The Fire Chiefs, Administration, and the Fire Board for Sabine Parish Fire District 1 Wards 3 & 4 would like to announce that Central Sabine Fire has now achieved a Class 5 fire rating from the Property Insurance Association of Louisiana (PIAL). This rating affects the insurance premiums for homeowners and business owners within our fire district.

Central Sabine Fire is the only fire district in the parish to achieve this rating. Before this new rating, the fire district held a Class 6 rating. The PIAL class rating is on a scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being the highest and best rated class.

This new rating was made possible through the hard work from the Chiefs’, Duty Crew personnel, volunteers, and the Fire Board. The department staffed two firefighters working 24 hour shifts to ensure that the department was able to respond to the calls for assistance. The duty crew personnel also handled preplan inspections, trainings, and call logs.

The Chief of Training held another in-house Firefighter I and Il course that was open to other fire districts. The department had members participate and also welcomed recruits from Leesville Fire. Class was held twice a week and skills were held on Saturdays. The department would want to thank North Sabine Fire for allowing the recruit class to use their training facility for skills and live burns.

The Fire Board allowed the purchase of equipment that needed to be replaced and purchase new equipment that would allow the fire department to operate efficiently. This was done while operating on a limited budget.

The Fire Prevention Division increased their presence within the community and schools through public education efforts. Smoke Alarms were given out to the public at every event possible.

The department encouraged our firefighters to acquire certifications that were available through LSU FETA at Baton Rouge and Pine Country. In some instances, the department sent fire personnel to the Alabama Fire College for trainings and certifications. We encourage our firefighters to further their education. This benefits the firefighter, department, and our citizens.

They reached out to Buddy Wood from State Farm who wrote, “We salute the dedicated and tireless work of the men and women who service our fire districts and the efforts required to achieve this improved rating. Customers should see some immediate positive change in their premiums, both residential and  business, due to the rating improvement.” For specific questions regarding your policy, the department encourages that you reach out to your insurance company directly.

The department would also like to thank the public for their support. This new rating signifies growth and improvement for them and their citizens.

Teachers shouldn’t be jerks. If you choose to educate, then you shouldn’t pride yourself on making others miserable. This may seem like common knowledge, an easy fact of life much like the sun sets in the west and Manchester United is the greatest soccer club of all time. It shouldn’t be a discussion. If you teach, you shouldn’t be a jerk. Period.

Ah, alas. No such period. Perhaps an ellipse because there’s more to the story for many. There’s no feel-good school movie where the kids rise above circumstances and the teacher changes their lives. There’s just grumpiness and flat-out rudeness for a lot of teachers.

I had a teacher in high school. Loved to quote the Bible and was a very Old Testament kind of guy. Didn’t much love to live the Bible though. What he did love was to fail kids and make life as miserable for them as possible. He was not a good guy. I don’t know what happened in his life to make him so angry, but whatever it was, it didn’t have anything to do with me or my classmates. He shouldn’t have been teaching.

But just like all abusive relationships, it’s the innocents who suffer. Another teacher in high school – math. She made me feel so stupid that numbers have forever become like a venomous serpent in my eyes. I feel stupid when I see numbers and I feel like I’m
being judged whenever I have to work with them. I felt all eyes on me and imagined whispers “what is he doing? He can’t do that? What a moron.” All of that is because of one teacher and her cruel behavior. She shouldn’t have been teaching.

Another teacher – this one in college. He taught speech. Extraordinarily cruel and actively abused students. This was back in the day before the internet and viral cancellation. Something like their behavior likely wouldn’t stand in today’s world. I remember a friend.  Her grandmother died and she had to give a speech the next day. She went to the professor and asked for an extension. I was there and I heard what this curly, greasy-haired little shrimp of a wee man said.

“Grandmothers die every day.”

I’m not a pacifist. I do believe violence can solve things from time to time. But I don’t go out looking for fights. I’ve been in one fist fight in my entire life, and that came when I was 30 years old. There are very few times I’ve wanted to hit someone. I’d
rather use my mind to solve my problems. But on that bright September day, I wanted to beat the ever-living hell out of this guy who made my friend cry.

I didn’t. She didn’t give the speech. She got a zero. He kept his teeth. He shouldn’t have been teaching

I’ve read a lot about what makes a person cruel. Why are some people jerks? Why are some people, cowards? Oh, how many cowards there are. They are everywhere. We see them every day. Living life, the easy way rather than the right way. Why? As for teachers, you mix a cruel and/or cowardly person with a group of kids and you are brewing a storm. I don’t think some teachers know, or more likely just don’t care, that your words kill souls and ambition.

Let me tell you what words did to me. I wrote a book, fiction, back when I was about 23. So more than 20 years ago. It was about a Cherokee daddy looking for his daughter during the Trail of Tears. I sent it off to publishers and couldn’t get a bite. So I emailed
a professor and asked for her help. She gave me the contact information of a dinosaur in the LSU English department. He mailed me back the manuscript completely destroyed and bleeding and then called me to drive the point home. His words were so harsh they literally gave me writer’s block for two decades. Looking over it now I see it’s not a good book. It’s the product of a 23-year-old. But his cruelty was reprehensible and shocking and I wondered how he had gotten away with being such a jerk his entire life.
He shouldn’t have been teaching.

That was a long time ago and I’ve finally gotten over it and gone back to writing with two additional novels completed and awaiting publication.

But that cruelty still messes with my head. Why was he such a jerk? I don’t know. Just like I don’t know what makes people cowards. I don’t know why people are two-faced. I don’t know why people are terrified of confrontation. I don’t know why people scheme behind the backs of others instead of just talking to their faces. I don’t get passive-aggressive people and I don’t get cruel people. I don’t get bullies and I don’t get wimps. They all are bad and putting any of these types in a classroom is only going to further deteriorate the quality of education in American schools.

I am an example of how lasting an impact bad teachers can have on people. If that dude could mess with my head like that then what kind of effect can a cruel teacher have on a young student? It’s why I’ll never be a “bully” to one of my students. Never. The
worst thing a teacher can be. Kids shouldn’t dread coming to your class. If they do, then you aren’t a good teacher. You’re an A double crooked letter and hopefully, you’ll get out of the profession.

Many people shouldn’t be teachers. I just wish that could be realized before the damage is done.

Josh Beavers is a teacher and a writer. He has been recognized five times for excellence in opinion writing by the Louisiana Press Association.

Five hundred sixty-six students were named to the Fall 2022 President’s List at Northwestern State University. Students on the list earned a grade point average of 4.0.

Many — Alexis Bush, Shania Collier, Joel Heard, Kaylee Herr, Lila Laroux Alexander Martinez, Sarah Moore, Klein Pearce, Ethan Penfield, Adelaide Soileau, Alaina Wright;

Zwolle — Erin Escott, Melissa Guin, Gracie Leone, Mckenzie Leone, Matthew Lovelady, Kaylyn Sepulvado;

Pleasant Hill — Katie Murray;                              

Noble — Selena Rodriguez, Nickolas Tramel;                              

Florien — Ashley Carter, Andrew Gatti, Taylor Richardson, Bailey Sandel, Presley Stewart, London Vidrine;    

Seven hundred and fifty-six undergraduate students were named to the Fall 2022 Dean’s List. Students on the Dean’s List must be enrolled full time and earn a grade point average of between 3.5 and 3.99.    

Florien – Kaitlyn Foshee, Jordan Merritt, James Miller, Abigail Thomas, Amanda Young;

Many – Anne Boyens, Destiny Bryant, Chikuita Carhee, Brooklyn Davis, Lexi Ezernack, Kristen Hammontree, Layton Knowles, Victoria Lane, Jada Lee, Levi Miller, Kasey Moore, Lora Peace, Presley Pleasant, Allison Russell, Carly Settle, Kaylie Spears, Kelsey Thaxton, Hilary Williams;

Zwolle – Madasyn Ebarb, Hana Lewis, Zachary Remedies, Khristian Parrie.  

Converse – Kolby Rigsby, Justin Rushing, Waylon Wright;  

Noble – Tanner Funderburk, Savannah Robertson                          

Fisher – Katelynn Sargent;                            

Six hundred and ninety-three students who were named on the Fall 2022 Honor List. Students on the Honor List must be enrolled full-time at Northwestern and have a grade point average of between 3.0 and 3.49.

Belmont – Ian Gentry;

Noble – Emma Craig, Ethan Ezernack, Joshua Ray, Harleigh Schexneider;

Converse – Jared Lum, Emiley Mowad;

Pleasant Hill – Raegan Johnson, Stormy Johnson, Ty Russell, Trenton Scott;

Florien – Deigo Almanza, Kawliga Forehand, Abby Parker, Nicholas Slaydon, Jackson Weldon;

Zwolle – Zachariah Carroll, Olivia Crittenden, Kelsie Etheridge, Katelyn Rivers;  

Many – Kamryn Barnhill, Presley Corley, Hope Curtis, Andie Gilcreast, Ethan Goldberg, Moses Gonzales, Joseph Laughlin, Chloe Leach, Beau Lewing, Raelynn McPherson;

For questions about the honor lists, contact the University Registrar at (318) 357-6171, toll-free at (800) 807-8849 or registrar@nsula.edu.  

The Town of Many will hold its Mardi Gras Parade on Jan. 8, at 5pm. There will be a street dance following the parade, and many food vendors from 6pm-9pm, including Chef’s Cuisine, Kai’s Island Grill, and Big Meauxs. Parade lineup is at 4pm.

If you’re a bass fisherman and looking for which circuit to follow, you’re in luck as there’s never been a greater variety.

Texas especially is a tournament fishing mecca with more tournament trails to choose from than there are BBQ places.  It’s getting to the point that anglers are now having to pick which one to follow because there’s just not enough weekends in a month, nor do anglers have an unlimited budget to fish everything. The time has come to choose!

All across the Ark-La-Tex there’s some bass fishing circuit that will accommodate anglers on all levels. The most popular trails fall under the category of team trails. This is where you and a buddy can fish against other teams from your local area or on a regional level.

Team trails are all the rage right now with a handful that continue to set the bar at a high level. Bass Champs, Texas Team Trail, Fishers of Men and the new Brandon Belt Team Trail are kicking off this year in Texas. There’s also Outlaw Outdoors Team Trail and TTO Pro Team Trail, designed for anglers who want to pay higher entry fees in order to fish for a higher level of payback.

It’s no exaggeration when we say our lakes are overcrowded! There’s not a single weekend from January thru October that there’s not a bass tournament, particularly on Sam Rayburn and Toledo Bend. It is amazing how well these two lakes hold up and continue to put out five-fish stringers weighing anywhere from 20 to 30 pounds depending the time of year.

Sam Rayburn just might be the most pressured lake in the country and yet it just keeps on cranking out big fish and high 20-pound five-fish stringers on a weekly basis. It’s proof that the Texas Department of Wildlife and Fisheries knows how to manage a body of water.

There’s another organization that’s been around a long time called ABA (American Bass Anglers), which started out as a military bass fishing circuit but has now expanded beyond the military. Its primary focus is on the Open Series which is a pro/am type circuit where one angler is in control of the boat (boater/pro) while the other angler (co-angler/amateur) has to fish from the back of the boat.

ABA has recently introduced a new trail designed to focus on a boater-only circuit called the Solo 150 Tour. This is a trail where the boater/pro fishes by himself without a co-angler in the back. This trail is really taking off and becoming very popular due to the fact there are no co-anglers to deal with, giving the boater/pro full control of the boat all day long. It also makes it a lot easier for a tournament director to run the circuit by not having to deal with enough co-anglers to pair up with the boaters/pros.

So how does an angler decide what he’s going to fish? First, he’ll probably look at the schedule. Where are each of the tournaments located and how far a drive is it? Will you have to stay the night, or multiple nights, and acquire accommodations? How much is the entry fee and what is the payback percentage? Is there opportunity for advancement to a regional or a national championship?

Of these two ABA trails, most anglers look at where the regionals are located and most of the time that will determine whether they follow the circuit or not. Another determining factor for some anglers: which circuit gives them the best opportunity to be competitive? No angler wants to sign up for a tournament knowing they don’t have a chance to at least collect a check.

It all boils down to what is convenient, affordable and what lake or lakes the circuit is going to. One thing is clear. Bass tournament anglers have no shortage of circuits to follow.

Until next time, good luck, good fishing and don’t forget your sunscreen even in the wintertime.

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

Natchitoches Parish Fire District 7 came to the aid of firefighters in Sabine Parish to extinguish a large structure fire.

Compliments of Rose-Neath Funeral Home – Many, LA

GIRLS

Monday, January 9, 2023

Zwolle – 61 (15-9) (1-0) McKayla Price – 19 points, Kayla Kimbrough – 15 points, Kalijah Smith – 10 points, Brianna Lambert – 8 points, Justice Howard – 4 points, Alana Sepulvado – 3 points and Adison Burr – 2 points.

Converse – 39 (12-15) (0-1) Preslye R. – 12 points, Willa G. – 8 points, Melissa P. – 6 points, Ava E. – 6 points, Abby F. – 3 points, Maci M. – 2 points, Irene D. – 1 point and Zeoy R. – 1 point.

Tuesday, January 10, 2022

Evans – 68 (15-7) (1-0)

Ebarb – 30 (10-12) (0-1)

Florien – 57 (23-1) (1-0)

Stanley – 21 (6-12) (0-1)

Simpson – 73 OT (14-7) (1-0)

Pleasant Hill – 72 OT (12-11) (0-1)

Zwolle – 67 (16-9) McKayla Price – 28 points, Justice Howard – 12 points, Kayla Kimbrough – 8 points, Kalijah Smith – 8 points, Kourtney Sepulvado – 5 points, Alana Sepulvado – 4 points and Brianna Lambert – 2 points.

Hornbeck – 52 (17-6)

BOYS

Monday, January 9, 2023

Zwolle – 74 (21-2) (1-0)

Converse – 46 (5-14) (0-1)

Tuesday, January 10, 2023

Evans – 55 (9-8) (1-0)

Ebarb – 53 (14-11) (0-1)

Stanley – 60 (14-5) (1-0)

Florien – 53 (9-13) (0-1)

Mansfield – 52 (8-2) (1-0)

Many – 33 (0-7) (0-1)

Pleasant Hill – 74 (5-16) (1-0)

Simpson – 50 (8-12) (0-1)

Zwolle – 46 (21-2)

Hornbeck – 39 (19-6)

Thursday, January 12, 2023

GIRLS

Florien – 68 (24-1)

Many – 42 (6-8)

Zwolle – 60 (17-9) (2-0) McKayla Price – 20 points, Kalijah Smith – 10 points, Brianna Lambert – 9 points, Kayla Kimbrough – 8 points, Kourtney Sepulvado – 5 points, Justice Howard – 4 points, Alana Sepulvado – 2 points and Emery Craig – 2 points.

Stanley – 34 (6-13) (0-2)

BOYS

Florien – 71 (10-13)

Many – 57 (0-8)

Zwolle – 39 (22-2) (2-0) Preston Sanders – 10 points, Draven Meshell – 9 points, Kenneth Montgomery – 8 points (2 – 3’s), Keion Calhoun – 4 points, Alec Williams – 4 points, Howard Etheridge – 2 points and Carlos Lilly – 2 points.

Stanley – 33 (14-6) (1-1)

Friday, January 13, 2023

GIRLS

Negreet – 53 (9-11) (1-0)

Converse – 35 (12-16) (0-2)

Simpson – (15-7) (2-0)

Ebarb – (10-13) (0-2)

Winnfield – 70 (11-8) (2-0)

Many – 44 (6-10) (0-2)

Pleasant Hill – 41 (13-11) (1-1)

Hornbeck – 38 (17-7) (0-1)

BOYS

Negreet – 66 (8-10) (1-0)

Converse – 51 (5-15) (0-2)

Winnfield – 79 – (14-4) (2-0)

Many – 31 (1-9) (0-2)

Hornbeck – 48 (20-6) (1-0)

Pleasant Hill – 34 (5-17) (1-1)

It was time for a change. Time for a challenge.

That’s how Jess Curtis saw it. That’s why he’s no longer the Many High School football coach, instead introduced 12 days ago to be the savior of a downtrodden Natchitoches Central Chiefs’ program.

That’s not how nearly everybody else around Many and Sabine Parish saw it. They were shocked, stunned that their coach could up and leave behind his school, those players, and what he had created as the incredibly successful coach at his alma mater.

They did not like it, not one bit. The initial sting has faded for plenty of folks, but not all. There are those who  haven’t gotten over it. Some may never will.

It hurt. Deeply. Some, more than a few, feel betrayed. Jess Curtis, #ManyMade if ever somebody was, was bolting for greener pastures, and to make it worse, going from the penthouse to the outhouse.

Many might have its drawbacks being a small town  (I’d contend being a small town has more advantages), but nobody minded too much because the Many Tigers kept them incredibly proud game after game, year after year, stacking up victories at a rate very few football teams in state history could match. Many has not lost a district game in 10 years. Natchitoches Central hasn’t won a district championship this century.

Curtis is moving from a school he loved, to a school where he is a hired hand.

How could he do that to Many? To the kids? To the Tiger football program?

Stop right there.

It’s OK to be upset, disappointed, even a bit toasty for a day or three. But for your sake, for everybody’s sake, step back and look at it differently.

Listen, with an open mind, to his interview on last Friday’s Billy West Live podcast on the Sabine Parish Journal.

There’s not a negative syllable in what Jess Curtis has to say about Many, in the podcast or anywhere else. He has nothing but pride in his heart about what has happened all his life here in Sabine Parish, and especially in the past 13 seasons he’s been the top Tiger.

And he always will. So will you. We can agree on that.

It’s also not going to fall apart. The foundation is too strong, the culture is ingrained too deeply, and too many accomplished coaches are lining up hoping to take over as head coach.

Can you admit none of it could have happened without him? There had been good seasons, a handful of really good ones, maybe none better that magical 1988 team that played then-mighty Jonesboro-Hodge for the 2A title in the Superdome – with Jess Curtis in the starting lineup. But until he became the Tigers’ head coach, and instilled the #ManyMade culture over his first three seasons, there was hardly consistent goodness. There certainly wasn’t consistent greatness.

There’s been nothing less than that since. What has happened is nothing short of incredible. State finals for the first time in 2013, like Apollo 8, the first NASA flight to reach the moon, orbiting, but not landing. A year later, it was Many’s version of Apollo 11 – walking on the moon. “One small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” State champions, unbeaten.

Then Curtis and his Tigers made moon missions routine. Playoffs every year. Semifinals nearly every year. Six trips to the state finals – including each of the last four seasons – and three state titles. The list of accomplishments by Many football with Curtis on the sideline are as good as it gets. Recently, a state championship powerlifting team has sprung out as a byproduct of the Tigers’ deep commitment to strength training.

Many High School, and Many schools period, have been transformed. Elementary school kids dream of being Many Tigers and winning like they’ve watched the big boys do. Their parents certainly have those dreams. And for years now, they’ve come true.

The seniors on this past season’s unbeaten state champions were fourth graders when they watched the Tigers on their way to the Superdome in 2013. Every fourth-grade boy since has shared their experience – maybe not their level of success, yet, but the same experience – the unbridled ambition, daring to dream while knowing it was really, honestly within their reach, which is a wonderful life lesson.

Because Jess Curtis showed them. He dared them. He motivated them and nurtured them, and he and his coaches led them. It was not just something special, it has been something amazing.

So instead of being upset and frustrated, step back and be thankful. A local boy has become a Louisiana coaching legend, in his hometown, at his alma mater.

Now he’s taking a leap of faith, daring to dream, taking his shot to see if it was “right time, right place,” never to happen again any place else – or if the #ManyMade approach is bigger than that.

Neil Armstrong was a great Naval aviator, a respected test pilot. He could have continued doing that and had a very happy, successful career. He took a chance and became an astronaut – which carried great risk — then earned the chance to lead two spaceflights, the second one taking him to July 20, 1969, when he became the first man on the moon.

Not suggesting Jess Curtis is in that stratosphere, but in his chosen field, considering his skyrocketing success, he deserves the chance to shoot for the moon.

And he deserves admiration for all he’s done for the home team, and the hometown — not scorn for leaving it.

Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com

Shreve Memorial Library turns 100 this year, a celebratory occasion but bleak reminder that there could be a steep price to pay for that book you’ve been meaning to take back since 1926. 

Part of my feeble life has been marked by library intrigue. The smell of the books. The intent of its visitors, heads down in learning repose at neat and sturdy tables. That unique library quietness — not a still quietness like the cemetery but a very alive and purposeful quietness.  

Love the library. 

When it came to hero worship, while other first and second graders were locked in on their sports idols and television stars, I wanted nothing more than to meet Captain Kangaroo (another story for another time), Charley Pride, and Dewey Decimal. 

Mainly Dewey Decimal. 

I was a weird kid. 

But something about the library fascinated me, from the card catalog right on through the little packet glued to the inside back book cover that held a card with all the information concerning where that book had been and when. You could look on the little card and see that Lee Ann Rozier had checked this book out before you did, which meant that she had held it in her precious little second grade hands, and all you had to do was read it and you’d have a conversation starter next time you were lucky enough to sit by her in the lunch room. 

Who knows when I first heard the term “Dewey Decimal System,” but the alliteration alone must have made my tiny head spin. This meant that one day a guy sat down and figured out how to put All This Stuff in order, that General Works would go in the 000 section, Philosophy and Psychology would go in the 100s, and on like that. 

Must have took him a while. 

Investigation revealed that “Dewey” had figured out where all these books would go, and that his name wasn’t Dewey Decimal at all, but Melvil Dewey, a New York native born in 1851, lifelong librarian and founding member of the American Library Association (ALA). The Dewster could hit .300 while reading a Victorian novel and straightening up with Biographies section, (which is in the 900s, just for the record).  

Turns out Dewey was one of those books you can’t judge by its cover. He actually had to resign in 1905 from the ALA he helped found, due to allegations of sexual harassment and other things people in charge of the card catalog won’t allow. 

So, my library idol turned out to be a dud. Rascal could catalog a book though; you’ve got to give him that. You just didn’t want to share a study nook with him. Well, you didn’t even want to be in the same library branch with him. 

We haven’t come too far in improving human nature during the past century, but we sure have improved the library. Dewey wouldn’t even recognize the libraries he’d get thrown out of today. 

There are tutoring programs. Ways to look up your ancestry; (hope you aren’t kin to Dewey). Ebooks and audio books to check out. CDs. TV shows and music to stream. And some of these things you check-out digitally automatically check themselves back in. Correct: the library material is smarter than we are. 

Last month I went to get a new library card. Cost one dollar to replace my old card. I got a pin number so I can do online books now for free, minus my initial one whole dollar investment.  

There was one downside. Pam, the gracious librarian, looked at me like the doctor looks at you right before he says he’ll have to amputate your leg. 

“You do owe a fine,” she said. “Overdue book.” 

Me: “Oh lord. I’m sorry. How mu…?”  

Pam: “It’s from 2006.” 

Me: (Weak-kneed, calculating what I’ll have to sell to pay the fine on a book 17 years overdue…) 

Pam: “That’ll be dollar and thirty cents.” 

I love the library. 

Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu 

Trinity United Methodist Church of Ruston is finding new ways to reach the community in regard to how the congregation serves and how members spread the word of God. One way this church reaches the community is through different lecture series each year. This year’s offering, which the church is opening to the public, is the Laskey Lecture Series with Dr. Sandra Richter.

Created by Virginia Laskey, the lecture series brings in dynamic speakers with a variety of topics including politics, spirituality, arts, the environment, and much more.

Three FREE sessions will be taught by Dr. Sandra Richter to speak on the bible’s Old Testament on Saturday, Jan. 21 beginning at 10 am until 4 pm. Dr. Richter is a leading expert on Old Testament knowledge. She will convey a complex understanding of culture, archeology, and language to the listeners in a way they can understand. She will address leadership and hope through examining the life of Debra in the Book of Judges.

Attendees will receive complimentary childcare services.

Other offerings to the community include regular Sunday worship and bible studies throughout the week. The congregation also invests in children and youth as they are the future. They also feed the community, which is a big part of the church’s mission because there is such a big need for feeding programs.

More recently, our outreach committee is exploring new and innovative ways we can fight hunger in the Ruston community and beyond

To find out more about the lecture series or to sign up for it, call (318) 251-0750 or go online to www.trinityruston.org/announcements/laskey-lecture-series.

By Brad Dison

During World War I, teenager Adolf Dassler became adept at repairing shoes in his parents’ home in Herzogenaurach, Germany. Adolf was his given name, but family and friends called him Adi. He scavenged the war-torn countryside for his supplies, and got his much-needed leather from belts, holsters, and worn-out shoes. He took and modified abandoned machine parts and created a stationary bicycle powered leather milling machine. Adi hired his first employee to pedal the bicycle so he could run the milling machine. Following World War I, Adi’s business grew as he experimented and developed stronger, but more lightweight shoes.

In 1923, Adi’s older brother, Rudolf, joined Adi in developing and manufacturing shoes. One year later, they formed Gebrüder Dassler, Sportschuhfabrik (Dassler Brothers Sports Shoe Factory). Their factory was the front room and, when not in use, the kitchen of their family home. By 1925, their shoe line included football boots which had nailed studs and track shoes with hand-forged spikes, all of which were still made in the family home. In 1927, the brothers sold enough shoes to allow them to move their operations from the cramped family home into a small factory.

Dassler Brothers shoes became popular with athletes early on. In 1928, several athletes wore Dassler shoes in the 1928 Amsterdam games. German middle distance runner Linda Radke won gold in the Amsterdam games while wearing Dassler shoes. Another German runner won gold in the 1932 Los Angeles Games while wearing Dassler shoes. In the 1936 Berlin Olympics, athletes from several countries competed in Dassler shoes. American track and field star Jesse Owens won three gold medals while wearing Dassler shoes, which led to large international orders for sports shoes of different varieties.

In the early 1930s, Adi and Rudolf saw an opportunity to expand their shoe business through politics. On May 1, 1933, Adi, Rudolf, and other members of their family joined the Nazi Party. Adolph Hitler prioritized athletic teamwork and the Dassler brothers became a major supplier of shoes to the athletes. Adi became a coach in the Hitler Youth movement and supplied those young athletes with footwear. While members of the Nazi Party, Adi and Rudolf ended their letters with “Heil Hitler.”

World War II forever changed Dassler Brothers Sports Shoe Factory as tension within the Dassler family grew. Adi and Rudolf and their wives and children all shared a single home, along with Adi’s parents and his siblings’ families. To protect them from being drafted into the German military, several members of the family worked at the shoe factory, which often caused friction in the family. Adi and Rudolf struggled for control of the company. In August of 1940, Adi was notified that he was being drafted into the Wehrmacht. He reported for duty in December but was released two months later as his work with the Dassler company was deemed essential. Rudolf became angry and more assertive when he learned that Adi claimed leadership of the Dassler’s shoe factory to secure his release from the Wehrmacht. While Adi was away, Marie, their sister Marie tried to convince Rudolf to hire her two sons to keep them from being drafted into the German military. Rudolf refused because he claimed there were already enough family problems within the company. Marie was devastated. Just as Marie feared, her two sons were drafted into the German army and never returned. Marie never forgave Rudolf. Ironically, in January of 1943, Rudolf was also drafted into the German military. Unlike Adi, Rudolf was unable to secure his release for military service. He blamed Adi and his connections within the Nazi party for his being drafted. In a letter to Adi, Rudolf spitefully wrote that he would not hesitate to seek the closure of the factory so that Adi would be forced to fight in the war. The Reich eventually shut down the shoe factory. Rudolf, on leave at the time, decided to take some of the leather from the factory for later use. Rudolf was angered when he learned that Adi had already removed the leather from the factory and reported Adi to his Nazi friends.

While the world celebrated the end of World War II, the Dassler brothers’ war for control of the company continued. Adi and Rudolf were arrested and tried separately for their actions within the Nazi party. The brothers testified against each other in a bid to save themselves. Rudolf was not deemed a threat and was released in July of 1946. Adi was found guilty of minor infractions and put on probation with the stipulation that he could not operate the Dassler shoe factory. Rudolf saw this as his chance to take control of the factory. Adi and Rudolf continued to make claims, some true some false, against each other. Adi appealed the decision and, in February of the following year, was granted permission to resume management of the Dassler shoe factory.

Adi and Rudolf were unable to repair their relationship, and the rift spread throughout the family. By this time, the Dassler company had grown to include two factory buildings. Some family members sided with Adi and others sided with Rudolf. Knowing that the rift between the brothers could never be repaired, Adi and Rudolf painstakingly divided the company’s assets one-by-one. Adi took the original factory building and Rudolf took the other. Employees were forced to choose which brother they would remain with. Rudolf and the members of the family who sided with him moved out of the family home. Adi and Rudolf never spoke again.

Following the separation and dissolution of the Dassler Brothers’ company, both brothers created new companies and continued to manufacture shoes and sportswear. Both of their companies grew to international success. Adi’s company is currently the second largest sportswear manufacturer in the world, second only to Nike, and Rudolf’s company is the third largest in the world. Rudolf’s company name translates to cougar in several countries. Rudolf named his company Puma. Adi’s company name was comprised of a combination of his first and last names. He called it Adidas.

Sources:

1. The Los Angeles Times, June 27, 1976, p.129.
2. The Ottawa Journal, May 13, 1978, p.104.
3. Asbury Park Press, November 1, 1978, p.45.
4. The Age, September 11, 1982, p.20.
5. The Miami Herald, April 11, 1987, p.115.
6. Chicago Tribune, April 11, 1987, p.8.
7. The Daily Telegraph, June 15, 1996, p.156.

The Town of Many held its walk on Jan. 16 honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 

Miss Zwolle Tamale Fiesta Queen, Kaydee Meshell represented Sabine Parish and Louisiana as she rode aboard Louisiana’s “Celebration Riverboat,” winner of the 2023 Showmanship Award, cruised the streets of Pasadena, California, during the 134th Rose Parade with Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser at the helm.

Jess Curtis built a Class 2A high school football powerhouse over the past decade at his alma mater, Many High School. Last week he shocked everybody by taking on the challenge of building a consistently-competitive program at District 1-5A member Natchitoches Central. The Chiefs haven’t won a district championship this century. Curtis won 10 straight at Many, along with three state titles and three more state runner-up trophies. He joins the Billy West Live podcast to discuss his surprising decision.

Photo Credit: Scoreboard Live

The Town of Many is excited to announce the 2nd Annual Bloom on Main, set for Saturday, April 1 from 9 am – 3 pm. This will kick off our month long Spring farmers market. Come out and enjoy a day of family, friends, shopping, and eating, vendors, food trucks, music, and more. More information coming soon.

Residents of Many and surrounding communities are invited to attend the I Have a Dream Walk on Monday, Jan. 16 at 10:30 am at the corner of MLK and Alabama. A ceremony will follow at 11 am in King’s Chapel featuring Guest Speaker Judge Agnelis Reese, pastor of St. Luke Amec Church in Montgomery.