish daily from Seadrift. By 1912, thousands of acres of cotton were grown and hauled to Seadrift to be ginned by the city’s new gin. The railway, over time merged with multiple lines and has numerous aliases, from the International – Great Northern Railroad (I&GN) to the SLBM to the Port O’Connor, Rio Grande and Northern Railway (PORG&N)—in the end it concluded as the Missouri Pacific Railroad (MoPac). The MoPac was one of the first railroads in the United States west of the Mississippi River which grew from a combination of a dozen mergers classifying it as a “Class I Railroad.” A Class I railroad is a large freight railroad company classified based on operating revenue. At the end of 1955, MoPac owned or leased 98 diesel units and 4,377 cars, with revenue of $461,554 and $15,759,273 of freight earnings.

The train depot remains standing in Seadrift, not in its exact location; however the building has survived to see 100 years old. If only those walls could talk, I’m sure we’d be in for some fascinating stories… Till next time!

Passengers wait to board the locomotive. -Photo courtesy of the Calhoun County Museum.

Railroad Timeline
December 1897 – Original embankment built in 1898 by Guadalupe Valley Railway was chartered and headed by Uriah Lott. This project fell through and no rails were laid, construction resumed under the aegis of the PORG&N.
June 1903 – The SLBM charter was amended on various dates after June 6th to provide an extension from Sinton to Houston and for the construction of branch lines to Collegeport, Victoria, Port O’Connor and Sam Fordyce to create a system known as the The Gulf Coast Lines. Benjamin Franklin Yoakum was president of the SLBM.
March 1, 1910 – The PORG&N Railway which was controlled by the SLBM, reached Seadrift in December 1909 and POC by February 1, 1910. The line between Bloomington, Seadrift and Port O’Connor measured a total of thirty-eight miles and was deemed the POC Branch which opened for business on March 1, 1910.
1910 – 1919 – The POC branch showed a daily round trip motor car between Victoria and POC including Sundays; the motor car laid overnight at POC. The only agency station between Bloomington and POC was Seadrift.
June 28, 1919 – Passenger train service to Seadrift ceased after the intense damage of the 1919 hurricane; population dwindled to 900.
January 1, 1925 – The SLBM became apart of the Missouri Pacific Lines. The line continued to operate as a separate company.
1933 – The line from Lela Pens to POC (16.70 miles) was abandoned.
March 1, 1956 – Missouri Pacific Lines was merged into the Missouri Pacific Railroad Company. All of the SLB&M lines were either abandoned or sold.
1969 – The line from Seadrift to Long Mott (8.60 miles) was abandoned.

The Seadrift Depot in 1910. -Photo courtesy of the Calhoun County Museum.

The first meeting of the Service Club in 2011 was held on Thursday, January 6th in the Community Center.  Presiding over the Meeting was Carol Fox, Vice President, in the absence of our President, Janet Johnson.



Discussed during the meeting were various topics including a final report of the annual Christmas Luncheon on December 3rd.  This Luncheon marked the 30th Anniversary of the Luncheons as prepared by Club Members and the enjoyment by so many who attended was told by Co-Chairmen Pat Ekstrom and Pat Turk to the attentive members.



Sally Ragusin, then told the members that the February Bake Sale would be held on Saturday, February 12th at Speedy Stop.  She reminded members that she and her committee would be calling them to learn what their offerings would be.  Mentioned were cakes and pies, cookies and maybe even a cheesecake or two.  The sale would begin at 8:00 am and members would be reminded to bring their offerings at 7:30 am. 



Although the following is only a brief  description of some of the activities that the Service Club participates in during its  year, there are so many others — all to benefit the Community that we live in. We hold several money raising projects during the year to fund our activities: there are two garage sales that include bake sales and additionally, several other bake sales are held at various times during the year.  Some of our projects that are continuing during each year are working with the Elementary School; luncheons held each Tuesday for our Sr. Citizen residents; funding of scholarships for local high school graduates; and funding memorials  to the Volunteer Fire Department.  We welcome any female resident of this  area who is dedicated towards service of this community.  You will find, while attending our meetings, that there will be a place for you and one that you will enjoy.  Our meetings are held the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of each month at 10:00 am in the back room of the Community Center.  Please contact either Janet Johnson, our President, at 983-4733/983-4737 or Shirley Gordon, Membership Chairman, 983-4765  for further information.  We look forward to seeing you.

7th Grade Seadrift vs. Stroman B
30-3
Madison Carter 9 rebounds, 24 pts, 19 steals Tiffany Galloway 3 rebounds, 3 pts, 6 steals Alexis Jaramillo 1 rebound, 2 steals Christina Nguyen 4 rebounds, 3 steals Shelby Pritchard 2 rebounds, 5 steals Monica Mendez 3 rebounds, 2 pts, 3 steals Zoey Dierlam 7 rebounds, 1 pt, 10 steals Journi Huddler 2 rebounds, 6 steals
The girls improved their record to 4-1 in district. They moved well and are shooting 80% from the free throw line. The first game after break is usually the toughest but the girls completely dominated from the start.
8th Grade Seadrift vs. Stroman B
32-9
Kassidy Colianni 3 pts, 5 steals, 1 rebound McCall Stafford 1 pt, 3 steals, 1 rebound Marissa Martinez 2 pts, 1 steal, 8 rebounds Ashley Cunningham 5 pts, 7 steals, 2 rebounds Leiah Morales 5 steals, 1 rebound Taylor Wilson 20 pts, 4 steals, 3 rebounds Franny Youngblood 2 pts, 3 steals Falyn Thomas 2 pts, 6 steals, 1 rebound

The 8th grade record is now 5-0. We are now finished with the B teams and will start our A schedule next week. We are more than ready. This group has great court sense, and tremendous speed.
Kelly Lillge
Head Coach
Tanya Cady
Asst Coach

Seadrift 7th B
Tournament Results
Friday Jan. 7th
Seadrift 18 Patti Welder 14
Madison Carter 10 pts, 8 steals Zoey Dierlam 8 pts, 10 rebounds Tiffany Galloway 4 pts, 6 steals Journi Huddler 1 pt, 5 rebounds Christina Nguyen 3 pts, 8 rebounds

Saturday Jan. 8
Game 1 Seadrift 23
Our Lady Of Victory 19
Madison Carter 15 pts, 11 steals, 2 rebounds Christina Nguyen 2 pts, 17 rebounds Tiffany Galloway 4 pts, 4 steals, 7 rebounds Zoey Dierlam 2 pts, 10 rebounds, 5 steals Journi Huddler 3 rebounds
Game 2 (for Championship) Seadrift 19 Travis 28
Madison Carter 11 pts, 8 steals Tiffany Galloway 2 pts, 5 steals Zoey Dierlam 2 pts, 7 rebounds, 4 steals Journi Huddler 2 pts, 5 rebounds Christina Nguyen 2 pts, 10 rebounds
The girls placed 2nd in their tournament. They played tough consistent basketball. The highlight of the tournament was the victory over OLV. I could not of asked for more hustle from the girls. They moved well, passed well and really dominated under the basket. The championship game did not go our way; we ran into foul trouble and that really hurt us. Overall I could not be happier for this group. We will continue to work hard and correct the things we need too.
Coach Kelly Lillge