LETTERS

Sold on Channel 13



In regards to your article in the May issue, “The Selling of Channel 13,” I was shocked. My husband and I are
“citizen members” and I have become quite active in the station and we take offense with the article. What we do at
13 is a valuable community service. Nowhere else could your child watch programs such as “Sesame Street,” “The
Electric Company,” and “Misterogers” Neighbor-hood.” And just think of the huge hike in your taxes if the D.I.S.D.
had to supply their own science and English programs for teachers to use in their classrooms.

Although I admit that pledge breaks are not my idea of great entertainment, they are a “necessary evil.” There is
nothing so dull or irritating than to answer six crank and obscene calls in a row. But there is a certain
satisfaction in knowing that what you are doing is worthwhile and that there are people out there who appreciate
your efforts. Channel 13 is still the best PBS station in the Southwest. Don’t knock one of the few decent things
about Dallas.

Anne McKinney

Dallas



Auto Suggestions



I was surprised, pleased and proud to see that my dad’s Exxon station was on your list of the eight best service
stations at which to have your car repaired (April issue).

I called him immediately and told him I had some good news and some bad news. The good news was that you had
correctly recognized his auto repair service as being one of the best in Dallas. The bad news was that his address
was incorrect.

Owners of cars needing repair now or in the future should know that H.H. Skelton’s Exxon is located at 11730 Preston
Road, on the corner of Preston and Forest Lane.

Mrs. Mike Lary

Dallas



What you need to know about auto repairs, D Magazine, is that there’s a Dodge-Chrysler dealership
whose service department is worth bucking rush hours to get to. When Preston Road Dodge closed a couple years ago,
we couldn’t believe it, so we tracked down their service manager and found that Lone Star Dodge-Chrysler was smart
enough to get him. We were so pleased with the whole dealership, we bought our second Dodge there.

Candy Hendrix

Grapevine



Though I realize the impossibility of including all car repair businesses in the article, I was disturbed to see the
exclusion of Ray Lewis Belmont Garage from the listing of recommended “Independent” garages.

For over 13 years, Mr. Lewis and his mechanics have provided unfailing service, efficiency, quality work, and
reasonable prices to South and East Dallas residents.

Andrew C. Gaupp

Dallas



One for the Book



Relative to your April issue article on The Book of Dallas and Doubleday’s “blunders,” there are blunders of
omission and misunderstanding in the article. Erika Sanchez did not balance the piece by giving the good along with
the bad. The public likes the book. In spite of the production problems and delay, The Book of Dallas is
selling well. At this writing, the first printing of 12,000 copies is almost sold out.

Those critics who have bothered to read the book, as well as look at it, have given it good marks. The Book of
Dallas has received the Geographic Society of Chicago award as well as critical acclaim from Publisher’s
Weekly. Locally there was high praise from the Dallas Morning News book critic, Lee Milazzo, and Fort
Worth Star-Telegram book editor, Leonard Sanders. None of these affirmatives was mentioned in the article, nor
was mention made of the valuable contribution to the book by banker W.W. Overton, Jr., real estate developer Raymond
Nasher, and educator Dr. Bill Priest.

Bill Porterfield

Evelyn Oppenheimer

Dallas



Oak Cliff Doesn’t Like Us



John Merwin’s article about Oak Cliff in your April issue contains fragments and hints of truth, but coupled with
unrepresentative isolated examples of our parks, lifestyle and racial makeup, merely stokes the fires of
divisiveness within our city.

First, no resident of Oak Cliff thinks of himself as anything but a Dallasite. We have a pride in being Dallasites
and let no North Dallasite ever forget it!

Secondly, your three drab rented halls housing beginning black churches hardly is representative of either the black
or white churches of Oak Cliff. We have a church building on almost every corner, it’s always been said, and Robert
Ripley once stated in his “Believe It Or Not” column that there were more churches on Tenth Street in Dallas, Texas
than any other street in the world! Many churches have now celebrated their 50th anniversary, and the one which I
attend in Winnet-ka Heights, the Edgefield Church of Christ, celebrated its 40th on April 10th.

Third, how do you feel that a park bench with five black boys adequately describes Lake Cliff Park? It could have
been taken in any park in the city. If you were there today you would see mounds of azaleas heaping up over rolling
green slopes that cascade down toward the still lake where ducks glide serenely through the reflections of the
colorful azaleas.

By your omissions you have said as much as by your unfair inferences.

Florine H. Hamilton

Dallas



After finally managing to decipher the contents of your article on Oak Cliff, I understood why you chose white print
on a green background. I wouldn’t have wanted anyone to be able to read it either.

Carolvn Dunnigan

Dallas



I liked the Oak Cliff article. I thought it was honest but it just didn’t go far enough.

I have been attending meetings sponsored by the Old Oak Cliff Conservation League dealing with the restoration of
homes in Winnetka Heights, and the comment I heard from a young lady at the last meeting summed up Oak Cliff for me.
She has recently bought a house here and is in the process of fixing it up so she can move in. She currently lives
in an apartment across town. She stated that she was so amazed that her neighbors had made an effort to meet her and
offer their help, and she hadn’t even moved in yet. She said she’d lived in her apartment for the past three years
and nobody had ever done anything like that there.

I have lived in Oak Cliff nearly all my life (26 years) and I suppose the reason I’m so passionate in support of it
is because I’ve heard so much negative comment about it from people who have never even driven through it. So I can
understand the reaction of your callers and letter-writers because we’ve been stepped on for so long and ridiculed
by so many that we’re just fed up with it.

We’ve got shiftless, lazy, petty, mean, dirty, complaining, ornery people in Oak Cliff: we’ve also got industrious,
hard-working, generous, loving, caring people in Oak Cliff. Just as in any other part of Dallas. All I ask is that
people give us the same benefit of the doubt that they would extend toward any other part of town – don’t knock us
until you’ve tried us.

Mrs. Jack vanWunnik

Dallas