Learn about antiques and collectibles with Dr. Georgia Caraway

and items for the smoker Syroco literature shows that these products allowed the company to survive into the 1950's

During the 1950's, Syroco started to change directions again And, while novelty items still appear in their catalogs of the time Highly stylized wall mirrors, sconces, and decorations became the company's focus

Searching eBay and some of the popular price guides for Syroco items reveals that they are very affordable with most items offered for $5 to $40

Syroco and Ornawood also provided items for Mary Crowley and her Home Interiors and Gifts’ ladies to offer at their home parties These items from the 1970s and 1980s were very popular in home deor

Howe Elementary Six-Weeks Reports

A Honor Roll

Fourth Six Weeks

First Grade:

Dylan Mayhue, Ella Owens, Caris Riley, Isabel Henley, Jaden Strunc, Carson Allen, Adaline Carter, Isabella Fleming, Kennedy Garner, Tatum Lindly, Sydney Cunningham, Deacon Bender, Cris Webb

Second Grade:

Nathan Garibay, Logan Nitchman, Seanna Roper, Jackson Teel, Macie Bryant, Tatum Gandillon, James Johnson, Chrys Simpson, Braylen Johnson, Kaitlynn McKnight, Kendall O’Brien, Riken Cross, Eric Dailey, Shannon Darling, Braylon Franklin, Molly Haney, Elizabeth McLaughlin, Abigail Petty, Alexis Woods, Emily Ragsdale

Third Grade: Sydney Martin, Vincent Molina, Lauren Catching, Sage Weatherly

Buttery, Nowlin Langford, Elias Roberts, Logan Smith, Clayton Stallings, Remington Barker, Ridley Carter, Faridy Gonzalez, Ayla Jones, Zoie Kemp, Amarise Morris, Dillon Patterson

Fourth Grade: Garren Lankford, Colton Tinker, Maddison Wade, Triston Williams, Mia Wilson, Sierra Ainsworth, Bergen Bjorn, Rian Cox, Nathan Hernandez, Anthony Lowder, Annastasia McAdams, Grace Randall, Noah Wood-Fowler, Skye Knight, Allie Armstrong, Kason Bader, Benjamin Garibay, Talan Haley, Jack Malta, Hunter Roberson, Presley Shockey, Kamry Snapp, Emaleigh Sweeden, Annalys Turci, Stephanie Bastida, Parker Daniels, Preslee Harrell, Hunter Shaw, Harlee Shue

Accelerated Reader Top 10

A lot of items show up in antique malls and Internet auctions made of a “fake” wood-like material called Syroco or Ornawood I have a mini-collection of Syroco dogrelated items and have been curious about the history of the company that made them

The SYRACUSE ORNAMENTAL COMPANY, also known as SYROCO, was founded in the late 1890's by an Austrian woodcarver named Adolph Holstein Initially the company produced ornamental carvings for the embellishment of coffins and furniture as well as the interiors of fashionable homes, including the New York Governor's mansion in Albany As demand increased, a molding technique was developed where Syroco could create perfect replicas of their original carvings These molds also featured a wood grain within the mold, allowing for a more detailed aesthetic The recipe of wood flour, waxes, and resins combined with compression molding created an inexpensive, but high quality product Syroco-created souvenirs were made for the 1939-1940 New York World’s Fair As the 40's approached, demand for Syroco was waning. Novelty items became a new venture for the company; focusing on housewares, barware,

Some examples include: Indian Chief bookends, $35; Cherub wall plaque, $41; Indian Tie Rack, $37; Terrier Schnauzer tie/belt rack, $25; Scotty dog brush holder, $25 One amazing auction offering was for a 1942 6-inch Superman figurine that was valued at $4,800 to $5,000 Last I checked bids on this item were moving faster than a speeding bullet and leaping tall buildings with a single bound But don’t get too excited by this exception Syroco and Ornawood are still inexpensive items to collect.

Dr Georgia Caraway, former director of the Denton County Museums for 14 years, and her friends opened the Howe Mercantile at 107 East Haning Store hours are Thursday through Saturday noon until 8 p m She has written five Denton history books Her latest, North Texas State Fair and Rodeo, is available at Howe Mercantile She hopes her next book will be the history of Howe If anyone has photos that she can copy, please bring them to Howe Mercantile

MARK YOUR CALENDAR: April 8 is the date for the Annual BBQ and Auction for the Save the Church restoration project If you wish to donate to the auction, please bring your item(s) to Howe Mercantile or to 101 East Haning (Howe Chamber office)

Fourth Grade: William Fuhr, Christian Bates, Roman Garbrandt, Kai Hudson, Brynn Riley

A/B Honor Roll

Fourth Six Weeks

First Grade:

Tabitha Bjorn, Quentin Cole, Vivian Davis, Sophia Eitelman, Triston Isenhower, Hadlee Phillips, Gavin Snapp, Nicholas Cunningham, Aydan Chantaca, Caden Crosson, Layla Cummings, Carson Duree, Santiago GarciaPosada, Emilee Nelson, Natalee Thorpe, Rylee Valles, Jaylee Yowell, Taylor Brunner, Samantha Fuhr, Ethan Potter, Logan Robinson, Cooper Shadden, Sophie Sutton, Kalynne Wilson, Sophie Castellanos, Addison Donoho, Raley Freeman, Michael Gonzalez, Keelan Pointer, Malachi Simpson

Second Grade:

Caden Allen, Elias Foust, Charles Fuhr, Samaire Moss, Zoey Reynolds, Mason Sutherland, Brooklyn Washer, Conner Terry, Giselle Alejos-Cacho, Jordan Burton, Peyton Duncan, Rowan Fair, Jacson Hightower, Leyton Murphy, Benjamin Taylor, Mya Vines, Calie White, Kimberlee Arteaga, Braxton Buttery, Keelan Davis, Jaileigh Murphy, Lucas Murphy, Brenyn Oswalt, Bryce Pieper, Taryn Ray, Melodie Shores, Shaelyn Tillett, Andrew Boatright, Sofeea Brown, Ava Herbert-Muse, Faith Myers, Emerson Stevens, Sicileigh Weinmann, Aaliyah Willaby, Michael Smith, Emily Ragsdale

Third Grade:

Iris Burton, Noah Christman, Allyson Dobecka, Alaysia Neal, Eli Stoner, Zoe Thompson, Felix Vazquez-Gonzalez, Vincent Castellanos, Jalyn Devore, Bowen McAdams, Aubri Pittman, Brooklyn Upton, Bobby Ellis, Kyler Heilman, Addelyn Leakey, Jackson Moreau, Andronica Morris, Kamryn Powless, April Salazar, Brian White, Abigail

Second Grade: James Johnson, Jericho Comer, Peyton Duncan, Macie Bryant, Eric Dailey, Leyton Murphy, Chris Simpson, Calie White, Seanna Roper, Jacson Hightower, Keelan Davis

Third Grade: Nowlin Langford, Bowen McAdams, Jalyn Devore, Makenzie Edgett, Jackson Moreau, Vincent Castellanos, Vincent Molina, Addison Bond, Tanner Terry, Andronica Morris

Fourth Grade: Brynn Riley, Jack Malta, Annastasia McAdams, Dakota Campbell, Mia Wilson, Ben Garibay, Roman Garbrandt, Preslee Harrell, Logan Reese, Logan Duty

Accelerated Reader Goal Fourth Six Weeks

Kindergarten: Peyton Amaro, Mackenzie

Coleman, Elizabeth Dobecka, Evelyn Garcia, Ronnie Heilman, Bodie Hudson, Leland Landino, Canyon Nitchman, Camden Riley, Dallas Stephens, Hunter Thornhill, Cooper Bond, Kiahlynn Caddell, Rylan Crosson, Eli Espitia, Jordyn Farmer, Cooper Finney, Kasen

French, Abbriella Gilbert, Jennifer Hardin, Harlie Marr, Izak

Montgomery, Isaac Pio, Liam Sheehy, Garett Van Cleave, Aaliyah Williams, Brinley

Zolfaghari, Truitt Allison, Kalysta Armas, Austyn Boatright-Navidad, Collin Clopton, Noah Espitia, Lane Faber, Cadence Farrell, Caden

Johns, Ayden Kane, Alyssa Lopez, Ryder Renfro, Abram Sadler, Novalee Webb, Jenni Whitmire, Ethan Landry, Grant Davidson, Shannon Hejny, Brianna

Henderson-Herbert, Ethan Lewis, Kahlynne Moore, Katelin

Patterson, Gabriel Perez, Neallee

Rogers, Isabella Stevens, Easton

Thornhill, Hazel Tibbets, Sophie Tonga-Hall, Laynee Turner, Zane Weatherly, Lauren Ragsdale, Raegan McKinney

First Grade: Tabitha Bjorn, Quentin Cole, continued on page 12

Dr Ken Bridges

Dr. Bridges is a Texas native, writer, and history professor. He can be reached at drkenbridges@gmail com

More than 180 years after his death, the mention of Jim Bowie still stirs the imagination of admirers around the world But Bowie was more than just the knife or the battle at the Alamo Overall, it was a remarkable and colorful life of adventure

James Bowie was born in 1796 in rural southwestern Kentucky He was one of ten children When he was four, the family moved to Missouri before moving to Louisiana two years later Along the way, all the Bowie children worked hard to build and run the family farms As little formal education was available, they were taught at home Bowie was very adept at languages and learned to read and write in Spanish and French

He volunteered for service late in the War of 1812 but saw no combat After the war, he and his brother Rezin Bowie bought several farms and plantations in both Louisiana and Arkansas Territory, hoping to turn healthy profits from real estate He also sold slaves through work with pirate Jean Lafitte and often borrowed money from Lafitte to pay for his land speculation.

He had several run-ins with the law Bowie participated in the Long Expedition of 1819 in which James Long led a group into Texas in an attempt to wrest it away from Spanish authorities and into American hands In the late 1820s, Arkansas authorities charged him and his brother with fraud, claiming the Spanish land titles they had sold were forgeries However, all the alleged evidence