J.J. Watt delivers the goods to Astros All-Stars: Page 6
The Sugar Land Skeeters rough-up the Road Warriors to start a seven-game home stand. See page 6.
WEDNESDAY • JULY 18, 2018
Fort Bend / Southwest • Volume 41 • No. 48
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Graves were those of leased convict laborers School district gives peek at archaeology at historic cemetery By Joe Southern JSOUTHERN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
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Former EDC leader Herb Appel dies at 76 From staff reports FOR THE FORT BEND STAR
Herb Appel, who guided the fledgling Greater Fort Bend Economic Development Council from a startup to world-class economic organization, passed away July 10 while on a family cruise. He was 76. Appel was encouraged by local businessmen in 1986 to take charge of the Greater Fort Bend Economic Development Council to promote the county as an ideal location for home developers, businesses and industries. During the 27 years he served as the president and Herb Appel chief operating officer of the EDC, Fort Bend County grew from a 225,000-population rural and farming community to one of the fastest growing counties in the country with a population exceeding 700,000. “Herb was a servant leader, he demanded excellence from everyone around him but none more than he expected of himself,” said Jeffrey Wiley, who succeeded Appel as the head of the GFBEDC. “There was something inspirational about him. He made you want to be a better person if not for yourself, to ensure you didn’t let him down. He had a quiet wisdom, perfected by faith, patience and a keen intellect that seemed to know how to balance the scales to bring parties together. “He was a master of his craft and his craft was making Fort Bend County a world-class community for business and residents alike. He was the North Star for
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The historic cemetery discovered in February at the construction site of Fort Bend ISD’s James Reese Career and Technical Center has been determined to contain graves of black convict laborers who were forced to work the sugarcane plantations following the Civil War and the abolition of slavery. Of the 94 graves found on the site, 48 had been exhumed as of Monday when the district invited local media to see the site and to interview experts involved in the process. So far, all but one of the bodies have been black males who ranged in age from 14 to about 70 at the time of death in the latter part of the 1800s and early 1900s. “It was definitely an unexpected find out here, although we did have some warning,” FBISD Superintendent Charles Dupre said. Reign Clark, cultural resources director for Goshawk Environmental Consulting, Inc., the professional archaeological firm hired by the district, said all evidence uncovered so far indicates the people buried at the site were part of the controversial convict leasing system the state used to help plantation owners replace freed slaves. The practice was ended in 1910. “We believe this cemetery dates to use before the state took over this area for use as a prison,” Clark said. “We believe it’s associated with the Ellis No. 1 convict labor camp. The owner of this property obtained a charter for convict labor from the state of Texas around 1878, so 1878 gives us the beginning marker in time for use of this place as a cemetery.” None of the remains were made available for viewing, but numerous artifacts from that era that were uncovered from the overburden over the graves were put on display, including several chains, bricks, hoes, files, and other items. Clark said the items date to the same timeframe but were not part of the burials. He said the only items recovered from the graves so far are buttons, nails from the coffins, and one ring. Also on the site are the remains of a tool shed that was built in the 1920s or 1930s over a couple of the graves, indicating they had been lost to history
Reginald Moore, center, talks with Reign Clark, left, about the historic cemetery found in February at the construction site of Fort Bend ISD’s James Reese Career and Technical Center. At left is FBISD Superintendent Charles Dupre. (Photo by Joe Southern)
before that time. One person who refused to let the history be erased is Reginald Moore, who has been studying that part of local history here as it relates to the mostly black inmates who died at the prisons in the Sugar Land area. He cautioned the district last fall before construction began that there might be a cemetery there. “We’re believin’ that there are other camps out here,” Moore said, noting there are other known convict labor camps throughout the Sugar Land area. Discovery of the site left Moore with mixed feelings. “I was very elated that maybe these guys would be recognized” for their contributions to Sugar Land’s success, he said. He said the excavation uncovers a dark chapter in local and state history and he said he is pleased that more light will now be shed on what he called state-sanctioned atrocities. He hopes the history books will now be rewritten to include the crimes against a people who made great contributions to the wealth and success
Archaeologists work exhuming a grave Monday at the site of a historic cemetery found in February at the construction site of Fort Bend ISD’s James Reese Career and Technical Center. (Photo by Joe Southern)
of Sugar Land and Fort Bend County. (Editor’s note: A more detailed story
about the site and the discoveries will appear in next week’s paper.)
Bioenergetic scanning comes to Missouri City pharmacy By Joe Southern JSOUTHERN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
Almost like waving a magic wand, Dr. Ferryl McClain uses an electronic device that, with a simple touch to fingers and toes, can analyze almost any problem with the body. The sounds-too-goodto-be-true technology is a blend of Eastern and Western medicine that has been around for decades but Bioenergetic pharmacist Dr. Ferryl McClain conducts a largely ignored in Ameri- scan on a patient with the BioScan machine. The device can medicine. McClain, combines ancient Eastern medicine and Western techa pharmacist in Missouri nology to give a highly accurate report of the state of orCity, wants to change that. gans and various bodily functions. (Photo by Joe Southern) “The science has been blood test.” connector placed on the around for about 30 Her bioenergetic patient’s chest while the years. It started in Personal tesEurope,” she said, timony touts office is located in- patient holds a brass rod Haeckerville in one hand. McClain usnoting that it is benefits of side commonly used in bioenergetic Pharmacy near Si- es a probe to touch each South America, the testing. See enna Parkway and acupressure point on the page 5 Highway 6. There patient’s fingers and toes. Far East, and Canshe uses a BioScan The computer analyzes the ada but is almost unheard of in this country. machine, which measures data and produces a very “In America it’s like a the body’s energy lev- detailed report. totally new concept,” she els through acupressure said. “I feel like it’s more point readings. The proaccurate than a typical cess involves having a SEE BIOSCAN PAGE 2
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Visitors to the Houston Museum of Natural Science at Sugar Land interact with an augmented reality display that just opened at the museum. (Photo by Joe Southern)
Augmented reality exhibit lets museum guests roam with dinos By Joe Southern JSOUTHERN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
The “Night at the Museum” movies came with the tagline, “Where history comes to life.” That tagline can now apply to the Houston Museum of Natural Science at Sugar Land, which has opened an augmented reality (AR) exhibit where guests can roam with dinosaurs, dolphins, rhinos, and even an astronaut. Museum visitors can experience the “Adventurers” AR display on the large screen
adjacent to Devil Rex in the T-rex atrium. “I think it’s going to be a hit,” said Adrienne Barker, director of the museum. Friday was the first day for the exhibit and children and adults were drawn to the screen where they could watch themselves interacting with the AR animals, astronaut, and thunderstorm. Visitors could “pet” a jaguar, roar back at a tyrannosaurus rex, moonwalk with an as-
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