H H H H H Your Hometown Newspaper Since 1960 H H H H H
The Record TheRecordLive.com
Vol. 53 No. 13
Distributed FREE To The Citizens of Bridge City and Orangefield
Week of Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Big Picture in focus for King, BCISD Debby Schamber For The Record
During a recent Rotary Club and Bridge City city council meeting, Bridge City ISD superintendent answered two very important questions, “Where are we going?” and Where are we now?” when talking about the state of the school district. King began by telling people the number of students has continued to grow over the years. In October of the 200809 school year, the enrollment after Hurricane Ike was 2,352 students. In the 2009-10 school year, the number grew to 2,456 and in 2010-11 it once again rose to 2,601. By the 2011-12 school year, the enrollment increased to 2,699 students and the enrollment continued to climb in the 2012-13 with 2,770 students. Even though the enrollment continued to escalate, the district has continued to meet state and federal testing standards. Bridge City ISD has
‘Born on the Bayou’ Fireworks Darrell Segura with the Bridge City Historical Society is excited about the upcoming 2nd annual Fourth of July celebration on Cow Bayou. The celebration will be held at the foot of the historic swing bridge at the former location of Joe Bailey’s Fish Camp. “We will have a live band starting at 5 p.m., Three Legged Dawg,” said Segura. The band will play till dark, when the fireworks display will begin. Before the fireworks, 11 year old, Madison Juneau will sing the National Anthem.“They are calling her the next Kree Harrison,” said Segura. Food will be available for sale. The Bridge City Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary will be selling hot links. Segura wants to remind people to bring their lawn chairs or they can watch the festivities from the water.
• SHERLOCK BREAUX Page...................... 4A • Obituaries Page.......................7A •Dicky Colburn Fishing...................3B • CHURCH NEWS Page......................7B • CLASSIFIED ADS Page......................8B
been since the 2007-2008 school year, a recognized district. In addition, the district has met the Federal AdKING equate Yearly Progress every year. According to the The Texas Education Agency, 44 percent of Texas school campuses met the AYP requirements. However, the Bridge City school district was the only public district in Orange County this year to meet the federal standards set by the U.S. Department of Education under the 2001 ‘No Child Left Behind Act.’ ‘We are excited about our scores, but that’s not what drives us,” King said. ‘It’s the overall big picture.” Since 2008, statistics show 63 percent of graduates go on to some type of two to four year college. King quoted Socrates when he said,” Education is not the filling of the vessel, but rather the lighting of the fire.” He also stated as he had many times before, the district should not be measured by “one day one test.” “One day, one test does not determine our accountability,” King said. “What we want is a full range of accountability. You just don’t get a full picture on one day tests.” Bridge City students are involved in many activities. At Bridge City Middle School & High School about 75 percent of students are involved in some type of curricular and extracurricular activity. There are 585 students in 7th through 12th grades involved in athletics and 349 students in 6th through 12th grades in band. In 2010-11 there were 185 students in band and the size will have doubled by the start of the 2013-14 school year. It is projected, there will be more than 400 students in band in the 2015-16 school year, King said. Students are also involved in the various programs such as cheer leading, drill team, theater arts and choir. The signing of HB5 has allowed the district’s vocational programs to grow and become a proven success. This year, 26 students earned their cosmetology license while 15 students earned a certified nurse’s assistant license. There were 25 students who earned a BIG PICTURE BCISD Page 3A
A summer swimming lessons session by Mandy Hoffman, Tanya Gauthier and Lauren Browlie teach area children pool safety along with the fundamentals of swimming. The pool is said to have been certified in the 1960s by Esther Williams who came to Orange for the inaugural swim. More than 70 children will participate in the eight-day sessions. RECORD PHOTO: Debby Schamber
Ester Williams swam here Debby Schamber For The Record
Esther Williams, a competitive swimmer and Metro Goldwyn Mayer movie star, would have been very proud if she knew her love of swimming was being passed on to the children of Orange County.
The swimming lessons are currently given in an Esther Williams pool owned by Claudine Hogan. More than 70 children will participate in the eight-day sessions taught by Mandy Hoffman, Tanya Gauthier and Lauren Browlie. Classes of up to 10 children,from ages three to 11 years old and on different
skills levels, will work to master their swim skills. There is also a “Mommy and Me” class is offered to help get two-year-old children used to the water and to learn about water safety. The classes begin with reviewing the rules on pool and water safety. Then the fun filled classes begin.
The house was built in 1954 and was put on the tax roll in 1957. The house was later remodeled and a master bedroom, a barbecue room and large indoor swimming pool was added. Williams who had started up a pool ESTHER WILLIAM Page 3A
Bridge City woman celebrates 100 Debby Schamber For The Record
In 1913 Woodrow Wilson was president, the average cost of a house $5,935 and in a Urania, La. twin girls, Lessie and Stella, were born to Dora and Wesley Mayes. On Sunday, June 23, Lessie Mayes Sterns, will celebrate her 100th birthday. Lessie has lived in Bridge City about 66 years. Lessie married Daymon Quincy Sterns when she was 20 years old. They shared 64 years of wedded bliss until he died in 1998. Lessie’s drive and determination carried her throughout life allowing her to cross the boundaries of what a woman was supposed to do. During the early years, she was well known in a small Louisiana town for enjoying sports. She loved to pole vault and play basketball. Lessie was “rough and tough” too. The story
Lessie Sterns, of Bridge City, celebrates her 100th birthday June 23.
around town is she would get into fights, but not with the girls, instead she fought the boys. The postmaster would close the local post office so he could watch the fights after school. Lessie would later meet the love of her life, at age 20 , and they would get married. They moved to Orange, Texas in
1947 and to Bridge City in 1947 where they bought 10 acres of land on Ferry Drive. After they moved to Orange, she worked at Consolidated Steel Shipyard until their move to Bridge City. Lessie put on pants and worked along side men without blinking an eye. She helped to build their
family house by mixing the concrete by hand. Initially they lived in a small white house in Bridge City, but they would later build a larger house in 1956 where she still resides today. Years later, they would sell part of their land. What was once farmland is now houses and streets. Quincy Street is named after Lessie’s husband. Over the years they had five children, Billie, Bud, Jo, Judy and Jan. The children quickly learned the value of hard work when they worked in the large garden and tended to the various farm animals. Lessie’s ruby red tomatoes were well known in the area for their large size and delicious, juicy flavor. After the tomatoes were picked, they were carefully buffed like “fine china” to reveal their color and shine. The family would sell them to local grocers and later a simple MAYES STERN Page 3A
BCHS’ Jones gets prestigious TASSP honor Penny Leleux
For The Record
The Texas Association of Secondary School Principals recently held its annual summer conference in Austin with administrators from across the entire state in attendance. The event began with the Texas Heroes Awards Dinner held at the Hilton in downtown Austin. Among those being hon-
ored at this ceremony was Mr. Keith Jones, Assistant Principal at Bridge City High School. Mr. Jones was named the Assistant Principal of the Year for Region 5. Richard Briggs, principal of Bridge City High School stated, “The position of Assistant Principal is one of the most thankless positions in public education and that makes this
award that much more special. We congratulate Keith on this honor. Glenn Procella, also an Assistant Principal at BCHS, is a past recipient of this award as well. We are very fortunate to have both of these gentlemen in administrative roles and through their efforts, the efforts of our staff, and especially through the efforts of our students, we are proud of
the positive learning environment that is created and maintained on our campus.” Superintendent Mike King adds, “BCISD congratulates Mr Keith Jones on receiving this honor. His receiving this award validates the hard work, professionalism and integrity that he exhibits daily in his Bridge City High School Principal work with our students and Richard Briggs (left) congratulates BCHS Assistant Principal teachers. Keith Jones.
• Award Winning Hometown News