175 Years of Times Remembered

My thirty-year teaching career began as a first year teacher in Bellville High School in 1957.  I graduated from Sam Houston State Teachers College in

May 1957, and began teaching in Bellville, Texas, in September, 1957.

My teaching career ended at Wharton County Junior College when I retired from teaching in 1987.

Having taught in four schools, I began and ended my career at my two favorite places.

Because of my love of the town of Bellville and its school system, I have continued to stay in touch.  One way of staying in touch was to become an honorary member of Bellville’s poetry club, The Perky Poets Society, publishing a few poems in their first anthology, and helping judge a poetry writing contest.

The Perky Poets Society included me in their plans to write and publish a second anthology, a collection of poems commemorating the town’s 175th birthday celebration on November 4, 2023.

Hosted by the Bellville Historical Society, the day-long celebration kicked off with a parade, followed by activities on the town square.  These included, among many, a presentation of German Settlers culture, a performance by the Concordia Gesang group, antique cars, art exhibits, and poetry readings by members of the Perky Poets Society.

Perky Poets Society members read poems from their anthology, Times Remembered, Perky Poets Society, Dianna Norton, Editor.  The poems were written about the history, culture, beauty, and memories of the 175 year old town.

Two of my poems of remembering were included.   I found it very difficult to express adequately how much I really liked Bellville.  Many of the other poets wrote effectively about the courthouse burning, the town’s changes, the celebrated football team, community closeness, and other historical facts.

Times Remembered, Edited by Dianna Norton, with poems by Poetry Society members, can be ordered from Amazon.com.  Hardcover copies are $24.86, paperbacks, $10.50, and ebooks, $2.00.  Since there is another unrelated book entitled Times Remembered sold on Amazon, I would suggest typing in “Perky Poets Society, Times Remembered,” so that they send you the right book.

Gilbert Franke is the President of The Perky Poets Society to whom we offer special thanks.  And thanks to Dianna Norton who did a superb job as Editor.

Ray Spitzenberger is a retired WCJC teacher, a retired LCMS pastor, and author of three books, It Must Be the Noodles, Open Prairies, and Tanka Schoen.

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