Bobcat Treasure: Silk ... Spices ... and Essence ....

The Silk Road

When I began the "Bobcat Treasure" blogposts on September 15, 2007 with Pearls ... of Wisdom ... and Giants and Windmills (the editorial written by our blog friend and former teacher Darryl Morris for the May 19, 1963 Senior Edition of The Corral), it seemed natural to continue the planned series of updates on the Class of 1963 with the "treasure" theme. To date, in discussing our classmates, we have used analogies of a precious metal (gold on October 20) and precious stones (diamonds on September 21, jade on December 31, rubies on February 4 and emeralds on April 16), as well as one precious occasion (Amarillo Style, published by Nicki October 24, 2007).

But, as I pondered this entry which I anticipate will conclude the series (although I have learned never to say never ... because there is always and always, ever), I could not avoid thinking that there are so many other treasures, valued through the ages, which have not been included, which in their time have been accorded more worth than diamonds or gold. And it seemed to me that the incredible diversity of the individuals of the Class of 1963 almost demanded the further diversity of analogy. So I have taken inspiration for this post from ancient treasures from fabled lands ... silk, spices and perfumes (essence) ... which may have bedecked, stimulated or anointed Pharaohs and Emperors, or the Queen of Sheba, or Cleopatra ... as well as our thoroughly modern selves.

Silk fabric was developed in China between 6000 and 3000 B.C.E. (Before Common Era, a/k/a B.C.), and was originally intended solely for the use of Chinese Emperors, either to adorn themselves, or to bestow as gifts to favored members of the court. Through the enterprise of far-ranging Chinese merchants, starting about the time of the Han Dynasty (114 B.C.E.), silk eventually reached lands throughout the world on the storied Silk Road, which ultimately extended over 5000 miles and also was the conduit for other luxury trade goods like musk, rubies, diamonds and pearls.

The earliest evidence of the silk trade came with the finding of silk in the hair of an Egyptian mummy of the 21st Dynasty (1070 B.C.E.). In Homer's Odyssey, it is said that Odysseus wore a "gleaming" shirt, which scholars believe referred to silk. The secret of silk-making reached Europe at the time of the Byzantine Empire, around 550 C.E. (Common Era, a/k/a A.D.). Merchants of Venice traded extensively in silk and encouraged the growth of the industry in Italy; since the 13th Century, silk from the province of Como has been considered the most valuable in the world. Beautiful silk is also produced in Brazil, Vietnam, Korea, Japan, India and Thailand, as well as in other areas, and the finest examples are highly prized and quite expensive even today.

I've always been fond of the Robert Frost poem, The Silken Tent:

She is as in a field a silken tent
At midday when the sunny summer breeze
Has dried the dew and all its ropes relent,
So that in guys it gently sways at ease,
And its supporting central cedar pole,
That is its pinnacle to heavenward
And signifies the sureness of the soul,
Seems to owe naught to any single cord,
But strictly held by none, is loosely bound
By countless silken ties of love and thought
To everything on earth the compass round,
And only by one's going slightly taut
In the capriciousness of summer air
Is of the slightest bondage made aware.

But I digress....

Silk moths

Exotic spices (including salt, once known as "white gold" and for a time worth more than its metallic namesake) were also part of trade along The Silk Road, but had an even more extensive reach via other trade routes. Spices such as cinnamon, cardamom and ginger were trafficked extensively well into antiquity. Pepper and nutmeg became popular around the 7th Century C.E.

Expanded maritime trade led to an explosive growth in the distribution of spices from the Indian Ocean throughout Asia, from the Sunda Strait in Indonesia to the Cape of Good Hope, through the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea during the Ptolemaic Period in Egypt, where overland routes carried them to Europe and Africa. Java and Borneo in particular became hubs for the increasing trade in aromatic spices. Despite early Asian, Indian and Arabian supremacy in spice trading, from the end of the Middle Ages until modern times the spice trade was dominated by European traders, primarily the Dutch, Portuguese and the British. Penang in Malaya (now Malaysia), the setting of Tan Twan Eng's novel The Gift of Rain (recently referenced more than once by me on the the blog), was established as a pepper port by the British in 1786. The Kingdom of Aceh (now part of Indonesia, and devastated by the horrendous December 2004 Asian tsunami) was a powerhouse of the Southeast Asia spice routes. The Republic of Venice was also a major factor in the Spice Trade.

A major consequence of the Spice Trade was the discovery of the American Continent(s) by European explorers, since Western Europeans did not want to be dependent on, nor pay the heavy taxes levied by, the Muslim Ottoman Empire. The first Asian spice grown successfully in the New World was Jamaican ginger, a root originally from Southern India and China.

Silk enhances the appearance of those who wear it, and delights the eye of those who behold its splendor. Spices titillate our palates, and their judicious use often lifts quotidian nourishment into the realm of the extraordinary, and sometimes the sublime. Silk and spices are without doubt life-enhancing and give pleasure to those who encounter and appreciate them. And so, I give you silk and spices....

A spice shop in Morocco

Sharon Molloy: Office assistant, "Molly." Sharon is married to Ray Kelley (CHS Class of 1960) after 20 years of widowhood following the death of her first husband, Billy Smothermon (CHS Class of 1959). Sharon has published a wonderful update in "Show and Tell" (May 18, 2008), and she and Ray plan to be in attendance for the class reunion in Childress October 3-5, 2008. We look forward to seeing both of them then.

Bill Bailey: His Jeep, filming all of the CHS football games. Bill has allowed us to publish a great update on "Show and Tell" (June 10, 2008). He is presently Associate Professor of Human Development and Family Studies at The University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, (where his wife Jean also works), after a 31-year career with the United Methodist Church. Bill unfortunately will not be able to attend the Childress reunion in October because of his school schedule, but we urge you to read his referenced bio.

Joe Hix: DE student, blond hair. We believe Joe lives in Childress. He plays the organ beautifully, as he did for my mother's funeral there in 1983.

Carolyn Z. Mooney: Tall, senior play. We believe Carolyn resides in Childress with her husband, but we have no additional information at this time.

Gerald Holeman: DE student, Kirkland. We believe Gerald has been living in Dallas, and we recently published an obit of his brother Curtis (CHS Class of 1960) on "Short Notes" (June 26, 2008). We have no additional information.

Patsy Poling: Hair, new Ford. Pat Sledge and her husband have been traveling in Colorado, but anticipate returning soon to their home near Waco. Pat does plan to attend the class reunion in October.

Don Morgan: DE student, black hair. Don is married to Billye and lives in Childress. They have two sons and no grandchildren. Don graduated from West Texas State University in Canyon, then entered the U.S. Air Force and was an officer/pilot for 7 years. He has been farming in Childress since leaving the USAF in 1975. Don said (in our conversation this evening) that he is enamored of a French singer named Isabelle Boulay (look/listen on YouTube) and is contemplating a trip to Paris. He adds that he will plan on attending our class' dinner reunion on October 3 ... if he is not in Paris with Isabelle by then. (Billye was present during our conversation, and he was still living when I hung up .... grin....) I enjoyed talking to Don and look forward to seeing him soon.... Since publishing, we have been informed by unnamed (but reputable ... more or less ... grin) sources that Don is a devotee of the TV program "Dancing With the Stars." On one viewing, when the end of the show was somehow cut off, Don (through Billye) registered a complaint with the local ABC affiliate, which was later broadcast with other complaints received about the abrupt truncation of the show.

John Steed: Student council, Senior play cast. In recent e-mails from John, we have learned that John is a lobbyist working in Austin and, when not working, is at his homes in Arlington and Fort Worth. His next door neighbors are the actor Barry Corbin (Northern Exposure, etc.) and the novelist Sandra Brown. He is married to a doctor of Internal Medicine who practices in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Sherry Sides: Betty Crocker Award winner, green Ford. Sherry and her husband, Dennis Haddon, live in Lubbock. Sherry works for the Lubbock I.S.D., and we wonder if her path ever crosses with Wayne Havens (see "Show and Tell" published May 22, 2008).

Johnny Thornton: Basketball player, National Honor Society. John and his wife Katherine live in Fairview, in the Dallas area. John graduated from Texas Tech in 1967 and obtained his MBA from St. Mary's University in San Antonio. John is retired from a career which included more than 30 years with U.S. Steel. He and Katherine have one daughter and three grandchildren, one girl and two boys. When I spoke with John on July 24, he indicated that he will visit the blog and consider attending the October reunion in Childress.

Carolyn Bruce: DE student; dinner ring. Carolyn Bruce Lane lives in Childress. I talked with Carolyn this morning (Saturday, June 26) and she told me she and her husband Dwayne have adopted and are raising two grandchildren (ages 15-17). Between them, they have four children and eight grandchildren. Carolyn and Dwayne are both retired. Their home was severely damaged in the recent Childress tornadoes. She said she had been hoping for a new roof, but that wasn't exactly the way she had imagined getting one ... and we both laughed over the wisdom in the old caveat to be careful of what you wish for ... or at least specific in the details of the request. Carolyn has also been battling cancer, and hopes to be able to attend the Class of 1963 dinner on October 3 at K-Bob's, if her health permits. We certainly send our best wishes to Carolyn and do hope to see her soon.

Bettye Galyean: All-Star volleyball player and NHS [National Honor Society]. Bettye Galyean Seagroves lives with her husband in Westcliffe, Colorado. after retiring from their jobs in Childress.

Philip Tutor: Basketball player, FFA. Phil (a/k/a "The Bish" and "Mzunga" as well as other colorful appellations) is pastor of the New Life Church in Stafford, Arizona and has traveled the world and the U.S. in the course of his ministry. We were privileged to publish a topic post from Phil, Change ... It's Good for You!!! on March 4, 2008. There was a wonderful mini-reunion with Phil and his wife Winnie, Jim and Nicki, Linda Kay and Wayne, Coach Joe Warren and Yahn and I at Pappadeaux's in Dallas on April 9, 2008 (to read about the mini-reunion, see It Was a Dark and Stormy Night..., published April 11, 2008). Winnie and Phil have 16 grandchildren!!! Phil is in Rwanda as this is being published. At this juncture, Phil will not be able to attend the Childress reunion in October, though we continue to hope for a change in his schedule.

Barry Wakefield: Junior play cast, UIL poetry interpretation. We understand Joe Don is in occasional touch with Barry and are awaiting information from him, but have nothing further at this time. We believe Barry is considering attending the October reunion. We have just learned that Barry graduated from Texas Tech with a degree in accounting, following a stint in the Navy. He has lived/worked in Oxnard, California for Helena Chemical for a number of years. We understand that Barry frequently travels to Texas to visit family and friends, and so hope this bodes well for attendance at the reunion.

Patricia Painter: State FHA Degree, Corral staff. Patricia Painter McCain lives in Missouri City, Texas (outside Houston).

Gayle Whitten: Best-Natured, National Honor Society. Gayle is married to our classmate Kay Eatherly Whitten and they live in Lubbock. As Kay reported in connection with Bobcat Treasure: Gold ... "King Tut" ... and the "Lost Buddha"... (published October 20, 2007): I retired from teaching 4 years ago, and Gayle still has his painting business. He quit teaching after 12 years so he could own his own business and I could be home with our children. So for 20 years I did not teach but was mom to Melissa (nearly 38) and Mark (36). Melissa and her husband live in Lubbock and they have 3 precious children: Lindsay (7), Aaron (5) and Colby (3 months). Mark lives in Houston and has Kamber (6) and Asher (4). When all the "grands" are together, they are like "fireants" What a blessing! Gayle and I have an intense desire to serve our Lord Jesus in any way He leads. We have been on a couple of mission trips to the Czech Republic, and we may begin a ministry of "mom and dad" to missionaries. We are not sure right now. We have been blessed to travel a lot, and we love people, so we are waiting. Kay and Gayle have confirmed that they will attend the Class Reunion in Childress in October, and will definitely be at our Class dinner at K-Bob's at 7:00 p.m. Friday, October 3.

Johnny Wilson: Greenbelt football player, student council. John and his wife Pam live in the Fort Worth area, where John coaches and Pam teaches middle school, after both retired from careers in education in Oklahoma. They have two children, a boy and a girl. We understand his son is getting married in close proximity to the October reunion, which may preclude his attending.

Bryce Wormsbaker: Wavy hair. Bryce lives in Childress, is married with children, and works for the U.S. Postal Service.

Johnny Wright: Debate team, black eyes. We believe John is living in Greenville, South Carolina, but have no further information at this time. We will update if possible. Since publishing, I have spoken to John Wright in South Carolina and sent him the link(s) to the blog. We are hopeful that John will provide us with an update which we can share with the class. It will be appended here when received.

Etruscan perfume vase shaped like a female head

Perfumes (from the Latin per fumus meaning "through smoke") have been valued for trade throughout recorded commercial history. The blending of perfume began in Ancient Egypt, and was expanded by the Arabs and the Romans. The oldest known perfumery, dating to the Bronze Age about 4000 years ago, was excavated on Crete. The first recorded chemist was Tapputi, a perfume maker mentioned in a Mesopotamian Cuneiform tablet from the 2nd Millennium B.C.E. Gaius Plinius Secundus, a/k/a Pliny the Elder, author, naturalist, philosopher and naval and military commander at the time of the Roman Empire, described the basic ingredients and methods of making perfume in his Naturalis Historia, which was dedicated to the Roman Emperor Vespasian. (Pliny the Elder died during the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius which destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum in 79 C.E. But again I digress....)

Early perfumes were made from amber, musk, aromatic oils and spices. Persian doctor/chemist Ibn Sina (a/k/a Avicenna) perfected the process of distilling oils from flowers, the process most often used today.

Scientific research (and sometimes personal experience) suggests that scent is the strongest trigger to memory. The smell of cut grass or baking cookies may remind us of childhood. The smell of woodsmoke can evoke thoughts of autumn or cozy winter nights before the fireplace. The scent of a particular perfume can recall a mother, a special friend, a lover.... Sugawara Takesue no Musume (1009-1070) knew the poignancy of memory manifest in a tantalizing waft of perfume when he wrote in Perfume Laden Air:

When from the neighboring garden the perfume-laden air
Saturates my soul with memories,
Rises the thought of the beloved plum tree
Blooming under the eaves of the house which is gone.

In about the 15th century, essential oils and blended perfumes used by ancient Greeks and Romans were often transported in amphorae, ceramic vases with two handles and a long neck which was narrower than the body of the jar. Amphorae have proven of great benefit to archaeologists, since amphorae found in shipwrecks or in caves or ancient cellars are sometimes so well preserved that the original contents are still present. Even when the amphorae have been broken, or lost for centuries, there sometimes remains a residue which can be reconstituted to a remarkable degree as it was in its original state. And so, finally, for those Bobcats, our former classmates, for whom we have been unable to find any information, I give you perfumes ... essence....

Greek Amphora, showing the goddess Athena


Juanita Foster: DE student and shorthand. No information.

Linda Ham: Larry's big sister, brown hair. No information.

Woody Maggart: FHA sweetheart, white convertible. No information.

Darrell Manuel: Track and speech club parliamentarian. Despite leaving messages for Darrell on the Classmates website (where he is registered), we have heard nothing from him and have no information.

Barbara Moore: Librarian's Club President; Joe's big sister. No information.

Linda Ritchie: Engaged, red hair. No information.

Eddie Simmons: DE student, student council. No information.

Eddie Worthington: DE student, green Falcon. No information.


If we have inadvertently missed any of our graduating classmates in this series, or have unknowingly conveyed incorrect or incomplete information, we would appreciate your letting us know.

We also hope to catch up more with our classmates at the Class of 1963 dinner at 7:00 p.m. at K-Bob's Restaurant in Childress on Friday, October 3, 2008, held in conjunction with the All-School Reunion October 3-5. If you do plan to attend, please let us know so we can arrange for the appropriate number of seats. See you soon???

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