Austin and Clarksville

Near Austin High just off West 6th St is the Clarksville neighborhood.  There is no sign to say you are there and for many years when I was in high school I didn't know about its history or much about it.

Clarksville was and is a historically black neighborhood in an otherwise very white side of West Austin.  One time I remember going there I went down Patterson St to take a friend from high school home to pick up something.  I was surprised to see the old Victorian style houses on that street.  Much different than the other side of MoPac,

A number of our Austin High Class of 1983 students were black students from Clarksville.  The neighborhood was zoned to O. Henry Junior High as well and so the students from both Clarksville and Tarrytown went to school together for years.  Interesting that each was probably named appropriately after Tarrytown, NY and Clarksville, MS.

In hindsight it was good to have such integration in our 70s and 80s era.  It certainly did not come fast to Austin.  While my aunt Sharon said that her father Noble Prentice was on the Austin school board when they ingregated in the late 50s, the West Austin area was not integrated until the early 1960s.  Don Baylor, Austin High class of 1967 was one of the first black students at O. Henry.  His nephew Skip Baylor was in my class of 1983.


Interesting Don Baylor was one of the first black football players offered a scholarship at the University of Texas but turned it down to join Major League Baseball where he was an All-Star, MVP, played 19 years and in 3 World Series, and managed for many years thereafter.

Amazing to think that in 1970, there was not a single black player on the UT football team.  Ingregation came very slowly, in Austin, Texas.  The people of Clarksville certainly did their part to make that happen.  And what did they get?   The MoPac Freeway right through the neighborhood.

Our Austin High classmate, RuthAnn Brown, from the Clarksville neighborhood died this month.  As it said in her obituary, she was "Loud and Proud".  I remember her and how she was very comfortable at Austin High and had the respect of many.  Her funeral was in Clarksville at the Sweet Home Missionary Baptist Church.

Integration didn't come any easier in Austin than anywhere else.  In the 1970s, since the first round didn't work, Austin ISD  was under a court order to desegregate.  The solution was forced bussing and the initial act was to create 6th grade centers for students from different areas to get used to the bussing required.  Our area went to Baker Middle School, then to 7th and 8th grade at O. Henry.   But that only went so far.

When the enrollment stats were published for the high schools in 1979, Austin High was 60% white, 25% Hispanic and 15% black, which was probably representative of the whole city at the time.  The Austin school board chose to bus only 2 schools, Anderson HS (all white) and Johnston HS ( all minority).

It wasn't all fun and games at Austin High.  At the students assemblies in the gym, the white students all sat on the west side, the black students all on the east side.  Again, more symbolism.  The cheer squad was integrated as a result of block voting.  But everyone seems to mix OK during the breaks and in class and on the fields of friendly strife.

I guess we were all products of our time and doing the best we could. It's not like it was any easier or better anywhere else.  You can't go home again.

1963 Corvette

While at Keith's shop last week, Jason drove the 63 Corvette from the warehouse across the street.  It was parked out front and I went to sit inside it.  After a bit, Jason asked "Want to drive it?"

Yes! was the answer.  I fired it up and worked to back it out carefully.  A 4 speed manual transmission.  327 cubic inch V-8 engine.  Good thing I am knowledgeable and experienced.  The 1963 model with the split rear window is very desirable for collectors.  This car was very original, few modifications.  No shoulder seat belt.  A very narrow grip on the steering wheel.  Seats only come up to your shoulders at most.  No head rests.  The original "Unsafe at Any Speed".

Funny thing ... you press the gas and nothing happens.  So you really have to press the accelerator hard.  Even more so with the brakes.  Nothing happens at first - like you have no brakes.  But then you really mash it and it stops.  Definitely a heavy, more mechanical feel.  On a modern car, you just tap the brake or accelerator and things happens quickly.

I carefully drove it for 5 minutes through the neighborhood.  Kind of like sneaking out Mom's car at age 15, I didn't really want to see anyone while I was illicitly driving.  A good time and a good memory now that I think of it.

Plitt Woodlake 3 Theater - Houston

We're taking you back to 1979 with these behind the scenes stills from ALIEN. Did you see this film in the theater in '79? #WayBackWednesday pic.twitter.com/2eN0Q2Cug5

— Alien (@AlienAnthology) October 18, 2017

Yes I did see it in the theater.  It was the old Woodlake 3 in Houston.  First some background from  "Trophy Property on HoustonArchitecture.com

 I grew up going to Theatres with 3-6 screens. I have some great memories of Briargrove 3 before it became and dollar theatre and after. When we moved to Briargrove Park we had all sorts of options. There was AMC Westchase 5, Plitt Woodlake Square 3, AMC Town & Country 6 and Also Lowes Town and Country 3. Any movie you wanted to see was at those theaters.

I can remember seeing Rocky III, Scarface (snuck in), and ET at Woodlake 3.

I can remember the narrowness of the T&C 6 Lobby. There was also a cool video game room. It probably had 6-10 video games.

I can remember in 7th grade meeting and kissing a girl at T&C 3 while viewing Revenge of the Nerds. It was my first pick up. My buddy got farther than me (2nd base if you will) and never let me live that one down. His girl was cuter as well.

I remember getting dropped off at all these theaters for an early movie and we would stay and watch 2 movies. It was a fun time.

When AMC Town and Country 12 was built across I-10 the movie experience started to shift towards bigger theaters with more choices.

Closer to Home

No big travels these past few weeks.  We are going to Austin for the weekend to see Sarah and Travis - plus see the Texas v. Oklahoma State game.  Hope UT can keep up - they've had their hands full with top QBs like Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield.  Now Mason Rudolph - possible Heisman candidate.

Current line is OK State by 7.5 in Austin - a big spread.  I'll put my imaginary money on the home team.

We are going to the Bodhi Yoga studio on Friday morning.  Will be good to see our friends from the Isla Mujeres yoga retreat.

Dreaming

I dreamed I had taken Susan to the airport and then dropped her off.  I was with our grandson (we don't have one ) and he and I parked the car and then walked back to the terminal.  On the way he found a slide and slid down it into a pond.  I called "don't get your phone wet" but he said "I don't have a camera".  So I was relieved.  When we got to the terminal, Susan asked "Why is he all wet?"

Tesla Model S review

I had the opportunity to drive a 2014 Tesla Model S sedan this weekend.  It is certainly the future of a car - many things have been engineered out:  no engine, no drivetrain, no transmission, no gas tank, no combustion heat, no cooling system.

In its place are two electric motors and a battery assortment to power the car.  There's no firing up, no lag, no loud noises.  You do hear the A/C running, as well as the tire friction and the air flow.

At heart its a luxury sedan, roomy as the largest cars available, the S class Mercedes, the 7 series BMW, the Hyundai Equus, the Ford Crown Victoria.  To some degree that is not the most popular class today.   Trucks and SUV dominate the roads here in Texas.  So the Tesla sits much lower than those bigger vehicles.

Performance it's got.  No lag means instant power pushing the accelerator.  It will jump from highway speed of 70 or 75 to as high as you want.  Top speed limited to 140 mph on this version.  The speed and room is the difference between this all-electric performer and a Toyota Prius for example.  The Prius due to smaller size and weight is probably more quiet, even with hybrid technology.

This 2014 version which sold for $105,000 new does not have the most advanced Autopilot technology.  You still have to drive it.  But it does have excellent Navigation and cell phone connectivity and a large (double iPad size) screen.  Very helpful to have a co-pilot work the screen as you can hardly drive and work the large screen at the same time.

Top battery range I was able to get after 2 Supercharges was about 222 miles.  The local Supercharger at the Embassy Suites in McAllen, TX was pretty easy to use.  On Sunday afternoon there were 4 of us there charging up.   Nearest Supercharger is in Kingsville TX about 100 miles away.

I'll be interested to investigate how the Model 3 stacks up for those who want more basic transportation.  But the Model S clearly hits the luxury sedan target with extra points for the cutting edge technology.  Hard to imagine that electric will not take over in the near future.