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Submitted by:

Kay Cunningham

McQUEEN FIELD, AUDITORIUM,
GYMNASIUM AND OTHER ADDITIONS

     MINOR ADDITIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS. After Superintendent A. C. Ferguson resigned, May 5, 1925, and went to Commerce, Texas, first as dean, then as president, of East Texas State Teachers College, H. J. McIlhany became superintendent. He had previously been principal of Marlin High School. Popularly known as "Mr. Mac," Superintendent McIlhany was an able administrator and exemplary citizen and Marlin's schools continued their upward march, especially in band and choral club work and athletics, foundations of which had been firmly laid.

    

     Within months, the board of trustees authorized to purchase and have installed fire escapes on the elementary school building at a cost not to exceed $1,000. Over-crowding and needs of repairs in the Negro schools arose and the board in December, 1926, rented the Provident Baptist Church (Negro) building for classes. Two or three years later, it became necessary to rent the Negro Masonic Lodge for classes as the Negro schools continued to grow.

    

     In January 1927, the Parent Teachers Association (PTA) received thanks from the schools and community for its leadership in having built a concrete walk from the high school building to Capps street. The walk was made possible by contributions of school-minded people under leadership of the Association.

    

     In April of the same year, Superintendent McIlhany purchased a number of chairs for the auditorium (the schools' first); also additional band instruments. In 1927, a course in house services was authorized for the Negro schools "according to a recognized plan," the course becoming a part of the curriculum. More equipment was provided for the auditorium for white children and $235 was spent for stage scenery.

    

     In 1931, the first reference in the school board minutes to a junior band appears and "A. S. Kelly was appointed to have charge of the junior band."

    

     GIFT OF AN ATHLETIC FIELD. In June 1931, a note of paramount importance to the schools and community appeared in the minutes. It referred to the gift to the schools of an athletic field, located at the southwest corner of the Anders and Ward streets intersection. The entry is long and involved, but, summed up, recorded that T. B. (Tom) McQueen of Marlin, an ardent friend of the school and school athletics, gave an extensive area known as the former Krause Sewall homestead property to the schools for a football field and other purposes. T. C. Linthicum, a member of the board of trustees at that time said that, while members of the board and others were looking over the property and agreeing it was "an ideal site for an athletic field" and the question arose as to paying for the land, Mr. McQueen nonchalantly reached into his shirt - bosom, held out something and said, in words to the effect, "Here's the price of buying it."

    

     The property was paid for by Mr. McQueen and promptly named "McQueen Field" in his honor. Soon afterwards, Trustees L. A. Robinson, G. H. Olinger and Dave Denning were delegated to purchase an iron fence to enclose the grounds and have it installed. The Parent Teacher Association assumed leadership in planting a hedge inside and long side the fence. Planting was done by boys of the school, Future Farmers of America (FFA), under supervision of J. M. Wilson, vocational agriculture teacher.

    

     In September, 1931, Levi Goodrich, superintendent of Marlin's waterworks system and city engineer, received thanks and commendations for his services in getting McQueen Field ready for use. The resolution was recorded in the minutes of the school board and the field was, presumedly, used for the first time in the fall of 1931.

    

     In August, 1934, the athletic council of the school was authorized to purchase and have installed electric lights on the field. Less than a month later, the board required that only standard, approved lights be provided-and payment for them should come from receipts for admittances to events on the field. Dates the lights were first in use, for which event and for whom were not indicated.

    

     MORE ABOUT McQUEEN FIELD. The following information about McQueen Field may not be chronological, but is appropriate in picturing its services and what it has meant to the schools and community. It provided long-needed facilities for school-related activities and events-and community affairs. The board was always zealous in protecting the field and seeing that it is used only for worthwhile, American activities and purposes.

    

     Not long after installation of the lights on McQueen Field local youth welfare leaders, with visions of service to youth of the vicinity, sponsored a series of baseball games on the field in which many people participated. A "Marlin Sunday School Baseball League" was organized, additional lights installed, payable from modest admission fees, and series of games were played, some with visiting teams. The school and community recognized the value of- the activities and late in 1934 the board of trustees expressed its appreciation and thanks to J. A. Collins, president of the executive committee of the League; also for the League's contributions, including added athletic equipment on the field.

    

     In 1939, use of McQueen Field was permitted for a public, though delayed, observance of the centennial of Texas In- dependence of 1836; at other times the field became the locale of horse shows, public assemblies and so on. It became a "community center," its activities restricted only to conform to the dignity of the schools and community.

    

In 1950, the Field was the scene of four consecutive nights of an elaborate pageant, depicting the history of Falls County, when the county observed the centennial of its creation in 1850. The pageant was preceded on Sunday by an all  -denominations religious and patriotic service on the field.

    

On another occasion, December, 1951, the field was used for the famous “Peewee Milk Bowl Classic,” a football game between the Red Raiders of Thorndale, Texas, and the Sequoyah Vocational School of Fahlequah, Oklahoma. All players were limited in size and age, none weighing more than 100 pounds. The famous "Milk Bowl Classic," of which Eugene Weafer of Allen Academy, Bryan, Texas, was public relations director, was not a Marlin school event, because of scholastic rules, but the game was suggested by Richard Severson of the Marlin post office at that time coaching a school team of small boys. Ernest W. Smith, Marlin's assistant postmaster and president of the Marlin Quarterback Club, took a lead in getting things started. The classic was arranged and carried through by a committee, Joe Novich, chairman, Tom Craven, Barnes Adams, John Taylor, Harold Jerichow, Nick Craig, Mrs. Vernon Jones, Mr. Smith and J. D. Houston. Mr. Houston was program chairman for the event. The classic attracted nation-wide attention-and the Oklahomans found the Raiders too tough. The Texans won!

    

     BLEACHERS INSTALLED-SCHOOLS LOSE A FRIEND. The first bleachers on McQueen Field were completed in 1939 - on the west side of the field. In 1938 funds were provided in a bond election to support the Public Works Agency (PW A) program of the federal government. "Permanent steel bleachers" was the term applied to them by the board of trustees in outlining the types to be installed. A notation in the board minutes is self-explanatory: "Whereas the building committee has reported that, together with Frank Petzold, architect's engineer, and J. C. Norby, engineer inspector, it did on March 13, 1939, meet at the site of construction of the bleachers for Marlin Independent School District and, after inspecting the same, found they were constructed in accordance with plans and specifications-," the board accepted them as completed.

    

     Minutes do not indicate when, why and by whom constructed the temporary bleachers on the east side of the field were installed, but they were there for a number of years. One section was movable and frequently moved. Following a building program, made possible by a $50,000 bond election in April, 1955, Harry B. Stallworth, Jr., school engineer and instructor, was directed to remove the temporary bleachers on the east side and install new ones, purchased from a Waco (Texas) iron works firm. They were installed in the summer of 1957.

    

     In 1936, the schools lost a devoted supporter in the demise of T. B. (Tom) McQueen, donor of McQueen Field. News- papers of December 3, 1936, recorded that the late Mr. Mc- Queen - left $8,500 of his estate to the trustees of the Marlin Independent School District to be used in accordance with his will-$7,500 for the betterment of the athletic field, or construction of a gymnasium, and $1,OOO-for band instruments. School officials of 1959 said the newspaper statement summed up the involved details of the bequest, but, if any of the funds were applied to construction of the auditorium- gymnasium, the amount was small.

    

     Superintendent McIlhany said, "It (the bequest) is but a continuation of the high regard and interest of Mr. McQueen shown in the school during his lifetime. He had always been interested in the affairs of school and in his death the school lost one of its staunchest friends and supporters. He was particularly interested in athletics and his bequest for that purpose is proof of his public-spiritedness and interest."

    

     AUDITORIUM-GYMNASIUM BUILT. In March, 1938, the president of the board of trustees, L. A. Robinson, appointed a committee of trustees "to employ an architect to draw plans and specifications for a gymnasium and other structures." The board instructed one of its members, Dr. N. D. Buie, Sr., to consummate a deal with William Lewis Moody, Jr., of Galveston, Texas, founder of Moody Enterprises, which owned Marlin's Falls Hotel. Mr. Moody had offered to give the schools the Arlington Hotel building at the northeast corner of the Coleman and Winter streets intersection for material in it with which to build "a gymnasium and other school structures." T. D. (Dan) Harlan and Ben H. Rice, Jr., other trustees, were instructed to arrange for an architect.

    

     Newspapers of April, 1938, noted that the board considered plans of a $35,000 auditorium-gymnasium, which would have a stage, band and choral rooms and a seating capacity of  500, plus a much greater seating capacity by using chairs in the open space of the building. In May of the same year, Trustee Harlan in an address before the Marlin Lions Club said, in part, the auditorium would be "120 feet by 104 feet - three stories high (floor to roof) -have a seating capacity of about 1,000-" He said there would be seating capacity of about 1,800 by putting chairs in the open space. He said Public Works Administration ( PW A) , a federal agency, would be of financial assistance.

    

     In June 1938, the board considered the petition "of Grady L. Hutchings and 40 others" for a $20,000 bond election for construction of the project. Subsequently, Mr. Spicer was selected to prepare "plans and specifications, etc., and supervise construction and the use of PW A funds-" and other details of the building program. In the same month, the $20,000 bond election carried and construction of the auditorium- gymnasium got under way. Demolition of the Arlington Hotel for materials had been started earlier.

    

     Mr. Harlan was recognized by school officials and the citizenship for his enthusiasm and leadership in the project. His devotion and persistency was accredited with having much to do with its successful culmination. Shortly after his untimely death, the following resolution was passed and written in the minutes of the school board: "In recognition of the service of T. D. Harlan as a member of the board-, the board at its regular session, July 6, 1939, passed this resolution - to express its sense of loss at his death and their appreciation of his personal character and business ability.

    

     "Ever since he became a member of the board, he has been identified with the building and construction of work of the school. It was largely through his influence that the donation was obtained which made building of the gymnasium possible. Throughout. his entire membership on the board he has been an enthusiastic supporter of every movement for the extension and betterment of the school system.

    

     "Be it resolved that this expression of appreciation be sent to his family and spread upon the minutes of the board."

    

     It is known that the auditorium-gymnasium was ready for use at the beginning of the 1939 - 40 school session. If there were formal opening ceremonies, records were not found. In the beginning, band and choral clubs practiced and rehearsed in the north and south rooms of the structure. Later, the south room was converted to use for cafeteria services.

    

     While basketball and volley ball had been played by students prior to 1989, these games and other athletic activities received added emphasis and popularity after the auditorium- gymnasium came into use. A spacious stage - with a curtain and basic scenery - occupied the north end of the rectangular building, south of the band-room. Along the west and east sides of the athletic (center) area, raised seats were provided, underneath which were spaces for varied uses. Seating capacity for band and choral club concerts, plays, other entertainment, school and civic assemblies, pep rallies and so on was complemented with placing chairs on the athletic floor. The auditorium-gymnasium became popular for many purposes, including commencement exercises at times. Its popularity was scarcely dimmed when, under another building program, another auditorium was fashioned from remodeling the all- purpose school building of 1903.

    

     By June 1940, school officials realized needs of more room for children of white schools and proposed purchasing the "Bartlett Park" property across the street and west of the auditorium-gymnasium. In August, 1940, Superintendent McIlhany was authorized "to close a deal" for the property. Bartlett Park, which was a social center of Marlin prior to about 1910, was part of the early Zenas Bartlett property, part of which (bounded by Capps, Ward, Clay and Monroe streets) was the site of Marlin's school plant prior to 1900. This school property had been donated to the city for its schools at an early date.

    

     Marlin's schools were approved "without criticism" about 1940 by Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, thus adding to the fame of the schools and signifying their proficiency.

    

     In April 1942, indication in the minutes of the school board were that Mr. McIlhany's health was failing. Soon afterward he retired and about a year later Marlin, the schools and community were saddened and grieved to learn Superintendent McIlhany (Mr. Mac) had succumbed. He had been an able, successful, popular school administrator and exemplary citizen.