Thursday, March 28, 2024 Mar 28, 2024
73° F Dallas, TX
Advertisement
Publications

Q & A

By D Magazine |

Q What’s the story behind the little graveyard on the campus of East-field College?

A It is the family cemetery of the Motley clan, which pioneered the area. A fabulous two-story farm house, built in 1856, once stood on the property. After the house was vacated in the early 1950’s, teenagers would go out there at night to test one another’s courage in the “ghost house.” Unfortunately, vandals burned it to the ground in 1967. Life must have been rough for the early Motleys, some of whom went to their final resting place one piece at a time, as evidenced by markers like “The Arm of Zachariah Motley.”



Q I am appalled by TV commercials for horror movies shown during family programs. We must have seen the ad for “The Dark Secret of Harvest Home” a dozen times during family shows. It kept showing a guy who’d had his eyes gouged out. Can’t anything be done?

A Channel 5 agrees with you and has lodged a complaint with NBC, the culprit in this case. Poor taste often prevails at the top of the network hierarchy, but a simple rule would cure the problem: If a movie is gruesome enough to require the “parental discretion” warning, then ads promoting it shouldn’t be shown during family programming. You can write to NBC, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, NY 10020; and the FCC, 1919 M St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20554.



Q I saw an ad in the paper the other day where some outfit called “Legal Limited” said that for $85 they will get you out of a traffic ticket or give you your money back. How do they do it?

A This is another example of the continuing commercialization of the legal profession. Lawyers have been taking traffic cases for years for fees equivalent to the maximum fine that could be assessed for the particular offense. If the lawyer won, he pocketed the fee; if he lost, he paid the fine and broke even. This latest arrangement is merely a variation on an old theme. Legal Limited knows the odds of winning: In a predictable percentage of cases, there will be fatal technical errors by the police or the city attorney’s staff. In a few more, prosecution witnesses will not show up. Many cases will be appealed and then dismissed, to clear crowded court dockets. And Legal Limited may even win a few on the merits. So, if you’re charged with a violation that could cost you insurance points, the $85 might not be a bad investment. You’ll probably get better-than-average representation, because lawyers hate to give back money.



Q I come into downtown Dallas ev-ery day on I-35E from the Camp Wisdom area. Is traffic getting heavier, or is it my imagination?

A Those are real bumpers and brake lights, all right. The Duncanville/De-Soto growth seems to be having an impact on 1-35E, and so does the traffic from the south sides of Grand Prairie and Arlington coming in from the new 1-20. (We’ve talked to people who were taking the turnpike but abandoned it in favor of the I-20/ Hwy 67/I-35E route when traffic picked up.) You can survey the scene in advance at the crest of a hill near the Saner exit; if it looks bad, exit on Illinois to Beckley or Marsalis, then take Jefferson the rest of the way in.



Q I had assumed that Arlington was the fastest growing city in Tarrant County. Now I’m told it’s Bedford. Which is right?

A Neither. The real boomer is once-tiny Euless, which, according to the North Central Texas Council of Governments, has grown from 4,263 in 1960 to 27,050 in 1977, an increase of 535 percent. Bedford isn’t far behind, though, with a 508 percent jump (2,706 to 16,450) during the same period. These are the percentage leaders among Tarrant County cities of 10,000 or more. But none can compare with Arlington from the standpoint of numbers added – it went from 44,475 in I960 to 139,350 in 1977.



Q How did Republic Bank get Orson Welles to do that great commercial about “Dallas, the city with no limits?”

A They gave him money. They won’t say how much, but Welles is considered to be one of the two highest paid narrators in the world. (The other is Laurence Olivier.) While most “name’” narrators will work for three to five thousand, Welles wouldn’t give you a decent mumble for that. Best guess for the Republic Bank commercial is $12-15,000, for about 30 minutes’ work.



Q Nolan Estes lasted ten years as Superintendent of Dallas’ public schools, but it must have seemed much longer to him. How long did W. T. White last, and what ever happened to him?

A White was Superintendent of Dallas public schools from 1945 to 1968. He has continued to live in Oak Cliff since his retirement. He is chairman of the board of Metropolitan Savings and Loan, president of the board of Masonic Home School in Fort Worth, and a board member of the Texas Teachers’ Retirement System.

Related Articles

Image
Arts & Entertainment

Here’s Who Is Coming to Dallas This Weekend: March 28-31

It's going to be a gorgeous weekend. Pencil in some live music in between those egg hunts and brunches.
Image
Arts & Entertainment

Arlington Museum of Art Debuts Two Must-see Nature-Inspired Additions

The chill of the Arctic Circle and a futuristic digital archive mark the grand opening of the Arlington Museum of Art’s new location.
By Brett Grega
Image
Arts & Entertainment

An Award-Winning SXSW Short Gave a Dallas Filmmaker an Outlet for Her Grief

Sara Nimeh balances humor and poignancy in a coming-of-age drama inspired by her childhood memories.
By Todd Jorgenson
Advertisement