Historic Texas Gyms: A Tribute to Vanishing Traditions

by Jackie McBroom

Overview

For generations of small-town Texans, the school gymnasium was the hub of the community. If it was a Tuesday night in Texline, most folks could be found in the old tin barn of a gym, rooting for their Tornadoes against the arch-rival Adrian Matadors. Transcending the role of a sports arena, the gym also provided a place to gather in celebration or shelter in crisis. Sadly, with the dramatic reduction of school districts around the state, many of the polished floorboards that once hosted graduations and beauty pageants now splinter beneath the weight of storage, farm equipment and guano-covered junk. From the pickup basketball game Elvis played in Hawkins to the tragic account of four Ennis war heroes, Jackie McBroom recounts stories from these beloved halls.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781439666920
Publisher:	The History Press
Publication date:	01/22/2025
Series:	Landmarks
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	270
File size:	24 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

A proud native Texan, Jackie McBroom coached basketball, football and track and taught English at Aubrey High School. He later became the middle school principal at Pilot Point for ten years, and he finished his career as a teacher, principal and assistant superintendent at Sanger ISD. Jackie and his wife, Sharen, have loved their home in the country near Aubrey for the last twenty-eight years.

Table of Contents

Preface 9

Acknowledgements 15

Introduction: A Word About the WPA 17

1 Perico: A Forgotten Gym 21

2 What If? Remembering the Tragedy of McCaulley 27

3 Mr. and Mrs. Fort Stockton 31

4 Tragedy Gomes to Two Texas Gyms 36

5 Aunt Cora Finds a Home 39

6 Memories from a Megargel High School Mustang Jamo C. Powell 42

7 Marfa, Texas: Two Gyms for the Price of One 46

8 Barrio Ball in the Chicken Coop 51

9 Heroes of A Small-Town Texas Gym 55

10 Elvis Visits Gyms of Texas 69

11 Music in an Old Gym, by Bob Bowman 72

12 Gyms from a Bygone Era: African American Schools and the PVIL 74

13 A Sad Fate for the Most Beautiful Gym in Texas 79

14 Samnorwood: Where School Was a Family Affair 83

15 Gym Ruins 86

16 Darrouzett: The Town You Can't Get to from Here 89

17 The Ghosts in the Old Dublin Gym, by Patty Hirst 92

18 Two Magnificent Gyms Still in Use Today 94

19 Activities We Loved in the Old Gym 102

20 Conclusion: Remember the Old Gym? 105

Lay-ups 109

Bibliography 145

Index 151

About the Author 157