This Week in Odessa History

100 Years Ago

The Odessa Record

May 11, 1917

Six Odessa boys answer the call. Arthur Schatz was one of the smallest young men in Odessa, too short by an inch to meet either army or navy specifications, but he certainly started something when he left Saturday for Spokane where he enlisted in Uncle Sam’s aviation corps. The ice being broken, six more young men, John A. Schoonover, Cecil Jenks, Otto Wagner, Edward Johnson, Virgil Harrison and Edward Weber, all fit for any branch of service left for Spokane to take the examination for enlistment.

Christ Kuest. Christ Kuest, a well known Odessa boy, died at the home of his mother after an illness of only a few weeks. At the beginning of spring work he was apparently in his usual health and went to Harrington to work on the Turner ranch, and it was not until about three weeks ago that, after an attack of the grippe he was forced to give up work and consult a physician. His condition then became known and he was advised to go to California and preparatory to leaving came home where he suffered a relapse which terminated in pneumonia and his death. He was almost 30 years of age. Born in South Dakota, he came to Odessa 18 years ago with his parents. He leaves behind his mother, six sisters and five brothers. Those residing in this vicinity are Julius, John, Emanuel, George and Herbert Kuest; Mrs. G. Schatz, Miss Emma Kuest.

75 Years Ago

The Odessa Record

May 8, 1942

Will graduate large class. Commencement exercises for the senior class at Odessa High School will be held May 27 at the school auditorium. There are 32 candidates for diplomas. Members of the class are Anna Marie Amende, Arthur John Amende, Marigold Busch, Herbert Dormaier, Ellsworth H. Derr, Dorothea M. Eckhardt, Lauron W. Gies, Manford L. Giese, Lavene Hardung, Viola E. Hemmerling, Harold G. Hoefel, Agnes Horak, Elmer A. Jeske, Jean Kennedy, Edna M. Kramer, Ervin Kuest, Bernice Lenhart, Harvey O. Lenhart, Laverna D. Lenhart, Lester L. Lenhart, James Minard, Colleen Oliver, Wilma Raugust, Paul Rodeck, Lillian Roloff, Verna Sackman, Eleanore Schauerman, Harriet Smith, Lloyd Stumpf, Delmar Wacker, Jeanne Weber and Virginia Weizel.

School buildings sold to farmers. The Odessa school district sold property from several of the outlying districts by sealed bids on Friday. The buildings from the August Giese district were sold to Jacob Oster, Jr., the Lauer barn to Rehn brothers and the Batum woodshed to John G. Lobe. The remainder of the property advertised went unsold.

50 Years Ago

The Odessa Record

May 11, 1967

Emergency care unit now at local hospital. Hospital administrator Merlin Traylor explained the need for a treatment unit for caring for emergencies and critically ill patients. The Hospital Auxiliary financed the development of this unit as a project. The unit was designed and built by members of the hospital staff with the cooperation and advice of the medical and nursing staff. Various parts of the unit were fabricated by local craftsmen. The unit carries a complete selection of drugs and equipment, oxygen, suction and emergency breathing apparatus. The cardiac monitor and heart-rate meter allow a constant audible and visual check on the patient’s electrocardiogram and pulse. The unit will signal an alarm if preset limits are exceeded or if there is a sudden change in the patient’s condition.

Tennis team trips Connell. Tiger tennis players met the strongest opponents of the year in Connell racket swingers here on Monday afternoon. The squad played very well, coach Gerald Ray states. Bruce Porter and Monica Deife played their best match of the season. Odessa scored 4 to Connell’s 3. Jerry Raugust and Rick Smith took two doubles matches, 6-1, 6-3. In mixed play, Porter and Deife went 4-6, 6-4 and 7-5, while Bill Pierce and Myrna Heimbigner went 7-5, 2-6 and 6-1. Anne Evavold scored 6-1, 6-8, 2-6; Terry Deife 6-4, 1-6, 4-6; Nancy Schauerman 6-2, 7-5. In doubles, Judy and Terri Weishaar topped their opponents 6-2, 6-1.

25 Years Ago

The Odessa Record

May 14, 1992

Downtown transformed. In a show of civic unity and pride seen rarely in any community, members of the Odessa Chamber of Commerce and other volunteer citizen workers virtually transformed downtown Odessa in two days. Last Friday morning First Avenue from Birch Street to First Street appeared much the same as it always had for at least the last 40 years. By late Saturday night it was lined at curbside by 35 Kwanzon flowering cherry trees and two Shademaster locusts to shade the east side of Alder Street just north of First Avenue. Jackhammers pounded, tearing out concrete chunks where the trees would go. At one point in front of the Old Town Hall it took more than an hour to break through concrete 1.5 feet thick.

By Saturday night, First Avenue had taken on a genteel appearance. It was almost as though Odessa had graduated into the ranks of refinement and elegance found only in the larger and longer-established communities.