Memorial High School - Reata Yearbook (Houston, TX)

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Zi. H In 4 5-' 5 M if X . f? X

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. A, x, .. Ax HA l. ountry western music bemoaning the triviali- ties of every day life blares from a radio as the boy pulls on a worn pair of faded Levi's. Grabbing a coat hanger he forces the lining of the pockets back into the tight. straight legged pants. A western cut shirt with pearlized snaps is stuffed into the jeans and secured with a name engraved belt sporting a silver, turquoise-studded buckle. Bending as low as the gsecond skins' permit. he manages to squeeze his feet into the pointed. two- tone leather boots. As he stands. the flow of blood to his legs resumes and circulation continues. Thrusting his hat on his head. he shoves a tin of skoal into his hip pocket and climbs into his pick-up truck. A Jerry Jeff eight track is in the tape deck and a Lone Star beer can lies on the floor. After placing his hat on the dash board. he spits. guns the motor. and roars off in his bumper sticker plastered 'kikk-up truckf Texan,s pursuit of life's gusto is unique. Dress. food. entertainment. and speech still resemble the style and tradition of the old west. Typically. Tex- ans are expected to rise before dawn. milk the cows. plough the back 40. eat Texas toast and boiled coffee for breakfast. stuff their Texas his- tory book in a saddlebag. and gallop off to school. Clutching her sugar daddy's arm. the Cover girl honey, clad in a pig-skin hacking jacket. and but- ton-down oxford. drindle skirt. and Dioris finest leather boots. bats her 'baby-blueis' and casually FROM BOOTS AND JEANS AT KIKKER CLUBS, to tuxedoes and ruffles at formal dances, students dressed to the occa- sion. Sophomore Freddie Herbert models the accepted attire of senior girls formals. Photo by Tom Freireich. SOCIALIZING IN THE SUN, Juniors Linda Ewing and Sherry Austin share the courtyard with many students. Students enjoyed the outdoors as a place for study, lunch or a quick tan before classes. Photo by Tom Freireich. A coos how she would 'just luve one of them little 'ol' darlin' oil wells for her very own. Sunglasses and waffle stompers have replaced cowboy hats and kikker boots but Texans still don their Stetson's and tromp around in their Niko- na's. Cutter Bills and Don's Western Wear supply the necessary attire for the shuffling across the floor boards at Cvilley's. Wauuuulllll, I wunder if I should go kikker dancing at Tin Hall. bronc busting at Simonton. er buy a couple uv six packs. chew on a weed and lis- ten to my new Waylon and Willie record. he won- ders. Remembering the cash he won in the greased pig contest at the Live Stock show. he decides to do all three. Texas food. including chicken fried steak. chick peas. heavy beef. and a keg of beer satisfies the appetites of brahma riding. cow roping. hell raising Texas cowboys. Kick off the boots and shed the clothes. and a Texan might resemble an ordinary person. But should he ut er one 'ya'll.' his identity is revealed and please to hear some more of that delightful Texas drawl cascade about him. Kikker Day and Round-up provides opportuni- ties to deck out in yer best kikker duds and flaunt the flair of western attire. Considering the Taste of Texas restaurant for supper then catching the show at the Texas Opry House, the boy unties the bandana from his neck. wipes the dirt from his sweatv forehead. and agrees that there really is no place but Texas . - 30 - b - J udv Cleveland HOUSING BOTH HIGH FASHION AND COUNTRY WESTERN STORES, the Galleria is a popular shopping site. Sophomore Elaine Hinnant dressed in a floral print, leans against the mall's directory. Photo by Tom Freireich. The way we were 51

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By George Kiersted ' espite nearly endless entertainment possibili- ties in Houston, many students felt the desire to venture beyond city boundaries in search of fairs, cook-offs, exhibits and other activities of unusual nature. The places they wound up in var- iedg some were big cities, some tiny, some close at hand, and at least one in another state altogether. But wherever they were, the prime objective was to enjoy, experience, and, whenever possible, partici- pate. On the small end of the population scale there was Luckenbach. If they had given out awards a year ago for the town Least Likely to Become a Tourist Magnet, Luckenbach would have seemed a sure bet for the title. But with one Waylon Jen- nings' hit song, the three-man central Texas town came to symbolize back-to-the-basics simplicity, country style. It attracted thousands of curious vis- itors, especially in the summer and fall, the num- ber declining with the song's popularity as the year progressed. Dallas was one somewhat larger metropolis to sponsor a major out-of-town event: the -Texas State Fair, which ran from October 7-23. In its 92nd year, the fair attracted three million people to see its college football games, a rodeo, livestock shows, and food exhibits. The theme, The Great Food Round Up, was carried out to the fullest by hundreds of food and drink stands strewn about the grounds. While farm animals vied for ribbons in one arena, everything from quilts to preserves was being judged in another area, and at all times freak shows, rides and games of chance were carried on in the Mid- way. The '77 fair was considered by many to be one of the best ever. Junior Alex Na'rado said, I can't imagine a better one. It's great. Similar activities took place six miles north of Magnolia during October, when the Texas Renais- sance Festival plunged patrons five centuries into the past. The festival's stated goal was simply to recreate the festivals held in England and France during the thirteenth through the sixteenth centu- ries. The crowd at the festival found itself sur- rounded by strolling minstrels, the smell of turkey, fresh air. artisans, jugglers, peasants, noblemen, and even King Henry VII himself. Or, more accu- rately, George Coulam I posing as King Henry VII. The instruments played at the festivalgwere rep- licas of the instruments used in the Renaissance period. There were Krumhorns, wooden flutes, lutes, guitars, arched harps, and others. Also add- ing to the authenticity were Renaissance-style foods and beverages served at the fair along with some more ordinary American dishes. King Coulam stated, f'The Renaissance Festival began as a creative idea and it not only has histori- cal and educational value, but it wasjust a whole lot of fun for ye lords and ladiesf' Galveston was the hot spot on December 10, U.T. DAY was the excuse for many seniors to visit Austin. Stu- dents visited the University of Texas along with many other colleges on three-day weekends and college visitation day. Photo by Darryl Yee. when its Strand Street was transformed into a rec- reation of a Victorian England street scene circa the mid-l800's. The authenticity of the illusion impressed some visitors. They did a greatjob of making the atmosphere as it would have been in the time of Charles Dick- ens, said Kelly Truesdale. Freshman Joan Isensee remarked, Most of the ninth graders study Charles Dickens . . . and according to what we read that was the real atmos- phere. That's the way you think it was in Old Eng- land, especially with all those chestnut fires and hot wassailf' - In a similar historical vein, the priceless ancient objects discovered in King Tut's tomb drew some students as far as New Orleans. For the first time the Egyptian Government loaned the United States many of the treasures discovered in the tomb of King Tut. Chicago, New Orleans, Wash- ington D.C., Los Angeles, Seattle, and New York all housed the exhibit. Gold statuettes were found gracing all aspects of Tutfs tomb, including several of Tut himself. Many of the statues were of engraved gold, some inlaid with semi-precious stones. ffThe exhibit was really fantastic. All of the art- work was so advanced, detailed and intricatef' said Junior Colleen Blackwell. New Orleans caught Tut-mania when the exhibit began on September I5 and it took longer than January 15, when the exhibit closed, for it to recover. Tut memorabilia, from tee-shirts to pos- ters and jewelry, was sold in almost every shop in the French Quarter. For beer-drinking, fun seeking chili-lovers, state wide events tailored to their taste abounded. These included one at the state fair in Dallas, the Repub- lic of Texas chilimade state cook-off in San Mar- cos, the Seventh Annual Annie Oakley Memorial Chili Cook-off in Luckenbach, the Corpus Christi Chili Cook-off, and the biggest championship meet at Terlingua. Continued on page 54 Getting out of town 53