By Mike Louviere

The Orange Leader has always been first and foremost a local news newspaper. There have been national and international news reports, but the Leader from its first edition to the latest has focused on what is going on in Orange and Orange County. The July 31 edition of 1950 is a classic example.

The United States had begun sending troops to Korea. The National Guard unit in Orange was the Headquarters Company for the 49^th Armored Division. The unit had just returned from their two-week summer camp at North Fort Hood. Major Jim Mallory reported there had been no call issued for the Orange unit to go to Korea.

Farmers in East Texas were ready to return to Orange to work in war production. Some farmers were hearing distorted rumors there was going to be work in Orange once again and they had sold cattle and other belongings. Several had said if they moved to Orange to work, they would not leave and go back to East Texas.

Gem Browning, the daughter of Leader editor J. Cullen Browning, had an unusual pet cat. The cat had learned to eat corn off of the cob. Editor Browning took much teasing in the office and finally brought pictures to show that “Vickie” actually did what he claimed.

The date had been set for tryouts for the upcoming season of performances of the Bengal Guards and the Bengal Lancers, the boy’s band.

Some Orange residents had been receiving mysterious telephone calls for several weeks. The calls were from a contact man making a list of prospects for encyclopedia salesmen. Mandell Faulk, regional director for the American Education Society, said the calls were legitimate and had been made by one of his employees, Jerry Foreman. Suspicions had been aroused when a man identifying himself as “Mr. Foreman” asked questions about the ages of family members. In only a few cases had the reason for the calls been given. According to the Leader, “scores of persons” had reported the calls to law enforcement and the newspapers. Faulk said in the future his employees would change their approach in making the calls.

A Cinema Guild was being formed in Orange. It took 300 members to form the movie club. There had been 292 members signed up at the time of the report. The membership drive had started in the spring of 1949. Mrs. Carlton Tremble was president with Mrs. Oscar Dancy serving as secretary-treasurer. The first picture show would be shown in the fall. The feature had not yet been determined.

Duncan Woods had held an election for stock laws. The vote had been 47 to 46 in favor of allowing hogs, sheep, and goats to continue to have an open range.

Brownwood had voted in their election 15 to 1 to forbid open range for cattle, horses, and mules.

The Brownwood election did not mention hogs, sheep, and goats. The Duncan Woods election did not mention horses, cattle, and mules.

The Orange Independent School District Board announced changes in the operation of concessions at Stark High football games. Concessionaires would now be allowed to sell drinks in the stands as long as the drinks were in paper cups.

The Curtis PTA would be operating a concession for seat cushions. The Carr-Stark PTA had a permeant lease on other concessions. They announced they would be entertaining bids to sublet the concession business for the upcoming football season. The Curtis PTA announced their intention to bid on the concession business.

Curtis PTA issued a statement commending the board’s decision to allow sales of soft drinks in the stands. “This decision is quite an improvement over the past and will eliminate overcrowding under the stands at halftime and will keep hungry and thirsty spectators from having to miss the halftime activities of the Bengal Guards and Lancers and other school musical organizations.

This front page was typical of the era. Local news was varied in subject matter and focused on nearly all areas of local interest.

“And now you know”