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Living on
The New Mexico State Line (and getting Mail in Texas)
A Bronco
Memoir
by Loretta Caraway |
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Gravy Fields
and How the Highway School was Saved
My father R.F.
Caraway, was a water well driller in Bronco
when we lived there in 1939. He met Mr. Gravy Fields when Mr. Fields
was trying to keep the school at Highway from being closed. Mr. Fields
told my father that if he would move our family into his house on
the county line of Texas/New Mexico and we would attend the Highway
school, that we could have the house rent free. Times were hard and
this was a Godsend to our family. Four of us children attended the
Highway school. Mother and daddy let my younger brother, Don, attend
and he was only five years old. A Mr. Townsend drove the school bus
and picked us up on school days. |
Covered Box
Lunches
We also had church
services in the Highway school building. One time we had a covered
box auction. The girls and women decorated the boxes with pretty paper
and filled it with sandwiches, fruit, and deserts. Whoever bid the
highest price, won the box and the pleasure of the company of the
girl who made the box. |
A Musician
is Born
This is also where
I learned to play the piano. There was a piano in the lunch room of
the school and every day at recess time, when the other children went
outside to play, I would sit and try to play the piano. There was
an older student who showed me the basic chords and I picked it up
right away. Mrs. Fields would come and pick me up and take me to her
house when she would have her parties with her lady friends. She would
have me sit at the piano and play for them. I was in the second grade
at school and so little my feet wouldn't reach the floor. She would
brag on me which really boosted my confidence. I have since then gone
on to become a professional musician, and her kindness contributed
to my success. |
Pet Buffalo
I remember going
over to the Fields' big ranch house and petting the buffalo they kept
there. I remember Ginger Fields coming to visit Mrs. Fields. I remember
Ty and Mattie Fields from the store across the highway from our house.
The humorous account we would tell was that we lived in New Mexico
and got our mail in Texas. We thought that was a real oddity. I appreciate
the kindness of Mr and Mrs. Gravy Fields. I found your magazine and
am so glad someone had written their personal remembrance of Bronco.
I hope that my personal account of Bronco can be included. I have
lost touch with the Fields family, but would love to contact them.
- Loretta Caraway
"They shoe horses,
don't they?"
August 19, 2007 Guest Column
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