Roger Estlack

Demolition continues this week on what was once a bustling place of activity for Clarendon residents – the Antro Hotel.

Initial plans were to raze the three story building entirely to the ground, but that scope of work has now changed with the first story walls to be left intact for future use as an outdoor park or entertainment space.

The site of the hotel has a long history dating back to the establishment of New Clarendon in 1887 when the railroad came through. The first building on that location was also a hotel. The Windsor Hotel, with guest rooms upstairs and a saloon downstairs, was operated by John T. Nugent for just a few years before the building burned to the ground in 1892.

Two other buildings that later occupied the same property were destroyed in 1921 when what was described as a “freak storm” hit the central business district and left several properties severely damaged.
Then in 1926 work got underway on what would become known as the Antro Hotel. When it opened in early 1927, The Clarendon News proclaimed: “The Antro Hotel stands as a permanent and appropriate memorial to the citizenship of the man for whom it was named, G.W. Antrobus.”

Antrobus was called the oldest settler of New Clarendon because he had camped on the present site of the town before it moved from the settlement’s original location on the Salt Fork. Antrobus first came to Donley County in 1884 and stayed several years, building ranch houses, corrals, and fences. Later, he returned to Wichita Falls. But he moved back in 1887 and entered the lumber business, eventually establishing what became Watson & Antrobus with its first store being on the site of the future hotel.

The opening of the Antro was met with great success. Designed by Amarillo architect Guy Carlander, the Antro consisted of 42 rooms with a lobby and coffee shop on first floor and a basement under the north half that was the site of numerous banquets throughout the years. The hotel rooms sold out several times in its first year of operation, and many clubs, including the Lions Club, made the Antro basement their home.

The hotel was originally managed by Col. E.O. Thompson of Amarillo, who also operated the famous Herring Hotel in that city. That agreement lasted only a few years before the Antrobus family resumed primary control of the business.

The first electric signs for the hotel and coffee shop were installed in 1927, although the original sign was not the one on the building at the time demolition started last week. The Watson & Antrobus hardware business moved into the south side of the building in 1932 and remained there 14 years.

In 1946, the hotel sold to Fletcher Curry, and the property was renamed the Donley Hotel. Likely about that time is when the sign was changed to the one that was still present up until last week. At one point in 1954, The Donley County Leader reported that Curry had installed a large neon sign – 48 feet by 24 feet – that said “HOTEL” about 16 feet above the roof.

It’s not certain the exact date the hotel closed. By the early 1970s it was being referred to in news articles as “the old Donley Hotel” and the was site of rummage sales. By 1977, it had come under the ownership of Clyde Peabody and was sometimes referred to as the Peabody Hotel, even though it never operated as such. In March of that year, G.W. Estlack, who owned the neighboring print shop, met with the city about condemning the building. He asked the Board of Aldermen to notify Peabody to put the building in a reasonable state of repair, possibly reduced to a one-story building, as it was a fire hazard.

By 1982, the city and then Mayor Shirley Clifford was pressuring Peabody to do something with the building. By 1989, Peabody had turned the property over to the city along with some bond money, which was put to use to “mitigate the nuisance” presented by the dilapidated roof and upper floors. The exterior walls remained sound, and there was still some hope that something might come of the building, but the removal of the roof at that time as likely was the ultimate death sentence for the Antro.

Ten years later, the city was again looking at razing the building, but when the demolition bid came in too high, the aldermen put the property up for public bid. Russell Keown purchased the property for $5, and then spent many years trying to keep people out of the building before he donated it to the Clarendon Economic Development Corporation four years ago.

The CEDC sealed up the building from public entrance and engaged an engineer to draw up plans for the gutting of the hotel building and subsequent bracing of the exterior walls, but cost estimates caused that project to be put on hold. Time ran out for the Antro on July 29, 2018, when another freak storm hit downtown and a straight-line north wind clocked at 84 miles per hour pushed much of the north wall into the building’s interior.

Today, several architectural elements of the building are being salvaged during the demolition of the Antro Hotel, including the sign that hung on the front for so many years. The CEDC Monday night discussed the possibility of bringing in an architect to come up with a plan to re-use those elements and make the property an active part of downtown for the future.

The Clarendon College Men’s Rodeo team were the champions at both the Eastern New Mexico University Rodeo and the Sul Ross Rodeo the past two weekends.

These two wins are the first team championships in the program’s history.

At ENMU, Tegan Smith placed first and Riggin Smith placed third in Saddle Bronc Riding, and Brody Rankin and Casey McCleskey placed third in Team Roping. They were the #1 team with 345 points. Tarleton placed 2nd as a team with 335 points.

At Sul Ross, Tegan Smith won the bull riding, 3rd in the Saddle Bronc riding and was the All-Around Champion Cowboy. Riggin Smith won the Saddle Bronc Riding and Brody Rankin was 2nd in the Tie Down Roping. CC was the first placed team with 610 points, and Cisco College placed 2nd with 470 points.

The Rodeo Team will compete at Vernon College Rodeo Oct. 4-6.

Howardwick Mayor Greta Byars has clarified the city’s new budget in terms of the funding for the fire department there.

Last week’s Enterprise reported that the fiscal year 2019 budget approved by the city council September 11 included more than $3,000 in additional funding for the department. However, Byars points out that the department’s discretionary funds have actually been reduced significantly.

The city’s current budget included $3,000 in discretionary funds for the fire department, but the city’s actual fire department expenses – for insurance, fuel, electricity, and propane – amounted to an additional $6,584.22 that was not previously budgeted in that line item. That brought the city’s total expense for the fire department to more than $9,500 for fiscal year 2018.

The new budget line item for the fire department totals $6,475, covering department’s expenses for fuel, insurance, and utilities but reducing the department’s discretionary funds from the city to $500, a drop of $2,500 compared to the current year.

State Senator Kel Seliger (R-Amarillo) met with Donley County residents last Wednesday, September 19, at the Bairfield Activity Center to discuss issues that will be coming before the state legislature next January.

Clarendon College was highlighted in the senator’s remarks, especially in terms of CC’s efforts to expand dual credit.

“Some of the best work being done in the state is being done in higher education,” Seliger said. “We have some kids getting an associate’s degree before they get their high school diploma.”

Seliger talked about the rigor of dual credit classes meeting the same rigor as college work and talked about the benefits of getting an associate’s degree before going to a four-year college.

“If you get your associate’s from Clarendon College, you’ll graduate faster at West Texas A&M than the kids who start there,” Seliger said.

The state has goal of having 60 percent of Texans have at least an associate’s degree or certificate by the year 2030, Seliger said, and he thanked CC President Robert Riza for his testimony the previous week in Austin on dual credit and workforce readiness.

Clarendon School Superintendent Mike Norrell also spoke in favor of dual credit.

“Dual credit saves our parents a lot of money,” Norrell said. “I think larger institutions don’t appreciate what community colleges are doing.”

Dr. Riza also thanked the senator for what he does for the district in Austin and also for what he keeps from happening.

Seliger opened his remarks by discussing the importance of voter involvement at the local level and efforts at the state level to control local officials’ ability to raise taxes.

“You don’t need Austin to cut local taxes,” Seliger said, noting that local officials can do that quickly and easily if it’s really important to local voters.

“Local decisions are better made locally,” the senator said. “That used to be a foundational issue. Now the Texas Public Policy Foundation claims local control is a myth because the state creates these local entities.”

Seliger also briefly discussed the state’s school accountability system before shifting his focus to school safety.

“Things have changed,” Seliger said, referring to the dangers that are now faced by schools. “Solutions will be local solutions. The state can tell you how to make schools safer, but the state can’t tell you how to pay for it.”

Seliger said he thought metal detectors in schools would take too much time and said he felt like schools would move toward having safety officers. He also said arming teachers should be a local decision.

On the subject of transportation, Seliger said he likes seeing traffic cones and barrels because it means TxDOT is spending money in our part of the state.

Donley County Judge John Howard thanked the senator for his support of local governments and his influence in keeping the local driver’s license office open.

Responding to a question from Mr. Norrell about teacher pay, Seliger said he prefers to increase funding to the basic allocation for schools and let schools decide where it’s needed.

Seliger also discussed the danger of the “wealthy far right” trying to buy seats in state government.

“That’s an oligarchy when you have wealthy people in control of the government,” he said.

Clarendon third grade teacher Cobette Riza presented questions from her students, including:

What’s your favorite thing about your job? “Being able to get things done that need to be done.”
How can you help our school? “By doing a good job funding schools.”
How many people voted for you? “80,000.”
Do you have a house like the governor? “No.”

The Cross Wagon team was the overall champion of the 24th annual Col. Charles Goodnight Chuckwagon Cookoff last Saturday, September 22, as participants and guests enjoyed fair skies and beautiful weather.

The Vega chuckwagon team outshined 13 other teams, placing in three out of five food judging categories placing second in Overall Cooking to take home the custom cutting board designed by Clarendon artist Jack Craft.

Officials with the Saints’ Roost Museum, which sponsors the event, said tickets to the event sold out last Thursday with wagons preparing food for a total of 700 people.

The 11th annual Junior Cookoff the day before the big event drew eight contestants, who were paired with experienced wagon teams to prepare potatoes for the cooks’ dinner Friday night. Haidan Norman from Howardwick won first place and was teamed with the Crosstimbers Ranch from Mustang, Okla.

Chelsea Wright of Clarendon was second, working with the Trap Drag Wagon of Pampa; and Dani Middleton of Hedley was third and worked with the Tin Cup Wagon of Holly, Colo.

Other junior participants included Kami Duncan, Brooke Duncan, Addy Havens, Aubrey Stidham, and Bryce Williams, all of Clarendon.

Following the Junior Cookoff, 165 people braved cool, damp weather to enjoy a delicious steak dinner Friday night on the museum grounds, compared to 209 the year before. The invitation-only event was held exclusively for Chuckwagon teams and members of the Museum and their families as well as members of the Goodnight family.

The trade show was held throughout the day Saturday, and live entertainment was provided. Relatives of Chuckwagon inventor Charles Goodnight also were present for their annual reunion.

Fourteen wagons served a menu of chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, gravy, biscuits, beans, and cobbler. Wagons came from as far as Tennessee and Arizona to attend this year’s cookoff, although the Chiricahua Cattle Co. Chuck Wagon was present for educational purposes only and did not participate in the cookoff.

Prizes totaling $3,250 were paid out to the winners. Complete results were: Overall Wagon & Cooking: 1) Cross Wagon. Overall Cooking: 1) Camp Cookie of Germantown, Tenn., 2) Cross Wagon, 3) HX Chuckwagon of Lubbock, and 4) Crosstimber Ranch of Mustang, Okla. Best Wagon & Camp: 1) J Bar D Ranch of Amarillo, 2) C4B Chuckwagon of Amarillo., 3) Trapdrag Wagon, and 4) Crosstimber. Best Meat: 1) Cross Wagon, 2) T-Half Circle / Daugherty Wagon of Halfway, 3) Palo Duro Cowboy Church of Canyon, and 4) Lazy JM of El Reno, Okla. Best Beans: 1) Honey-Do Spoiler of Pampa, 2) Tin Cup Wagon of Holly, Colo., 3) Trapdrag, and 4) C Bar C Ranch of Hartley. Best Potatoes: 1) Camp Cookie, 2) Trapdrag, 3) T-Half Circle / Daugherty, and 4) C4B. Best Bread: 1) Crosstimber, 2) HX, 3) Cross, and 4) Camp Cookie. Best Dessert: 1) Camp Cookie, 2) Cross, 3) Crosstimber, and 4) HX.

Clarendon College’s previous enrollment record bit the dust last week when CC set a new all-time high for a fall semester.

Following the 12th class day last Wednesday, CC’s fall head count was officially tallied at 1,639, setting a new benchmark for the 120-year-old college and blowing by the previous record enrollment of 1,590 set in the fall of 2017.

“Obviously, we’re very proud of everyone involved,” CC President Robert Riza said. “When you take care of processes and take care of students, growth will come.”

Forty-nine students above fall 2017 represents about a 3.1 percent increase, but it’s a dramatic increase compared to where the college was just four years ago. Enrollment in Dr. Riza’s first fall semester enrollment in 2014 was 1,211, and Clarendon College has posted growth every fall since then. This fall’s enrollment is more than 35 percent higher than 2014’s headcount.

The growth this year is particularly impressive when the regional unemployment rate is taken into consideration. College officials say enrollment usually dips when unemployment is low.

“We’re at what’s considered full employment in the Texas Panhandle,” Riza said.

The Texas Workforce Commission reports the July jobless rate in the Amarillo area at 2.9 percent.

Enrollment on the Clarendon campus this fall is 340 compared to 338 last year with higher enrollments in the dorms than last year. The dorms are full, and the college’s new strategic plan calls for finding ways to add more beds to the campus.

Enrollment at the CC centers in Childress and Gray counties are down. Pampa is at 196 compared to 238 one year ago; and Childress is 34 compared to 43. Both of those communities are experiencing very low unemployment, Riza said, which has hurt enrollment there. College officials pointed out, however, that some students in Gray and Childress counties have shifted from traditional classroom classes to online classes.

A total of 125 students are enrolled in strictly online classes, also known as distance education, this fall.

CC’s cosmetology campus in Amarillo was essentially flat with an enrollment of 85 students with 44 traditional students and the remainder being dual credit students from Amarillo and Canyon.

The main driver of CC’s enrollment growth has been dual credit offerings, which the college now has in 22 area school districts. This fall has 735 students taking dual credit through CC, up from 678 last year.

“Over the last five years, we’ve increased dual credit head counts by about 225 percent,” Riza said. “Our credit hours through dual credit are up about 250 percent.”

Clarendon High School has 34 students enrolled in dual credit this semester. Hedley has 14.

Clarendon College’s success with dual credit led Sen. Kel Seliger to call Dr. Riza to Austin last week, where he testified about that subject before the Senate Joint Committee on Education and Higher Education. In a Tweet Tuesday afternoon, Seliger said it was great to have Senate District 31’s very own President Riza in Austin to showcase the success happening at Clarendon College.

CC’s enrollment growth has continued to be strong across all semesters. The spring 2018 enrollment of 1,451 was also a school record for that period, and summer classes and mini-sessions have also been setting records in 2017 and 2018 as the college works to offer classes in demand and on schedules that attract students.

“If you do the things you’re supposed to do, enrollment follows,” Riza said. “When you look at the calendar, we have just one day out of the next 11 months or longer that we do not have students in some kind of class.”

CC’s next session – an eight-week mini-session for cosmetology, welding, and online classes – starts October 22, and a CDL session starts October 29 in Pampa.