1938 Quarter Finals...

In the entire state of Texas, you couldn't have a bigger disparity as you might have found between the Highland Park High School Scots, from the toniest part of Dallas, one of the snazziest, most exclusive neighbhorhoods (still is, today), and the Mighty Mites who came not from a defined neighborhood but from their own place behind walls where they lived a life much different from typical school boys of the '30s.

The 1938 quarter final game was not just a regular game of football. It was a game of boys who were taught they could go up against anyone versus a group of boys who had every advantage in thier hip pocket. The Highland Park boys of privilege had fans in the stands that taunted the scrawny father-less boys, shouting "orphans, orphans" to unsettle the Mites.

Thanks to Debra Stephens for the program.

The Home Survives...

Recently I toured the 19.3 acre site of the former Masonic Home campus, which closed in 2005, that is now being saved and will operate under the entity ACH (formerly All Church Home, Fort Worth). Wayne Carson, PhD, and CEO of ACH, said that the property came under the ownership of ACH in 2008 and the entity serves around 3,500 children each year.

The chapel has been renovated and is open for weddings. It is called The Bell Tower Chapel and Garden. The first wedding is scheduled for 3/2/2010 and over 30 bookings were scheduled when we were out there in the latter part of January.

Many have commented about the classical structure and architecture of the various buildings on the Home campus, most of which are being saved, renovated, and will function as part of the new ACH entity. Above is the old administration building.

Mites Made (Big) Headlines....

When the Mighty Mites played a team, it was BIG news, and that is no Texas exaggeration! This front page feature from a Dallas newspaper was in anticipation of the big game between the Oak Cliff Sunset High School Bisons and the Mites.

Debra Stephens has sent us newspaper clippings, including this one, from her father's archives. Her father, Mighty Mite Don Stephens, played college football ball (at Rice University), went on to serve in WWII, and then returned to live on the Masonic Home campus and coach the football team from '50 - '52. Her father moved to California when Debra was 14 after coaching teams in the Texas towns of Rosebud, Edna, Killeen and Mexia.

In thinking back about her father's career, Debra said, "I would think that Mr. Russell would have been influential in teaching him how to grow the players. You don't have to threaten a kid in order to get them to play a decent game of ball. That just wasn't my Dad's way."

Front Page Headline Stars...

Jeff Brown went on to be a first-starter for the Rice Institute Owls in Houston and Mighty Mite teammate Don Stephens followed Brown a few years later and the press enjoyed keeping The Masonic Home team legend alive. The AP photo cutline above refers to the players as "former members of the popular Little Rascals eleven of Masonic Home which blazed a brilliant (path) through Texas football campaigns....".