Better Opportunity--Better Living is Motive for Families Moving to Texas Mrs. Jesse (Jessie) Rodriguez of Greenville, RR 3, the former Marcelina Ramirez of Celeste, was asked her feelings on seeing the last of her eight children start his senior year in Celeste High School the past September, she answered in her soft, beautifully spoken English, "I felt very sad in one way, but happy for the accomplishment." Accomplishment is the word associated with the Rodriguez family, father and mother, Jesse and Marcelina Rodriguez and their eight children. In thirty-one years of married life, the parents have reared and educated the five daughters and three sons. When Joe, the youngest, becomes a high school graduate in June 1966, he will follow the other seven in advanced learning. The parents will give encouragement, the brothers, already college trained, will help as been the custom of each one as he or she completed his academic college work. The next one in line received financial and encouraging aid from one or more of the working family members. What is the background of these worthy citizens? When questioned as to why the families, the Rodriguez and Ramirez, left their homes in the state of Jalisco, Mexico, and came to Texas almost fifty years ago, Mrs. Rodriguez stated, "For a better opportunity--for better living." The two families, unknown to each other in Mexico, settled in neighboring communities in Hunt and Collin counties. But, in time, two members, Jesse and Marcelina met, fell in love, and were married in a small Catholic Church in Kaufman County in 1934. Farming has been their occupation and for the past twenty years, they have lived in a modest farm home as tenant farmers on the land of H. H. Bennett one and 1/2 miles off US Highway 69, north of Greenville. Growing field crops and producing onions and other vegetables for sale in the downtown markets have kept the entire family cooperating in the task of farm work--and in the equally important business of getting an education through high school and college. The mother, Marcelina, at the age of seven came with her parents, the late Thomas and Bonita Ramirez and two older brothers from Mexico. In a few years, she found opportunity to help her family by taking housework in the home of the late Mr. and Mrs. E. D. Bickham in Celeste. Mrs. Bickham, sensing the ambition of the young girl, conferred with then school superintendent, J. Garland Roach. Marcelina, then twelve years old, entered the school nearby with Miss Bess Stevens, first grade teacher. Mrs. Rodriguez, in remembering those years as she lived with the Bickham family, helping with housework as she attended school said, 'I thought of the Bickhams as my second parents. With their help and the teachers being so nice, I passed the eleven grades in seven years. Miss Ophie Everett helped me at night and in the summers." Roach, now a near neighbor to the family and proud of the progress made by its members related, "Because of Marcelina's unusual IQ, eagerness, and application, she made four grades the first year, three the next and soon was with her age group." Roach remembers her radiant look as he presented her diploma and attested to her accomplishment. With such a heritage, it is little wonder a later superintendent of the Celeste school, Clyde Heflin, now of Klondike said, "The Rodriguez children acquitted themselves excellently. Some participated in sports and all participated in various school activities while maintaining better than average grades." The older children, Carmel, Modesto, and Teresa, graduated during Heflin's tenure here. Heflin knew the family since 1946, was influential in getting the transfer of the children to this district. He commented, "I was impressed on a visit in the home with the well organized home, farm and family, and the sharing each member did in the responsibly of the home." Haskell Biggs, veteran school bus driver, has transported each and every one of the eight children on the long haul to and from school. His sentiment was, "Without doubt or question, the Rodriguez children are the best behaved, courteous, and respectful." Living one and one-half miles on a country lane, the children walked to the highway to the bus during muddy weather. Since college work has been in ETSC, Commerce, and commuting is the method of meeting classes, the handicap, poor outlet road, has not deterred them. They meet classes. An aunt and an uncle, Sue and Frank Ramirez, in Celeste have helped by sharing their home to assist in continuing school attendance despite bad weather. G. W. Tillerson, present Celeste School Superintendent, having seen the last five of the Rodriguez family through their high school years, said of Mary, Mickie, Tommie, Jesse Junior, and Joe, "They are very fine students, have good attitudes, and apply themselves well, are ambitious, will assume obligations, and attend school regularly." H. H. Bennett, Greenville insurance man, commented, "My wife and I knowing Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Rodriguez and their children for twenty years as they lived on our farm of 112 acres, have learned to love and appreciate them as though a part of our family. They are resourceful, courteous, and excellent farmers. In fact, the class of people who are an asset to any community." The young people are in the business world, successful in their careers. Carmel, Mrs. J. H. Sanez, a former teacher, lives with her husband and three children in Amarillo. She lived on the campus of ETSC and worked as a librarian. Modesto, a teacher for several years, now lives in Greenville and is employed at LTV Electronic Systems. Teresa teaches physical education in South Covena, California. Mary and Mickie teach in the San Antonio Public Schools. Tommie is in Amarillo in the American School of Nursing and will be a graduate nurse in May of 1966. Jesse Junior, remaining at home as the others did, commutes to ET for his second year. The Bennetts call Junior "The Farmer" as he helps long hours in the crops because of the ill health of the father. Joe, the Celeste senior, maintains the fine qualities of the seven above him. Mrs. Rodriguez commented concerning her and Jesse's plans, "It will be a proud day when Jesse and I find time to go to Dallas for our naturalization. We have had the papers several times, but circumstances were never possible for us to go through with it. It will be a fine day for us." It was a fine day when the Rodriguez came this way. (By Mrs. Lois Lewis, January 7, 1966, The Celeste Courier)