I don't know about the rest of you folks, but I miss the weekly missive from our fearless leader, Dolores, who was conspicuous in her absence at our cancel event in Silverton on the 27th… On the other hand, while she was missed by her stalwart compatriots, the event was hardly diminished as Deborah Sue took charge in every sense of the phrase…
    We began by wowing no less than 50 students (4th – 9th and three excited teachers) at Silverton ISD with our message that, "Texas history is not just something you study - names, dates, places and events that happened in the past - but indeed, Texas history is being made TODAY, right here in Silver City (they really do call it that) – Briscoe County, Texas - and you are part of it..."
     Deborah Sue holds up the map of the Texas Plains Trail [a drum roll would be nice at this point – she has already told the admiring throng what she does to promote the region to attract visitors], as I further explain how we are connecting all those dots, not only with photos but with a special postal cancel event – the result of a partnership between the United States Postal Service [Fort Worth District] and TPTR… I hold up a cancelled envelope and explain its origin and significance…
    The students' faces light up (well, some of them - but ALL their teachers beam) and we got an intelligent question or two, but you can see wheels turning with ideas for projects and perhaps, if only for another session or two, some real interest has been stirred, from a new perspective – yes, interest in Texas history... We point out that, as a result of the creation of this (the envelope), stamp collectors [and we share the word for the day – philatelic] all over the country and beyond, now know about the Plains Trail Region of Texas and communities like Claude, Muleshoe, Gail and now, Silverton…
    We tell the students that our postal cancel is very small Texas history, but thanks to the Texas Historical Commission [Deborah Sue has already noted the TPTR/THC connection] and all their teachers' efforts, for as long as they are in school, each of them is being prepared to maybe one day make BIG Texas history – just like (Deborah Sue & me – ha!) all the people they are studying… AND, I assure you, just like in Claude, Muleshoe, and Gail, when we finished our presentation, there was not a dry eye in the place...
    We then packed up our show and tell items and headed for breakfast at Kay's… We discussed a lot of stuff as we stuffed our faces, girding our loins, so to speak, to meet with all the local notables at 11:00 at the P.O., where Postmaster Melissa had set out donuts (they were yummy-looking and square, from a bakery in Plainview) and coffee…
    At 11, sharp, they began arriving – our entourage, that is… Yes, Deborah Sue and I actually have some real, faithful, Texas Plains Trail Postal Cancel Event "Groupies"… And the group of Groupies is growing… Why, in Silverton this week, we had TPTR members from Clarendon and Tulia, several friends from Lubbock and a couple friends from Plainview…
    Jerry Baker, Caretaker of the Jail Museum (he also tends the immaculate grounds of the Briscoe County courthouse) was there… The Mayor of Silverton stopped by… A writer from the Quitaque newspaper (Valley Tribune) was there, interviewing all… Several postal customers took part in the event and then, just like that, it was over…
    Deborah Sue and most of the entourage adjourned to the Malt Shop for hamburgers (oh, how I wanted to join them), while I headed out to take a few pictures around Silverton, before the long, arduous back to East Texas – ahead of a threatened winter storm… A few photos are on my flickr site – www.flickr.com/photos/stateart1…
    So, four down and 48 to go, "Making Texas history, every Wednesday at a County Seat near you", is our motto, for 2010... We'll all be at the P.O. in Panhandle – Carson County, Texas next Wednesday, Feb. 3, 11:00 a.m.… Come join us, won't you? Take part in, and get your piece of, Texas history in the Texas Plains Trail Region…Adelante, Rick Vanderpool, TPTR Photographer & Scribe  1/29/2010