On Saturday, September 19, I, along with many other authors, attended the Texas Writers Conference hosted by Friends of Port O’Connor Library. I introduced my book, Scissortails at Dawn, Bullbats at Dusk, (Memories of Growing Up in Calhoun County on the Texas Coast and Other Selected Writings). My book includes a short section on Port O’Connor Elementary, and my drive back to Port O’Connor was a very “sentimental journey”.

My name is Melvin Rosenbaum. I am an 80-year-old retired High School teacher who started my career 58 years ago as a young 22-year-old right out of college. Port Lavaca was my home and I was living with my parents awaiting a call from Uncle Sam. The School District was willing to hire me on a temporary basis until my draft call as they were in desperate need of an elementary teacher in the Port O’Connor School. With the most able guidance and help from a wonderful lady and principal, Mrs. Naomi Albrecht, I accepted and had a most rewarding experience with these young children. That was in the Fall of 1957, and I was teaching approximately 20 fifth graders and six fourth graders.

On my recent trip back to Port O’Connor, I went by the school and found my old room, almost as I left it back in 1957. I took some pictures of the school and when I got back to Houston I dug up a couple of pictures I had taken of some of my kids out by the old Oleander tree which is still there! Sadly, I have forgotten the names of the kids, but not their faces. I’m hoping some of them can identify themselves and their old schoolmates.

In time I was drafted and a high point of my basic training months was the day when I got a bulky package-letter at mail call. Yep, it was a letter from each of my little charges and it was probably one of the only times I shed tears during those demanding eight weeks.

I would love to hear from any who may have been in my class. I can be reached at: Mel Rosenbaum; 13927 Ludgate Pass; Houston, TX 77034.

Melvin Rosenbaum
Author & Former Port O’Connor School Teacher

Can you identify these Port O’Connor School students from 1957?

Mr. Rosenbaum’s first class of 4th graders, 1957.

Port O’Connor fifth graders, Fall of 1957.

Mel Rosenbaum’s 4th grade “babies”, 1957.

Who knew…that in the quaint fishing village of Port O’Connor along the Texas coast that a book signing party would be successful? “A Night under the Texas Stars with Texas Authors was successful AND fun! September 19, 2015 was a beautiful, breezy evening for our 200 + guests at the Sanctuary at Costa Grande.

The Friends of the Port O’Connor Library, a 501 (c) (3) organization, are at work to raise funds to build a new Library/Learning Center that will be located on donated property at the corner of 6th and Main. The First Annual Author’s Dinner is our largest fundraiser event for 2015.

The slogan: “Buy New Books ~ Build New Library ~ Befriend New Authors” brought book lovers from many Texas towns – Victoria, Port Lavaca, Seadrift, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Freeport, Rockport, Round Rock, Kingsville, The Woodlands, Palacios, Hockley, Katy, Karnes City, LaGrange, Hallettsville, Tomball, and Inez just to name a few.

Fifteen fascinating authors shared a delightful meal together and thrilled our guests with a wide variety of genres. There were mystery and history writers, some wrote children’s books, and biographies and there were poets, and naturalists, and a historical marker writer and storytellers of myth and legend, and play writers, as well. The Texas Coastal themes were highlighted as some of the favorites.

Louise O’Connor, Myra McIlVain, Marjorie Brody, Debra Winegarten, Alan Bourgeois, Harry Capser, Jeanette Larson, Joanne Hillman, Doug Hiser, Kathleen Bateman, Wayne & Martha McAlister, George Anne Cormier, Agnes Hannes, Melvin Rosenbaum, and Miles Arceneaux have their books on sale at Amazon.com in case you missed your chance to get yours Saturday night.

If you would like to join in our efforts to build a new library: www.friendsofportoconnorlibrary.org -Joanie Morgan

Port O’Connor Librarian Shirley Gordon, and Friends of Library Judy Whitworth and Pam Ray talk with authors Debra Winegarten, Marjorie Brody and Kathleen Bateman. Standing at back is author Doug Hiser.

GLO Honors Debbie Gayle

According to a recent Texas General Land Office press release, Commissioner George P. Bush announced that the King Fisher Beach Adopt-A-Beach site will be dedicated in honor of Debbie Gayle who served as the site’s coordinator for 18 years.

“Volunteers are the heart of the Texas Adopt-A-Beach program,” said Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush. “Debbie Gayle was dedicated to her family, community, the Texas Coast, and the Adopt-A-Beach program. We are honored to dedicate the King Fisher Beach Adopt-A-Beach site in honor of Debbie’s service and appreciation for the Texas Coast.”

Our family was delighted to learn about this honor. We also received a certificate signed by Commissioner George P. Bush commending her for her years of service.

My mom truly loved the coastal lifestyle  growing up in Port O’Connor and raising her own family here as well. For generations, our extended family have spent innumerable days enjoying our ‘Treasures of the Texas Coast.’ When I was in high school, my mom was touched by my essay for a GLO contest of that name, so she signed up to be a local coordinator.

Her love and consideration for nature have been passed down to her children and grandchildren. For us, the Adopt-A-Beach cleanups are a family volunteer effort each spring and fall; we work together to help keep the environment in good condition and encourage others to do the same.                          -Roxanne Gayle Ochoa

(I would like to thank the staff of the Austin and Port Lavaca GLO offices for helping me coordinate this cleanup without my mom, Debbie Gayle, who passed away in late August. We especially appreciate Tony Belton, Port Lavaca GLO response officer, his wife Cathy, and their daughter Courtney for their assistance at the site on Saturday. I would also like to thank my dad, Daniel Gayle, for providing volunteers with hotdogs, chips, and drinks; my brother, Scott Gayle, for his assistance; and my husband, Aaron Ochoa, for keeping my younger two sons occupied at the beach during the cleanup (my oldest helps pick up trash.).

The Gayle family and Tony Belton family at the Fall Adopt-A-Beach on Saturday, September 26.

Clean Up at King Fisher Beach
By Roxanne Ochoa

Fifty-three volunteers participated in the Adopt-A-Beach cleanup at King Fisher Beach on Saturday, September 26, 2015. The majority of these volunteers were members and chaperones of youth groups: the Intercoastal 4-H club from Port O’Connor and the Leo Club of St. Joseph’s High School in Victoria.

Local and visiting volunteers spent the morning picking up 35 bags of trash, for a total of approximately 700 pounds. This includes 12 bags (400 pounds) brought in from Sunday Beach by an Austin couple who have helped regularly for about 8 years.

Unusual items found on King Fisher Beach included a handlebar grip, corn cobs, a spark plug, and underwear. Items of concern were a large waterlogged piece of foam, because volunteers picked up pieces of it all along the beach, and the visible end of a thick buried cable, which was reported to the county for assistance in retrieval.

At King Fisher Beach, volunteers recorded picking up nearly 400 cigarette butts, 144 plastic bottle caps, 96 fireworks, 62 plastic beverage bottles, and 60 beverage cans. They also reported 22 balloons, 34 cigar tips, 38 plastic bags, and 4 diapers.

I look forward to continuing our family tradition by becoming the King Fisher Beach Adopt-A-Beach coordinator. See you for the Spring cleanup on Saturday, April 23!

4H help clean King Fisher Beach: L to R: Luke Doggett, Antonio Gloria, Christopher Richter, Kyle Doggett, Brooklyn Redmond, John Rosenboom, Trevon Ragusin. Back: Tarah Munsch, Sarah Doggett, Andrew Ragusin, Justin Munsch

Magnolia Beach Clean Up
By Rhonda D. Cummins, MMR
Calhoun County Extension Agent – Coastal & Marine Resources

We had a great turn out at Magnolia Beach for the 29th annual Fall Adopt-a-Beach. 190 folks signed in. Approximately 2,150 pounds of trash was collected. Most unusual items noted were: five $1 bills, cell phone, inhaler, and a toilet seat.

Special thanks goes to Calvin Anderle and the Hardhead Derby crew for cooking and donating the pulled pork sandwiches for the lunch today. We’d also like to thank J & T’s One Stop in Magnolia Beach for donating ice and the Magnolia Beach Volunteer Fire Department for all their help and the use of the fire barn for our lunch. Thanks also to Arthur and Tim of Precinct #1 for hauling our trash away.

We had several groups come clean the beach including: The CHS Robotics Club; Victoria Boys and Girls Club; O’Neil and Sons Brewing Company; Girl Scouts of Greater South Texas; Boy Scout Troop #421; The OLG Mariner Family. (I apologize if I left any groups off.)

This was a wonderful morning at the beach with many local residents pitching in with the visiting volunteers to help turn the tide on trash. The fall cleanup is part of the annual Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup which is the world’s largest volunteer effort on behalf of ocean and waterway health.

As the ocean trash data form states: “Ocean and waterway trash ranks as one of the most serious pollution problems choking our planet. Far more than an eyesore, the rising tide of marine debris threatens human health, wildlife, communities and economies around the world. The ocean faces many challenges, but trash should not be one of them. Ocean trash is entirely preventable.”

Victoria Electric Cooperative employees at Texas Adopt-A-Beach Boggy Nature Park Clean-Up held September 26.