Walter's Insight - Musings of a Fellow Traveler of TJ Class of '67 Port Arthur, Texas

An amazing story has just come to a successful conclusion.

The young lady second from left is Helen R******. This photo was taken over 40 years ago on the occasion of Helen's induction into the Red Hussars, an all girls drum and bugle corp that was a part of Port Arthur's Thomas Jefferson High School since the 1920's. Of course when the high school was merged a few years ago, the Red Hussars ceased to exist as an on-going organization.

Because the high school was going out of existence, I stayed on the look-out for TJ memorabilia. My wife and I often go antiquing and I spotted this photo at a flea market and bought it. I actually had a connection with two of the people in the photo, but I did not know to whom the photo belonged. Several months later, at the same flea market, I found the personal Hussar Scrapbook that once belonged to Helen R*****. I was concerned that such a personal keepsake was being sold at a flea market. I feared that Helen had passed away and someone not knowing the importance of the scrapbook was trying to sell it. So I bought it , not knowing what to do with it, I kept it safe. The photo I sent to the Hussar Alumnae Association. I really did not see that the two may have been connected.

Then recently, I learned that Helen was indeed alive and through a mutual friend, I contacted her asking if she wanted the scrapbook. She was delighted to know the fate of the scrapbook and gave me a shipping address. I mailed it today.

This brings to a close a quest that lasted several years and hopefully will bring Mrs. Helen some amount of joy as she recalls her friends and years in the Red Hussars.

yea Rouge, yea blanc, yea Hussars, allons.