The Clarendon Enterprise - Spreading the word since 1878.
On Monday, October 22, the Donley County Retired School Personnel Association presented books entitled There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed
Some Books to the Kindergarten classes of Mrs. Potts in Hedley and Mrs. Starnes and Ms. White in Clarendon. Before receiving the books, the students enjoyed listening to Mrs. Hankins read to them the book, The Bumpy Little Pumpkin.
Ralph Joe Hill, 82, Wednesday, October 17, 2012, in Clarendon, Texas.
Services were held Saturday, October 20, 2012, in the Community Fellowship Church in Clarendon, with Rev. Larry Capranica, Rev.Charlie Floyd, Rev. Chris Downer, officiating.
Burial followed at Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon.
Arrangements were under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon.
Ralph was born July 19, 1930 in Sunset, Texas to O.T. and Nola Lowrance Hill. He married Janie Lee Butler Hill on February 29, 1952, in Clovis, NM. He was a cowboy for several area ranches, an electrician for Household Supply, as well as a deputy for the Donley Co Sheriff’s Office. He was a lifelong resident of Clarendon. He was a member of the Community Fellowship Church in Clarendon. To follow are a few things you should know about Ralph. To know him was to know the definition of a husband, a father, and grandfather, a great grandfather, a friend. Beneath a tough exterior, he held in himself a hear the size of a sunset. And behind his definite eyes there was a deep, rare, guiding wisdom that taught him to cherish the people that were important and to be patient with everyone else. It was a wisdom that taught him that money only matters for the things you need. That love, more than anything, should define the life you lead. And that God could stay in your heart daily, even if you keep it to yourself. To know Ralph Hill was to be present for that which defines strength and loyalty, love and forgiveness, joy and character. And much like a cowboy on horseback, riding off into a deep, vast distance, his character was, for those who knew him, synonymous with the spirit of the Texas country. A spirit that could teach us all to stand tall and stay honest. To be proud, not arrogant. To care for family and provide for them everything they need. To pick your battles but to take no guff. To rely on yourself when you can, and others when you need to. To work hard but love harder. He was a shining example of what life should be.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Janie Hill on January 14, 2012; 3 brothers Nolan, Orin Lee, and Ross Hill; a sister Nita Fancher; and a great grandchild, Randy Joe Hill, Jr.
He is survived by 3 sons; Danny Hill and wife Debra, Tommy Hill and wife Brenda both of Clarendon, Randy Hill and wife Kay Lynn of Canyon; a daughter Linda Hill of Clarendon; a special niece Belinda McGranahan and husband Rick; 9 grandchildren, Dakota Hill, Jadon and Jake Thornton, Jarad Lax, Gabe Hill and wife Amanda, Katy Miller and husband Matt, Jenny Baker and husband Justin, Courtney D’Costa and husband Chris, Lauren Shadle; and 11 great grandchildren.
The family request memorials be sent to the Donley County Senior Citizens.
Martha Jane Barker, 76, died Thursday, October 18, 2012, at Claude, Texas.
Services were Sunday, October 21, 2012, in the Community Fellowship Church in Clarendon with Rev. Bill Hodges, Pastor of the First Church of the Nazarene, officiating.
Burial followed at Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon.
Arrangements were under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon.
Mrs. Barker was born February 11, 1936 in Brice to Claudie Cecil and Beulah Gertrude Williams Rich. She married Billie Barker on September 8, 1952 in Clovis, NM. She loved her entire family and enjoyed crocheting and being an LVN helping other people. She worked at Memphis for 20 years and Dumas for several years prior to her retirement. She had been a resident of Clarendon most of her life and was a member of the First Church of the Nazarene in Clarendon.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; 2 brothers, Lester Rich and Darr Rich; and 3 sisters, Edith Hinkle, Esta Mae Harp, and Gladys Tice; and 2 grandchildren, McKenna Thompson and Steven Howell.
She is survived by 5 sons, Billie “Trooper” Barker and wife Pam of Stinnett, Flint Barker of Clarendon, Shawn Barker of Amarillo, Blade Barker and Duel Barker both of Clarendon; 3 daughters, Naomi Tolbert and Martha Jett both of Clarendon, and Starlet Taylor and husband Robert of Canyon; a brother, Cecil Rich and wife Mary Alice of Amarillo; 2 sisters, Mina Ivey of Clarendon and Mary Denton and husband Charles of Amarillo; 18 grandchildren; 18 great grandchildren.
The family request memorials be sent to Hospice of the Southwest or Citizens Cemetery Association / PO Box 983 / Clarendon, Texas 79226.
By Tony Starns, CC Men’s Basketball Coach
In a small remote location deep in the plains of West Texas lies the home of one of the most unique and special environments in all of junior college basketball.
For forty-four years the Dawg House, a name locals have coined, has been the home of the Clarendon College Bulldogs.
Over the years, the Dawg House has transformed into an incredible home court advantage due to the fact that it has many qualities most facilities lack.
It possesses aura and character that are felt when opposing teams arrive in the confines. Each coach dreads the time of year they have to bring their team into the atmosphere that the many supporters create on game nights. Most importantly, the Dawg House instills a sense of fear and intimidation into opponents as they enter the place known as the toughest place to play in junior college.
Clarendon College basketball programs have competed in the Dawg House since 1968 and there are many attributes and aspects that separate it from other facilities around the country.
The size of the facility plays a major factor, and in a league where most of the facilities are considered too large to fill, the Dawg House fills easily.
“Our fan base is great,” Clarendon College Head Men’s Basketball Coach Tony Starnes said. “The local people really get involved in our College students’ lives and they really support our athletic teams. The student support is second to none. We are known for having the loudest and proudest fans.”
The acoustics are a factor also.
“It’s the loudest gym I have ever been in,” Rick Cooper, Head Coach at West Texas A&M University, said.
Becoming the toughest place to play in junior college is a byproduct of having exceptional support from the faculty, administration, local community, and student body. And, each group is extremely important to the legacy of the Dawg House.
“First and foremost, you have to mention the baseball, RFO, and judging programs,” Starnes said. “Over the years, these programs have played a big role in some of the biggest wins the Dawg House has ever seen. They are known as the most energetic cheering section in the Western Junior College Athletic Conference.”
Secondly, one must note the consistent support from the community.
“There are numerous individuals and families who have not missed a game in years,” Starnes said.
The Dawg House has an atmosphere that is unlike any other basketball facility in the country and some of the best coaches in junior college agree.
“When I coached at Clarendon College back in the 80s, we were able to compete with anybody because of the sixth man otherwise known as the Dawg House,” Mark Adams, Howard College Head Coach and 2010 National Champion said. “The local people and the students make that facility the hardest place in the state at this level to play in.”
The Dawg House has been feared by opposing teams and coaches for many decades.
“When I was at Western Texas, we would bring our baseball team in to our practice to try to simulate the crowd, the noise, and the atmosphere that we were about to face at the Dawg House,” Jason Sauter, former Western Texas Head Coach, said.
Steve Green, Head Coach for South Plains College and 2009 and 2012 National Champion echoed those sentiments.
“The energy that is created within those four walls by the local fans and student body is as formidable as we will see all season long,” Green said.
“In my 14 years of coaching at the junior college level, there is not a tougher place to play than at Clarendon College (Dawg House),” Chris Bauman, Trinity Valley Community Head Coach, said. “It is a 10 point advantage in my opinion.”
Spud Webb, the former Midland College legend and NBA great, was quoted in The Amarillo Globe-News recently as saying “I remember in Clarendon the fans would pound those buckets. Your ears would be ringing all the way back to Midland.”
The aura and perception of the Dawg House are known and feared by each opposing participant.
“We have great fans, whether it is the local people or our student body,” Starnes said. “It is a great college basketball atmosphere and is a selling point in recruiting.”
“It is a privilege to be a part of the Dawg House and I am very appreciative to all of the fans that have made the Dawg House a crazy, but special place to play,” Starnes said.
The 2012-2013 Bulldog and Lady Bulldog basketball season has arrived and the excitement level is higher than ever.
The Dawg House has always been a key component in the success of the men’s and women’s basketball program and this season is no different.
Coach Starnes has always said the crazier the Dawg House gets the better chance the Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs have at being successful.
Each member involved with the CC basketball programs asks each of you to come out and support the Bulldogs this season. Let’s make sure that the Dawg House is rockin’ in traditional fashion during every home contest this upcoming season.
For basketball schedules, click on “Athletics” at www.clarendoncollege.edu
Get your cowboy hats and boots and get ready for the Clarendon College Stampede this week as CC welcomes more than 400 contestants to its NIRA rodeo.
With contestants from 16 colleges and universities in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association involved, qualifying events will be held all day Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, October 25-27, with nightly performances being held at 7 p.m. each evening.
Tickets for evening performance are $5 in advance from either Cornell’s Country Store or the Enterprise and will be $8 at the gate. All activities will be held under the roof of the CC Livestock & Equine Center.
Activities will include bull riding, barrel racing, bareback riding, saddlebronc riding, and more.
First year rodeo coach Cody Heck and nearly the entire staff at Clarendon College have been working for weeks to make sure the event comes off without a hitch.
Local and area sponsors have also lined up to support what promises to be one of the most exciting rodeos the town has seen in the last few years.
This region’s NIRA rodeo has traditionally rotated locations between Canyon and Perryton, but this year Clarendon has been given the opportunity to host the event. Heck says he looks forward to putting on a successful rodeo in front of his students’ peers and wants to see the rodeo do well on the local level by boosting local businesses.
“This event will really boost our community and bring money to our town,” Heck said. “It will also provide our students an opportunity to interact with the community.”
Local cowboys can also get in on the action by participating in the Open Double Mugging held each night. Just call Heck to sign up in advance at 806-874-4844.
If successful, Stampede supporters say the NIRA rodeo will return to Clarendon in two years, and there is a possibility that it could be held here annually at some point in the future.
The college is anticipating an attendance of about 1,000 to 1,200 over the three days.
Parking will be available near the arena, and Clarendon College will also be running buses from the parking lot in front of the Instructional Center.
For more information or to sponsor the event, call Heck at 806-874-4844 or Ashlee Estlack at 806-874-4808.
This weekend’s fiesta of cultural delights is shaping up to be one of those magical fall experiences that I love so much. Even Mother Nature is excited, and plans to come dressed in her finest autumn splendor.
In case you’ve been so enraptured by the presidential debates that you’ve lost track of our local happenings, this weekend promises to be a veritable feast of cultural experiences. You see, this is the weekend of the first ever Clarendon College Stampede NIRA Rodeo, majestically enhanced by the annual Clarendon Arts Festival, graciously presented by Les Beaux Arts Club.
The Clarendon College Stampede, which is a National Intercollegiate Rodeo, opens Thursday, October 25, and runs through Saturday, October 27. The Stampede will begin at 7:00 p.m. each night.
There are over 400 rodeo contestants from 16 colleges and universities, including Clarendon College, West Texas A&M, Frank Phillips College, Texas Tech University, Tarleton State University, along with a nice assortment of colleges and universities from around the Southwest and Oklahoma.
Events will include bull riding, barrel racing, bareback bronc riding, saddle bronc riding, and an open double mugging each night. So, come prepared to witness and enjoy an excellent rodeo.
The Stampede is produced by Bad Company Rodeo. If you’ve never witnessed a Bad Company Rodeo, you are in for rocking, rolling extravaganza. These people know how to produce memorable rodeo experiences, so come prepared for good music, good riding, big time thrills and big time spills.
After you’ve enjoyed yourself at the rodeo, watching the young college contestants test their skills against the rank rodeo stock, you can then head on over to the Clarendon Arts Festival and partake of the cultural delights offered by Les Beaux Arts Club of Clarendon. The festival will be held at Donley County Activity Center.
A preferred buyers’ reception kicks things off, and will be held on Thursday, October 25, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. If you are interested in buying excellent art at a discount, there is still time to get registered to attend the reception. Call Tommye Duncan at 874.2224. If she doesn’t answer, leave a message and she will get back to you. A $100 deposit is required if you want to buy great art at great prices. Entertainment for the reception will be provided by The Jazz Standard of Canyon, Texas.
This year, the Arts Festival will have 10 booths, presenting art in several different mediums, including water colors, acrylics, and oil paintings. Additionally, mesquite wood inlaid with turquoise will be exhibited. There will also be fine photography, unique jewelry, along with other assorted crafts, including colorful hair bows.
Les Beaux Arts Club wants to encourage our young artists to participate in the festival this year. A “Kids’ Corner” booth will offer our young artists, age’s k – 6, a chance to develop their interest in art at a young age. The festival’s presenters want to promote art to younger kids, especially those who like to draw.
Children are encouraged to bring their drawings and paintings with them to the festival. Their work will be exhibited in the “Kids’ Corner” this weekend. So, get your children busy drawing and painting, and encourage them to bring their work to the festival.
There will be refreshments available for sale. St. Mary’s Catholic Church will offer breakfast burritos and cinnamon rolls Saturday morning. Sunday at noon, St. Mary’s will serve an enchilada dinner.
Saturday, October 27, hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, hours are from 11 a.m., to 4 p.m.
Doppler Dave says that Mother Nature will bless these events with a lovely fall weekend, with crisp, clean air and gentle breezes to add a touch of color to our cheeks.
So, let’s all get out and enjoy our cultural heritage this weekend, enjoy our beautiful autumn weather, and most importantly – enjoy each other as we celebrate life and learning.
The fourth annual Clarendon Arts Festival will be held this week October 25-28 at the Donley County Activity Center located one mile north of the city on State Hwy. 70.
The event, sponsored by Clarendon’s Les Beaux Arts Club, continues to grow each year and was recognized by the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce last year with the prestigious Golden Nail Award.
This year’s festival begins with the Preferred Buyers Reception held Thursday evening, October 25, where buyers will be delighted with the variety being offered at the Clarendon Arts Festival this year.
Many art works were checked in this week at the Clarendon Arts Festival. Anyone is welcome at Thursday’s reception; and if you haven’t already pre-paid as a preferred buyer, you can pay that night at the door.
As well as the large selection of art being offered, buyers will be treated to an elegant evening of live music by Jazz Standard and heavy hors d’oevres prepared by the ladies of Les Beaux Arts Club.
Several students from the Texas Panhandle have submitted art, which will be judged for ribbons in time for the Student’s Free Fine Arts Day, Friday, October 26.
Also on Friday, elementary and high school students will tour the show and experience demonstrations from storyteller Eldrena Douma and local artist Mary Selfridge.
The Clarendon Arts Festival opens to the public Saturday at 9:00 a.m. and again at noon on Sunday. Those attending the Festival will be treated to food prepared by St. Mary’s Catholic Church on Saturday and their famous Annual Enchilada Dinner on Sunday. Live music is being offered by area talent on Saturday and a special performance by Jazz Standard will be held on Sunday.
In addition to the art show, there are many artists setting up booths with only hand-constructed items for sale.
The 2012 Clarendon Arts Festival is sponsored by the City of Clarendon, Clarendon Economic Development Corporation, Donley County Activity Center, and Clarendon Family Medical. With all the fine art and crafts showing here this weekend, everyone should be able to find a unique gift or treasure.
Reader Comments