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Monday, October 9, 2017
Texas History Minute the legislature, but he realized that the state needed new sources of revenue to meet the demands of a modern state. The legislature passed the tax, and Daniel allowed it to become law without his signature. The sales tax was very unpopular. In 1962, Daniel lost the Democratic Primary in his bid for a fourth term to Secretary of the Navy John Connally, who went on to become governor. In 1967, Lyndon Johnson, now president, still looked to Daniel for his expertise. He was named to a Dr. Ken Bridges position on the National Security Council as head the Office of Dr. Bridges is a Texas native, writer, and history professor. He Emergency Preparedness. Johnson also named Daniel as a can be reached at liaison between the White House and the nation’s governors. drkenbridges@gmail.com. Daniel’s family became deeply involved in politics as well. His Price Daniel, Sr., had a distinguished career serving Texas younger brother, William, served three terms in the state legislature and the nation. By 1952, he had already served as an army officer, and later served as territorial Texas House Speaker, and attorney governor of Guam from 1961 to general. At the age of 42 in 1952, 1963. His eldest son, Price Daniel, Jr., deeply admired his father. By his political career was only beginning with his election to the the time he was 12 in the 1950s, he was making speeches and U. S. Senate. campaigning for his father. In 1968, he was elected to the same With his inauguration in January legislative seat his father held and 1953, he jumped into his new eventually became Speaker of the position. He pushed through legislation giving coastal states the House by 1976, just as his father had years before. mineral rights to coastal waters, legislation he made a priority in his 1952 election. While in the Senate, In 1971, Gov. Preston Smith he also pushed through strict new named the former governor and Senator to an unexpired position laws regarding illicit drug use. on the Texas Supreme Court. In 1956, he decided to return to Texas and run for governor. It was With this, Daniel had now served a crowded field and a close contest, in all three branches of state government. He was elected to a with Daniel challenged by liberal full term on the court in 1972 and and conservative candidates. Daniel won the initial Democratic re-elected in 1974. He decided not to seek re-election in 1978. Primary and narrowly defeated former Judge Ralph Yarborough in When he retired at the end of his the Democratic runoff. He resigned his Senate seat and began term in January 1979, he capped a remarkable four decades of elected his tenre as governor in January service. He worked as a private 1957. attorney afterward, providing free service to the Alabama-Coushatta Daniel’s years as governor were years of looking ahead. He worked tribe. He hoped to enjoy a quiet, peaceful retirement at his ranch in to modernize the state in many ways. He approved new highway his native Liberty County. But it was not to be. construction. He pushed ethics reforms for state officials and In 1981, Price Daniel, Jr. – lobbyists, and with Lyndon respected citizen, attorney, and Johnson, helped bring NASA’s father of three -- was shot and space center to Houston. History killed by his wife in a bizarre was one of his great passions, and incident. The scandal shocked the he spearheaded an effort to create entire state. And the entire Daniel the State Library and Archives Family was left in deep mourning. Building in Austin to house the The elder Daniel was deeply hurt state’s important records and by the loss, for the bond between a documents, dedicated in 1962. father and his son is unbreakable. Looking at the growth of cities and His health declined in the years the demands of farmers and afterward. Price Daniel, Sr., died ranchers, Daniel also moved to on his ranch of a stroke in 1988 at create more water projects to the age of 78. increase the state’s supply. By the time he left office, dozens of Daniel was widely honored for his reservoir projects were already service. Baylor University named planned. its public service award after the former governor and senator. A In spite of the state’s oil wealth, prison unit in Snyder is named Texas faced serious money problems in Daniel’s third term. In after him. The Price Daniel State Office Building is located near the 1961, the legislature proposed a State Capitol in Austin. His home 2% sales tax to make up for the is now a museum. funding shortfalls. Daniel had fought the sales tax in his years in
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Page #10
Howe ISD holds retirement party held for Jesse Stonebarger
Jesse Stonebarger congratulated by Kevin Wilson for 17 years. Jesse Stonebarger turns 81-yearsold today and last Wednesday was given a retirement party from Howe ISD where he has been employed since 2000.
McKinney wasn't the forearm of Dallas. He was there for three years before going to Oscar Mayer in Sherman. He worked there for nine years before they closed their doors also.
It is not the first job in which Stonebarger has retired from and knowing him, it may not be his last. He started with the Burlington Cotton Mill for 26 years until it closed its doors.
At that point, he was hired by Howe ISD in maintenance and had a great career that lasted 17 years.
He then went to McKinney and worked for the ice cream plant, Specialty Foods back when
He is married to Mary and they have grandchildren in the ISD - Elijah, Noah, and Jacob Campbell.
